It was an unwritten rule in Howl Falls that everyone conformed to the norms. 

It even applied to the genetics of our quaint community. Everyone experienced their first transformation before the age of thirteen. I, however, was the wary exception. From the day I turned thirteen till my sixteenth birthday, shadows and darkness became my best friend. 

But even after my transformation, the town stared at me with wrinkled noses and whispered behind my back. They always said the same thing. They said my mate would be Athan Solano. Genetically, as a hybrid, he didn't conform to the norms of Howl Falls. He wasn't supposed to be among our kind. 

According to rumor, the transformation was accidental (if hooking up with a stranger, knowing doing so was taboo, was considered accidental.) After the elders discovered a wiry girl entangled with the chalky-white trespasser against a tree, the girl was banished from the town. I heard from a friend that she was admitted to a mental facility. 

Meanwhile, Athan was confined to the local clinic to heal from the scratch delivered to his shoulder by the father of the girl. To his kind, if I was right, bearing such a mark was the worst sin one could commit.

If asked, all the women at my school would admit they would hook up with Athan, but they would rather die than be his mate. I, on the other hand, if asked, would've slapped anyone who asked such a scandalous question. I had no desire to sleep with a rogue. 

The scornful stares followed me until my eighteenth birthday, for that night, the moon goddess would reveal to us eighteen-year-olds our mates. It didn't matter now. Their words would either be truth or lies. 

"Don't worry about it." At the sound of my best friend's voice, I hiccuped and nearly jumped out of my skin. We were striding down the hall to the last class of the day—the last class of our high school career, to say the most. "You'll probably end up as the luna." 

I glanced to the side at my best friend as we stopped in front of the door to the classroom. She had an assuring smile, but the frantic act of curling her hair around her fingers said otherwise. Her tawny skin glistened with sweat. 

I stretched my arm out in her direction; my hand seeped across her chest. "Keanna," I said, "you're the one worrying." 

What spread across Keanna's face was a fake smile. It wasn't something you'd display in a magazine. She seemed to have contorted her lips into an awkward shape that caused a chain reaction across her face: her cheeks bulged, her nose wrinkled, her eyes narrowed into a squint. The entire grade had seen this expression at some point in their lives; still, all of my male peers wanted to be her mate.

Her expression softened. "I know," she said and rubbed at her forearm. My fingers grasped the doorframe. I had one foot in the classroom. "I just have a bad feeling about tonight."

I yanked my foot out of the classroom. My pulse was heavy against my chest. The town always said that the moon goddess gifted the Zoidos with a sixth sense. A sensation stirred inside them to warn them of possible predicaments. The elders relied on the family to make decisions for Howl Falls. 

I heaved a sigh and grabbed Keanna by the shoulders. "It's a superstition. Don't give in." 

After biting her lip, my friend brushed a lock of hair out of her eye. "Just in case, can I stay with you tonight?" 

"Sure."

With those words, Keanna and I marched into the classroom. Every student in the room was staring at us. The teacher had a stern hue to his eyes. His fingers drummed against the mahogany podium. 

"Beatriz—" the teacher bared his teeth after saying my name "—it's a delight to know you haven't ditched your last day of school like you said yesterday." 

Recollections of the previous day flicked in the back of my brain. I remembered standing on top of my desk, showering every last piece of paper I used in high school onto the floor. After such, I was hollering at the top of my lungs, I'm eighteen tomorrow! I'm done with this shit! Goodbye, fuckers! My shrewd language landed me in two of detention after school. 

Back in reality, I snickered. "Oh, yeah." I glanced at my nails nonchalantly. "I forgot." 

My mouth was almost open when the teacher barked, "Go to your desk!" After a second, his voice softened. "You as well, Miss Voido." Of course. 

I whipped to the side to find Athan cordoning off the shortest route to my desk in the back of the class with his wide stance. His gangly silhouette spilled across the floor. It felt like my blood was burning in my veins. I kept on the floor. "Excuse me." 

A heavy exhale seethed in my nostrils. My right eye twitched. With a slow inhale, I veered into the first row to let the bastard float out of the classroom. "Solano!" the teacher bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Get the hell back here!" 

Second later, when I was settled in my desk, there was an echo far into the hallway. "... priorities!"

Titters bubbled softly through the room. I sank into my seat, yanking the hood of hoodie over my hair. I droned out the teacher's lecture on what it meant to be an adult. My fingertips grazed the oak desk with cadenced taps. Meanwhile, I focused on the clock in front of the classroom.

