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.

of seven.She’s over here often enough that she’s basically a member

happened to her Little Mermaid obsession?" she

say with the wave of a hand, glancing back at

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

"I’m heading out!"

mom calls back instantly, her voice carrying from

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

you don’t want to head to the bar or something

asks as we make our way toward her car at the curb,

I laugh, giving her a

to get

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

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

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 curb, heading out of town and toward Norbury’s

next to our own territory of Riverton, so

once again when my phone lights up with an

still

don’t get

grumbles, shaking her head

mean, Cal? Out of

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

even

suddenly texting him

the only one making

a hole in the thigh of my black jeans, my fingers itching to reach for it.Vienna shoots me a

here tonight so you can see

fun," I say

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

out a laugh, swatting at Vee’s arm with

either, Vee.You can’t judge a

the cover gives

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

the drive, but I think

a palpable tension between her and Chase, and I think she’s nervous about seeing him again after the way last

packhouse like it was on fire immediately after, like she couldn’t bear to be

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

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

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

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

his long legs spread

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

is hot at my back, a

"Ladies,"

with a bottle of beer in each hand, offering

my fingers around the

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

Vee’s hand to drag her with me over to the

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

"You made it,"

seeping inside me and unraveling the tightness in the pit

at him and his eyes are already on me, focused and

sliver of 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

the bottle.I’m not much of a beer

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

Callum shrugs.

a big drinker." I narrow my

last night.

lingering on the fire, the reflection

set me off and I needed it.Most of the time,

him a joint.He takes it between his fingers,

I tease, eyeing the joint

he coughs out the

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

I sink my teeth into the cushion of my lower lip, giving a little shake

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

rumbling voice of his, and

trained

what if I

softly to himself and takes another hit

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

a smirk as I watch him, the picture of a

let me guess, you’re a bad boy

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

"The worst, babe."

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

he’s daring me to be the first to look