Chapter One

Aegis’s P.O.V

Number One Rule for Your Life:

Never ever let your younger, outgoing sister plan you a birthday party, because chances were:

You would be alone.

She would be nowhere to be found.

YOU WOULD BE ALONE.

There’s nothing wrong with the party except for one giant fact—it was a PARTY. And I don't do parties.

The black speakers in the corner blasted a pop song I had never heard before at an ear-splitting volume. The air around us smelled of alcohol and horny teenagers. A tall, lanky boy stood shirtless on the table, attempting to do his own version of the movie Magic Mike and failing. Badly. His audience of equally drunk teenage fangirls didn’t seem to mind. They shrieked and screamed loudly, going on to give me a headache.

Everyone’s dancing, laughing, drinking juice with little umbrellas in them, and I just stand there. My skin itches in this dress Sheila manipulated me into. And every time someone shouts “Happy Birthday!” I want to disappear.

Which brings me to the million-dollar question—where is Sheila?

“Happy nineteenth, Aegis!” someone calls again.

I force a smile and nod. This is so not how I wanted today to go. I wanted quiet. Peace.

Not… whatever this is.

Everything goes quiet all of a sudden. Everyone turns very still, and that only means one thing.

Mom is here.

Her heels click sharp against the marble. Her lips are pressed thin. Her eyes scan the party. I already know we're done for.

Sheila materializes beside me from somewhere in the party, and even she looks terrified of the look on Mom’s face.

She walks straight to us.

“What the hell is this?”

I straighten. “It’s—It’s a party, Mom.”

“I didn't know, I swear,” I say quickly. “Sheila planned it.”

Mom turns to my sister, who’s standing behind a group of pack teens, acting surprised.

“Sheila?” Mom raises a brow.

Sheila steps forward, hands open like a saint. “That's a big lie! Aegis wanted it. I helped her set it up, but it was her idea.”

My stomach drops.

“That’s not true!” I shout. “You said you’d take care of everything! I told you I didn’t want a party!”

“She’s lying,” Sheila says quietly, eyes shining. “Why would I throw a party when I know she hates them?”

I step toward her. “You manipulative little—”

“Enough!”

Mom’s voice cuts like a whip.

Her eyes lock on me. “How dare you raise your voice in my house?”

“She’s lying,” I say again, shaking. “She lied. I'm telling the truth—”

Mom moves closer. I brace myself.

“You are always blaming someone else,” she says slowly, voice dripping with disgust. “You’re nineteen today, but you act like a spoiled child.”

I flinch.

“I didn’t ask for this!”

“You never ask for anything!” she snaps. “You just sulk and whine like the world owes you something.”

My breath catches.

“I’ve tried with you, Aegis. Goddess knows I’ve tried. But you’re still the same burden you always were.”

Silence.

Her words hit like a slap.

A burden.

She called me a burden.

She doesn’t stop.

“Sheila at least tries. She knows how to behave. How to shine. And you? You hide in shadows and expect the world to change for you.”

“Sheila gets everything,” I say, my voice shaking. “You never even look at me unless I screw up.”

“Because that’s all you do,” she says. “Mess things up. Just like I told your father the day he picked you up from that cursed river.”

That breaks something.

I stare at her.

“What did you say?” I whisper.

Her mouth tightens. “You're not mine. Not even his. And I don't see any reason why we should continue to tolerate your bullshit.”

I stop breathing.

“Sheila was born into love. You were born into regret.”

The room tilts.

I feel everyone’s eyes on me. My cheeks burn. My throat closes.

“Mom, how can you say that—” Sheila says, stepping forward.

“Stay out of it,” I whisper to her.

She reaches for me. “Aegis, I didn’t know she’d say all that, I swear I didn't mean—”

“You never mean anything!” I yell, loud and raw. “You always do this. You do something, and instead of owning up to it, you stand back while everyone blames me for it!”

“Aegis,” she pleads. “I just wanted to do something nice for your birthday—”

“No, you wanted to be nice. To look nice. Like you always do. And now everyone thinks I’m the problem. Again.”

She looks down. “I’m sorry—”

“You’re not.” I breathe hard. “You’re just sorry you got caught.”

I shove past her.

“Stay away from me.”

I shove my cup into someone’s hands and storm off.

I hear her call my name behind me, but I don’t stop.

Of course she lied. Of course Mom believed her. That’s how it always is.

I walk fast down the hallway, arms wrapped around myself.

Tears blur my vision. I blink them back.

It’s my birthday. I’m supposed to feel happy.

But all I feel is invisible.

I reach for the front door, gripping the handle, ready to disappear—

The door swings open before I touch it.

It slams into me. I stumble back and land on my butt.

