Chapter 1

Katelyn Grey, an 18-year-old girl with a feisty spirit and an iron will, finds herself caught up in a destiny she never desired. After being thrown out of her Colorado home, where she lived under her sister’s shadow and was a constant source of disappointment and irritation for her parents, she ends up in Oregon at the River Gorge Pack. This was supposed to be a new start for her, a chance to spread her wings and be herself without constantly feeling like a failure to her family, but life has other plans in store for her.

She arrives just in time for the Annual Mating Celebration, but Katelyn refuses to attend, viewing the practice as outdated and a violation of one's freewill. Fate has other plans in store for her though. While nursing a broken heart, she unintentionally meets her mate, Tyler, causing Katelyn to question her preconceived notions and wonder whether she was the one who had been naive.

Tyler Valentine is the future Alpha of the River Gorge Pack, which would make Katelyn the future Luna, a title she isn't eager to accept. But as if that wasn't enough, fate has a cruel twist in store for Katelyn, and she discovers that she is also mated to Tyler's twin brother, Ryder.

Ryder is the chaos that cuts through the calm. While Tyler is thoughtful and composed, Ryder is reckless and impulsive, leaving Katelyn to navigate the complexities of these two very different men.

While trying to come to terms with this new reality, Katelyn discovers her own hidden strengths, but this only adds another layer of complication to an already complicated situation. Then, just as she feels like she's starting to get some kind of control of her life once more, her past comes calling.

Chapter 1: F*ck You, Liam

I stomped along the deserted pavement, my mood as dark and brooding as the fast approaching storm clouds overhead. The library had been my escape from the overhyped Mating Celebration, but even the quiet rustle of pages and the familiar smell of old books hadn’t been enough to calm my irritation. The pack's obsession with this archaic tradition grated on me more than I cared to explain. That, and the fact that my family had booted me out of my home in Colorado and shipped me off to stay with my aunt here in Oregon almost a week ago now.

The distant sounds of laughter and music from the celebration drifted through the air. It annoyed me. I couldn’t understand why everyone put so much stock in finding their 'destined mate.' The whole concept felt oppressive, like we were all just pawns in some preordained plan. The idea of 'mates' meant that there was no room for freewill, and that was something that just never sat well with me.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Jenna, my friend from back home. She had sent a screenshot of Liam’s latest I*******m post.

There he was, cozying up with some girl I’d never seen before, their heads close together, smiling. Just beneath, the image was captioned with a heart emoji. I felt my stomach tying itself in knots and a lump formed in my throat.

"Unbelievable," I muttered, feeling a surge of betrayal. I needed to confront him… immediately.

I couldn't bear the thought of some random eavesdropper listening in on my humiliation, so I looked for a private spot where I could shout and scream without having to restrain myself. I saw a public restroom near the park entrance just a little distance away from me and stormed over, clutching my phone so tightly I'm actually surprised it didn't break.

I dialled Liam’s number, my fingers trembling slightly. As the phone rang, I closed the stall and leaned against the cool white tiled wall, bracing myself.

"Hey, Kate," Liam's voice came through, casual and unsuspecting.

"Who's the girl, Liam?" I asked, cutting to the chase. My voice was steadier than I felt.

There was a pause, a moment of silence that spoke volumes.

"What girl?" he asked, playing dumb.

"The girl on your I*******m, Liam! The brunette with her arms wrapped around you!" I replied, frustrated by his stupid game.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," he replied, sounding genuinely clueless.

"I'm not sure whether you're dumb enough to think I'll believe you, or whether you're trying to gaslight me. Either way, cut the bullshit. I've got the picture right in front of me. What the fuck, Liam!?" I rattled off, my anger and frustration taking over.

I heard him sigh before he replied, "Look, Katelyn... I'm sorry, I should have told you. It's just—"

"Just what? You thought a heart emoji was a better way to break it to me?" The words spilled out, tinged with sarcasm and hurt.

"I don't want to do long distance, okay? This doesn't work for me," he explained matter-of-factly.

