I slipped through the crowd like I normally would, finally reaching the end and making my way down the hall to my left and towards my next class, ignoring all the insulting and degrading comments from some of my pack members who noticed me passing by.
Then, there was this strange scent hitting me... it was strong and getting stronger. This strange scent might be that of my mate. Another wave of the scent hit me and I found myself smiling. And I was desperate to meet him. I turned around quickly, looking for the one behind the intoxicating scent. A shiver ran down my spine. He must be getting closer.
And when I turned around once more, the scent was gone. I was instead met by the last person I would ever wish to be my mate, Jake, the biggest boy in class and a well known bully.He stood in front of me, backing me against a locker, one of his hands stretched out beside my face as he opened his mouth that almost got me suffocating with the bad mouth odour.
"Listen up, Katerina." He begins. "You're not good enough to be a shifter. You are weak and I don't understand how you can call yourself a werewolf. You have to know by now that you're nothing but a small piece in this pack." He slams his fist on the locker, right by my ear. And then, in a deeply chilling voice he screamed for passers-by to hear, "you fucking killed your parents and I can't understand why the Alpha is still letting you stay here, in this pack! A murderer. You are a disgrace Katerina. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and see how chubby, ugly and useless you are. The next time you block my way while I'm passing, I will make sure to let you know how a girl who killed her parents is supposed to be treated."
There was laughter and mumbling from the public. No one to defend me. "Call me a murderer once more and you will know just how weak I am." The words came out before I could stop them. It was the first time in my life that I've talked back at him or anyone that bullied me.
He couldn't believe his ears. "What can you possibly do to me? You wouldn't be a match for my left arm alone if we were to have a fight. Or are you going to kill me just as you killed your parents?" There were heavy bursts of laughter from the crowd that have now gathered around us.
No fighting, Katerina. I told myself as I breathed deeply to calm myself. My wolf was angry as well. 'Shift and fight' it screamed in my head but I couldn't. I used all my strength to push him backwards so I could walk away, but as soon as I did, he spat on me, to further embarrass and anger me. At this point, the crowd behind us increased their laughter and some randomly spat on me as well.
"Yes, that's what a girl who killed her parents deserve. I told you, you are nothing in this pack. Everyone hates you, even your own brother. Your mate is probably too ashamed of acknowledging you as his mate. He probably hates you too. If I were you, I would have died long ago."
Those words broke me. Tears threatened to well up in my eyes but I fought them back. Seeing that nobody was there to stand up for me, to defend me, to let these idiots know the truth that I didn't actually kill my parents, was disheartening.
My only friend, Renee, came over a little too late to comfort me when the crowd had already left along with Jake, as I stood there crying silently. No one even cared to find out the truth, they all took fun in bullying me and treating me like trash in this pack. I had no where to go, I had no money. I could barely feed myself as my elder brother deliberately denies me food sometimes. I was suffering but I had to bear. This was my only home and I can't shift without finding my mate, who I think avoids me at every chance of us meeting each other.
The pack's school separate students in different classes and I can feel that my mate is among those in the higher classes but I've never got a chance to know or meet him. It was almost impossible for students in my level to approach those higher level wolves because of the distance between our classes and the boundary rules set by the Alpha. Despite these obstacles, I've tried my best to find my mate among them all these while, risking expulsion and severe punishment, because of what my parents told me about having a mate. According to my late parents, a mate bond is the best and sweetest relationship in the world and mates will protect each other and stand by each other no matter the situation. My best friend already has a mate and she's no longer with me all the time. My only brother hates me. I hope my mate's love can heal my loneliness and pain.
He's been so distant. I can only feel his presence sometimes but can't get closer to him to know him. I turned 18 recently and since then, I've had this feeling that my mate is among us in this pack and I will meet him someday.
********
Next day at school, I was seated quietly in my desk, Renee was sitting close to me because everyone avoids me in class. While waiting for the teacher, Jake was on my neck again, calling me out in attempts to make fun of me yet again. I had thought about reporting him but no one cared about what I had to say anyway, as even the teachers believe I had killed my parents and I was least favored in class. Sometimes I was deliberately given bad grades, no matter my efforts in passing each exam.
