2. Werewolf realm

Astrid's POV:

"Oh Edward, hello," I said, smiling at my crush.

"I believe someone preoccupied your mind, which resulted in your stumbling," he smirked at me.

He is the loveliest young boy anyone has ever met.

I reminded myself that it was his chivalry speaking and that he treated everyone the same way, but my silly heart fluttered seeing his boyish grin.

"Umm... No, I'm okay?" I said, more like a query. I believe I spaced out on his words once more, as I have done since our childhood days together.

We were great friends in kindergarten, and as time went by, he grew apart, but I was still holding on to the promise he made at the time. As his words rang inside my head, my thoughts wandered down memory lane.

"When we grow up, Astrid, we're going to be Mates," he said as we both built a sandcastle.

"Really, Edward?" I inquired.

"Yes, and look, I'll build a castle like this for you, and where we can both play all day," Edward replied, taking my hand in his.

"Wow, so I'm going to be Luna?" I said, and he nodded, "but I don't have a wolf like you."

"But I have it," Edward cried as he stood up and transformed into his brown wolf, even though he was still a pup.

I stood up and clapped as I saw him wag his tail at me, and then he licked me.

"Astrid, are you still there?" Edward asked, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"Huh?" I gave him a sidelong glance.

"Wired, you zone out a lot," he muttered to himself.

"Thank you for saving me, Edward. I'm getting clumsier by the day," I said, scratching the back of my neck.

"It's okay, Astrid," he said, looking at his wristwatch and then at me. "Can I catch up with you later? I have a class to attend to," he asked, his face strained from the time constraint.

He is in his senior year, and exams are just around the corner.

I'm a senior, but it's due to my outstanding grades. I am the youngest in the class, although Edward and I only shared one subject.

"Oh, okay, see you later then," I said as I nodded and watched him walk away.

I grumbled and turned to walk inside the school, but I still had about an hour till my classes began.

Instead of going to school, I took an alternative route and went to a neighboring park, where I sat on a bench and reflected on my life.

The youngster I had previously spoken with is Edward Hudson, the future Alpha of our pack and the only son of Alpha Brad and Luna Lizzy.

If it isn't evident, I've had feelings for him since we were kids. He is the sweetest, calmest, and most humble person I have ever encountered, but that attitude isn't reserved solely for me; he speaks to everyone as if he is the boy next door.

Even though we don't talk much, I have a great attraction to him, and the only thing I ask the moon goddess for is that he be my mate.

I'm unsure if praying to the moon goddess will help me because I don't yet have a wolf.

Humans have an erroneous belief that our wolves appear when we are adolescents. Still, the truth is that we as werewolves are born with our wolves, who remain in our heads until we reach the age of three, at which point they appear as pups.

The period can sometimes be extended, but the deadline for our wolf to appear is by the age of ten, although I am an exception.Everyone says they start talking to their wolves as infants and grow up with the feeling of having someone inside you everything appears biological, and their body adapts to it like is their organ, but I don't know what that feels like because again I don't have a wolf.

While everyone my age had their wolves appear at the age of three, and in some rare cases, infants as young as one are said to change into their wolf form. Still, I haven't witnessed that yet, but here I was, even after ten years of waiting, and my wolf didn't appear, and when I informed my mother about it, she was shocked. She questioned me about how I hadn't had a conversation with my wolf. When I denied it, she repeatedly questioned me whether this was the case since I was a Kid. I didn't feel any of those things, so I denied everything.

My mother was distraught when she found I didn't have a wolf, which is a shame and disgrace coming from a werewolf family. She informed me that she had remained silent since she believed it was natural to grow up with a sense of another soul inside us.

Maybe that's why my mother dislikes me; after all, she is the daughter of an alpha who was mated to an omega.

No, being an Omega does not imply being terrible in any way; they are not treated like slaves or anything. instead, in our universe, and Omega is someone who is third in rank.

Alpha is the superior of all, followed by Beta, who is second in command, and Omega, third in charge.

Actually, it is a revered position, and everyone except Alpha and Beta admires and appreciates Omega. So,

I am no less than royalty in terms of family relationships.

Skylar Jones and Lance Jones are my two brothers.

