Episode 2

      Jayson moved away from me as fast as he could like I had suddenly come down with some kind of contagious disease.

     I swallowed down the hurt I felt at his action. I'd thought I had some time before things started to change between us. 

     Apparently, I'd been wrong.

     Mrs Smith walked in, looking at me like I was the annoying gum stuck under her shoe. Deciding she had seen enough of me, she focused her attention on her only son.

     "You look good, darling," She complimented, wearing a warm smile on her face. 

     "Thanks mother," Jayson replied warmly. I felt a little envious as I watched her fuss over Jayson 's jacket, asking if he was comfortable with it.

     I had never known what a mother's love felt like. While Mrs. Smith might not be so fond of me, I had to admit she was a wonderful mother to both her children.

    And she was a wonderful Luna to the rest of the pack as well.

     "I don't know how the pack members would take their new Alpha spending so much time with a woman behind closed doors." She reprimanded. "A woman who was neither mated to him nor his mate."

     I should be used to her condescending words by now, but only the goddess knew I wasn't. I didn't know why I longed for this woman's love and affection.

     She had shown me time and again how far fetched my dreams were.

     "Mother..." Jayson started, before trailing off. There was nothing he could say to change her opinion of me that he hadn't already said. She disliked me because she thought I wasn't worth his kindness. Not when to her, I was a bad influence, getting him in a lot of trouble and fights.

     She wasn't wrong though. Jayson just couldn't bear the thought of someone disrespecting me. It was why I tried to keep him away from the complication that was my life as much as possible.

     "Don't start now, Jayson ." Mrs Smith stated, brushing invisible dirt off his jacket. "It's good you're finally ready to take your place as Alpha of the pack. Maybe then you would be too occupied to be fooling around with someone who would never be worthy enough to be your mate."

     I felt as though I'd been slapped.

     "Mother!" Jayson scolded, moving away from her whilst staring at her in shock. 

     I stared at her in shock as well, but only because it was the first time she was openly insulting me in front of him.

     "You're raising your voice, Jayson !" Mrs Smith half yelled. "You're raising your voice at me, all because of her!"

     "I should probably go." I said softly, before turning and walking out of the room. I didn't want Jayson to have a fight with his mother because of me.

      I walked downstairs, moving my way past the crowd, pausing occasionally to admire the portraits of Jayson on the walls. It was a bittersweet moment for me. I was so proud of him and the man he was becoming, but a part of me still wanted him all to myself.

     I, of course, knew that if I truly did love him, I would let him go. It was just as well that he had no idea of my feelings for him. 

     And he never would.

     The tears came then.

***

     The party was in full swing hours later, music blasting through the speakers as people made small talk. A group of teen werewolves talked and laughed loudly at one end of the room, while the adults chatted softly at the other.

     "I just knew you would be all by yourself," A voice said from behind me.

     I turned from my place on a barstool to look at one of my closest female friends who also happened to be Jayson 's younger sister.

     "Done being a party butterfly?" I asked Pamella, taking a sip of my drink.

     She rolled her big eyes at me, asking the bartender for a cold drink. "For now, anyways. My mom might call me to make a few more introductions."

     I laughed at the annoyed expression on her face. Favi, as almost everyone called her, hated it when her mother felt the need to introduce her to almost everyone at almost all the elaborate parties they threw.

     I tucked a stray strand of my hair, discreetly scanning the makeshift dance floor for Jayson . "Lemme guess, she's introducing you as the new Beta female of the pack."

     "Exactly!" Favi retorted in agreement. "Wait, how did you know that?"

     I shrugged my shoulders, fixing my gaze back on her when I realized Jayson wasn't in the room. "It sounds like her."

     Pamella nodded in agreement, her eyes moving around the room. "I don't see Belinda anywhere."

     "Right here!" My second closest shewolf called, taking a seat between Favi and myself. "No offense Favi, but I seriously think your mom may be after my life."

     I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes. It was purely Belinda to exaggerate. I pushed my drink to her so she could have a sip. "She introduced you to everyone too?"

     "Yeah," Belinda confirmed, shaking her head. "Makes me a little scared for what might happen on the actual inauguration ceremony."

     Although Jayson was turning twenty-five today and was going to take over the pack from his father, he would officially become the Alpha a week after his birthday. A new werewolf council would be selected as well.

     Pamella and her mate, Josh were going to be the new Betas of the pack and Belinda and Luke the new Gammas. There would be a new pack doctor, healer, seer, and lead warrior. The former members of the council would then become the new Elders of the pack.

     "I might have to come up with some excuse to miss it," Favi stated. "I'm being very serious on that." There was no way Mrs Smith wouldn't know she was faking.

     The conversation moved on to what they would wear for their inauguration ceremony and the preparations the pack was coming up with.

     "You're going to be there right?" Belinda asked, even though we all knew the question she was asking was if my step mother would let me attend. I had worked so hard to be able to be here for Jayson 's birthday party.

     "Of course." I replied with a level of confidence I didn't completely feel. I just knew I would do whatever it took to be there.

     Much later, the party came to an end. I said my goodbyes to Favi and Belinda before walking around the house looking for Jayson . 

     "He took his wolf out on a run." Luke imformed me when he noticed me searching everywhere for him.

     I could feel my heart beat harshly against my rib cage. "Is everything okay?" I questioned, aware that Jayson wouldn't just do something like that on a day like this.

     "I'm not sure." He answered bluntly and then walked away. That was all the sign I needed from him. Something had definitely upset Jayson , I thought as I made my way home.

     But what in the moon goddess's name could it have been?