“What did you think he said?”
“I don’t know. You’re the one who met him, he’s your mate.”“Where do you think we’re going from here?”“I don’t know. Has the bond been accepted by you two?”“Yes, Kathy. I told you we talked for long. Why else would we talk if we didn’t.”“I don’t know. I’ve not had experience with a mate before.”“And do you?”“Do I what?”“Ever think of having a mate?”“Yes, I do. I mean, I do want a mate, but I think it’s risky.”“Why? What’s risky about having a mate?”“What mate would want me?”“What’s wrong with you?”“You know what I’m talking about.”“Hey, mate bond is beyond any physical thing. It runs deep. I mean, very very deep. No one even knows the depth that thing runs.”“I don’t know mom. Let’s see.”“Don’t give up on yourself, darling. Someone who will love our will come. Your mate will come.”“And what then?”“And nothing. You’ll both live happily and have beautiful and handsome pups when the Moon Goddess approves it.”I shrugged. “If you say so.”“Sometimes I feel like throttling you.”I chuckled. “But you can’t.”“But I can’t. You’re my daughter, how can I kill my own daughter?”“Right?”We continued with gathering and packing. We discarded whatever that was not going to go with us.“Do you know where he lives? And before you ask who again, I’m talking about your mate.”“Nope. I don’t know his house. We only met today.”“He must be a nice mate.”“Yes, he is. Why do you suddenly say so?”“He accepts you and your daughter. Knows about your banishment and does not ask questions about it. Not even curious about what had prompted it. He just accepts us both like that.”“Well, like I said, the mate bond is a very strong force no werewolf can deny. Trying to deny it is like killing your other half. Your mate is like a part of your soul that you never get back once you reject the mate bond.”“But why is it so?”She shrugged. She carefully folded a pair of black denim into her bag.“Who knows? No one really knows or understand the mystery behind mate bond. But when I was younger, my friends and I used to make joke that whenever a mate bond is rejected, the Moon Goddess gets angry and punishes both party for not following her orders through.”“That’s ridiculous.”“Yes, it was. But like I said, we were young and clueless.”I smiled at that and threw in the last few products left on the vanity table and zipped it close.“I’m done, mom.”“You did a good job. Thank you, darling.” She said after scrutinizing the bag carefully. “I’m done here too. I just need to close it.”And within minutes we were done. The things in the kitchen, we knew we could not go with them now that we were going to a new home. Surely, the man ate, so he’s have kitchen utensils in his cooking area.“We still have three hours left.”My mother announced, looking at the clock. It was nine on the dot.“So I’m guessing we are taking that same route you took today, right?”“Yes.”“How long did it take you to get there and bypass the boundary and onto his pack’s?”“One hour. One hour fifteen minutes tops.”“I think we need to get a head start mom. These pack members can be funny. I want to be gone before they get here.”“I’m coming.”She went to her room, then the kitchen, my room and the little parlor. I was going to miss here too. Doing what she did was to cause me more pain so I dragged our boxes and bags as she looked at the house one last time. I waited for her by the door till when she was done.By the time we left, it was nine thirty. We pulled out bags behind us, it was struggle but we had to do with and quickly before they came out to humiliate us more.“Remind me why you wanted us to leave at night again?”My mother huffed and puffed. Hers was heavier than mine. We were out of our house totally and had just began our journey taking the route.“So no one would see us. It would lessen the humiliation.”She said nothing more at that. I had suggested that we left the pack at night. I could not deal with more of their insults and humiliation.“Okay, let’s keep going.”We continued and we had to keep pulling our bags behind us, adjust and readjust the ones we carried on our bodies.“This path is rough and hilly. It’s making the journey harder. It’s night, we could have taken the normal route, no one would see us.”“The normal route might not be this rough but it would take forever to reach the boundary. Moreover, this path is better and once you’re out of it, it leads you right into the next pack which is where he is.”