Chapter One

Arlo Pov

The combination of water, salt and cool night air flows around me. My feet in the sand as the figure before me is unmoving. Her feet are in the edge of the crystal clear sea and the waves crash around her. Her blue satin dress blows in the wind and her long hair whips around. I can’t see her face clearly but I know she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Her sun kissed skin is so soft as it glistens under the moon light. I take a deep breath in before stepping towards her. I take step after step but I can’t get any closer. My steps turn into a jog and then a run. Still I don’t move any closer to her. I reach my hand forward, she is just out of my reach. I feel myself start to fall in slow motion. My face getting closer to the sand below.

Suddenly I jolt upright.

I look around and see my familiar bedroom. My breath begins to slow down and I wipe the sweat from my forehead. A groan from beside me has me looking around to find a girl there. I sigh with annoyance, seriously these girls can’t take a hint. I’m sure I told her to leave earlier.

“Hey,” I say as I nudge her. She starts to wake up. “Time to go.”

She sits up and rubs her eyes before pouting at me.

“I told you to leave hours ago,” I state flatly before pointing to her clothes on the floor.

She opens her mouth to speak but decides against it when I glare at her. She bows her head in submission before scurrying out the bed. She quickly puts her clothes on and leaves, shutting my door behind her.

I check my phone to see it’s 5:07am, no point going back to sleep when I get up in 23 minutes.

Instead I send a quick text.

Arlo: ‘You awake yet?’

Nova: ‘I am now’

Arlo: ‘Meet me at the arena in 5’

Nova: ‘Yes Alpha’

Arlo: ‘Very Funny’

I put my phone down with a smile. Nova knows I hate to be called Alpha. She knows everything about me, she is my best friend after all.

My parents of course keep thinking we will fall in love and end up being mates. Just like they did. The great love of Jax and Adyson, overcoming enemies as one. Queue eye roll.

Only I don’t see Nova that way. And I doubt she sees me that way either. She’s like my sister, so that would be gross.

Speaking of, I have three younger sisters. Emerald is fifteen, she is a real Tom boy, loves sports. Whereas my twin sisters Megan and Jessabelle, who are twelve, they are very girly. They love everything fashion and beauty.

I quickly put on my workout shorts and T-shirt. I head to my en-suite to brush my teeth and fix my hair, brushing it through before tying it into a man bun.

As I head over to the Arena I catch sight of Nova ahead of me. She is singing and dancing as she walks, she must have her earphones in.

A smile takes over my face as I run towards her. I grab her from behind and throw her over my shoulder. She squeals and punches my back whilst shouting to put her down. I do of course, followed by ruffling her hair.

She doesn’t let me get away though and lands the palm of her hand on my nose causing a loud crack. Blood pours from my nose as I snap it back into place.

‘You need to work on your reflexes and duck Arlo’ my wolf Bodhi laughs.

‘You may be right’ I agree. Nova has caught me with that move multiple times.

By the time we reach the Arena doors my nose is fully healed and I’ve wiped the blood away.

“Do I even want to know?” My father asks with amusement as we walk in.

“No Alpha,” Nova answers in a sweet innocent voice. I role my eyes as she is anything but innocent.

“Good,” my father says suddenly becoming more serious. “Hit the track.”

Myself and Nova do a quick warm up before running laps of the track.

We are twenty laps in when my father calls us back over. I grab my water bottle off the floor and squirt some into my mouth.

“Mr Archibald is coming to visit again tomorrow afternoon Arlo. He wants to observe you in a light contact spar.” My father explains.

I try to suppress my groan, it is a lot of pressure when Mr Archibald visits. I know he is patiently waiting for me to take the throne from him but I am not ready yet. He wanted me to take over at fourteen but I refused.

I wanted a few more years to be at my strongest.

“So who will I be sparring against?” I query.

“Nick,” my father says and I have to bite my tongue.

Nick is the biggest jerk in the pack. He is the son of Lila and her mate Kelvin.

“I know you two have a strained relationship but he is a tactical fighter.” My father explains.

“Yes Alpha,” I say but he scowls at me. “Dad,” I offer instead and he nods.

“Nova you need to head inside for Luna lessons with Adyson,” my father tells her. We both look at him with confusion. “Myself and Josh discussed it and felt it was best. Nova will be mated to an Alpha, whether by fate or by choice.”

“What?!” I shout in outrage as I pull Nova behind me. “Over my dead body will she be sold off to some asshole Alpha.”

“Calm down son,” my father says with a smirk. He clearly thinks my outburst is from jealousy, it isn’t though. I just want to protect Nova. “Nova will have the final say in all decisions regarding her mate. Now get back to practice.”

I send a wink Nova’s way before heading back to the running track. Nova heads off inside to mum.

I hope my family don’t find it too much of a shock that I am going to tell Mr Archibald I am ready.