Lake had a perfect plan. Find her mate, settle down, and start a family. But when her mate rejects her for someone else, Lake’s plan shatters…and so does her heart. Can she keep the faith that the Goddess has something else in store for her? It might be even better than she planned.
Age Rating: 16+
Her Last Hope by Karrie is now available to read on the Galatea app! Read the first two chapters below, or download Galatea for the full experience.
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1
Lake had a perfect plan. Find her mate, settle down, and start a family. But when her mate rejects her for someone else, Lake’s plan shatters…and so does her heart. Can she keep the faith that the Goddess has something else in store for her? It might be even better than she planned.
Age Rating: 16+
Original Author: Karrie
I stare at the girl in the mirror and can't recognize what I see staring back at me.
The girl's once bright emerald eyes are dull and void of any life. Saliva is dry across her left cheek and her nose is red from crying so much.
The night gown is ripped to shreds while bruises form along her stomach and rib cage. Her hair is matted and oily due to lack of self care.
A heat of pain washes over me and I scream in agony. My bones and muscles ache as my body slams on the ground. Tears flood my eyes as a pair of arms wrap gently around me.
My toes bend so tightly I can feel them pop. I curl up in my twin, Landon's, arms in a fetal position and wail. My body contracts from the pain.
“He's going to kill her!” I hear my mother's muffled cries, “My baby..”
Landon tightens his grip around me and I bury my face into his neck. My claws and canines extract.
“Don't let her go, Landon.” My father commands, “Lynne is fighting her.”
Lynne, my wolf, is wanting so desperately to emerge and rip apart that whole who took him from us.
My chest cracks as another wave of pain washes over me. I cling to Landon's light t-shirt and bite my lower lip until it bleeds.
My eyes are closed tightly and my face is strained. I can feel everything they're doing.
And as so many nights before this one, the pain fades as quickly as it appeared.
Lynne slowly brings herself back to reality and escapes to the back of my mind. She refuses to let me bare her pain, too.
“It's okay..” Landon smoothes my hair out of my face. I just sit in his arms with nothing but a lump in the bottom of my throat.
“Why would he do this to me?” I ask, my voice cracks. My face is void of emotion as I just stare at the bathroom tile that is slightly stained from the blood of my wounds.
“You have to stop this..” My mother pleads to my father, “This isn't how this was supposed to be.”
I let go of Landon and fall limp in his arms. He gladly supports my weight and rubs my shoulder.
“I don't care how this is supposed to be.” My twin growls, “Lake needs us right now. That's all that matters.”
After a while of convincing, I finally let Landon get me to my feet and help me back to my room. My parents stay behind to clean the mess up.
“Lake..” Landon sighs as he sees my stomach. The bruises are more prominent tonight. Many are blue and a dark purple while others are a yellow tint from earlier today.
My twin removes my nightgown and replaces it with his own shirt. It's loose enough to not irritate the additional cuts caused by my nails.
“Please..don't leave me alone..” I whisper as Landon pulls the blanket over me. He doesn't say anything and sits down on the floor next to me.
I turn over and fall asleep to Landon humming lowly.
It’s currently 3 in the morning. My eyes are too dried out to release anymore tears.
Everytime I start to drift off to sleep, I see the look of disgust on his face and hear the distaste in his voice from that night. My brain keeps imagining what could have been and what should have happened when we met.
I would have been mated and marked by now. The current Alpha and Luna would welcome my family and I into the pack house. There, my mate and I would start our lives together, graduate and be named the new Alpha and Luna. But most importantly, I would be happy and safe in bed with him.
I groan at the throbbing of my ribcage. A new symptom of my rejection has been constant anxiety and anxiety attacks. The hyperventilating has caused my ribs to almost crack from the pressure of Lynne.
When we have them, it’s not just the human body having them, it’s the wolf’s body as well. Lynne has been trying to phase so that it’s easier for both of us at this point but I keep refusing. Hence having almost three cracked ribs.
I still faintly smell his scent in the air, even if he’s nowhere near me. It smells of the forest and fresh rainfall.
The Moon Goddess and her Fates have told my mother just a little longer. But I wonder how much longer I can hold this pain in.
I almost fall asleep on the way to school. My mate having his fun again last night felt like razor blades across my skin. My neck felt like it was going to close in on itself. A lot worse than usual.
I also had to cake the makeup on this morning again. These dark circles are making me look like a raccoon with rabies.
“You know,” Landon parks the car in his usual spot, “I could still kick his ass.” I give him a slight laugh and smile. My pain is apparent in the tone.
“Landon,” I breathe out, “I just want to get through the process. He can do what he wants and I will do the same once I can finally get my beauty sleep two nights in a row.”
