I was pulled roughly from my memories and thoughts. I blinked and turned to Isaac. I was hoisted up into strong arms. A laugh escaped me as Isaac twirled me around.
“Our little girl is all grown up, isn’t she? There is no way that the little girl who practically lives here is twenty-one! It feels like only yesterday you were running these halls playing.”
I laughed and pressed my face to his neck. I inhaled the scent of our Alpha. My muscles relaxed and my heart lifted.
“Isaac. Put her down right now. The dress is going to wrinkle, and, oh mercy, you are messing up her hair. Isaac!” Rose screeched from the doorway. I giggled as he twisted me around once more.
I stood on my own two feet again and Rose started to pull me away. They lived in a mansion, but it was seldom empty. Pack members stayed at their house, or visiting members from different packs. It made it almost impossible for me to detect singular smells. Being half wolf, I had better senses than humans, but nowhere near as good as a full blood. If I were a full blooded werewolf, I would’ve scented the sneak attack from Griff before it came. He picked me up almost the same way his father had.
“Griffin Isaac Lupen, you put her down right now. I have to finish getting her ready and you are messing up her hair, and her – oh!”
I asked Griff to put me down and suggested that he go find Liam and Nick. Rose looked like she was eager to get her hands back on me and finish getting ready. I didn’t think there was much left to do, but Rose had never had a daughter. Griffin was her only child and I knew how much it meant to her to help me prepare.
I looked at her dark brown haired beauty. She shared the same green eyes of the mid-American packs. I knew that she had been in a different pack, though, when she found Isaac. Or should I say when Isaac found her? She always loved telling the story on how they found each other. And I knew she’d tell the story again tonight.
“What was it like on your twenty first birthday?” I asked quietly. I was lucky enough to be born at night, so I got to stress about the moment of my birth, and the moment I’d become aware of my mate, all day. Rose was born at 1:01 PM.
She was very detailed in her story telling.
“Hmm, well you know, it was different for us. I had already had a face to go with the scent and he was standing five feet away.”
Rose winked at me in the mirror.
I nodded with a small smile. I knew the story almost as well as she did. Rose was a couple towns over after a soccer match when Isaac, who’d turned twenty-one a couple months before, caught her scent. He claimed that for a spilt second he caught his mate’s scent before it vanished. Either way it was enough for him to become obsessed with nineteen year old Rose.
Isaac and Rose dated up until her twenty-first birthday. He even had Rose convinced they were fated mates, though no one could be sure. Rose admitted she was terrified at 1:00 on her twenty-first birthday. But at 1:01 PM she was in Isaac’s arms and never more certain of anything in her life.
Rose and Isaac were the exception. They were destined for each other, but most wolves weren’t that lucky. There were times that wolves dated before their 21st birthdate and believed that they were destined for each other. They almost, always were wrong. It always ended with heartbreak.
“Oh sweetie it’ll be fine.” Rose whispered as she hugged me. She finished up the last touches, and I slipped on a small watch that Keith had gotten me for my first birthday here. Our first year together was a lot of learning for both of us.
I knew the chances of me finding the one tonight were slim. And deep down I had a sliver of hope that it would be Griffin. But at the same time, I couldn’t let happen even if I was Griffin’s mate. He would hold back for me. Griffin had seen more of me than anyone else. He knew I couldn’t lead. I wouldn’t. And because of me, he would never take his place as Alpha. But that’s what he was.
I was so lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t hear Rose leave. I glanced in the mirror to see Griffin. I turned to him, his head was down, and he was staring at his open hands. I stood and went to him.
“I want it to be you, Lettie. I’ve always wanted it to be you. But-”
I knew what he was going to say.
But what if it’s not?
I didn’t wait for him to finish the thought.
“We’ll get by,” I whispered, pushing his knees apart. I wiggled between them.
Griffin’s head was about level with my chest. I pushed his head up. I laid my forehead against his. My hands on the side of his neck just touched the edge of his jaw and the hair that curled there.
