One plus one equals doom

Elena POV

At 7am on the dot my alarm rings on my nightstand. After a brief moment of irritation I sprung out of bed to get ready for school. I sat down at my vanity to do my make up. I only wanted to do a basic look today; foundation, blush, cat eyeliner, and my signature black lipstick. After applying finishing spray I started brushing my long curly ember hair when phone began to ding incessantly on the bathroom counter.

After picking up the phone the dread I already felt in my heart was amplified. It was my best friend Jesse wishing me a happy birthday but I for the life of me couldn’t understand what an 18 year old girl had to be happy about. When a woman turns 18 she is mated for life, she’d be made to quit school, produce children and satisfy their mates every need and urge. That’s all a woman was good for in this town and I’d be damned if I was going to sit down and shut up about it. In fact I’ve been talking about it for years, openly cursing the idea and outdated practices. I’ve even tried to run away a few times, but my fathers Beta Josh always drug me back. The last time he brought me back barely breathing, so my father had nails put in my bedroom window so I could not longer raise it to jump out. If that wasn’t enough, a warrior followed me to and from school, so I couldn’t try and escape there either. Besides that I was only allowed to roam the pack house, only when I had a guard on duty to follow me. I was only allowed one friend in the house, Jesse, to hang out with me but I was never allowed to go to her house; or parties; or sleepovers anywhere. My father said I couldn’t be trusted but in all reality he just wanted to be sure I was a virgin when he sold me off to my mate. He’d go to just about any extent to keep me a virgin, including making me wear a chastity belt if my mother hadn’t stuck up for me and stopped him for once.

After telling Jesse I’d talk to her at school I threw a simple short black dress over my head, laced up my high tops, and strolled down stairs where my mother and father were still having their morning meeting with their subordinates; my mother and father were the Luna and Alpha of the Crescent pack. Our pack wasn’t as large as some of the other near by packs but our pack was only ever mated inside the pack, which according to my father made the magic within our wolves stronger than the other packs. I don’t know about us being ‘pure’ but I knew my parents cared little about my existence. I’d doubt they’d even notice I was leaving if I hadn’t slammed the door on my way out. I often wondered if they were disappointed by my lack of interest in the ways of the pack or if they were just disappointed I didn’t have a penis between my legs.

Regardless, I have no intention on going to my mating ball tonight. A girls mating ball was like the humans sweet sixteen. It was supposed to be the day they looked forward to most of their life but for me it just felt like another one of my fathers iron chains around my wrists keeping me trapped in what felt like a never ending nightmare. My parents have invited every male in our pack but there’s no way I was going without a fight! I had plans to fight my mate bond, and run away to the human world since I was old enough to understand it was a curse not a blessing. Humans were flawed creatures yes, but their women could choose to live without belonging to someone and that’s what I desperately wanted. As I lifted my fingers from the door handle I come to an abrupt stop eye to eye with my fathers beta Josh. In a low growl all I heard is “You didn’t think you could actually leave did you?”

“I’ve got classes today Josh. Either follow me like the good little servant you are or move out of my way.” I hissed back at him.

“We both know your father isn’t allowing you to leave the pack house today. So you can either turn your tight little ass around and walk back in the house, or I’ll make you.” His eyes shot glares at me that felt like they pierced my soul but I wasn’t going to back down. Girls weren’t allowed proper combat training but I had my alpha command which grew stronger every day and I felt like I could take him.

I decided to try and side step him but he was exceptionally fast and with on swift motion threw me over his shoulder.

—Third Person POV—

“Put me down you barbarian I can walk!!” Screamed Elena

Josh busted the door in dropping her flat on her ass. He looked at her puzzled for a moment then responded “Why so you can walk right off property? You know your father is going to be cross with you for even attempting to leave in the first place. Do you really want to test your luck? You know he has a temper little one.”

Elena couldn’t reply. He had a point. Her father was ruthless and cared little to none about her feelings or wants in this life. He’d let every man in his pack mount her if it made his position stronger. That’s all he worried about. The pack.

At the thought of his brutality she was immediately snapped back into reality by the sound of him barreling down the hall way. Elena tried to stand quickly but her efforts were meaningless when he grabbed her by her throat slamming her against the wall. “Why do you intentionally test my temper Elena Cole?! I gave you a strict command last night; that you were not to leave this HOUSE TODAY!!” He shouted.