When I think about my predicament and question why I don't have a wolf, my sense tries to reason with me while comparing me to them, but I never discover an answer as to why others have wolves, and I don't.My phone rang, signaling that it was time for my class to begin. I told myself that I still had one last hope and that my misery would cease when Edward declared me his mate.

Werewolves find their partners on the 'Red Moon Night,' which occurs only once a year. Anyone over the age of nineteen will discover their partners on that night.

Though I am not yet nineteen, I have one more year until I reach that age, and I hope to experience the mate link once Edward makes me his mate.

I took my bag off the bench and began walking towards the school.

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3. Bullied

Astrid's POV:

"Look who's here," As I walked through the school hallway, I couldn't avoid the taunts and jeers from my classmates. It was a daily ritual. Ignoring them, I hurried towards my classes, but then I encountered Benson, the school's resident troublemaker, who seemed to believe the whole world revolved around him.

"What do you want, Benson?"  I asked, my irritation growing by the second.

I'm running late for class, and the last thing I want to do is stand here and entertain this group of immature bullies. I'd rather sit in one of the corners and play a phone game than get into a fight with them, which I know will lead nowhere.

His evil sneer only fueled my anger, but I tried to walk away. Standing my ground, I refused to show fear. Why should I when there was nothing to fear?

"Oh, you have the voice to respond to me. That's intriguing; let us see what more you have" His evil sneer disgusted me, and I began to back away from him.

"Ah, you have some backbone," Benson said with a malicious grin. "It's curious, though, how someone like you was chosen to defend the pack's borders, even if you're inferior to the rest of us or even humans."

"Whatever you want to think, I don't care about your opinion," I muttered and began walking away without looking back.

When they saw me turn my back on them, they began calling me insults like "disgrace," "wolfless," "witch," and so on, but I didn't care. Even his minions joined the play, laughing along Benson.

Their remarks no longer pain me since they are not my family, and their opinion no longer bothers me. If they were someone I loved or cared about, I would have been devastated beyond words, but they are just strangers who have no bearing on my life.

I walked over to my seat and sat down. Fortunately, our teacher hadn't arrived yet, or I would have been in big trouble.

I sat in the farthest corner, where I wouldn't draw much notice and could study quietly.

Mr. Daze entered the room and began lecturing. I was paying close attention and took notes on whatever I thought was significant. Despite his detailed explanations, his droning voice struggled to capture the interest of the students around him.

After finishing Mr. Daze's class, I proceeded to my next class, which I was looking forward to. Edward and I have literary have only one class together, and I have to wait a week for that. The week's wait was worth it.

I immediately gathered my belongings and proceeded to my next class, where I took my regular seat in the farthest corner.

I kept my gaze fixated on the entrance, waiting for him to enter the classroom.

It had been fifteen minutes, and there was still no sign of him. I grumbled and took my book, reasoning that I'd rather finish my homework until he arrived.

To my surprise, our lecturer never showed up. It was a rare opportunity to finish my work quickly.

I was in the middle of finishing my task when I heard other student hooting. I recognised them, so I quickly shifted my focus from the books to the door. Edward entered the room with his friends, just as I had thought.

Watching him run his fingers through his hair, my heart pounded. I kept my eyes on him as he made his way towards me.

I gulped as he locked his gaze on mine, and I could feel my heartbeat in my ears. He began to walk towards me, but his attention was drawn to his phone.

Phones were not permitted in the school, but being Alpha's son has its advantages.

I remained rooted in place, waiting for him to approach.

I stood still, waiting for him to come to me. He did, and as he stood in front of me, I swallowed hard.

"Hey, Astrid," he called out to me. My heart leaped, and I made space for him to sit beside me.

But he shifted his gaze to the seat next to mine.

"Hey, Charlotte," he greeted her.

I leaned forward and peered over Edward's shoulder to check if Charlotte was sitting there. She is the type of person who pretends to be a goody-two-shoes in order to get in every boy's pants. She clearly has feelings for Edward. Previously, she was with Bensen, but when Edward began to notice her, she deserted him in order to get in Edward's good books.

