Conflicted - Twist of Fate.

"Freak" a laugh sounds as my shoulder meets my locker. The sharp sting easily shaken off. "Poor little orphan Annie" Serena's voice sounds, her pathetic entourage laughing as she keeps walking. "Can't blame her parents for dumping her, who would want to look at that everyday?" her friend adds, all of them cracking up like it's a clever new joke.

Like they haven't made the same jokes; every single day. The same taunts, the same laughs. You'd think they could come up with something more original after all these years. I guess sharing the dozen brain cells between the group doesn't leave much room for creativity. I scoff, ignoring them.

'Please' Aurora begs in my mind. The same way she has since she appeared when I was 14. 'Not yet Aurora; I'm not even meant to have my wolf yet' I remind her. She scoffs; "You can't do this to me forever Armina" retreating to the back of my mind. I hate letting her down everyday. She's been freezing me out more and more, her patience wearing thin as we act like a normal omega wolf.

Aurora came to me really early, most wolves get their's at 17. I'm now 16, so I don't need to hide for much longer, but she still hates it. She wasn't born to blend in, it sucks she got stuck with me for her human.

As the bell sounds I sigh. English. The class where Serena has full range to torment me. "Last class" I remind myself out loud, hoping it gives me more strength and patience to get through it.

Finals are over; the trials are tomorrow, high school is pretty much over.

One last class where I have to be stuck in a class with the bitch who drains all of the oxygen from the room. After this, I can easily avoid her, walk away when I see her in public. Even better last time I have to be around her while I 'don't have' my wolf.

Unfortunately I am sure Serena realises this too. Her last chance to try to embarrass me and make me the laughing stock of the class as she has done so many times.

Red ink left on my chair, water bottles 'accidently' spilled as her or one of her friends walks past, stupid comments about strong smells coming from my area. She has always done everything she can to embarrass me, I've never understood why. I don't even socialise, I study, stay out of everyone's way and pretty much keep my head down. I've never given her a reason to hate me.

I've been dreading this class all day, my legs wanting to turn the opposite direction as I move as slowly as possible towards the class.

"One more class, one more class" my voice so slow even wolf hearing won't pick it up. "I can handle one more" I pump myself up.

That thought quickly diminishes as I enter the classroom. Each one of her friends has a smirk on their faces, their eyes watching me closely meaning only trouble for me.

"Hey Ms Unwanted, come sit here" Serena laughs; patting the desk beside her. Ignoring her, I take my seat near the window, being closer to nature has always soothed me. "Aw, too scared as always loser?" She tries, I ignore her. I am so used to her that nothing she says actually affects me anymore. I can't say the same about when we were kids, she'd had me in tears so many times I was sure the teachers were sick of seeing it. "Maybe I want to make up" she adds, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "After all it's the last day of school, we're adults now" she tries to sound sweet, the fakeness of her voice making my stomach turn.

Serena is the alphas daughter and a notorious bitch. That title has also given her a get out of jail free card from the adults in our lives, something I knew they were all sick of. Half of them would be counting the days to her graduation, I'm sure of it.

"I'm sure she's just scared" Serena says loudly to one of her lackies, "After the trial's tomorrow, she's sure to be a breeder" she says the last word slowly; labelling me as the lowest rank.

I scoff internally. With my grades I'll be cleared to go to university, unlike her I wasn't an empty headed bimbo. I'll be able to be study to be a doctor or whatever else I want to do. 'We're a warrior' Aurora growls, coming out of hiding. 'You promised Aiden we'd stop hiding' she reminds me, a promise she has been waiting to come to light for months.

Aiden is the pack beta, and also my adopted dad. Although the pack thinks he doesn't give a shit about me, his fear of me being killed like his mate having him hide his true feelings.

'We don't need protecting anymore' Aurora growls, hating that the world doesn't know she's here.

"Okay class, we all know school is basically over" Mr Hall's voice fills the room as he enters silencing the bitches at back. "This class will be free reading, select any book from the library" his hand pointing in the general direction of the books as he stares at his phone.

Oh please no. I can feel it coming. "I'll be back, don't mess around" he announces leaving the room. Serena instantly laughs, "Free class" she beams, throwing a paper ball at my head as I duck, feeling it coming.

Why didn't I bring my headphones? I sigh. I can't think of anything worse than another 40 minutes of Serena's crap.

"Do you think Aiden will even show at the trials?" Her voice is shrill, making my head hurt. Refusing to give her an acknowledgement I walk towards the books, taking one I've already read to give my throbing head a break.

I know Aiden will show. His changed the last few months, pushing me to stop hiding how strong I am and promising to stop hiding himself. Aiden has always supported me in secret, he just didn't want any other packs to think I could be used as a weapon against him. To be honest, Aiden should be alpha, his a hell of alot stronger than Ethan, our current alpha.

