Chapter 6

I of course wake up at the crack of dawn because Mother Nature is ruthless and takes no prisoners. I scramble into the bathroom just in time. Then I was looking through the cabinets, looking for something to relieve the pain. I prefer Midol, but anything would be appreciated at this point. I did not find anything, and I was not about to wake my brothers or Sebastian just for cramps.

I finished up in the bathroom, wrapped one of the fleece throw blankets around me and headed out on the balcony. The cool air helped a lot with the cramps and being hot. There were a couple of lounge chairs on the balcony. My room was facing the east, so I had a beautiful view of the sun rising to greet the new day. I curled up on one of the lounge chairs, already getting drowsy.

Right when I was about to close my eyes, it felt like someone was staring at me. You know that feeling you get with the hairs on the back of your neck and arms, raising the goose bumps to follow. Now, as you probably could tell, I did not have my glasses on. So, everything was blurry looking, unless I saw it in front of me. My vision was not that bad, making it so that everything was smooshed together and fuzzy looking. I could still see objects or people a ways away, but I was not able to see the details in them. I was squinting around, not being able to shake this feeling away when I noticed ever so slightly movement in the corner of my peripheral vision to the right. I turn my head quickly towards the right, noticing a person emerging from the trail that led into the woods glancing up at me.

I assumed it was a man, guy, boy? He had a rugged look about him; he was an epitome look of a mountain man. With his long beard, one of those wool beanies on top his head, flannel shirt, hiker boots, and one of those giant hiker backpacks. It looked like he could have been camping in those woods for however long and no one probably would have even noticed. I noticed the dogs go rushing across the yard, like they were greeting a long-lost friend, as well as a fourth dog seemed to have appeared in the mist. The dog looked like a mix between a Siberian Huskey and German Sheppard.

I had to look away from the man, because the sun was shining right in my eyes. The next time I glanced over in that direction, he seemed to have disappeared. I wasn't too concerned in discovering where he went because the dogs knew who he was, so it seemed like he wasn't a stranger.

I was being shaken awake, a little disoriented of where I was. I glance over to whoever shook me awake, squinting up at JJ.

'Morning sleepy head, did Mother Nature arrive?' JJ signs happily. I just glare up at him. 'Here is some Midol for you. And Queen Isabella wants us downstairs eating breakfast before everyone shows up.'

I grumble and huff under my breath, but I take the Midol with eagerness. He seems too cheerful in the morning. But then again, he was always the morning type and Mikey and I would rather be waking up around noon. I head into the bathroom, take a luxurious shower, throw on some clothes. I did not feel like doing anything, much less dressing up for Queen Isabella. I am sure she knows what I am going through right now, I just feel so blah and want to crawl right back in bed. I almost made it under the covers again, until Mikey came in and dragged me out of my room. *Stupid boys and not knowing what we go through every month. *

I grumbled unwilling after them, Mikey practically dragging me to the dining room while I pull Oliver along to eat his breakfast. I did not pay attention to anything around me, just grumbled a whole lot while I took a seat at the dining table. None of the food in front of me looked pleasant to eat. Unlike last night when I was devouring everything insight that was in front of me that was not nailed down to the table. I glanced up and noticed the twins snickering to one another, while Kennedy rolled his eyes. Queen Isabella sympathized with me while she gave her sons a stern look. Nudging King Ivan in the ribs, trying to get his attention.

'Boys, if you are finished with your breakfast, you are excused to go get ready for the guests that are coming.' King Ivan scolds them, while Mikey signs for me.

'Where is your restroom?

'Oh, do you want us to show you where it is?' Queen Isabella asks

'I'm not incapable of finding a bathroom on my own.' I say, rolling my eyes. 'If it makes you feel better, I'll take Oliver with me.'

'You take a right out of the dining room. Then go straight until you hit a section. Then you take another right and it's the third door on your left.' One of the twins say, I cannot tell the difference between the two of them yet. I nod towards Hunter, I assumed was the one that gave me directions. I got up to go get Oliver where he was eating with the rest of the dogs. At least one us seems to like it here. He sure made friends fast with the other dogs.

