6.

I could feel my wolf shift and stretch within me like a lazy cat, slowly adjusting to being back at the forefront of my mind and soul, her essence flawlessly merging back with mine. I could already feel her mystical energy thrumming within me, giving me strength and sharpening my senses exactly like they used to be. I was so freaking happy I could kiss my Care-bear.
She did it! She managed to get her out! I still couldn't understand what kind of magic she possessed or what she did exactly but in that specific moment, I couldn't care less. She was back! I could finally feel her again inside me!

"Luna, are you okay?" I heard Zara softly ask as we continued to stare at each other, Carrie and I, still so affected by what just happened.

"You were screaming so hard, we thought you were in pain,"

"I was," She absently told Zara, not taking her gaze away from mine.

"You're not human either, are you?" I quietly said after a moment, offering her a knowing smile.

Her unique scent still lingered in my nostrils, reminiscing the beautiful sight of her colorful and magical aura.
There was no way that she was a human. No human can ever possess such power. She was a very special kind of creature. I could feel it in my bones. In my very soul.

"It's...complicated," She rather shyly uttered in reply, attempting a small and uneasy smile.

I only nodded in response, choosing not to pester her any more on that subject. It was her choice after all if she wanted to tell me or not.

"That wolf though...He kinda looked like Nathan's wolf," She uttered with staggering realization, making my eyes widen with sheer astonishment.

What?

Oh my Goddess! It all made sense now!

Damn I am so stupid. I mean, how the hell could I not figure that one out since he was the only Alpha pup who's ever crossed our town?

"He helped me shift," I quietly said after a moment, looking between her curious eyes.

"I was a kind of a wild child, I always used to run away in the forest to play by myself because I enjoyed the solitude," I lightly smiled to myself, recalling those sweet memories with fondness.

"I liked playing alone, being by myself,"

"I was only nine when it happened," I started to explain, meeting her gaze again.
"I'd ran off to play in the clearing by myself when I noticed that I'd started to feel kinda weird,"

"I didn't put much thought into it though as I was still just a clueless kid and minded my own business, wandering through the woods like always,"

"Until the pain started," I mildly shuddered upon recalling the memory, feeling the ghost of that excruciating pain, shattering and rearranging my bones, stretching out my tendons and muscles.

"I was screaming so loud my throat hurt,"

"And I was feeling so scared,"

Never in my life had I ever felt so scared.

"I knew what was happening because my parents had warned me about it. What it would be like, the first time I'd ever shift. But that didn't stop me from feeling so scared, knowing that I was going to do it alone and with no one around to help me get through it," My voice trembled, feeling few tears trailing over my cheeks as those moments replayed before my mind's eye again.

"But then he appeared, the black wolf," I said after thickly swallowing that painful lump in my throat, wiping away those tears as I refocused my gaze on her again.

"I knew that he was still a pup too. I could smell him. But he was so big, almost the size of my parents' wolves,"

"And even though she was merely a newborn, my wolf could already sense that he had Alpha blood in him. He reeked of other members from his pack.

I knew that I should've tried to run away...My parents have warned me for so many times to steer clear from pack wolves. They told me that they could easily hurt us, seeing as us lone wolves, we're usually much smaller and weaker than a normal wolf from any pack.

But I was in so much pain that I didn't even have the energy to fear him anymore,"

"So I let him do whatever he was about to. I was already hurting enough on my own to even care if he hurt me some more. But he laid himself down instead and curled his larger body around my much smaller one in a protective way, comforting me in any way he could as I endured hours of pain and agony. He cared for me as if I was a member of his family, one of his own,"

"And when the time finally came and my transformation was complete, he guided me to my first few steps as a wolf. He waited for me to gain strength and then we ran together, wild and free," I couldn't stop that light smile that formed over my lips as I recalled all that.

"We played together and sang to the moon like two normal pups, simply enjoying each other's company until I finally realized that I'd lost track of time and my parents would no doubt worry for my whereabouts,"

"Imagine their outrage when they saw me coming back home late in the night, all naked and dirty and reeking of a pack pup. And with Alpha scent nonetheless," I snorted with amusement at that memory, reminiscing my parents' shocked faces. They did punish me right after but I couldn't have cared less. It was totally worth it.

I heard the warriors giggle from our sides, feeling my wolf wiggle with impatience and giddiness as they tentatively prodded at each other.

"I felt so grateful for his help though...I still do. I told myself that I will never forget him. His nurturing nature and heart-warming gentleness. He was still a kid too yet he already had so much kindness in his heart,"

"Wow...Who knew that our Alpha is capable of such noble acts..." I heard Brie say from behind my back, making me smile again as I continued to look at Carrie.

"I didn't even know that it was your Alpha who did it until mere moments ago,"

Well, who could blame me though? It's not like I could scent him to find out. Up until now.

"Thank you," I gently placed my hand over her arm, noticing her confused stare.

"Thank you for making me remember that,"

**

"Don't worry, little wolf. No one's gonna hurt you,"

"We promise,"

I dumbly stared between the two warriors as they flanked my sides, throwing them a curious gaze as we exited the tree-line. We were heading back to the school since our lunch time was already over after having spent a little too much time letting our wolves scent and greet each other, now having to hurry back to our classes.
Carrie was already several steps ahead of us, apparently set on getting to her mate as fast as possible as she stomped her way straight to that table where both the Alpha and the Beta were still waiting for us.

Why? I had no freaking idea.

"We can feel her fear. Your fear,"

I almost cringed in response, realizing that they could sense how I felt, now that our wolves had established a small connexion by making acquaintances with each other. It was very small but it was there nonetheless.

