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.

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

happened to her Little Mermaid obsession?" she queries as she follows me

of a hand, glancing back at her over my

the stairs, stepping over to the front door and calling out to my mom as I slide

"I’m heading out!"

her voice carrying from the back of

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

you don’t want to head to the

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

I laugh, giving

trying to get

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

say that out loud because I

it feels like a rolling death trap, I’ll act like we’re riding in luxury

and we pull away from the curb, heading out

next to our own territory of Riverton, so the drive isn’t a

once again when my phone lights up with an incoming text message that I can’t

still

just don’t get

grumbles, shaking her head in

mean, Cal? Out

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

don’t even know

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

a thing.You’re the only one making it into a

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

here tonight

sounded fun,"

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

bark out a laugh, swatting at Vee’s

don’t know him either, Vee.You can’t judge a book by its

the cover gives you

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

the drive, but

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

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

that’s not jealousy, I don’t know

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

Vienna

she’s been in

back ina big wooden chair, his long legs spread and his

his grin this eerie, ominous quality as it forms on

hot at my back, a shiver races down

"Ladies,"

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

my fingers around

back to Cal, and I snap my gaze back to

at, but 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 the

silly that I’m nervous- he invited me tonight, after all.He clearly wanted me to come,

"You made it,"

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

turn to look at him and his

my lips to respond, but my breath gets caught somewhere in my throat when he suddenly reaches out to take the bottle

I breathe, taking a slow sip from the bottle.I’m not much of a beer drinker, but right now,

it down and

Callum shrugs.

not a big drinker." I

me last night. Straight vodka,

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

it.Most of the

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

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

he coughs

edge off," he explains, holding it out

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

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

girl, aren’t you?" he asks in that deep, rumbling voice of his, and my heart beats a little faster, my

trained on

what if I

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

with that.Just trying to get a read on you." He exhales the smoke toward the fire, sinking back farther in

lips twitch into a smirk as I watch him, the

me guess, you’re

he grins menacingly,

"The worst, babe."

not one for pet names, but surprisingly, I don’t hate the

like he’s daring me to be the first to look