Page 1 of Forsaken By Fate
Chapter 1
Aurora
Beads of sweat form at my hairline, and I haven’t even made my way to the seven-foot bonfire spitting sparks into the full moon overhead. It’s not a particularly hot night. My white tank top and jeans are perfect for the full moon party. The heat of the fire will easily ward off the slight Oklahoma chill that might settle in later. I’ve gone out of my way not to be conspicuous with my attire, but I might be seriously underdressed, now that I look around.
A billion stars glow in the black velvet sky, creating extra magic among the shifters, dancing, laughing, and chattering as drinks flow freely and soulmates exchange heated embraces. Goosebumps erupt on my arms, my senses overloaded in the presence of such naked displays of power. None of it belongs to me. I don’t belong here at all, despite the fact that I’m required to be here.
Lingering back, I take in the party from a safe distance, collecting myself nervously before joining. The fusion of excitement and fear co-mingles inside me as my eyes dart over the Apex Alphas, hosting this bonfire extravaganza. Like the royalty they are, they lounge in identical wooden chairs in the hub of the activity, their scantily dressed mate sprawled betweenthem, feeding one of them chocolate-covered strawberries. Her dress must cost a thousand dollars, and hardly befits a lakeside bash, but nothing is too good for an Apex Luna. Who cares if it gets ruined? Her Alphas will just buy her another seven to compensate for it tomorrow.
Triads of Apex Alphas didn’t always rule the world, but centuries ago, the most powerful shifter bloodlines discovered that three brothers sharing power created an unshakable foundation of authority. Now, shifters from each state bow to their own triumvirate of Apex Alphas. While ordinary packs maintain their own territories and alphas, none dare challenge the supreme might of these brotherly triads or their precious shared mate—the one female powerful enough to balance and bind their energies together.
Members of my own pack are here too—everyone’s invited—to be at the monthly lunar events. But the Alpha of my pack requires everyone’s attendance.
I’m no exception, no matter how tempted I am to flee. Oh, and tempted I am. Every fiber of my being is aching to shift and sprint away from Lake Thunderbird as fast as my hooves will carry me.
But really, would anyone notice if I was gone? Does anyone know that I’m here?
As if on cue to the thought, one of my pack members wanders by and grins at me. Brady? Grady? Something like that. I nervously smile back and dart my eyes downward as he passes with his group of friends.
Drawing in a breath, I step forward and grab the first drink I see sliding by on a silver tray carried by a livered server. My eyebrow raises curiously as I sniff her out, but she doesn’t pay any attention to me as she passes by.
It’s strange that the Apex Alphas employ human caterers for their events, like they know they’re untouchable. But I guessthey are in so many ways. Even seeing them out at these full moon events is daunting to me.
But really, what’s a human going to do if they ever learn about us—or rather, a real shifter? I don’t really qualify.
Hoping for liquid courage, I swig back the entire glass in one fluid gulp—and immediately choke, realizing it’s ginger ale. The fizz burns down my throat, and my eyes water. Coughing and sputtering, I double over, tears streaming down my face. I bury my hands over my cheeks, praying that no one saw my faux pas. I could never be that lucky, of course.
“Woah, easy there!” a laughing voice tells me, enhancing my utter mortification. “Are you okay?”
No! No! No, I’m not okay! Please, ground, open up and take me whole.
A firm hand falls on the small of my back and instantly, a surge of electricity sparks through me, bolting up my spine and through my neck. My heart pounds furiously as I turn my head, clearing my vision as if the heavens had opened. I lock in my gaze with the clearest blue irises I’ve ever seen, and my mouth falls agape. His pupils constrict, full lips parting as he rights himself, the pound of his pulse audible in my ears, synching with mine as our gazes lock. Over the lake, someone releases a firecracker in perfect time to our mate bond snapping in place, the throb of my heart intensifying as I stand straighter, stepping closer. He sucks in a mouthful of air, pulling me closer toward him as I sputter, still half choking on my mis-sipped drink.
Tipping my head back, I take in his near-perfect features. Searching along the fine lines of his cheekbones, his still parted mouth and even ivory teeth.
A dragon! Look at those dragon fangs!
I’m dizzy, weak, overwhelmed. I can’t believe it—my mate is from an Apex pack. He’s not one of the Apex Alphas, of course;they already have a mate. But he comes from the ruling pack—the pack that rules over all ordinary packs in our state.
Heat shoots through my body, dampening me between my thighs. I flush crimson, sure this god of a dragon shifter can read my every emotion, our hearts entwined already.
Something else tugs at me in the back of my mind, a memory I can’t easily identify, and it’s gone before I can capture it.
“You’re her,” he breathes, breaking the silence between us as I finally regain my composure and rest my gaze on his raven hair.
But as I return my stare to his brilliant eyes, a shadow falls over them and he releases me just as quickly as he caught me. Startled, I put a hand on my chest to slow my raging heart, the tug toward him almost unbearable. He turns away, but I can see it pains him to do it.
“Yes, that’s me,” I quip brightly, desperately trying to sound cute. “Her.”
I cringe at myself.
“What’s your name?” he asks tersely, and I wish I could take back my stupidity.
“A-Aurora,” I sputter, partially from the ginger ale, but mostly from nerves. The desire to throw myself into his arms and let him claim me right here on the rocky shores of Lake Thunderbird is too much to bear.
“What’s yours?” I ask hopefully, willing him to look at me again.
He doesn’t.