SKYLAR

I have never been so scared in my entire life.

They say that when you are dying, your life flashes before your eyes. You relive your entire life story until you perish. That's it. However, that is NOT what happened to me.

When I was outside on the patio, sulking from having to walk back to the tower, a thunderous noise frightened us before another avalanche hit us, bystanders. All I remember from that moment was Jake screaming my name, worried sick about me, while I was buried under a mountain of snow.

At that moment, I did not see the life I had so far. On the contrary, I saw what I didn't get to live. I saw myself claiming Jake at the end of the school year. I saw him and I making love for the first time, I saw our entire lives together that I would never get to have because I would be dead.

In all honesty, that hurt me the most. Just to think that I wouldn't be there for any of these things shook me to my core. I had to survive for his sake, for our life together. Though it wasn't easy, I had to pull through for the sake of the love of my life.

In ancient times - though some packs still did these as early as four decades ago - there was a ritual for any aspiring Alpha of the pack. On the day that he turned 18, there was a ceremony where all his potential mates were gathered in one place, along with most of the pack in general if it was possible, and several distinguished guests, for his ascension ceremony.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you heard me correctly. On the day that the aspiring Alpha turned 18, his ascension ceremony took place. No matter what day of the week it fell on, that boy or girl would ascend as the new Alpha of the pack.

However, he would have to find his mate first. On that occasion, he would have to walk through the crowd of teenagers of his range. You could only be mated to someone up to two years older or younger than you, though if they are not at least 17, you couldn't discover them as your mate — and find that special someone.

Once that happened with the entire pack as witnesses, he and his mate would have the ascension ceremony where they would be effectively sworn in as the new Alpha couple of the pack. Their choice of Beta would also be sworn in his new position.

After the ceremony was concluded, he would have to face the toughest part yet. Anyone among his pack members could challenge the new Alpha for the position in a fight to the death. Essentially, the young Alpha could be killed even before he had the chance to complete the bond with his fated mate.

Drawing a parallel, it was almost what happened to Bidziil. Remember him? The legendary Indigenous warrior who got mated to the Alpha of the most feared pack in the South? He was challenged by every single one of the warriors under the Alpha's command. Those who he did not kill, he bested in single combat.

That is what I felt when I thought I was going to die. I wouldn't have the chance to be properly intimate with my Omega, but not only that, I wouldn't have any chance to do all the things I want to do with him. Any of the milestones someone in my position is thought to have, I wouldn't get to do, to have with him.

No ascension ceremony, no graduation of any kind, no family of my own, no leading my pack, not becoming an uncle, nothing. I would have nothing to show for, and that killed me. I am far too young to die, not to mention what that would do to my family, my pack.

I am my father's only Alpha heir, so he would have to scramble to select another person as his successor — someone who would not be his own flesh and blood, which has never happened in the history of our pack. I am sure anyone can see now how problematic that would be for the most powerful werewolf dynasty in America.

It's the same as the monarchy, you have to be born into it to be a part of it. You can marry into royalty, but you'll never be truly considered as one of them. Anyway, crisis averted. I am here, I am queer, and I am ready for the weekend where my father will confirm my contract with Jake when he meets Dr. Anderson.

December 11th, Wednesday evening. After a busy afternoon of talking to my classmates, I went back to my dorm for a shower and rest before dinner was served. At the same time, my parents talked to Alpha Lockwood, who is acting as Headmaster in her father's place — who is recuperating from heart surgery — after my dad fired Professor Roberts.

After they were done with that, they would go on a tour in Colorado before returning on Saturday for Parents' Day here in Ravenwood. Santos was going to return to Texas on the next available flight out of Denver, and everything was slowly going back to normal.

Let us see how long that will last around here. *breathes out a sigh*

At dinner time, we were reunited in the cafeteria for another round of a gossipy meal.

