Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

"D id you take your medicine?"

River rolled her eyes. Every month, Cherry asked the same question, and every month since she'd been twelve, the answer had been the same.

"River?" Cherry wouldn't be ignored.

River looked up from her bowl of cereal and stared at her mom. "You know, I'm twenty-one now. Do you need to keep making me feel like I'm five?"

Cherry set down her cup of coffee and leveled her gaze on River.

That gaze had stopped working on River long ago, but with everything they had going on, River didn't want to give her mom any more reason to freak out.

"Yes, Mom, I took it. You know I took it. I saw you go through my trash, looking for the empty bottle. So you know I took one every day this month."

Like clockwork, Cherry emptied River's trash at the end of the first day of the month. And Cherry didn't take the bag to the pack burn pile. Cherry put that trash with the glass bottle in the back of the old Corolla and drove it into town to dispose of, away from the pack.

River wondered for the millionth time why the hell her medicine made Cherry such a freak. But ever since the first time at age twelve when River had thought she would die, River never again refused to take the medicine. She figured Cherry didn't want anyone to know about it because something was wrong with River. River didn't know what, but it made Cherry both fearful and ashamed.

Cherry had never once let River run with the pack at the full moon. She'd never even let River shift in front of anyone except for her and Bianca and Strider on a few occasions. Those times had been on Bianca's first few shifts. Cherry and Strider had packed the girls into the Corolla and driven them back to where Cherry and River had lived with River's dad before he'd died. The four ran together in the abandoned pack grounds, teaching River and Bianca everything they needed to know to survive as wolves.

River always knew something was different about her and her wolf. Pack members talk about their bonds with their wolves. They made them seem like an extension of themselves, whereas River only ever connected with her wolf when she'd run with Cherry and Strider. There'd never been fights for control. No wolf emerging at the height of strong emotions. No cravings. No needing. And most of all, no heats. As far as River could tell, she was damaged, and everyone knew it. It was the only explanation for why her mom never let her shift or run with anyone outside her family.

"Have you showered?" Cherry asked.

River shook her head.

"Do it. This is the annual meeting. Not only our pack will be there-"

"All the packs across the state will be there. Yes, Mom. I am aware. Bianca won't stop talking about it."

Mating runs happened every full moon. But once a year, all the packs in the state got together for a run. Hundreds of unmated shifters showed up. To River, it was the most depressing of all runs. Seeing so many shifters with looks ranging from hope to complete desperation put River on edge.

At age twenty-five, if a shifter hadn't found their mate, they were ejected from their packs to find their mate elsewhere. They were only allowed to return if they found a mate. Most never returned, however. Seriously, who would want to go back to live with people who had tossed you out in your most significant time of need? Packs were more than neighbors; they were supposed to be family. Losing the connection with their packs sent most unmated shifters into a complete tailspin. The loss of family, connection, support, and, most of all, comfort. She'd heard of more than one shifter taking their own life to end the pain. Worse yet were the ones who fell into drugs to dull the pain. Would that be her fate?

"We need to be at the mating run in two hours. Hurry and shower and change into something nice."

Nice. Not comfortable. Not easy to shift in. Nice. For five years, River had gone to the mating runs wearing something nice. Other females wore soft, easy-to-remove clothes meant for shifting out of. But not River. Never River. Why? Because River never found a mate. Hell, the males barely noticed her, not that she cared. There wasn't one of them who had ever caught her eye. Even the Alpha's son Zade. Every other female in the pack had vied for his attention, primping and preening whenever he came within eyesight, but not River. River couldn't care less about the cocky jock.

In high school, he'd been the all-American favorite. But to River, he'd been like everyone else. Sometimes, River pondered if she was asexual. But in the end, she didn't care. All she wanted was to work on her art and keep to herself.

"River, did you hear me?"

River slammed her spoon into her bowl. "Yes, Cherry. I heard you."

Cherry growled. She opened her mouth, closed it again, and slammed her coffee mug into the sink.

Maybe River cared more about finding a mate than she realized.

"Problem?" Strider entered the kitchen, his eyes darting between them.

Cherry snatched her leather coat and slung it over her shoulders. Strider kissed her head, but Cherry's gaze remained locked on River.

