I'm The Alpha's Mate

"I promise I won't be out long," I try to convince my grandmother as she interlocks loops of wool that somehow produce a blanket. We do not need any more, but I watch her as she knits like a child learning to speak, wondering how string and words come together so flawlessly and gain meaning. She rolls her eyes at me and continues to rock back and forth in her old, wooden rocking chair--one that my grandfather built before he passed--like some image of perfection. The creaking noises crawl up my back and into my ears.

My grandfather had a knack for woodwork and was often found working outside, though I was too young to remember the sight of it.

I inch closer to her as if she forgot I had asked a question.

My grandmother and I are different; there are two sides to us. One side is human, and the other is beastly. This animalistic half has been with me since birth without a choice. I had no say in the matter as it remains entirely genetic. Like my grandmother, I have the ability to turn, to shift into something wild, a creature coated with thick, rich fur and built with sharp, threatening teeth. A wolf. Specifically a werewolf, wer meaning man which is silly because I am clearly not a man.

My grandmother and I are not the only werewolves in existence, in actuality, there are hundreds of our kind scattered around the world. I was born into a pack, though I do not remember much about those. It is a vague memory as at the time I had other things to worry about, other problems to distract me. Though in the pack, I lived with my mother and father, and in the beginning, all was well, that I remember. The laughs and memories resurface now and then to torment me.

After an attack on the packs land, they sent me away to live with my grandmother. It is for safety, they told me, yet I have not seen them since. My grandmother has taken care of me from then until now, raising me for over a decade, and for all these years the only reason I have is that of an attack. Details were not given to me, even after asking grandmother. She does not seem to know much either.

"Grandma? Can I go?" I call to her like a distance voice. She seems to be somewhere else.

She sighs and sets down her knitting needles, the only ones she has ever used. There are a few scratches in the wood, but they are not impaired enough to make her toss them. "Fine, but be back before dark, or at least before the canopy matches the sky, dear."

I slip on my coat, one that I usually wear when the weather is on the cooler side. "I'll be back," I call to her before fleeing out the door and into the crisp autumn breeze. I suck in a deep breath of the relaxing aroma. It smells like fallen leaves, damp dirt, and my freedom. If freedom had a scent, it would surely smell like this.

I wander through the trees, gazing up their mile-long trunks, watching their burnt orange and burgundy leaves sway like the rocking chair I saw only moments ago. There is a wet feeling in the air, and all around me is damp from the rainfall earlier today. I watched the rain from my bedroom window before being called down for lunch. The raindrops stream down the glass, and I try to find meaning in the drawing. Part of me is always looking for answers in everything, waiting for the universe to give me clarity on fogged aspects of my life. After deciphering the squiggly lines for far too long, I give up and try to remember that they are just raindrops on my window.

The cool temperatures of the season keep the forest and my skin fresh. The forest is quite crisp tonight, but even now, even in the snow, the rain, or sunshine, I feel uneasy like this. In my human form, there is a weird feeling in my stomach. The animals watch me like this, and I think it is because they believe me to be trespassing. In my more untamed form, they do not seem to mind me.

I hop over a fallen tree and come up to a small stream. Weeds and grass grow out of the clear, cold water and dance like they do not have a care in the world. My fingertips dip into the stream, and the water chills them to the bone, my skin turning blue and purple from the inside out.

I have never passed the stream, I always save it for later, but then I forget. Everything roaming and singing in the forest steals my attention, pulling me away as if I have transformed into a simple-minded child. Grandmother tells me not to cross the stream, so I do not. But I want to, I really do. The curiosity burns my soul, and you may think I am dramatic, which I am, but I walk here almost every day and wonder what is on the other side. Maybe a castle with a prince like in my childhood fairy tale books, but that is unlikely, so I will continue to pretend that there is a prince.

You wish, my wolf mutters to me.

Oh, don't you lie to me, I know that you want to find out what's over there too. I grumble inwardly, giving into the conversation that no one else can hear. The act brings a new concept to talking with yourself.

No, I don't, all I want to do is go home. It's as cold as an icebox out here.

Okay, we're going back, I mumble to her and spin on my heels, facing the direction of the house. One day I will cross over, and I will find out what is on the other side.

I trudge back to the house just before dark. I would still be exploring if it were not for my wild, judgmental wolf. It is as if she is the opposite of me, which explains why she is terribly fearless.

I stomp up the porch steps and gently open the front door. The lights are off, so grandma must have gone to bed. She tends to fall asleep early, which I expect. Slowly shutting the door behind me, making sure to not wake her up like times before, and creeping up the wooden stairs, I slip into my bedroom. The walls are a light shade of blue, and the floors are a medium wood, something natural and native looking. My bed sits in the middle of the room in between two windows that view the trees surrounding us like stone walls.

Moonlight drips through the glass and creates an eerie glow on the floor, almost lighting a path for me. I shrug off my coat and lay it on the back of my desk chair, another past work of my grandfather.

Too tired to change, I climb under the white duvet and shut my eyes. The only thing running through my mind is the stream; its frigid, soft current flows through me as if something is telling me to venture on. This something is leaning down and whispering in my ear, go past, go past.

