Chapter Two

Anna

“What?!” Stella exclaimed.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. We were sitting under an oak tree, which shielded us from the intensity of the afternoon sun.

I didn’t want to believe it but it was true. I had found my mate, and it wasn’t who I had been expecting to be. It had to be the one person I never thought possible; Damon Smith, my Alpha.

It came as a shock and I could tell he had heard the whispers too. But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he had left with his mother. Maybe he was disappointed in me. I didn’t know how to feel. I thought it would be exciting to finally find your mate, but being the mate to the man who destroyed my pack was the most horrible thing that could happen.

My pack, the Nightcrawlers, had been one of the most prominent packs in the country. We were the most feared, that was why we were usually attacked. But we were always able to defeat them. That was until they showed up.

The Blue Valley pack led by Damon and his men destroyed my pack, killing my father, and taking me and the rest of the survivors hostage. I was only a little girl, but I could still remember everything that happened. And now I realized I was destined to be his mate.

“Does he know about this?” Stella asked.

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I mean, he did turn around when I realized it so I think he does. He’s just finding it hard to believe it like I did.”

“I never thought you’d be the Alpha’s mate,” she confessed. “I mean it doesn’t make any sense.”

I chuckled at that.

“Thanks for the support, Stella.”

She laughed, her voice echoing through our surroundings. The warm afternoon breeze brushed against my cheeks, flipping my hair across my face. I pulled them away and tucked them behind my ears.

Between my fingers was a blade of grass I didn’t stop looking at all afternoon. I was lost in my thoughts, thinking of what I would do about the discovery. Should I tell him, or would he come to me? I didn’t know.

Then, I felt Stella’s arm around my shoulder. I looked up at her and smiled. Her long brown hair was being pulled back by the warm breeze, and I could see her hazel eyes smiling at me.

“Hey. There’s no need to be down,” she said. “Today is your birthday, you’re eighteen, and you know what that means?”

I arched an eyebrow at her. I didn’t understand what she was driving at.

Stella had been my friend ever since I had arrived here. Though it felt like a taboo for us to be friends since she was of the Blue Valley pack, she didn’t discriminate. And that was what I loved about her most.

“What are you talking about?” I asked her.

She grinned at me and pulled out a little metal flask. I arched my brow even higher as I stared at it. I couldn't tell what it was.

“This means you’re legal to drink alcohol,” she said with a sinister grin.

I shook my head as I heard that. There was no way I was going to do that.

“No. No,” I said, moving away from her. “I’m not drinking alcohol.”

Stella laughed.

“What? It’s therapeutic. And you sound like you need some.”

I hated alcohol because of its intoxicating smell. And worst of all, it tastes like battery juice. I loathed it. There were several times I had seen Damon drinking alcohol while cleaning his place, and the smell he reeked of was usually unattractive. The last thing I needed was to smell like liquor when I got home. I would receive a huge scolding.

“Come on, Anna. It’s just a little flask,” Stella pushed.

I shook my head, rising to my feet. Underneath them, I could feel the grass tickling my feet. It felt so nice to be out here. This was better than staying indoors all day.

Stella rose to her feet too and I could tell what she was thinking.

“Stella. No. Don’t you dare!” I said, moving away from her.

She jumped towards me but I pulled away just in time. She rose to her feet and came after me. A few moments later, we found ourselves running around the tree. Stella had the flask out urging me to drink it. But I only had one answer.

“No.”

Thirty minutes later, I handed the flashback to her as my vision became blurry. I could tell that I was intoxicated. Stella had successfully persuaded me into drinking.

“And then he was like, ‘What are you staring at?’ And I was like, you, beautiful.”

Stella laughed at that and reached for the flask. She tried to hold onto it, but I pulled it out of her grasp and brought it towards my mouth. I tried to drain it but found out that it was empty.

My lips twisted into a frown and threw it over to Stella. She was startled when she felt the flask drop on her stomach. I stretched out and leaned back on the bark of the tree, watching the sunset.

It looked so beautiful. The clouds were golden which was a reflection of the sun’s golden light.

Wait. The sunset. That meant...

I jumped to my feet immediately with startled Stella. She looked up at me in confusion.

“What is it, Anna?”

I looked at her.

“It’s sunset. I’m supposed to be home before now.”

“What?” She shrieked getting up on her feet.

“I have to go, Stella. Thank you for today,” I said.

“Wait…” she tried to say.

But I darted off before she could complete her sentence.