Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he never gave a damn about rules and laws, as he only liked to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply.

What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions?

What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?

1

Ava's POV

"Ava, leave. Go with your mother. They will kill you both."

My father yelled at me, his eyes filling with fear as he looked at the other side of the forest.

"N-No," I mumbled and sobbed. I could see him lying on the ground.

“Little girl, always take care of your mother,” he said while struggling to sit up. There was blood all over his legs.

"Angela, run away with Ava. Don’t waste time," he told my mother, who was kneeling in front of him and crying loudly.

"How can I leave you in this condition, Hector?" She cried out in a distressed tone.

We all heard crunching sounds.

We were in the middle of a war, and every wolf was fighting each other.

"Leave. I can't shift to protect you two because of my wounds. At least save our little child." My father said it again to my mother.

When my mother saw that a pack of wolves was approaching us, she got to her feet, picked me up in her arms, and then started running in the opposite direction while she was carrying me.

While running, my mother whispered in my ears with a crying voice,

"Don't look back."

My arms were wrapped around her neck in a tight hug. Curiosity was killing me so I dared to look at what was happening there.

I saw two wolves jump on my dad to kill him. My eyes widened. I was so shocked that I closed my eyes and let out a scream.

"DAD!"

I opened my eyes and realized I was in my bedroom.

"I was dreaming again," I muttered, pressing my hand to my forehead.

I sat up and took deep breaths. My entire body was drenched in sweat.

Actually, it was not a nightmare. It was a reflection of moments from my past that I would never be able to forget.

My father was killed in a war when I was only five years old. He was a pack fighter, but they attacked his legs before he could shift, leaving him unable to save himself.

My mother had to run away with me from that pack and seek shelter in another pack.

This pack’s Alpha and Luna were kind enough to let us live in their pack.

Since then, we have been living in the Mystic Shadow Pack.

"AVA, YOU WILL BE LATE."

I heard my mother's voice, shouting from downstairs.

"YES, MOM. I'M COMING," I replied loudly so she could hear me.

I ran to the bathroom, took a shower, and then got ready to go to my university.

I was in my freshman year. So I did not want to be in the professor's bad books by becoming a latecomer.

I took a quick look at myself for a moment in the mirror. A long, loose-fitting white dress was what I was wearing at the time. I tucked my hair back into a low ponytail. My big glasses fell on my nose, so I lifted it to my eyes.

My eyesight was perfectly fine. But I preferred to wear large glasses because I wanted to hide my emotions and my face behind them. Though the glasses were transparent, they helped me disguise my sentiments.

Because I did not want to draw attention to myself, I never put on any makeup. For the same reason, I preferred to dress in simple, long, loose clothing.

People referred to me as a "nerd" because of my high grades and appearance.

Or maybe I was really a nerd. I decided to take it as a compliment. This tag also caused me to deal with some bullying when I was in middle school.

I went downstairs and hugged my mother. We had breakfast together. She was the only one in my life. I wanted to study hard and establish myself so that I could give her a happy life.

"Ava"

I looked at my mother. "Yes, Mom?"

"You will turn eighteen next week. You'll find your mate soon. Before that, I want you not to mess up with someone else. You already know how we got into this pack. You are an omega. We don't have a male member in our family to protect you, my dear."

I stared at my mother's worried face. She was concerned about my safety because this pack was full of Alphas.

"Don't worry, Mom. You have my word that I will not mess up with anyone and cause any trouble for myself. I will keep my promise. I always avoid grabbing attention."

"My child, I long for the day when you finally find your mate. He will accept you, and I will be able to die peacefully.”

I quickly got out of my chair and rushed over to give her a hug. "Mom, don't say that, please."

She never married again and dedicated her entire life to me. I could not bear to see her in pain.

After reassuring my mother, I left my house. I went to the bus stop and got on one.

It took me twenty minutes to get to my university.

The letters were written in an italicized, bold font.

'Mystic Shadow University'

I started walking in the direction of the department's building. My eyes wandered around as I walked past the students. It was the best university in our pack. It was only possible for wealthy kids to enroll in this university.

However, I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship and gain admission to this university.

I could see girls looking at me with disgust.

A girl walked past me, not forgetting to push my shoulder.

"Bloody nerd."

I heard her, lowered my head, and walked directly to my class.

