My Brother Is My Mate.

It is such a chilly day for me, which is why I'm stuck up in my room in the softest bed in the world.

Reading a manga with my best friend playing Barbie.

Jessie.

Jessie happily climbed on my back, spreading out her hands in the air, staggering, and shaking her balance as my bones hurt like baffling.

"Get off me!" I yelled at my best friend to stop climbing on top of my body; it was pretty annoying and painful.

"Look how high I can fly; it's a beautiful thing." She softly sang one of her favourite Barbie cartoon songs.

I rolled my eyes. "Will you stop singing? It's annoying and gets off my back this instant, Jessie. I don't want to repeat myself, Jessie."

"Come on, I just wanted to know how high I can fly." Jessie left my back and jumped on top of my bed happily as I bounced.

"By jumping on top of my body,' I scoffed. "You could try doing it in the sky by standing on the roof of this mansion and see how high you can fly,'' I said sarcastically.

She will probably fall down and crush her bones.

Jessie just ignored me, cackling, and glanced at the manga I was reading.

"Reading some BL comics again." She smiled.

"Yeah,' I emphasised, rolling my eyes.

"Isn't it weird reading this genre of manga all the time? I prefer romances to BL ones. And besides, Oceana, you are underage. You aren't supposed to be reading that stuff."

"I read the ones filled with so much love and not bad stuff.'

She doesn't have to know what I read. It would be embarrassing explaining it to her. "And I don't care if romance is your preference or whatever you choose to read. This is mine and it's not like you love to read, anyway." I pointed it out.

"Yeah, reading makes me dizzy." She rolled her eyes in a circle, laughing.

"I thought as much, so leave me be," I mumbled.

"I hate reading; why do you love reading manga? Doesn't it bore you? I prefer to watch Barbie. My favourite Barbies are "The Princess and the Pauper, Barbie: A Fairy Secret, Barbie in The Nutcracker, and "Barbie And The Twelve Princesses." She beamed and sang. "You are just like me. I'm just like you. There's somewhere else we'd rather be..."

I rolled my eyes. "Enough! I've heard enough of your Barbie titles and songs."

"But they are the best; I would love to become a Barbie someday. Do you know what that means? I could live in a castle forever with my charming prince, or I could be Cinderella, don't you think?'

That was such a ridiculous compliment, or should I say, a statement? We are in the real world, not a fantasy. Who wants to become a Barbie?

"Come on, Oceana, answer me.'

"What's your problem? Leave me alone, Jessie." I shifted my body away from her and laid down properly on my soft peach bed and my fluffy pillow, focusing on my manga.

'No, I will not,' she said, getting up from her spot in the bed. "I'm just asking a simple question that needs a simple answer,' she yawned, covering her mouth and inched a little closer to me. "My mom is going to kill me if I don't show up at the werewolf ceremony. Oceana, let's go." She stood up properly from the bed and nearly pulled me along with her.

Jessie Paxon is my childhood friend.

We've been friends since we were babies because both of our parents have also been best friends since before we were even born.

Jessie is an eight-year-old Beta, my best friend, and a sister from the Paxon Pack.

She had blonde hair tied into a ponytail, a round nose, blue eyes, very short, white, smooth skin, and almost little hands.

Her lips were as red as a lollipop.

That's kind of weird, right? Using the term "lollipop" Well, that's how I can best describe how red her lips were.

She is so beautiful as a baby that you can't pass her by without taking a second look at her.

We wear almost the same clothes and dress in the same pattern; if she packs her hair, I do mine as well.

We do nearly everything to ourselves, so much that people mistook us for being twin sisters, and well, I don't mind; she is the only one I got in the world, and I was just two years older than her.

She is like a sister to me-it didn't matter to me; she wasn't my sister by blood.

We are almost the same thing, yet the only difference between us is that my long hair is white, my bright blackish eyes are kind of red, like the colour of a wine.

I have a pointed nose; I love to wear pink gowns on special occasions. And jeans, and a hoodie to school.

I'm an Alpha, the princess of the Mackenzie Clan, and the daughter of the ruler of the realms.

I am in the top rank as an Alpha.

I sighed for the fifth time. 'The ceremony is about wolves meeting their so-called mate and bonding with them, right?'

"Yeah, since my sister is eighteen, she is gonna meet her mate. They would kiss and bond." Her flushed cheeks beamed with excitement; she is always dreaming about meeting her prince charming when she is just eight years old. Aren't children supposed to be thinking of how to play and eat all day instead of dreaming of an unknown charming prince?

What a dummy.

"And your mother wants you to attend; you are not even a teenager yet." I reasoned.

Why are parents so obsessed with getting their kids together with this sort of fated mate thing?

Is it a sort of curse or something?

"I know, but I just want to see how it goes and meet my prince charming," she dreamily said.

"Ew. That will be so disgusting." I frowned in disdain. "Meeting a lot of alphas feasting on their mate or a bunch of them on one person, all moaning and making stupid noises. They should ban us from that sort of ceremony; we are kids. You are still a child; why will you be dreaming about meeting your mate at this age? We are supposed to be kids, not adults."

