Aiden.

"Freak" a laugh sounds as my shoulder meets my locker. "Poor little orphan Annie" Selena'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.

Every day. The same taunts, the same laughs. You'd think they could come up with something more original after all these years.

'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.

Aurora came to me early, most wolves get their's at 17. I'm now 16, so I don't need to hide for much longer, but she hates it.

As the bell sounds I sigh. English. The class where Serena has full range to torment me. "Last class" I remind myself out loud. Finals are over; the trials are tomorrow. One last class, which unfortunately I am sure Serena realises too. I've been dreading this class all day. I made sure to pick classes her and her friends were too dumb to be in, but English is a core subject and unfortunately I got stuck with her.

If I've survived our whole lives pretending to be weak, I'm sure I can survive one more class.

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 orphan; 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.

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.

"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 laughs.

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.

Aiden is the pack beta, and also my adopted dad. Although the pack thinks he doesn't give a shit about me. After losing his mate to a war with the Eclipse pack Aiden has been scared to let the world know he cares about me. He thinks I'd be killed.

'We don't need protecting anymore' Aurora growls, hating that the world doesn't know she's here. She is a gifted wolf, a fact I've often felt guilty about as she has been stuck with me. I've always seen her as the best part of me.

"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. Selena 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 weeks, 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.

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."

He isn't cold. Not to me, atleast not in private. Aiden explained this all to me as a child. But it didn't stop the torment at school.

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.

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 stop this tomorrow' Aurora begs in my mind. She's held back from me for years, spending most of her time sleeping in my mind, resentful over my choices. 'I don't know' I admit, unable to lie to her.

'This isn't who we are destined to be' she says, the same words she has said to me every single night. Sadness fills my chest as she pulls away, she's half of who I am and I'm constantly disappointing her.

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.

"Armina, time to wake up" Aiden's voice coming from the kitchen as I smell bacon and eggs cooking.

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

When I feel him enter my room I sigh heavily.

"Aiden, I'm not ready." I shake my head into my pillow. 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 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. "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 stop if you do," my mind blanks.

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 stirs, 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 this fills me with joy, she's been angry for so long. She's had to watch as I threw fights I could easily win, taken crap from Selena & held her back from being herself. A sense of power and confidence flows from her to me. Reminding me we are one, I'll never be 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.