Chapter3
As of now, as it always had been, I was the outlier.
The odd one out.
The one people know but never knew.
I just wanted a place here.
Heat rose up to my cheeks when I risked a look over my shoulder to see Landon staring at me. He was crouched over the
glass shards from the plate but was completely still. We held each other’s gaze as Hestia led me away for what seemed
like minutes when in reality, it was only for a brief few seconds. We came into the common room where the flatscreen Tv
pressed against the wall with three couches surrounding it: one on each side.
“Selene, there you are. I was beginning to think you locked yourself in your room even on your birthday.”
My father laughed, raising a pointed brow at me.
I forced a smile on my face before settling down on the couch opposite of him. We never really got along but he let me do as I wished as long as it hadn’t interfered with his affairs. He was far too busy with pack affairs than to worry about me getting my hands dirty from gardening. His indifference suited me just fine. It was then that my mother came strolling in
with an apron tied around her waist. I could distinctly hear her speaking to my father but my thoughts revolved around the
brunette in the kitchen who still had yet to talk to me about what we were going to do.
I felt someone looking at me.
I tilted my head up to find Hestia grinning as she dashed to the other room only to come back with a big, blue box tied with a little red bow on the top in her hands. She beamed, handing me the box while shifting her gaze to her feet slipped in
black heels.
“This one’s from Landon and I.”
Just as she said these words, Landon came in. I tried not to look up because Goddess knows I would get lost in his forest green eyes if I did. I thought for sure he would take his place beside Hestia but he didn’t. He simply leaned against the doorframe of the entrance to the living room without a word. His arms crossed at his chest making his muscles bulge and temptation held me by the throat. I managed to calm the soaring desire for him and stared at the box blankly. It was heavy in my lap. Everyone stared.
My wolf was yipping in my head, running in circles as she chased after her own tail cluelessly. For the most part she was almost completely unbothered. I didn’t understand why, I guess it was because she was reassured by Landon’s wolf that everything was fine. Taking the bright red bow, I pulled it apart and slowly lifted the cover.
I felt my heart stop.
It was a beautiful, rose gold gown neatly folded into the box. On-top of it was a silver colored envelope with the words:
Wedding Invitation
Landon Walker & Hestia Anne Dixon
Chapter3
5.58%
written in script and black ink across the middle. Tears unwillingly built up in my eyes as I shakily breathed in. This can’t be true. This couldn’t be. They were just friends. Sure my sister had a crush on him, and the chances he returned her feelings were high but this couldn’t be. It shouldn’t! He was my mate. He was mine as I was his. Why would they go through with this knowing they still had yet to meet their mate? Why would Landon agree to this?
For us, sixteen was the age in which a wolf was deemed an adult. The capability of finding your mate was the equivalent of the end of puberty to us. In a mateship, mates won’t recognize one another until both reach the age of sixteen. More often than not, one would be older than his or her mate. It wasn’t unnatural for there to be a slight age gap. It was widely accepted only because majority of the wolves treated the bond as sacred and couldn’t bear to mistreat their significant
others.
Wolves were also quicker in development both physically and mentally than normal humans. Raising the legal age to eighteen would only complicate affairs when there would be an age gap, regardless of whether it would be a two year one of a four year one. It’s why I knew that marriage between Landon and Hestia was possible, even when she was only
seventeen going on eighteen.
I lifted my gaze from the box and to Hestia who smiled brightly; expectantly, only to trail my attention to Landon who avoided looking at me. His eyes were hard as he stared off to the side, his jaw clenched so tight his teeth might’ve
cracked.
My wolf howled within me, stirring with rage and heartache at the way things were unfolding. My parents, completely oblivious to what was going on, had gotten up from their seats to look at what my sister had gotten me. Once their gazes set on the envelope, they looked at one another and joyfully hugged my sister. They bombarded her with words I couldn’t quite register going through my ears but I could manage to catch a few phrases about being excited for the next Luna.