Most of the students were worried about pairing up before Saturday, so a lot of last-minute alliances slash pairings were being discussed. No one wants to be left behind in the race to find a respectable match, and absolutely nobody wants to be the loser who is not claiming anyone when April comes.

"Do you think your parents already discussed your contract with Jayden's mom, since they were already here?" Jake asked my brother in the Omega section while they ate their food.

"I highly doubt it. My father was much more focused on finding out if she rooted out the people responsible for the avalanche incident. I'm pretty sure dad will only discuss our contract next Saturday, when it should be done." Seth replied, confidently.

"Oh, I see. Well, at least your contract has a better chance of success than mine." Jake said, feeling apprehensive about the upcoming negotiation between our parents.

"I doubt that my father will want to risk jeopardizing his son's happiness. Especially after what happened when Sky was in the hospital." Seth argued without missing a beat.

I hope he is right because there will be hell to pay if my contract is not negotiated successfully with Jake's mom. I will sooner lose anything else than Jake. I truly mean this.

"What happened when you were in the hospital?" Kyle asked me with a curious stare at me. Nosy students and their wolf hearings... who am I to judge?

"Apparently, when I was still unconscious and the doctors didn't know when I would wake up, Jake nuzzled my neck, spreading his scent on me. That was what woke me up from my slumber." I replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

The surrounding students in the Alpha section were gobsmacked to hear this.

"Wow! You two are like a mated couple, aren't you? Who knew?" He gaped at me in shock.

"I knew. From the moment I realized he was the only person here who would not say yes to me just because I'm a Stronghold, I knew he was the one for me. I just didn't expect us to have such amazing chemistry together." I stated, surprised about this myself.

"They are like couple goals. I'm a little jealous, I'm not gonna lie." Roberto muttered from his table next to ours.

"Aren't you happy with Kyle?" Jayden asked him point-blank.

"Kyle can't prospect me, he is not going to introduce me to his parents when they arrive here on Saturday. I am nothing to him. It's a big difference than being someone who means to him as much as Jake means to Sky." Roberto responded, sounding heartbroken.

All of us could hear the break in his voice as he said that. It was absolutely gut-wrenching and sad. I looked at Kyle who was taken aback by that blunt declaration, speechless.

"You're not even going to introduce him to your parents? That's cold, bruh!" I was baffled to hear this.

"Did you introduce all your hookups to your parents?" He countered, annoyed at me.

"WOW, dude! I feel sorry for Roberto. He deserves better than this." I empathized with him, feeling his sadness from my table. I could tell he wanted more from Kyle, but he is not getting it.

"We both do, but that was the way the cookie crumbled." He said, aggravated.

"He is not just a hook-up, though, is he?" I countered, feeling sad about them, but mostly for Roberto.

Kyle grunted in annoyance but said nothing to dispute my argument. Sadly, he is trapped under his father's expectations, but if anyone can relate to that, it is me. I feel for him, I really do. Which is why this is very saddening to me. I can relate to him.

After the uncomfortable vibe that dominated the Alpha section, I was happy to call it a night, but not before I cuddled up with my favorite Omega — not related to me. Jake and I spent some time in the Gamma House lounge, plopped down on the couch, making out.

I have been through a major life scare, so I have missed spending time with him. I know he has been there for me since the avalanche happened, but I want to enjoy him alone. We are in a public space, but at least we are alone.

My mouth touches his while our tongues dance together in a nice rhythm. Our bodies are intertwined, pressed against each other on the couch. His hands caressed the back of my neck and every single hair on my body bristled.

I get a tingling sensation in my lower extremities and that is how I know it is almost time for us to stop what we are doing. I want to rip his clothes off, but I can't. I wouldn't. I moved on to kiss his neck as his left hand messed with my hair. Jake loves to mess with my perfect hair.

"You are so amazing to feel. I love you!" I told him in the mix of me continuing to kiss him.

"You are the best kisser ever! I love you too!" He whispered in my ear, sending another wave of tingling sensations down my body.

