Lucas’s coming of age was meant to be a grand event. For most werewolves, the 18th birthday was the day their wolf awakened. But Lucas, like my sister Gloria, had already awakened his wolf early—a rare, powerful omen that only strengthened his arrogance. Today, though, was still special. Today was the day he would be bound to his mate, his destined one.
But everyone knew, including him, that it wouldn’t matter. Lucas had already decided his fated mate was dead—lost forever when Gloria took her last breath in front of me. He had made it clear to anyone who would listen that he had no interest in any other mate, that no one could replace her. And certainly not me.
I knew I should stay out of sight today, keep my head down and pray to the Moon Goddess that no one would notice me. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
I was serving dishes when I felt it—a sudden, inexplicable pull. It was like a cord tugging at my very soul, commanding my attention, pulling me closer. My breath hitched in my throat, and I almost dropped the bowl in my hand. The air was filled with a scent, something raw and primal, like cedar and rain-soaked earth. It flooded my senses, making my heart race.
I stumbled back, my eyes wide, and I looked up, searching for the source. And then I saw him—Lucas. His head snapped up, his piercing eyes locking onto mine from across the hall. His face twisted in shock, then anger, and I realized with horror that he had felt it too.
'No,' I thought, my blood turning to ice. 'No, it can’t be.'
Lucas’s nostrils flared as he took a deep breath, catching the scent—my scent. His expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes. “You?” His voice was a low growl that carried across the room, filled with disbelief and rage. “My fated mate is you? Ridiculous!”
The room fell silent. Every pair of eyes turned to me, burning with a mixture of shock, confusion, and disgust. I felt my face burn under their gazes, humiliation searing into my skin. Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not again. I’d cried enough for a lifetime.
“How dare you,” Lucas snarled, his voice trembling with fury. “How dare you share her face and now—now you think you could be my mate?”