Preface

We all get one miracle, well that what I have always believed ever since I witnessed my mother getting hers, my step-dad. I had always firmly believed in soul mates and love at first sight, thanks to Movies like The Notebook and books like The Fault in our Stars. They gave you that sickening hope that there is someone out there for you and you only and I couldn’t wait to meet mine.

As I wound round the tables carrying a pitcher of iced lemon tea, a light airy breeze rippled through my auburn hair. I sighed placing the pitcher in front of three girls who had been hackling loudly ever since they came into the small cafe.

“Here is your order,” I muttered shifting my gaze away from their all too perfect faces. They were werewolves and like most she-wolves they were beautiful with long flowing hair, their tall stature, and curvy figures. They were basically super-models with their golden tans and big eyes and fluttering eyelashes. Envy boiled inside me – I had drawn the short straw in my family instead of inheriting the natural beauty of my werewolf mother I had gotten my father’s awkwardness and his family’s tiny frame; all the women on my father’s side were tiny, with no curves to be seen.

I sighed turning to go back inside.

“Hey Lacy,” a girl grabbed my tiny arm. “That’s your name, right?” she asked giving me an award winning smile.

I nodded “Yeah. The girl who had grabbed my arm was Melody Carter the Alpha’s beloved youngest daughter. I gulped I hated being anywhere near the Alpha’s children, they were all too stuck up for my liking and Melody was one of the worst as she was little miss Queen Bee at our school.

“Have you had the letter yet?” she asked in a small voice like it was a top secret question she was asking.

“Come on Mel,” the girl next to her, Ruby-Ann Howard (one of Melody’s brats) rolled her chocolate coloured eyes dramatically before flipping her chestnut brown hair over her perfectly tanned shoulder.  A smiled seeped onto her finely structured face “Why would they ask a geek like her to go?” she flashed her pearly white smile at the other girl sitting next to her. Lisa Green another one of the Brat Pack and no not the Jon Hughes actors.

“Because Ruby,” Melody rolled her eyes at her hackling friends. “Every she-wolf is summoned,” she snapped as her friends’ faces dropped all amusement. “Even if they are well...” she looked me up and down. “Well,” was all she said and I was kind of thankful for it. However, I had no clue what they were on about.

“Sorry,” I paused trying to form the question in my mind. “But what letter are you referring too?” I asked trying to soon friendly.

“Well Lacy,” Lisa Green asked with her bleached blond hair and ashen eyes. “We are talking about the Unmated Ball,” she said.

I frowned. “Please tell me you know what that is?” snapped Ruby-Ann her cinnamon eyes narrowing.

Melody sighed. “The Unmated Ball is...” she paused, thinking. “Is kind of like Prom,” she looked to her friends who all agreed. “But for werewolves,” they nodded. “I think you should just ask your parents to be fair,” and again they all nodded.

“Okay,” I frowned. “I will,” I turned to go.

“See you around,” Melody muttered and I couldn’t help but have a small smile on my smile, the most popular girl in school knew who I, Lacy Alice Whit, was and she spoke to me.

I hurried off trying to catch up with the tables that I had neglected while talking to Melody and her Brat twins. Melody and her Brat pack were known for knowing everything. I had come to the conclusion that there profession was in fact gossiping.

“Hey Lace,” one of the human waitresses caught up with me as I cleared a table of plates.

“Yeah,” I gave Jess a small smile brushing my deep auburn hair from my face.

“I heard...” another one of those girls who were in love with gossip, maybe I should hook her up with Melody and her friends. I brushed the thought away as Jess could never be as mean as the likes of Melody and her friends.  “That Samuel asked you out,” she grinned. “And that you said no,” she punched my shoulder lightly.

Jess was a nice girl with honey coloured hair to her shoulders and the most innocent blue eyes that I had ever come across.

I tried to pretend that I was too engrossed in wiping the table over than starting a conversation. “Yeah what about it,” I said in a bored tone. Sam was a nice boy but he was a human and a relationship with a human can never end well, take that from my mother and father.  