"I'm confused, what's pushing me to cross the stream?" I mumble into the air of my empty bedroom.

"You must discover for yourself." The angelic voice fills my cold, red-tipped ears. Right away I know it is the Moon Goddess. I trust she is in the room, no longer needing to search for her. I imagine her long flowing white dress and silky, endless hair that seems to float around her, not touching her porcelain, unearthly skin. To me, she is more magical than a goddess.

"I knew you would say something like that." I sigh and curl further into the covers.

* * *

There it is, flowing right in front of me. All I have to do is step on the surfacing stones and cross it. I already lied to my grandmother about what I was doing, and now I don't even have the guts to carry out my plan.

It's not a big deal, just see what's on the other side, my wolf pushes me.

You're right. It's no big deal, I lie to myself. The taunting thoughts picking at my mind seem to believe the quick action of hopping across is indeed a big deal. The Moon Goddess didn't help me make my decision as she decided to keep her opinion out of this, although she tends to do that frequently. Most of the choices I make are based solely on my own ideas and convincing.

Reaching my foot out to the first stone, I shift my weight onto it, and then the other, and I am now standing on the first rock. The first move is over with, and I still feel undecided. I was hoping the step of faith would trigger something in my head. I back away and move off the stone. Maybe we should do this another time.

It's no big deal, My wolf reminds me, sounding somewhat annoyed by my reluctance.

"Okay, okay, I'm going." I take a deep breath before stepping back onto the first stone. Then onto the second, then the third.

Now we're going places. My wolf comments, but I ignore her.

Now standing on the last rock, I begin to feel nervous. This is it. I am finally going to find out what is on the other side. Part of me believes that I am blowing this all out of proportion, but the other half, the other half is bothered by the bugging thoughts.

I carefully step off the stone and onto the brown, sponge-like dirt. I scan the area before taking another step. Seeming to be the only person out here, I shrug my shoulders before heading into the trees. I guess it was no big deal.

Birds sing up on branches, and forest animals scamper across the earth floor, not threatened by my presence today. I watch a squirrel dash towards a tree, flying up the bark like it does every day. When I was younger, I begged grandma to let me bring home a squirrel so I could keep it as a pet. Naturally, she said no, but it still broke my eight-year-old heart as back then I was looking for anything to distract myself. I do not remember a lot of my childhood, mostly just being with my grandmother. I do not remember my parents too much as I left them so young. All I know is they brought me to grandma's to keep me safe, because of the attack and possibly my ability, but that is my own theory.

Grandmother is not part of a pack; she is very independent. She would tell me that you do not need a pack, all you need is a mate. She said this when I was around ten years old, so I did not understand the need of a mate. Evidently, I barely knew what one was. The thought of having a soul mate frightened me a little, but then grandmother would tell me stories about her mate, my grandfather. He died fighting in some attack, back when grandmother was not a grandmother. She would tell me about their dates, when they first met, and a heaping of other romantic things. Attacks seem to drive many of us apart.

She was quiet after he died. She was quiet for awhile.

"Hey, what are you doing on Tate land!" An authorized voice tears me from my thoughts.

My gaze swiftly shoots up to be greeted by a man's intense one. He is tall and muscular, built like a warrior of another time. His light blonde hair gently moves with the cool breeze of afternoon air. The man's skin is lightly tanned like he has spent days working in the sun. The man is not old, and if I had to guess I would say he is about twenty-three, which is specific. Getting a powerful feeling from him, I believe him to be important.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" He hollers at me again, becoming irked.

What do I say?

I don't know. Who is this guy? Why does he think he is so much stronger than us? My wolf growls.

Rolling my eyes, I let out a small laugh. My wolf is the complete opposite of me, yet the Moon Goddess paired us together, so I suppose opposites do attract. Why she thinks us to be so strong is beside me.

"Look, Rogue, I don't have time for this," the guy says and crosses his arms over his chest. "You're coming with me." This time when he speaks, it sounds much more aggravated. Swiftly, he reaches for my arm, but thankfully I have time to jump back. My heart starts beating a little faster, and from panic and anxiety, my legs turn to jelly.

What's happening? Why does this man want to take us? Why did he call us Rogue? I panic.

Well, apparently we did cross on his land.

His land, why does he have his own land? I question dumbly.

Evangeline, it's a packs land, and to be specific, he said Tate pack land, my Wolf explains in a rush.

Before I know it, I am being snatched at again, but this time I cannot get away in time.

"I'm s-sorry! I don't understand! Please just let go of me!" I cry out, completely confused, but he does not let go of my arm. Instead, he continues to drag me through the trees, further from home. I try hitting him, begging him, and I even start to cry from fear of the unknown.

Evangeline, calm down, or he's going to kill us, my wolf yells at me.

Kill me! But I didn't mean to cross on his land!

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the Alpha." His voice is firm and emotionless as if he knows this is not going to end well for me, and I believe him.

