MasukSkylar I rush through the forest with all my strength. I can easily catch her, but I also recognize the route she's taking. She's subconsciously heading for our spot by the lake. Just like me, this must be where she goes when she's in a crisis. The thought would have warmed my heart if not for our current situation. So many questions run through my mind. Why is she running away? Why did she turn white as a ghost? Why didn't she say anything? Will we be okay after all this? I shake my head firmly and keep running. I can't let this slow me down, nor can I let it distract me. It's now or never. I'll never get the chance to clear this up after this. Most of all, I can't let Ebony go like this. I slide to a stop when I get to the lake and spot Ebony leaning against a rock and panting heavily as if struggling to breathe. Worried, I go over to her and reach out. "Ebony, please calm down..." Ebony flinches and jumps away from me, shaking like a leaf. She looks terrified for some reason
~Some time earlier~ Skylar “Mom, that’s enough,” I groan as she continues to adjust my clothes. “You’ve been doing this for 30 minutes at this point, and that’s not even counting the other outfits you had me try on.” I regret not falling back to sleep. Had I known Mom would be doing this so early in the morning over and over again, I would have at least tried. I don’t know how much more I can take. I close my eyes, and all I see are clothes, clothes, and more clothes. Mom looks up at me and puffs out her cheeks. “You only turn 18 once. I’m going to make sure it’s perfect so I can keep this image in my head forever,” she says firmly and stands back. “This one makes you look too stiff...” I groan once more and shake my head. I just want this nightmare to end already! “Can’t I just wear what I picked out ahead of time?” I ask, only to get a glare from her. I don’t think it’s that bad. I picked out a nice pair of dark dress pants, a neat-looking button-up shirt, and a dark jacket th
Ebony When I step outside, I'm immediately overwhelmed by loud noises and many voices. Our pack rarely gets this rowdy, but then again, this is the 18th birthday of our future Alpha. I walk nervously toward the noise and fidget with my hands. I've always hated crowds, opting to stay back in the shadows. Too many eyes on me make me freeze. The only time this isn't the case is when I'm practicing with Mom. Being a warrior wolf is all I've ever known. Most say it shouldn't suit me, but when I'm sparring in the moment, nothing can stop me. I can even take down many of the male trainees without breaking a sweat. I'm happy to have something I'm good at. It means I'm not going to be completely useless in the future. If I can't be by Sky's side as I want to be, at least I can protect him in battle one day. "Well, well." I jump as a sudden voice pulls me out of my thoughts. When I look up, a pretty girl named Helena stands just ahead of me with two girls beside her. "What do we have her
Ebony Unable to fall back asleep, I just waste time and decide to clean my room instead. The thought process is that maybe if my room is organized, then my thoughts won't be such a mess too. My mind swims as I start taking out my clothes, only to fold them again. Skylar won't abandon me. We mean so much to each other, and without me, he would have never made his way back home. But am I sure about that? Aren't I acting too arrogantly? Skylar broke the spell himself and ran all the way home on that beaten body. He never let his spirit be broken by his abusers either. He's strong-willed, unlike me. Wouldn't it be better to throw away someone like me? I push away those thoughts weakly, though they remain a dull roar in the back of my mind. I have to believe him. Skylar is a good man and friend. He already promised to keep me close anyway. But aren't promises made to be broken when they're too troublesome? I want more from him anyway. If I continue to push and wish for more, won't it
Skylar "Ebony, wait!" I grab her hand and try to get her to look at me. "Please don't go! I've loved you for a long time." I squeeze her hand tightly. "Why are you rejecting me?" Ebony finally looks back at me, her expression strained, as if she doesn't want to say what she's about to. I have a feeling it's going to be worse than just a cold rejection, but I push on anyway. I need to hear this. "Skylar... I do love you." My heart hammers in my chest at those words. "We've always been together, which is why this hurts me to tell you this... but you're like a brother to me." Ebony's words cut through me, and I can't help but flinch. "W-why...?" I swallow hard and steady myself. "I've never treated you like a sister, nor have you treated me like a brother. I'd know, since I have little siblings." Ebony pauses and seems to consider this for a moment. Hope flares in my heart. Maybe I can fix this! Then it gets crushed into a million pieces once she speaks again. "Just because you nev
Ebony When I open my eyes, I find myself in the middle of our pack. I look around, feeling dazed and confused. When did I get here? I could have sworn that I went to bed. I look up as I hear a commotion just ahead. Curious, I walk over, putting my hands in my hoodie pockets. What's going on? Everyone sounds excited and cheerful. "Congratulations, Skylar! I'm so happy for you!" I freeze at the sudden voice and look up. The woman speaking and hugging my childhood friend is his mother and the current Luna of the pack, Daisy. "Thank you, Mom. I couldn't be happier right now." A handsome smile graces Skylar's face. "I can't believe I have such a wonderful woman as my mate." My heart hammers painfully in my chest. Skylar found his mate? Since when? I put a hand over my heart, wondering why it hurts so much. Is it because he didn't tell me first? "It truly is wonderful, my boy." Aiden, the Alpha, smiles proudly as he stands next to his Luna. "You'll be ready to step up in no time! Now







