Stay Away

Chapter 1

Important Note:

1) If you continue reading this story because you like the story, AWESOME and thank you so much.

2) If you like the story but don't like my writing/don't think it flows well, please keep in mind I have been working on this for a while, and my writing has improved over the course of these chapters; what you read on wattpad so far has not been heavily edited or rewritten. I literally just write a chapter on google docs, copy and paste to here, and publish - so no editing.

3) If you don't continue reading, thanks for checking out my story anyway :)

THAT BEING SAID, I present to you,

Stay Away

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Victoria

I was swimming in liquid nitrogen. At least, that's what it felt like. My nerves tingled. My skin was on fire. My heart was strangled and twisted and beat a million miles a minute, and yet it felt like it was frozen. It felt like time had frozen. What in the world was wrong with me?

Then the strange scent of roasting coffee and freshly cut cedar bombarded my senses. It swirled around me like a cocoon, and in a matter of seconds I all but drowned in it. At first I didn't mind; I actually liked it. It made me feel safe and sheltered, something that didn't happen often anymore, or ever. The scent was deep and alluring, and I wanted to know who it belonged to.

Wait a second.

Was this what I thought it was?

Yes. Oh shit.

I knew exactly what this scent, this feeling, this sensation meant.

And I was terrified.

Adrian

The guys and I just got back from school. We were later than usual because Darren wanted to drop off this girl Senna at her house. He'd always had a thing for her, and today she'd asked him out. And now he couldn't stop talking about her and it was getting on my nerves. I was about to snap at him to get his head out of the clouds when I stumbled and tripped over my feet. At first, I was glad, because Darren finally shut up. Then I realized that he shut up because I'd fucking tripped over my own feet. The guys all looked down in amusement. I was not a clumsy person.

Blake raised his eyebrows. "You okay man?"

"Yeah why wouldn't I be," I snapped.

"You just seem... flustered."

I glared at him. "Shut up."

I pushed myself up and stalked past them, scowling in annoyance. I heard the guys laughing behind me to the others.

"He's totally flustered," I heard Darren say.

"Yeah," Colin responded. "Wonder what's up with him."

As much as I hated to admit it, I was flustered.

I'd finally sensed my mate. After seventeen years of waiting, it finally happened, and I completely panicked.

Don't get me wrong - it wasn't bad or repulsive. It actually felt really good. Her scent was filled with the smell of pine trees and a wintery briskness that was strangely refreshing.

But immediately my head swam with worries. Was she nice? Did she know me? Did I even know her?

And there was another problem.

I was already in love with someone, a human. And I wasn't going to just suddenly stop loving her.

Having a mate was going to complicate things.

A massive headache was already beginning to build up. I needed time to think.

I broke into a run toward the woods at the edge of camp. As I passed through the first layer of trees, my body shifted. I felt my muscles and bones changing and repositioning as a soft layer fur appeared on my skin. A feral delight soared through my veins as I let the wild beast inside of me take over. I ran faster and faster and faster.

It was like this when I felt free, free from my duties as the Alpha's son, free to act however I wanted to without trying to look good in front of my friends. I was alone.

Or was I?

I didn't even notice as I was running, but as I slowed down, I sensed another wolf in the woods. Normally, I was alone when I went for a run, especially since I always ran to the furthest part of the woods where no one really went. I took a deep breath trying locating the other wolf.

Her scent hit me like a sledgehammer.

Victoria

No. This was wrong. This couldn't be happening. Shouldn't be. I did not have a mate. I did not need a mate. I did not want a mate. I was alone, always alone, and I liked it that way. Alone, no one could judge me. Alone, I could be free. I didn't have to act. Alone, only I knew my past, and my past was not something I shared with anyone. Ever.

And yet, as much as I struggled, I was drawn to my mate. I was curious. Who was he? Did I know him? Although all the wolves of the pack lived in one camp, there were so many and they were spread out so much that I didn't see a lot of them every day.

Is he attractive? Will he like me? Will he accept me?

Oh my god. Shut up, Victoria. Those are despicable questions. Since when were you so desperate? Shame on you. He probably already hates you anyway, so all the better to ignore him and move on.

This is what I told myself. I needed to move on and forget about this whole thing before it even started.

But I couldn't.

No, for some bizarre reason I started running toward his scent while shifting into my wolf form. Before I knew it I was in the woods, running and running and running and I couldn't stop, no matter how many times I tried to. I suppose somewhere within me, buried in deepest and darkest part of myself, I longed for a mate, for someone to hold me, for someone I could spill all my secrets to without fear of judgement, for someone who cared about my existence, cared about me. Because all the someones like that had disappeared from my life three years ago. Had been torn from me. Had left me behind. I'd left them behind when I ran away from the chaos like the coward I was. But I'd never looked back.

The scent of my mate grew stronger and stronger until I was so close to his presence that I felt like I was drowning again. I stopped right in front of a clearing. He was in there. I knew it. I'm pretty sure he knew I was there too. This was it, the moment of truth.

God I sound so cliche.

My entire body shook. My heart threatened to beat right out of my chest.

I stepped forward.

Shit.

--

Thank you all so much for reading my book.

This is the first draft of my first long-term story, so please don't be to quick to judge. Much editing is needed and will come in good time.

But for now, I hope you choose to continue reading Stay Away, and I hope you enjoy!

Much luvs,

Liv