The man continues to drag me, and I happen to notice a small building through the trees. Behind it, I can almost make out other buildings, almost like houses. As I come closer towards the dreary, dim place, I notice two people standing on the outside by the door; maybe they are guarding it.

"Found a rogue while checking the perimeters?" One of the men guarding the doorway asks, not very amused. "Why bring it back?"

The man, dragging me, nods. "It was giving me a hard time."

It! We are not an it! My wolf riles up within me.

"I was going to keep it in a cell until I get orders from the Alpha, you know, what he wants to do about it." The man's tone is bored as if he deals with this kind of nonsense every day. Locking innocent people in cages, how barbaric.

"Go on in." The guard motions to the doorway.

The man abruptly yanks me into the brick building. The inside is dark with a horrid smell, possibly rotting flesh, reeking throughout the room. There are rows of cells with black bars vertically caging in whatever they hide.

We come to a halt in front of one cell, and with a thin strip of light trickling into the cold space, I see the rest to be empty. Suddenly, his two large hands push me inside. Before I can comprehend what is happening, the door is slid shut with a clicking noise to top off the unreasonable action. My eyes grow full, and I rush to the black bars. As soon as my bare hands touch the metal, a stinging, burning sensation sears me. Hissing in pain, I peer down at my singed palms.

"Oh, I wouldn't touch the bars, they're made of silver. Don't let the color trick you!" The man calls from where we came, on his way out.

We have to get out of here! My wolf frantically panics.

Oh really? You think we should? I seethe at her sarcastically. I take a deep breath to calm down. Sorry, I'm just scared.

I am torn from my thoughts by a sudden movement in the far corner of the cell. It is too shadowy and dark to tell if anyone is there, so I stand up straight, trying to find any ounce of courage I may have. "Hello?"

"Help... me," a quiet voice says back. It is feminine and weak as if she has been sitting in here for decades. Immediately, I rush into the darkness and try to feel around for anything. Then a hand lightly touches mine, and I grab it.

"I'm going to pull you where it's lighter okay?"

I warn the person, but I get no answer. What if she is dying? I do not think twice before pulling her where the light shines through the small window in the hallway.

When I look down, I see a girl maybe a few years older than me. I gasp when my eyes reach her leg. There is an enormous gash in it, and it is most likely infected. Dirt from the floor covers her face, and there are small cuts and bruises all over her body. The clothes she is wearing are all tattered and stained with blood.

"Oh gosh! What happened to you?"

Her head slowly turns towards me and her dull eyes stare into mine. "I-I was trying to get home, bu-but I accidentally c-crossed on a territory." She breathes out. Her voice is dry and hoarse, and I know she must be dying for a drink.

"But your leg?"

"They attacked m-me." Her head moves back onto its side, and the girl takes in a small breath. I peer back down at her leg, and it looks to be bleeding.

I quickly take off my jacket and wrap it around her leg. I try to tie it the best that I can to stop the blood from seeping out.

"Thank you," she mumbles.

"I wish I could do more, but," I look around the cell," there is not much in here. How long have you been in here?"

"I'm not sure, m-maybe a couple of days."

Who could be this cruel? Trapping people in cells until they rot. What kind of land have I stumbled onto?

After a while of sitting in silence, exhaustion starts to come over me, but I have nowhere to sleep but the cold, cement floor. "Goodnight," I say to the girl, yet her eyes are already closed. I do not get any answer, so I assume she must be asleep.

I sigh and turn on my back, looking up at the blank, gray ceiling.

Don't worry we'll get out of here, my wolf says.

I sure hope so, I say back then close my eyes, hoping this is all a cruel nightmare. Please, let me wake up in my bed, let me wake up at home where I am safe. I sure hope so.

I am jolted awake by the sounds of many footsteps hitting the cement floors. I push myself from the cold, hard ground and yawn. My body aches and my bones are chilled-it was like sleeping in a freezer, a dusty, potent freezer meant to hold dead bodies. This entire building feels like a death chamber.

I glance at the other girl in the cell; she seems to be still sleeping.

My hands run down my face, and when I look at my palms, there are thin streaks of dirt on them. I am thirsty. My mouth is like a desert that has not seen rain in years. I wonder what grandmother is doing, what she is thinking, if she is panicking-hopefully, she does not have a heart attack. I just need to get back to her.

The footsteps grow louder until the man from yesterday stops in front of the bars of the cell. A glare hardens on my face as he opens the door and motions for me to go with him. It would not be smart of me to refuse. I glance back at the girl. I do not want to leave her, but I will find a way to get her out too. I struggle to my feet with a sore back and trudge towards the man. He shuts and locks the door after I am out.

"Do I have to drag you, or can you obediently follow? Well, if you tried to run, I would have to kill you," he says. I nervously nod my head and follow him out of the brick building. When the sun hits me I am blinded, my eyes burning from the sudden light. I rub them until it does not sting to have them open. "This way," the man orders.

I trail behind him as we walk from the brick building and towards the houses in the distance. The closer we get, the more I study them. There are about three houses in a row with more farther in the distance. The three homes are vast, but the one in the middle is mesmerizing. It is white on the outside with accents of gray stone. We hurry to the front steps, and I feel a little on edge when the man knocks on the two grand, white doors.

