Valentine's Mate

I pushed open the door to my tiny apartment, stepping inside and shutting the world out behind me. I turned to survey the small space that was supposed to feel like home, but it just didn’t.

I’d stumbled upon this quaint town about half a year ago in my quest to find a place I could call home after the war. The war that had decimated most packs, including my own.

A brutal conflict between three power-hungry alphas had resulted in the loss of countless innocent lives. Each alpha had wanted what the others had, and in their quest for power, they’d declared war and lost.

I’d heard that all three alphas had killed each other, but I couldn’t be sure. All I knew was that I’d lost everyone I loved in that battle—my family, my friends. My survival was thanks to my father, who’d ordered me to run.

Despite my willingness to fight, even die trying, my father had other plans. My two older brothers held off the wolves while my father dragged me to safety. When we reached the border, my father looked shattered, terrified.

He’d never wanted this life for us. Our alpha was the worst of them all, taking whatever he wanted without a care for those who followed him. My father hugged me goodbye, then handed me a necklace—a locket that had belonged to my mother.

He carried it everywhere, and before he returned to my brothers, he told me that my mother was a part of me, as were he and my brothers. He kissed my forehead and disappeared back into the war zone. I stood there, frozen, until a loud howl and a sudden severing of my connection to my family told me they were all dead.

I ran then, tears streaming down my face. I ran for days, with nothing to my name, no money, nothing. The worst part was becoming a rogue overnight.

It was a struggle, especially since I’d always lived in a pack, even if it was a dark time. A stirring in my mind pulled me back to the present. Nyla, my wolf, was awake.

I didn’t turn to look at her; she’d been asleep most of the evening while I was at work. It had been just Nyla and me since the war. Pushing away the dark thoughts, I moved deeper into the apartment and headed to the kitchen.

I was starving, having not eaten for the past three hours. Working in a bar wasn’t so bad, especially since it was a good place to earn cash. I’d worked in several bars over the past few months, always making sure I had enough money before moving on.

Nyla moved closer as I grabbed an apple from the bowl. I needed to get real food, but that would have to wait until tomorrow.

“Do we have any meat?” Nyla asked, clearly unhappy with our food situation.

“Nope,” I replied, glancing back at her.

Her yellow eyes met mine, and she grunted. “I hate fruit.”

I didn’t respond and was about to turn away when she stopped me.

“Can we go for a run?” she asked, her question catching me off guard.

I let Nyla run when we leave a place. I only have a few essentials, basically a bag that I live out of, which she carries when we move to the next town.

Living among humans had been easy. We avoided places where other rogues might be, since we didn’t know the rules of being one. We’d mostly kept to ourselves, unsure if being near others was even an option.

As a child, my father would tell me stories of how ruthless some rogues could be, how they sometimes went feral if they were without a pack for too long. I didn’t want that for myself, but as we moved around, I noticed a lack of wolf packs, which made me wonder if the war had spread elsewhere.

I shook my head, looking at Nyla. I knew she hated not being able to run freely. Plus, if she went for a run, she might find something for us to eat.

“Yeah,” I finally said, causing Nyla to perk up. “But only if you stay within the forest. We don’t want anyone thinking we’re a threat.”

Nyla nodded in agreement.

“We can check out those tents in the field,” she suggested, causing me to frown.

“I was about to say—” I began, but she interrupted me with a grunt.

Her gaze remained fixed on me as she prepared to speak again.

“Skye,” she started, tilting her head slightly. “You need to let loose a bit. We’ve been on the run for months and no one’s on our tail. We can stay here longer if you want, but ultimately, it’s your call.”

I didn’t respond, but I knew she was right. No one was pursuing us, and honestly, I didn’t think anyone would. They were all too busy trying to kill the alpha.

My heart plummeted at the thought of all those lives lost. I looked at Nyla, her expression softening as she realized what was on my mind.

