Ariana's POV "She's not going anywhere." Logan roars, and I flinch. "What's he talking about, sweetheart? Are you leaving?" My mom asks, tears welling up in her eyes.I hold her hand in mine, squeezing reassuringly. "I'll be back, Mom.""Dad, you can't let her go." Logan protests."It's Ariana's decision to make. All we can do is prove to her that everything she needs is right here." Alpha Henry smiles at me, and I return his smile, grateful for the opportunity to choose. As the alpha, he could have commanded me to stay, but he didn't, and I'll forever be grateful to him.^^^I nervously wipe my sweaty palms on my dress, a white dress that Georgina had gifted me a while back. I'd never really had a chance to wear it, but it seemed like the right time. Logan would be here soon, but I couldn't calm my nerves. My first date with my mate, something I've always dreamed of, but I never imagined it would be like this. That I'd reject my mate and he would have to prove himself to me. In my
Logan's POV "What the hell, Vivian?" I roar, my anger taking over. "This is the last time I'll warn you. I don't want to see you anywhere near Ariana, and the next time you try anything like that again, I'll make you regret it." I growl, dashing out to find Ariana. "Ariana." I shout, searching the parking lot. I find her leaning on the car, her arms wrapped tightly around her. "I'm so sorry about that." I plead. She nods but doesn't say a word. The wind picks up, and she shivers. I pull off my jacket, placing it around her shoulders. "Let's get you home." I help her into the car before climbing in and pulling away. The awkwardness hangs in the air, the silence stifling. I can already sense her withdrawing from me, retreating back into her protective shell to avoid getting hurt. I pull into her driveway, turning off the engine. I take a deep breath before breaking the silence. "I really enjoyed dinner," I say. "That is, before what happened." I add. "I don't think I can do this
Ariana's POV "It's quite late, young lady." My mom scolds the second I enter. "It's alright, Mom. Logan was with me." I reassure her, taking off my coat. "I'm aware. Does this mean you've decided to stay?" She asks. She still hasn't accepted my leaving, although I've told her that it's just for a little while. I've always wanted to go to college and get a degree, and even though she doesn't approve, I know that she won't stop me. "I...I can't." I reply. "This doesn't have to do with you running away again, Ariana." "No, Mom, I love it here. I just want to fulfill my dreams before completing the bond." I explain. "Have you told him that?" She asks, and I shake my head. "He'll be devastated when he finds out; he loves you a lot." She wraps an arm around my shoulders, and we head to my room. "And I love him very much." I tell her, and I mean it. I've fallen in love with my asshole mate. ^^^ It's been a couple of days since I last saw Logan, which was odd because we've ba
I scream as the wolf slams into me, my breath knocked out of me as I hit the hard ground. The rock in hand, I swing at the wolf as it snaps its jaw inches from my face. Unfortunately, the rock falls from my hand, and just as its jaws snap shut around my arm, it's ripped away from me and thrown into a nearby tree before it does any serious damage. Logan's wolf lets out a threatening growl as he lunges at the other rogue wolf. He takes it down easily and comes back to me, shifting back to human form. "Ariana." He asks, frantically checking my body for injuries. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Once he was convinced I was unharmed, he gently lifted me into his arms and walked us back to the pack house. I wrap my arms around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder as my breath evens out. He lay me on his bed when we got to the house and sent for the pack doctor. In less than half an hour, I'm cleaned up and ready to go."Make sure she stays off
FOUR YEARS LATER Logan's POV My mate is back with me, in my arms where she belongs. I bury my face in her hair, inhaling her scent, lavender and citrus. Her scent has been imprinted into me since I discovered she was mine. Mine to hold, mine to cherish, mine to love. I say a quiet thank you to the moon goddess for bringing her back safely. Tightening my arms around her, I realize I'm never letting her go again. Never again."Logan, let the poor girl breathe." My mom says, and everyone laughs. "It's alright, Georgina. I'm not complaining." Ariana says with a wide smile, her eyes bright."If you say so, but it's my turn now." Mom pulls her in for a tight hug, tearing up. "My baby, I missed you so much." "May I have my daughter back now?" Julietta, Ariana's mother asks, and we all laugh again. "At this rate, we're never going to m
Ariana's POV "Ariana, we're heading home." Daisy shouted as she and the rest of the gang headed towards the parking lot. "Give me a sec, I have to pee." I shouted back, hurrying to the restroom as fast as I could. I couldn't wait till I got home, I'd already been holding it during cheerleading practice. I rushed in and pulled open the first stall, freezing as my eyes locked on the scene before me. Logan, the Alpha's son, and Vivian, the leader of the cheerleading squad, were having sex. I'd been in such a rush that I didn't hear the moans they'd been making before I entered. "Fuck." He cursed, detangling himself from Vivian, covering up. Vivian did the same and flashed me a glare, which snapped me back to my senses. I let go of the door, spinning on my heels to get out of here. But before I could take two steps, Vivian's voice stopped me. "You bitch." She spat. "You were following us, weren't you?" Following them? Why on earth would I do that? "I wasn't." I defended m
