I stared at my best friend, Jayson , as he fastened the last button on his shirt and felt a shiver course through me. There was just something in the way he wore his black three-piece suit that made him look lethal and confident.
Sexy.
I shook my head slightly, willing myself to stop the direction of my thoughts. I had no right thinking about him in a way that wasn't strictly platonic. Jayson and I were friends, though it was becoming difficult to remember that lately.
He turned away from the mirror to face me, fiddling with his cufflinks, a telltale signal that he was nervous. Mustering a small smile, I picked up the red tie on the bed and wound it around his collar, deeming the knot.
I arranged the lapels of his jacket, ignoring the way my heart seemed to race. His breath lightly fanned my face and I had to shut my eyes to get a hold of myself from how dizzying it felt just standing so close to him. When I reopened them, Jayson was watching me a little too intensely for my liking.
"Look who's dressed the part," I teased, stepping away from him and fisting my hands so I didn't reach for him again. "If it isn't our soon to be Alpha Jayson ."
A dark look flashed across his face as he held back a grimace. "I'm not ready, Ally," He confessed, looking at himself in the mirror. "I'm not certain I have all it takes to lead the pack."
My heart hurt at his words. The selfish part of me wanted to stay quiet and not tell him the truth. Which was that he would be a great leader and a wonderful Alpha. He would handle his responsibilities excellently and look after the pack so well that he might even forget me.
I guess that was the problem. The reality that my best friend was turning twenty-five and ready to take his place as the Alpha of Blue Moon pack. Once he was made alpha, the pack members would be concerned with him finding his mate. Everyone knew an Alpha was his strongest when mated.
Jayson would find his mate and begin the mating ritual with her. They would be joined and she would be officially made the Luna of the pack. He would be so wrapped up in his work and his mate that he would never have time for me again.
Tears stung my eyes just thinking about it and my wolf howled inside of me. What would become of me then? I've been in love with him for so long. He was the world to my wolf and I and I was about to watch him become the world to thousands of other people.
About to encourage him.
I couldn't stop myself from slipping my hand into his and squeezing. "We'll be the luckiest wolves to have you as our leader, you should know that by now."
He stepped away from me, making me feel the acute loss of his touch. What was wrong with me? I wondered silently. I shouldn't be feeling this way about my best friend. Shouldn't be craving to see him, hear him, touch him.
Taste him.
"Of course you'll say that," Jayson stated, oblivious to my thoughts. "You're my best friend, so you obviously have to."
"No one cares about the pack the way you do," I informed him. "I mean it," I added when I realized he was about to protest. "I've watched you help a lot of people when you didn't have to, West. Watched you go hungry just so another person could eat, so I can eat."
"Being an Alpha's more than just that," He countered stubbornly. "There's going to be times when I have to make hard decisions. Decisions that might not be in favor of some pack members."
I shook my head slightly at his words. "In that case there's nothing you can do. And you don't have to make the hard decisions all by yourself, Josh and Luke would also be there." I reminded him, referring to his closest buddies.
He gave me smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You won't be there." He said softly. I could feel my heart skip painfully at his words.
I went quiet at that. His parents had made it abundantly clear that they were only tolerating our friendship because it wasn't time for him to take up his responsibilities yet. Now that it was, it would be a miracle if we spent more than five minutes alone with each other.
"No, I wouldn't." I whispered. "It wouldn't matter anyway, you would be busy with handling so many responsibilities and making decisions, not to mention finding your mate," I said, wiggling my eyebrows and trying to lighten up the room.
He went silent, just studying me. I forced myself not to squirm under his intense gaze. "You think I'm going to forget you." He said flatly.
"You couldn't, even if your life depended on it," I said jokingly, smiling at him.
He didn't smile back.
I took a deep steadying breath, fixing my gaze anywhere but on him. "I don't think you're going to forget me, Jayson ," I admitted. "But I do think you won't have time for me anymore. Not like you used to."
