It had been one week since I started to avoid Ethan.

That day, I did not reply to his brother, Ryan. He said I was in love with Ethan. I was surprised at first, but then I realized he could read my eyes when I was looking at his brother.

After that day, he did not come to bother me again.

He became very popular in our school. As Teresa said, he did not date. I only saw him with different girls each time.

Ethan also looked strange whenever he was around me. I did not know why. Since I was avoiding him, I should not think about it either.

"My honey's birthday is tomorrow. I am so excited."

I heard Teresa cheer up about my birthday.

It was going to be my eighteenth birthday. I somehow felt nervous. It was the time when werewolves found their mates. If before that someone marked me, I could be his mate. But I had not mated with someone yet, so I would get someone as my mate.

"What are you thinking?" Teresa patted my shoulder.

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"Are you still thinking about Ethan?"

I sighed. I was not, but at the same time, yes, I was thinking about him.

His relationship with Julie was not clear. He did not declare it either. But I was not his type, and my birthday was tomorrow, so I had to think only about my mate.

Since he did not like me, I should not think about him either.

"I am worried about my mate." I explained to Teresa.

"Don't worry. He will understand you. You know a mate can change your life with happiness."

I nodded my head. But it was not that.

I always felt like Ethan was my mate. I felt that for a long time. I felt somehow connected with him. I was sure he could not feel that otherwise; he would at least try to talk to me about it.

We talked for some time and then went back to our classes.

After my last class, I was waiting for Teresa. I was passing a few classrooms when I heard growls.

My legs stopped. I turned my head towards the classroom and went close to the door.

The hallway was empty. I looked around and discovered that I was the only one there.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a thud. I immediately opened the door and saw two boys holding each other's collars.

I was shocked when I saw their faces.

"Ethan!"

I shouted and rushed to him. But before I could reach him, Ryan had already thrown a punch in his face.

Blood was coming out of the corner of Ethan's lip.

Ethan backed away, and his back rested on a wall. I cupped his cheeks and asked,

"A-Are you o-okay? What is happening?"

He frowned when he saw me. He slightly moved my hand from his face.

My own actions astounded me. Ethan wiped the blood off his lips with his thumb.

I looked at Ryan, who was glaring at me.

"What's happening? Why are you hitting him?" I asked him.

He stared at me for a few seconds, and his eyes became dark, which made me frightened. In those days, he only behaved childishly with me. I had never seen him like this.

I remembered when he was a kid, he always got mad at others.

Without my realization, Ethan walked to him and punched him hard.

I was shocked. They started to fight again. Like wild beasts, they were up to each other's necks.

"Can you both stop?" I said and tried to move Ethan.

I did not know what to do. Should I call someone for help? One of them broke his lips, and the other broke his cheek.

What would I do?

I tried again to move them but got pushed by them.

"Aaah!"

I fell on a wall and got hurt in my head. I held my forehead.

Ethan and Ryan both stopped fighting and looked at me. They looked stunned. They did not think that I would get hurt.

"Fuck! What happened to you?" Ethan said and rushed to me.

Ryan was standing where he was while looking at me.

I felt dizzy.

"D-Don't fight."

I felt darkness engulf me and everything blanked around me.

When I woke up I saw a white ceiling. I tried to sit up but felt a hand pushing my shoulder lightly.

"Don't sit up. You need some rest."

I heard Teresa. I turned my head to the right side and saw that she was sitting on a tool close to the bed.

I touched my forehead and felt a bandaid on the left side of my forehead.

"What happened?" I asked her.

I remembered the fight and then suddenly I got hurt.

"I called you. Ethan received the call and told me to come to this infirmary."

"Ethan? How is he?"

"He looked fine to me. Just a cut in his lips."

"Where is he?"

"He left the moment I came here."

I nodded and closed my eyes.

I took some rest and Teresa waited for me for an hour while sitting there.

I stood up. The nurse told me I was fine to go. I took a painkiller and went out of the hospital with Teresa.

She dropped me home and told me to take care of myself.

When I entered my home, my mom saw my forehead and asked,

"What happened to you?? You got hurt!"

"Mom, I was feeling weak then I slipped."

"You need to eat more. Should we go to the pack doctor for a check up?" She looked hella worried.

"No, mom. I am totally fine. I just need some rest."

She stroked my head and nodded. I went to my room and lay on my bed. I thought about today's fight. Why were they fighting?

When it was night time, I was going to have dinner when my mother came with a bag.

"Wear this and come down, honey."

It was a beautiful brown colored dress inside the bag. I took it out and smiled.

"Mom, you did not have to do this."

She kissed my forehead and said,

"Your dad threw a party tonight. Teresa is waiting for you downstairs."

I was not surprised. Every year my father called Teresa and arranged a small party for us four, on my birthday night. I was happy with it.

"Okay, mom." I replied with a bright smile.

But my smile froze when I heard my mother's next sentence.

"It's such an honor that Alpha Neil and his family also came tonight to celebrate your birthday with us."

"Allison, my dear, everyone is waiting for you downstairs. Come fast."

