DESTINY'S DILEMMA

"This ends today", a stiff voice said in the darkness" as I tried to shut the door quietly behind me, causing me to jerk. I immediately reached for the light switch on the wall and the blinding light was cast upon a figure seated on the couch at the center of the room.

Aunty Ava was wearing a long black dress–which was how she had been dressing since the death of her husband ten years ago–a cigarette hung from the side of her mouth and the little puff of smoke made it difficult for me to breathe. Cigarettes were like wolfsbane to me, I could die from inhaling them so I" tried to hold my breath because I knew my aunt did not care if the smoke from her cigarette killed me.

Now, she was staring at me with her black eyes, as she puffed more smoke into the air.

"How long have you been sneaking out of this house?"

I swallowed but I didn't say anything, the silence in the room was deafening and I started to shift my weight from foot to foot, wondering when this creepy interview would be over. She removed the cigarette from her mouth and carefully placed it on the ashtray beside her.

"You should be busy trying to get your dear cousins ready for the full moon. Who knows, they might not only turn tonight, but they may also find a mate. Don't you think so?"

Her face broke into a smile at the question but I remained silent. Every statement and question Aunt Ava asked was a trick so I had learned to remain quiet anytime I knew the response would sound rude to her, I did not want her grounding me for a year.

Lily and Rose, her twins, could not turn and on the night I found my wolf, they got home crying hysterically because they could not turn. I did not care about them because I was busy basking in the glory of my Lycan abilities.

Aunt Ava made us move out of Moonstone Bay and brought us here, to Willowdale, cutting me off from my wolf pack and the wolf world entirely. She warned me to not make use of my Lycan abilities because they were dangerous for me. I knew she did not care about my wellbeing, she just did not want me flaunting my abilities in front of her wolfless children.

But that was two years ago before I found my mate in a moonlit clearing during one of the full moons. Axel was the Alpha of Raven's Claw and I fell for him at first sight.

I smiled to myself as his image appeared in my head, fireflies invading my belly as I thought of his yellow eyes, chiseled jawline, Andy's muscular build, and the feel of his strong hands as they ran through my body.

Aunt Ava stood up sharply from the couch, interrupting my thoughts as she took slow strides towards me, grabbing my right arm roughly.

"You might be an adult but your parents entrusted you in my care and I don't want you going about playing with those abilities you were very, very lucky to have", she said through gritted teeth, her grip tightening around my arm but I didn't feel any pain even when she dug her fingers into them.

"I'm putting a lock on your window. No more sneaking out."

"Yes, Aunty", I croaked.

She released her grip on me and I rubbed my fingers against the spot which was now crimson red and it healed immediately.

I walked inside to get Lily and Rose ready for the full moon."I hope you turn today", I said softly to them as they were leaving the house.

"We know you don't care, so shut it", Lily snapped, her voice shaky.

I sat on the couch and waited for them to return as I played around with my phone. After some time, they both came tumbling through the door in tears, clutching their chests and struggling to wipe the uncontrollable tears running down their snotty faces. This was the same thing that happened every full moon and I just got up from the chair and headed upstairs to my room without saying a word while their mother cuddled them and willed them not to cry. I wanted my cousins to turn but there was nothing I could do to help them. It broke me but they were mean to me and everyone around them so I guess they deserved some punishment.

The next morning, the sun shone in through my windows, casting its harsh rays on my face. I groaned in frustration as I got up from my bed and started to prepare for school. I hated mornings, partly because I was a Lycan and it was normal to prefer nighttime and partly because I had to go to school. I could not wait for night to come so I would meet with Axel again, regardless of my aunt's warnings the previous night.

As I dragged myself across the room in preparation, I caught sight of my room window and my mouth dropped open as I saw the lock on it.

Aunt Ava did not wait a bit before she put the lock she had promised to and I started to wonder when she had come into my room to do so without me hearing or smelling her in my sleep. I rolled my eyes as I realized she must have used silver cuffs on me again.

I knew what I would do. I left the house and put my phone in airplane mode, applying chamomile and lavender salve on my wrists, neck, and behind my ears to mask my scent so she would not be able to track me. After classes, I didn't bother to go home, instead, I went to see Damian, my best friend who was also the Omega of the Raven's claw pack.

When night came, I fled into the woods, in the direction of the Den of Love, a cozy, hidden den in the heart of Axel's pack's territory.

Axel was there waiting for me when I arrived and the sight of him made butterflies swarm around in my belly. He gripped my waist, pulling me to him. A rush of wetness flowed in between my legs and my knees became weak. He kissed my neck and trailed kisses down my collarbone to my boobs. He sucked my nipples, causing me to moan in ecstasy.

He slipped out of his clothes, his member springing out as he removed his briefs. He turned me around and made me go on my knees, driving his long thick shaft into me as I cried out in delight. He fucked me hard until my throat was dry from constant moans.

After we both climaxed, we cuddled up in the den, my worries about Aunt Ava had vanished and I was relishing in the euphoric aftermath of the sex.

"I love you, Axel", I whispered to Axel but he did not respond. He was unusually quiet today and I wondered if he was upset with me. "Something wrong?" I asked him." You've been eerily quiet", I pressed.

He loosened his arms around me and started reaching for his clothes, a pensive look on his face.

"Maya", he grunted, putting on his clothes and exiting the Den, causing me to do the same.

"What's wrong, Axel? You know you can tell me anything", I laid my hand on his back, where he had a cute raven tatta tattoo of a raven was beautifully drawn.

He flinched at my touch and I started to have a gut feeling that something was not right.

"I can't continue with this anymore".

"Y-you can't continue with what?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"I reject you as my mate, Maya".