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.

over here often enough that she’s basically a member of the family, and my littlest sister Mia has Vee

Mermaid obsession?" she queries as she follows

say with the wave of

know how she is." I bound down the rest of the stairs, stepping over to the front door and calling out

"I’m heading out!"

her

as far as parenting goes- I’ve 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 decent hour, because that’s what I’ve always done.Plus, I’m nineteen, so I’m technically an adult now.I just haven’t

want to head to the bar

toward her car at the curb, snow crunching

giving her

trying to get out

passenger door creaks on its hinges as I pull it open and drop into the seat, rattling with a hollow, tinny sound as I

car is a hunk of junk, but I'l] never say that out loud

off to buy it with her own money, so even if it feels like a rolling

pull away from the curb, heading out

territory of

Vienna to give me the third degree about Callum once again when my phone lights up with an incoming text message that

You still coming?

just don’t

her head

mean, Cal? Out of

resist the urge to pick up my phone and text him back, knowing that Vee will see it as

even

him like it’s

thing.You’re the only one making it into

in the thigh of my black jeans, my

out here tonight so you can

bonfire sounded fun,"

for a moment, but I can practically hear the gears turning in her head before

a laugh, swatting at Vee’s arm

ridiculous! You don’t know him either, Vee.You can’t judge a book

the cover gives you the heebie

the urge to pick up

is suspiciously quiet for the rest of the drive,

and Chase, and

on fire immediately after,

that’s not jealousy, I don’t

cars at the side of a forest road deep in Norbury’s territory, climbing out and trudging through the trees while allowing the sound of music and carrying voices to lead us to our

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

told myself this was for her, to bust her out of the funk she’s been in

ina big wooden chair, his long legs spread and his dark hoodie slung up over

partially shadowed by his hood, giving his grin this eerie, ominous quality

my

"Ladies,"

when he reappears with a bottle of

smile appreciatively as I take it, curling my fingers around the cold neck

and I snap my gaze back to him as he nods

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

I’m nervous- he invited me tonight, after all.He clearly wanted me to come, but it’s the question of why that has

"You made it,"

his voice seeping inside me and unraveling the tightness in

him and his eyes are

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

the bottle.I’m not much of a beer drinker, but right now, I’d

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

Callum shrugs.

drinker." I

last night. Straight vodka, was

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

needed it.Most of the time, I like to keep a

Chase passes him a joint.He takes it between

I tease, eyeing the joint and watching the cherry glowing red with his

chuckles slowly as he

takes the edge off," he explains,

cushion of my

mouth, then travel back up to Meet my

of his, and my heart beats

trained on his,

what if

softly to himself and takes another hit of the joint before

with that.Just trying to get a read on you." He exhales the smoke toward the fire, sinking back

lips twitch into a smirk as I watch him, the picture of a

let me guess, you’re a bad

flickers back to meet mine and he grins menacingly,

"The worst, babe."

pet names, but surprisingly, I don’t hate the way it sounds rolling

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