Chapter 1

As I lay staring up at the cracks that seem to be getting bigger in my ceiling, I still have a hard time believing that this is where my life has taken me. No happily ever after, no fairytale ending with a white knight sweeping me off my feet, nothing. I foresee no better future for me. I am literally at a standstill. There is just an empty hole where my heart should be. Nothing in my wildest dreams could have ever prepared me for what would lay ahead, and the direction my life would take in the near future.

At 20 years old, I still felt like that small child, who watched her dad walk out the door; never to be heard from again. The feelings of abandonment that would crush any child's spirit. Thinking and believing that I had done something to cause him to leave. For years, I held on to the stupid childish dreams of a five year old, dreaming her father would come back and rescue her. To take her away from all the pain and suffering. Stupid, stupid childish dreams.

Of course it never happened. Once the realization that he wasn't coming back settled within my mind, that is when I truly stopped being a kid. Afterf the age of fifteen is when I stopped telling people I had parents. If people asked, I would say I didn't remember due to a car wreck. People stopped asking questions really fast after a revelation like that. Those years were just too horrible, and I refuse to think about that time.

I'm pretty sure it is the reason that I am the way I am today. Though, I'd prefer to believe that I just appeared out of thin air one day, carried by a stork and dropped from the sky by the gods, complete with this oh so cheery existence. That has to be the only reason fate has dealt me the hand I was given. I was simply a mistake nature failed at discarding.

I've done everything on my own, in my own way and nothing has ever remotely worked out good. I live in a studio apartment, one that even a homeless person, in the middle of a freezing winter in Canada wouldn't step foot in, but it is mine.

I believe at one point the walls were white, but now I don't think there is a color it could be classified as. My walls are paper thin, there is absolutely no insulation within them. I hear my neighbors either fighting, or they are having disgustingly loud make-up sex. Either way I hear it no matter how hard I wish I didn't. I seriously have four HUGE locks on my door, but even with those, I still don't feel safe - but it's my home and no one can take that from me. I made sure of that.

I have a crappy dead end job working as a waitress in this diner on the corner. It isn't much and the food is greasy, but for some reason, it is always busy. It's the type of joint where, the dirty old men get to pinch my butt every time I walk by with their garbage smelling mouths, men that make my skin crawl to the point I have to force myself not gag at them. It's so gross, I can't slap them, I have to smile and play nice so I can get a tip, so that I can continue to pay for my crappy apartment. Hell, at least having this miserable job pays the bills and I get free food. It really is a lonely and empty existence. This can't be what life is supposed to be like.

I can't stand to be alone. It's funny I feel that way though, because I've kinda put myself in a self-imposed bubble, allowing no one in. I don't allow myself friends, partially from embarrassment and partly because girlfriends like to share feelings and that's not me not anymore.

I have too much hidden inside to take a chance that someone might find out. It's kinda funny if you think about what I've done to myself. I think back to those famous words I spoke to myself

"I'll show them, I don't need anyone." Hilarious, don't you think? Who doesn't need at least one person?

I'm not ugly by far, I'm actually really pretty. I'm a petite girl, who for some reason, God graced with a body most would envy. I have a small waist, full perky breasts that easily filled out a C cup bra and a round rump that stands firm, but I cover it with baggy clothes because I don't want people to see it. I have the most unusual auburn hair that hangs to my waist. If I left it natural it would have curls and waves to it, it's a color I have seen people actually pay to try and duplicate. Sometimes, if the sun hits it just right, you can actually see gold laced throughout. I have a fair complexion and my skin takes on an almost porcelain like look, with a touch of freckles and piercing emerald green eyes to go with it. I must have a strong line of Irish in me somewhere. Oh yeah, believe or not my parents actually named me Ivey. Ivey Turner is my name.

Every time I sit and think, I wonder why I was even alive and why no one loved me. Was I that unlovable as a child that even my parents didn't want me? God must have been having one of his few and far between grouchy days when he made me.

