Winter's Mate

Chapter 3

Winter 

    “He doesn’t want us....” my wolf whimpers. 

    I feel as if my heart is being ripped out of my chest. I can’t believe this is happening.  My true mate has rejected me. What do I do now? Though I was born into this pack, I now feel like I do not belong here, even more than I did before. I need to run away. No one will understand me being rejected. I can’t tell anyone about this, not even my best friends. He threatened to make me disappear. I need time to process all of this. 

    “What now?” my wolf asks.  

    “We need to go back to school and act like nothing has happened until I can figure out a plan.” 

    I wipe away the tears and head back towards the school. I’ve already missed my first class. As I come out of the woods, I see Kendra and Val running towards me, worried looks on their faces. 

    “Winter! Are you ok?? We were worried about you!” Val exclaimed.  

    Her arms were immediately wrapped around me in a tight hug. By now I am used to this from her. But what I did not expect was Kendra wrapping her arms around me too. 

    “Girl, we were worried about you. Cherry was especially hard on you today.” Kendra spoke gently. 

    “I’ll be ok. Let’s just get to next class.” I said, trying my hardest to keep it all together. 

    We headed into the school. The halls were filled with students. Cherry and Daniel were standing there with all their friends. Their eyes then spot me, they got this evil smirk on their faces. I knew then that I didn’t need to run. I just needed to prove to them that I am strong. I am not going to let them break me. I coldly glare back at them, letting them know that I am no longer afraid of them. Soon to be Alpha or not, Daniel would not intimidate me into his bidding. I continue to walk towards class. 

Aeric 

    I arise in the late morning, but my room is still dark.  I linger in bed, not wanting to be here at all. Finally, I get up and walk over to the closet to get dressed. I throw on some nice jeans, though I hate wearing so many clothes, and a plain tank. I amble down the massive staircase and make my way to the kitchen where my sister is sitting with Herrick. 

    “Morning brother! Want some breakfast?” Astrid cheerfully chimes. 

    “Sure.” I grumble as I take my seat at the head of the table. 

    Before I could say anything, our cook Kayleigh, places a cup of fresh hot coffee and a plate of bacon, french toast and eggs in front of me. It smells delicious! I take a bite and almost instantly my member starts to harden. I adjust myself slightly and look up to see both Astrid and Herrick giving me a weird look. 

    “Having troubles Sir?” Herrick asks with amusement in his tone. 

    “Erm.... Not in the slightest.”  

    “So, what are the plans for today? Remember, we are not here on vacay but to work.” Astrid speaks up. 

    “First off, vacay? What the hell does that mean? Second, I'm not quite sure yet.”  

    “Yea! Vacay.... It’s what the younger crowd say for vacation. And how do you not have a plan, bro?” 

    “Astrid, can you just speak normal? We are not like all these prosaic beings.” 

    “God, you are so dull. What’s wrong with at least trying to fit in while we are here?” 

    “Because we will not be here very long.” I say gruffly, starting to get annoyed with her.  “Herrick, have you done any research on this place or the packs around here?” I ask my bodyguard, trying to change the subject to the matter at hand. 

    “A little bit on the plane ride here. This is usually a noticeably quiet area except for the last few months. Numerous packs around here have become quite hostile towards each other.” 

    “ How many packs are in the area?” 

    “At least six, Sir.” he says matter-of-factly. 

    “Ok.... And what are their complaints?” 

    “Oh! I can answer that one brother.” Astrid chimes in. She opens the 3-ring binder sitting next to her on the table. 

    “Where should I start?”  

Winter 

    After school, the girls and I head to the park to study for a test we have coming up. Just as we get there, Val gets a call from her mom saying she needs to hurry up and get home. So now it is just Kendra and I. We get out our books and we start studying. Out of nowhere I blurt out to her; 

    “I know who my mate is.” 

    “ What?!?!? Who?!?” she asks with a shock expression on her face. 

    “Why didn’t you say something sooner?” 

    “Because I couldn’t. He rejected me and threatened to make me disappear for good if I told anybody.” I said with sadness. I can hear my wolf whimpering as I speak. A wild look comes to her eyes. 

    “Who is he?” she asks with a fierceness I have never heard come from her voice. In that moment, I knew that was her wolf speaking. She was pissed. 

    “You have to promise me you won’t say anything to ANYONE....” 

    “I won’t.” the words come out with a reluctance to them. 

    “Kendra, I am serious. You cannot utter this to a soul, including to Valyrie.” 

    “You have my word.” she growls. 

    “Alpha Daniel.” I whisper so only she could hear me. 

    “Are you f***ing kidding?!?!? Your to be our next Luna? Winter, this is huge! You need to tell someone.” amazement and shock saturates her tone of voice. 

    “No. I am not kidding. And NO, I am not telling anyone. I have a plan, but I need your help.” 

    “God, you are so stubborn. What is your plan and what can I do?” 

    “I am planning on becoming stronger and better than what I am. I want to learn how to fight so I can defend myself. I am going to prove EVERYONE wrong. I am going to show everybody that I'm not some pathetic little orphan.” 

    “You got that right. So, what can I do to help?” 

    “I need to find the best fighter that is willing to train me. And I need your help with that.” 

    “I got you girl. Let me do some checking around.”  

    “Thanks.” I sigh with relief as I know that Kendra has my back. 

Daniel 

    I am mated to the pack orphan. How can this be?? Mother Moon has a twisted sense of humor. Why would she do this? The look that Winter gave Cherry and I earlier, it means something. Of what? I’m not sure. I just know that the look she gave has caused me and my wolf to be unsettled. I need to go for a run. I need to think. I start to get up but I feel a hand on my arm. 

    “Babe, where are you going?” Cherry says in her sing-song tone. I know that tone, it means she is agitated.  

    “For a run. By myself.” I growl, making it known that I am not in the mood to be messed with. 

    “What’s wrong my Alpha?” she asks, knowing I weaken when I hear her call me that. I cannot let that get to me now. I need to get away immediately. 

    “Nothing, I just need to be alone for a while. Now leave me alone.” I snap at her.  

    I take off to the forest. As I get to the inside edge of the forest, I strip down to my boxers and I take off running, shifting as I start to take longer strides. I am free! I run for hours, pondering what that puny orphan is up to. If she knows what is good for her, she will not breathe this to a single soul. 

    “We need to figure out what she is planning.” my wolf snarls. He is right, but how?