AWAKENED: True to Fate

Four years earlier “So, in celebration of the great feats accomplished by the Silverstone pack and Bluemoon pack, we hereby announce the marriage union of Jackson Gray of Silverstone and Sarah Bloom of Bluemoon pack!” Alpha Sam's booming voice echoed all through the large central hall. “Hurray! Hurray!!” All pack mates rejoiced in response. The noise in the hall became even louder than before. Leslie stood, transfixed, unable to move, at what she just heard. Her eyes were set on the people, toasting and laughing together on the front stage. She zoned in on Jackson. Look at me, look at me! She secretly hoped he would turn towards her, that he would sense her, but he continued smiling at the woman beside him, placing kisses on her fingers. How could he smile? It was impossible, she thought. Jackson was her mate, the one chosen by the goddess to complete her being, the only one made for her. “What are you doing, standing around?” A loud voice interrupted her. She looked up and saw that it was Collins, the pack bully. She looked at the floor immediately. “More celebrations means more drinks, stupid! Go get me some, you runt!” he yelled. Leslie shook at the command and hurried to the kitchen. She bumped into various pack mates and strangers who berated her for her clumsiness. She couldn't shake off the shock she was experiencing. For the past year, life had been bearable in the Silverstone pack. Despite being brought in by the alpha when she was young, she was shunned by the pack. The failure to transform into her wolf at age sixteen added to her being ridiculed daily. At eighteen, she had discovered her fated mate and Leslie had thought there was light in her very dark tunnel of life. Her mate was the son of the Alpha, Jackson Gray. She had gotten to know him for the past year and had even given into the bond urges by sleeping with him. Just last week, he had sneaked her out to a secret party where they had fun and slept together again, even though they had promised not to. Their bond was practically formed, all Jackson needed to do was announce it in front of the pack and claim her. “If you're going to be standing around staring, you might as well take up the dishes” The kitchen head yelled at her “And no breaking my dishes! So you had better put that cotton brain to work.” “B-But Collins said to…” “Forget what he said. I tell you what to do, now scram!” Leslie jerked into action, grateful for the new task. She didn't want to go back and see Jackson smiling at another woman. As the celebrations dwindled down as the day came to an end, Leslie headed for the Alpha's house. She had switched cleaning duties with Mia, an omega in the pack, for a chance to see Jackson. She needed to hear him explain what was really happening and calm her heart. As she sighted him going into a room on the top floor, she followed him immediately. “Jackson!” she called to him. He turned wide-eyed “What are you doing here?” She raised the rag in her hands and blushed, “Cleaning. But it isn't true, is it?” “What?” “The engagement? It's not real, right?” He walked to the door and closed it, exhaling deeply. Leslie smiled, “I knew it. It didn't make any sense…” “Enough! You can't be here” “But Jackson, when are you going to tell your dad…?” “You need to leave now!” “...about us.” She continued “That's the only way to get out of the engagement.” He looked at her with fury, blazing in his eyes. As he opened his mouth to speak, Alpha Sam barged into the room. “What do I need to know?” he demanded. “I would like to know too,” a small feminine voice came from the back of the room. Leslie turned and watched as the woman Jackson was engaged to, Sarah, saunted in. “Oh Sarah, you're here. Your father has been looking for you” Alpha Sam said What was she doing here? She glanced at Jackson. Was he supposed to meet her in the room? Sarah shrugged “I want to know what these two were talking about.” Jackson stared wide-eyed, lost for words as they waited for an explanation from both of them. “We're mates!” Leslie blurted out. Jackson turned to stare at her but she focused on the Alpha’s shoulders. She couldn't look him in the eyes. “We're fated mates, already bound to each other” she said excitedly. The alpha inhaled deeply, a deafening silence followed. “What?” Sarah shrieked “Is this true?” Sarah asked Jackson. “Of course not!” He replied before she could. Leslie looked at him in shock. “Forgive this servant, Sarah” Alpha Sam said “she isn't too well in the head” He beckoned for Sarah to come to him and stared down at Jackson “Handle this.” “Yes,” Sarah replied. Walking up to Jackson, she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. She threw a look at Leslie, “Handle this, babe”, a smug smile on her lips as squeezed Jackson’s hand. She walked out of the room, Alpha Sam followed her, a small smile on his face. Jackson exhaled after they left. “W-What was that?” she stammered Jackson ran his hand down his face, “f**k!” “Jackson, why did she–” Her throat closed up, unable to continue. She mentally resisted thoughts that were coming up. She shook her head, “Jackson, that, that was our chance.” “I said enough!” He yelled “Jackson this, Jackson that, ugh!!” He threw a fist at the wall, leaving a dent on it. Leslie stared, her mouth open, she couldn't understand “B-But..” “You shouldn't have said that” He shook his head at her, “gosh, you are such a fool!” “what did I do?” “Did you really think you would be accepted as a Luna?” he pointed at the rag cloth in her hands “a servant turned Luna? I'll become a laughing stock, the whole pack would be a laughing stock, all because of you” “But I was going to apply for the warrior training, that was our plan” He laughed coldly “a warrior wolf who can't even transform? I don't know which is worse.” “You're scaring me Jackson” Leslie moved to hold him but he took several steps back and began pacing. “You have no idea what's really going on, you have no idea what I've sacrificed.” “I do Jackson, I do” she tried to convince him. He was a good, strong werewolf who would lead the pack to greatness. She was proud and madly in love with her mate. Leslie felt her heart rate increase as she looked at him. He was behaving weirdly. “I'll do better, work harder, I promise. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told your father. I know you promised to announce it yourself but I was only trying to help” she begged him. He stopped pacing and looked at her, “It's too late now” “What do you–” “Leslie Oliver of Silverstone pack, I, Jackson Gray, alpha heir to Silver stone-–” “No!” she tried to stop him. “Reject you as my mate and break all bonds formed between us.” Leslie fell to her knees, the searing pain in her heart and core pulled her down with great force. She gasped loudly. The half-formed bond in her heart, disappearing to nothing. Her vision turned blurry with the mountain of tears that had built up in her eyes. She clutched her chest, squeezing her shirt as she took in gulps of air. It was as though there was no air in her lungs. “I'll send guards to take you away” she heard him say before he walked away. The world turned black as she lost consciousness.