MOON BOUND

CHAPTER 1

CASSIE

I walk towards my mother's room but I'm stopped by the light that's peeping through the spaces on the corners of her bedroom door, I take slow steps while watching the flashing light change colours, from purple to white to blue, almost like lightning

I press my ear on the door and hear my mother chanting some foreign words which I can't understand, curiosity suddenly gets the better of me and I find myself twisting the door knob and pushing the door open giving my mother a fright

She immediately jumps up from her dresser chair and the colour changing light is long gone

"Cassandra! You scared me!" she practically screams but quickly contains herself when shes sees that her loud voice frightened me

"I'm sorry mommy, I didn't mean to"

"it's ok sweetheart, I'm sorry, mommy is just... Distracted a bit, it's not your fault"

I take in the scene in front of me, different coloured candles, a bowl of water and what seems to be a globe on top of her dressing table

"What is this mommy?" I ask walking towards the table

"Don't touch that!" she rushes to stop me "it's just mommy's work things" She says with a smile while kneeling down to have the same eye level as me

"listen sweetheart, I need you to promise mommy something"

"yes mommy?"

"don't tell daddy about what you saw today, infact please don't ever mention it to anyone because if you do, mommy will get in serious trouble my angel" she said as she cupped my face with both her hands and looked at me with pleading eyes

"ok mommy, I promise" I said as we intertwined our pinky fingers as a sign of keeping yet another one of my mother's secrets.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when a hear a glass slam the table in front of me

"This one is on the house, so will the next one, and the next one" Jayden says

"thanks Jay" I say as I take the glass of gin mixed with tonic, a slice of lemon and some mint

"pleasure kid, now if you're planning on getting drunk best hand your car keys over" he extended his hand as I took out my car keys from my sling bag and handed them over to him

" so it's been 12 years huh" he said as he opened a beer for himself, being manager means he can drink on the job too

"yea, 12 cold years" I said as I circled the glass in front of me with my index finger

"and your dad?"

"it's been 6 years" I said

"Ever thought of reaching out to him?" Jay asked cautiously because he knows my relationship with my dad isn't filled with sunshine and flowers

"Why? So I can be reminded of how he wishes it was me who died"

"You know that's not true"

"Really? Then how do you explain that he basically shut me out when I turned 16, told me I was old enough to look after myself and always locked himself in his bedroom whenever he was around at home which is almost never"

"Maybe you remind him more of your mother now that you're grown, people grieve differently Cassie"

"I'm also grieving Jay. I have been for 12 years now, the truth is I became an orphan at that moment, my father has distanced himself from my life, he's presence is dead Jay"

This was true, I've been by myself for years now with no parent to depend on, I never understood why my dad pushed me away. At first I thought he was just grieving but as I grew older I also stopped trying, he went his way and I moved out of the place I called home when I turned 18

I used the money my mother left for me to find a small apartment and a second hand car and I also enrolled at university and graduated with a Bachelor of science in Nursing

I managed to get a job at the local clinic but I've always wanted to further my studies and become a medical doctor. A dream I intend on fulfilling

I met Jayden when I moved into my apartment, he lived in the same building and we became instant friends,  although he recently moved out to live on the top floor of the bar he manages we've kept in touch and he's become more of a big brother than a friend and knows that each year on the 2nd of April I drink my sorrows away as I go through the anniversary of my mother's death

He offers me free drinks and ends up drinking with me, as I end up crying my eyes out and he comforts me. Tonight was no different

As we were still drinking the door opened and in walked three men, they were all wearing formal trousers and shirts, too formal if you ask me. Two of the guys walked infront of the other guy as though to protect him which kind of confused me because his appearance says he can take both of them out at the same time

Their well built bodies and heights clearly indicated that they aren't human but werewolves, something the human society has had to get used too ever since I was a child

I somehow felt drawn to well protected guy, his strong biceps that were hugged by his tight shirt, his well groomed black hair, his facial features. Everything about him was attractive, or was I now drunk...

The guys headed towards us to get a table but as soon as they passed us one of them stopped, the most sexy one

He turned and our eyes locked

I desperately wanted to look away but I couldn't, it's like I just froze in the moment and everything stopped. He never took his eyes off me either it was starting to get intimidating

I forced myself to stand up, wanting to get away from the current situation. I don't really like strange things happening around me, even if there just happens to be this sexy guy whose staring at me like we are in a staring contest

I stumbled a bit due to my intoxication but balanced myself in time to not fall, the guy growled as his eyes started glowing and changing colour from brown to yellow

"Mine" Mr Hot, as I chose to call him said

"eh-what?" I stuttered, ofcourse I knew what it meant but was this really happening... To me?

"Hello mate" Mr Hot said with his eyes still glowing he took a step closer and Jay moved from the other side of the bar to come stand next to me

"step away" Jay warned

"she's mine!" Mr hot snapped "And I'm taking her with"

Jay pulled me behind him "I think we can both clearly see that she's too drunk to give consent to anything right now so I cannot allow you to take her with, she needs to agree to this while she's in the right and sober state of mind, isn't it?" Jay asked and even though I couldn't see his face I knew he had his serious big brother face on

" you don't tell me what to do with my mate" Mr Hot countered

"Alpha, we can't afford to create a scene, we can always come back tomorrow" one of the other guys said and Mr Hot did not even turn to look at him

Just then, Erica, Jay's girlfriend walked in "what's happening?" she asked Jay

"Take her upstairs" he told her and she reached for my hand

"2nd April" she said

"Yeap" I answered

When we turned to leave I heard a low growl, Erica and I both stopped, I felt dizzy now like I was going to pass out. Just how much gin did I drink exactly

"Are you really going to start a scene here?" Jay asked knowing full well the werewolves couldn't start a fight as part of their agreement to live in the open with us humans... Unless they are under attack

"Alpha, let's go. We will come back tomorrow"

"I think I'm gonna faint" I announced and Erica quickly sat me on a chair

"Fine, I'll come back tomorrow. She better be here!" Mr hot warned before taking another look at me and turning to walk away.