My friend Abigail waved at me. I sat beside her. I only have three friends. Abigail was the closest one. We had the same schedule, so we could spend more time together.

When the professor entered the classroom, the lesson began. I tried to concentrate but was distracted by gossipy girls whispering behind our backs.

"Have you seen Ian today?" A girl asked another.

"No, what have I missed? Don't tell me he took off his shirt to show off his hot abs and I missed it."

"I'm going to die just thinking about it. But no. I heard his friends mention about Luke's party."

"Omg! I can't miss it then."

I stared at the projector, but my thoughts were focused on their gossip.

They were talking about the hottest boy at our university.

He was none other than Ian Dawson.

He was our head Alpha's only son. But he was not like his father, who was very strict about rules and regulations. He was the complete opposite—a troublemaker.

He was a bad boy that every boy feared, and a playboy that every girl desired to be with.

"Ian Dawson never dates. He only believes in one-night stands," my best friend, Abigail, muttered from my left side.

I turned my head toward her. She smirked at me and said,

"You innocent girl, don’t listen to this gossip."

"I was just—"

"Babe, I know you really well. But let me tell you something. He is waiting for his mate. That's why he doesn't date. These are his own words," she whispered to me.

I turned my attention away from her and tried to concentrate on the class instead of responding to her.

But I could not lie to my heart. I did not know why but whenever I saw that boy, I felt my heartbeat turn faster.

After the class, Abigail and I took a leisurely stroll to the locker room. During that time, I received a text message from my friend Luke.

He was the only boy who was my friend. It was because he never bullied me.

"Who texted you?" Abigail asked.

"Luke. He is calling us to the basketball court."

"You go first. I'm coming in ten minutes. I have some work."

"Okay."

I exited the building and made my way to the basketball court, which was quite a distance away.

When I arrived, there were many boys leaving the court. They had just finished their practice.

"Hey, Nerdy." A boy teased me and laughed.

I lowered my head, trying to avoid him. I could hear some whistles, too. I felt that it was a bad decision to come here alone.

Though there were many girls there, they only picked on me.

I started to walk fast while looking at the ground.

But suddenly, my head bumped into a hard chest.

My gaze was drawn to the person's black shorts, which exposed his strong thighs. I shifted my gaze, which led me to the tank top, revealing his tattooed hands.

He possessed the most flawless physique.

I slowly raised my head, and my eyes froze on his face.

He had a pair of thick brows, dark hair that was wet, dark eyes that were mysterious, a piercing in his eyebrow, and a perfectly defined jawline.

There was a scream of danger coming from him.

I should run away from him. Everyone claimed he was the only hazard capable of killing anyone alive.

However, my heart wanted something else. It started to beat faster, like a marathon. I stared at his face. He was without a doubt the most handsome boy I had ever seen.

As soon as I noticed a frown forming between his brows, I felt myself returning to my senses.

He looked fierce, which made me take a step back in fear.

I could not help but stutter.

“I-I am sorry, Ian.”

2

He looked at me with a frown, but then he nodded his head.

"Whatever," he muttered in a deep voice as he walked past me.

When he walked away from me, I closed my eyes, remembering his attractive cologne. I realized it was the first time we had spoken.

"Hey, Nerdy. Why are you alone? Did you think any of us would count you as a beautiful lonely girl?" A boy paused and said to me.

I did not argue with him; in fact, I never argued with anyone because I was afraid that if I did, they would bully me or lie about me to the dean, causing problems for my mother. Except for my three well-wishers, I tried to avoid interacting with others.

"Robin, stop it and come on. We don't have time for your nonsense," Ian spoke up from a little distance from me.

I turned my head toward him. He was looking at the boy who was standing beside me.

That boy named Robin walked to him and said,

"You should not have stopped me. I was making fun of that nerd."

"Still no time for your nonsense," Ian said as he walked ahead, running his fingers through his wet locks.

"Why did Ian save this girl?" I heard whispers from the girls around me.

I stared at Ian's back until he went another way and disappeared from my sight.

"AVA"

I turned around and saw Luke waving at me, so I went over to him.

He was a top student in his third year, the same year as Ian.

"I was waiting for you," Luke said, holding a sports bag over his shoulder.

