Chapter 1The air reeked of wolfsbane vodka and bad pack decisions.
My mate, Dalton Howell, had just lost at Truth or Dare.
For his punishment, Bella Harker draped herself over his arm and pointed toward the neon booth in the corner.
"Dalton~ You lost." Her voice went breathy. But her eyes stayed on me. "So... mate me. Just for fun. Unless you're scared?"
His pack brothers broke into obnoxious laughter.
"Bro, you said you'd do anything!"
"Don't bitch out now!"
"It's a game. Your girl's cool, right?"
Dalton hesitated half a second.
Then Bella let go of his arm and stepped back. Her face went pale. She looked at me.
"Wait... never mind. Jessica looks upset.
"Right. I forgot. Dalton's hers now."
Her voice cracked. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have said anything. Let's drop it. Dalton, forget I mentioned it."
Her little martyr act flipped the script instantly.
Every pair of wolf eyes turned to me like I was the one ruining the pack's night.
Dalton's face hardened. A low growl rumbled in his chest.
He grabbed Bella's wrist before she could leave, then locked his Alpha glare on me.
"Jessica. What's with the attitude? We're all pack here. It's a joke. You really gonna kill everyone's night?"
Oh, the audacity.
I opened my mouth to respond.
He cut me off like he was teaching a submissive a lesson.
"It's a game. That's it. You play, you pay. Don't be such a buzzkill."
Then he stopped looking at me entirely.
Bella's tears dried up instantly. She shot me a smug glance as Dalton pulled her toward the mating booth.
Ten minutes later, they walked back waving two bonding certificates.
Dalton's pack lost it.
"Holy shit, you actually did it!"
"Dude, kiss your Luna!"
"She's officially Dalton's mate now!"
"Bro, the way you're scenting her... you sure this was just a game?"
Bella laughed and hid behind Dalton. "Stop it!"
Dalton grinned and shoved his loudest friend. He didn't correct anyone.
Then someone turned to me.
"Look, Jessica. We're just messing around."
He smirked. "Seriously though - if they were really into each other? You wouldn't be here. So don't overthink it."
At that, everyone watched me.
I swirled my drink. "I know the difference between a game and a true mate bond."
Bella broke away from the group and slapped her certificate on the table. She flipped it open and shoved it in my face.
"I swear I didn't know this was real! I thought it was some pack promo!"
Her eyes went wide. "You're so cool about this. You won't mind, right?
"And once the month's up, I'll drag him to the Council myself. He's all yours again."
Dalton stood behind her, arms crossed.
"Happy now? You've been sitting there with that face all night. If you're gonna be like this, maybe don't come."
I looked at the two of them.
That's when I started laughing.
Chapter 2
I traced the rim of my glass. The cold helped me think past the wolf clawing inside my chest.
The engagement between our packs had been sealed over whiskey and Alpha handshakes.
My father needed the Howell pack's support for a major territory deal.
A mating contract was the easiest insurance policy.
The day the contracts were signed, my father called me into his den.
"Jessica. Dalton Howell is your chosen mate now."
I'd watched my parents' bond my entire life.
The silent dinners. The separate dens. The polite distance.
So I knew exactly what I was walking into.
But I did it anyway. For the pack.
The first time I showed up to one of Dalton's hangouts as his promised mate, Bella appeared with a drink in hand.
"Jessica! I heard you studied classical music? You probably don't know how to play our pack games, huh?"
She tilted her head. "Want me to get you a juice box instead?"
And after that, she was always there.
Our first dinner alone?
She happened to be at the same restaurant. Pulled out a chair and sat down. "You don't mind if I crash, right? I hate eating alone."
Our first movie date?
She'd already bought the seat next to Dalton.
"Oh my god, Jessica! What a coincidence~ Dalton and I were literally just talking about seeing this."
Just like that, every date I planned got interrupted by one of her "emergencies."
And every single time, she'd look at me with those wide, innocent eyes.
"You're not mad, are you? Dalton and I have been like this since we were pups. If something was really going on, you wouldn't even be here."
Dalton would just growl low. "That's how Bella is. Try to be more understanding."
...
At that moment, the music cut out.
The DJ's voice boomed through the speakers. "Congrats to tonight's first newly bonded pair! Let's give them a howl of applause!"
The massive screen behind the bar lit up.
Dalton and Bella's photo filled the entire wall.
Their heads tilted together. The white background made them look like they belonged.
The laser lights bounced off the screen and burned into my vision.
I stared at the image of the happy pair and felt nothing but irony.
After moments, the cheering died down.
And the game kept going.
This time, I lost.
Bella's eyes lit up. She didn't hesitate. Her finger shot toward the corner booth.
A man sat there alone, completely detached from the chaos around us.
"Jessica! You lost!" Bella's voice went shrill with excitement. "Your dare is - go mate him!"
The booth went silent.
Then everyone lost it.
"Holy shit!"
"Bella, you're fucking insane!"
"Come on, Jessica! Your turn!"
I looked at Dalton.
Something flickered across his face. His lips parted like he might say something. Then Bella hooked her pinky around his. He went still.
He looked away.
"Dalton." My voice cut through the noise. "What do you think?"
Chapter 3
Bella jumped in before he could answer.
She waved their bonding certificate in the air.
"Dalton, it's just a game! You said it yourself - you play, you pay. Just like we did! Thirty days and she breaks the bond. Then you two can make it official~"
At her words, Dalton took a breath.
He finally looked at me. His voice came out casual.
"I don't have a problem with it."
"Okay." I stood up.
Every pair of wolf eyes followed me as I walked toward the corner.
The man sitting there was Stephen Blizzard.
He'd been silent all night. He didn't play games. He didn't join pack banter.
He just sat in the shadows nursing his drink like he was only here to observe.
The lights caught his profile sometimes.
Sharp jawline. Long neck. Tailored suit that probably cost more than my pack's monthly tribute.
He looked like he belonged in an Alpha council, not a nightclub.
Everyone knew about Stephen Blizzard.
Brilliant. Ruthless when he needed to be. But never cruel.
Three years ago, when my family's pack hit a crisis, he was the only Alpha who didn't try to lowball us.
My father still talked about it. "Stephen Blizzard is a rare breed in this world."
But I'd always wondered - why did he show up to these parties?
Because he never played. He wasn't close with Dalton's crowd. And he came every time. Just sat in the corner. Drank alone. Left when it was over.
And I knew the truth: the Blizzard pack's wealth and territory made the Howelles look like rogues.
Now, I stopped in front of his table.
He looked up. Our eyes met.
No surprise. No judgment. Just calm Alpha assessment.
I leaned forward and picked up his untouched drink.
Downed it in one go. Set the empty glass back on the table with a sharp clink.
"Want to mate with me?"
I said it like I was asking if he wanted another round.
Something shifted in his dark eyes.
His wolf flashed behind his gaze for half a second.
Then he stood. Tall. Imposing.
"Sure."
