Quentin

I had nightmares about this.

Dreams in which Cassie was mated away from me to Owen, Blaine, Dragon...

I always woke up sweating buckets, feeling desperate. It felt so real every time, but when I woke up I would soon realize it was just a dream and feel better. Now I can't wake up from this nightmare.

Selfishly, I thought she was the one who would be mated away from the relationship, not me.

I know it's a dick move to expect other people to break their hearts instead of you, but who would want to get their hearts broken? I know my parents told me this would happen. I know I shouldn't have dated before I got mated. I heard it all before.

But these people forget how teenagers are. We don't like to think that far ahead when we're horny now. When we want to be with a girl now. Or boy, like my brother. Not only did he not wait for his mate by having relations with my best friend, now he's going to do the same with his boyfriend.

Do I judge him for it?

Fuck no!

I'd do the same if I could.

It was genius of him to ask Owen for a vacant property. His father literally works for a real estate agency. Not to mention, the Lancasters have been with this pack since its foundation. That's old money. It stands to reason that Owen's parents would have properties around town.

I've dated Cassie for two years and never thought of that. And Owen is MY friend, not Jude's.

Like I said, genius move on his part. You gotta admire the boy, he makes lemonade out of lemons. I would kill to have my girlfriend back with me, even if she has been apart from me for only three days now.

The worst three days of my life so far.

I should have been mated by now. Then none of this would matter to me because the mate bond would take care of my feelings and reroute them towards my new girl. But not me...

I was wrecked on Monday when Cassie got mated to Bode. The whole thing sounds like a bad dream, but it's very real.

Nothing could get me out of it, not my friends trying to console me, the tears flowed through me in a desperate way.

I knew this would happen, but I didn't expect it to be this fast, so sudden. I watched as my beloved girlfriend started talking and getting close to another man. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

This is what we are. Werewolves with partners for life. But where in Goddess' name is mine?

Pain like I never felt before washes me over.

It's unbearable, I'm crushed by its massive weight. It's like someone reached out their hands into my ribcage and ripped the heart out from my chest.

I'm impossibly sad, a shadow of the boy I once was. Nothing can cheer me up. I simply moped around school, the training center and then home.

My parents asked me what was wrong, then they pitied me. They offered a comforting hug, trying to console me.

Of course, they told me this is a temporary situation. 'My mate is right around the corner'. Whatever.

I don't think she's any closer to me than before. And even so, I wanted Cassie as my mate. I can't lie. I always have.

She's the sweetest girl I've ever met. The girl of my dreams. And now all that remains is the nightmare.

I woke up on Thursday not feeling ready for another morning of seeing them two together.

Unfortunately, my mom is not gonna let me miss school because of a broken heart. I'd have to be dying for that. It feels like I am, to be honest. I don't wanna sound dramatic, but this is the saddest I've ever felt in my entire life.

I changed clothes while I waited for 'her majesty' to clear out the bathroom. It's a long wait, as usual. They really should have built 3 suites in this house instead of just one.

Later, we walked downstairs for breakfast. But today my dad is doing the cooking. Mom had to leave early for an appointment. She was accompanying a woman who was delivering a baby and had to rush to the hospital.

Being Luna of the pack means she offers support for ladies who are in need of.

Jude and I helped dad set the table while he finished the cooking. It smelled nice, but not like mom's.

We actually had a nice breakfast just us men. Even though nothing could get me out of my funk, I have to persevere somehow, someway.

I'm not the first idiot who was mated away from a relationship. And I highly think I'll be the last one. Not really.

Dragon picks me up to school now that I lost my car - what the hell was I thinking making a bet like that? - and we arrive shortly after.

The first thing I saw when I walked into the school yard was Bode hugging his mate, sending me into a downward spiral.

I ran away from that scene, which of course only served to alert people of my presence. The entire class pity stared at me as they entered the classroom.

Cassie too was giving me a look that made my heart sink into despair. Tears started forming in my eyes. It's heartbreaking to see her from a distance. Both physically and metaphorically speaking.

"Hang in there, buddy. It'll pass." - Dragon consoled me, tapping a hand on my shoulder.

"When? Because I still love her now as if nothing had changed." - I refuted in a sorrowful tone.

"I'm sorry. I promise you it will get better." - He encouraged me with a soft smile.

