Chapter 2

The party was being held at the beach near the town’s main strip. It was the typical hangout for locals. A huge bonfire blazed lighting the sand around it and reflecting off the waves that were quietly crashing behind. The whole place was full of bodies, something that immediately made my skin crawl. This was the exact reason I detested parties.

"Do you want a drink?" Amanda asked grabbing hold of my arm much too tightly.

"No thanks, unlike you I would like to make good decisions tonight."

Sticking out her tongue Amanda hurried away, just as I knew she would do all along. It seemed it was time for me to find something nonalcoholic to sip on and to find a place in the sand to sit. After all it was going to be quite a while before I saw Amanda again.

Quickly snagging a bottled water from a cooler sitting beside the keg that already had tipsy college girls hanging around it, I found my way to a more secluded spot by the rocks. It would be the perfect spot to sit and people watch, one of my favorite things.

Ever since childhood I had never liked being part of large groups, something that everyone found weird given the fact one day I would be part of a very large pack. However, the idea of that never resonated with me. Why did I have to absolutely follow a pack? Why couldn't I be my own wolf?

Even my parents had insisted that I should join their pack and continue on in their footsteps.

Both my parents were warriors for the Bralin pack, they fought hard to keep our pack lands safe and that was something to be absolutely proud of, however, why did I have to turn around and do that myself?

At times I couldn't help but wonder exactly why I was even born into the world of werewolves. Why couldn't I have been born as a regular human? Then I could make my own choices, I wouldn't have to always worry about keeping my temper in check, because heaven forbid, I decided to suddenly change in front of a normie.

In our world that would be the end. Chances were we would be locked away, that was of course if we didn't end up getting dissected on a lab table. The mere thought of it gave me goosebumps.

Taking a swig of my water I turned my thoughts onto the party goers before me. Everyone seemed to be having a grand ole time, dancing and drinking and carrying on. I could easily recognize quite a few people who I went to high school with, but if you asked me what their names were then I would most certainly disappoint you.

Some others I didn't quite recognize, maybe they were from neighboring packs? Come to think of it, Amanda never said whether or not these people would be wolves as well. Were there normies running around? The prospect was interesting.

Sometimes we all intermingled, but it was on very rare occasions. We tended to keep to our own species after all. No point in thinking too much on it since it didn't affect me anyway.

Taking another swig of my water I allowed the sweet scent of cedar and pine to travel towards me. Wait?!? Cedar and pine? Why would those fragrances even be out here? Shouldn't I be smelling salt water and brine? Then what was the source of that smell and why was it so intoxicating?

Standing, I allowed my feet to lead me forward, I had to figure out where that scent was coming from. Whatever it was it was like a siren's song beckoning me and I just had to find the source.

Something about it seemed so familiar, so warm, so comforting. It was like I knew this scent all along.

"Excuse me?" A warm voice drifted through my hazy thoughts bringing me face to face with a man I had never seen before.

Six-foot tall, golden eyes, long black hair, tan skin, and tatted up arms. I had to admit that he was absolutely tasty. Wait, what did I mean by tasty? Since when did I even use terms like that?

"Sorry, but may I know your name?"

My name? What was my name again? Who was this man, and why did he have such an effect on me?

"Marissa." That was it, my name was Marissa.

"Marissa." The way my name rolled off his tongue sent my heart into a panic. "It's nice to meet you Marissa, I'm Travis."

Travis, whoever this Travis was, he was doing something to me. Every fiber within my being was beginning to tingle and my mind wasn't working as it should.

'Mate.' Chloe whispered through my lust filled brain.

'Wait, what do you mean mate?' What the hell was Chloe going on about right now?

'He is our mate!' Chloe couldn't contain the excitement she was feeling over finding our other half.

'Are you joking?' No, there was no way. How in the world was it possible that I would just happen to run into my mate at a party I was forced to come to?

"I'm sorry," Travis was still talking to me, damn, act cool Marissa, get your shit together.

"Sorry?" Was that a good attempt at acting normal? How in the world did I even forget how to function as a normal person just because of some man?

"Were you saying something?" The smile that played on Travis' face should have been illegal as it sent my soul crashing out of my body. This man was absolutely turning me into a fool.

"How have you managed to stay so well-hidden till now?" Travis asked, locking his delicious golden gaze on me.

What kind of question was that? Was it some ridiculous pick-up line?

"I haven't been hiding anywhere." I mean, I truly hadn't been. Avoiding social gatherings like they were the plague was not hiding, it was simply staying to myself.

"I've waited a long time to find you." He continued smiling brighter.

I had to fight the urge to block my eyes, the man's smile was just much too dazzling. It was too much for my poor heart.

Come on Marissa, act cool. You can't become a drooling idiot just because you managed to find your mate. It was taking everything I had to not just throw myself at the man in front of me.

"Could you maybe be mistaken?" That was a normal thing to ask right? If it wasn't oh freaking well, it was all I could come up with.

A deep laugh erupted from Travis sending shivers throughout my entire body. Man, that laugh and voice were just so damn tantalizing.

"Marissa, I know that you feel it too." Travis murmured leaning in closer to me so that his breath had begun to intermingle with mine.

I opened my mouth to respond but was stopped by the sound of someone screaming. Jumping up I looked around towards where the noise was coming from, just ahead there was a very large white wolf with glowing red eyes and it looked mad.

So much for a good time, it seemed that a rogue had crashed the party.