Curse of the Moon Goddess

“Hi pup.”

“Mutt,” I greeted Aleina back with a scowl. She knows how much I hate being called a pup. Just as much as I know she hates being called a mutt.

“So, are you going to the youth gathering this weekend?” she asked, a smirk playing at her lips. Her beautiful, dark shade of pink, soft lips.

I gave myself a mental slap. How could I be thinking about her in this way? It was decided long ago when my wolf first showed up when I was nine that she was not my mate. Everyone could see it. Yet, there was this tiny ember that burned beneath the ash of negative thoughts I have long since buried it under.

I smirked back and replied, “Yeah right. Unless you are being taken away by some foreign wolf, I’m not going.”

“Your mother says otherwise. And besides,” she stopped and winked, “I’m going to look irresistible that night.”

I rolled my eyes, but felt my mouth go dry at the thought.

To keep her from noticing how much she affected me, I retorted, “That’s going to take a lot of work.”

That comment earned me a hit in the arm so hard I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to do any dancing this weekend even if I wanted to.

I turned to make a comment, but instead caught a glimpse of something glistening on her cheek. Her back was turned away from me and she was gone before I could get another peek. It must have just been the sunlight. There’s no way she would have been crying. Right?

Finally making it home after training, I raced to the springs behind the pack house, letting my clothes fly wherever they landed.

Before climbing in, I admired my sixteen-year-old self in the water’s reflection. I was tall, muscular, had dark hair that I kept short to be a bit rebellious, and apparently was on every girl’s list of what she wanted in a mate. That was fine and all. I didn’t mind the attention. I was actually turning seventeen this weekend. Most male sixteen-year-olds had already found their mates. It was pretty common for mates to be in the same pack or one close by. But for some reason, I still hadn’t found mine. Neither had Aleina. To everyone else, it was a mystery. How could we both be mateless at sixteen and not be one another’s mate? To me the answer was simple. I hated her and she hated me. There was nothing between us. So, what was this tightness in my chest every time I thought about Aleina finding her mate?

To rid myself of these thoughts, I buried myself deep underneath the water. This didn’t help. Thoughts of being with my sworn enemy plagued my mind more and more often these days. I kept finding myself addicted to her scent and wanting to touch her hair. Most of the time I did it anyways. Well, I would grab one of her braids and yank on it long and hard. She would usually turn around and grab at mine too. Another reason why I preferred the short hair. A lot harder for the now shorter than me Aleina to reach up and get a good hold of.

After an hour of soaking, I finally climbed out and redressed. I could smell the mesmerizing scent of rabbit stew cooking over a fire. It was one of my favorite meals.

“Smells amazing mom,” I said, walking in and planting a kiss on my mother’s cheek.

“Well, it’s nice to hear you appreciate the aroma so much. Why don’t you help your sister set the table?”

I nodded and made my way to my younger sister. She was stretching her seven-year-old body as long as it would go. I smiled to myself at the sight. No one had expected my parents to have a fourth child and I don’t think they were expecting it either.

She squealed in delight and surprise as I picked her up to reach for the bowls.

“JayJay!” she yelled, innocently sharing a beaming smile as I set her gently on the ground.

“How’s the little princess today?”

She gave the cutest little pout and I’m sure there would have been some arm crossing if she wasn’t holding the bowls.

“I’m not a princess anymore,” she stated resolutely.

“Oh,” I mocked surprise as everyday it was something else, “what are you then?”

“I’m a warrior like Aleina!”

Her smile was so wide I couldn’t but smile. On the inside, though, I was cringing. I had been the one she had always looked up to, I was her role model; her hero. Now, not for the first time in my life, I was finding myself losing to Aleina. My head was telling my heart to be angry at her. To hate her and everything she took from me. Instead, there was a warm, tickling feeling inside. Almost a sense of pride that my little sister would idolize Aleina. This wasn’t right. Why would my heart suddenly feel fuzzy towards my opponent? And why was my stupid wolf now making a purring noise?

My wolf and I had a very strong connection. We had been together for so many years we now thought as one. But, in all of these years I’d never heard him make such a cringeworthy noise. I mean, I’ve heard other wolves make that sound. It always sent shivers down my spine and I hated it. Now I had a wolf making that noise in my head where there was no escape.

Groaning inwardly, I tried to distract myself by helping my sister finish setting the table and attacking my brothers in their rooms to get them downstairs for dinner. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, this fuzzy feeling wouldn’t go away. In fact, I was pretty sure it was getting worse.