My brother rolls his eyes but chuckles at my attempt of a joke. It releases the tensioned knot in my chest that's been brewing for the last couple of hours.
“Lake!” Riley runs up to me and engulfs me into a hug. I can’t help but smile and then laugh at my brother’s shocked face.
Riley takes notice, “What? She’s my best friend.”
“I never get that kind of reaction!” Landon’s face turns sour as he begins to pout. I roll my eyes at the lovebirds as Riley plants a big kiss on Landon’s cheek and snuggles her face into his neck. Landon’s smile is priceless but I can’t help but feel the dread and anxiousness that I know will come today.
Lynne is getting restless as Landon and I make our way to Chemistry. I try to calm her as we round the corner but as soon as we do, I regret it.
My eyes widen as I see my mate with his new one. His lips are curled into a smile as she has her arms wrapped around his waist. They are looking into each other’s eyes adoringly.
I can feel the crushing weight of Lynne’s anger and my sadness. My body begins to ache as they seem to kiss deeply in slow motion. My body goes cold and stiff as Landon realizes it as well.
“Lake..” Landon tries to grab my hand but I rip it away. My eyes still glued to the couple in front of me. “You need to let me help you. There are too many people here. Let me drive you home and you can go for a run.”
Suddenly, the rage my wolf is feeding me overshadows my sadness. My mate’s smile disappears when we make eyes contact. My hands are beginning to rip the straps of my backpack as the girl in his arms looks my way as well.
“Oh, hey, little miss rejected.” The girl smirks.
My brother growls, “Delilah, watch it.” Lynne is starting to push through my barriers. She wants nothing more than to rip Delilah apart and ruin any memories our mate has of her.
“What?” Delilah snickers and kisses my mate’s cheek. Him and I make stone cold eyes contact. Something swirls within those green eyes of his that makes my stomach churn. “Everyone’s wondering the same thing. Why hasn’t she turned rogue and turned on everyone here?”
“Because she’s-” Before my brother can finish his sentence, I drop my backpack and bolt in the opposite direction of this situation. People move out of the way or I make them. I can tell I’m on the verge of losing every sense of humanity if I stay here any longer.
I bust out of the front entrance to the school and rush towards the forest. My canines enlarge and my claws come out in form. I’m not in my true wolf form, but enough to let out a good run and tear down a tree or two.
It’s a full moon tonight. My body is shaking from the fight I had with Lynne over control. It took almost the whole for me to be able to return to the territory. Another two hours to muster up the courage to face my family. I know they must be so worried about me.
I’m six miles away from home. I needed the space and fresh air. Everywhere in the territory smells of him. Seeing as his wolf is the next Alpha, he does a normal routine check of the borders surrounding the territory of my pack, Dark Moon.
Even six miles away, I can smell the delicious scent of my mate. Images of Delilah having her slimy hands around his waist this morning flash by my mind. A pain makes itself known in my chest once again.
I grip my shirt tightly and look up at the Moon. The beautiful Moon I’ve loved for eighteen years of my life.
I would always come outside during the night and just watch the Moon. My mother would always scold me for falling asleep outside and ground me for a day or two. When I had my first shift, that’s all I would do. Sleep outside in grass or underneath the tree canopy that has a nest Lynne made to insulate warmth for the Winter.
My mother stopped fighting me on it after Lynne showed up in my life. Mostly because I would do it either way so she just gave up.
I sigh and look to the ground. Pain is all I can think of. The pain of losing the one I’m destined for and who I was destined to become.
Tears finally fall. I can’t hold it in anymore. Everything from the past couple of weeks has built up to where I’ve almost demolished an entire valley of trees.
“I know you said this would pass..” I whisper and look to the Moon again. The home of our Goddess and her Fates. “but.. How much are you going to let this happened?!” My words are laced with my pain and anger.
I hold the left side of my neck. It’s been burning since the Sun set.
The burning of my neck only increases as I begin to scream and fall to my knees. My skin is searing hot. It feels like I’m being branded with a white hot iron.
Lynne’s pain floods my senses all at once. My rage, pain, sadness, and just pure helplessness rush into my head simultaneously. My body aches and joints stiffen.
The mate’s bond is punishing me. The Moon Goddess’ gift is punishing me. The Fate’s destiny is punishing me. My own wolf is punishing me.
Just as I believe I can’t take anymore, my body collapses. I begin to hyperventilate but my eyes want to shut.
Just when I can’t keep them open any longer, a dark figure blocks the Moon’s light from my view.
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2
“What’s your name?” I can feel his warmth on my cheek. His other hand wraps around my waist and pulls me in close. I lean into his touch and smile.
