Beck

There are two realities in my world.

The first is that by the age of 13, at the latest, you'll shift into a fully realized wolf. The fur can vary according to your ethnicity, but you will shift under the full moon after your birthday.

The first full moon after you turn 12 or 13, depending on your case. Some people shift at 11, but that's rare. It's a date popularly known as your consecration to the Moon [Goddess] and it's an auspicious occasion for a pup.

The second is that by the age of 18, you should meet the person you're gonna spend the rest of your life with. A person who wasn't chosen by you, but for you.

You are allowed to reject the chosen individual, but are discouraged from doing so. People who reject their mates don't tend to live fulfilled lives, save if they take extreme measures.

But even so, it's not guaranteed. You can't cheat a powerful Goddess. You can deny her, if you want, but there are consequences if you do.

This is what I have learned since I was a child, witnessing people shifting into a wolf almost in front of me. Technically, no one in their right mind is gonna put a naked person in front of a child so they can shift into a wolf, but you can do it clothed if you don't mind ripping it apart.

Anyway, this is the reality I grew up with.

Granted, neither of these things have happened to me yet but I'm told it happens to everyone else who's a werewolf, no matter the tribe or pack.

Anywhere in the world, the reality is the same for everyone. This doesn't vary according to your nationality. It's universal.

It's an inescapable truth that we have to face. You have no choice in the matter. You will shift and meet your mate. It's possible that you will never meet them in your lifetime, but exceedingly rare.

The Goddess wouldn't waste a pairing just so that the two individuals never meet each other.

There are instances back in my tribe that people met their mates on a hunting trip, already in their early 30's.

I have no idea how am I going to discover my mate or when I'll be found by him, will I even feel something like everyone else does.

The proper reaction to being discovered by your mate is your inner wolf comes through and it marks its presence by making your eyes shine. The brighter they shine, the closer you are to your wolf spirit.

That's also why when you shift into a wolf, your eyes shine. Because your wolf spirit is taking over your body. All these things I was taught.

I never got to experience my first shift or my eyes shining. I don't know how to mind link anyone because I never could. Even in my old pack.

But I have faith that my mate will one day be revealed to me. I know I can't discover them, even after I turn 18. It's just not in the cards for me, this much is clear by now.

All I can do is hope for the best.

It's Monday. As soon as we stepped foot inside the classroom, Jude, Layla and I heard Quentin crying out in desperation.

In front of us, the reason why he was inconsolable. Cassie has just got mated to Bode. Both of their eyes are shining right now. It's unmistakable.

They declared 'mate' to each other and just stood there, frozen in time. Bode's mesmerized by her. Cassie is emotional right now. And so is him.

As they stand in front of each other, Bode tears up. He's frightful that she'll reject him because of what happened between him and the heat stricken omega.

He's trembling with fear as he stands in a room full of classmates in front of his mate. She keeps looking at him until their eyes stop shining.

Quentin is sobbing at this interaction desperately. But at this moment, it's their world. The rest of us are only populating it.

Finally, he sums up the courage to do what's expected of him before the class starts.

"I, Bode Galveston, accept you Cassandra MacPherson as my mate." - He declared, desperately hoping she'll accept him too.

Now all eyes were on her. Everybody was staring at her expectantly, tuned in for a response. Even the teacher was waiting for her reply before she started the class.

The suspense was killing everyone. She kept looking at him transfixed. All the while Quentin is still crying.

"I, Cassandra MacPherson, accept you Bode Galveston as my mate." - She finally declared, much to the relief of an expecting classroom full of students.

Then they hugged for a moment before the teacher had to start the class, though not before congratulating the newly mated couple.

Quentin still kept sobbing all through the class. Eventually, the teacher released him to go to the bathroom to get it together.

This was bad, really bad for him.

We don't exactly have the best relationship - he literally punched, humiliated and belittled me every chance he got - but I don't have it in me to rejoice in someone else's pain.

No matter how horrible they are and trust me he is. But still, I'd comfort him if I had any value to him. *sigh*

Multiple students, mainly from the wrestling team, offer him words of comfort for his pain. Jalensky and Owen as well, of course.

But nothing would seem to stop the tears from falling down his face. At the same time, several classmates congratulate the couple on their mating.

Each new congratulations is like a sharp knife stabbing Quentin again. And again.

All through the morning classes, congratulations were in order from all the seniors, teachers and whoever encountered them down the hall.

