Chapter One

Anna

Today was the day I turned eighteen. It was exciting. Why? Because now I finally had the chance to be with my mate. I was told that once you turned eighteen, your mate would finally find you. I didn’t know if it was real or a blatant lie, but I was excited. Well, that was until he showed up.

“What are you doing standing around?” He asked. “Get back to work!”

It was Damon Smith, the Alpha of the Blue Valley pack, and also one of the most ruthless men I have ever encountered.

Being slaves to the pack was the worst part of my life, but I’ve always found a way to make things work. I’ve always tried to stay happy, and luckily I had my best friend, Stella who was always there for me.

“S—So sorry, Alpha,” I stuttered, grabbing the cloth from the rack.

He had his brows furrowed as he stared at me. I could tell his eyes were pasted on me as I cleaned the water from the table.

Damon was also one of the most gorgeous men I’ve come across. Being a slave made my opportunities slim, so I hadn’t been able to see a lot of men. But I could tell that there wouldn’t be much out there that was more sexy than the man standing before me now.

He had short jet-black hair which glittered in the morning sun that washed into the living room. His lemon eyes usually made my knees weak whenever I stared at him. To me, he was a walking piece of art.

His well-chiseled jaw and pale skin made him look ultimately beautiful.

I gulped hard as I wiped the table with the cloth. I could feel the cloth grow damp as I mopped the water. A chill went down my spine as I felt the cold from the cloth.

I could still feel him staring at me. This was the longest we have ever been together. It was awkward that I had him watching me.

When I was done, I turned around and found him still staring at me, his lemon eyes piercing through my soul. I could feel my knees about to buckle. His biceps were busting out of his black shirt as he folded his arms. They looked like they could cut diamonds.

Fuck. Fuck.

“What are you staring at?” He asked.

I blinked twice when I heard that. My eyes searched the room as I thought of an answer to give him. Was he going to punish me like the rest of my pack? Was he going to send me to the dungeon? It would ruin my day, and I didn’t want to imagine that.

I was saved by the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs. A woman came down and I recognized her immediately. She had long black hair and a pair of brown eyes. She looked to be in her early forties. I knew her too well. She was Noami, Damon’s mother.

“Now what is going on here?” She asked.

Damon didn’t answer her. He was still glaring at me and I could feel my heart thumping hard against my chest. What did he have in his mind?

His brows furrowed slightly, creating a thin-like impression across his smooth forehead. His pink lips pressed together to form a thin line, making him look stern and beautiful.

I felt like we were having a moment, and then, I heard Noami sigh. It broke the silence and snapped me back to reality.

“Caught her some slack, Damon. Today is her birthday,” she said.

My eyes widened expressing my shock. Did she know my birthday? How was that possible? My eyes went to her and her brown eyes were glittering as she smiled at me.

“You are turning eighteen, right?” She asked.

I gulped hard and nodded in response. She flashed me another smile.

“She’s come of age.”

Damon’s brows were now furrowed even further and it created another thin line above the previous one on his forehead. He was staring at me, and it looked like he was going to eat me up any moment. My thighs shivered at the thought.

“Happy birthday,” he said, his voice deep but smooth, creating a low hum that resonated in my soul.

And then, I felt it. It came in a flash. The connection. I felt like he was pulling me towards him. I could feel the force of attraction tugging me towards him. I wanted him. Those lips, those stern lemon eyes, and his lovely pale skin. I wanted them all to myself.

I shook my head snapping out of it.

“You shouldn’t have interrupted, mother,” Damon said, turning to face Noami.

That was the first time he had looked at her since she came into the room.

Noami chuckled softly. I could barely hear her.

“I couldn’t help it. I’m plus, I was just on my way out when I caught you two,” she said.

Her last sentence sounded weird. It seemed she was trying to pair us. That would never work. Damon wouldn’t look at a slave like me twice. I was nothing more than that in his eyes. And it was perfectly fine to me until a few moments ago.

The feeling was getting deeper and stronger. I could feel his warmth around me. It was soothing and comfortable. I wanted to lay up in his arms. Those strong biceps hold me tenderly as I fall asleep. Was I daydreaming?

“Mom. Quit it,” he said.

His eyes came back to me, the sunlight illuminating them, and making them look like glass. They looked so fragile but gorgeous. My thighs trembled again.

“Get back to work,” he said calmly before turning around.

He walked away with Noami, and I watched them head towards the door.

I could hear voices around me whispering, but I couldn’t decipher their words. They were getting louder by the second, and I could feel the force of attraction pulling me towards Damon even though he was far away.

And then, he paused by the door and turned to stare at me. My heart squeezed in my chest as our eyes met. And then, the whispers became more vivid. I could finally decipher the words, and the first one came as a shock.

“Mate.”