Runaway To Me

Chapter 1

It was just like any other gathering. Food was prepared, drinks were chilled, and guests were dressed to the nines. The pack house had been cleaned and scrubbed until it shone. My parents, brother, and I were meeting one last time before we joined our guests. I didn't know it was to be the last, last time.

"Jensyn, please, a smile tonight would be pleasant."

"Mom..." I groaned, tired of having this conversation before every event since I'd turned eighteen.

"J, you're twenty-two and we'd love to see you find your mate. Wouldn't it be nice to have a date for your brother's mating celebration in a month?"

"Of course, Mom, it would." Smiling, I gave in to my mom's requests to end the conversation.

"And Jaxon? Darling, you did remember to tell Mila to join our table once we make the entrance."

"Yeah, Mom. She knows. She's the next Luna of our pack, she'd been preparing, studying, and practicing since we knew we were fated."

My brother was the golden child. Next in line to be Alpha, he had been preparing his whole life to take over for our father as the alpha of the Green River pack. He was diplomatic, kind, and strong - everything a pack could ask for in a leader. His mate, Mila, was beautiful and complimented Jaxon perfectly. The pack would be in good hands as soon as our father, Alpha Stefan, was ready to pass the baton.

"Mom! I forgot my shoes in my room."

"Jensyn, we are supposed to enter now."

"Can't you enter without me?" I cast a glance at my dad, he knew I hated the ceremonial entrance and that I couldn't do the entrance without shoes as well.

Dad sent me a conspiratorial grin and gave me a nod.

"Stefan! You always indulge her!" Mom gave Dad an adoring smile and placed her hand into his outstretched one. Never had I seen a mated pair who loved as hard as my parents.

Dashing away from the foyer and into the stairwell, I shot up the two floors to our quarters as I heard the music begin. By the time I reached my room the music had stopped and any talking was too far away to carry to my room.

I grabbed the left shoe from the ottoman in front of my closet and scanned for the right shoe. I laid on the ground to check under my bed, perhaps I had kicked it under. No shoe, but my eyes saw my go bag. I pulled it out with a grin. My dad had always wanted us to prepare for any type of mobilizing emergency. Everything vital was in this bag and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Setting the bag on top of my bed I caught sight of my other shoe under my desk. Slipping into the heels, I wound the ankle straps up and secured them. Thank the Gods and Goddesses I was good in heels, these looked like ankle-breakers.

I took the back stairwell down to the hall knowing that I could slip into the room at the head table without pulling much attention to myself. Hearing a sob, my hand paused over the door handle. When no other sound followed, I carefully pushed the door open enough to peer into the hall.

My brother and father lay at the foot of the dais, heads missing from their bodies. I stifled a cry, instinct telling my brain to shut up before I could even process the thought. My mom. Where was my mom? Did I dare to peek my head in further?

"Pack members - tonight is OUR night. A night that will forever change the course of Green River history. Many of you may be asking yourself 'why?'? I will tell you why. Alpha Stefan, diplomatic as he may be, was fine to settle for less. He settled for mediocrity. Don't you all want more?"

A man stood just outside the line of my periphery. He looked familiar, but without the safety to poke my head more through the door, I could not tell.

"Life here is bland. Life here is boring. We remain stagnant while other packs grow. Many of you may remember the reign of Alpha Geoffrey, Stephan's father. That man knew how to run a pack! We thrived, we took no prisoners in our pursuit of success."