"Ki, hurry up it's time for school!" Nellie called out from the other side of the door.

My eyes widened at her voice. Rushing to the bathroom to wash my face, I wipe the dried blood off my nose. I gave myself one last look at the mirror and decided I looked decent enough not to rouse suspicion.

"Coming!" I yelled back, forcing a smile onto my face before opening the door to allow her in.

Nellie wasn't gullible. She didn't buy my cheery facade. She tossed me a deadpan look and shut the door. "Drop that plastic grin off your face and learn to cry when it hurts, Kiara. Here," She pulled out a small ointment bottle from her jeans pocket. "I got you some ointment for your nose."

I looked at her for a moment and allowed the tears to fall. It showed, no matter how hard I tried. And maybe, little vulnerability was okay after all. I hugged her while she stroked my back.

"Now, now, don't bother about that cow."

I sniffed morosely while she applied the ointment on my reddened nose. "It with be as good as new in a few hours. See, its already healing."

"But it hurts!" I whimpered as the medicine made my skin itch. "It freaking hurts so bad!"

"It'll go in a while, Kiara. It's just a matter of time."

"I hope so."

"It will, trust me."

She was right because it's a fact that werewolves heal ten times faster than humans.

I looked again at my distorted reflection in the broken mirror, drew in a deep breath to steel myself. Turning on my heel, I headed for school.

The walk to school was short and quiet. Not that we were awkward, we simply loved the solitude. I found a patient listener in her and she found a friend in me. When I was down, she held me up. When she was overworked, I stepped up to help. Together, we made a good team.

Entering the iron wrought gates, Nellie and I headed to our respective lockers. We took out our books for the first period. On the way, I passed people who jeered and mocked me. Until a few months ago hearing all that would have made me cry.

Now, I knew better than to waste my tears on the likes of them.

Of course, their jeering and mocking still pierced my heart like knives, but of late I acted as though I heard nothing nor saw anything. It was much easier that way.

I made my way to the English class. The teachers were kind because I was performed well in class. I would submit my assignments on time and answer in class. Since I didn't have friends, I used the time to study ahead of time. In a way, that was my form of revenge. They could slap me, whip me, hit me, but none of them could beat my scores.

Before I knew it, I was at the door of my classroom.

"Enter Miss Evergreen." Mrs Brown said blandly, breaking my reverie.

I nodded and made my way to the back bench tripping on someone's feet and thereby causing a lot more of sniggering.

Unfortunately, Nellie and I didn't share many classes, and to top off my misfortune Nicole and Aden happened to be in the same class. It was a miracle, how I survived the day after all the verbal insults Nicole threw my way. Torturing me, was her obsession, and for that she ought to have been hospitalized.

"Watch where you are going, dunderhead!" a voice sneered in the passing, and laughter followed the mean comment. Without even looking up, I knew that had to be Nicole's pet poodle Brenda Allison.

Like I gave a damn about her anyway.

Ignoring her stupid face, I made my way to my seat. It's not that I didn't have a good comeback at the tip of my tongue, I just didn't want to waste any on her.

The rest of the class was over in a daze. I practically rushed out of the room just avoiding a duster thrown deliberately at me. Next was Physics in which I often mindlinked Nellie to pass the time.

"Hey!" She greeted me through the mind-link.

Take the name of the devil and the devil's online.

"Hi, Nellie." My mood lifted at the sound of her voice. "Don't tell me you're bored already."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Aden and his minions walk in. An unreadable expression crossed his face when our eyes met. For a moment, his grey eyes darkened, his Adam's apple bobbed but then Evans nudged him in the ribs and drew him to the back of the class.

I ignored the weird butterflies somersaulting in my stomach.

"You bet." She said. I could imagine her giving a cat-like yawn secretly on the last bench. "History sounds like a lullaby to me."

"Physics is ditto." I told her, chuckling.

She scoffed.

"Girl, we all know who scores the highest in Physics."

"Nellie, that's all thanks to self study. Mr Johnson still succeeds in boring me to death."

She laughed. "Can't say that's not true. How's you're nose now?"

"Loads better. How I wish I could punch her right back!" The enthusiasm in my voice surprised me. "I don't understand why I put up with their shit."

You do. A small voice in my head reminded me. You do it for your mother and for the mate you haven't met. That's the only reason you stuck around for so long.

