CHAPTER 2: THE NIGHT BEFORE FATE

AURORA

I had just finished making dinner when my parents and Lila walked in. Rushing to the door, I helped my father out of his coat and grabbed my mother’s bag.

“Welcome home dad, mom, Lila” I greeted in the sweetest tone I could muster, making sure to keep a smile plastered on my face.

“Why are you so happy?” My mother snapped.

“I…I’m sorry” I stammered, moving out of her way before she knocked me down.

“Why haven’t you set the table?” My father’s angry voice also boomed out.

“I…I’m sorry, I was just about to, before you…”

“Excuses, excuses, excuses. Just set the damn table, I’m starving.” My mother cut me off angrily.

I ran to the kitchen to save myself from more insults, I grabbed the tray, arranged the dishes and set out to the dining room only for me to bump into my sister.

“Arrrrrrgh…” her loud shrill echoed through the whole house as the whole food emptied into her chest.

Plates scattered on the floor and the sound of them breaking reverberated through the room.

Dropping the tray in fear, I stammered. “Oh my goddess…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry.” I started brushing the food off her dress with trembling hands just as tears started to drop from my eyes.

“You’re always sorry. Can’t you just do things that you wouldn’t need to be sorry for?” My mother screamed as she pushed me off Lila causing me to hit my head against the kitchen door.

“Oh my darling princess, are you hurt?” My mother asked, concern etched all over her face as she kept turning Lila around to check her body for any sign of injury.

“Yes mummy, I am but my dress is ruined.” Lila pouted angrily.

“Mummy is so sorry. Come on, let's go and get you changed into something better.” Lila only nodded as tears started to stream down her pretty face but as they turned to leave, she turned slightly to face me and smiled.

The wicked triumphant smile she always gave me each time she succeeded in putting me in trouble.

“You know, If you could be just as half as graceful as Lila, maybe I could even tolerate you for being such a waste of space.” My father retorted angrily.

“But no, not only are you fat and ugly. You’re also clumsy and extremely stupid. I wonder why I haven’t thrown you out to the rogues to finish you off.” He continued as he stood up from the table and headed to his room.

“Make sure you prepare something else, and make it snappy!”

As he finally disappeared down the hall, I allowed the tears to fall freely while cleaning the blood from the broken shard etched into my palm.

Why can’t anyone just see me? Why can’t they see my efforts? Why can’t they just accept me for who I am? Just why?

As the tears burned, I slowly got up and carefully picked the rest of the broken pieces of plates on the floor. While pushing my already tired body into the kitchen to make a new batch of pasta.

Once I finished, I arranged the dishes on the dining table, called out to my parents and Lila, grabbed my coat and dashed out of the house.

I needed to breathe, I needed to cry. I wish I could see the moon goddess face to face and question her. She had to hate me to put me in this situation all the time.

How can you make someone and surround her with so much hate, pain, abuse and toxicity?

I didn’t even know where I was going, but I kept walking until I got to the creek I had been forbidden to ever go near, since I was a child simply because I would take up too much space and the other kids wouldn't be able to play or swim freely.

But just as I was about to take off my shoes and walk in, something…no someone, caught my attention. Xavier, the future Alpha of Mooncrest.

He looked so peaceful as he glided through the water. I stayed hidden so as not to disturb him and hoped that he wouldn’t catch my scent but just then he stepped out of the water and I quickly looked away, heat rushing to my cheeks before curiosity got the better of me.

I honestly wished the moon goddess would give me a mate tomorrow, someone I could admire and be myself with freely.

“So who do you think your mate will be tomorrow?” I suddenly heard Drew, Xavier’s best friend who I didn’t even know was there, ask Xavier.

“I honestly don’t know, but she better be stunning. I will not be with someone who is ugly and unfit to stand by my side.” He answered casually not even bothering to sound nice.

His words immediately gnawed at my heart. “Someone, fit to stand by his side.” That could never be me, Lila had always been by his side and she definitely fit his description.

“But what if the moon goddess binds you with someone who’s not so beautiful but who would still be the best future Luna for the pack.” Drew prodded further.

“I don’t care, I would reject her immediately and pick someone worthy of me.” He answered back. His nonchalance unnerved me but I stayed quiet and hidden.

They finally dressed up and left. Leaving me with my thoughts. What if I finally found my mate tomorrow…and he looked at me the same way everyone else did?

With disgust, with disappointment.

What if he took one look at me and decided I wasn’t enough? What if the moon goddess gives me a mate only for him to reject me?

What then would I do? How will I be able to deal with the humiliation for the rest of my life?

“Come on, wolfie, wherever you’re hidden can’t you just come out? Is it not time for you to finally show up?” It’s been three years since I clocked eighteen and my wolf was still yet to show up.

Was I an evil person in my past life? Was that why I was being punished this way?

I kept thinking until it was midnight and I remembered that I still hadn’t ironed my family’s clothes for tomorrow’s ceremony.

I finally stood up to go home hoping seriously that I would find a mate tomorrow and not just a mate, one that would actually value and treat me right.

Lifting my head, I stared at the full moon hanging above the trees. It was bright, beautiful and untouchable.

Just like every dream I’d ever had.

Maybe tomorrow will be different.

Maybe the moon goddess will finally remember me.

Maybe tomorrow I will find someone who will look at me and see more than my weight, more than my missing wolf and more than my mistakes.

Maybe tomorrow I will finally belong somewhere.