A Year From Fate

Lumina POV

"I have the ultimate solution to our problem." Harper steps into my bedroom, holding a sleek black credit card between her index and middle fingers. She flashes a wicked, triumphant grin.

I stare at the plastic in her hand. Tomorrow is my seventeenth birthday. It marks a major milestone, pushing me one year closer to the ultimate goal: turning eighteen, awakening my wolf, and finding my fated mate. As the daughter of the Obsidian Thorn Pack's Beta, pack and family mean everything to me. I have spent my whole life watching my father treat my mother like a queen. He is a formidable warrior, second only to the Alpha, yet he has never raised his voice at her. I harbor a deep, secret wish to find a mate who loves me with that same unwavering devotion.

My two older brothers, Corbin and Declan, share that rare trait. Corbin is nineteen, poised to take over the Beta title one day, while eighteen-year-old Declan is a fierce warrior. Both are ridiculously overprotective of me, shadowing my steps. More importantly, both are waiting for their true mates. They refuse to sleep around, a rarity among pack males who often expect purity from their mates while acting like strays themselves.

And then there is Kaelen.

Kaelen is Corbin’s best friend, Harper’s older brother, and the future Alpha of our pack. He is also the boy I have secretly loved for years. For the past six months, he has been gone, enduring a grueling Alpha training camp miles away from our territory. His absence only made my chest ache more. I want Kaelen to be my mate. The laws of our kind dictate I cannot know for sure until my eighteenth birthday, leaving me stuck in a state of agonizing patience.

"Harper, didn't Luna Nadine explicitly tell you she wasn't buying you a new dress for my party?" I cross my arms, raising an eyebrow at my best friend.

"She did say that. My dad, however, has no idea she said that." Harper flips the card into the air and catches it.

"You are going to be in so much trouble. Let's go." I grab my purse.

We head downstairs into the massive kitchen of our pack house. My mother stands at the granite island, chopping vegetables for my birthday dinner. She has long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, a stark contrast to my night-black hair and emerald-green eyes. I inherited my dark hair from my father, though his eyes are chocolate brown.

"There is my birthday girl. I cannot believe my youngest pup is turning seventeen tomorrow." My mother drops her knife and wipes her hands on a towel. Her eyes gloss over with unshed tears.

"Mom, please do not cry. You are acting like I just found my mate and I am packing my bags to move across the country." I step into her open arms, melting into her warm embrace.

"I just cannot believe how fast you are growing up." She pulls back, patting my cheek. She turns her gaze to Harper, her expression narrowing in suspicion. "What are you girls up to?"

"Harper and I are heading to the mall to buy dresses for the party." I keep my voice casual.

My mother raises an eyebrow. She was standing right next to Luna Nadine when the ban on new dresses was issued.

"My dad lent me his card." Harper offers a careless shrug.

My mother chuckles, shaking her head. She reaches into her pocket and hands me her own credit card. "Have fun. Be back in time for dinner."

We step out the back door into the warm afternoon sun. The training fields sit a few hundred yards away, filled with the sounds of sparring warriors.

"Where are you two sneaking off to?" Corbin jogs toward us, cutting across the grass. He wears nothing but gray basketball shorts, his chest heaving and glistening with fresh sweat.

I glance sideways at Harper. She is practically drooling. Harper has harbored a massive crush on my brother for years, a fact that breaks my heart. Once she finds her true mate, these feelings will fade into a distant memory. Until then, she remains hopelessly hung up on a boy who is dead set on waiting for his destined girl.

"We are going to the mall to find dresses for tomorrow night." I step in front of Harper to block her view.

"Alright. Drive safe. Text me when you get there, and text me when you are on your way back." Corbin wipes his brow with the back of his wrist.

I roll my eyes at his relentless hovering.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me because I care about my little sister's safety?" Corbin steps into my space, a mischievous glint in his eye. He opens his arms wide, threatening to trap me in a sweaty embrace.

"Do not even think about touching me. You are a disgusting, sweaty mess." I scramble backward, holding my hands up like a shield.

Corbin throws his head back, letting out a booming laugh. Harper and I sprint to my car, leaving him chuckling on the lawn.

The local mall is packed with weekend shoppers. We spend hours scouring the racks of every high-end boutique. Harper tries on a dozen outfits before settling on a vibrant turquoise dress that complements her fiery personality. I sift through endless hangers until I find the one. It is a stunning, thigh-length purple dress. The fabric hugs every curve of my body, accentuating my waist and hips without looking cheap or overly revealing. I pair it with a simple set of heels. We return to the pack house triumphant, bags in hand, just in time for a massive family dinner.

The next evening, the atmosphere inside my bedroom is electric.

"Holy shit, Lumina. You look smoking hot in that dress." Harper circles me, assessing the fit of the purple fabric. "Sit down. I am doing your hair and makeup."

I take a seat in front of my vanity. Harper works her magic, styling my long black hair into elegant, loose waves that cascade down my bare back. She keeps my makeup simple, just the way I like it, applying a flawless wing of eyeliner and a swipe of glossy pink lip balm.

Twenty minutes later, we walk down the grand staircase and head toward the pack ballroom. The heavy oak doors stand wide open, spilling warm yellow light and loud music into the hallway. The room is packed floor to ceiling with members of the Obsidian Thorn Pack, along with delegates from a few allied packs. Laughter and the clinking of glasses fill the air.