"I've been gone a total of five days, Liam! FIVE DAYS!" I exclaimed, furious with him now.

"Yeah, and in those five days I realised this wasn't for me and met someone else," he went on, sounding cool and calm, which did nothing but infuriate me even further.

"And instead of calling me to have an adult conversation about this, you let me know over I*******m?!" I blurted in disbelief.

"No, I actually blocked you on I*******m so that you wouldn't see it. I figured it wouldn't be right for you to find out that way," he explained, his voice tinged with remorse.

"No, you're right. Better to string me along," I replied sarcastically before blurting, "Fuck you, Liam. Have a nice life," and dropping the call.

Tears welled up, and I let them fall, the sound of my stifled sobs seeming loud in the empty restroom. With my back pressed against the cold tiles, I slid down to the floor, resting my head against my knees as I cried my little heart out. Liam and I had only been together 5 months, but he was my first serious boyfriend. I wouldn't say that I loved him, but we'd said the words to one another, even if we hadn't truly meant them.

As I sat there, sobbing quietly in the brightly lit, stark white restroom, I started to feel a weird pull in my chest as my heart rate started to speed up. I figured I was having an actual heart attack, thanks to Liam and his bullshit.

That's when I heard an unfamiliar male voice call out. "Hello?" The voice echoed off the tiled walls and I froze, going silent as I held my breath.

The restroom was shrouded in absolute silence for a moment and all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart.

"Is someone there?" the voice called again. I don't know why, but I replied,

"Yeah." A simple one word answer, which was as much as I could muster for fear of bursting into hysterical sobs once more.

I heard footsteps now as he entered the restroom, stopping right outside the closed door of the stall I was hidden in.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"No..." I murmured, my voice trembling as I held back sobs.

"Are you crying?" he pressed, sounding a little nervous.

"Yes..." I mumbled, allowing a sob to escape now.

"Can I get you anything? You want some water or something?” he offered.

“No. I’m fine. Thanks,” I replied. I let out a deep breath as I tried to pull myself together.

“You don’t sound fine, if I’m being honest,” the voice said with an underlying hint of humour.

Somehow I managed to give a teary chuckle at the remark before responding, “I’m just having a crappy day.”

“Oh yeah? You wanna talk about it?” he offered.

I was quiet for a moment before I replied, “I don’t think so. Thanks though.”

The offer was kind, but there was no way I was about to pour my heart out to a complete stranger. The weird thing, though, was that I had considered it.

The restroom fell into silence once again, but then I heard him shuffling around, uncomfortable or agitated.

“Um… Do you feel weird?" he asked curiously. "Yeah. I'm either having a heart attack or I'm going to throw up," I replied as I unrolled a length of toilet paper to dry my eyes.

"Same..." the voice outside my stall replied, sounding contemplative.

Chapter 2: The Closed Door

"I guess it's lucky we're in the bathroom then," I mumbled sarcastically, causing him to chuckle.

"Do you wanna come out?" the voice suggested hopefully.

I sighed, pressing my back against the cool wall, and feeling it's chill seep through me. "No. Not yet. I just... I need a minute," I replied before blowing my nose.

"Fair enough," he conceded, then I was certain I heard him sit down.

"Um... Are you staying then?" I asked tentatively.

"Yeah, if that's okay. I mean, you did say it was a good thing we were in the bathroom if we might throw up..." he tried to justify his presence.

"I mean, I guess..." was all I managed in response, my tears on pause for the moment as I tried to deal with this weird turn of events.

I unrolled another length of toilet paper, crumpling it into a ball and dabbing at my nose, which continued to run. Then I took a deep breath as I tried to regain my composure.

"Shouldn't you be at the Mating Celebration?" I asked, unable to disguise the bitterness in my voice.

"Shouldn't you?" he countered, a hint of challenge in his voice.

I huffed as a lock of hair fell into my eyes, then I swatted it away. "It's not really my thing," I confessed vaguely.

"Which part? The mate part or the celebration?" he asked teasingly.