“I swear, I will always love you. Fated mate or not, you are my pack-mate. You’ll always have a place in my heart.”
I placed a small chaste kiss on his lips. I tasted the salt of my tears. He grabbed my hips and we had our very last private moment behind the curtain of my hair. I didn’t want to pull away. I wanted to live in this moment, forever. I wanted it to last forever.
“I love you, Colette. Always,” Griff said. I knew once we closed our eyes, this instant would be lost to us.
“I hope you know this isn’t a goodbye. You can never get rid of me.”
“I know – you’re a leech! The only way to get rid of you is by burning off your head.”
The joke tasted sour on my tongue.
“Even then I’ll still be holding on.”
And just like that, our time was over. I pulled from him. His hands didn’t leave that burning sensation of pleasure. It didn’t leave my skin prickled from our shared emotions. It felt weaker, different. It left me feeling slightly hollow.
What if this moment was our goodbye? I looked over at my best friend, my pack-mate. I felt like this might be it for us. I shook off the last few tears I had left. If I even had a fated mate, they would have to accept all of me, or none of me. And Griffin was part of me.
“I guess it’s time.” I said turning toward the door, but it was already opening.
“Livin’ up babe! It’s a party tonight,” Nick said coming in the room. He sized me up and I blushed under his stare. Like all wolves he was good looking, but I didn’t feel comfortable with my entire back on display.
“Please dumbass, think it through. She might get stuck with you as a mate for the rest of her life,” Liam said as he walked into the spare room where I was getting ready.
I rolled my eyes. Their greatest joy came from joking around with me. Of course none us said what we were thinking. The thought that made my heart stop and my mouth go dry.
What if he is from another pack? A far away pack?
We were lower Michigan, Caine’s territory was Indiana, and Brady was Ohio. Bade was in Wisconsin, but ever since the incident ten years ago, Isaac had cut off all contact with him. He had fought to keep me. Bade had no right to me. And since Griffin and my pack-bond had been so new, and we were so young, separating at that time could have killed me. I had a weak wolf, barely there as it was. The only thing that it was holding onto all those years ago were Griffin’s words of encouragement. The home he offered.
Things were different for me now. The pack-bond we had created had stabilized. My wolf had grown with me so it was no longer dependent on Griff and the bond.
I breathed in through my nose. I turned and faced the three of them. I moved forward hugged Nick, his thin, yet muscular arms wrapped around me. I buried my nose in his neck and smelled home and pack.
I let him go and moved to Liam who smiled at me opening his arms wide. I was dwarfed by his size, coming up to just above his heart. He breathed in deeply and I felt his nose bury in my hair. I pulled away and looked at Griffin.
“Stop looking at me like it will be the last time you see me. It’s not like you are transported to your mate. Like you said, it might not even happen. And even if you do catch his scent, it could take him years to find you.”
“If he tries to take me from here, he’ll have to rack up quite a body count to get me out,” I joked.
The guys put on strained smiles. They knew th
at wasn’t the case at all. There were rules that wolves followed to keep the peace. Mate-law overruled any other pack-laws. If my mate wanted to take me out of here without saying goodbyes, he had every right to do so. I swallowed hard.
“It will be fine,” I muttered, mostly for my own benefit.
Liam and Nick leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek at the same time. They filed out of the room and headed outside to the backyard. Time was creeping closer and I had to join the party. I looked at Griffin, he was supposed to leave with the guys, but could feel that he wanted to be the one to walk me outside.
That honor, however, was reserved for Keith.
There was no way Griffin would disrespect his Beta like that. Still I grabbed his hand. A tingle went through my arm as it always did when I held him.
It was our souls twisting, combining, and holding onto each other in the way that family does. It was our bond.
“You are part of me, Griffin. Always.” I leaned up and kiss his cheek, but his lips somehow caught mine. They were impossibly gentle. Feather light. But he was holding back. I wanted nothing more than to give myself to him there and then, and I could feel his desire to own me, to make me fully his. But that wasn’t how this worked. It would never be that way.