"Hey, I heard you are 18 now. Are you never going to find your mate so you can start shifting like us? Oh poor girl, her mate keeps avoiding her. Your mate can't even get close to you, doesn't even want to meet you." He laughed out loud as almost the entire class joined him in mocking me. Renee touched my lap, "it will be okay Kat. Don't listen to him." I smiled but I was really fed up with this Jake guy. "I am pretty sure my mate is among us in this pack and he will surely love and protect me once we meet. My parents told me that a mate bond is the best and sweetest relationship in the world and mates will love and protect each other. I bet I will find my mate before the week runs out."
"Oh really, I bet you can't. No one would ever acknowledge you as his mate. Are you so dumb not to have realized that your mate has been avoiding you? You are the one searching for him, he's not looking out for you. He practically avoids you." The entire class listened to the both of us with interest.
"And if I do, what's going to happen?" I asked.
"If you can find your mate by yourself, we will respect you henceforth and reduce the way we treat you if he actually acknowledges and accepts you." Some of them said almost in unison. "Everyone has a mate in this pack except you. So who could be with a wrong mate among us? Your unfortunate mate must have disappeared into thin air after realizing he's paired with you as mates." There was heavy laughter from the class at Jake's statement.
"I believe my mate will accept and protect me, that's what my parents said. That a mate bond is the sweetest relationship ever."
"Then don't you think your late parents, who you killed by yourself, will have more reasons to be disappointed in you if you never get to have a mate?" Jake said sarcastically.
The entire class apart from Renee roared with laughter. I was boiling with rage, I and my wolf.
"Then we have a bet?" I said with a straight face, showing no sign of weakness or fear of failure.
"Yes!" The class exclaimed. "And I will personally give you a reward in addition to our pledge of respecting you henceforth." Jake added.
"You honestly think you can find your mate in this pack? Dream on!" A girl added.
Renee looked at me, a clear question in her eyes.
On getting home from school, I kept thinking of how I'm ever going to find my mate that seems unwilling to find me. There's no male in this pack without a female companion. I can't even get close to any of them because everyone avoids me apart from Renee my friend. Even my own brother is distant from me.Shaking off my thoughts, I remained firm on my bet and decision to find my mate as soon as possible, even if I have to shift to do so. Maybe he isn't avoiding me and he's also looking out for me but there are obstacles in our way to meeting each other. Shifting would get me banished and I will have no where to go, but my wolf was dying inside.I checked time, it was time for the Pack's dinner. Everyone that came always brought their companion and I've never felt any sort of connection to anyone because I'm always at some distance from them. That was how much they hated me. My mate should be somewhere among us but I couldn't sense his presence yet."I haven't eaten since morning when I
When he got very close to me, he removed his hat to fully reveal his identity. To my greatest surprise, he was the Alpha! The person that hated me most in this pack was my mate? I couldn't believe my eyes. He stood in front of me, backing me against a locker, one of his hands stretched out beside my face. He was very handsome with beautiful eyes. I wanted to touch him, I wanted him to touch me. I let out another breath. No, don't say it. And I hold myself together, not giving anything away."Listen carefully, Katerina." He begins, his voice so alluring. "You're not good enough to be a luna. Hell, I don't understand how you can call yourself a werewolf. You have to know by now that you're nothing in this pack. And I can't even begin to understand why I was paired with you as a mate." He slams his fist on the locker, right by my ear. And then, after drawing his breath, in a deeply chilling voice he states, "I formally reject you, Katerina Bathas, as my mate." And I watch as Kol Knight,
It was a mother who was lingering on. She asked me to take her child away. I didn't want to care, but when I thought about losing my own parents when I was much younger, my heart softened. I met her badly injured almost at the point of death and with signs of rogues approaching, I quickly took the child away.Not long after, I passed by the home of a classmate who had bullied me. Their house was stained with blood. The girl fell in a pool of blood on the porch, her eyes wide open and out of focus. I wanted to turn around and not look at her eyes, but I felt that she was looking at me.Once, I was forbidden by the pack not to transform till I find my mate and my classmates laughed at me for this. If I said I didn't hate them, it would be a lie. But in the face of life and death, they were innocent. The further we went, the more brutal the battle became because the rogues attacked suddenly, the pack was not prepared in time and was obviously losing the unexpected battle.There was more
