Episode 3

     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 and his parents especially, had frowned upon our friendship seeing as I was just a poor orphaned girl and he was next in line to becoming the Alpha of Blue Moon Pack.

    "You took off at your own party without a word." I finally said to break the silence.

      Jayson sighed, running his hands through his dark hair. I twisted my neck to face him. His eyebrows were furrowed, his expression thoughtful, and not for the first time I wished I could read his mind.

     "My parents want me to begin the mating ritual with someone three full moons after I'm officially made Alpha." He finally admitted.

     My eyes widened in surprise and a bit of dread. "B-but...you haven't found your mate yet." I spluttered. 

     He picked up a stone and threw it into the lake, watching it bounce. "You don't think I know that? I've waited since I was eighteen to find her." He chuckled humorlessly, "It's been seven years. Favi and Josh found out they were mates the second she turned eighteen and Belinda and Luke met and mated two years after Belinda had turned eighteen. I've waited seven years for my mate and yet...nothing."

     I could feel my head spinning. I didn't know Jayson had wanted to find his mate so desperately. Anxious, I subconsciously fiddled with my mother's necklace.

     "I haven't found mine either, Jayson ." I reminded him.

     He turned to face me, his eyes searching mine. "Doesn't that bother you? That you haven't found your mate yet?"

     It was a question I should have been expecting the second I turned eighteen and yet, I didn't have an answer. Although if I was being completely honest with myself, I did have an answer. And it was no.

     No, it didn't bother me that I hadn't found my mate yet.

     It didn't bother me because I already had...

      Jayson .

     "Only a little," I said before carefully avoiding his eyes. "Although it does seem to bother you a lot."

    He rubbed his temple with his fingers. "It has to, with everyone holding their breaths about it so much."

     I bit my lip, trying to arrange my thoughts. Three full moons. That was such a little amount of time. I wasn't mentally prepared for the changes that were bound to happen if Jayson found his mate. "What happens if you haven't found your mate then?"

     He released a slow breath. "I have to pick a compatible female to be my mate." He smirked a little wickedly. "The elders have this whole idea of organizing a competition of sorts."

     "A w-what?" I stuttered, not sure I had heard him right. They were going to let shewolves enter a competition to mate with him?

     "Don't sound so surprised," He laughed. "It's happened before."

     "I think you like the idea of females competing against each other to mate with you," I said a little accusingly.

     His smirk grew into a wide grin. "Well it doesn't harm my ego that's for sure."

     I rolled my eyes. If there was nothing else, he definitely had the Alpha ego. I watched the grasses dance with the slight breezs and reflected on my own life.

     "I wonder what it would be like," I mused out loud. To have a life of my own with someone else. Someone who wasn't my step mother or stepsisters or even Jayson .

     I felt Jayson 's gaze on the side of my face. As usual, I ignored the butterflies in my belly that seemed to dance whenever he fixed his attention on me. "What?" He wanted to know.

     "To find my true mate," I heard myself answering honestly. "Perform the ritual with him, be mated to him." I paused, tying my hair in a loose ponytail. "And the chase...not to mention the marking. I wonder what that would all feel like, belonging completely to someone else."

     "I thought you said you weren't bothered about finding your mate?" Jayson asked, his voice a bit gruff.

     I raised an eyebrow at his surly tone. "I said I was only a little bothered." I clarified.

     It was my turn to study him. Why was he acting a bit coldly all of a sudden? 

     He spoke up before I could question him about it, narrowing his eyes. "Someone's coming."

     My ears picked up on distant rustling. I could already tell from the way my wolf was suddenly restless that it was someone I really disliked. There were only three people I really disliked.

     My stepmother and two stepsisters.

     I turned my torso, looking around to see who it was. They were too far for my wolf to pick up a scent.

     I stiffened when I noticed a pair of dark eyes watching me from a distance. I would recognize that brown wolf anywhere, I thought to myself.

     It was my stepmother.

     Once she realized I had seen her, she turned and sped off in the direction of our house. I stood to my feet, pulling Jayson up with me.

     "She needs me back home," I informed him, dusting off my gown.

     "What does she want from Cinderella now?" He asked, midly exasperated with her attitude. I gave him a dry look when he said Cinderella. I really didn't like it when he called me that.

     The picture of the disney princess I had painted in my head was of one who was a poor orphaned damsel in distress. I didn't like to see myself as such, and I certainly hated the idea of Jayson seeing me as weak or helpless.

     "Nothing she can't handle." I assured him as we turned our back to each other to take our clothes off and shift.

     My wolf, as usual, stared in awe at Jayson 's black wolf. His wolf was bigger than most with more enhanced senses as an Alpha wolf.

     He walked to me and nuzzled my wolf's neck playfully, sending currents down both our spines. Jayson and I stared at each other, relishing the mere pleasure of being able to spend some time alone. And then we did what we always did.

     We ran.