The Alpha's heart - The Nightshade Pack Chronicles.

Venus, Melody, and Gabriella met on the first day of university in the admissions office and they became instant friends. Their original stories were that all three of them were orphans who had to make their own way through life. They moved into the same house just off campus which gave them the privacy they preferred under their unique circumstances. Venus had a part-time job as a virtual assistant to pay for her studies, while Melody sold baked goods from home to pay for hers.

Everyone in the area loved her food, and the girls often told Melody that she should quit school and start her own bakery. Gabriella's parents were rich and left her a ton of money after they died, which she could only get on her twenty-fifth birthday. Until that day, her father's business partner oversaw her trust, and she just had to flutter her eyelashes and remind him that her parents died and he would give her more than her allowance.

Venus studied history, and nobody could understand what on earth she would do with her degree one day. Melody was studying to become a chef, and Gabriella's dream was to spend her days typing away on her computer creating the kinds of stories that had everyone begging for more. They were incredibly talented but had to hide most of their talents for fear of what the human world would do if they found out who the girls really were. This meant that the girls spent all their spare time together in their home and they became like sisters.

Over time, they found out that Melody wasn't really an orphan. Her parents lived in the magical kingdom, but to enable her to live in the human world and explain why she could never introduce her parents to anyone, it was just easier to tell everyone she was an orphan. Venus never met her mother since goddesses never showed themselves and she had no idea who her human father was, which made it easier to also just say she was an orphan. Their secrets were what brought them even closer together instead of pulling them apart. They were just three ordinary supernatural girls trying to make it in the real world. They were kindred spirits. Outcasts of their world who were simply trying to make it in the human world after theirs didn't seem to want them.

Venus pressed down on the hooter of her faded green antique VW Beetle for the umpteenth time that morning! Her two dearest friends were late for class as usual, which meant that she would be late! She checked her eyeliner in the rear-view mirror and pulled a stray pink hair back into place just as Melody came rushing out of the house with Gabriella right behind her. Gabriella promptly plopped down the stairs and put on her trainers before running to jump into the car.

For someone who worked with deadlines, Venus always found it incredibly interesting how Gabriella always seem to meet her newspaper editor's deadlines, but could never show up on time for anything else.

"Here." Melody handed them their morning coffee and one of her homemade biscuits, grabbing the steering wheel from Venus just in time to steady the car. It was the last week of their final exams and all three of them were looking forward to starting their grown-up lives, at least, as best they could in the human world.

"How's Bradley?" Gabriella's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward between the two front seats and Venus rolled her eyes.

"He is fine." She wasn't going to say anything more since she already knew why Gabriella was asking. Bradley was a young billionaire who accidentally bumped into Venus with his wheelchair at the campus coffee shop. They got to talking and he helped her set up her virtual assistant business. He was a tech genius! He even offered her a job once she finished with her studies, but Venus couldn't imagine living in his house permanently. Besides, he needed a nurse more than an assistant and she definitely wasn't qualified for that kind of job.

Venus pulled the car into the first open parking spot and they all jumped out and ran for the exam hall. The professor glared at the three of them as they barged through the doors and they quickly apologized before taking their seats. At the beginning of the year, Gabriella suggested that they should take at least one subject together out of all their classes. Since it was their last year, they picked one blindfolded, and today they were writing their final paper on classical art. Something none of them were really interested in, but they needed the credits. It wouldn't look too good on any job application if they failed!

When they were done, the three best friends walked out of the hall complaining about how difficult some of the questions were, but they were happy that they were finally done. Tonight, they would celebrate, and in the morning, they needed to pack the last of their things before moving to their city apartment. Their lives as students were finally over. Their graduation was in a week and they wanted to be settled in their apartment before then. Although they were a little hungover, the excitement of moving to the city was enough to get them going.

"Goodbye dearest house," Gabriella sighed as she flopped her arms over the shoulders of her two friends and they stood outside the house for the last time.

"You were good to us." Melody sighed and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I think we were good at it! We didn't break anything, and are leaving the poor thing in a much better condition than what we found it." Venus scoffed before turning around and slipping behind the steering wheel of her crappy old car. She laughed as her two friends jumped in and they followed the truck into the city that was carrying their most prized belongings.

As if it was meant to be a warning, it started to rain just as they drove into the city. It felt a little anti-climactic after they talked about the bright city lights and they drove into the grey dreary streets. The clouds were hanging thick overhead and rain poured down drenching most of the boxes while they were being offloaded. Gabriella unlocked the heavy red sliding door to their loft apartment and the sound echoed throughout the huge open-plan kitchen and living area.

