Orion (before meeting Noctis)

Beep

Beep

Beep

Smash

Damn it, I broke another alarm clock. Mom's going to kill me. I roll out of bed and head to the bathroom. I feel different today, like something is going to happen.

Hurry up and get ready! Astor, my wolf, yells at me.

Geez man, what's your deal today?

Stop talking with me and go!

I roll my eyes and get ready for school. I have a good amount of energy today which is weird since I am tired 24/7. I walk downstairs to the kitchen where River and my mom is.

"Hey mom," I smile at her.

"What did you do?" She asks in an annoyed tone.

"Well, I need another alarm clock."

"Orion Star, you have gone through four alarm clocks in the past two weeks."

"Sorry Mom."

"Here, eat up."

She hands a plate with bacon and eggs on it. I start eating quickly at River looks at me with disgust.

"What?" I ask him.

"Dude, where's the fire?"

"Astor is antsy to get to school today."

My mom turns around as I say that and she smiles widely. I give her a questioning look and she waves me off, still smiling. This woman was just mad at me and now she is smiling like an idiot. What's going on?

"Come on man, we need to head to school or we will be late," River tells me.

I hop in the drivers side of my car and River hops in his. We find out spots to park and then walk out into the sea of people. Today after school I am becoming the Alpha of my pack which means I need to choose a Luna to stand by my side. I want to have my mate as my Luna, but Dad is pressuring me to pick a Luna since I am twenty. I have been waiting for four years for my mate. Maybe she isn't out there. Maybe she died.

I open the doors to the school and smell the faint scent of coconut and strawberry. It smells amazing and I think I know what that means. I will have to find her at lunch since I am going to be late for home room.

No, you idiot. Go find her!

Just hold on until lunch. We need to head to class.

He growls and then returns to the back of my head, murmuring insults about me. I sit down in home room and I can't seem to focus on the lecture. All I can think about is that scent. I try, I really try to stay out in my desk. I can do this, I can wait another hour. Fuck.

I am running through the halls to find my mate. She is at the other end of the school of course. I find the door and burst through, the loud sound ringing throughout the class. Everyone at this school knows I am the soon-to-be Alpha so they don't question it. My eyes search the room and a see a girl sitting along in the back. My mate. Her eyes are open, but they aren't looking anywhere specific. They seem to be glazed over like she is midlinking. She is mumbling something incoherent and she is gripping the desk hard. Everyone in the class is staring at her and I walk over to her and sit next to her. The teacher comes over to stand in front of her.

"Noctis?" The teacher says and she closes her eyes.

Noctis, beautiful name, but I feel like that isn't quite right for her. I admire her long, black, wavy hair and brown eyes. She has high cheekbone and clear skin, not a single freckle. Everyone goes back to their work and she looks down at her paper. Is she not going to acknowledge the fact that her mate is sitting right next to her?

"Can you leave," she says.

I am snapped out of my trance, "What?"

"I am trying to do my homework and I don't want to be close to anyone."

Those words break my heart. She doesn't want to be around me? "O-okay," I stutter.

I stand up from the seat and walk out of the class. As I walk back towards my classroom, a tear falls down my cheek. I am not an emotional person, but my mate practically just rejected me. I can't believe it. I run out the back door of the school and into the forest for a run. I can't go back to class right now, I have to clear my head. I give Astor control and I sit in the back of my mind replaying the events that just unfolded. I can hear Astor whining and whimpering as we run. We eventually head back to the school in time for the lunch bell.

I walk into the cafeteria and I spot Noctis. Let's try this again, maybe she was just too stressed to realize what happened. I sit down next to her as she stares out the window. Is she freaking out again?

"What do you want?" She asks in an emotionless voice as she continues staring out the window.

"I just want to get to know you. Can we do that?"

"Look. I just want to get through this last part of school and I don't need any friends. After I graduate I am heading back to Iraq."

"You were in Iraq?"

This shocked me. She was in Iraq? She was a soldier? I am so happy the Moon Goddess blessed me with a strong mate, but my mate doesn't seem to want me. She barely acknowledges me.

"I just said that, didn't I?"

"Sorry. When did you get back."

She thinks for a moment before replying, "Last week."

"How are you adjusting to civilian life? Do you like it?"

"It's pretty damn boring to be honest. Thanks for home room by the way. I love reliving my worst memories," she says sarcastically.

"What do you mean?"

"Just don't barge into a fucking room making a whole bunch of noise, okay?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." I am cut off.

"Stop apologizing. It's really annoying. I gotta go. Later."

She then walks out the back door of the cafeteria and I watch as she runs into the woods. I sigh and hang my head low. River comes and sits next to me.

"What wrong man?"

"Nothing River. I am just not having a good day."

"Want to go take sit with our pack?"