"Spray yourself before you come," she said. "Extra spray since there are other packs."

River fought the urge to roll her eyes and simply nodded.

Cherry kissed Strider and walked toward the door. "I gotta meet with the Alpha."

Strider nodded. "We'll see you there."

Cherry exited the house without another word, and Strider looked at River.

"She doesn't mean to be like that. You know how she gets at the mating runs. She has a lot of responsibility."

River poked her bowl of mushy cereal. "Why do I have to go? It's not like anyone is going to want me. No one new has moved into the pack since us. And I am sure there won't be anyone new, either. And if there are, they will either be way younger than me or a rogue."

Strider walked to her and hugged her shoulder. "It's tradition, sweetheart. As long as you are in the pack, it's required."

"Yeah, well, maybe I should move away."

Strider stiffened. "Don't say that."

River shrugged. "I found a school in New York City. An art school. They have an amazing program."

Strider stared at her for a long moment. "You've already made up your mind, haven't you?"

River looked into her stepfather's soft brown eyes and nodded. He was so like her father, but not at the same time. They were both kind and diplomatic, but where her dad had been loud and fun, Strider was quiet and content to let her mom lead in every way.

Strider blew out a breath. "Does your mother know?"

River snorted.

He touched her shoulder. "Let's talk about it tomorrow. For today, let's get through this."

"Okay."

A squeal sounded behind her, and River's younger stepsister, Bianca, jogged into the room.

"What do you think?" she asked River, twisting from side to side and showing off her new jogging suit. "Dad got it for me. Cute, right?"

Strider smiled affectionately, making her heart squeeze. Her dad used to look at her like that.

"Super cute.” River hopped off her barstool, dumped out her cereal, and put the bowl in the dishwasher.

"Are you gonna get ready?" Bianca bounced with energy.

"Yup. Doing it now."

Bianca bounced from foot to foot. "Well, hurry up. I want to be early and check out the males."

River couldn't help but smile. "It's the same guys we've seen for the last million years."

Bianca gripped River's hands. "Maybe this will be my year. I'll see one of them, and it will be like seeing them for the first time, and our wolves will connect."

River hoped it happened for Bianca. The girl had been dreaming about her mate for as long as she could talk.

River put on a smile. "I hope this is your year, sis."

Bianca hugged River. "I'll wait for you."

River walked through the narrow hall to her room and opened the door. She scanned the room with walls plastered in various art pieces she'd cut from magazines, printed from the internet, and taken photos of on trips into New York City with her mom.

She would miss her little room when she moved away for school, but she couldn't hang around the pack and continue to let Strider and Cherry pay her way for the rest of their lives. Her dad may have been an Alpha, but that legacy and respect only went so far for a female wolf with no mate or purpose in the pack.

She stripped off her pajamas and tossed them to the floor before wrapping in a towel and heading for the shower. She wanted to get the day over with and tell her mom she was leaving to focus on her future.

River walked to the camp center with Strider and Bianca. Bianca chattered and bounced around more than usual with frenzied excitement. River bore it patiently, smiling and nodding but not listening. Nervousness about talking to her mom about art school tied her in knots.

All around, scents of all the newcomers permeated the air. Unmated males and females of age milled about, chatting and laughing nervously. Their pack wasn't the biggest in the northeast, not by a long shot, but there were still close to fifty pack members, and with all the others who had shown up, there had to be two hundred unmated shifters out there.

A handful of males and females prowled the edges of the meeting spot with wild eyes. The sight made River's heart squeeze. The rogues. Some looked desperate, while others appeared like they might snap and claim anyone without permission. Those were the ones River worried about most. Not for herself; she was her mother's daughter and handled herself with no problem. But for Bianca. As much as River loved her, Bianca could be an airhead, and if one of those rogues cornered her, there was no telling what would happen. Of course, one of those rogues would have to be insane to try and do something to Cherry's stepdaughter. Her mom would rip out their heart with her bare hands and eat it while it still beat.

A bark resounded through the air, and the group quieted. Bianca kissed Strider and ran over to join the group of unmated.

Their Alpha jumped on one of the picnic benches, and everyone in attendance bowed. He reached down, took his mate's hand, and gently pulled her beside him. Their pack Luna, Kawli, was one of the gentlest women River had met. Never once had River seen her angry or raise her voice. She was the calm to their Alpha's storm.

