01: Turning Eighteen

Conrad

"It's your birthday tomorrow and you're turning 18, aren't you excited about it? If you're lucky enough then there's a chance that you'll find your mate tomorrow." Betty, my only friend here in North Carolina, happily reminds me as if I didn't know that already. I don't know why but it feels like she's more excited about my birthday than I am. I don't have anything against my birthday but it's just that I don't care about it anymore, there's nothing special about birthdays anymore or maybe that's just me being officially an adult now talking.

My mom and I just moved to North Carolina a few months ago. The new place we moved in was quite peaceful compared to the city but I can't help but miss the old place where I grew up, where I have made many friends. Mom and I had to move here to North Carolina because she has found her other half, the man that the moon goddess cated for her. Maddox, my mother's mate is a Beta in the Moon Shadow Pack here in North Carolina and he can't leave his duty as Beta so mom thinks that it's best for the both of them if we move here in North Carolina and join the Moon Shadow Pack. My mother is so lucky because she found a mate for the second time, it's rare for a werewolf to find a mate for the second time. After my father died trying to protect me from our abusive Alpha, my mother swore that she won't love again but the moon goddess has a different plan for my mother and gave her another mate.

As much as I want to stay in the city, I know that I can't and I also want my mother to be happy. I know that she's happy with me but I can see and I can feel that she's happier when she's with Maddox, the last time I saw her so happy was when my father was still with us. I don't want to take her happiness away from her by arguing that we should just stay in the city.

"Hello! Earth to Conrad!" I snap out of my thoughts when suddenly Betty wave her hands close to my face and for a second, I thought she was about to slap me on the face.

"Hmm? You're saying something?" I asked her nonchalantly and she just look at me in disbelief.

"What is wrong with you? I've been talking here for a while now and you didn't even listen to me. I'm asking you about your plans for tomorrow, it's your 18th birthday and please don't tell me it's no big deal. It's your freaking 18th birthday which means you're one step closer to finding your mate." Betty said and I can't help but just look at her uninterestedly. I know that she's just excited about my 18th birthday but I just wish she stop talking about finding my mate. I don't want to get my hope so high and then end up with nothing.

"I'm only turning 18 tomorrow, Betty, that's it and nothing else. It doesn't mean I'm gonna find my mate instantly, I just wish it was that simple. What if my mate is a human? What if my mate is in another country? What if my mate is a girl?" I exclaimed and then I take a deep breath.

There, I already said it. Now she knows why I'm not so adamant about finding my mate. Fuck! I've known since I was young that I like men, I always got my interest in men. And finding that my mate is probably a girl will gonna be my worst nightmare.

"Okay, I understand you now but don't be such a pessimist. I'm sure the moon goddess is not heartless enough to give you a female mate. I mean the moon goddess will only give you the mate that you deserved." Betty said caressing my back trying to comfort me but it doesn't stop me from thinking that there's still a possibility that I'm gonna have a female mate.

"How does it feel to have a mate?" I asked Betty and I could see the sly smile on her lips as if she remembers something enchanting and happy. I'm sure she's thinking about Luther right now, her mate. Betty was lucky enough to have found her mate after she turned 18, which is two months ago. Luther is her childhood friend and it turns out that he already knew that Betty is his mate but he didn't say a word because he was waiting for Betty's 18th birthday. I must say they're both lucky to have each other as a mate. All I can do now is wish that my mate is someone who I already knew too, or someone leaving here in North Carolina.

"I don't know but it's like you finally found that missing piece in your heart, Conrad. I can't explain it but you'll understand it when you finally found your mate." Betty replied dreamily as if she was reminiscing the day when she found out that Luther is her mate.

Not everyone can be as lucky as her. Will I ever meet my mate tomorrow? I don't think so.

"Conrad!" My heart beats faster than normal when I suddenly heard that very familiar voice calling my name. I'll never forget that voice and his raspy voice every time he mentions my name.

Betty and I are sitting on a bleacher near the football field and I immediately got up from my seat and turned around, and there I saw the man who was the reason my heart was beating so fast right now, not because I suddenly felt excited to see him but because I am nervous. I'm freaking nervous, the way he calls my name doesn't sound good to me and he also looks upset right now. Fuck! I'm in trouble.

"R-Ryker." I stutter upon mentioning his name, my voice was weak when I spoke his name but I'm sure that he heard me crystal clear. I can't help but swallow my saliva when I saw him frown at me as if I just mispronounced his name.

"That's Alpha Ryker for you, Conrad," Ryker spoke harshly to me and for some inexplicable reason, it makes me even more nervous about him. I wanted to correct him and tell him that technically he's still not an Alpha since his father still has that title but I know better than that so I just shut my mouth.

Betty held my hand when she noticed that my hands were starting to tremble in immense nervousness. Ryker's aura is just too intimidating, I don't know why I feel this way whenever he's around me but I think it's just because my mother and I live a normal life for years until we moved here to North Carolina. I didn't grow up in a pack and never live with an alpha ordering me what to do.

Ever since my father died protecting me from the abusive hands of our Alpha before. My mother and I decided to live as humans and we never dared get into another pack, we only shifted into our wolf form two or three times a month because we don't want anyone to know our secret, our neighborhood doesn't have any idea what we are.

"Will you just gonna stand there, Conrad? Fucking start moving and get here." Ryker ordered with his eyes glaring over me, Betty immediately let go of my hand when Ryker's glare fell on her. Even though I was nervous, I was able to carry my bag on my back and said goodbye to Betty.

"I need to go, see you tomorrow, Betty," I said and kissed her on the cheek, Betty just nodded at me but I can tell by the looks on her face that she doesn't want me to go with Ryker. I don't want to but I have no choice.

I couldn't help but gulped as I walked closer to Ryker.

"Is there something that you want from me, Alpha Ryker?" I asked but he just hissed at me and start walking. I never dared to ask him another question again and just follow him. I think we're going to his apartment again, that's where he has always taken me for the past few weeks now.

"I want you to do my project in Physics. I got a lot of things to do and I don't have time for that stupid project." Ryker said before opening the door to his apartment and he motions for me to get in first which I immediately did because I know that there was a chance that he'll grab my sleeves and force me to get inside his apartment if I ever said no to him.

This is not the first time that Ryker has asked me to do his assignments and projects. I don't know but since my mother and I moved here in North Carolina and joined their pack, Ryker and I seem to have been in bad blood and I don't even know if what have I done to be treated this way. I just follow whatever he wants me to do because I don't want to piss him off and I'm afraid he starts to bully me if I ever talk back to him.

It was enough for me to have one alpha that hated me, alpha Blake–the abusive alpha who killed my dad.