Noah spent the last hour wrapped up in bed, swiping passively through his phone. It felt too comfortable to leave and it was too early to stand up. Even though it may feel like that, it’s actually noon time already. Everyone had gone out of the house to do their thing and Amanda didn’t bother calling him for breakfast.

“Noah! For the last time get up or I will make you.”

And that was Ryan’s cue to be his mother figure. Noah finally pulled away the covers and stood up from bed. He didn’t want to trouble him. Ryan easily gets worried and usually starts asking too many questions. He wasn’t in the mood to dodge them plus he’s not very good at deflecting.

“Just because your shift starts at three, doesn’t mean you can stay in your room the whole morning.” Ryan tells him from the kitchen.

He only groaned in response before settling into the dining table. They were across from each other with only the kitchen landing in between them. Ryan was washing the dishes, plates clanging together. He wondered if there were leftovers from earlier. To his surprise there’s a plastic container with his name on a sticky note by the kitchen counter. Noah lightly smiles, thankful that he can always count on Ryan to make his day better. The kind gesture was heartwarming.

—

“Amanda said we should buy some groceries soon.” Ryan said from the hallway while putting on his shoes.

“I’ll do it.” Noah said with a mouthful.

“Okay. Don’t forget.” He reminds him before saying goodbye and closing the door.

Being alone in the house was relaxing. He doesn’t have to be aware of anybody, especially Mory and Amanda, his supposed foster parents. But today was a different day, Noah didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts and the only thing he could do was to keep himself busy. The rest of the afternoon he cleaned around the house just to have something to distract him. He did the laundry, swept at the same place for half an hour and organized the coffee table, which didn’t look any different from earlier.

His thoughts were all over the place and he didn’t know what to think. Recounting the events from last night only made him feel depressed about the future. He was supposed to find his mate when he turned eighteen, it was two years too early. Immediately he pushes that thought deep within his mind before the those feelings consumed him once again. He didn’t want to think about it any more than the tears he’d shed.

—

At work, he took as many tasks as he could. The feeling of being busy helped with coping and Noah wanted it to last longer.

The manager praised him for the work, at least impressing his employer gave him some perks. Stocking and cleaning were finished and he was now on cashier duty. He was so focused on his work that he didn’t recognize the next person in front of him. She just gave him a soft smile.

“When’s your next break?” Natalia asked.

—

Noah sat on the vacant chair beside her and she offers him an iced coffee she bought earlier. He took it wordlessly. Waiting for her to start the conversation first.

“Long time no see.” She beamed at him.

“We texted.”

“Well, I was out of town for two months and texting’s different compared to meeting face to face,” she said. “And you don’t really text back much. But anyway, I missed you.”

Noah returned her smile as the feeling was mutual. However there were some things now that he couldn’t help but notice. Her golden eyes and ginger hair that she inherited from her mother, a common trait within her family that is also an awful reminder of someone he’s trying to avoid thinking about. It’s impossible though because the two of them looked really identical, from the sharp nose to the long lashes. Looking at her was like looking at him.

“How's your vacation in the city? I hope the trip was fun.”

“It was fun. I could stay there permanently. Anything’s more interesting than this boring town.”

“Yeah, I get what you mean.”

Fortbeck’s not exactly the best place in the world. It’s one of those plain small towns with a waterfall and a lake as its tourist attraction. The only interesting part would be a whole pack of werewolves, to humans at least, if they ever found out.

“I’m guessing Lucas’ birthday was pretty wild last night. Our front yard was trashed when we arrived. Mom was furious.”

He didn’t say anything, they both know Lucas didn’t invite him to the party. They’re not exactly in good terms way before things happened last night. It was nice to still be friends with her even if her brother was against it.

“So...I came here to say that I’m inviting you to his birthday party.”

He gave her a confused look. Lucas’ birthday was yesterday and there already was a party.

“Mom arranged another one since she wasn’t there yesterday. Something about celebrating an important milestone and this time just with family and close friends.”

