She stares at the kids playing.
Her dirty sneakers covered in mud , a loose sweat shirt and worn out jeans covering her, as she tries stopping the tears falling down her eyes.
Nose red and eyes puffy , but no one cared.
The screams of children around, making her feel like she was surrounded.
When in reality she knew she was alone.
Always.
Using her loose sweatshirt to clear her tears, she folds her arms on her knees and lowers her head on it.
She doesn't remember how long she stayed like that when she feels a tap on her shoulder and she looks up.
"Are...you lonely?"
A small girl with big blue eyes looks at her in worry, making a small smile to leave her lips.
"No dear. You all are with me.... aren't you?"
I ask and she moves her head in a no, sitting beside her.
"No. They all are bad! They are not my friends."
The girl says and Thora couldn't help stare at her. The little girl was beautiful. But she looked so sad, just like her.
"Why?"
"They say I can't play with them! My uncle doesn't let me play with them! He will scold me!"
Thora doesn't quite understand what her situation was like? Why will someone stop a child from playing?
"The doctor's...they say I am sick! If I get hurt...I don't heal."
"You are a human?"
Thora asked trying to guess what it was,when the girl moves her head in a no.
"No...I am werewolf but I am sick.... moongoddess hates me...so she made me sick."
She plays with the hem of her dress and Thora couldn't help it. Tapping her lap,she urges the girl to sit there.
The girl obliges. Sitting in her lap to look up at her with her big blue eyes.
"What's you name sweetheart?"
"Elora"
Thora smiles. Patting her head , loving her silken locks.
"Moon goddess doesn't hate you Elora. Instead you are her favourite."
The girl moves her head in no, looking down.
"No ..you are lying. She hates me."
"She made you special ..she made you fighter...she believed you will win so she gave you her best fights."
This got the little girls curiosity.
"Why? She wanted me to fight?"
"Yes. You know Elora who are the strongest in this world?"
"Who rise despite facing all the fights. Who don't let a little sickness to get in their way."
"Moon goddess is very busy...she can't fight all battles herself...so she decided to give one of her battles to one of her strongest children."
"She choose it for someone very special."
"For a girl she believed in."
And that's when the little girls eyes widen.
" Is that girl......Me?"
Thora nods making a bright smile to come on the girls lips.
She looks at her hands...
And then suddenly back at Thora,her next question something Thora never thought would cone from a 10 year olds lips .
"Then....if moon goddess is for real? Is the story of the death wolf' also true?"
Thora's eyebrows furrow in confusion. She hasn't heard of it before.
"The..death wolf?"
"Yes! Haven't you heard his story! Uncle always narrates it to me at night! Everyone says he is bad....but for me he is my hero!"
Thora couldn't understand. Why hasn't she heard of this name before?
But she can't blame anyone... her life has been nothing less than a nightmare till now.
"Who...who is he?"
The little girls eyes shine in excitement. But before she could say something, a voice calls from behind.
"Princess Elora! We were searching for you everywhere!"
They look up to see 3 maids coming their way.
Princess?
"I refuse to go back. I have made a friend today."
The little girl announces in confidence and Thora couldn't help bow at them in acknowledgement. To which they barely nod, taking their attention back to the little girl.
"Princess Elora your uncle is really furious at your unannounced absence. He wishes to sea you."
The little girl sighs, dusting her clothes and getting up .
Lifting up her chin,she turns around and says in an authoritative voice...well tried because she was still very young.
"Tell him. I am coming."
And with this she turns around to leave but not before looking at Thora one last time and whispering in her ear.
"Search in the library."
Was all the girl says,winking at her and Thora couldn't help but smile back.
She was too adorable.
...................................................
Few days later
"Sally. Can I ask you something?"
Thora asks the old lady ,who barely nods at while ticking the chores on a piece of paper.
"I happen to notice...there are so many unmated females here. So...what do they do on the full moon?"
"I...mean how do they... survive the heat?"
Sally just chuckles, considering her question to be humourous.
"Aren't you too innocent? They satisfy it. What else."
"But...but they haven't found their mates!"
"So? It doesn't has to be your mate to satisfy it."
"But...but what if the female doesn't want to?"
Sally sighs, placing her hands on her waist.
"Why are you asking me these questions girl? Is your heat approaching?"
"No...no...I...was just curious."
"Keep your curiosity in check stupid girl. Go and do your work!"
She gulps and turns around to leave.
"And yes! Answering your last question. Those who don't wish to do it, run."
"They run from unmated males the entire night...hiding their scent...untill the sun rise."
Thora gulps, nodding and leaving. Holding her stomach which was aching since morning.
She wished it was stomach infection or just hunger but who was she fooling.
She met him few days ago.
And everyone knows.
The first time you meet your mate, you are hit with the strongest heat on the next full moon.
Strongest than you have ever felt it.
And no way in hell will she stay in the packhouse and let unmated males flock around her, trying to force themselves on her.
She will die before she lets another man like Landon use her.
So she will run.
Tonight on the full moon she will run till her legs take her.
She will die but she will not let any other man touch her other than her mate.
She couldn't fight Landon back then because she was very young and innocent.
Too innocent to fall in his trap of sweet words and give herself to him.
But now, she will not let it repeat again.
She will run.
Till death.
.....................................
Volkan stands at his balcony, his hands resting on the railing as he looks up at the moon.
His grip on the railing tightening as he thinks about her.
His mate.
He would have accepted anything.
Ugly,weak, rogue, Omega... anything.
But a betrayer...a shewolf who has fuc*** someone else other than him?
Never!
He would have laid this world at her feet. Showered her with love and every thing any shewolf ever desires for.... if only she had waited fir him.
Her innocent looking brown eyes come in front of his eyes....the earlier scene of her kneeling in front of him.
He didn't wanted to disrespect her like that.
But yes, he did intended to hurt her and make her realise that there was no hope of him accepting her ....ever.
And he was successful in it.
He saw the light of hope being crushed from her eyes when he told her to prepare for his Queen.
The Queen...which she was supposed to be.
His thoughts are interrupted by his wolf thrashing in his mind and he knew already what it was .
Staring back at the full moon.
He could smell the scent of her heat and oh boy wasn't it addicting.
But he was not a young pup, he was the werewolf King now and he mastered over his control.
Tonight his mate was going to mate with some other male and he was going to do nothing about it.
He will just wait and watch, making his hate to rise for her even more...so that he can finally reject her.
So that his wolf agrees with rejecting her.
Tonight was the night he will smell her addicting cheery blossom fragrance intermix with another bastard's.
And he will just sit here and stare at the moon.
Numbing his pains with a little alcohol in his veins.
Let the heat begin!