After My Mate Kissed Her at the Bonfire

The bonfire crackled high into the night sky, sparks spinning upward like tiny orange stars. Around me, the Silverfang Pack was celebrating—our annual Come of Age Ceremony, where newly-awakened wolves took their first formal steps into pack life. The air smelled like woodsmoke and spilled beer. Someone had cranked music from a portable speaker near the kegs. Laughter rolled through the clearing in waves.

I stood with a plastic cup in my hand, watching the flames. Justin was somewhere across the bonfire with his Beta training group. I could feel him through the mate bond—a warm, steady presence at the edge of my awareness. We'd been fated mates for two years. The bond was supposed to be unshakeable. The Moon Goddess herself had tied us together. That's what I'd always believed.

"Dare! Dare! Dare!" The chant erupted near the fire.

I glanced over. A group of wolves had formed a loose circle, passing a bottle. Drunk dare games. Classic ceremony tradition. I smiled faintly and took a sip of my drink. Harmless fun.

Then I heard Justin's name.

"Justin Campbell!" someone shouted. "Your turn, future Beta!"

The crowd whooped. I straightened, setting my cup on a nearby stump. Through the flames, I could just make out Justin's silhouette. He was grinning, hands raised in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright," he called. "What's the dare?"

A voice I didn't recognize—male, slightly slurred—rose above the noise. "Kiss the prettiest she-wolf in the circle!"

More cheers. I rolled my eyes. Typical. Justin would probably make a show of crossing the bonfire to kiss me. He liked grand gestures when there was an audience.

But he didn't move toward me.

Instead, he turned to his right.

Cassidy Jenkins stood there. Freshman. Newly-awakened. Daughter of some Luna from the Blackthorn Pack. I'd seen her around—wide brown eyes, long dark hair, always looking slightly lost. She was staring up at Justin now with her lips parted, surprise written all over her face.

"Can't embarrass a new wolf in front of the whole pack," Justin said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Then he leaned in and kissed her.

The world went very still.

It wasn't a quick peck. It wasn't a joke. Justin's hand came up to her waist. Cassidy's fingers curled into his shirt. The kiss lasted three seconds. Four. Five. When they finally broke apart, she was flushed and breathless. Justin laughed—easy, careless—and the crowd erupted into cheers and wolf-whistles.

I stood ten feet away, across the fire, and watched.

My wolf went silent inside me. Not angry. Not howling. Just... still. Like she'd stopped breathing.

I waited for Justin to look at me. To cross the bonfire. To send something through the mind-link—an apology, an explanation, anything.

Nothing came.

He clapped one of his buddies on the shoulder and reached for the bottle being passed around. Cassidy stood beside him, tucking hair behind her ear, smiling shyly at the wolves congratulating her on being "chosen."

I set my cup down carefully. My hands were steady. That surprised me.

I turned and walked into the dark.

Behind me, the music kept playing. The laughter kept rolling. No one called my name.

I made it to the tree line before I stopped. My chest felt tight, like something was wrapped around my ribs and pulling. I pressed my palm flat against the rough bark of a pine and focused on breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

Footsteps crunched through the underbrush behind me.

"Avery."

Soleil's voice. My best friend. My ride-or-die.

I didn't turn around. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit."

She stopped beside me. Didn't try to hug me. Didn't ask what I was feeling. Just stood there, shoulder to shoulder, staring into the dark forest with me.

We stayed like that for a long time. The bonfire noise faded to a distant hum. The night air was cool against my flushed face.

Finally, Soleil spoke. "He's a coward."

I closed my eyes. "He didn't want to embarrass her."

"He embarrassed you."

"It was just a dare."

"It was a choice."

I turned my head to look at her. Soleil's jaw was set, her dark eyes blazing even in the shadows. She looked ready to march back to that bonfire and set something on fire that wasn't wood.

"He could have said no," she continued, voice low and fierce. "He could have crossed the fire and kissed you. He could have laughed it off. He had a hundred ways to handle that dare without putting his mouth on another she-wolf in front of the entire pack. He chose the one that required nothing from him and cost you everything."

My throat felt tight. I looked away.

"I'm going back to the dorms," I said quietly.

Soleil nodded once. "I'm coming with you."

We walked side by side through the forest, away from the ceremony, away from the bonfire, away from the sound of Justin's laughter still echoing through the trees. My wolf stayed silent the entire way. I didn't reach through the mind-link. I didn't want to hear what he would say.

Or worse—what he wouldn't.