"Edward, Hello, I'm sorry, I didn't notice you were standing here." She lied, as she always does. "I was really studying for my exams. Every point counts, you know." She spoke as if she were the nerd. As if no one knows how she manages to pass her tests.

She seduces boys in order to get them to help her pass the examinations. I'd rather fail than be ranked in that manner.

"Oh, I understand how difficult things may be for you. Can I take a seat here?" he asked, motioning to the seat near her.

With her artificial lashes on, she blinked her gray eyes at him. She made room for him to sit, and he took a seat beside her.

I was disappointed, so I piled my bag and books on the seat beside me and pretended to study while keeping an eye on them.

I pretended to be studying while my entire focus was drawn to them. I could see Edward showing her something on his phone from the corners of my eyes, and she laughed.

I clenched my teeth in frustration as I watched them laugh and giggle. It made my heart hurt.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Because there was some event that others would stay here to prepare for, but I, being the least interested in those things, decided not to participate.

I'd rather rest before heading to a restaurant and patrolling the boundaries.

While I was putting my belongings in the bag, I heard them speaking again

"Are you going to accompany me tonight?" I wanted to know where they were heading because Edward had asked, but I had zoned out by the time they named the location.

"How can I say no to you, Edward? Of course I'll come," Charlotte flashed him with her hundred-watt smile.

My mood had already been shattered, so I decided to divert my focus to something more intriguing.

I put on my headphones, which could keep me isolated from both the human and werewolf worlds, and began walking out of the school.

Arriving home, I found my mom already at work. I seized the opportunity to take a quick nap.

When I woke up, it was time to head to the restaurant. I gathered my things and left.

On my way there, I ran into my brother.

"Hey Skylar," I said, smiling and hugging him.

"Astrid, where are you going in a hurry?" he asked.

"I have to go to the restaurant," I said.

"Too bad, I got you some chocolate cake; I think I'll eat this alone," he teased as he showed me the bag.

I laughed and said, "You'd better save the majority for me. I'll come looking for it."

"I don't think you'll find any, but I can try," he grinned."You should do that and keep it away from Lance. If he sees that, he will not leave us anything."  I told, As I resumed my run.

I arrived at my restaurant, a family diner, hurriedly changed into my waitress outfit, and began serving tables.

While doing so, I noticed Edward and his buddies, as well as Charlotte, waiting for someone to come take their orders at one of the tables.

I reminded myself that no task is insignificant and began walking towards their tables to accept orders.

"Hello, sir, my name is Astrid Jones, and it would be my pleasure to serve you all today," I said again.

"Oh, it's you, Astrid?" Edward gave me a compassionate look, but I didn't need it. "I didn't realise you worked here," he said, and I could tell he was uncomfortable bringing up the subject.

But I could tell Charlotte and his other friends were having a good time.

"That's my job now, sir, if you'll excuse me; shall I take your orders?" When I asked, she nodded and dismissed me.

I went into the kitchen and placed their orders, patiently waiting for them to be made while humming odd beats.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

I was taken aback when I noticed Edward standing behind me.

"Astrid, I-I want to tell you something," he stuttered.

I gave him a firm look.

"Yes, I am listening," I said, folding my hands over my chest and giving him my undivided attention.

He fumbled with his hands and turned to face me.

"I.... I love you, Astrid; please tell me you love me too," he said.

I stood there, perplexed.

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4. Dare

Astrid's POV:

Edward's words briefly left me stunned. I thought I was hearing things, but then I noticed him standing there with an expectant expression on his face.

I blinked at him a few times, silently urging him to confirm that I wasn't imagining things.

"What are you saying, Edward?" I asked with the utmost curiosity.

"Astrid, please tell me that you love me too." Instead of responding to my query, he asked it again, but this time in hushed tones, as if he was worried someone would hear him.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive," he said.

I took advantage of the situation and decided to express my sentiments to him.

"Yes, Edward, I love you too," I said, amazed that I had said the words.

We nodded at each other, but despite the confession, my heart felt uneasy. I had waited for this moment all my life, and now that I'd said the words and he'd approached me, something didn't feel right.

I brushed away my worries and did the only thing that was sensible to me. I walked over to him and hugged him.

Edward was taken aback by my gesture, but he quickly returned it.

