Episode 2

That is why my mother gave us this gift.

I felt my fur change; when I looked at my legs, they were completely black. I went to the lake and looked at myself. My fur was all black; I looked a lot like Aron's wolf. We were both completely black, with golden eyes like my father's wolf, although my wolf was a little bigger than Aron's. A howl escaped from us, thanking the moon goddess for blessing us with our wolves. We looked at each other and ran into the forest, our first run as wolves. We ran and ran, leaving our parents behind. I was in front, losing Aron behind me, when suddenly that smell filtered into my nostrils, pine and gardenias, a smell that eclipsed me as my legs braked and I heard that damned word.

Mate

Luz took possession of my body and ran and ran, chasing that smell that made me drool. When we reached the Red River, the one where we always went together, there he was, Jace Stronghold. His wolf looked at us excitedly, wagging his tail.

Mate

I heard his voice in my head as Jace stepped back and took his clothes and put them on. He looked at me blankly, and I knew what would happen now.

"He is going to reject us."

Luz's hurt sound in my head hurt more than knowing that my destined mate was about to reject me. He took his jacket and put it on my body.

"Back off, please."

When I stepped back and hugged his jacket, his eyes looked at me in surprise and pain.

"Azula." My name escaped his lips in surprise. Obviously, neither of us expected to be mates. The weight of the mate bond settled on me, making me wish he would hug and kiss me, accept me, but I knew that wouldn't be the case.

"Do it now, Jace, or do you want me to do it?" His eyes looked at me with pity and pain.

"I'm so sorry, Azula, but I..."

"I know, Jace; it's okay; I understand. Just do it now so I can leave; my family is waiting for me."

His eyes looked at the floor, and then he looked at me. From his lips came those words that had broken me into a thousand pieces.

"I, Jace Stronghold, future Alpha of the New Moon pack, reject you, Azula Rosseltod, as my mate and future Luna of my pack."

The pain settled in me like a million knives stabbing my chest. I heard Luz's sobbing howls in my head. I had to end this now.

"I, Azula Rosseltod, future Beta of the New Moon pack, accept your rejection."

I saw him clutch his chest as he cringed. I turned and moved to my wolf when I heard him yell at me.

"Azula!"

I just ran and ran away from him, away from my destined mate, from my best friend. Nothing would ever be the same again. Everything was broken.

I heard Aron's voice in my head.

"Azula, where are you? We are waiting for you at the lake."

"I'm on my way; I was just... running around."

"Okay, we'll wait for you, sis."

I ran and returned with my family home. That night I couldn't sleep; every time I closed my eyes, I heard his voice rejecting me. The next day I woke up late, went down to eat, and everyone was here. Elaine came out to hug me; her arms clung to me, and I couldn't help but think that those arms would hug my mate every night; she would stay with what fate had done for me.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you, Azula. Aron told us that everything went well."

I looked at her, smiling, and I could only think that this was the smile that my mate loved, the lips that he would kiss every day, not mine, but hers. I forced myself to smile back. It wasn't Elaine's fault; she didn't know anything, and she never would. No one had to know.

"Thanks, Elaine."

"Come with us."

She pulled me by the arm and led me towards them. Elliot caught me in his arms.

"Congratulations, little one. You're not so little anymore."

"I've always been the same size as you, silly."

"Yeah, whatever."

I broke free from his embrace, and he stepped away. There was Jace, arms open, waiting for me to hug him. I definitely didn't want that.

"Congratulations, Azula."

"Thank you."

When he came toward me, I froze. I didn't want him to hug me; I didn't even want to see him. I wasn't ready to pretend that he hadn't rejected me as his mate. I felt Aron pull me toward him and sit me down next to him.

"Okay, okay, that's enough hugs. Leave my little sister alone."

Saved by the bell. Jace feigned a smile and sat back down. Elaine sat on his lap, and he looked at her with love, with a look he would never give me, his destined mate. Everyone was talking and talking, and I was just silent. I felt like a stranger in my own body. What used to feel so good now felt like hell, felt so wrong. I didn't want to be here.

"I don't want to be here either, Azula. I can't stand it. Let's get out of here, please."

I was about to make any excuse to leave when I heard them talking about going out to the Red River. Everyone was determined to go, and I would definitely never go back to that river, not unless it was strictly necessary.

"I won't go, guys. I have some things to do."

"What is more important than going out with your best friends? Come on, Azula; I want to see what your wolf is like."

"Sorry, Elaine, maybe another day."

That other day never came. Every time they invited me, I refused. Every time I knew they were coming, I escaped to the forest and practiced my new powers. When they called me, I never answered. A year passed quickly, and they got tired of looking for me. We had stopped being friends; each of us went our own way. I became a lone wolf. My parents wondered what had happened to me, and I always said that I just wanted to focus on being the best Beta. They believed it, and no one else said anything. My brother always seemed worried, but I convinced him that I was fine, that everything was fine.

End of flashback

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