Sassy Ever After: A Hot Piece Of Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) (3 page)

Chapter Four

“W
hy am I doing this to myself again, Faith?” Hannah asked her BFF.

“Because this might be your—or our—lucky night. Think about it, Hannah. This could be the year we finally find our mate. It’s a huge freaking deal! You should be stoked. I know I am. My wolf is practically screaming in my head. Seriously, the bitch is trippin’.”

Hannah rolled her eyes at Faith’s optimism. “We’ve been going to these things every year since we were sixteen, hoping to catch the faintest scent of our supposed mate. Why would tonight be any different? Aunt Barbara didn’t say anything about bringing any new wolves or guests in this year.”

“Like Barbara tells you everything?” Faith held up a dress for Hannah to consider. “What about this one? It brings out the green in your eyes, and kind of matches my dress too.”

“How about no? It’s one thing if you want to get all dolled up like a Disney princess, but there’s no way I’m wearing something like that. It’s way too sexy to be tromping through the woods in. Besides, you’ve got the body for it. I don’t. A dress like that belongs in the
I have a dream
section of my closet.”

Hannah had no idea who would be at the ceremony. Probably the same mutts who were there year after year. “So back to the whole ‘who’s coming?’ question. I don’t know, and I’m not sure I even really care. None of it matters, though, because my mate isn’t going to be there. I think there’s a shortage of mates for chubby girls.”

“Would you stop cutting yourself down? I wish I had your curves, not to mention your boobs. Seriously, I have the body of a fourteen-year-old boy, and my chest is as flat as a board. You’re beautiful, and you’ll find someone who appreciates you for you.”

Suddenly Hannah realized how bitchy she sounded. Faith might be delusional about Hannah’s chances of finding her mate, but she was her best friend, and she didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

She would be over the moon if Faith found her mate tonight at the ceremony. She wanted nothing but the best for her bestie. The bond between them was forged from something more powerful than just friendship. They were soul sisters who had always been, and would always be, there for one another.

Not only that, but Faith had always been her absolute most trusted confidant. She’d stood beside Hannah through thick and thin, supporting her like no one else ever had. Probably because Faith understood her better than anyone else. Sometimes better than Hannah understood herself.

This whole mating thing drove her up a wall and then some. Year after year it was the same speech repeated by everyone in her family and all of her friends. She was so over it. All she really wanted to do was put on a pair of yoga pants, a tank top, and order a fucking meat-lover’s pizza with extra cheese. Now
that
was Hannah’s idea of a perfect evening.

“Oh, stop,” Faith scolded. “I know what you’re thinking, and no, you can’t stay home and order a pizza. Tonight is too important to miss out on.”

“But—”

“I don’t want to hear any buts about it. You have to admit, even if you don’t find your mate tonight, it will be fun watching as our friends and packmates come together to find their lifelong partners. Personally, I find the whole Scenting Ceremony to be a magical event propelled by the power of the Fates. It truly is like a page torn from a romance story.”

“Oh my God, girl. Did you really just say that?” Hannah picked her chin up off of the floor. “I didn’t realize you were completely brainwashed. I should’ve seen the writing on the walls long before now,” Hannah joked.

“Ha ha, very funny. Would you please take this seriously? The Scenting Ceremony is a big deal. Let’s just go and have a good time, like we do every year. Maybe we’ll find our Fated Mates, maybe we won’t. Either way we’ll still have each other.”

“Fine, but I’m not dressing up. If it’s all based on my scent, my mate or potential mate isn’t going to care what the hell I’m wearing. If I have to hike through the damn woods in human form, I’m wearing something comfortable.”

Hannah threw on a pair of torn jeans, an old band T-shirt, and her favorite Sketchers. Grabbing a claw for her hair, she pulled it into a messy bun, then grabbed her purse and followed Faith to the car.

When they arrived at the ceremony, Hannah was surprised to see how many people and wolves were already present. “We’re not late, are we?”

“Not at all. We’re actually forty-five minutes early,” Faith confirmed.

“I wonder what’s going on,” Hannah asked.

“It looks like they’re getting an early start.”

Hannah watched as a couple of wolves slowly circled one another, sniffing. Off in the distance, she caught sight of Barbara and her mom. Looking like they were up to no good, they motioned for her to join them.

“I’m going to go see what my mom is up to. Do you want to walk with me?” Hannah asked.

“You go ahead and go. I’m going to, uh… hang out here for a few minutes.” Something had caught Faith’s attention, leaving her looking a little flushed and unsure of herself.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine—just a little light-headed or something. I think I need to stretch my legs,” Faith said, trying to reassure her.

“You sure?”

“Yep.” Faith shifted to her wolf form and sprinted off in the direction of the woods before Hannah had a chance to ask another question.

Well, that was odd.
Hannah thought, making her way over to where her mom and aunt waited. She tried to shrug off her friend’s odd behavior, but it was so unlike Faith. Hannah was used to being the oddball of the group. “
Maybe we should shift and go after her?”
she suggested to her wolf.

