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.

an only child, while I’m the oldest of seven.She’s over here often enough that she’s basically

Little Mermaid obsession?" she queries as

of a

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

"I’m heading out!"

fun!" my mom calls back instantly, her voice carrying

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

sure you don’t want to head

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

giving

to get out of

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

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

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

we pull away from the

of Riverton, so the drive isn’t a long

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

You still

don’t get

grumbles, shaking her head

mean, Cal? Out of all

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 the

you suddenly texting him like it’s a thing?" Troll

thing.You’re the only

thigh of my black jeans, my fingers itching to

out here

sounded fun," I say

a moment, but I can practically hear the gears turning in her head before she finally mumbles, "he

at Vee’s arm with the

You don’t know him either, Vee.You can’t

you should, if the cover gives

the urge to pick up

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

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

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

not jealousy, I

out and trudging through the trees while allowing the sound

Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was the

the funk she’s been in lately, but were my reasons more Callum, smiling shyly when our

legs spread and his dark hoodie

his hood, giving his grin this eerie,

the fire is hot at my back, a shiver races

"Ladies,"

temporary trance when he reappears with a bottle of beer in each hand,

my fingers around the cold neck

and I snap my gaze back to him as he nods to the empty bench beside

find myself blindly following his command, reaching for Vee’s hand to drag

in my gut.It’s silly that I’m nervous- he invited me tonight, after all.He clearly wanted me to come, but it’s the question of why that has me holding my breath

"You made it,"

utters, the deep timbre of his voice seeping inside me and unraveling the tightness in the

at him and his eyes are already on me, focused

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

breathe, taking a 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 notice that

Callum shrugs.

I

last night. Straight vodka, was

anomaly," he murmurs, his gaze sliding from me and lingering on the fire, the

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

Chase passes him a joint.He

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

chuckles slowly as he coughs out

off," he explains, holding it out to

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

eyes dip to my mouth, then travel back up to Meet my own,

rumbling voice of

trained

what if

and takes another hit of the

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

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

me guess, you’re a

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

"The worst, babe."

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

he’s daring