Riley
“It’s time for school, Riley!” Dani, the woman who has raised me and I view as my mother calls out to me.
I huff as I force myself to get out of bed. I look in the mirror, my dark brown hair looks like a bird’s nest and I grimace at the thought of trying to brush it out. I grab a brush and some detangling spray and get to work when I hear my door open. I glance up and see one of Dani’s sons, Harry, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. He says, “Mom says you have to drive me to school.”
I roll my eyes, Harry is the one that’s closest to my age. He’s only a year younger than me and some days we get along like best friends and other days we are at each other’s throats. I close my bathroom door as I quickly throw on a bra and a t-shirt, the leggings I’m wearing should be just fine. As I walk back out, I say, “That’s fine, but you might have to drive yourself home.”
“Why? You want to hang out with Zane?” He asks me teasingly.
I can't help the small smile that appears on my face at the thought of my boyfriend. We've been together for two years now and being around him just makes me feel happy. I push against Harry's arm as we walk downstairs and respond, “Well, he is my boyfriend.”
Once I get to the kitchen, I grab a protein bar and give my mom a quick hug and ask, “Is it cool if I hang out with Zane later?”
She looks at me disapprovingly, she doesn’t think I should be dating Zane. As werewolves, we all have a mate waiting out there for us and due to me being royalty there’s a silent expectation that I should remain “pure” for my mate.
Besides, my relationship with Zane is based on a lie. He thinks I’m a human. Everyone outside of this house, aside from my biological parents, believes that I am a human. My biological parents used some potion that they got from a trusted witch to hide my scent and aura. No one will know who I truly am until I turn 18 and at that point, it will be time for me to return to the Royal Pack so that I can go through whatever training I need so I can become the Luna Queen.
My mom is angry with me for leading Zane on, but to be honest, he’s leading me on too. He’s a werewolf and from what I’ve been told he’s the next Alpha of a nearby pack. So, he knows that this relationship won’t last unless we are actually each other’s mates and the likelihood of that happening is slim.
My mom sighs, “If that’s what you want, Riley.”
I nod as I grab a bottle of water and the car keys, and I head out the door with Harry right on my heels.
We get in the car, and he asks as I put the keys in the ignition, “Do you think you and Zane are mates?”
I huff, I hate having the mate talk with anyone but especially these boys that are like my brothers. I hope they’ll have girls that are better than me… girls that waited for them.
I know I could be better, but I have a whole world of responsibilities waiting on me that I want to be carefree while I still can. I mutter, “I don’t know.”
Harry picks up on my attitude and nods to himself while I start the ten-minute drive to school. I’m so grateful that today is the last day before summer break, I cannot wait to enjoy my last carefree summer. By this time next year, I’ll be turning 18 and forced to come out of hiding so that I can take my place as Luna Queen.
A part of me is excited to get my wolf and be reunited with my biological parents, but a part of me is dreading it. I will be in danger just because of 'who' I am. The only Gemstone Wolf that can continue the royal lineage.
The only Purple Sapphire Wolf to exist- which makes people fear me.
As soon as we get to school, Harry and I go our separate ways. I look around for Zane and when I’m unable to find him I search for his twin sister Breanne. I smile when I see her, we were friends before I got with her brother, and I’ve always been grateful to have her by my side.
I ask, “Hey, do you know where Zane is?”
She huffs as she shakes her head at me playfully and says, “Always ditching me for my brother.”
Before I can respond an arm snakes around my waist and I get pulled against a hard chest and I smile looking up at my boyfriend. I notice his and Breanne’s eyes glaze over and I know that they’re mind linking each other.
I find it odd, they’re normally really careful not to do that in front of me, but today they didn’t bother to hide it. Zane says, “I need to talk with you, Riley.”
My eyebrows furrow in confusion, normally he calls me Ri or some cutesy nickname… what’s with the formality?
He grabs my hand and I wave goodbye to Breanne as Zane whisks me away. What has gotten into him?
He brings me into a janitor’s closet, and I look at him in confusion as I ask, “What’s going on?”
He presses his lips together and I reach my hand out to brush away some of his jet-black hair from his forehead. But he grabs my hand and places it back down against my side. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, and I ask in a firmer tone, “Zane? What’s going on?”
His ice-blue eyes meet mine and he says with his voice cracking, “I’m sorry, Riley. I can’t do this anymore.”
I tilt my head to the side as I try to figure out what he’s talking about. I ask, “Can’t do what?”
He breathes out slowly before spitting out the words that shook me to my core, “I, Zane Phillips, reject you, Riley Ford.”
The bond that I wasn’t old enough to notice yet snaps between us bringing tears to my eyes and causing so much pain that I fall to my knees.
Zane slips out of the closet, leaving me alone as he mumbles, “I’m sorry, Ri.”
I sit in shock. Zane was my mate. And… he rejected me. Why?
Mates are a gift from the moon goddess. We were blessed and lucky for her to match us together after us dating for the past few years.
Then I remember… he thinks I’m human. I was never supposed to be more than a fun pass time for him. I wipe the tears from my eyes as I force myself to get up from the floor.
He doesn’t want me as a human, fine. He doesn’t deserve the title that I bring, he doesn’t deserve the great life we could’ve had.
I run out to the car to drive home. I can be strong tomorrow, but for now, I’ll let myself hurt. I didn’t expect this to hurt so bad.
I didn't expect to get rejected. I'm the future Luna Queen, why wouldn't someone want me?