"Thanks, brother. Are you okay with the fact that the only boy you've ever been with is now getting busy with another one? I'm sure you heard about the house key." - I questioned him, distracting myself from my misery.

Jalensky gulped awkwardly as Jude and Beck glanced at us. Anyone with a brain cell would know that unless you're running away, you don't need an empty house unless you're planning to do something that you can't do at your own home.

"Yeah, I saw that. Maybe someone should tell your parents of your brother's intentions for this weekend." - He threatened, looking at Jude with a devious grin.

"Are you sure you wanna play that game with me? I can tell your parents what we did together when my brother wasn't looking. So many nights in my room..." - Jude shot back with a devilish smile.

The entire classroom gasped in shock. Not because this is news to them, but they know how much Dragomir fears his parents.

"Like they would ever believe you." - He scoffed.

"Oh I can make it pretty believable, trust me. I can give them a lesson on your anatomy. Are you sure you want to challenge me?" - Jude looked properly menacing.

Jalensky's resolve was weakening as he spoke. Goddess only knows what Jude could speak about him after they were together for more than a year.

"Whatever. I was just joking, man!" - He backtracked it, dismissively.

Jude laughed at him deviously. And so did I.

"You should stop your brother from taking that poor boy's innocence." - He appealed to me in a desperate attempt.

Jude growled at him furiously.

"That poor boy's innocence? Who's to say that he's innocent? Do you know anything about his life? Who's to say it wasn't his suggestion? Also, have you ever heard of the 'bro code'? Jude never spoke about my times with..." - I stopped myself mid speech.

I blushed as Cassie and Bode were looking at me, she was flustered. And so was I.

"What I meant was it's none of my business what my brother does or not with his freak. I say good for him. Enjoy it while it lasts." - I continued, a tad awkward.

Jude was about to attack me for calling Beck a freak when he physically stopped him.

"This is not the time for you to get grounded." - Beck carefully held him back, softly speaking into his ear.

Jude was feral, glaring daggers at me.

"You're right, Beck. It isn't. But after this weekend, it's him or me." - He stated, angrily staring me down.

What else is new? It has always been him or me.

"How come you never got me a key?" - I questioned Owen, who gasped at my accusatory tone.

"Because you never asked!" - He replied, defensively.

I grunted in annoyance. Though he is not technically wrong.

"Don't forget the condoms, J. Goddess knows what Jalensky might have passed you." - Layla advised him with a mischievous grin. Both he and Dragon were appalled by her comment.

"You fucking bitch!" - Dragon snarled at her. Blaine fulminated him for this.

"I cannot believe I wanted to keep a low profile and now everybody knows my business..." - Jude sighed, very annoyed by the public discussion.

"It's not a terrible idea to do a STI screening." - Beck suggested in a low tone.

Jude did not expect that.

"If it'll make you feel safer, sure." - He agreed, after taking several breaths to calm himself down.

"Wow. That was uncomfortable! I'm glad I am a second class virgin." - I snickered.

"What?" - Jalensky frowned in confusion.

"He meant he has only been with one person and she was a virgin like him, so neither of them could have caught anything sexually transmittable." - Owen explained, mildly uncomfortable.

"For the record, that doesn't exist. You either are a virgin like me or you're not. There's no second class." - Owen informed me, raising an eyebrow.

When did this turn into a Sex Ed class?

Cassie looked uncomfortable at this whole line of conversation, but I'm not doing it on purpose to embarrass her. At all.

It's public knowledge that we had a two year relationship. Some aspects of it are expected. I'm not saying anything everybody else doesn't already know.

And I didn't want to bring it up either. Trust me, I want to forget her and not remind myself of our greatest hits. And they were so great... *sigh*

On Friday, I overheard them making plans for the weekend and I wanted to weep. We used to have such great dates.

But wolf hearing is a curse. Nothing goes by unnoticed in this school, unless you mind link it. Which we forget to do most of the time.

Literally all the couples were making plans for the weekend. Owen and Elaine, Beck and Jude, Blaine and Layla, Dragon and his right hand... LOL

Sorry, I had to lighten up the mood before I started crying. I can't even get a date at this point. I don't wanna start anything with anybody who's not my mate. Not really.

Though some of the junior girls keep smiling at me whenever I walk the halls, they don't do it for me. And again, the only girl I want now is [whoever turns out to be] my mate.

"I stopped by the free clinic yesterday, I'm clean. Thankfully, I'm good to go." - Jude was telling his boyfriend in between classes.