Luke was the basketball captain of Ian's opposing team, 'Red Flamor'. Ian was the captain of the team 'Black Diamonds'.

"I ran into someone and ended up being late," I replied.

"You mentioned that you needed my help with statistics."

"Oh yeah."

"Let's go to the library."

"Good idea. I'm telling Abigail to get there."

"Okay."

Together, we made our way to the library. That was how we met a few months ago.

He was a top student, and I was trying to solve math problems. He assisted me and offered to help me study. Following that, he met my friends, and we all grew close. But he also had other friends.

We went to the library and started our study.

Later on, Abigail joined us. Besides her, there was Debra, my other friend. She was a very sweet girl. She was fashionable and trendy.

"I am throwing a good party tonight,” Luke spoke out.

"Where?" Debra asked.

"In my guest house."

"Okay, that's good news."

Luke turned to me and said,

"You have to come tonight."

I was stunned. "What? But you know I can't come to any parties."

"Why not? I will talk to Aunt Angela."

"No, no. She will not allow me. By the way, I don't want to go there eithe—."

Abigail interrupted our conversation and assured, "Luke, I will bring her there."

Later they persuaded me to go to the party.

—

In the evening,

Abigail came to my house.

My black t-shirt and my baggy blue jeans were flexible enough to cover up my body type.

"Please wear something nice, Babe. I mean, these are not bad, but you should wear some party dresses," Abigail said, starting to check my closet.

She turned her head with disappointment. "Not a single dress to wear at parties," she said.

"I told you all. Parties are not my thing. I should not go there."

"Wait, no! I didn't mean it. You are my best friend. I was just saying this because I wanted to give you a hot look. Forget about my words. You look good."

I chuckled at her panic reaction. I pulled all of my hair toward the back of my head in a low ponytail.

I pulled out two thick hair stands to cover my face. I reached for my glasses and put them on.

"Do you know how beautiful you are? Why are you hiding yourself like this?" Abigail asked.

I turned around and smiled at her. "This is not called hiding myself. This is me."

Abigail removed her long black coat and offered it to me.

"Wear it."

"No, there is no need for it," I said, admiring her hot purple dress, which fit her body perfectly.

She wrapped her coat around me. "This is just a coat. You have to wear it. You will get a cold."

After putting on the coat, I looked at myself in the mirror.

"What about you?" I asked her.

"I don't need it anyway." She winked.

After leaving my house, we got into her car. She was rich enough to have her own car. Her father was a successful businessman, so buying an expensive car for his daughter was nothing to him.

However, Abigail never treated me arrogantly.

As I leaned against the seat, I looked outside the window.

After about an hour, we arrived at Luke's guesthouse. I noticed a large number of cars parked outside.

As soon as I entered the house, I was greeted by thick smoke and loud music from the moment.

As Abigail and I made our way through the crowd of people, I grasped her hand tightly.

The entire house was transformed into a nightclub. Here and there, people were drinking beer in red cups; some of them were even holding bottles. Some boys and girls were talking and moving their legs to music.

"Ava, Abigail."

Debra rushed over to us when she noticed us. She looked pretty and gorgeous, as always.

She hugged Abigail, then me. "I am so glad you have come. I must say that Abigail works some real magic. How did she handle your mother?"

"My mom wasn't at home," I said.

"Shit! You shouldn't have said it. They might think I am a genius," Abigail uttered.

We laughed together.

"Let's go to Luke. He must be at the poolside," Abigail said to me.

We made our way to the poolside, with Abigail leading the way because she had been here three times before.

"There he is!" Abigail said this when she found Luke when we arrived at the poolside.

Luke was talking with a group of boys. Abigail walked up to him. I was trailing her behind. But something caught my eye, and my steps came to a halt.

I noticed that some boys and girls were cheering for something.

When I turned around, I saw a boy wearing a black blindfold.

It was Ian Dawson!

He was in black jeans and a sleeveless black jacket, revealing his tattoos. His jacket's half-chain was unzipped. He was not wearing a t-shirt inside, which gave him an extremely hot appearance.

The girls were giggling as he moved around, walking closer to them so he could catch them at any time.

It looked like he was playing blind man’s buff with the girls. His friends were drinking while having fun with the game as if it were a dare for him to catch a specific girl.

My eyes widened when I saw he was coming in my direction. I took a few steps back. However, he kept coming toward me.

