Chapter I

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When we were young we believed in the make-believe, the fantasy. The fairies, vampires, the monsters under the bed and the werewolves. Me? I believed in one: the werewolf because I was one and for so long, the only fantasies I had were the ideas of ordinary.

The idea that I was normal and same as the person sitting beside me on a bus or behind me at the coffee shop. Sometimes I wanted to be like everyone else.

I lived in South Dakota so apart from my slight southern drawl, I was also bound to my pack : The Violets, one of the seven major packs in this state (all named after the colours). Like most werewolves, your pack was your family however each collective tribe (the over arching branch that each of the seven state wide packs fall under-like a massive corporation) had its own laws it abided by and when you cross state lines you follow their rules and vice versa. The Violet pack (ands our six sister packs) belonged to the Niyebe branch and we believed in purity, courage and equality which is why our pack allows for not only males to rule but females - only having male rule is so medieval.

That is why I, Abigail Pearl Gilbert can rule my pack as my father did before me as I am his first born. some packs use the term Alpha and Luna and some like us used King and Queen, even President and Lady (we are a very diverse species).  However there is one universal thing that binds everyone... mates. That complicates things because mates are like our perfect match and thats the only person we apparently get to spend our life with.

Its so romantic but also strips away our freedom to chose whom we love. But the overall result seems to over shadow this idea. I am seventeen which is the age where you finally feel the pull so to speak which where everything begins...

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"Happy birthday Abby" everyone chorused as I blew out my birthday candles. Everyone I knew was here and even a few that I didn't know were here. I couldn't help but notice all the males in the room, the unmated males. I glared at my mother who loved playing matchmaker but she simply shrugged her shoulders. I began to hand out slices of cake to the guests each wishing me a happy birthday, "well look at this! our Queen getting her hands dirty!" My younger brother Ric laughed , he was sixteen and loved to tease me whenever I did menial tasks. "You insult me Godric I could have you punished" I waved my cake knife at him but my smile made my 'threat' weak.

I had almost finished handing out slices when I saw my best friend bound over. "Eve Pierce do you want another slice!?" Look it was her third and she was already leaping around wildly. "Don't call me Eve, Abigail"  I rolled my eyes and gave her a big hug "sorry Evie". She edged closer to me, a dangerous look suddenly crossed her face "sooo found any interest in anyone yet?"

"No Evie, I haven't" I couldn't hide my disappointment because i had probably spoken to, served and even bumped into at least ninety males since the party started and it was beginning to break up now. "Evie...what if?" I couldn't even finish that sentence "Abigail, don't even say it. you won't get rejected. I mean your Queen...well not technically yet and you have a whole pack at your disposal - and your gorgeous" I gave her another hug "I needed that".

"Besides I'll see you tomorrow for coffee" Oh typical Evie never misses out on caffeine.

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Walking back home I was hounded by my family if I felt any sparks, especially mum and of course dad had to pull out his line: "Storm, don't hassle" okay okay my mums name isn't Storm its actually Hayley but Dad calls her Storm because thats what the weather was like when they met: Stormy. My two brothers also began to harass me and threatening the non-exsistent male. "oh shut up you two" I turned to see Godric and Malachi (my thirteen year old brother) whispering hurriedly. "Boys" my dad was the type of person who could shut you up with one word or glance but hey thats Chase Gilbert for you but hey he was a great King and I wanted to be a great ruler like him.

Walking into the house, I sprinted upstairs and stared in the mirror.  Other than the fact I could turn into a big golden brown wolf and was a future Queen, I was plain. I had pale skin with freckles dotting my nose, big blue eyes which looked too big for my face, curly blonde hair hat sits at my shoulders and a pair of thick black tortoise shell glasses. Whatever myth you heard about werewolves being perfect, its a lie - we have our flaws.

Sometimes I wonder if our mates are determined by our looks because hey we make pups and they are the future generation and every pack will agree: weakness is never an option.

Especially for me.

"Hun..?" I heard a soft knocking on my door and I called for them to come in. "A.P it's time for you to go to sleep now" I nodded slightly but I still was staring in the mirror, almost hypnotised.

"Happy birthday again A.P" Mum whispered as she closed the door.

No Mate, and no crown yet
Yeah happy birthday to me.

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So... my second book
Yay! Guess the 'spotlight' is on me now (see what I did there? No okay)

L xx

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