"That's great! I didn't expect you to actually have anything, but you can never be too sure." - Beck sounded content, but worried.

"Oh my Goddess! I used a condom with every girl I've ever been with!" - Jalensky blurted out, upset by the implication.

This got uncomfortable fast. The three of them exchanged awkward glances.

"Yes, but you didn't use it with me. Anyway, let's not dwell on the issue anymore." - Jude spoke, sweating from the uncomfortableness.

"This is not awkward at all." - I grunted, flustered.

"Sexual health is important. You should get checked out too, my friend. You might get a virgin mate after all." - Owen chimed in with his tempered tone.

"Where would I even find a virgin at this point in the game?" - Dragon snickered. Though the girls inside the classroom did NOT appreciate his input.

"If you keep this up, you're not gonna earn yourself any favors among the female population. There are plenty of virgins yet, but even if they aren't, it's important to do a health check. Even for us werewolves." - He opined in a serious tone.

"Thanks, virgin. You do know Elaine isn't, right?" - He took a jab at her, causing the girl to want to slap him.

Elaine is so angry right now, her eyes are glowing as if she had found her mate.

"You son of a bitch!" - She snarled at him, livid. Owen contained her before she charged at Jalensky.

"Yes, of course I know. It doesn't change anything for me. The same way it doesn't change for Beck that Jude isn't. For Layla that Blaine isn't. Or for Cassie that her mate has never been with a girl. It's not about that." - He ranted, causing a collective gasp among the people named.

"I'm not telling you to look after your health because I'm judging you. I say because I care, though you make it pretty hard for anyone to care about you." - He continued, looking at Dragon reprehensibly.

A plethora of uncomfortableness ensued. Nobody was feeling good after that many revelations.

"I'm sorry I didn't wait for you, Beck. I didn't have anyone looking at me at that time. If I knew you were coming, I'd definitely wait." - My brother told his boyfriend, embarrassed about his past.

"You have nothing to feel ashamed of. If I had someone who looked like him taking an interest in me, I wouldn't be a virgin as well. Goddess knows it's not by choice like Owen." - Beck put him at ease with a disarming smile.

Jude laughed at his words and kissed his boyfriend.

"Did he just say I'm handsome?" - Dragomir was looking ecstatically happy.

"Wow. Call the press! The boy who had a girl in his arms since he was fourteen looks good. I'm glad you're rich because I worry for your future sometimes." - Owen snapped at him, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"How do you know Bode has never been with a girl before?" - Elaine questioned him, intrigued.

"He's on the wrestling team. Do you know the number one topic inside the locker room?" - Owen replied with a suggestive tone.

"Girls?" - She wondered.

"Exactly! There's not a guy there who hasn't bragged about being with someone, except for me and him." - Owen explained.

Cassie didn't seem too bothered about the information. I tend to agree with her. Owen is right, it doesn't really matter whether your partner has been with anyone before you or not. What matters is what you two do from now on, preferably together.

"So, you already knew I wasn't a virgin before we started dating?" - Elaine inquired, a bit insecure.

"Yes, I did. And I don't care about that. And if you are my mate, I'm gonna make you feel like you've never been with anyone else before me." - He declared, making her swoon.

"How does he always know the perfect thing to say? I'm starting to think Owen is an android built by his dads. He's too wise for a seventeen year old." - Beck snickered.

Some of us laughed at that comment, while most of the girls were wrapped up in his spell.

"I agree with Owen. I don't care about who you've been before me. I know you didn't mean for that to happen and it was an incident. But that's beside the point, whenever we complete the bond it's gonna feel like the first time for either of us." - Cassie told Bode, who smiled.

I hid my face in sorrow, trying hard to keep myself from crying. She should be talking about completing the bond with me.

This is my new reality now. Seeing my former girlfriend being happy with someone else.

I miss her so much, but especially her sweet smile. She should've been Luna because she has the most charming smile I've ever seen. Of all her features, this is the most beautiful. I wish for nothing else but to see her smiling at me like she used to.

https://youtu.be/-f5ixggXGis

A|N: I wrote this chapter with this song in mind. I loved the show.

In fact, I probably have been waiting a couple of years to use this in one of my books but never had the opportunity until now. I like the despair in his voice about wanting someone back.

It's all coming down in the next chapter. Life will never be the same again after this.

Love,

Léo.