"There she is. There is my princess." My dad spots me from across the room and bridges the distance in long, purposeful strides. Before I can brace myself, he wraps his massive arms around my waist and lifts my feet clean off the marble floor in a giant bear hug.

"Dad, you are embarrassing me in front of everyone." I laugh, resting my hands on his broad shoulders.

"It is my job to embarrass you and keep all the pesky boys away." He sets me gently back on my feet and presses a firm kiss to my forehead.

The moment he steps back, my mother takes his place, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug of her own.

"Happy Birthday, Lumina."

I turn to see Alpha Garret and Luna Nadine approaching our circle. The Alpha sports a warm, proud smile.

"You look beautiful tonight, Lumina." Luna Nadine reaches out and squeezes my hand.

"Thank you both. Thank you for hosting this amazing party." I smile brightly.

Luna Nadine’s sharp gaze shifts to my best friend. Her eyes trail up and down the bright turquoise fabric. "Harper, is that a new dress?"

Harper nods slowly. Beside her, Alpha Garret frowns in utter confusion, clearly out of the loop regarding his wife's previous orders.

"You look beautiful, Harper. However, you and I will be having a very long talk tomorrow about you using your father's inability to say no to bypass my rules." The Luna offers a tight, uncompromising smile.

Harper nods again, unfazed by the impending doom. She grabs my wrist and forcefully drags me away from the adults, pulling me straight into the heart of the crowded dance floor.

"I told you she was going to catch you. You are dead." I laugh over the pounding bass of the music.

"I can handle a lecture and a grounding. It was worth it to wear this." Harper spins around, letting the turquoise skirt flare out.

"What is so funny, little miss?"

I recognize my brother's voice instantly. I turn around to deliver a sarcastic retort to Corbin, but the words die in my throat. Standing right beside my brother is Kaelen.

He is breathtaking. Six months of intense physical training have broadened his shoulders and chiseled his jawline into sharp, unforgiving angles. He wears a fitted black button-down shirt that strains against his chest. As his gaze locks onto mine, a visible jolt runs through his rigid frame. His eyes darken, shifting into a deep, unreadable storm of emotion. My stomach does a wild flip.

"Harper is in trouble with the Luna." I force the words out, my voice sounding a pitch too high.

"I guess nothing has changed since I have been gone." Kaelen stares at me, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Shut up, Kaelen. We want to dance. No boys are going to approach us if our giant brothers are looming nearby." Harper shoos them with her hands.

A low, vibrating growl rumbles in Kaelen's chest. Corbin's head snaps toward his best friend, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"She is right, Kaelen. Let's hit the bar. Let the girls have fun, but not too much fun." Corbin chuckles, oblivious to the heavy tension hanging between Kaelen and me. My brother pulls me into a quick hug, then claps Kaelen on the shoulder, steering the towering future Alpha toward the drinks.

Harper and I lose ourselves in the upbeat rhythm, dancing through three consecutive songs. The lights dim slightly. The fast-paced beat fades out, replaced by a slow, romantic melody. Couples pair up, pressing close together under the glittering chandelier.

A hand brushes my shoulder. I turn to find Damon smiling down at me. He is a classmate of ours, tall and undeniably handsome, but he does not spark even a fraction of the excitement I feel for Kaelen.

"Happy Birthday, Lumina. You look stunning." Damon smiles.

"Thank you, Damon." I step back slightly, trying to maintain a polite distance.

"I was wondering if you would like to dance." He extends a hand toward me.

My mind races for an excuse. Before I can formulate a polite rejection, Harper leans in.

"She would love to dance with you, Damon." Harper practically shoves me forward.

I shoot Harper a searing glare, silently promising her a slow and painful death. She knows I cannot be rude to a packmate, and she knows I do not want to give Damon false hope.

"I would love to dance." I plaster on a fake smile.

Damon steps directly into my personal space. He places his large hands firmly on my hips, pulling me closer. I hesitate, lifting my arms to rest them lightly around his neck.

A thunderous, bone-rattling growl tears through the air behind me.

The sheer force of the sound silences the chatter in our section of the ballroom. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. I spin around.

Kaelen stalks toward us with the lethal grace of an apex predator. His eyes are pitch black. The warm hazel color is gone, consumed by the raw, possessive fury of his inner wolf. His chest heaves with heavy, ragged breaths, and his hands are balled into tight fists at his sides.

"Get the hell away from my mate, Damon." Kaelen snarls, his voice dripping with lethal dominance.

My mind stops functioning. I stare up at his towering frame, the magnitude of his words echoing in my ears. Mate. I am Kaelen's mate. My eighteenth birthday is still a year away, but his wolf knows. His wolf has claimed me in front of half the pack.

Harper lets out a piercing squeal of sheer delight right beside me.

Damon stumbles backward, quickly raising his hands in surrender. Kaelen does not even spare him a second glance. He bridges the remaining gap and aggressively pulls me into his solid, unyielding arms.

My wolf has not awakened yet. I cannot consciously scent him, but the moment his chest collides with mine, a violent explosion of heat and static electricity erupts across every inch of my skin. My nerves catch fire. This is real.

Kaelen ducks his head instantly. He buries his face deep into the sensitive crook of my neck, his nose brushing against my racing pulse. He inhales my scent with desperate, greedy breaths, his powerful arms locking me tight against his body. My heart hammers wildly against my ribs in a frantic rhythm of disbelief and joy. The impossible has happened. I am going to stay in my own beloved pack, officially mated to the very boy I have been in love with for years. I grip the fabric of his shirt, anchoring myself to him as the music plays on.