2 - Finding a Temporary Mate

Katie's POV

"There she goes again, asking Mike to be his omega." I heard some she-wolf purposely raise her voice for me to hear them. 

"Well, does she have a choice? She will be kicked out of the pack in just a few months if Mike won't still budge." Another she-wolf giggled as the both of them snickered when I went past them.

A decade swiftly flew by, and my sixteenth birthday is now coming up. That is why, even though I hate it, I become more desperate to stay. I still want to see Khalid and his mate, Jessica, be the leaders of this pack. I know they would be great, even greater than Alpha Fredrick and Luna Kathrina, my parents..

"Duh. Of course he won't pick her! Lexie is a much better fit for an omega than her."

And here, I thought they were done talking about me. Not having the energy to escalate things, I just rolled my eyes at them. They just glared back. 

Although this scenario isn't new. The she-wolves either avoid me or just talk behind my back. The latter is just so pathetic, though. I mean, they are more than welcome to say it in my face. They just don't have the guts. I understand that the she-wolves are afraid of being caught up in our family drama. They are also scared that if they befriended me, no one would ask for their hand as a fated mate or a chosen one.

Fated mates are the ones that the Moon Goddess blessed you with. The bond is so strong and powerful. The connection is said to be so immense that only Alphas and Lunas are most commonly known to have fated mates. Sometimes they even don't have fated mates.. In rare occasions, normal wolves can also be blessed with one.

If you cannot find your fated beloved or simply don't have one, then you can take in a chosen mate.

Many things have changed throughout these years. The only constant is that my parents still harbor some kind of hate just because I didn't wolf out. They insisted that I should be, since the Moon Goddess' gift to our pack was that all children of the Alpha who turn five will wolf out. Unlike other packs, in which they wolfed out at age twelve. Although from time to time, I see Luna Kathrina's gaze soften. But my brain dismisses it as a look of pity. For I am still, after all, her only daughter.

Aside from being unwanted by my parents and the whole pack, I was also an omega.

Omegas are the lowest-ranking wolves, and we are usually bullied. Some of us didn't wolf out, and the others that did are simply low-borns.

No one would really like to take an omega as a chosen mate. So it is usually an omega male wolf that takes an omega she wolf.

That is why, if Mike really won't ask for my hand this time, then I'm done. This shitty expectation: who in Goddess' name made this cruel rule of ours?

The saddest bit of it, if I have any right to be sad, is that all of this will happen on my birthday. As if it lost its meaning of being a joyful occasion since every birthday of mine, something cruel always happens to me..

Like what happened on my twelfth birthday, I was kicked out of the house. It was one of our pack's laws that any wolf under twelve years old would live with their parents. Despite any circumstances, unless it is a criminal act like murder or betrayal. Khalid took advantage of this law so that I could live with him and have food to eat.

By the time my twelfth birthday came, Alpha Fredrick banished me from the house. Since the law doesn't state that I could live with them any longer. He didn't even waste a single moment. Once it was midnight, he barged into my room and dragged me outside.

The other wolves whispered and stared at me, but nobody dared to help me. My two friends' house was a bit far from us, so they didn't know until it was morning. Only Khalid stayed with me and shifted in his wolf form to warm me up in the woods.

Now I am fifteen, sleeping in an old and abandoned wolfguard's cabin by the woods. I fixed some basic necessities, like the broken door, window, table, and chair. I just gathered some leaves from the forest, and in there I slept. Alpha Fredrick won't allow anyone to give me anything. Aside from Khalid's secretly sneaking out some old pillows and a blanket. I was only twelve at the time and needed to learn how to be independent..

Back to reality, there's this general cruel rule that any she-wolf that is unmated, unwanted, or does not have a fiancé will be kicked out. Sounds awful, right? The criteria for another she-wolf is at the age of twenty-nine, but the daughter of an Alpha is at sixteen!

They have had this genius mentality in the past that an Alpha's daughter is always to be dreamed of. That is why sixteen for them is considered a long time. 

Well, maybe in the past, Alpha's daughters were like candies in a store, and dozens of kids wanted them so badly.

But yeah, not me.

A very fucked-up rule, I know. Because how in the world would a she-wolf survive in the wild? 

All by herself? 

ALONE??? 

I cannot even begin to fathom. 

So flabbergasted by the fact that I can't even stay for another thirteen more years here since I am the daughter of Alpha Fredrick. Just great.

There have been a few cases in the past in which they threw out she-wolves that were unwanted. Others died, harsh but that is nature and reality. The rest of them tried to survive by any means necessary. They tried to raid other packs and even ours out of revenge, but they have not been successful. This pack is pretty strong; I used to be proud of it, but now, not much. 

And, alas, they turn to their last hope of finding something to eat: the prohibited forest..

"You're here again?" Mike snorted, and I was knocked back into reality.

Do I have a fucking choice? I want to scream those words at him, but of course, I can't. He's the only lifeline I have right now, and I cannot afford to make him hate me even more. As it could risk being kicked out earlier than planned.

