Colleen White frantically dashed down the stairwell, knowing to herself that she was running late. Alpha Daniel and Luna Selena, her parents, were already seated at the dining table with her grandparents.
"Good morning, everyone," she greeted and gave each one of them a greeting kiss.
"Good morning, pup," her father gleamingly smiled. Every member of the family called her that way except for the other members of their pack. She made her way towards the dining table and joined her family for breakfast. The food was savory and delicious, just as usual. It quickly melted in her mouth, making her moan due to its splendid taste.
While the family was dining together, Jacob, the alpha of the pack, suddenly appeared.
"Colleen, Melissa is waiting for you," he said as soon as his eyes landed on her.
Colleen, who was used to his cold and straightforward demeanor, wasn t fazed by his words. Instead of looking confused, she gently curled her lips into a smile and responded, "Thank you, Uncle Jacob."
When they finished breakfast, she immediately stood up and took the sandwich that her mother had wrapped with wax paper for her. She thanked and kissed her parents goodbye. As she was leaving, she gazed and gestured a goodbye wave to her family.
"Bye, everyone!"
Colleen twisted the door open and pushed it towards the other side and then saw Melissa standing close to the door, waiting for her.
"You woke up late again?" Melissa nagged. She even looks at her with a raised eyebrow with her one hand on her hip.
Colleen scratched her head out of excuse and sheepishly smiled at her friend as they started walking together.
"Your birthday will be held a week from now?" Colleen asked. "Are you excited?" she added, looking at her dear friend.
"Of course, I'm excited! Who wouldn't be?" Melissa's eyes beamed with joy and excitement. Colleen nodded, seeing how happy her friend was.
Primarily when werewolves turn adults, they meet their fated one at the age of eighteen. Finding true love and doing many things together was something Colleen was envious of. She always wonders when she will meet her mate and feel that sense of completeness and happiness with the one meant for you. A specific person chosen by the moon goddess herself to take care and cherish her.
Unknowingly, Colleen didn't realize that her smile was turning into a bitter one. Melissa grabbed her wrist and looked at her straight in the eyes, dragging her back from her deep thoughts.
"Oh, come on, don't show me that face!"
"I'm sorry," Colleen murmured.
After a fifteen-minute walk, Colleen and Melissa finally arrived at their school. Once they entered the gate, they saw students walking side by side in their uniforms and smiling towards one another. They were all in groups or teams, showing how much time had passed since vacation ended.
Today was their first day of school, and upon reaching their room and waiting for their teacher, Colleen's eyes immediately gazed towards the front.
She noticed her adviser standing from across the center of the room, beside her is an unfamiliar yet charming face.
"Good morning, class." their adviser greeted them.
"Good morning, Mrs. Dove!" Everyone said it to everyone.
Their teacher seemed to roam her eyes first around the class before speaking once again. "As you can see, someone unfamiliar is standing beside me. His name is Patrick Andrada, and he will be your new classmate."
Everyone's eyes, including Colleen's, were fixated on the tall stature of the student. He looked pretty mesmerizing, one that made a lot of girls gossip.
The adviser instructed the transferee to find his seat, and in the process, Sarah, who was flirtatious among their peers, told her friends to push Patrick towards her to sit beside her.
After a while, the class resumed. In the corner of Colleen's eyes, she found herself peeking at the transferee. He was busy taking notes of the lecture while staring at Mrs. Dove. Since her eyes are glued on Patrick, she didn't even notice the time going faster.
Just as they always did, Colleen and Melissa went back home together. For Colleen, school days were dull, although Friday was the only exception.
On their way home, she saw Patrick together with Sarah's group. They were standing outside of the cafeteria near the school. Seeing how her classmate was giggling and clinging onto the transferee's arm, for some reason, Colleen felt disgusted.
She tried to avoid the scene and just diverted her attention towards something else and went back to walking with Melissa.
Not long after, they finally reached home. She waved Melissa goodbye and entered the main gate. Her house was nearer compared to Melissa's, which is just a few steps behind.
As she entered the living room, she noticed that everyone in her family was there, sitting on the sofa.
"I'm home," she greeted, trying to break the awkwardness, yet for some reason, they looked more serious than usual.
"Pup, get changed. We need to talk to you," Colleen's father said.
Hearing her dad's tone, she suspected that something must have happened. She grew weary and nervous, anticipating what they'd tell her.
Was it about her mate? All of them had been waiting for her to turn eighteen years old since last year, and now she was distraught.
Rumors had been circulating that her family had been dying to know who would end up as her mate. For one, they were curious about his strength, and second, they wanted him to be capable of defending their honor and territory from the invaders, the Rogues. They were dangerous, and their numbers were increasing, but thanks to her father, they always ended up failing.
Alpha Daniel may be strong, but the truth was that he was growing older. There would come a time that the Rogues would overpower him, making Colleen's fated mate the sole hope of the pack.
With many thoughts bothering her head, Colleen inhaled as she pushed the door to her bedroom open.