The construction crew finished the last painting just the night before and everything still smelled like pain making Melody rush to open the windows. The sound of the rain flooded through as the movers started to bring their things upstairs. The three best friends stood at the windows and looked out at the dark ominous city. Everything in the apartment had been redone according to Gabriella's specific requirements. Everything except the large floor-to-ceiling windows. They reminded her of home. The floors were tiled in a beautiful light tile. The kitchen was done in black and white marble with all the latest appliances for Melody to cook with. Their three bedrooms each had its own bathroom and Gabriella made sure they all had enormous closets.

"Well," Venus sighed. "Welcome home girls." She was the first to turn away from the window and grab the first box with her name on it. "Which one is mine?" She grinned at Gabriella who rushed over and grabbed one of her boxes.

"You are in the middle, and Melody, you are closest to the kitchen." Gabriella winked and they burst out laughing. The weather might not have been playing along, but it didn't dampen their feelings of excitement about their new home. A couple of hours later, all their furniture was inside and semi-arranged and Gabriella signed the paperwork for the movers, thanking them for all their help.

Melody grabbed three paper cups and the bottle of champagne they bought the night before and poured each of them a glass.

"Happy new home, girls!" She grinned and handed each of them a cup. They giggled as they finished their drink, and then spent the rest of the night unpacking. Around midnight, most of their things were in place and what looked like an abandoned building ... A newly renovated abandoned building, when they walked in, now looked like a home.

Melody had made them some spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and the three friends flopped down on the couch to watch some television before going to bed. In the morning, they would start their new grown-up lives and they were all tired but excited. Melody had a junior chef's position at a restaurant around the corner. Gabriella was starting her career as an assistant at a publishing company, and Venus had an early morning online meeting with Bradley. Grown-up lives in the human world ... Finally, they reached their goals. They made it. Over the weekend they would go to the university for graduation and receive their final certificates.

Life was going to be great and although they were bone tired, they couldn't wait.

Gabriella

"Dammit! Has anyone seen my keys?" Melody rushed through the house turning every cushion upside down in the process. Venus was snuggled up to her cup of coffee while Gabriella yawned as she walked out of her room and they both frowned at Melody. "My apartment keys, girls. I'm going to be late!" She squealed as Gabriella walked over to the key holder near the front door and held out Melody's keys for her. "You are a lifesaver!" Melody squealed. "Your coffee is in the kitchen and I've left lunch for the both of you in the fridge. BYE! Wish me luck!" She shouted as she ran out the door as Gabriella walked to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee.

"How's Bradley?" She grinned and Venus rolled her eyes. Her besties seemed to think something was going on between the two of them, but there was nothing. Bradley would have been the perfect guy if Venus had any feelings for him. He was sweet, kind, and overly generous and loved to show off his assistant at every possible function he had. Like Gabriella, he was born with money and when his parents passed away, he inherited their entire fortune. Unlike Gabriella, he was a human first off, and secondly, he suffered from a horrible disease that was slowly but surely killing him.

That was one of the main reasons he loved having Venus around. He told her once or twice that he didn't want to leave a girlfriend behind crying when he died, but he wouldn't mind having Venus as his girl. His special girlfriend, as he called her made sure to make that distinction. Now that they were living in the city and Venus had finally finished her degree, he was even more excited to have her around so she could accompany him to even more of his ridiculous charity functions.

"How are things at home?" Venus hit back and Gabriella rolled her eyes. Things at home were becoming troublesome for Gabriella since she was the rightful Alpha of their pack, but she wasn't ready to move home and live that kind of life yet. She still wanted to pursue her dream of becoming a world-renowned journalist or author. She hadn't entirely made up her mind about which one just yet, and since she had money, she always thought she had time, but her uncle was slowly starting to put pressure on her to return home.

"What would you two do if I leave, huh?" Gabriella scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue at Venus. "Where would you live? No, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left the two of you up to your own devices." She huffed and walked to her room.

"I have a job, you know?" Venus yelled after her. "And by tonight Melody will have one too!" She added and listened as her friend laughed on her way to the shower. Venus was right, by that evening Melody arrived home with the amazing news that she passed her interview with flying colours and she was offered the job she wanted on the spot which had Gabriella rolling her eyes at Venus double time when her friend stuck her tongue out.

Over the next couple of weeks, they settled into their new routines in their new apartment and life seemed to be going smoothly. That was until Gabriella's uncle showed up on their doorstep unexpectedly.

"So? What's up?" Gabriella made herself comfortable on her chair as she stared at her uncle who seemed to be more nervous than normal. He knew that her friends were supernatural but he didn't know what they were and the girls preferred to keep things that way.

"Gaby, the council has voted. You need to come back home." He frowned and she began to shake her head. "I'm afraid you have no other choice. You are the Alpha and the pack needs you." He shrugged and sat back looking happy with himself. Gabriella remembered the day she left. Her mother was so happy that she had gotten into the human school she so wanted to go to. Her parents promised her that she could lead the life she wanted until it was time for her to take over, but then they died in a mysterious accident. She convinced the council back then that it would be best for her to finish school and then return home and has since been able to play for time, but it seemed as though her time was up.