I let out a sigh of relief as I noticed his friends approaching us, followed by Charlotte, who had a sick grin on her face.

I didn't understand what had just happened; shouldn't she have been the one who became enraged and acted recklessly? Instead, she was strolling calmly towards us.

"Wow, Ed, I didn't expect you to complete the dare. You compelled her to confess, didn't you?" Shane, Edward's best friend, asked.

Then it struck me—I desperately wanted someone to tell me that I was wrong about what had just happened. I turned to Edward, demanding an explanation.

"Astrid, please let me explain this first," he said as he approached me, but I pulled away and moved further away.

"Tell me, Edward, did you say those words only because of a dare?" I asked, my heart sinking.

"But there's more to it, Astrid. Just hear me out," he begged.

There was nothing else he could say. I began to walk back into the kitchen.

"Do you need anything else from me, sir? Except for believing your nonsense," I added bitterly.

"Astrid, please don't be a spoiler. We were having a good time when Charlotte dared Edward, and he only played his role ".. Shane stood up for him.

Everything was, of course, fun for them. They wouldn't know what happened to my heart, and the moment I felt all the happiness had landed on my feet, I understood it was nothing more than a silly dare for him.

My heart shattered, and I needed some time alone to process it all. I retreated to a corner, wanting to hide my tears.

"Okay, I guess you had a good time. I have some work now." I turned my back and went inside.

If I stay here any longer, I'll wind up making a fool of myself again, so it's best if I leave.

"Hey, Astrid, you look sleepy," Smith observed. He, like me, works as a waiter at this restaurant and is the closest thing I have to a friend.

"Oh, nothing; I'm just feeling a little feverish today," I lied to him.

"Do you want me to talk to the manager about leaving you early?" he inquired.

"I think that's good," I agreed with a nod.

"All right, I'll go ask on your behalf," he said as he nodded, set his dishes aside, and began heading out.

The tears I'd been holding back for a long time began to obscure my vision once more. I had to convince myself that I could cry later, but I needed to get out of here right now.

These walls feel suffocating to me, and I'm afraid my thoughts will kill me if I stay here any longer.

"All done, you can go home and rest for a while," Smith said.

I thanked him and started to leave. Edward intercepted me at the gate, taking my hand in his. I pulled away and confronted him. "What now, Edward? Do you have more games to play?"

"Please, Astrid, I'm sorry. I didn't expect it to get so complicated. I meant what I said," he tried to explain, holding my hand.

"Don't play with my heart again, Edward," I cautioned.

I couldn't deny that hope was beginning to rise within me once more.

"No, Astrid, I adore you as a friend, as I mentioned earlier.I didn't get a chance to explain," he reasoned.

"That's ridiculous, Edward. I'm at a loss for words with you. I want to spend some time alone, so if you excuse me," I said as I began to go out of the gate.

My walls crumbled as soon as I walked into the house, and I burst into tears.

My walls crumbled as I entered my house, and I burst into tears. I couldn't understand why this always happened to me. I deserved happiness; this constant disappointment weighed on me.

"Astrid, are you home?" my mother called.

"Yes, Mom, I'm back," I said as I walked to her.

She had a mountain of dishes stacked up for me to clean.

"Clean these," Mom commanded. "Skylar will be arriving shortly. He would be hungry as soon as he is home," my mother asked me.

Yes, Sky is always there for her, and other times it's Lance because he lives alone and rarely sees us, and when he does, Mom makes sure to treat him well.

"Okay," I replied, and I began cleaning the dishes.

"Sky is getting placement today. I knew my son was always bright, and he was the one who would help us become better." Mom exclaimed, pleased with Sky's accomplishment.

"That's good," I replied calmly, returning to my job.

"Yes, your father is proud of him as well. Let's get this over with as soon as possible. He might be fatigued when he gets home." She patted my back and exited the room.

It's pointless to even ask her why she treats me this way. This is something I'm getting used to.

I reminded myself once more that this would all be over once I find my mate.

I don't mind if it's Edward or someone else. I just want to find him, get out of this hellhole, and lessen the weight on my parents' shoulders.

"Four more days," I reassured myself, returning to my job.

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