"Welcome," he said. "Tonight is our annual mating gathering, and I welcome everyone who has traveled to be here. We will begin with the run, followed by a meal, and finally, the sealing of all new matings."

The shifters howled, and the air electrified it with anticipation. She knew from experience the scents of every unmated shifter would rise with each minute. Her mother and Strider had taught her and Bianca how to control their senses so as not to become overwhelmed by them. Their sense of smell, hearing, sight, and more. River knew when to block them out and when to use them. River perked up her hearing and eyesight but clamped down her sense of smell to keep her brain from fogging over with all the pheromones flying around.

River gazed into the sky. The sun would set in the next hour, and the matings would begin as soon as it did. No one knew precisely why the moon held so much sway over their wolves, but the lunar cycles had been tied to shifters for as long as there had been shifters. They purposely picked a non-full moon night to hold runs for that reason. Currently, the moon was in its waning gibbous phase. The full moon had passed a week ago, and while in the waning gibbous phase, shifters were as docile and reasonable as they would ever be.

"It's starting," Strider whispered.

River tore her eyes back to the group as they began shifting, and part of her hoped something would happen with her wolf. As much as she hated that part of herself, she couldn't help it. Every time, the same thing happened. She wished and hoped for something to happen with her wolf. For her to wake up. Howl. Demand to be let free. Something, anything. But nothing ever happened. Nothing. Not a shot. Not a tingle. Not a twinge. She peered at the moon again. Was she even an actual shifter? She would seriously question her biology if she didn't have her enhanced senses and hadn't run with her mom and Strider before.

"I'm gonna go help prep the food."

Strider caught her hand.

She stopped, knowing what would come next. It had been like this every time. The sadness in his eyes at the fact that she hadn't found a mate. That she hadn't felt a twitch or twinge of desire for anyone. Ever. That she would remain alone until the pack kicked her out.

"I'll pay for art school," Strider blurted.

River stared at him. Had she heard him right? "What?"

"I'll pay for it. Whatever it costs. You figure out a plan and give it to me, and I'll talk to your mom."

River's mouth fell open. She liked Strider, even loved him, but she'd always kept him at arm's length because letting him in would somehow be disloyal to her father. Though for the last decade, Strider had been there for every moment of her life.

"I… Strider-"

He pulled her in and hugged her. "There's more to life than a fated mate, River. And I want you to find what you want for yourself."

She didn't know what to say.

An Alpha howl shook the trees, and Strider let go of her. "I have to chaperone."

River nodded, unable to form words. As Strider shifted and jogged down to the group, River smiled and turned toward the food kitchen.

It was going to happen. She would go to art school. A warmth of joy spread through her body, and as much as she didn't want to get excited, she couldn't help the skip that made its way into her step as she went off to peel potatoes. And Strider was right. There was more to life than a fated mate. Her mom and dad had been fated mates, and it hadn't gone well.

River peeled fifty pounds of potatoes with an ancient metal peeler that made her grip ache. Mates of other pack members helped prep food for when everyone returned. They would stroll back, starving, sweating, and stinking of sex. And it would be her cue to duck out and head back to her house. She breathed the fresh air, knowing it would be one of the last she would get for days. The afterscents of mating runs clung to every leaf in the woods.

She briefly shut her eyes and envisioned herself running with the pack like a wolf. Her eyes locking with some handsome timber wolf and then the heart-bursting unity which came from finding her mate. They would move toward each other, unable to resist the pull. Their wolves would demand to be unleashed together before the unbridled sex started. What would that be like?

She opened her eyes and peered into the darkness beyond. A light breeze blew in through the window, and a fragrance slammed into her. River stopped peeling and stiffened. The scent of honey and amber surrounded her, and for the first time, her wolf lifted her head and whined.

River's potato plopped into the sink, and she backed away so quick she slipped and landed on the floor with a thud.

"River, are you okay?" asked her Luna.

"What is it?" asked another mate she didn't recognize.

The women stopped talking, and one of them shut off the radio, making the kitchen eerily quiet except for the sounds of food cooking.

"Do you smell it?" one of the women asked.

