Darlyn Point of View
I am twenty today. I could dance, could scream, could listen to music forever, however, I have a bad feeling about today, like I should stay in, hang out with my Axel and my sisters, Mom could make Pasta.
"We threw a party, you've been planning it for weeks." Axel reminds me when I share my thoughts.
"You are twenty, babe." He says, and I scream in glee, hugging him.
"I am twenty."
"Are you ready?" I hear, and look at my doorway to see Raven, my immediate younger sister.
"You are only twenty once." She says, and extends her hand. I take her hand, and the three of us walk downstairs where everyone is waiting.
"Happy Birthday Darlyn!" They scream when I get down, and I burst into laughter, and a little bit of happy tears.
"Thank you." I say to everyone.
"Happy birthday baby girl." Dad says, hugging me. I stare at Mom, things have been a bit rocky since that night, but we've been slowly mending.
"Happy Birthday." She kisses my cheek, and I hug her.
The entire Pack is here, I glance down at my dress, it is a long dress that hugs my curves, with a slit that goes as high as my thigh.
____
For the next hour, I go around the party greeting everyone, thanking them, and making sure no one is causing trouble. I also spent a bette part of the hour looking out for Asher.
It is my birthday, everyone knows, he was invited, I personally delivered the invitation, he promised to come.
"Darlyn."
I turn back and see the Alpha, with Luna. I bow my head slightly "Hi."
"Heads up, you are a Queen." Rina says, hugging me.
"Happy Birthday, Darlyn. You look exceptional." Alpha Luca says, and I beam.
"Thank you very much, you both look splendid." I say, and they laugh.
"Did you, by chance, saw Asher?" I say, nervously.
"Oh, yeah. He is over there, he was busy with Pack's business." Rina says, and I smile, relief coursing through me, he came.
"I should say Hi." I say, and excuse my self, then walk towards him.
"Asher," I say, and he looks at me, unable to say a word for some seconds.
"Darlyn, this is a nice party. Happy Birthday." He says, and I smile.
"I got you a gift, didn't know what to get you, so I hope you like it." He says, and hands me a wrapped box.
"Thank you Ash. Are you okay? You seem a bit ruffled."
"Just overwhelmed." He says, and I nod, catching the tone in his voice, the dismissal. I swallow the hurt, and walk away. I stare at the gift in my hands, deciding to open it when the chaos of the party is over.
"Dar."
"Caspian!" I hug my brother, I haven't seen him or Magnus in weeks.
"Happy birthday, Dar." Magnus says, and I hug him too.
"I have missed you boys." I laugh, then bean wider when I see my sister, Dahlia walking towards us.
"Lia." I say, drapping my hands round her shoulder.
"Have you seen Asher Kane, he got hotter." She says, and I laugh, because this is Lia, raw Lia. I miss my siblings, I haven't seen them as much as I used to.
"Partying without me?" Raven teases, as she links our hands.
I glance at the other end of the room and see Asher with his Family. His Dad - Callahan, his Mom - Jessy, with his brothers - Knox and Axel, and of course, his only sister - Ember.
_____
"It's time." I hear, and walk back inside in an hoodie and joggers, I couldn't wear the dress again after roaming the forest for hours.
An hour ago, I wolfed out, and ran free. It was splendid, the freedom and beauty that comes with it, I am a woman now, a Werewolf.
"Time for Darlyn to find her mate." Mom says, and the party is at standstill.
I exhale, inhale, and lean into my senses, no pressure, it comes naturally. I let my Wolf take over, and my eyes snaps open as a sensation runs through me.
It's like I can feel everything, but just everything in one person, the beat of his heart, everything he encompasses.
"Mate." I growl, knowing my eyes are bright yellow, I stagger when I see myself standing before Asher, his eyes matching mine.
Asher Savage Kane is my mate.
"Oh fuck." Dahlia says, but I smile, Asher is my mat --
"No." He says, taking a step away from me, and my smile falls off.
"What?" I say, my voice sounding as small as I feel.
"No, this is not possible." He says, and I shake my head.
"Asher, feel." I say, placing his hand on my beating heart, placing mine on his, the tempo the same, we are made as one to begin with, so I tell him so.
"No." He takes a step back.
"Asher, what are you doing?" Axel says.
"Ash." Knox snaps, and there's warning in his voice.
I look around, panicing, what is going on.
"Asher!" Caspian and Magnus yells, and I gasp when Asher looks up.
"I, Asher Savage Kane reject you -- "
"No." I gasp, crying.
"Ash, please, what are you doing?"
"I reject you Darlyn Scar -- "
"Asher!" I scream, running to him, but he pushes me away, I fall to the ground.
"I reject you Darlyn Scarlette Ravenwood as my mate. We are no longer bound."
"Oh God." I gasp, as my whole world crumbles before me, as pain wrecks through my body, as my Wolf takes the rejection.
I look up at Asher as he groans, just as his Wolf takes the rejection too, it's like a knife in my heart, and he is the one holding it.
______
It is the next morning, and my flight leaves in thirty minutes.
"Are you sure?" Caspian asks, and everyone looks at me with pity.
"Yes." I say, and take my hand bag, knowing everything else will be shipped to Rhode Island.
"I am not coming back." I say to my Parents.
"I am never coming back here."
"Darlyn," Mom says, and I look at her, feeling empty, how can I not, when the other part of me is gone, forever.
"You wa
nted this, Mother." I say, and walk out of the house I grew up in, knowing fully well, I will have to make a new home, start over, alone.