Introduction"Dad, please," I say as politely as I can, nervously twirling a strand of my long jet black hair with one hand, and holding a phone in the other. "You don't have to make a big deal out of it.""I will not hear it. It's not every day that my only daughter comes to visit. Plus, I haven't had the chance to celebrate your psychiatry degree.""Psychology," I correct him without thinking. "That's what I said," he says and makes me chuckle. I love that old man. Even though he is not old at all, mother and he were only 19 years old when they had me."Plus," he continues, "Graham's been showin' off his son's fighting skills ever since he became the new third in command, and Jorah's daughter seems to have found a mate. He's the beta of the Carter Pack, so he won't shut up about it. Now I finally have something to brag about myself."Jorah is our pack's Alpha. His daughter Simone and I have been very good friends growing up, as my father is his Beta. "I'm so happy to hear about Sim

Even though I don't see anyone but Darius Carter, I feel all eyes are on us.As I stare at him in shock, I slowly realize what's going on here. Muffled sounds from the crowd echo in my ears."Oh my God!""That can't be...""Lila is Darius' mate.""Is that Patrick's daughter? The one who left to live with humans?""She's the one who always made trouble as a kid.""Dione's friend?""Yes. People say it was her who got him killed.""Is that why she left?""Must be."Shut up everyone! I have got to think. I have got to... do something. Anything! But my body doesn't listen - it's like I don't want to move away from him. I'm hypnotized by his magnificent scent - my lungs yearn for it. Oh, shit. This is without a doubt my mate.I have a mate.As the realization hits me, my knees totter and I feel like vomiting.He swiftly grabs me by my elbows as if he thought I was going to fall. So dramatic, Darius! I'm only... what am I? Mesmerized? The skin to skin touch is too much for me to bear. I s

I sit nervously in my father's office, waiting for him to finish his conversation with Darius. He said they wouldn't be long. However, the wall clock shows it's been half an hour already. That's a pretty long talk by my standards. I hate that I forgot to take my purse with me in all of that mess, because now I don't have a cellphone with me and I can't contact Ian. I can always go outside and fetch him, but I somehow want to avoid all the people that might still be there.On second thought, the majority must have stayed. If normal human manners applied to us as well, then everyone would have left the moment things escalated. Being werewolves, however, we like to stick together in situations like these. I need to make sure Ian is well, though. So screw it. As I leave the office and walk down the hallway, immediately, I hear familiar voices coming from downstairs. It's Darius and my father. Why haven't I thought of this sooner?I quietly descend the stairs, following the sounds to

I lower my head as I pull the hand brake and close my eyes, just for a second. The moment I do, Ian's hurtful face flashes in my mind. "I kissed him," I shut my eyes in shame.He stared at me in shock and disbelief. Then his face turned into anger and disgust."Who are you?" he shook his head. "My Lily never would've done that."I bursted into tears. "I fucked up, Ian," I shook my head, sobbing. "I ruined everything and now... I can never fix it.""Lily," he tightened his jaw, but his anger went down a notch. "I'm not going to end a five-year relationship because of a kiss. I mean... I assume it happened only because you were," he does 'apostrophes' with his hands, "mates or whatever."Oh my God. His comment only made it worse."It did happen only because of it," I sob. "But it ain't that easy...""What do you mean?" he demanded."God, how do I say this?" I shook my head. "I wish I could bring back the time, Ian."He stared at me intently. "You wouldn't have kissed him if you had an

"What ceremony?" I ask."The joining ceremony, of course," Darius states. Terry chuckles. "Don't tell me you don't know guys from the high ranks host them once they find mates."I shake my head. Am I really that uneducated about wolf stuff or was I simply desperately disinterested in those customs?"It's like a wedding in your human world," Debra clarifies, amused, having noticed my distress."Right," my food suddenly climbs back up my throat. I was supposed to marry Ian this year. And now...it turns out I'll be marrying someone else. I can't help feeling the Moon Goddess' blessing is more a curse.Why is she doing this to me? Ian didn't deserve to be left. We didn't deserve this - all those years of love and support ending in one damned second. Is Darius really worth it? I sure hope so. "And when is this ceremony supposed to happen?" I clear my throat."Don't worry about that," Darius puts down his fork and knife. "It will happen when we say it will."Debra claps her hands. "Oh, I