He was immediately stopped in his tracks by Kol. "Katerina, I won't tolerate your insolence. Watch your tongue." "But she came to join the fight. She came here in her wolf form." Renee who was slightly injured, spoke out to defend me. "She's your friend, why wouldn't you defend her? But choose your next words carefully, otherwise, you will be dealt with.A werewolf fights in the face of danger, not attempt to fight in the face of danger. You can clearly see the difference, can't you, Katerina? You shouldn't have appeared with your ugly wolf. We would have been able to defend our pack without your help. Now, those idiots will think we are weak and can be easily defeated." "But she saved our children. If not for her, the rogues could have killed our children. We are grateful to you for your help, Katerina." Some elders spoke out. "She didn't save anyone. In the face of real danger, the rogues could have killed everyone including her. What strength has she got to save herself, let al
(Katerina's Pov)It has been 3 days since I left my pack, still wandering about in the woods, tired, hungry as hell and absolutely weak. I was in my wolf form, walking slowly this time to conserve energy. Ana is tired and extremely hungry, but she's still stronger than my human form. I had spent the previous nights sleeping anywhere I could find shelter. I didn't care if I get preyed on by bigger wild animals as I was mostly in my wolf form, at least Ana could bear the pains of hunger throughout the night than my human form. I wouldn't have been able to sleep because I had not eaten anything for the past 5 days. The tiny amount of food my pack gave to me only once in an entire day always felt like I had eaten nothing. I was always hungry, always weak. In fact, three days before I left the pack, I could say I had not eaten anything.I had managed to feed on wild plants while in my wolf form but there was no water to drink, no juicy fruits to eat in my human form. I could barely swallow
"I surrender, I mean no harm. Please don't hurt me." Ana, my wolf, growled in wolf's language. The black and brown wolf in front of me showed no sign of understanding or mercy. It kept approaching me with its gritted teeth, like a wild beast that had been starved for weeks and is ready to devour any kind of food that comes it way.Suddenly, to my greatest surprise, it began to shift back to human. He was an elderly man, should be in his late 50s. I didn't recognize him, maybe due to the darkness of the night. When he's fully shifted, he asked me to shift as well but I told him I was too weak and hungry to do so. I didn't have the strength required. "You are stronger than you think, Katerina." Now, that was strange. Did he know me from anywhere? Is he from my pack? "How did you know my name sir?" "We don't have time, I will explain later. For now, let me take you to my place. Please don't panic. All you have to do is to trust me. My reaction when I saw you just now was feigned. I al
"We don't mean trouble. Whoever or whatever you are, you can show yourself." The elder spoke for whatever was hiding in the bushes to show itself. At first there was no response, neither was there a movement. We kept observing all around us, to make sure it doesn't catch us unaware. Something tells me it won't be friendly. Suddenly, we heard a growl from the same area the thing had moved about in the bushes beside us. I was still in my wolf form but the elder was in his human form, preparing to shift in order to protect me, as I was weak from severe hunger and hadn't eaten anything for dinner yet. We were about to eat when this wolf interrupted our movement into the place of shelter we had found. "You will regret stepping foot onto this path tonight." We heard the wolf say from within the bushes, still yet to reveal itself. "Who are you? An Alpha of a nearby pack?" The elder asked as he was observing his surroundings, still preparing to shift if need be. I was totally weak from se
