Millie was excited, she knew it was a long shot and her parents had told her not to get her hopes too high up. This could go either way. Tomorrow was her fifteenth birthday.

"So how would it work? Would I get it right as the clock strikes twelve or before my birthday ends? Maybe during the day or as night hits?", Millie asked excited.

"Millie, we talked about this. I don't want you to get your hopes up. This is a fifty fifty chance", Brie said to her daughter.

She knew how badly Millie wanted to fit in. To belong to a pack and be able to shift like everyone else.

"I know, but, grandpa told me all the stories and I can just feel it mom", Millie said.

Brie smiled and touched her daughter's cheek. Her dad and brother walked in.

"So we made sure no pack members will be on the west side of the training fields. Seth and I will be keeping watch and Brie you will be beside Millie, along with Roman", her dad said.

"Roman?", Millie asked.

Her dad nodded.

"He wants to be there for support", he said.

Millie smiled. Roman had kept his distance from her since dropping her off at her house a year ago. He sent her flowers on her fourteenth birthday, sent her a gift at Christmas time, and Chocolates with roses on Valentines Day.

"Now, I know we've discussed it but I don't want you to get your hopes up. We love you with or without your wolf. If Roman doesn't want you without a wolf, then that's on him. We wait for your second chance", her dad said.

Millie nodded. He squeezed his daughter's hand.


Midnight was creeping up. Brie stood beside her as Roman was leaning back against a tree. He didn't show it, but he was nervous and excited. Nervous, because this was his last chance to get his true mate. Excited for Millie, because she really wanted her wolf.

"One minute till midnight", her mom said.

Millie watched as her mom mouthed the seconds. When she reached one, nothing happened. Brie looked worried.

"Am I suppose to feel anything?", Millie asked.

Roman swallowed. He looked at Brie, he could see her not wanting to answer Millie and disappoint her.

"The shift was suppose to just take over and, it would hurt the first time", Roman said.

Millie bit her lip.

"Nothing's happening", she said softly.

Brie approached her daughter.

"Don't worry. You have all day. Maybe since you're different, the shift happens at the exact time you were born. You were born right at ten at night, so lets not panic till then", Brie said calmly.

Millie nodded. Roman knew Brie was just trying to comfort Millie. She looked at him.

"Are you staying?", Millie asked him, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"No. I can't. Sorry", he said.

Millie nodded. Roman stopped.

"Oh, almost forgot.", he said, pulling something out as he walked over to her.

Handing her the hand made figure. It was two wolves howling shaped into a ledge, with a lone wolf standing on the edge and howling. It was made out of wood.

"Its beautiful. It must have taken you forever to make", Millie said.

He smiled.

"I love doing these sorts of things, so it was no big deal", he said shrugging.

"Thank you", she said, looking up at him.

"Happy Birthday, Millie", he said.

He walked away and Brie smiled.

"Pretty handy that Alpha is", Brie said.

"Yeah", Millie said, hugging the carving.


Millie sat in the kitchen looking at the gift Roman gave her. She knew that was probably the last time she would see him. He was disappointed and she felt it. She touched the wolf at the top.

"You've still got three hours left Mill", her dad said softly behind her.

She wiped her tears.

"I'm not getting it", she said.

"Sweetie", she stopped her dad and took off running up to her room.

She slammed the door behind her and laid on her bed. She hugged her pillow to her and cried. She watched as more time passed, it was a minute till midnight. Her door opened and her brother walked in. He laid beside her.

"I'm sorry baby sister", he said softly.

She laid her head on his chest and cried. He rubbed her back.


Roman grabbed his glass of whiskey and chugged it. Dean found him in his office.

"So I take it the kid didn't get her wolf", Dean said.

Roman poured himself more and one for Dean.

"No wolf", Roman said.

"So that's it? You are just going to let her go? She's your true mate. You won't be happy with Lana, not as happy as you can be with Millie. So what, she doesn't have a wolf. So what, she can't give you an heir. Your happiness means more to this pack than an heir", Dean said.

