Hard choices

Chanced meeting.

    The next day she awoke cursing at the pain she felt. It was yet another morning of soreness, that would never change it seemed. Gradually she made her way to the bathroom still groggy. She jumped into the shower and gingerly washed her body. She brushed her hair and her teeth then got dressed in another pair of sweats and a loose t-shirt. She was already late for school and had no intention of even attending, she was going to follow Freya's advice and avoid going out for today. She grabbed her laptop and got some home work done in the meantime and when she got bored with that pulled up some video games. After a couple hours of games and scrolling YouTube she threw the laptop on the bed and decided going to the forest for a while couldn't hurt. She concentrated on the look of her wolf form and felt herself start to change, holding in her screams to the best of her ability. Her clothes ripped off her body as it grew, much to her dismay she hadn't thought to remove them.

*Didn't I tell you to take it easy today? Our body won't be able to recover all of your bruises if you push yourself too hard, you foolish child!*

(I just wanted to go out and train a little bit to start getting stronger I won't stay out for more than an hour promise!)

    She could feel Freya's disappointed sigh and acceptance. Excited she trotted back out to the forest, tail wagging to finally be out of the house. Today had been a good day, she didn't have to deal with Mia and her gang of sheep. The weather was beautiful and there was a nice breeze going through the forest. She focused her senses as she heard movement around her. Thinking it was another bunny she rolled her eyes internally at herself for being cautious. She watched a bunny come into view seemingly running away. Belatedly another wolf erupted out of the under brush pouncing on the poor bunny snapping its neck in its powerful jaw. It was black with a gray underbelly and dark gray eyes. Zyra backed up involuntarily as fear surged through her body. In her haste to back away she accidentally stepped on a branch snapping it in half, alerting the wolf in front of her to her presence. Their eyes met and her wolf instantly spoke to her.

*Mate!*

    The wolf in front of her growled lowly before sitting back on his hind legs, shifting back into his human form so he could speak to her. She looked away blushing at the fact that he was nude. He quickly took the clothes from the bag tied around his leg and dressed into some basketball shorts and t-shirt. He was handsome, tall and had the voice of an angel to her ears as he asked,

     "Why are you wandering around the forest, don't you know it is dangerous?" She looked at him for a moment taking him in. He had dark red hair and green eyes and freckles that covered his face in the kind of cute innocent way. Her wolf was howling her approval at having such an attractive mate inside her head. She tried to motion with her paw for a moment so she could go behind a nearby tree in order to shift back. She then realized she had shredded her clothes into tiny pieces due her lack of thought. She pushed her muzzle against the back of his leg delicately indicating for him to follow as she trotted towards her house. Thankfully he followed without much objection, curious what she was doing.

He got his answer when her house came into view. He waited outside as she leapt gracefully back into her room, shifting quickly back into her human form before slipping some jeans and a nice blouse on and heading back outside to face her mate for the first time. She barely registered the pain from her stomach from Mia's vicious kicks from yesterday. She was too excited for having found her mate so soon after shifting for the first time. She'd never seen him before and hoped that he was from a different pack, she wanted any excuse possible to leave. He was looking around inquisitive as to where he was. He saw her coming out and waited for an answer.

    "Hi..," She said nervously before continuing, "My name is Zyra Altaluna from the Shadow pack and I'm your mate." She blushed at the last bit, happy and nervous at the same time. He looked displeased at her proclamation, her smile faltered a bit.

    "My name's Jaden Badar. I'm from the Blood Hunters pack." He was still frowning at her.

    "Did I do something to upset you?" She was truly at a loss as to what that could have been and why he looked so annoyed at her.

    "I didn't believe I'd ever be mated to someone so fearful of another wolf," he answered honestly. He shifted his weight and leaned against a tree near her house as he elaborated, "I can clearly see the bruises on you. I'm assuming that's why you were scared when you saw me. Are you capable of defending yourself?" he questioned almost rudely.

    " I just shifted for the first time yesterday, I'm not particularly liked by this pack as my parents are constantly moving us around. My aunt was a part of this pack and I had been left in her care while my parents were gone until she passed away. Everyone blamed me for her passing and I've been attacked daily for years. If I even tried to defend myself the beatings got worse. For survival's sake I stopped trying." She confessed sadly, not having told her story in so long. She could feel herself tearing up.

     Her aunt Camilia had been the only one nice to her. Even before her passing the pack had been weary of her presence. Her aunt had passed away about six months after she had been moved in with her. Camilia had been attacked by a rogue wolf in the middle of the night while Zyra had been sleeping. Her aunt had locked her in her room preventing the rogue from attacking Zyra. Her aunt had howled for help and had her throat ripped out by the rogue trying to silence her. Zyra had hidden under her bed from fear and that had caused the packs resentment of her. They believed the rogue to be from her old pack trying to get her back for unknown reasons and for that reason they had lost one of their own. Family or not they couldn't forgive Zyra for the loss of Camilia one of their best warriors.

    Jaden could tell Zyra was hurting from the look on her face and the rigidness of her body.

    "I'm sorry I didn't mean to cause any unnecessary memories to resurface, that being said I don't think I can be with someone who has so much baggage. Maybe if you were stronger I could take you away to my clan, but as you are now you'd be useless to me. I'm destined to be the next Alpha I can't have a weak Luna. I don't do this out of hatred but out of necessity. Please don't hate me for it, I Jaden Badar officially reject you, Zyra Altaluna as my mate." She felt her feet give away as a sharp pain attacked her heart, Freya howling in pain.

    "Please Jaden, don't do this. We just met, I can get stronger. I promise I won't be weak!" she pleaded futilely, reaching her hand for him hoping he'd give her a chance.

    "If you become stronger search for me. The rejection only becomes officially if you accept it." he looked down at her pitiful display with distaste, refusing to take her hand. With that statement he turned on his heel and walked away from his mate, not saying another word as he was afraid the wolf inside him would change his mind for him just from looking at her. In his mind she was beautiful but far too weak to handle his pack's ruthlessness. Axel had growled inside his mind seeing all the bruises. This pack of hers would pay dearly for ever bruise inflicted on her if she ever came to be strong enough to look for him.

    She looked at him as he left, tears falling down her cheeks as she sobbed. Her eyes stung with every tear when Freya whimpered before she spoke up,

*We will get stronger and get our mate back! We must! Jaden did not lie about the rejection process. This is his way of giving us a chance. Don't give up Zyra. I will help you. Do you trust me?*

(Yes, I believe in you my wolf. We will fight for as long as it takes to get Jaden back. I will do whatever it takes to never feel this pain again. We start tomorrow.)

Freya howled her approval inside her head. Zyra stood slowly and went back inside to write up a detailed list of everything she would need to do to get stronger.