I turned around when he was almost there. But before I could move to the other side, a hand grabbed my wrist and drew me to a firm chest.

Everyone became silent around us.

I was shocked by the closeness. His touch made my whole body freeze.

He chuckled and bit his lower lip as if he could hear my rapid heartbeat.

His lips caught my attention. He had a mole in the center of his lower lip. It struck me as the world's most beautiful sight.

He slowly lifted his hands and took off his blindfold.

But the moment the black cloth was removed from his eyes, his smile faded.

“You!”

3

Ian appeared to be in shock. Within a moment, he let go of my hand.

A roar of laughter erupted from everyone. He glared at the other people, signaling for them to be quiet, and they did obey his command.

"I-I did not mean to get in your way. But–"

After his gaze had returned to me, I paused for a moment. Because of his dark eyes, I was unable to move or speak because I was so captivated by them.

"What exactly are you doing here?" He questioned me with gritted teeth.

His question astonished me. Before I could answer his question, another voice rang out.

"I invited her. She is my friend."

I turned around and noticed Luke. I felt relaxed when he came to my rescue. Abigail was alongside him. He came up to me and held my hand.

"Are you okay?" Luke asked me.

Without uttering a single word, I simply nodded my head.

"When did you start making friends with nerds?" Ian asked with a careless tone.

I felt hurt by his question. I lowered my head, trying to conceal my emotions behind my glasses.

"Don't speak about her like this, Ian. She had done nothing to you. Stop picking on her unnecessarily."

Ian frowned upon hearing Luke.

"Excuse me? Did you say I was picking on her? Like, seriously? Don't I have anything else to do in my life?"

"Ian, leave it. Let's drink," his best friend, Ronald Solace, said to him.

"Yeah, it's better if we continue the party. I have no intention of arguing either." Luke let out a sigh while gazing at Ian.

Ian gave a slight nod before turning his attention to me. My glasses allowed me to catch a glimpse of him, and as soon as he caught my attention, I quickly averted my gaze.

He rolled his eyes and turned around to rejoin his friends.

Luke turned to me, saying,

"I am so sorry."

I raised my head to look at him. "For what?"

"You almost got lost at the party. I should have welcomed you from the outside."

"No, it's okay."

"You came to my party and received a lot of attention, which you did not want. It's my fault."

I looked around at the other people who were still looking at me with judgmental eyes.

I told Luke that he did not need to be concerned about me. He then introduced me and Abigail to some of his friends.

His friends were decent, just like him. They were kind people. They did not judge me based on my looks or appearance.

Abigail wanted to dance, while Luke was chatting with his friends. So I went to sit on a couch near them. Abigail tried to persuade me to go with her. But I had enough for the day. I had no desire to receive any further attention. Therefore, I did not agree to accompany her.

My eyes traveled all the way around the surface of the pool. My eyes fell on Ian once again. I had no idea why my eyes were always drawn to this bad boy.

What was the feeling all about?

I was not the type of girl who could get involved with a bad boy. I was not like the other girls he had slept with. He always spent the night with girls who eagerly wanted to be played by him. As if the girls would gain a reputation for warming his bed.

I noticed he was looking at a girl while sipping on his drink. My focus shifted to the girl. My eyes nearly popped out when I saw her strip off her dress and reveal her white bikini, exposing her almost naked body to seduce Ian.

Everyone started to cheer for her. She winked at Ian and dove into the pool. A few minutes later, some other girls joined her in the pool.

Ian smirked at the girl. His gaze remained fixed on her as though she were his prey for tonight.

For some unknown reason, my heart ached.

4

I averted my gaze from Ian.

The white bikini girl emerged from the swimming pool. She picked up a black bathrobe and tied it. She approached Ian, kissed his cheek, and said something into his ear. He nodded at her with an indifferent face, showing that she was not so important to him but only a girl for tonight. The girl exited the pool area and went indoors.

I was shocked by these types of girls. How could they sleep with him? Why did they do that? When they clearly knew that he would never make them, then why?

All of these girls were from well-known families. In fact, their parents knew about this, but they never stopped them. They were waiting to entangle their daughters' lives with the Alpha's only son. What if he preferred one of them for his future Luna?