It does not take long before a young, handsome guy opens one of them.

"What ya got, Andrew?" He asks the man excited, just from this small encounter I can tell he is an overall happy person.

All of the sudden, a dog of some breed comes running out the door and straight towards me. I have never seen a dog in person before.

"Bruiser! Get back here!"

I immediately crouch down and start to pet the sweet thing. I have always wanted a dog, but grandma said if I can barely take care of myself, I cannot take care of an animal, though I was a child when she told me that. "Hey there, aren't you just a big sweetheart," I coo at the slobbering dog, his stubby tail wagging like crazy. He jumps up at me, placing his paws on my shoulders and starts to lick my face. I let out a giggle, returning to some other version of myself who still wishes for pets. "You're silly, aren't you?"

I peer up at the two people, and their expressions are full of surprise. I pat the dog on his head and stand up, remembering my position.

"Um, okay, come on in, he's in his office," the guy at the door welcomes us and the man, whose name is Andrew, leads me into the house.

Andrew grabs my arm and pulls me down a long hallway. Portraits hang in between the windows that have silky curtains framing them, like white waterfalls, they pool on the wooden floor. As we venture further into the lovely looking house, my heart starts to beat faster, as if something is calling me to come closer.

All I want is to get back home to grandmother so I can get on my knees and beg for forgiveness. I miss her terribly, and I bet she is panicking like a child that cannot find their mother.

We near two large, gray doors, and I can tell that whatever is behind them is the thing calling me, whispering for me to burst through. An irresistible aroma floods the air; it is woodsy, fresh, and very masculine. I never want not to smell it as the particular scent has my knees wobbling. I start to breathe heavy as the temperature in this house begins to rise. What's happening? I ask my wolf, in need of an explanation.

I-I don't know. She sounds different; she is being affected by this hypnotic trance also.

We reach the doors, and my wolf is utterly restless, not being able to calm down. Andrew chooses one of the two, knocks on it, and seconds later I hear a low "come in."

My heart thumps hard.

Andrew slowly pushes the door open, and it takes a second but feels like an hour-long ordeal. My eyes dart into the room. Bookshelves line two opposite walls, and they are filled with hundreds of books. The walls are a dark gray, and the floor is a dark, clean wood. There are two comfortable looking seats placed in front of a grand, wood desk.

Sitting behind the desk is a man.

He has deep brown hair neatly on his head, and it suits him well. Even though he is sitting down, I can tell he is well built. The strangers fierce, dark green eyes glide up from the papers scattered about the desk as soon as I step in. I suck in a breath and stare at his addictive, handsome face. It is unreal, inconceivable-this creature set before me is something I could not fathom even in my limitless imagination. The scent took over my brain the second the door opened, and now I feel the intense need it to breathe. His gaze burns through me, and unlike any time before, I worry about how I look, dust and dirt from the cell cover my face, and I must look monstrous. His eyes roam my body, making me feel naked. He must be the Alpha. Does he have this effect on everyone?

"I brought the rogue," Andrew says, reminding me of where I am.

I do not realize I am holding my breath until the man behind the desk stands up, making me release it all. The stranger is like a mighty statue of a warrior from long ago-like the man beside me-intimidating me so easily. My body slightly shakes under his harsh gaze, my knees growing weak and my palms clammy. I force myself to look away, averting my eyes to my feet as I cannot look at him any longer without realizing the truth.

"Very well, you can leave." His voice sends a shiver down my spine, and the hairs stand up on my arms. On the inside, I cannot help but hope the order was for me, but it was not. Andrew's footsteps flee the room, and the sound of the door closing taunts me, but my gaze stays strictly glued to the floor.

"Look up."

This time his voice sounds smoother, like a melody in my ears.

"Look at me."

My breath hitches in my throat as he steps closer to me. I cannot bear to look at him. I cannot admit to the inevitable effect he has on me.

"I said look up," he repeats, sounding more serious like I am a child and he is scolding me. I start to panic.

"Please, I didn't k-know that I crossed on your...territory, I don't even know what's happening," I ramble. Where is my wolf when I need her?

Suddenly, his hand grips my jaw and brings my eyes to connect with his. My heart jumps from the electric feeling of his skin on mine, as I am obedient in his arms. Mate... Mate! His hand slowly slides from my jaw to the back of my neck, and I study his emerald green eyes, the eyes of my mate. I have found him, the person that grandmother has told me so much about, the person that is supposed to matter so much. I cannot control it, the sudden need to be with him. He is a stranger, yet I have an abrupt need to please him.

"What is your name?" He asks quietly, not moving his hand while the other continues to rest on my back. I cannot focus, his touch is distracting.

"Evangeline," I breathe out, unsure of my answer. "I'm so sorry for what I did, but I have to go," I say and glance away from his handsome face, landing my eyes on the wall. Maybe if I do not look at him, I will gain back the ability to speak properly. My mind is torn, part of me never wants to leave his arms, and the other knows I have to return home swiftly.

"Who put you in the cell?" He asks, not fazed by my words.

