Chapter 1

I look in the mirror while I push up my sleeves to my black v neck shirt. Tucking some loose strands behind my ears my purple nail polish sparkles in the morning light against my auburn hair. Hazel eyes take in every movement to make sure I look presentable. It is my eighteenth birthday after all. I get to meet my mate if they live near my pack.

I grab my bookbag and jog downstairs to the kitchen. Grabbing my cup that says Root For Your Damn Self I fill it with ice and water for school. Grabbing my keys from the hook by the door I step out heading to my blacked out Tacoma. Hopping in I press the start button and hook my phone up to play music on the way. It starts playing Figure You Out by VOILÀ while I back out to head to school. I'm not a popular kid but I don't do horrid on the social ladder at school.

Rolling into the lot I park in my usual spot near the back so I don't have to worry about any of the ritzy kids not carring about hitting my truck with their car doors. I like to take care of the things I have instead of assuming someone will come replace it or fix it. Probably why my parents don't bother me much for anything. I pause Record Player before I cut the truck off. My vans barely hit the black top before I am hugged by my best friend, Violet.

"Are you excited to meet your mate?" She grins at me while taking in my outfit. "I need to shop with you and have you plan my outfits out. You have a way of looking like you just roll out of bed looking flawless and I am jealous."

"This old thing?" I joke. "I hope they are here but at the same time I wouldn't mind traveling somewhere else. Being stuck in one place doesn't peak my interest."

She jokingly smacks my arm. "Old thing my ass. I bet its practically a year old or something. You would dare leave me? I wouldn't want you to go off and forget about me."

We start walking towards the school. "I wouldn't. They make these things called cell phones and video chatting has become a thing you know. We could still see each other just without the touch factor."

"But the touch factor is what makes it so special." She whines. "If I can't touch you how do I know you are okay?"

I laugh. "By seeing that I am not harmed on a video chat. If I can speak to you live then I am definitely okay."

"Bah. Them things only give so much area of a person. You could be sitting with a cast around your leg and only show shoulders up. That is what makes in person so much better. If you get to leave for your mate then I will not so politely require to come with. This is a package deal and no mate bond will interrupt."

We get inside the doors to a cluster of students moving towards friends and classes. Our school isn't small but isn't California big either. Graduating classes tend to be around 500 students due to the multitude of area the school covers. About three different packs come to the same school. It makes it more amicable with neighboring packs if they grow up together or so I am told. We get to homeroom and sit near the back wall like usual. I don't like being near the teachers even though they think only the front desks listen. Just because I hate someone behind me doesn't mean I don't pay attention. My grades prove that time and again with my Honor Roll status.

Right as the bell rings the lead female of the social hour comes in to sit with her crew. She is dating one of the alphas in the area and thinks it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. She might also think her coochie is made of gold for all the attitude she throws around. If it is then I'll be damned. But so far I think that is medically impossible. Homeroom isn't much of anything but a 15 minute roll call so our teachers don't have to put it in for every class. It is kind of idiotic since that means people can skip classes without their parents knowing. Grades will reflect not being there but those come out twice a year so by the time they see that their precious isn't doing so hot its near ridiculous to get the grade back up to pass.

My first class of the day is AP English which is my favorite. All the discussions on authors and their books makes me happy. It sets the mood for the day ahead. I get there before most of my classmates partially due to my own excitement. We are in the middle of The Lord of the Flies and I am enjoying it. The dissolution of societial impact and the frenzy of isolation really breathes life into the story.

The alpha of the bitch of the school walks in. I catch a sniff and my head jerks to him. He would end up being my mate wouldn't he? If he accepts me I am going to have to deal with Ms. Popular and her attitude until she moves on. He doesn't acknowledge me which irritates me but also gives me a little bit of relief. I don't know what will happen when we acknowledge each other or what his girlfriend will do. Surprises on birthday's are supposed to be good and happy not psychotic.