“Alright.”We kept going. Resting at intervals. I did not know how we did it but we finally arrived at the boundary. I did not know it was the boundary until my mother announced it. I collapsed on the ground to get back my bearing before going to find my mother’s mate.“Let’s go, darling. We’re almost there.”“Mother, we are out of the pack. They won’t come here. Let’s rest a little, please. This is so hard.”I was still a bit out of breath.“Okay. But it’s late, we should not be found here by this time. Lots of dangerous animals.”At the mention of dangerous animals, I quickly sat up from the ground.“Alright, let’s go.”“Don’t worry, you’ll have lots of rest when we get to his place.”“I hope so.”All my bones cried in protest as I made to lift my bags again. Even my legs begged to be allowed to rest a while before taking me to my direction. But we had to keep moving. My mother had said this was an unsafe place that possibly harbored dangerous animals.“Let me help you.”Mom and I were startled at the sound of the voice. It was a male. But mom had already regained composure and went to the figure that had spoken.“You scared me and my daughter, David.”“How are you, Elize?”Elize? They were already on pet names basis? Was this how the mate bond worked? “I’m fine, David. Just tired.”“I’m sorry you had to carry that alone. You understand why I am unable to step feet into your previous pack.”Previous pack? Wow! This all felt like some dream, a very surreal dream. I could not believe Moon Rock pack was now a past to me. The past I should forget and move away from. But seeing myself standing there like a lost, tired puppy while my mom cuddled her mate made me realize it was real.“I understand. I did not even expect to see you here.”“I knew you’d have some heavy bags to lift, so I thought I’d come with two of my men to help.”Two of his men? His friends, probably. “That was so thoughtful of you.”Two men came forward to effortlessly pick our bags and loaded it in the car they had come with. I didn’t know this David mate yet, but I was grateful for his thoughtfulness. Even the one I’d carried on me was taken, no words spoken. Even my
New family, here I come. Mom took my hand and we both went to where David was standing.“Are you guys done?”He observed both our faces. “Are you fine now, Katherina?”I nodded.“Don’t worry, they don’t bite.”He smiled kindly, and I returned it with a small, uncertain one of mine. He nodded and opened his arm and my mother put hers through the space and they were linked. The house was very big, it made begin to wonder just how rich this David guy was. One of the men standing outside the big door that led to the house, opened it and we stepped into it. “Welcome, Alpha.”Alpha? Who was the Alpha? Then they bowed and I realized who they were bowing for. David was an Alpha? Oh my goodness! My stepfather is an Alpha. Someone wake me up from this dream. This was too surreal. Was the universe trying to play a fast one on me? An Alpha? I tugged my mother’s cloth and my brow in questioning. She understood my question, she smiled and nodded a yes. My mouth went agape and my eyes went wild wi
Who were these people? And what were they doing in my room? The four pair of eyes staring intently at me were making me uncomfortable. A quick glance told me that Melissa was nowhere to be found.“W..who a..are you g..guys?”I stuttered. Suddenly feeling naked before them. Though their eyes held no lust nor decadent desires, I was not used to boys finding me fresh out of shower, clad in nothing but a towel.“She looks harmless guy.” One of them said. He smiled at me and stretched out a hand. “Welcome, stepsister. I’m Lucas.”“Uhm.”Suddenly I wanted the ground to open and swallow me. I did not do well in situations like this and I was especially shy amongst guys.“You don’t want a handshake?”The one who introduced himself as Lucas asked, the cheerful smile still on his face. He looked very young. They were all young but he looked younger.Awkwardly, I accepted his handshake. “Hi.”“What is your name?”“Katherina.”“Katherina.”He repeated, testing the name on his lips.“Guys, say hi