"Both," I admitted offhandedly as I hugged my knees to my chest.

"Well then, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm pretty sure I'm your mate," he revealed, sounding kind of nervous.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "I don't think so," I brushed him off with a scoff.

"Open the door and we'll know for sure," he suggested, a mixture of hope and anxiety lacing his voice.

"No way..." I replied, but I was starting to feel a little uncertain now. I did feel a pull. I did feel butterflies in my stomach. This couldn’t be real, could it?

I sat there on the cold tiled floor of the restroom, my emotions a tangled mess.

The stranger outside seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking again. "It's a little overwhelming, I know. Like, no pressure or anything," he said, his voice soft and oddly comforting. It resonated with me, stirring something deep inside that I was struggling to come to terms with.

I had always scoffed at the pack's tales of mystical bonds and destinies, yet here I was, feeling an inexplicable connection to a stranger I hadn’t even laid eyes on yet. I was torn and conflicted between my preconceived notions and the actual experience of the mate bond that I had so vehemently denied.

I leaned my head against the stall door, considering his words, ‘I’m pretty sure I’m your mate’. A part of me wanted to dismiss this whole encounter as a weird coincidence, but another part, a part I wasn't fully ready to acknowledge, told me that there was more to this.

"So, why are you crying?" he asked suddenly. His words cut through my rapidly increasing panic as I considered the possibility that I was sitting in a public restroom with the person I would spend the rest of my life with.

"Um... I uh... Well, I suppose I should probably tell you. I just broke up with my boyfriend," I reluctantly admitted.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said in a reassuring voice, then he added, "But you have to admit that the timing is pretty perfect."

I couldn't help the tiny chuckle that escaped my lips as I wiped away the tears that had trailed down my cheeks as I revealed the truth to him.

"How old are you?" he asked, steering the conversation in a different direction now, for which I was only too grateful. I didn't feel like wasting anymore tears on Liam tonight.

"18," I mumbled softly.

"18? Have you had your first shift then?" he asked curiously.

"Obviously. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we?" I replied a little sarcastically, knowing that you can only meet your mate once you've had your first shift.

"Oh, right. I guess that's true," he agreed.

"How old are you?" I turned the question on him, curiosity getting the better of me.

"20," he replied in a casual tone.

"Are you working or studying?" I asked, genuinely interested to know more about him.

"Uh... I suppose it's a bit of both," he replied evasively. Then he quickly changed the subject by asking me another question. "Do I know you? I don't think I recognize your voice. Or your scent, for that matter. Are you from one of the visiting packs?" he went on, curious to try and puzzle out who I was.

"I'm kinda new here," I replied with a tone of resignation.

"How new? I know everyone in this pack," he pointed out, his suspicions now rising.

I sighed and took a deep breath before answering, hoping to still my bitter resentment. My relationship with my parents wasn't exactly great, but I didn't really want to delve into all the details right at this moment.

"I've been here a grand total of 5 days now. My parents shipped me off to stay here with my aunt," I explained, my voice dripping with venom that I just couldn't seem to contain.

"Why would they do that?" he asked, sounding a little nervous to hear the answer.

"Um... I... You know, I think we can skip that one for now, if that's okay with you?" I suggested, desperate to avoid the question.

"Sure, sorry. I don't mean to pry. I just want to get to know you," he responded innocently.

Silence fell over the restroom before he broke it again. "Can I ask where you're originally from then?"

"Colorado. The Aspenwood Pack," I revealed. I was pretty sure he was nodding on the other side of the door as silence descended once again.

"...So..." he mumbled, trying to break it.

"So?" I replied, not taking the bait.

"Do you like music?" he asked, suddenly sounding more upbeat. Music was a topic everyone could discuss, even if they had different tastes.

"Yeah... But I don't think you'll like the kind of music I like," I replied with a chuckle, well aware that my taste certainly did not resonate well with most people.

"Oh yeah? Try me," he challenged, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Chapter 3: The Big Reveal

“So, what kind of music are you into?” he asked, a playful note in his tone.