Everything about me was one extreme or the other. I pretty much thought of myself as a freak. Besides the s**t that has happened to me, I always knew I was different from others. Even as a child, I always felt someone was watching me all the time and I always had weird feelings. Not quite like premonitions or anything, just feelings like something wasn't right or something was going to happen, things like that. Surprisingly, they were never wrong.

So yeah, I was rebellious as I got older and yes, I did run away a few times, I did some drugs and I partied hard once I left home, but deep down I was a good person. I only did those things because no one paid attention at home and once I left I think I just wanted someone to care, even if that someone was the cops. I never had any type of a good role model to follow, so I made my own path. I think that the feeling of being invisible was one of the reasons I have now put myself into this self-imposed solitude. I was already there without even trying.

I was a loyal friend, when I use to believe in having friends, and believe it or not, I was still technically carting that god forsaken V card, for all intensive purposes. I just couldn't give that away, because I knew, when I did, that person would kill me when they left. Everybody leaves, everyone hurts you; that was something I knew for sure.

You see, one thing I know for certain is, I'm only meant to give my heart to what some people would call your soul mate. When that one person realizes the hold they have over me; the power they will posses over me is what scares me so much. I fear what they will do with that knowledge. This fear is the reason that I hide. I hide in my apartment, only venturing out to work, while the world continues on around me and passes by me. It's a crappy and lonely existence.

It's funny though, after everything I have been through, I still believe in the fairytale of soul mates, kinda funny isn't it with my background? My problem is, I wont let anyone get close enough to have the chance of finding mine.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"How can it possibly be morning already, I swear I just laid down." I muttered to myself, as I tried to glare laser beams at what was making the screeching noises, my alarm. So, of course I do the most sensible thing, I pull the covers back over my head, drowning out the light seeping through the cracks in my broken blinds, snuggling back down deep under my covers and try to drown out the annoying sound coming from the table, since my glare of death didn't work. This happens every day. I seem to spend the night listening to the neighbors fighting and carrying on, and having the same conversation with myself over and over again.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Aargggg whhhhhy!!!! I yelled at no one in particular as I yank the alarm with such force that it came out of the wall. Yes, I know that was immature, but honestly who cares, it's my clock and I'm tired.

S**t!!! My eyes snapped open wide right before I drifted back into dreamland. I'd forgotten I had the early shift today and as of now, I was going to be late. So I grabbed my stuff and headed to the bathroom. I didn't even wait for the water to warm up before I jumped in and got down to business. I was in such a hurry, I didn't realize a funny tingling sensation beginning to settle in the pit of my stomach.

I dried off, got dressed, fixed my hair, and I put on a touch of blusher and clear gloss. I didn't see the need for makeup, I wasn't trying to attract attention.

Only as I was locking the locks on my door, did I realize the feeling I was having. It was one of those feelings in the back of your head and in the pit of your stomach. The type that made you really uneasy and caused tiny goosebumps to form along your skin. It feels almost as though someone was trying to pry into a part of you that was hidden, deep within the confines of your soul and it wouldn't let up. Well, I didn't have time to worry or try to make sense of it now. I had five minutes to make it two blocks or I would be late for my shift and that would mean hell to pay. It didn't matter how good a waitress you were, tardiness was unacceptable.

As I sprinted through the door of the diner, I realized I had somehow made it with 30 seconds to spare. So I ran to the back to dawn my apron get my pad and get started. That's when I noticed something was different. Maybe if I hadn't been in such a rush, I would have noticed something was off.

First, the diner was ALWAYS loud. It was what you would consider a "retro style" diner. The type that still had red leather booths with mini jukeboxes placed at ever table. There are red cone shaped light fixtures dangling on top of every table. The colors are as expected, red and white and silver. Not sure why the owner went for a throwback vibe, but whatever works for him I guess. It definitely didn't help the customers be more upscale.

Today though I noticed as I completed the tasks I needed to do so I could start my shift, it was completely full but quiet. Look around I saw that, yeah the normal creeps were there, sitting on their "assigned stools" at the counter (you know the type where the stool has that particular persons butt impression molded into it from sitting there so often). The rest of the normal regulars were also sitting in their usual booths, as well as new people testing out the diners food; but sitting in a booth in my section, was a table with three of the most gorgeous guys I have ever seen.