“Oh it’s just,” she shrugged. “I was wondering why?” she said the last bit with a little force behind her words. I had heard rumours that Jess was smiting for Samuel but I could never confirm but now it had me wondering.

“Because...” I paused, thinking of the right answer. “I just don’t want to date right now,” that was kind of true but it was more to the fact my mum wouldn’t let me even though I was eighteen.

“But he’s hot,” Jess tried to point out.

I rolled my eyes hurrying off to another one of my tables. I dropped off the tip money that I had received into the tip jar and started clearing more plates. The rush hour had gone and the steady stream of people had started to evaporate. I had always tried to keep busy because I needed this job. I kept my head down here and in school doing what I was told. I wiped down every surface when all my tables were done and spotless. It made the shift go by faster.

Soon the afternoon faded into evening, the sky from going to bleached out blue to orange with streaks of scarlet and gold and then to ash grey. The lake that the cafe sat by sparkled like glitter as the soft breeze rippled through the clear water.

I sighed undoing my black apron, my shift was done for the day and as the sun slipped below the horizon the little bar cafe became alive with gas lantern’s that were lit every night. I and Jess were soon replaced by Ally a college student and Pete who was overly large and always had a thin film of sweat on his chubby face.

“See you later Lacy,” Jess shouted running off to the parked car of her parents. I sighed again taking in the breath-taking view. The lake shimmered and the forest loomed to my left casting eerie shadows but to me it was a comforting. The smell of pine filled my airways as I made it down the dirt path to home. My neck aced and I smelt but tonight had been good.  

It was about twenty minutes before my house came into view. A two-storey house made from wood and painted chalky white, surrounded by woods. It was the perfect house for a werewolf. The downstairs lights shone like tiger’s eyes as I came up the drive. The bright blue door welcoming me home as I took out my key, the porch light shone above as I twisted the key in the lock. The floorboards creaked beneath me.

“Hey Baby,” my mother’s light and airy voice shouted from the kitchen as the sweet aroma of food caught my attention. My stomach growled in protest and I made my way up the creaking stairs.

“Hey mum,” I shouted. “Just gonna have a shower before dinner.”

“Okay baby girl should be ready soon,” I savoured the sweet smell as I switched the light on in the bathroom before grabbing a fluffy white towel and some clothes from the pile of laundry that sat in the hallway.

I hopped into the steaming shower and washed away the dirt of today with the scent of lemons, I sighed. Today was Friday meaning I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow and I could sleep in until midday, I loved the weekends.

“Dinner,” my mother shouted as I wrapped myself in the white fluffy towel and drying myself. Soon I was dressed in jogging bottoms and an oversize t-shirt that my dad had left behind before he split.

“How was your day?” My step-dad greeted me as I took my seat.

“Good,” I gazed at the food in front of me, Pasta, tomato and basil pasta. My stomach growled again so I began to shovel the mouth-watering food into my mouth.

“A letter came for you today,” I looked up to see her share a glance with my step dad, David and running her hands through her golden hair.

“Right,” I narrowed my eyes putting my fork down. “Who’s it from?” I asked looked at both my mother and David. They looked nervous, was it from my Dad? He had never made contact with me since he split when I was nine saying he couldn’t deal with two werewolves and being part of a pack. Lucky for my mother she never marked him so when he left she was sad but not gut retching, heartbroken sad. She was heartbroken for a time but she moved on.

“Err...” my mother stuttered. Maybe he was writing to say he made a mistakes and he wanted to see his Lacy again?

“Just give it to her Viv,” David snapped rolling his eyes. “It’s not as bad as it could be, she eighteen for God sake.”

“Okay,” she got up and left the dining room.

“David,” I narrowed my eyes. “What is going on?”

“It’s nothing bad,” he tried to reassure. “It’s just something that werewolves 18 and over have to do,” he shrugged.

“So you have to do it?” I asked.

“Well no,” he frowned. “I have Viv,” he gave a small smile. “It is for werewolves without mates.”

My conversation with Melody and her Brat twins came back to me as my mother re-entered with a cream coloured elope in her small hand.

“Here,” she handed it me.

 It was made from that paper that was heavy and looked expensive.  I gazed at the front it was address to Lacy Alice Whit of the Diamond Moon Clan, Ranking Omega.

