Chapter 1 My Mate

• Regina
• "Love is not love.
• Which alters when it alters,
• Or bends with the remover to remove:
• O no! It is an ever-fixed mark.
• That looks on tempests and is never shaken."
• I sighed happily upon reading Shakespeare's beautifully written words, longing for a love as steadfast as described. I just have one wish in life: to find a lover who loves me like the words written in the phrase. Someone who sees me as an unchanging presence in their life, unwavering even in the face of challenges and difficulties. To have a love that remains steadfast, like an anchor amidst the storms of life, is truly something I long for.
• Lost in my thoughts, I heard someone calling my name just as the book hit the top of my head. "Ouch, that hurts," I cried, looking up at Mr. Sanders. "How many times do I have to call to grab your attention?" he asked. "And why are you reading Shakespeare in history class?"
• "Sorry," I said, trying to hide my glance from him. Mr. Sanders sighed, taking my book away. "You need to focus on the material we're covering in class," he said sternly. "See me after class."
• As the bell rang, I sighed. Jack, my friend, plopped down on my desk. "Caught again," he said. "Yeah, Mr. Sanders always catches me with my book," I replied, frustrated. "It's like he has a sixth sense for it."
• "Well, maybe he will be easy on you. After all, he's your brother," Jack said, trying to cheer me up. "You don’t even know him. He is my brother; that’s why he will be more strict with me, both in school and at home," I replied, doubtful.
• Jack laughed, "Come on, cheer up and treat me today. Now smile." As we walked to the cafeteria, my heart started pounding as I saw Peter, my long-time crush.
• "Hey, I heard you got caught again by your brother," Peter said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. We continued chatting and catching up as we made our way to the cafeteria line. The familiar warmth of Peter's embrace made me forget about my hunger for a moment.
• "Don’t worry, cheer up, and let’s all go shopping today," Peter suggested. "Prom is coming, and I don’t have anything good to wear."
• "Prom," I smiled, thinking Peter might ask me to be his prom date. I decided to take matters into my own hands and subtly drop hints about my feelings during our shopping trip. After all, sometimes taking a leap of faith can lead to unexpected outcomes.
• "Mate..." I mumbled, smiling at the thought of having Peter as my mate. Jack interrupted, breaking my thoughts. "What's Mate?" he asked.
• "She might be thinking about one of the many books she reads all the time," Peter said, changing the subject. I nodded, grateful for the diversion.
• Jack left to retrieve his juice, leaving Peter and me alone. "Be careful what you say here," Peter warned. I nodded, stopping myself from speaking further when Jack returned.
• How foolish of me to forget that Jack is human, unlike Peter and me. We are werewolves, living in packs with a strict hierarchy. I am a year younger than Peter, but as the alpha's sister, I hold a higher status. I long for a love like my parents', and I hope Peter is my destined mate, even if he is a normal warrior.
• "Why the hell are you smiling?" Jack interrupted, breaking my sweet daydreams. "Can't a girl daydream in peace?" I retorted.
• Jack laughed, "Not when the girl is Regina." I rolled my eyes, determined to hold onto my belief in Peter's potential. "Shut up, or do you want me to kick your ass?" I challenged. Jack's laughter died down as he realized I wasn't backing down. "No, thank you," he said, running away.
• "Shit, how can I forget? I have to meet Sam in his office," I sighed, running with my bag in hand. Just as I was close to Sam’s office, something hit my body like a wall, making me lose my balance. I closed my eyes tight, waiting to fall, but strong arms wrapped around me, preventing me from hitting the ground.
• I cracked my eyes open to see two brown, almost black eyes staring at me. A warm smile spread across the stranger's face as he steadied me. I wanted to thank him, but everything seemed to stop. My body felt paralyzed. As I struggled to regain control, a rush of gratitude washed over me. With my throat dry and my heart pounding, nothing came out of my mouth until I faintly heard the stranger mumble, "Mate..."
• Before I could fully process the word, my consciousness slipped away, as if being pulled into a deep abyss. Panic surged through me, but I was powerless to fight it. In that fleeting moment before everything went black, I wondered who this stranger was and why he had called me "mate."