Mate

Amanda's POV

Four years later…

I woke up feeling ecstatic and happy. Today was my birthday, and I would be turning eighteen. I was super excited because not only would I become an adult, but I would also get my wolf and eventually find my mate.

It's shocking that Elisa and I were born on the same day but by different mothers. My mother was my father's first wife, but she wasn't his mate. Two months after getting married to my mother, he met Elisa's mother, and she turned out to be his mate. That was how father ended up with two wives. According to my mother, she and Aunt Ana, my stepmother, took in the same day, and as fate would have it, they gave birth on the same day. However, I was four hours older than Elisa.

While growing up, I saw how much my father loved Aunt Ana and Elisa. Mother and I were just his spare family, and we were okay with it until she fell so sick and was forced to stay with her sister. I wanted to go with my mother, but my father kicked against it and forced me to stay here, where I basically lived like a slave.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I climbed down from my bed, said my prayers, and went straight to the shower. After bathing, I dressed up in one of my best dresses, packed my hair into a bun, and left my room for Elisa's room. I wanted to wish her a happy birthday.

Reaching her room, I knocked on the door, and she asked me in. When I walked in, I found her on a phone call, so I took a seat and decided to wait for her.

“When should I be expecting you?” Elisa asked the person on the other end of the phone. The person responded, and I saw her blush. “I can't wait to see you, Alpha Edward. I can’t wait to be in your arms.” She said and turned to look at me with a victorious smirk on her face.

Realizing she was talking to Alpha Edward, my heart clenched, and I swallowed in pain. For the past four years, I have struggled with this torture. Elisa never ceased to call him or answer his calls in my presence. She always used any opportunity to rub my pain in my face. For the past four years, I have lived in total misery. I watched her do video calls with him, and he would send dozens of expensive gifts and jewels to her, and Elisa made sure to flaunt them in my face. I thought that maybe, as the years went by, I would forget about him, or perhaps I just had a childish crush on him, and with time, it would go away, but I was wrong. Every day, I go through his social media accounts. Although he posts a few pictures of himself, I find myself gawking over them.

“I love you more.” Elisa giggled before ending the call. With a victorious smirk playing on her face, she looked my way. It was obvious she was enjoying what she was doing.

“And how may I help you?” She asked, sounding not pleased to see me.

I sighed and walked forward to her. “Happy eighteenth birthday,” I said, and she scoffed before rolling her eyes. “Stop with all this pretense.” She got out of bed and stood before me. “Edward is back in the country, and he will be present at our shifting ceremony, or should I say my shifting ceremony…” She moved closer to me and placed both hands on her waist. “I don't want you an inch close to him. If you do or even try telling him the truth about that, then be sure I will use Mother's black magic on you, and you know what that means…” She threatened, and I gulped. Aunt Ana, my stepmother, was a witch. Members of the pack saw her as a good witch, but they never knew she was a wolf in sheep's clothing. When I was little, I thought my mother’s sickness was natural, but as I grew up, I came to realize that my mother's illness wasn’t natural. Aunt Ana was responsible for it, but I had no proof.

“I believe we are clear. Now, excuse me, I have to prepare for my shifting ceremony.” She pointed at the door, signaling for me to go out.

I had a lot of things to say to her, but I decided to hold back my words and walked out of her room. Leaving her room, I took the stairs to the living room, and then I went to the backyard where the ceremony would be held. Father had hired a few people who would help decorate the backyard for the shifting ceremony.

Feeling delighted, I moved my eyes around at the decoration, but my eyes fell on a write-up, and I frowned. Only Elisa's name was written, and mine was nowhere.

Confused and curious, I went over to the man decorating the write-ups. “Good morning.” I greeted him, and he turned my way. “Good morning.” He responded. “Please, where is the other name you will decorate with?” I asked, and he ceased his brows. “Are there two people having a shifting ceremony? Sir Linus only gave me one name, which was Elisa. He told me it was his daughter's shifting ceremony. And I think you are not the one because I have seen Elisa.” He responded and went back to his work.

Tears fell on my cheek. I couldn’t believe my very own father would do this to me. For goodness’s sake, I'm his daughter. I might not be the daughter of his mate, but I am his flesh and blood. Why would he treat me in such a manner?

Feeling heartbroken, I left the backyard and stormed up to my room. I shut the door and slumped on my bed, burying my head into the pillow, and cried profusely. I wished I could talk to someone or my mother, but she hardly spoke. She barely can say a word; that’s how serious her illness was. I wished I had friends I could pick up my phone to call, but I had no friends besides my classmates who weren’t close to me.

