Chapter One

Eighteen is supposed to be special for us girls.  Especially us girls in a werewolf pack.  It marks us becoming an adult, when we are finally able to find our mates.  That is exactly how I felt waking up on my eighteenth birthday.  However, that excitement, the special feeling, did not last.  

My life was perfect, I was Emily Ravenport, daughter of Alpha Eric Ravenport and Luna Aria Ravenport of the Crescent Moon Pack, and in my parent’s eyes I could do no wrong.  I woke up that morning excited with the prospects of finally finding my mate.  I had been waiting my whole life for this moment.  It would be special, our scents would hit each other’s noses, our eyes would lock, and we would just know.  Mates.  Tonight was the mating ceremony, tonight I would find my mate and I already had one person in mind: Jackson Ledger.  

I woke to taps on my window.  I jumped out of bed and saw him.  Jackson Ledger.  My boyfriend.  He looked so handsome standing in the yard, smiling at me.  

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”  He mindlinked me.  I laughed, feeling all giggly inside. 

“Don’t move! I’ll be right down!”  I mindlinked back and quickly wrapped a sweater around my shoulders.  I still had my shorts and tank top on that I had slept in, but I didn’t care.  If everything went the way I wanted, he would be seeing a lot less clothes on me later tonight.  

I tip-toed down the stairs, trying not to catch my parent’s attention.  I loved my parents, but they can be a bit much sometimes.  I also know they didn’t really care for my relationship with Jackson.  My mom always told me to just wait for my mate, but Jackson will be my mate.  

I stepped outside and ran into Jackson’s arms.  He wrapped his arms tightly around me holding me close as he kissed my lips, his tongue fighting for entrance.  I let him in as our tongues met.  His hands moved down to my ass and grabbed tightly as he deepened the kiss. He pushed me up against the passenger door of his car, his body pressing tightly against mine, the bulge in his pants hard between my legs.  

His hands moved to my shorts as he tried sliding his hand between the material and my skin.  I slap his hand away as I push him off of me.  “Not now Jackson.”  He runs his hands through his hair in frustration. 

“Why not Em? We’ve been together for four years now, don’t you think it’s time?”  he looked back at me with lust in his eyes.  

“Not yet, tonight, at the mating gathering,”  I smiled at him, “I know we will be mated tonight.  I can feel it, we were meant for each other.  Tonight we will finally be together in every way possible.” I smile, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him again.  

I pull away reluctantly.  “My parents will be up any minute! You need to go!” I say laughing, gently pushing him to his car as he tries to fight me pulling me in for another kiss. 

He hops in his truck and puts the window down.  I step up on the sidebar and kiss him again. “See you tonight, Princess.”  

“You’ll pick me up right?” 

“No, I’ll meet you there, I have some things I need to do before.” 

“Oh, I thought we would ride over together.” I sighed.  

“Hey, I’ll see you there, okay?”  He leans in and kisses my lips again reassuring me.  

After he pulled away, I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t want to go to the meeting with me. I tried to brush it off as I went into the house. I entered the breakfast room, my parents were already sitting at the table.  I grab a seat next to my mom.  “Was that Jackson this early in the morning?” My dad asked me, never taking his eyes off the paper he was reading. 

“Yes,” I reply, smiling to myself.  I couldn’t help it, I was so excited to be mated to him tonight.  “He was just wishing me a happy birthday.”  

“Is that what they’re calling it these days,” my mom replied.  “I saw you guys out there, you were doing pretty much everything but sex.”

“MOM!” I could feel my face turning red. 

“You need to have respect, Emily, you are the Alpha’s oldest daughter.  One day you may take over the pack.”  

I shook my head as Heather, my little sister, walked in, hair a mess and wiping the goop out of her eyes.  Her clothes were hanging halfway off her.  I rolled my eyes, the least she could have done was fix herself before coming to breakfast.  

She flings herself into the chair opposite of me.  “Hey familia!”  

“Really Heather, show some respect,” Mom sighed, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.  You should really take some tips from Emily here.”   Heather rolled her eyes and glared at me.  

Tabitha, our house slave, entered the room carrying two trays filled with food and drinks.  She is a Sigma, the lowest ranking wolf in the pack.  They are all females eighteen and older who are unmated.  Sigmas can’t have mates.  They also don’t have wolves.  They go into heat once a month, and every male in the vicinity of her goes nuts wanting to shag her.  They are hated by everyone and forced to be pack slaves.

As Tabitha approached with the trays, her hand began to tremble.  She placed the tray of food on the table as she tried to steady herself. She was sweating and her face was flushed.  My father looked at her with lust in his eyes as the tray fell from her hand, hitting the table.  Drinks went flying as tomato juice spilled down the front of my mothers white sundress. 

My mother flew out of her chair and screamed at Tabitha, “what the hell!  This dress is irreplaceable!”  With anger in her eyes, she smacked Tabitha across the face.  “Get out of here!”  

Tears filled Tabitha’s eyes as she turned and ran out of the room.  In all the commotion, no one noticed my father had gotten up out of his chair and started after her, halfway shifted into his wolf.  

“Eric! Get back here!” my mother cried.  But he was off.  

I can’t believe she would come around here in her heat.  It is like she was asking for it.  I rolled my eyes as I got up, “well I guess breakfast is ruined.” 

My mother had already left the room to take care of her dress, Heather was shoveling food into her mouth as if this was some kind of dinner and a show. I scoffed at her as I headed up to my room to prepare for my day, I had to make sure nothing would go wrong.