ALLISON

Today was the day, my last day. Last day of High School! It was finally here, after so much hard work I did it, I could see the end. I was excited! So many changes were coming in the next 10 weeks, at the end of this summer I would be across the country in Cambridge, MA attending Harvard's Pre-Med program. Being a doctor has always been my dream and I was going to make it happen. My pack was going to pay for all my schooling, with the stipulation that I come back after and become a new pack doctor. It was a deal I was more than willing to take, I would have been crazy to turn it down.

My alarm started blaring at 4:30 am, just like every other morning. I turn off the alarm and grunt, ugh, throwing the covers off me. Getting out of bed I throw my curly brown locks into a pony tail, securing it with a hair tie. Taking off my dad's worn old t-shirt that I sleep in, I put on my pink sports bra and a pair of running shorts. Next, I slide my sneakers on, grab my iPhone and Bluetooth headset. Walking out into the brisk spring air I turn on my music and start running, listening to "Wolf Like Me", my feet rhythmically hit the pavement as I run down the road, heading to the local fight club.

I have never been one that likes to train with the pack, just was not my thing. I much preferred training at the fight club, it gave me a different perspective. I have done this for years and everyone here was like a second family. John was the owner, he was older now in his 60's with salt and pepper hair and standing at 6'3 he radiated strength. You would never know that he was that old with how active he was. He still trained and boxed with even the younger people. Honestly, the only thing that gave him away was his hair and how after a long day he would always say, "I am getting too old for this. My joints are killing me." But, he was not going to stop. He loved it too much, we all kept him young.

I open the front door. "Ally, about time you got here!" I heard John's familiar voice yell across the gym.

I look down at my iPhone, "It is only 4:45 John. I am not late." I shout back at him.

"Hurry up! I have a new sparring partner for you."

I ran back to my locker and put my phone in, taking out my mouth gear and grab a towel off the rack. I have a feeling that John is going to put me through the paces today.

"About time! I found someone that is as proficient in Taekwondo as you are. That black belt of yours makes it impossible to find someone you can spar with. Still go easy on the kid. He is new in town and I don't want to scare him off."

I looked at John and rolled my eyes, he hates when I do this, and I walked by him. Guess it is Ju Jitsu training today, I was really hoping to work on weights and conditioning. I walk over to the mats and there is a tall guy, probably about 18 with sandy red hair and broad shoulders. He was fairly tall too, about 6', not as tall as John, but still tall. I stood at 5'10, so his height and size did not intimidate me.

John came over to us, "Okay, just since you are new here," he began turning to the new kid, "We fight clean here, no cheap shots. Be respectful. When you hear the whistle, stop fighting. Got it?" We both shook our heads in acknowledgment of the rules. "So, Ally this is Jake. Jake this is Ally."

"Allison, please call me Allison." I corrected.

"Nice to meet you Allison. I am looking forward to our match." Jake said in his calm, steely voice. He really did have a gorgeous deep voice. I think I could listen to it all day. I shake my head, clearing it of these thoughts. Time to focus.

45 minutes later I was wiped out. It was nice that there was someone new to spar against. There are not many other people in our town to spar with. And since I am at a human gym I do not have other wolves to spar against. I really do have an unfair advantage. Training with the pack was never something that you had to do unless you were going to train to be a warrior and I wasn't, but I still wanted to be trained in fighting techniques. So, I sought it out myself.

Leaving the training area, I turn to Jake, "Thanks for the match!"

"You're welcome, it was a good match. Maybe we can spar again soon?" He said with a smile.

"Yeah, sounds good." I said as I walked toward my locker. I took out my iPhone and put in my ear phones. Then walked over to the equipment area and jumped on the stair climber, figuring I had a half hour left I would push myself a bit more today. After the half hour my legs were now Jell-O and I still had to run home. What was I thinking?

By the time I got home I didn't think I would be able to do much the rest of the day, I mean there is only so much you can ask your body to do in a morning before it protests. After a quick shower and getting dressed I try to wake mom up. "Mama, time to get up. Look the sun is shining. And guess what? Today is my last day of high school. We have graduation tonight."

"Ugh, what was that sweetie." My mom squeaked out and she blinked her eyes.

"Graduation. It is tonight. Please don't forget." I plead.

"Yeah, hun about that..." Mom trailed on, "I am not sure I am feeling up for that. I am so sorry."

"Mom just try, please. It isn't everyday that your ONLY child graduates high school." I emphasize the ONLY. She has not been the same since my father was killed 6 years ago in the rogue attack. It absolutely destroyed her. And as much as I know my mother loves me she just was never the same again. With each passing year she has drifted further and further from the person that she was. But, I still love her, she is my mother.

Even as my heart broke, I understood. Losing your mate could only be rivaled by losing a child, at least that is what the pack elders always said. Wolves have strong emotions, and everything affects us in a heightened way. I go and eat breakfast then walk back to mom's room with toast and a glass of orange juice. "Mom, I have to get going to school now. Here is your breakfast. I will see you after school. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie" she said in almost a whisper.

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"Ally!" I heard McKenna squeal through the crowd "Over here!" She said jumping up and down waiving her arms in the air like a lunatic.

I just shake my head at my best friend and holler back, "I'm coming, hold your horses." She is so full of life, energetic, and the life of the party. She is everything I am not, true opposites in everyway as she stands 5'3 with mid-length pin straight hair. I am 5'11 with thick dark brown curly locks that fell half way down my back. I am introverted, quiet, a bit of a nerd. Our differences always complimented each other, grounded us. She knows everything about me and I know everything about her. She is my best friend and I don't know what I would ever do without her.

I get to McKenna and give her a hug, "Hey Sweetpea!"

"Hi Jolly" She returns, the nickname she gave me since I remind her of the Jolly Green Giant. "It's the last day of school!" She exclaims.

"Yeah, for you. After graduation I have classes most of the summer for my LNA training. Remember?" Even though I made a deal with the Alpha to pay for my medical school training I was still going to need a job to pay for food and other necessities that the pack didn't cover. And I figured why not something in the medical field? Makes sense since that is what I am going to be doing. And it was only an 8-week course, so I will be certified before I head out to Harvard. I even already have a job lined up for once I get out there.

We started making our way to our lockers to grab our books for the last time. Today we were turning them in, I can't believe High School is really, truly over. McKenna and I left our lockers headed to the west wing of the school. That is when it happened, the moment everything changed.

As we turned into the west wing, before I could see anything I smelled him. It was the most tantalizing smell I have ever smelled a smoky pine needle smell, mixed with a hint of fresh morning dew. There leaning against the lockers, on the left side of the hallway there were a group gathered around Tate Blackwell, the Alpha's son and heir. He was 6'4, dark brown hair, emerald green eyes, and chiseled like he had been cut from marble. Attached to his arm was Kimber Ashton (insert eye roll here), longtime girlfriend, a true mean girl in every sense of the meaning. She thought she was all that. She stands shorter than me at 5'6, she has brown hair with just a slight wave, a button nose, perfect complexion and a fashion sense that is unrivaled. But she is mean, just down right nasty, thinking she was better than everyone else. Standing around them were their group of followers, everyone that thought they were the "It" couple. And they would blindly follow them anywhere.

It was at that moment that he looked up and our eyes met. I knew he was thinking the same thing that my wolf was screaming, "MATE!" We had found the one the Moon Goddess has intended for us. Even though every fiber in my being was calling for me to go to him I knew now was not the time. So, I stayed my course, however I could not tear my eyes from his gaze.