Eclipse

Prologue

A/N: For Tree for the AWESOME COVER on the side!!! (for the old title)

Mate

The rain was a merciless beast, hammering down on the pavement with an unmatched bloodlust. I could imagine that behind each house I walked past was a family huddled up against the radiator like a cat, but not me. Even amongst my own family, my pack, I was the only one who would dare stand against the brutal night and its aqueous minions. I let my head tip back, savouring the almost painful feeling of pellets of water hitting my skin. After all, pain was good. I was tempted to just sprawl myself across the pavement and let the water saturate my clothes, but the last thing I wanted was for someone to find me, or worse, trip over me. The wolf within me was drowsy, too tired to cause trouble. Thankfully. On another day with this sort of weather, she'd be struggling to unravel my hold over this body, aching to shift and escape the rain.

My thoughts mindlessly drifted to my parents and my pack, and my mood instantly plummeted. Each and every one of them had found the love of their life, their 'soul mate', except me. Even those several years younger than me had found their other half, and I was twenty-two. Finding your mate changes everything, and I've seen the difference. The wolf inside is far more stronger with the other half of your soul, and that was exactly what I was missing. Slowly they were withdrawing from me, reluctant to be around the final unloved wolf, even though I was the daughter of the Alpha and I would soon lead them. Even my friends were drawing away from my company. I wondered how they would treat me when Father's time finally came. He was already a senior in his mid sixties, and we all knew that he would soon to move on, and my mother would be plunged far too deep in sorrow to be in any shape to lead.

A forked snake's tongue of lightning and a rumble of thunder jerked me out of the psychological ditch I'd thrown myself into.

"Shit," I muttered, heading under the nearest shop's awning to seek shelter from the lightning. I liked the rain, but lightning? Well, the idea of being a charred crisp isn't exactly appealing, is it? That was when I heard the voices being buffeted in the wind, barely audible but very much angry. I froze in my tracks, unsure what to do. A wolf never approaches danger alone, and only with her pack. She never leaves anything to chance, but now I was alone with no form of contact, and too far away from home to access the mental pack link that interconnected our minds. I was contemplating the idea of leaving the arguers to solve their problem themselves like mature adults, when the wind blew something else my way. A scent that I'd never smelt before, something addictive and unnatural, like I'd been hooked to a fishing line and was being reeled in. It felt so...strange. Was this what my pack experienced when they found their mate. I was rooted to the ground, feeling light and giddy inside, until I heard cry of pain.

Before I even realised it, I was sprinting in the direction of the sound, only several blocks away. My wolf was waking up, sensing my distress, and immediately caught the scent that had me running to save the day.

The voices came from a dark alley between two suspicious shops, but I was stopped short of entering by the stench of rat faeces and rotting food. I stood at the corner. My ears were sharp, so despite the thunder and rain, I could hear everything perfectly clear.

"Whoa, keep it cool... go easy on me if I'm gonna end up being your boxing bag," the owner of that dizzying smell said. His voice held a trace of an accent, and was lighthearted and carefree, warming my heart.

"Shut your fucking mouth and give me the bag, you bloody-"

"Now, now, watch your mouth there, big guy," the voice said with mock severity. "And I'm sorry to say that I can't give you 'this bag', seeing as I'm standing here very much empty-handed. Now, I suggest you be on your way. You wouldn't want me the remember your face and have the cops on you fine little tail, yes?"