chapter one

"Josephine," a voice whispered through the warm spring wind that ripped through the meadow I was dreaming of. I had been on a hunt. I was dreaming I was a wolf. The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but there was a gentle breeze that made the grass shake and my fur tickle. I smelled rabbits. Cute little bunnies and the delicious taste of rabbit stew was fresh in my memoires. Grandma cooks the best rabbit stew, it's about the only thing she would cook and that was only if father brought home the meat. 

The fur on the back of my back stood up. I was trembling as I noticed a shadow outstretching my own, a massive man's shadow. A hand patted the top of my head and I felt my tail curl between my legs as I was petted like a dog. My head was shoved suddenly into the ground as a man's violent scent covered me in dominating pheromones. The sun vanished. My sky filled with lightening and dark thunder clouds but no rain. I could smell anger and passion rolling off of the beast capturing my dreams. I was trembling as I felt my body transforming. A painful experience rushed through my mind as it matched my first shift's traumatic events. I was digging into the mushy earth now with my bare hands as my dark hair hung around my face. I pushed it out of my eyes as I looked up the long arm holding me there.

Tears rolled off my face. I was scared to breath anymore. Camren stood above me with a a face that looked caught between feelings. He was filled with hatred but at the same time he was looking only at me. I could feel it deep within me, his heart synced with mine. His diamond blue eyes were staring holes into my face as he wouldn't flinch. He looked aware of me and afraid of what I would do. I rubbed the tears away as they stopped falling from my eyes. He let go of me slowly as he leaned down to bring his face dangerously closer to mine. 

"I will find you," he promised in a sweet tone all of a sudden. My arm hair stood up on edge from his voice but I wasn't scared. I was amused by his promises. "When I do find you... You will be mine, I swear. Your body will be mine, your spirit will be mine, and your last breath will be mine. I will kill any man that touches you before I do. Any man that dares set a finger on you will die at my hands, Josephine. So remember me and my vows because I am so very real right now." 

His lips crashed down onto mine angrily. The taste of his saliva hit the back of my throat as his wet tongue passed through my mouth and straight to the back. I felt devoured as he captured my tongue like a white flag and stole my strength as he sucked it out. He let me go right when I felt ready to give. My breathing felt so real as I fought for air. I was burning between my legs now as the reminder of his pheromones left me speechless. I was devoured in a sweet honey like scent that trapped me in place. I was loosing my mind in the games he was playing. 

"Tell me where you are," he whispered suddenly against my skin as he trained kisses down to my neck. "Where are you Josephine? Are you safe? Are you comfortable and warm? Who is with you?" Nothing was coherent anymore here as I felt myself drifting away so sudden. I didn't have time to give him any details. Even though he truly sounded concerned for me at the end. 

---

"Good morning, my precious mate."

Small kisses trailed down the surface of my neck. A happy chuckle reached my ears as a mouth locked onto mine. I knew instantly who it was, Casimir. Cas' voice was light fireworks to my soul. His touch was the same tingling sensation as the first kiss we shared. It was all a dream and this was my reality. I was dazed in fond memoires of the one I truly loved, Cas. My sweet Cas was awake now. A hand slipped around the back of my neck to lift my head and pull it off the pillow I had been on to tuck into the safety of a neck's crook. His arms wrapped around me to hold me to him tight as he breathed in my scent.

I busted out into a smile as I pulled away to look instantly up to meet his sea foam green colored eyes. Cas' hair was dark and almost black looking in the dim light of the room. The only light came from the almost extinguished fireplace. He had been stark naked when I brought him to bed last night, but now he was dressed and smelled fresh of a shower. His hair was dry, the faint scent of electricity gave me a hint of a blow dryer being involved. I could only assume the friendly omegas left us clothes here to change into. Someone must've snuck in to deliver them.

That was good, I wanted out of the dress I fell asleep in last night. It was the same masquerade dress from the ball last night.

Last night flooded through my mind like a kaleidoscope. Everything began to unwind as I tried to put the night together. My heart sped up as I glanced around the unfamiliar room.

We had skipped town last night to try to escape from the king.

We were given sanctuary by the king's cousin, Alpha Artyom...

And, this was his territory he controlled, Silverback pack.

Cas gave off emotions in his scent that comforted me and assured me, everything was going to be ok. I pressed my forehead against his. He must had sensed my worry.

"Good morning," I sighed out.

"Do you mind explaining where we are right now?"

"This is the pack house of Silverback pack,"' I explained. "You ended up passing out and Alpha Artyom gave us refuge here until we're ready to leave."

"We need to go. My father will be looking for us and will want to know if I'm ok."

"I know, I couldn't drag you on my own. It was my only option to stay here until you got your strength back." He nodded as he slipped out of bed and walked across the room to stand by the fireplace and leaned up against the mantle.

"You should get ready, we're leaving as soon as possible."

