(Juniper’s P.O.V) “That’s where you’re wrong, Junie. You’re everything.” Euan says, before kissing the top of my head. I can’t help the way that his statement makes me feel like my high school crush finally sees me. In all honesty, I’ve had a crush on Euan since I was little and the way that he’s looking after me right now, makes the butterflies in my stomach go crazy. I’m cuddling with my crush! I know that we spent the afternoon the other day together but there’s something significant about this moment. Euan and I stay on the platform for a few more minutes before we both climb down and walk back to my house. When we turn the corner to the backyard of my house, I see my parents both pacing back and forth. They hear us coming and both their heads snap up in our direction. “Junie!” My mother cries, running toward me and hugging me tight to her. “We were so worried about you, sweetheart.” I hear my dad say, as he engulfs both me and my mother in a hug. “I’m sorry, I di
(Euan’s P.O.V) Walking home after dropping Juniper off, was one of the most difficult things I’ve done in a long time. For some reason, my mind and heart were telling me to stay, to be with her, and never let her go. My body, however, wasn’t listening and so walking home in silence my mind wanders. The questions play repeatedly as to why the rogues are after Juniper. Why were they singling her out? Tomorrow is her 16th birthday and I hope that, for her birthday, we can provide her with the answers to the questions we all have about the rogues. My sleep that night was punctuated with nightmares of losing Junie, of her attack when she was 12 but instead of surviving—she dies. Shooting up in bed, my chest heaves, and my body is covered in sweat from the nightmares. I look at the clock on my bedside table, it’s barely 5 in the morning. I grab my phone and shoot Juniper a text. Me: Happy birthday my Junie bear. I have a gift for you after school, I’ll be picking you up instea
(Euan’s P.O.V) Day of Euan’s 18th birthday: Wake up human!!!! What the fuck? Wake up, wake up, wake up!! Let’s go find our mate! You must be my wolf. Yes dipshit, my name is Dakota. Now get the fuck up! He growls pacing around back and forth in my mind. I’m happy to have my wolf now, even though we weren’t going to be able to shift until next week on the full moon. Getting showered and dressed quickly, I make my way downstairs for my birthday breakfast with my family. Once I’m finished with breakfast, Dakota starts pacing around in my head again, making my skin crawl, needing to get out of the house and go somewhere. So, I decided to go visit my grandparents since they aren’t that far away from our house. Knowing that I’ll have to pass by Juniper’s house, a shiver runs through me, hoping that she’s outside when I walk by. Coming up on Juniper’s house, I pick up the soft scent of roses and sweet orange. My wolf, Dakota, shakes out his fur and starts purring at the sm
(Juniper’s P.O.V) I kissed him! I can’t believe that I kissed Euan Leonard O’Connor! Goddess above, I can’t believe that I did that! Euan pulls me to him, hugging me tight enough to make me squeak in surprise. “Euan, we need to get back to your party,” I say. “Fuck the party, I just want to be up here with you.” He says, pushing his face into my hair and sniffing. “Are you sniffing me?” I ask with a giggle. “You just smell good today, Junie.” He responds. His arms fall away from my body, and we make our way back down to the party. The last two days, I couldn’t get Euan out of my head after our little “date” he took me on for my birthday. It was probably the best birthday I’ve ever had. I don’t celebrate my birthday anymore, no sense inviting kids over who make fun of me. I don’t even really like my parents and siblings celebrating it either. Euan made it special and even though I was annoyed that he had gotten me a gift and then surprised me, I couldn’t he
(Euan’s P.O.V) Night of the Full Moon It’s the night of the full moon and it’s time for my first shift, this momentous occasion was being marked by a party for all of those who are shifting for the first time tonight. My mother started this tradition after they fought the dark Fae all those years ago. Dad, gramps, and grams told her they didn’t really do anything particularly special for those who shift for the first time. They reasoned it was a family thing and wanted to keep it that way, well mom blew that idea out of the water. Throwing Full Moon parties for those who will be shifting for the first time. Followed by a pack run after all the pup’s shift. Owen was going to be shifting for the first time with me, along with about twenty other pups. The packhouse was a flurry of activity, getting it ready for the party later tonight, and all I could do was sit and think about Juniper. It had been a week since my birthday, and I hadn’t had the chance to see her since. We
(Juniper’s P.O.V) Tonight was Owen and Euan’s first shift, and apparently, Euan’s wolf is named Dakota based on what Auntie Morrigan was calling him when he was sniffing me. His breath had danced across my skin since I was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, I went without my hoodie because it was a beautiful evening. Euan grabbed my hand and warmth spread through me. Huh, that’s weird. That’s never happened before. I think to myself. It’s probably my imagination, to be honest, I think my crush is becoming more potent now that I’m 16 and I can start dating…if there were any boys that were interested in me. As we all know, there aren’t any that want to date “chimneyfish” me. When Euan shifted in front of me, all I could think about was seeing him naked, a teenage rush of hormones, but I turned my face, so he had privacy. The thing about growing up surrounded by shifters is that you get used to people being nude. Sometimes someone doesn’t replace a pair of shorts or
(Euan’s P.O.V) 2 years later: Today is Juniper’s 18th birthday, and she’ll finally know that we’re mates! It seems like forever ago when I asked her to be my girlfriend and I had to come clean to Killian that Juniper was my mate. When he found me kissing Juniper, he and his wolf, Titan, were PISSED that I was touching their daughter. When I mind linked him telling him what Junie was to me, he immediately softened and gave his permission for me to date her through the mind link. Since then, we’ve gone on dates pretty much every weekend, I’ve been able to kiss her whenever I want, and I have a feeling that things at school have been a lot better for her since she’s my girlfriend. At least I know that Grant Howard, the little weasel, has left her alone. I have the perfect present for her today, I’m proposing during our birthday date. We still haven’t gotten intimate, because I wanted to wait until she was 18 and knew we were mates. I’m back at the jewelry store
(Juniper’s P.O.V) Wake up! Huh? WAKE UP!!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! What the fuck?! WAKE THE FUCK UP!! I sit bolt upright in bed with my head pounding as someone screams inside my head. Wait, what? Oh, holy Mother of the Goddess! It’s my wolf! Insert your high-pitched girlish scream here. Yes! I’m here! What’s your name!? Coventina. I’m so happy you’re here. Well, your Siren isn’t all that excited to be sharing space, but she’ll get over it. I couldn’t help but laugh, considering I’ve had my Siren all my life. That’s the one difference between Sirens and other shifters; we have them from birth. They don’t have names and they don’t speak to us as a wolf or bear would, but we can feel them just as much as any other shifter. I jump out of bed and rush down the hall to my parent’s room where I burst in on them…doing…things. Things a child should never see their parents doing. “AHH!” I scream before slapping my hand over my eyes. I hear my mother