Bode looked radiantly happy. Cassie felt empathy for her former boyfriend, not that she neglected her mate. It doesn't work that way.

At the cafeteria, they even got a treat from the lunch lady as a mating present. It was all about them today.

With time, Quentin stopped crying but his facial expression was dreadful. He moped around the school, getting an abundance of pity stares from literally everybody.

It was heartbreaking to witness.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling his sadness through the twin link?" - I asked my boyfriend, just before the final class of the day.

"Yes, I'm fine. I wasn't the one who got mated away from a relationship. I probably shouldn't be saying this, but I'm glad your mate is not from our pack. If I didn't have you, I'd be devastated." - He confessed, vulnerably.

I wanted to be mad at him, but if I were him I'd be feeling the exact same thing.

"Thanks for reminding me." - I grunted, annoyed.

Jude kissed me for a moment, then smiled.

"I can't lie, I wish I were mated right now. But I'm so happy to have you in my life. You have no idea! I don't know how my brother is going to cope!" - He declared, romantically.

We're interrupted by Quentin sobbing again. It was painful to watch. Cassie and Bode looked incredibly uncomfortable by his outburst.

Though something much more uncomfortable was about to be discussed.

"I know there's an elephant in the room. So I'd like to know how you are going to proceed?" - She questioned her mate, looking serious at him.

Bode gulped at the question he knew full well it was coming.

"We don't know if he's pregnant yet. We're waiting for the typical signs." - He replied in a matter of fact tone, incredibly awkward.

"Okay. Keep me posted, please. I know for a fact this is the first thing my parents are gonna ask once I tell them you're my mate." - She stated with dread in her tone.

"I'm sorry. I promise you it was an accident. I'm not even into men, though that much is clear by now." - He said, apologetic.

"It's fine, mate. I'm not judging you. I just wanna keep apprised of the situation because it involves you and now you're my family." - She explained in an empathizing voice.

This is an awkward conversation, but it only reminds me of the dangers omegas face everyday.

I turned to Kingsley for a moment.

"I know you haven't had your heat yet, so I'm worried for you. It's gonna hit before your birthday, so the upcoming weeks are the most worrying." - I told him, feeling concerned.

Kingsley gulped at the awkward topic.

"I know, but I can't stop my life because of it. All I can do is to make sure I'm not caught in a vulnerable situation inside the school. But I can't predict when it'll strike." - He said, blushing.

"Hopefully we can deal with it as soon as possible." - I tried to keep a positive attitude. I feel so protective of him. Omegas are already looked down upon in some societies, the last thing I need is for him to be in any danger of conceiving an unmated child.

Also there's the fact that he's a virgin, so he should be able to choose with whom he has his first sexual experience. Same as me, for that matter. But unlike him, I don't mind not waiting it out for my mate.

I still have 7 months of school before I can plan to go back to the reservation to find him. And I'm not in any hurry to do so. Actually, I am. But more than anything else, I'm frightened to go back and something bad happens to me. Or I get stuck there, who knows what kind of stunts my father can pull off...

My point is I'm not waiting around for my mate to have sex. I only ever needed a partner I could trust. But I'm not a believer that everyone should wait, unless they want to. I'm all for live and let live. Make your own choices.

I don't judge my boyfriend or his brother for not waiting around. Nor do I judge Owen and Layla who intend to save themselves. Though now that they're both dating, who's to say that they're gonna remain virgins?

Anyway, I'm ready for more with Jude. If he's not getting mated away from me, I have no reason to wait any longer. Or to preserve myself for someone who won't find me until Goddess knows when.

"I'm good to go."

"Go where?" - Jude asked me on Tuesday morning as he was parking his car at the school.

I got flustered looking at him waiting for an answer from me. He looked so cute right now.

"Sorry, I was thinking out loud. I'm good to go to wherever you can arrange for us to spend an intimate date." - I replied, blushing. He smiled at me with a naughty grin that had me flushed with impure thoughts.

"Trust me, I'm ready too. It's good that we are on the same page, but I'd be more than capable of waiting for you. As long as it takes." - He said humbly, but with a fierce intonation that told me he really meant it.

"Thanks, I know you'll respect my body. I love you, Jude Atwood. I can't wait to get to know all of you." - I smiled at him sweetly but with a naughty undertone.

