one ball - a werewolf story

Chapter 1

There it was, the message from hell. The computer screen glowed menacingly, casting a sickly light onto our faces. My mother and I peered in despair at the screen. "You have to go," she frowns. I feel a tug on the hem on my shirt as I look down. Seth, my younger brother scowls, "You're leaving the farm?"

I nod, gesturing at the message on the screen, the email from the Alpha of the Northen pack's office. "I have to go, buddy, or I'm not going to have a farm to come home to." The alpha had threatened to cut off social support for the small fish farm that we resided in, in order to coerce me to to join this year's Mating Ball. I had put the request off for a few years, in my defense the farm was floundering on its feet due to a disease outbreak among the fish. 

While the girl of my age, eighteen and blossoming into beautiful women, went off to find their mates, I was left at home, working myself to the ground. I could never be happier, with my younger siblings and mother, eking out a living. There was no prejudice against our family, in fact half of the Northern Pack were suffering the same fate as us. How could you turn against your Neighbour when you were in the same boat as them? 

Now I was twenty one. Living among the sleek and scaled fishes, patching floats and swimming in the briny depths. I thought it could not get any better, till the email arrived. Sure, I knew that the Mating Ball was around the corner. Heck, every girl in this whacked up town knew it was time for the Ball. The only two dress shops in the vicinity of the town were sold out, with not even a scrap of lace to spare. In fact, all transportation out of the area was booked till next week.

How was I going to get a dress, let alone enough for the seven days of madness? How was I even going to take a plane there? I was an Omega, and private transportation that the Betas and Alphas had were simply out of reach. 

Seth's youthful voice brought me back to the present, stilling my worried heart, "I'll help you pack your bags." I smiled, stroking his blond locks that resembled my mother's, "Thanks Seth." The door to the living room opened, as the sound of waves crashing along the floating platforms echoed in the room before the door shut. Garrett, my younger brother, had arrived from school. He flung his battered bag down before barreling towards me.

He tunneled into my embrace, head resting against my chest, breathing in my scent, "I don't want you to go." I sighed, he knew. I forced a smile onto my face, "It's for the best." My mother slid into the seat that I vacated, the soft rope of her hair swaying as she set to work, "I'll try book the plane ticket." 

I led Garett and Seth into our room, to pack my bag. Just one bag and one plane ticket.Just one week, for me to find a mate to get our lives into shape for once. 

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Seth hands me a dress, worn down and slightly tattered. I had won it for graduation and for prom when I was in school, and I had not out grown it yet. Its faded rich blue fabric told of a happier time, especially when my father was around. When the farm was in it's heyday. 

I wasn't going to have a stylist, so I would have to make do with what I had. I stashed it into the corner of my suitcase, among the other washed out components of my wardrobe, when Garett interjected, "Wait, I think I can make it look slightly nicer." He raised a sheer fabric that was used for our curtains. "This tore yesterday when you were gone. Maybe I can sew it onto your dress." I passed it to him, squeezing his shoulder in silent thanks. Garett was the best in the family at needlework, weaving the nets for the fish were his favorite pastime. 

Seth pouted, legs swinging as he reclined on the edge of my bed in the cramped space, "I wanna help too!" I laughed, "You can barely thread a needle, Seth." Seth rolled his eyes, "It's the thought that counts." I snickered, "Tell that to mom when she finds out you've been taking her sewing kit to 'practise'." Seth's ears turned red, "It was just one time!" Garett sniggered, "For a 'school project'?" I let out a bark of laughter, "Everyone knows that Leticia Andrews rejected your embroidered handkerchief." 

Seth spluttered, "It's not my fault that I'm not as good as Garett!" His gaze turned onto Garett, "You refused to help me!" I hid a smile, ducking down to stack a few empty notepads and stationery into the chipped suitcase. Garett grinned, looking up from the needlework, "I wanted to see how bad it would turn out." Immediately, they started to bicker loudly.

I sighed, turning to the boys, "Dont make trouble for mom when I'm gone, yeah?" They turned to me , Seth replying sullenly, "Who knows if you'll return at all." I bit my lip, many omegas made the trip but never returned, being worked to death by the snobbish wolves that resided in Central Pack.

"I might not be able to promise that I'll be able to return, but I'll do everything in my power to make sure you guys get out of this town. Mom too," I swear, as I fold a tattered hat into the case. Garett's hands moved like lightning, securing the skirt to a thin layer of fabric that shimmered in the overhead LED light. The dress had another small layer of sheer ruffles that wee attached to the hem too. This made the pathetic scrap of fabric look slightly better. I hugged Garett, Seth wrapping his arms around us too, finding comfort in the ever present steady crash of waves outside of the floating platform we lived on. Moments like these were sparse, but I loved them all the same.

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Shadows settled on the room, as the pale moonlight trickled in from a window, casting skeletal images across the ceilings's chipped boards. Cold wind tousled my hair, bringing the tang of sea water with it. The waves lapped constantly against the platform, creating a peaceful rhythm.

That night, I lay awake in silence, listening to the waves and the drone of the pumps outside my room. Garett and Seth were both out cold, snoring loudly in their beds. My wolf seemed to have sensed something, pacing around my head restlessly. I frowned, closing my eyes in annoyance. My wolf was usually silent, only surfacing when I felt strong emotion.

The last time I felt rage, I had let a growl rip by accident. My brothers had found odd jobs around the fish farm to avoid me in fear. I had never really gotten angry, but they had managed to break the several dishes that we owned, as well as nearly crash the boat that we used to travel to and fro the islands that consisted of the Northern Pack. 

I had never really felt the need for a mate either, content with my brothers and mother. However, my brother were turning sixteen soon, while I was barely getting younger. My thought to find my mate was definitely becoming a problem. One that made me stay up for nights it seemed. Hello, darkness my old friend.I huffed in the silence, tossing and turning. I pressed my face to my pillow, not wanting to leave the farm. 

I didn't want to find out what was waiting for me in Central. Whether I would survive or not was something that was dependent on me. I would be alone, with no one to rely on. What a great life.

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I clutched the chipped leather bound case, as I swallowed the scrambled eggs that my mom had whipped up. Seth hummed in ecstasy as he stuffed his mouth to the brim, Garett sideeying him in disgust, "Eww. Stop eating like an animal." Seth continued to shovel food into his black hole of a mouth, "We're wolves, what's the difference." 

I raised my brows at him and he straightened, taking slower bites. Mom waltzed from the kitchen, brandishing a small white piece of paper. "A plane ticket," I exhaled in surprise. Mom smiled, weariness etching lines onto her face. "Pansy didn't want to go since her dress tore, so I managed to convince the Walkers to give it to us." Seth fist-pumped, grinning boyishly, as I delicately tucked it away into my coat pocket.  

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I hefted the single suitcase and bag pack, hugging my brothers and mother. I was due to leave for the flight, leaving me several minutes to say my goodbyes. I smiled, despite the ache in my heart, consoling my mother and brothers. Seth clutched my hands, "Bring me something back from Central!" I frowned in amusement, "I'll bring you a paper napkin then." "You're the worst older sister," he crowed in bemusement. I ruffled his hair, "I'll miss you, all of you. Take care, alright?" Mother nodded, beaming with pride, her eyes seeming to say:  "You've grown up."

I lifted the suitcase, rushing through the gates, waving as I strode off. I didn't cry, but my wolf whined loudly in my head. I knew how we felt about it, but it couldn't be helped. Distraught, I rubbed my eyes, steeling myself as I sat into the cramped plane seat.

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One ball. Just one ball. I could do this.