“Ow,” I mutter, rubbing my hip.

“Whoa, sorry—”

A hand reaches out.

I look up.

And everything stops.

My wolf surges forward, howling in my chest.

My breath catches.

He’s tall. Really tall. His dark hair is messy in the best way. His eyes are deep brown, soft but sharp. His lips part like he’s caught in the same moment.

“Mate,” I whisper.

He says it too, low and stunned. “Mate.”

We stare at each other. My heart slams against my ribs.

What? No. This isn’t happening.

It’s my birthday. I just turned nineteen.

The mate bond triggers at sixteen. Why now?

Why him?

He crouches and gently pulls me up. His hands are warm and firm.

“I—” My words vanish.

“You okay?” His voice is smooth. Like melted chocolate.

I nod, but I don’t feel okay. I feel dizzy.

He studies me like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“Hi, beautiful,” he says.

I blink. My mouth goes dry.

“Uh… hi.”

He grins. “I’m Elias. Elias Parson.”

My brain glitches.

The Alpha’s son.

The most wanted guy in the whole pack.

And my mate?

“I know who you are,” I say.

He chuckles. “And I finally know who you are.”

My stomach flips.

“You’re… really my mate?” I ask.

He steps closer. “Guess the Moon Goddess has good taste.”

Heat floods my face.

I’m not used to being flirted with. Not like this.

Not by him.

“You’re blushing,” he teases, grinning wider.

I look away. “I—It’s just hot in here.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Shut up.”

He laughs. A real one.

I find myself smiling. Just a little.

His hand brushes mine. The spark hits again.

My wolf is pacing, tail high, ears forward. She’s already attached.

“You’re really cute when you’re shy,” Elias says.

I open my mouth to tell him to stop. But I don’t.

I like it.

Then I hear footsteps.

Sheila’s voice. “Eli!”

I freeze.

He turns.

“Hey, Sheila,” he says, voice lighter.

She runs up to him like she owns him. And he doesn’t stop her when she throws her arms around him.

He hugs her back.

My chest squeezes.

My wolf growls.

But I hold her back.

They’re just friends, I remind myself. Sheila told me that.

But it doesn’t look like just friends the way she clings to him.

She laughs, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“I didn’t know you were back!” she says.

“I came straight from the patrol,” Elias says. “Didn’t want to miss the party.”

She touches his arm. “That’s so sweet.”

My hands curl into fists.

No matter how many times I chanted in my head that they were just friends, my wolf refused to acknowledge or accept it. Not when I knew the extent of Sheila's feelings for Elias went beyond friendship. On many a night, I had been forced to sit through rants about how much she loved him and her fantasies about them. She was so sure she was in love with him. I suppose I could only be thankful now that they hadn't crossed that line. That Elias never crossed that line.

I could never understand why wolves even bothered getting into relationships with no intention of going long-term when they haven't met their mate. People like my sister.

Those who underestimate the power of the mate bond and the Moon Goddess's will usually try to take their lives into their hands. A noble thought indeed, but also an idiotic one. They would seek out other wolves that thought similarly and plan a future with them, even going as far as mating and marking them—but it never ends well.

When one of them finds their mate, all their plans fall apart. The mate bond that had been embedded in them before they were born changes their minds. Finding your mate is a feeling completely incomparable to any other relationship. Which was why I didn't understand why Sheila would ever bother to pine after someone who wasn't her mate.

She was completely unbothered when she realized Elias wasn't her mate. She had decided a long time ago that he was the one for her, and no mate bond could change that.

I never truly understood her.

She had her own mate while he did too. It didn't have to be me. No amount of 'love' could overpower the pull of mates. I knew this, and she did too.

If I told her Elias was mine…

She’d laugh. Or worse—she’d take him anyway.

My throat tightens.

I can’t tell her. Not now. Not like this.

But I’m not giving him up either.

He’s mine.

And I’m not letting her ruin this like she ruins everything else.

My heart constricts in guilt. That was selfish thinking. They were just friends, and I was trying to separate them.

I watch as they talk. Their voices blur together.

She touches his chest and laughs at something he says.

He laughs too.

And even though I know what I saw—know he’s my mate—

It still hurts to see the way he looks at her.

It’s not the same, but it’s close enough.

They cared for each other. Bond or not, that much was obvious. But it was just a harmless crush. I continued reassuring myself that her fascination with him was only temporary. The moment she found her mate, she would realize how silly she was for pining after him.

My wolf is pacing harder now. Restless. Angry.

I try to focus.

I try to breathe.

But the tightness in my chest won’t go away.

Then—

“Watch out!” someone yelled in the distance. “It’s coming down!”

I look up.

The chandelier is falling.

And it’s aiming directly for me.

“Oh shit.”