THE RETURN TO THE FOREST

"We are running late Hazel you need to hurry up" that was the voice of my uncle Nathaniel calling downstairs , "I'm almost done here" I cried out, It felt like I was forgetting something but couldn't picture it out," Oops! my pendant! I remembered",I rushed to the nightstand to pick up the delicate silver, which was the pendent my Mom gave me before she and Dad left for new York.

That was the last memory I had of her before the tragic plane crash , that pendant was the last thing she gave me before the plane crash.I still see her in my dreams sometimes but deep down,I wish she was here, I grip the pendant, admiring it's carvings and structure.Just before I run downstairs I say a final goodbye to my house here in California, it contained ally childhood memories so it felt hard to let go.

I finally descend from the stairs with my suitcases , " finally, Hazel, you're here" said Uncle Nate, sighing while shaking his head,

He stared at me for a while with his dark eyes before grabbing my suitcases and putting in the car. "You know Hazel, you don't have to look so miserable" he said while opening the trunk of the car." It's not like you're no longer coming back to California", I tried to smile but I knew the truth, once we leave California, my life in the human world was over and those thought alone made me rethink why Mom had to be fated to Dad who was a werewolve, now making half human,half werewolves. Immediately I received a message from Angel my best friend

" Hey Hazel, are you already on your journey 😔,

It was sad I couldn't even say goodbye to her.

I slid into the passenger seat while gripping the pendant around my neck, it was all that mattered to me after Mom and Dad left, it was my last hope of love and starting a new family. The city blurred past in a haze of neon lights and crowded side walks filled with humans, a world I once belonged to but don't anymore.

I wasn't human anymore

I never was.

The realization hit me straight to my heart, I lived among the humans, acted like them, trying to feel among, pretending to be like them but the more I lie to myself, the more i get drawn to who I am, pushing away the pull of the Celestial vow pack was no longer resistible, there was no longer running back from the truth.

With the help of Uncle Nate, I was going back to the forest, to where I belong,back to my people,and most importantly back to the mate the Moon Goddess has chosen for me.

Thinking of him sent a shiver down my spine,I had never met him before, what if I don't like him or he doesn't like me, the idea made my stomach twist. Fate didn't care about love,desire or choice but demanded only one thing which was obedience.

"Are you nervous?" Uncle Nate Voice pulled me back from the drama in my mind.

"No", I lied.

"You'll be okay Hazel", your mate which is the Alpha is good person and I'm sure you two would get along with each other.

I didn't answer but let the silence in the car drown the both of us because deep down, something told me that wasn't true, Mom always told me to follow my instincts and now she's gone its the only thing giving me a sense of clarity and direction in this noisy world. I have a bad feeling about this man I'm supposed to be mated with but I had no idea why.

We moved further into the forest, it was night already, and the trees seemed to become denser, the bright light of the city had disappeared a long time ago, now we have been consumed by the endless stretch of dark forest.

I sighed and leaned my head on the windows, I was becoming restless, the journey had taken away the last Mental strength pulling me together.

Then I saw it.

A black wolf stood at the edge of the road, I could barely see it in the moonlight, it's glowing amber eyes locked with mine which gave me an instant dose of shiver down my spine.

"Uncle Nate stop the car", I gasped

" What are u talking about" before he could complete his sentence something had darted across the road,

Uncle Nate cursed, yanking the steering to the side, the tires screeched,the car lost balance and spun out of control and I had screamed the hell out of my lungs as we crashed into the trees.

My head slammed against the window, instant pain shooting through my skull. The world became blurry and the words were slurry.

For a moment in my life everything was dead silent,then through the pain blasting in my head, I saw it again.

*The black wolf*

It stepped out from the darkness, powerful and terrifying, golden eyes burning into mine like their life depending on it.

Then all of a sudden, it moved towards me, I tried to scream but it was useless Uncle Nate was still unconscious, I tried to unbuckle myself but it was useless it was very close now and there was no where to run to.

I froze, my chest beating faster than it's normal rate, I was expecting it to attack but instead of attacking the wolf dropped to the ground before me, it's gaze softening.The moment our eyes locked, I could've sworn I felt something, a pull, a connection.

I tried to speak but be I could bring the words off my mouth,the black wolf began to shift, the muscles rippling beneath its fur and I saw a handsome man with beautiful eyes.

And then.....

"Hazel", his deep masculine voice rumbled. "It's me"

And at that moment my heart stopped.

My mate

Sebastian.