Chapter 1

"Kendal!" I heard my sister squeal, I cringed as she grabbed a hold of me.

"Can you believe it? I'm getting married!" she said dragging me out of the crowd down some hallway into a dressing room full of her brides' maids.

"I'm more worried about to who" I answered through my teeth.

"Oh stop it, he's so gorgeous!"

As a peace offering my family offered my sister up as a wife for Dezmond Collins on the condition he would stop attacking our pack. She was so excited to finally be mated, since she hadn't found her mate at 16 like she hoped.

I couldn't believe my father was getting my 16 year old sister to mate with someone as horrible as Dezmond Collins. My father's excuse was sometimes we have to make sacrifices. But sacrificing my sister to someone for literally not killing us, is outrageous. I didn't understand why she would want to be one of his wives.

Yes you read that correctly. Wives. Plural, meaning there were more.

"He's dangerous" I said like I had been since I learned of this... engagement.

"Stop raining on my happiness Kendal, I want this"

"Why? He's murders people, Hannah" I said, she stopped.

"Why are you so mad?" she asked me.

"Because Dad is offering you as a peace offering, like an object to the most dangerous person in the world, and I can't do anything about it!" I said angrily, why couldn't she understand. I knew she was stupid sometimes but this was too much. I knew she couldn't be this stupid.

"I want this Kendal, okay? I didn't find my mate, and he wants to be it, and he's going to take care of me."

"Hannah he's not going to mate you, he's just going to use you as another one of his wives"

"How do you know that?"

"Because! That's what he's done with all the others Hannah, honestly what makes you think you're so different!" I demanded. I had heard about this for years, him taking innocent women as wives, never mating with any of them.

"I am different, I'm going to be the one Kendal, you'll see" she said defiantly like she was 6 convincing me she was going to be a princess.

"Why can't you just be happy for me, Kendal?" she asked tears in her eyes.

"Because this is wrong" I replied motioning around me at all the decorations and the people beyond the wall.

"For once, cant you just be happy for me, this is what I want Kendal" I sighed.

"I need a drink" I responded going back down the hallway. I stopped in the middle of it freezing, every muscle in my body stiffened as my body lit up with electricity. The most amazing scent hit my nose and I had to reach out for the wall so I didn't collapse.

My throat tightened and my chest started humming, as every pore and nerve in my body was on high alert. I inhaled deeper, the scent making me shiver, it smelled like the woods with so much musk and spice it burned my nose. I chewed on my lip standing there for a minute trying to regain my composure. My wolf was pacing urging me to go find my mate.

I could feel my primal urge rising in my body, making me determined to find this person. I took a hesitant step forward, until my feet were carrying themselves in the direction of the crowd, I pushed my way through it, and froze completely.

Oh god.

He was standing there clad in a tuxedo, talking to someone. He was standing ,7 and had everything. He had broad shoulders, a defined chest that was noticeable even through his tux. His biceps were large, and I wondered how he got a jacket that would actually fit around them. He had a strong jawline and high cheekbones, his eyes were so serious and a breathtaking honey brown, that almost shined gold. His sharp nose lead to the most flawless lips I have ever seen. His hair was chocolate brown and messy, with occasional curls in the endless waves.

My breath caught in my throat completely, and black dots swam in my vision.

Shit.

Standing there looking as beautiful as ever, was my mate.

Dezmond Collins.

My body screamed in protest when I turned directly around and started walking away. Each step sent a sharp pain through my chest.

Not only was my mate beyond dangerous, he was also my sister's fiancé.

Oh god. I walked towards the doors seeing a bottle of Jack Daniels on the bar, I grabbed it and went back towards the hallway, and I started hyperventilating. I tried to breathe but I couldn't, I was just gasping for air even though I couldn't inhale. I felt nausea rise in my stomach and I knew I was going to throw up.

I swallowed hard, finding the first door I could in the dim hallway. I stumbled in holding onto the handle for support. I was in an empty dressing room. I sat down on the couch opening the bottle with shaky hands, my whole body was trembling, my chest hurt from walking away from him and denying my primal urge to go to him.

I tilted the bottle back taking a swig "Okay breathe" I reminded myself.

Everything is going to be okay. Dezmond Collins is going to marry my sister, and I wont intervene.

This is want she wants, I can't ruin her life or wedding.

I can't and I won't. I'll just stay in here until it's over and official and then I'll leave as quickly as possible so he doesn't see me.

My wolf growled angrily at these words. She wanted her mate.

Dezmond Collins is dangerous and he murders people. He was the most dangerous of our kind. You were either with him or you weren't and if you weren't you wouldn't be alive for long. He was despicable, and truly the definition of monster. Women and children were murdered almost every week because of him. Packs fell to his knees and then he burned them to ground. No one lived after meeting him unless they were offering up something.

I can't be with that. Not to mention he's marrying my sister in less than an hour, if he ever found out I was his mate and called the wedding off she would hate me forever.

