2. Jealous Friend

Callista.

After that, I abandon any thoughts of finding food and escape the suffocating kitchen into the street to catch a bus to school. Our pack has a town of our own in the middle of the forest called Farwyn, dotted by single-story bungalows and small cottages. There are a handful of shops, a hospital, and schools in the center. It’s a small community, and I constantly dream about living somewhere more cosmopolitan like the places I see on TV. I hear a lot about the Rexellen Pack’s town nearby, which sprawls across a much larger area. Our pack, Leighwen Pack, is smaller than theirs hence our land is small. But then again, no pack is as large as the Rexellen pack in North America.

After all, it is the Royal pack. It is a privilege to even have land near the Rexellen pack because that meant the Lycan King himself had handed the said land over a long time ago to whatever Alpha rules the pack then. So, this makes Leighwen pack Alphas werewolf nobility, regardless of how small the pack land is.

School passes by in a blur. I can’t help thinking about my mother’s last words. I was sure that my boyfriend was actually my mate, but what if he was not? It would hardly be my fault, because we did not choose our mates. What was I supposed to be if he wasn’t my mate? I hate it when Mother is so cryptid. At least she ought to have the courtesy to tell me whatever she needs to tell me straight without sugarcoating.

I’m distracted, as many are, wondering what the ceremony will be like or whether I’ll come to some sort of epiphany about myself after it occurs. Ruelle didn’t tell me anything about her ceremony last year, and I know no one else to ask. Only adults attend ceremonies and the adults in my life take joy in pushing me into uncomfortable situations.

What makes me more excited than finding my wolf is the prospect of being able to move into a new place with Farris, my boyfriend. Oh, Farris, one of the best things in my life right now. I’m pretty sure that he’s going to be my mate when I discover my wolf.

He has to be.

We’ve been dating for a year and a half now. He’s the Alpha for the Leighwen Pack, and that makes him more powerful than anyone in the pack. Powerful enough to not heed the word of my parents. It means that I can leave my unkind adoptive parents - he’s talked of taking me away from all that, rescuing me from this miserable existence. I love him with all of my heart, and I cannot wait…

Speak of the devil, I receive a text.

Farris: Hey Darling. How are you today? Excited?

I smile to myself – Farris is the sunshine in my stormy life. When I’m with him, every minute feels blessed, and I am addicted to everything about him, my lighthouse in the sea.

Me: Hey, babe. Yeah, I’m psyched for it. Can’t wait to find out that you’re my mate.

We text back and forth, making plans for after the ceremony- Farris wants to take me out to dinner. There are perks to dating the most eligible man in our community. It keeps my parents somewhat off my back, and I have good prospects in the future. But I’m not interested in status or money or even being Luna… I just want to escape where I am at the moment and be loved. Farris says that I’m beautiful inside and out, and he wants to move in together. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

            I stroll down the school steps to make my way home.

“Callista, wait up.” I turn with a grin on my face.

“Esther! I didn’t see you at all today, where have you been?”

“Oh, same old, same old. The Triathlon club is skipping class to practice for our next meet!” Esther, who is somewhat of a genius and takes more pleasure in showing off her knowledge than anyone else I know, smiles contentedly. We’re best friends, been so since we met in Middle school. I miss it when her big brain activities keep us apart. “Wanna walk together?”

“Like you have to ask.”

            Esther lived down the road for my entire childhood and is someone who has always been kind to me. She was cute, with her freckled cheeks always hiked in a smile, her auburn hair curling around her triple-pierced ears, and a cherry mouth painted with bright red. We had the same eye color.

            “So, you excited for tonight?” she asks with a skip to her step.

            Esther will also be attending the coming-of-age ceremony. She had turned eighteen last month, and she’d found her wolf already. The wolf was a russet-colored beauty, with white paws as if she was wearing socks. I was a bit peeved that my birthday came today because I’d have loved to be familiar with my wolf beforehand. Esther and I could’ve had so many runs already.

I’m just about to answer her when a snide voice comes from behind us.

