ONE

Amaris’ POV

I let out a nervous sigh as I reached the tall gate etched with a huge “D” on it. It was my high school graduation night, it was also my birthday and for some unknown reason, Sophie Duke, the most popular girl in Red Oak High had invited me to her graduation after party.

I stabbed the intercom and after saying my name, I was let into the large premises of Sophie’s mansion. I quietly made my way to the pool area where the party was happening, and as if on cue, Sophie ran up to me with a huge smile plastered on her pretty face.

“Ah! Thank goodness, you made it, Grey!” She said,

I didn’t understand why she was being so nice tonight, in all the three horrible years of high school, Sophie Duke and her gang were my worst bullies, I was the shy, orphaned and ugly “werewolf” nerd everyone, humans and werewolves alike picked on, so why the sudden change of heart, and why now?

“Give it up for the birthday girl and the latest high school grad in the house!!!” She yelled as her guests cheered,

“Go Grey!” A random girl yelled,

“Happy birthday, Amaris Grey!” Another person added.

For once in my life, I felt loved, I felt wanted, if only I saw past their fake smiles and superficial cheers, I could have saved myself the humiliation I experienced that night.

“Now Grey, I have a surprise for you.” She grinned then dragged me right next to the pool.

“Stay right there, and close your eyes.” She told me as she walked further away, in my young and foolish heart, I was expecting something great to happen, if only I could turn back the time, I would never have accepted that stupid invitation.

“Now, on the count of five, Amaris will get her surprise, count with me…One,"

Everyone joined in,

"Two! Three! Four! Five…"

And that’s when I felt it drop like a huge rock, from my silky black hair down to my panties. Before I could comprehend what had been poured, I felt a hard push, and the next thing I knew, I was in the water.

Everyone erupted with laughter as I swam up, I cleaned my face with my hands and that’s when I realized the green gooey liquid I had been poured was in fact green goo.

“What were you hoping, that I was going to throw you a party, huh?” Sophie was saying,

But I didn’t care to listen, I got out of the pool and ran out of there in tears, I was furious, no I was enraged, I had never felt so much anger since my parents died, at that moment, all the emotions I was feeling overwhelmed me, I wanted to scream, I wanted to tear something or rip someone apart, it suddenly felt greater than me, like there was a force boiling inside of me and that’s when it happened.

I let out a loud scream as my body morphed, it felt like my bones were cracking and breaking inside my body, to say it was painful would be an understatement, it was excruciating, but the end result was a beautiful beast. She had grayish green fur and amber eyes. As I stared at her in the window, all I thought of was revenge.

I returned to the party in my wolf form and tore the entire place apart. I threw, pushed and kicked people in all directions and into the pool, but it wasn’t me, it was my wolf. Before I left, I made sure to pour the rest of the goo on Sophie Duke so she would get the message.

In my excitement, I made my way to my apartment and shifted back then put on some clean clothes.

“I’m a werewolf!” I laughed to myself.

I was born to a human father and a werewolf mother and everyone said the chances of me shifting would be slim. 16 and 17 came and there was still no sign that I would ever shift, my 18th birthday was my only chance and tonight it finally happened.

“I need a drink.” I murmured to myself, I was finding it hard to contain my excitement.

Body thumping techno music blared in the club, disco light beams flew round the place, there people all over the place, dancing away their sorrows. It was my first time being in a club. Maybe it was because of my wolf, but that night, I felt new, I felt big, I felt powerful.

I made my way to a bar and drank tequila till I got drunk. I thought wolves were supposed to have high tolerance.

I was laughing to myself on how I had wrecked Sophie’s party when suddenly a new scent filled the bar. It wasn’t the stench of the alcohol or sweaty bodies; it was different, like an overpowering…Woody, musky scent that made my wolf crazy.

I turned towards the dance floor and that’s when I saw him standing under the disco light like a ghost, it was…Him.

“Mate! Mate! Mate!” My wolf screamed,

It all made sense now, the strange fellow everyone thought was my older brother; he was at least six or seven years older. The one who tore all the dodge balls with a finger when I was ambushed, the one who beat up the bullies in the alley for my sake but never said a word to me, he was my mate, he had been silently protecting me the entire time.

I didn’t realize it, but I had danced my way over to him, no, it wasn’t my doing, it was my wolf. I looked into his perfect blue eyes and for the first time he smiled at me.

I danced wildly on him, maybe it wasn’t just my wolf and perhaps it was also the alcohol. He didn’t hold back either as he sniffed my neck and kissed it.

Suddenly, I heard myself whispering in his ears,

“I’ve finally found you.”

---

The next day, I found myself alone in my room, naked on an empty bed, I could still feel the tenderness in between my legs. My mate was gone, but I could still smell his scent. I didn’t understand why, the previous night had been the best of my entire existence. I smiled to myself as I glanced around my tiny room and that’s when I caught sight of it, it was a note seated on the bed stand.

In my happiness, I grabbed the note, but what I saw tore both me and my wolf forever. It read,

“…I Lucas Kai Hayes, Prince of the Northern Continent and heir Alpha to the Red Oak wolf pack reject you, Amaris Grey as my mate…”