"It doesn't matter if a child encounters her mate in this day and age; don't be such a killjoy. I want a mate, and it doesn't matter to me if you want one or not." Jessie laughed out loud at my words.

"That's such a hassle, Jessie; you watch too many movies. That's why you think life is full of roses when you meet your mate; trust me, you are going to hate your life for sure.'

"It's not about watching too many movies; I want someone for me, just like my sister wants, to love," she argued.

"Love is not everything.' I remarked.

"Who told you those words, your brothers?'

I thought for a moment. "Nah, but I think it's Gerard who told me I'm still not sure.'

"Alpha Gerard wouldn't say such words; he believes in love, unlike you. Love is everything. It conquers all.'

"It's not like I don't believe in love; I do and my brothers taught me a lot about love being, everything, but to other people, nay."

"I don't care; I just want so much love from my mate, then we will dance at the night ball till twelve midnight and..."

I don't even want to know anymore why she is so obsessed with getting a mate. I think I have heard enough.

There's no use trying to convince her, and I'm pretty exhausted listening to her.

"Listen to me when I say you are still a child; just believe me.' I rolled my eyes.

"And you as well,' she countered. "I don't know why you despise mates. It's every werewolf's biggest dream to get a mate to love and cherish them, but your mindset is something else. Well, I would love to get a mate today and get married to him today; I don't care, as long as it is good for us to be together."

When I say my best friend is sick in the head, she truly is sick in the head.

It's of no use arguing with her at this point; it's better to be quiet than to be sorry later on.

"That's for you, but not for me." I uttered my words casually with a sigh and continued the manga I was reading.

I love my peaceful moments. Some peace and quiet will be good around here if she's talking bullshit.

I don't want a mate, I just want to be with my peaceful family and avoid all these problems.

I've seen how mates suffer when their partners are jerks.

I don't want to be miserable and depressed, then die on my deathbed and burn to ashes because my mate declined to bond, making me suffer and refusing to be with me.

No, I'm not interested in it and besides, who would want to mate with a woofless alpha like me?

I was already a laughingstock. Maybe the moon goddess chose this path for me to suffer so I could have a peaceful life with no mate.

I hear about fated mates and their horrible stories every day, which scares me sometimes, so I don't want to be a victim.

Alphas are assholes, and they stink a lot, except for my brothers, who smell so nice and lovely; they have the nicest pheromones in the world, and whenever I perceive them, it relaxes me.

I miss them, and I wish they would come home for this moon festival; it's been so long since I've seen them.

Two years.

"Come on, your mother will search for us; the elders are coming soon; let's go downstairs."

"Go on without me; I'm coming, and I will be there before you know it." I casually promised and switched on to the next episode of my manga.

She ran out of the room.

She exhausted me as it was and didn't want to leave my room.

I know what she was speaking about; the pack has gathered again to discuss some stupid stuff and talk about their boring lectures.

I'm not going, anyway; it's best I stay in my room.

No one would even notice I wasn't there, anyway.

"Oceana," my mother called from downstairs; I could hear her footsteps coming upstairs.

Not now; why today of all days to relax?

Wasn't she supposed to be at the ceremony leading the wolves as Luna of the clan? Why was she back so quickly?

"Oceana!" she shouted.

Could she quit yelling my name? It is embarrassing, and if I pretend to be asleep, I will be in deep trouble.

If I pretend to be tired, she will snap at me and have suspicions concerning my reasons for being weary.

What should I do?

"Oceana!" she yelled even louder.

"Coming!" I yelled back.

"OCEANA!" she screamed at the top of her voice.

My eardrums were hurting non stop at this point and she knows how to frustrate the shit out of someone.

What a day!

"Mom, I'm coming.' I quickly clicked on the green icon to close itself, but my stupid phone wasn't clicking the way I wanted it to. What kind of day is this?

Finally, it clicked.

I quickly hid my phone under my bed after checking the time on when they will post the next episode of the manga, and I scampered out of my room and shut the door behind me.

My mom frowned with her hands on her slender waist upon seeing me. Hell was about to break loose, I guess.

"Oceana, what have you been doing inside your room since morning?" She asked solemnly.

Here we go again. Should the moon goddess remind me of why she is my mother again?

"Arranging my bed,' I answered casually.

"What?" she frowned.

My mother is the Luna of the clan, the queen of the five packs; she is a powerful wolf; her long hair is the same colour as mine; her eyes were so blue; she had a little of acne on her face; a pointed nose; pale pink lips; she had a sort of oval expression; she was pretty attractive and stunning to the core.

She was as beautiful as a goddess; no wonder my dad wouldn't leave her alone and was always protective of her, as if she would run away from him any moment from now.

She was just forty years old, slim, and curvy.

I want to be like her when I grow up and be as beautiful as ever.

"Reading my books and also solving my assignments,'' I lied without blinking, hoping she wouldn't go to my room and search for my phone to see if I was lying.

My mom of justice and dictatorship despises comics, mangas, whatever they are called; she feels they are distracting me from my studies. I wish my brothers were here to stop her from scolding me.