            “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the girl aiming to be the Luna.”

Esther and I sigh in sync. Of course, there had to be someone to rain on our parade.

“Should we pretend she doesn’t exist?” Esther whispers.

“You know she would just spread another rumor again.”

“Yeah, but how many times can she babble about me getting knocked up before someone calls her out on it?” That was one of Dana’s favorite rumors to spread about people who she does not like. If they were girls, they had gotten pregnant after a secret affair and had thus destroyed their lives. If they were boys, they were the ones who’d done the impregnation.

Such an imaginative girl, our Dana was. 

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” Dana’s voice comes behind us, whiny. I never thought anyone other than Ruelle could sound so much like a brat, but as usual, I’d been proven wrong.

We ignore her for now.

“Parents believe her though.” I point it out. "For some Goddess forsaken reason." My mother is itching to find a reason to tear me a new one, the last thing I want is to hand her one wrapped in a bow.

Esther grimaces. “Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

“Dana,” I greet the girl who interrupted us, turning with a smile. “Did you get lost, you poor dear? Hell is that-a-way.” I point to the ground. Esther snickers next to me.

“Ha-frickin-ha, you gold digger. Does the Alpha laugh at your ‘jokes’ too, or are you just there for decoration?”

“First off, I'm flattered you think I'm good enough to count as decoration. Secondly, at least I’m there. I don’t know if Farris is even aware of your existence.”

Esther joins. “Dana, I hardly see how it’s your business to know what other people do in their relationships. It's quite rude.”

Oh, Esther, darling. You’re too good for this. Dana’s face lights up, taking the opening Esther had given her. The only way to deal with her is to give her non-answers, otherwise she starts to twist your words.

Like she’s gearing up to do now.

“Oh, it is. You see, I care for my pack, and you are too weak to handle it.” Her tone becomes downright scathing, “The Luna needs to be strong enough to handle a storm with the grace of a swan, modest and selfless, smiling in the face of disaster. You’re just some ungrateful loser latching onto the Alpha for his money.”

The sheer unoriginality of it all. Dana had always had a massive crush on Farris and had been trying to get his attention all the time. But Farris did not care for it. When he’d asked me out for the first time, rumor has it that Dana spent a whole day crying, and then another cursing my name.

The girl seriously needs to see a therapist.

“I think you should stick with your ballet lessons, Dana, because a poet you are not.” I don’t have to talk about my love for Farris all the time just to get Dana off my back. Farris knows about it, that’s all that matters.

Also, Dana comes nowhere near Ruelle in insults. Now, Ruelle, she can cut you with two or three words. She’s a real snake when she has to be Dana’s just a worm, pretending to be a snake.  

“You can brush it away as much as you want, but just you wait. One day your true colors will show. It’s not too late to leave the pack yet with your dignity intact.”

With that, Dana leaves with a smirk on her face.

That last remark puzzles me, and when I look at Esther, I see that she is equally confused.

“What do you think that’s about?”

“No idea. Think she ran out of the previous one and stole someone else’s personality to fill the void of hers.”

I snort. “Probably. I don’t know if I prefer slut-shaming Dana to this cryptic one though.”

“Eh, she’s not going to be your problem for long.” Esther smiles. “As soon as you find out that Farris is your mate, all their tongues are gonna go numb.”

“Will he be though?” I voice one doubt I have. Mother’s words ring in my head. “What if fate decides that my mate is someone else?”

“With the love you already feel for Farris, I doubt it’ll be anyone else.” Esther shrugs. “But if it is, you’re going to have someone to love you either way, Callista. You’re going to be fine, I just know it. You’re smart, and pretty, and got a hell of a fire in you. Anyone is going to be lucky to have you as their mate.”

I smile in gratitude, the hurt from Dana’s words diminishing. I don’t show it at all, but the insults really get to me sometimes. “Thanks, Esther. You’re the best friend a girl can ever want.”

But the question still remains. What am I going to do, if things go pear-shaped tonight?