I wish I had my cell phone on me to take a photo of her face when I told her. Complete shock, wide eyes and open mouth, and it was completely hilarious.

Although she didn't really think so.

I laughed while she growled at me, one hand covering my mouth while the other was wrapped around my abdomen. I pretty much collapsed on the ground and leaned against the tree behind me, tears streaming down my face. I finally calmed down and looked at her, watching as she sighed and sat down before me.

"So you're a witch." I nodded. "Polar names Lily?"

I nodded again, watching her face as she searched for some type of recognition on my last name. I grinned when her eyes widened to huge saucers, her face flashing up to mine.

"That Lily family?" I nodded again, grinning when her mouth gaped open like a fish. "Why, why are you afraid of touching people?"

I sighed, leaning my head back onto the bark behind me. "I see how people die when I touch them the first time."

I heard her gasp as her hand flew up to her mouth, her eyebrows furrowing as she stared at me. "So that means-"

"I've seen how you, Riley, and the Alpha dies; so far."

"That's why you refused to touch Jaxon." I nodded again, something I was doing quite often these days.

"I'm not real fond to see my mate die in my head." She nodded, her eyes scrunched as she looked over my body.

"You don't look like a witch." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms at the hem of my shirt, pulling it up and leaving me in my bra. She sucked in a breath, seeing all the runes and all the scars that marked my body.

It wasn't attractive, especially my scars. I had gotten them from training, and since I was a strong witch they had sent me to the council to train. I trailed my fingers along the last scar I had received, one that stretched from my belly button to my left hip. It was still puckered and a bit sensitive, the skin incredibly thin and stretched across my muscles below me.

"Now do I?" She nodded frantically, looking a bit closer to my body. "I talk to the Moon Goddess, that's why I'm so much more covered in runes and scars. The council trained me, and they weren't kind."

She growled, my eyebrows shooting up at her red face. "Sorry, it's just since you're my Luna, my wolf got a bit protective."

I smiled appreciatively to her, pulling my shirt back on. "It's okay, thank you though. Are you guys still coming over tomorrow morning?"

She nodded, her eyes furrowing before flashing open wide. "Wait! You're not human! Jaxon can accept you as his mate!"

I rolled my eyes before sighing and slumping back into myself, running my hands through my hair. "I want him to love me for me, not just because I'm not a human. Besides, it's pathetic that he doesn't accept me simply because I'm a human."

She nodded, gritting her teeth. "It just pisses us off, all of us off. Almost everyone's pretty much figured out you're something to him, although Kendra isn't too happy."

"Who the fuck is Kendra?" She growled lowly again, her jaw clenching before me.

"Slut, pisshead, all around bitch. She's after power and Jaxon, she's what keeps his bed warm." I rubbed my chest as pain expanded deep within it, my eyes shutting as Mona sighed. "Sorry, but it's true. She's been away because she has family in New York, but she'll be back Monday. Just a warning, she's gorgeous."

"Great, fucking great." I stood up abruptly from the tree, my hands running through my hair. "I don't want this fucking bond! It makes me love him already and it pisses me off! All I want to do is fuck him and love him and meet his family and meet the pack and have them like me and-"

I couldn't help it, I cried.

I hadn't cried since my family died months earlier, but this longing mess, this pain deep within me, killed me. All I wanted was him, and I hated how badly I wanted him. I hated how much I longed for him and loved him, even though I had only known him a few days. I didn't know his deepest secrets and didn't know his favorite colors or his favorite foods; it killed me.

Mona sat rubbing my back, pulling me into her lap as she cooed at me and ran her hands through my messy hair. I felt so pathetic crying for him, because I knew he would never cry for me. He wants Kendra, he wants a suitable wolf to be his Luna; not some fucked up witch without a family.

"Fuck, I'm sorry for crying like this." I chuckled as I wiped at my face, looking over to Mona. She chuckled back at me, her doe eyes staring at me.

"It's so unfair, even after sobbing you still look so gorgeous." I rolled my eyes as I shook my head, her small smile making one appear on my own face. "Want to know something? I almost rejected Riley."

