Chapter 1 A Rude Awakening

Shirley

I’m frozen. Completely struck with surprise as I stare at my phone, watching as my best friend - Jean - looks at me with tears in her eyes, her lip quivering. She’s pulling the collar of her shirt, allowing me to study her shoulder before she shifts and shows her stomach instead.

Bruises. Large splatters of blues and purples decorate both areas. They look fresh, new. All I can feel is ice in my veins as Jean fixes her shirt again.

“Jean…” I brush out.

I wait for her to say something. To tell me it’s not what I think. But I know by the way that she’s hesitating that she won’t. So I wait. I breathe slowly as we both remain silent and she tries to muster up the strength to say her next words aloud.

“He hurt me, Shir…” Jean whispers as her voice breaks, and immediately my blood only turns colder. “And this isn’t the first time. He’s been hurting me…,” Jean explains. “And it’s only getting worse.”

Worse.

I can’t believe this. Ralph…Jean’s true mate who should be protecting her or doing anything to keep her safe was using my best friend - practically my sister - as his personal punching bag. Slowly, my hands tighten on my phone, squeezing so hard that I fear I might break it.

A fairy tale. It’s supposed to be a fairy tale. Since we were kids, Jean has dreamed of finding her mate and starting a beautiful life together. It’s always been so different from my own opinions on love as I’ve found it to be more lackluster and disappointing - an inconvenience, really. But I’ve never discouraged Jean, only listened and validated her dreams.

And eventually, Jean found her happy ending.

Years ago, she was in a bubble of happiness when she called me, saying she’d found her mate - Ralph - on a recent trip. It was fate that their paths crossed since Ralph is part of a distant pack. But I was so excited for her, grateful that Jean was getting the fairy tale she’d always wanted.

But now…now the way Jean sobs, fights to speak over a lump in her throat…it suggests that she may be living in a nightmare instead.

And I hate myself for not seeing the signs sooner. Granted, I didn’t know anything about Ralph and still don’t - despite the few comments Jean has given me over the years. I wasn’t even able to attend their wedding due to complications - a factor I regret now more than ever. I’ve only ever seen pictures. In person, I could have gotten a better read on him, but on paper…in ink, I saw nothing.

Oh, I’d kill him.

“I need you to promise me, Shirley,” Jean cries then, regaining my attention. “Promise me that you’ll look after Eliot if anything happens to me.”

I straighten. “If what happens?”

“A…” Jean tries. “Some sort of…accident.”

“Jean,” I breathe again. “No, no, no. We can stop this.”

“You can’t tell anyone,” Jean says quickly, panic filling her voice. “If it gets back to Ralph then he’ll come for me first. He’ll beat me to death, if he gets the chance. Or he’ll cut off financial support. I need him.”

I want to snort at that. Need? I can’t see a world where anyone needs a disgusting, mangy mutt like that around. And my wolf agrees. Cicy is grimacing inside of me - showing her own disgust.

“Besides,” Jean cuts in again. “You know he’s the Alpha’s best friend. He can get away with anything. There’s no way he would be sanctioned.”

“Jean, why don’t you just reject him?” I ask desperately.

“I…I thought about that,” Jean admits. “But…you know what could happen.”

Yes. Yes, I do.

Rejecting a mate is not black and white. If one dares to do so then whoever initiated the rejection has to pay a large sum of money in damages. A very large sum.

“I can’t afford it,” Jean states with embarrassment. “And it’s not only about the finances. There’s something else too…a couple of weeks ago I had a miscarriage.”

“What!?” I call out.

“I was going to tell you the news once we knew there were no complications. But well…” Jean stops to swallow. “Ralph caused some complications.”

Kill him. I’d absolutely kill him.

“I’m too weak. Between that and the other injuries, I’m tired and I don’t know how much more I can handle,” Jean finishes.

Another downside of rejecting a mate - the physical drain. After the rejection, the initiator is also weakened physically for six months. And based on how bruised and battered Jean looks…she can’t take it.

Again, I have to pause to take a breath.

“Of course I’ll take care of Eliot, Jean. But…”

There has to be another way, but we’re also running out of options here. However, I need to protect Jean. Protect her like she protected me all those years ago from my parents’ own abuse. We can think of a way out of this.

“What if,” I begin, trying again. “What if you got Ralph to reject you?”

