001

Two muscular arms wrap around me, engulfing me into a tight back hug as I stare ahead into the darkness of the forest from our secret little hut.

“Hey” Anthony's whisper softly wafts across the shell of my ear as he snuggles his nose further into the crook of my neck.Smiling to myself under the effect of his affection, I place my hand on top of his.

“Did you miss me that much?” I teased.Instead of a sweet response like I expected, he rubs himself against me.His hard on poking my behind.

I turned around and face him but before I could speak, his lips came crashing down on mine.Kissing me with urgency whilst his one hand trails down my bottom in an attempt to pull down my sweatpants.

I somehow managed to break away from the kiss. “Anthony, wait..” I gasp but he moves his mouth down to my collarbone.As much as I like Anthony, I wish to spend quality time with him..Not just sex.

“C'mon baby I need you.Won't you make me feel good?” He breathes out, pulling me back into his arms.

“It's not that….” I hesitate, not wanting to upset him.

He pulls away to take off his shirt. “I know..You will never leave me in pain” With that he pulls down his pants, releasing his thickness from the torture of tight pants.

“Tomorrow is the Blood moon and we are going to mate each other officially anyway..I was thinking why not wait for it” I speak my mind.Although we have had sex a couple of times, I still want to treat tomorrow like a special occasion.

“We are mates and tomorrow's just any other day since we already know” Anthony grumbled, crushing my heart a little at his lack of excitement for tomorrow.

“Baby look” He takes my face in his hands, gazing down at me with his pretty brown eyes.The dimly lit lamp in the hut cascades soft glow on both of us, just letting us see enough.

“I know you are excited like every other girl for tomorrow but for me, the special day was when I found you..When we kissed, took each other in our arms and especially our first time together.. If you don't want to do it then it's okay..” He said with a sad smile before moving back.

When Anthony turned nineteen, he very excitedly told me how I am his mate.Alpha blood can sense their mate once turned nineteen unlike the rest of us who only discovers it on the night of Blood moon..It's when the mate bond snaps and lets us know.

Anthony has been a great friend of mine for years until two years ago, friendship turned into a secret relationship.I love him and one of the worst things I hate is upsetting him in any little way.

“Anthony… let me help you” I whisper with a soft sigh, catching the way his eyes lit up and a smirk took over his face.

“That's my girl” He gushed before picking me up.My legs wrapped around his torso instinctively before our lips collided in a hungry kiss.

My clothes were off in seconds and him between my legs, “You just know how to make me happy..” He whispers praises before slamming inside me and stretching me out completely.

His grunts were low as he pants out in between each thrust.

“Feels so goood..so good”

I keep my moans low, not wanting the patrol guards on duty to hear us and find out about this small hut being our dirty secret.

Unlike Anthony who has no care in the world as pleasure consumes him.

“So..good….” He pants out and for a moment it sounds like he mumbled a name at last but maybe I heard it wrong.

“Are you leaving?” I ask as he starts to collect his clothes, leaving me still bare without any warmth.

“Yes..It's getting late.You too should head back home before your sisters get suspicious” He points out the obvious, throwing shirt over his head.

“Yeah you are right.They will make a big deal out of it if I get caught sneaking out” I sigh.I will be punished if that happens.

“Don't forget to pick me up tomorrow for the Ball” I remind him.He nods, looking a little zoned out before putting on his shoes and makes a run out of the Hut.

I watch his retreating back disappear into darkness.My heart feels heavy as I collect my clothes and throw them on before making a way to my house.

After tomorrow night, we don't have to hide anything and I can spend as much as time with him.

The thought itself lightens my mood.

..

“Those are mine!” The high pitch screech of my so-called younger sister rings painfully in my ears as she skillfully snatches the pencil heels from my hands, leaving a scratch along my arm.

“You never wear those” I mumble, getting up to go through another pair of heels I could find for myself.I hear her scoff behind me.

“How about no touching things that aren't yours..oh wait, you can't get rid of such awful habit.After all it's the only thing you are good at” Maria snarls a taunt before walking past me to the mirror.I bite the side of my inner cheek, trying not to let her words ruin my mood.

“Why are you even bothered about the Ball? It's not like someone would want you as a mate” Maria speaks, running her slender fingers through her brown locks.She is clad in a deep neck black gown with a high slit, showing off her toned legs and overly squeezed cleavage.

“Take my advice and skip the Ball.It will save you the embarrassment unless you have picked up another habit of humiliating yourself”

I ignore her bitter words, finding my only pair of heels that are not branded unlike my sisters.

Yes, it's true most of my age-mates absolutely dislike me including my own sisters but atleast I have Anthony.He is one of very few people that doesn't make my life a hell.

Just a couple of hours and we will be official then I will watch Maria's disappointed face with a smug.

I strap on my heels and struggle to take a look at myself in the mirror as Maria doesn't budge at all.Sighing softly, I quietly leave the dressing room and enter the living room where Rora, my eldest sister, was seated in her pajamas, watching her favorite TV show.

“Are you skipping the Ball this year as well?” I ask.Rora has never been so interested in finding a mate despite having almost all the boys swoon over her.

“ Nah I'm showing up in my pajamas with the TV..Oh Why don't you make it easier by carrying it around?” Rora uses her usual sarcasm to tell me to piss off.

I would ask why she isn't interested but knowing her, I would never get an honest response.We are not close after all.

None of them are.

“I'm leaving” I tell her before quietly dragging my feet out of the door to the small driveway then rushing to wait around the corner.

Minutes passed then hours, Maria left long ago yet Anthony is nowhere in sight.He should have been here an hour ago.He is never late then what happened tonight?

I headed straight to his home and found his parents seated on the front porch, enjoying some desserts.I am glad everything is fine.

“Sofia, is that you?” His mother, upon seeing me, gets up. “What are you doing here?” She walks up to me.

“Is Anthony home?” I ask.

“No..He went to the Ball hours ago”

Did he ditch me? No.. There must be a good reason or he forgot out of excitement.

I thanked his mother and headed towards the Pack House where the Ball was held.For some unknown reason, uneasiness settles in my heart.

‘Take a deep breath and relax.Everything is fine” I try to calm myself as I walk through the gates in the spacious Hall that's decorated beautifully.A lot of them are dancing already which means a blood moon has happened already.I push through the dancing bodies in order to look for Anthony.Many are cheering those who found their mates.Him And I were supposed to be one of them.

I bumped into someone, earning a yell. “Watch out ugly bitch!”

It was one of my old classmates with a woman clinging to his arm.Ignoring the rude comment, I continued my search for Anthony.There are so many mixed scents that I can't even pick his.

I walk over to the drink counter instead.

“Hey, have you seen Anthony?” I asked the waiter who was working on some drinks.He looks up to me and thinks for a moment.

“Yeah he was there with his mate not long ago..I bet you they are already fucking—

The rest of his speech tuned out as those bitter words sent a pang through my chest.

Anthony found his mate and somehow it's not me.