REGRET— the shadow wolves

Mika My hands shook, but I refused to give in to the fear. I had nothing to be afraid of; I kept telling myself. Brandon hadn't been responding to my calls or texts last week out of stress, surely. I spent time that morning curling my hair and dressing up in my favorite baby blue dress for him. But now it all felt so silly. Something wasn't right; I could sense it, smell it in the air. I was only eighteen and hadn't gotten my wolf yet, but I knew she would be powerful when she did arrive. Whenever I mentioned this topic to my parents, they just waved it off as silliness—it was always the oldest daughter who inherited strength within the pack; it was a law and tradition. The oldest girl would usually marry another alpha male to lead our clan. But the problem was there weren’t any alpha males that enticed my older sister, Lucy, so it still wasn't certain which one she would choose. She had been busy over the past month with preparations and Brandon, being the angel he was, helped her out a lot. I loved my sister dearly and wanted only the best for her during her choosing process, but something inside me whispered doubt about everything they, Brandon, and Lucy, had told me. Brandon and I were close, but he wasn't allowed to mate with me until my sister had found her alpha. We met in secret, although my sister was aware and supported our relationship. Lucy was both compassionate and powerful; Brandon and I were blessed with great people in our family. She was a strong alpha female, the antithesis of me—I enjoyed reading or painting, and often spent time with the younger pack members decorating the home for holidays. People respected me for my kindness. However, right now I felt nervous regardless of being perceived as calm on the outside. My palms sweated as everyone around us seemed to be full of anticipation. It was time for my sister to present her mate choice—only alphas could choose their partners, while the rest of us trusted that we would eventually find our fated mates, no matter how long it may take. A collective gasp rang out in the crowded room as I attempted to see what was happening. Why was Brandon walking alongside my sister, Lucy? Every instinct told me to scream, but a strong hand on my shoulder restrained me. "I understand, sweet girl. I know this is hard for you." The words were meant to comfort me, but instead they made me feel despair. "W-why? It's forbidden to take someone else's mate," I whispered through my tears. My best friend Dante wrapped his arms around me from behind and hugged me tight. As an alpha of our pack, it should have been him that was walking next to her - not my fated mate, Brandon. "I don't really know why," he admitted softly. "It was said long ago that if Lucy couldn't find a suitable connection of her own, then she would be able to mate with Brandon." His words felt like arrows piercing my heart and soul. Had they known about this all along? Did they make me believe I could still be with Brandon when he wasn't mine to keep? "Why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't they give me time to talk some sense into them?" Tears streamed down my face as my heart raced at an alarming rate. "I know it isn't fair," Dante murmured apologetically. "But try not to show your emotions too much. Don't give them the confirmation they want - that you're too weak to mate with a beta warrior." He sounded pained as he said the last sentence, and I knew that he hated being the one to break this news to me. As he spoke the words, all the remaining pack members settled down to observe the mating ritual. Dantes encircling arms stayed around me, providing me with comfort. It was then that I declared to myself that I would never speak to them again, never look at them again, never even utter their names again. They had known about this and done nothing until now, like cowards. Lucy's eyes watched me intently, and Brandon's heart seemingly reached out in search of solace and understanding. But it was too late; his choice had already been made, and as profound as my love for him was, my fury ran much deeper. In an instant, hatred replaced my broken heart; so did the last threads connecting me to Brandon. Unbeknownst to them, I possessed a great level of power. An awe-inspiring power surged through me, urging me to break free. I tried to stay composed, but it was impossible. My wolf wanted to come out and take down her adversary while also causing a ruckus. Still, I knew I had to remain in control. They had marked each other already. It was possible only because I wasn’t of age yet or I could have objected to this. I could have challenged my sister. They had planned this. That why all the whispers and preparation had been going on for a while. Only in three weeks would I transform to my wolf for the first time. But something inside me suggested that I would meet her far sooner than expected. And she would destroy them all.