I pushed all of my thoughts aside and got up from the couch. I should not be thinking too much. It would be better for me to stay as far away from Ian as possible.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked me. He was holding two glasses in his hands.

I assumed he had come to give me some time. He offered me one of the glasses.

"I need to use the washroom," I told him.

"Oh. Then let me lead the way." He stated this while extending his hand forward.

"Luke, where are you going?" One of his friends questioned him.

I glanced at his friends and then at Luke. "You can tell me the direction. I can go on my own."

"No, I can't trust others."

"I promise, I'll be fine."

I insisted. I was not the type of kid who needed a guardian outside to keep me safe.

He gave me the direction. I exited the poolside and entered the living room. I proceeded to walk in the direction that Luke had instructed me to go.

My eyes were drawn to the stairs as I made my way past the crowd. Luke suggested that I use the restroom, which was located on the upper floor.

But I decided not to do so when I noticed a couple kissing on the stairs.

I asked a girl about the washroom downstairs. She gave me a look but said it was in the right corner.

As I stepped there, a tall boy bumped into me, causing the liquid to run through my hair. I soon realized that it was beer. I had beer all over my hair, and it was completely soaked.

"You should have watched out," the boy told me.

I ignored him and proceeded to the right corner. I was startled when I noticed the entire corner was dark.

"Did that girl give me the right direction?" I mumbled as I moved towards a door.

I opened it, and luckily it was a washroom. I looked in the mirror and saw my wet, beer-soaked hair.

I quickly washed my hair in a sink before using the washroom.

Before leaving the washroom, I took off my glasses and put them in my bag. I washed my face because it felt stinky from the beer drops that had rolled down it.

I walked out of the washroom, running my fingers through my hair. When I closed the washroom's door, once again the whole corner turned dark.

I took slow steps toward the direction I had come from. A bit off in the distance, I could see colorful smoke.

I began to stride, but I gasped aloud when someone caught my hand in the darkness.

I felt a pull and then found myself pressed against a wall.

I could not see the person in the dark, but I could see the silhouette of a boy.

"What took you so long to come out? Were you playing with yourself?"

Hearing the deep voice, my eyes widened.

It was Ian!

He got close to me and sniffed. "Why do you smell so different right now? What kind of fragrance did you wear? "I liked it," he said, moving his face closer to my neck.

I was so shocked at that moment that I could not let out a single word.

The tip of his nose came into contact with my neck, and he slowly rubbed it against my skin. My chest tightened up. My breath hitched.

"Fuck! You smell so good."

I could feel his body pressing up against mine and his hands encircling my waist.

I could feel his warm breath against my cheek. I did not know what was happening. Why did he approach me and grab me like this?

But before I could say anything, my eyes widened in the darkness as I felt a pair of warm lips brush against mine.

He did not give me a chance to understand anything before smashing his lips against mine.

5

I was so shocked that my entire body froze. His lips felt electrifying against my lips. I shut my eyes when I started to feel a different sensation.

His hand lifted to my wet hair, tucking it behind my left ear before deepening the kiss.

When I realized what was happening, I tried to push on his chest with my hands. But he grabbed my wrists with one hand and locked them behind my back.

He broke the kiss and touched my lips with his fingertips.

"Why do these lips feel like they are virgin lips? Why are you playing hard to get with me? Didn't they tell you that I like rough?"

I had no idea what he was talking about. Of course, it was my first kiss, which he stole away from me.

"I-"

Before I could stop him, he buried his face in my neck.

"What's with this smell? I'm warning you. Don't play any tricks with me. It will be just one night."

I was stunned by his words. I felt tears well up in my eyes.

'One night? Is he thinking that I am one of those girls? No, I don't want to be one of them.'

"Leave me...ahhh!"

I was trying to mumble in a lower tone, but I ended up letting out a moan when he kissed and sucked my neck.

"If you moan again, I will take you right here, right now," he said with a deep voice.

I was startled. He was so close to me, and I had never been this close to any other boy before.

Surprisingly, my heart began to beat rapidly again, as it did every time I saw him.

He began to run his hands over my long coat, as if looking for something.

"Where's the rope?" He asked as he moved his face to mine.

"W-Wha–"

"IAN, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Ronald's voice echoed in the corner.

Ian moved away from me and muttered,

"Such bad timing!"

