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.

while I’m the oldest of seven.She’s over here often enough that she’s basically a member of the family, and my littlest sister Mia has Vee

Little Mermaid obsession?" she

wave of a hand, glancing

something else.You know how she is." I bound down the rest of the stairs, stepping over to the front door

"I’m heading out!"

mom calls back instantly, her voice carrying from the back

never given 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

to head to

make our way toward her car at the curb, snow

giving her

to get

door creaks on its hinges as I pull it open and drop into the seat, rattling

I'l] never say that out loud

buy it with her own money, so even if it feels like a rolling death trap, I’ll act

starts with a groan and we pull away from the curb, heading out of town and

to our own territory of Riverton, so

about Callum once again when my phone

You still coming?

don’t get

grumbles, shaking her head

mean, Cal? Out of all

you’re reading into 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

don’t even

suddenly texting him like

not a thing.You’re the only one making it

thigh of my black jeans, my fingers itching to reach for

here tonight

sounded fun," I

the hundredth time."She’s quiet for a moment, but I can practically hear the gears turning in her head before she finally

laugh, swatting at Vee’s arm with the back of a

him either, Vee.You

you should, if the cover gives you the heebie

my head, finally giving into the urge to pick up my phone and reply to

quiet for the rest of the drive, but

between her and Chase, and I think she’s nervous about

went upstairs with some girl, and Vee practically dragged me out of the packhouse like it was on fire immediately after, like she couldn’t bear to be under the same roof while he was hooking up

that’s not jealousy, I

in Norbury’s territory, climbing out

orange glow of the fire comes into view up ahead, and I can feel the tension rolling off Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was

this was for her, to bust her out of the funk she’s been in lately, but were

long legs spread and his dark hoodie slung up over

his hood, giving his grin

at my back,

"Ladies,"

my temporary trance when he reappears with a bottle of beer in

as I take it, curling my

brings my attention back to Cal, and I snap my gaze back to him as he nods to the empty bench beside his chair,

of being whistled at, but I find myself blindly following his command, reaching for Vee’s hand to drag her with me over to the bench.I

knot of anxiety to form in my gut.It’s silly that I’m nervous- he invited me

"You made it,"

his voice seeping inside me and unraveling the tightness in the

to look at him and his eyes

his blue-green irises are visible.I 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, watching as he brings the beer bottle to his mouth, pops the cap

much of a beer drinker, but right now, I’d benefit from loosening up a

I ask once I swallow it down and notice that he’s

Callum shrugs.

not a big drinker." I narrow my eyes

last night.

an anomaly," he murmurs, his gaze sliding from me and lingering on the fire, the reflection of the flames dancing in his dark

off and I needed it.Most of the time,

he says that Chase passes him a joint.He takes

I tease, eyeing the joint and watching

chuckles slowly as he coughs

takes the edge off," he explains, holding it out to me in

into the cushion of my lower lip, giving a

then travel back up to Meet my own,

rumbling voice of his, and my heart beats a little faster,

my eyes trained on

if I

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

with that.Just trying to get a read on you." He

I watch him, the picture of a teenage

guess, you’re a

and he grins menacingly,

"The worst, babe."

surprisingly, I don’t hate

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