“Metal, mostly,” I replied casually. I could almost hear his eyebrows rising in surprise.

“Metal, huh? I’m more of a classic rock guy myself,” he responded seemingly unfazed.

The conversation meandered through favourite foods, movies, and hobbies. I found myself divulging details I hadn’t expected to share, drawn in by the anonymity the door provided.

“Okay, so random question – are you a virgin?” he asked. His tone came across as if he were trying to deliver the question as a joke, but there was an unmistakable hint of curiosity in his voice.

I laughed, caught off guard. “That's a very forward question for a first date, don't you think?” I quipped, evading the question.

"So this is a date, huh?" he asked, and I could hear the smirk in his voice. I was grateful for the door between us as I felt my cheeks flushing with embarrassment at my blunder.

"Well... I mean... It sort of feels like one," I admitted as my cheeks burned bright pink.

He chuckled as he replied, "It does a little. Except for the fact that we're in a public restroom. I must admit, this is not the way I would have pictured it in my mind, but at least it's pretty clean in here, as far as public restrooms go."

With that, I heard a thud on the door and realised he had shifted positions and was now leaning against it.

Our conversation continued, and I learned about his love for nature, his passion for reading, which was something we seemed to have in common, and vague mentions of family expectations. In turn, I shared tales of Colorado, my interests in art and philosophy, and my mixed feelings about my sudden move to Oregon.

“What makes you think we’re mates?” I finally asked, my scepticism battling with the curiosity that his presence stirred in me.

“It’s that feeling... like an inexplicable pull,” he explained, his voice tinged with vulnerability.

I leaned against the door now too, processing his words. The idea of a mate bond was something I'd always brushed off as childish and naive – yet here I was, inexplicably drawn to the voice on the other side of the door.

The stranger gently probed about my recent breakup. I found myself opening up about Liam more than I had intended to, the pain still raw in my voice. “What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?” I asked, a sudden curiosity about his personal life taking hold.

There was a brief pause. “Yeah, I do,” he admitted hesitantly. “But we have an understanding that if either of us finds our mate, our relationship ends.”

His confession stirred a mix of emotions in me – surprise, a twinge of jealousy, and an overwhelming sense of relief.

We continued talking, sharing stories and snippets of our lives, the conversation ebbing and flowing naturally. As the minutes ticked by, the space between us, though still physically divided by the door, felt increasingly thin. It was then that I noticed we were holding hands in the open gap beneath the stall door. My heart clenched as I looked down, watching my fingers absentmindedly stroke his, as if they had a mind of their own.

“Don’t you want to open the door yet?” his voice held a new note of anticipation.

"I don't know... I'm nervous," I admitted sheepishly.

"Nervous about what?" he asked, likely already knowing the answer.

"What if I'm not what you expect?" I considered, anxiety gripping at me.

"What if I'm not what YOU expect?" he turned the question on me.

"I don't know... I don't really have any expectations," I replied. I liked his personality so far. That was a great start. You can overlook a lot of things if a person has a good personality, right?

"Neither do I. So I guess we have nothing to lose," he encouraged, obviously wanting to put a face to the anonymous voice he'd been talking to for the last couple of hours.

"I probably look terrible. I'm sure my eyes are all red and puffy from crying," I tried to dissuade him, but it didn't work.

"Well you're in luck, because I love red, puffy eyes," he jokingly replied.

I giggled and then took a deep breath before finally relenting. "Okay..." I murmured.

"Okay?" he repeated, excitement brimming in his voice as he stood up, releasing my hand. I felt instant and profound disappointment at the loss of contact.

I pulled myself to my feet and smoothed my t-shirt down. My hand hesitated on the latch. This was it. With a deep breath, I slowly turned the handle and opened the door, pulling it toward me.

I peeked my head around as it opened and our eyes met. An electric current seemed to pass between us. He was way hotter than I’d pictured, with a casual, dishevelled look that somehow suited him perfectly.