They looked like they belonged in the pages of GQ magazine. Their clothes were expensive and they did little to hide the muscles that threatened to break free from the stretched cloth that was covering them. You could actually see the eight packs these boys were sporting. Two of the boys had blonde hair and the one with the eyes that seemed to be piercing through me had brown hair.

Everyone in the diner seemed interested in what those three were doing. You could see and slightly hear conversations being held, nowhere near normal volumes, all the while people were watching that particular table from under peaked gazes.

Oh hell! Why did they have to sit in my section? I didn't need this today. I was cranky, I didn't get any sleep and I honestly knew I wouldn't have a chance with any one of them, so why even bother to get my hopes up. Why did they have to sit in my section though, I groaned to myself as I looked around and noticed a couple of other empty booths with better scenery than the grill and the back hallway that lead to the bathrooms and office. Maybe they'd at least tip well, one could only hope, right?

I really couldn't help my attitude. I wasn't born with a brain-to-mouth filter, or even the care to contain my sarcasm and cynicism. My life didn't call for me to be any other way, so I didn't try. I liked being this way because it normally scared people off and that was just the way I liked it, or so I kept telling myself as if it was my personal mantra.

What really struck me as strange, as I gathered the menus to take to the table, was two of the three were talking to each other but the third, was staring directly at me, his eyes seemed to follow every move I made. I also noticed he would occasionally sniff the air trying to doing so to be inconspicuous. I guess I was just like the rest of the diner, attuned to the table of three, which irked me when I realized what I was doing.

It struck me as strange, the guys actions, but then again, we did tend to get some real freaks at the diner. The mans eyes though, they were so blue and not a normal shade of blue, they were the color of blue crystals; not quite aquamarine, almost the shade of them but different and a touch darker. Let's see if I can describe them a little better. If you were looking into the center of a glacier, like you see on TV, the color the ice creates deep inside a casim or ice cave. That clear blue, is exactly what the color reminds me of. Also, if you looked a little closer there seemed to be silver flakes in them as well as a silver ring that outlined his iris. Obviously I was still staring but when the light hit them it made the silver sparkle, I couldn't help myself. They were so clear and breathtaking, and they seemed to be staring straight into my soul.

I have never seen anything like them before. I just froze, my heart started to beat faster and I couldn't look away. It was like we were two magnets being pulled together, both trapped in the gravitational field centered within his gaze. It was as if something was compelling me not to look away. It unnerved me, but at the same time called out to something deep inside my soul. The voice inside me that had always been a comfort was now louder than normal wanting to get a closer look at the beautiful specimen. As much as I tried to ignore it I couldn't help but feel the same desire to be closer to the man. 

Finally, one of his friends said something to him and he turned to answer him and laughed. That broke our connection. I shook my head, irritated at myself for acting like a silly schoolgirl. Like when the real popular guy says "Hey" to the nerd. That was what this situation reminded me of.

I refused to play silly games. Chastising myself, I stomped over to their table, and placed the menus in front of each of them, while laying down the silverware, and asked what they each wanted to drink, all while refusing to look up from my pad. I didn't want to see that one boy's eyes again. For some reason it had felt strange, almost as if I was suppose to know him or something.

"We'll all have cokes" the one with the blue eyes spoke. His deep baritone voice held a slight rumble to it, sending a shiver down my spine, there was a barely with-strained power and authority hidden within the sound. When he spoke, I made the mistake of looking up and he once again captured me into his gaze. I think I mumbled "Ok" but I'm really not sure. I just couldn't seem to look away and my brain seemed to have ceased functioning.

Finally, I shook my head and I turned to walk away. Before I was out of earshot I could hear his friends laughing, telling him that "He shouldn't have done that to the poor girl."  I swear I heard a growl, but it was probably just my over active imagination; but boy did the "poor girl" comment get my feathers up. Just who in the hell do they think they are. I'll show them, I'm Ivey Turner, I am an independent woman and I don't need anyone, certainly not some pretty boy who thinks all girls should grovel at his feet.