"We should thank Alpha Artyom before we go."

Cas nodded as he leaned his head down on the mantle like he was thinking hard about something. I knew what he wanted me to do, he was on edge and didn't want to outright tell me. How could we stay here after seeing last night what that Alpha was capable of? We really needed to leave. I knew it was rude to say anymore out loud and risk them overhearing it. I'm sure they had spies watching us this whole time. How could they trust us? I wouldn't trust us. 

I pushed off a heavy three-layer quilt and kicked it down the length of the bed. I walked over to a door I suspected to be the bathroom attached to the room and entered it. Inside was a stone shower with a bench to sit on that had nine different shower heads. There was a vanity double sink matching stone counter stocked with accessories in the open cabinetry. As well as a separate toilet and sink room. I turned on the water to start making it hot and worked my way out of the dress and stuffed it into a trash can with immense hatred for it.

The water turned scorching hot in a matter of seconds as if it was directly fetched from the hot springs just outside the pack house. It melted my sores in an almost magic like substance as it helped heal my agonizing muscles. I stayed in the shower for what felt like forever as I stayed on the bench and enjoyed the heat coming off the water. 

I wanted to stay here; I hated the very thought of going back outside into that snowbank. I heard a knock on the door before Casimir came in without asking and leaned up against the counter as he held a set of clothes for me to change into.

"Are you coming out of there?" He asked softly.

"No," I whined as I leaned back against the wall.

"You've been in there for an hour," he told me.

He sat the clothes on the counter before grabbing a towel and held it out towards me. His eyes threatened to come in after me if I didn't accept it. I smirked a little as I was tempted to test him. But, not now. I turned the water off and stepped out onto heated tile. My lips parted in delight as a smile fought through my lips. This house is so awesome. He met me halfway as he wrapped me in the towel and began to dry me off.

"We have to go," he reminded me. "It's not safe here. Nowhere will be safe until we're back in my father's pack."

"We should call him," I suggested. I'm sure he knows his father's number. He could ask someone here to lend us their phone.

"No, he won't answer a random number. He will expect to see me before sunset, that's how he will know I'm safe."

I walked over to the counter to continue getting ready. There was guest toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair supplies, and deodorant that was sealed and never had been touched. I cleaned up and put on the lame outfit that was brought here for me. I didn't want to question how they got my right sizes in underwear... But they didn't pick out anything cute.

I put on a pair of boyfriend jeans which really annoyed me due to how big they left on me. There was a long white sleeve button up with a beige knitted vest. As well as a dark green cardigan for an extra layer to have on. Not that a werewolf needed one. We ran naturally high temperatures. He brought back pair of brown leather winter boots that looked exactly my size and a pair of wool socks. He looked determined to get them on me.

Casimir was dressed much better than me. He was in a gray wool sweater and black Carhart jeans that looked slightly too big for him but he was given a belt to keep them up. His shoes looked like someone's hand-me-down mud ruined sneakers. His whole outfit kind of looked like someone's least favorite clothes that were handed over with pleasure. I took a dryer to my hair while he put my shoes on for me. I didn't mind the extra hand in getting into them.

"You look cute," he told me suddenly as if he noticed my strain on the outfit I was given.

"No, I don't," I whispered.

"You're always cute." He stood up and leaned in, crashing his lips against mine. He lifted me up and sat me down on the counter. "I'm the one that looks a little rough," he said as he backed away and waved his hands dramatically to point out his outfit. He was right. I couldn't complain if he looked like so. I laughed and tried to hide my smile with a hand. I didn't want to laugh at him, but he was so silly. 

"No," I lied to him. "You look just fine. You look good in anything, really." I waved for him to come back and as he did I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned in, crashing my lips against his. He didn't let me kiss him for long as he even drug me off the counter tops and forced me to stand back up.

"We can't stay," he reminded me. It was already rude enough we were kissing this much in a stranger's place. I nodded in final agreement our passionate moment would have to wait this time. He took my hand by force and took me toward the doors so we could leave. "We'll find this Artyom Alpha and tell him we are leaving, but then we will not stay a second longer," he told me sternly. As if I would have any say about staying here. We would leave, he would probably even offer us a ride out of here before we put his pack in any danger. 

A knock came from the door right when Casimir was about to open it. I smacked into his back as he stood solid like a brick wall. His hand hesitating to touch the door knob. I rubbed his arm as a gesture for him to make a move. He opened the door and a familiar servant I met from last night bowed politely in front of us. Her eyes never met ours as she refused to make eye contact.

"Excuse me, would you please come with me? Alpha Artyom has requested your appearance, we will have to go out to meet with him."

I felt Casimir growing annoyed as his body tensed up for some reason. He took my hand and slowly removed it from his body entirely as if he sensed I was getting upset with him. 

"Lead the way," I told her nervously.