*I'm not some damsel in distress. I am capable of doing things on my own. My brothers learned a long time ago that I don't like to be treated like some fragile little girl. I am sure Bailey feels the same way as I do. That she doesn't want to feel like some helpless little girl. Having people walk around her on eggshells afraid she'll break at any given moment.

Grumbling all the way to the bathroom. I wanted to also avoid talking to people, so that is why I excused myself. I am not a talker myself and I do not like being around people for exceptionally long. It just drains me, being around people, trying to be pleasant, especially large groups of people. So, I am dreading later today being around so many people and trying to make nice with them.

I finished using the bathroom and I was taking my sweet old time heading back to the dining room. When suddenly, I rounded the corner and it felt like I hit a brick wall, making me fall right onto my butt. I don't remember there being a wall on my way to the bathroom. I was a little disoriented and my glasses were askew on my face.

When I glanced up, I saw this blurry figure in front of me. I hurriedly straightened my glasses on my face to see better. I looked up at the person that I ran into, and it took my breath away. He looked like Tyler Hoechlin, best way to describe him. I also couldn't breath because the aura around him was suffocating me. He radiated pain, hatred, suffering, it was too much to handle, being around him.

Here is a side note that is something interesting about me. I can see strings of colors resting in people's hearts. These colors are all invisible to everyone, except for me. I found out about these colors with my parents. For example, both my parents had a teal color that rested both inside their hearts. I knew they were mates because the teal color string connected to each other's hearts and it was bright looking.

The color string is a lot more vibrant and distinguishable when one finds their mate. If they haven't found their mate, the string color is a little dim, not as bright. If someone has lost their mate, their string color turns a dull grey color. I can see where their mate is located in the same area, because I can see their wisp of their string color gravitating towards that person.

I glanced at this guy's heart and all I saw was blackness and darkness. I wondered what kind of awful thing could have done this to this guy to make him feel this way. But I saw something within the depths of the black darkness inside his heart.

I could not stay there anymore. I had to get away, it was suffocating me. I was about to break down and cry in front of this total stranger. So, I scurried to my feet quickly and grabbed Oliver's leash. Running away from it all: the pain, the sadness, the heartache, the frustration, and the anger.

I somehow ended up back in our suite. I jumped right in my bed, underneath the covers and just cried. I cried for everything; for the stranger that I just saw, all the information we just got sprung on us, and of course stupid Mother Nature. I don't know how long I cried for, but I eventually cried myself to sleep.

The next thing I know, I'm being gently shaken awake. Squinting up at the person who woke me up, I couldn't register who it was since my head was still foggy. I shook my head a couple times, put on my glasses and realized it was JJ glancing down at me sympathetically. Right away, I realized I must look like a mess. What with my hair probably sticking everywhere and snot crusted around my nose. It felt like my eyes were crusty, puffy, and red.

'Uh, the guests are already arriving. Queen Isabella has asked me to check in on you and wanted to know if you were up to coming down.' JJ signs kind of awkwardly, now knowing how to react to my condition.

'I'll be ready in an hour, and don't you look a little dapper' I signed back, while I glanced at JJ and noticed he looked kind of spiffy.

'Uh thank you.' JJ signs, a tint of red crawling up the back of his neck. 'We have to dress up since we are going to be meeting a lot of respectable people for the first time.' JJ signs, with a shrug of his shoulders. 'Uh... Mikey's gonna stay behind while you get ready. I was gonna head down and let Queen Isabella know you are getting ready and just needed a couple hours of sleep.'

I nodded my head 'Okay' at JJ, while I headed into the bathroom. That shower was amazing, having full steam on and all those jets hitting my back. Getting all the knots out of my back started to make me feel relaxed and myself again. I get ready in something nicer than I had on before and apply a little bit of makeup to hide my puffy eyes.

I head on into the living room, finding Mikey playing on his phone sitting on one of the couches. Doesn't he look quite dashing. He glances up at me from his phone signing, 'Are you ready to go?'

'As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. Let us get going, you look dashing by the way.'