His hair was dark brown with a tousled, unstyled look that was both effortless and sexy. He had broad shoulders with a tall, lean but muscular build that hinted at strength and power in both human and wolf form. I was certain he must have been at least a foot taller than me. He wore well fitting jeans with a plain white t-shirt and a pair of Chucks, the same as the ones I was wearing. His most striking feature, though, was his amber eyes that were warm and captivating.

“Katelyn,” I said softly, with a shy, awkward wave. "Or Kate," I went on, giving him the more commonly used, shortened version of my name.

“Tyler,” he replied with a small smile.

"Ty?" I asked, wanting to know what his friends might call him.

"Usually Tyler. But Ty is okay," he murmured.

The pull between us was undeniable as I watched his eyes raking over me. I was glad that I had decided to wear actual clothes today rather than leggings and a gigantic hoodie. Instead, I wore a pair of ripped black skinny jeans with a black t-shirt and my Chucks. My hair was tied up in a high ponytail, but it was probably a little messy now after all the crying.

"And?" I asked hesitantly.

"Your hair is purple…” he murmured, staring at the loose wisps that hung over my shoulders.

“Wow… can’t get anything past you,” I replied sarcastically.

He chuckled, then went on, “I didn't expect you to be so... cool," he admitted.

I giggled awkwardly and felt my cheeks turning pink.

"And am I everything you ever hoped and dreamed of?" he teased.

I could feel my cheeks reddening even more. I probably looked like a tomato as I nodded wordlessly, looking down and fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. I could see him beaming with pride as I stole a glance, looking up at him through my eyelashes.

We stood there, the space between us charged with unspoken emotions. The pull of the mate bond was overwhelming. It drew me a step closer to him, my heart racing. He mirrored my movement, closing the gap further. His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, the rest of the world faded away. It was just him and me.

He leaned in, his eyes flickering down to my lips, then back up to meet my gaze. The closeness, the intensity of the moment, it was all too much and not enough at the same time. My breath hitched, and I found myself leaning in too, drawn by a force I couldn't resist.

But just before our lips met, a sudden flash of reality hit me. “Wait,” I breathed out, placing a hand on his chest, stopping him. “You... you have a girlfriend.”

Tyler's expression shifted, the spell momentarily broken. “Right,” he murmured, taking a step back.

The connection still hummed between us, but the reminder of his current relationship hung in the air, an unspoken barrier. “I should probably end that first before we...” his voice trailed off.

Chapter 4: Heading Home

My phone suddenly rang, cutting through the charged atmosphere and snapping us both back to reality.

Tyler cleared his throat while I patted myself down, finally finding my phone in my back pocket. I checked the screen before answering. There was no chance I was taking a call from that moron, Liam, now. Fortunately, it was my aunt Mara.

"Hi Aunt Mara," I answered brightly, giving Tyler an apologetic look. He gave me an understanding smile and gestured for me to carry on, but he never took his eyes off me for a moment, as if my presence was somehow captivating.

Aunt Mara was calling to find out whether I'd stayed for the Mating Celebration after all. When I'd left for the library this morning, I'd assured her in no uncertain terms that there was no way I'd be attending the celebrations. So, I guess she had every right to be worried that I wasn't home yet. The library had closed hours ago and for all she knew I could have been kidnapped by a wily pack of rogues. I ended the conversation with an apology and the assurance that I would be home soon.

"You in trouble?" Tyler asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nah, my aunt Mara is cool. I think she's just worried about me. You know... new pack, unfamiliar surroundings, flocks of horny wolf boys lurking around for the Mating Celebration," I teased, giving him a pointed look.

"Well, good thing I'm here to fight them off then," Tyler replied without missing a beat.

I couldn't help but giggle before I shuffled back into the stall to grab my backpack. "I guess I'd better go," I said, my disappointment and reluctance coming through clearly in my sombre tone.

"Can I walk you home?" Tyler offered hopefully.

I perked up at that. "Yeah, that would be nice," I replied with a shy smile, my cheeks flushing a little.

