Chapter One – When Fate Throws a Curveball

Dawn

"Go Raven!" A cheerleader yelled practically seducing him.

The sound of squeaking sneakers against polished hardwood filled the gymnasium, but I could barely hear it over my thundering heart. From my hidden spot behind the bleachers, I had the perfect view of him – Raven Stone, Kent University's basketball captain and Alpha of the local pack. My fingers clutched the chemistry textbook to my chest like a shield, though it offered little protection against the feelings that coursed through me whenever I watched him play.

He moved with a fluid grace that seemed impossible for someone his size. At 6'4", with shoulders broad enough to fill any doorframe, Raven should have been intimidating. And he was – to everyone else. But to me, he was beautiful. The way his bronze skin gleamed under the fluorescent lights, how his black hair fell in perfect waves despite the intense practice, the powerful muscles that rippled beneath his practice jersey... everything about him screamed apex predator.

My inner wolf, so quiet and submissive, stirred with longing. As an Omega – and a particularly weak one at that – I had no business even looking at an Alpha like him. The hierarchy was clear, Alphas led, Betas served, and Omegas... well, we existed on the fringes, barely worth acknowledging.

"Looking good today, Cap!" shouted one of his teammates, and I watched as Raven's face split into that devastating grin that made half the female population of Kent swoon. He spun the basketball on one finger, showing off, before throwing a perfect three-point shot.

I sighed dreamily, letting myself imagine, just for a moment, what it would be like to have that smile directed at me. To have those intense gray eyes, the color of storm clouds, focus on my face instead of looking through me like I was invisible.

Reality came crashing back – literally – as something slammed into the side of my head with enough force to send me sprawling. My textbook went flying, papers scattering across the floor like startled birds. The basketball that had hit me rolled away innocently, but the damage was done. My hiding spot was compromised.

"Oh shit," a deep voice rumbled. "Hey, you okay there?"

My blood froze in my veins. That voice. I knew that voice from my dreams, from the countless times I'd heard it echoing across campus. I looked up, and there he was – Raven Stone, in all his glory, standing over me with a mixture of concern and amusement on his unfairly handsome face.

"I... I'm fine," I squeaked, my cheeks burning hotter than the surface of the sun. My copper-red hair had fallen from its neat bun, creating a curtain around my face that I desperately wished could make me invisible.

"What were you doing hiding back here?" He extended a hand to help me up, and I stared at it like it might bite me. "Come on, Red. I don't bite... much." His lips quirked up in a teasing smirk.

Slowly, I placed my small hand in his massive one. The moment our skin touched, an electric current seemed to zip through my entire body. Raven's eyes widened fractionally, and for a split second, I thought I saw them flash gold. But that was impossible. Alphas only showed their wolf eyes to their mates or in combat, and I was definitely not the former.

He pulled me up effortlessly, and I found myself standing much closer to him than I'd ever been before. Up close, he was even more devastating. I could see the slight stubble along his jaw, smell the intoxicating mix of cedar and something wild that was uniquely him, notice how his practice jersey clung to his sculpted chest...

"I asked you a question," he said, his voice taking on an edge of Alpha authority that made my inner wolf want to bare her throat in submission. "What were you doing back here?"

"I... I was studying," I managed to stammer, gesturing weakly at my scattered papers. "It's... quiet here."

"Behind the bleachers? During basketball practice?" His eyebrow arched skeptically. "Try again, Red."

"Dawn," I corrected automatically, then immediately wanted to sink through the floor. Who was I to correct an Alpha? "My name is Dawn."

"Dawn," he repeated, and something in the way he said my name made my knees weak. "Well, Dawn, most people who come to watch practice actually sit in the bleachers. Unless..." His smirk grew wider. "Unless they're trying not to be seen?"

The rest of the team had gathered around us now, their practice forgotten. I recognized Dimitri among them, his jet-black hair slicked back with sweat, his 5'8" frame practically vibrating with barely contained energy as he watched our interaction. He was handsome in his own right, but standing next to Raven, he seemed somehow... less.

"I should go," I mumbled, dropping to my knees to gather my scattered papers. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely grip them.

"Here, let me help," Raven said, crouching down beside me. Our hands brushed as we both reached for the same paper, and that electric current zapped through me again. This time, I was certain I saw his eyes flash gold.

"Well, well," a sickeningly sweet voice called from the gym entrance. "What do we have here?"

Nikki Martinez sashayed into the gym like she owned it – which, considering her father was the dean, wasn't far from the truth. Her perfectly highlighted blonde hair bounced with each step, her designer clothes probably cost more than my entire wardrobe, and her presence made my inner wolf want to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Just helping..." Raven started, but Nikki cut him off.

"Helping the little Omega who's been stalking you?" She laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "Oh honey, haven't you heard? Omegas should know their place. And their place isn't anywhere near an Alpha like Raven."

My cheeks burned with shame. She was right, of course. What had I been thinking, coming here day after day just to watch him? I was pathetic.

But then something unexpected happened. Raven stood, drawing himself up to his full height, and the temperature in the gym seemed to drop ten degrees.

"That's enough, Nikki," he said, his voice carrying that unmistakable Alpha command. "Dawn was studying. I'm the one who hit her with the ball. If anyone's out of place here, it's you. Practice is closed."

Nikki's perfect features twisted into an ugly scowl for just a moment before she smoothed them back into a practiced smile. "Of course, baby. I just missed you." She pressed herself against him, and I felt my heart crack a little.