'Thank you, and you don't look bad yourself.'

'Why thank you good sir,' I signed to Mikey while I gave him a little curtsey. We both chuckled while we were heading out the door with Oliver in tow.

We ended up all the way back down to the first floor. We saw guests coming through the front door and headed to the right. Mikey, Oliver, and I followed the crowd. We ended up in a line that was forming out in front of several doors. *These must be the conference rooms Queen Isabella mentioned. *

We came to the front of the line and noticed there was a table in front of the doors. Looked like everyone checked into the table before they headed into the different rooms.

'Names?' Mikey signs to me.

'We are MacKenna and Michael Wilson.'

'Uh, I have a MacKenna Wilson here, but I don't see a Michael Wilson.' The guy glances up at us from his papers staring at us like we have two heads or something, because Mikey was signing to me. I just give him the 'I'm done face.'

'Oh, you're that MacKenna Wilson.' The guy says. *What's that supposed to mean? I do not want to talk to this idiot anymore. * I nodded my head with a duh look on my face.

Then the worst part is when he starts talking so slow, that I can read his lips to the point I can almost see each letter being formed.

'Here are your name tags, you are in conference room 3 and have a great day.' He says and then points over his shoulder to the doors set in the middle behind him. I just roll my eyes at him, snatching my name tag and heading into conference room 3. Mikey shakes his head at the guy while he follows after me and Oliver.

Was it packed when we entered the room, there were so many people in here. I bet the other conference rooms were just as packed as this one. It was not so packed that everyone was touching each other or stepping on one's foot.

A side note, humans are not here the whole week of the event. They are only here for one day and if none of us find a mate in a human, the rest of them go home. It's not like we have anything against humans, we are just keeping their safety in mind. See, most of us that attend the event are turning 18 and when we turn 18, that is when we get our first shift. It is not safe for humans to be around us when we first shift, because we are getting accustomed to our new bodies. We do not know our own strength, smells will be a lot stronger, eyesight heighten, as well for all the people their hearing is heightened. So, we have one day where the humans come, and that day is the second to the last day the event ends.

When you turn 18 on that day, you are taken to a secluded area. Away from everyone, away from distractions, you are separated from the others that are shifting. When you shift, your clothes dissolve within your bodies. So, you don't need to strip down and worry about being naked, because when you transform back into your human forum your clothes appear back on your body. Yes of course it's gonna hurt like crazy. All your bones are breaking and cracking to shape into your wolf. So, for the couple of shifts it's gonna be very painful. No, we don't have an inner wolf that we talk to within our minds. No wolf that we share a mind with that we give a name to. As I said before, we can mind link with everyone in our pack and family members. We can mind link when we are in our wolf forum or when we are in our human forum. And we definitely are not allowed to invade each other's minds.

We can tell if that person is our mate just by a touch. Yes, we do get that electric feeling when we first touch someone. Those goosebumps that run up and down your arms. That long gaze staring into each other's eyes, looking sappy and doe eyed. That is why at these events we just shake hands while introducing ourselves or for some others fist bumping each other. We all mark each other to seal the deal and tell everyone that we are mates. Everyone's marks are all different and unique for each other. My parent's marks are the sun and moon. My mom's mark was the sun that was on her left shoulder blade and my father's mark was the moon on his right shoulder blade. That is all the information our parents have told us from their experience.

For me, I see a rainbow of string colors floating around in the conference room. All the colors you could imagine, coming from the different people's hearts. It was kind of beautiful. My head was starting to get a migraine with all these colors I am seeing. It is a lot to take in since I haven't seen this much color, unless I was at school or at the public library.

There were maids and butlers milling about the place with trays of Hors d'oeuvre and drinks. We walked further into the conference room; I choose a nice corner not wanting to be around so many people. I would look into the people's heart strings and see where they lead to. There were quite a lot of mates already in the same room as each other and they didn't even realize it.

