The moon bathed our cozy cottage in a silvery glow, its light spilling through the window and casting soft patterns on the wooden floor. I sat there, gazing out into the night, lost in my thoughts. The looming deadline pressed down on me, a constant reminder that everything was about to change.
Mom and I have been given an ultimatum. A few days from tonight and we'd have to leave the pack for good. Life is an adventure and a to every other werewolf, but to my kind of werewolf, life is cruel.
My name is Katherina May, a twenty-year-one-old she-wolf. I can barely say I deserve to be called a wolf. Every werewolf shifts at the age of eighteen, they welcome their wolf and then they find their mate, but that wasn't the case with me.
At twenty one I am yet to shift. Here in my pack, kids look at me as though I'm a plague. Teens my age, call me a weirdo, and the adults frown at me each time I walk passed them. But Mom says I'm just a late bloomer even though we both know that it might never happen. She's just trying to make me feel better. After all, I am the only unshifted one in the Pack, and being the only child of a strong shifter, and a powerful were warrior only adds to my critics.
But I understand. No matter the situation rules are rules, no matter who is involved. I have failed to shift despite being given an extra year to prove myself but I couldn’t do it and now because of me, mom and I are going to become rogues.
Mom says it’s OK but deep down It’s not. I know it’s not okay, going rogue is never okay, but she pretends that it is okay because she just doesn’t want me to take the blame.
Yeah, Mom is strong, she’s like the strongest she-wolf Midnight Howlers pack has got. She has been the Pack’s Academy trainer for a decade now, her strength is almost on par with the Alpha’s new Beta who apart from the Alpha is the strongest person in the Pack, so you can guess what insane amount of strength she possesses. But, even the strongest people need someone to care for them sometimes.
I wish Dad was here, things would probably not be this difficult.
Lost in my thoughts, I failed to hear the wooden door to our cottage creek open.
"Kathy, sweetheart, I have something to tell you," my mother's voice broke through my reverie. I turned to see her smiling at me, her eyes dancing with a secret she was bursting to share.
"What is it, Mom?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Her smile widened as she sat down next to me. "I met someone, Kathy. Someone special."
My heart skipped a beat. It had been seven long years since Dad passed away, and my mom had mourned him all this time. To hear that she had found happiness again was both heartwarming and unsettling. "That's wonderful, Mom. Who is he?"
"He's my fated mate, Kathy. His name is David," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
"Fated mate?" I repeated, unsure of what that meant.
"It's like... finding your soulmate among werewolves. The one you're destined to be with," Mom explained.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. I was genuinely happy for her, but a new worry crept into my mind. "What does this mean for us, Mom? With the pack and everything?"
She took a deep breath, her expression becoming serious. "It means we won't have to go rogue, Kathy. I told David about our situation, we'd be moving into his pack and home tomorrow."
Relief washed over me, but it was quickly followed by a cursive wave of anxiety. A new pack meant a new family, new rules, and new dynamics. "I'm glad for you, Mom. Really." I told my mom. I was really happy she was going to find love again, but I was scared as well. A lot of what-ifs were starting to creep into my heart, but, I refrained from voicing my fears, I didn't want to erase the smile in Mom's eyes.
The night before we were to leave, I couldn't sleep. I watched the moon's glow shifting across the room, my mind churning with a mix of excitement and fear. Morning light finally crept in, and with it, a sense of dread. I knew this was a new chapter, one that I couldn't avoid or escape.
While we gathered our things, I couldn't shake off my worries.
As we set out on the road, I couldn't help but think about my new stepfather, David. The man who was going to be a part of our lives, who would be a part of my life. The knot in my stomach tightened at the thought of facing someone new, someone who might not understand my worries and fears, crept in.
As we walked out of the familiarity of the Pack my heart broke into a million tiny pieces. Midnight Howlers Pack was where I grew up and although I don't have any friends because when you are wolfless and frail like I am, no one would want to associate with you. So I lived my life there, in seclusion. The ambiance and the quiet nights were my only company and I was going to miss them both.
My mind was a roller coaster of thoughts and worries. What if my new stepfather doesn’t like me what if he doesn’t accept my mother because of me? I saw mom’s expression when she returned yesterday with the news and I could tell she was extremely happy. It’s been seven years since she last smiled that brightly. It was genuine.
What if her fated mate gives her the option of choosing between him and me what then will she do? My mom deserves all the happiness in the world after all that she has been through, and I don’t want to be the reason she loses this newfound happiness.
As my thoughts spiraled, I heaved a long sigh I didn’t realize I was holding. My life is a toxic mess.
I felt something warm graze the back of my palm, I jumped slightly in fear. I turned and found Mom's hand resting on mine.
"Kathy, sweetheart, I know this is a big change," she began, her voice gentle. "But I want you to know that your stepfather is a kind and caring man."
