Evelyn

Chapter 2: Maximus

Cold air grazing my shoulders, I shivered, blinking and rubbing my eyes. Sitting up, I looked around my mahogany room. Something was different. My eyes came in contact with the other side of my bed, and I noticed the bed and pillows were indented with covers peeled back. I placed my hand here, feeling the faded warmth. Someone had slept there.

          I stretched my tanned arms above my head. Flipping my grey duvet off my legs, I got up. I looked down and slipped on my slippers, noticing I was shirtless with my flannel pajama pants on, before stumbling towards the two large doors of my bedroom. Walking down the hall, I noticed the house was flooded with light. Looking down from the banister I could see the living room; a large screen tv was playing a children's show and the couch and floor surrounding it were covered in toys. I wandered down the stairs, walking past the living room and towards the kitchen. As I got closer, a sweet fragrance made its way to my nose as it wafted in the air. I instantly recognized the smell as butter and blueberry pancakes. Stepping into the kitchen, I looked across the aisle, by the stove, where I spotted a woman. Her back was turned towards me but I instantly knew she was my mate. Her long brown wavy locks cascaded down her small figure ending at her butt. She must have been 5'5 at the tallest. I watched as a little boy came up to her and tugged on her shorts.  She turned towards him with a a large smile. Her honey brown eyes lit up at the sight of him. Suddenly a new small figure emerged; a little girl with the same golden tresses as my mate as well as crystal blue eyes.

"Daddy," she exclaimed before leaping into my arms.

I caught her and spun her around, kissing her forehead. I blew raspberries to her cheeks listening to her precious giggles, and then placed her on the ground. Then, I strode around the aisle and walked up to my mate. I wrapped my arms around her waist and she turned around looking up and gleaming at me with a bright smile. Her button nose was adorable and dusted with freckles. She had a small dimple at the left of her mouth. As she continued to gleam at me she reached out to touch my face........

I shot up in bed in a cold sweat. Glancing around me, my house was the same as it always was.

Cold, silent, and empty.

Plopping my head back down with a huff, I felt my breath grow heavy and loud, as anger built up within me. I was furious that the moon goddess had taunted me for weeks with the angelic sight of my mate. A mate I would never meet, a mate who likely didn't exist.

Most werewolves met their mates on their eighteenth birthdays and if not then, then within the next two years.  I was twenty-five, which despite human standards meant young, meant I was almost assuredly mateless in the werewolf world. It was a rare occurrence to not meet your mate, but I was not the least surprised. Rumors had flown since before I had even turned eighteen that I would be mateless due to the "atrocities" I had committed. So on my eighteenth birthday, not a single person held an ounce of shock. In fact, most of the parents and young girls who had attended seemed to sigh in relief that they were not fated by the moon goddess to be with me.

I clenched my fists, again thinking of the dream.

This was the first dream I had been able to touch her. In every dream previously, just as I had gotten close enough to reach her, I would wake up. Looking at my arms, they tingled, remembering the false reality of holding her in my arms. It made it all the more taunting. Her small figure had fit mine against mine like a puzzle that had been finally put together.

With a sigh, I looked over at the clock. Nine am.

"Time to get up," I huffed, wiping a hand down my face and forcing my feet onto the floor.