“She’ll be fine. Let’s go for a run.”

“Is that all you can ever think of? Running?”             

One second Hannah was joking with her wolf, and the very next she felt as if she was fighting with all her might to suck the air into her lungs, struggling to take the smallest of life-sustaining breaths. The blood that surged through her veins boiled, as if it had been replaced with molten lava. Raw heat pulsed just below her skin, threatening to erupt as part of a world-ending pyroclastic display.

Hannah closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Her wolf immediately surged to the forefront. Shifting faster and harder than she ever had before, she was surprised to find herself on four legs instead of two. Usually, she had phenomenal control of her wolf—but not this time. The wolf took charge without asking permission, demanding control of the situation.

No room was left for argument. Even if Hannah had wanted her to, the wolf would not surrender control. Something had called to her and she wasn’t about to walk away. The wolf put her nose to the ground, latching onto the scent and letting out a single howl before taking off at a breakneck speed, passing her family and the crowd gathered in the clearing.

She followed the decadent scent that captured and held her attention. It was a scent so new and captivating, she would run any distance required to track it down. Hannah tried to figure out exactly what it was and where it was coming from. The smell of honey and cinnamon blended in an earthy, woodsy wrapper left her mouth watering.

Twisting and turning, she bounded over fallen trees and dodged anything in her path with the hope of finding the delicious aroma that was making her lose her mind.

Chapter Five

T
anner had better things to do than stand around the field watching wolves sniff each other while he listened to every horny and inappropriate thought that passed through their minds. Yet he stood there for over an hour, desperately trying to ignore what boiled down to intellectual voyeurism on a grand scale, waiting for something out of this world to happen. Where was all the majik? Where was the excitement? Where was the mystery?

He had yet to see any of those. Yet everyone he’d spoken to had described the Scenting Ceremony as ‘a magical and captivating experience that you must attend at least once in your life, even if you already have a mate.’ Blah. Blah. Fucking blah.

Maybe the problem wasn’t the ceremony after all. Maybe the problem was him. Whatever it was, it took sheer willpower to hold back the yawns. Maybe if he shifted and went for a run it would help keep his eyes open.

At least in wolf form, the internal monologue of those around him would stop driving him bat-shit crazy. He couldn’t take another minute of the endless whining and the ‘woe is me, I need a mate’ chatter that seem to be running through everyone’s mind. Mating fever was worse at Blue Creek than it had ever been at Black Paw.

Why did I even think finding our mate was possible after all these years, or that this town might hold some magical connection to our mate?
Not wanting anyone to notice the disappointment on his face or his slouching shoulders, he shifted to wolf form.
Peace and quiet. Finally.
It was just what he needed and his wolf, for once, was in full agreement.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, some part of him had really hoped the journey to Blue Creek would end with his very own mating ceremony. He was tired of being alone. Tired of having no one to come home to. Tired of having no one to kiss good night. Tired of having no one to profess his undying love to.

He was sick of the whole ‘being different’ thing. Was it really wrong to want to fit in with everyone around you? His mom always told him that he should celebrate his differences, but now more than ever he hated the fact that he was the size of a bear. He dwarfed the wolves around him. And then there was that little detail about being able to hear everyone’s thoughts. Maybe if he could let his guard down for once, he could find a way to fit in.

“For once in my life I’d like to be normal like everyone else around us.”

“Good God, man, you’re making me sick. You sound worse than ninety-nine percent of the women we’ve been eavesdropping on, whining about not being good enough to find a mate.”

“Whatever. I’m not whining like a girl. I’m simply stating the obvious. I don’t think the Fates have a mate in store for us, and if they did, why wouldn’t she be from Black Paw?”

“Those Fates are some tricky bitches. You never know what they have up their sleeves. They’re sketchy as fuck. I also think they get off on keeping you guessing. What fun would it be for them if everyone’s future was laid out nice and neat?”

“You act like you’ve met them personally or something. Is there anything you want to tell me?”
Tanner questioned his wolf, who was always spouting off some sort of deep philosophy. For their young age, his wolf seemed wise beyond their years, and often left him feeling perplexed.

Tanner glanced around at all the wolves gathered in the clearing and along the edge of the forest. The blissful silence of being in wolf form should have been a reprieve, but it wasn’t. He didn’t need to hear the thoughts of those around him to be reminded that he was an outsider. One look at him compared to the others and anyone could see just how different he really was.

Several of the women looked at him in horror, while the males of the group looked like they wanted to challenge him just for shits and giggles. Not that he wouldn’t be up for a good fight, but it was pointless: There were no females in the clearing who so much as turned his head or made his wolf sniff twice. Which, sadly, meant his mate was nowhere to be found. It was the story of his life. Not wanting the other males to feel threatened, he trotted off into the woods, away from the growing pack.

