Forbidden

Chapter One

Brrrring brrrrrring!! “Ugh” I exhale as I clumsily push my phone off of the nightstand. Today would be my first day at Lunaria College and I was less than ecstatic about it. I dreaded this day as it meant I would soon be joining a pack and I simply wasn’t warmed up to the idea just yet.

Oh, yes, you need an explanation. Why would a human girl join a pack. Well you see I’m what is referred to as a “Purebred” and not exactly the canine type. You’ve probably heard about Werewolves and likely most of what you’ve heard isn’t exactly the full truth. Werewolves are created by Purebreds usually threw an intentional bite. So we have to want you to change when your bitten. Otherwise, well you’re just the unfortunate victim. Purebreds, however, are born as they are. We have different abilities, rules, and well honestly a lot of differences from our human turned friends.

For starters Purebreds experience their first turn at only 4 months old. This keeps our kind from being adopted by unsuspecting humans. I mean imagine bathing your baby and suddenly she has sprouted fur, fangs, and claws while chewing on her bath time rubber ducky. You started with a child and ended up with a puppy and that’s likely wouldn’t go over well. We also remember that turn and sometimes would get stuck in our new form for days as it took awhile to learn how to change back. That and we were much stronger in our changed form so could move about as a feisty puppy rather than be stuck in place as a baby who still needed to learn and build strength. It didn’t make sense to us that we could do more in our turned form, but it definitely was a lot more fun.

Oops, I almost forgot! My parents aren’t my actual biological parents so the whole changing early thing wasn’t really fool proof. My adoptive parents are humans living in the wolf protected and co existing county of Wintersville. It seems bogus to me when I think about it, but there are rural counties around the globe where Purebreds, Werewolves, humans, and even hunters all co exist together and some of those humans are crazy enough to blend their families with our kind. I guess love truly can conquer all for some.

Anyhow, these counties also have colleges specifically for Purebreds and Werewolves where we learn about our history, abilities, rules, as well as how to co exist with humans and well, how to not murder them or hunt them for fun. Apparently that used to be a whole big thing, but we’re learning and adapting.

I peak in my mirror admiring my efforts, or rather lack thereof, before heading down to breakfast. “Well you look rather beautiful this morning” my Mom smiles at me. She’s beaming with excitement and it takes everything in me to not be the one who crushes it. “Thankyou I’ve hardly tried at all, but I’ll accept the compliment.” She smiles even bigger and I sit down and begin making my plate as she spills on with her words of encouragement for my first day. I love this woman, I really do, but sometimes I just wish she could be a little less overwhelming. It was who she was though. She was always happy, loving, and overly enthusiastic about life in general and she was super gushy about me finally meeting my mate. I avoided interacting with my kind for a long time, but today would change that. Dad was just as loving and doting as mom, but in a more mellow way and I much preferred his methods. “Oh my love, we must be on our way or we’ll be late. Persey is a fine young lady and we both know she doesn’t need us overfilling her cup on her first day.” He winks at me before whisking Mom out of the room to get my siblings to school. I envied them for the simplicity that they were gifted. They may share the world with my kind knowingly, but they had so much more than they knew. I finished up with breakfast before heading off for my first day. I had never really mingled with many of the other Purebreds before so today was definitely going to be an adventure.

Alpha, Beta, Omega

I pulled into one of the only vacant spots left in the lot and sat in my car taking in the scene before me. I could easily tell who was a Purebred and who was a Werewolf and it seemed as though everyone had grouped themselves into small packs. Some were even sporting their fur coats. It was nice to see that we could freely be ourselves. I got out and began making my way through the crowd. “Persephone!” I hear my name being yelled and turn clashing with an unsuspecting student. “Im so sorry!” I blurt out blushing from embarrassment as a tall handsome figure stares back at me. His dark eyes flicker an aquamarine crescent moon as he grins and moves past me. I’m left stunned as Trista throws her arms around me. “He’s so dreamy isn’t he?!””Who?” I question as she points to the guy I had accidentally bumped into. I gather myself as I remember where I am. “What does your schedule look like?” I ask her, hoping to change the subject and also that we might have something in common. She hands me her class sheet and, as I expected, the only thing in common is our break periods.