"Freak" Serena calls out, trying to throw another paper ball at my head. "Don't you have anything better to do?" I turn around, snapping at her. Her eyes widen in shock before she sneers, "Going to pretend to have a back bone now?" She spits, "Like we don't all know what a pathetic little burden you are?" Her friends laughing around her as she raises her eyebrow at me, challenging me to fight back.

Why react? I scold myself turning back to my book. "Aiden was forced to adopt you leech" she sneers, "We all know my father just wanted him to regain some humanity and look, 16 years later and his still as cold as ever" she laughs. "Although that's probably because he has to deal with you." If only she knew the truth.

I manage to ignore her for the rest of class, grateful when Mr Hall's comes back in and she has to pretend to behave.

I can't wait to leave this school behind me.

Knowing she's going to follow me I ask for the bathroom pass five minutes before final bell. I've always been a good student so he doesn't hesitate as he hands it over.

I leave school grounds immediately, basically running back home as I remind myself, repeating the words 'one more day' in my head like it's a prayer that's going to save me.

When I get home I'm grateful Aiden isn't there.

I escape into a book before heading to bed. Knowing tomorrow is a fresh hell in itself.

'Surely you're going to stand by your word and stop this tomorrow' Aurora snaps in my mind. 'I don't know' I admit, unable to lie to her. She knows I'm conflicted.

'This isn't who we are destined to be' she says sadly, the same words she has said to me every single night for years. Begging me to finally accept her words and embrace her truth.

A familiar sadness fills my chest as she pulls away, she's half of who I am and I'm constantly disappointing her.

As always sleep doesn't come easy, when it finally does it's a relief to disconnect, to not have to deal with my own thoughts or Aurora's.

As I dream, the same storm blue eyes fill my dreams, a feeling of love and acceptance hiding me from my reality. I can never see his whole face, just his eyes. I do feel what he does to my body, the heat that spreads between my legs as the sensation of being consumed by passion has me clenching my legs and begging for release. A voice growling mine in my ear as I beg him to take me.

If only I could hide in this dream forever.

But as always, the dream passes too quickly, life interrupting.

"Armina, time to wake up" Aiden's voice is loud, coming from the kitchen as I smell bacon and eggs cooking, my eyes struggling to open.

I throw my pillow over my head. Refusing to acknowledge what day it is.

When I feel him enter my room I sigh heavily. I thought he would atleast finish cooking and give me a few minutes. No such luck.

"Aiden, I'm not ready." I shake my head into my pillow, refusing to look up. I feel a hand on my shoulder, "Armina, you have been ready for these tests since you were a toddler, none of your classmates stand a chance." I hesitantly lift my head and look at his face.

His bright blue eyes look back at me, his sandy blonde hair framing his face as he stares into my eyes.

"Armina, you've hidden long enough," his voice darkening, taking on the concerned father tone. The one that has me anxious I'm disappointing him.

"You're one to talk," I say without thinking; the moment I see his blue eyes sadden, I regret my words. I'm about to apologise when he shakes his head.

"You're right," my eyes widen, it is not something he admits often. "I'll show everyone the whole truth today if you do" any retort dies on my lips.

He can't be serious.

"Aiden, we know I'm not going to be an omega or breeder, I don't need to do the tests" I try. Knowing my luck is slim.

"You are destined for much more than that" he sighs, "I'm sorry if I made you think less of yourself"

"Aiden, don't." I touch his cheek, feeling the wetness of his tears. "I've taught you to hide" I shake my head. "I understand why you did Aiden, if you didn't I would have been attacked by now" I say the words out of habit. Remembering him having me repeat them as a child when I was upset about the way he acted in front of the pack.

"No Armina, you've been strong enough to defend yourself for years now" he finally looks into my eyes. "I have always treated you like I'd lose you, like Elena, but Elena wasn't a warrior, you are" his eyes take on a new shade, an eagerness to have me believe him.

"Please Armina, don't let my weakness hold you back, it's time to show everyone who you are" as his words sink in Aurora awakens completely stopping her sulking. I feel her truly spread through my body, ready to be whole for the first time in years. 'About time he started talking sense' she beams, feeling her happiness has my own heart feel light.

She's been so angry for so long, defeated by my constant rejection of her desires. She's had to watch as I threw fights I could easily win, taken crap from Serena & held her back from being herself. A sense of power and confidence flows from her to me. Reminding me we are one, I'm not doing this alone.

Feeling them both pushing me forward I find myself nodding. "Let's go" I nod, relieved as Aiden start to smile. "I can't wait to watch you kick everyone's ass" he grins, "We'll see" I laugh.