The two of us enter the school gate holding our hands, despite the many offers he had from juniors who think they're going to be the next Luna of the pack. It's annoying, but I have no reason to worry about them. Or anybody else, for that matter.

We greet Layla in the school yard next to Blaine. They both asked Jude about his brother, he told them he has been miserable since yesterday and there's no looking up for now. It is what it is, you can't fight the moonlight.

When we walked inside the classroom, Bode and Cassie were talking closely. They're all over each other, just not in the same way Owen is with Elaine. They're not kissing yet.

We greet our classmates and Owen leaves Elaine for a moment to approach Jude, who sits several desks away from him.

"Good morning, Jude. Here it is. I'll text you the address. You can keep the key for a week, it's no problem." - He smiled at him, handing over a key discreetly. Though Layla caught it right away. Jude thanked him and Owen returned to his seat where Elaine waited for him.

"Are you running away from home?" - Layla snickered, looking at him pocketing the house key.

"No." - Jude glared at her.

"Then why would you need a–"

"Drop it, Lay! I'll tell you later!" - He cut her off in a knitted frown, trying to shush her. At the same time, I was blushing as if I was caught with my pants down. She looked at him confused, then looked at me and it clicked.

"Oh my Goddess!" - She gasped in shock. Though I don't know why. It's not like he's a virgin... *eye roll*

"Be cool, for crying out loud! Remind me to never send you undercover!" - He glared at her, who was looking mischievously at the both of us. With all this commotion, people began to take an interest in what was happening.

I wanted to keep it on the down low for my cousin's sake, but he's not stupid either. Blaine asked her what was happening, to which Jude glared at him fiercely. The more he tried to maintain a low profile, the more people got curious about it.

"Why did you give Jude a key?" - Elaine asked her man, who got flustered instantly.

"I'll tell you later." - He replied, uncomfortably. By the look on his face, quickly she picked up on it. Teenagers, am I right?

"Oh, I see... I didn't know you could arrange house keys. Can you get one for us?" - She smiled at him with a suggestive expression. Owen gasped in shock and blushed so hard his cheeks turned pink.

Owen got flustered as he was stared by her. It took him a minute to reply.

"I'm not prepared for that yet, I'm sorry." - He replied, lowering his head in embarrassment.

Elaine raised his head to look at her again.

"There is no rush, Owen. You can arrange a key whenever you're ready for it. There's no pressure." - She assured him, lovingly.

"Yeah, wait for her to be mated away from you." - Quentin interjected in a sour tone.

Both of them looked at him, surprised by the unwanted comment. The blond devil looked hurt.

"If she were to be mated away from me, then I'd have to be happy for her. But I'm not in this for the sex, in case it wasn't already obvious." - He stated, disappointed in his friend.

"There's nothing wrong with waiting, Owen! Even for a boy." - Layla chimed in, feeling some type of connection with him.

"I didn't think there was." - He told her, dryly. Elaine is fulminating her for the unsolicited remark.

"There really isn't. If any of us get mated away from each other, that's tomorrow's problem. But today, I just wanna keep on loving you. I like everything about you, Owen Lancaster Hathaway, even the parts you feel ashamed of. They are the ones I love the most." - She declared. He smiled at her, misty eyed, then they kissed for the longest time.

"If they aren't mated to each other, I will riot!" - I commented, watching them being so adorable together.

"I second that motion. I didn't think he would get over Lay so fast, but I'm so happy for him. They make the most perfect couple I've ever seen." - Jude agreed, also enchanted by them.

"You don't need to tone down your relationship on my account, Beck. You have a right to be happy as much as them. And if you want to go further, then good for you." - Kingsley told me, breaking the spell.

"Thanks, cousin. I didn't want you to think I was being disrespectful." - I said, blushing uncomfortably.

"Not at all. He's not my mate. He's not anyone's. You have to make the most of your time here. And if I can't have him, at least he is with a good person this time." - He smiled at me.

"This time?" - I frowned, intrigued.

"You know what I meant..." - He blushed, adorably. Yeah, I do. And he's not happy about the key situation. Not that I care.

I've said this already. I care only about my cousin and if he gave me the green light, then nothing stands in my way. I just want to love Jude until I'm no longer allowed. Owen is right. We only have today. And today he is mine.

https://youtu.be/wJzNZ1c5C9c

A|N: It's all coming down soon!

The explosive twist you won't want to miss.

Love,

Léo.