Whoa... she's gorgeous. The wolf walked up to us, circling as if studying our forms. She matched our height and build; if I didn't know better, I would have mistaken her for a male wolf. Her eyes were a striking mix of black and blue, almost seeming to peer into my soul. She sniffed at us before glancing toward the tree line, looking back as if waiting for us to follow. I smiled and took off after her, but damn, her speed matched mine. Every time I tried to catch up, she sped forward. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was as competitive as her human counterpart.
I had known Addison since her family moved from the Blue Mist Pack. My father had asked her father to become his Beta, seeing potential in him. Beta Jackson was a quiet yet formidable man, fierce and calculating, and I now saw those same traits in Addison—though I had never noticed before. She was only five when she arrived at our pack house, with dark hair and blue eyes, a timid voice that was often drowned in books until my sister returned from boarding school. They became inseparable, spending every moment together since high school. I never paid much attention to what they did; my focus was always on my training and the women who caught my eye.
When I turned 18, I was eager for my mate, driven by teenage hormones, but nothing happened. So, I turned to other women, eager to satisfy my urges—until last night, when she turned 18.
I had never looked at Addison in that way before. She was like a sister to me—annoying, always rolling her eyes, only listening to Camilla, our parents, and hers. I never imagined she could be my mate. The goddess had a strange sense of humor.
We ran far until we reached the shoreline. She was fast—perhaps even faster than me. Kai, my wolf, tried to reach out to her, but she put up her walls. I stopped as I saw her on the beach, staring up at the sky. I settled next to her, keeping my distance. The beauty of the heavens above us lost me in a trance, and I didn't notice when she stood and shifted into her human form. I felt her hands on my fur and flinched. Looking up, I met her piercing blue gaze. She was dressed in sweatpants and a loose shirt, and Kai purred at her touch.
After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke. "Clark, I need you to listen... and do not respond. I'm not ready to accept you. I know you said you took back your rejection, but I'm not ready yet. My wolf is still mad at you... and I'm a little disappointed. It's hard for me to accept you as my mate, knowing what I do about you and the kind of person you are. I don't know if I can trust you not to cheat on me if I give you my heart. And I don't know if I can trust myself not to do something stupid if I ever witness something like that. I truly believe the goddess brought us together for a reason, and I want you to be mine—fully mine. But I won't share you with any of those women. If you decide to keep any of them, you better let me know so I can..." She trailed off, letting out a heavy sigh.
Kai whimpered in my mind, blaming me for all the pain I caused her. "Kai, I need you to give me control," I said, standing and walking away from Addison, who hid her face in her hands, shielding her tears. I stepped into the trees and emerged dressed in shorts. I sat beside her, wanting to comfort her, but knowing I was the cause of her pain. I could feel her exhale loudly, her eyes closed and head held high.
"Adi, I am so sorry. I know that might not mean much to you right now, but I truly am. I rejected you that night because... I was scared you would reject me too. Shit, I'm terrible at this." I heard her giggle softly.
"Oh shoot, did I say that last bit out loud?" I covered my mouth in mock shock.
"Yeah, but that's okay. Honesty is always welcome," she replied, still giggling. Even her laughter drove me wild.
"Adi, I am so sorry I didn't mean to cause you any pain..." I started, but she cut me off.
"It's not your fault, Clark. We both didn't see this mate bond coming. You never saw me as a potential mate, and neither did I. It's not our fault; it's the goddess. We're both confused, nervous, lost... and confused."
"You already said 'confused' first," I pointed out.
"Yes, I know... sheesh," she said, rolling her eyes as we both chuckled.
"What do we do now?" I asked.
"Well, I was thinking we could be friends and try to get to know each other that way first. I know your alpha ceremony is coming up, so you'll need to focus on that. I can help you with pack business... as a friend, of course. I don't know if you knew this, but your father already asked my father to prepare me to be your Beta. But now... well, I don't know how that would work. I mean, can I really be Beta and Luna at the same time?"
I turned to her, shocked. I had no idea my father had chosen her as my Beta. It made sense, but usually, Betas were men—often the alpha's best friend or brother. I realized we weren't the only ones surprised by this mate bond.
"Wow, Adi, I had no idea my father picked you. He mentioned having someone in mind for my Beta, but I didn't know it was you," I said, bumping her shoulder with mine, feeling proud. A Beta was someone close to the alpha, someone he trusted with his life—someone sharp and strong. I looked at her small frame and wondered what skills my father saw in her that I hadn't noticed. My father was the smartest man I knew, adept at reading people, able to sense even the slightest changes in energy. No one could lie in his presence, which is why I never dared to; it was futile. Even the werewolf king would call him in to interrogate prisoners. If my father chose Addison as my Beta, she must have some extraordinary skills that had eluded my attention. Oh goddess, what had I done?
We sat in silence for a few moments until she broke it, saying, "Void."
"Huh?" I replied, confused.
"Her name—my wolf. I named her Void." She turned to meet my eyes and smiled.
I burst out laughing, thinking of the absurdity of it. For a moment, I thought she might be mad, but then I heard her chuckle, shaking her head. "Yeah, I got the same reaction from my parents and freaking Camilla."
We laughed heartily, and when our laughter finally died down, she stood and extended her hand to me. I took it and rose, feeling the mate bond tingle up my arms and down my spine. I knew she felt it too because her eyes locked onto mine, softening in the moment. I gazed at my beautiful mate, realizing how I had overlooked her all this time—her scent, her eyes, that dark hair her mother refused to cut, the single dimple on her cheek, and those lips. I couldn't stop staring at them, wondering what they tasted like.
I leaned down until our foreheads touched, inhaling each other's scents, lost in the moment. I had no idea how long we stood there, but when she finally broke the silence, she said, "Let's go home."