It was only one hour and I would never have to set foot in this hell again. One prolonged hour. 

I sniffed the air. The aroma of the forest filled my nostrils. If I could close, blurs of the woods would flood my sense.

All of a sudden, there was a faint brush against my shoulder. It shattered the rhythm I created. My eyes shot to the side. Next to me sat a short-haired woman with rimmed specs. "What?" I breathed so the teacher wouldn't hear me. "What the hell do you want, Abril?" 

"Screw you," Abril whispered. Her brow furrowed. "I wanted to wish you the best for tonight."

I slid my finger into my mouth and dragged it out along the press of my teeth. At the same time, I rolled my eyes. "I hope someone will tolerate your personality," I deadpanned. With a brief smirk, the soft laughter rippled through my voice. "Preferably a therapist." 

My eyes flickered back to the clock. Thirty minutes. When I glanced to the side, I found Abril's arm high in the air. "Mister Sainz!" She sounded like a whining child. How pathetic, I thought and my lips sputtered. "Beatriz said I won't receive a mate!" 

I shot to my feet, clenching my desk. "I assure you, I said nothing along those lines," I insisted. Mister Sainz's eyes weren't even on me. He was gazing down at a book. "I said—" 

"Don't care." Mister Sainz's voice was devoid of emotion. It was monotone. It was dull. "You can leave my class, and this school, right this damn second." 

"Fine." I groaned and trekked up to the front of the classroom. I glanced over my shoulder at Mister Sainz. "Screw you." After a second, I corrected myself: "I meant fuck you." 

"Get the fuck out!" Mister Sainz seized a ruler to match his furrowed brow and narrow eyes. "Now!" 

Before he could take a step in my direction, I was barrelling down the hallways. There was a rapid pounding in my ears. I gasped for air as I threw open the steel doors and flooded into the courtyard. In the middle of the grass, my body was crying. Boiling tears threatened my eyes. 

I sank to my knees. A sweltering heat seared my body. White fur ripped through my clothes. A scream tore through my throat. In a haze, I sprinted into the surrounding forest. The foliage rustled under the sharp patter of my paws. The scent of pine tantalized my snout. 

Who's there? A voice filtered through my brain. 

I scanned the forest unfolding in front of me. Where are you? 

Behind you. I turned around to find a slim, svelte wolf with fur as silver as glass china—the ones Sabia kept locked up in her closet—approaching me. Wiry legs shifted up and down; claws brushed against the foliage. Those eyes melted into my gaze. They were mellow ... almost sympathetic, almost opposite to the sharp, dagger-like eyes of his human form. Hello, Beatriz. 

Kyran! Before I could tackle my brother, a tiny, slender wolf frocked in a thick coat of mahogany fur strode to my brother's side and licked his snout. And Eliana ... 

Eliana met my gaze. Her snout bowed to the forest floor. Beatriz, I heard what happened.

I revealed my sharp teeth to Eliana. Butt out of my life, Eliana. Stay. The. Fuck. Out. 

Kyran took a step towards me. A low growl crackled through the air. As he circled me, my gaze sank to the foliage under me. Beatriz Wilson, don't ever talk to my wife like that. 

I raised my snout into the air and howled. I then flooded through the barrage of foliage and trees. The nearby branches scraped at my fur. My jaw clenched. Howls flowed through my throat. 

Beatriz! In the distance, there was a howl. It was strident. 

Another howl followed. It was a beautiful one. Wait for me! 

Then, another howl came from a distance. It grew louder and louder with every stride of my legs. There was certain sternness to the sound that flooded me with dread for the impending consequences. Beatriz! 

The forest tapered off into a thick field. She shifted through the high blades of grass, her jet-black fur molding with the lush green. I opened my muzzle to pant. Sweat laced through my fur. My heart bounced against my chest like a bouncy-ball ... only more rapid. Leave me alone, Sabia. It wasn't my fault. 

Her head split through the grass. There was a soft hue to her eyes that I'd never seen before. A warm sensation swelled against my body. Slowly, she drew closer until she could rest her head on top of mine. I know. I know. 

I stood there, frozen from movement. My eyes caressed the bright surface underneath us. Sabia, you don't think the moon goddess will mate me with Athan, do you? 

Her soothing voice carried through my brain. The moon goddess has put you through enough turmoil. She wouldn't mate you with someone who wasn't born of her creation. There was a brisk halt to her word. 