"Don't worry. Every dog has its day."

"I'm waiting for that. What about her being the Luna though?" I asked. "Is she seriously going to become out next Luna? Is that even allowed?"

Nellie was quite a gossip girl, so she would definitely know about the latest scandals and tiffs and such.

"Technically, yes." Nellie admitted. "She can become the next Luna if Aden rejects his mate and chooses her. It's not unusual for someone to not be with your mate, as terrible as that sounds. I have seen couples who got together after their mates died and still lived peacefully."

"They must be second chance mates then." I replied.

"Not necessarily. Second chance mates happen only when living with the first mate was impossible. Like death or if the person was already with someone else."

Dread recoiled in my stomach. "So, you're telling me there's a high chance the Evil Queen will rule us all?"

She was quiet. Almost too quiet.

"Kiara, you might not know this but Nicole ended up rejecting her own true mate Jayden just to be with Aden."

I gasped. "That's terrible. Poor Jayden!"

Jayden was one of the warriors of our pack. He was kind and so sweet. I remembered the days we would join us in the playground when we were kids. Despite being older than us and physically better built, he often let us win and smiled in amusement when we pranced around him. I couldn't fathom what changed in him so suddenly. Now, it made sense he was so depressed the last two months.

"I know, right? She'll make an awful Luna!"

"Does Aden never think about finding his own mate? Has he ever considered the possibility that she and Nicole may clash for power?"

"I think he has." Nellie seemed contemplative. "But it's not like he has much say in the matter anyway."

I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. I don't think anyone does except for Aden and Nicole themselves. All I do know is that whenever this discussion starts between them, she knows all the tricks to shut him up."

My curiosity was piqued. "How?"

"Make out sessions, followed by steamy moments in bed." She started. "Starting with missionary and—"

"Gross," I yelled, "Fast forward the details, girl. Virgin ears right here!"

She cackled. "Well, you did ask for it."

"Goddess, I didn't know you give people such detailed descriptions." I groaned, covering my face between my palms. Bile rose up my oesophagus when I imagined the picture they painted.

"Well, they aren't exactly very subtle. And the servant quarters are just below." She defended herself. "I have to stuff my ears with earplugs every time the moaning and groaning and bed creaking begins."

"Enough, Nellie." I gritted my teeth. It was going to take me ages to erase that picture out of my head now. Thanks to those morons, I lost my mental virginity.

If there's even a thing like that.

"Why, are you jealous?" Nellie chuckled and I wanted to vomit. Truly, she didn't have the faintest clue.

"Pfft. That would never happen." I snorted. "Honestly, I'm worried about the girl he leaves behind for Nicole."

"Guess the poor thing will be rejected too."

I remained silent. I couldn't imagine a life without a mate. Without love. A part of me felt sorry for Aden's true mate. If he was anything like his father, he would crush her heart and soul.

And as the months went by, I feared he was.

"What happens when you are rejected?" I asked her quietly. "Do you die?"

"I don't know but I like to believe there's still hope. Mates are overrated anyway. You're not born merely to belong to someone. Finding your mate is just one of the joys of life. Sometimes you're lucky, sometimes you're not. That doesn't mean your purpose to live is gone."

"Rejection sucks, but eventually you'll move on. You'll leave them behind and focus on a future without them. It'll hurt you. Hurt your wolf. You'll pine after them for a long time. Experience heartbreak and clawing pain—but despite everything, when you survive, you know you've come out stronger."

"That's a lot of hardship for a rejected mate." I murmured. For someone who grew up waiting for a true mate and wishing to find my happily ever after, this was a cold, harsh truth.

Nellie exhaled. "You're an idealist, Kiara. That's one of the things I like about you. You always wait for the good to happen even in the bad."

"Is—Is that a bad thing?" I asked, unsurely.

"No, it just makes you a little—naive." She replied. "It's not necessarily a bad thing. Seeing the brighter aspect of life is good. But you have to be prepared if things go horribly wrong."

I swallowed hard. "My mate—he won't be horrible. He'll be nothing like Aden."

"Of course not! You will find someone who is kind and loves you for you." When I didn't say anything, she added. "As for Aden and Nicole—all the shit they do—they deserve to be together. I hope they spend the rest of their lives making each other miserable."