"What are they doing here?" said another mate shakily.

"They weren't invited," another whispered.

"Screw invited," said a fourth woman. "They make the rules. They can go where they want."

"We need to get the Alpha," said the first.

River's heart beat louder, and her wolf stood. What the hell? The scent grew more potent, and one of the women yanked River away from the back door.

When had she walked to the back door?

River's wolf lurched forward, and River doubled over, pain ripping through her. She screamed and gripped the potato peeler so hard she thought it might jam through her hand.

"River? River, what's wrong?" asked someone in a faraway voice.

River panted, and pain ripped through her again.

"I… I think River is shifting," someone called.

A woman knelt next to River, and through bleary eyes, River barely made out her Luna, Kawli.

No. No. No. Her mom would kill her. She needed to get out of there. Needed to get away. They couldn't see her. Cherry would kill her if they saw her shift.

"Everyone in the pantry," Kawli yelled.

"River, come on." Kawli dragged her backward.

The ripple stopped, and River took a breath. "I need to go home."

"No time," said Kawli. "They are coming. You need to hide. You are unmated, River."

Who? Who's coming?

The fragrance grew more potent, and River's wolf shook her head. River experienced her wolf's confusion. A mix of recognition swirled with fear.

Fear? Great. Her wolf decided to wake up just to be afraid. Lovely.

The women hurried into the pantry, dragging River with them. As they began closing the door, the back door's handle turned, and the wood swung inward.

The women huddled in the corner behind heavy metal shelves, but River couldn't bring herself to. She looked from them to the door and back again. Why were they so scared? She practically saw their heads hung and tails secured between their legs. Even Kawli moved to join the other women.

Her gaze swung back to the door, and her wolf growled. A ripple tugged at her gut again, but River quashed it. There was something else, though… something her wolf couldn't quite place. That scent… honey and amber… so invading, so masculine, so…

Heavy footsteps prowled to the pantry door.

"Ron," one of the women whispered into her phone. The woman whined. "Ronny."

A growl sounded through the phone, followed by yelling from the other end. Ron, one of the pack's Betas, let out an emergency danger howl that cut through the night outside.

What the hell was going on?

River's wolf scratched to be loose, but River refused to let the bitch take over. No way her wolf was emerging because of some male.

Something sharp dragged across the pantry door, and the handle turned. The door creaked open.

River's wolf paced back and forth, becoming more and more agitated. A second later, the door opened fully, flooding the dark room with light and silhouetting the largest male River had seen. In wolf form, he stood almost five feet tall. His dark fur held patches of red, and his yellow eyes remained alert and terrifying.

A rogue. It had to be a rogue. But she'd never seen one so enormous before. He sniffed before growling.

River's wolf snarled and paced.

Something wasn't right with him. He seemed… feral.

The wolf stepped forward, and River brandished the potato peeler she still gripped.

Awesome, what was she going to do? Peel him to death?

Haha. Maybe it'll make him more appealing. She fought a snicker. Why did she always laugh at the worst times?

She should have been scared of the newcomer but remained eerily calm for some reason. Her wolf, however, started going haywire, and for the first time, River needed to protect not only herself but also her wolf.

"Stay back," River ordered. "There are no unmated females in here." It was a lie, but hell, it was worth a try.

The wolf sniffed again and took a step forward. River slashed at him with the peeler.

"I said, stay away. Trust me, dude; you don't want to mess with any of us. My mom is the pack enforcer, and these women are all mates of the Alpha and Betas."

The air shimmered, and the man shifted to human form. He remained crouched on the floor for a moment and then lifted his head.

He was handsome. Damn handsome. Blond hair with dark eyes. Tanned skin from being outside. Heavy chiseled jaw and cheekbones. Dirt smeared his naked body. Even so, she made out clearly ripped muscles and a dozen or so scars.

"You aren't mated." He stepped forward and sniffed again.

"Doesn't mean I want you."

His odor surrounded her, mixing her wolf up even more.

The man smiled, revealing bright white teeth. "Doesn't matter. I want you, and you cannot refuse me."

Of course, she could refuse him. It was the law. He may be the best-looking guy she'd seen since the Australian Firefighters calendar on her bedroom wall, but that did not mean she would fall at his feet.

