Chapter 1 - Morning Runs

Isabella ‘Izzy’ Garcia’s mornings are always the same, a comforting routine that helps her navigate her life as a werewolf. She wakes up before sunrise, slipping out of her bed and into her running shoes. The air is crisp and cool, a perfect complement to the quiet stillness of her world.

She begins her run at a brisk pace as she navigates the forest, which is alive with the sounds of howling wolves, but Isabella doesn’t feel threatened. She is one of them, a predator in her own right.

As she runs, she greets her pack members, who are also doing their exercise while in their human form. She exchanges nods and smiles with anyone who would come her way. The werewolf pack she belongs to is a close-knit community to a fault. Everyone is ready to lend a helping hand or offer a listening ear. Unfortunately, they also love to gossip about everyone in the pack — like who are their mates, who had a child, who cheated, who recently activated their mate bond.

Mate Bond.

Now that she is reminded of it, she pauses and takes a deep breath. She loves everything about being a werewolf, BUT the mate bond is the only thing that makes her anxious as a werewolf. Everything else is perfect — the strength, the power, the family. And remembering about it, it’s enough for her to want to return to the pack house, her mood souring.

Arriving at the house, she sees Aria and Chloe in the kitchen, sipping on cups of hot coffee. Isabella joins them, her heart heavy with anxiety for the upcoming mate finding ceremony.

“Hey, Izzy,” Aria greets, her eyes bright with curiosity. “How was your run?”

“It was not so good,” she replies. Izzy is a name that her closest friends call her, a pet name for her.

Chloe looks up from her coffee, her brow furrowing with concern. “What’s wrong, Izzy? You seem distracted.”

Izzy sighs, her shoulders slumping. “I can’t stop thinking about the mate-finding ceremony. What if I actually receive one today?! I am pretty sure that the massive desire for my mate will activate… And what if I kiss him in front of everyone? I don’t know how I will be able to face any of you out of embarrassment!”

Aria laughs, and Chloe reaches out to her hand. “You don’t have to worry about that. No one will be disappointed if you make out with your mate the instant you find him. Everyone will understand.”

“Actually, I want to see you smother your mate with kisses,” Aria says, still laughing. “Heck, I want you to have sex in the middle of the field during the ceremony!”

“Aria!” Chloe scolds.

Izzy takes a deep breath. There is a feeling of unease… of something that will soon be out of her control. She always wanted to have control of her life, and this mate bond — it is the opposite of having control!

And so, she can’t help but feel apprehensive. She has bigger aspirations beyond a traditional mate bond. She wants to explore the world as soon as she earns enough money. She wants to learn and grow as a person. She doesn’t want to be tied down to a mate, especially if it’s something destined or something that she did not work hard for.

Despite that, she is aware that her pack values tradition above all else. But even if she loves them, she just cannot CRAVE for a mate bond. Maybe she should have left the pack and worked in the city, even if her job allowed her to work at home.

“I should have left this place,” she murmurs.

Erase that. She thinks that working at home is good because she can be with her family. It is beneficial for her. Well, that is, except for the mate bond thing.

“Even if you are far away from the pack, the mate bond will still activate, you know,” Aria says matter-of-factly.

“It’s something that you can never escape from,” Chloe pipes in.

“I heard some female werewolves never got a mate bond,” she adds.

“It only happens once in a hundred years,” Chloe says. “Or more.”

She sips her coffee as she starts to resign to her fate. Maybe she can beg the Moon Goddess not to give her a mate? That way, she will still have peaceful living as one of the pack members.

“What if you activate a mate bond with Miles during the ceremony?” Aria points out. “That won’t be too bad. You guys are very close. I’m sure that’s not too scary? He’s also good—Ouch! Hey! Why are you pinching me?!”

Chloe shushes Aria and looks at her. “I apologize for this insensitive idiot, Izzy. She still doesn’t know.”

“Doesn’t know what?!”

Conspiratorially, Chloe says, “They fought during Izzy’s thirtieth birthday. Miles confessed his feelings for her and, well, she felt betrayed.”

“Wait, what?! Why didn’t I hear about that?!”

“Because you are busy flirting with Carter’s friend,” Chloe says.

“Why did you reject him?! He’s the total package!” Aria exclaims, ignoring what Chloe mentioned about her flirting.

“Aria,” Chloe starts, but Aria cannot be stopped anymore and so Izzy looks away from her and continues sipping on her coffee.

“Miles is attractive! He is also very sweet! Moreover, you’ve been friends since he came into the pack! I don’t know why that guy will ever get rejected by you!”

Miles is Izzy’s closest male friend in the pack. Since five years ago, their friendship has grown. She thought their bond was strong and unbreakable, but things had changed the instant he confessed that he loves her. And what did he say to her?

‘I will always love you, even if you get a different mate. Even if I have become the second man in your heart.’

Izzy groans as she remembers her reaction. She slaps him hard and then she leaves. Her friends have always pointed out that Miles has some romantic feelings for her, but she always dismisses the idea. She enjoys her friendship with him. She enjoys thinking of him like a younger brother, or a younger cousin, or a friend that she needed to look out for. She doesn’t want to taint their friendship with all those annoying romantic feelings.

“I think you should just shut up, Aria,” Chloe suggests. “You might just disappoint yourself. It’s uncommon for outsiders to become a mate of someone in the pack, if you remember. That’s why he has no choice but to confess already, even if—”

“Even if our dear friend Izzy is becoming a blockhead about it!” Aria completes for her.

“I thought I was very clear about my feelings for him…” Izzy defends. “I didn’t give him that idea that there’s a chance for us to become more than friends.”

“I still think you should’ve given him a chance,” Aria insists, jabbing a manicured finger in Izzy’s direction. “He adores you Izzy, and you know it.”

“You are not being a help, Aria,” Chloe interjects. “Just let her be.”

Izzy takes a deep breath and gets up. “Well, other than Miles and the mate-finding ceremony, I still have work to do.”

She has enough to worry about without adding Miles to the mix. Besides, even if he’s the only male whose presence she can stand, she is planning to travel again soon, and the life she wants to lead... It’s not very traditional as what is expected of someone with an activated mate bond.

“Still, thank you, guys,” she says, smiling a little. She feels a little light now after talking to her friends. “I really don’t know what I would do without you.”

“This is why I am advising you to say yes to Miles already! That’s one thing off your mind.”

“Aria!” Chloe scolds, but Aria answers it with a shrug.