Chapter 1

ISABEL POV

"Isabel! Isabel!!" I heard my name and snapped back to reality. Why was she shouting my name that loud when I'm this close to her.

"What? You lost me there for a moment." I closed my eyes quickly and opened it.

Sara smiled and gently placed her hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright Isabel? you seem to zone out a lot more these days." There was concern in her voice.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know what to say about that, I guess it's the up coming Belleteyn festival and jousting tournament that is unsettling me."

"But why?" She asked, looking surprised.

"I don't know, I just don't know why my father keeps declaring these stupid events. Everyone gets to enjoy it except me." I sighed in frustration.

"But that's not true, the Belleteyn festival is an opportunity to open our communities and kingdom to others, werewolves from far and near come around to be part of it." Sara explained and it sounded like news to me.

I sighed, suddenly feeling tired. "You see, that's precisely my point. I never get to go to these events because I'll most certainly be busy serving and keeping my duty to my pack."

Sara looked at me with compassion in her eyes. "Come here." She said, spreading her arms wide and welcoming me in an embrace. "I understand how you feel, we all love your father, Alpha Dario. I guess we." She paused, "no, I take that back, we failed to see that he's been this good because he has people helping him to do stuff that we all don't see."

Sara's words brought tears to my eyes. "Now you are going to make me cry Sara." I said softly as a teardrop escaped my eyes.

"I'll make you a promise though, when the Belleteyn starts tomorrow, I'll make sure you are with me and have as much fun as possible." She pulled away for a moment and looked into my eyes.

I sighed, knowing she was waiting for confirmation. "Are you sure my father won't be a problem?" There was uncertainty in my voice.

"You let me worry about Alpha Dario. Just be in your best dress tomorrow and I'll come find you." She reassured me and hugged me again.

"What will I do without you Sara." I said with tears filled eyes, feeling a lot better.

"Nothing, we need to show your beauty to the world." She said excitedly and was gone.

******

As Sara and I set out later that day in the evening to experience the eve of the Belleteyn ground, I suddenly stopped. "What is it?" Sara asked, a bit concerned. But followed the direction of my eyes.

"Do you see him too?" I whispered, nodding my head in the direction of the voice that had stopped me in my tracks.

"Yes," she whispered, "but he's not that special." She said, pulling me away, while I resisted. I wanted to remain there and just stare at him.

"Damn!" I exclaimed, clearly unable to hide my excitement.

"What?" Sara wore a confused expression, which made me wonder if I was the only one that had seen him.

"Don't ask me what, he's the most handsome male I've ever seen. He has an intimidating height and an athletic build with dominance written all over him. His almond shaped eyes had a glint of curiosity and a fire of passion with his well trimmed medium stubble on his concrete jaw that added some mystery to him. His voice, oh his voice, he had a deep rich baritone voice with a hypnotizing effect that was pulling me to him. Did you notice how I suddenly stopped?" Sara smiled but I didn't wait for her to reply. "Did you see how he walks, he moves with an indescribable grace that his dashing and daring persona made my heart leap out to him. And..." I trailed off when I noticed that Sara was looking at me with amusement in her eyes.

"Wh. What? Why are you looking at me that way?" I stuttered and suddenly became shy.

"What way?" Sara asked, and her smile broadened.

"I don't know.... You are..." I sighed frustratedly.

"I think you like him." She said with a smile.

"W-What! No, no I don't." I tried to deny it.

"Well, you are not much of a talker Isabel, so hearing you give this much description of someone you only just met in less than a minute..." She paused and smiled again. This time it was a knowing smile.

"I don't know what you are driving at, let's get going." I added defensively. I didn't like Sara putting me on the spot.

"No, I think you should go talk to him." Sara held me and started pulling me back to where we had both seen the mysterious stranger.

"Why, why will I do something like that?" I forced myself to stop walking.

"Because, deep down, you know you want to." She had a soft but firm voice and I knew she was right. The only problem was that I've never had to be the one to initiate a conversation with a male, or even let my vulnerability show. "Come, let's go back." Sara said a bit more firmly, breaking through my thoughts and leading me back to where we first saw the mysterious stranger.

But just as we got there, he was nowhere to be found. "Hey Sara, I've been looking for you." We heard Hayden say from behind us.

"Oh sweetheart, I've been here all along." Sara said cheerfully, cleaving to him.

For a moment, I stood there watching jealousy as Hayden kissed her and took her away. Leaving me standing all by myself, wishing I had something similar to what Sara had with Hayden, when I heard a voice behind me. "Is that jealousy or desire I see in your eyes." The voice had the hairs on my skin standing at attention.