Remember when I said we had different abilities, rules, and well a bunch of other things? Apparently my classes were geared more towards Purebreds and Trista was a Werewolf, turned by none other than Alpha Alexander. Her parents were ecstatic to hear their daughter had been chosen to join his pack and so Trista would be learning about Alexander’s pack rules and all about her newfound abilities and the dangers of them.

Werewolves couldn’t heal as well as Purebreds and they didn’t have chosen mates. Since they were human and tied to our form by the moon they had more freedoms than we did. Our mates were destined for us and we would know them when we saw them as only our mates could see the color of the crescent moon beaming within our eyes, whatever that meant. It’s supposed to be the brightest of any color we’ve ever seen. It was our birth mark and each of us had them. To one who wasn’t your mate they blended with your eye very well and weren’t very distinguishable. The female werewolves tended to feel jealousy that we were marked and they were not, but I hated the thought that my mate was picked out for me. I wasn’t into fairytales and the reality was that just because you were mates didn’t mean it was perfect. You still had to make an effort just as any other couple. Werewolves could choose their mates and they marked them with a bite as well as their scent. The bite would link them together and the scent was so that everyone else knew. Werewolf stink lasts a long time for us though so the rubbing of their scent really wasn’t needed in my opinion.

I hand Trista her schedule back as the bell rings and we part ways towards our first class of the day. I’m dreading not knowing anyone and the thought of class introductions has my stomach in knots. I was not a public person. I get to my first class and “KNOW YOUR PLACE” is written in capital letters across the board with a dark looking man standing in front of it. He seems inpatient for us to get started so I shuffle to the back and take a seat. “Hello Class, I’m Alpha Majorian but you may call me Alpha Major. Today we are going to assign your pack statuses. If you look down at your desk you’ll see that it is assigned to the seat you’ve chosen. This may of course change as we venture through your courses throughout this year, but this is the starting point that you have chosen for yourselves.” He grins as we all look down taking in the labels now appointed to us. “Omega”, I cringe reading mine. I should have expected that being as I chose a desk as near the back as possible. Alphas we’re likely up front which made sense considering they were the front face of the pack. I didn’t want Alpha status, but I much preferred at least Beta. Beta’s had it great being the middle classification. They didn’t have to make important decisions and they didn’t have to do all of the dirty work either. They kind of just kept the pack functioning while Alphas made orders and Omegas footed a lot of the stuff no one else wanted to.

“Well hello again, Omega.” I look up to see Mr. Gorgeous from earlier smiling down at me. I’m once again captivated by the aquamarine flickering in his eyes. If it weren’t such a dull flicker I’d have assumed it was a mate mark. “I’m Emerson, Alpha Emerson, named so by this classroom and accepted as so by my pack.” He laughs playfully bringing me back Earthside. “Persephone. Omega, named so by myself for not paying attention to where I chose to take a seat.” “You’re rather funny Persephone, I’m sure you’ll find your way out of this mistaken classification.” He flashes another smile before exiting the classroom with, I’m assuming his pack mates closely behind him.

My next two classes were less concerning. I already knew a lot about my abilities as my parents sought out extra schooling while I was growing to help me feel more prepared and in tune with my wolf. It was important to them that I had similar advantages as those raised by their birth parents and didn’t feel as though they held me back. Truthfully, I felt like I was the lucky one. Purebred parents held a lot of focus on pack status and achieving it while human parents focused on other things such as loving you overwhelmingly in Mom’s case and preparing you to be independent in Dad’s case. Chores weren’t my favourite, but I was grateful that I understood the purpose of doing them. I knew we could heal quickly, we could change whenever we wanted, and we were always in control. We were one with our wolves unlike Werewolves. We could control Werewolves though which I wasn’t aware of. It made sense though as the Sheriff in every co existing town was an Alpha Purebred. I figured it was because Purebreds are tough so the Sheriff needed to be someone capable of taking them in if needed, but thanks to my previous class I learned that it’s because we can intercept a murder spree and actually will the wolf off. Werewolves couldn’t control their actions when shifted so it made sense we’d want to prevent such incidents so as to not punish the human within. It also explained why Trista was to be with Alexander’s pack every full moon, no exceptions. I had just thought he was overly controlling after her change and I never understood why Werewolves never had packs consisting only of Werewolves.