So, by the time I had their drinks ready, I had completely composed myself on the outside, but I was still fuming on the inside. What I really wanted to do was pretend to trip and spill their drinks on all those oh so expensive shirts, of course I didn't though, that would have definitely lost me whatever tip I would make. I was ready though to take their order in a manner in which they would think twice about being able to get into my pants. I knew how to deal with creeps like that. Hell, I dealt with them everyday. What made these guys any different?

So I picked my head up high, nose in the air, back straight and set their drinks on a tray and started for the table. Unfortunately that meant walking by one my tables filled with regulars, who for some reason always chose to sit in a booth instead of the counter, it also held one of the main grabbers I mentioned earlier and like normal, as soon as I was within reach a hand grabbed my a*s and pinched, causing me to yelp a bit before shooting him a glare.

What happened next, totally surprised me. I didn't even see the beautiful eye guy move, but the next thing I knew, he had Mr. Grabby held up by the throat, growling and telling him "If he ever laid a hand on me again, he would answer to him."

So yes, I admit, my romantic side swooned, but my practical side was furious. How dare he come in here and threaten one of the few customers that actually tipped me well! Yeah, I hated that I get grabbed, it was a pain and embarrassing but I also needed a place to live, so I dealt. He didn't know me and I doubted if I'd ever see him again, and now I had to worry about my boss thinking I had a jealous boyfriend harassing his customers and loosing my job.

So, what does a girl like me do? I narrowed my eyes while I stomp towards their table and slammed the drinks on the table, causing the drinks to slightly spill and took my finger and poked him in the chest (damn, instead of poking I wanted to run my hands around tracing the ridges I felt. His chest felt like it was made of granite, I couldn't help thinking). I gathered up my inner strength and steeled myself to look him straight in those unbelievable eyes, so I could tell him just what I thought of his chauvinistic behavior.

"Some of us have to work for a living and if that meant getting grabbed, then so be it. I was not his responsibility or his property, so BACK OFF!!" I thought I sounded pretty darn forceful. I was kinda proud of myself and decided to give myself a mental pat on the back. See, I can handle myself, I was perfectly capable on my own, I reminded the part of my brain that doubted that statement.

Without giving him a chance to respond, I turned and walked away. As I turned to leave, his friends started laughing hysterically saying, "It would be just like Max to get a human, but not just any human, no, a human with an attitude for that matter, for a mate."

Huh.... I didn't get it, a mate? I kept walking but their words confused me. What kind of sick thing was that? Were they Australian without the accents, was it a slang term, maybe I just misunderstood, but frankly at this point I was well past caring. The feeling from earlier had intensified and these guys were getting on my nerves and they didn't look like the interaction that happened between me and Max, I think is his name, was anything but normal. At that second, I looked at who I knew was now Max and I saw his eyes were no longer blue, but were the color of onyx and his hands were clinched so tight his knuckles were white. He was shaking and a strange growling sound that seemed to center around his throat and chest began to vibrate out. Who the hell were these guys?

Either I'm loosing my mind or I just saw a reflection because there was no way those beautiful blue eyes turned black in a blink of an eye. Damn, I needed a vacation fast. Oh God, I get the craziest people in here but seriously what's the deal with these guys? I knew the excuses I was telling myself but they didn't seem to settle well in my brain. So I decided the best course of action was to pass off the table to someone else, play sick and leave, this was just getting too weird.

After what happened, my boss was glad for me to leave for the day. He didn't like his customers getting manhandled. So I quickly clocked out and raced out of the diner and began to slowly walk back to my hell hole of an apartment with a million thoughts coursing through my brain. That uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach was still there only now it had grown to feel like a ton of bricks.

