Loner to Luna: Chapter 3

The rest of the day went the same way it always does.  Me keeping my head down, ignoring the whispers, the name calling, avoiding the occasional foot purposely put in my path to trip me (one of the advantages to be constantly looking at the floor). After school, I met up with my sisters and Kayla and started walking home. 

We are halfway home when I hear someone running up behind me. Trying to avoid another situation like this morning, I turn quickly and see our future Alpha running up to me, "Abby! Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" I raise my eyebrows and shake my head, "You really don't care about anything except what affects you personally. Sorry Alpha, I have to go". I start to turn, and he grabs my wrist and turns me around.

I can no longer hide my irritation and say, "What do you want Alpha? I have to get home and cook dinner for my family." He continues holding my wrist and says, "I know your birthday is coming up. Are you having a party?" I shake my head furiously and say, "HELL NO! No one in this pack wants me around much less wants me as a mate. Please DO NOT try to convince me of anything different. I go home with too many bruises on my body every day to think anything different and DO NOT try to tell me you didn't know. You see it daily and I know it. Please let me go home now." 

He lets go of my wrist and asks, "What if I make it stop?" I look at him, confused, "Why would you do that now when you could've saved me a LOT of pain by doing it years ago? No thanks. At least right now I know who I'm dealing with. The last thing I need is a bunch of fake ass people acting like they like me. I hate dishonesty, Alpha. See you later". I turn and run to catch up with Kayla and my sisters.

Kayla looks at me wide-eyed, "What the hell was that about?" I shrug my shoulders, "I have no clue. Suddenly he cares about my birthday and if I’m going to have a party. I really don't care." Kayla stops in her tracks and grabs the same wrist Alpha Adam grabbed, "What if he's your mate?!" I roll my eyes, "If he's my mate, I will definitely be rejected or I will have to reject him for cheating. There is no way. I just can't think about it right now. We both know that I have college as soon as I graduate. I can't miss that."

That is one of my biggest secrets that only Kayla, her parents and my parents know about. Not even our pack alpha knows about it and I want to keep it that way. Our code word for special training is college. You see, while most werewolves get their wolf and shift at the age of 16, I shifted the first time at the tender age of 4. According to my mom, I almost didn't survive it. That's why Kayla's mom knows about it. My mom knew she was too close to me to be effective as a doctor, so she called Kayla's mom to help me. Kayla's dad came with her and as they watched me shift, all chins dropped when they saw my wolf was solid white and glowed. 

Kayla's mom, Leah, rushed me to my room telling my mom, "We cannot take her to the hospital. There are too many witnesses there". My mom and dad looked at her confused and my dad asked, "Why would we have to worry about witnesses? My daughter could die!" Kayla's dad, Beau, puts his hand on my dad's shoulder, "She isn't just a common wolf that happens to be white. She is THE white wolf". My dad immediately went into panic mode, "You and Leah can't say anything! Especially to Alpha Dakari! He will have her put down or locked up to use when he needs her!" That was when they all formed a pact to protect me at all costs.

I remember it very differently.

FLASHBACK

I'm playing with my toys when I feel excruciating pain all over my body that makes me scream and curl into the fetal position. I can barely hear my parents over the popping sounds and the pain of my bones breaking and repositioning themselves, then everything goes dark.

A bright light appears and a beautiful woman in a white gown and white hair appears in front of me. "Relax, my child. You will live through this, but you must relax and let it happen. It will lessen the pain. You are meant for great things, Abby. You will learn more when you are older, but I want your family and those closest to you to meet your wolf now, so they know just how important you are." 

Looking back, I wish I had asked more intelligent questions, but the only questions my child brain could think to ask were, "Are you the Moon Goddess? Is my wolf beautiful?" The Moon Goddess chuckled, "Yes I am, my child, and your wolf is absolutely beautiful. You will see her when you are older, but it has to be at a time when you are safe. I will visit occasionally in your dreams to check on you but know that I am watching over you and I love you". After she said that, she disappeared and I just felt a comforting warmth then I heard a voice in my head, "Hi Abby, my name is Yara. I'm your wolf. I can't be present right now, but we will meet again later. Just know that I will just be at the very back of your mind, sleeping, until you are ready for me. Okay?" I just nodded and fell into a deep sleep.

When I opened my eyes, I had four adults hovering over me and fussing to make sure I was comfortable. My dad looked like he had just come back from a really hard battle and my mom looked like she had been crying. Kayla's parents were both looking at me with great pride. I sat up and wrapped my arms around my dad and he immediately sighed the stress away.

My dad pulled back from the hug and looked me straight in the eyes, "Baby, you have to promise me that you will never tell anyone about what just happened ok?" I smiled, "I know daddy. The Moon Goddess told me. She said she wanted all of you to see my wolf so you would know how important I am. I got to meet my wolf too! Her name is Yara!" Then I scrunched my eyebrows and asked, "What does important mean?" All of the adults laughed, and my mom hugged me and explained, "It means you are super special and we are supposed to protect you with our lives".

END FLASHBACK

The next year I started kindergarten and met Kayla. She told me the Moon Goddess visited her in a dream and told her about me, that we were meant to be best friends and that I would need her. Boy, was she right? The bullying started in 2nd grade with just names, but it got progressively worse as time passed. Kayla was my one constant in school. Over the years, there were other friends, but they either moved to other packs or joined the rest of our class in the bullying. As long as I had Kayla as my friend, I was ok. It still hurt, but I always knew I had her to talk to about it.

That's also why my dad and Kayla's dad took turns training me and Kayla. They wanted us to be able to defend ourselves because the Moon Goddess told them in a dream that I would be put through many trials as I grew up and I would need the strength and knowledge of how to defend myself. Because I would be put through these trials, Kayla would too, just because she was associated with me. I always felt a little guilty about that.

But training ended up being a great outlet for both of us. We both talked about growing up to be complete badasses. We are badass fighters, but nobody knows it except us. We prefer it that way. If no one knows how good you are, no one will challenge you. Why attract more trouble than I already have?

We get to the corner of my street and before I turn to go to my house, Kayla and I agree to meet at her house for training at 7pm. We go our separate ways and head home. Once inside, I tell Alexis to start her homework and I tell Adriana it's her turn to unload the dishwasher while I start dinner. Adriana looks at me like she wants to argue, but I give her a strong stink-eye and she stops. She knows I'm in no mood for it. 

She may like giving me a hard time, but she knows I love her and I know she loves me. When times are really hard for me, she is never anything but kind. She just likes being known as the diva. Why? I will never know.