CHAPTER 3: A MATE UNWANTED

It was bright and blinding, but it was also an odd comfort. If this was what dying felt like, Shirley was sure she was ready to embrace it. "Wake her up!" someone said hurriedly, but it sounded like it was coming from miles and miles away. "You wake her up. Why does it have to be me?" another countered. This voice seemed much closer this time. The argument went on and got louder as Shirley slowly recovered her consciousness. "Oh, I think she's awake," someone suddenly said, and the room went eerily quiet. Shirley was scared to open her eyes, certain every gaze was on her. Her eyes tore open of their own accord, and she immediately shielded them with her hands from the blinding light. "Great. She's awake," another said impatiently. Shirley tried to remember why she was there, and everything started flowing back. "Let the meeting begin," someone announced, and a loud bell rang. Shirley noticed two things when she could finally see her surroundings without being blinded by the bright light. One, she was in a different room. It was secluded but bright, and only a few people were there. Maybe ten. Two, she was no longer bound. This relief came as a shock, but she quickly died when she realized she didn't exactly know what was to come. "What's your name, little one?" an older lady asked from a corner up the wall of what looked like another courtroom. They all sat high up there while she was placed below the ground floor. If they organized this to intimidate people, it worked—at least, on her. "We expect quick responses!" a booming voice came from another angle, and Shirley had to turn 180° to see who was talking. He was dark-skinned and had a frown plastered on his face. He didn't look old, but she could somehow tell he was. "Shirley. Shirley Adams." She was surprised by how the room echoed her voice. She had never been so loud before. She always preferred to remain silent so no one noticed her. "Shirley Adams, what were you doing in the woods?" another man asked. He was ancient, and being a werewolf, she was sure he was probably about five hundred years of age. Shirley considered the question for a minute but didn't know how to answer. "Child, we're not here to hurt you. We're only curious," a woman said. She was beautiful, and Shirley couldn't help but feel a motherly love radiate from her. "I... I..." She swallowed hard, and after the woman from earlier nodded in approval, she blurted out, "I ran from home." Small gasps filled the room. Not very surprising, as no wolf had ever run away from this Pack in centuries. "You eloped?" someone reasoned. "No, I ran. By myself," Shirley said patiently. "But why, child?" the woman asked again in horror. It must have been hard to imagine, as the Redhoove Pack happened to be the best on the whole planet. People escaped their packs to come here. Shirley shrugged, ready to brush off the question, when a loud, authoritative voice penetrated the room, sending chills down her spine. "Enough!" Alpha Drakon said, and Shirley wanted to hurry away and hide. He walked out from the darkness and stared her dead in the eyes. "There's no need to question her," he said, still holding her gaze but speaking to what she supposed was the Council. "We already know that she has no wolf and can't shift, so there's no way she can be the rogue Wolf. Neither is there any way she's becoming my Luna." His tone and eyes were filled with rage and disgust, two expressions Shirley was accustomed to. But for some reason, it hurt to be rejected by him. She already knew he was her mate when she first saw him, but getting rejected hurt like crazy even though she had been denied all her life. "Alpha Drakon!" the motherly woman yelled at him, standing to her feet in anger. "That's no way to talk to your mate." "Do I look like I give a fuck?" he retorted, still holding Shirley's gaze. Shirley tore her eyes from Drakon and looked back at what she was now sure was the Pack's Council. They were the only ones capable of speaking to the Alpha in such a manner. "I will not marry this sorry excuse of a werewolf. The Pack cannot have a weak Luna," he said with finality. "Drakon!" the dark-skinned man from earlier warned in a deadly tone. The room fell silent, and everyone's eyes were glued on the Alpha as he descended the stairs to meet her on the ground floor. Shirley tried to hide her face behind her hair as always but realized, to her dismay, that it was tied up in a bun. She wanted to yell and scream at the moon goddess for her ill fate, but there was no way to do that. Why hadn't she just let her run away in peace? Why had she even been born to start with? She was useless and distasteful. "You'd better leave this Pack as you had originally planned or..." Alpha Drakon was interrupted by a calm, quiet voice. "Or?..." The sound of that voice was alluring and calm, and Shirley found herself searching earnestly for its owner. Her eyes finally landed on an older woman who sat in a dark corner. Shirley couldn't make out her features but could tell she was old. "Alpha Drakon and Shirley Adams will wed as is customary. This meeting is closed." "No! I already have attachments with another!" Drakon objected, and Shirley prayed that they would listen to him and let her escape this prison. The Council members began to exit the room as if they had heard nothing.