I pulled out from under her long chin. But? 

But the moon goddess works in mysterious ways. I cocked my head to the side as if to ask Sabia to explain the statement. Maybe the moon goddess planned for Athan to be one her subjects. Would it truly be the end of the world to be meant for someone who sticks out? 

Yes! Slowly, I started backing away. Now, I'll be on time for dinner. When Keanna comes, howl. 

Be careful. Those words glazed through my brain as I swept back into the forest. The rushes of color were nothing more than a blur until I came to a clearing on the far side of town. No one would dare venture here. Not this close to mortal civilization. So, it was the perfect hideout.

My body gave out when my long chin hit the thick stump. I was heaving after the sweltering heat left my body. My heart was racing. After gasping for a moment, I dragged myself to my feet. Every muscle inside me ached. 

I didn't have time to rest on the stump. A voice entered the atmosphere. "Hey, Triz." A light pulse raced against my chest. I whirled around to face the owner of those words. A thick mop of dark curls framed his face. A goofy smile was plastered across his face. The sunlight gave a silky luster to his bronze skin.  

A let out a soft laugh. "You always loved to compare me to her." I drew closer and closer to him until there was only a millimeter of space between our bodies. My breath hitched. A blush seared my cheeks. My finger intertwined at the nape of his neck. "Why didn't you howl, Rylan?"

The warmth of his fingers traced down my cheek. There was a fluttering in my stomach. My lips creased into a gentle smile. "My father would've grown suspicious," he breathed. "He says you only return a howl to someone you are family with."

"Family isn't blood," I said with a light sigh. I dangled each word over his head. "Family is the people you love." 

Rylan pressed his warm lips to my ear. "We could be both." 

My heart slammed against my chest. My fingers knotted in the collar of his shirt. "Are you suggesting what I think you are?" 

"Yes." In the silence, I focused on the deep hues of his sun-stricken brown eyes—those rich, cognac irises—and melted into the atmosphere. "I'm suggesting we marry." 

"But what if the moon goddess didn't knit our fates together?" We swayed to an invisible rhythm. My eyes turned to the grass under our feet. "I love you, Rylan, but we have to be reasonable. If we're not meant to be mates, we have to obey the moon goddess's wish." 

"I don't care about the moon goddess." Rylan brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear. I hummed softly as his words made my heart hammer. "If the moon goddess doesn't want us together, I will reject the woman, I will leave the pack if you'll do the same."  

"I, Beatriz Wilson, promise to love you no matter what the moon goddess says." Tears brimmed my eyes. I relished the warmth of his figure. "I will marry you."  

In seconds, Rylan closed the space between us. His arm curled around the back of my waist and drew me to his lean frame. My eyes slowly closed as our noses touched. After adjusting the position, our lips met gently. In sync, our mouths opened, letting our breaths billow; then, they closed with a moan. The thump of his pulse echoed steadily against my chest. 

For the time that we were together, it felt as if we were the only two people in the world. Not even the moon goddess could've prevented our souls from intertwining. 

And then, I heard the echo of Sabia's howl on the other side of the town. I yanked away with a sharp inhale. I slowly backed away, focusing on the emptiness that swelled in the hues of Rylan's eyes. "Ry, I'm sorry, but I promised Sabia I would be back for dinner and Keanna really needs me right now." 

He jammed his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "It's okay." He cast a glance to the side and drew a long sigh. 

I bit down on my lower lip and slammed my eyes together. Inside me, I searched for a speck of my wolf instinct. When I did, I gathered the air in a long inhale and let out a howl. I know, but something came up. I'm not coming home tonight. 

After a minute, the faint volume of Sabia's voice seeped through my brain. Please, be safe. And call Keanna at midnight. 

A sharp pang throbbed against my skull. My eyes flung open, and I pressed my palm to my forehead, wincing. I gazed at Rylan with a shrug. "Okay, I can stay." 

Rylan's face lit up with a wide smile. "I'm fucking lucky to have you, Beatriz." His fingers intertwined with my hair. "And you are fucking beautiful." 

Nearby, there was a cottage. Honeysuckle winded up the dark red bricks like a lattice while ivy laced across the crevices. Wildflowers grazed the bottom of the cottage. It was situated next to the invisible border that defined Howl Falls and the rest of the world. One step to the left of the cottage and our exile would be secured. 