In my tears, I couldn’t wait to turn eighteen. Firstly, I would leave this house and be with my mother. This time, father won't be able to stop me. I just wanted to leave the house and the memories I had here.

My thoughts went to Alpha Edward. I thought of how my life would have turned out if he recognized me as the one who helped him. Perhaps I wouldn’t be in my bed wallowing in pain. There have been rumors in the house about his return. I overheard Elisa telling Aunt Ana he was returning to ask for her hand in marriage. The thought of that broke my heart, but I put it aside. I couldn’t question destiny and what it has in store for me.

After hours of wallowing in pain on my pillow, I left the bed and went over to the sink. I washed my face and brushed my hair before staring at my reflection in the mirror. Today was my birthday, one of the most important days of my life, and I won’t let the happenings in my life weigh me down.

“You will be fine," I encouraged myself with those words and left the bathroom. I went to my dresser, picked up a lipstick, and just as I was about to apply it, the door of my room flung wide open, and Elisa walked in, gorgeously dressed.

Our eyes met, and she glared at me. “Father had asked me to tell you not to attend the ceremony,” she announced, and my brow ceased. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me right, Amanda. Father said you should stay in your room until he calls for you,” she repeated, her eyes challenging me. “This is ridiculous! Why would father say that? What did I do?” I asked amidst tears.

“I won’t obey father this time. I won’t…” I was sharply cut off by a great howl in my head. “Mate!” A voice echoed in my mind, enveloping my entire being in an unfamiliar sensation.

I stared at Elisa, who looked back at me. “Mate is here!” The voice spoke again, and this time, I realized it was my wolf.

“Why are you trembling? Is this an act?” Elisa asked, and I shook my head at her. “My…mate… is here… my wolf just announced it,” I spoke with a trembling voice, and just then, a fascinating intoxicating smell hit my nose.

“Your mate is here?” Elisa sounded confused, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I sniffed the air and realized the scent was coming from the window. “The window…” I said and hurriedly went towards it. With a pounding heart, I looked down and was dumbfounded to see Alpha Edward coming out of a car.

“Mate!” My wolf howled loudly, announcing that it was him—Alpha Edward was my mate. “Alpha… Edward is my mate,” I screamed at the top of my voice, and just when I was about to turn around and run out of the room to go meet up with him, a solid metallic object hit my head, sending me to the floor unconscious.

•••••••••••••••

I woke up to a terrific pounding in my head, grunting with discomfort. I opened my eyes, and it took three to four seconds to remember who I was and where I was. I groaned as I sat up, and then I looked around and realized I was in my room, but it was dark. I looked outside the window and realized it was night already. Confused, I stood up from the floor, and my memories returned.

I recalled how my wolf announced my mate to me, and I realized it was Alpha Edward. But then, I was hit on the head, but by whom? “Elisa.” She was the one with me. My head was buzzing with a tremendous headache, and when I touched it, I realized I was bleeding, but I wasn’t bothered by it. Instead, I ran out of my room to meet with Alpha Edward. I have to tell him that we are mates.

Reaching the stairs, I heard voices, and one of the voices was Aunt Ana. She was talking so excitedly with Elisa. When I got to the living room, I met my father, Elisa, and Aunt Ana, but there was no Alpha Edward, not even the scent of him.

“Where is Alpha Edward? Where is he?” I asked no one in particular as I searched around the living room. “He has left. Is there any problem?” Father was the one who responded.

“He can’t leave. I have to tell him we are mates,” I stuttered, and Elisa laughed loudly. “Mates?” She chuckled and walked over to me.

“And who told you he is your mate?”

“My wolf… my wolf told me.”

“What wolf?” She mocked, and I raised a brow at her. “I have gotten my wolf; she told me…” Elisa chuckled loudly and shook her head.

“Why don’t you try speaking to that wolf again?” She mocked, and I stared at her, confused. I couldn’t understand what she was saying. “Speak to it,” she urged.

Perplexed, I took a deep breath. “Hi,” I called out to my wolf but got no response. “Hello!” Still no response; it was as if my wolf never existed.

With panting breath, I looked at Elisa, who smirked. “Sorry, sis, but I don’t think you have a wolf, and for Alpha Edward…” She paused and tilted her left neck to me, revealing a fresh mark on the crook of her left neck. “I now have his mark, and we are getting married,” she announced, and my eyes widened.