Chapter 1

“Maia, if you’re not walking out the front door with me in five minutes then I’m leaving you behind!” Adrian yelled from the other side of our apartment.

“The one time we’re running behind instead of him” Celeste grumbled in my head.

I had been paired with my wolf, Celeste, when I turned 15 years old. As most werewolves complete their first shift when they’re around 12, I was quite the late bloomer, and had doubts that I even had a wolf. My first shift was challenging, usually you’re guided through it by your parents, but I was completely alone and had no one but the new stranger in my head offering words of encouragement.

For a while, my mind felt nauseatingly crowded. I struggled to adjust to having a companion who was always there, when I was so used to living life in complete solitary. Eventually, over time, I grew to love Celeste’s company, and now simply couldn’t picture my life without her.

I took one final glance in the mirror, at the blue eyes staring back at me. They were piercing, in a startling way, with a grey ring the colour of storm clouds surrounding an icy blue centre. My painted plump lips tugged up at the corners, content with the simple look I’d gone for. Makeup had never really become my thing, years living in wilderness as a rogue will do that to a girl, so I settled for some mascara and nude lipstick one of the girls from work had loaned me for this weekend. My hair, the colour of rich dark chocolate, fell in effortless natural waves to my waist.

“Coming!” I called as I clip-clopped down the hallway in my thrifted heels.

“Finally.” Adrian rolled his eyes sarcastically as he looked me up and down. The sky blue satin number I was wearing was his idea, it complimented my eyes well, but his motivation no doubt had something to do with the way the dress hugged every dip and curve my athletic body harboured.

Adrian walked out of the front door and I followed behind, clutching my purse in one hand and holding his in the other. As we walked I took in what he was wearing for his 21st birthday bash. Black jeans which hugged his long lean legs, paired with pointed boots and a tan polo shirt which appeared a size too small, which he no doubt did on purpose. Adrian was boyishly good looking, with lightly tanned skin, dirty blonde hair and a square jaw that didn’t have any chisel to it yet. He was tall, easily over six foot which often left me level with his chest, and his slender figure looked like it had only recently started putting on muscle. In the six months I’d known him I had never seen any evidence of facial hair, which led me to believe he couldn’t quite grow it yet. He was average, in a nice way. His eyes were his one stand out quality, they were a vibrant forest green, gleaming with a playfulness that captured me from the beginning.

“So…what did you get me?” Adrian turned around to look at me with a cheeky grin.

“Babe, I’m an 18 year old on minimum wage, so I’m sorry to say you’re only present is my exquisite company tonight.” I giggled as he clutched his chest with a pained look, before a light-hearted smile took its place.

“You know I’m joking. If all I get tonight is to be with you, then I’ll be a happy man.” I hugged him closer and leaned into his side as we continued walking to the local club.

Werewolves didn’t form mate bonds with humans, so I knew Adrian couldn’t be my mate, but I’d long ago accepted that I’d never get to meet my destined half. My nomadic lifestyle ensured that. I moved from town to town every couple of months, long enough to earn some under-the-table cash but not so long that the humans questioned why I didn’t have parents, or go to school, or identification. My current residence had been the longest one yet, just over seven months, thanks to Adrian. He was easy, fun, carefree…like a summer night on an empty beach.

We arrived at the club at midnight and were directed to Adrian’s birthday booth, located on the top floor next to the DJ set. By this time, the club was packed. We made our way through the dancing, sweaty bodies, guided by the multitude of coloured strobe lights to finally reach our table.

“Happy Birthday!” A handful of Adrian’s friends shouted over the speakers as shots of vodka were shoved into our hands. Adrian flashed me a grin before downing his and I followed suit, happy to feel the alcohol warm me on its way down.

An hour and too many shots later, I felt arms wrap around my waist as I chatted to one of the few girls in the group.

“Come dance with me.” Adrian murmured in my ear. Still holding onto my waist, he led me to the dance floor as I awkwardly ended my conversation with the girl who’s name I’d already forgotten. I turned to face him, hanging my hands loosely around his neck and enjoying the way he pressed up against me. We moved in sync to song after song, the tension between us building until Adrian leant down to press his soft lips into mine. The combination of the alcohol and the music made our kiss euphoric, his lips were hungry against my own and I was more than eager to go with whatever pace he set. I could feel his hands work their way down my back, grabbing at me with a desperate need. He guided us back to our booth, sitting me on his lap once we got there. I’d barely managed to come up for air before his lips were back on me, starting at my mouth but working their way along my jawline and down my neck.

So far in our relationship, Adrian and I had only kissed. Whilst I had had experiences with sex in the past, none of those experiences had been pleasurable, all had been traumatic and it was certainly not something I was ready to divulge to my summer fling. Tonight was definitely not going to be the night I would have sex with him, but I had been considering perhaps taking it up a notch, it was his birthday after all.

Adrian slipped his hand up my thigh and under my dress while he softly tugged on my earlobe with his teeth. “We were made for each other” he murmured in my ear.

