CHAPTER 1

AUTHOR'S POV:

The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, casting an eerie glimmer over Ava's room as she lay asleep. A shudder ran down her spine, even in the fervor of her bed, as the night air seemed to carry a sense of premonition. In the depths of her subconscious, a nightmare took hold.

Ava found herself in a dense, shadowy forest. The trees whispered startling secrets, their twisted branches reaching out like gnarled fingers. The air was stale with an otherworldly tension, and an ethereal haze clung to the ground, distorting reality. Ava's breath scampered as she helmed through the ominous landscape.

As she walked, the atmosphere grew heavier, and a distant howl echoed, sending chills down her spine. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows – a silhouette with piercing eyes that seemed to gleam in the dusk. It was a creature, neither fully mortal nor entirely beast, its sight sending waves of fear through Ava's very core.

Ava's heart raced as the creature drew closer, revealing glimpses of her face interwoven with the creature's features. The merging of individualities struck a chord of deep agita within her. The creature spoke, its voice a haunting echo, "You cannot escape what you are destined to become. You are worthless."

“Wake up Sweetheart,” Her mother said lovingly to her only daughter while caressing her hair, waking her up. She swept the cold sweat away from her forehead. Her heart clenched seeing her daughter in this state. She has never felt this helpless. Her one mistake cost her her daughter's life and her spirit. Wiping her tears away, she wished she could just wipe her daughter's haunted memories. How she missed her innocent bubbly little girl.

"Good Morning, Mom," rubbing her dreary eyes, Ava smiled at her mother. She knew she had woken her up by her nightmare. She can't help it. These memories are not leaving her alone no matter how much she tries.

“Good Morning honey, and happy birthday, Now wakey-wakey. Today's your first day of high school. Aren't you excited,"? Her mother asked exuberantly. She didn't ask Ava about her nightmare. She just can't.

Ava nodded enthusiastically but was still drowsy. Her mother smiled, kissed her forehead, and left to make breakfast.

After her mother left, Ava lazily glanced outside the window. A lone tear escaped her eyes as she continued gazing outside. She was exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. These memories are tormenting her each second of her life.

Today, the weather was beautiful, and the dawn chorus of melodic birdsong drifted in. The rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. Ava looked at the clock, beside her bed.

“Oh shoot, I'm getting late for school," Ava mumbled and sprinted towards the washroom. She hasn't found her mate yet and each day she wishes to find him. She never shows this but she wants someone who would hold her hand and walk with her through life. Someone who would hide her in his embrace from all her monsters.

Everyone sees her as a beautiful and happy girl but no one knows the demons that chase her. Ava has been a sensitive and kind-hearted person but what happened with her in the past has left a huge impact on her. The once lively kid is now just a breathing body.

Coming downstairs, she saw the living room decorated with lovely flowers. The sweet fragrance fills the whole house. She heard the morning lovey-dovey chatter of her parents coming from the kitchen. They've been together for years, but their love is inflating day by day. It's like their morning routine, making breakfast together, teasing each other, and laughing together. Ava wishes to have that one day with my mate.

Oblivious to her presence, her father stole a kiss from my mom, and they soon started making out (talk about teenage hormones, duh). After quite 2 minutes, Ava decided to make her presence known. She tiptoed to her dad. She has decided that she will never let her dark past affect the lives of her loved ones. One thing that demons can't change in her is her beautiful and kind heart.

"Morning dad, I would love to be a big sister one day but today, I'm getting late," she whispered teasingly.

Her dad jumped back from her mother, and her mother yelped, hitting him with the spatula in the process.

“Gee! Woman, no need to get violent”. He said while rubbing his head. Aubrey turned to her and narrowed her eyes, Ava smiled sheepishly.

“A very lovely morning to my birthday girl, I'm excited about your first day," Matthew said lovingly while hugging her and kissing her forehead.

“Thank you and yes, Dad, more nervous than hyped," Ava said while hugging him back, seeking comfort from her dad. She just wants to be swallowed by her father's warm embrace and hide from this world.

“Here's your Breakfast sweetheart”, Aubrey said while serving her, her favorite breakfast, waffles with lots of maple syrup, strawberries, and cream.

"But first a gift for my baby girl," Matthew declared excitedly. Ava giggled at him and excitedly extended her hand towards him like a little girl making her parents chuckle at her.

" Here," he placed a small box in her hand. Ava smiled and carefully opened the box. She still has that terror in her heart of being a bad girl. Her parents watch as she unfurls the ribbons.

Inside the box was a tiny yet elegant necklace. A phoenix was drawn inside the stone holding a lotus flower inside her paw. It was stunning. Ava fell in love with it.

"Why phoenix and lotus flower Dad? It feels weird," Ava said jokingly still admiring the necklace. Matthew came forward and took her hand in his.

" Because it represents my baby girl," Matthew said softly. Ava looked at him confounded.

"Phoenix rises from ashes. It signifies strength and resilience. It symbolizes swamping all the obstacles of life. And lotus grows in muddy dirty water yet it emits kindness and piety," Matthew said softly while gazing at her proudly.