"An escape mental patient? I mean, only an insane man would say I can't refuse you. I can refuse anyone the hell I want," she answered. "Also, you'd have to be insane to come here and corner a group of mated females. If you leave now, you'll make it to the borders of our lands before the rest of our pack chases you down."

He took another step forward. "I smell you, wolf. You can hide all you want behind desensitizers with shifters, but not with me. I'm Lycan and an Alpha's son. Lycans take what they want. And I want you."

The man covered the distance between them in one long stride.

She backed up as he pounced and wrapped his arms around her. The women behind her screamed as River fell to the floor, the man crouched over her. He pinned her to the ground with his tremendous weight.

His eyes flashed blue, then yellow, and finally black. "Mine. Omega."

For a split second, everything slowed as he took her in. Her wolf quieted, and they both watched emotions play all over his face. His eyes morphed back and forth between colors as if he couldn't decide what he wanted to be.

Omega? What did he mean Omega? She wasn't an Omega. She wasn't anything.

River opened her mouth to say something, but a sharp pain pierced her throat.

River blinked, frozen in place as her wolf roared to life.

Bitten. He'd bitten her. He'd marked her. The icy chill of violation rained down on her.

No. No. No. Her wolf howled and snarled and fought against the restraint that appeared like a long red rope and snagged one of her legs.

Bonding. He was trying to bond with her.

A commotion sounded behind them, and Cherry roared. River's wolf whimpered as the red rope snaked up her leg.

River. Help.

The sound of her wolf's voice made River jerk to life. Rage burst through River like an explosion, and she roared and unpinned her right hand. She jammed the peeler downward into the male's back. His teeth disengaged from her throat, and he howled in pain. Again, River stabbed him. And a third time, reaching for his neck. Blood spurted from the wounds and splashed her face and arms.

Angry hands yanked the male off her.

"You son of a bitch! I'm going to rip your teeth out!" Cherry screamed.

River lay dazed for a minute before Strider rushed in. "River. Sweetheart. Are you okay?"

She fought to speak as her wolf squirmed in the red rope, howling and crying.

Strider inspected her. "Are you hurt? Is the blood his or yours?"

She fought to make coherent sentences, unable to process as the screams of her wolf echoed in her head.

Strider shook her gently. "River! Did he bite you?"

His voice pierced her brain fog, and she lifted her hand to her throat. A gash tore through her throat, spurting blood as skin dangled to the side.

"Shit." He picked her up and carried her out of the pantry, laying her on the counter. The other pack leaders rushed in and yelled for their mates. The noise and commotion overwhelmed her as dozens of people entered the kitchen.

Cherry appeared at her side. "What happened?"

River tried to use the edge of her sundress to staunch the bleeding in her neck. She healed as quickly as the next wolf, but she'd need stitches anyway.

Strider looked at Cherry and then River. "He bit her."

Terror flashed across Cherry's face, and she focused on River. "Do you see her?" she demanded. "Your wolf. Do you see her?"

River couldn't do more than nod.

"Is there a rope? Is she tethered to a rope?"

River nodded again. "It's red," she managed.

Cherry roared and pulled a gun from her back pocket. "He bit her! He bit her against her will!" She ran to where no less than a dozen pack members restrained the now bleeding and feral-looking male. "I'm gonna blow your f-ing head off, you son of a bitch." Cherry cocked the hammer of her gun, but as it went off, their Alpha pushed the gun out of the way. The bullet missed the male by less than an inch.

Cherry whirled on the Alpha and pointed the gun straight in his face. The Alpha told Cherry to drop the weapon.

"He bit my daughter. He tried to claim her without consent. He deserves death."

The Alpha remained calm. "Yes. But that's not our place to decide."

Cherry glared at the male and back at their Alpha. "He's a rogue. No one will miss him. He dies for the violation of my daughter." Cherry raised the gun and pulled the trigger a second time, but this time, their Alpha moved so fast River barely saw the blur. The bullet struck the male in the shoulder, but Cherry flew across the kitchen and smacked the wall with a crack. Strider growled and rushed to her.

"Enough," the Alpha roared. A wave of Alpha aura shot through the room, making everyone drop to one knee. Everyone except for River and her mother. Not that River could have gotten to her knees unless she fell off the counter.

