I had always believed in love…at least for an Alpha. I believed an Alpha was only as strong as his Luna beside him. Without her…he was lost.

I had seen packs torn apart by Alphas who had lost their true mate and refused to heal their heart and find their second mate. The Alpha would be driven to insanity and would turn on everyone they once loved, only seeing them as the enemy.

I had experienced this myself. My father lost my mother and refused to look for his second mate. He refused to heal, and it turned him cold. He no longer wanted anything to do with anyone that reminded him of my mother. And, unfortunately for me, I looked almost exactly like her.

My mother was an amazing Luna, and I learned everything from her. My mother believed that a Luna needed to be as strong as her Alpha, but also kind and compassionate. A strong Luna had to be many things: She had to be a fighter so that she could fight right alongside her Alpha, but she also needed to know when she should stay back and help others. A Luna needed to know how to manage herself in stressful situations.

My mother wanted me to become one of those strong Lunas, so my training started at the age of six, when my mother put me in tumbling/gymnastics class to help me learn flexibility. When I was ten, I started to learn Karate and mixed martial arts to help with hand-to-hand combat. When I turned thirteen, I learned how to cook and clean and manage most of the chores in the house. I was not their maid; my mother was simply teaching me how to be indispensable. Also, when I turned thirteen, I met my wolf, Freya, for the first time. She was an amazing and powerful wolf.

When a pup turned sixteen, they started helping with pack chores. We had no Omegas working beneath us; everyone started at the bottom and worked their way to the top, including the future Alpha, Beta, and Luna. This was also the time we started our defense training and we gained the ability to transform into our wolf forms.

I lost my mother when I was eighteen in a rogue attack. She died protecting my father. He was never able to forgive himself for that.

After my mother died, my grandmother, who was the spiritual healer of our pack, begged my father to allow himself to be healed so that he could go find his second-chance mate, but he thought he was stronger than that. He felt it would betray my mother’s spirit.

Each day became harder and harder.

I ended up moving out with my grandmother to make it easier on my father. I continued my training and learned that I, too, carried the healing gene, only I was a different type of healer, one that I would learn more about when I got older. I also learned that I had premonitions. I still did not understand how they were triggered or how far into the future each vision was, but they could be helpful or harmful depending on the situation.

As long as I stayed out of my father’s way, I lived a pretty happy life.

Shortly after I turned twenty-one, my true mate found me. In the beginning, my true mate was like any other wolf who had found their true mate. I thought I was leaving for a better life. My father could not get rid of me fast enough.

One night, while getting intimate with my true mate, I had my first harmful premonition, unaware that my true mate was able to see what I was seeing just because he was touching me.

It was a vision of my mate killing my father and taking over his pack. I begged and pleaded with my mate to not kill my father, but he refused to listen to me. My mate was power hungry and saw this as his golden opportunity to get more. We ended up fighting that night. He defeated me and tied me up so that I could not warn anyone about what was about to happen.

The next day, he challenged my father to a duel, and just like my premonition, he proceeded to kill my father and gain the title of Alpha of our pack.

I was devastated. How could my true mate do this to me? I thought he had loved me. But instead I learned that he loved power and tormenting anyone who was weaker than him.

Over the next year, my true mate tried many inventive ways to force premonitions out of me, using them to build his power over other packs. He became fearless and practically invincible.

Finally, I built up the strength to do the one thing that I thought would weaken him:

I rejected him.

“Is there something you want to tell me, love?” he asked, gripping my neck tight as I struggled against his hold.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Well?”

“I, Luria Mathieson, reject you, Diesel Tarech, as my true mate.”

“Bitch.”

Opening my eyes, I was thankful that it had just been a cursed dream. One I’d had many nights since I’d rejected my true mate. It was the best decision I’d ever made. Luckily, my wolf understood what I had to do. But I could feel her starting to get restless, wanting to search for our second mate.

“Ria?”

I looked up at Leslie, the girl sitting behind the desk who had called my name.

“The high council is ready for you.”

“Okay,” I said and gave her a warm smile.

I got up and slowly walked towards the door that led to the high council.

