Pieces Of Me

Chapter 1 Eve

"Jesus, Eve!" My brother Caleb sighs with frustration, running his fingers through his short brown hair.

I shrug.

"What?"

"Don't what me! I promised Dad you would be there on time, presentable, and in one piece." He gestures to my body as a whole. "This! This is none of the above!"

"My bad. We got a little carried away with training." I reply bending and stretching out my leg muscles. Reece, my sparring partner in crime, chuckles from the bench he is cooling down on.

"Understatement," Reece says. "You kicked my ass."

I grin at him.

"I'm supposed to and you deserved it. You ate my slice of cheesecake that I'd hidden in the fridge!"

"I was doing you a favor. I can't roll our head warrior into battle." He says with a laugh, wiping his blond hair back out of his eyes and sending me a wink.

"You're a dick, you know that! Besides a slice of cheesecake is hardly going to turn me into a whale."

"Eve! For the love of God, the party has already started! You're sweaty, bruised, blood-smeared, and certainly not presentable!" My brother snaps at me, bringing my attention back to him. "Hit the showers. I'll get Kasey to bring down some clothes and hopefully, she can cover your face with enough crap to hide the marks. Reece, I'll deal with you later!"

"Like I could have said no to her." Reece huffs. "Girl could convince a nun to be a hooker! Besides she's the only one that can beat my ass! I need the challenge."

"You better believe it!" I say, jumping onto Reece's back and nudging his sides with my knees like a horse. "To the showers before Caleb has an aneurism!"

Caleb shakes his head, a smirk on his face, and walks off, while Reece pretends to gallop us to the showers.

While in our shower stalls, we joke around about who will succumb this year to the dreaded 'mate curse.'

Last year we had both drenched ourselves in perfume, keeping all sensitive noses away from us. Reece and I had a blast, dancing the night away and drinking ourselves stupid. This year we will be arriving beyond fashionably late. Hopefully, all the cursed mates are coupled up and the unsuccessful ones are licking their wounds at the bar by the time we arrive.

If we're lucky they'll also be drunk, too drunk to notice either of us as a potential mate.

Mates are supposed to be a blessing, a true soulmate, or in extremely rare cases, it can sometimes be two true soulmates. Poor bastards who had to juggle more than one.

Reece and I called it a curse. Once a year the pack held a party and all those of mating age (twenty years upwards) attend from the pack. Outsiders from allied packs are also allowed in, to broaden the chances of finding their true loves.

But for Reese and I, it was the most ridiculous thing ever. Watching complete strangers move towards each other in awe, whispering 'mate' before collapsing into each other's arms.

Who the fuck wants that! No choosing, no falling in love as you get to know each other. This was speed dating extreme style.

I was jealous of the already mated. They would be heading out to party, or wine and dine in town with the exception of those already rostered for patrol duty. The Alpha couple (my parents) and their heir (my dumbass brother) would oversee the proceedings.