The Alpha stared hard at Cherry, and Cherry knelt next to Strider.

The Alpha turned his attention to River and sniffed the air. His eyes narrowed, and he called to her. "River, come here."

She sat up shakily but didn't experience the pull to obey everyone else did. Expressions of confusion surrounded her, and a murmur and several small gasps sounded around her.

"River," the Alpha commanded.

She'd never felt the compulsion everyone else did. Her mom had always told her to pretend, but in light of what had happened and that their Alpha wasn't willing to kill the Lycan who had bitten her, she decided not to pretend any longer. Her wolf snarled and fought the red rope. She didn't like the Lycan being allowed to live any more than River or Cherry did.

River walked to the Alpha, and he peered into her eyes for the first time in her life.

River never knew why her mom had told her to stay away from the pack Alpha and his Betas, but she hadn't argued. She'd always figured it had to do with being unable to compel River with their commands, but now, looking into his eyes, there was more to it.

The Alpha inspected her and sniffed again. His eyes narrowed and went Alpha golden. What was he looking at?

She moved her shredded sundress to the side, exposing the bite, which had already stopped bleeding but remained open and raw.

"You have two choices," he said. "You can allow his marking to stand and go with him or reject him."

Cherry stood, but Strider pulled her back down and whispered to her.

River's wolf strained against the rope.

Not. Him. Hurt. Forced. Not. Him.

River fixed her eyes on the still handsome but bloodied male and then at her Alpha. "Not him," she repeated.

The Alpha nodded and ushered River forward until her knees connected with the male's.

"Tell him," said the Alpha. "Reject him. It's the only way to break the bond and free your wolf."

River's mouth dried as the crazed look faded from the male's face, and instead, fear replaced it as he blinked at her. His eyes went from black to a beautiful blue. Gone was the beast who had come into the pantry. Gone was the man who had bitten her. Replaced by the face of a terrified, desperate man.

No! He'd bitten her. He'd taken from her one of the only things wolves never took. Agency.

She swallowed hard, but her throat stuck together like she'd drunk super glue.

A Lycan Alpha had tried to mate her. He'd called her his. His Omega.

Terror flooded River, and her body shook. Everyone knew about the Lycans. The elder purebloods of her race. The original werewolves. Bigger. Faster. Filthy rich and utter killing machines. But Lycans didn't live in the States; they lived in Canada and Europe. So, what was a Lycan doing there? And why was an Alpha Lycan a rogue?

"Tell him," her mom commanded. "Tell him you reject him, River."

River regarded her mom and then the male. His scent invaded her again— sweet and musky.

"I…" Why did an Alpha Lycan want her?

He roared and pulled against the men holding him, and his gaze connected with hers again, but this time, there wasn't anger, only pain.

"Don't," he pleaded. "Please."

Those two words crashed down around her like the emotion in his eyes, and she paused.

Her wolf howled. Not. This. One.

The pain and pleading in her wolf's voice spurred River into action.

She let her grip on her wolf slip, and her claws extended and swiped straight across his handsome face, slicing it open from ear to cheekbone. "Not. You."

Anger seared in her bright as the red rope tethering her wolf. The bite in her neck burned like ice.

"I reject you," she whispered.

His eyes went wide, and they both stopped breathing as the rope unwound from her wolf, leaving behind a patch of missing fur where it had first snaked around her leg.

He sucked in a breath before roaring and breaking free from the men. He lunged at River, but she held out the peeler again.

"I said, I reject you!"

She had no idea where the strength had come from, nor the command in her voice, but somehow it made the male stop.

His eyes flashed, and emotions played all over his face for a moment. He reached for her but stopped. His expression changed to one of pain and utter loneliness.

"I'm sorry, Omega. I'm so sorry," he whispered before fleeing out the door.

River shook from adrenaline, and everything stood still before she fell to the floor. Her mother rushed to her and grabbed onto River. Strider followed suit, and the whole room of shifters stared at them.

Cherry released her. "Are you okay? Is your wolf okay?"

River nodded. "Mom? Why did he call me Omega?"

"Yes, Cherry," said the Alpha. "I think you better tell all of us."