"I don't know."

"You do," he corrects me.

"I don't know his name."

The Alpha moves my eyes in the right direction again. "Tell me, Evangeline."

Again, I refuse to answer. Andrew did indeed lock me in a cell, forcing me to lay in the dirt, but I will not turn him in. Something tells me he would be punished. "Why do you need to know who? They couldn't have known."

"Nothing will happen to them," he assures me, though I have my doubts.

"If I tell you, I can go?" The Alpha, my mate, nods. "Okay, it was Andrew but-"

"Marina," he calls out. It only takes a few seconds for the doors to open, revealing a short woman with caramel colored hair. She has an apron wrapped around her body and white tennis shoes, ones that older women tend to wear, which is understandable. Her skin is tan and glowing.

"Yes, Alpha?" She asks, quick.

"Take Evangeline and get her cleaned up," he says to her. Hearing him say my name makes lips part, never has it sounded so beautiful, so desirable. Before I know it I am being led out of the room by the woman, Marina. When I climb out of the trance, my mate placed me in. My eyes grow wide. "Wait. I have to go," I tell her.

She turns around with a soft, welcoming smile. "Come on honey, let's get you cleaned up."

"But-"

"Come," she links my arm with hers and leads me down a hall, then unexpectedly, to a room upstairs. The room is at the end of the long hallway, guarded by two large doors. She pushes one open and pulls me in gently, and I do not plan on fighting her. My head spins when I enter the dark room, as his scent is everywhere, everything seems to hold it. In the center of it all is a bed, a bed with silky sheets peeking out from the side. My face flushes all possible shades of red. I tear my eyes away, and they land on a doorway which connects a bathroom. Marina is inside, folding fluffy, white towels and resting them on the edge of the substantial tub. Beside the bathtub is a modern, dark brown tiled shower. Everything is dark.

"I'll leave you to shower, and I'll grab some clothes from Fiona. They will be on the bed when you are done." Before leaving, she smiles again, almost excitedly. I nervously smile back.

I hear the door shut and I know I am alone.

Surely she cannot expect me to shower in a bathroom that does not belong to me, or anyone I know. This is all so bizarre, but knowing my mate is down the steps, so close, makes me feel less uncomfortable. He said I could go home, he said it to my face, but the bond between us has blinded me.

Maybe he meant after I get cleaned up? Oh gosh, I just want to be at home in my own bed, wrapped up like an infant. This has been the most insane, most unbelievable day of my life. Why did the creek possess me, as if it grabbed onto my feet and used me like a puppet? He is why I felt so attached to the idea of crossing, and I know that now, but look where the action has gotten me. I have found my mate.

Hesitantly, I take off my filthy clothes after checking to make sure the door is locked. Never have I felt so bare.

Under the water's current, my mind continues to question and conjure. The Alpha, the stranger, my mate, he can play me like a violin and part of me would not see the wrong in it. Something about him has me addicted, hooked on by his every word, move, breath-like he has cast a spell over me. Never have I been so undecided. Of course, I cannot help but think about abandoning my old life, leaving it all behind to be with someone made for me. A mate, oh, how sweet the possibilities sound. Then there is the other half of me, the half that worries for my grandmother. What if she has gone out looking for me, what if she accidentally crosses the land as I did? They cannot put a fragile, old lady in a grimy, noxious cage as they did to me.

The warmth of the water leaves me.

Stepping out, I grab one of the towels and cover myself. Marina told me the clothes would be on the bed, so I look out into the bedroom and thankfully find the pile there. The bedroom door is closed, so I venture out and quickly change. Still feeling somewhat bare-though the borrowed clothing overs me-I grab a robe from the bathroom and wrap it around myself.

Staring into the mirror above the counter, I sigh. Anxiety caused by all this is keeping me from leaving the room. What if he is out there? What if he tells me that I can never go home? I cannot stay in here and curse myself continuously for wandering over the stream and throwing myself into this mess. Wishing it never happened will not get me out of this situation. My mate, gosh his he intimidating, just his eyes have me begging for mercy. There is not enough courage inside of me to stand up to a man like him, and that is not even acknowledging that he is an Alpha. "How could you do this?"

"What have I done?" She softly asks, though, she knows what, I am sure of it.

Glancing to the side, I see her looking at me with the same eyes that she always has, even since I was a child. Every time I peer into them, they bring me back, reminding me of times not so pleasant before my grandmother took me in. "Why now?"

"The choice was yours."

"It hardly was, not with all the feelings poking at me to cross over. You know that I barely had a choice. Now, look where I am. How do I get back home?"

The moon goddess says only, "Evangeline, you are home. Finally, a place where you can be accepted."

I swallow. "My parents couldn't accept me. What makes you believe this man you have set me with will? Because he is my mate? It doesn't make sense. My own mother kept me hidden, so why should he listen-believe me?"

I was a child, watching the other pups playing, laughing, crying, shouting outside. I watched from the attic window alone, as I was often by myself. They would tell me that the attic was a safe place, a place where no one could hurt me, yet there I was more hurt than ever. As a child, I felt abandoned, left in a room and forgotten about by the two people who are supposed to love me the most. They never saw me as their child after I told my mother, only a secret to be hidden and kept from the world, but for what? What was the point in keeping me alive if I could not live?