I raised my eyebrows at her, my own eyes flashing brighter green as the Moon rose. "Really?"

"Yeah, I didn't look like this two years ago. We were sophomores when we both turned sixteen, and I had acne and braces. I was awkward and lanky, while he had already filled out and had half the schools eyes on him; the other half was of course, on Jaxon. I didn't think I was good enough for him, and when I saw him making out with Kendra the exact moment I realized he was my mate didn't help."

"He didn't!" I gasped out, my eyes comically wide as I stared at her. She nodded to me, laughing at the memory.

"He did, she really is a slut. Anyway, it took him weeks to get me to talk to him. When I did, he told me I was beautiful, even with my acne and braces and non existent chest." I laughed as I rubbed at my face, soaking in the Moon rays. The full moon would be coming soon, so I could feel my powers growing within me.

I let a circle of fire surrounding us, the flames climbing high towards the sky. It warmed my skin immediately while Mona gasped and jumped slightly, earning a sheepish smile from me.

"Sorry, got cold. During the full moon, my powers kinda go haywire. I still have about a week and a half, but it's still not getting better." She nodded to me, her eyes trained on the flames surrounding us.

"Give Jaxon a try." I sighed, my fingers playing with the hem of my shirt.

"He needs to give me one first."

-

The entire house was moving. I had pots and pans getting washed by my magic while he garden was getting pruned and various fruits and veggies being planted. I grew the tomatoes quickly, the plant in the kitchen climbing up the wall like a vine. I had the books put away, but kept my lights and tapestries up.

Sage was burning in every room, with windows open and the wind soaring through. I hummed music as I used my magic to play the piano, a mixture of Sam Smith to Nirvana. I grinned as animals climbed up to my lawn, using my powers to create even more fruit to feed them.

I was laughing and feeding a doe when I sensed them, my muscles tensing just as the deer around me did. It was deer and antelope that surrounded me, along with a grizzly and her cubs, a bunch of foxes and chipmunks, and various birds loitered along the trees.

"Artemis?" I turned and smiled awkwardly at the wolves before me, the animals obviously distressed.

I could hear the cries of the cubs, knowing their mother would be on the defense soon I ran to the cups and the giant grizzly. "Guys go into the house."

I shushed the cubs the best I could, feeling their stares on me the entire time. I spun around and practically growled, my eyes on Mona as I felt my fire within me want to coil and explode.

"Go inside!" The grizzly growled a low and throaty growl, my eyes widening when I saw Jaxon's wolf want to surface. "Riley, Mona, get him inside."

I watched as they forced him inside, or at least attempted, while I spun around and pushed at the animals. I watched as they all ran off, casting glances back to me in fear of my safety. I had always had a close relationship to animals, and I guess it included wolves.

I spun around just as Jaxon ran to me, my body backing up frantically as I tried to not touch him. Mona looked at me wide eyes, her eyes following me advert from Jaxon's touch. He growled at me as he continued to chase me around the yard, finally halting with his canines bared and his eyes black.

"Artemis, get over here." He spoke with his Alpha command in his voice, hurt and anger visible all over his face. I shut my eyes, before opening them again to look right at him.

I needed to do this, I can't spend my entire life shying away from his touch. He's my mate, even if he did reject me. I took a deep breath, biting my lip before walking to him. I got within three feet when he took a step to me, and I swear my heart stopped.

I couldn't do this.

I skirted around him and went into my house, the flowers and plants I had growing along the walls and cabinets wavering in my presence. I smiled to them and took a deep breath, feeling the energy of the earth flowing through my skin.

The three came in slowly, Mona watching me while Jaxon looked hurt. I'm not really sure why the hell he is, considering he did reject me. I smiled at them while grabbing my bag and taking out the papers for our project. I lay them out on the island in the middle of my kitchen, grinning up to the three.

Jaxon paused momentarily, staring at my smile before shaking his head out. He gave me a fake smile, his steel eyes glittering in the sun. "Let's get started, shall we?"