Chapter 1

"Are you excited?" Is the first thing my aunt Della asks when she answers her phone. I chuckle at her enthusiasm. I swear she has been counting down the days until my birthday since my birthday last year. I know she's super excited to find out who my mate is, but I already know it's going to be Asher.

"Of course I'm excited." I reassure her. I've also been counting down the days, but for a totally different reason. Asher and I have been best friends since we were children, and I know tomorrow at our joint birthday party we'll be announcing we are mates. I know it's bold of me to assume our fate like that but I have that gut feeling. I mean everything would be perfect; we share a birthday, he's our Betas son, we are best friends, and we could one day become the strongest Alpha and Luna in history.

"We will be there bright and early tomorrow morning much to Troys displeasure." She laughs at her son, who I can hear groan in the background. Della is my dads sister, and is also the Luna of Black Moon pack. She's the closest thing to a mom I have, and we've been close for as long as I can remember. I know I'm adopted because it's pretty obvious since I have two dads, and I know basic anatomy. They have always been open and honest about who my real mom was and the circumstances under which I was adopted. It doesn't bother me at all because I have two of the most loving parents I could possibly have.

"Could you drag Emeric along with you because otherwise he'll end up coming late somehow?" Even though Emeric has a mate  he's still just as childish as he was when I was younger. He's more of an older brother to me than an uncle.

"I already set his alarm this morning and talked to Melody, and she's got their bags packed and ready." I walk out of my bedroom and head down the hallway to the kitchen to grab a snack. My dads have been out later for the past few night getting everything set up for tomorrow so dinner is always later at night.

"Do you think she'll come?" I grab an apple moving over and sitting on one of the barstools at the island.

"Of course Melody's coming." Della sounds busy with something which makes me feel bad for calling and bothering her, but I am so bored being all by myself at the moment.

"I didn't mean Melody." I whisper out nervously. My memories of Violet get fuzzier by the year, but I still miss her. She protected me during that horrible day fourteen years ago, and I will always be thankful for that. The line goes silent making me worried I hit a nerve. I know that Della misses Violet the most out of everyone, and each year that passes and Violet doesn't show up really takes a toll on her.

"Sweetie I don't know, but I'm hoping so. We made sure to send out an invitation with her name to every pack, so there is a chance she might come." Della's voice sounds distant and lost in thought. "Victoria's calling me so I have to go sweetheart. I love you." I frown at her now sad tone. I knew I shouldn't of said anything.

"Okay I'll see you tomorrow. I love you too." I hang up the phone letting out a long sigh. Violets disappearance has always been a touchy subject that our family's danced over, but I just want answers. I nibble on my apple trying to come up with a way of making it up to Della.

"Tessa are you home?" I hear my dads voices at the front door. I turn around on the stool just as they walk into the kitchen with big smiles on their faces. I admire them both for leaving any pack issues at the door when they get home. My childhood was probably as normal as any other kid in our pack despite my dads being the Alphas. Both move to give me a hug since they haven't seen me most of the day.

My dad, Fletcher, who is Della's younger brother, took control of the pack after my grandfather went all psycho and tried to murder us all. Okay maybe my childhood wasn't the most normal, but it was a good one. Some old school Alphas only consider Fletcher to be the Alpha, and not Ryder because they have been engraved with distrimating ways their whole life. Once a few years back during a meeting this really old asshole Alpha called Ryder, Luna. It took him about half a second to drag the Alpha out of the house and throw him out on the lawn, and kindly ask him to fuck off.

Ryder may only have one hand, but he's always been a warrior. Even now that he's getting older and taken over more responsibility as Alpha he still sneaks out to help train new warriors a couple times a week.

"Did Della call?" Ryder asks me while hanging his coat up in the closet.

"I called her, she said that she'll have everyone here in the morning." I spin back around in my chair to watch Fletcher start dinner. He's making spaghetti tonight because it's the first meal we ever ate together. I don't remember it too well because I was so young, but it's always been a family tradition to eat it on or near holidays, birthdays, and special occasions.

"Even Emeric?" Ryder grabs the noodles out of the pantry walking over to the stove to put them into the boiling water. I chuckle while nodding my head.

"She set his alarm for tomorrow, and Melody has their bags packed." Fletcher snorts. As Emeric has aged we all waited for him to grow out of his childish antics. It got especially bad when I became a teenager. They think he was trying to compincate for my aging by acting even younger. If I'm being honest I think it was his way to cope with me growing up. I bet a hundred bucks he cries at some point tomorrow night. He wasn't always a crier until Victoria was born, and he went through some pre mid life crisis.

"Are you excited?" Fletcher looks up from the simmering pan of sauce to gauge my reaction. I wiggle in my chair a bit attempting to keep still but I can't.