He was a huge black wolf with a little brown mixed at his sides. He wasn't familiar at all. He gritted it's teeth at us and his members started getting closer to us, having formed a circle around us. They all looked scary and were ready to attack us at any moment but we didn't wanted to fight. It was pointless, we meant no harm but these crazy rogues or whatever they were won't listen to us. At this point I gathered all what was left of my strength and came forward to meet the leader's gaze fully. The elder wolf tried to make me stay behind him all along, as a form of his protection but I was fed up. I needed to join him face whatever was bound to come, even though it was just the two of us against these twelve or so crazy wolves. We would fight together and die together. Maybe my life has finally come to an end. Just as soon as their leader saw my wolf's face clearly, it halted it's movement towards us. The expression on it's wolf's face turned from that of anger towards fighting an
I rushed to my bedroom, opened the door looking around, itching to see him. It took not even a second. "Elijah!" I shouted and ran to meet him, catching him off guard. He puts me against the wall and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face down to mine. He didn't even have time to gasp before I crashed my lips to his with sudden urgency and need.He held onto me, responding slowly, which I'm guessing it's because he was confused. I pulled away and hopped off of him. He was breathing heavily, running his hand through his 'just had sex' hair. I smiled. "Sorry... It's just."I told him about what Rebekah had done, and she was right. He wanted to kill her. I told him it was okay, leaving out the part about my gift until now. "I want to show you something." I told him, excitedly. He nodded.I extended my hand, palm facing the ceiling, placed between the both of us. I swirled my fingers around in circles, cupping and curling my fingers, urging what I wanted to happen, and prayin
"You're a bitch but I love you." I said and she laughed. "Why thank you. Shall we practice some more?" She smirked and I laughed, shaking my head. "I'm beat and seriously starving. Let's head back." I grinned at her and she nodded before taking my hand and we began walking back to the pack house, talking about idea for a new pack house that was desperately needed.We reached the pack house and I rushed to the kitchen, grabbing an apple and literally devouring it before grabbing another. I was starving, I didn't eat breakfast and all my energy have been sucked out of me due to last night's activities and this morning's as well.I grinned into my second apple. I couldn't believe I was able to create something so beautiful, that I can control something so beautiful: Winter. That's how it felt anyway. Rebekah just smirked at me. I was about to say something but her eyes turned sad and I watched her body slum."What's wrong?" I mouthed to her."Joel and Tamara are coming." She said, her vo
(Alpha Damien's POV)"Dragon or whatever you call yourself, your time is running out. When I paid you more than you asked for, I didn't expect things to take this long before you deliver that girl, along with my book of records, into my hands. I do hope you have positive news for me today, else...." "Oh yes, great Alpha. And I apologise that it has taken this long. Two of my men and I had to try really hard to avoid any suspicion as we went all the way to that pack.First of all, we tried to appear like normal visitors to the pack but the pack is now being heavily protected. The chief security guard refused us entry because we smelt like rogues of course. So we had to quickly think of another plan.As they began threatening to deal with the three of us if we ever came back, we beckoned on the chief security guard that we wanted to discuss something with him. He was reluctant at first, but finally, he listened to us. We told him that we were looking for a young girl below the age of t
I tried to eat, hoping this time he'll keep his hand away but knowing he won't. I listened to the idle chit chat around the table, Rebekah and Mrs. Moore were discussing possible re-decorating ideas for the kitchen. Cliff and Joel were discussing the scores of some sports game, no idea if it's hockey or basketball or what not. I began to chew slowly, trying to ignore the need I'm feeling. He gripped my thigh suddenly, causing me to gasp again. Elijah's father catches my eyes and I smiled quickly."Are you feeling alright?" He asked with a frown.Elijah grinded his palm... there. It felt good against my jean shorts. I squirmed in my seat, shoving his hand away but not really wanting to. I felt my face heat up. How could he be doing this while his father is right here beside me though! He pushed deeper, taking no precautions and I spread my legs, making it easier. I started breathing heavily and hid it by taking a drink of water. Realizing this, he took my hand and placed it over his e
