“Oh shit. Sorry, Ken, I didn’t think. No, everyone’s okay, I guess. I wasn’t told anyone was hurt, and he usually leads with that. Alpha James said they have news and we need to get there quickly. That’s it, I swear.”
I stared out the window, trying to hold back tears until I knew what was going on. The ten-minute drive felt endless, my heart pounding wildly. I kept telling myself, I just have to see them, then everything will be okay. As we pulled up, I spotted all the familiar cars in the driveway**and an unfamiliar sleek white SUV.
I jumped out of Jason’s car before it even stopped and rushed through the front door, not bothering to close it behind me. I was worked up and needed to see my brother before losing my mind. I pushed through the house, heading straight toward the voices in the common room. Then I saw him, and my eyes locked on no one else.
“Jer,” I whispered, and he turned toward me with the biggest smile, looking genuinely happy to see me. Without thinking, I ran to him and leapt into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. I buried my face in his neck, inhaling deeply, feeling an immediate calm wash over me.
Suddenly, a low, menacing growl rippled through the room, sending a chill over everyone. Jeremiah dropped me without a word, turning away. I landed hard on my butt, stunned**he’d never dropped me before, not outside training.
“Who the fuck is that?!” snarled a female voice I didn’t recognize. I couldn’t see her behind Jeremiah’s broad frame; everyone else had moved to stand beside him.
“What’s going on?” I asked, addressing the backs turned to me. Summoning enough strength, I got to my feet, but everyone ignored me. My heart rate spiked again**something was seriously wrong.
“I will not ask again, Jeremiah.” Her voice was sharp and commanding. I could feel her power radiating from where she stood. She was using her aura, meaning she held a high rank.
“It’s nothing, really. This is my best friend, Kennedy. Kennedy, this is my mate, Rayna.” Jeremiah finally faced me, but his gaze seemed distant, flicking between her and me. I could tell he was already smitten**completely infatuated with her**and my heart sank.
His smile wasn’t for me; it was for her. Rayna’s emerald green eyes shot daggers at me. She was flawless**literally perfect. Her face was angular and symmetrical, almost fairy-like. Tall and lean with generous curves in all the right places, her raven-black hair cascaded in loose waves down to her mid-back. Her olive skin glowed beneath the soft pink tracksuit she wore, which made her look athletic rather than lazy or casual. She was stunning, and looked incredible standing beside my best friend.
I chose to ignore the insult of being dropped and ignored, focusing instead on my friend’s excitement.
“Your mate? No way! Jer, that’s amazing!” I exclaimed, reaching out to hug him again. Rayna growled at me once more, and it took every ounce of willpower not to pull back my hands and embrace him. Instead, I clenched my fists at my sides and looked around awkwardly. The room had fallen silent, all eyes on us. I wanted to be happy for my friend, but this was not at all what I’d expected. I didn’t know what I thought would happen, but it certainly wasn’t this.
Tommy broke the tension with a polite introduction. “Hello, Rayna. Nice to meet you. I’ll be your Delta. This is Jason, your future Gamma, and Ben, your future Beta. Kennedy is one of our warriors too.” He pointed me out, and I wished he hadn’t. Rayna had been calming down, but the tension snapped back the moment he said my name.
“I’m just gonna go. Rayna, it was nice to meet you,” I said quickly, turning to leave despite their protests. I had no idea where I was going, but I couldn’t stay. I lived here, and she was going to stay here**eventually live here**and she clearly didn’t like that I was friends with Jeremiah. Did she even know about me? Or was he trying to hide me? Was he ashamed of his human friend now that he had his mate? I had never felt so unwelcome in the packhouse before. The foreign feeling settled uneasily in my stomach, making me feel sick.
I didn’t know what this would mean for us. I’d never once considered what would happen if his mate didn’t want me around. I’d assumed she’d fit into our group, not replace me. It felt like my heart was breaking**just like when I lost my parents**and I needed to catch my breath and then hit something hard.
I wandered aimlessly for a moment, but now I had a purpose. I needed to get to the training grounds and work out my frustration and confusion on some weights and a punching bag. I could feel Ben and Jason following me, which meant Tommy wasn’t far behind. They were here to babysit me, to make sure I didn’t do anything that would upset Jeremiah. That thought made me angrier. I knew he was the future Alpha, but why was it always about what he wanted and needed from me? Why couldn’t anyone consider what I needed?
I changed into some spare clothes from my locker and wrapped my hands before hitting the bags, letting every insecure thought fuel my fire. The three guys waited outside the changing room. Tommy opened his mouth to say something, but I raised my hand and shook my head. I didn’t want to hear it**not now. No excuses, no soothing words. I wasn’t ready for anything rational. I just needed to beat the hell out of something.
** Kennedy
Stepping into the gym, I flick on the lights and, at least in theory, decide to warm up before diving into anything intense. I crank up some aggressive rock music, grab my speed rope, and begin jumping, trying to get my blood pumping and muscles loose. But despite the physical effort, my mind spirals with relentless negative thoughts**words like Weak, Orphan, Alone, Replaced, Unwanted echo over and over in my head, each jump of the rope marking another painful reminder.
After a good sweat breaks out, I shift my focus to the heavy bag. I double-check my wrapped hands, then move through the usual punching routine to warm up. Soon, I’m pounding the bag with everything I have**punches, kicks, full-body movements**until my limbs go numb and I can’t push myself any further. I collapse against the bag, pressing my forehead into its worn surface, breathing heavily. Unlike my werewolf friends, my human body doesn’t have the stamina to keep up. Frustration bubbles up again, and my inner voice sneers, Not Enough.
Ben approaches, dressed in his own workout clothes, and hands me a water bottle. “Did you get it all out?” he asks. I hadn’t noticed he stayed behind. He’s sweaty too, so at least I didn’t ruin his workout by needing him to watch over me.
“For now,” I reply, “but only because my arms feel like lead.” I roll my eyes at him.
“You’ve been at it for three hours. I’d hope you’re feeling something by now. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you move like this. You’re getting stronger, faster. Looks like your anger’s your secret weapon.” He winks, though the amusement fades quickly.
“Well, at least one of you finally noticed,” I mutter, scrunching my eyes shut and taking a deep breath. “Sorry, you didn’t deserve that. I’m not mad at you**just at the situation.” I sink down onto the bench beside the bag, and he sits next to me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Tommy and Jason approaching. They stayed too? Now I feel guilty for interrupting their night. They should be bonding with their new Luna, hanging out with Jer.
“Is it safe to come closer, or am I going to lose the jewels?” Tommy jokes, pointing to his most prized possession.
“Shut up. You’ll be fine,” I reply, rolling my eyes but almost smiling. Not quite there yet, though.
“But will you?” Ben asks quietly, and all I can do is shrug.
“We haven’t talked for two days. Two whole days. We’ve never gone that long without speaking. What if she tells him he can’t see me, can’t talk to me, can’t be friends with me? What if she kicks me out of the pack house?” I take another sip of water, my voice shaky. “I’m not going to make him choose. Because he wouldn’t choose me. He couldn’t. Mates are special**once in a lifetime.” Tears spill down my cheeks as I try to suppress the hurt and panic that’s been simmering since Jason pulled me out of class.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.