" Our past doesn't define us, sweetie, not our demons. It doesn't make us vulnerable, it makes us strong. And having a kind heart while fighting your demons is the most resilient forte," Aubrey said while kissing Ava's forehead. Ava smiled through tears and kissed her parents.

"Now enough of this. Let's have my special breakfast," Aubrey declared pulling away from the hug and pulling Ava to the dining table.

“So, do you want me to drop you at school”? Dad asked while having his Breakfast and reading his newspaper.

"No Dad, I'm going with Cora and Fleur," Ava said and on cue, a loud honking was heard. After biding her parents, Ava rushed outside.

“Good Morning, girls," Ava said while entering the car.

"Happy birthday," soon Ava was strangled in a hug.

"Guys can't breathe," Ava choked.

" Sorry girl," Fleur said sheepishly while pulling away.

"Woah, girl, you're looking eatable enough," Cora said while winking at her. Ava blushed and looked down.

“Stop bothering her,” Fleur said while smacking Cora.

"I was just complimenting her," Cora pouted.

“Forget about her, here," Fleur said while extending a gift to her.

Ava thanked her for the gift package, and opened it. It was a pamper package, crammed with all of her favorite goodies.

"Thank you," Ava said genuinely thankful. Fleur smiled at her while Cora brushed her off with her hand dramatically making them laugh.

"How are you Ava," Fleur asked while noticing the dark bags under her eyes.

“She'll be perfectly alright, who knows, today she may find her mate," Cora chimed while wiggling her brows. Fleur shook her head at her.

I hope the same, Ava prayed silently.

Cora started the car, and the girls jammed to their favorite songs. Screaming their lungs out and dancing.

“You know, people say Alpha Xavier may also find his mate today,” Fleur said suddenly.

It is unclear to Ava why, but she felt a sudden pain in my chest. It's normal for wolves to gossip about their Alpha's love life. Each pack is incomplete without their Luna. While talking, they reached the school. Parking the car, they started going inside the school premises.

As they were walking inside, suddenly it started pouring cats and dogs.

“What the hell,” Cora shouted, irritated.

"Why, it's raining all of a sudden, like wasn't it lovely weather this morning," Cora shouted. Ava and Fleur looked at her bewildered but then burst out laughing. Only Cora can ask such stupid questions. She glared at them making them stop abruptly.

Cora was busy cursing the rain because it ruined her hair that she spent 4 hours on, while Fleur and Ava were trying so hard to stop the laughter that was trying to escape like lava.

“I'm serious guys, it was so nice this morning, perfect for a date or picnic or skipping school or hiking," she started counting on her fingers.

“Jeez! Cora, What will you take to just shut up? You love everything except school," Fleur said irritatedly.

“A date with Shawn Mendes, can you please do that for me,”? Cora asked dreamily.

"Argh! This girl," Fleur facepalmed herself.

Ava smiled looking at them bickering with each other. They were laughing, teasing, and enjoying the rain when all of a sudden, Ava smelt this astonishing and intoxicating smell, like woody musk. Her wolf started getting restless, she had been restless since morning, but now she was hyped. A beautiful feeling blooms inside her chest.

Her feet started moving on their own accord and she started looking around, trying to find the source of the smell. It's the most intoxicating smell. She was looking around, people were running around. Some were enjoying the rain with their loved ones, kissing and dancing, while others were getting inside and trying to shelter themselves from the rain and cursing like Cora. Ava was getting closer and closer to the smell, she knew it was her mate.

She was hyped. Who's he? How's he looking? Is he her senior? Will he love me? Will he kiss me first or hug me? While all these questions were swirling in her mind, she didn't know when she came to the source of the smell, but what she saw shattered her.

There stood her mate, the love of her life, loving his love of her life. Alpha Xavier Romano was kissing his longtime GF Jessica McKenzie. Ava was stunned, Xavier was her mate. As if sensing her presence, he looked up, their eyes met and the world around them stopped. It was just the two of them.

Alpha Xavier's every girl's dream, but the whole school knows he is hers, Jessica McKenzie. Everyone knows they aren't mates because Jessica doesn't give them Luna's warmth but, still some believe they are.

Ava has loved Xavier since childhood but never had the guts to confront him. She always stayed in the shadows, admiring him from afar. Xavier isn't like other alphas who bully people. Xavier is a reserved man, a man of few words.

He only hangs with his high-rank friends. Furthermore, he has beautiful mesmerizing eyes, a sharp jawline, and well, a built body, the epitome of perfection.

“Come on baby, let's get you inside, don't want you to get sick,” Xavier said lovingly to Jessica while looking at her. He smirked at Ava and kissed Jessica more intensely and hard as if to prove to her how much she meant to her and prove to her how unwanted she was. At that time, Ava knew she was a deplorable mate to her mate. They went inside hand in hand.

Her legs shook, and she fell to the floor, this broke me out of my trance. Ava was looking at their retreating figures with blurry eyes. Tears were streaming down her face. The pain in her heart was too much to bear. Why moon goddess? Mom, this isn't how you said mates are supposed to be. It was like someone was stabbing her heart, again and again, the love in her mate's eyes for Jessica and clear rejection for her. Ava screamed and screamed.

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