Elena and her friends were bantering away after surviving their first class.

Marco and Giulia strutted alongside her, while Rex hovered behind, his hands behind his head like he already owned the place. Being the Alpha’s daughter, Elena exuded this vibe that made people want to protect her and be in awe of her, mixed with a hint of intimidation and respect.

“El, do you want to check out the new show at the theatre today?” Giulia grinned, flashing her pearly whites. “It’s a revisit of Jekyll and Hyde, where Hyde manages to separate himself from the doctor.”

“Sure thing!” Elena replied with a small smile, secretly craving the freedom of roaming and hunting in the wilderness over being confined within concrete walls.

But Elena didn’t want to dampen her friend’s spirits with a straight no to that doll face.

And, sometimes a good friend was supposed to make a few sacrifices and made the friend receiving the goodness of their friendship happy.

“Oh, come on, El!” Rex chimed in, dark eyebrows furrowing in impatience above eyes so silver and alive that someone might have just poured liquid mercury in them.

“We have our special night tonight, or have you forgotten?”

Monday nights were their private bubble of friendship. No one else was allowed and the two were sure to continue that tradition until the end of time. Chatting, consuming large quantities of sugar, and watching a new movie was all they did.

“Sorry, Giuly! Duty calls,” Elena joked, throwing up her hands in surrender.

Giulia rolled her eyes, knowing she was fighting a losing battle with those two. “Meh, I forgot,” she yawned, politely covering her mouth, while adding a muffled today feels like a Wednesday.

“I think we are all a bit lost today, being here and all!” Marco pointed out, while checking out a group of girls with a critical eye.

As usual, the Beta’s son was throwing shade left and right, never one to hold back.

“Considering Alpha has an agreement with the Black Devil’s leaders, I don’t anticipate we will have too many issues here” Rex responded, yawing loudly.

He had never been a morning person.

“It will be the same old thing, but worse!” He continued, dropping his hefty arm around Giulia, who shoved him away with a scowl.

“And what’s that, Rexi?” Marco chuckled at the dramatics.

“Getting up earlier than usual, sitting for hours, and pretending to care about people who couldn’t cut it, or just want to befriend El or you,” Rex deadpanned, scratching his chest, “Or want to bang me or Giulia. Not necessarly in that order.”

Giulia poked his ribs harshly.

“Relax! We all know you are a nun.”

“And we all know you are a gigolo!”

Rex sighed. “How many times do I need to tell you? I didn’t get paid for it!”

Marco waved his hand to silence them. “Kids, please! It’s too early for this noise,” he said, louder than they had talked, then he glanced at Rex. “And, my oblivious friend, haven’t you heard about the new magical bonus?”

“And what’s that? Enlighten me, your grace!”

“Simple,” his pink gum blew out and popped, “a new land to TD.” Tame and dominate.

It was at that precise moment that Elena’s wolf began to feel restless, pacing around her mind with an unsettling energy. Her sandy brown fur bristled, and found herself breathing in short pants.

‘What’s the matter, Titilas?’

But before her wolf could respond, Elena froze. Her hand hung mid-air, her smile fading as she completely missed all the comments and jokes from her friends.

A delectable scent struck her like a slap on the cheek. It was pure forest, just after a rainy day, when the sunshine came out and every living creature was happy with the world; it was primitive and wild.

Elena licked her lips, lost in the whirlwind of emotions.

Could it be who she thought it was? The one her nose picked up... “Excuse me, human, you mean that my nose picked up!” Titilas interjected, making sure to assert her superior sniffing power.

And then, the scent suddenly vanished, upsetting her wolf. Elena felt as if someone had smashed her heart with a hammer. Maybe she was just imagining things...she had been a bit stressed after so many changes at the pack, the refugees and the temporary new school.

A large hand dropping onto her head brought her back. ″It’s decided!″

Her startled eyes met a grinning Marco. “What is?”

“We go patrolling the school park at the next break!”

Giulia and Rex heading upstairs for astronomy.

As Marco and Elena made their way to the next class, he playfully bumped her shoulder. “Where did you go before?”

“You’ve noticed, huh?”

His lips curled up. “Always. What was it?”

Then they were met with an unexpected sight.

Three towering she-wolves stood in the middle of the corridor, chatting and making grand gestures with their hands. Students walked around them. They were pretty in their own way, all dressed in sporty but fashionable outfits. No make up, and different shades of brown tided up over oval faces.