“School?”I asked. Already eager to hear. Was I going to be enrolled into college here?“Of course, that’s what an academy means.”Lucas seemed amused. He had seen the eagerness in that single word question and undoubtedly, in my eyes.“I know.”I berated myself for almost losing it. Behaving like some local girl who had never had opportunity to attend school. Behave yourself, Katherina. I warned myself.“You seem to like school.”Aaron said.“Yes, I do love school.”“Well, you’ll have your wish granted but don’t have your hopes up on having free years within those academic walls. You think high school was brutal, college is worse. Especially here in Stone Shadow pack.”Lucas warned.“I know first hand about brutality.”I replied.“Is that so?”Zach asked.“Yes.”I noticed the four of them exchange looks. I wondered why and what it was all about. I struggled to stifle a yawn, it was unsuccessful. I was tired and getting sleepy. The day had been rough.“You must be tired.”Lucas observ
“Ritual?”“Yes.”Melissa replied primly.“What is it about?”“It’s an initiation ceremony carried out to welcome any new member to Stone Shadow pack. Especially when it’s into the royal family.”Lucas replied.“That’s so…”I was at loss for what to say. I did not know how to describe how it what I’m feeling. An initiation ceremony? I never knew activities like that existed in packs. And why too? Why did they feel the need to do such?“Archaic? Interesting?”Lucas was gauging my reaction from his intense study of my expression, not to mention that his brother Aaron would not stop making me uncomfortable with his stare and the worse part was I did not know why he was staring at me that way. What was he trying to do? Bore a hole through my face with his eyes? I squirmed a little in discomfort, I could not meet his stare. Zach was the only person in the room who behaved he did not give a damn. The guy loved whatever he was doing on that phone more than what was happening around him.“I do
“Where is she?”A deep voice by the doorway inquired.“She’s changing into her ritual clothes, Beta.”I heard Melissa reply.“Who is that, Melissa?”I was curious to know who Melissa was talking to.“It’s Beta Mark, Your Highness.”“Your Highness?”I was almost done. The cloth was more like a white tunic. Was this what they wore to Stone Shadow pack’s initiation ceremony? Quiet ancient if I’m asked and to think they had already prepared for this moment even before I arrived the pack. It was already arranged amongst my high pile of clothes. I walked to the door and to know this person. I saw a man who was in his forties, brown hair and brown eyes that were sharp and looked like they could detect even the smallest of crime from a miles away. There was wisdom and patience in them too.“Hello Beta.”I bowed in total respect to greet him. When I raised my head, I could tell he was pleased with my action though his face barely revealed it. “Hello Your Highness.” He bowed slightly back. “I’
I heard chants and hums as we got closer to the ceremony ground. It would seem they had started without me already. Maybe my mother was there already.“We are here.”Lucas whispered to me.“I can see.”I whispered right back. He beamed and we stepped out of a very wide open ground. There was fire and people were crowding it. “Let her go, Luke.”Aaron told him.He unhooked my arms from his and immediately nerves twisted. I was confused and lost. What should I expect? Lucas walking me here had calmed me of my fears. I guess they all saw the fear in my eyes.“It’s okay, Kathy. We should not be holding or walking together with you in public yet until the ceremony is done. That’s the rule, sadly.”“You’ll be fine, hot legs.”“Stop calling her that. She’s not those your toys in school.” Lucas warned.But Zach paid him no mind.“Go, Katherina. It will be over soon”Aaron’s voice was reassuring. And I nodded.“Thanks, guys.”“Don’t be scared. Just think of it this way; this is the only way
“She’s awake.”I heard a voice say as soon as I blinked my eyes open before I was crowded by three bodies peering down into my face. What had happened? Where was I? I shook my head a little then winced as my temples banged in pain.“Are you okay, Kathy?”Lucas’ cute face was looking worriedly into mine.“Y-yes.”My mouth was heavy and my voice was hoarse, not ignoring the fact that my throat was in much desperate need of a liquid. My tongue too, it felt drier that the desert, even spittle was scarce in my oral cavity.“Having trouble speaking, darling?”Mom was there too. She looked quite weak but she was putting on a strong front.“Water.”“Melissa, come get her some water.”Lucas ordered my personal maid. Soon a cup of water was placed in my hands, my hands shook as they held the water. Lucas guided them to my mouth and practically fed me the water. I took big gulps like I had never taken water before in my entire existence.“Take it easy so you don’t choke.”Another voice gently wa