To my surprise, Raven stepped away from her. "We broke up three months ago, Nikki. You don't get to call me 'baby' anymore." He turned back to me, and his expression softened slightly. "Hey, we're having a party at the Alpha house tomorrow night. You should come."

I nearly dropped my newly gathered papers again. "Me?"

"Yeah, you." He grinned, and this time it reached his eyes. "Consider it my apology for the basketball to the head. Unless you're scared?"

"She'll be there," Dimitri suddenly spoke up, stepping forward. Something in his tone made me glance at him sharply. Was that... jealousy? But that was impossible. Dimitri had never shown any interest in me before.

"Great," Raven said, though his eyes had hardened slightly when they moved to Dimitri. "Tomorrow at nine. Don't be late, Red."

As I hurried out of the gym, my heart pounding and my mind spinning, I could have sworn I heard Nikki say, "You're playing with fire, Raven. She's not worth it."

But what really haunted me was his response: "Maybe I want to get burned."

---

The next night, I stared at my reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing myself. My roommates, Vanessa and Kel, had insisted on giving me a makeover for the party. My usually unruly red hair had been tamed into soft waves that cascaded down my back, making my freckles stand out against my pale skin. The green dress they'd forced me into was more daring than anything I'd ever worn, though still modest compared to what most girls would be wearing to an Alpha house party.

"You look amazing," Vanessa assured me, adjusting the dress's neckline. "Raven won't know what hit him."

"I still think this is a bad idea," Kel muttered, her protective instincts showing. "Alphas don't invite Omegas to their parties unless they want something."

"Or maybe he just feels bad about hitting her with a basketball," Vanessa countered, but there was uncertainty in her voice.

I touched the spot on my head where the ball had struck. It still ached slightly, a reminder that yesterday hadn't been a dream. "Maybe I shouldn't go..."

"Oh no," Vanessa grabbed my shoulders. "You've been crushing on Raven Stone from afar for months. This is your chance to actually talk to him. We're not letting you back out now."

The Alpha house was already pulsing with music when we arrived. My heart was in my throat as we approached the front door, but before we could knock, it swung open to reveal Raven himself. He filled the doorframe, looking devastatingly handsome in dark jeans and a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms.

His eyes widened slightly when he saw me, and that familiar electric current seemed to crackle in the air between us. "You came," he said, his voice deeper than usual.

"I... yes?" It came out like a question, and I wanted to kick myself.

"Come on in." He stepped aside, but as I passed him, his hand brushed my lower back, sending shivers up my spine. "Can I get you a drink?"

Before I could answer, he was guiding me through the crowd toward the kitchen. Wolves of all ranks parted before him automatically, then did double-takes when they saw me with him. I could hear their whispers, feel their stares, but Raven seemed oblivious – or maybe he just didn't care.

We ended up on the back deck, sitting on a cushioned bench away from the main crowd. Raven handed me a red cup filled with what smelled like fruit punch, then settled beside me, close enough that our thighs brushed.

"So, Dawn," he said my name like he was tasting it. "Tell me about yourself."

And surprisingly, I did. Maybe it was the punch, or maybe it was the way he actually seemed interested in what I had to say, but I found myself telling him about my studies, my dreams of becoming a veterinarian, my love of old movies. He listened, asked questions, laughed at my awkward jokes. For a moment, I forgot about our ranks, forgot about the whispers and stares, forgot about everything except the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled.

That's when everything went to hell.

"You fucking whore!"

The cup was knocked from my hand as Dimitri appeared before us, his face contorted with rage. He grabbed my arm, yanking me to my feet with enough force to make me cry out.

"Dimitri, what—"

"Don't play innocent," he snarled. "You think I didn't know? You think I didn't see you watching him, pining after him like a bitch in heat?"

The party had gone silent, everyone watching the drama unfold. Raven stood slowly, his presence suddenly filling the space with Alpha power.

"Let. Her. Go." Each word was clipped, dangerous.

But Dimitri wasn't finished. He shoved me away from him, and I stumbled, catching myself against the railing. "You want to know what's funny, Raven? She's supposed to be my mate. My true mate. But she's been lusting after you this whole time."

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Mate? Dimitri was my mate? How was that possible? I would have known... wouldn't I?

"And you know what?" Dimitri continued, his laugh bitter and cruel. "I reject her. I reject this pathetic excuse for a mate. No wonder she's such a weak Omega – she can't even be faithful to her own mate bond!"

The words hit me like physical blows. Each one carved into my heart, my soul, my very being. A rejected mate – there was nothing lower in our society. Nothing more shameful. Nothing more painful.

I looked at Raven, hoping to see... what? Understanding? Sympathy? Instead, his face had gone blank, unreadable. Of course. What Alpha would want anything to do with a rejected mate?

Tears blinding me, I pushed through the crowd and ran. Behind me, I could hear Nikki's laughter, could hear the whispers starting already. But above it all, I heard Raven's voice, soft but clear.

"What the fuck have you done?"

I didn't stay to hear the answer. I ran until my lungs burned, until my legs gave out, until I collapsed in a heap on the grass somewhere on campus. My wolf was howling in agony, and for the first time in my life, I wished I wasn't a werewolf at all.

Because now I was truly alone. A weak Omega. A rejected mate. A nothing.

"Wait." Raven voice boomed though the room making me stop at my stance!

My heart was pounding fast, scared. Th

e thousands eyes at me that makes it hard to breathe.

Is he going to talk bad at me hearing Dmitri words saying I've been lusting after him?