“Lake Mavris.” People begin to gather around us and stare in awe.
My mate takes notice and immediately pulls his hand away, “There’s no way I could be mates with a Warrior’s daughter. I reject you as my mate. Get out of my sight!”
My eyes bolt open to a dirt ceiling. Roots from trees and other plants dangle from it and form a cocoon all the way to an entrance on the other end of the room. The smell of freshly killed and cooked deer fills my nostrils.
Lynne is anxious and ready to get food. I cautiously get up from the bed of dried mud and dead leaves. I’m careful not to make any noise before emerging from the exit into the fresh Winter morning.
I do a slight shiver before getting used to the cold atmosphere out here. Benefit of being a werewolf; constantly overheating body and weather resistant skin.
I look to see a good amount of a deer carcass spinning on a spikat overtop a camp fire pit nestled away in the trunk of a large and hollow oak tree.
I jump at a presence behind me. I turn quickly and take a defensive stance. A boy about three inches taller than me stands with his arms crossed and feet far apart. The aura he gives off is that of an Alpha.
“Morning to you too, Moonlight.” The man rolls his eyes and snickers, “Sorry if I startled ya. I didn’t expect you to be awake so soon.”
The man is wearing a pair of black jeans and biker boots. He also has an old looking winter jacket on that grips his muscled body quite nicely. His dark brown hair compliments his light blue eyes to a T.
“For one, my name is not Moonlight.” I growl through my teeth, “And two, who are you and where I am?” My defensive stance only tightens up as the man takes a step towards me.
“Woah there.” He puts his hands up in surrender, “No need to be hostile to the guy who saved you from a rogue or two last night before you even eat.”
I give him a confused look and loosen my stanced briefly, “Rogues?”
“Oh yea,” The man walks around me and grabs a stick. He sits down on a log in front of the oak tree and poked the fire. I keep my eyes on him the whole time before going over to enjoy the warmth from the fire itself.
“You were passed out on that cliff after destroying ten trees or so in the valley. Naturally, seeing as you were in a piece of my territory, I was going to see what the hell you thought you were doing, but then you talked to the Moon as if you knew it personally. I watched until you screamed and fell to the ground and passed out. Before I could get to you, though, there were a rogue or two circling around. So I took them out quickly and brought you to my den, here.”
The man motions to the area we’re in. I notice that it’s camouflaged with hundreds of bushes all over and small trees surrounding the den and big oak tree in the center. There’s barely any snowfall from the tree canopy above that lets hints of sunlight through.
I look to the man, then to the fire, “Well.. Thank you for saving me. I apologize for my threatening manner but not for my reflexes and defense. My father raised me in the sense of protecting myself in an unknown territory before anything else.”
The man chuckles and looks at me, “I understand. I would be the same way if a stranger saved me, gave me his place to sleep. Then went hunting and cooked it all for me to heal off of.”
“When you put it that way, I seem like a bitch.” I huffed.
“I’m just messing with you.” The man chuckles again, “You look like you haven’t slept for eighty-four years though and from last night, I can tell you haven’t had the best couple of weeks. What’s a little pup like you have to worry about?”
I suddenly remember what happened last night and hold my chest tightly, “Just.. I just..”
The man throws his stick into the fire, “I shouldn’t have asked. I’m not one who’s close to you. Forgive me.”
His manners take me back a couple of mental steps when he allows me to dig into the deer before he even inches near it. It’s unusual for an alpha to let a lower rank eat before him. The fats and rich blooded meats is enough to satisfy my wolf and her hunger. For that, I’m grateful.
After a couple of moments of silence and picking the the bones of the deer, I finally asked, “What’s your name?”
The man sighs heavily and closes his eyes briefly. He seems to be in deep thought before turning to me and saying, “My name is Jake.”
I couldn’t help but ask, “From State Farm?” Jake shakes his head and immediately laughs.
“Yes. From State Farm.”
“Where are you from?”
Jake smirks and gives me a side glance, “From nowhere.”
It’s not long before it’s mid evening time. Jake has taken me on a tour of his territory and showed me a couple of his favorite spots to hunt and lakes with the cleanest water.
“Do you live here all alone?” I ask. We make eye contact briefly, I can see the loneliness hidden within them.
Jake clears his throat and look beyond the lake and into the brush on the other side, “Yes. I have since I can remember.”
“What about your pack?” I follow his gaze and spot something peculiar as the leaves begin to ruffle.
“That’s a story for another time.”
“Thank you for all you’ve done for me.” I smile at Jake as he pokes the fire with his stick. After trying and trying, I couldn’t get anything else out of him. I may have touched a nerve or two but it doesn’t read on his face. “I think I should get out of your hair now, my parents are probably worried sick.”