He wasn’t sure how far he’d run or how long he had been gone, but the scent that suddenly filled his nose nearly knocked him on his ass.

His wolf spiraled into a frenzy like never before. The scent of strawberries clouded his mind and lit his blood on fire.

“It’s her.”

It took Tanner a minute to realize what his wolf was talking about.
“You’re certain?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting forever for your pokey ass to find our mate. She’s not far from us, we have to find her.”

Astonishment, disbelief, bewilderment—Tanner’s mind churned. His wolf was certain their Fated Mate had finally been found. Excitement and need pounded through his veins, raising his hopes to a record high.

“You better be right.”

“Watch and learn, ye of little faith.”
His wolf took off in a dash.

With each footfall through the forest his hope of finding their mate grew. If he could hear her thoughts, it would help pinpoint her location, but since he was in his wolf form she would be just as silent to him as everyone else.

His wolf skidded to a halt, sniffing the air around him. Something was wrong—very wrong. A chill passed through his body, leaving him with a feeling of sickness that made his dinner likely to reappear. The pungent smell of sulfur filled the air, followed by the putrid scent of burning fur.

Whatever they had stumbled upon wasn’t good. Someone or something needed their help. The gut-wrenching smells overwhelmed the area, blocking the sweet scent of their mate. Her trail had gone cold, and Tanner’s hopes of finding his long-awaited mate were crushed.

He followed the offending odors, taking care to be as quiet as possible, knowing the element of surprise would be to his advantage. Maneuvering as close as he could to the source of the foul smell, Tanner shifted back to human form.

Crouching behind a tree, he closed his eyes and opened his mind to the thoughts of those around him. A surge of despair and pain flooded into his head.

“Someone please help me. I should never have wandered away from the pack. Oh gods, it burns so bad!”

Peeking around a large evergreen, Tanner saw a young woman chained with silver and bound to a low-hanging branch. Her desperate pleas for help tore at his heart. Three older, burly men stood above her, laughing, proud of their handiwork.

Rage boiled deep in his veins. His berserker charged to the forefront, ready to take control in the blink of an eye.

The Wolfes’ had warned him at dinner about rogue wolves who encroached on their territory from time to time.
These puke-bags have to be rogues. There’s no way anyone from the local pack would do this shit.
Eyeing up the girl’s captors, Tanner calculated the best method of bringing them down while keeping the girl safe.

He needed to find a way to keep his berserker on a tight leash. It might be fun as fuck to let him out to play with the douchebags, but this was not the time or place for an uncontrolled rage. His movements needed to be exact—each step, each swing precise. It was the only way he could ensure her safety.

Old creepy guy number one clutched a branding iron. Laughing, he returned it into the coals of the campfire, warming it up for another round. He’d shove that iron up the guy’s ass sideways before he’d let any of them hurt the girl again.

When the girl glanced his way, Tanner placed a finger over his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. A slight nod of her head told Tanner that she understood.

“I think it’s time we have some fun with this little wolf. What do you think, Jimmy?”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Old creepy guy number two unzipped his ratty, torn jeans.

Tanner knew he didn’t have time to spare if he intended to save the girl from the asshats standing around her. Without giving it another thought Tanner sprang into action. Leaping over a fallen tree, he launched into the air, delivering a direct blow to the creepy guy with his jeans halfway down.

The others shouted slews of profanities when they realized he was all about taking them down. They were much slower than he had expected. He barely broke a sweat knocking the first two on their asses, before turning and grabbing the branding iron out of the fire. The three men scrambled backward away from Tanner.

Though their thoughts were a jumbled mess, he could hear the rambling babble in each of their minds. They wanted nothing more than to rip his heart out and eat it for a midnight snack. He wasn’t about to give them the opportunity.

He jumped back into action, branding the guy with his pants down. Screams of agony filled the air as the hot iron hit its mark, directly on the guy’s testicles.

“One down, two to go,”
Tanner said to his wolf.

“Yeah, he’s not getting up anytime soon.”

The remaining two men rushed at Tanner. He swung the still-smoking iron at the first guy’s head. Blood poured from the impact site as the guy dropped to the ground, sending his friend into a frenzy.

“Two down, one to go.”
Tanner relayed the tally to his wolf, proud of their accomplishment.

The last man standing thought he was the trickiest SOB of all, shifting to wolf form and hoping to surprise Tanner. But it was he who ended up being the most surprised.

Tanner shifted too.

For once, he was grateful for his larger-than-life size. The opposing wolf nearly pissed himself when he saw that Tanner was at least four times larger than his own puny size.

He tried like hell to make a run for it, but Tanner was having none of it. One leap was all it took to take the bastard down. Tanner latched onto his shoulder, pulling his flesh from the bone. The pain of the wound overwhelmed the guy’s ability to stay in wolf form, and he quickly shifted back to human form, shouting in agony.