Chapter 2

I was his mate.

These words repeated in my head, making me feel queasy again. I hadn't had anything but a shot today, so I had nothing to throw up so I just dry heaved, my body trembled as I tried to throw up but I couldn't. Eventually the tears came and I wiped them away, as the exhaustion hit me afterwards.

I sat there on the floor with the bottle of jack between my legs, every sip burned but somehow numbed the pain. The door slammed against the wall and I jumped looking up facing the face I never wanted to see again.

His honey brown eyes caught mine and the room seemed to disappear completely, he stared down at me and I stared back not sure what to do. My fears had come true, he found out about me, I should've left when I had the chance.

I should've ran and dealt with my emotions later. I didn't know what to do, so I just picked the now half empty bottle up and offered it to him. His eyes flicked down to it, and then they flicked back up to mine, and I got completely lost in them again.

There were no emotions on his features, but I could see shock in his eyes. I dropped the bottle back in my lap and he shut the door behind him, I carefully stood up almost falling from the horrid heels I had been forced into.

My whole body was shaking under his gaze. Neither of us said anything.

"What's your name?" he asked looking me over slowly and carefully, his eyes trailing down my body. His voice was like hot tea with honey, or melting chocolate, it was so smooth but somehow rough at the same time.

"K-Kendal" I stuttered out, and then cleared my throat. Why am I stuttering? His eyes came back up to my face. I bit my lip dropping my eyes to the floor. He let out a low growl that vibrated through my chest, and sent shivers down my spine. My body covered in goose-bumps and the electricity running over my skin seemed to heat up.

A sharp pain coursed through my stomach and lower back. His growl was calling my wolf forward, I could feel my skin start to heat up and I mentally fought pushing her back trying to block her out. My head started to hurt.

"Stop doing that" he said angrily and his angry words pierced through my like a knife. What was I doing? I looked up at him confused, his eyes were glued to my lip pulled between my teeth. I let my lip go and his posture noticeably relaxed, he still stood stiffly but his muscles relaxed.

He took a step forward and I resisted the urge to take one back, my body was screaming at me to run away, and my wolf was screaming at me to step closer to him, I was torn between my primal urge and common sense, so I just froze watching him walk closer.

Eventually he got so close I was craning my neck to look up at him, the scent radiating off him was heavenly. My breath had caught in my throat and I wasn't breathing once again.

He was so close I could see the small hint of a tattoo peeking out from under his tux on his neck. And I could see the small scar across his eyebrow that was half hidden by his hair that probably fell in his eyes when it was wet. And that his ears were pierced even though his messy hair was almost covering his ears.

I tried to breathe but I couldn't, his close proximity completely jumbled all my thoughts and I completely forgot how to breathe much less talk or form a full thought. He reached up and tucked his finger under my chin positioning my face up, and he leaned down, pausing right before his lips met mine.

My whole body was quivering with excitement and electricity from him touching me. My body was full of spark and tingles, and his touch felt like pop rocks exploding all over my skin. I unconsciously tried to get on my tip toes to connect our lips, but I was in heels and it was rather difficult.

I could feel his breathe on my lips and I wanted to kiss him more than I have ever wanted anything before. My stomach clenched with the torturous wait of a few seconds before he finally connected his lips with mine.

I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body lighting up every pore and nerve with fireworks. His lips were so soft and warm and molded to mine perfectly. He ran his large baseball mitt sized hands softly down my back and I shivered at his soft touch, I could feel the tingles even through my dress.

His hands settled on my hips and he pulled me closer. I let out a noise of surprise when my body collided with his, I realized my hands were hanging uselessly by my side so I reached them up and tangled them in his hair.

I felt him bite my lip, and I forcefully pulled on his hair from the shock. He let out a groan that vibrated through my chest sending sharp pains to my stomach and lower back. Then without warning, he pushed my hips and roughly slammed me into the wall, I gasped in surprise and he plunged his tongue in my mouth.

I moaned as his taste erupted on my taste buds, he tasted like cupcakes. I loved the feeling of his lips dominating mine, he kissed me hungrily, but somehow passionately. When I couldn't take anymore and my lungs were burning for oxygen I pulled away, gasping for air.

My heart was that was beating a thousand times a minute seemed to accelerate even more as he kissed the side of my mouth and then started kissing down my jaw, I let out a small moan as the feelings he was creating that were coursing through my body that consumed me completely. He stiffened and his lips froze on my neck.

He pulled away staring at me, his eyes no longer a beautiful honey brown, they were a breath-taking chocolate brown with a bright golden ring around his dilated pupil. I stared back at him breathing heavily. He suddenly without warning crashed his lips on mine roughly, unyieldingly.

I responded giving him complete dominance, his lips left mine and started kissing down my neck nipping at the skin, until he got to the small spot where I was to be marked. He started sucking on the small spot and I moaned loudly, as the feelings in my body intensified and my skin heated up.

