“Laura!”

Xander’s voice called for me echoing around the dining room. I glanced up away from my drawing book to see his adorable face grinning at me. Xander was the son of my Alpha, my future Alpha and I was 99% sure my destined mate. He had a mop of dark brown messy hair and striking green eyes that he got from his mother the Luna Ashly. He gestured with his hand for me to follow him as he raced out of the room. I giggled to myself as my heart fluttered wondering what had got him all riled up. I followed him with haste, thinking about how lucky I was to have been taken in by the Alpha and Luna after my parent's deaths.

“Wait up Xander!” I called with a huff unable to catch up to him, for a moment I wondered if he had been working out as normally I could keep up.

He turned his head to smirk at me before running faster and I felt a pang of annoyance at his teasing. I chased him out through the front doors of our packhouse into the surrounding woods. I loved that about the packhouse, it was nestled in a clearing surrounded by acres of forestry. Most members of the pack had to live in their own cottages smattered about the land, only coming into the packhouse for work or celebrations. I however got to live there and was treated like the Alpha’s own daughter.

“Hurry up Laura, or we will miss it!” Xander hollered back to me as I concentrated on our surroundings realizing we were headed to the sacred hall.

It was a building similar to a church where the elders of the pack gathered every full moon to welcome new wolves. I felt my heart race with excitement again knowing that tonight would be one of those nights. I came to a stop beside Xander looking at all the fresh 18 years olds excitedly gathered in front of the hall speaking in hushed voices. Xander turned to me grinning before pointing out our best friends Micheal and his twin sister Ellen. It was astounding how much they looked alike, both had ashen blonde hair, stellar blue eyes, and very lean petite bodies.

“Micheal! Ellen!” I yelled out at them waving once I had gotten their attention.

“Laura, Xander!” They both yelled back in unison walking over to us.

“Can you believe it?” Micheal asked excitedly.

“We will finally have our wolf forms!” Ellen chimed in clapping in anticipation. I grinned at both of them trying to ignore a pang of jealously that I would not be 18 for another 2 days so I would not have my change till next month.

“Just wait till next month! Then me and Laura will be able to turn too!” Xander said with a laugh.

“Yeah! Then we will be able to go on runs together!” Ellen grinned at me before Micheal interrupted.

“That’s if you too can keep your hands off each other” he wiggled his eyebrows teasingly as I felt my cheeks glow with embarrassment. Xander slapped Micheal’s arm hard but maintained a playful smile, giving me a small wink.

“Now, now Micheal is that any way to talk about your future Luna?”

I felt my cheeks flame even hotter at Xander’s words while my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. We had been unofficially dating since last year as we both knew that we were going to be mates but to hear him say it out loud… that was a different experience that I wasn’t sure I would get used to.

“Oh stop it you two!” Ellen said trying to hide her amusement at my discomfort before giving me a tight hug.

“Even when you are Luna, you will still be my best friend” she whispered into my ear lovingly.

I adored Ellen, we had become so close in the last 3 years since Makayla had turned into a bully. Makayla and I had both been orphaned at the same time, although she had been taken in by our teacher Mr. Marks. We were best friends growing up simply because of that fact. But then she met Sam. Sam was a new member of the pack, her family joined our pack due to their old one being destroyed by rogue wolves. You would think being new, Sam would have been a bit shy or kinder but she was awful. The first day she came into school she demanded everyone refer to her as the future Luna. Every time someone else would be complimented or get more attention than her she would spread disgusting rumors about them.

“Okay kiddo’s, everyone start coming inside!” Mr. Marks called from the front door of the hall, he was a kind man with an aging face.

I hugged Ellen tightly before wishing both her and Micheal good luck and a quick first shift. From what we had been told the first shift was the hardest and most painful, Luna Ashly had told me it was almost as painful as childbirth. Xander grinned at Micheal before putting his hand around my shoulders tugging me closer to him. I felt my heart race as I felt his warm body pressed into mine. My mind a flutter with thoughts of the other parts of his body pressed into mine when a shrill high pitched voice broke my naughty thoughts.