I was about half a block from the diner when the hairs on the back of my neck started to stand on end. Someone was following me and somehow I immediately knew who it was, strangely I wasn't afraid. What was wrong with me? I should have been terrified, but for some reason that wasn't the emotion I was feeling. I was actually feeling relief and anxiousness like I needed him to be there and to have come after me. I started noticing that the feeling in my stomach had started to calm down and I didn't understand why. So I abruptly stopped walking but didn't turn around.

After hearing his feet stop abruptly I smiled, I have always had exceptional hearing. "Are you going to follow me all the way home like a creep or are you going to at least say something so you don't appear to be so stalkerish?" I said sarcastically, still facing away from him so he wouldn't see my smile or my look of amusement when I said that. Don't ask me why, but something told me that he meant me no harm.

"I..um..I wanted to apologize for what happened back there inside the diner, and I hope I didn't get you into any trouble." his voice was tinged with what I assumed was embarrassment and something else. He still hadn't moved though, which was a surprise. That something extra in his tone is what, against my better judgment, made me turn around. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. He sounded so miserable, not really sad, just like he needed to let me hear his feelings and for me to know he truly meant what he was saying. It was like he was sending out that emotion in waves that surrounded me. That really freaked me out and without meaning to, I shivered.

What I saw shocked me, here was this amazingly gorgeous guy, whose eyes wore the most agonizing expression. It seemed like he was in pain at the thought of me being in any trouble. It did something to me that shook me to the core. I wanted to close the distance and comfort him, that in itself kept my feet firmly planted on the concrete. Why would this stranger, who didn't know me, care so much, and why did I want with all my being to give him anything he wanted? I could see into his eyes and all the honesty of his words was there plus so much more. This man was breaking down every barrier I had put up and doing so in a matter of seconds. What was happening to me?

So I did the only thing I could think of and I finally sighed and said "Do you want to go get some coffee up the street? My name is Ivey, Ivey Turner by the way."

I didn't wait for him to respond because somehow I knew he would follow me. So I walked to the little cafe at the end of the block and plopped down at one of the tables outside and waited until he sat down beside me, berating myself in my head the whole time. What the hell was I doing?

######

All day long my wolf had been pacing and pushing me. I was starting to get a massive headache from his actions. I couldn't figure out what his deal was. No matter how many times I tried to convince or threaten Zeus to settle down, he would just growl at me and go back to his pacing. Finally I couldn't take it any longer, I needed to get out, but with the way he was acting I was scared to let him free for a run.

So I decided to grab my two best friends, Jared and Damien, and drag them to the local diner to eat. Strangely Zeus started to settle down the closer we got. The second the guys and I walked into the diner, Zeus went crazy growling and trying to get out, yelling "Mate, Mate! Must go get her. MINE!"

It took all my strength to hold him back as the most overwhelmingly sweetest scent I have ever smelt filled my senses. My anger and frustration from earlier immediately disappeared and I started to look around while discreetly sniffing the air. I smiled, I had finally found her. My mate!!

When I finally zeroed in on where the scent was coming from I was shocked. I couldn't believe it, this can't be right, this girl is a human. She can't possibly be my mate. I'm going to be Alpha in a month on my 21st birthday.

"Zeus, what's going on? She can't be our mate she's human?" I asked him feeling my heart sink.

Zeus started snarling loudly inside my head, not liking where my thoughts were going. "Max, she's our mate! I don't care if she's human. I want her now. There's something different about her, I can't sense what it is but something is showing me all her pain. Go get her!"

I knew he was right but how could this be. We weren't supposed to be able to mate with humans, that's how our bloodlines remained so strong and pure; but all the signs were there. As soon as I saw her, the immediate feeling of love and possession I felt for her, I knew I would die to protect her. Her scent, it smelled of gardenias with a hint of honeysuckle. I knew I would never be able to look at another garden again and not think of her. Her scent alone was making Zeus howl just to be a little closer to her so he could inhale her scent.

She had the most striking green eyes, rosy red cupid bow lips and gorgeous long auburn hair. I could feel myself getting hard thinking about tangling my hands in her hair. What the hell, I didn't understand what was going on with me. Maybe she's not my mate, maybe I just feel this way because she's so gorgeous and not like the girls in the pack, she was a human and therefore a challenge. Even though Zeus loves challenges he wasn't happy with me trying to deny our mate. He was beginning to take offense that I thought she wasn't good enough because she was human. Unfortunately I think we were on different wavelengths with that thought.

