Chapter 1 ~I Simply Walked Away!
Walking into school.. today.. as every other day, fills me with trepidation. I hide my scent.. before opening the door. I see him, as soon as I enter. My mate.. the Alpha of Blue Moon Pack.. Vincent Romero. He doesn’t know.. I have no intention of telling him. Not yet, anyway.
I overheard him talking to my brother about his ascension ceremony in two weeks. Seems his mind is made up to choose a mate.. Brittney Andrews..
Cheerleader.. Pack slut, although no one calls her that to her face.. except me. He told my brother he wasn’t interested in his true mate… they make you weak. Umm.. okay.. a true mate, Alpha-born.. with the mark of the Moon.. yep! I can see how that would weaken him.
My name is Allison Binders.. my father is Alpha Roman Binders of Crescent Moon Pack.. my brother will ascend in two months. But, I will be gone. I am going to France to study fashion design. My wolf Lexi has been bereft.. saddened by what we heard our mate say.
I promised I would give him the chance to accept her.. at his ascension ceremony. Our family, being Blue Moon’s closest ally, are on a ‘must attend’ demand.
At lunch, I walked over to my little table in the corner, setting my tray down, I pulled my book out of the backpack. Opening to the page I marked, I began.. simultaneously reading and eating my sandwich. I saw my brother, Ty, come in.. with his Beta, Colson and Vincent.. Ahh.. the football triad!
I don’t acknowledge my brother or even Colson. I don’t need to.. and I won’t bother. We don’t get along.. any more than I get along with my father. They both are fond of telling me how much they hate me.. I killed my mother.
According to them.. of course, never mind she nearly died giving birth to Tyler.. she was told another pregnancy would kill her. And it did! But she chose to give birth to me, anyway. My brother and I are eleven months apart in age.. he should have graduated last year.. he chose to take Alpha training instead.. and finish his diploma now.
Just as I was clearing my table from lunch.. I see Brittney walk in.. and straight to Vincent. He yanks her to him and kisses her voraciously.. in front of the entire cafeteria while Lexi whines in my head. I whisper, through the pain in my heart, I am so sorry, Lex.
Having to walk past their table to throw out my trash.. I keep my eyes forward. Wanting to avoid them, at all costs. “Ewww.. Ally.. you really should do something about your wardrobe. You’re always wearing that hoodie! I mean, I get it! You need something to cover that face!”
I laughed and turned to face the bitch “That the best you got, skank? Cover my face? I could come back.. with something ingenious about you considering covering your Whole Body… but it’s a moot point.. since the entire male student body has seen you naked..
Or I could say although I hide my face behind a hoodie.. it beats camouflaging it with a pound of cake foundation daily… but I will say.. you might want to eat that makeup instead of applying it. It might help your insides to pretty up!”
She stood up and was swinging her hand around to slap me, when I grabbed it and slammed her wrist to the table, hearing a satisfying crack. I grinned “Think to lay a hand on me again and I will snap your arm Off!” Then, I looked at all the guys at the table “Way to defend a damsel in distress, guys.. and to be clear, I meant your porcelain doll here!”
I walked out and decided to leave for the day. I got in my car and headed to the Pack House. I walked in and immediately Roman bellows “Why are you here? School isn’t out for two hours!”
I continued walking to the stairs “My work is done.. all handed in.. my finals are all taken.. the only reason I even go, at all, is for the perfect attendance!” And I mumbled “And to get away from you.”
I changed into shorts and tank top… slipping into running shoes. I left out the back door and started jogging. I ran for six miles, reaching my spot. It’s a beautiful lake in a clearing on the southeast edge of pack lands. There’s never anyone here.. and it has become my hidden oasis from the chaos of my life!
I strip and shift into Lexi.. No one has seen her. My family believes I am a null. I shifted the first time, alone, at the age of fourteen. The Goddess appeared to me that night, for the first time. She told me Lexi is her finest wolf! Strong, cunning and smart. She had been given to me at my mother’s request. And has gifts that allow me to see the deception of people around me. I can heal wolves.. I can predict futures, just not my own, which is frustrating. It’s awkward to walk up to complete strangers trying to tell them that they are going to be hit by a bus in seven minutes. They don’t believe me. Soo… I heal faster than a normal wolf. And, I have a greater purpose. I don’t know what that purpose is.. but I am promised to know before Lexi is needed.
When I awoke after that first shift.. I had a mark on my shoulder.. a golden mark of a Crescent Moon and five stars. It glows golden against Lexi’s fiery red fur, when we’re shifted! It’s the Mark of the Moon.. and only five she-wolves have carried it, since our creation!
We ran for an hour.. She explored.. chased rabbits. I try to let her out a few times a week.. she gets antsy, otherwise.. We lazed in the late afternoon sun.. enjoying the serenity of the lake.. letting it seep into our soul. 🐺 Ally? I don’t want Vincent as a mate. He will be a weak Alpha… and he doesn’t deserve us! We deserve a mate who wants us! Wants the mate the Goddess has given them. Maybe tomorrow, we let him scent us? 🐺 I bow to you, in most things.. but, are you sure? If he rejects us, we will have to leave.. I mean, I can see if I can switch airline tickets. You have to be really sure, though! 🐺 I am sure. Today just proved it! And so what if we leave early? Who will miss us?
She’s right! No one will care we are gone. Hell, I think they’re counting the days.. just like us! Running back to the house, my steps actually felt lighter. Lexi is going to be okay.. she’s actually the reason I hadn’t done it, yet.
I walked into chaos. Tyler, Colson, Vincent and Brittney were all sitting at the dining room table, with Roman… Brittney pointed her casted hand at me and said “There she is! Tell her!” My father spun in his chair and asked “Did you do that?” pointing at Brittney’s cast!
I smirked at him and said “Why, yes, Roman! Yes, I did!” He growled at me to apologize and I replied.. “Nope! No can do! And here’s why!” I released my scent into the room.. I saw Vincent’s wolf flash in his eyes, as he said “You? You’re my mate? And you knew? How long have you known?”
I smiled and told them “I have known for four years. At first, I was absolutely thrilled! A handsome Alpha.. a best friend of Tyler’s.. it would tie the packs together.. making solid, unbeatable allies. And I waited.. for you to realize a Goddess given mate trumps an overused Bimbo! That didn’t happen, though.. did it. Because you planned on making the pack slut your mate! Planned on rejecting your true mate.. because.. what was it again? Oh yes! Mates make you weak!”
He yells “And I was right! You don’t even have a wolf! Why would I want an ugly null, like you!? Tyler, why would you tell her what I said, anyway? It isn’t her business!”
I laughed really loud “Of course it’s my business, numbnuts! I am your mate.. But, I’m ready! Do what you feel you need to do!”
He said “Don’t think I won’t! I, Alpha Vincent Romero of Blue Moon, reject you, Allison Binders, as my mate and Luna!”
A pain pierced through me.. stealing my breath and very lowly, I replied “I, Allison Binders, of Crescent Moon, accept your rejection, Alpha Vincent Romero… More importantly, I reject You, now and forever!”
He hit his knees, screaming in pain.. and I simply walked away!
