Jolene
Today is Monday. Luna Merry had asked me to come to the pack house for a surprise. However, when I got there, there were only some pack members I am not close to.
After aimlessly walking around the house for a while, I found myself in the garden Lancelot showed me. It is already a little chilly outside but still bearable. Most trees have already lost all of their leaves. I sat on a large bench gazing at the fountain in the middle of the garden. It has a sculpture of a fat ugly fish spitting water upwards. I giggled thinking about how someone actually paid for that visually uncomfortable fish-thing.
A few minutes after the laughter left my lips someone ran in my direction and pulled me into a hug.
“I knew it was you!” said Lancelot as he squeezed the air out of me. He sat down next to me and talked to someone by the door. “See, I told you she was here!”
Samuel slowly walked out of the door snickering. Lancelot turned to me.
“Jolene, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” he asked.
“Your mom called me as I was going to my apartment. She said I should be here as soon as possible.”
“I understand.” Lancelot’s eyes were downcast. “May I stay in your apartment again tonight?” He looked at me with hopeful eyes.
“Well, that was fast,” said Samuel as he sat by my other side.
I turned to him. “We watched movies until late night and went straight to sleep afterward. Don’t get weird ideas.” My attention went back to Lancelot. “It’s a school night. Wait until the weekend.” I kissed his cheek.
“This weekend?” he asked, showing me the most adorable boyish grin.
Samuel wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side. “Yay! Sleepover at Jolene’s place!”
Lancelot gave him a low threatening growl. I stared into Lancelot’s golden eyes and wriggled my way out of Samuel’s grasp. I put one hand on each side of his face and placed soft kisses all over his face. Lancelot relaxed and laughed.
“C’mon guys. Stop eating bread in front of the starved,” said Samuel.
I pulled away from Lancelot. “Oh, I am so-” I froze when I smelt him. The corners of my lips shot upwards in a wide smile. I stood up and ran toward the main door of the pack house.
“Alex!” I yelled as I jumped into his open arms. He caught me and spun around. He stopped only when we heard someone clear his throat. It was Alpha Aaron. Alex put me back on the ground.
“Elena!” I hugged my best friend.
She smiled. “I am offended you ran into Alex’s arms instead of mine. You should have greeted me first. Traitor.”
I pulled away and stuck out my tongue to her. “I like him better than I like you,” I said.
“And I also like her better.” Alex put his arm across my shoulders.
Elena pouted. “You two are so mean.”
I noticed many of Lancelot’s pack members looking at us. Some had their mouths wide open while others had their eyebrows furrowed. They looked so confused. The three of us laughed.
I curtsied. “Alpha Alexander. Emily. Pleased to meet you again.” Even when I try to be polite I cannot help but do my best to annoy Elena. We laughed even harder.
Alpha Aaron silently signaled me to look behind me. I turned around. My little Alpha looked so sad. His head hung low and he was gripping his own hands. I turned my gaze to Samuel, his eyes were glazed and he had a hand on Lancelot’s shoulder. I walked over to Lancelot, laced one arm with his, and pulled him forward. He staggered a little and looked at me with raised eyebrows and slightly open mouth. “This is Alpha Alexander Jones. My Alpha and older brother,” I said in front of Alex. Lancelot looked even more confused for a moment, but soon he sighed and I felt all the tension in him disappear.
“We look really alike, right?” I stood next to Alex and pulled him down by the collar of his shirt. He is almost two feet taller than I am. “See, same lovely eyes and charming smile,” I said. Lancelot snickered.
“This is Luna Emily Elena,” I said and Elena glared at me. She hates her first name for some unknown reason.
“Elena. Alex. This is Lancelot King future Alpha of the Wild Moon Pack,” I said.
Alex smiled and offered him his hand, which Lancelot shook. Elena did the same.
‘This is my mate,’ I told them through the mindlink. In one instant, Elena frowned and put a hand on her hip. I saw Alex ball his hands into fists and glared at Lancelot. He was actually gritting his teeth.
Lancelot noticed their reactions and took a step back. He looked at me as if asking me to save him. I rolled my eyes and took a step closer to them. I grabbed their wrists and made them hold hands. ‘You two calm down,’ I told them.
They both relaxed but I could still feel their murderous intend through the mindlink. They both smiled creepily.
“Oh, so you are Lancelot!” Elena said.
“Yes, I am.” Lancelot took another step back.
