CHAPTER TWO

Standing there, in the open door, scowling back at me, is Violet—the girl I hate most in the world.

She's just a few months older than me, but she thinks she's so much older and thinks she's the boss of me. But she's only 18, after all. And I'll be 18 soon. I don't know who she thinks she is. Everywhere I turn she reminds me that I am in her territory. In her pack house.

She's just jealous. The other girls told me that Violet was desperate to be Sebastian's Luna. But he apparently never was that into her. And then I came along, and now, she blames me.

Which is so unfair—because I never even courted Sebastian. He courted me! And on top of it all, I'm not sure I even want to be his Luna.

But Violet doesn't care. She just wishes I was dead.

"So," Violent says, her voice seething with hate and envy, "precious little Rachel is too good for our Alpha?"

My face reddens.

"I never said that," I say.

"Don't lie," she says. "I heard you two. You wouldn't tell him you love him. What, you think you're too good for him? Do you know how many girls would die to tell him they love him?"

That's right, I think. And you most of all.

But I don't say that. I don't want to risk angering her even more. Though, I guess, when I'm Sebastian's Luna—if I'm Luna—then it won't really matter if she's angry. In fact, she is the one who will have to watch out. Maybe that's why she never pushes me too far. She knows she's on shaky ground.

I don't really care. I don't need to take this crap from her. And I won't.

"You shouldn't spy," I say.

"I wasn't spying," she said. "I was eavesdropping."

"What's the difference?" I ask.

She takes a step closer to me, her face turning red, nearly putting her face in mine.

I always feel like I'm a magnet for other people's attention. But I never know why. Why can't people just leave me alone?

"You're not his Luna yet," Violet says, her voice low and cold as steel. "Your wedding is still days away. And a lot can happen between now and then. You better watch your back."

I know I should just let it go, but I can't.

"Or what?" I say, stepping up closer to her.

My Dad was one of the strongest Alphas, and he taught me a great lesson: never back down from a bully. In fact, if a bully comes near you, then step up and get closer to her and be twice as tough.

Violet looks surprised that I stand up to her. I don't think anyone has ever stood up to her before. Like all bullies, she never expected it. In fact, she is so disoriented, she is speechless.

"Ladies," comes a voice.

The voice booms through the room and breaks the tension.

We both turn and there, at the doorway, stands Sebastian.

"Is everything all right?" he asks.

Violet backs up and turns to him. She smiles sweetly.

How fake.

"I just walked into the room," Violet says in a fake-sweet voice, "and Rachel here came running up and got in my face and started a fight with me. She told me she's not ready to be a bride and she's thinking of canceling the wedding."

I gasp at the boldness of her lie.

Sebastian stares at me, surprise and hurt in his face.

“Is it true?” he asks. “You want to cancel the wedding?”

“I never said that,” I say.

“Yes she did,” Violet says.

Sebastian looks back and forth, as if trying to decide who to believe.

I feel hurt by this. If he won’t trust me, what is our relationship worth?

Worse, I feel I am being controlled. I feel like I am being told what to do—by my father, by Sebastian—like all of my decisions are being made for me.

It’s not that I don’t want to marry him.

I want a chance to decide for myself. To decide my own future.

I feel a sob rising up within me, and I don't want to cry in front of them. I need to clear my mind, to think clearly, before I say something I’ll regret.

I need the peace of the woods.

So, without thinking, I suddenly rush out of the room, running, down the halls of the pack house, and out the front door.

I hit the cool fresh air, tears streaming down my face, and I keep running

The woods lie before me. And I won’t stop running until I am deep out of sight.

*

I can't stop crying as I run into the woods. I run faster and faster, wishing that I had turned 18 already, that I had shifted, so that my wolf can take over and I can run even faster than this.

The branches scratch me as I go, but I don't care.

Out of breath, I run deeper, past the familiar part of the woods, deeper and deeper, even as the sun gets lower.

It is only when I stop, and collapse, my back against an ancient tree, crying, that I look around and realize: I have left my pack's territory.

I was warned when I arrived at the pack house to never leave the territory. I was warned that there was a band of vicious rogues just outside the perimeter.

But I am so upset, I don't really care.

I sit there, wondering, trying to clear my confused mind. Is Sebastian really my mate? If I just knew the answer, then there would be no problems. I could happily plan for the wedding and walk down the aisle. I could take my place as Luna, and Violet would shrink away and have to shut her big mouth. And no one would ever be mean to me again.

I would have it all, as the Luna of the most powerful Alpha, of the most powerful pack.

But is it worth it if I don't truly love him?

Snap.

I jump and turn around at the noise of a branch breaking somewhere close by.

I peer into the woods, and for the first time, I feel freaked out.

It's dark now, twilight seeping through the thick, gnarled branches of the woods, and I can barely see anything.

Now I realize how dangerous it was to come here. Stupid.

I look back at the way I came—but I'm not even really sure anymore which way I came from.

I start to feel panic well up in my chest. Am I lost?

Snap.

There it comes again.

I stand up slowly.

"Hello?" I call out tentatively.

I take a hesitant step forward and peer through the branches.

Nothing.

Then, suddenly, it happens: a strong hand over my mouth, grabbing me, pulling me backwards, from behind.

I try to scream, but it comes out muffled.

"Make another sound," a deep voice says, "and you're dead."