"You're right." He said bluntly, making me flinch. "I obviously won't have time for you anymore, not when I'm busy solving the pack's problems and attending meetings, making huge decisions and trying to woo my mate when I find her."
I didn't need to look at him to know he was angry, but I didn't understand why. I wasn't the one causing him so much pain with my words.
"Exactly." I managed to agree. He hardened his jaw and scoffed at me in disbelief. "What?"
"I don't know whether to be disappointed, mad or just confused as to why you completely expect that from me." He finally answered after a few minutes. He walked past me and picked up his watch from his dresser.
"I'm just being realistic here." I told him as he put the watch on. "As I rightfully should be."
"Of course." He replied dryly, closing his wardrobe door.
I watched him move around angrily, trying to put his room in order and calm himself down.
Sighing, I walked to him. "You shouldn't be mad on your birthday, I'm sorry." I apologized, not in the mood to fight with him. I understood that my words had upset him even though that hadn't at all been my intention.
"I'm not going to forget you." He said solemnly, pausing to take my hands in his. I relished the feeling of his rough palm against my smooth ones.
Despite the fact that I didn't want him to get upset again, I still couldn't stop my response. "You shouldn't make promises you might not be able to keep."
He shook his head at my words, chuckling softly. "You're such a strong headed woman, Ella." He seemed to be reaching for my chin when the door burst open and his mother walked in.
Just like that my mood took a downward spiral.
Jayson moved away from me as fast as he could like I had suddenly come down with some kind of contagious disease. I swallowed down the hurt I felt at his action. I'd thought I had some time before things started to change between us. Apparently, I'd been wrong. Mrs Smith walked in, looking at me like I was the annoying gum stuck under her shoe. Deciding she had seen enough of me, she focused her attention on her only son. "You look good, darling," She complimented, wearing a warm smile on her face. "Thanks mother," Jayson replied warmly. I felt a little envious as I watched her fuss over Jayson 's jacket, asking if he was comfortable with it. I had never known what a mother's love felt like. While Mrs. Smith might not be so fond of me, I had to admit she was a wonderful mother to both her children. And she was a wonderful Luna to the rest of the pack as well. "I don't know how the pack members would take their new Alpha spending so much
I didn't see Jayson for about three days after his birthday party. It was almost the longest I had gone without seeing him. He showed up by the lake where we normally met each morning on the fourth day. Neither of us said a word to each other, only shifting into our wolves and taking a long run in the forest, letting our wolves bask in the cool air. When we were exhausted, we shifted back and got dressed separately before sitting side by side by side on the dock in comfortable silence. I stared off into the lake, reflecting on how strong our friendship had gotten over the years. Jayson had been my best friend since the day he'd met me crying by the river bank after my dad had died when I was six. I could still remember that day like it was only yesterday. He'd shared his cookies with me and made a lot of funny expressions until I had forgotten for a spell that I had just lost my father. We'd become inseparable after that even though many, my stepmother an
I got back home a little after dawn to my stepmother waiting outside the house for me. I didn't need a seer to let me know she was already in a bad mood. The deal had been that I could go for my early morning runs as long as I got back home on time. Apparently, I had been a second late. "You do know that you're such an ungrateful child, right?" She sneered at me from where she sat by the porch. I was turning twenty three in a few weeks but sure, let's go with that. She continued when I kept mute. "I asked just one thing of you when you were seeking permission to be going on your stupid runs, " Her voice was getting louder. "Get back home on time, but no, even that is too much to ask." Sometimes I wondered why I put up with all her shit. Then I remembered I had promised my dad I would try as much as possible to be at peace with my stepfamily and keep us all together. Plus an annoying family who ensured everyday of your life was a living hell was bette