Chapter 3

A dull ache started between my legs, and he scraped his teeth over the hickey I'm sure was there and knotted his fingers in my hair tilting my head to the side so he could get better access.

"Dez" I moaned, tangling my fingers in his hair.

"Fuck" he groaned. "Say that again" he said huskily, before I could comprehend his request, he grabbed my wrists and pinned then above my head and before I knew what was happening, I felt a sharp pain on my neck and I let out a small scream as pleasure racked through my body radiating from my neck making me tremble. My legs collapsed as the feeling intensified, black dots swam in my vision and my breathing became ragged.

I felt him lick the wound closed, I leaned against him for support and he stiffened with the contact.

Realization hit me like a truck.

He just marked me.

I gathered all the strength I had left and shoved him away, he stumbled back from the shock.

"What the hell did you do that for?" I demanded. My hand flew to my neck and felt the spot that was now sore and more sensitive than ever. I could feel the tears falling freely.

"Why the fuck did you do that? Why, why, WHY?" I asked he stared at me, I turned around going to the full body mirror examining the mark now placed permanently in my skin. I stared at the thin crescent shape of his teeth imprinted in my skin right above his name that decorated my neck.

I wiped my tears away, touching it gently. He came up behind me and I looked at him through the mirror. He stepped right behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, I stiffened at first but I could feel the mark working its magic getting me to submit, and I relaxed into him.

He kissed his mark, and violent shiver racked through my body as a wave of pleasure hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Soon" he said looking up catching my eye in the mirror, and then he turned on his heels and left.

I stared at the door for a solid minute before I broke out in sobs, going to sit on the couch. I finally pulled myself together, and had to take the beautiful braided messy bun my sister took an hour on this morning. I let my hair fall to cover up the mark now placed on my collarbone. I took a deep breath wiping my eyes one last time. I took a swig of jack and then left down the hallway.

The crowd was in a frenzy and Hannah was freaking out.

"What's wrong?" I asked Julie one of the bridesmaids, she turned around looking at me crinkling her nose.

"You smell different" she told me.

"Yeah what's wrong" I repeated cursing silently.

"Apparently Dezmond Collins is nowhere to be found"

My stomach clenched at his name, I sat down and waited while they finally decided to call the wedding. I felt extremely guilty but didn't say a word, about anything.

That night my father was in his office on the phone and my mother was trying to get Hannah to open the door to her room she had locked herself in. I took a hot shower scrubbing every inch of my skin trying to scrub the feeling of his touch off.

I must have stood there looking at myself in the bathroom mirror for an hour, I looked the same, except for Dezmond Collins's mark placed on my skin, bounding us together for life. I felt the same except for the sharp pains in my chest every time I breathed.

I went to bed early, and tossed and turned all night. Every time I closed my eyes I would see his honey brown eyes looking back at me. And every time I started to drift off I would hear his voice saying one word.

Soon.

I laid in bed my arms wrapped around myself, breathing through the pain and thinking about him until light poured through my window violating my room. I pulled on a hoodie over my tank top and made sure my hair was covering my mark, and went downstairs hearing my mother banging around in the kitchen.

I went to the kitchen and sat at the island both my parents stopped what they were doing and stared at me, my heart stopped fearing they could see my mark.

"What are you doing up so early sweetie?" my mom asked and I sighed in relief.

"Couldn't sleep" I replied. I looked like shit. I had bags under my eyes that were bloodshot, and my face was paler than normal.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" she asked pressing her hand to my forehead.

"Yeah" I said forcing a small smile to my face,

"Well sit down honey breakfast should be done in a few minutes" I nodded and went to the breakfast table sitting down my dad was looking over papers his head in his hands.

"Dad" I said hesitantly, he looked up at me dropping his pen.

I paused "Was there a reason Dez...mond Collins wasn't there?" I asked, apparently some time in the night my mind had decided to start calling him Dez.

He shook his head "No, he broke off all alliances last night also, he's no longer in alliance with anyone, none of us are safe" he told me.

"No discussing work at the table you know the rules" my mom said motioning to all his papers.

Why would Dez break off all of his alliances? Shit, Dezmond. Dezmond is his name.

'His wolf loves it when we call him Dez' my wolf chimed in my head. She had spent all night crying out for him, which put me through physical pain. I eventually blocked her out and the sharp pains in my chest had dulled.

'That's not his name' I snapped at her, pushing her into the back of my mind, blocking her out.

I waited until my mom was back in the kitchen.

"Dad why would he do that?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know, he cut them all off without explanation, but I think he's planning something" my dad told me.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but I fear he's going to attack our pack soon so we need to be on the offense" he said straightening his papers, my eyes widened. The offense. We needed to be on the offense. Does that mean what I think it does, I studied my father's face. And I was hit with the realization.