I stayed in the attic, pretending I was normal, pretending that I was the child they longed for. I had no one but the moon goddess to talk to, to play with. My mother set up a bed and dresser for me, even a toy box with dolls and such. Though I often did not want to play with toys, but the other children in our pack. As I watched them from the window, I would imagine myself there with them, wrestling, learning, embracing childhood as a werewolf, something unique. I guess I was too unique.

I did not know that no one else can see her, talk with her. I thought it was normal.

You are strong, my wolf tells me, coming out from her corner.

I nod my head and turn towards the bedroom doors.

I peek into the hallway and see no one. After taking a calming breath, I quietly sneak down the hall until I reach the same stairs Marina lead me up. Once at the bottom, I hear voices.

"He did, I saw her when she first came in."

"Well, what does she look like?"

"She's a pretty girl, but she seems a little off. I don't know, not normal."

Are they talking about me?

Before I can listen any longer, the voices grow to close; they are coming around the corner. Immediately I head off in the opposite direction, away from the staircase, but I am not fast enough. "Hey, it's you," the familiar voice calls out to me, and when I reluctantly turn around I see the boy who opened the door, the one standing there when the dog ran out. "Where were you going?" He asks.

"Um, I'm not sure."

Another guy is standing beside him, watching me.

"You're my brothers' mate."

The boy is the Alpha's brother. I did not think about my mate having a family before, though the idea of it is quite evident. He must have parents, and a brother is normal, I suppose. The boy does not look much like the Alpha though. "Yes, I am."

"I was just on my way to get you. My brother wants to see you," he tells me. "I'm Henry."

"Evangeline."

He nods, and the boy beside him drifts away without saying a word. Henry glances at him, then back to me. "I'll take you to him."

Deciding to take a risk, I catch his attention. "Wait, I have to get back to my grandmother. She doesn't know where I am. Your brother, the Alpha, said I could go."

"My brother said you could leave?"

"Well, yes. We made a deal," I explain. "Now can you point me in the direction of the door, oh, and the stream also if you can."

Henry does not seem convinced. "You better talk to him about it. He just told me to go check on you, take you down if you're ready."

I hold my breath.

"Alright. Fine. Take me to him."

At my grandmother's house, everything is cozy and relaxed, while here, I am scared that if I touch something, it will break, shatter, and get me in trouble. It is a lovely house, but far too frangible, too fragile for me.

"Henry?" I call out to him as we make our way down the same hallway, the one that leads to the Alphas office. "I need a favor."

He peeks back at me, looking rather curious. "What?"

"When I was in the cells, there was a girl in the same one as me. She needs to be let free."

He lets out a hum, telling me that he is thinking, then he turns back to the hallway. When we come up to the familiar, gray doors, my heart starts to pick up pace and my nerves spike. The intoxicating scent of my mate fills my nose. Henry lightly knocks on the door, and I come back to reality. A low, familiar "come in" prods at my ears. Slowly, the door opens, and I am almost too anxious to see him again.

I enter the room, but Henry does not. He shuts the door behind me as if to trap me in. I glance up and see the Alpha sitting at his desk, as before he looks powerful and intimidating. I begin to feel extremely nervous. Something about this man has me begging on my knees and hiding behind my hands at the same time. He makes me feel desired without saying a word.

The Alpha stands up and slowly walks over to me. My breath hitches when he reaches only a few steps away, but he comes closer until he is right in front of me. His scent makes my mind go foggy.

"I see you found my robe." His voice is smooth, like music to my ears. He rolls the very soft fabric in between his fingers, a spot right beside my neck.

I can hardly speak, and I am sure if I tried any words would come out as a squeak. I no longer have dirt smeared my face and dusty clothes, but my hair is damp and possibly tangled-and here I am again, worried about my appearance.

"The g-girl in the cell-she needs to be set free," I say with the last of my courage.

"Making demands so soon?" His hand gently scoops up my own, his touch soft on my skin, and I only begin to want more. The feeling of him, it is something so new, so addictive, so good.

"I love the way you react to my touch," he chants in my ear, causing my mind to run blank, erasing all things I had planned on saying. A blush floods my cheeks, and I look away, not wanting him to see me as a gushing fool. I have never been in a relationship before, let alone kissed a boy. Obviously, at eight years old I was not running around kissing every boy I saw, for obvious reasons. With grandmother, I did not think about boys at all, as there were none around.

"Look at me," he says.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about packs and hardly anything about mates. I barely remember my old pack." I gaze up at him and look him right in his emerald eyes. "I have to get back to my grandmother."

His handsome face hardens. "Why are you not part of a pack?"

"I don't-I don't know." Truthfully, I think I know, but I do not see the need for him to know. My grandmother chose life this way, so I obey. My time in a pack was not great anyway, and now I have no desire to be in one.

"What do you mean you do not know? Have you always been rogue?"

