Chapter 1: Broken Lines

I'm standing in front of my room window, feeling satisfied with the events going on outside. Jacob, my alpha, is returning successfully from the war with the rogues today. It's been months since I've seen him and I'm so excited.

I feel for the locket he gave me before leaving. It was his token of love for me and a promise that no matter what happens, we will be together forever. I believed him; I still do. Tears well in my eyes like always, but I wipe them off, and blow out a long breath, putting on my best smile. It's a happy day.

"Luna Rose!" My personal maid, Tara, shouts from the entrance of my room, calling my attention. 

With a frown on my face, I saunter over to where she stands. I'm wondering what the problem is, but then, as I see what she's holding, I immediately gasp and scream. There's fear in her eyes and she's screaming after me, too. 

"Tara!" I can't take my eyes away from the glaring scorch mark on my dress. Some of the fabric of the bodice of my pretty silver dress has also been melted away. 

She stalks backwards and away from me as I approach, still staring wide-eyed at the burn on my special dress caused by the box iron. The medal for the most clumsy human to walk the earth will go to her, Tara Darlington, without effort.

This is the dress Jacob will see me wearing and desire me. The royal tailor made it perfectly for this day and for me to hex my Alpha's eyes alone. Now it's gone. Few hours to his return and I have no clothes to wear. 

"How could you burn my dress?!" I whisper-yell, burning with anger. 

"I'm sorry, Luna!" she trembles, shielding her face with her arms. "I heard a sound from the kitchen and I couldn't afford to ignore what might have been danger."

My pale cheeks flame red like my hair. If glares can kill, Tara will have a thousand talons stuck in her chest by now. I hate her at this moment, but I hate myself more because there's nothing I can do about this. My dress is gone and I won't be able to compete with the crowd of high society ladies that will gather to welcome Jacob. 

I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at her. "Admit you went to steal pancakes from Piper."

"I—" 

I raise my finger. "Ey, admit it." 

The guilty look on her face irks me the more. She says, "But the sound—" 

I release a long sigh and end it with a loud groan. She will be the death of me. I snatch the ruined dress from her, sulking at the view and plopping down on the edge of my bed. 

Tara scratches the side of her head through her matted blonde hair. Guilt weighs on her shoulders. She wants to speak a few times, but can't get the words out. 

"What am I going to do now?" I mutter.

Then Tara says suddenly, "I can fix this!" 

"How?" I ask. 

"There's a new seamstress in town. I'm certain she can fix this." 

I raise my gaze to find hope swirling in her eyes. Tara suddenly believes there's a way around my ill luck. I'm sceptical about it at first, but I decide to trust her. She leaves and just as soon; I hear the knock on my room door. It's her. Again. 

"What?" 

She smiles nervously. "Can I get a few fents?"

I stare at her blankly for a minute and roll my eyes. Sure, she burns my dress and expects me to give her money to repair it. I walk over to the chest of drawers at a corner and fish a few fents that will do. 

She thanks me and leaves again. I back the door and just as I'm about to return to my spot at the window, a knock sounds on the door again. 

I storm towards it and throw it open, ready to chew Tara's head off, but the slap that lands on my cheek sends me reeling backwards. 

"Mother!" I yelp. 

The stern-looking face on the other side of the door glowers at me. I cower and quake under her gaze because she's the most feared woman in all of Blood River. I'm on my arse, still holding my left cheek and reliving the memory of the stinging slap. 

"Who's your mother?" 

I don't dear speak again, biting my tongue to let the words stay put. She walks into my room and chokes me with her presence like she can't care less. 

"My son will be here soon and you're just squaddling around unprepared!" 

"Mo—"

"Shut up! I told him you'll bring only bad luck to us and now look at it. The guests are arriving. You're not even dressed yet!"

I stand on my feet again, recovering from the shame of the past moment, and press my lips into a thin line. 

"Forgive me." My voice is small. "I'll be right down." 

She glares daggers at me one last time before whirling around and exiting my room. 

When I am alone finally, I face-palm myself and sigh because a certain someone has just burnt my dress and my mate's family is bound to roast me alive.

***

Hours later, I step into the gathering outside with one thing on my mind. Never trust Tara. I see the looks. The eyes watching me are mocking and my confidence is somewhere beneath my feet, being crushed to death by my toes. I can only be happy because Jacob has finally arrived. 

"I can't believe she couldn't find something new. Her clothes are so last season." I hear giggling behind me, but I don’t look, even as my wolf, Carla, growls with anger. I will her to calm down. It's not time to prove to those morons how hard she can bite. 

Jacob's brother and sister are standing ahead beside the same woman that dealt me an unforgettable wake up call this morning. The She-devil that has made my life miserable ever since I turned eighteen and was handed over by my father to my betrothed. 

They are not happy with the way I've worn a dress from my armoire and not sewn a new one for his homecoming. The elders scowl at me, and no matter how hard I try to keep my chin up, I want the earth to swallow me and save me from their stares. 

That is, until I see Jacob and everything else around me disappears. He looks so handsome in that leather jerkin and his closed cropped blonde hair. I want to run my fingers down his cut jaw and stare into his beautiful blue eyes forever.  

"My Luna," he says as I approach, looking at only me and not at those jealous wannabes in the crowd. He has eyes for only me. 

I take his open palm, and my skin is velvety against his calloused ones. I don't mind the feeling. In fact, it is something I've grown to love. 

"You look stunning." He whispers in my ear when I take my stand beside him, facing the entire pack gathered to welcome him. I can't hide the smile or the rose tint on my cheek as he says that. It doesn't matter what I wear. I'm his and he's mine. 

The first elder speaks up. "The Alpha has warred with the rogues for many months and the tyrant Ralph has been defeated!" 

They are happy as soon as they hear our greatest enemies are no more and that Jacob, their alpha, has allayed their greatest fears. All our sleepless nights will be no more. The Blood River pack is free, but I am not. If I didn't have Jacob, I won't have survived these many years of being an outcast in my Alpha's home. 

"It's a new dawn for us and today we celebrate!" He concludes and the resounding roars reach the skies.

The event rolls on, regardless of my thoughts. After a few hours, I have Jacob all to myself. We are in our bedroom together and his hands have me trapped against him. I'm enjoying the view of his eyes and I'm mesmerised. 

"I have missed you, Rose." He plants his forehead on mine and I let my lids fall closed as the moment sparks butterflies in my belly. 

I say, "Then let's not waste anymore time." 

"I agree." 

He kisses me. I'm burning with love and desire and he's the only thing that can put off my fire. The only thing that can ignite it as well. I war with his clothes as his lips drive me off the brink of sanity. 

But he drags his mouth away suddenly and says in between, "As much as I want all of you right now, Roselyn. I've been running through the woods for hours to get to you." 

He kisses the back of my hand after that, and I giggle at the glint of mischief in his gaze. Jacob continues. "I must take a shower." 

I scrunch my nose at him and giggle louder at the look on his face, even though I'm disappointed he didn't throw me on our bed and ravish me. I guess the wait will continue, but soon, he'll have me. 

I help him out of his jacket and shove his back towards the bathroom door. When I'm alone, I plop down on the bed and press his jacket against my nose, relishing his scent. My wolf purrs at the delicious scent of my mate and I groan, pressing it against my heart and smiling like the biggest idiot in all of Blood River.  

I can't exactly say what made me crack my eyes open and catch that random spot on the leather jacket. It was a red stain that smelled like castor oil and some other weird mixes. I frown at the sight and run my thumb over the stain. 

It's fresh and very much like lipstick.