Mate, I found You

Chapter 1: The Weakling Sonia’s POv The cold, hard ground met my body with a painful thud. My arms trembled as I tried to push myself up, but the burning ache in my side made it difficult. The taste of dirt lingered in my mouth, bitter and humiliating. Laughter erupted around me. “Still weak, huh?” Tee voice rang out, smug and sharp. I looked up and saw her standing over me, her golden hair tied in a sleek ponytail. She wasn’t even out of breath, while I was gasping for air. “You’d think the daughter of Vivian Black would be able to stay on her feet,” she continued, flipping her hair back. “Your mother was a legend. You? A disappointment.” A few of the others snickered, their eyes filled with pity or scorn. I clenched my fists. I wanted to fight back, to prove them wrong, but deep down, I knew they were right. I wasn’t strong like my mother. My wolf had yet to awaken, leaving me weak, slow, and an easy target. “That’s enough,” our instructor called out, though he didn’t sound particularly concerned. “Training’s over.” As the others walked past me, some whispering, some laughing, I stayed on the ground for a moment, swallowing the lump in my throat. My mother had been the strongest Beta this pack had ever known. And I? I was nothing. **** By the time I reached the forest, the sting of Isabella’s words still clung to me. I followed the familiar path, weaving between tall trees until I reached a small clearing. Here, the air was peaceful, the world quieter. It was my only escape. Kneeling, I traced my fingers over the rough stone, my mother’s name carved deep into it. Vivian Black “Mother,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I tried today. Again. But I wasn’t strong enough.” The wind whispered through the trees, as if answering me. “You were a warrior. Respected. Feared. I…” I swallowed hard, my fingers curling against the dirt. “I can’t even shift.” Most wolves shifted by sixteen. I was already seventeen, and nothing. No wolf. No connection to the moon. Just… emptiness. Tears pricked my eyes, but I refused to cry. I had cried enough over the years. A soft rustle behind me made me stiffen. “Sonia.” I turned to see Mimi standing there, her green eyes filled with concern. She knelt beside me, pulling out a small cloth. “You’re bleeding,” she said. I looked down at my scraped palms, only now noticing the dried blood. “It’s nothing.” “It’s not nothing,” she muttered, gently wiping my wounds. I sighed but let her. Mimi had been my best friend since childhood—the only person who saw me as more than a failure. “Come to dinner,” she urged after a moment. I shook my head. “I don’t want to be a burden.” “You’re not a burden,” she insisted. “My brother likes you, you know.” I groaned. “Mimi…” She grinned. “I’m serious. If you’d just say yes, you could be part of our family. No more training alone. No more—” “I can’t.” I looked away, my voice soft. “I have to wait for my wolf. My mate.” Mimi sighed but didn’t argue. She knew how much I wanted to prove myself. “Fine,” she said. “But at least come with me tomorrow. I need to gather herbs for the exam.” After a moment, I nodded. “Alright.” *** The next morning, the forest was alive with the scent of damp earth and pine. Sunlight filtered through the trees as Mimi and I searched for herbs near the riverbank. “This one?” I held up a small purple flower. Mimi shook her head. “That’s poisonous. You’d fail instantly.” I rolled my eyes. “This is why I hate exams.” She laughed. “Well, at least you’re good at—” A sudden rustling stopped her words. We froze. Something—or someone—was nearby. I turned, scanning the trees. At first, I saw nothing. Then, my eyes landed on a figure lying in the grass. A boy. Unconscious. My breath caught. He was tall, dark hair mussed and rumpled. His shirt was torn, his chest and arms sporting cuts and bruises. "Is he… dead?" Mimi whispered. I fell beside him, my fingers pressed to his neck. A strong beat. "No. But he's hurt." There was something about him that felt… different. A warm heat spreading in my chest, a warm pull toward him. He wasn't just any boy. I knew. "Sonia," Mimi whispered urgently. "We can't be here. What if he's unsafe?" I stopped, my gaze on his face. He was calm despite the wounds, his features strong and handsome. For a moment, I questioned—could he possibly be my mate? But I wouldn't be able to know. Not until my wolf woke up. "Help me lift him," I said finally. Mimi grumbled but helped anyway. "This is a terrible idea." "Maybe. But I couldn't just leave him here." I helped him to bandage his wound before we leave *** That night, while I slept, my mind kept returning to the stranger. His face. His presence. The odd sense of heat I felt around him. Could he be my mate? Or was I just desperate to belong to someone? I turned on my side, holding my pillow very tightly in my arms. I was not Mimi. She was lovely, kind, and everybody adored her. I was merely the weak girl who had no wolf. I closed my eyes tightly, wanting, for once, to be something more.