The high council was made up of past Alphas and Lunas who had retired from their packs.

“Council, you wanted to see me?” I said as I walked into the room and stood in front of them.

“Yes, Ria, we are glad to see you have returned from your last mission. How did it go?” Luna Delia asked.

“It went well. I stayed with the pack for about a month. I was able to heal Alpha William within the first few weeks and stayed just to make sure the healing process took effect,” I explained.

“Was his second mate within the pack?” she asked.

I nodded my head in agreement before answering, “She was, and she will make a great Luna for that pack.”

“Good, we will continue to monitor the pack and make sure that they are doing well,” Alpha Caspian said.

“Great, is there anything else?” I asked.

“No, return to your quarters and get some rest. You have done a great job, and we appreciate you making such a long trip to help that pack,” Alpha Caspian concluded.

“Thank you, Council,” I answered as I took a bow and left the room.

Once I got to my cottage, I was relieved to be back in my little home. I unpacked my suitcase and then decided to shower before slipping into a pair of leggings and a tee. I tied my hair into a messy bun before grabbing a bottle of beer from the fridge and relaxing on the couch.

Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I felt a smile start to come across my face. Small memories floated through my mind of my time with Alpha William, touching his chest, feeling his hands on my waist as we moved together. After leaving my mate, I found out I was what they called a sexual healer. I traveled to different packs and used my sexual healing to help Alphas mend their heart so that they would be open to finding their second mate. Otherwise, a wolf could start to lose themselves, becoming cold and distant with the ones they loved and turning into a cruel wolf. It was especially dangerous when an Alpha lost their true mate and refused to find their second mate.

Finally! Some peace and quiet.

Knock, knock.

Damn.

“It’s open,” I yelled.

“Hey, Ria. You’re back!” my friend Mak said as she walked into my house.

“Hey, Mak, what have you been up to while I was gone?” I asked her as she came to sit next to me on the couch.

“Nothing much. I healed a couple of warriors that were sent to us. One was super yummy,” Mak said as she finished off my beer for me.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I said playfully, “Really? I am not home five minutes, and you’re already drinking up my beer.”

“What? I’ll get up and get another one for you. Jeez! Bitchy much?” she said as she made her way into my kitchen and grabbed two more beers before making her way back into the living room.

“There, happy?” she said as she handed me a new beer.

“Yes, thank you,” I popped the top and took a nice long drink, sighing.

“So…how did this one go?”

“It was fine. Alpha William was more receptive to getting healed. It only took two weeks to heal him, but I decided to stay just to make sure everything was good, and then he actually found his second mate within the pack. She seems sweet and is very dedicated to the pack. I think she will make a great Luna.”

“That’s great! You look beat, though.”

“Just tired. My subconscious is having fun letting me relive rejecting Tarech all over again.”

“Ouch. Well, this should help.” She leaned over and pulled out a bottle of liquor. “Let’s do shots!”

I shrugged and said, “Sure, why not!”

“That’s my girl!” She jumped up and went into the kitchen to grab two shot glasses, some lemons, and salt.

I turned on some music, and we spent the rest of the night just letting loose.

Mak ended up passed out on my couch for the night.

I made sure the house and windows were locked and all the lights were off before heading into my bedroom. It was my little ritual to maintain peace of mind that I was safe.

I closed my bedroom door and slowly crawled into my bed before letting out a heavy sigh.

Okay… let’s try this again. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the quiet that surrounded me.

Relaxation at last!

My wolf, Freya, started rejoicing in my head.

Okay, maybe not.

Freya: Thank Goddess! Mak has finally crashed, and we are finally home.

Me: Freya?

Freya: I am so glad to be away from that pack. Don’t get me wrong, the Alpha was nice and all, but his wolf was just annoying. I mean, yes, the sex was good, but let me tell you how relieved I was that he found his mate so quickly. I was afraid he was going to get attached to us.

Me: Can we have some quiet time where no one talks. Please?

Freya: Alright, alright. I can take a hint. I know when I am not wanted.

Me: Freya…

I started to feel guilty for saying something.

Freya: I just wanted to express that I’m happy to be home. Even though we don’t have a mate to come home to.