I had to call it a night, otherwise I'd forget the public space situation — and I would never do that in the first place. I had to rearrange my pants to conceal my hardness, but we said our goodbyes for now.

On Thursday, I had a lot of catching up to do. I have so many tests to take since I lost three days of school, but the teachers generously planned accordingly and allowed me to ease my way back to classes.

Overall I did okay, but next week it will be the combat exam, which is going to take a lot of effort from me. I hope to be fully healed by then, or I won't perform to my full capacity. Fortunately for me, all exams here are practical, real-life situations. You either know or you don't.

But the health teacher asking me what I should do if I knot an Omega was honestly cringy.

'What do I do? Wait for them to have my kid. I don't know what else you expect me to say.'

There is no workaround knotting. Unless you are a female, in that case, you can take the morning-after pill and you should be fine. But that wouldn't work on a male Omega. Science has yet to catch up to them when it comes down to medication for preventing a pregnancy.

'At what point in the pregnancy, a werewolf can detect it?'

I know that one. It's on the tip of my tongue...

'Two to three months, depending on the werewolf. It's more likely to be detectable at the end of the first trimester.'

Nailed it!

Werewolves have the capacity to detect if someone is pregnant by their scent alone. But this can only happen if the person has been in contact with pregnant people before. In other words, you need to have scented a pregnant person to be able to detect pregnancy in anybody. It's not an innate scent.

By dinner time, I was glad to have survived the first day of exams and was looking forward to the weekend. I mean, I am mostly apprehensive but also looking forward to it. We need to get a move on this contract. We won't be able to secure our relationship without it.

"You were sweating today on the health class exam. Aren't you the Alpha son of your pack? You have probably been with 50 people by the end of your senior year in high school." Kyle was teasing me as we sat down at our usual table in the Alpha section.

"I have not been with fifty people, Kyle! What do you take me for?" I rebuked him, angrily. I don't appreciate the slut shaming.

"I take you for a very handsome and rich boy who can be happy with any gender. That is a recipe for abundance in options." He argued in a serious tone.

"I may be the pansexual son of the Alpha, but that doesn't mean I slept with the entire student body. I have morals." I defended myself, irritated at him.

"Of course, Sky. I'm just saying. Jake should demand an STI panel before you two get intimate." He provoked me.

"Why are we friends again?" I snarled at him, aggravated.

"Because I'm the only one who tolerates you." He snickered.

"Yeah... Is it too late to make friends with Roberto instead? He seems like the better one." I taunted him with a wicked smile. Roberto was taken aback by my comment and smiled at me shyly.

"He is the best part of this whole academy. I have to agree with you on that." He asserted, seemingly enchanted by the Brazilian beau.

"I know what you mean by that. It's exactly what I feel about Jake. I cannot wait for this weekend to be over and for him to be mine forever." I declared, though technically that is not true. If approved, the contract will be drawn up to be signed at the claiming ceremony, not before. Be that as it may, you get my point.

https://youtu.be/WqcJzk0vu5M

A|N: The weekend promises to be eventful.

What surprises lie in store for our main couple?

Will the negotiations prove fruitful, or is Frederick too greedy to make it work with Whitney? Who knows?

All I know is that next is the Christmas Ball.

OFF: Around 7 or 8 years ago, there was a Mexican soap opera (My husband has another family, loosely translated) that introduced the first gay teen characters of its kind. As their story developed, the country — and the world — was watching.

Soon, the couple's storyline took over the internet, and it proved to be so successful that after the soap was done, they got their own spinoff soap drama. The world fell in love with #Aristemo and the actors portraying those characters collected awards and success after that.

This is the theme song for their spinoff show.

If I were you, I'd sign up for my Patreon account right now to read the next 9 (NINE) chapters of this book. The twists and turns are waiting for you - and the 100th is coming with a bang!

patreon.com/LeonardoMontero

Next is "So Emotional".

Love,

Léo.