Nora: Rejected Lost Princess

Nora Pov

I ran through the woods, breathing heavily. My eyes staring ahead of the huge lavender tree upfront. I didn't care if my heart was about to fall off my chest, I was determined to get there in less than five minutes.

I wanted to be strong for him.

I ran like my life depends on it. Well, my heart depends on it. I hated when he looked at me with such disappointment.

"Hey, weakling! Get the hell out of the way!" I heard a grumpy voice, running past me with speed.

"She looks so pathetic running like that!" Another sneered, veering past me.

"She must be human!" The first one spat out, following his colleague.

"Fuck you both!" I spat out angrily, inside of me.

As much as I wanted to tell them that, I don't want to look for trouble. I don't want my brother to be caught in-between his duty to the pack as the future beta and his duty as a brother to a pathetic loser like me.

If I wasn't so unlucky, I was supposed to be ranked amongst the strongest werewolf in the pack. That's because we were the beta family, the second strongest family in the pack.

But I was so weak, just like a human!

I wasn't human! I hate when they call me that. How could I be human when my parents and brother were werewolves? Maybe I was too weak and that's why my wolf refused to show itself.

I ran as the rest of the pack whoosh ahead of me. So much for the five minutes! I couldn't even get there in twenty minutes. I broke down under the huge tree, trying to get myself together.

At least, I got there in twenty minutes. That's two minutes earlier than yesterday. I was still catching my breath when my ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching and a warm scent traveling through my nose.

He was here…

Wondered why a wolfless person like me could catch up on scent? I wonder the same too. Although I tried to hide that fact so I won't be called a weirdo. Human was already a weird and heartbreaking name for me.

"What are you doing here?"

I was startled by the voice that asked me the question. It wasn't him but my brother. Could I have mistaken his scent for my brother's? I scratched my head repeatedly before looking at my brother with a pout.

" The forest isn't safe for you," my brother Justin said, giving me his hands.

I sighed, looking around the forest. I was sure he was here. I felt his presence and his scent. That particular scent I had felt three days ago. But I had to hide it, from even my brother.

"Come on, Nora. Carlos isn't here. He had left as soon as we saw you," Justin said, rolling his eyes at me.

Caught!

I grinned sheepishly as I quietly followed Justin without another word. Should I tell him about Carlos?

Carlos was the alpha's son and the heir to the throne. I had been crushing on him since I was six years old. At first, we had been friends and he had been nice to me. But, it changed two years ago when I couldn't shift to my wolf.

In Blood Moon Pack, we usually shift at age sixteen and find our mate when we clock eighteen. It is believed that without your wolf, you can't find your mate.

Not until I saw Carlos three days ago and felt drawn to him. A tiny voice in my head had let out the 'mate' word. But I refused to tell him. I wanted to have my wolf first.

"What's on your mind, Nora?" Justin cuts in again.

" A secret, Jay. I will tell you on the night of the moonlight festival," I said, grinning.

" That's tonight, Nora" he reminded me, shaking his head.

" Oops! I guess I will tell you tonight then!" I giggled as we got closer to my house.

Without waiting for my brother, I ran to the house so I could prepare for tonight's activities. I was very sure that he would recognize me tonight.

**

I can't believe I was already late for the ceremony! I blamed my parents for keeping me busy with chores. Not just that, I also wanted to look good for him.

I quickly ran to where the festival was taking place. I was sure he was there somewhere. I searched for almost an hour before I saw him at the farthest and hidden end with my brother.

I sighed in relief.

I badly wanted to talk to him. Tell him that he was my mate. I wanted him to know that I wasn't human and that I would surely get my wolf.

But…

Carlos must have sensed my emotions. I guess he knew we were mates but why was he not accepting me in the presence of everyone? Maybe I should be the one to say it?

I watched him taking a stroll toward my direction. Then he stopped abruptly as if he wanted to greet me.

"Meet me over the cliff. Don't follow behind me!" His icy voice tore my heart. Didn't he know I was his mate?

Before I could utter another word, he had already left me alone. I stood there for another two minutes to recollect my emotions before dashing toward the forest, in another direction.

The cliff was a one minute run for a werewolf but for me, it took me more than five minutes to get there. I could see he was angry, with his emerald eyes boring through mine.

Something wasn't right about his look.

He looked at me as if I was a disgusting creature after throwing me insulting words. That wasn't supposed to be how he would look at his mate. Didn't he know I was his mate?

"I know what you want to say, Nora. I felt it too. Oh… Selene! What was the moon goddess thinking?" His voice cut through my thoughts as he moved a little closer to me.

His luscious lips, perfectly chiseled jawline and the body built of a model made my heart start beating rapidly. I can't believe he was mine! His voice got me wobbling, not until I heard his next words.

"You think I would accept you?"