"Yes!" I squeal a little too loudly. Fletcher's eyebrows shoot up at my reaction. "How can I not? I'm going to finally be an adult. I can start working with the pack and taking on more duties. Plus by this time tomorrow I'm going to have a mate." I take a deep breathe relaxing after letting that all out.

"Tessa I don't want you to be heartbroken tomorrow if you don't find your mate. It took me almost three years to find Fletcher. It's fate sweetie which means you have no control on when it happens." Ryder's frown stirs an uneasiness in my stomach.

"It's going to be fine. I just have this feeling that I can't shake, and I think tomorrow's going to be great." Both of them smile at me, but their smiles don't reach their eyes. I'm not going to let it get to me though because they're my parents and I know they just want what's best for me.

I help set the table as they bring all the food over. We sit down all digging right in. The conversation stays light all throughout dinner straying away from the topic of mates. I can tell they are worried, but I can't wait to see their faces tomorrow when Asher and I are officially mates.

"Goodnight baby. Well I guess you aren't really a baby anymore." Ryder's eyes tear up his face full of emotion. I wrap my arms around him unable to look at his eyes without crying myself.

"She will always be our baby no matter what." Fletcher says wrapping his arms around us creating one big hug. Ryder sniffles as we pull away trying to regain control of his emotions. "Goodnight, I love you." Fletcher tells me as he sneakily wraps an arm around Ryder's waist comforting him. When I was little I had this weird thing where I didn't like when people would kiss and hug in public. I out grew that years ago, but sometimes I can still notice that they still haven't fully recovered from my early tantrum days.

"Goodnight daddy I love you." I quickly kiss each of their cheeks before heading up to my room. I promised Asher I would call him before midnight so we could talk one last time as just kids. It's still pretty early so I grab a pair of pajamas before jumping in the shower to wash my hair.

Sitting on my bed I brush my hair as I hit Ashers number on my phone. It rings twice before he picks up. His smooth low voice cuts through the quiet darkness of my room.

"Hey. I was worried you wouldn't call." I can hear the sleep in his voice. It's way past the time he usually falls asleep, and I'm starting to feel bad for keeping him up.

"You know I wouldn't do that. I'm sorry if I'm keeping you up." I move laying down pulling my comforter over my shoulders. Just because I'm a night owl doesn't mean I don't like to be cozy.

"Are you excited?" I bite my lip to suppress my excited squeal. Excited doesn't even come close to how I'm feeling about tomorrow. Everything will start falling in place and it's going to be perfect. I can't wait to start our life together tomorrow.

"Yes! My family is all coming early for breakfast. You're still up for breakfast together?" I hold my breath nervous that he might change his mind knowing how crazy family events can get.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world." My cheeks heat up, hurting from smiling so hard.

Asher is perfect. His blonde hair and blue eyes compliment his boyish charm. He's the kindest boy I've ever met. Never having a temper and despising the violence that the warriors portray. He shadows his father watching and learning the diplomatic aspects of running a pack.

We've never admitted our feeling for each other out loud, but we've been planning our wedding since we were six. He was my first kiss and I his, but never farther than that. We're not "dating", but everyone just sort of knows we are together in a way. It can get confusing for some, but after they see us together they understand.

"You still there?" He sounds a little more alert cutting me away from my thoughts.

"Yeah sorry I was just thinking." I try to stop it but a yawn pushes forward making itself known. I can hear Asher laugh lightly on the other line, and I puff out frustrated with my own body. "I should let you go so we both can get plenty of sleep." I nod forgetting momentarily that he can't see me.

"You're right." I take a deep breath preping myself. I place my hand on my chest to help calm my racing heart and plunge right into the deep end. "I really care for you Asher, and am so thankful you've been in my life. I hope in the morning it's revealed we are mates because I can't see myself with anyone else but you." I say it so fast I don't know if he caught any of it. The dead silence coming from his end makes my stomach drop with dread as the rancid taste of bile makes it way up my throat.

"I care about you a lot too Tessa." He whispers so quietly I almost don't hear it. I pull the phone away from my ear letting out a loud sigh of relief. "I hope The Moon Goddess is lovely enough to pair us with each other as well. You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and I would be honored to declare you as my mate to the world." My eyes tear up with each word that passes his lips. All of my past birthday wishes are slowly coming true as our conversation progresses and it's a bit overwhelming.

"I'll see you in the morning Asher. Promise to dream of me, and don't let the mites bite." I giggle at the silly saying our parents used to tell us at bedtime. He seems to remember because his playful laughter filters through the phone.

"I promise, now sleep my beautiful Tessa." My heart feels as though it's going to burst. I'm not sure which one of us ends the call first because I'm too busy rolling around in my bed freaking out. I turn my phone on silent so no notifications wake me in the night, and try to fall asleep.

