The Cursed Mates

Tonight started like any other night since I turned 17. I’m running through the woods, my heart pounding in my chest. I can feel eyes on me, watching me. I try to run faster, but my legs feel heavy, like they’re stuck in the mud. I turn to look over my shoulder, and that’s when I see him. He's tall, with piercing blue-green eyes and messy dark hair. There's something ruggedly beautiful about him. As our eyes meet, I feel a jolt of electricity run through my body. It's like I've been punched in the gut, but in a good way. I feel a pull towards him, like an invisible string is drawing me closer. I don't know who he is or what he wants, but I feel an inexplicable sense of trust and longing. As I fall to the ground, I see his face above me. His eyes are still locked on mine, and I feel like I'm drowning in their depths. I feel a strange sense of calm wash over me, and I reach out to him. “Please,” I whisper. “Take me." He nods, his eyes never leaving mine. When he reaches for my face, I feel a chill of familiarity run down my spine. I lean into his touch, and his fingers brush against my cheek. It's a gentle, soothing touch, and I feel my heart rate slow down. He moves his face closer to my neck, his lips hovering over my skin. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he whispers. I can barely form any words. When I do, it’s barely a whisper. “Please, this is what I want! I’m begging you please." He nods again, and his fangs descend. I feel a surge of excitement mixed with fear as he lowers his mouth to my neck. His fangs touch my skin, and I feel a jolt of electricity run through my body. I jolted awake, gasping for air. My heart was racing, and my sheets were drenched in sweat. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the vivid dream. But the memory of his touch lingered, leaving me feeling breathless and confused. I sat up, my body trembling with adrenaline. My skin felt hot and flushed, and my mouth was dry. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, but my heart refused to slow down. It was like I'd experienced the events in my dream. As I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my foot knocked against the bedside table, sending my lamp crashing to the floor. I groaned, rubbing my temples. Great, just what I needed. A headache. I stood up, my legs wobbly beneath me. I stumbled to the bathroom, flipping on the light switch. My reflection stared back at me, my green eyes wild and my strawberry blonde hair disheveled. I looked like I'd just been through a war. I splashed some water on my face, trying to calm myself down. But my mind kept drifting back to the dream. Who was that guy? And why did I feel such a strong connection to him? Just then, my mom called out from downstairs. “Jo, you’re going to be late! You don’t want to be late on your first day of werewolf school!” I groaned, tossing my pillow across the room. “Mom, it’s Jo, how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Jozette?” I yelled back, already knowing she wouldn’t listen. I heard her laughing. “You’ll always be my Jozette. Now hurry up, it’s 8:25 am! Check-in is at 9:30 am." I jumped up, grabbing my clothes from the floor. Throwing them on in a hurry, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My green eyes looked tired, my strawberry blonde hair disheveled. Great first impression. I ran downstairs, taking the steps two at a time. My dad was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee. I ran over to him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “Bye, Dad. Wish me luck." He smiled, putting down his cup. “You don’t need luck, kiddo. You’re going to do great. Just be yourself." I smiled back, feeling a surge of confidence. “I will, Dad." My mom was waiting by the door, holding my backpack. “Let’s go, Jo. We don’t want to be late." I took my backpack from her, slinging it over my shoulder. My mom handed me a cup of coffee, which I gratefully accepted. The aroma filled my senses, momentarily calming my nerves. As we walked out to the car, I took a sip of the coffee, feeling the warmth spread through my body. “Thanks, Mom." My mom smiled, unlocking the car door. “Anytime, sweetie." We get into the car and head to the school. “I can’t believe you are a senior now. You will be 18 next month. You may even find your mate at school. Are you nervous?” Sighing. “I am.” I answered honestly. Drinking another swig of coffee. “Everyone is gonna know everyone and I’m gonna be the odd one out. Why didn’t I go to wereschool like everyone else? Why am I just now going to wereschool?” “Jozette, you know it’s complicated. With me not being a werewolf and your father is. He left the pack because I don’t have a wolf. We thought that going to public school would be easier to give you some normalcy. You would have a normal childhood with love and laughter. Not alpha orders, battles, or people picking on you caused you are mixed. We should have probably enrolled you sooner, but you were happy we didn’t want to take that from you yet.” She trails off. Great, even mom thinks they are going to hate me. I just huff and lean back into my seat, drinking my coffee.“So the year is gonna be so much fun.” I say sarcastically rolling my eyes. My chimes in. “Jozette Burns, you are smart, beautiful, caring, kind, strong, and you learn so easily. You will not only ace your new classes but you will make new friends. Just focus on that sweetie.” “Great mom I’ll just roll with the punches.” “That’s my girl.” Mom did not get the sarcasm in my voice. I did not want to get into it any further. I just enjoy my coffee looking out the window. As we pulled up to the massive building in the woods, I felt a sense of awe. The school was huge, with towering spires and gleaming silver walls. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed up at it. My mom turned off the engine, turning to me with a serious expression. “Jo, I need to tell you something,” she said, her voice low and mysterious. “Be careful who you trust here. Not everyone is what they seem." I raised an eyebrow, feeling a surge of curiosity. “What do you mean?” My mom just smiled and leaned over to hug me. “Just be careful, sweetie." As we hugged, I caught a glimpse of a mysterious figure watching us from the shadows. My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met, and I felt a chill run down my spine. Who was that? And what did my mom mean by her warning?