Hello my beautiful readers! This story is meant to be a companion to "True Nature" but it can be read independently. Enjoy!
warning: don't like, don't read :)
xx
Willow's Pov:
Today was the worst day of my entire life... but it wasn't supposed to be.
Today had been a day that I'd actually been looking forward to, for all of my formative years, but that was before "the incident" happened. It was mating day for all the omega's in Shadow Pack and for many of my younger years, I'd fancied myself in love with the alpha I had always been promised to. I knew my whole life that I was going to be mated with Maxwell Barron and that he was being raised to be the King Alpha of Shadow Pack.
Though he was five years my senior and the mating was pre-arranged, I'd always been secretly pleased with the agreement. I loved the idea of having some sort of power and control in my life, which naturally came with the position of being the pack's Luna. Especially when I had very little control over my current life, as I was raised to be a "Luna in training". It wasn't as much fun as it had sounded when I was young. Basically, from the time I hit puberty, until today, my parents had given me a chastity device that I had to wear at all times. My father kept the key, telling me he would give it to my mate on our mating day. The purpose of the cage was to keep me pure and untouched, even from my own hand, and therein lie my first, biggest challenge.
I'd spent my teen years incredibly repressed. I could remember spending weeks at a time where I was frustrated and angry and touchy for no reason but I couldn't do anything about it. I didn't even know what I would do if I could. I just knew that I wanted to touch myself. I didn't know what would happen if I did, I just knew that I had an overwhelming need to. I brought this up to my parents and they simply told me that I needed to learn to "control my feelings" and that it was "the safest thing for an omega to do". I was confused by that when they're first said it but after a series of events, I came to agree and became incredibly skilled at concealing my scent, my feelings, my pheromones, everything. I was the master of myself and no one else would get the satisfaction of reading me. I wasn't helpless!
I shook my head at the anger my wolf was emitting and took several deep breaths, focusing on adjusting my pants over the chastity device so that it wouldn't be noticeable when I was on stage, in front of the rest of the pack. It was bad enough that everyone in high school had known about it, I didn't need people mentioning it when I was about to become Luna. I had to look perfect. As I began to button my shirt, I lost myself to the better days, when I really had wanted my mate to be Max.
I'd always loved the idea of being paired with the strongest and best fighter that our pack had ever seen, particularly because I happened to be the smallest adult member of our pack, currently. Of course, standing at 6'9" in human form, you could bet that his silver haired wolf was ginormous. A true threat to any that opposed him, despite him being only twenty-three years old. It had also helped that Maxwell was exceedingly handsome. He had a golden tan to his skin and lovely dark hair which he wore as short as possible now but I could still remember when it hung in gorgeous waves down his back. I'd always wanted to run my fingers through it but I never got the chance. He also had the most incredible grey eyes that I had ever seen, with speckles of bright blue sprinkled in them, framed by dark lashes. When he smiled, it lit up the room and when he laughed hard enough, you could easily see dimples in his cheeks.
Meanwhile, my own eyes were fully blue with thin lines of yellow around my pupils so that it almost appeared as if I had a sunflower in my iris surrounded by a clear blue sky. My hair use to be long as well. It hadn't curled like Max's but it had been a long and glossy chestnut brown. It had been my favorite feature, that is, until all the older boys, and subsequently the entire school, had started calling me the "Ice Princess." My cage contributed to that name too but I couldn't do anything about that. I could, however, cut my hair. I cried myself to sleep the first night after I'd cut it but only that first night. After that, I sent my sadness to die, like every other emotion I had.
Still, despite the fact that my hair was now only shoulder length and constantly in a sleek ponytail, I still looked exceptionally beautiful in comparison to my peers. My pale skin was perfect, my teeth were perfect, I was short but not too short, standing at a proud 5' 2" and my swimmers build matched my height perfectly. I was also better dressed than anyone in the entire pack and while I didn't allow myself to wear anything feminine, I always dressed in the height of male fashion, according to all the magazines that I adored. Basically, I looked like the envy of all the omega's I'd ever seen and I both knew and owned it. This attitude had cost me "friends" but I didn't care about having them. Nobody in this entire pack deserved friendship from me.