Roman finished his drink again.

"You don't understand because your mate can give you a child", Roman said.

"I would love her no matter what", Dean said.

Roman sighed.

"Did you at least give her the gift you made her?", he asked.

"Yeah, she liked it", Roman said.

Dean nodded.

"Its going to get harder to refuse her, as she gets older the bond grows stronger. She's in the clear because she doesn't feel it, but you, man, you are going to be chasing her around like a lost puppy", Dean said.

Roman met his Beta's eyes. He knew he was right. Roman sat up and grabbed his phone.

"Privacy", Roman said.

Dean nodded and stood before walking out. He tapped her name on his screen. He heard it ring twice before she picked up.

"Come over, Lana", he said.

He set his phone down and leaned back in his chair, grabbing his drink and finishing it. Dean was right, the bond he felt towards Millie would grow stronger. He had to break it, and the only way he knew how was to mate with Lana.

Breaking a bond like the one he had on Millie was painful. It felt like your entire body was on fire and like you were being cut open where your mate claimed you. She didn't have her wolf, so maybe it wouldn't hurt like it would for wolf.

He couldn't let the bond get stronger, not when he didn't plan on keeping her.


Seth didn't leave his sister till she finished crying herself to sleep. He kissed the back of her head and stood. He opened the door when suddenly she started screaming. He ran over to her.

"Millie, what's wrong?", he asked.

She just kept screaming, which alerted their dad and Beta.

"The Enforcers are surrounding the house", Hunter said.

"What happened?", his dad asked him.

"I don't know, she just started screaming", Seth said, holding his sister down.

Brie brushed her daughter's hair out of her face.

"Baby tell us what's wrong. What's happening?", Brie asked.

"I feel, I, it burns. My body's burning", Millie yelled.

"That son of a bitch", Colby growled.

He stood and looked at Hunter. Brie knew what her husband was thinking. She grabbed his face between her hands.

"Don't. Starting a war won't help her. You know very well she will blame herself. Do you want to put your baby through that pain?", Brie said.

Colby closed his eyes. She could feel him shaking, fighting with his wolf. He knew his wife was right. Millie would blame herself and he knew he would frighten her if he became that wolf again. He never wanted Millie to be afraid of him.

"I'm calm", Colby nodded.

Brie looked at her oldest.

"Call Alpha Sika, now", she demanded.

Seth nodded and ran out of the room. Millie was covered in sweat when she stopped screaming. Red patches on her arms, legs, and neck.

"Did he break it?", Brie asked her husband.

Colby took his daughter's hand and checked her wrist. Roman's claim was showing. Like he had just bit her all over again.

"His claim is still here", he said.


Alpha Sika followed his wife down the hall to their son's room. She pounded on his door and he answered it. Shorts hanging low and his hair a mess. His mom sniffed the room. She growled and met her son's eyes.

"Its not what you think", he said.

She slapped him. He looked sadly at her.

"Don't you dare try to lie to me. She felt everything", his mom said.

"I didn't mate her, I mean, I was going too. I kicked her out, I couldn't", Roman said.

"Doesn't make up for the pain you put Millie through. She's human, son. Her healing is slower than ours, meaning she is still feeling the effects of your roll in the sheets", his dad said.

"We didn't roll. We barely sat", Roman said.

His mom growled.

"I swear, I didn't mate Lana", Roman said.

Patricia looked at her husband.

"I'm going to visit with her once the sun comes up, and no, Roman, you can't come", she said.

"Because her dad will kill me", he said.

"No, because her mother will. Never mess with a females babies", she said.

Roman nodded. His dad and mom walked passed him and he closed the door to his room. He sighed and sat on his bed. He was telling the truth, he never slept with Lana. He couldn't. She did go down on him, but it didn't feel satisfying. Not like before.