Chapter 1


    Chapter 1: A


    “Ma,” I called down the hall. “Come on, Ma. They’ll be here soon. You need to get out here.”


    “I’ming,” my mother yelled back. “Don’t rush me.”


    She came out of her bedroom and down the hall. I was grateful that she didn’t seem to sway at all, and


    as she approached, the only scent wafting off her was mouthwash. And she actually seemed


    presentable. It was the first time in weeks.


    Although, I shouldn’t have been surprised. She always managed to look presentable in front of Kylee.


    Goddess forbid her precious baby learn the truth about her.


    No, that was my burden to bear. And in truth, I epted it willingly. I wanted to protect Kylee from that


    reality as much as Ma wanted to hide it from her. However, I will admit we had different reasons.


    I waved Ma to the armchair in the living room while I went back into the kitchen to check on dinner. I


    was making Kylee’s favorites. It had been two months since my little sister had been home, and we


    were both excited. Even more exciting, she was bringing home her mate for the first time.


    I was so happy for her. They had apparently met almost two. Years ago, when she visited the local


    college campus with her high school. I had no idea they had found each other until her freshman year


    of university. I had asked her why the secrecy, and she told me they needed to wait to make their


    rtionship public because of his position in the pack. They announced their rtionship a few months


    into her first year. Still, she kept putting off us meeting him even though they were only a couple hours


    away. Don’t get me wrong, she told me all about him. Whenever we talked, she would just gush about


    how perfect he was. But it wasn’t until a month ago that she finally admitted to us that he was our future


    Alpha.


    Ma and I were ecstatic. We couldn’t be more pleased. Especially me. Our current Alpha, Alpha Torin,


    was a good leader, a fair leader, and a good man. We were very blessed to have had his support after


    our father died.


    Not that we knew him all that well, but he was the one who helped me get the family back on its feet


    after such a terrible loss. I knew he had a son, but I had never met him before. Again, it’s not like we


    were exactly close to the Alpha at all. I doubt he ever really thought of us. He was just taking care of


    the members of his pack, and for that, I will always be grateful.


    But I had heard that his son, Theo, was promising to be just as good an Alpha as his father. So I really


    couldn’t have been more relieved that he was my sister’s mate. She would be properly looked after and


    taken care of, and she would be happy.


    I was pulling the chicken out of the oven when I heard Ma from the living room.


    “They’re here,” she sang.


    I moved quickly. Getting out our nice serving dishes that were gifted to my parents at their mating


    ceremony, I started to te dinner onto them. I was still transferring the food when I heard the front


    door open and the squeals of my mother and sister as they embraced. I finished my task and moved


    the dishes to the dining room table that was already set neatly. I smiled at my presentation and


    excitedly hurried to the living room.


    I froze at the threshold. A scent overwhelmed my senses, causing my stomach to knot and my heart to


    race.


    The tall, broad man standing next to my sister turned toward me and we locked eyes.


    Mate.


    I practically gagged trying to stifle the word from slipping from my mouth.


    What the hell was happening?


    This was my sister’s mate.


    Not mine.


    This man was fated to Kylee.


    So why was I having this reaction?


    Better question…


    Why did HE seem to be having the same reaction?


    His eyes were wide, pupils dted, and they held my gaze with a vice-like grip as he, too, seemed


    frozen to where he stood.


    Dasha, my wolf, bounced excitedly in my head, recognizing him and his wolf just as I was. It took a


    minute for her to understand the situation, but once she did, she started whimpering in the back of my


    mind.


    This couldn’t be happening.


    What the hell was happening?


    I forced myself to address the situation as a whole. Fine, this was happening. Now, what is the best


    way to handle the situation? I wasn’t going to break my sister’s heart. Absolutely not. I wouldn’t let him


    either. Not right now. We’ll just get through dinner, and I’ll find a way to speak with him in privateter.


    I cleared my throat and stered a smile on my face.


    “Kylee, I’m so excited you’re home,” I said, opening my arms so she could jump into them like she had


    since she was little.


    “I’ve missed you, sis,” she said.


    “I’ve missed you, too,” I said quietly.


    We separated, and she turned to the male behind her. “Theo, this is my sister, A. A, this is my


    mate, Theo.”