“Sorry to interrupt but that was weirdly possessive” I heard Celeste say, but before I could think to reply Adrian’s lips were on mine again. He kissed me until I pulled away, gasping for air. In that moment I looked into his eyes, all traces of his playfulness gone, replaced with burning desire. It was unnerving in a way that made me hesitate before kissing him again, something which he seemed to notice.

“What’s wrong?” He grunted, pulling me closer to him.

“Nothing birthday boy, I just need to use the ladies room, be back in a tick.” I giggled, trying not to give away that something didn’t feel quite right. I made my way to the restroom, craving the bright lights and quiet that it would offer me. I reached the ‘female only’ sign, sighing in relief when I realised no one else was in there. “Finally, a moment to myself” I murmured as I walked through the door, however when I turned to close it behind me I was met with two blazing green eyes.

“He followed us to the bathroom?” Celeste said with the slightest hint of unease. I didn’t have time to respond, Adrian was on me in an instant, shoving me into the tiled wall with his hand while his other locked the door behind him. Before I could speak his lips gnashed into mine, so hard that I swear I could feel my lips bruising with each kiss.

“So fucking perfect” he whispered as he once again slipped his hand up my thigh, only this time he didn’t slow as he reached for the smooth underwear I wore underneath.

I could feel the panic rising in my throat, I had to get him off. Whilst I didn’t want to use my werewolf strength on Adrian, I saw no other way to snap him out of whatever sex induced insanity he was currently in. I planted my hands firmly on his chest and pushed him with enough force to send him into toppling over.

Except he didn’t.

Adrian broke away from his kiss to shoot me a devious grin, which seemed to say that he knew something I didn’t. As I watched his face change from boyish to predatory, I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I knew I had to move, to do something, but my heart had turned into lead and fallen straight through to my stomach, planting me to the floor with a sickening sense of dread.

“MAIA!” Celeste’s howl pulled me to the present. Adrian had started taking off my underwear while his other hand grabbed one of my breasts, he was no longer looking at me, but slowly kissing his way down the back of my neck.

“Adrian, you need to get off me.” I grunted, still trying, and failing, to shove him off.

“Don’t be like that Maia, I told you, we’re made for each other.” He said between sloppy kisses.

“Nope, that’s definitely fucking weird. Something is wrong with him.” Celeste stated, “Maia we need to get out of this situation, now.”

In my time living as a rogue, before I eventually integrated into human life, I often found myself in fights. Either for accidentally trespassing on someone’s pack, or fending off unwelcome company. Over time I’d developed exceptional strength which I channeled as I lifted Adrian’s head and swiftly rammed the palm of my hand upwards into his chin. For a moment, he was completely dazed as shock crossed his face. He recovered quickly - quicker than I anticipated - but the brief pause had been enough. I manoeuvred myself, placing my back against his chest, and kicked off the wall, sending us flying backwards. I heard Adrian’s back hit the entrance door, the shattered splinters hitting the floor as we flew through it. The music still blasted but a small circle of shocked faces began to close in on us, asking if we were okay. I heard Adrian wheezing behind me, hoping that meant he had been winded in the fall. I didn’t waste time turning around to check, instead I crawled up onto my feet and pressed my way through the half naked crowd. Some tried to stop me, checking to see if I was okay, but I ignored them completely, pushing through anyone who blocked the path between me and the exit door.

Finally, the neon exit sign came into view and I started descending down the stairs. I couldn’t hear any footsteps behind me, which I took as a sign Adrian wasn’t in pursuit. I swore to myself when I realised I’d left my purse in the booth, complete with my phone and cash. “Don’t worry about that right now, just keep going” Celeste urged me on. By now I had made it to the club entrance, edging my way past the bouncers who both took in my dishevelled form and gave me concerned looks. I met their eyes briefly before I noticed them turn their head to look inside, their concern was replaced with confusion as they both appeared to be watching something unusual unfold.

“Have you seen a girl go past here? Long brown hair, blue dress?” I heard Adrian from just inside the club. I still didn’t entirely know what was going on, but call it my spidey-sense, because something told me I needed to put space between Adrian and I. I kicked off my heels and broke out into a run, aimlessly at first, until I heard boots in the distance slapping against the footpath. “We can’t go back to the apartment, he’ll find us there. Go to the forest, he won’t be able to catch up once we shift” Celeste said.

“Good plan” I grunted, trying to conserve my energy. All of the towns I chose to live in were surrounded by some kind of forest, so that Celeste had space to stretch her legs. Luckily for us, it also doubled as a great escape route.

I made a sharp left down a suburban street, the only sound amongst the sleeping homes was my feet sprinting along the road and a second pair of footsteps growing ever closer. Where the road ended was where the forest began, and I was so so close. I could feel the burn of fatigue spreading up my legs, but I refused to give in, not when I could hear Adrian’s ragged breath behind me.

I reached the end of the road and shifted mid-jump. Celeste took over and carried us into the forest, only once looking back to see the surprise on Adrian’s face.

We met his eyes, gleaming like emeralds in the moonlight. There was no surprise though, only that devious grin splitting his face. “I’m going to find you Maia, maybe not tonight, but we will be together.” He said, almost to himself. A shiver ran down our spine as Celeste turned on her heels and made her way through the forest.

What the fuck had just happened?