I'm Raelynn Covey, a wolfless 19 year old who would be celebrating her 20th birthday in three days.
I exist in a world where werewolves without an actual wolf are regarded as disgrace to the pack and their families.
Although, my family never treated me like a disgrace, because of an incident that changed my life years ago, I still can't help but feel like one, virtually every single day of my life.
I had the gift of dreams. I see the future through my dreams and it was always more like a curse than it was a blessing.
However, last night, in my dream, I had seen my mate and how wide he smiled at me when we bumped into each other at the entrance of the grand hall like teenagers experiencing a meet-cute.
Of all the dreams I've had ever since I was 10, this was the only one that made me feel excited, special and a little less anxious about what that day holds. He'd held me like his most precious piece of jewel and kissed me tenderly, before leading me to his parents for a proper introduction without using my wolflessness against me. At that moment, I felt like the luckiest girl on earth, mated to my longtime crush, Alpha Prince Lucas McGregor.
I had confided in my sister, Diana and she was just as happy for me as I was for myself. She suggested we keep it a secret from mom and make it a surprise for her when that day comes and I agreed.
It was the first dream I'd ever kept a secret from my mom, but I didn't mind because she was going to find out eventually anyway. 'Just two more days and she will find out' I told myself.
My 20th birthday arrived and Diana had dressed me up for the party which somehow had clashed with the mating ball.
Everything seemed to play along smoothly with everything I saw in my dream until Lucas kissed my sister with the same tenderness I'd dreamt about right in front of me after they both muttered 'Mate'
My tiny world came crashing down in waves. My knees buckled beneath me and the entire world threatened to close in on me. From the moment I walked into the hall and missed the timing I was supposed to bump into Lucas, I knew something was terribly wrong but I held on to the fact that no matter what the preceding scenes might be, the outcome of my dreams had never been wrong. But it turns out I could never be more wrong, myself.
The empty hallway seemed emptier as I watched their kiss transform into something more heated and hungry all right. in. front. of. me!
My throat clogged up as my eyes watered rapidly just in time for them to break away from each other's arms.
"Diana..." I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper and she quickly whispered something into Lucas's ear before walking towards me.
"Turns out your dream wasn't about you, sis" she muttered with regret lining her face as she held my hand softly. "I'm sorry, Raelynn" she muttered and the tears slipped out of my eyes before I could stop them.
"My dream had never been wrong. It has never been misleading, Diana. You know that" I murmured in tears and her hand tightened on mine as her other hand found my chin, wiping the streams of tears that stained my face.
"It could be wrong, Rae. Anything could be wrong except reality. This is reality, not your dream. This... Is the truth. Lucas is my mate, not yours" she muttered, keeping her voice leveled, although I could feel the sharpness that laced her tone like she wasn't just trying to soothe me. It sounded like a warning. A warning to stay the fuck away but I told myself I was only being paranoid, just like the dream I had. A fucking Paranoia!
"Would you like to meet him officially as his mate's sister and not your crush?" She suddenly asked and I shook my head once.
"No... I... I'm just gonna go" I told her and immediately turned to leave.
Something wasn't right. Lucas was supposed to be my mate. He was supposed to be mine. I've been having dreams for ten years and not a single one has ever been wrong. Like Ever!
Why now?
Why now when it involves my happiness?
Why now when it involves me?
Why now when I was desperate for it to be true?
I have to meet Lucas. Alone. And unless he tells me himself that he felt nothing for me, I could never come to terms with this cruelty.
Mating ball went on and the two stuck together like latex on a tree trunk. I watched them pay their respects to Alpha McGregor and his Luna and my heart shattered even more.
"You don't look happy on the birthday you've anticipated so much, Raelynn. Is anything the problem?" my father asked as he stood beside me, making sure to maintain a reasonable distance between us.
"No... I'm good. I just want to be alone" I told him dismissively yet politely and he nodded once before turning to walk away.
"Just know I'm always here to talk when you're ready, Raelynn" he stopped to say before walking away completely.
I don't need anyone's pity or concern right now, I only need Lucas to realize that there must have been a mistake somewhere. If that dream had been about Diana and not me, why the hell do I feel like a part of me that I've never met has suddenly been ripped away brutally? Why do I feel so empty all of a sudden?
Why do I feel like I've been stabbed in the chest a thousand times when I watched Lucas kiss my own sister who he claimed to be his mate?
Eventually, Lucas and Diana separated, and I watched as Lucas walked out of the hall with his assistant. Taking it as my cue, I followed them outside.
It's either now or never.
They kept walking and I kept hoping that his assistant would just walk away and leave Lucas alone for me to talk but until they realized someone was following them, his assistant remained by his side, unwavering.
"Who is there?! Show yourself right now before I make it memorable for you" Lucas' thick voice commanded and I shuddered as I slowly stepped out from my hiding place. There's no point in hiding now. He'll find me whether or not I reveal myself anyway.
Two pairs of eyes rounded on me as I stood a meter away from the two men.
"Diana's sister?" Lucas mouthed and I felt my chest tighten but I nodded still. He doesn't even know my name.
"How could you follow the Alpha Prince and eavesdrop on an important conversation? Does he look like a joke to you?" His assistant thundered and I flinched inwardly.
"I didn't eavesdrop on your conversation. I... I didn't even hear anything, I promise. I just... wanted to talk" I muttered and his assistant made to talk again but Lucas stopped him.
"You want to talk to me?" Lucas demanded and I nodded once, the back of my eyes stinging with unshed tears as my hope rekindled.
"Okay then, you got me. Talk" he muttered nonchalantly and my gaze went from him to his assistant and to him again.
"You wanna talk? You talk in front of my assistant and I" he affirmed and I swallowed nothing. "You don't want to?" He asked but I shook my head quickly. It doesn't matter who was present when I try to make things right. What matters is whether or not Lucas would believe me.
"I... I'm sorry if I come off as rude to you with what I'm about to ask but, how did you find out Diana was your mate?" I asked and I watched a frown etch his face as he exclaimed 'What?!'
"I... I, Diana's not..., she's not supposed to be your mate, Lucas. I have no idea what went wrong but I promise you, something is wrong somewhere" I continued, watching their faces contour into something more dangerous than shock... Disappointment. Anger.
"If I get what you're trying to tell me here, detective, you're saying Diana isn't my mate. Then who is? You?" He asked mockingly and I bit my lower lip, not denying what he'd just said... Because it's the truth.
"You're not even denying it" he scoffed before taking one threatening step at a time towards me.
"You think you're my mate and not your sister? What is this? Some kind of ambush against your own sister?" He accused, and I shook my head quickly.
"I'm not..."
"Where's your proof? Can you provide proof of your claims right now?" He asked dangerously, not giving me a chance to explain myself. But then again, what explanation could I possibly give an Alpha prince who already proclaimed the one who could do no wrong in his eyes?
"You don't have proof, yet you come here to spew trash behind your sister's back? I didn't take you for someone to do that and honestly, I'm disappointed" he said with hatred lacing his tone and my eyes simmered with tears as I met his piercing dark ones.
"I'm sorry, but believe me Lucas, I just..."
"It's Alpha Prince to you! And If you're really sorry, you'll stay the hell away from me and my mate. You'll run away as far as you can to conceal your shamelessness and the lies you just tried to make me believe. Because if you don't, it's not going to be pretty, trust me" he said lastly and walked away with his assistant who seemed to hate me just as much, leaving me alone to my heartbreak.
"You're my mate, Lucas..." I whimpered with glassy eyes as I watched him walk away from me... Forever!