I gulped shaking a little as I turned it over. A ruby red seal with a wolf howling met my gaze. I cracked it open and pulled a thick piece of creamy white card, it read:

~*~

King Alexander II and Queen Sofia I

Request your presence

To an honoured tradition of out kind,

The Unmated Ball in honour of our son, Prince Robert

On Friday the eleventh day of May at eight o’clock in the evening

~*~

“What is the Unmated Ball?” I asked looking up to meet my mother’s gaze before turning to David.

“The Unmated Ball, sweetie,” my mother began. “Happens once every generation, it happens because the next heir needs a mate and at this ball he picks out of all the unmated she-wolves that have come of age.” She explained.

“It is very unlikely that you’ll become his mate,” David said, I glared. “It’s not that you not good enough but it’s every pack in the country,” he went on quickly.

“So what are you guys worried about,” I smiled.

“Because at this Ball all the Alphas and their sons will be there with their daughters,” my mum said.

“So” I shrugged.

“And then the Beta’s unmated sons and daughters, then the Deltas,” David said.

“So this doesn’t affect me, so I just have to go and that’s it,” I didn’t get why they were so worried or what they were trying to get at.

“What we are trying to say is that at this Ball you will find your mate,” David snapped as my eyes widened.

“What?” I choked on my words.

“What David means to say,” she shot him a glare. “At this Ball we are gonna find someone to give you a good life, someone who is finically sound,” she smiled.

“I am eighteen,” I snapped. “I don’t want a mate yet.”

“Now Lacy,” she scolded. “You don’t have to mate them yet, but it kind of like an arrange marriage,” she shrugged like it was nothing. “We have spoken to the Alpha...”

“What so I don’t have a chose in this?” I snapped.

“Lacy,” she sighed. “We are only trying to get you a good future.”

“What if I want to fall in love and then mate that person?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Lacy dear listen to me,” she almost growled. “Love is only for beautiful people, for pure werewolves or humans not half-breeds,” she snapped her eyes starting to turn coal black. “And frankly my dear though beautiful in my eyes, you are no looker and you are a half-breed,” her words stung. “So at this Ball you will find a mate whether that be a simple Warrior or Scout you will be mated, do you understand?” she barked.

My eyes began to sting. “Yes mother I understand,” I snapped standing up.

“Oh Lacy,” she rolled her eyes like I was being dramatic. “Sit down,” she commanded and my inner wolf made me listen. “We are doing this for your own good,” she nodded her head firmly. “I want my daughter to be happy,” her eyes softened back to her crystal blue.

I nodded looking at my hands in my lap, my heart heavy from her hurtful words.

“Now we spoke to the Alpha and he said that he approves of you mating with a rank as high as a warrior,” she smiled at David. “I explained that it was unlikely for her to get anyone higher and he said he was willing to help us out with the price of the ball,” she explained more to David than me.

“Why is he helping her find a mate?” David frowned.

“Well because she is an Omega, the lowest of the low and he looks after the weakest link so if we can mate her to a higher rank everyone would be better off,” she smiled. “We are only as good as our weakest link,” I toned out.

How could she have said those things? I get that I was a half-breed and that I was a constant reminder of my father but did she really have to threw that in my face. I batted a tear away before it fell. I wouldn’t show she hurt me, I wasn’t weak like she thought I was. I tried to tell myself.

“Lacy,” her voice snapped filling with rage.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

“Now listen,” she growled. “We’ll go shopping for a dress tomorrow with his daughter Melody, such a lovely girl, since the ball is a week away” I nodded.  “So off to bed,” she shooed me away.

She wasn’t always like this but it was nearing my father’s birthday and I had a feeling that the wound was still roar, she believed herself beautiful so having been walked out on cut deep. A sense of dread washed over me as I fell asleep that night.

 ~*~

So this is the Spin off to Born of Ashes! It is a stand alone story so you don't need to read Born of Ashes but if you do then I will love you ;)

Anyway tell me what you think!!

And if you could make some covers for this story? Message me!!! THANKS!

Love

Abbie