Hayley
The party is already in full swing by the time we arrive. It took longer than planned to get ready, but totally worth it. That extra thirty minutes Sam needed to curl my waist length hair into nice beach waves compliments my entire look and I feel like a million bucks. I went light on my make up, just a light bronze shadow, some mascara, and perfect peach lip gloss. Sam is a knockout with her smokey shadow and wing tipped liner.
"Looking good ladies." Brayden Connor, the Captain of our schools basketball team says as we pass by.
"Thanks!" We both reply.
As we scan the crowd, I notice a group of familiar faces sitting on some chairs off to the side of the bonfire circle. Cody is currently telling a story that has everyone around him captivated. That's nothing new for my brother. Ever since he was young he always commanded attention. He radiates confidence and it draws people like a moth to a flame.
"There's Eric." Sam says nodding to one of the trees a couple feet from Cody's group. Knowing she's eager to chat him up, I offer to grab us a couple sodas while she gets a head start on her flirt sesh. I don't have to offer twice as she gives me a quick one armed hug and sashays her way over.
Laughing at her antics, I turn to find the drink cooler. I'm elbow deep in ice cubes when I smell the most enticing scent followed by a smooth seductive voice. "You digging for buried treasure in there?"
I turn to take in the person that voice belongs to when my gaze collides with the most striking eyes I've ever seen. Instantly my usually docile wolf springs into action, attention solely focused on the man in front of us.
His face registers shock before his eyes blaze bright in recognition. "Mine." is the only word that escapes his lips.
My wolf preens in appreciation of our mate. His hair the color of midnight is shaved close at the sides with about two inches of length at the top that's purposely messed as if he's run his fingers through it a few times. His face is timeless, resembling an ancient Greek statue come to life. His body, though covered in blue jeans and a black flannel, is clearly built judging by the tight fit over his chest and biceps. By far his best feature is his eyes, the color of honey when the sunlight hits it. They radiate warmth and I find myself drowning in them.
His stare as he takes me in mirrors my own and I can tell his wolf is just as pleased as mine with what he sees. He reaches out to brush a stray hair from my cheek and tucks it behind my ear leaving tingles along every part of my skin his fingers caress. My heart stutters and feels as if it's about to explode.
"Hey Nix, you find the drinks?"
Our private moment is shattered as both of us come crashing back to reality with Cody's approach.
"There you are sis, I see you've met my best bro Phoenix." he says with a smile.
How is it possible for a heart to feel so complete, then so completely shattered in a matter of minutes?
This is Phoenix, my brothers best friend, new member of our pack, and recently mated wolf. Mated to someone other than me, which is wrong because he's supposed to be mine and I, his.
Every part of me wants to scream out in agony. So many questions yearn to be asked, but as I remember the crowd of people around us I know now is not the time.
Cody's hand on my back startles me, "Hey, you ok? You look like someone pee'd in your cornflakes."
I allow myself one last look at my mate before responding and notice his eyes on my brothers hand and his jaw clenched. "I-I'm fine. Just a little frozen from digging in the cooler." The lie comes easily, somehow I know clueing Cody into what is currently happening is a bad idea.
He reaches into the cooler and grabs two sodas, passing them over to me. "Here you go, you should've asked one of us to grab it. I know how much of an aversion you have to the cold."
It's true, I don't like being cold. I especially don't like the ice cold feeling currently flowing through my veins
I'm just about to make my escape when we're joined by another person. A very small, very feminine hand wraps itself around Phoenix's arm, "Hey hun, did they have any juice in there?" the newcomer asks, taking a glance into the open cooler.
I have a hard time tearing my eyes away from the offending hand currently touching my mate but I can't exactly tell her to let go. If my guess is right, this is his mate Jeanette.
Phoenix scratches his chin before saying, "Ah no ba-Jeanette. Only soda and water."
She eyes him curiously at his corrected endearment, then focuses on me. "Oh hi! You must be Hayley! I'm so glad I finally get to meet you. Gosh, you're pictures don't do you justice. You're gorgeous!"
I really want to hate her. My wolf is begging me to rip her head off, but her compliment is genuine and her smile is welcoming. She exudes happiness. Though there are shadows lurking behind her eyes, they aren't malicious, more like a world weary sadness. She's clearly been through some things in her life.
Mom always said I was pretty intuitive from a young age. Able to pick up small details about people at first sight. I haven't done it in awhile, but I guess my heightened senses, a direct result of meeting my mate, brought my intuition to the forefront.
"Um hi! It's nice to meet you too, and thank you." I'm proud of myself for saying that without the growl that wants to break free seeing her hand still wrapped around Phoenix's arm.
She smiles and I can't help but be a bit jealous of her beauty. Her light blonde hair stops short at her shoulders but is sleek and smooth. Her bright blue eyes and rose bud lips remind me of a porcelain doll. One your grandmother would put up on her shelf for all to admire. She's shorter than me by a few inches but has the slim toned body of a dancer. It's easy to see why Phoenix would give up his fated mate for her.
That thought brings with it an unexpected slice to my already bruised heart. Self doubt begins to creep in and I start to compare the two of us, only to find myself sorely lacking. These thoughts are unsettling, I was raised to be a self assured young lady. To know my worth and never judge myself based on others, yet that's exactly what I'm doing.
All because my mate chose someone else.
While my brother continues to look at me suspiciously, and Phoenix remains mute, my stomach twists and I know I need to get out of here. Shoving the cans back into my brothers hands, I stumble through an excuse, "You know what, I don't feel so well. I think I'm just gonna go home."
Cody passes the cans off to a bewildered Phoenix and tries to stop me, "Wait, let me take you home."
Doubting I'll be able to stop the emotional outpouring I'm about to experience, that's the last thing I want. I look in the direction I last saw Sam but don't see her. "I came with Sam, I'll just find her and she can take me. Stay and catch up with some of the people you haven't seen in awhile."
He wants to argue with me but I'm saved by Casey, his very first girlfriend. He's so surprised to see her that he loses focus on me and I make my escape.
I push through the crowd, desperately trying to get away from the pain of the past fifteen minutes. I finally make it to the tree Eric was leaning against when we first arrived but Sam is still nowhere in sight.
Giving up and needing to be anywhere but here, I decide to walk home. I make the mistake of looking back to where I left Phoenix and Jeanette and regret it instantly. Her arms are around his neck as they look at one another, she stands on the tip of her toes and gives him a peck on the lips. It couldn't have lasted more than a couple seconds, but it's long enough to shatter the last remaining pieces of my once full heart.
As if sensing my eyes on him, Phoenix looks in my direction. Even from this distance I can see the sadness in his stare, but what really hurts is the resignation paired with it. As if he wants to be with me but won't.
I can't bear it any longer as I tear my gaze away from my taken mate and run toward my home. I make it past the parked cars and am almost to the main road when I stumble over my own feet. Before I can eat the pavement, an arm is wrapped around my waist and I'm pulled into a very muscular and familiar chest. "Whoa, that could've been a disaster." His amused voice says.
I turn to face eyes the exact replica of mine and see his playful look transform to worry in an instant. "What happened Hayley?"
The last of the control I've had over my emotions snaps as I throw myself into my brothers chest and cry for all the things I never knew I wanted and will never have.