His chosen outcast Luna

To a lot of women, today is just another day in their life—boring, plain, or maybe even exciting. But for me, it feels like a new beginning because that’s what I will have after today. A new life entirely. I must admit, I have not been looking forward to this day because what actually happens is horrifying. Just wait and see. It is an old tradition, and our village values tradition above all else. The villagers insist that this tradition must never die because it was so important to our ancestors. Bullshit, if you ask me. This is what I hate most about my village. They refuse to move forward, to try something new, and to abandon customs that began almost five hundred years ago. But I am not ready to go up against my father again and tell him “To hell with tradition”, since it got me whipped and beat up last time. I am exaggerating a little bit, of course. Okay, fine. He just yelled at me and I ran to my room crying and hated him all day after that, but that’s it. My father has never laid a finger on me and given the village we live in, I am very grateful. As I take a look at the clock on my nightstand, I realize it is time to get out of bed, get ready and go have breakfast with the family. Do not freak out, but I have a very big family. I have four brothers and five sisters, who are already married and have children. You heard me right. Every one of them is married. Everyone but me. I am twenty-five years old and single. Something that none of the villagers approve of, but my father made it clear to them, that he would never let his children get married under the age of twenty and in my case, twenty-five. He used to say that I am the smartest one in the family and that he wanted me to finish studying before I got married, but I knew why he said what he said. I have not wolved out yet, and he felt it would be crucial for me to wolf out, before he gave me away to another man. For those of you who do not know, wolfing out is very important for us women, because without our wolf, we are omegas and not allowed to get married. Do not ask me why, because I do not know. Whenever I ask someone why that is, they just move on to another subject. But to get back to my big family; I have nine siblings, eight aunts and uncles, thirty-two cousins and out of mostly everyone, I am the youngest one and almost the last one to get married. So, no pressure at all to get married. None! Another thing you may want to know. I live with five of my siblings under my eldest brother’s roof. My father’s house is being renovated and, since my eldest brother lives nearest to us, he insisted we move in with him, until the house is done. It has been a year since we moved in and, honestly, I think this was just a ruse, so my father could get me to be around people who have already wolved out, thinking that it would help me. Well, you were wrong dad. I think I may as well be just a fragile human being. Even though there is nothing wrong with being human, without any supernatural strength, hearing or sight, my family will think otherwise. In their eyes, I am already an outcast. The black sheep of the family. At least that is what I hear them say every night when I go to bed. The thin walls do not give you a lot of privacy in this house. I hear everything they say. Never did I think that the most hurtful things I would hear being said about me behind my back would come from my family. Now, that is a twist, right? I am finally ready to head out of the room and have breakfast, but I hear someone whispering outside my bedroom door. Staying in front of the door, soundlessly, I listen to the people whispering. After a few seconds, I make them out as David and Laura. They are talking about today, and if I will even make it. I have had enough of this. Without giving it a second thought, I open the door, making them both jump and I give them my best fake smile. “Hello there. I thought I heard someone whispering outside my door. Thought I’d check.” I smile and close the door behind me. “Good morning, Valerie.” “Good morning, sister.” “Morning,” I say and pretend to look at my wristwatch. “Next time you guys want to gossip about someone, do not do it in front of their room. That is just stupid, don’t you think?” I squint as I give them another fake smile, leaving them speechless. Leaving Laura speechless. This is definitely a first. Right now, I wish I had a camera with me to take a picture of her embarrassed face. They totally had that coming. Always whispering about me behind my back. On my way downstairs I greet Phoebe, Ruby and Jay. Phoebe and Ruby are Laura’s daughters. Jay is the youngest son of my eldest brother, Joey. Joey has four sons, but Jay is the only one still living with him. The others moved to Canada last year, when Joey’s eldest son, Frank, got married. They live in Montreal and have found good jobs. Anita, on the other hand, Joey’s wife, disapproves of her sons being this far away from her, but she has made progress since last year, when she had a mental breakdown, upon hearing that her youngest son wanted to leave as well. That is why Jay is still living with his parents. Not because he cannot get married or does not want to. He has to, so his mother does not go crazy or kill herself. One time she actually swore to kill herself if he left her like his brothers did. Poor Jay is living in fear every day because of her. Joey, of course, has talked to her many times and tried to put some sense into her, but she won’t put her sons’ needs before her selfish self. I’ve always judged her for being like this, but I have no idea what it is like to have children and one day have them leave you. She is also an only child. Maybe it was difficult for her to let them go, after being all alone up until the moment she got married. “Morning Valerie,” Jenny greets me as I enter the living room. “Good morning, Jenny. How was dinner at your in-laws?” She scoffs and hides her face behind her hands. Well, she looks embarrassed. I wonder what happened. “Is everything okay?” I ask