I watched her as she worked her tables, making her way towards us. I wondered why she was wearing such baggy clothes. I could tell she had an amazing body so why was she trying to hide it. My experience with the pack girls was if you have it, you flaunt it. Maybe if I get to know her I'll realize this was just some mistake and then we can go our separate ways and I'll meet my mate one day. This just can't happen. Zeus started growling loudly at that thought.

"Shut up Zeus! You're hurting my head." I mentally growled back at him.

The only problem with telling myself all of that is that I knew it was a lie. My Wolf was getting angry at me for even trying to deny who he told us our mate was. From the time we were pups our parents told us about our mates and they prepared us well to recognize them. The one other person who is half our soul. The person who would complete us and once we found our other half there would never be another for us. I just didn't understand how the Moon Goddess could have gotten my mate so screwed up.

All these thoughts kept circling my head as she walked to our table. Right before she got there, some guy reached out and grabbed her a*s. Being so distracted with my thoughts, I had let my control over Zeus slip and he lost it. Truthfully, had I been in complete control I would have done the same thing. So maybe our reaction wasn't the smartest, but alpha males are very possessive of their mates. No one was going to be touching our mate but us.

Obviously my "heroics" didn't fare well in her eyes. It was amazingly cute to watch her tell me off. After bringing us our drinks I noticed she was walking out the door. Oh hell no! I couldn't just let her leave, I didn't know anything about her. I quickly used our packs telepathic link and told the guys where I was heading, and took off after her.

She was human, she definitely had an attitude, and she had no idea about my world. Hell, I was even following her like a puppy just to make sure she was safe and when that sleezeball touched her I almost killed him. Yup no doubt, she's my mate. I could mentally see Zeus's smug smirk as he stared at me in an I told you so way.

I was so into my internal monologue getting no help from Zeus, by the way, that when she stopped suddenly I froze. I stood completely still as I waited for her to turn around, but instead she asked without looking if I wanted to get some coffee. No matter what, that was an opportunity I was not about to pass up. So I continued to follow her down the street.

Thoughts and fears still rolling through my mind, while Zeus just sat up laughing telling me we needed to have more faith in the goddess, I mentally scowled at him as we sat down at a small table outside of the cafe.
Still though, what would she do when she found out? Will she reject me? The thought of that alone almost broke me down right at that table. I knew from this point I would do whatever I had to win her heart and her love so when I told her about me she would not reject our bond but welcome it. So I moved my chair a little closer to her and began to plan.

######

Something was going on. We had been sitting there for about ten minutes and the range of emotions that played out on his face and flickered within those crystal eyes confused me. I was very curious as to what could he be thinking to have such a wide range of emotions. I don't think he even realized it was happening. So I didn't act like I noticed and I just sat there quietly. But I felt a unimaginable strange pull to just be near him and to know all about him. The voice inside kept trying to sooth my ramped thoughts; telling me this was just the beginning what I was meant for and to not turn away and to just relax and let destiny as well as fate guide me.

He was struggling with something and for some reason, I didn't know why but something within me was nudging me to make it all better for him. I didn't want to see him hurt or sad, only happy. Those realizations shocked me. I never let myself have feelings or even care about others and right now all I could focus on was how to make him smile.
I'm starting to wonder if maybe the uneasy feeling I've been carting around with me all day involved this guy. There had to be a reason for me to have such intense feelings for someone I just met and don't even know. That same niggiling feeling makes me feel like I'm crazy for somehow knowing I could put my life in his hands and he would protect me at all costs. It is starting to upset me, I use to have the nudging sensation a lot when I was younger, but when life happened I buried it so far in the back of my mind and ignored it till it finally quit. It needs to stay buried with my past.