    Theo’s hands were clenched into fists, and he forced a tight-jawed smile toward me. At least I was


    better at faking it them him. Geesh.


    I nodded to him with a broad smile. I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, but at least Ma and Kylee wouldn’t


    notice.


    “It’s lovely to meet you, Theo,” I said. “Dinner is ready in the dining room. Why don’t you guys go take a


    seat, and I’ll be right there. I need to tend to dessert first.”


    “Don’t take too long,” Kylee said brightly. “We have some big news, and I don’t think I can wait much


    longer.”


    “I promise I’ll be right there,” I assured her as I rubbed her shoulder.


    Kylee grabbed Ma by the arm and led her to the dining room. Theo followed a few steps behind. He


    had to pass me to get through. Right as he approached, I turned my body to ensure we didn’t touch. He


    paused in front of me for a moment. I looked up to meet his eyes.


    There was anger, confusion, desire, and possibly even hurt reflecting in his eyes that I couldn’t help but


    notice were the color of honey. He had questions. I subtly shook my head at him. Hoping and silently


    begging that he knew we couldn’t do this here.


    The sound of Kylee’sugh from the other room made me jump and then quickly retreat to the kitchen.


    I grabbed the homemade cheesecake from the fridge and set it on the counter forter. I listened to the


    others conversing in the next room and quietly slipped out the back door.


    I stood on the porch and took several deep breaths. I felt a lump start to form in my throat and quickly


    pushed it down. This wasn’t the time to cry. So, I did what I usually do instead of crying.


    I released a string of curses.


    “What the f*ck is happening? Why is this happening? This ISN’T happening,” I whispered with the force


    of a yell.


    ‘Our mate.’ Dasha insisted.


    “No, he’s not,” I said back to her. “He’s Kylee’s. There must be some kind of mistake. Just get through


    dinner like nothing is going on, and we’ll figure that outter. Easy.”


    I didn’t believe myself, neither did Dasha, but I didn’t have time to deal with that. So, I took two more


    deep breaths and went back into the house. I was almost to the dining room when I heard thest part


    of what Kylee was saying, and again, I was left frozen at the threshold.


    “… our mating ceremony is in three months.” Kylee looked up at me. “Oh, A, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t


    hold back any longer. Aren’t you happy for us?”


    I put the same fake smile back on. “Of course I’m happy for you,” I said. “You deserve the best.”


    I took my seat at the table, ignoring the fact that I was left sitting directly across from Theo. His eyes


    were boring into me, and my face felt like it was on fire. I started dishing out food and passing tes. I


    didn’t say much over dinner. Instead, I just listened to Kylee and Ma talk about all the ideas they had for


    the mating ceremony. Theo didn’t say much either but slowly started to do a better job hiding his


    difort with the situation.


    It took everything to ignore the touches they shared, pushing down the jealousy that kept surging


    through me. As soon as I saw the opportunity, I started clearing the tes. As I was bringing in the


    dessert, my phone dinged in my pocket, and I had never been more grateful.


    I pulled it out and checked the screen.


    “I’m so sorry. Please, excuse me. This is important. I have to take it.”


    Ma waved me off, and Kylee didn’t even seem to notice. Theo red at me, but to be honest, I didn’t


    really care.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I answered the phone as I left the dining room and exited out the back door again.


    “Hey, Zeff. What’s up?” I said as I walked to the back of the yard.


    “How’s the dinner going?” Zeff, my best friend and colleague, asked.


    “It’s full of excitement, that’s for sure,” I said, hoping he didn’t catch on to the kind of excitement I was


    feeling.


    He chuckled on the other line. “I can’t wait to hear all about it,” he said with a hint of sarcasm. “I hate to


    interrupt, but Ca wanted me to check if you were done with those chapters.”


    “Oh, um, yeah, I just finished them up this morning. I was going to run through another round of editing,


    but I can go ahead and send them over tonight.” I doubted I would have the mental capacity to deal


    with editing today.


    “Perfect. I’ll let her know to watch for them,” Zeff said.


    “Mhmm.”


    “Hey, you okay, Ayls?” Zeff asked.


    I stiffened as a mouthwatering scent hit my nose. I knew who was standing behind me. “Yeah, I just


    gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow.”