“You couldn’t have known,” she murmured. “That madman wanted what he couldn’t have and dragged the whole pack down with him. You were only nineteen, Skye. You had your whole life ahead of you, and Papa wanted you to live it for them.”

A wave of sadness washed over me, but I knew I couldn’t dwell on my family. My hand instinctively went to the locket I’d worn every day since my father gave it to me. My mother had worn it when my father gave it to her.

Inside were photos. One side held a picture of my parents, and the other side held a picture of us kids—me and my brothers.

“Skye,” Nyla whispered, pulling me back from the brink of a dark abyss. “A run will do us both some good.”

I knew she was right.

Without a word, I tossed the apple into the bin. There was no point in eating it. I was sick and tired of those damn things.

I moved away from the kitchen and walked over to the table near the small couch. I took off my locket and pulled my wallet out of my pocket, placing them in a box on the table for safekeeping.

The apartment was secure, but I still didn’t trust anyone. I glanced around the room and quickly changed into something more comfortable—a dress.

At work, I usually wore jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers. I thought I only owned two pairs of jeans, a few tops, two pairs of leggings, one pair of shoes—my sneakers, and one dress. That was all I could fit into a bag to carry.

After changing, I headed back to the door and stepped outside, only to be greeted by my neighbor and landlady—Olga. She looked at me and smiled.

“Skye,” she said, taking me in. “I thought you just got back from your shift. Did you forget something?”

Since Olga was human, Nyla stepped back slightly, making sure she wasn’t seen. Keeping my cool, I smiled.

“I’m just heading to the store,” I said. “I’m hungry.”

Olga nodded. “Feeling warm, are you?” she asked, eyeing my dress.

I felt my cheeks heat up, like a kid caught doing something naughty. “Yeah,” I said. “The bar was boiling. Jed wanted to keep the heat cranked up all evening, but I couldn’t stand it.”

Olga nodded, but I couldn’t tell if she bought my story. I sure as hell didn’t.

Nyla giggled as Olga spoke again. “Okay,” she said and turned to leave but then stopped. “Oh, I forgot to mention. There’s a little fair in town. It’s over in the field area and will be here for a few days.”

I stared at her. Well, that answered the question Nyla and I had been pondering.

“They’re offering a discount tomorrow evening,” she added, which made me frown. What was so special about tomorrow?

Nyla started to speak, but Olga seemed to read my mind and blurted out, “Judging by your expression, you don’t know what tomorrow is,” she said, looking slightly puzzled. “It’s the day all you young folks call the love day.”

I remained silent, which made her sigh.

“Valentine’s Day,” she clarified, which made me tense.

Shit, I’d forgotten about that. But for me, it wasn’t just Valentine’s Day; it was also my birthday, and I wasn’t about to tell Olga that. Can you imagine her reaction? She loved making a fuss, and in the few months I’d lived here, she’d celebrated every milestone with gusto.

Clearing my throat and aware of how hungry Nyla and I were getting, I knew I needed to get moving.

“Valentine’s Day,” I echoed. “That’s nice.”

A smile graced Olga’s face as she prepared to speak, but I beat her to it. “Olga, I apologize,” I said, my gaze shifting from her to the front door and back again, a smile playing on my lips. “I need to make a quick run to the store before it closes. My stomach’s growling.”

Olga’s eyes met mine, and she nodded in understanding. “Oh, I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” she replied. “I’ll let you get going.”

Returning her smile, I pivoted and made my way to the exit of the building. Without a backward glance at Olga, I stepped out, setting my course for the edge of the forest.

Nyla sidled up to me, letting out a sigh.

“I’m famished,” she grumbled. I ventured deeper into the forest, heading for a secluded tree.

Swiftly, I slipped out of my dress, folding it neatly and tucking it into a hidden crevice, out of sight. I stepped back, allowing Nyla to take the reins.

Once she had transformed, her fur shaking off the remnants of the shift, Nyla moved away. She ventured deeper into the forest, on the prowl for our next meal.