I was extremely exhausted. I didn't think I'd ever been this exhausted in all my life. Sweat trickled down my face, my whole body was sore and I had not had a single meal since this morning. Although the last part was solely because my stepmother had warned that she she didn't want to catch me 'lazing around'. The inauguration ceremony was tomorrow and the entire pack was getting ready for it. And I mean The. Entire. Pack. It was definitely going to be a grand event. Blue Moon Pack was known for its high reputation as it was the only pack in the whole of Astoria. About a quarter of the other packs in Aregon where going to be in attendance. Everyone was busy with one job or the other. The base of the pack which was where the main event was taking place had been arranged. The lakes had been cleaned, the bushes had been trimmed, every house in the pack had been put in order. I wasn't even able to go through the whole chaos with my friends since they were wit
It was dark out but times like these, I was thankful for my night vision. I knew this place like the back of my palm given that Jayson and I explored all the secret places to his house and also marked the blind spot of the guards. Maybe it's something he should look into when he becomes Alpha. Another reason why Jayson was fit for the position. We spent our childhood secretly exploring the whole pack and we know all the hiding spots. It was barely 6a.m and here I was, sneaking into my best friend's room. Talk about Twilight love story but I couldn't help it. I had this strong feeling to see Jayson right now. Who knows when I might have the chance again? Belinda and Favi are convinced that we all have eachother but I guess they didn't understand well enough the work they were taking up. It was either that or I didn't believe them when they said we would still be there for each other. I was in my wolf form with my clothes hanging between my teeth. I silently creeped towards Jayso
The rest of the day passed by in a blur. As I expected, I was too busy running errands to attend the inauguration and while a part of me felt sad, I tried to butter it up with Jayson 's promise. Once it was 9a.m, my stepmother and stepsisters were already dressed up. June and Bethany were so extravagantly dressed that if I didn't know better, I'd say they were going there to seduce the royal's son. My stepmother took care of them a lot. "Oh, Ella," June sighed as she ran her hands down her gown feeling like those princesses in movies. Her blonde hair was nearly packed and her make-up was light and beautiful. I wondered how Jayson would look at me if I dressed up like that. "I feel so sorry for you," I rolled my eyes, getting ready to head out to assist in the inauguration but behind the scenes. "If you had that much time to talk, you'd be on your way already," I wasn't going to give her the reaction she expected from me. She probably wanted me to be jealous, sad and maybe even
I could feel uneasiness from within me. My wolf wanted a run. I, on the other hand, wanted to let out some steam. I wanted to scream as loud as I could where no one could hear me. I continued with my chores and finished up quickly after which I made it back home. My stepsisters and Stepmom were out so I had the whole house to myself. Good. I didn't think I could handle seeing any of them anyways. I grabbed an apple on the way to my room and bit into it with enough force that could as well tear into someone's skin. Why did he make me wait for him? Last night I tried to come up with excuses but when I woke up this morning, none of them made any sense to me. I finally got to my room and I closed the door behind me, I inhaled deeply and I caught a whiff of a scent in the air. "What are you doing?" "Ah!" I yelped in fright as my eyes flew open. I held Favi's curious gaze and it took a while for my racing heart to calm down. "Favi! Don't scare me like that." I warned. "What are you
"Ella! Do I have to come drag you out myself or come serve you tea? Get out of bed this instant, these chores won't do themselves!" my stepmother yelled right in front of my door, slapping my door quite hard. I've been awake since 6a.m, staring at my ceiling as my heart sank deeper and deeper into the empty hole that had presented itself ever since Jayson stood me up. It had been two days now and I was yet to set my eyes on him. I placed a hand over my beating heart with my face in a straight but sad look. This heart was just for pumping blood, yet how come it hurt so much when I thought about Jayson ? Scientists say love is a chemical reaction that "Oxytocin" is released in the brain so why didn't it hurt there instead? I rubbed my chest, trying to get to my heart and console me from there. I made up my mind to keep Jayson out of my mind but it was easier to think about it than for it to register in my subconsciousness. I just couldn't carry on like this. The countdown for the