"Are you still scared of the males?"

My gaze widened a little, surprised at the accuracy of Zara's guess.
Wow. Could they really feel me that strongly already?

"Don't worry, we'll keep them away from you," Brie vowed with conviction.

"We can take that big bully of a Beta down if he tries anything. We've seen the way he looks at you but you don't have to be afraid of him. We don't care how big he is. He will not touch you,"

Wait what? The way he looks at me? How was he looking at me?

Expressing a mild frown at first, I lightly shook my head and let out a small and amused giggle, about to tell them that they were being silly and that there was no way in hell that he could be possibly looking at me in any sort of way when fast movement in my peripheral vision suddenly drew my attention, my gaze shifting to see what was going on whilst my legs carried me closer.

I let out a gasp, my heart jumping with fright as I watched that very same Beta the girls were talking about now standing so close to Carrie, a wild look taking over his handsome features as he took her wrist and started scenting her hand.

"Why do you smell like this?"

I could also hear them, loud and clear even without the help of my wolf as we were close enough now, noticing that slight tremble in Carrie's tone as she curiously asked back,
"Like...what?"

The Alpha had also risen from his spot, his wolf threatening to come out as he watched the odd interaction, visibly irritated.

"You...smell like..." The Beta trailed off after another sniff, weirdly staring down at Carrie and apparently completely oblivious to his Alpha's menacing aura.

"Take. your hands. off of her. Now," The Alpha thundered with rage from right next to him, seemingly about to freaking attack him when David's attention abruptly shifted somewhere past her, his features contorting with pure shock and disbelief as soon as his blackened gaze met...mine.

"My...mate..."

I stopped breathing for a few moments, my brain vehemently refusing to register what was currently happening as I stared back at him, his widened gaze still holding mine as he absently let go of Carrie's hand, making her take a few staggering steps back and turn to look at me too.

"N-no..." That word finally tumbled its way past my lips, my gaze slightly blurring as it rapidly filled with hot and unforgiving tears.

"No no no no no," My body and mind started to react at last, allowing me to take those shuddering breaths whilst those tears started falling down, one after the other. My wolf had yet to react, her spirit so shaken that she didn't even try to scent him, let alone come out and have a better look at him.

However, she yelped with fright at the same time as I did as we noticed his intention to come closer and try to touch us, my body immediately reacting as I grabbed Carrie's arm and pulled her in front of me, using her as a shield as we were very much aware that he wouldn't dare touch the Alpha's mate for a second time after angering him in the first place.

"No!"

"Please don't touch me!" I fearfully squeaked out, my lower lip trembling and my breath coming out in short and wheezing puffs as those tears were coming down relentlessly.

*No...This can't be happening...I refuse to believe it...It's not real...*

Oh but it was. Very much so. It was as real as it can be. One quick peek from behind Carrie's shoulder and I could clearly see how real it was. Earth-shattering and devastatingly so.

Fuck.

"No, j-just stay away from me," I shakily whimpered, lightly shaking my head from the utter disbelief as I rested my forehead against my best friend's shoulder-blade and held her by the waist, my small cries soon turning into full-blown and heart-wrenching wails.

Why Goddess? How could you be so cruel with my poor soul? What did I ever do to deserve such thing? Where did I go wrong?

My wolf whined with despair and dejection within me, mourning our destroyed fate and future as we cried and cried, to no avail.
I could feel Carrie's hand over mine, giving me the tiniest sense of comfort as she gave it a mild squeeze.

"Jess...please. It's me. I'm not gonna hurt you,"

I almost screamed out loud with desperation at the sound of his soft and disgustingly alluring voice, scaring the crap out of me as I couldn't believe how powerful our bond already was.
We'd just found each other! He'd barely even talked to me and yet here I was, melting at the mere sound of his voice.

*No...Goddess...Almighty Goddess...*

I needed to get out of here. I needed to put as much distance as possible between us. I couldn't be in his close proximity. Our connexion was already starting to form, even after only one look. I was scared to find out how it could possibly develop after even slightly more than that.

*I need to get away from him. But first...*

Taking in a shaky and encouraging inhale, I went around Carrie's body, consciously situating myself as far as possible away from him as I stepped right in front of the future Alpha, raising my gaze to meet his as I desperately begged,
"Please...Don't make me do this. I'm begging you. I don't want to leave my family,"

I really didn't want to. I knew that he could just force me to do it to appease his Beta and ease his struggle, seeing as he was the future king and he had to care for the wellbeing of each and every member of his pack but I had to try at least. I had to try to appeal to his kindness and sense of justice. He couldn't do this to me. Maybe I was small and unimportant, a lowly little helpless wolf that didn't even deserve his attention, compared to that strong bond he shared with each and every individual in his pack -especially his Beta- but I couldn't let them do this to me. I refused to let myself shackled without even trying to save myself.

"I'm not going to,"

I blinked a few times with utter surprise, not even sure if I heard him right or not as I continued to stare up at him.
"The choice is yours to make. I'm not gonna force you to do anything you don't want to. He's your mate. And you are free to choose whether you wish to be with him or not,"

I almost forgot how to breathe, shakily exhaling as I watched him for another moment before my stupid and traitorous gaze shifted in David's direction, unnecessarily hurting myself upon noticing that tormented look on his handsome face.

*No, I can't do this anymore.*

I choked down another desperate sob, hating myself for even looking at him a second time before I lastly broke into a mad dash, running as fast as possible away from there.