Chapter 1 Maya's pov

Chapter 1

Maya's pov

I tugged awkwardly at the seam of my dress, my sister pulled me again and I almost tripped on the high heels she forced on me, along with thick layers of makeup. She said I looked pretty; but I felt like a clown.

"Maya, Hurry! we're going to be late for the ceremony!"

She urged me while her eyes lit up.

"Aren't you excited to meet your mate tonight?" She asked, and I responded with a tight smile.

I only came because Barry would be here tonight.

He had been our friend since we were in diapers, and I looked forward to hanging out with him tonight.

But at the back of my mind I dreaded the idea of his mate showing up.

while she brimmed with positivity as she dragged me along until we entered the grand hall, where the ceremony was being hosted.

Several other young wolves like ourselves that had also reached adulthood littered the place, food and drinks were in abundance and the whole was adorned with scented candles and flowers to create a romantic air.

Gosh, I wanted to go home already.

But my sister held me in her iron grip, and a couple of eyes had begun to shift to our direction at our entrance. In the blink of an eye, a tall guy with dirty blond hair approached her to shamelessly flirt.

"Hi..." he greeted rather sheepishly.

Madeline, as the social butterfly that she was, replied with her characteristic cheek wide smile which was horrendous whenever I tried to pull it off but looked so natural on her.

Soon other guys trooped in to get her attention, this caused her to finally loosen her grip on my hand to entertain her fanboys.

I had only taken a couple steps away from her, but as I stared at the boys circling her and practically trampling each other to get her attention, my chest tightened.

Why did I let her talk me into coming here?

She always sparkled like a diamond left under the moonlight, while I was just a rock tossed in the shadows.

I should just leave.

I decided, tomorrow she will be livid with me for running off, but my presence here was less important than a piece of furniture lying around. So I turned around and the next thing I knew I hit a firm wall, or at least that was what I thought, then I stretched out my hand and the wall felt warm, just then the peculiarly comforting earthy smell of the soil after rain penetrated my nostrils.

That was when I looked up and another familiar pair of eyes was piercing mine.

It was Barry, and I didn't need anybody to tell me every fiber of my being screamed, "Mate!"

But instead of excitement, fear struck me and I took a few steps back almost tripping on these darn heels for the millionth time tonight, his arms pulled forward as to he was attempting to catch me before an expected fall but then he suddenly froze up when someone wrapped hold him from behind and the words I heard next made by heart stop.

"Mate!"

Just when I thought it's couldn't get worse, my mate stepped to the side revealing my twin sister who was wearing this look of peaked joy, she saw me and smiled from ear to ear.

"Maya, I've found my mate! Could you believe it was Barry all this time?"

She said, wrapping her arm across his own and yelling out to me I could hear the sighs of disappointed fans behind me...but I wasn't looking at them I was looking at him, MY mate.

Why wasn't he saying anything? I saw the way he looked at me earlier when we locked eyes...there was no way it was one-sided, that was the only explanation for the unbridled rage I was feeling now seeing my twin sister touch him so callously an-

I was barely done with that train of thoughts before their lips embraced passionately and then savagely, like the way the only people in the room and they didn't have more than two dozen pairs of eyes looking at them.

Reality pierced me like a pointed needle, of course he would choose my sister over me...everyone always did.

Before I could face the brutal rejection that was coming my way, I turned around to another door that led out into the garden outside...nobody noticed my exit.

Or at least that was what I assumed.

Not long after I crouched under a tree, heavy food steps followed my own. I lifted my head in alert.

"Who's there?!" I said, spinning my head around.

"Someone's on edge,"

I followed the deep voice and saw a guy standing in front of me, he was tall- even taller than my mate- from his scent alone, I could tell he was invited from another pack, what did he want with me?

"I'm not on edge..." I said, still trying to choke back tears.

"My bad, but I betting it's a safe guess to make that you're just a sick of the party as I am,"

"Maybe..."

He casually sat next to me, though giving me some space, "I didn't find my mate either tonight...this should make it three years..." he lifted three of his fingers in disbelief.

"My pack members will nag my ears off when I get home,"

I let out a dry chuckle, my problem tonight was that I DID find my mate.

And then I lost him.

I don't know what I was thinking at that moment, maybe I wasn't thinking at all. I turned around and kissed the stranger whose name I didn't even know.

When did I become such a creep? I expected him to push me off but instead he held me to himself like a lifeline, when we finally parted we were both riled up.

"There's a hotel...nearby..." I said between heavy breaths but he held me with one hand pulling me up to my feet and whispered in my ears.

"Sorry, princess, but I can't wait that long..."