ZIRA
As I woke up, my head felt like it would explode. My brain was having its own personal rave inside my head. The room was dark, but a sliver of light passed through the windows and across my face. My eyes could barely open as I tried to focus on my surroundings.
Surroundings that looked unfamiliar at that moment. This room felt huge, way bigger than mine. The walls were not the usual deep red. Instead, it was more of a deep almond color, but the smell of it was familiar. I’m still in the pack house, in someone’s bed. A bed that was significantly bigger than my queen size.
Wait, this isn’t my room, I thought to myself.
"And this guy isn’t our mate," my werewolf, Nina, growled.
"What are you talking about-" I stopped when I noticed someone’s weight on top of me. Oh shit! How the hell did I miss that?
I couldn’t for the life of me remember what happened last night. The darkness obscured some of his features, and my eyes were still unfocused. He snored softly, and I could feel his warm breath against my neck. I could barely move my head to look at him, so I tried my best to get a side view. His black curly hair covered his face, leaving only his lips displayed. They looked bruised. I’d like to know if I did that.
"You did more than that," Nina said, with a bit of annoyance.
I was sure this person looked familiar, but my mind was too occupied with my current headache. I tried not to panic as I wanted to move him. That’s when I felt something twitch inside me, and instantly pain traveled through my body. My mouth was so dry that my whimpers were inaudible.
Shit, I think he’s still inside me, and why the hell is he still hard? Fuck! Now I panicked as I untangled one of my legs from his. Next, I carefully pulled my arms from between our bodies and placed them on his shoulders.
"Mmmm," he groaned, grinding his hips against me, making my body tighten its grip. A mixture of pain and pleasure enveloped me, and for a moment, I wanted to stay.
"Zira, focus and get this guy off of us. We have to leave now," Nina yelled, snapping me out of it.
"Right. You’re right. A little help would be nice," I yelled back.
My vision was still a bit blurry, and the stupid sliver of light made me want to keep my eyes closed. Nina was angry; hell, I was angry. How could I have let this happen? How exactly did this happen? I couldn’t dwell on that now.
The Batman clock read seven thirty-eight am, meaning the pack house would be fully awake in less than thirty minutes. So, with the help of my werewolf, we lifted the man off us and right onto the floor with a loud thud. I froze for a moment, thinking it would wake him.
"Nina, what the hell," I yelled at her, knowing she did that on purpose.
"Just be lucky that’s all I did," Nina growled before disappearing to the back of my mind.
With bile slowly leaving my throat, I didn’t have time to argue with her. Hell, I could barely concentrate enough to get up. Standing made everything worse. I took a deep breath and focused on my balance. The man groaned behind me when I stumbled in the dark to pick up my clothes.
I turned to face him, and my eyes widened. His hair no longer covered his face, and I was looking at a completely naked Alpha. The Black Moon Pack Alpha.
Isaiah! Did I…I mean…we…
"Fuck, Zira. Stop being such a virgin," Nina snarled. "Well, I guess you’re not anymore."
"You are the worst," I said to her.
Isaiah was slowly waking up, and I couldn’t let him see me here. What would I say? I bolted for the door and did my best to keep from falling. I used the wall to help guide me down the hallway, and I heard someone coming. I froze in fear as I watched Isabella walk to her room with someone. Her back was turned away from me, so I slowly tiptoed around the corner and ran straight into Luna Bella, of all people.
"Slow down there, Zira. Where’s the fire," she laughed. Then she took in the view in front of her. "Are you alright, dear," she asked, looking over my attire.
She gasped and stood back when her eyes glanced at the bottom of my dress. I followed her gaze and noticed dried blood on my legs. Am I already being punished? My brain was fried, so I said the first thing that came to mind.
"I’m so sorry, Luna Bella. That son…"
"My son," she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No," I nearly yelled. "I said that the…sun came right through Isabella’s window and gave her a jolt, and she scratched me by mistake. You know she’s a crazy sleeper. I don’t even think my scream woke her up. So, I better go take care of this before it gets worse." I bowed and ran down the stairs, mentally slapping myself in the face. I couldn’t come up with a better lie. Maybe, ‘Oh hey, Luna. Oh, the blood. Well, you know Aunt Flo comes when she wants to.’ It was much more believable, but I couldn’t dwell on it now.
I immediately threw up on the lawn when the sun and air hit my face. I took a moment to control my queasiness before making the three-mile trek home. Now I understand what the walk of shame means.