The walk home was filled with conversation, laughter and more curious questions as we got to know one another better. I was totally captivated by him and his cool and calm demeanour. He exuded confidence, but wasn't even a little arrogant. He was funny and had even piggybacked off of my jokes. And just to seal the deal, he was fucking gorgeous.

I was so distracted that I almost didn't realise when we'd reached Aunt Mara's house. Another wave of disappointment hit me as I realised this was it. Our time together was really up now. Unless I wanted to invite him in… but I quickly dismissed that idea.

I might look uninhibited and free spirited, but in reality, I was pretty guarded and cautious.

"So am I going to see you tomorrow?" he asked in that same cool and confident tone.

"I hope so," I replied with a shy smile as I looked down at my feet feeling a little awkward.

How was he so chilled? All I could feel was this weird tugging in my chest as if my heart was pulling me toward him. It took everything in me not to rush at him, leaping into his arms and never letting go. I had to get a grip of myself. The guy still had a girlfriend!

"So can I get your number? We'll obviously need to make plans, so..." his voice trailed off, waiting for my response.

"Yes!" I replied, a little too eagerly which caused me to blush. He handed me his phone and I typed my number in, smiling like a fucking idiot the entire time.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," he smiled before leaning in for an awkward hug. I tried to put my arms over his, then he tried to put his over mine, and it was just a disaster. But when we finally got it right... Well, I guess it kind of felt like that was exactly where I belonged and a calmness washed over me that I can't explain.

With a deep sigh, I eventually managed to let him go as we parted ways for the evening.

I hurried to the front door, stopping to give him one final wave goodbye as he waited at my garden gate. He waved back, grinning that adorable grin, then he turned to go and I headed in, closing the door behind me.

Leaning against the closed door, I took a deep, steadying breath before I raced to aunt Mara's room to tell her my news. My hurried steps shook the little wooden house as I excitedly made my way to her.

I peeked my head around the door, eager to start rattling off, but then I saw her sleeping form in her bed.

Guilt wracked me as I checked my phone. It was after midnight. No wonder she'd been worried about me.

I didn't want to wake her, but I also didn't want her to have a miserable night because she was worrying about me. "Aunt Mara," I whispered softly. She moaned sleepily. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm home," I whispered again, trying not to be too disruptive.

"Thanks honey," she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep before she flipped her pillow over and went back to bed.

I retreated to my room, dumping my backpack on the floor unceremoniously before I took off my bra and flopped down on my bed, phone in hand as I eagerly anticipated a message from Tyler.

As I waited my thoughts shifted to the mate bond. I'd been so adamant it was a violation of ones freewill, but now, it didn't feel that way at all. I struggled as I fought an internal battle against myself, trying to justify it or explain to myself how this was somehow different. Then, thankfully, my phone buzzed with a message from Tyler. The perfect distraction.

Tyler:

I'm home now. You still awake?

I was giddy. The realisation made me cringe at myself. Play it fucking cool, Kate, try not to look too eager.

Me:

I'm awake. Just getting ready for bed.

I pulled myself to my feet, stripping my clothes off before I pulled on an oversized band t-shirt to sleep in.

Sure enough, within moments, I had a new message.

Tyler:

Lucky you... There are like a million people hanging around at my place still.

What did that mean, I wondered? Why would there be people at his house? Did he still live with his parents or a room mate or something? Maybe they were having a party?

My mind was doing some wild mental gymnastics as I tried to puzzle it out when my message tone went again.

Tyler:

So, you mentioned you also like to read. What are you busy reading at the moment?

Chapter 5: The Alpha's Son

I don't know how I eventually managed to fall asleep, but I did. Opening one sleepy eye, I gazed at my phone. I'd fallen asleep with it in my hand, clutching it like it was some kind of lifeline, and I saw now there was a light blinking to indicate I had a message.

With absolute urgency I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes as muted daylight streamed through a crack in my curtains. My fingers worked as if they had a mind of their own, opening the text message, desperate to see who it was from. I was certain it was Tyler and beamed with excitement when I saw his name come up on my screen.

