A MATE'S BETRAYAL

Aftermath

Nyx

Word of Nyx’s rejection had traveled in her Pack faster than a wolf’s shift. But that was not the worst part. Her parents actions after she just had the worst day of her life, second worst day- was even more brutal.

“So that's it? Why do I feel like I am being punished? ”Nyx asked, defeated by the lack of choice in her life.

“Staying won't change things. You were supposed to be Rowan’s mate, the next Luna for crying out loud and now? You are just some regular wolf. You need to learn how to defend yourself and actually survive. Maybe you will finally awaken your wolf, if she is there at all. ”Her mother spoke as she stuffed her things in a suitcase.

“Why are you punishing me, mother? ” Nyx was on the verge of actually breaking down, she was too tired and too broken. “Why do I feel like I am being blamed?”

“See , you have always been this emotional, naive even. Perhaps this is your fault. We did everything we could. You have always been a weak wolf. I for one was looking forward to the day you would actually find your wolf, as well as your spine. ” Nyx’s mom had erupted in her face. She couldn't even breathe as her mother spoke words that flayed her barely existing heart into smithereens and when she was done, Nyx sat on her bed, staring outside the window, the dark moonless sky matching her soul. Tomorrow did not seem promising at all.

*

*

*

Morning was here, not that Nyx had a wink of sleep. Before her 5 am alarm had gone off, her father’s heavy set foot steps had woken her. She grabbed a hoodie and the suitcase that had been stuffed with her clothes and whatever her mother thought she would need wherever it was she was being dumped.

Her father took the suitcase from her and went downstairs where her mother was standing by the window, staring outside just like she had done last night. Nyx lingered by the front door a second, more wishes making themselves known , by now she should have known wishes, especially hers, didn't come true.

“Hurry, we can't be late. ”

Nyx followed her father and once in the car, it took everything she had left in her to not burst out crying, at least not in-front of her parents. Instead, she used the silent drive to replay her life over and over and see where she had made the mistake. What she had done to warrant the punishments she was getting. Looking at the still dark sky, she felt her eyelids getting heavy and she shut them for just a second to release the pressure behind her eyes.

* * *

“I wonder what color my wolf’s eyes are. Nyx asked Betsy.

“Haven’t you dreamed of her? by now you should have.” a girl in her group interjected.

“ I mean- ” she was interrupted.

“What is the first thing you will do when you find your wolf?” Betsy asked Nyx while they sat in class. “I can’t wait to go hunting, I bet it will be fun.”

“Eww all that blood? Yuck. I will speak to the moon, and the Great Mother, I have so much to ask her. I have been having dreams of all of them ending gold speckled honey eyes, so pretty. I think that will be my mate's eye color” Nyx answered, her face lighting up as she looked forward to the day her wolf would show up. She was about to tell her friend that she had been dreaming of Golden eyes but she was sure they belonged to another, perhaps her mate. Her wolf would have her eyes, like everyone else. She just hadn’t seen a wolf in her dreams.

“Uuggh! You have the most boring imagination. My sister told me we will also be getting our mates, not that’s the best part of it. I keep dreaming of two wolves running in the forest, one huge male and the other of course is my wolf. I couldn’t see the color though.” Another girl said, ignoring Nyx’s response. They would be turning 18 in a few months , some earlier and others later. There would be a gathering for other Packs and clans to join.

“I - am dying, to be a loving wife to my mate, I know the Great Mother has already chosen the perfect mate for me. "Young Nyx went on. She just wanted to know who had the golden eyes that she had been dreaming for as long as she could remember.

“Chosen mate or not, I hope my mate will be cute, like Rowan.” the girls giggled at their silly joke. Nyx laughed along and thought of Rowan, she couldn’t wrap her head around why the girls thought he hung the moon and all. There were other cuter wolves in their class, school even. But it seemed Rowan was the epitome of cute. She blamed it on their teenage crush.

“You know what wouldn’t be cute? Our wolves not showing up! I just got the shivers just thinking about it. ” another girl from their gossip and giggle circle said, the mood shifting a bit.

“That can't happen, obviously. We literally can’t not have a wolf. What would we even call the abomination? ” someone said and the group burst into another fit of giggles. Nyx didn’t.

“ I have heard of rumors that’s it's happened before… many… many crimson moons ago. ” Nyx said, thinking back to the lore she had stumbled upon in their school library. The book was barely complete. She had put back in fear when she saw perused the book and saw the word ‘hybrid.’

“There you go again with that stuff. It’s a made-up bedtime story. The worst thing that could happen on our 18th would be not meeting our mates. I can imagine having to wait another year or worse, choosing a wolf to settle with like…” Nyx drowned out her friends voices and thought back to that time when she saw the book. Excusing herself, Nyx went back to the library, she had to find the tattered book and show her friends.

" What could hybrid mean? ” She asked herself as she made her way to the library.

“Nyx…”

“Nyx. We are here.” Nyx woke up startled. The car had come to a stop and the sun was also up. She had fallen asleep. Still disoriented, she looked around and frowned when there was basically nothing but trees and a 20 foot concrete wall in front of her.

“Where are we?” she asked and cleared her throat when she heard how groggy it was from the sleep.

“You must find your wolf as soon as possible; this place will help you. ” Her father responded, not wasting time to explain anything else. She stepped out of the car and strained her senses, hoping to catch a whiff of something or someone... anything.

A door seemed to materialize from the wall and a woman walked out, some kind of smile, something in between a smirk and a grin, on her face.

“You must be Erikson…. Luna called ahead. Is this the girl?” the woman asked, the smile- whatever was on her face dropping as she looked Nyx up and down, her eyes narrowing.

“Yes.” That was all her father said in response.

“Say your goodbyes, fast. I have other things to attend to.” she said folding her slender hands on her chest.

“You will be fine… just. Do your best. That is the least you can do.” her father said and got back into the car.

“But- Dad, what is this- ”

“Come on now, we have a wolf to awaken.” The woman said, grabbing Nyx’s elbow in a death- grip.