I am so confused. I don't even know this man, but I already feel as though if he walked away he'd take my heart with him and I'd be nothing but a shell. Oh this is so not good. I can't do this. I have worked too hard not to be taken down by a guy who just wanted me for a good time. This coffee thing was a bad idea maybe I can fake sick again and run home. I made the mistake of looking up in his eyes and I knew I wouldn't be going anywhere for awhile.

Neither of us realized we'd been staring at each other until a waitress cleared her throat and asked for our order. I got a Chai Latte with whipped creme and two sugars, and he ordered a coffee black. We never took our eyes off each other.

It was kinda annoying the way the waitress ogled him and flirted with him, even though I was sitting right there. She stood right by him even after we'd given our orders but what struck me was the fact that Max didn't even acknowledge her other then telling her his order. He just stared at me. I guess she finally got the hint because she turned around in a huff and put our order in.

I was fiddling with my napkin which is something I tend to do when I'm nervous when he reached across the table and touched my hand. I gasped and jerked my hand back. When he touched me the most amazing tingling sensation hit. In the instant I allowed the contact a flash of heat began to cloud my body, and the electric current went all the way down to my toes. It couldn't have happened, it was my imagination. I knew I was overly tired, so that had to be it. I was imagining it but when I took a peak at his face his eyes told me he felt it to.

What was going on? This is soooooo out of my league I can't even begin to try explain it; but before I got the chance to ask, the waitress brought out our drinks. She pretty much slammed my drink in front of me while keeping her backside in my face and leaned over to set his coffee down. I'm sure trying to give him a peak at her goods that I noticed she'd pushed up so they almost fell out. It was actually pretty funny, her desperate attempts at getting his attention, but whatever she was trying to do it didn't seem to have an effect on Max because he acted like she wasn't even there.

She finally got the hint and walked off in a huff muttering to herself that when he was ready for a real woman not a prude he'd know where to find her. Her walking off in a huff muttering to herself pissed me of to no end. Hell I may still be a virgin but I was in no way a prude, I just hadn't found the right boy to share that part of myself with yet.

Now with our drinks in our hands we just sat there silently starting at each other not knowing what to do.
Finally he spoke "I really am sorry about what happened back there at the diner. I thought it was rude for that man to put his hands on you like that." Strangely I thought I heard a soft growl coming from him as he spoke.

"Thank you for that, but unfortunately it comes with the territory. I have to pay my bills which means I have to put up with the grabbers. Usually they don't mean anything by it but it still makes me feel gross." I told him in a tone I hoped sounded like I didn't care and I shrugged my shoulders hoping it helped portray that but I was pretty sure the force I thought I used just came out in a week sounding whine.

"No one will ever put hands on you again!" he said it so quietly with what sounded like a growl at the end I was almost sure I'd imagined it. Like I said why would this guy want anything to do with me and why would he care.

Obviously he wasn't one for much conversation. I decided if I wanted to find out anything I'd have to start asking.

"So...I've never seen you or your friends around here before. Are you new to the area?" I tried to start some kind of a conversation.

"No, we live outside of the town bordering the forest." he replied quietly his voice had a husky sounding quality to it. I had to admit it was really sexy.

Like I thought, obviously not one for conversations, I sighed to myself sarcastically. Well I was personally getting tired of this, I wasn't going to be the only one asking questions even if they were dumb. I was tired, I had a crappy day and now I'm on a date with Mr. GQ with a personality of a wet dishrag. Well I'm done. I really just wanted to go back to bed and sleep, but at that thought I felt a twinge in my heart when I realized he wouldn't be in there with me. Damn I needed to get a grip.

"Well Max, it was really nice to meet you and thanks for what you did at the diner but I'm going to have to go. I have a previous engagement." I lied trying to sound convincing. I had to get away, there was something about him that made me want to curl up in his lap and never let go. S**t this is bad I've turned into a stalker s**t.

Enough!!! I shouted to myself. I am not like this I DO NOT NEED ANYBODY! I yelled internally as I felt whatever was inside nudge me to stay with Max that he would give me everything I ever needed. I fought hard to not roll my eyes, what I needed was to get away before I did something stupid.