The message was simple, but still managed to make my heart race and my breath hitch.

Tyler:

Morning 🌞 Hope you slept well.

My entire body felt tingly as I read the words, thinking about our unexpected meeting the day before.

I'd spent a good chunk of the night trying to justify the feelings I'd felt with him and reconcile these with my denial of the 'mate bond', but I'd come up short. There was something there that I couldn't explain, and the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to. I didn't want to try and second guess every thought and feeling I had. So instead, I made the decision to simply fall into this head first and let it take me wherever it wanted to go.

I started to type my response with nimble fingers.

Me:

Good morning. I slept pretty good. How about you?

I sat up on the edge of my bed, a glorified pull out couch if we're being honest, stretching and yawning before I scooped my mess of tangled purple hair up in a bun. I looked around my room, half my clothes still packed in my suitcase and the other half strewn about on just about every surface the eye could see. Aunt Mara was right... I did need to clean this place up.

I stood, stretching my limbs once more before heading to the bathroom I shared with my aunt. On my way I dodged the exercise bike and treadmill that took up the majority of the room. Aunt Mara promised me she'd find another spot for them, but the reality was that the house was a shoebox. The only other 'spot' for them was outside. And to her credit, she used them almost daily, so getting rid of them wasn't really an option either.

That being said, the house was small, my room was doubling up as a home gym, my bed was a pullout couch that probably would have killed my back had I been just a couple of years older, and I had to share a bathroom. But this was like heaven compared to where I was before.

I might have lived in a nicer house and had my own huge bedroom with my own en suite bathroom, but let's just say that the company was subpar.

I was brushing my teeth when I heard my message tone. Like a cheetah, I dashed back to my room, snatching up my phone to see if it was Tyler. It was.

My heart pounded wildly as I opened his message, my toothbrush still hanging out of my mouth. He was asking what time I'm free to hang out today.

Torn between desperately wanting to see him again and not wanting to appear like I desperately wanted to see him again, I sighed and began typing with my left hand while I finished brushing my teeth with my right.

Me:

I've just got a couple of things to do this morning, but maybe we could meet up around 12ish? ❤️

However, to my absolute dismay I pressed send before I realised that my stupid left hand had selected the heart emoji instead of the smiley face emoji at the end of my text.

"No, no, no!!" I wailed, desperately trying to figure out how to unsend the message. Was that even possible? But before I could look into it further I saw the little ticks next to my message turn blue. He'd read it.

"NO!" I howled, collapsing back on my bed in despair, foamy toothbrush still in hand while I tried to figure out how I was going to handle this.

"Is everything okay?!" Aunt Mara asked, rushing in to check on me.

"Nothing unusual... Just my love life up in flames again," I groaned, pulling myself to my feet and heading to the bathroom to finish brushing my teeth.

"Sorry to hear that, hun. Wanna talk about it?" my aunt offered, her voice kind and reassuring.

I gave a deep sigh before I replied. "I met my mate last night. And now I just sent him a text with a heart," I explained, mortified by my own stupidity.

"You met your mate?!" Aunt Mara asked in shocked disbelief, rushing into the bathroom as she watched me wash my face, waiting for me to confirm or deny the fact.

"Yeah. But not at the Mating Celebration, just in case that's what you're thinking. No... In true Katelyn fashion I made my mate follow me into a public toilet," I explained, cringing as I thought about it. God... Why hadn't I just got to the stupid celebration. At least we wouldn't have had to sit on a dirty, cold restroom floor all night then.

"Oh honey, that's wonderful!" my aunt exclaimed, rushing at me and giving me an enormous hug. "I'm so happy for you. What's his name?" she asked, her face illuminated with the most heartfelt smile I'd ever seen.

"Tyler," I replied, blushing a little as I applied my moisturizer.

"Tyler?" she asked, sounding a little puzzled. "You mean Tyler Valentine? Alpha David's son?" she asked, clearly perturbed.