"Mike, please. Just a fake engagement will do. I promise to find a chosen pair once I reach eighteen." I begged. And hopefully, he won't catch on to my real intentions. He just scoffed.

"As if that will ever happen. Just face it already, Katie. You will be a rogue sooner or later," he smirked. Goddess how I wanted to slash that smirk from his face.

"And don't think we're stupid, Katie; even Alpha Fredrick knows about your stupid little plan of dragging out your time here." He grabbed my arm so tightly that it left a huge bruise as he whispered those words in my ear. Great, now I really am done. If Alpha Fredrick already knows, then I have to go so that no one else, especially Khalid, and the others will be caught up in this mess and punished. It pains me to leave, I really do want to stay here despite the circumstances. I balled up my fist as I remembered what transpired a decade ago. That is the last thing that I want for all of them.

Slowly making my way to the training grounds, I can already hear the bickering of my two friends.

"You are so stupid, Percy! I said you should dodge the attack! Why on earth did you do the exact opposite?" Rose puffed with her hands on her waist.

"I didn't know you were hitting me for real! It is called sparring for a reason!" Percy facepalmed and went on holding his waist too. My lips formed a smile at the sight of them. Once I'm sixteen, I won't be seeing this scene.

"Hi, you little mutts!" I enthusiastically greeted them, suppressing my hidden emotions.

"Katie! Come here!" Rose immediately grabbed my arm while Percy crunched his eyebrows.

"Why are you looking for someone to cover for your mistakes?" Percy facepalmed again, and I laughed at them.

"Could the two of you please stop?" I snickered and grabbed both of their arms.

"You are already healed, Percy! You are really such a crybaby!" Rose gasped when she saw that Percy's wounds and light bruises were already gone.

"Yeah, no thanks to you." And Percy ruffled Rose's hair.

"Gosh, just kiss already, you two!" I teased, and they blushed. Both of them like each other but are afraid to admit and confess. As a good friend, I just watch from the sidelines, but I'm secretly hoping they will confess already.

Percy and Rose stayed and sparred with me, both in their human and wolf forms. Now I can dodge them efficiently and even graze their faces or arms.

"Damn good going, Katie; the cuts you manage to stab really hurt! It seems like I won't be healing any time soon," Percy remarked, and I smiled proudly.

"That is called karma, Percy, for being such a crybaby a while ago!" Rose scoffed, and we all laughed. The three of us were having fun talking about our past, training and sparring. 

My eyes darted in the direction of the prohibited forest. Gazing through the thick trees, I hear someone quietly whisper my name. "Katie.."

"What?" I turned my head to my friends, who are still laughing about our old days. They looked at me a little confused as Rose asked, "What do you mean, what?"

"Did any of you call my name?"

"No? Well, we did mention your name dozens of times. Wait.. Haven't you been listening to our stories!?" Rose gaped and smacked my arm. I nonchalantly apologized, and she puffed her cheeks.

I was about to ask the both of them if they knew someone who was looking for a temporary mate. After all, I don't want to end up being a rogue. But the words died out on the tip of my tongue. No, they would be condemned if they helped me. Percy and Rose are already on my father's watch list, as they insist on staying by my side. Even with that small fact, they are already risking their lives.

We parted ways as they were called to the Alpha's office. Seeing my concerned face, Rose assured me that they were just assigned to a mission. She also added that they were already briefed about it last week. I heaved a sigh. My heart is always thumping at the thought that they might be severely punished for no reason.

A couple of boring days passed, but my friends are still away on their mission. Thinking that this is a great chance to find a single male omega, I make my way to the workhouse. Omegas work their asses off, and that doesn't exclude me. Crimson Pack had a couple of work houses, and I went to another place that I didn't go to for work. The reason being? I already tried to look for suitable matches at my workplace, but all of them seem to avoid me. They keep on saying that they are afraid to even get in close proximity to me. Since I had this smell or an air of danger. I just always thought that maybe it was Alpha Fredrick's scheme again.

Percy and Rose never let me out of their sights whenever I'm with them. That is why I never had the chance to explore other work houses. They worry that I might stoop so low as to beg someone to be my temporary chosen mate. Funny how I am doing that now. Twelve-year-old me would be quite baffled. On that day, I had promised myself that I would rather die than plead for my life..

As I arrived at the clothing store's workhouse, I swallowed a lump in my throat. Looking around and noticed that this place is brimming with omegas. Well, that was an obvious fact. I observed the area as I entered. My eyes rested on a group of she-wolves talking amongst themselves. It seems that they are taking a break.

Hesitating for a bit, my body was about to turn around, but then I remembered that this needed to be done. Asking for help is not a shameful act. With great determination, I stride my way to get near them. When I was a few feet away, I almost called their attention, but a male omega grabbed my wrist. With no words, he just silently dragged me outside the workhouse. The other wolves, who seemed to notice, didn't even bother to spare a glance..