Broken Bond

Chapter 4

VANESSA

Here’s the thing- I don’t give out my phone number to guys.

Ever.So imagine my surprise when I was stocking the coolers at work this morning and my phone vibrated against the bar top with an incoming text message from Callum Conway.

His number wasn’t saved in my phone, but I immediately knew the message was from him, and it didn’t take long for me to figure out how he got ahold of my digits.

The sneaky devil must’ve sent himself a text from my phone when he was checking out my music last night.

If it were anybody else, I’d probably be annoyed with the underhanded way he went about getting my number, but instead I found myself smiling down at my phone, heart pounding as I considered how to respond.

Exchanging messages is harmless, right? At least that’s what I kept telling myself as we texted back and forth all morning while I smiled down at my phone like a fool.

I might’ve gotten away with it, too, if I wasn’t working the same shift as my best friend.

Vienna knows I don’t give my number out, so she was baffled by the fact that I was so caught up in texting with Callum, and honestly, same.

All of this is so foreign to me, but there’s just something about Cal.

He’s bold without being sleazy.

Clever without being cliché.

And for the first time, I'm...curious.

A lot of girls my age date around, Vienna included, but I never have.

She thinks I’m crazy, and she’s said as much when I’ve turned down dates or refuted advances from good-looking, smooth -talking guys that other girls would jump at the chance to go out with.

Call me a hopeless romantic, but I’ve never seen the point of dating or getting close to someone when I have a fated mate out there somewhere waiting for me.

Humans talk about soulmates, but in shifter culture, finding that person is a very real possibility.

Once we turn eighteen, every full moon presents a chance for us to find them.

Our packs shift and run together under the light of the moon, and if you’re lucky enough to be in the proximity of your fated mate on one of those nights, you’ll feel it- the pull.

My parents say it’s like an irresistible force that draws you to your mate, and once you lay eyes on one another, BAM! The bond snaps into place.

Even though all of us have a fated mate out there, not everyone is lucky enough to find theirs.

Statistically, less than half of us will actually find them and get to experience that magical fated mate bond, but I’m an optimist.

My parents are fated mates, and I’ve seen how deep that connection goes.

They really are two halves of a whole.

I want that for myself, and I’ll hold out as long as I have to in order to find my other half.

Which is why it’s so out of character for me to be acting the way I am right now, carefully applying my makeup and straightening my hair, changing my clothes five times before settling on an outfit that screams casual, yet sexy.

I’m nervous.I don’t get nervous around guys.

What the hell has gotten into me?

"It’s not too late to back out, you know,"

Vienna sighs from the doorway of my bedroom, and I’m not sure if it’s due to her own apprehension or if she’s sensing mine.

I know she’s just as anxious about seeing Chase tonight, but she’s gone the opposite way of me, putting minimal effort into her hair, makeup, and attire.

She's trying to send the message that she doesn’t care enough to dress up for him, but I think she looks even more beautiful when she goes casual and lets her natural beauty shine through.

If the Alpha has designs on playing it aloof with her again tonight, he doesn’t stand a chance.I shake my head as I cross the room to Vienna.

"Nice try,"

I laugh, snatching her by the arm and threading mine through the crook of her elbow.

"We’re doing this."

"But it's like ten degrees outside," she grumbles as I pull her toward the staircase.

"Let it go, Vee.The cold never bothered me anyway."

She stops in her tracks, hitting me with a dubious stare and raising a brow at my Disney reference.

"Frozen? Really, Ness?" I giggle, starting down the stairs and yanking her with me.

"It’s Mia’s favorite right now."

Her lips pull into a smile at the mention of my four-year-old sister.

here often enough that she’s basically a member of the family,

her Little Mermaid obsession?" she

I say with the wave of a hand, glancing back at her over

the rest of the stairs, stepping over to the front

"I’m heading out!"

her

her a reason not to trust me, so she doesn’t give me the third degree or question where I’m going.She knows I'll be responsible and come home at a decent hour, because that’s

you don’t want to head to the bar or something

toward her

I laugh, giving

to get out

drop into the seat,

of junk, but I'l] never say that out loud because I know how proud she

with her own money, so even if it feels

groan and we pull away from the curb, heading out of town and toward Norbury’s

right next to our own territory of Riverton, so

again when my phone lights up with an incoming text

You still coming?

just don’t

grumbles, shaking her head

Out of all

it so much," I reply with a casual shrug of my shoulders.I resist the urge to pick up my phone and text him back, knowing that Vee

don’t even know

him like it’s a thing?" Troll

a thing.You’re the only one

my black jeans, my fingers itching to reach for it.Vienna shoots me a dubious side-eyed

dragging me out here tonight so

sounded fun," I say

for a moment, but I

out a laugh, swatting at Vee’s arm with

know him either, Vee.You can’t judge a book by

if the cover

shake my head, finally giving into the urge to pick up

quiet for the rest of the drive, but I think part of that is her own anxiety

it, there's a palpable tension between her and Chase, and I think she’s nervous about seeing him again after the

was on fire immediately after, like she couldn’t bear to be under the same roof while he was

that’s not jealousy, I

the side of a forest road deep in Norbury’s territory, climbing out and trudging through

the tension rolling off Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was the right

out of the funk she’s been in lately, but were my reasons more Callum, smiling

his long legs spread and his dark

handsome features are partially shadowed by his hood, giving his grin this eerie, ominous quality as it

though the fire is hot at my

"Ladies,"

he reappears with a bottle of beer in each hand, offering

as I take it, curling my fingers around the cold

my attention back to Cal, and I snap my gaze back to him as he nods

blindly following his command, reaching for Vee’s hand to drag her with me over to the bench.I sink down onto it, Vienna taking

causing a knot of anxiety to form in my gut.It’s silly that I’m nervous- he invited me tonight, after all.He clearly wanted me

"You made it,"

seeping inside me and unraveling the tightness in the pit of my

at him and his eyes

part my lips to respond, but my breath gets caught somewhere in my throat when he suddenly reaches out to take the bottle of beer from my hand, his fingers brushing mine and sending a zip of electricity running through my body.I barely conceal my flinch,

from the bottle.I’m not much of a beer drinker, but right now, I’d benefit from loosening up a little

yours?" I ask once I swallow it down

Callum shrugs.

not a big drinker." I

night. Straight vodka,

lingering on the fire, the reflection of the flames dancing in

needed it.Most of the

a joint.He takes it between

I tease, eyeing the joint and watching

chuckles slowly as he coughs out the

the edge off," he explains, holding it out to

the cushion of my lower lip,

to my mouth, then travel back up to

good girl, aren’t you?" he asks in that deep, rumbling voice of his, and my heart beats a little faster, my

keep my eyes trained

what if I

laughs softly to himself and takes another hit of the joint before passing it back

on you." He exhales the smoke toward the fire, sinking back farther in his

as I watch him,

guess, you’re a

he grins menacingly, running his tongue over

"The worst, babe."

pet names, but surprisingly, I don’t

me with his stare, like he’s daring me to be