After trying everything to distract himself; watching shows, playing games on his phone, even sleeping... Jess realizes none of it helps ease the loneliness.
The isolation weighs on him, a constant ache in his chest.
He refuses to spend another night trapped within his four walls, in this suffocating silence.
He thinks of his usual escapes: pubs, movie theaters, places where he can lose himself. But nothing seems to pull him in now.
Then, as if a spark flickers in his mind, he remembers. Today is November twelfth, the annual mate-gala for all the packs.
A sigh escapes his lips.
The mate-gala is meant for young wolves, especially those on the cusp of their first shift or those still searching for their mate.
It's a night where the Moon Goddess's pull is strongest, and young wolves feel that tug, leading them toward their destined one.
Maybe he'll go, just for fun. Attending doesn't need a ticket.
A smirk tugs at his lips as the idea crosses his mind. But he quickly slaps his cheeks, shaking off the temptation.
He knows he can't be seen there, not after the exile. Not after everything that happened.
At sixteen, Jess kissed a boy, and the whole pack exploded.
Tanner Hale, the Alpha prince, had suggested exile, even execution, for what he called "an abomination."
The whispers were vicious. The pack's elders backed Tanner. Jess's parents didn't care, they left him alone to face the punishment as they were very disappointed too.
The boy Jess kissed didn't survive the fallout.
But Jess ran.
He slipped away in the chaos, barely escaping. And he has been on the run ever since.
Always watching over his shoulder. Always afraid someone would find him.
For five years now, he's been hiding in plain sight, working odd jobs, scraping by. But he's alive. He hasn't given up yet.
To stay safe, Jess has mastered disguises; fake beards, thick eyebrows, sometimes even crossdressing.
He's learned how to completely change how he looks, always one step ahead of being recognized by anyone from the pack.
And when he crossdresses, he rarely needs makeup; he's always had a soft beauty to his face, the kind that draws attention without effort.
Pink lips, a delicate jawline, just wearing a wig is usually enough to finish the illusion.
He walks to the mirror, his reflection staring back at him. A fake pink wig, short in the front but flowing at the back.
Perfect. He thinks to himself.
"Let's get that mate," he mutters, his voice tinged with sarcasm. Because he knows he doesn't have one.
He's 21 now.
He should've felt the mate bond three years ago when he turned 18. But it never came.
Year after year, heat circle after heat circle, nothing. He started to believe he didn't have a mate.
Maybe the Moon Goddess had cursed him for kissing a boy. It was the only explanation that made sense. And after everything, Jess made peace with it.
He doesn't need a mate anymore. Even when he knows a wolf without a mate it's like living in hell itself, especially during the heat seasons.
With a resigned sigh, he locks up his small apartment and heads out.
The hall for the gala is just beyond the edge of the city, not far from where he's hidden himself.
After almost an hour, he gets there.
The sound of music and laughter greets him as he enters the event. He looks around. Most wolves seem to have found their mates, their laughter and joy lighting up the room.
It doesn't take long before men start approaching him, admiring his beauty. He doesn't bother to hide his coy smiles or the fake blushes.
He knows the game. Hot, restless men are his type, but he'll never let himself fall for someone. Not just to be used.
He walks to the food tables, grabbing whatever looks good, shaking his head in rhythm with the music, singing along while stuffing his mouth.
Care free.
But suddenly, a scent hits him.
Sharp. Intoxicating. Like a blade slicing through his chest.
His hand trembles so violently that the glass he's holding shatters on the floor.
The smell, it's like nothing he's ever encountered before. Wild and intoxicating, it invades his senses. It makes his heart pound, his skin tingle, his body burn. He knows what this means.
His mate.
The Moon Goddess hadn't forsaken him after all. He hasn't been punished. He's just been waiting.
His eyes scan the room immediately. He needs to know. He can't breathe, can't think, can't do anything except search, search for that one person who will complete him. His mate.
And then, the crowd parts. A figure walks in, tall, commanding, and unmistakable.
Jess's heart slams against his chest.
Tanner Hale.
No. No, no, no. Hell no! This can't be happening.
Mate.
Jess's wolf howls in joy.
Mate.
Tanner's eyes sweep the room until they land on him, and freeze. He doesn't blink. He doesn't move.
Looking back at him, Jess feels it in every inch of his body. The pull. The bond.
His wolf is ecstatic, rejoicing inside him, but Jess's mind is screaming, No. Not him. Not Tanner Hale. He can't be my mate. Not the one who tried to have me killed because I was caught kissing a boy!
So what in the Moon Goddess's name is this?
Is this her punishment? Giving him a mate who once wanted him erased?
Jess trembles. His legs beg to move, but the mate bond drags at his chest, pulling him forward, toward Tanner. Toward the one person he should hate more than anything.
Jess forces his legs to move. He spins, disappearing into the crowd.
His heart pounds, hands shaking as he weaves through bodies, pushing past dancers and chatter and smiles.
He targets the back exit.
But just as the exit comes into view, he crashes hard into a broad, solid chest, like it was just their waiting for him to crash in it. Strong arms wrap around him immediately.
No. No please no!
He doesn't need to look up to know who it is.
Warmth floods his body. His wolf whines in joy, rubbing up against the bond like it's been starving.
We found him. Our mate!
Jess grits his teeth and tries to pull back, laughing nervously like it was all a mistake, but Tanner's arms lock around him tighter, unrelenting.
"This is where you belong from now on," Tanner breathes, voice low and rough in Jess's ear. "You have no idea how long I've been searching for you. My parents nearly married me off to someone else! I told them my mate was out there. I told them I'd find her. Bring her home."
His words slice through Jess, each syllable another sting.
Her.
The room is deathly quiet. From the moment Tanner walked in, the crowd hasn't moved. All eyes are on them.
And Jess feels like he's drowning.
This is bad.
This is so bad.