I stared at his silhouette with wide eyes and had no idea what to do.

"We will continue later," he said to me before returning to the party.

When he walked away, I looked behind him. I slowly touched my lips, and they trembled.

"What just happened?"

I heard the ringtone of my phone. I took out my phone from my bag and noticed it was Abigail's call.

"H-Hello?"

"Hey! Where are you? We have been searching for you."

"I am close to the washroom. Ummm..downstairs."

"Wait, what are you doing there? Didn't Luke tell you to use the washroom upstairs?"

"I got lost." I lied to her.

"Okay, wait there. I am coming."

"Okay."

I was an idiot. I could have used my phone's flashlight when I got out of the restroom.

I took out my glasses and put them on before stepping out of the corner. I noticed Abigail and Luke coming my way.

"We were so worried about you," Luke said to me.

"I'm sorry, guys." I apologized to them.

I recalled what had happened there. I gulped and lowered my head to hide my face with my hair.

"Are you okay?" Abigail asked me when she tried to observe me."

"Y-Yeah. I want to go back home."

Luke sighed and nodded his head. "You came today. That's enough for me. Let me drive you home."

I shook my head. "No, it's your party. How can you leave?"

"Then I will drop you off at home, as I promised," Abigail said.

"No, I can go back alone. I don't want any of you to leave this party for me. I'll be upset."

"Then I will tell my driver to take you home. Is that okay with you?" Luke asked.

I thought about it for a moment before giving him a nod.

I was about to take off the coat Abigail had given me. But she said she would take it back from me tomorrow. So I agreed and decided to leave Luke's guest house.

While walking to the main door, my gaze kept wandering around the entire house. I scolded myself for searching for the person.

I ran into Debra on the way. She was still with the new guy. She hugged me and told me to go home safely. I stepped out of the house and noticed Luke's driver waiting for me outside the car. He held the back door open for me.

I walked up to Luke's car, but something caught my attention, and I paused.

Something pierced my heart as I looked to the left. Ian was kissing that white bikini girl. She had changed into a sexy dress. They were leaning against Ian's car.

I was staring at him. He did not take time to change girls. He was kissing me a while back and was now kissing another girl.

Suddenly, his eyes fell on me. I expected him to react, but instead he ignored me and continued kissing the girl as if I were invisible.

"Miss," Luke's driver called me.

I turned away from Ian and quickly got into the car. As soon as the driver shut the door, tears streamed down my face.

I peered through the car window at Ian. I was ashamed of myself.

Why did I let him kiss me? Why did I feel that way? Why did my heart race whenever he was close to me?

'Why do I even feel this way for him when we don't even know each other?' I asked my heart, closed my eyes, and pressed my head back against the seat.

The driver started the car. My mind kept replaying everything over and over.

It was not a lie that my heart desired him.

I knew he was a bad boy, the most dangerous Alpha in my pack who would become the head Alpha very soon. He did not have an interest in love or affection. He only believed in matebond, so he was simply using other girls to satisfy his desire until he found his mate.

I wondered who would be his mate. Would he treat her really well? No one had ever seen him behaving softly with any girl. Would he love that girl?

What about me? Who was my mate? Did I cheat my mate by letting another boy kiss me? Wasn't it wrong to feel like this for someone else?

I opened my eyes and gazed at the sky. I could not help but think,

‘Where are you, Mate?’

6

It's been one week since I attended Luke's party.

That night, I cried for no reason. I asked myself why I started to feel something for a boy who did not even have any idea about my feelings.

I could not forget his kiss and his closeness. Abigail had come to pick me up from my house the next day. She noticed a hickey on my neck and looked shocked. When I told her everything, she became very angry with Ian.

But I asked her for a promise. I told her not to talk to anyone about it, not even Luke or Debra. She at first did not agree with it since he wanted to teach a lesson to Ian, but later I insisted, and she had no choice but to agree. She even helped me cover the hickey with makeup.

"Where are you lost, Ava?"

I heard my mother, and I looked at her. We were eating breakfast together.

"Nothing, Mom."

“Are you sure? I have been observing you all week. You look a little lost to me. Is everything alright?”

"Yeah, Mom. I am fine. Don't worry."

My mother gave me a smile and a nod. I stared at my mother for a long time. She appeared very happy today.

It was because I was turning eighteen tomorrow. She was more excited than me.