And here we go again.

Me: Please, Freya, do not bring that up again. If we had our mate, we would not be able to help others.

Freya: I know, I know. I just get restless sometimes, and it is helpful to have a mate to help with that.

Me: Yes, that is true, but are you not a horny wolf who will take what you can get?

Freya: Ria! Are you calling me a whore!? I may have an extremely healthy sex life, but I will not have sex with just any wolf.

Me: I’m sorry, Freya. I did not mean to insult you. But can we curb the mate talk just a little longer? I had that dream again where I rejected Tarech, and my heart and mind are still reeling from it.

Freya: Fine! But this talk is not over. Good night, Ria.

Me: Good night, Freya.

I closed my eyes and let the night sweep me away into dreamland once again.

***

“Happy twenty-first birthday!” my friends yelled as I opened my front door.

“Wow! Thanks, guys. What are you all doing here?”

“Duh! We are here to take you out. Come on, get dressed. Something sexy. It’s your twenty-first; not only is it the day that you could sense your mate, but you can finally drink legally, so let’s go to the club and have some fun,” my friend Trinity said as she smacked my butt to make me go and get ready.

“Ouch! Okay, okay, I’ll go.”

I made my way into my room and headed to my closet, where I pushed all my everyday clothes to the side and pulled out the LBD (little black dress) that had been waiting for this day.

I quickly took a shower and got ready. I twisted my hair into a simple updo so that I did not get too hot in the club because let’s face it, wolves always ran at a hotter temperature, and I did not need to look like a hot mess while trying to have a good time. No, thank you!

I kept my makeup simple with some eyeshadow and a little mascara. I also couldn’t forget the gloss for the lips—I got to keep the lips feeling smooth.

I picked up a pair of black wedge sandals and made my way out to the front of the house to meet up with the crew.

“Damn! That is what I am talking about.” Trinity said as she surveyed my attire in order to give me her seal of approval.

I yelled out to my grandmother, “Grandmother, I am heading out.”

“Okay, dear, be safe but have a good time,” she yelled back.

I laughed and said, “Thank you!”

We headed out.

The club we headed to was mostly a human club, but some wolf packs came and hung out at this club, and tonight was definitely one of those nights.

We headed straight over to the bar to order our drinks. I started the night off with a Malibu and Coke before the rest of the gang started having me taking shots.

After having a few shots, we decided to head out to the dance floor. I started to close my eyes while I was swaying back and forth to the rhythm of the music when I noticed a smell. Mmm… it smelled so good. I continued to dance and felt someone close up behind me. The smell was even stronger now and seemed to be driving my wolf crazy. I started to get butterflies in my stomach as he continued to hold me close to him. He brought his nose to the bend in my neck, took in a deep whiff, and then whispered in my ear, “Mate!”

I froze in my spot, completely scared to turn around and see who my mate was. Before I could turn, he grabbed me by my hair with one hand while his other hand wrapped around my waist, not allowing me to move. He pulled on my hair, forcing me to turn and look at him. I looked into his dark piercing eyes.

“You are MINE!”

I woke up from the dream breathing hard, drenched in sweat. Looking around, I got my bearings and realized it was just a dream.

I got up from my bed and went into the bathroom. I turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water on my face to calm me down.

Coming back from the bathroom, I looked at my phone for the time: 6 AM. Well, I couldn’t go back to bed now. Might as well start the day.

Walking into the kitchen, I started the coffee maker.

“Mm… is that coffee you are starting to make?” I heard a voice coming from my couch.

I smiled.

“Yes, would you like a cup?”

“That depends. How early is it?”

“Six.”

“You are a horrible person to be waking up that early, especially when you have a guest in your house.”

“Are you going to head back to your cottage to continue sleeping?”

Mak got up slowly from the couch and said, “Yes, you mean woman. I will call you later.”

“Bye, Mak.” She waved with a small flick of her wrist as she made her way to my front door and shut it behind her.

With it still being so early, I went ahead and changed into my workout clothes to go for a morning run. I started off with a light jog and quickly worked myself into a sprint. Once I got to a part of the forest, I quickly stripped and tucked my clothes in the bag that I had Freya carry for me. I let Freya take over and shift into her wolf form and let her take off.

