My Miracle: ALPHA SWEETLOVE

Glancing over the very edge of my big, toasty blanket, I cast a longing glance at the broken remnants of my once perfectly working alarm clock. Over the many years I attended school, it had proven to be quite helpful, but today marked the start of summer break and the end of the incredibly arduous four years of high school. Everyone didn't enjoy high school, but the few humans among the arrogant wolves most definitely didn't.

Freedom at last! It was the first day of summer vacation after four agonizingly long years of high school, full of conceited werewolves who believed they were superior to the relatively small number of human classmates. I spent the entire day curled up in bed beneath my cozy blankets, making the most of this day.

I could hear my mother furiously arguing with my father, telling him how foolish it was of me to decide to go to college so far away from home, where neither she nor my father could be there to support me. The greatest school to pursue my dream of becoming a psychiatrist was located in a different pack, quite close to the free state boundary. I wanted to practice in the free state after ten exhausting years of post-secondary education because I believed it to be one of the few locations on Earth where wolves did not dominate. Despite being a pessimist, my mom didn't comprehend that I would ever receive permission from our alpha to remain in the free state. She thought it would be unrealistic for him to allow me to leave pack territory after graduation. Although Alpha generally kept unmated girls in check, particularly if we were humans, he was unable to ignore my great potential because I had consistently performed better academically than other children. This summer, I was going to be quiet. I had made it very obvious to my parents that I intended to enjoy this time with my family and close friends and then never return.

The impending mating ball was the one thing keeping me from savoring my two months of leisure. Alaricus Knight held the mating ball at his castle, which was somewhat unusual because Knight wasn't particularly social and avoided social situations, which added to the lengthy list of reasons he was referred to as a beast. As implied by the name, the mating ball is a gathering where single humans and wolves from the territories meet to find partners. Since I was seventeen, I had to go.

My mother threw open my door without warning, her curly hair flying up, her green eyes blazing, and her delicate nostrils flashing with rage. She was angry, of course, and I was to blame, as usual. Back then, my father understood better than to enrage her. My dad's head tucked in somewhat from the entrance, and he plodded in with a sheepish smile upon realizing he had been caught.

"Have you even decided what you want to wear to the ball yet?" Mom insisted.

"No." I spoke gently, anxiously biting my bottom lip.

"But me and Marina were planning to go shopping today." I quickly clarified as I saw her little, delicate nose start to flush with rage. I was relieved that my response seemed to placate my mother for the time being, even though I knew I would be dead if I didn't receive a dress today.

"Can I trust you to get this done on your own?" My mother asks me with a suspicious look in her eyes, as if to get me to break and beg to go with her, but this time I would resist the urge.

"Yes, I promise mom, I can do this on my own." I answer, trying not to avert my gaze from her question. I was going to miss them, but maybe some time apart would help my parents ease their transition? A tiny smile pinches at the edges of her lips, lighting up her entire face as I watch enviously. The wolves became much more interested in the unmated child, regardless of age, living in the house. My parents would welcome a little time away from the spotlight after living under the wolves' constant surveillance for their entire lives.

"My little baby is growing up so fast." My father replied, coming to sit next to me, his voice shaking a little.

"Oh, please, not once more." I'll make you go ball gown shopping with your daughter if you cry any more, I swear." My dad's eyes widened as my mom threatened, knowing full well that she always kept her word.

I'd shoved my dad and mom out of my room after they'd finished cleaning it all up, and I was uncomfortably trying not to get in the way so I could get ready to go shopping.

I'd never been good at taking quick showers, but luckily Marina was running late. I hurriedly dried my hair, put on a light-colored sweater and dark trousers, and then I was early. I stumbled down the stairs, kissed my parents' cheeks, and hurried out the door.

My mother hated it when I played with my phone while waiting for my friend on the porch. I would throw it up and catch it, and my hand-eye coordination wasn't exactly perfect. I gave up and huffed as my phone fell into my lap. As I looked up, I noticed that our poor neighbor was getting closer. He was a pack fighter, just like all the other prominent pack members whom the unmated ladies adored. Sadly, it appeared like he was enjoying the fact that I wasn't trying to get his attention. I had a very low human ranking, so I would be severely punished for showing him disrespect. It would also be disrespectful to just turn down his approach. This is just one of the several terrible laws that people have to abide by.