Elena tilted her head. “Black Devils...” her eyes fell over the visible moustache of the one to the right.

“More like she-devils,” Marco remarked, eyeing the she-wolves with interest. His morning had been monotonous.

Elena smiled, but her mind was somewhere else; her nostrils twitching, hoping.

“We could try to make new friends.” She proposed.

Marco looked at her in disbelief. “I don’t need more friends!You know how much energy and time I dedicate to you and Rex? Having two full times best friends and a baby sister to spoil is a full time job!”

“Giulia is your same age!”

“And they are from BD.” He added through mind link, “you listened to your father. No mingling with their kids.”

“Since when do you listen?”

“Like since ever!”

Elena burst out laughing.

The tallest peered at Elena and Marco, assessing them carefully. Elena felt nauseated by her perfume, mixed with other fragrances.

“Aww, aren’t you the new wolves from the pack that cannot afford a school anymore?” Her voice carried, intentionally drawing the attention of other students passing by, who stopped their chatting.

The girl to the right elbowed the first. “Ssh, Corn, they do charity.”

“So now they are our charity.” Corn scoffed.

“Isn’t it the evil witch that hopes to be the Luna of the pack?! Never thought I would get to meet you today.” Marco barked back.

My god, if looks could kill, Marco would be a little mound of powder right now.

The girl turned vermilion; her nostrils flared wildly.

“Do you know her?” Elena mind-linked him.

“Fortunately, nope.” He replied with a wink.

“But then how-”

“It’s obvious, El!” He stated with a proud tone. “And what kind of Beta would I be, if I can read people straight away?”

Elena covered her mouth to contain the giggles, peering at the girl whose heated gaze had locked on Marco.

“Well, for your information I AM the future Luna of Black Devil, you carrion!” She shot back with an evil smile, thinking that victory was hers.

Marco placed his hand over his forehead and narrowed his eyes, searching the girl, “Oh! How come I see no mark there? Where is it?! Mmh Ohhh, maybe your alpha forgot to leave you one, princess?” He mocked, crossing his arms as if challenging her to explain the impossible. Ah! The pleasure he got from arguing with girls! That was probably the reason why his own sister was Elena’s only female friend.

“Or should I say, mistress"

Besides, Elena had a theory: Marco wore a shield of armour to hide the real him and the loneliness. As surprising as it may sound, Marco was the only one of the group who really craved a mate... though he would never ever admit it.

“He did mark me, but in a place you would never think of.” The she-wolf snarled showing her fangs.

The derision laced in Marco’s laugh echoed through the corridor.

“Oh sweetie, poor you, I can think of places that a pup like you would never go. Because mine are real, yours are just in your head.”

Elena could see the girl fuming and her friends were in shock. Luna or not, she was probably someone important in Black Devil’s pack.

“You should rename your pack Half Moon...” One seethed, “there won’t be much left of you after I spoke to my Alpha.”

“Let’s just go. The broom over there is about to jump on you and cause a scene.” Elena whispered to Marco, only realising she had said it aloud.

They were about to turn and walk away, when the broom attacked. She was fast, but not enough for the Full Moon Alpha’s daughter.

With a fluid and precise rotation, Elena stuck her up against the wall, holding her by the throat with just one hand. Her wolf nos in control.

Elena could feel the witch’s heartbeat exploding beneath her hand.

“Maybe you should not mess with an Alpha blood like me, next time you try, I won’t hesitate to smash this empty head of yours against the wall.”

Elena’s wolf could be violent when the need arose. Plus, Titilas had been on edge since they had arrived in the parking lot that same morning, for no particular reason.

Little by little, Elena regained control, blinking her eyes a few times.

“Sorry, my wolf was in..” A second later, the she-wolf slapped Elena so fiercely, she saw all the stars, planets and gods laughing at her.

Marco growled in anger, severely offended that someone had dared to touch Elena under his guard.

The situation quickly spiralled out of hand: Elena lost control and began to punch the other repeatedly, while Marco yelled and held the two other girls back, receiving scratches and bites.

“ENOUGH!”

A frighteningly powerful voice vibrated throughout the halls, making everyone freeze on the spot.

And then Elena heard it.

That magical word. The one each of us deeply crave to hear... the word that will absurdly change our existence forever.

“Mate”

AN/ Hey guys! This is the amazing moment where two mates meet, the best part of werewolf stories! Stay tuned and be ready for the butterflies! –