"What's rogue?" I question, confused.

He looks at me, almost like he cannot believe what I am saying. "Where do you live?"

"With my grandmother, across the stream," I answer him while gently pushing out of his grasp, though I already miss the feel of him. "I have to get back to her. She doesn't know where I am." Suddenly a man comes through the office doors, and he seems startled. The Alpha immediately looks at him with hard eyes. "Alpha, we found two rogues on the border, so we brought them to the cells. What should we do?" The man asks for orders.

"Get rid of them."

Get rid of them? The rogues? I do not understand, Andrew called me a rogue, so why did they not get rid of me? "What are you going to do with them, lock them up?" I question.

"I don't have time for this, Ryker, just do as I say." My mate grumbles and crosses his arms over his chest. My eyes stay fixed on his bulging muscles, like a fourteen-year-old girl. I quickly snap myself out of my trance and cross my arms over my chest in response. He does not have time for what, my question?

The man, Ryker, leaves the office in a hurry and I attempt to follow him out the door, but of course, it is not that easy. My mate grabs my shoulders and turns me back around, back facing him. The tingles from his touch slowly spread throughout my body, instantly relaxing me.

"I don't think so," he says.

"I have to go make sure my grandmother is okay. At least let me check on her, make sure she is at home and safe."

He sighs. "Alright, but you are not going alone."

"I don't want to take you away from your work," I protest.

His expression softens. "Evangeline, I don't want to risk your safety, and I cannot trust anyone else right now."

I lightly nod, agreeing to his offer. I tighten the string of the robe, preparing for the crisp autumn weather to hit me roughly when I step outside. Following him out the door, my attention drifts as my eyes watch the tall grass by the tree line. The long blades softly sway in the breeze, making me feel as if I have entered some sort of dream land.

I also watch my Mate.

I am not sure what Alphas do, all I know is that they are the leader of the pack. One of the many things prodding me in the back of the head is the title, Luna. She is the queen to the Alphas king. Will I become Luna? The girl that was locked in an attic then hidden at her grandmother's house, the girl who speaks to a person no one else can see. I do not sound like the person for the job. Not only am I clueless about Alphas, but Luna's also, which seems obvious. How can one know about the Luna and not the Alpha, and the other way around?

"Listen, we aren't trying to cause you any trouble."

My head turns in the direction of the voice.

Off to the right, in the direction of the building, I see three men, one of them being Ryker. The other two look to be standing against the wall, their backs to the dull bricks. "What's going on over there?"

"Nothing, now keep walking," my mate says uneventfully, though there seems to be something going on. As I look closer and think harder, I realize that those two men must be the rogues Ryker was talking about.

My feet begin to lead me in that direction, driving me away from my grandmother's house.

"You are not going over there," my mate grabs my arm. "Just a minute ago you were begging to see your grandmother, so that is what we are going to do."

"What's happening over there?" I question while pulling my arm from his grasp. "Those are the rogues, what are they doing?" My mate says nothing but gives me a certain look. "I want to go over there."

"You are not going over there."

Suddenly, I spin around and quickly walk in the direction my feet are dying to take me in. I can feel my mate behind me. Surprisingly, I notice an object in Ryker's hand, but I cannot see it clear enough to tell what it exactly is.

"I said-" he begins, and I interrupt.

"What is he holding? Is that a... Is that a gun?" Immediately, I start to move faster. "He has a gun," I glance back at shout at my mate, who oddly, does not seem as surprised as I am.

That man, Ryker, he is going to hurt those people, he is going to shoot them.

"You have to stop him!"

"Evangeline, stop," my mate says harshly. "Don't make me force you."

His threat only makes me move faster, and soon enough the three notice me hurrying towards them. "I see your gun!" I yell to Ryker as I stomp accusingly up to him. "How could you do something like this?"

He peers behind me, at the Alpha, looking right past me as if he did not hear me. "We are leaving," my mate tells me, not giving me any options by the tone of his voice.

Without thinking, I snatch the weapon from Rykers grasp and hold it to my chest.

"Evangeline, let go of the gun," he says carefully and reaches his hand out, expecting me to give it to him.

I ignore my Mate and glare at Ryker. "You were going to kill these people."

"Yes, as my Alpha ordered me to."

My brow furrows together before I look back to him. "You ordered these people to be killed?" I ask with the gun still in my hand.

My mate suddenly steps forward lunging for the weapon, but I move away and hold the gun up out of fear. The nozzle points directly at his chest. "Give me the gun," his voice grows more tense, more unforgiving.

"You were going to kill me-you called me a rogue!"

"Why would I kill you?" He steps closer. "Why would I kill my own mate?"

My hand begins to shake. "I-I... All I want is to see my grandmother."

"We can do that."

"And I want these people let go, a-along with the girl that was in my cell," I order, the gun still pointing at him. Obviously, I am not going to shoot anything, but they do not need to know that.

"I can't do that," he says.

I straighten my arm, emphasizing that there is indeed a gun pointing at his chest.

"I know you aren't going to shoot me. You can't." His eyes gaze steadily into mine, making me clench my free hand into a fist. "Now give me the gun, so you don't hurt yourself, and we can go see your grandmother."

