It was a beautiful day and I know many of our pack members have shifted and have ran off through our territory together. I sat on a bench overlooking the pond that was close to my parents home. I found myself daydreaming here a lot when I had free time. My seventeenth birthday was tomorrow and it should be a joyous day seeing how it should be the day my wolf finds her mate. Unfortunately for me, I was born wolfless. Without a wolf I would not be able to feel the wolf bond. I have heard stories about the wolf bond and pairing together fated mates. The bond pull is unlike anything else. The person is honestly your better half, the peanut butter to your jelly, the glue that can hold all of your broken pieces together.
I sighed and looked out at the large body of water. I wish I could speak with my mother. My mother was killed protecting me when a small group of Rouge Wolves invaded our territory. I couldn't shift and she died protecting me. Alpha Michael and the other warriors were too late. The rouges had just slashed my mothers throat and I was found crumpled up, hiding in a ball terrified from watching my mother die. From that moment on I was treated differently from everyone in my pack.
I have been called weak, ugly, pathetic, a disgrace, loser, and so many other hurtful things. I lost all of my friends, except for Claire. She's been my rock through it all. My older brother, who left for training with our neighboring packs for being the future Beta, hasn't spoken to me since the incident.
It's lonely and generally the only time I find peace is when it's a beautiful day and everyone goes on pack runs.
I hear some rustling behind me and turn to see Ryder, my brother Josh, Ryders girlfriend, and a few other people from school approaching me. When I go to stand to walk away one of the guys grabs me by the arm and laughs.
"Where do you think you're going, you pathetic waste of space?" Ryder laughs and nods towards the pond.
I get picked up by Alex, one of the strongest guys in our age group and get tossed into the water. I sunk and kicked my way to the top surfacing and gasping for air. I hear laughter at the waters edge and mocking. I look at my brother who only shakes his head at me. Nothing from him, no help or even an attempt to stop them. He just stood there looking at me pathetically.
He never joined in on the picking just stood by to let it happen to me. Which is just as bad I guess. He could easily stop it, but I understand our mother died because of me.
I swam to the muddy edge to get out and slipped, falling right on my back. I heard cackling and laughter. I just laid there feeling defeated, as my eyes began tearing up. I blinked a few times to push them back when Ryder and Alex stood over me. They were about to pour something on me when I heard Claire "Leave her alone! Do you not have anything better to freaking do?" She placed herself between us. Ryder and Alex backed off.
"Easy Claire, we were just having fun with the wolfless loser." Alex laughed. "Besides why are you telling the future Alpha what to do?"
She glared at him "If he was any kind of Alpha he would know better" her eyes narrowed and she growled.
I noticed that my brother had already walked away from the group. Claire leaned down and helped me up. I was fighting crying, I never let myself cry in front of them. I didn't want to seem weaker than what I already was.
"Cmon Avalynn, let's go back to your house and try to get you cleaned up?" She softly spoke. I nodded and stood up.
We walked back to my house together in silence. Once we were there Claire froze outside the house.
I looked at her and frowned, "Aren't you going to come in?"
She looked at me and nodded "Do you smell that wonderful smell?"
"All I smell is pond water and muddy earth." I sighed and opened the door.
"Mate." I heard her say under her breath.
I was nearly knocked over by my brother to get outside to Claire. "Mate." He responded.
Well this is awesome, I said to myself and shut the door to go shower and clean up. I ran the water hot and took my time scrubbing all the funk off. I washed my hair four times to make sure the mud was all washed out. I stood under the water and thought about Claire and my brother Josh. I could lose the only friend I have left or I could regain my brother back to speaking terms.
I was over thinking about it and turned off the shower and dried off. I brushed my hair and dried it, pulling it up into a messy bun. I walked downstairs and saw Claire growling and Josh. "You may be my mate but you should be ashamed of how you have treated your sister. Get your shit together!"
Claire turned to me, grabed my hand and we left. She was practically dragging me and she was furious. "Wha- what happened? Claire? Did you reject Josh?"
She stopped and turned to me and shook her head "No, I didn't reject him. I should for how he's treated you this past year!"
Then we heard him "Claire, please wait! Can we atleast talk it out? Please hear me out!" She sighed and I looked at her, "Claire, go talk to him. Remember we don't always get a second chance mate, it's so rare! It's usually only high ranking Alphas and Royals. I will be fine, I'm going back inside the house." I smiled and walked past my brother. He nodded at me and I could tell it was a sign of thanks. I walked back to my home and went to my room.
Claire POV
I stood with my arms crossed in front of my mate. He smelled wonderful, it was almost distracting me from being pissed with him. The scent of sandalwood filled my nostrils. It was so hard to being angry with him, but I was. Especially since he left Avalynn by herself, no calls or check ins to be tormented and bullied by his friends.
He sighed and I could tell he was nervous as he was fidgeting with the change in his pocket.
"Why?" I asked him.
"I don't know. I blame her for losing the only parent we had left." He looked down at his feet ashamed.
"She died protecting her daughter who, let me remind you, is the most vulnerable person in our pack! She doesn't have a wolf! She needs protecting!" I shouted at him. It made him flinch backwards.
He nodded "I know but why though? What's wrong with her? What has she done to make the Goddess so mad that she didn't bless her with her own wolf?" He argued back.
"She hasn't done anything! You know that she is one of the most selfless person anyone knows. She would still help you or anyone if she was able to do so. That is including Ryder and that bone head Alex." I scoffed. I couldn't believe my mate.
He sat down on a log and looked up at me and nodded his head "I know she would. She is better than anyone out here, by a long shot. I just, it's just, everything. I see her, I see my mothers slain body and her curled up in a ball. It's It's image that just won't leave and it makes me angry." His fists gripped and I could fell anger rolling off him.
"Look, Avalynn would have fought if she could. I remember her telling me details and the Alpha details of they were here for her. Do you know why someone was trying to kidnap her Josh?"
He shook his head at me "No, I didn't even know that. I guess I never asked though."
I rolled my eyes "Exactly you never did. She was targeted to be kidnapped. No one knows why, even she doesn't know why."
I sat down next to him and placed my hand on his thigh. I felt the sparks of the mate bond "You are going to have to work on forgiving her. It is not her fault. She is my best friend, your sister. You are going to have to make peace with it."
He nodded and placed his hand on mine "Give me some time, I will. It might take a few months but I will try my best." He gave a small smile.
I leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips and I felt the sparks of the mate bond flow through me. Atleast they have a shot at being family again.