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.

basically a member of the family, and my littlest

Little Mermaid obsession?" she

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

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

"I’m heading out!"

my mom calls back instantly, her voice carrying from

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 moved out because I like living here

head to the bar or

we make our way toward her car at the curb,

giving her a

to get out of

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

I'l] never say that out loud because I know

with her own money, so even if it feels like a

engine starts with a groan and we pull away from the curb,

own territory of Riverton, so the drive isn’t

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

still coming?

just don’t get

grumbles, shaking her

Cal? Out of all

reply with a casual shrug of my shoulders.I resist the urge to pick up my phone

even know

texting him like it’s a thing?" Troll my

only

practically burning a hole in the thigh of my black jeans, my fingers

me out here tonight so you can see

fun,"

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

laugh, swatting at Vee’s arm with the

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

the cover gives

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

of the

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

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

that’s not jealousy, I don’t know what

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

rolling off Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was the right decision to drag her here with

of the funk she’s been in lately,

ina big wooden chair, his long legs spread and his

giving his grin this eerie, ominous quality

though the fire is hot at my back, a

"Ladies,"

reappears with a bottle of beer in

curling my fingers around

and I snap my gaze back to

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

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

"You made it,"

inside me and unraveling the tightness in the pit of my

look at him and his

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

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

I swallow it down and

Callum shrugs.

drinker." I narrow my

last night.

from me and lingering on the fire, the reflection of the flames

needed it.Most of

enough, right as he says that Chase passes him a joint.He takes it between his fingers, raising it to his

was that you were saying about keeping a clear head?" I tease, eyeing the joint and watching the cherry glowing red with his

he coughs

just takes the edge off," he explains, holding it out

of my lower lip, giving a little

mouth, then travel back up to Meet

of his, and my heart beats a little

trained on his,

what if I

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

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

I watch

let me guess, you’re a bad

flickers back to meet mine and he grins menacingly, running his tongue over his

"The worst, babe."

not one for pet names, but surprisingly, I don’t hate the way it sounds rolling off

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