Jean’s already shaking her head. “He won’t. It’s impossible. You know it wouldn’t be good for his reputation.”

Another dead end.

But then again…

“No,” I say. A smile easily creeps onto my face as my mind is already steps ahead. And Cicy is right there with me. The stirring wolf flashes her teeth with amusement, hungry for a game.

“It’s not impossible,” I continue, adjusting my glasses. “I know what we can do.”

Jean’s lips part, her blinking eyes wide as she gazes back. “Use your ability…”

My ability. Mine and Cicy’s.

To make any man fall in love with us and do our bidding.

The plan is absolutely delicious.

“No, Shir. It’s too dangerous -“

“I’ll see you in a few days.”

Before Jean can say more, I hang up the phone. I also ignore her attempts to call me back or gain my attention with a string of text messages. I’m too busy confirming my plane ticket, and then I call my boss.

“Elena,” I say once she answers. “I need a favor.”

“Oh?” Elena asks. “And what is that?”

“I need you to approve me for annual leave,” I confess, already beginning to pack.

“Annual leave?” the woman asks. “My little workaholic is actually taking a vacation?”

“Something like that,” I say, going to my closet. “And I need it starting tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!?” Elena says in disbelief. “What is this? A family emergency?”

“You could say that,” I reply, flashing a wicked smile as I pull out a familiar short dress. I hold it up, staring at the material that will make any mans’ head turn.

But I only need to gain one man’s attention.

“I have important business to attend to.”

~

I hate planes, especially as I curse the hundreds of miles we cross from one side of the country to another. I should have never let Jean move so far away.

And now I hate planes even more as the flight has left me looking like an absolute mess as I walk down the street. I’m supposed to be making my way to the Fleetfoot Cafe to meet Jean for lunch, but I’m a little distracted. My steps are slow down the sidewalk as I watch someone across the way, wishing my brown hair wasn’t up in this stupid ponytail or I wasn’t wearing some oversized sweatshirt. Maybe then I would catch his attention like he’s captured my own.

I can’t stop staring at him.

His tall and strong build. The obvious muscles hiding underneath his jacket. His dark hair that matches the perfect stubble decorating his sharp jaw. His large hands that currently hold the phone pressed to his ear. And his eyes…so golden and piercing that I want them against my skin.

This is the most beautiful male I’ve ever seen.

But just as fast as I noticed him, he’s already gone - disappearing down the street as I reach the cafe. The thought of him nearly makes me wiggle, but I keep myself contained as I spot Jean already waiting for me.

“You’re here. You’re actually here” Jean says, tears gathering in her eyes as she runs to hug me. It’s firm, warm. Goddess - I’ve missed her.

“I am,” I reassure her, pulling away before we both take our seats.

“Thanks for coming,” Jean sighs. “I wish the circumstances were better, but -“

“I do too, Jean,” I cut her off. “But regardless, I’m here.”

As we sit, I feel a weight falling down on us. As Jean mentioned, I’m here for a reason and now it’s time for us to lay everything out on the table.

“What exactly do you plan to do?” Jean whispers, finally breaking our silence.

“Nothing major,” I say with a shrug. “Catch Ralph’s eye at the bar. Flirt a little.”

“But what if he catches on?” Jean tries.

“How would he catch on?” I reply. “Come on. You need to give Cicy and me more credit than that.”

“I know. Just…be careful, okay? Any sign of trouble and you leave,” Jean presses.

All I can do is nod back, wishing I had said those words to Jean years ago. Maybe if I had, we wouldn’t be in this situation.

Out. We’ll get her out.

Doing my best to push away the thought, I instead try to find a new topic, searching for something lighthearted to calm us both.

“I saw someone today,” I finally state, nearly dancing as I picture the man again. The action makes Jean lift a brow.

“He was…oh goddess, I can’t even begin to describe how hot he was,” I explain.

“Where did you see him?” Jean asks cautiously.

“Just now in town,” I reply. “I wish I could have gotten a better look at him, but I really liked what I could see.”

“Oh, Shirley,” Jean begins.

“Don’t ‘oh, Shirley’ me,” I cut in before I smile. “I’m just saying - he was really good looking.”

“I know,” Jean says with a soft laugh. “But don’t stick your nose in places where it doesn’t belong. No trouble.”

Taking in Jean’s words, my grin only grows wider.

Trouble.

We both know how much I love trouble.