Chapter 2 Real or Not

Sierra pov.

"I could not believe what had just happened. Am I dreaming? Was all of this true?" I thought to myself, overwhelmed by the events of the day.

As I sat on my bed, I gazed out the window at the full moon. Its silver light spilled into my room, casting long shadows on the walls. I could smell the scent of freshly cut grass wafting in from the garden, a reminder of the world outside.

My mother had been crying her eyes out all night, her tears staining the collar of her blouse. She had never imagined that I could be a mate to the Lycan Alpha. She blamed herself for letting me leave home for school.

In the silence of my room, I could hear the faint sound of crickets chirping outside. Their song was a bittersweet melody, a reminder of the fleeting nature of life. My thoughts were consumed by the Alpha's words.

"I will be coming in three day time so be ready mate."

The thought of living with him in his castle made my skin crawl, and I shivered involuntarily. I tried to imagine what sort of creature he was and what had caused him to become that way. The idea of giving birth to a child who looked like him filled me with fear and uncertainty.

As I lay my head on my pillow, I wiped away a tear. I thought about my future and the possibilities that lay ahead. Why couldn't I be a mate to Christopher, one of my crushes in school, or even James, despite his lack of intelligence.

But deep down, I knew that my fate was already sealed. I was destined to be the Alpha's mate, and there was no escaping my destiny.

I lift my head up, gazing at the moon, its ethereal light casting a silver glow on my face. "Why?" I scream, the pain and frustration of the day manifesting in my words.

As I stand there, I inhale deeply, the scent of the night air filling my lungs. The faint aroma of blooming flowers dances around me, mingling with the earthy fragrance of freshly cut grass.

I reach for my phone, the screen illuminating my face. I see ten missed calls - five from Nora and five from Alex. The weight of their concern and surprise weighs heavily on me, and I wonder if anyone could have predicted what happened.

The memory of the moment I raised my hand to his face floods my senses, overwhelming me. I crumple to the ground, tears streaming down my face, feeling the coldness of the floor seeping into my skin.

"Why did I do that?" I whisper, my words barely audible. My actions were an embarrassment, and I feel the weight of my mistake.

I glance at the clock, realizing that I've been sitting there, staring at the moon, for more than three hours. The passing of time seems both fleeting and stagnant, and I struggle to reconcile my thoughts.

I walk out of my room, entering the living room, where my mother lay on the couch, her sleeping eyes fixed on the TV. I kneel down, meeting her gaze, feeling the urge to weep. Only three days remain before I must leave everything behind.

Returning to my room, I take out a bed sheet, walking back to the living room and draping it over my mother's body. "I'm sorry, Mom," I say, my voice heavy with sadness. The impending separation between us looms large, like a dark cloud on the horizon, and I feel a sense of melancholy settling over me.

I open the front door, feeling the cool breeze surround me, and step outside. Taking in the sight of the moonlit sky, I inhale deeply, wanting to savor this moment before it passes.

I pull out my phone and glance at the time, 12:30am. Exhaling a deep breath, I resign myself to the fact that I must return to bed and face a new day.

* 7:30am*

I walk to school, noticing how everyone stares at me. I see them whispering to each other, their faces filled with pity for my supposed misfortune.

Approaching my classroom, I sit down in my chair, observing how my classmates move away from me in fear that something might happen if they get too close.

Resting my head on my desk, I feel lost and helpless. The image of his eyes is etched into my mind, and it feels like the weight of the world is about to crush me.

Reaching for my drawing book, I begin to sketch the beauty of nature. As I draw, I recall my father's words from when I was young - that one day, I would become the greatest artist in the entire werewolf kingdom.

"I wanted to make that dream come true," I thought to myself, determined to make my father proud and be the best of the best. The sight of my father's smile and the smell of fresh success motivated me every day.

Soon, my name was called, and I was instructed to go to the principal's office immediately. I didn't know why I was needed, but I guessed there was only one way to find out. My heart pounding, I walked over to the office and stood staring at the door before knocking on it.

"Come in," said the principal's voice from inside.

I slowly opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind me and standing there for a moment, taking in my surroundings. The room smelled of old books and polished wood. The sound of pencils scratching on paper filled the air, and the touch of the cold metal doorknob was still lingering on my fingertips.

"Please come in, Sierra. Take a seat," the principal said kindly.

I smiled at her as I moved over to the empty chair in front of her and sat down. "You said you wanted to see me, ma'am?" I asked, taking in the sight of the principal's wrinkled face and kind eyes.

"Yes, Sierra. Please just hold on," she replied, her attention focused on writing something on a piece of paper. I sat there for about a minute before she looked up at me and put her hands together, staring at me intently.

"Sierra, do you know the reason why you're being called?" she asked, her face showing a kind of worry that made my heart drop.

"No, ma'am. I don't know," I replied, feeling a sense of dread creeping over me.

"Sierra," she called again, her voice serious. "I'm so sorry to inform you, but you won't be studying with the Moonhowler Academy anymore." Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt like my dreams were crashing down around me. It was as if I had been running towards the finish line, only to be told that the race was over before I had even begun.

After she said that, I stood on my feet immediately, as I stared at her in shock.

"What, ma?" I asked, trying to understand the reason for all this.

"Like I said before, Sierra, I am so sorry. Whoever is linked to the Lycan Alpha is also known to be a cause. So, Sierra, if you please, you can pack all your belongings and leave."

The putrid smell of fear emanated from me as I stood there, bewildered. The sound of my racing heartbeat echoed through the silence, drowning out all other noise. I felt a weight on my chest, like an anchor dragging me down to the depths of the ocean.

I was shocked. Just seeing her say that, was I really about to leave this place? I got down on my knees as tears welled up in my eyes, looking up at her.

"Please, ma, I only have two days left. Can't you let me stay? I have so much I wish to learn, please."

I watched as she stood up and held my hands in hers, pulling me up to my feet.

"I know this is hard, Sierra, but I'm sorry."

I turned around and walked out of the door, into the school hall. The sight of everyone looking at me with pity made me feel even worse.

I walked over to my locker and packed all my books into my bag. I walked out of the building, not even surprised that something like this had happened.

As I was about to walk out of the school gate, I stopped and turned once more, staring at it.

"All my dreams of becoming a great wolf artist were now lost," I thought to myself, as I walked away.