"No, I want them let free. You called me a rogue and all I did was accidentally step on your land."

"Yes," one of the men against the building calls out. "We did not know this was claimed land, Alpha, or we would have stayed far away."

My mate does not engage with the man, but instead, he attempts to grab the gun again, this time gripping my arm, holding me in place. Knowing that if he gets it, these people will die, I do the only thing that I know will make him listen to me.

I quickly hold the gun up to my head.

My mate lets go immediately.

"Let them go," I repeat, and this time I see the fear in his eyes. "I'll do it."

"Evangeline, please. Move the gun."

"After they are let go."

He runs his hand through his hair. "Fine, let them go, I don't care. Now give me the gun."

"And the girl in my cell."

Ryker cuts in, "This is ridiculous Alpha. She's just a little girl, take the gun from her."

"I am not a-"

Ryker abruptly lungs towards me and grabs onto the arm holding the gun, pulling it down. The weapon almost slips from my grasp, and I fight to hang onto it. Then a shot rings in my ears.

"Evangeline!"

I let out a bloodcurdling scream and drop the gun to the grass. My hands spring up to my head, and I examine them, seeing small amounts of blood stained on my palm. The sight of the red liquid sends my head into an inevitable spin, as the sight of blood has always made my stomach rise. This blood though, this blood is my own and caused by my own frantic actions. I swallow and try to steady myself.

Unexpectedly, a comforting feeling comes over me as two arms wrap around my swaying body, stopping me from tumbling to the dirt. This soothing feeling is like no other; this feeling has my nerves in a frenzy. Oddly, my mind is taken from the frightening wetness on my hand.

When I was little, I thought I would die of old age. I thought one day I would just naturally not wake up. It was a peaceful idea, yet unrealistic. Though dying from plainly being wrinkled and weak was likely not going to come true, never did I think I would die because of my own accidental, panic-stricken actions. Not only have I managed to kill myself, but I also am not sure if those people are going to be released. Please, do not let me die without a purpose.

I swear if we die because of your idiotic choices I'm going to kill you-again, my wolf hisses at me in pain.

"Find out what the rogues did, and see if we can let them go," he commands Ryker while holding onto me for dear life. My hand again lightly pats the back of my head, sending a horrific, sharp pain to strike me harshly. I wince and drop my hand to my side.

"What were you thinking?"

I do not notice that I am crying until he wipes the salty tears from my flushed cheeks. The softness of his touch eases the throbbing of my unintentional wound. Will I die in this stranger's arms as if we have known each other for decades? My mate's touch, though new, makes me feel like we have been together for many years, like I know him better than I know myself. It is a funny feeling, the mate bond.

My eyes drift to the field, almost in the direction of grandmas house. If I am correct, if I am dying at this moment, I will never get to say goodbye, and she may never know what happened to me. To her, I just disappeared one day and never came back.

"I have to get a doctor," my mates voice comes to me again.

I want to say something back, but my lips stay shut. My body is too focused on the pain and the bond. Oh my poor mate, though he seems rather dark and ruthless he has lost his mate so soon. Somehow I have managed to do something selfless and selfish at the same time.

He lifts me up the porch steps, as my legs are not much help, and he brings me inside. Reality no longer feels real, everything around me is fuzzy and dream-like. I lay down on the couch and stare up at the ceiling, thinking about all the time in my life that I have wasted, how I could have done more to prepare myself for the end. Should I have never told my parents about the Moon Goddess? Should I have listened to Grandma when she said not to climb that tree? Should I have crossed the stream? How much can more blood pour out of me? Surely my blurry surroundings must be a sign that my body is running low.

"Marina, call the doctor now," he calls.

It does not take long for her to come scurrying into the room with the phone in her grasp. "I just called him, what's the matter?"

"There was an accident. A bullet skimmed the back of her head." I could tell by the sound of his voice that he hated to say it. It is unusual to have a stranger care for me so strongly.

The bullet skimmed me. That does not sound as severe as I thought my injury would be. Is it possible that I could survive, that I could live just a little longer before I play goddess once again? My dizzy head makes my stomach rise and threatens to spill all it is holding. Maybe this is all a dream; maybe I will wake up in my cozy bed. The sun will shine on my cheeks and blind me slightly when I open them at first. I will roll over, avoiding the intense rays, only for grandma to peek inside and tell me that she has made breakfast. Oh, she makes the yummiest hash browns.

"How could this happen?" Marina asks and hurries closer. "I'll get bandages and whatnot until they arrive."

My eyes slowly open and close, tempted to stay shut and pull me into a much-wanted slumber. A sudden squeeze of my hand sends a jolt through my body, ridding my tired bones of the encumbering exhaustion. My mate tugs me forward and places a pillow in my place, forcing me to sit up, making it harder to float away to dreamland. "Am I going to die?" I mumble while fighting myself to stay awake.

"I don't think so," my mate murmurs.

"If I do... Those people-the girl. My grandma needs to know." I do not say anything else.

He squeezes my hand again.