Prologue

Cassie POV:

My name is Cassandra Semberton.  I go by Cassie.

I am a 21-year-old werewolf.

Werewolves –especially she-wolves—are supposed to dream of finding their mates, falling in love, and planning their weddings. 

 I’m not like most she-wolves.  I’m broken.

For most of my life, my parents have used the hypothetical mate bond against me: 

“Cassie, your mate isn’t going to want a fat mate.  If you want a mate, you need to eat less and exercise more.” 

“Cassie, your mate isn’t going to want to marry a tomboy.  You need to wear dresses and heels to attract his attention when you find him.”

“Cassie, your mate isn’t going to want someone who studies science.  You need to study fashion instead.”

“Cassie, your mate isn’t going to want a mate who cusses. If you talk like that around him, he will reject you.”

“Cassie, your mate isn’t going to want a messy mate.  If you don’t learn how to clean house and keep yourself and your house tidy, he will find someone else who can.”

When I was younger, these sorts of comments really bothered me.  My father had rejected his first mate, so the possibility of a mate bond being rejected was a very real concept for me.  I also knew my parents didn’t really like me, and the idea of a mate who accepted me for me and loved me for me was very appealing.

As I got older, my perspective began to change.  There were a million things about me that my parents didn’t like, and those were all things they said my mate would hate me for as well.  The closer I got to age 18 –the age that werewolves can first sense their mates- the louder and louder my parents’ criticisms became.  On the eve of my 18^th birthday, I realized that I needed to make a choice:  I could change who I am so that my mate would accept me, or I could make no changes and take the risk that I would be rejected by my mate and eventually die lonely and alone.

Neither of those options sounded appealing to me, so I picked Option C:  I moved to the human world.  Living in the human world would make it highly unlikely that I would ever find my mate.  I could date and have relationships the same way that humans do, without the pressure of a mate bond.  And, on the very off chance that I found my mate, I would simply reject him before he could reject me.  Easy peasy.  After all, if I was never going to be good enough for my mate, my mate would never be good enough for me.

You can probably imagine how my parents reacted to my decision to move to the human world:  not well.  I naively thought they would be relieved that they didn’t have to have their shameful daughter around, so they could focus on my obedient younger sister.  I was wrong.  They didn’t like giving up the shred of control they had maintained over me, and they threatened to disown me.  They never actually carried out the latter threat, but after three years in the human world, my relationship with them is anything but roses and butterflies.

My life, on the other hand, is great.  I haven’t found a human male to settle down with, but I have had a series of boyfriends.  All of them were handsome and fun to hang out with.  Most were pretty good kissers.  None could hold my attention long enough for me to want to get serious, but I’ve never felt unusual for not settling down; it is rare for humans to marry or settle down at age 21… especially humans who are enjoying the college lifestyle.

Oh, and that is the best part of my new life:  Thanks to taking classes in the summer and taking a few classes in high school that gave me college credit,  I am about to earn my college degree in psychology.  I haven’t totally decided what I want to do with my degree, but I know my future is bright.

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Future Cassie POV:   

Oh, 21-year-old Cassie.  I remember exactly how I felt back then.  Little did I know what was around the corner.

Yes, my future would be bright.  But it would also have some rough times.  Oh, and that mate I wanted to forever avoid:  yeah, no such luck there.  I wanted to avoid mates, love, and weddings, but surprise, surprise:  my path to true love began with me fighting with another she-wolf about a wedding dress.  Yes, really.

Buckle up, younger self.  It’s going to be a rocky ride.