“His birthday party? I don’t think that’s such a good idea Nat.”

“Please? Mom’s inviting people from the neighboring pack—“

“The Alvertons?”

“Yeah. I know you hate those kinds of things but please?”

“...it sounds like there’s going to be a lot of people.”

“I asked Mom if I could invite you and she was okay with it.”

Natalia is someone persistent and stubborn once she sets her mind onto something. One of them is trying to patch things up between Lucas and Noah. It’s not going to be possible since Lucas also has his own stubbornness. However what Noah cared about was being in good terms with Margaret, their mother, who has been kind to him after everything. If there was a chance he could make anything up for her, he would. And knowing that she’s okay to invite him at a family and close friends only event meant he was one of those things.

“Fine but I’m only doing this because you asked.”

Natalia whooped at him. Always the bubbly one.

“Just say you’re doing it for me.” She teased. “I’m glad you’re gonna be there. I just know it’s going to be those extremely formal meet-this-meet-that kind of situation so at least I got you to get through this.”

Noah thought so too. At least he had her company to pass the time and make this party tolerable. But why did Margaret invite the Alvertons?

—

Against what he expected, Natalia was busy socializing around the room. He’d forgotten what she was like around these parties and figured her nervousness was just a ruse to get him to come with her. Still, he couldn’t help feeling bitter that he was left behind. There were familiar faces but definitely people he hasn’t talked to. It also didn’t help that he was seated at the farthest table which annoyed him but he understood.

“What the heck! You just left me here.” He said as soon as Natalia finally got back to him. She gave him an apologetic face before smiling from excitement.

“So Alliah’s here, we should go say hi. Come on.”

Noah looked at where she was pointing and noticed the pretty blond ahead. It was good to see her again but when she sat beside Lucas, the answer was going to be a dead no.

“Uhh you go ahead. I’m gonna...get some fresh air.”

Natalia frowned before turning to what I saw and understood. Her expression was of contemplation and he knew she thinks this was a chance they could casually talk however the last thing Noah wanted was to make things awkward. He nudges her to go ahead. She looked at him in apology.

“I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

Noah didn’t bother, after all this is what she’s supposed to do as the daughter of the head family. Make connections and stuff. He looked around the corner to see if there’s anywhere he can “get some fresh air” and saw a balcony that overlooked the front yard.

The night breeze felt refreshing. Definitely breathable than the inside. People were mingling together as if they haven’t seen each other in a long time. The last time the Alverton family visited was for Natalia’s birthday earlier this year. Noah was disappointed he couldn’t even greet Alliah. He peeks at their table to see them talking but it looked more like Lucas and Alliah were in their own world as Natalia and the others were laughing together. And he noticed, they’re awfully close to each other.

A sudden companion startles Noah from his staring and finds a lady joining him in the balcony. She wore a simple red gown with a slit mid thigh high. Interestingly her hair was a shade of red but deeper than Natalia’s orangey locks. The lady lights a cigarette and takes a very long hit. She leaned at the balustrade and looks at him sideways. All Noah could do was smile in greeting. To his surprise she offers him one but he declines.

“Suit yourself kid,” she said, “you look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

I do. Her sentence felt like an invitation to a conversation and he wonders if he’s met her before but couldn’t make out a name so assumes that she must be one of the guests. He wasn’t one to start small talks with people but something tempting itches deep in his mind and he knows that he shouldn’t but there’s probably no harm in chatting with someone whom he’ll probably never see again after the party.

“I was invited to come here but I think it was a bad idea after all.”

“And why is that?”

“My mate’s here,” with a mental deep breathe he says it, “but they kinda rejected me.” Kinda?

“Oh. I wasn’t expecting that.” She turns to face him properly.

“I wasn’t supposed to find out until next year. I’m still turning 17 next month but my mate found me first.”