Ariana's POV "What would I be so disappointed about if I found out?" Georgina asked. We both turned to see her standing at the threshold of the door, holding a plate of cookies. Logan steps away from me and flashes her his signature smile. "Nothing, Mom, we were just talking." Georgina frowns, not convinced. "I know that, but Ariana mentioned something about me being disappointed if I found out about it." She turns to me. "What was that about, honey?" I fidget, running my sweaty palm on my skirt repeatedly. Logan flashed me a look that said, 'You better not fuck this up.' "Oh, nothing." I waved my hand dismissively, blurting out the first thing I could think of. "I was just telling Logan that you would be disappointed if he doesn't show up for my shifting ceremony after all the efforts you put into it." Georgina gasps. "Logan, you have to come. Ariana will be getting her wolf on Saturday night; she needs all the support she can get." Logan smiled at me, relieved. "I'll tr
Ariana's POV They both glared at me when they realized I'd heard their conversation. "Are you following us, bitch?" Vivian steps toward me, but Logan grabs her arm, stopping her. "Leave her alone, Vivian." He says. "This is the second time she's interrupting us, babe." She whines. "She didn't interrupt anything. You were just leaving." Her face hardens at his words, and she flashes me a deadly glare. "You've been following me, uh?" She starts. "Think you can steal my man, you ugly wench." She spits. "Vivian, go back to the party." He warns. She ignores his warning. "You can throw yourself at him all you like; he wouldn't give your prude ass a second glance." She hisses. "Vivian, that's enough." Logan roars. "Go back to the party." "But—" "Now." He growls. She storms out angrily, throwing me a glare as she walked past me. "Unfuckable bitch." She mutters before leaving. I stand awkwardly, balancing my weight on one leg, then the other before speaking up. "Just so
FOUR YEARS LATER Logan's POV My mate is back with me, in my arms where she belongs. I bury my face in her hair, inhaling her scent, lavender and citrus. Her scent has been imprinted into me since I discovered she was mine. Mine to hold, mine to cherish, mine to love. I say a quiet thank you to the moon goddess for bringing her back safely. Tightening my arms around her, I realize I'm never letting her go again. Never again."Logan, let the poor girl breathe." My mom says, and everyone laughs. "It's alright, Georgina. I'm not complaining." Ariana says with a wide smile, her eyes bright."If you say so, but it's my turn now." Mom pulls her in for a tight hug, tearing up. "My baby, I missed you so much." "May I have my daughter back now?" Julietta, Ariana's mother asks, and we all laugh again. "At this rate, we're never going to m
I scream as the wolf slams into me, my breath knocked out of me as I hit the hard ground. The rock in hand, I swing at the wolf as it snaps its jaw inches from my face. Unfortunately, the rock falls from my hand, and just as its jaws snap shut around my arm, it's ripped away from me and thrown into a nearby tree before it does any serious damage. Logan's wolf lets out a threatening growl as he lunges at the other rogue wolf. He takes it down easily and comes back to me, shifting back to human form. "Ariana." He asks, frantically checking my body for injuries. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Once he was convinced I was unharmed, he gently lifted me into his arms and walked us back to the pack house. I wrap my arms around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder as my breath evens out. He lay me on his bed when we got to the house and sent for the pack doctor. In less than half an hour, I'm cleaned up and ready to go."Make sure she stays off
Ariana's POV "It's quite late, young lady." My mom scolds the second I enter. "It's alright, Mom. Logan was with me." I reassure her, taking off my coat. "I'm aware. Does this mean you've decided to stay?" She asks. She still hasn't accepted my leaving, although I've told her that it's just for a little while. I've always wanted to go to college and get a degree, and even though she doesn't approve, I know that she won't stop me. "I...I can't." I reply. "This doesn't have to do with you running away again, Ariana." "No, Mom, I love it here. I just want to fulfill my dreams before completing the bond." I explain. "Have you told him that?" She asks, and I shake my head. "He'll be devastated when he finds out; he loves you a lot." She wraps an arm around my shoulders, and we head to my room. "And I love him very much." I tell her, and I mean it. I've fallen in love with my asshole mate. ^^^ It's been a couple of days since I last saw Logan, which was odd because we've ba