“Oh Laura, isn’t it sad that you have to wait an extra month!” Sam stood in front of my one hand on her left hip, her full lips in an evil smirk as her brown eyes twinkled.

I rolled my eyes and looked towards Ellen to watch as she and Micheal walked inside. Sam’s voice turned into a flirtatious purr as she turned her attention to Xander.

“Oh hi Alpha” Sam winked before pushing her chest out obviously trying to show off her large breasts.

“Are you excited to finally find your mate next month?” Her voice was thick with a suggestive tone as Xander chuckled uncomfortably.

It was sad that you could only find your mate after your first shift, not everyone was as lucky as we were to know you found yours beforehand. I wonder who would be the unlucky guy to get Sam as their mate.

“Umm I guess?” Xander finally responded after some intense staring from Sam, she glanced at me with disgust in her eyes before looking back at Xander.

“Well, I’ll talk to you later Xand” she winked again before turning to enter the hall, I growled in frustration that she still insisted on using the pet name she made up. Xander looked at me sheepishly running his hand through his hair.

“I wish she would stop calling me that.”

I nodded as we shared a look of frustration, Xander was too nice sometimes. He had told me before he didn’t want to cause Sam any duress due to her circumstances. I understood but still wished he would tell her off.

“And what might you two be doing?” Xander froze quickly dropping his arm as we both looked at Luna Ashly in fear.

We had been trying to keep a relationship a secret between her and the Alpha since both wanted us to wait until we had our first shift. Luna Ashly’s porcelain face lit up in amusement before she hid her smile behind her hand.

“Xander, your father needs to speak to you” she spoke but maintained eye contact with me, her piercing green eyes telling me she wanted to speak one on one with me.

I gulped nervously that I was about to get a talking too as Xander ran off without another word.

“Walk with me, dear.” Luna Ashly smiled taking my arm, I looked away trying to hide my nerves.

“Dear, I know that you think Xander is your mate and honestly I would LOVE for you to be my future daughter-in-law.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “But, there is a chance that you… you two might not be each other’s mate.”

“But we are!” I couldn’t help but speak over her, my heart was pumping with the idea that he could be someone else’s. She looked at me with sympathy before sighing deeply.

“Laura, I have seen you as an adoptive daughter since your parents died. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

I felt a lump rising in my throat as the familiar burning pain came over my eyes, I bit my lip refusing to allow myself to cry.

“I think… it would be for the best if you were to limit your time around Xander until next month’s full moon.”

I felt my heart break at the idea of being apart from him as Alpha Ashly’s kind face gave me a sad smile.

“I know it’s not what either of you wants but it needs to be done, normally Alpha’s mate with other Alpha’s…” Her voice trailed off as I looked down embarrassed not for the first time my parents were essentially nobodies in the hierarchy.

Luna Ashly sighed again before placing a hand under my chin pulling my face to look into hers.

“Laura my sweet girl, I’m sorry I know how much you care for Xander. But this is for the best.”

“Where are you sending me?” I asked my voice giving away the pain in my heart, I felt a pang of guilt as Luna Ashly’s face fell.

“Oh, Hunny…” She sighed again composing herself. “You will be staying with Domini.”

I breathed a sigh of relief that I wasn’t being moved out of the packhouse. Domini was our Beta, right-hand man of the Alpha and he lived on the first floor.

“You must promise me though dear, that you will do your best to stay away from Xander.”

I looked at the Luna confused as her eyes became so serious waiting for my answer.

“Laura, you must promise me okay?”

I nodded as she let a relieved sigh, her friendly smile returning.

“Good girl.” She stroked a stray hair behind my ear before taking her leave. I stayed for a moment trying to maintain my composure not wanting anyone to see my pained face. How was I going to be able to stay away from him?