Alpha Wolf - Mate Mine

Chapter 0 ~ Almost

BEFORE

Elena's birthday was tomorrow. 

The little girl, on the brink of turning eleven, couldn't be less thrilled about it.

Why, you might wonder?

One would think she'd revel in the festivities. The fairy-tale themed party, complete with cupcakes with frosting so blue it looked like a Smurf had exploded, apple tarts that seemed to have been baked by actual fairies, a cake that towered like a fortress (RIP last year's castle cake, thanks to Marco's antics), and a whole assortment of other sugary delights perfect for a cavity or two.

And let's not forget the costumes of her friends. 

Rex, prancing about as a majestic pink unicorn, his horn threatening to poke pack members'butts and balloons alike, Marco as the quintessential medival prince charming with his wooden sword and leotard, and Giulia, donning the Cinderella attire—ironic, considering her aversion to household minimum chores like making her own bed and her less-than-amicable relationship with mice.

It was almost enough to distract Elena from the impending doom of turning eleven.

She twirled in front of the mirror, admiring her costume. A red cape draped over her shoulders  like a royal cloak, a striking contrast to her golden locks bouncing with every spin.

A twinge of excitement rippled through her at the thought of being seen as a forest fairy princess by the pack members invited. Beneath the cape, her cream-colored dress looked yummy, reminding her of the cupcake mixture she had helped whip up earlier in the packhouse's kitchen.

The Moon Goddess found the little Alpha daughter's choice of attire rather amusing... little did Elena know, her costume would soon become all too fitting. 

The big bad wolf might as well just be lurking in the woods in that moment....

Despite the excitement buzzing around her, Elena couldn't shake off the heavy feeling in her chest. Another year on her shoulders and she was already feeling the weight of it!

Elena suffered from a severe case of Peter Pan syndrome—a reluctance to grow up. In her eyes, the world was a sheltered magical place where imagination reigned supreme, filled with endless games in the pack house with her best friends and runs in the dim twilight of the summer midnights, listening to the murmurs of the forest with her daddy.

The thought of trading in those carefree moments for the responsibilities and complexities of adulthood was just unacceptable and she had already decided not  to let adulthood take over.

On that gloomy November afternoon, without telling anyone, with heavier shoulders and all, Elena set off on a solo adventure, zigzagging around the edge of the woods. 

With a basket swinging from her arm and the red hood atop her head, she skipped along, humming Sailor Moon song.

As Elena wandered, she plucked flowers, gathered herbs, and scooped up soft mud, her mind drifting between thoughts of potential birthday gifts and concocting new muddy potions, which she couldn't wait to trick Rex into drinking later.

She also collected mushrooms that Marco would have liked. Back then, he enjoyed identifying and collecting all types of mushrooms, documenting them in a secret notebook hidden under a loose floorboard in his bedroom. 

Step by step, flower by flower, little Elena ventured further away from the safety of the pack.

Meanwhile, a boy was also navigating through the forest.

While Elena searched for flowers and mushrooms, he was on the hunt for something entirely different.

The two children seemed to belong to opposite worlds, and indeed they did.