I nudged Mikey in the ribs and pointed to a girl that was a few feet away from us. Then I pointed to a guy that had his back to the girl but they both didn't even notice the other existed. They were talking to two people that were not their mates. I told Mikey they are mates, the girl and guy that I pointed out to him. He goes over to the two people, converse with them and then they both turn around and shake hands. That's when it looked like the world just dropped away from the pair because they knew they were mates.

My parents, JJ, and Mikey know about my gift. They never made fun of me, never questioned me about it. They believed in the gift, ever since I pointed out people and the heart string colors they each had to one another. I even told my parents what color their heart string was for each other, and they never doubted me.

Mikey was able to witness my gift at first hand today. He has always believed in me and has never questioned me. I glance at him and he is amazed on what is happening in front of him.

We are rudely interrupted out of our reverie by a hand waving in front of our faces. I have an annoyed look, glancing at who's hand it belongs to. I get more annoyed when I see who it is. This guy looked like Don Prima from My Life as a Teenage Robot.

He stuck out his hand and was about to say something. When I stuck my hand up, nudged Mikey and pointed to a girl across the room. Mikey grabs the "Don" guy making his way across the room to the girl who looks like Tiff Crust, also from My Life as a Teenage Robot. They shake hands, sparks fly and so on and so forth with what comes next in finding your mate. They go off to get to know each other, without the loud chatter of everyone around. No, no dirty thoughts here, we really just want to get to know our mates that is all. If we happen to have sex, then so be it.

A couple more guy's come over, try to start chatting with us. I shake my head no, either Mikey takes them to their mate or tells them to move it along. It is possible that their mate are in the other conference rooms.

I point out a couple more pairs before I throw in the towel. My head was forming a migraine and I needed some air. Throughout the whole thing, I did not see JJ in there. He must have been in a different conference room. I wonder if he lucked out in finding his mate, I sure did not.

I somehow am unable to find the color of my heart string. I look down and I do not see any color. It might be because I am not actually able to see inside my heart. Somewhat in the back of my mind, I also thought that I might never really have a mate. And I was meant to be alone forever because I am such a freak. I never told any of my family about my concerns about it because I did not want their sympathy.

I tell Mikey that I need a break and I am going to step out to get some air. Mikey, points to an area within the conference room that had couches. He said he will be sitting over there waiting for my return.

I went out the conference room doors and found a lot of people milling about with their mates. Across from the conference room doors were glass doors that led outside. I headed on over to them, hoping that the fresh air would help with the migraine that was forming. I wanted to see if I could find the gardens that I saw last night while eating dinner. I wanted to explore them now that it was daylight out.

I head out and glance towards the left noticing it was Debbie and her gang of nasty girls. Picture all the mean girls from every movie and TV show and they were over there. They were like the girls from: Mean Girls, Sleepover, and Wizards of Waverly Place. Catty, stuck up, think they are better than anyone type of girls.

I turned to go right, avoiding them as much as possible. I turn a corner, falling on my hands and knees. Scrapping a bit of skin on my hands and knees. I look down and notice someone stuck their foot out on purpose to trip me. I quickly glance up to see who tripped me. It was Chloe, Debbie's right-hand woman. I read her lips, to see what she is saying to me.

'That's where you should be, bowing down to me. Because I am going to be a future royal knowing that Kennedy is on the market.' She sneers down at me.

I quickly get up, brushing off the pebbles and blood off of me. I just roll my eyes at her saying, 'That's not how this mate thing even works.'

I start to leave, when she grabs a fist full of my hair and yanks me back. It was so forceful that I fell on my butt. I scramble to my feet and was about to punch her in the face, when my mother's voice pops into my head.

*Be the bigger person. Violence does not solve anything. Ugh, I hate it when she's right. *

Out of nowhere I see Chloe's hand about to make contact with my face. I swiftly grab her hand, taking her arm in both my hands and started twisting her arm, giving her an Indian burn. The look on her face was priceless to see.

'Enough,' I said, while dropping her arm and walking away. At this point we were attracting a crowd and I was not for that. I don't like people or crowds and I especially don't like it when there's a spotlight on me.

I feel a rush of wind going past me, back towards Chloe. It felt what it would feel like if The Flash went zooming past you. My hair flew all over the place and I had to hold my skirt down for I was afraid it was going to lift up.