I laughed silently. “You two would have to fight me,” I said.
“Later,” said Alex, wearing his usual laid-back smile.
Merry led us all to the living room. I sat down on the couch with Elena by my side and Alex by her side. Merry and Alpha Aaron sat next to each other on another couch. Lancelot sat across me, looking at me intently. Samuel sat next to him, looking as fresh as always. The rest of the pack members went on with their lives and left us alone.
“Mandy sent you gifts. They are in the car,” said Elena with a big grin.
Before I could answer, Alex’s conversation caught my attention. “Boy, you are seventeen, right?” He asked Lancelot.
Lancelot gulped and nodded. I think he already figured out that I told my brother he is my mate and that my bother is not thrilled with the idea.
“Oh, so young. It brings back memories…” Alex smiled at Lancelot and then turned to me with a smug expression.
“I will be eighteen in two weeks,” said Lancelot
“Interesting,” said Alex as he scrolled down his phone. Payback time,’ he told me. My eyes widened in realization.
“Want to see Jolene when she was seventeen?” asked Alex.
Lancelot straightened up and his eyes shone. “Yes, please.”
When we discovered that my best friend was his mate, my first reaction was to tell her embarrassing stories about him. ‘Don’t you dare,’ I told my brother. He vowed to get revenge. I thought he had forgotten about that, but I seemed wrong.
I jumped to stop him but he had already given the phone to Lancelot. I tried to block him from seeing the picture but he stood up and put his hand up, where I could not reach. I was tugging at his sweater but he looked up. I considered punching him, but, with both of his parents present, that would be a suicide. Wolves instincts toward their pups are even stronger than toward their mates.
I gave up and stood beside him as he scrolled through the pictures. Apparently, freaking Alex had made an album full of embarrassing pictures of me. I crossed my arms as I saw Lancelot biting his lower lip to stifle his laughter. I rolled my eyes.
“I will let you know that was a very confusing stage of my life.” This was true. When I was seventeen I went through my girly phase after being a rebel tomboy my whole life. I know that the photos he is looking at include the one from when I wore makeup for the first time. It showed me with only light stubble on my head, really badly done makeup, too many piercings around my face and covered all in pink. I did not even want to think about the restoration the pictures.
He finally could no longer hold the laughter back and broke down, clutching his stomach.
“Let me see,” said Samuel as he reached for the phone in Lancelot’s hands.
Lancelot growled at him. “Mine…” he whispered. He went back to looking at the pictures.
I felt my annoyance turn into anger and sighed heavily. I went back to sit next to Elena. Alex noticed my reaction and just said: “uh oh… Quick, boy, give me the cell phone.”
“Elena, show me the presents,” I said with a wide smile.
She nodded, knowing the reason I wanted to get out of there.
‘Jolene, do not get angry,’ said Alex.
‘I am fine,’ I said.
He shook his head. ‘Whatever, you say.’ Elena and I walked out of the living room and the house.
Standing by Alex’s car, I heard Lancelot call my name.
“Are you mad?” he asked, standing next to me.
I hugged him in silence. “Why were you laughing?” I asked.
“You looked funny.”
I pulled away and kissed his cheek. “If we were the same age and you had met me looking like that. Would you have ever felt attracted to me? Think about it.”
His expression softened and he opened his arms to hug me again. “Jolene…”
I put my hand on his chest and pushed him away lightly. “Give me a moment. I will go back to the living room soon.”
The corners of his lips arched downwards and he frowned slightly. The hurt on his face was evident. He slowly walked away and back into the house.
“You should not be so angry. You do look funny in those pictures,” said Elena.
“I know. That is why I came here to calm down. Weren’t you planning his accidental disappearing just a moment ago? Why do you care?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “He looks like he really cares about you and he is your mate.”
“I just hate when people laugh at me. By the way, not being effing annoying for once suits you.”
“Don’t we all? and I hate you,” she pulled me into a side hug.
“But if it is him, it is different. Love you too.”
“Wait, see what he will answer to that last thing you said. Here are the things Mandy sent to you.” She opened the trunk and retrieved a large paper bag from the car’s trunk.
I took the bag in my hands and pulled out its contents. The blanket was beautiful. It was mainly white with flowery patterns in different shades of red. I absolutely loved the dress. It was a completely white, low cut dress with a Bardot style top dress.
“Well, now I am in a better mood,” I said honestly. “Let’s go back inside.”