I nod and we stand up, walking to our usual table. River is going to be my Beta after tonight and I couldn't have asked for a better one. At the table there is River's sister Cali, my third Nate and Cali's friend Jules. We talk about nothing really, that is until Brit comes strutting you to us. My dad has chosen her to be my chosen mate and Luna. She is a slut in the pack and sleeps with anything that moves. She is also an attention whore and a power seeker.

"Hey baby," she says in her high pitch voice. I see most of the people around the table cringe.

"I am not your baby, Brit. I have found my mate already."

Everyone around the table is shocked including Brit. She huffs and leaves the table. Once out of earshot, everyone starts asking me questions about who my mate is and what she is like.

"I will tell you all later, after school. We should probably all head to our next class," I tell them.

I walk with River to the boys change room to get ready for gym. I can tell River has many questions, but he is respecting my wishes and keeps his mouth shut. We walk out onto the field and wait for the rest of the class to arrive. Soon I smell her scent. She is standing in the back of the group before Coach calls her up to introduce herself. On her way up, she touches me with her arm and tingles shoot up my arm causing me to smile. River gives me a questioning look and I just shake my head.

Coach splits us up into pairs while he tell Noctis to just watch today. I see her roll her eyes and watch everyone fight. I block River's punches easily since he attacks the same way every time. I dodge a punch to my jaw and then sidestep to avoid a punch to my chest.

"Left side!" I hear Noctis yell.

Before I can comprehend what she said, I am punched hard in the left side of my stomach. I stumble and River tackles me. He pins me and grabs my throat with his claws. I try to get him off of me for a few seconds before double tapping his arm. I can't believe I just lost a fight in front of my mate. I must look like such a loser. River gets off of me and walks over to Noctis.

"Thanks for the tip, I'm River. Nice to meet you," he holds out a hand for her.

"No problem. I'm Noctis," she shakes his hand.

I am hurt as I walk over to them, "Why are you talking with him?"

"Can I not talk with a guy?"

"No...I mean you can...why won't you talk to me though?" I ask, wanting answers.

"Let's see," she taps her chin, "You ran into my home room and made me visit an amazing memory," she sarcastically says, "You continue to push me to talk with you when I don't want to. Can you take a hint?"

I look down at my feet, willing the tears not to spill. River looks at me asking what is going on. I open the mindlink between us.

She's my mate and hasn't given me the time of day all day.

Wha...really? River says, shocked.

Yeah, I think she is rejecting me. I can't do this. Tonight I will have to make that slut Brit my mate since my true mate is rejecting me.

I'm so sorry man. Maybe I can talk with her and get some information.

Thanks River.

Noctis walks to grab her bag from the bleachers and I notice the insignia on it. She was a lieutenant in the army. Wow. I walk to the change room and then out to my car, heading home to rest before the stupid party.

I walk inside the house and my mom calls for me from the kitchen. I walk in and she is standing there with my dad. They both look excited.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Did you meet her?" Mom asks.

"Who?"

"Your mate, son," Dad explains.

I look down, "Yeah, I met her."

"That's awesome news! Where is she? Why do you look so sad?"

"I think she is rejecting me."

"What makes you think that?" Mom asks, worried.

"She won't acknowledge the bond and she ignores me."

"There has to be some other explanation. Who would reject their mate...what did you do?" She asks me.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Orion." Mom warns.

"I just barged into her home room when I found her. I didn't mean for her to freak out when it happened," I insist.

"What do you mean she freaked out," Dad wonders.

"She had a flashback to the war. She just came back to the states from Iraq a week ago."

"Maybe she just isn't ready for a mate yet," Mom suggests.

"Doesn't matter how, you will mate with Brit," Dad tells me.

"Darren, he met his mate and Luna. Don't make him mark another."

"If she isn't ready, then she doesn't deserve him..." I cut off my dad.

"You think Brit deserves me? She is a slut and is greedy for power. She has slept with so many guys."

"You will not talk about your future Luna like that," Dad angrily says.

I look to Mom for help and she looks to Dad before looking back to me, "I'm sorry Orion. This is out of my hands," Mom frowns.

"I hate you both. I don't want to be Alpha if I have to have that bitch by my side."

"You will, now go get ready for your party and I will inform Brit."

I growl and leave the kitchen. I hear Mom tell Dad that she is disappointed in him and he is going to be sleeping on the couch for a long time. He has no right to tell me to choose a mate. Dad gets his true mate, but I don't. This is bullshit. I lay down on my bed with my face in the pillow.

Orion?

River? How is it going?

Well, she thinks you are a stalker.

What?

Yeah, but that isn't all. She was in an explosion and that is why she is back in the states. She has a piece of silver embedded in her leg and rib. The poor girl has been through a lot and I am not just talking about during war. She is touchy when it comes to her family.

What does this mean? Do you think she will accept me? 

I'm not sure. I will talk more when we get back in the car.

Where are you two?

She needed to go grocery shopping. Oh! She is coming for the party tonight. She says she knows Xander Roberts and she will go since he is going. Good news right?

I wish she wanted to come because of me, but I guess it's better than nothing.

Talk with you in a few.