Timing couldn't have been more perfect for me to get away because all of a sudden a ton of noise interrupted our silence. It was Max's other two friends.

"Hey man, there you are, we were looking all over for you. Let's go man Lila's waiting for you back at the house and from what I hear she's rarin' for a good time!" he was laughing as he winked to Max. This boy was as tall as Max with blonde hair and the same blue eyes and muscles for days. To me he wasn't as gorgeous as Max but still extremely good looking. I wonder if they're all related. They all did seem to look alike.

Suddenly I felt my face flush bright red and I quickly got up only in doing so I knocked over the chair. Here I was crushing on this boy and he had a girlfriend. That thought pissed me off more than I could even grasp. Oh screw it, I fumed as I took off running toward my apartment before the tears I knew would come hit. I just hoped I could make it inside before they did.

"Ivey, Ivey!!" Max was yelling. Oh hell, you have got to be kidding me, can't he leave me alone go be with LILA who gives men a good time. I know I shouldn't act so petty like this, I did only just meet him but, there was something I couldn't seem to grasp like I knew that boy was mine and I didn't want Lila's or any other girls for that matter, grubby hands on what was mine. Oh s**t, did I just think MINE? I shook my head to myself.

Why do I even care what this man does or who he does it with As soon as he finds out I still carry the V Card and I'm pretty much one of the lower dregs of society, hell even I'd run in the other direction, so I might as well get this hopeless charade over with. Girls like me weren't meant to have happily ever after.

"Yes Max, what do you want? Your friends are waiting for you and honestly I don't think I fit the type of standards your class would approve of." I spat out bitterly and honestly very tired of never feeling good enough.

I refused to turn around because saying I wasn't worth anything had my eyes bright with tears and I wasn't sure I had the strength to keep them at bay for long. I knew I was nothing. I had no family and no friends to care for me, I lived by myself in a horrible place so why would I be good enough for him.

I was a survivor, so to push my point across, I gathered my remaining determination and courage and I turned around while narrowing my eyes keeping as much of my emotions off my face I just stared at him. Oh that was such a mistake. The second I saw his eyes my whole world seemed to stop. There was something about the way he looked at me with a smile on his face that told me I was in way over my head.

######

God she's gorgeous when she's angry was all I could think, but both Zeus and I were kinda saddened by her remark that she wasn't up to my standards. Did she not see how utterly beautiful she was. I wonder what had happened to her to be so closed up and angry. I could see the hurt and uncertainty all over her face. Well fate had deemed us mates so I was going to do everything I could to make sure she loved me even if that meant I had to play along. I was also going to find out just what secrets were hiding behind those big green eyes and then make sure nothing ever hurt her again.

She was a human so therefore she knew nothing of werewolves so I had to tread lightly and not scare her because if she knew the hold she already had on me and rejected our bond I would be a shell of a man. I did the only thing I knew to do.

"Ivey, I just wanted to tell you it was a pleasure getting to meet you and I hope we meet again." Ivey was looking at him with a look of such bewilderment it made him smile bigger. He couldn't leave her yet without just one more touch so he took her hand and pressed it to his lips and winked then turned and walked away to his friends.

That was the hardest thing he had ever had to do was to leave, but he also knew he had just left his heart in that kiss on Ivey's hand. He wondered what she'd do if she knew just how significant that kiss was. It solidified to both Zeus and him that she was our mate.

######

Ivey just stood there unable to move. When he touched her hand her whole body filled with an electric current that warmed her from head to toe and the sparkle in his eye told her he knew she felt what he wanted her to feel. It was like there was a magnetic force driving her to need him in ways she had never needed before and all from a stinking kiss on her hand. God she must be going crazy. But as she stood still and watched until the three boys were out of site and then she ran into her apartment and locked the door. Oh boy. What had she gotten herself into?

Author's Note

If I miss any grammarical errors please don't hesitate to point it out. I will try to update regularly. this is Book 1 of a trilogy so I really want honest opinions and any ideas you think could make the story better. all critism is definitely appreciated