I met up with Trista at lunch and then finished the rest of my classes for the day before heading home. Oh how I longed to jump into my bed once I got there. I wasn’t ready for bed, but it always made me feel relaxed and safe to sit in my bad. “Where do you think you’re going missy?” Mom intercepts me on my way to my room. “Tell me all about it! Ooh we’re there any cute Wolves?” She’s beaming, as usual and so I feed her what little information she needed to hear before she releases me back to my original mission. I sigh in complete content as I melt into my blankets. This was what I needed.

After about five minutes of complete bliss I hear my phone tweet. I pick it up to see a message from Drew “I hope you had a great day today, Omega.” Of course Trista had told him about my luck. Drew was a Werewolf turned by Alpha Auron. He was in a different pack than Trista, but we all grew up together and I’ve had a crush on him since forever. He was exceedingly sweet and it was hard not to swoon over him with his hair a dark mahogany against his tan skin and emerald eyes. I hated that Werewolves didn’t have promised mates as I swore he’d be mine. My cheeks burn red as I tease back, reminding him that Beta’s and Omega’s get to spend a lot of time together. I didn’t have a pack yet and Trista really wanted me to join Alexander’s, but ever since Auron claimed Drew I knew that that was the pack that I wanted to be in. I trained every single day as Auron didn’t accept new members often and only the most elite even stood a chance. Omega, I laugh. I would need to get out of that sooner rather than later. Auron would have a laugh for sure if I dared request to join with such a low ranking. His Omega’s were basically the lowest of his Beta’s and in any other pack they would still be Beta’s. No, tomorrow I would prove to Alpha Major that I was definitely not an Omega.

Think Like A Beta

Class begins and I’m running through my mind trying to figure out how to get myself out of this Omega role. “Hi, I’m Envidia but everyone calls me Eevi!” I turn next to me to see a girl with hair the color of sunflowers and eyes as blue as the lake staring at me with a wide smile. “Persephone” I reply back. “It’s so nice to meet you Persephone where are you from? I’m from Frostvale. It’s so weird not seeing the floor covered in snow all of the time.” “Im from here actually.” She gives me a little head tilt as she ponders her response for a second. “Oh! You didn’t seem like you knew anyone so I thought you may be a rogue like me.” “I actually kind of am. I grew up more in town where the humans and Werewolves live. My parents wanted me to experience a somewhat normal life before being committed to a pack.” Her eyes widen with excitement “Werewolves?! I would love to have Werewolf friends.” It was actually kind of sweet how excited she was. “Is there something you’d like to share with the class?” Alpha Major stops our conversation with a tone that instantly pulled us back into the class. “No? I didn’t think so. Omega’s, I see. I expected a lot more out of you Persephone.” He gives us one last look before heading back to the front of the class.

As he exits a familiar scent hits my nose and my senses perk up. That’s odd. I shouldn’t have recognized his scent that well. Thinking more on it, the way he addressed me felt personal. I had never met Alpha Major before though. Or had I? Why couldn’t I pull the memory forward? “Let’s do a group assignment. Everyone form a pack with only one Alpha” he directs. I stand up and join the closest group to me. Eevi joins me as well. “Now I will give you a scenario and I want you to work as a pack to get out of said scenario using the tools supplied to you. Think hard about it. You’re out for a run with your pack and you come across a wild pack of grey wolves. What do you do?” I knew the answer to this. The wild wolves never mess with our kind. We’re bigger and scarier. Usually when we came across each other’s paths they would circle back and take an alternate route. There was no need for tools of any sort, but he wanted us to formulate a plan and so we chose traps, to relocate the wolves. “Okay, let’s present your ideas. Beginning with Pack E.” He looks to our “Alpha” who proudly presents him with our decision. “Your pack is in agreement?” he asks looking at the rest of us. “That’s unfortunate.”

He turns to the next pack, working backwards until he reaches the last pack which of course is Emerson’s. “We didn’t need any of the physical tools as the grey wolves don’t bother with our kind. If we were a rogue Werewolf we may have competition, but they’re no threat to us.” Emerson smiles big and sends a wink my way. At least, I think it was my way. Alpha Major looks at me curiously and I blush with embarrassment. “Very good Emerson. I’m sad to say that the rest of you missed an opportunity to change your pack standing. Emerson please upgrade your Omega’s to Beta’s. It is correct that the local wild canines are absolutely no threat to us and there is no reason to interfere with them.” Great. The one thing I was sure I was going to change today and I missed my chance. This was going to be harder than I expected.