I smoothed my hair out of my face, when I noticed my palms needed to get some attention. I realized I needed to find a bathroom and clean myself up because of the scraps on my hands and knees. I tug on Oliver's leash, trying to locate a bathroom.

I finally locate one and head on inside, hoping there is a first aid kit in there. I wash off my bloody hands and the pebbles that got lodged into my knees. I look in the cabinets and find band-aids.

I was about done getting cleaned up until I got an onset of sneezes. I just could not stop sneezing. *Ugh, stupid allergies and it's going to rain. * I sneeze a lot when the air pressure changes or it's humid outside and when I sneeze a lot, rain is in the air.

I need to get back to the suite to take some medication for my allergies, cramps, and migraine. *Today is just not my day, I feel like crap. Should have stayed in bed and slept until this was all over. *

Once I have calmed down enough, not sneezing anymore. I open the bathroom door and then slam it real fast. On the other side of the door, standing there was the guy that I ran into earlier in the morning. *This day is out to get me. Ugh *

I looked around the bathroom, to see if there was another escape route that I could take. All I found was a small window and that was pretty much it. I looked like a mess and I felt gross. I did not have the energy to interact with anyone. Let alone a moody, depressing, angry guy that is standing right outside the door. *Aren't there like a million bathrooms located in this castle? Why doesn't he just go to one of those? *

I rummage through the cabinets again; I found some Tylenol for my migraine. I sat on the toilet and picked at my nail beds. I checked my phone and saw I had a text message from Mikey and JJ.

~ I am fine. I have yet to find my mate though. I hope you guys are doing well. I will see you guy's at dinner time. Love JJ ~

~ I am doing well; I am about to head up to the suite to take a nap. I haven't found my mate as well, but it is also the only first day, don't give up hope. I told Mikey to mingle with the rest of the guests instead of being cooped up inside the suite with me. Love you bunches and see you at dinner time. Mac ~

~ Hey, I hope you are all right. You have been gone for quite a while, I am about to send out a search party for you, Haha, JK. Love Mikey ~

~ Do not send out a search party! I am alive and I am here! Haha. I am fine, just going to head to the suite for a nap. Why don't you stay down here and mingle with the other guests and I will see you at dinner time. Love Mac ~

Of course, I didn't mention the fiasco with Chloe, they don't need to get their panties in a bunch over a small altercation. This stuff always happened when were at school. They would corner me at any opportune moment they could get to me alone and bully me and rough me up. I would hold my own, until some teacher comes and busts us up. I would get all the blame and get detention; I would lie to my brothers of why my face looks beat up. Or why I was late coming home from school, they knew something was up, but they would drop it.

I go back to the door, *He surely can't still be there. * I don't care if he is or isn't, I need a nap and get washed up. I open the door a crack and behold he is sitting right across from the door. Like he has no where else to go, all the time in the world on his hands. I noticed that the dog I saw earlier was laying across his lap, making my assumptions about his breed correct. He was half Siberian Husky and Half German Shepard; with the bluest eyes I have ever seen. The guy slowly gets up from his place, raising his hands like he means no harm.

I noticed his heart wasn't as dark as it was when I first ran into this guy. I would say it wasn't so strong that I would break down and cry in front of him this time. It was still there, the blackness, the hate, the anger, confusion, but not as powerful. He emanated power of his own accord as well, like he was an Alpha, maybe even more. Queen Isabella never did mention how many children they have.

'I wanted to see if you are all right and to apologize from earlier of scaring you and running into you. You didn't give me the chance to apologize before you ran off.' The guy signs to me.

*Oh. He knows sign language. So, he's definitely a higher up. Since no one would go out of their way to learn sign language. Let alone, would even know that I was deaf. Hmmmm, he is an interesting one. *

'I am fine, thank you for asking. Sorry for leaving hurriedly before, I had a headache coming on. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go take a nap I am drained.'