"Shall we celebrate this occasion by spending the night together?" I asked. 

"We shall," Rylan said. The evening light glistened against his slender lips. Pale and glossy, they formed a soft shape. And a thought crossed my mind: those lips were mine. For the rest of my life, I would be the only person who would kiss them. With that thought, an urge to be against his body swelled against my skin. 

Slowly, I curled my arm around the back of his neck and drew myself to his lips. The movement of our kiss was slow and gentle. I melted into his frame and warmth caressed me. God, I relished every moment of it. 

Moans. Tender touches. 

Once he was clutching my waist, I wrapped my legs around his. With the extra weight of a body against him, he stumbled through the fields which had dark shadows painted over the top of the blades. My heart was beating rapidly. 

Thinking about it left me breathless. He was mine. 

As he fiddled with the doorknob, I showered kisses onto his cheek. There was a flame inside me that I wouldn't let extinguish. He had the door ajar when I breathed against his lips, "I want you." 

"I want you too, princess," Rylan said and pecked my lips, "but we can't do it tonight." And inside, we went. 

Inside, the cottage was one room. Each necessary space occupied one of four corners of the vicinity. A pale, overhead light painted the drab room. Shoved against the wall to the side on my right, there was a sofa—a battered, floral design that frayed at the bottom.  

I sank into the sofa with a sigh that bounced off the ceiling. As I stretched my arms out, Rylan glanced in my direction from what supposed to serve as a miniature kitchen. "You hungry?"   

I glanced at my nails—they were a hue of dark purple—with the soft brush of my lips. "I could eat." 

"One batch of bacon!" Rylan sang and turned toward the stove. From the sofa, I watched Rylan reach into the minifridge for a bag of bacon strips which waited patiently to be fried. As he cooked the strips of meat, steam ambushed the atmosphere. When finished, a crispy aroma flooded the air. 

A moan hummed against my lips. "That smells enticing." 

His lips swelled in a radiant smile. "Not as enticing as you, my love." He strutted to the couch and placed the silver plate on top of my thighs. As he bent over—the dim shadow of his torso painted over me—he pecked my lips. The contact of our mouths remained still and warm. It must've been at least a minute that it went on. As much as the flame inside me begged for it last forever, I knew it couldn't. 

Rylan pulled away and plopped into the square cushion next to me. The sound of crunching engulfed the room. When the silver plate was vacant of all traces of food—not even a minuscule crumb dotted the china—I melted into the tender hues of his eyes. "It's a shame that there isn't a bedroom." I teased him with the delicate trace of my finger against his collarbone.  

His warm laugh swarmed the corner of the cottage in which we lounged. "Or a bed. Or even as simple as a mattress." His laugh tapered off into a solemn exhale. I acknowledged it with a sigh that swelled like an uneasy warmth against my body. 

In the tender silence, I pondered over what to do. To be honest, I had had enough of the day at that point. If I could've closed my eyes and found out who my mate was, I would've. But it wasn't the way this rite of passage worked in Howl Falls. From what Sabia told me, it came at the same time every year: 11:50. At the time, it was maybe 8:30. 

Time is a bitch. 

"Maybe the moon goddess will notice our restlessness this year," Rylan offered. His voice was laced with low undertones. When he noticed the absence of mirth in my eyes, the warmth of his soft fingers caressed my cheek. I soaked myself in the moment with a long, barely audible hum. Then, his words bussed my skin: "What can I do to ease your restless mind?" 

"You could recite one of your poems while I lay down." I spread my body across the length of the sofa; my head sank into his lap. A faint sigh escaped my chest. My heart was steady against my chest like a lullaby with a faint pulse or the sullen patter of droplets sinking into the surface one at a time. A cozy sensation engulfed my skin. 

In the depths of my brain, I could imagine every day feeling this way. I wanted—nay, I needed—this feeling to last. Meanwhile, his words danced over me in a waltz of beauty. When he finished the first poem, the heat of my desires ambushed my sense. Everything felt like the melodious ballad that saturated the room moments before. A lover's caress against a bronze frame. The tango of a cherry kiss. The tepid, pink symphony of billowing breaths. 

Before my mind could lace into the moment, there was a screeching halt. Rylan's breath hovered over my lips. "What torments your ravishing mind?" My words moved gently as to not startle the calm air. 