Not unless tonight at 9:28PM his scent enveloped me and mine his. My heart seized at the thought. That was almost as painful as thinking I could lose him forever. My eyelids tightened at the thought of him one day becoming permanently out of my reach, mate or not.
In my heart I knew I would destroy him if I was his mate.
Griffin pulled back so his lips brushed against mine as he spoke.
“I wish – I wish that I could be the one for you.”
I shook my head.
“Yes, Colette.”
We stayed that way for a moment more until Keith knocked at the door. Both of us were so focused on each other we didn’t hear or even smell him come up. We broke apart so fast that we probably looked guilty.
I forced my face into a neutral expression. I took in a long breath through my nose and released it quietly from my lips. I didn’t look at Griffin, instead I looked to Keith.
Inside I wanted to scream. I didn’t.
“We’ll see you down there, Griffin.”
Keith sounded hoarse. His eyes were slightly red. Had he been crying? It was possible. I wouldn’t be surprised. I knew this wasn’t easy for him either. I turned and plastered a smile on my face.
“You don’t have to pretend right now. Everyone’s scared. Come now, think of the poor wolf who’s going to catch the most tantalizing scent he has ever smelled. This is the first day of the greatest hunt!”
Keith kissed my temple.
“Yeah, that sounds super romantic,” but it was hard keeping the sarcasm from my voice. I couldn’t help but worry that the wolf who was my mate would scorn the fact I was only half. My family never treated me any differently for being what who I was, but I knew other packs thought less of half-breeds.
I pushed that thought away. I continued the mantra I had taken up since last night. It might not happen, it probably won’t happen. I could hope that it would be Nick. He wasn’t a bad choice. He was devilishly handsome with his tattoos and his blond hair. His eyes were a lovely shade of green color. Being an Omega’s mate wouldn’t be so horrible. They travelled a lot. They weren’t targeted because they were the peacekeepers. I knew Nick would never force me into anything I wouldn’t be ready for.
Keith squeezed my hand, bringing me out of my reverie. I looked up at him and smiled. He would always be there for me. No matter what happened tonight, I’d at least have him…
Griffin could never join another pack, he was too much Alpha for that. His Alpha colors shone through even at the age of eleven. I knew one day he would have a pack of his own. But Keith, as our pack Beta, could step down if I asked him to come with me. If I needed him. And Griffin? Griffin would take Keith’s place until Isaac deemed him ready to rule.
I knew any male that I was paired with, even if they were an Omega, the least possessive of our males, they would still take me from here. They would never live comfortably in another pack, and after you find your mate, there really was no letting go.
Keith took my hand and we headed out of my room. It was customary that the father of the wolf to act as escort to the party. I was to arrive a half hour before to receive well wishes.
Keith and I made our way down the stairs, my heels still in hand due to the fact I was terrified I would fall. I breathed in and let it back out.
“Men should have something equal to heels. These are death traps!” I said. I held onto Keith’s arm as I put them on.
Keith snorted at my comment, pressing his lips together holding in a laugh.
“They did, we had them in the early 50s. Platform shoes. But we men grew wiser and let the trend fade,” Keith said with a wink. I smiled imagining him wearing platform shoes.
We rounded the stairway’s end, past the entrance to the kitchen and headed to the French doors. The doors would lead us outside to the patio, where the party was taking place. I took in a deep breath.
I had to do this. It was tradition.
We stepped outside, the patio was beautiful. It was a brick layout, a large, irregularly shaped in-ground pool. Lights were everywhere, a mixture of Christmas bulbs, little tiki-lights, and hefty looking torches. The arch that I would stand under was black metal, with intricate designs of wolves. Isaac had it crafted by a master before I was born. It stood tall, and long enough for a couple to stand under it. Ivy grew up the arbor, giving it a more natural look.