Sneaking into my house was easy. My room was on the second floor near the side of the house, and I always kept my window unlocked. So the moment I climbed in, my door almost flew open. I quickly jumped into my bed, trying to cover myself as my parents sauntered into the room. My mom sat on the breakfast tray near the side of my bed. The smell of bacon and eggs was making me queasy.
"So, how was the party," she said, sitting on my bed with my father standing behind her.
"Oh, it was okay, some might even say forgetful, but I’m not really dressed for this conversation," I croaked out, trying to keep from throwing up, hoping they would take the hint.
Like always, they didn’t. "Oh, don’t I know it? My first party was horrible but amazing at the same time. It was the first time I met your father. I shifted and ran five miles to keep him from mating with me right there," she laughed and continued, "but I was so happy to finally have a mate."
"Mom, please. I would love to hear this story again, but I just need a moment to collect myself," I pulled the covers over my head.
"Of course, sweetie. It’s just, there were about three different packs at the party, and I wanted to know if you met him," she asked, a bit too hopeful.
"Mom!"
"Or her. Whatever floats your-"
"Alright, honeybun. I think our daughter needs to be alone. She’ll talk with us when she’s ready. Let’s give her a moment," my dad said, trying to get my mom out of my room. I was grateful because I wanted to strangle her.
"But I don’t need all the details. Just a simple yes or no," my mom yelled as my dad pulled her out of the room.
Finally, a bit of peace. Since I decided to leave the pack, my mom has been nagging me about finding my mate. Hoping if I find him, I will stay or make him stay. She believed it would change my life and make me stronger or whatever. My mom worked at the pack hospital, so she’s constantly surrounded by wolves who’ve found their mate and started the family process. Then she would come home and bug me about wanting grandbabies, in which I’m hoping my brother, Zed, grows up faster and fulfills her dreams. He only has two more years to go.
On the other hand, my dad could care less if I find a mate or not. He just wants me to follow in his footsteps and become the best hunter in the pack. When I was younger, he would take me on long treks through the woods and teach me ways to find my way home by myself. It became so routine, there were times I would beat him home.
I hurried out of my covers and ran straight to the bathroom. After shoving my ruined dress into a bag to throw out for later, I finally took in the whole view. I could feel the bruises on my body, mostly on my wrists and my ass. Luckily,, my dark skin could easily hide them, and they would disappear in a few hours. Werewolves were great at healing, but it always depends on the werewolf, and mine was a lazy bum. I saw a mark on my neck, and I panicked. I looked closer and was relieved to see he didn’t mark me. Thank the Goddess. Not only did I not find a mate, but now I’m a slut who couldn’t save herself for her mate.
"It was what I was trying to say all night," Nina said, "but no, someone just ignored me, and now we’re ruined." She was sitting in the back of my mind and turned away from me. She’s so dramatic.
"Ruined, really? It was once with one guy," I hesitated, hoping I was right.
"Yeah, but that one guy was supposed to be with our mate," Nina shouted before I shut her out. I didn’t need a moody werewolf right now. Instead, I needed to clean up and figure out what had happened. Bits and pieces came back to me, and even though I knew this wasn’t an ideal situation, I couldn’t help but smile.