"Nothing can change the way I feel for you." As he paused to purse his lips, my heart was jumping against my chest, bursting anticipation and arousal. I didn't want to wait for the words to leave his lips, to hear him agree. I could already see it. A boner shone through his slacks. I wanted to shout yes. "We're engaged, so there's no reason not to seal the notion." So I did my best to contain my eagerness.

"Yes." It was meant to be a shout, but it came out as a moan. I was ready. With every inch of my heart, I was ready. 

In the humid exchange of fervid caresses, my fingers slipped inside his slacks. We adjusted our hot and sweaty bodies so that he was on top of me. I tugged at his slacks once, needing the sensation of skin on skin. The rich material slid from his legs, creating a soft sound when they met the floor. Meanwhile, he yanked my blouse from my torso, filled with that same need. Within seconds, along with the blouse, my tight-fitting jeans went next. 

"Shit!" There was a low, needing growl in his voice as he tossed his shirt onto the floor. His eyes focused on my breasts. He stilled and went no further. 

"Ry," I whispered with a slight smile. He wouldn't focus on my face. His eyes proved all but my face. "Rylan, look at me." Again, it seemed he didn't hear me. With a groan, I took him by the cheeks. "Rylan Castilla, what's the problem?" 

Those cognac eyes flickered before he said in a raspy whisper, "I didn't bring condoms." 

As tears began to glisten against those beautiful irises, my fingers left a soft shadow against his cheek. "It doesn't matter." I met his lips briefly with a quiet moan against my throat. 

All of the conversations we shared throughout the two years of being together flashed through my mind. I remembered him say, "With my mate, whoever they are, I would love to raise children," and I knew at this moment, I felt the same.

"I would love to have children too," I whispered and tangled my fingers in his hair. My words breathed against his lips. "I'm ready." 

"If you are, so am I." 

Our breaths billowed in a fervid kiss. His heartbeat echoed warmly against mine. He now sly eased my underwear from my legs. This was no longer a ravishing moment, but a new step. He then slid the boxers from his legs. With his hands pinning my shoulders into the depths of the sofa, he heaved and gasped for air. "Are you ready for forever?" 

"As long as there's you in it." My warm lips showered across the ropy muscles that tapered off below his waist. Slowly, my legs wrapped around his waist. The steaming warmth of his body left me breathless. "Fuck me."

With a thrust of his waist, he eased inside me. With a gasp, my hands flung over his broad shoulders and grasped his shoulder blade. My nails drew me closer, savoring every shade, every breath. These last few moments of ecstasy, of feeling him inside me, were amazing and full of joy.  

When we finished, I rested my head against his heartbeat. I heard the echo against my ear. It was like a drum or a soft drop of a tear from a faucet in the aftermath of drawing a bath. Time could stand still. 

The orange glow of the cottage was all that my eyes could see. The furniture was a blur. An excruciating throb permeated my skin. A racing pulse pounded against my ear, though it was steadier than mine: mine hammered at the speed of light. My mouth opened at the urge to seek Rylan's comfort, but the haze made it impossible to utter his name. But I drew in a long breath once I felt the warmth of his fingers clutch at my waist. I wasn't alone. 

Then a blinding, white void glazed over my sight. Wait, I thought. I gasped for breath. Was this it? Suddenly, the fog evaporated from my brain which registered what was happening. Where was my mate? Where was Rylan? 

At the moment, I was trembling on wiry fours. My only comfort was my white fur. I raised my snout into the air, gazing into the heavy glow of the full moon. Before I could emit a howl, a thick accent pierced through my brain. Mate. 

I turned to face the direction of the voice. The moonlight spilled over his rich brown fur. It wasn't the accent that gave it away—there were plenty of people in Howl Falls who spoke with an accent—but the deep hue of his eyes. They were as red as the blood that he drank. 

I lowered my snout to the ground. Mate. 

My eyes flew open. The glow and layout of the cottage unfolded before my throbbing sight. I gasped and shivered. I climbed out from under Rylan's arm. After throwing on my blouse and squeezing into my jeans, I paced in circles near the door. My hand rubbed up and down my sides. 

Then, I noticed the dusky outline of a paw on each forearm. They were distinctly different marks. One was large; the other was small. The small one signified an omega—Athan's claim to me; according to Sabia, a medium-sized mark of a beta would appear on his arm to show my claim to Athan—while the large one meant it was an alpha. Llwyd was the alpha at the time, but his son would also have the same mark.

How the hell was it possible that I was claimed by both Athan and Rylan?