Everything was going to change tomorrow. I would find my mate.

I was afraid of who it would be.

Because whenever I closed my eyes, I saw someone I should not have thought of.

Throughout the week, he ignored me as if I were invisible. It was true that I also wanted that. I wanted to be away from him. But what he did that night was something I could never forget. How could he forget that so easily?

He did not even come to explain or apologize to me for what he did.

Overall, my mind was completely messed up.

After breakfast, my mother left for the hospital, and I went to my bedroom. I decided not to go to the university today. I wanted to stay at home alone. Even though I knew I had a few assignments to complete today, I did not want to go. I was upset for no reason.

I spent the whole day watching dramas. My friends called to inquire why I did not attend any classes. I said that I was not feeling well, and that was why. I didn't tell them about my birthday. My mother would never let me host a party like them or invite them to my house.

My mother returned at night and made dinner for us. I helped her in the kitchen. We talked about some memories and laughed. She brightened my mood without my knowing it.

I just loved my mother. What a strong woman she was! Why could I not be just like her? I was not strong, not at least emotionally.

After a late dinner, I hugged my mother and said goodnight before retiring to my room.

An hour later, just as I was ready to head to bed, there was a knock on the door.

I opened the door and was stunned.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

To my surprise, Abigail and Debra were holding a gorgeous chocolate cake together. Luke was standing behind them with a bouquet of flowers. My gaze moved to the mother behind them all. She smiled at me and nodded.

My eyes turned teary. This was the first time my mother had allowed my friends to surprise me like this. Now I understand why she always told me, 'When you'll turn eighteen, you'll get your mate. I'll never stop you from doing anything from then on.'

Abigail and Debra placed the cake on the bed, hugged me, and wished me a happy birthday. Luke gave me the flower bouquet and hugged me. I cast a glance at my mother.

She raised her eyebrows. I chuckled, shook my head, and mouthed,

"Just a friend."

She nodded her head in response.

"Thank you." I told my friends and walked to my mother. I embraced her and sobbed.

She patted me on the back. "Come on. Let's cut the cake."

I blew out the candles, praying that all of my mother's wishes would come true. I promised myself that I would be loyal to my mate and would not think about anyone else.

I cut the cake and fed everyone.

My friends stayed until one at night. My mother prepared late-night snacks for them, and we all had a great time enjoying my little birthday celebrations.

I went out to say goodbye to my friends as they were leaving the house.

"You are so beautiful without glasses and with open hair. You look completely different. Why don't you go out like this?" Luke asked while looking at me.

I was stunned. I realized I was wearing my long pajamas. I did not have my glasses on, and my hair was down, too.

"Actually, my eyesight is fine. I use it outside because I am allergic to dust."

“What are you saying? Your mom is a doctor. Ask her to recommend some eye drops for you,” Abigail said from behind Luke and winked at me.

"Yeah, she's right." Debra joined the conversation.

"I'll tell her later." I muttered to them.

They all got into Luke's car and left. Luke promised them to drop them off.

I went inside my house and hugged my mother again. We gossiped for another hour. She said she was eager to see her future son-in-law. She expected me to settle down with my mate within two to three years. I laughed as I saw her eyes light up with excitement while talking about it.

Her words captivated my heart.

"Your mate will love you and fight for you with the entire world, Ava."

The next day,

I walked up late in the morning to get ready for university. I missed my classes yesterday, so I was afraid of missing my classes today.

I left my house after giving my mother a kiss on the cheek. I said I would have my breakfast at my university.

When I arrived at the university, I started feeling strange. I was feeling anxious.

I had no idea why I was feeling so weird. I walked into the lobby. People were casting derisive glances at me. I could see a few students who were like me, busy with their studies while looking at their books.

I got a text from Abigail saying that she was in the class. So I hurried to the locker room to retrieve my books.

But before I could open my locker, my hands stopped in the middle. I caught a whiff of something addictive. It smelled like rain, as if it were raining outside.

At that moment, I heard a loud growl.

I turned around and gasped when I realized who was standing near me.

His glowing red eyes met mine. My wolf began to jump inside with joy.

My wolf started to chant the same word again and again.

My lips quivered as I looked intoi hs eyes. My voice came out in a low whisper.

“Ian? M-Mate!”