Claim Me Forever Mate

"Ava, go with your mother. They’ll kill you both if you stay," my father shouted with panic in his voice, his eyes locked on something deeper in the forest.

"N No," I choked out, tears streaming down my face as I saw him bleeding on the ground.

"Little girl, always protect your mother," he said weakly, trying to sit up, though his legs were drenched in blood.

"Angela, take Ava and run. Don’t waste any more time," he said to my mother, who was kneeling by his side, sobbing uncontrollably.

"How can I leave you like this, Hector?" she cried, her voice breaking.

The crunch of paws and leaves echoed around us.

There was chaos everywhere. A war had broken out among the wolves. They were attacking each other, and my father was unable to shift due to the injuries on his legs.

"Go now. I can’t protect you in this condition. Save our daughter," he repeated urgently.

Seeing a pack of wolves approaching, my mother finally obeyed. She stood up, picked me up, and ran in the opposite direction.

As she carried me in her arms, she whispered through her tears, "Don’t look back."

I clung tightly to her neck, but curiosity got the better of me. I turned my head.

What I saw froze me. Two massive wolves lunged at my father. My heart shattered.

Eyes wide with horror, I let out a piercing scream.

"DAD!"

I gasped and sat up in bed. My body was drenched in sweat.

"It’s that dream again," I whispered, placing a hand on my forehead.

It was not just a nightmare. It was a memory, a real piece of my past that haunted me. My father had been killed in the wolf war when I was only five years old.

He had been a pack fighter. But before he could shift, they crippled him, leaving him defenseless.

My mother had no choice but to escape with me. We fled to another pack where the Alpha and Luna were kind enough to let us stay.

That is how we came to live in the Mystic Shadow Pack.

"AVA, YOU WILL BE LATE," my mom called from downstairs.

"YES MOM. I’M COMING," I yelled back.

I rushed to the bathroom, took a shower, and got ready for university. Being in my freshman year, I didn’t want to make a bad impression by arriving late.

I glanced in the mirror quickly. I was wearing a simple white dress that hung loosely on my body. My hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and I adjusted the oversized glasses that rested on my nose.

I had perfect vision. But I wore those large glasses to hide my expressions and emotions. They helped me feel invisible.

I avoided makeup and dressed plainly because I didn’t want attention. That was the image I had created. People called me a nerd, mostly because of my grades and appearance.

Maybe I was a nerd. I chose to take it as a compliment.

Back in middle school, it had led to bullying. But I had grown stronger over time.

I went downstairs and hugged my mother. We sat together and had breakfast.

She was everything to me. I wanted to study hard and give her a comfortable life in return for all her sacrifices.

"Ava," she said gently.

"Yes, Mom?"

"You’re turning eighteen next week. That means your mate will soon appear. Before that happens, I want you to stay out of trouble. You already know how we came to this pack. We are omegas, and we have no male relatives to protect us."

I saw the worry in her eyes.

This pack was ruled by powerful Alphas, and my mother feared for me.

"Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t get involved with anyone. You know I never try to draw attention."

"My dear, I’m just waiting for the day you find your mate. When he accepts you, I can finally rest peacefully."

I stood and quickly wrapped my arms around her.

"Please don’t say things like that, Mom."

She had never remarried. She had devoted her entire life to me. I could not imagine anything bad happening to her.

After assuring her, I left for school. I walked to the bus stop and got on the bus.

It took twenty minutes to reach my university.

The bold letters at the gate read

**Mystic Shadow University**

I walked toward the department building, passing students along the way. It was the most prestigious university in our pack, meant for the wealthy and elite.

But I had managed to get in through a scholarship.

Some girls looked at me with clear disgust in their eyes.

One of them brushed past me and shoved my shoulder.

"Bloody nerd," she muttered.

I lowered my head and headed straight to class.

Abigail, my best friend, waved at me. I sat beside her.

I only had three friends, and Abigail was the closest. We shared the same schedule and spent most of our time together.

When the professor walked in, the lesson began. I tried to focus but got distracted by the chatter coming from the back.

"Have you seen Ian today?" a girl whispered.

"No, what happened? Did he show off those abs again and I missed it?"

"I could die just thinking about it. But no. I heard something about Luke’s party."

"Oh my gosh. I’m not missing that."

I looked at the projector, pretending to concentrate, but my thoughts were elsewhere. They were gossiping about Ian Dawson.

He was the most talked about guy in the entire university.

The head Alpha’s only son.

But unlike his strict father, Ian was wild, rebellious, and impossible to control.

He was dangerous, feared by guys and adored by every girl.

"Ian Dawson doesn’t date. He only believes in one night stands," Abigail muttered beside me.

I turned my head toward her.

She smirked.

"You’re such an innocent soul. Don’t take this gossip to heart."

"I was just—"

"Babe, I know you too well. Let me tell you something interesting. Ian once said he’s waiting for his mate. That’s why he hasn’t dated anyone."

I didn’t respond, but I couldn’t deny how my heart reacted whenever I saw him.

After class, Abigail and I strolled toward the locker room.

As we walked, I got a message from Luke, the only boy who was genuinely my friend. He had never bullied me.

"Who texted you?" Abigail asked.

"Luke. He wants us at the basketball court."

"You go. I’ll catch up in ten minutes. I have something to do."

"Okay."

I left and walked to the basketball court. It was a bit far from the main building.

As I arrived, several boys were walking out after practice.

"Hey, Nerdy," one of them teased. I looked down and tried to walk faster, ignoring the whistles and laughter that followed.

There were other girls around, but I was the one they chose to mock.

I kept my eyes on the ground and walked quickly.

Then I crashed into someone.

My head hit a firm chest. I blinked and looked up slowly.

Black shorts. Muscular thighs. Tattooed arms under a tank top. His body was flawless.

My gaze continued upward.

Wet dark hair. Thick eyebrows. Intense eyes. A piercing on his brow. A chiseled jawline.

Danger radiated from him.

Every instinct in me screamed to run. This was Ian Dawson. The one everyone feared. The one who could kill without blinking.

But my heart had other plans. It pounded like crazy. I could not stop staring.

His brows furrowed.

Reality hit me again, and I stepped back, terrified.

"I…I’m sorry, Ian," I stammered.