Luck

ian 's

tune out the chatter of my friends. Their voices see

e finally broke through my thoug

on his excited fac

his mate last week! During

ould've seen his face when he chased afte

't in it. Finding a mate. It was al

must be amazing to find

we'll find ours

her eyes. "Oh, please. It's not that

ed. "What? But yo

erfect couples. Sebastian and I are meant to be. We're bo

after me for years, convinced we were destined t

ly one under sixte

turned red. "

voice low but firm. "Remember

immering in her eyes. I sighed inwardly. Bei

ve. Strawberries, fresh meadow, and... c

" he g

ching for the source. An

ight towards me, eyes

or years. Kirian , who I'd pushed away because I couldn't

s hands landed on my chest to steady himself,

lization dawned on him. Shock, fear, a

bolted. Running straight into

sperate to follow. But I s

have

couldn't focus, couldn't think about anythi

, our head maid, greeted me with a w

bled, not mee

ne. But I won't pry. Your father

s office. He looked up as I entered, se

d, his voice serious

chair across from

ighteen soon. Graduating next year. And... I think it'

nched in the gut. "What

aining for this your whole life. And you won't be alone. Your mother and I w

boy who now probably h

mumbled.

s there something you wan

und my mate, but it was the last person anyone would expect? That I

id finally

Alright. Well, start thinking about taking on

mind a millio

the shower. The hot water beat down on my skin, but it cou

lapsed onto my bed, me

. How my heart had fluttered when he accidentally bumped

Teasing that turned into bullying. Pushing him

e?" I whispered

in my mind. "Mate

aloud. "I messe

ht to hate me. To reject me as his mate. And

jected the mate bond. How it could

or startled me f

om. "Are you okay? You di

at. "I'm fine, Mo

"Alright. But if

I said.

on. I had to find Kirian . To apologize, to

until I found Lily's number. Kirian 's best frie

call button. What would I

a howl echoed through the night

ri

to my window. The full moon hung low in the

wl, closer

the shift take over. In seconds, I was bounding thr

re, following the scent of strawber

o a stop. There, in the center, was a wo

wasn'

d him, their teeth bared an

t mine, wide with

ened between us in the past, whatever mis

son. The future le

an was

the trees, I launched

tle had