"He didn't tell me his surname. What do you mean 'Alpha David's son'?" I asked, anxiety suddenly rushing through my veins.

"I mean, if it's Tyler Valentine, he's the Alpha's son, honey," my aunt replied.

I wasn't sure whether her tone was one of reassurance or worry.

Chapter 6: The Heart Emoji

"I guess it makes sense why he was so evasive now," I mumbled, thinking back to our conversation the night before.

Aunt Mara watched me, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Are you okay with this?" she asked gently.

"I mean... I don't know. I guess it doesn't really change the way I feel about him," I explained, trying to make sense of my feelings.

Aunt Mara nodded understandingly. "It's a big deal, being mated to the Alpha's son. It comes with a lot of expectations and responsibilities."

I groaned, feeling a weight settle over me. "I just wanted to get away from all the drama back home. Now it feels like I'm stepping into a whole new kind of drama here."

"I'm sorry, hun," Aunt Mara said softly, giving my shoulder a reassuring rub.

"Maybe you're wrong. Maybe it's a different Tyler," I reasoned hopefully. "I mean, there were like 4 packs here last night. He could have been from any of them."

"You're absolutely right," Aunt Mara said with a smile. "Now how about some breakfast?" she offered kindly before heading out to the kitchen.

I nodded, but my smile faltered. Any appetite I'd had was long gone now. I wanted to ask him about it, to put my mind at ease, but it didn't seem like the kind of thing you discuss over text message. In the end I decided to try not to get too worked up about it. But it was definitely going to be a topic of discussion when I saw him later.

I headed back to my room, both looking forward to and dreading his message. The light on my phone blinked impatiently.

2 messages....

Tyler:

Hearts already? I must have done something right last night 😁

Meet same place at 12 then? ❤️

My heart fucking soared and any apprehension I'd had only moments ago was long forgotten when I saw that stupid heart.

Me:

See you there 😁

I let out a deep sigh and smiled like an idiot to myself.

The rest of the morning was a blur. I got dressed, trying to keep it casual, but I'll admit, I changed like 8 times... I ended up in a pair of black skinny jeans, my favorite closet staple after leggings and hoodies, and a vintage Iron Maiden t-shirt I'd found at a thrift shop back in Colorado.

After dressing I joined Aunt Mara for breakfast, but I still wasn't particularly hungry after the revelation of Tyler's potential Alpha status. I ended up picking at my food until Aunt Mara urged me to go and do something more constructive with my time... Like clean my room.

She was totally right, I'd turned the place into a pigsty since I'd been here. It wasn't fair to take advantage of her kindness, so with headphones on and music blaring, I got to cleaning up my room.

It was a lot of work, but with the music going, I managed to get into a groove and get things neat and tidy so that the place was livable once more.

Aunt Mara appeared in the doorway with an approving smile, waiting for me to pull my headphones off. "Looking good, hun," she sang my praises, leaning against the doorframe as her eyes scanned the room.

"Yeah, at least you can get to your treadmill now," I beamed, a little out of breath

"We'll find somewhere else to put it. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I know it's small..." she apologized. I could see her guilt and discomfort clear on her face.

"It's fine Aunt Mara. Really. I'm just so grateful to be here. Thank you," I reassured her, shooting her a thankful smile.

She returned my smile, relief flooding her features.

"So, do you have any plans for today? I thought maybe we could grab a coffee or something if you aren't busy?" She suggested.

"Thanks, but I've actually got plans to meet up with Tyler at 12:00," I replied, feeling a little guilty at having to decline her sweet offer.

"At 12:00? Honey, you'd better get going. You're going to be late," she said, looking at her watch.

I checked my phone. It was 11:50.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed panic surging through me. It was a 15 minute walk and I was undoubtedly going to be late. This was not the impression I wanted to make.

With urgency I ran a brush through my hair, then gave Aunt Mara a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you! Love you! See you later!" I yelled, running out the front door.

"Let me know your plans please!" she called out, obviously not wanting a repeat of the night before.