"Are you sure you are not reading those stupid mangas that teach nothing or add some sort of advice to your life?"

Says the person who spends her money on clothes, being more obsessed with it than her children, I'm just a ten-year-old kid; what's wrong with reading a manga?

It's too late to stop me now, when I've read over a hundred mangas, and she is saying when I'm older, that sounds more like a dream than a reality; by then I'd have read over thousands of them.

I rolled my eyes at her. I've never heard of a manga being read to add something to your life; it just feels good and gives entertainment to my life rather than this boring luxurious mansion that is all white as snow.

It felt like a cemetery, really quiet, and who lives like this?

"Mom, I was reading my books, not a manga; I dropped that a long time ago. You know I always listen to you," I said confidently. It was just a minute ago, though.

Me? And I don't Listen to my mom; probably it will be another Oceana, not me.

*You are such a good liar* My wolf chuckled at my words.

I ignored her and focused on the matter at hand.

"Don't test me, Oceana; When you are older, you read it, you hear me?"

Who listens to that kind of advice these days? Kids do their own stuff now.

"But Mom, you just heard me, didn't you? I was reading some books upstairs with Jessie before she left for the ceremony.' I elaborated.

Oops! I shouldn't have mentioned the ceremony.

What have I done? My stupid mouth!

"What!' she reacted. "What are you still doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the ceremony? You never know, you might come across your mate.'

"At this age, Mom, for crying out loud, I'm only ten.'

Who needs a stinky and smelling mate? Eww, they all smell so badly; don't they take a bath?

"Shut up,' she snapped. "Don't talk when I'm talking."

"I'm not interrupting you.' I broke in.

"Then, shut up; you talk when you are being spoken to; do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mom.' I mumbled, nearly rolling my eyes at her.

So much for being a child.

"That's the reason you should hope for a mate, not sitting down and doing nothing. At this age, you need your mate; you are supposed to meet your mate, get betrothed, and once you are eighteen, get married. You go to the mate; it doesn't come to you if you hide yourself inside the mansion all day. You are a wolf; you never can tell; meeting your mate will control your powers and be able to change into your wolf form.'

"I don't desire a mate.' I blurted it out.

"Don't be silly, young lady; mind your tongue.' She scolded.

"But, Mom, why do I need one?' I argued.

"I just explained to you why you need one.'

"Must I get a mate?" I enunciated with anger. "I'm an Alpha; what do I need a mate for? Isn't that a disgrace for me? Why should I go to the extent of doing such a thing as mating with another Alpha because I can't shift? Everyone will know the reason I'm suddenly bonding with an alpha. The pack and the kids at school will laugh at me. Why can't I just learn how to do it myself? Learn how to shapeshift before searching for a mate. I'm a princess, not a commoner.'

. "You are not reading up on what you are supposed to study, young lady; your wolf speaks through you but refuses to come out of you because there is something blocking your wolf from taking over your body; you can't even control the powers of the realms." My mother yelled, sighing. "Listen, Oceana, it's not like I don't believe in you; I'm not forcing you to live up to my expectations of being perfect; I don't like what I'm doing to you. You have every right to live your life as you please; I wouldn't force you, and I will make sure I respect your opinion. But this is for your own good; everything I do is to make you happy. I will do anything to make you happy because I love you, and that's why I want the best for you. If I'm telling you to do this and that, it's for your benefit and your future, my dear. But this is our clan that we are talking about; people will talk about you, shame you, and say all kinds of things to you. You know why? Because you are an Alpha and not an Omega. To be prepared for what's coming. You need to have an encounter with your mate. That way, you can achieve great things in life. It's not like I hate you, but I want the best and the most beautiful things in the world for you. That's what I want, and I want you to be happy. If possible, you will be my heir and succeed me in being the Luna of this clan, the Queen of the five clans; you will be a powerful woman with your mate beside you, helping you with his powers, so that no one will laugh at you again; everyone will look up to you and respect you; trust me and believe me; I am your mother; I will not lie to my child."

"But I have older brothers before me. How can I be an heir to the clan?" I was confused.

"You are still young. With time, you will understand how the clan's rules go as you get older, Oceana. You gotta be strong and don't let anyone pull you down. No matter the person, you are who you are, and I don't want anyone to belittle you.'

I understood my mom's words.

I know she is trying to do her best, but I just don't know how to explain this.

She was scaring me. I don't know why she is saying all these things to me.

One thing is for sure: I don't need a mate or anyone by my side; after all, the clan secretly makes fun of me for being so pathetic.

My mother came to me and touched my shoulders. "Oceana,' she called me.

"Yes, Mom,' I sadly responded.

"Make me proud; don't disappoint me; I don't want you to be some useless alpha out there written in history. Fight and be the strong Alpha you are, so that when you meet your mate, he will be worthy of you.'

I felt like a heavy burden had just landed on my shoulders.

'Do I make myself clear?'

"Yes, Mom," I replied. Sometimes, my mom freaks me out; she has never talked to me like that before.

What did she mean by I will be an heir?