I recognized my pack members’ faces, but there were other packs here tonight with their males. I swallowed hard seeing Caine and Brady talking to Isaac. The males of my pack watched me with cautious eyes. They knew my relationship with Griffin and Isaac.
The males from the other packs openly stared.
Keith walked me around and people wished me luck. My pack members would touch me here and there. I felt eyes on my back.
“Colette, this is Dean.”
The wolf in front of me was a light colored ginger with a freckles. He had three scars running on his cheek, and fierce, cold blue eyes. I knew he was one of the boys taken. I put out my hand in greeting. He didn’t realize who I was until he saw me grab my arm, which ached dully. I think it was nerves. But finally, he recognized me. I moved in a little closer, though Keith kept his hand on my back. He was tense about me getting too close to Dean. He didn’t trust the other wolf; the kids that had been freed with me and Griff had a tendency to lose their temper, even with no a trigger.
I brought Dean into my arms and hugged him lightly. He made sure not to touch my exposed back. I appreciated that and I made sure not to touch any of his exposed skin either. I pulled away.
“Are you 21 now?” I asked.
I hadn’t tried to make conversation with anyone up till this point, and the halting in my progress to the arch caught people’s attention. There were some wolves who believed you could recognize your mate on your birthday if your bond was close enough. I was sure that a few wolves who were now openly gawking at us thought this.
He nodded. Not much of a talker then. Feeling compassion well within me, I couldn’t help myself.
“She will love you. No matter what happened then.”
What Dean did next shocked me to my core. He bent his head down to me showing a huge sign of respect and slight submission. His lips pulled up revealing dimples, his scars smashed together.
Dean signaled his thanks and I almost stepped back in surprise. I looked at Keith for an explanation, Isaac and Brady showed up.
“I see you have met one of my sons. Dean’s vocal cords were…” Brady looked at the young wolf. “Removed. He cannot speak or howl. The hunters did horrible things to him.”
“I’m so sorry,” my voice cracked.
Dean signed some things, but they went over my head. I barely knew the basics of sign language.
“He said, ‘It is in the past, and if a wolf as beautiful as you meant what you said, it is an honor to call you a pack-sister.’”
It was harder to swallow after that. Pack-sisters were not something shared between other packs. It was a huge honor.
“Dean also wants me to tell you, ‘We all survived that nightmare, some of us left with more scars than others, but it made us stronger. For a half-breed as yourself to have survived, you must be as strong, if not stronger than any pure blood wolf.’”
This time I bowed my head in a sign of respect. Keith urged me on, and I caught the look on Griffin’s face. Murderous. I hoped that he wouldn’t take offense to what happened between Dean and me.
I felt my arm tingle at Griffin’s emotions. I looked up at him, his jaw was clenched tight but he didn’t say anything. I appreciated that.
“He was in there with us, you know,” I whispered. Griffin looked over at the red-headed wolf. His brows pinched, and his nostrils flared as he took in Dean’s scent.
He slowly shook his head.
“I didn’t recognize him.”
Griffin turned away from me.
He felt responsible for everyone who was caught. It was beyond his control, beyond anyone’s, but since he was an Alpha’s son, he felt that he should have been strong enough to save us. It’s in their blood. And all things considered, I guess we could be considered fortunate. We were the only pack who didn’t lose a child because of the hunters. Caine’s pack had lost one boy, and the other survived. Bade lost one, and two survived. Brady had also lost two boys, and I recalled another survived in addition to Dean.
“It’s time, Colette,” Isaac said from behind us.
I turned and saw Keith was with him. I looked at the delicate watch on my wrist, 9:20. I looked up at Keith. My mouth was dry. I nodded, and Keith took me in his arms once more. He kissed the top of my head. I realized that I hadn’t let go of Griff’s hand. He let go and that sinking feeling in my stomach came back. For some reason, I felt like my life here was over.
Chapter 4 — Fireworks
Hexed Hearts Page 4