I straightened my grey tie that my mother had forced on me. The one that would "bring out Alpha Maxwell's eyes" and gagged slightly as I tightened the noose around my neck. I could still taste the bitterness of my love for him, which had soured even more, over time, and it still stung to remember that I had once loved him more than anyone, without us ever having spoke. Ironically, it was speaking to my handsome fairytale that had shattered my cotton candy daydreams of him.
I blinked back unexpected tears as my wolf replayed that fateful day in my head, anxious over what would happen once we were mated to him. I was young back then, young and stupid. I had thought that since we were meant to be together, that Max would love me as much as I loved him but the truth was: he never had and he probably never would.
It had been a very long week for me. I was just adjusting to high school and I was trying my hardest to fit in, despite not having very many classes with my peers. I'd gone to "The Fire Pit" which was basically a hangout for everyone that had, at least, presented but was geared more towards those that had already graduated. I could get in but I couldn't actually participate in much, because of my age, but it didn't actually matter. As much as I'd told myself I was hanging out there to fit in, when I'd rather be home, I was mostly just hoping to run into my intended mate. I knew I wasn't suppose to speak to him, as I was too young for him to scent me properly, but I still wanted to be near him. I'd built him up into this incredible fantasy in my head and I couldn't help myself when I was finally given the opportunity for a casual run in.
I could still remember the moment I spotted him. I'd instantly become aware of his scent, which I'd memorized several years ago, and the sight of Alpha took my breath away. He'd been dressed in black, skin tight, leather pants and a matching leather jacket, with no shirt beneath. It was then that I first noticed the dark chest hair that was sprinkled across his body and I could recall my desire to run my fingers through it. My Alpha walked in as if he owned the establishment and I felt a sense of pride over how he carried himself. I couldn't wait to introduce myself but I wanted to make the moment perfect and I waited for Max to sit while I rehearsed what to say in my mind.
I slowly got up from the table and boldly made my way over to were Max and all his friends were sitting, right as two gorgeous, female beta's slid themselves into the booth, on either side of the alpha. Instantly, Max put his arms around their shoulders and one of them began to kiss his neck. At the same time, a slight, male omega made eye contact with Max and he nodded slightly, before turning to kiss the opposite beta. The omega quickly made his way under the table and, moments later, a blissed out expression crossed Maxwell's face.
I didn't understand what that look meant but I hated it.
The whole scene cut deep into my lovesick little heart and I felt betrayed. I didn't know anything about sex or making pups but I did know that my mother only ever kissed my father. I knew kissing was special. It was for mates... and my future mate was kissing two women at once. And that third omega!! I didn't know what he was doing but it had changed the alpha's scent and the change overwhelmed me with jealousy. He was suppose to be mine! My mate! My King and I was his Luna, his queen! My young heart couldn't understand why the alpha would kiss anyone... anyone but me!
"What the fuck are you doing?!" I heard myself scream at the table full of alpha's and beta's.
A few of them chuckled but Max didn't even notice me.
"Hello!!! Maxwell Barron! I'm speaking to you!" I demanded, beyond furious at being ignored.
"Who the fuck are you?" He'd chuckled, pushing the beta's off of him for a moment to acknowledge me.
"He's just some kid," one of his friend's laughed.
"I don't know what the hell you think is so funny but that doesn't change anything!" I growled, flushing with embarrassment and hating how the club had gone silent, feeling many eyes on me.
"What doesn't it change?" Max asked with a smirk on his face.
"This," I gestured to the girls. "You... you're kissing them!" I complained, near in tears over how much the scene had upset me.
"Look, kid. I don't know who you are and I don't care. I can kiss whomever the fuck I want." He told me with a disinterested look on his face.
"But what about your mate-" I started.
"I don't know who my mate is. For all I know, they're not even grown yet. I'm not waiting around for my future cock warmer when I can have all the fun I want now." He laughed. "Plenty of time to worry about the ball and chain later."
