#Chapter 253: Headlights in the Dark

Abby I had just turned eighteen, and I wasn’t expecting the words that my father had uttered. “Abby,” he had said, “we found your fated mate. You’ll be marrying him in the spring.” The emotions that had passed through my mind at that time had ranged from excitement to fury. Finding my fated mate was one thing, but being married so soon? And why? “He’s from a good family,” my father had said. “You’ll be happy, I promise. He’s going to be an Alpha someday, I’m sure of it.” But I was having none of it. When I met Karl, despite his handsome appearance and charming demeanor, I was furious. Our parents left us alone in the garden to get to know each other, but I just folded my arms and refused to even look his way. Until he spoke, that is. “Hey,” he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. “Wanna go for a run?” I hesitated, finally meeting his gaze. “What?” “I said,” he repeated, “wanna go for a run?” As he spoke, he jerked his head toward the tree line,