After a half a hour it feels fruitless. My heart is still fluttering with residual excitement and adrenaline. The anticipation for the morning seems to grow with each tick of the clock on my wall. I concentrate on the steady ticking and it slowly lulls me to sleep.

* * *

"Happy Birthday!" I sit straight up in bed from the loud scream. The only problem is there is no one in my room. My eyebrows furrow in confusion because I know I didn't dream that. I slowly pull my blanket away from my body cautiously surveying the room for any threat.

"You dumb shit she's still asleep!" I hear Ryder snap at someone. I have a feeling I know who was stupid enough to walk into a house that wasn't theirs and scream at... seven in the morning.

"It's not my fault. Della made us get up at the crack of dawn." Emeric whines from downstairs. I chuckle as I rub the sleep from my eyes. I need to get up and dressed before Asher shows up. He won't be here for another hour or so because he knows I never get up this early especially when we stayed up late on the phone last night.

There's a light knock at my door as I stretch my arms high above my head. Victoria pears in the room from behind the door, and once she sees I'm awake she walks into the room shutting the door behind her.

"Happy Birthday!" She rushes over pulling me into a hug. Her long hair flying around us as I squeeze her tight. Victoria has always been like my little sister, and I can still remember how excited I was for another girl to join the family because Troy didn't like dolls no matter how much I forced him to play with them.

"Thank you. How have you been?" We haven't seen each other since Christmas which was a few months ago, but we've talked and texted a lot. She sighs sitting down on my bed as I walk over to my closet pulling the door open.

"Well Mom has been encouraging me to join her during training at least a few times a week since I shifted the first time." I shoot her a sympathetic look. Shifting the first time is not the most comfortable experience to put it nicely. I shutter as the memories of my first shift flood my brain.

"I feel you. Dads been on my case for years but I just don't want to. It doesn't appeal to me as much you know?" I grab the pink dress that I've been saving for months walking back over to where Victoria is sitting. "Plus isn't that what a mate is for." I smirk as she chuckles shaking her head. I lift the dress pressing it to my chest making sure it's still the one I want to go with.

"It's beautiful." Victoria smiles up at me. I kiss the top of her head before slipping into the bathroom to change into it. I throw the dress over my head letting the soft silky material caress my skin as it slides into place. Flattening it out I zip it up and look into the mirror one last time. The light pink color compliments my blue eyes making them pop.

I swing the bathroom door open to find Victoria looking over all my makeup sitting on my desk. I tip toe up behind her as she picks up one of the lipsticks checking the name of the color.

"You can use it if you want." I whisper in her ear causing her to jump dropping the lipstick. I giggle as she clutches her chest with wide eyes.

"You almost scared me to death." She huffs out as I sit down grabbing my mascara. I concentrate on not getting any on my eye lid as Victoria stares at me. Once I'm finished I pick up the lipstick she was eyeing before.

"Put it on or I'll do it for you." I hand her the simple pink/nude color.  She has always been a skidish girl sometime needing a little push to try new things. She stares at it for a few seconds before looking back up at me. I grab my chapstick opening it and slowly applying it to show Victoria. She rolls her eyes dismissing my passive aggressive display. I let her use the mirror as I quickly grab my simple flats out of my closet. Slipping them on only takes a second and Victoria is finished by the time I'm done.

I slip my arm through hers dragging her out of my room and down the hallway. The light chatter from the kitchen can be heard all the way up the steps. Luckily I don't hear Asher's voice so I have a little time to mentally prep for his arrival. We get halfway down the steps before I hear an unfamiliar voice and laugh. I turn to Victoria only to meet her equally confused eyes. We shuffle the rest of the way down the steps entering the kitchen.

The happy birthday cheers are muted around me as ringing takes over my hearing. I can feel my arm slip out of Victoria's grip as my eyes lock on Ashers arm around another girls waist. I don't even need to ask because I can already see their matching marks on both their necks. My heart feels like it's shattering into a million pieces as my whole future crumbles in front of me. My lungs tighten as my pulses hammers against my neck. I can hear my family call out to me with concern, but I can't feel anything right now. It's almost as if I gone numb, and my wolf only can think of one thing, run. So that's what I do I turn sprinting out the back door kicking off my shoes in the process and shift mid-air not looking back once my paws hit the forrest floor.

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Song: Wild by Bishop Briggs

I'm so excited to start this story! I thought I should post the first few chapters so you could all get a feel for the new story. Plus I didn't want to leave you on a cliffhanger on the first chapter. I'm so excited to expand onto this series and see what the future hold for this book. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and if you did don't forget to vote and comment! Until next time.

~Stella Gordon