her, taking a seat next to her on the couch. “I screwed up, Val. I screwed up big time,” she looks at me with tears in her eyes. “You want to tell me what happened?” She hides behind her hands again and shakes her head. “It’s so embarrassing,” she says through her hands. She looks up and wipes the tears off her face. “His mother caught us while I was giving him head. She walked into the room without knocking. I got so scared that I accidentally bit Jared’s p*nis. Val, I am so embarrassed!” She starts crying, and I am just staring at her, in shock. “Why were you giving him head at his parents’ house? Couldn’t you, you know, do it another time?” I press my lips together in regret when she cries even harder. “I don’t know what is worse. Her walking in on us, or me biting his p*nis. He was in so much pain. He had bite marks. It took at least half an hour for the pain to go away. We had to stay in his room the whole time because he was using ice on it and her knowing what we did, it made the waiting so much worse. His mother called me twice this morning, but I cannot answer. I can’t talk to her. What do I say after what she saw?” I am trying my best not to burst out laughing. My lip is trembling from trying to keep it all in. This is not what I had in mind. Not nearly close to what I had in mind. “Maybe you should pretend it didn’t happen. Or maybe just tell the truth. After five years together, you want to spice things up. It’s normal. I don’t think you should feel embarrassed. I am sure you are neither the first nor the last, this has happened to. One day you will be able to laugh about it.” She wipes her nose and tears away and sighs. “Why do these things always happen to me?” She whispers and cries again. Laura walks in but ignores us. I have an idea why, but as soon as she sees Jenny crying, she immediately comes to her aid. “Sweetheart, what is going on?” She sits beside her and tries to take her in a hug, but Jenny pushes her away. “Na-uh. You aren’t getting a hug out of me while I am at my worst.” “What happened now, Laura?” I scold her and she scolds me back. “Nothing that concerns you.” “Could you please, leave us alone, aunt Laura? I want to be alone with Valerie.” “Fine!” Laura shouts and leaves abruptly. “Everything has to be about her, doesn’t it?” Jenny shakes her head. “Laura is . . . special,” I smile and so does Jenny. “I love her so much, even though she is such a big pain in the ass.” Me too. No matter what she says or does, I still love her. “Enough about me. What about you? Today is your special day, right?” “Ugh, please. There is nothing special about this day.” “No, come on. This day comes once in a lifetime. It will be perfect for you, just like it was for all of us.” I do not want to talk about this, but since it is taking Jenny’s mind off of what happened, I think I can sacrifice myself a little to this conversation. “Maybe. I am just not looking forward to this as much as I thought I would,” I lie. I haven’t been looking forward to this day at all. “Would you like to have a spa day, before the big event?” Not a bad idea. “Sure. It would help me relax.” Actually, it would help her more than me, that is why I am doing it. “Perfect!” She smiles and gets all excited. “This day will be perfect,” she says and takes my hands in hers. “I will go get ready. Jared is still sleeping, so I’ll leave him a note.” “Okay. I’ll go have breakfast.” “Oki!” She jumps up and down before running towards her room. I smile at the thought of her feeling better and for wanting to spend this day with me. I have no friends to talk to about this. Everyone stays away from me, ever since they found out I have not wolved out yet. Right now, I really do wonder if Laura and David were right. What if I don’t make it? Half an hour later, Jenny is ready to go. I waited in the living room the whole time and I had to listen to everyone congratulating me on the big day. It was awful. The questions, the comments on the subject. Them telling me their own experiences as if I weren’t there. I was there for every single one of them. Even if I were a baby on some of the weddings, but I was still there and I have seen the wedding videos. I know everything about everyone. We get out of the house and climb into my car. “I am so excited. I haven’t had a spa day in two years,” Jenny claps her hands quickly on her lap and I can’t help but laugh. “Let’s do this.” If I want to get through this day, I need to be as calm as possible. Four hours later, I am as relaxed as a baby. No worries, no pain. Lying on my bed. Jenny finally talked to her mother-in-law and found out that the same thing happened to her, but it was her mother that busted them. They had a good laugh about it and Jenny can finally let it go. I, on the other hand, have been hiding in my room, away from everyone, because all they seem to talk about is the stupid event that is coming up. Also, every other sibling is coming to witness the event. All I want to do is crawl into a hole and get away from everyone. It’s moments like this that make me miss my mother even more. She was killed seven years after I was born. She died protecting us while my father was away for work. Rogues attacked our home and as much as she tried to fight them off, she didn’t stand a chance. After that day, my father never worked again. He sold his company for a good amount of money and retired. He misses my mother very much and it almost killed him when she died. He only made it through her death because of us. He loved us too much to abandon us. I love my father more than anything, but I miss my mother every single day. She was a good soul. Unvoluntary tears find their way out, and I try to keep them at bay. This day, as horrible as it may be, I still need to be relaxed. Otherwise, I might just do something stupid that I am going to regret for the rest of my life. But the tears win and I give in. I have no strength left in me today. Not after what is waiting for me. As I keep crying, my eyelids feel heavier and just minutes later, I feel myself falling asleep.