"I'll show you." Ace piped up, a slight sad smile on his face. I nodded."Untamed, let's go. Ace, lead the way." Elijah's voice is stronger than Kol's, it's obvious. I felt calm again. Ace led us throughout the upstairs hallways. "We don't have enough rooms at the moment for singles, so people will have to double up."Do you want a few seconds to think about the arrangements?" Ace asked, his voice muffled and nervous. "Yes, that would be helpful. Thank you." Elijah appreciated him, shaking his hand. "It's no problem. We rearranged it so that the left hallway is yours, and our pack is to the right.We doubled up too. Take all the time you need." He told him. I grabbed Ace's hand and squeezed it, his eyes meeting mine for a second.He turned to head back downstairs. "Alright, listen up. Mates and families get the doors at the end of the hallway, people who are doubling up with friends or others take the ones in the middle. Betas, Tamara, Rebekah, Katerina and I will have the rooms at the
Joel pulled her closer to him and kissed her. "It's okay baby. We'll all handle this together." He said and Tamara nodded at him before meeting my eyes again."I am strong, just like you all tell me. And I feel like I am capable of more than we all realize." I told her, smiling, again looking into the eyes of my new family.Rebekah winked at me and I smirked. I had no idea at the moment just how strong though, I thought grumpily to myself. The thought of my mission to avenge the death of my parents crossed my mind, but I shook it off. Now wasn't the time to think about that. Let's settle down first.On a side note, is this place even going to be big enough for us?" Cliff asked. "I was thinking about that too. Two packs in one pack house.. not so smart and not so roomy. We should start looking for something bigger, there's gotta be at least 100 from our pack alone, right?" I asked, looking up at Elijah. "Yeah, something like that." He replied."Well then we should start looking tomorro
"Clear the room." His voice is strong, demanding. Everyone starts to leave the room, quietly obeying. He closed the door behind him. Renee is beside him. My wolf cowers herself away in the back of my mind, scared by his voice. I looked up, meeting the bone-chilling stare from my former Alpha."Where did you go?" Kol snapped.I flinched, eyes to the floor on instinct and into Elijah's arms again. Figured all my strength disappeared. Cliff and Joel came to stand beside us, Elijah lifted my chin up, "there is no need to hide." My lips parted. And I turned steadily to meet Kol's gaze."Where the fuck did you go Katerina?" He snapped, light flashing through his eyes to show his anger. I heard Cliff growl in response but Kol's eyes doesn't leave mine. They travelled down my entire body and back up into my eyes."I ran. Like I should have done years ago." I stated, glaring back at him with a new sense of courage."I know you ran, we felt it when you left!"He growled, his voice alone showing
I stood tall and as strong as I could. Of course, loud whispers and gasps erupt in the room. "Hi everyone." I said in a small voice. I looked around, meeting everyone's eyes with a smile. Mr. Daniel was present in the room as well, secretly waving at me. When I saw him sitting far away, I smiled briefly before turning away to continue looking around the room for someone else.When I caught sight of my brother, his face lit up in confusion and happiness. He looked sick. His skin pale, his body too slim. He looked like he needed a shave too. Oh, Ace. What happened to you? His face showing pain and regret.He stood forcefully, rushing towards me and pulling me into his arms. "Is it really you?" He asked, his voice cracking."Yes. It's really me, Ace." I said, my eyes flowing with tears."You look so.... different..." He sobbed, pulling away to look at me properly. I nodded."I know. But it's me. It's really me." I gripped him tighter.Elijah pulled me away from him, growling and envelope
"It's nice to meet you Renee." He shook her hand. "I'm Alpha Elijah. These are my Betas. Cliff and Joel. This here is Joel's girlfriend Tamara, our friend Rebekah, and..."He scratched the back of his neck. Way to play it cool. I rolled my eyes. "This is my girlfriend, Katerina." He said, and I took the opportunity to pop my head out of his arm a bit and half-smiled at her.She was about speaking, her jaw opened slightly, not understanding. And then she ripped me away from Elijah and pulled me into a hug, crying. My eyes rimmed with tears too. Oh, Ren."I missed you so much. I.. we..all thought you were dead. Why did you write me that letter?" She sobbed and smacked my arm hard. I looked at her and her sad eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked me. I nodded, smiling slightly and she pulled me into her arms again. "I'm fine Renee, really. I'm happy." I told her and Elijah pulled me back into his arms, kissing my hair.She smiled at me. "Good. I'm so happy you're safe. Kol... he hasn't told an