---Rose POV---

"Rose! I missed you so much!" My friend Kayla said as I jumped out of the car.

"There's so much I need to tell you, Lucas and I went on our date and...hey are you ok?" She asked, finally realizing my state of silence.

I almost nodded, almost.

"Kayla, I need your help. Please." I whispered.

She gasped and took my hands, it was a very rare occasion when I asked for help, especially from those whom I loved.

"Anything, come with me. We'll talk about it."

I nodded and followed her to the back of the school.

"Tell me what happened." She demanded.

I set my books down on the bench and turned to face my best friend.

"It started yesterday, he never told me." I said, keeping my voice as calm as possible.

"Never told you what?" Kayla asked, I let out a breath.

"That he was getting married." Kayla's hand flew up to her mouth.

"What?! What are you talking about?" She asked and I couldn't help it.

I let the tears flow, one by one.

"He's my mate, how could he do this?" I asked through tears.

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around me.

"What did he say?" She asked, I pulled out of the embrace and wiped stray tears.

"He said that as the strongest Alpha he's entitled to more than one wife...he-he's marrying later. Since he's twenty and I'm still seventeen he's marrying this weekend." She gasped again, she opened her mouth to say something when an administrator's voice rang through the window.

"What are you doing? Get to class!" We jumped, grabbed our things and walked to class quietly.

"Talk to me at lunch alright?" Kayla said.

I shook my head.

"I can't...he's picking me up at lunch." She shook her head and hugged me briefly,

"You'll get through this. I promise." I nodded curtly and turned on my heel as I made my way to home room.

"Luna where have you been? Jack has been hounding us all morning!" One of my protectors, Dean whispered as I sat in my seat.

"No where, I was with Kayla." He looked at my eyes,

"Have you been crying?" He asked, I shook my head and looked down to my notes.

"Alpha Jack is only doing what is expected of such a high-ranking Alpha."

I snarled at his statement.

"Hey may not be marrying me, but as his mate I am still the Luna. I suggest you keep your remarks to yourself."

That shut him up for the remaining time in class.

——————

Lunch rolled around quicker than I expected and before I knew it I was climbing into Jack's car.

"Hey baby," He greeted as he kissed my cheek. I put on my best smile and replied.

"Hey," He grinned as he sped away from the school.

"How was your day?" He asked, I shrugged.

"Ok I guess...tiring." He nodded,

"It's been hectic around the house, Amy and Jamie are picking color themes and I'm still looking for a tux. I'd love it if you would help?" He asked, I looked out the window and wiped a tear that had escaped it's imprisonment behind my eyelids.

"I-I don't really feel comfortable planning your wedding day." I admitted.

He pulled the car over and I started to panic, what was he doing?

"Baby, look at me." He said.

I slowly turned my head to my left and looked into his green eyes.

"I don't know how you feel and I can't imagine how I would feel if you were marrying another man but right now I'm begging you to help. I'm sure Amy and Jamie will help you at our wedding." He shrugged as if it was just that simple.

I clenched my fists, fighting to keep my patience.

"Sure, I'll help." I said as sweetly as possible.

"Thank you baby, I'm so glad you said yes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What about purple?" I asked for the hundredth time.

"No! Purple doesn't mix well with my skin tone!" Amy shrieked.

I shrugged and tossed the cloth back on the bed.

"Why are you even here?" Jamie asked from the other side of the room.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her question.

"I'm here because my mate asked me to help you." I answered simply.

"He's our mate too!" Amy protested.

"No...he's your fiancee, I'm his true mate." I stated. She cocked her head to the side, like a confused puppy.

Simultaneously I rolled my eyes, wow he sure knew how to pick them.

"That's strange because I remember him saying the same to me when he asked me to marry him." Jamie said as he crossed her arms over her chest,

"Me too," Amy spoke as well.

I narrowed my eyes, bringing them back to the fabric on the bed.

Why would he lie about that?

"Back to the colors then." I sighed.

I'd talk to him about it later.

••

"Jack?" I asked later that night as we lay in bed.

"Hm?" He replied.

"Why...never mind, it's stupid."

He shook me gently.

"No, tell me. What were you going to say?"

I shook my head and started again.

"How come you told Jamie and Amy they were your true mates?"

His body went rigid beside me and he opened his mouth to answer before the door flew open.

"Alpha! We need your help." Dean burst through the door.

"We'll continue this later," He said before he pressed a kiss into my forehead and closed the door behind him.

I knew that was the last time we would ever spend time together alone.

With each vow, my heart broke into a million pieces.

With each step from the pew my soul burst from my body and left.

With each mile they drove away my body ached with disappointment.

My mate was married. My mate was married, I said it twice in my head for confirmation.

The looks of pity people gave me as they passed me were too much for me to take, instead I walked forward and shifted in the woods.

——

Each stride erased any previous feelings of hurt I had felt and brought on a whole new feeling, I felt sick.

My neck was burning and my limbs felt limp, he was marking them. His chosen wives, I shook my body in an attempt to shake off the feeling of disgust and pain. It didn't work, so instead I lay by the stream of water and looked out to the stars with one question.

"Why?"