Chapter 3

Charlotte

I kept running through the woods while the rain poured down over me and mud splashed beneath my feet as I tried getting as far away from the pack house as possible. My chest hurt badly and I couldn't tell if it was because of the running or because of the way Alpha Damon looked at me.

Mate. The word kept repeating inside my head no matter how hard I tried ignoring it.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as flashes of every beating Alpha had ever given me played inside my mind. I remembered the silver chains around my wrists, the dark room he locked me in, the sound of his laughter whenever I cried. The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became.

How could the Moon Goddess possibly think an Alpha was meant for me?

"An Alpha can't be our mate," I whispered while wiping my face angrily. "It doesn't make sense."

Aurora stayed quiet for a moment before she finally spoke. "Charlotte, Alpha Damon isn't like your Alpha."

"You don't know that," I replied quickly. "You didn't see the way he looked at us."

I wrapped my arms around myself while thunder echoed through the sky above me I hated thunderstorms because they always reminded me of the worst moments of my life.

"He looked disgusted," I continued quietly. "The second Alpha called me an Omega his whole expression changed."

Aurora whimpered softly inside my head but she still didn't argue with me. I shook my head trying to push Damon from my thoughts but his scent still lingered around me. Forest trees mixed with rain and musk. It was warm and comforting even though I didn't want it to be.

Why did my mate have to smell so good? Why did he have to be an Alpha? And why did finding him hurt this much already? "Why didn't he come after us?" I suddenly asked.

Aurora hesitated before answering. "Maybe he wanted to give you space."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Or maybe he realized he got stuck with a weak Omega."

Deep down I already knew how this story would end because Alphas don't choose girls like me. My parents used to tell me stories about powerful Alpha couples whenever I was younger. The Luna was always strong, beautiful, respected and loved by the pack not broken or abused and definitely not me.

"Try not to think about him so much," Aurora said softly. "You're overwhelming yourself."

"How am I supposed to stop thinking about it?" I asked her. "Everything changed tonight."

First I found out I wasn't wolfless and then I found my mate I should have been happy but instead I felt terrified.

Aurora suddenly became excited almost like she was trying to distract me. "What about your shift?"

I slowed down slightly. "My shift?"

"Yes, you have never shifted before."

Fear immediately replaced my thoughts about Damon. "I can't do that."

"Yes you can."

"I don't know how!" I almost cried. "I'm twenty years old and I have never even felt you before tonight."

Aurora's voice softened. "Just trust me imagine yourself in wolf form and let me take over."

I stopped running completely and stood in the middle of the woods while rain soaked through my clothes my breathing was uneven as I slowly closed my eyes.

Wolf form.

I tried imagining fur covering my body and paws instead of hands at first nothing happened and I almost thought this wasn't going to work either and then suddenly pain exploded through me.

A scream tore from my throat as I dropped to my knees in the mud it felt like every bone inside my body was cracking apart at once. My hands dug into the wet ground while another scream escaped me but this time it sounded more like a growl. "Oh God!" I cried.

My entire body twisted painfully while my bones shifted and rearranged themselves I had never experienced pain like this before and for a second I honestly thought I was dying.

"Relax Charlotte," Aurora whispered. "Don't fight me."

"How am I supposed to relax?" I screamed while trembling violently.

I could hear my bones cracking and feel my muscles stretching painfully tears mixed with the rain as I tried holding on through the unbearable pain. I never thought my first shift would happen at twenty years old and I never thought it would hurt this much either but then suddenly the pain slowly started fading away until my body finally relaxed.

I stayed there breathing heavily for a few seconds before carefully opening my eyes and everything looked different the forest looked brighter and sharper than before I could hear every raindrop hitting the ground and smell the wet earth around me.

Slowly I looked down at myself and my eyes widened when I noticed the color of my fur it wasn't gray, black, or brown like the wolves I had seen growing up. My fur was dark red I had never seen a wolf with fur this color before and judging by the way Aurora suddenly went quiet she knew something that she wasn't telling me. "I'm red," I said in confusion.

Aurora hummed softly. "I know."

"How is that possible?"

Instead of answering me she laughed lightly. "Go for a run, Charlotte you need it after everything that happened tonight."

I frowned slightly because I knew she was avoiding my question but before I could push her further excitement suddenly rushed through me I finally had a wolf I finally shifted. A loud howl escaped me before I could stop it and Aurora laughed happily inside my head and without another thought I took off through the woods.

The feeling was unbelievable the wind rushed through my fur while my paws moved quickly across the forest floor. I jumped over rocks and fallen branches easily while adrenaline rushed through my veins and for the first time in my life I didn't feel weak or helpless I felt free.

A happy growl escaped me as I ran deeper into the woods the thunder no longer scared me and the rain didn't bother me anymore everything around me felt alive.

Aurora purred happily while I continued running until we reached an open area near a waterfall I slowly walked toward the water while staring at it in awe. Moonlight reflected beautifully against the waterfall despite the storm above us It was peaceful here and safe.

I was just about to move closer when Aurora suddenly became alert.

He's here.

My body froze immediately I looked around the woods but couldn't see anyone at first but then his scent hit me again so strongly that my chest tightened the same scent forest trees, rain and musk.

Mate.

Fear quickly replaced the happiness I felt moments ago. "We should leave," I whispered nervously.

Aurora whimpered softly. "Charlotte..."

"No," I interrupted quickly. "I don't want him near us."

Deep down I knew Aurora wanted to stay but I couldn't do it because I wasn't ready to face him again I slowly turned around wanting to leave when movement suddenly caught my attention and then I saw him.

Alpha Damon stepped out from between the trees while rain soaked through his dark clothes and even from a distance he looked powerful and dangerous. His gray eyes locked onto mine immediately and my heart started beating wildly inside my chest.

He slowly walked toward me and with every step he took I stepped back his scent surrounded me completely now and my wolf kept pulling toward him even though fear was screaming at me to run.

"He won't hurt us," Aurora whispered softly.

"You don't know that," I replied while watching him carefully.

I couldn't stop thinking about Alpha and all the pain he caused me over the years. Men like Damon always had power and men with power always hurt people like me. Damon stopped a few feet away from me and just stared there was no disgust in his eyes now instead he looked confused almost shocked as he looked at me.

Silence stretched between us while rain poured down around us then he slowly took another step closer and panic rushed through me instantly and before I could stop myself I turned around and ran again. I heard Aurora whimper sadly inside my head while I sprinted through the woods as fast as I could.

"Charlotte wait!" she cried.

But I couldn't I was terrified maybe one day I would regret running away from my mate twice in one night but right now all I cared about was getting away before he could hurt me the same way everyone else always had. "I'm sorry," I whispered to Aurora while tears mixed with the rain once again.

But deep down I knew she wasn't the one I was apologizing to.