I shuffle out of class with Eevi in tow as we pull out our lunches and look for Trista. She’s seated at a table with Drew and some friends of his, Liam and Maxxen I would learn. Drew looks up at me and smiles dreamily as I introduce them to Eevi. “So how is being an Omega working out for you?” he asks. I flash Trista a look as I had forgotten to reprimand her and she pretends she has no idea how such info has gotten passed on. “It’s a simple case of poor seat choosing. I’ll be a Beta by the end of the week, just wait.” He gives a little laugh and reaches over to give me a playful nudge. Before he can speak someone accidentally knocks into him. “Hey, watch yourself!” I just about yell at the intruder. My eyes widen in response to my sudden actions and I look around at everyone staring in my direction. “It’s okay Persey it was just an accident. Are you okay?” Drew asks the guy as he helps him to his feet. He looks at me and gives a slight grin before shuffling off towards a table. I watch him, confused, before realizing he went to Emerson’s table and Emerson is looking right in my direction. He looks troubled or enraged? I wonder what is troubling him before I remembered my blurt out a few moments ago and quickly look away as I continue eating my food.

I’ve never been territorial over Drew, so why did I respond that way? Our wolves were one in the same for us. Meaning I was the wolf and the human, while Werewolves shared a body with their wolf. I knew Trista and Drew’s wolves, but I wasn’t allowed to bond with them as I wasn’t apart of their packs. I still ran with them and recognized them when they were changed, but I shouldn’t have felt the need to act the way that I did. It was silly, especially considering that no matter how much I liked Drew, he wasn’t my mate and if him and I chose to be together and for him to mark me my true mate would very much rip him to pieces once we found eachother. That was just about the last thing I would ever want to happen and you couldn’t date for a long length of time and not mark each other as the wolves always get restless. We just aren’t human, the beast within demands that we follow the laws of our natures.

The White Rose

A couple months pass by and my friendships with Eevi and Trista grow. School was going well, but I still had yet to upgrade my Omega status. Everything I tried backfired. Alpha Major seemed focused on me and I had no clue why he disliked me so much. I swore he was a lot harder on me than the rest of the class. Eevi was a true Omega. Funny and sweet and she loved to please those higher ranking than herself. I admired her for truly loving her role in the pack. “The Moonfall Ball is coming up soon! I hope I receive a rose.” Trista is beaming with probably the biggest smile I had ever seen on her. The Moonfall Ball was the first formal event at the school this season. The boys would be asking the girls to the dance with a single rose. The color of the roses would tell you his rank and then you would have to figure out who he was based off of the clues he gives. Everyone was gushing with excitement hoping this was where they would meet their mates. “Oooh I hope an Omega asks me!” Eevi announces. Could you imagine someone as fun loving as myself? We could be two jokesters in love. Like that one superhero duo! Umm the Joker and Harley something!” Trista and I laugh. “Oh Eevi, trust us you do not want to be like that duo” I explain. Eevi grew up apart of a pack so human things like superheroes and tv shows were foreign languages to her. She certainly tried though and Trista and I filled her in on a lot. Her parents were less than thrilled, but she wouldn’t be a part of their pack much longer so they simply would speak on their dismay and then left her to her own devices. We were all 22 at this point and Marie enough to leave our families and make our own decisions.

“Hold on I need to grab one of my books real quick.. Oh a rose! I got a rose!” squees Trista before pulling a red rose off of her locker. She reads the rolled up letter attached and I can see that she’s captivated by whatever it says. She looks at us before excitedly stopping Maxxen at his locker. Maxxen was a Beta Werewolf and also a member of Auron’s pack. She rushes back over to us, happy as ever. “Sooooo. I have a date to the Moonfall Ball it seems” she’s still smiling like a maniac. “You and Maxxen are the cutest!” Eevi exclaims. “Yes this would be amazing! He’s apart of Auron’s pack and if he ends up being your mate you would be apart of Auron’s pack and we could all be together!” I’m saying this all out loud and Trista and Eevi look at me before they both laugh. “I just don’t think you and Drew would do well in the same pack Perseus. I love you both, but you know he’s not your mate. It’s just not what was promised for you.” Trista wraps her arms around me tightly. She knows that’s something I’ve always hated, but she wasn’t wrong.