My mother shouted from downstairs.

I was in a daze when my mother left my room.

She told me that Alpha Neil's family had come. That meant Ethan also came here. I shook my head.

'No, no. I can not think about him anymore,' I told myself.

I glanced at myself in the mirror. I was in a long brown dress. It was a simple yet pretty dress. My mother chose it for me. It was my birthday gift from her.

I was not particularly eager to put on much makeup, so I only applied mascara and light pink lipstick.

I left my room and went downstairs.

I was stunned when I saw the decorations in my own house. It appeared to be rather fascinating. There were so many flowers everywhere, and the fragrance of roses tickled my nostrils.

'When did they do all of these?' I thought.

I smiled and went to the living room.

The moment I entered, a pair of arms wrapped around my body and hugged me.

"You look so pretty."

I smiled at my best friend. My parents loved her too. She was my best friend, so my birthday party without her was impossible.

"Thank you, bestie," I replied.

She moved away from me, and I noticed others in the room.

My father, mother, Alpha Neil, Luna Ella, and the Iversen brothers.

Ethan looked disturbed, and I did not know why. On the other hand, Ryan looked at me as if he were amazed.

I looked away from them.

"My child, come here. Your daughter is a big girl now, Glen." Alpha Neil said this to my father and reached out a hand to me.

I smiled lightly. I walked to him and held his hand.

"Alpha"

"I last saw you two years ago. After that, your mother never took you to the pack house with her." He complained.

My mother shook her head. "My apologies, Alpha. I will take her with me next time."

"How beautiful she is looking! Joey, we should meet more." Luna Ella said to my mother while stroking my hair.

I blushed when I heard her.

We sat and talked about the old days. I glanced at Ethan.

Surprisingly, he was also looking at me. I wanted to look away, but my eyes did not listen to my mind, but to my heart.

He averted his gaze, took out his phone, and started to use it.

I took a close look at him. He was dressed in a white shirt and black jeans. His fair neck complemented the white shirt. His muscles were practically visible through his shirt.

I was about to look away but stopped when I felt a gaze over me. My eyes moved to the right side of Ethan.

Ryan was staring at me. His black jacket and black pants gave him a mafia look.

'He must be feeling bored since he could not see any girls here to flirt with.' I thought.

Luna Ella noticed me looking at Ryan.

"Do you know Ryan?" she asked me.

Before I could answer, Alpha Neil replied,

"How could she know him? She is a good girl. Your son could not be on a good girl's knowing list."

Everyone became silent. It looked like the rumor was correct. Alpha Neil and Ryan definitely did not have a good relationship.

"Dad"

I heard Ethan's voice and turned my head to him. He called Alpha Neil 'Dad' and Luna Ella 'Mom' from his childhood after his parents' deaths.

Ethan shook his head at Alpha Neil, as if telling him not to argue.

"Yes, you are right, Alpha. I think I should not have come to this party either."

Ryan's voice echoed in the room. He stood up and headed to the main door.

"Ryan"

Ethan stood up and went on behind him. They went out of our house.

"What drama are they doing? Did they plan to ruin my best friend's birthday?" Teresa muttered angrily.

I held her hand softly to stop her from whispering at that moment.

"Alpha, calm down." My father said to Alpha Neil. Luna Ella looked upset.

I glanced outside and saw Ethan grab Ryan's arm and pull him somewhere.

"Two minutes left." Teresa stood up and tried to ease the atmosphere. She went to the kitchen room and came out with a big cake.

"Wow," I mumbled.

It was a beautiful cake with white-pink colored decorations. '1' and '8' candles were lit up in the center of the cake to show that the birthday girl was going to turn eighteen years old.

When the clock turned 12 a.m., I stood up, and everyone gathered around me.

I did not think about anyone else at that moment. I closed my eyes and made a wish for myself in my mind.

"I hope I will get my mate soon and move on with my life."

I opened my eyes and blew out the two candles. Everyone clapped and cheered for me.

I cut the cake, and everyone wished me luck. My mother almost cried when I turned eighteen. It was an age when werewolves became adults and started to find their mates; after that, they started their families.

"Happy Birthday."

Teresa made me eat a whole big piece of the cake. I giggled and took a tissue to wipe my lips. Others laughed at us.

"Where are they? Let me check." Luna Ella said she wanted to go outside to check on Ethan and Ryan.

"It's okay, Luna. Allison, go and call them inside." My father stopped her and asked me to go outside.

I could not deny him. I headed to the main door.

When I came out of my house, I started to feel strange.

My breath stirred to become heavy, and my heart began to beat fast.

I felt the scent of dark chocolate. It had not only a chocolaty smell but also something addictive.

I stepped to find the scent, to search for the owner of this scent. I strolled ahead and started to walk on the road.

Suddenly, my steps halted when I saw two figures standing beside the road.

I could see their backs facing me. I was a little farther from them.

My wolf started to growl in happiness because she had finally found her mate.

It was one of them!

My wolf began to chant, 'Mate.'

But the moment one of them turned around with red eyes, I could not control my tongue and let out,

"MATE?"