I quickly scurry past the guy, glancing back once at the guy. He looked curiously at me, his head cocked to the side. He looked like a dog, he was curious about something it was kind of cute looking on him. I finally arrive in our suite and head towards the shower. I take a nice long hot shower, I put my pajamas on and just crash on the bed.

I get jolted out my sleep by Oliver. He's tugging really hard on my sleeve and it's not his usual he needs to go to the bathroom tug. There must be something truly wrong for him to make him tug so hard on my arm. I hurriedly put my glasses on and realized that the bedroom was really smoky. I look towards the door and noticed a lot of smoke coming from underneath it. I race across the room and touch the door with the back of hand, feeling heat coming from it.

I hurriedly run to the balcony doors, throwing them open and run lover to the railing. I noticed we were really high up, seeing we were on the third floor. I run back to the room, throw off the sheets, blankets, comforter, and pillows off of the bed. I heave and pull the king sized bed towards the balcony, I get to the ledge and lift with all my might to throw the bed over the edge. I somehow pull it, what with the adrenaline pumping through my system and my birthday is tomorrow. Which means I am going to transform into my wolf and my strength is starting to show. I managed to pull it off somehow and throw the mattress over the balcony railing. By now I see a crowd forming below, of course a crowd is there and no wants help. *Smh *

I rush back into the bedroom and start tearing the bed sheets apart, tying them together. Making a harness out of them and tying it around Oliver. He was shaking real bad and I was trying my best to sooth him down. I tied the sheets around him, carrying him all the way to the railing and then draped him over. I slowly and steadily started lowering the sheet rope down to the mattress that I draped over the railing. It was hard work, it's not like he was that heavy but it sure wasn't an easy task to do either. There were a few people that stepped up and was underneath him to catch him and guide him towards the mattress.

I got him on the mattress, and the people untied him. Then I rushed back into the bedroom one more time, seeing that the fire was now spreading into the room from the door. The beams were coming down fast and the ceiling was caving in. I got nicked on my left arm with debris falling from the ceiling. I run over to my dresser drawer just to get a small pouch in it. The pouch means everything to me and my brothers, it is the last remaining heirloom of our parents and I wasn't going to let it go.

I rush out the balcony doors again, noticing there were cracks on the balcony. Now that the heat and fire was spreading the cracks were forming because of the heat. So the balcony floor is expanding making it a little harder to walk in a straight line towards the railing. I trip on a big crack and scrap my knees even more. I get to the railing, coughing up smoke and starting to get dizzy. I realized that the bedsheets weren't up here on the balcony with me because they were only long enough to lower Oliver down with them.

The best thing was for me to jump and land on the mattress that is down on the ground. I climb up on the railing, trying to shake the dizziness out of my head. I look down, *Oh I should have not done that.* I am deathly afraid of heights and looking down makes my vision go in and out of focus. *I think I'm going to vomit.*

*All right, calm down, just breath.* I take a deep breath, steadying my hammering heart, looking down again to see where the mattress is located. I see that it's a couple of inches in front of me instead of landing right below me. So if I jumped straight down, I would be hitting grass and probably shatter a lot of my bones in the process. So I launch myself into the air, like I was about to fly. I glance down again, trying to aim for the mattress, I was in line pretty well. Then I rolled onto my right side, having all the impact go into my right side. I feel my right arm pop out of my shoulder when I land on the mattress making it extremely painful.

I muffle my scream, having tears running down my face. I feel Oliver nudging his head under me, trying to comfort me. I feel a pair of hands wrap around me to lift me up, I struggle to who ever is picking up. With the struggling, we topple over back onto the mattress and I glance over and it's that guy again.

'You need medical attention and need to pop your shoulder back in to place.' He signs to me. 'May I, before it sets wrong?' he indicates towards my shoulder. I nod my head slowly.

'Here, you might want to bite down on this so you don't bite on your tongue.' He says, while handing me his belt that he took off from his pants.

I bite down, glancing away from my right shoulder. Taking a few deep breaths, and pop. My shoulder was back in place, black dots starting to form in my vision. Then I barf all over the guy and myself, feeling very embarrassed. I'm being shaken, but I was just too tired, so I let the black dots take over and fall backwards.