Chapter 5

        "Why on earth did I tell them?!" I said to myself as I was making my way toward the pond. It wasn't so much about me telling them about Percy. It was more about that the next day was my birthday. It sort of went like this:

        "Well, there is one guy," I said.

        "Who?! What's his name? How have I not seen him around? There's never a lovesick puppy roaming the halls from my pack without me knowing!" Jen was rambling question after question along with Sally.

        "Guys, guys!!" I shouted and they finally quieted down. "Seriously?!" 

        "Well, after about 10 years of mating finally slowing down and wolves roaming around that are already mated or younger than 50, when there is another potential mating, I have to have all the little details." Jen was looking at Sally with a "right?" expression. Sally nodded in return. 

        "Man, you guys look like your in your twenties and yet you've been here how long now? How old are you really-"

        "Don't even think about finishing that question, sister!"  Jen said, pointing a finger a me.

        "Ok, Jen. Let's have Crystal talk now." Sally said as she turned to face me. "Who do you think your mate is?"

        "I-I don't know. There is one guy but he's so out of my league. And  I have a pretty good league, you know? At school, I have pretty high standards, I guess you could call them, but this guy just exceeds them all."

        "That's how every wolf is. Continue, " Jen said.

        "When I first met him, I mean when I saw him in his human form-"

        "Woah, girl! Back up. What do you mean in his 'human form'?" Jen said as she eyed me suspiciously. "You're telling me that you first met this guy as a wolf? Where could he possibly be to not be in his human form? Was he exercising down at the training grounds? No, they almost always train in their human forms." While Jen was thought processing, Sally turned to me wide eyed.

        "You met this guy out in the woods?!" Sally whispered. 

        After that everything came pouring out and I told them everything I knew. When I told them his name was Perseus Lupei, Sally choked on the water she was drinking and Jen fell off from where she was sitting on Sally's work table. At first I had no idea why they were so shocked until they told me that Percy was the Alpha's son at the Romanian Pack mansion. Not only that, but he was also the son of their best friend Jacquelyn and her Alpha mate Fane. 

        I told them how we would always meet in the woods where I had first met him, and they thought it was so romantic that he would run all the way from his home in Romania just so he could see me in Serbia.

        I did keep some details to myself of course, because they didn't need to know that when I wasn't with him, I felt like a part of me is missing or that I truly did hope that this guy was mine. All they knew was that I've been meeting Percy out in the woods and he's been really nice and sweet but he also  has a super huge ego. 

        That's when they asked when I'd be turning eighteen and when I said, "Tomorrow," they went crazy. Sally was shocked that I wouldn't tell her and kept asking questions about why I didn't tell her and Jen was already busy planning a party in her mind. I told them that they didn't need to fuss and that I just want a calm and easy day, and definitely not a party that Jen had planned. But they were very persistent saying I needed a party and that was that. They also exchanged knowing glances and I had a feeling that when I turn eighteen, I'm somehow able to show the mate signs if I have found my mate. 

        So now there I was walking to meet Percy with all of this racing through my mind. It didn't help either that Jen and Sally waved me off and said "Have fun!" in the loudest possible voice they could msuter up. 

        "Well, isn't this fantastic?" I said to myself. I shook my head as if that would somehow clear my thoughts before I stepped around a huge tree and was at the pond. 

        Percy was already there leaning against the boulder with a dark green shirt that made his eyes pop. "What's fantastic?" he asked.

        "Darn wolf hearing," I muttered to myself. Of course he would hear me. I should've just kept my mouth shut.        

        "Seriously though, what's fantastic?" he asked again.

        "Oh it's nothing." 

        He raised an eyebrow at me and I knew that he saw through my pathetic lie.

        "It's just that tomorrow's my birthday-"

        "Tomorrow's your birthday?" He asked surprised. He pushed away from the rock and took a step closer to me.

        "Yeah. It's no biggie though. I'm just turning eighteen. "

        "Just turning eighteen?!" 

        "Are you going to repeat everything I say?" I asked as I put my hands on my hips.

        "No. I'm just surprised is all. I can't believe you never told me." He frowned at first but then it turned into a wide grin. "This doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I would probably make a big fuss over it or anything would it?"

        "It wasn't just you, per say. It was mostly Jen and from what Sally tells me about the parties she throws, I do not, I repeat do not want a party. Besides, it's no fun anyway because my parents aren't here or my friends."

        "Yeah. I get that... But I'm still going to do something."

        "Percy...Now you listen here."

        He turned around and started walking along side the pond while pretending to write things down that a party needed.

        "We'll need balloons! Pink of course since that's your favorite color, and cake! What flavor of cake do you like the most?" 

        "Percy! I don't want a party!" I shouted at him. He ignored me and kept on thinking up stuff. "Although, a little red velvet cake never hurt anyone," I muttered to myself.

        "Ooh! Red velvet, good choice!" Percy shouted back.

        "Hey! You weren't supposed to hear that!" I started to run after him. Why, you may ask. I have no idea why I did. I just did even though I knew that he was faster than me by a lot. 

        "Sorry, can't hear you!" He started to speed walk around the water's edge and I had to sprint to have any chance of catching him. 

        "Oh yes you can!" Dang wolf speed. I was running out of breath and he was still way ahead of me.

        "No I can't!"

        "But you just did!"

        "No, I didn't!"

        I had to stop running. I hadn't ran in awhile and my legs were on fire. I plopped down where I was and tried to catch my breath. Percy walked over and sat down beside me. "Why don't you want a party, Crystal? Is the thought of people celebrating your birth really that bad?"

        Once I got my breath, I turned and faced him. "It's not that I don't want one. It's just...oh never mind." I just couldn't tell him that I was afraid. I was afraid that the mating signs would show, whatever those are and if he was indeed my mate, I could never go home. I would never be able to see my friends or family again. Peri said that if I didn't show any signs of being the right girl, which is very unlikely she added, then she would take me home. But if they did show, then I somehow belong here and I could never go back to my old life. 

        I sighed and turned back to face the glistening water. Well isn't this just a dilly of a pickle. One minute I thought I knew exactly who I was, what I was going to do. I had my entire life planned out and then BAM! I run smack dab into Peri, literally, who whisked me away to this place. I snorted to myself. Just my luck.