Then the bell rang. I cut off the mind-link and head out for my next class.

The rest of the day went by as usual. I met Nellie in the cafeteria for lunch where we ate our lunch and concealed ourselves from Nicole and her pups as best as possible both at the same time.

It was evening when I bumped into Aden on the way back home. I was halfway home, taking the short cut through the forests. One moment, I was distracted. My attention had been in my bag as I was searching for the essay I was graded today. Next thing I knew, I had slammed into a hard wall. My bag tumbled from my arm and books and pens scattered over the ground.

"Fuck!" The curse escaped my mouth before I could stop. Looking up, my eyes connected with a familiar pair of stormy grey eyes.

"Aden!" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry I had no idea."

"Watch where you're going." He said in a gruff voice. Unlike Nicole and Brenda before him, those words held no venom. Crouching down, he helped me pick up my scattered books. As our hands brushed against each other, I noticed a deep cut on his forearm.

"What's that?" I asked, frowning. It looked like the skin had been stitched together only recently.

His eyes followed my gaze until he realised what I was staring at. In a flash, he pulled his sleeve lower. "Nothing." He hissed.

"Right. Sorry." I mumbled again. My hair fell as a curtain between us when I took the books from him. Aden would never have done this if there were people around. In fact, he'd have ignored me outright. "Thanks for your help."

The vessel in his temple ticked like a time bomb when I took a step back and hastily retreated from him.

Reaching the pack house I completed my homework and let out a sigh.

"Nellie?" I mindlinked her again. I was bored and in search of a person to have an idle chat with.

"Hmm?" She sounded tense.

"What's the matter?" I asked her in concern.

"Nothing much." she replied hesitantly. But it sounded quite the opposite from her voice.

I could tell from experience that she is hiding something from me. "Tell me." I demanded, worried about her. "I could help you, you know."

"Umm... I am in your mother's room, cleaning some stuff."

"Okay. You need a hand with that?"

Radio silence.

My mother had taken ill lately. Doctors had been to see her almost every week, but her health was deteriorating. I wasn't prepared for a scenario in which she ceased to exist.

"She is asking for you." She continued after an uncertain pause.

I didn't hesitate a second as I leapt up from my bed.

After all, who wouldn't. That was Mom. Depressed or not, it was the duty of a daughter to be by her mother's side.

"Hang on. I'm coming."

I raced up the stairs and down the hallway. Slightly out of breath, I knocked once. No answer. "Mom?" I asked, opening the door of her room.

There she sat, on her bed—silent and unmoving, as always.

Nellie was in the room tidying up some of the things. I gave her a small smile when she left to give us some privacy.

I sat on Mom's bed and held her hand. She turned to look at me. "Kiara sweetie," she spoke slowly looking at me.

Somehow just hearing her call my name made my heart melt. I held back the tears that threatened to fall as I looked into her blue eyes.

"Mom?" I said holding her frail, delicate hand in mine.

"Sweetie, I want to go.... " She told me,tears spilling from her blue eyes. "When I think of him, everything hurts. The very thought of him gone suffocates me from within until I can't breathe anymore. Can't think."

I held her close while she sobbed. "Its okay Mom, its okay. I know you want to..." I couldn't bring myself to speak further.

She wiped her tears and looked at me. She was oblivious of everything happening around her ever since Dad died. She had no idea what torture I was going through. However, I bore her no grudge because part of her died with Dad, three years ago.

"I'm sorry I didn't look after you ever since your Dad left us .I didn't mean to hurt you. . . I just want to be with him."

I nodded as I kissed her forehead. A slight movement at the door distracted me. However, seeing no one there I turned back to her.

"It's alright Mom, I understand. I love you no matter what." I said trying to smile through the oncoming flood of tears.

"When will he call me, sweetie?" She asked me her eyes huge and child like. It broke me to see her like this.

"All in good time, Mom, all in good time," I croaked, unable to control the tears from brimming up my eyes.

Don't cry now, Ki. You've got to be brave. For yourself and Mom.

She nodded like a child.

"You should rest now. Goodbye. I love you." I said, getting up to leave her. I kissed her forehead softly and smiled when her eyes fluttered shut.

"I love you too." Was the last thing I heard as the door creaked shut behind me.

And somehow, those three words were the only thing I longed to hear.