Chapter 0002

Layla’s POV

The party was well on its way by the time we arrived, thanks to my brother. As I looked around the party, I realized that my brother was so right with what was to transpire tonight as it had already begun to take place. I found my cheeks reddening at the sight before my eyes and I realized at that moment that I may be out of my comfort zone here as I watch many of my peers getting down and nasty with each other right in everyone’s view.

“I can’t believe your brother tried to stop you from coming. This party is going to be epic.” Rose said as she began to look around the opening by the lake.

Carrie who also came with us in the car then says, “He just needs to find his mate. I am sure he will calm down once he finds his true mate.”

My thoughts then went back to the discussion that took place before I left. I knew that wasn’t the case. He was hell bent on making Brittany his Luna and my heart began to ache once again at that moment for his true mate.

Sonya my other friend then says, “Yeah, once he has his mate, I am sure he will lighten up.”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.” I said to them as we moved to a table where a keg was set up. I never really liked the taste of beer but tonight after dealing with my brother and everything that he said, I was on a mission to forget it all.

Three beers later all of us were dancing to the music being played from someone’s makeshift DJ table and I was starting to feel a little buzz coming on as the sun began to set and the moon began to show herself. Howls began to fill the air as everyone was rejoicing that school was finally over and that we were now considered full members of the pack.

A group of males came running past us in nothing but their birthday suits as they ran straight for the lake jumping in off the wooden dock. Water splashed everywhere as more people began to join them for a night’s swim. Rose began to strip, and I looked at her like she was nuts. The water was probably still freezing since it was only the start of summer and there was no way in hell I was getting into that lake.

“What are you waiting for Layla?” Rose asked as she pulled her shirt over her head exposing the pink lace bra she wore underneath.

“Unlike you all, I haven’t gotten my wolf yet and my body would freeze in that water.” I explain to her as I take another sip of my beer.

“Chicken.” She said as she, Carrie and Sonya all took off towards the water leaving me standing there alone as I watched them jump in off the dock joining the rest of my peers in the water.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” I heard from behind me and I turned to see Daniel, my brother’s Beta’s little brother.

Daniel was at the top of our class and was the quarterback of our football team. He reminded you of an all-American boy with a little extra muscle than a normal boy his age. It was clear that he was the Beta just by his stature and all the girls in our class swooned at him, but I on the other hand, just saw him as a friend.

“Yeah, I’m having a good time.” I say to him as I take another drink of my beer, trying to look like I was enjoying myself.

“Not joining your friends for a swim?” He now asks and I turn to see them all in the water splashing each other and having a blast.

Turning back to Daniel, I say, “Nah. It’s probably a bit too cold for me.”

“You’re probably right, but it does look like fun.” Daniel says as he stares out into the lake where just about everyone has gone.

He was right, it did look like a lot of fun, but I knew that I would be frozen when I got out and I didn’t want to take my chances. Unlike what my brother thought of me, I actually did have a head on my shoulders, and I wasn’t one to fall for peer pressure.

“Are you going to join them?” I asked Daniel, turning back to him to see that he was no longer looking at the group in the water but at me instead.

“Nah, I think I will stay here with you and watch them all freeze when they come out of the water.” Daniel says as he continues to stare at me. I was beginning to wonder if I had something smeared on my face the way he was looking at me. “Want to go for a walk?” Daniel now asks me and I look back at my group of friends seeing that they will not be coming out anytime soon. They had started a game of chicken before I turned back to him and said, “Sure”.

There was a trail that went around the lake and the two of us moved towards it. “So, are you excited about the ceremony on Saturday?” Daniel asked me as we started on the trail.

Something about his question made me feel nervous as we disappeared into the tree line and I was second guessing going on this walk with him. “Yeah, I’m excited for Saturday. Are you?” I asked him trying to see why he had asked me about it.

Daniel chuckled before he said, “Yeah, I actually am. I’m hoping to find my mate there.”

“Well maybe the both of us will get lucky and find our mates.” I say to him as I look behind me to see how far we had walked away from the party.

Daniel came to a stop and I halted with him. “Maybe we will find out we are mates.” Daniel now said as he stepped towards me and I take a step back from him as I begin to feel uncomfortable.

“Maybe we should head back to the party.” I say as I take a step in the direction we just came in, but Daniel grabs ahold of my arm to stop me.

“Let go of me Daniel.” I say as I pull my arm from his grasp. This is the second person tonight that grabbed ahold of me and I had enough.

“Come on Layla. You are the Alpha’s daughter and I am the son of a Beta. You aren’t going to get a higher stance than me in the pack. Accept me Saturday as your mate and we can be happy together.” Daniel said to me and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He wasn’t excited to find his mate on Saturday. He was trying to get me to accept him as my mate to secure his status in our pack.

Daniel went to grab my arm again but I quickly moved back from him. “Don’t touch me! Better yet, don’t come near me again. I have no plans on taking a mate on Saturday unless I find my true mate.”

“But Layla.” He began to say but stopped and I could see his eyes enlarge. I wondered what the hell was going on until I heard a familiar growl come from behind me and I didn’t need to turn to know who it was.