5

Jane’s Stance

The next day, Mother calls her sister Karen to tell her about my situation.

“How is it, Mother?” I ask eagerly.

“She accepts,” she smiles. I can tell she isn’t entirely happy.

“I’m sorry, Mother.”

She pulls me into a hug. We are both silent as she caresses my hair. “You don’t have to apologize. They bully you. It’s time to leave this horrible pack.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

“I will be right back, darling.” I’m packing my bag when my mother walks into my room.

“Hi, baby, are you done packing your bags?” she asks, perching on the edge of my bed.

“Almost, Mother,” I reply.

“I hope you’re not forgetting anything.”

“No, Mother. I’m not.” I finish stuffing my briefcase and zip it up.

“Ready?” She beams at me.

“Yes, Mother. Everything is set. I am ready to leave this pack. I can’t wait to start a new life somewhere else,” I tell her.

“Good. I’ve mind-linked your aunt, my sister, about your arrival, and she is already anticipating meeting you, so you should get going. But please, let me know when you arrive at her pack. If you don’t, I’m going to be worried.”

“Don’t worry, Mother. I will.”

After our short conversation, we both walk out of the room.

I see my father sitting on the couch, drinking his morning coffee. Ignoring him is hard, but it’s the only thing I can do.

“Where are you going?” he questions, eyeing the bag I’m holding. “Where do you think you are going, Jane?”

“I’m leaving,” I mumble, slightly irritated by his questions. For a moment, I think he might be starting to care.

“Did you ask for my permission before leaving this house?” he growls. “Answer me!”

“Father, you never wanted me. You are not in a position to ask me where I am going. You hate seeing me? My face disgusts you, right? Then let me go. You’ll never have to see me again.”

My father goes silent. He stares at me without uttering a single word. He stands up and heads to his bedroom.

“Father,” I call after him, and he halts in his tracks. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. I’m just hurting a lot. There is still time to fix things. If only you would tell me that you love me and want me to stay, I wouldn’t go. I just want to hear you say you love me, Father.”

Tears roll down my cheeks. I never hated him, no matter how he treated me. All I wanted to hear from him was that he loves me.

I wait, hoping he’ll take pity on me just this once, but he doesn’t. He walks away, leaving me standing there. That breaks my heart. Why is it so hard for him to say that he loves me? Why?

“Let him be,” my mother says, patting my shoulder soothingly. “Let’s go. You don’t want to miss your ride, do you?”

“OK, Mother,” I reply, wiping away my tears as I follow her.

She drives me to the bus stop, where I will take the bus to her sister’s place. Since I have no wolf, I have no choice but to travel by bus.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Mother,” I mutter, pulling her into a hug.

“I will miss you more, sweetie,” Mother replies, smiling at me as we disengage from the hug. “I hope you’ll be fine. And I hope you find someone who will love and accept you for who you are.”

“I hope so too, Mother. But I’m getting tired of hoping and wishing. I don’t want to place my hope in people who will never cherish me.”

“You’ll be fine. I’m certain you’ll meet that special someone someday,” she assures me.

My mother waits until the bus arrives. I never imagined there would be a time when I would have to part ways with her, but right now, I have no choice. I will never be happy as long as I live in this horrible pack.

As for my mate, I hate him so much right now that I wish I had never met him. I know I’m going to return here someday, but I’ll be stronger, and my bleeding heart will be healed by then. Time heals all wounds.

I say my goodbyes to Mother as I get onto the bus. I wave at her until she is no longer in sight.

It is a three-hour ride before I finally arrive at my aunt’s pack. They are all waiting for my arrival.

“Welcome to our pack,” Alpha Tommy says. He is Aunt Karen’s husband and the Alpha of this pack, MoonStone Pack.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I reply, appreciating the warm reception he gives me. It’s been a while since anyone besides my mother treated me so warmly.

“We are family. You can call me Uncle,” he states.

“OK, Sir,” I blurt out, then clamp my mouth shut with my hands.

“Call me Uncle,” he repeats.

“OK, Uncle,” I finally say.

“Welcome home, baby girl.” My aunt hugs me, giving me a motherly warmth.

“Thank you, Aunt,” I reply, returning her warm hug.

The MoonStone Pack has a welcoming and serene atmosphere, with lush green surroundings and well-maintained cottages that give it a homely feel. The members of the pack greet me warmly, their smiles genuine and their eyes filled with curiosity and kindness. It feels like a stark contrast to the oppressive environment I left behind, and for the first time in a long while, I feel a glimmer of hope.

I am shown to my room by Aunt Karen. She also introduces me to her children.

Amira, the youngest sibling, is my age and is also on the hunt for her mate. She is a sweet girl but is fixated on finding her mate and has an idealized view of it. I hesitate to confront her about her misconceptions. From my own experience, mates can be challenging, and being paired with someone like my terrible mate can turn your life into a nightmare.

“Well, I don’t think mates are as great as people make them out to be,” I finally tell her one afternoon as we sit by the pool.

“Jane, have you found your mate?” she inquires.

“No. I have never met my mate, and I don’t think he is special,” I lie. I am still hurting, and it is hard to admit to her that I got rejected by my mate.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, staring at me. “Why do I feel like you’re hiding something?”

“No,” I whisper.

“Tell me, Jane, did you get rejected by your mate?”

What? Did I give myself away?

“I don’t want you to lie to me,” she says. “Do you have a mate?”

“Yes, I already met my mate, but he rejected me. He even went as far as humiliating me in front of everyone at the pack celebration.”

“What?” she exclaims furiously. “Who the hell does he think he is? Did he tell you the reason why he rejected you?”

“Because he thinks I am useless,” I mutter lowly. “I have no wolf.”

“Such a jerk! He doesn’t deserve you. I promise to help you get your revenge when I meet that asshole,” she promises.

“Thank you.” I smile at her innocence.

Amira is a wonderful friend and sister to me. I feel loved and cherished by all the pack members, even though I have no wolf.

They never mistreat me, and I don’t feel like an outcast here. This place is my home; I love it to bits and pieces.