Ch. 1 BACK HOME

Emily’s POV

I arrived at Westbrook International Airport on a hot, humid evening, dragging my luggage through the sweltering heat. After two years away in the Duskfall Pack, I was finally back home. As I made my way to the parking lot, the weight of my suitcases seemed to grow with each step and sweat beaded on my forehead.

Dressed in a floral top and denim shorts, I scanned the crowded lot for any sign of my best friend Sarah. But there was no one. I figure my own family wouldn't bother to pick me up either. With a sigh, I set down my luggage, about to call Sarah, when a sleek red car pulled up in front of me. Assuming it must be her, I opened the door and climbed inside, relief crashing over me as the cool air conditioning enveloped me.

“You are right on time,” I breathed, settling my bags at my feet.

But as I turned to greet my friend, I was met with a deep, masculine voice that most certainly did not belong to Sarah.

“Who are you?”

My heart plummeted as I locked eyes with the speaker—none other than Alpha James, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Demontail Pack. His piercing grey eyes and long, dark hair that framed his chiseled face gave him an air of authority that heightened my growing panic. He was the definition of an adonis, and it was like staring at a Greek god.

“I-I, um…” I tried to speak to explain the mistake, but my tongue felt thick and clumsy in my mouth. Before I could utter a word, my phone began to ring. Fumbling, I answered it, hearing Sarah's voice on the other end.

“Emmy, are you there yet? I'm so sorry, I got held up at the gas station. I will be there soon, I promise!” she exclaimed.  As I listened, mortified, I knew I had made a grave error in getting into the wrong car.

Embarrassed, I hung up the phone, my cheeks burning with mortification. “I-I'm so sorry, I thought this was my friend's car,” I stammered, lowering my gaze. Preparing to flee the vehicle, I clutched the handle of the car door.

But before I could open it, a playful voice rang out from the front seat. “Mistakes like this happen all the time! Don't worry about it.”

My eyes flew up in surprise as I realized this was not just James, the serious-looking Alpha, but his younger brother as well. Michael's rugged good looks immediately caught my attention, from his short, dark hair swept back with effortless charm to the mischievous glint in his hazel eyes and the alluring curve of his lips as he flashed me a warm, captivating grin.

“James can be a bit of a stick in the mud, he hasn’t had a girlfriend all his life, sometimes I think he is gay, but I promise I don't bite," he chuckled. “I'm Michael, by the way. It's nice to meet you...”

He paused, waiting for me to introduce myself.

“E-Emily,” I replied, stumbling over the words. I couldn't believe I'd managed to stumble into the car of the Alpha's sons—the future leaders of our pack. And now Michael, with his easy-going charm, was putting me at ease.

My relief was short-lived, however, as a sudden commotion from the front seat caught my attention. A large wolfhound had leapt from the passenger side, bounding over the console and into the backseat with me.

I froze, my heart pounding. Ever since I was a child, I'd been terrified of dogs. The mere sight of the massive canine had my breath catching in my throat.

In a panic, I turned to James, clinging to the front of his shirt as the wolfhound's barking sent my heart racing. "Get it away, please!" I cried, trembling against his chest.

James remained perfectly still, not uttering a word as I grasped at him, my nails digging into the pristine white fabric of his shirt. I could feel the weight of his younger brother's gaze as I clung to him, utterly mortified by my own behavior.

The wolfhound, sensing my fear, only became more excited, pawing at me and barking louder. “Bad dog! Stop it!” I shrieked, struggling against Alpha James' unmoving form.

Finally, his deep voice cut through the chaos. “Conan, down boy,” he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. To my amazement, the massive dog immediately obeyed, retreating back to the front seat, though he continued to eye me curiously.

“I haven't seen him act that way around anyone before,” Alpha James remarked, his brow furrowed slightly as he regarded me. There was no warmth or sympathy in his gaze—only a cool, clinical assessment.

Trembling, I took a step back, fumbling for the car door handle. But in my haste, I misjudged the distance and felt a sharp pain as the edge of the door collided with my head. “Ow!” I yelped, clutching the throbbing spot.

From the front seat, Michael's laughter rang out. “Well, would you look at that? My dear brother has a lipstick stain on his shirt!” he teased, pointing at the faint mark left by my frantic grip.

I felt my cheeks burn with shame, and I hastily began to drag my luggage from the car, cursing the wolfhound under my breath.

“I think this is fate, brother, what if she turns out to be your mate? What do you think about her?” I heard Michael ask his brother.

As I stumbled away, I couldn't help but glance back at Alpha James, whose cold expression had not changed. “She is not bad,” he remarked to Michael, his voice low. “And she has beautiful skin.”

I rolled my eyes, unsure whether to be flattered or insulted by his assessment. With a huff, I turned and made my way back to the airport, where I collapsed onto a bench to wait for Sarah.

Half an hour later, her familiar car finally pulled up, and I rushed to the passenger side, collapsing into the seat with a weary sigh. “What took you so long?” I whined.

“Bestie, what happened to you?” Sarah exclaimed, eyeing my disheveled appearance with a mischievous grin. “Don’t tell me you have been having fun without me, where is the he-wolf that did that to you, huh?"