"Last I checked, my eyes were not at the back of my head, you may have to explain how you can see my eyes from behind me." I said confidently regardless of how the voice made me feel. Very certain that it was my useless cousin, Derek. Who always had the tenacity for being mischievous.

"Well, we live in a supernatural world, I could be a witch or something worse." He was still speaking when I slowly turned around and there, standing before me was the mysterious stranger who had arrived in our village on the eve of the Belleteyn festival. His dark and black embroidered clothing and brooding demeanor frightened and intrigued me. I couldn't deny the instant attraction I felt when I saw him standing a bit close to me in the cold evening of the square, with his enigmatic eyes locking onto mine.

"Hi Mister.. I didn't know." I trailed off, suddenly feeling tongue-tied. "I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn." I said softly when I finally found my voice.

He simply locked gazes with me and walked annoyingly slowly towards me. It took like forever. "What is your name, lovely kitten?" He took deliberate measured steps towards me, while looking into my eyes like he forgot something there.

I swallowed hard before answering. "I am not a kitten." I whispered my protest, albeit shakily. I felt like my knees would give way under me.

He smiled, and I felt weak instantly. How is he doing that I thought. "Oh, but you are, you just don't know it yet." His piercing eyes bore into me like he could see my soul. "Now answer the question." He commanded softly, his voice was a whisper.

I suddenly felt my body reacting to obey his command against my will. "Isabel, my name is Isabel." I said, before bringing my hands to my lips.

"Isabel, such a beautiful name." He said with a husky voice that I fought with every strength in me not to moan. I wanted him, no, I needed him, and I needed him yesterday. How could he have such an effect on me?

"Well, I could say the same of you, good Sir, you have a beautiful voice." I confessed, I really didn't mean to say it. What was happening to me.

"Now you are flirting with me." He said and moved closer, invading my personal space. His hot breath made the hairs on the nape of my neck stand.

I swallowed hard before answering. "No Sir, I'm not."

"It's just that...." I trialed off, trying to form the words that would not form.

"Well, I see." He leaned in and kissed me. I had always prided myself as someone who would not be easily swayed by any man nor beast, yet here I was, yearning for his touch, for his lips and my body reacting to his every touch.

"What do you want Isabel?" He pulled away to ask as he held my gaze. But I felt empty and alone. The moment his lips touched mine was the best moment of my entire life and I wanted more.

"Excuse me?" I asked softly since I was disoriented and had not heard him very well as my mind was mumbled and jumbled.

"What do you want?" He asked softly, barely above a whisper.

"That's a stupid question to ask, don't you think?" I suddenly found my confidence, but also angry at how he was making me feel.

"I get that you are strong willed, but your body keeps betraying your convictions. Tell me, why is that so?" He asked, and I blushed. I felt embarrassed.

I felt ridiculed, yet I couldn't deny that I wanted him. "I don't know, but..." I trailed off, unable to bring myself to admit it. I didn't know if it was infatuation or love at first sight, but I was convinced deep down that I loved this stranger who I had only just met and didn't even know his name.

"Isabel," he began, his voice as enticing as a siren's song, "I'm drawn to you and your body tells me that the feeling is mutual."

"Well," I paused to catch my breath while he held my palms in his and started making some sensual movements with the tip of his fingers. "Continue." I managed to get out, biting my lower lips to stop me from moaning.

"But you must understand that I can never love you. Instead, I will make you love me, beg for my affection, and then I will bring ruin to you and your people." He said softly and my senses came back in an instant.

"You may be cute, handsome and all, but I think you are in over your head if you think you can bring ruin to my people." I defended my family and my pack vehemently.

"I see I've struck a chord with you, but this is the reality you'll have to accept." He said with a frightening confidence that chilled me to my bones.

"At least, we have been able to establish that I'm not making a fool of myself, that this thing I feel is at the very least mutual."

"Oh yeah, on that, you are very correct. But we shall see." He said, kissed me lightly on the cheek and was gone before I could utter another word.

"What's your name!" I shouted after him but got no reply.

"Xavier." I heard a voice say in my head, like he was in my head and speaking to me.

"How are you doing this?" I asked out loud, but got the reply in my head.

"Because, we seem to be fated mates....." He said and there was silence. I yearned for his voice.

"Isabel, there you are, I've been searching all over for you." Sara said, appearing out of nowhere, trying to adjust her clothes.

"You look flustered, have you been having sex?"

"How ironic, that someone who's never had sex in their life knows when someone has had sex." Sara said cheerfully.

"Well, I may not be experienced in the ways of men but I know your smell, and you have his smell on you." I defended myself.

"Enough about me, why have you been standing here alone?" Sara asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

"I don't know but I had the strangest of all encounters." I whispered, still playing my conversation with Xavier in my head all over again.