Raven
Two years had passed since the sting of rejection, and life had settled into a rhythm of quiet changes. I’d let my hair grow, a dark cascade now reaching my hips. The most significant shift, however, was my willingness to attend pack parties—specifically, those hosted by packs tolerant of rogues like me, such as Adela’s.
Adela and I were lost in the swirl of another party, caught in a joyful dance. We sang along to the music, voices loud and carefree, a liberation that rivaled the exhilaration of a wolf run through the woods.
“And if you like midnight driving with the windows down! And if you like going places we can’t even pronounce! If you like to do whatever you’ve been dreaming about! Baby, you’re perfect! Baby, you’re perfect! So, let’s start right now!”
We belted out the lyrics as the song ended, our laughter mingling with the bass.
“Have another beer, Ray-Ray,” Adela offered, handing me a chilled bottle.
I shrugged, careless, and downed the liquid, crushing the can against my temple afterward. It had become a habit, this small rebellion. Alcohol didn’t affect werewolves the same way it did humans, our bodies healing any excess and resisting intoxication. Handy, I thought with a wry smile. I tossed the crushed can into the crowd and stumbled toward the DJ booth.
“Please stop drinking! You’re making me sick,” Gale whined, her voice laced with exasperation.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve only had twenty beers. Relax. It’ll pass.”
“Still, please stop.”
“Let me talk to the DJ first, then I’ll think about it.”
I reached the DJ, managing to keep upright with sheer willpower. “Play something… ssssexy,” I slurred, leaning heavily against him for support.
His initial glare of disgust shifted, morphing into a lustful gaze as I began peppering kisses along his neck. I traced my tongue along his collarbone, eliciting a groan.
“Please play something sexy. I neeeeeed it,” I begged, repeating the gesture.
“Anything for a foxy lady like you,” he rasped, his voice thick with desire.
A slow, seductive beat filled the room. I smiled slyly, grinding against him as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I licked his cheek, teasing him before shoving him carelessly aside and walking away.
“You fucking bitch!”
I ignored the enraged shouts as I grabbed my leather jacket, bid Adela farewell, and left the pack house. The flirtation had been unnecessary, but I enjoyed the chaos. I knew mates would be coupling up thanks to the song’s influence.
Just because my own love life was barren didn’t mean I wanted to ruin others'. I wasn’t *that* cruel. Still, I wished I had someone to share the song with.
I was drunk, my head throbbing with the aftermath. Gale would berate me for this in the morning. Sarcastic yay. The haze of alcohol was a welcome distraction, a temporary shield against the world’s scorn. The world felt cruel, especially to someone like me. It offered a glimpse of happiness, then snatched it away, leaving only troubled memories and a hollow ache.
Yes, the world was cold. It had always taken from me, never offering gratitude for my existence. The only reason I hadn’t succumbed to despair was a promise I’d made to myself—a promise to live life to the fullest. But that felt distant now.
Enough wallowing. The heartache of rejection was easier to bear with a bottle in hand. It just helped, in a way that felt strangely comforting. I didn’t care what others thought, didn’t care about judgment. They didn’t know the pain that gnawed at my heart—a pain that extended beyond the rejection itself.
I was seriously wasted, barely able to stand. I felt the urge to sing bubbling up inside me.
“I don't want to be your friend, I want to be your lover 'til the end, woooooooah! I don't want to be your friend, I want to be your lover 'til the end, woooooooah!” I sang at the top of my lungs, slurring the words.
My foot caught on the uneven pavement, sending me stumbling. But before I could fall, strong hands grabbed my shoulders, carefully setting me upright. I turned to see—to my surprise—him. My rejector.
What was his name again?
“Cal River,” Gale supplied, sounding delighted.
I nodded, then glared at him. “I don’t want to be your friend or your lover. Go fuck yourself, asshole.” I spat out the words and turned to walk away, fueled by anger.
But my clumsiness betrayed me. I tripped again, nearly falling.
And again, Cal caught me. This time, he lifted me into his arms, cradling me against his chest, one arm around my shoulders, the other supporting my legs.
“Don’t touch me!”
“That’s a weird way of showing gratitude to someone who just stopped you from falling. Twice,” Cal commented dryly.
I huffed in annoyance. He was right, of course. “Thank you. Now put me down.”
“Not until I get you home.”
He started walking, but not toward my cabin in the woods. He was heading in the opposite direction.
“Other way, moron,” I snapped, pointing.
“We’re going back to my home. As in my pack house.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you!” I exclaimed, struggling in his grip.
He tightened his hold, his voice hardening. “Stop struggling and just go to sleep.”
My eyes widened at his command. I curled up against his chest, feeling a strange vulnerability. “Yes, sir,” I mumbled.
I relaxed against his hard chest, his body tension easing. He still wore a scowl, but he wasn’t angry anymore. I didn’t know what to do with men on their period. I drifted off to sleep, just as he’d ordered.
Cal
I couldn’t believe it. My mate, after all this time. This worked perfectly. Now I could finally silence my father’s demands for a Luna.
“What about finally having a mate to love and cherish?” Clyde had asked.
“I don’t need a mate if it’s a filthy and horrid rogue like her,” I growled.
She’d be a replacement for the Luna, a way to appease the pack. They’d accept her as *my* mate—except in my eyes. I would never love her.
“I think our mate is beautiful, and she is the best thing that will ever happen to us. Rogue or not,” Clyde retorted, blocking my path.
I scoffed at his dramatic outburst. How could he love this disgusting rogue? She wasn’t worth my time, let alone my affection. She may be my mate, but she’d never be my soulmate.