"But, what if David doesn't consent to fathering a stepdaughter?" I asked Mom, worry etched at the depth of my voice. At the moment, that was my greatest worry.
Mom's serious face broke into a smile. "Don't worry love, we already talked about it. David looks forward to meeting with you. Plus, he's got kids as well, from his previous marriage." Mom said.
My eyes went wide as saucers. Her fated mate was once married too? I thought to myself.
"Yes," Mom answered, she must have connected the mind link. "His wife died." She said and my heart broke for David. He has suffered too.
"It must have hurt," I muttered, throwing my eyes at the view outside the windowsill. I felt a little at ease. At least, he had kids of his own which meant that I wouldn't be a hindrance to mom's happiness. But as the gush of the wind slapped across my face, a whole new worry crept in.
Does he also know I'm wolfless?
After a few hours on the road, the car finally pulled up at the territory of the renowned Stone Shadow Pack. My heart raced as we stepped out of the car, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. I felt a mixture of excitement and nerves, unsure of what to expect from this new chapter of my life.
And then, as if on cue, a figure emerged from the Pack's entrance. Tall, enigmatic, and quite young with a graceful aura about him. He had a warm smile, he approached us.
"Is that David?" I mind-linked my mom and she nodded. He looked just as my mother had described him – kind and welcoming. But she didn't mention he was this handsome and fit.
"Lizz," he said, enveloping my mother in a warm hug. They were already on the short name basics. "And this must be Kathy."
I nodded, my voice catching in my throat. David turned his attention to me, his eyes crinkling at the corners as his smile grew wider. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, Kathy."
His words were genuine, his demeanor sincere. I found myself relaxing a bit, my earlier worries starting to ebb away. As he extended his hand, I shook it, a small smile forming on my lips. Maybe my mother was right. Maybe this new beginning wasn't going to be as daunting as I had imagined. Now that I met David, I couldn't wait to meet my step-siblings. I have always wished I had siblings. Judging from David's appearance, they should be cute little kids.
As David led us further into the woods, the rustling of car engines filled the air, and three black sedans and an SUV came to a sudden halt in a convoy. The SUV pulled open and a tall handsome brown-haired man who looked to be the same age as David jumped down.
He bowed to David, "ALPHA!"
Alpha? My eyes went wide with shock. David, my mother's fated mate, and my new stepfather is the Alpha of the renowned Stone Shadow Pack. No way, and.... no wonder that Aura.
David turned to my mother. "Elizabeth, Kathy, meet Mark, my Beta, and, Mark, meet Elizabeth, my new Luna, and Kathy our daughter."
I stared at David and my heart warmed up. Tears threatened at the back of my eyes. Mom's hand found mine and she gave me a gentle squeeze.
"See, I told you?" She mind linked.
"Welcome to Shadow Stone Pack, My Luna." Mark bowed to Mom.
David held out the door to the SUV for Mom and me. We climbed in and the convoy rode deep into the woods.
The car cruised through the dense woods, the towering trees forming a canopy above us. The difference between Midnight Howler's pack and this new world was impossible to ignore. The sheer size and grandeur of Stone Shadow Pack's territory were evident in every inch of the landscape.
I glanced out the window, my eyes tracing the expanse of lush greenery. The forest seemed to stretch endlessly, an attestation to the vastness of the Pack's domain. No wonder it was renowned and considered one of the largest in the East region.
As we drove deeper into the woods, I couldn't help but marvel at the transformation that had taken place in such a short time. From the familiarity of my old pack to the majesty of this new one, the contrast was striking. Midnight Howlers pack had been my home, a place where I had found comfort in the simple things. And now, I was venturing into uncharted territory, where everything was larger than life.
I turned to my mother, who was looking out the window with a mixture of wonder and anticipation. Our eyes met, and she smiled at me, her expression a mixture of excitement and reassurance. It was as if she understood the whirlwind of emotions that were swirling within me.
As the cars came to a halt and we got down, I didn't fail to notice David's gentlemanliness towards Mom. He held out the door for her and helped her climb down. It was so cute to watch.
I turned from them, and the grand Italian-style mansion in front of me left me stunned. It was huge, way more massive than our Alpha at Midnight Howlers Pack_ Former Alpha, right!" I noted Mom's correction through the mind link.
"Lizzy, Kathy, welcome to our home," David said. "Let's go inside."
We strolled towards the mansion, every step I took was excitement. I couldn't wait to see the interior.
Mark walked before us with Mom's luggage while a few other men sorted the rest in the car. We didn't leave with much, just our suitcases. As we climbed up the stairway, and Mark pushed the door open, my excitement was immediately cut abruptly at the sight in front of me.
"Kathy, meet your stepbrothers!" David's voice rang in my head.