Kierren

~19 Years Ago

We were basking in the sun, our faces warmed not only by the bright rays, but by our own touches. She was caressing my cheek, her chin propped on my chest while my fingers skittled over her arms and drew goosebumps to the surface.

We'd decided to take our relationship from being best friends to being more than even a mate-bond could induce. We were inseparable, but decided to keep our relationship a secret until she left school.

Cassandra didn't have much longer. A few months left and I would ask her to marry me, then go to our parents to let them know that I was no longer interested in finding my fated mate.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Cassandra implores with a kiss just underneath my jaw.

"Hm," I murmur, propping my head with my arm behind it, "nothing."

"Ah, you can't fool me, Kie. I know that look on your face well enough."

"So this look," I make a gesture around my face, "means I'm thinking about something?"

She nods her head, beaming at me with that brilliant smile of hers, and I can't help but melt. Melt, but not cave. I wasn't about to tell her that I was planning a grand affair for the proposal. I also didn't want her to know that I was having a ring made especially for her.

It wasn't customary for wolves to give their mates rings when they proposed. Usually, when a male wolf found his mate, he'd only have to sink his teeth into her neck as a possessive claim to her. That way, her scent in heat wouldn't be strong to other males.

Which is what worried me the most. Especially now, it was only from my loving touches and gentle caresses, the whisperings in her ears and the occasional drop of a kiss that Cassandra is able to keep her wolf in check. If only I claimed her, she wouldn't have to struggle. But if I was planning on doing it all at once - claiming her, proposing and then getting married.

"I'm thinking," I drawled as I painted circles with the tip of my index on her bare shoulder, "that we should hunt. I'm hungry."

"Oh, really?" she threw up a brow and smirked, "and here I was thinking you could keep up with me, Alpha."

"And what makes you think I can't?"

I was surprised by how quickly she stood up, pulling down her floral off-shoulder dress and standing in front of me completely naked. My pulsing need is something that would have to be taken care of later, I realize when she turns around, bends over and brings forth her wolf.

And what a magnificent wolf she is! Her auburn fur with white spots as hints to her human skin spreads across her body, and without warning she ran into the woods, leaving me with an aching desire and even stronger need to chase her.

Keep up with her! My wolf roared with laughter as I ran out into the woods, following the scent I had come to known as an extension of myself. I found her peeking from behind a tree, and could have sworn that I heard her sweet giggles drift into my ears.

'What's so funny, my love?' I asked as I stalked towards her, noticing that she kept her eyes down.

'Nothing,' she replies, 'it's just that I've been waiting here for some time.'

'You do know that if I wanted to catch you, I would have.'

'I know,' she says with a tilt of her magnificent head, 'I'm just waiting for you to prove it.'

'Fine,' my nostrils flare out as I huff out a breath, 'I'll give you another headstart.'

Cassandra turns and heads out, and wait with a hint of amusement playing on my lips. She's about ten meters away, when I set myself into motion to catch up with her.

The Alpha blood in her makes her really fast - fast enough to make me lost my breath as I try to catch up. Faster and faster, I speed between the trees, and for a brief moment I believe she slows down for my sake. It's the only way I get anywhere near her. But I'm tired of running.

I leap upon her, gracefully taking her down with me, my arms protectively wrapped around her middle. She buries her muzzle into my neck when we finally stop rolling, and I hold onto her tightly.

'I love you, Alpha Kierren,' her eyes stare deep into my soul when she says those words, and I whistle through my teeth in celebration for the first time she's ever said it.

~

We're gathered around the worship room, the moon full, calling us to prayer. Everyone sits on their heels, waiting for their turn to touch the ancient relic - the blessed canines of our history's most revered Alpha - Marcus. It comes my way at last, when everyone in the pack has had their turn to ask for the blessings from the Moon Goddess and her disciple, our ancestor.

I bring the glass box containing the teeth up to my lips, but when everyone bows in unison upon my kiss, I take a peek across the room. She too is mischievous tonight, and watches me through the veil of her eyelashes.

Beside me, my father clears his throat with impatience, and I break eye contact with Cassandra only to pass him the relic. He shoots me a contemptuous look, but I ignore it thinking that it's because I've taken longer than usual with my part of the prayer.

The relic is returned to the cave where it will continue to have the moon shine its heavenly light upon it, and when father returns, he doesn't call me up to address the pack.

He addresses us himself.

"Moon Valley wolves, we will head out for a hunt shortly. First, I would like to call upon Cassandra Michaels."

My ears perk up the moment I hear her name, and she seems just as surprised when she stands up and walks over to my father. She bows her head before him respectfully, but father doesn't bless her the way her should. His arms are cemented beside him, a stern look on his face as he watches her straighten up.

"Elders," he nods his head to the elders seated at the round table, and without a word they all stand up as if they know why he's called on them. Hope flickers in my heart as I believe he's going to make her my Luna. After all, he knows how close we are, and it would only make sense.

"Is it true that you've been frolicking with my son, the Alpha Kierren?"

What?!

"What?!" Cassandra voices, her eyes going wide. We'd been careful to keep this a secret, for now, so I'm just as shocked and instantly spring to my feet.

"Father, what's the meaning of this?"

"Sit down, Kierren, or I will believe that you too need to be exiled."

"Exiled? For what?"

Father clears his throat and begins pacing around Cassandra, his arms behind his back and his chin up in all the seriousness of a leader reporting a terrible crime. "This Gamma here has worked her charms on the Alpha, but we all know that a bond between two wolves who aren't fated to be together is like a crime of the highest level, deserving of an even higher punishment. No child can be born to you, Cassandra. It renders you useless to us."

"Father -"

"Don't!" a hand comes up to silence me, "do not speak over your elders!"

Father turns to the elders, who bow their heads in agreement with their Alpha. He turns to Cassandra, and without giving her fair trial, he waves his hand at her. A group of warriors come marching forward and grab Cassandra by the arms.

"You will leave this place at once!" he bellows, "You will never return, nor will have the blessings of your ancestry. You are no longer considered a Gamma, nor a descendant of an Alpha! From now on, you'll be nothing but a lowly Omega!"

I'm about to rush forward when I'm trapped by father's soldiers, who pin me down to the ground in my attempt to get free. All I can do is watch as Cassandra is forced to leave the den, with the threat of being stripped of my title if I go after her. The last thing I see before she exits the door is the tear that rolls down her cheek, and I know this is the last time I'll ever see her.

If I hadn't been forced to stay in the den, the door being locked from the inside by the elder Amos, I would have gladly relinquished my title for her. But when they finally let me go, and I hurried to her house, she's already gone.

Not a piece of clothing or a note as a breadcrumb to find her. I kneel in the middle of her bedroom, my heart shattering to pieces, while her parents look on disappointedly. Not even a tear was shed for her, and the only honor of hers left among us is inside my broken heart.