Noah was rambling and he stopped himself before saying any more. It was nice to finally discuss it with someone, even being able to say it out loud was satisfying enough. It lifted a little weight from him. Usually he’d talk to Ryan about this type of thing but this one was a secret he couldn’t tell anyone who knew about his history with Lucas.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” she tells him earnestly, “so what are you going to do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what are you going to do now that you’re technically mateless, no offense.”

That was the thought he’d been trying to avoid the whole day because he has no idea. No one really plans on what to do when they get rejected by their mates because most couples become a pair as soon as they find out. He thought he was going to be like one of them. To find someone they’re going to spend the rest of their lives with and achieving the ultimate happiness of an average werewolf but of course he wasn’t average.

“I don’t know actually. I’ll probably end up marrying a human at best. Though this town is so small there’s barely any new people around.” There were humans but not many of them around his age.

“So you’re going to stay?” the lady looked at him with an incredulous look. “Wow. That’s quite...” she looked like she expected something else. “Sad.”

“And what would you have me do?”

She looked at him then with a glint in her eyes. Smiling as if she has the best idea ever.

“If I were you, I’d leave this place. A town this small, you’ll see them everyday. Getting rejected means they’ll be with somebody else and I wouldn’t be able to handle that.”

He didn’t think about it that far. Lucas will need to find a mate now that he’ll join the council soon. Where does that leave him?

“I have too much self-respect to just take it and not do anything. If they don’t want me in their life, I don’t want them either.”

Self-respect. Admittedly, Noah does want to do something other than just mope and feel pathetic but there’s nothing he can think of. Leaving town was out of the question, he’s still under foster care so he’ll get into trouble if he ran away. He’s never gone outside their territory unlike Natalia and other people even to just travel. Leaving meant, he’ll encounter Rogues.

“I like the idea but I’ve never left town before,” he shrugs.

She stared at him with no words but deep in thought, too long that it made him feel nervous. It looked like she had more to say but then a voice spoke into the mic. Jone Alverton, Alliah’s father asked everyone to get back into their seats because there was going to be an announcement. Noah was about to leave before the lady spoke again.

“I’m leaving town permanently in a few days. If transportation is the only problem you have then I can give you a ride.”

“What?”

“Look I have a truck and there’s extra space. I’m offering you something here.”

“....Uhh,” Noah couldn’t muster up the words. It’s unbelievable how a stranger he just met is trying to help him this much. Although the idea is very tempting, still. “Thanks but I think I’ll stay.”

Noah didn’t immediately return to his table but went to get himself something to drink. For some reason his throat felt dry, it was probably from all that talking. Everyone had settled and Jone started having a speech that Noah couldn’t comprehend as he sensed something was going to happen. It made him feel anxious all of a sudden but didn’t know why. It was the same feeling he felt when he stared at those golden eyes making a disgusted face.

He should’ve stayed by the balcony.

He looked around the tables. Lucas and Alliah were still beside each other smiling. Looking at them felt unnerving somehow. And here’s why:

“—so as you know, Lucas finally came of age and so did my darling Alliah,” Jone continued, “the Alvertons have always been a close ally to the Raedwulfs since my grandfather’s time. And we thought that it would be amazing to take our friendship a step further by having our heirs joined in matrimony.”

Wait, what? What does that mean? Sadly it means exactly what it sounds like by the way Alliah leaned closely to Lucas while holding hands, it already felt like a speech at a wedding. Everyone started clapping joyously and some with shock faces like Natalia’s. She probably knew just now and they didn’t tell her that this was engagement party.

Noah stood there still and suddenly he couldn’t stand being inside the room any longer. He fast walked towards the door, wanting to leave immediately. It felt like he was having a panic attack but not exactly. He just really couldn’t believe what he heard and what it meant.

When approaching the door, he saw her again and a surge of impulsiveness overcame him. He grabbed her hand and she looked at him, not outraged by his behavior but surprisingly patient. The offer was still on the table.

“I’m coming with you.”

He finally agreed and she gave him a smirk all the while Lucas was looking at them with suspicious eyes across the room.