Chapter 2 | Recipe For Disaster

Cassian

Three more days… three more days! I could not be more excited about my dad finally retiring and giving me the Lightning Pack.

He is planning to split the pack in two so that Maddox and I can have our own claim as Alpha on our own land. Maddox and I... we have a complicated relationship and the less amount of time we have to be around each other, the better.

I sit across from my dad as we drink coffee. Maddox will join us any minute now.

Dad smiles up at me and remarks, “I’m going to miss you joining me in here for coffee before our morning meeting with your brother.”

I nod, “I will too.”

Maddox doesn’t realize that this has been a routine for me and dad ever since I was a teenager. I know it would bother him, so I try not to make it too obvious how much time I spend with dad. He doesn’t realize that dad and I have something that bonds us together that he doesn’t have…

He walks in the room and immediately his eyes narrow at me. Dad smiles as he says, “Morning, Maddox, ready to start our day?”

He nods and responds in a bored tone, “Yes, sir.”

I smile back at him, “Are you excited, Maddox? It’s only three more days!”

He gives a tight-lipped smile as he nods his head and takes a seat. Dad remarks, “He’s right, it’s only three more days. Have you thought about what you want to name your pack?”

Maddox nods his head, “A little. I thought it would be best if I did something kind of similar to the Lightning Pack that way other packs will know that there’s no bad blood between us and that we’re still aligned. I was thinking the Thunderbolt Pack would be good.”

I can’t help but nod my head in agreement and grin as I say, “I think that’s smart, Maddox.”

Dad agrees with me and then continues with our morning meeting.

There’s a light knock on the door and I watch as a young woman comes in. My heart stops for a moment and my wolf stirs inside me.

I know her, she’s one of the people we rescued from the Southern River Pack like 10 years ago. My parents rescued her and she has been their personal slave. She’s always worked in our pack house, but I’ve never paid much attention to her… not until today.

I never realized how stunning she is. Her dirty blonde hair is short and right underneath her chin, her cobalt blue eyes are the most gorgeous shade of blue that I’ve ever seen, and she has the perfect amount of curves. My wolf desperately wants to see what she would look like without all the clothing blocking her body.

I want to ask her what her name is, but I know better than to interrupt my dad while he’s talking.

I can’t keep my eyes off of her as she sets down a tray that has a pot of coffee on it along with three mugs and pastries. She bows her head to my dad, and he waves his hand as he says, “You can go, Ms. Lancaster.”

She keeps her head down as she rushes out the door and I resist the urge to watch her leave. I can’t be too obvious about my attraction to her. I don’t even know if she is my mate!

If she is… then she isn’t 18 yet. My wolf hasn’t recognized hers yet, but this is the most alive he has ever felt.

I have to see her again.

Charlotte

I work directly under Alpha Ethan and Luna Anna. They were the ones that found me and Sebastian whenever our pack had been demolished. Sebastian quickly went into training to be a warrior and I became the Alpha and Luna’s personal slave.

They treat me well, I don’t think of myself as a slave and they don’t ever talk down to me. It’s more like I’m their assistant or maid.

I always deliver coffee to Alpha Ethan’s office first thing in the morning, but normally his sons aren’t in there with him!

I must’ve gotten up later than normal because of my injury. This sucks, I don’t want to be around them! My wolf hasn’t come out yet so I don’t think they can recognize me, but my birthday is only a couple of days away. I can’t risk them knowing who I am.

I was hoping to avoid them until I left, but of course, fate had other plans.

They didn’t talk to me, but I could feel their eyes on me as I set the tray down. Their father dismissed me, and I couldn’t rush out of the room fast enough.

It’s okay, it will all work out. They didn’t recognize me so that’s good!

Now, I just need to figure out how to escape from the Lightning Pack and how to get Sebastian to come with me.

I know it’s going to be hard to convince Sebastian, but I need him to come with me. It’s the only way I can guarantee his safety.

Every chance I get, I go back to my room to brainstorm and figure out my plan. The only way Sebastian will agree to come with me is if I make sure this plan is well thought out.

Finally, it’s the end of day, and Sebastian comes into my room with two plates of food for us. He grins as he says, “You ready for dinner, Char?”

I look back at him and I see his face contort in confusion as he looks at the white board behind me. He asks, “What’s that?”

I breathe out and say, “Take a seat, Seb. I need to talk to you about something and I need you to really give it some thought. Promise me?”

His green eyes scan over the board behind me and he breathes out as he says, “Okay, I’ll give it some thought. What’s going on?”

“I want to leave the Lightning Pack.”

His eyebrows knit together, and he asks, “Why would you want that? You know if you leave here then you’ll be a rogue!”

I add, “I want you to come with me.”

He stands up and shouts, “Are you out of your damn mind?!”

“Sebastian, you said you would give it a shot!”

“Yeah, well, when I read ‘Southern River Pack’ I thought you just wanted to visit our old stomping grounds! I didn’t think you wanted to… what is it you want to do?”

I shrug, “They have some abandoned houses, I thought we could live out of it while we search for jobs and get settled.”

He scoffs, “Yeah, and if anyone finds us we’re as good as dead!”

“Sebastian, come on, please just trust me! This is for the best!”

“No, Charlotte! This isn’t for the best. How could this be for the best?! The best thing for a werewolf is to live in a pack. I will not leave here, understood?”

“But, Sebastian-”

He walks towards the door and shakes his head as he snaps, “No buts!”

He slams the door shut behind him. I gulp down the lump in my throat.

How am I going to guarantee his life if he won’t run away from here?