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.

that she’s basically

obsession?" she queries as she follows

was last week," I say with the wave of a hand, glancing back at her over my

it’ll be something else.You know how she is." I bound down the rest of the stairs, stepping over to the front door and calling

"I’m heading out!"

my mom calls back instantly, her voice carrying from the

degree or question where I’m going.She knows I'll be responsible and come home at a decent hour, because that’s what

want to head to the bar or

as we make our way toward her car at the curb, snow crunching underneath our

laugh, giving her a

trying to get out of

open and drop into the seat, rattling with a hollow, tinny sound as I close it

never say that out loud because I know

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

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

territory of Riverton,

third degree about Callum once again when my phone lights up with an incoming text message that

You still

just don’t get

shaking her head

mean, Cal? Out of all

know why 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 Vee will see it as me being too

even know

him like

the only one making

thigh of my black jeans, my fingers itching

me out here tonight so

sounded fun,"

for the hundredth time."She’s quiet for a moment, but I can practically hear the gears

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

either, Vee.You can’t judge a book by

should, if the cover gives you the heebie

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

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

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

practically dragged me out of the packhouse like it was on fire immediately after, like

that’s not jealousy, I

territory, climbing out and trudging through the trees

fire comes into view up ahead, and I can feel the tension rolling off Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was the right decision to drag her here with me

out of the funk she’s been

long legs spread and his dark hoodie slung up over his

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

my back,

"Ladies,"

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

as I take it, curling my fingers around

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

Vee’s hand to drag her with me over to the bench.I sink down onto

a long moment, he doesn't say anything, the tension of his silence causing a knot of anxiety to form in my gut.It’s silly that I’m nervous- he invited me tonight, after all.He

"You made it,"

his voice seeping inside me and unraveling

at him and his eyes are already on me, focused

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 off with his teeth,

not much of a beer drinker, but right now, I’d benefit from loosening up

ask once I swallow it down and notice that

Callum shrugs.

drinker." I narrow my eyes

night. Straight vodka, was

me and lingering

of the time, I like to keep a

says that Chase passes him a joint.He

were saying about keeping a clear head?" I tease, eyeing the joint and watching

slowly as he

takes the edge off," he explains,

want?" I sink my teeth into the cushion of my lower lip,

eyes dip to my mouth, then travel back up

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

eyes trained

if

and takes another hit of the joint before

on you." He exhales the smoke

lips twitch into a smirk as I watch

you’re a

and he grins menacingly, running his tongue over his straight

"The worst, babe."

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

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