Logan's POV "What the hell, Vivian?" I roar, my anger taking over. "This is the last time I'll warn you. I don't want to see you anywhere near Ariana, and the next time you try anything like that again, I'll make you regret it." I growl, dashing out to find Ariana. "Ariana." I shout, searching the parking lot. I find her leaning on the car, her arms wrapped tightly around her. "I'm so sorry about that." I plead. She nods but doesn't say a word. The wind picks up, and she shivers. I pull off my jacket, placing it around her shoulders. "Let's get you home." I help her into the car before climbing in and pulling away. The awkwardness hangs in the air, the silence stifling. I can already sense her withdrawing from me, retreating back into her protective shell to avoid getting hurt. I pull into her driveway, turning off the engine. I take a deep breath before breaking the silence. "I really enjoyed dinner," I say. "That is, before what happened." I add. "I don't think I can do this
Ariana's POV "She's not going anywhere." Logan roars, and I flinch. "What's he talking about, sweetheart? Are you leaving?" My mom asks, tears welling up in her eyes.I hold her hand in mine, squeezing reassuringly. "I'll be back, Mom.""Dad, you can't let her go." Logan protests."It's Ariana's decision to make. All we can do is prove to her that everything she needs is right here." Alpha Henry smiles at me, and I return his smile, grateful for the opportunity to choose. As the alpha, he could have commanded me to stay, but he didn't, and I'll forever be grateful to him.^^^I nervously wipe my sweaty palms on my dress, a white dress that Georgina had gifted me a while back. I'd never really had a chance to wear it, but it seemed like the right time. Logan would be here soon, but I couldn't calm my nerves. My first date with my mate, something I've always dreamed of, but I never imagined it would be like this. That I'd reject my mate and he would have to prove himself to me. In my
Ariana's POV "I, Ariana Flores, reject you, Logan Smith, as my mate." My voice cracked as I said those words, my heart shattering into a million pieces. "No." An anguished cry escaped his lips as he fell to the ground, his knees hitting the earth with a silent thud. A gasp rang out from the tree line, and I turned to see the entire pack present. Georgina stood at the front, her hands cupping her mouth as a cry escaped her lips, her eyes wide with horror. I felt tears in my eyes as Logan's cries echoed in the dark night, and I knew I couldn't face their condemnation at me. They would judge me for rejecting my mate. Georgina would hate me. Taking one last look at Logan, I turned to run without looking back. ^^^ "Mom," I sobbed, burying my face in her shoulder as she held me, my body trembling with the force of my sobs. "My poor baby," she cooed softly, stroking my hair as I cried. I must have slept off because the next thing I knew, it was morning, and I heard my mom
Ariana's POV I close my eyes as I feel my body shifting, bones breaking and reforming, my skin itching as fur sprouted from my pores. My body began to shift, senses heightening, muscles stretching. As the pain subsided, I slowly opened my eyes to find myself on all fours. My hands were now paws, covered in soft, brown fur. I turned them over, marveling at the sharp claws that tipped each digit. My vision was sharper, the colors more vivid. My wolf made herself known by a word that I've been waiting for all my life. Mate. I scanned the clearing, waiting, as I could feel my mate drawing closer. My wolf let out a low, eager growl, sensing the presence of our mate. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the trees, and we embraced in wolf form, howling in happiness. I found my mate. We went for a run, feeling the rush of the wind and the pounding of our feet on the ground, our hearts beating in unison. The joy I felt was unmeasurable, and I thanked the moon goddess for sending my mate
Logan's POV Her lips looked so good that I couldn't resist pressing my lips to her, wanting a taste. But she turned away before our lips could touch. "I'm sorry. I can't." She apologizes. "No, it's my fault," I say. "I shouldn't have tried to kiss you." We remain silent for a while until I ask, "Have you ever been kissed before?" She shakes her head, tucking her hair behind her ears. "It might sound stupid to you, but I'm..uh.…I'm waiting for my mate." She whispers. "It's not stupid; don't ever think that," I say truthfully. "Your mate is a lucky guy." She smiles, her eyes bright, looking at me like I hung up the stars. I clear my throat, shifting uncomfortably. "We should probably get going," I suggest. "Yeah." She agrees. I led her to the spot where my car was parked, helped her in, and then slid into the driver's seat. We drive to her house in comfortable silence, the city lights flickering by. I pull up to the curb, parking the car by her house. "Thanks for the ride home
Ariana's POV They both glared at me when they realized I'd heard their conversation. "Are you following us, bitch?" Vivian steps toward me, but Logan grabs her arm, stopping her. "Leave her alone, Vivian." He says. "This is the second time she's interrupting us, babe." She whines. "She didn't interrupt anything. You were just leaving." Her face hardens at his words, and she flashes me a deadly glare. "You've been following me, uh?" She starts. "Think you can steal my man, you ugly wench." She spits. "Vivian, go back to the party." He warns. She ignores his warning. "You can throw yourself at him all you like; he wouldn't give your prude ass a second glance." She hisses. "Vivian, that's enough." Logan roars. "Go back to the party." "But—" "Now." He growls. She storms out angrily, throwing me a glare as she walked past me. "Unfuckable bitch." She mutters before leaving. I stand awkwardly, balancing my weight on one leg, then the other before speaking up. "Just so