Elena fidgeted with his grasp on her but it was pointless. He was a towering 6.5 with bulging muscles. Although she had beauty to rival the goddess herself she was barely 5’5, no muscles at all, thanks to the zero combat training she’d received. “I just want to be a normal girl with a normal life. I want to go to school father!..” the words hardly escaped her mouth without a whimper.

At the sound of her pain John calmed and relinquished his grip. “I love you child and I want your happiness, however you will do what’s right by this pack. You will attend tonight’s ball, and find your fated mate within the pack so that you can be mated and marked under the next full moon per tradition. We are not going to keep discussing this!” When Elena did not respond he softened his tone and said “I’ll call for the tutors to come to the house with your lessons from todays classes. In the meantime the seamstress will be here in an hour to fashion your gown for tonight’s events then after the hairstylist to tame what you call hair. You will behave Elena.” He looked Elena up and down noticing the makeup on her face and the dark depressing clothes she always chose to wear. “Josh give me a tissue.”

Josh responded by pulling a tissue out of the box on the table in the living room and handing it to him. John then motioned for Josh to take a hold of Elena which he immediately did so John could began rubbing Elena’s mouth dragging the black lipstick across her face then saying “I’ve told you time and time again to stop dressing like this. I’ve bought you appropriate clothes, your mother has picked out every shade of lipstick you could probably imagine but you still insist on dressing like you want to run off with the witches and vampires. Run up and take it off now.”

She looked deep into her father and alphas blood colored eyes and knew she would be terribly punished if she disobeyed. As tears welled up in Elena’s crystal blue eyes she tore free of Josh and ran up the stairs to her room. Before slamming the door shut she screamed “Yeah maybe I do want to run off with the witches!”

She had been dreading this day her entire life. She didn’t want to belong to anyone, to have to obey anyone. She could not stand the idea of it. She just wanted to be, free. Sadly she knew that would never happen. She was pulled out of her pity party by a knock on her bedroom door. When it opened it was Jesse, who saw her in a crumbled state and rushed to her side. “I’m sorry I know you said we’d talk at school but when you didn’t show at first period I knew something was wrong. What happened?! Honey your a mess.” She spoke gently. Jesse was an outsider, like Elena. She had delicate black curls and was just about as tall as Elena was, maybe slightly taller, and was a little fuller which got her a lot of attention from the boys. Elena thought she was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen. She was graceful and kind, all things Elena really wanted to be. She had on a deep red dress which brought a smile to Elena’s face. “Your wearing my favorite color today.”

“I know I thought we could trade dresses when you got to school. I remembered you dad threw out half your wardrobe last time I was over.” Jesse said

“Yeah he was really cross with me when I wore that red tube top and long skirt with the slits in the side of it!” Elena said before bursting into laughter. Elena and Jesse fell to the floor in a fit of happiness which quickly turned into Elena’s tears. Jesse leaned over and rubbed her shoulders whispering “It’s going to be alright, you’ll see. You know if you are mates with someone you aren’t happy with I’ll always cover for you when you try to run. I always have. I’m surprised your dad hasn’t caught on to that. I can’t believe he’s really believed I’ve lost my little sister in the same spot of the woods every time. Sometimes I think your dad might be a little dumb.”

“Or maybe you are just a wonderful actress.” Elena whispered back. Jesse shot to her feet and said “Come on, let’s clean up your face. I brought some flash cards from school if you want to look at them while I do your nails?”

Jesse pulled a reluctant Elena into the bathroom to clean her face then sat he down at her vanity where the white and clear polish was tucked inside. Just when Jesse was finishing the top coat to Elena’s French tips Josh opened the door saying “You aren’t supposed to be here Jesse. You’ll have to come back later. Elena the seamstress is here.” A tiny old woman was standing behind him with piles of white fabric in her arms. Josh took a step towards Jesse trying to grab her arm when she quickly pulled herself out of his reach.

“Hey no touching the merchandise sir, keep your grubby hands off me.” Turning to Elena she said “Find me at your ball tonight.” Squeezed her shoulder one more time for support then vanished down the stairs with Josh; leaving Elena alone in her bedroom with the old woman.

“My lady I’ll need to get started if I’m to finish the dress your mother described in time.” The woman’s voice was delicate and quite.

Elena stood and made her way over to the three curved mirrors in the back of her room. She tried to stand still for the woman on the pedestal as she attempted to measure Elena’s bust and waist line but the old woman’s hands shook making it difficult. Elena offered her help but the woman was stubborn. “With the age comes experience, it might be best if you just let me take my time ma’am.” The woman said.

Seeing as patience wasn’t Elena’s greatest aspect that would be difficult.