His canines were showing as he grinned at me, attempting to be kind, but I couldn't help but squirm at the thought of how close being to a girl had clearly gotten his wolf a little pleased. Fortunately, though, my companion arrived in her adorable little blue car with loud beeping before I had to put up with the awkward small conversation. I pretended not to hear him call out for me as I sprinted by him to my friend's car, sending him an apologetic smile.

Panting from my race across the parking lot, I threw my pal an appreciative smile before climbing into her car.

I'm in the car listening to soothing music and drumming my fingers blindly to the beat while leaning my head on the comfortable headrest. I tried to listen carefully as Marina talked animatedly about her partner and attempted to give her the best advice I could because she tended to overreact. I had no prior experience in this field; therefore, I had no idea what to do.

When Marina entered the mall, I sat up and tried to figure out the complicated parking chart before giving her directions. After locating parking rather easily, we went into the mall with excitement. After visiting thousands of stores and trying on thousands of dresses, we had at last discovered a stunning blue dress for Marina. I told her to meet me at the cute cafe and book store at the end of the mall while she made the transaction in the extremely lengthy line. Given my familiarity with books, Marina was relieved not to have to go with me to a bookstore and readily allowed me to leave after obtaining my word that I wouldn't linger too long.

I headed to the classics section to purchase a gingerbread latte because it was one of the few areas without books about wolves and mates. Since humans were rarely permitted to print, most novels about wolves were about their mates. Wolves lived for their mates. They were, in a sense, extremely romantic, but aside from the fact that their partner was the most suited to them biologically, there was no emotional resonance and no spontaneity-the hallmark of what love ought to be.

The proprietor, a charming elderly woman who was human and appreciated romance as much as I did, stopped by to talk with me as her husband brought beverages. She was among the very few people with whom I felt safe disclosing my dislike for romance novels and the only one who could relate to my passion for classics. I simply didn't think that love was something that could be experienced instantly; rather, I thought that love could only be discovered in human romance novels. Love was about getting to know someone, falling in love with their personality, and accepting them despite their flaws. Because their mate was the only reason they were alive, werewolves placed a high value on romance. I was pretty much the biggest prude ever, and I enjoyed the old-fashioned slow falling in love, which is probably why most adolescent males didn't like me and the reason I had a really unhappy dating history.

I wasn't even aware of how much time had gone by while I was laughing with Mrs. Burkins about made-up people, and before I knew it, When I attempted to object, Marina was there to haul me out and reprimand me. When I attempted my famous pout, she glared at me and said that I still needed a dress.

Before we found the perfect one, she had managed to take me to five more stores and push me to try on several gowns. It was a gorgeous dress, a very soft pink that fell off the shoulders and trailed softly behind me as I moved. It was really gorgeous, but not overly bold or ostentatious-my goal was to blend in-and this garment was ideal-covering, delicate colors, just right.

During supper and the drive home, Marina raved about all the boys who would be at the ball and mocked my lack of interest.

My friend stated, "Amara, you should try to be excited about guys."

"Hey, I am interested in guys." Defensively, I replied, "I knew I was a prude, but I didn't like to hear it."

"Yeah, fictional ones." Aggressively biting into her side order of celery, my companion bit back.

"Really, you need to start dating. Who knows, maybe you will find a mate soon and never get the chance again." When Marina mentioned that there was a 30% chance that a psychotically possessive wolf was waiting to tie me down for all time and prevent me from living my life as I had always intended, I shuddered in realization.

With incredibly encouraging parents, I had lofty goals: traveling the world as a psychiatrist, working at orphanages-none of those things entailed being chained to a giant mutt.

Before I knew it, the evening had passed; I had returned home, shown my parents my outfit, and then, worn out from my shopping, I went to bed. My parents came in to give me a good-night kiss, as usual.

I dozed off to unsettling nightmares of giant mutts snatching my airline ticket in half and taking me as their own.