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.

oldest of seven.She’s over here often enough that she’s basically a member of the family, and my

to her Little Mermaid obsession?" she queries as she

with the wave of a hand, glancing back at her

I bound down the rest of the stairs, stepping over

"I’m heading out!"

back instantly, her voice carrying from the

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

don’t want to head to the bar or

toward her car

I laugh, giving

to get

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

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

money, so even if it

we pull away from the

our own territory of Riverton, so

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

still

just don’t

shaking her head

Out of

shoulders.I resist the urge to pick up my phone and text him back,

even know

suddenly texting him like it’s a thing?"

not a thing.You’re the only one making it into a

of my black jeans, my fingers itching to reach for it.Vienna shoots me a dubious side-eyed

here

sounded fun,"

the hundredth time."She’s quiet for a moment, but I can practically hear the gears turning in her head before she finally mumbles, "he just gives

laugh, swatting at Vee’s arm with

either, Vee.You can’t judge a book

you should, if the cover gives

into the urge to pick up my phone and reply to Callum’s

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

won’t admit it, there's a palpable tension between her and Chase, and I think

fire immediately

I don’t know

out and trudging through the trees while allowing the sound of

view up ahead, and I can feel the tension rolling off Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was the

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

wooden chair, his long legs spread

handsome features are partially shadowed by his hood, giving his grin this

hot at my

"Ladies,"

he reappears with a bottle of

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

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

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

a knot of anxiety to form 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

"You made it,"

inside me and unraveling the tightness in the pit of my

turn to look at him and his eyes are already on me, focused and

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

a slow sip from the bottle.I’m not much of a beer

swallow it down and notice

Callum shrugs.

drinker." I narrow my eyes on

fooled me last night. Straight vodka,

was an anomaly," he murmurs, his gaze sliding from me and lingering

needed it.Most of the time, I like

right as he says that Chase passes him a joint.He takes it

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

slowly as he

just takes the edge off," he explains,

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

travel back

he asks in that deep, rumbling voice of his, and my heart beats a little faster, my thighs

trained

if

and takes another hit

to get a read on you." He exhales

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

guess, you’re a

he grins menacingly, running his tongue

"The worst, babe."

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

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