ZIRA - Day Before "I just want to look perfect when I find my mate," yelled my best friend, Isabella, while throwing more clothes over the fitting room door. The poor clerk did her best to catch them before they hit the floor. I gave up helping her an hour ago. Now I was buried under Isabella’s rejection pile, too lazy to move. "Alright, dress number twenty-one," Isabella yelled as I sat up, dropping the clothes to the floor. I looked up in time to see Isabella walking out wearing the most beautiful red dress. "I want to look good. Like deliciously good," Isabella said, staring at herself in the mirror. She sighed, took off the dress, and threw it on the floor. She went back inside the fitting room, closing the door in frustration. "Hey, that one was hot. Your mate wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off you," I said, holding the red dress against my body. Then something caught my eye. A dress that only Isabella could pull off. "Hey, try this," I said, throwing the
ZIRA "Keep away from him, Zira. You might catch something standing too close to him," Isabella said, glaring at Hunter while stepping between us. Yeah, these two never liked each other. I always thought it was one of those enemies-to-lovers situations, but later, I discovered that would never happen. Like ever. They would always be the bickering old couple. "Isn’t there some whore waiting in a bathroom for you to spread your disgusting seed on," Isabella asked with a smirk. "Little Bella," Hunter smiled back, and I knew he was enjoying his little nickname’s effect on Isabella as she growled and stepped toward him. "Of course, you’re here. Tell me, how does it feel to be a life-sized cock blocker, huh?" "Satisfying, especially when it’s yours I’m blocking," she said. "Who knows what gutter it came crawling from." Now they were only a few feet apart. I was about to jump in when a hint of cinnamon and pine tickled my nose, and I knew who was coming up. "Hey, that’s my siste
ISAIAH Thinking about the conversation with Zira earlier had me tearing a hole into another punching bag. That was my third one so far. Anytime I had to make difficult decisions, this was my way of thinking. That stupid request plagued my mind like a sickness, and I didn’t know how to get rid of it. "I don’t understand your frustration. She is not our mate," my werewolf, Devon, reminded me. I could see him now in the back of my mind, lazily grooming himself like there was no care in the world. "Don’t you think I know that," I snapped at him. Still, I felt connected to her somehow. Every time we touched, I could feel a spark. Fleeting, but it was there. Wasn’t that similar to what others say a mate’s touch feels like? Maybe something was blocking us. Or fate is waiting for one of us to make the next move. This mate stuff isn’t an exact science. I know of many Alphas with a chosen mate; it was their best decision. "Hunter, I need another o-" Hunter dropped another bag near m
ISABELLA The noise from the party was deafening. I stood in my bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror. My mother had a professional makeup artist cake on a bunch of stuff. I didn’t need all that crap, so here I was, washing a fortune off my face. Definitely going to piss her off, which is usually my agenda when she throws a party. My mother was relentless. According to her, she knows best because she’s ‘been there.’ Whatever the hell that meant? I knew this whole party was her way of butting into my personal life. Again! When I get my mate, I’m making sure I get the hell away from here and from her. "Isa, come on. You’ve been in there for half an hour now. What are you doing," Zira asked, knocking on the door. Zira, my girl, my best friend since we were fifteen. Heck, we were stuck together like glue the first day we met, much to my pleasure. I remember the first day I saw her at school. We were all in the gym getting ready for dodgeball. She stood in the corner, scann
ZIRA Did she say what I think she just said? She found her mate. Oh, my goddess. SHE FOUND HER MATE!!! Wait, why isn’t she more excited, and why is she hiding in the bathroom? "Wait, what-" Before I could finish, Luna Bella burst through the door like she was raiding a party. "Where the hell is she? We have guests," Luna Bella yelled. Before I could turn around, the bathroom door opened, and Isabella walked out. If anyone could get Isabella out of a room, I knew Luna Bella would do it. Isabella enjoyed her little pow-wows with her mother. So much so that I sometimes think she looks forward to them. "Mother, cool your tits. I wanted to make sure I looked good enough to be chosen like a prize slut," Isabella started. "Sorry, I meant prize Luna." "Oh, stop it with the dramatics," Luna Bella said, dismissively waving her hand toward Isabella. "What can I say? I learn from the best," Isabella whispered, knowing we could hear her. Luna Bella sighed and placed her hand
ISAIAH I wasn’t really here to enjoy the party. Just make an appearance and leave. This was more for Isabella and my mother finding a suitable Alpha for her. Lucky for me, I had planned on who I wanted to choose for my mate. Though my werewolf, Devon, would disagree with my choice. He’s always growling his disapproval when I’m with other women, saying I should only want to be with my mate. Apparently, my body doesn’t feel the same way. Then I met Victoria some months ago. We bonded over a few video games I let her win. She’s cool, but every time we got close to going further than making out, here comes Isa. Literally every time. She spends more time with Victoria than I do. Then I realized it was more than that. My sister had a crush on my girl, again. It figures we have the same taste in women because of being born around the same time. Twins were known to have the same mate. Though we were born hours apart with her being first. "Dude, I’m drowning out here," Hunter complai
ISABELLAWhile my brother angrily watched Zira dance with Hunter. I left and went to his room to look for Victoria. It was empty. Where the hell is she? I angrily walked back to the party, and then it hit me. Like times before, the smell of sweet pea and vanilla invaded my nose."Mate is near," my werewolf Jas purred.&nbs
ISABELLAI stared at Victoria with my mouth slightly open. "Victoria...""This is my home now, Bella, and I don’t want to run away again," Victoria said as she approached me and grabbed my hands. "We don’t have to run away."