Cade's View
The beer bottle broke when it hit the wall next to my head.
"What the hell, Marcus?" Ducking as another bottle flew past me. Being drunk and angry at the same time was never good for my best friend.
"In nine days time you're getting married!" Marcus yelled and swayed back and forth. "Nine days, Cade!" You don't even care!"
I held his arm before he could throw anything else. "Calm down, man. It's just a party."
"Just a party?" He laughed, but it sounded mean. "This is your bachelor party. Your last night of freedom. And you're acting like it doesn't matter."
The truth was, it didn't. Nothing had mattered for weeks now. Not the wedding plans. Not Victoria Sterling, my future wife. Not even the pack expecting me to be happy about becoming the next Alpha.
"Come on," I said, pulling Marcus towards the chair. "Sit down before you hurt yourself."
The room was full with my friends,
drinking and laughing. They were having fun, but I felt empty inside. Like I was watching everything happen to someone else.
Jake, another friend from the pack, raised his beer. "To Cade Blackwood! The luckiest wolf alive!"
Everyone cheered. I forced a smile and raised my own bottle.
"Lucky?" I thought. Getting married to someone I barely knew didn't feel lucky. It felt like a prison term.
"Tell them the rule," Marcus said, grinning now that he'd sat down. "Tell them about your one-night rule."
The guys all turned to look at me. They loved hearing about my dating life. It made them feel like they were living through me.
"What rule?" asked Ben, a younger wolf who'd just turned twenty-one.
I shrugged. "Simple. One night only. No reruns. No problems."
"No feelings," Marcus added. "That's the most important part."
The room went quiet for a moment. Then everyone started talking at once.
"How many girls?" Ben asked.
"At least fifty," Jake said. "Maybe more."
"Sixty-three," I said without thinking. Then I felt sick. Sixty-three women, and I couldn't remember half their names.
"And now you're giving it all up for Victoria Sterling," Marcus said. "Rich girl. Perfect pack bloodline. Everything your dad wants."
My stomach twisted. Victoria was nice enough, I guess. Pretty. Smart. But when I looked at her, I felt nothing. No spark. No excitement. Just duty.
"She'll make a good Luna," I said, saying what my father always told me.
"But do you love her?" Ben asked.
The question hung in the air like smoke. Everyone waited for my answer.
"Love is for fairy tales," I finally said. "Real Alphas marry for the pack."
Marcus snorted. "That's what your dad says. But what do you say?"
I didn't know how to answer, that I'd never fell in love. Never wanted to be. Love made wolves weak and stupid. I'd seen it happen to other guys in the pack. They'd find their mate and lose themselves totally.
"I'm not ready to talk about feelings," I said. "This is supposed to be a party."
"Then let's party!" Jake jumped up and turned the music louder.
For the next few hours, we drank and played cards. My friends told stories about their women. I responded to their inquiries regarding my wedding plans, but my heart wasn't fully in it.
Late at night, the majority of the guys began to depart. Marcus collapsed on my sofa. Jake assisted Ben in getting home because he had over drank.
I remained on my front porch, seeing the final car depart. The evening was chilly and still. Snow gently descended from the gloomy sky.
Tomorrow would be December 23rd. Victoria and I had a meeting with the wedding planner. Then dinner with both our families. Then more wedding stuff until the big day.
I should have been excited. Instead, I felt stuck.
"Maybe I'm just nervous," I said to myself. "every guy feels this way before getting married."
But deep down, I knew it was more than that. I was getting married to someone I didn't love. All because my father said it was best for the pack.
I was about to go inside when something strange happened. A scent spread through the air. Sweet and warm, like a blend of cinnamon and honey.
My wolf, who had been silent all evening, suddenly awaken. He began walking in my thoughts, excited about something.
"What is it?" I whispered softly.
The smell got stronger. My heart started beating faster. My hands started shaking. Every part of me wanted to follow that smell, to find where it was coming from.
I'd never felt anything like this before. In all my twenty-eight years, through all those sixty-three one-night stands, nothing had ever touched me this way.
My wolf was going crazy now, screaming inside my head. He was saying something, but I couldn't understand what.
The smell was moving. Getting closer, then farther away. Like whoever it belonged to was walking through the woods near my house.
Without thinking, I jumped off my porch and started following it. My legs took over, guiding me toward the trees. The snow crunched under my boots, but I barely heard it.
The only thing I could focus on was that amazing smell. It was calling to me, pulling me forward like I had no choice.
I ran through the woods, following tracks I'd known since childhood. The scent took me toward the old part of town, where the Christmas tree farm was located.
As I got closer, my wolf became even more excited. He was virtually jumping inside my mind, like a pet who'd found his favorite toy.
Then I saw her.
A small figure walking alone on the road ahead of me. Auburn hair catching the moonlight. Moving slowly, like she was tired or hurt.
The smell was coming from her.
She stopped at a small cabin and fumbled with her keys, looking nervous and scared, it was her.
I hid behind a tree, watching. I knew I should leave. Should go home and forget about this. I was getting married in nine days. I had no business following strange women through the woods.
But my animal wouldn't let me go. He was demanding I get closer, demanding I talk to her.
Before I could stop myself, I was walking toward her cabin. My mouth was dry. My hands were sweating despite the cold.
"Happy birthday, Ember," I said, emerging out of the darkness.
She turned around, her green eyes wide with fear. Ember Frost. The quiet girl who worked at the tree farm. I'd seen her around the pack, but we'd never really spoken.
Now I couldn't understand why. She was beautiful. Small but strong-looking. And that scent coming from her was driving me totally wild.
"How did you know it was my birthday?" she asked.
I didn't have a satisfactory response for that. The truth was, I didn't know. The words had just come out of my mouth.
"I know a lot about you, Ember Frost," I lied.
Her smell got stronger. My wolf started roaring again. This time, I understood what he was tell me.
"Mine."