We’re part ways heading to our cars and I stop, stunned at what I’m seeing. A single white rose is laying on my windshield. Beta’s gave out red roses and Omega’s pink. Why was this roses white? I picked up the letter and unroll it, revealing its words. “The aqua moon speaks to me nightly. She calls me to you.” Aqua moon? Of course, this must be a joke. A white roses and a clue that makes absolutely no sense. I get into my car setting the materials on my partner seat before going home. “So do you have a date for the Ball?” Mom asks me. “Not yet, but apparently I’m a joke to someone” I say as I set the roses and paper on the table. My Moms eyes widen and she looks at me with a look of amusement. “Well are you going to tell her or should I” Dad asks. “Tell me what?” They both seem to know something that I apparently don’t. “A white rose is gifted only by an alpha! Someone with a true pack and not just a title” Mom explains. I look at her and then at the rose. That made sense actually. I had accounted for the colors that Beta’s and Omega’s give anticipating that they would be the ones to ask me given my Omega status, but I completely forgot to read on to see what Alpha’s give. “Wait. You’re telling me an Alpha is asking me?” I ask clearly still dazed by the thought. They both nod as Mom throws her arms around me. “Oh my goodness only the best dress will do! You and I are going shopping!”

My heart is pounding as I go to my room and melt into the sheets. An Alpha? Called to me by a moon? Had my mate seen me and I was so oblivious to it? I mean why else would a moon call out to someone. I needed confirmation from someone other than my parents so a video call to Trista and Eevi was in order. “I’m so happy you called!” Eevi blurts out before I can begin. “I was talking with Maxxen and Drew is planning on asking you to the Ball! I know I said what I said earlier, but there’s no reason you can’t attend as friends right?” My heart sinks as I take in her words. “Drew wants to go with me?” I reply. “Yes, but you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you okay Persey?” Eevi chimes in “Oh this is wonderful! We all have a date then! Cillian has asked me and to my surprise he’s also my mate! It was beautiful the flickering moon was hard to grasp at first, but once we kissed it shined brighter than anything! Who knew that orange was my moon!” “Did you say flickering moon?” I cut in as Trista excitedly congratulates Eevi. “Yes! My Mom says that not all wolves recognize their mate at first, but a kiss will always reveal to you. Sometimes it’s like kissing frogs because you can see the moon in some and it’s confusing, but the color will always reveal to you.” “Are you okay Persey?” Trista asks. “Yes of course” I reply. There was no way Emerson was my mate. He had barely paid me mine in months. He hated Drew also and would give him the hardest time every time he was around him. No way was my mate someone who rivaled with one of my best friends. If the white roses came from him, it would have to be discarded. “I’m so happy for you both, I’m sure I’ll get my roses in due time as well. I’m exhausted though. I’ll see you both in the morning?” I ask before we hang up with each other. My mind was racing and I had dreams all night off a large white wolf sitting, howling under an aquamarine moon.

Blooming Rivalry

“Good morning class, another day, another lesson.” Alpha Major seems to be in a pleasant mood today. Myself, not so much. I didn’t get much sleep and I can’t stop looking at Emerson, or looking away awkwardly when he returns that with a smile. He was very attractive. Honestly, that was difficult to deny but I wouldn’t just accept him even if he truly was my mate. He needed to prove to me that he was the kind of mate I would willingly choose, had I had a choice to begin with. That was the only way I was going to accept this.

The bell rings and I’m quick to escape from class. I’m walking up to our lunch spot and stop in my tracks as I spot Drew with his guitar. “The Moon may have plans for you, but I’ve got plans for us. Please accept this rose as an invitation to accompany me to the ball?” Drew hands me a red rose before breaking out in song. It felt like I was the princess in a Disney movie. That was until the villain showed up. “What do you think you’re doing?!” an angry voice stops Drew in his tracks. The tone, so menacing that everyone drops to a submissive bow. Everyone, except for me.

Emerson and Drew are glaring at each other and I can tell that Drew is having a hard time with his wolf. I had never seen Drew’s wolf in such a state. Drew was angry and yet his wolf was submitting to Emerson. That meant that Emerson was a true Alpha. He really did have his own pack after all. Emerson is in Drew’s face now and I could feel the tension in the air. I’m not sure if I should cut in or allow them to sort it out, but I definitely don’t want to make things any worse.