One

Freya

"Oops, sorry," Britney, the troublemaker from my school, mocked as she deliberately bumped into me while I was retrieving my school belongings from my locker. Once I managed to rein in my anger, I glanced at her, grateful that my inner wolf had urged me to remain composed.

Attempting to walk past her, I was thwarted as she obstructed my path. Instead of letting me go, she purposefully tripped me, and as I stumbled, laughter erupted not only from her but also from the onlooking crowd.

'Keep your cool, Frey,' my wolf advised, attempting to pacify me. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and gathered myself before standing up. It was peculiar that Pi, my wolf, seemed more level-headed than I was. Typically, our wolves were quick to lose their composure and act impulsively, making it particularly odd that my wolf exhibited such sensibility, a stark contrast to my own nature.

"Oh, I apologize once again," Britney chuckled, accompanied by her cohorts. Deciding to distance myself, I stood up and walked away, aware that their mockery wouldn't cease as long as I remained in their sight.

As I rounded the corner toward my next class, an inadvertent collision occurred with a solid chest. Regret settled in when I glanced up to identify its owner— Joric, the impending Alpha, smirked at me.

Similar to Britney, Joric is another bully, boasting an inflated sense of self-importance due to his future alpha status. However, in terms of strength, he paled in comparison to his future beta and gamma. The sole qualification for his alpha role was his lineage as the son of the current alpha.

"How fortunate I am to finally locate you!" he exclaimed animatedly, accompanied by his own group of followers. I was relieved that his future beta and gamma were absent; both were responsible individuals, perhaps explaining their lack of camaraderie with him.

"I'm heading to my next class," I informed him with my head bowed, aware that he enjoyed such displays, relishing in the feeling of superiority it brought.

"No need for that; I can ask your teacher to pass you if you give me a favor," he said, leering at his minions, who joined in his laughter. I'd rather fail than comply with such a request, but unable to voice that, I simply responded, "I don't want to incur Britney's displeasure; she's already caused me enough trouble."

"You're here," Clay interjected as Joric prepared to reply. "I've been searching for you; let's go," he said, taking my hand. We both cast a glance at the future alpha before turning away, only to find him glaring at Clay. Joric couldn't confront Clay because he knew he couldn't outmatch his future beta.

"We strolled away, and a sigh of relief escaped me, grateful that Clay arrived just in time. "You've really lucked out encountering that jerk and the troublemaker," Clay chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm well aware of that. I don't know if I emit some kind of scent that attracts them wherever I go," I replied.

"I'd like to think that only they can pick up on your scent, which was undetectable to our noses," he added, and we both shared a laugh.

Clay is a close friend, and though I wish he were my mate, I know he's not. I'd already found mine, and I pushed thoughts of him out of my mind. Refocusing on Clay, the beta for the future, he may be just 17, but he thinks like an adult and is committed to the well-being of the pack and its members, alongside the future gamma, Alec.

As he mentioned, I had no scent, which meant none of them knew I already had my wolf. I considered sharing this with Clay and Alec but changed my mind. I didn't want them to perceive me as abnormal because of the absence of my scent. While every wolf has a unique scent, lacking one typically signifies being either human or another species. Despite my worries, my wolf reassures me that we are unique.

"Is that even possible?" I asked Clay, and he raised an eyebrow. I laughed at his reaction, knowing well that those two were fools and couldn't possibly smell a scent others couldn't.

"If that were true, I'd be thrilled. At least the future alpha possesses something deserving of the position," he replied. "Anyway, I sought you out because I wanted to inform you that the Lycan prince will be visiting the school," which made me tense.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked, sensing my reaction. "Don't be afraid of him; you're not doing anything wrong. We both know the Lycans, especially the royals, only want us to follow the rules," he added.

I wasn't scared of the Lycans or any royals. It was the Lycan prince, my mate, who troubled me. Yes, I was mated to a Lycan prince and future king. Being mated to a Lycan was already challenging, let alone a prince destined to be king. Since discovering his infidelity, I've been plagued by chest pain.

"Freya, are you alright?" he asked, and then I caught his scent. I sniffed, and indeed, it was my mate. He was heading our way, and my first instinct was to run. I attempted to flee, but it was too late. He, along with his future beta and the woman wrapped around him, was already in view.

I wanted to claim him as mine, but how could I when he couldn't even smell me? Clay held onto my arm as he bowed his head. I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact, afraid that my wolf might attack him, jeopardizing both our lives." 

"I want him, Frey," Pi said, and I wished to convey that I shared the same desire. However, Clay gripped my hand, and we greeted them.

"His Highness," I kept my gaze lowered, noticing his hand entwined with the female Lycan. A surge of anger surged within me, a sentiment Clay seemed to sense. "Hey, Frey, are you alright?" he inquired, his tone laced with concern. It snapped me out of my anger, and I looked at him, forcing a smile.

"I'm sorry, I just recalled something," I responded, head bowed.

"What triggered your anger? I sensed it; it felt like you wanted to harm someone," my mate remarked.

"Sometimes she feels that way when remembering her bullies. Without her wolf yet, she faced judgment from everyone," Clay explained on my behalf.

"Pathetic," remarked the female Lycan, causing me to clench my teeth. Pi's soothing presence in my mind helped keep my composure.

"Eunice!" the Lycan prince exclaimed, prompting everyone to bare their necks— except me. I hoped no one noticed as my head remained down. "She's part of the pack and deserves the same treatment as anyone else," he asserted. Relief washed over me, appreciating his difference from the others. However, the female Lycan's caressing of his arms fueled my fury.

"We'll head to our class now, Your Highness," Clay informed me, and he led me away after receiving permission.

"Thank you, Clay," I expressed, resting my head on his chest. Nervousness and anger coiled within me. My mate's presence had unsettled me ever since discovering that he belonged to me.