Living in the middle of the forest in the house where her parents lived was not the life she wanted. How did she tell her people they weren't important enough for her to go back to? It seemed as though the time had really come. She would have to leave her two friends behind and go back home. She agreed with her uncle that she would go home for a week and feel things out. She was on a flight back home in the late evening, leaving her two friends behind and feeling as if suddenly her life wasn't going to be the same ever again.

When Gabriella arrived home, she was greeted by the pack who all seemed to be overwhelmingly happy to see her and she wondered if it was just because they were happy, or if something else was going on. The moment his eyes made contact with hers she felt her body shudder and her lips formed the word "Mate" at the same time he did.

Lucienne was the leader of their warriors. He was also the one guy she had the biggest crush on when she was small, but she thought that she'd outgrown it when she lived in the city. Her eyes fell to his lips as he said the word and everyone around them went silent half expecting them to rush into each other's arms and that would be that. Gabriella would make peace with living in the territory, wouldn't she? But that wasn't that. Her brow furrowed and she growled softly telling her uncle to send everyone home. She was tired after her trip and would speak to the pack in the morning. As if finding out her mate was here wasn't enough, she had a total blast to the past the moment she walked into her childhood home.

The last time she had been inside was the day after her parents' funeral. Everything was still exactly where she remembered it to be, but everything was clean which meant the omegas had either been working really hard to get it clean recently or her uncle kept his word and had someone come in to clean once a week in the hopes that she would come home sooner. Her mind drifted to his full red lips as she walked through her mother's office and her fingers slid over the rows of books on the shelves. Her father's old office was just next door and it was decorated similarly to her mother's. She walked into the kitchen and found a snack and milk waiting and she knew Mrs. Black had left it for her.

"Wow!" She breathed in and closed her eyes for a moment. "What a damn homecoming!"

"You can say that again." Lucienne's voice echoed throughout her kitchen and it made her jump.

"What the hell are you doing in here?!" She growled and got angrier when he smiled at her.

"Well, since that is clear, I won't be answering that question." He took two steps closer and she stepped back. Her back was pushed up against the fridge.

"Get out, Lucienne!" She tried her Alpha tone, but it didn't seem to have any effect on the man! Where the hell were her guards when she needed them?! Oh, yeah! She sent them home! Dammit!

"Don't worry, I won't bite you. Not yet, at least." He smiled and took a seat behind the counter. "How about some coffee and we can talk." He winked still looking amused, but Gabriella was just about ready to murder him.

"I don't know how the machine works and I haven't bought groceries yet." She thought that would get him out of her house, but he stood up, pulled a packet of coffee out from the cupboard just off to her left, and moved past her to switch on the machine. How the hell did he know where her coffee was?! Okay, so she liked things to be in their place. No matter where she went. Everything always had to be in the same place. She rolled her eyes at her own OCD tendencies and quickly moved to the other side of the counter. At least, the counter could keep him away from her as she studied him while he made their coffee. She hated that the mate bond was physically pulling her to him.

Lucienne's arrogance was the last thing she wanted in a mate. He always seemed to think every girl in the world would just fall at his feet and adore him ... No, he probably thought the women worshipped him!

"You are very quiet over there. Cat got your tongue?" He smiled and Gabriella felt her knees go weak and she huffed at her own body for being so pathetic.

"No, I was just wondering when you learned how to be such a good omega. I should consider perhaps demoting you and sending you to work in the kitchen. By the way, I don't drink coffee at this time of night, it keeps me up. I was actually on my way upstairs ..." She got up just to find herself walking into his brick wall form!

"Woops." He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes. "Okay, if we aren't going to have coffee at least let me carry your suitcases upstairs for you." He winked and looked around.

"The omegas took them up already. Probably unpacked as well." Gabriella frowned. She really just wanted to take a hot bath and crawl into bed, next to his beautiful Greek god-like body ... She bit her tongue to stop her current train of thought and when she looked into his eyes, she knew that he was probably thinking the same thing. Taking a step back, she glared at him.

"This is not going to work for me." She sighed but before she could say anything else, he pulled her into his arms and his lips crushed down on hers. Her body went rigid for a moment and then she found herself melting against his body. Her hands softly touched the sides of his arms and she immediately felt his muscles twitch underneath her touch. She had the same effect on him that he had on her and it gave her some peace of mind to realize that. Which brought her back to reality and she pushed away from him slapping him clear across his face.

"DON'T you ever do that again!" She growled feeling her wolf push to the surface before she stormed off upstairs. Lucienne stood there stunned for a moment then shook his head. He knew the moment they both realized they were mates that this wasn't going to be an easy ride, but he also knew that come hell or high water, they were meant to be together and no matter what he had to do, he was going to make sure they ended up together.