All my surroundings and senses were so much more enhanced in Freya’s form. Feeling free from all the human thoughts and feelings, I let her run until she was tuckered out. We ended up at a small lake, where I shifted back and decided to take a quick dip in the lake. I dived into the lake, plunging myself into the deep water. The water was a calming force, and I started to feel my nerves calm down. I swam back to shore, grabbed the bag, and looked for the towel I had rolled up in there. Grabbing the towel, I then quickly dried off and started to put my clothes back on.

Freya: Wow! That was a great run.

Me: Yes, you are so right. I enjoy feeling the woods when we are in your form. My senses are so much more enhanced when you take over. It is amazing.

Freya: Are you feeling better?

Me: Much better.

Freya: Do you want to talk about the dream you had?

Me: Nope.

Freya: Okay.

Sigh.

Me: I just don’t understand why we are having these dreams. Does it mean we are missing him?

Freya: I think your subconscious is just trying to rationalize through everything we have been through these past few years.

Me: Do you miss his wolf?

Freya: There are times, I will not lie. But his human was not good. He was greedy and always seeking more. Nothing made him happy.

Me: Do you think this could be a warning that he is trying to find us?

Freya: Maybe. But do not think that way. I am sorry I brought this up after our great run. Let’s try to forget about it and keep moving forward. There is no need to worry about the past constantly. It is something we are unable to fix or change at this time.

Me: You are right. Thank you.

I always enjoyed talking with Freya. She might be a horny wolf, but she was a true voice of reason and had always been a great listener. I thanked the Goddess that she gave me Freya as my wolf.

The jog back to my cottage was serene, but I couldn’t wait to get back to the cottage to take a nice hot shower.

When I got out of the shower, I checked my phone and noticed a missed phone call and voicemail from Alpha Caspian.

Listening to the voicemail:

“Hi, Ria. This is Alpha Caspian. When you have a moment, could you please stop by my office today? There is something I would like to talk to you about. Thank you.”

Hmm… I wondered what he wanted to talk about.

I quickly changed into a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I threw my hair up in a bun, put my sneakers on, and made my way to the council office.

Knock, knock.

“Come in,” came from behind the door.

“You wanted to see me, Alpha Caspian?” I asked as I walked into his office.

“Yes, Ria. Please, have a seat,” he said while gesturing at a chair in front of his desk.

“Thank you,” I said as I took a seat.

He sat back down in his chair behind his desk, rested his elbows upon his armrests, and brought his fingers together in front of his face before he spoke. “How are you doing, Ria?”

“I am doing well; it is nice to be back home,” I told him.

“Good, good,” he said as he continued to rock in his chair. He looked nervous.

“Ria, the reason that I asked you here today is that I have a favor to ask.”

Looking at him with uncertainty, I said, “Okay, what is this favor?”

“I know you just got back from your last mission, and usually, we do not put you on a mission unless it is important, but I feel that you are the only healer that can help me with this situation.”

“Go on,” I told him.

“My son lost his true mate about six months ago, and he has no desire to look for his second mate. So, I would like to take you to my old pack and see if you would be able to help him heal so that he can move on,” he finished.

“Why do you feel I would make a difference? We have plenty of healers that could help you with this situation.”

“Yes, that is true… but you have successfully healed three Alphas in the two years that you have been here. Also, he has banned the last two healers that I have sent over to him. My son is a good man, and we, the council, feel that he is deemed for greatness,” he said with a pleading look in his eyes.

“When do you plan on heading to your old pack?” I questioned.

“We can leave as soon as you are ready.”

“Let me think about this for a day. You will have my answer in the morning,” I told him as I started to get up from my seat.

“Thank you, Ria. I will respect whatever decision you make.” He got up from his chair and walked me out the door.

“Oh, before I leave, do you have a file on your son?” I asked.

“Yes, I do.” He walked back over to his desk, picked up a file, turned, and handed the file to me.

“Thank you. You will have my answer in the morning.”

He nodded as he opened the door for me to let me out.