There’s an unspoken respect between us.
“You’re welcome back any time, Moonlight.” Jake stands and reaches out his hand, “If you’re ever in any trouble, you’ll always be welcome back here.”
I reluctantly say my goodbyes to him a couple of minutes later at the edge of his territory.
“Just keep going straight until you see the giant river, then follow it down and you’ll eventually hit where you want to go.”
Jake nods me off as I take off running. My adrenaline starts to pump and I can feel my bones begin to crack and reshape themselves. I take a jump off of a large, oak tree log and land on all fours.
Lynne is ecstatic to be let free. She jumps and feels free as the nippy Winter wind flows through her fur. In all of her excitement, Lynne knows not to stray from the path as we come across the river Jake was talking about.
My wolf takes time to enjoy the fresh spring waters before happily trotting with her head and tail held up high. Like a true Luna would do in an unknown territory.
It’s not too long before we come into the pack’s borders. Lynne is bombarded with warriors and guards from my father’s group that he oversees. Landon and Riley’s solid white wolves are among them.
“Lake!” My father’s voice is irate mixed with relief in the undertone, “We’ve been worried sick!”
Lynne bows on her stomach to my father in respect. Her ears are bent back and tail lays flat on the ground. It’s her way of apologizing seeing as she was mostly the reason I ran out and away from the territory.
“Lake Mavris.” The alpha’s tone rings through the air. Everyone stops and bows their respects to our leader. Both wolves and human forms alike.
“I hear you’ve run quite a worrisome night for everyone present.”
My mind is immediately tainted with the sight of my mate standing beside of his father. His scent fills my nose. My sense of smell is heightened thousands of times over in Lynne’s form.
Lynne can’t handle seeing him. She forces a painful shift. The bones crack back in place painfully and I can’t help but let out a slight yelp.
My face is stained red with embarrassment as my father quickly puts his coat over my body as I’m back in my human form. All of the unmated male wolves present perk their ears and take in my sight. Most of them are staring at the sight of my neck and not the rest of my body.
“Where did you go?” The alpha looks at me, unphased by what just transpired, “Surely, you have a good reason for abandoning the pack’s territory.”
I put my head to the ground in respect, “A certain matter drove my wolf into the state of unrest, Alpha. I needed to leave before the humans attending the school would see me shift.”
“Surely you could have returned by nightfall.” The alpha takes a step towards me. His hand is placed under my chin and lifts my eyes to look into his, “My child, what troubles you?”
The wolves around us move uncomfortably. My mate clears his throat. It’s obvious the alpha hasn’t been made aware of the situation that has happened between his son and I.
“Lynne is anxiously waiting the arrival of her mate, Alpha.” I struggle to speak my words. It’s like they’re blocks of metal being lodged into my throat, “Seeing everyone else with their mates made her uncontrollably jealous and unjust.”
“I see, well,” The alpha pats my shoulder and clears his throat, “your mate will show himself soon. You’ve recently turned eighteen, it’s only a matter of time.”
I can’t help but make eyes contact with my mate. His expression is tight with his lips in a thin line and jaw muscles protruding. His striking green eyes hint an emotion.
“Lake..” Landon shows up behind me and ushers me away from the crowd. We go behind a nearby supply shed that the warriors use to train.
“Thank you.” I mutter once we’re away from the eye views of almost everyone. My heart is racing by this point. It takes me a moment or two to catch my breath.
“Let me see your neck.” Landon moves the coat my father draped over me. His face turns grim and tense. “I knew it.”
My twin brother curses under his breath and kicks a rock towards the back of the shed. Confusion and anxiousness floods my mind and body.
“Landon, what is it?” I ask. He ignores me and curses under his breath again.
“It’s nothing.” Landon replies, “Let’s go get you cleaned up.”
It’s been a couple of hours and I’m finally in the warmth of my own mattress. I let my comforters and pillows engulf me in a comforting state. And for the first time, in a while, I get a good night’s sleep.
My alarm clock is blaring in my ear and I groan. Once I snooze it, I get up and stretch. Lynne is groggy but feeling better than we did yesterday and night before last.
I flip the light on and yawn. It takes my eyes a minute to adjust the light and once they do, that’s when I see it.
Placed on the left side of my neck. Something I never thought would be placed on my body.
There are dark veins protruding from it and is bruised. The canine marks and the dried blood. My skin isn’t healing like it normally would and there is evidence of irritation from the red rings surrounding the teeth marks. White puss is coming from the swollen, surrounding skin.
The Betrayal Mark.
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