The Unexpected Queen

LEAH

It’s the final week of high school, and my mind is a whirlwind of thoughts—big, life-changing thoughts. But right now, I’m stuck in front of my closet, torn between two dresses. My best friend, Jake, will be here in ten minutes to pick me up, like he does every day.

He celebrated his eighteenth birthday a few weeks back, and mine is just around the corner. I’m hoping that when I turn eighteen, it’ll be clear that we’re mates. I’ve been dreaming about the moment we realize we’re meant for each other for years.

We’ve never discussed feelings beyond friendship—we’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember—but I know I’m in love with him. I really hope he feels the same way.

I grab a green dress with a floral pattern and hold it up to my reflection in the full-length mirror. I’m shorter than most people in our pack and slender. Today, my long brown hair is in a messy braid. I sigh. I can’t waste any more time deciding between the two dresses, so this one will have to do.

I slip it on and dash down the stairs to the kitchen, where my mom is making herself a breakfast sandwich. It’s been just the two of us since my dad passed away when I was eight.

“Morning, sweetheart!” She greets me cheerfully, and I lean in to kiss her on the cheek.

“Morning, Mom!” I reply, swiping the sandwich she’s just finished making.

“Hey!” She laughs, pretending to be mad but failing miserably.

“Gotta run! Jake’s waiting for me.” I grab my backpack and sprint toward the front door. I rush out of the house and down the driveway, devouring the sandwich in a few big bites.

Sure enough, Jake is parked outside my house. As soon as he sees me, he leans across the seat of his pickup truck and opens the passenger door for me.

“Hey, Leah!” he greets, flashing me a smile that could be habit-forming. His hair is blond and cropped short, and his body is a sight to behold—muscles everywhere. I hop into the car and quickly buckle my seatbelt to hide my blushing. I’m not sure he realizes the effect he has on me.

“Just a few days till your birthday. How does it feel being almost eighteen?” He winks.

“It feels amazing! I can’t wait! I hope you’re coming to my party,” I reply, nervously fiddling with the hem of my dress.

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Jake takes my hand and gives it a squeeze.

My heart skips a beat, and I smile as I gaze out the window, dreaming of the future.

I’ve decided to study medicine after high school. It’s been my dream to become a doctor for our pack, and now that I’m finally done with high school, I can chase my goal. I applied to be an apprentice to the pack doctor and found out last week that I was accepted.

Jake parks the truck in the school lot and walks around to open the door for me. I hop down and scan the schoolyard. I spot a girl named Sally standing nearby. Just perfect. She’s the most popular girl in school, and I can’t stand the way she looks at Jake.

She’s been teasing me since middle school, and I can’t stand her. She’s the typical high school bully—rich, pretty, and mean.

As we walk past her, Jake greets her warmly. Of course he does, because he’s a perfect person who’s kind to everyone. I roll my eyes when he smiles at her. Why does he have to be so nice to her? She’s a terrible person.

I flash her my best fake smile, then loop my arm through Jake’s and pull him toward the school building. Our first couple of classes are science and math, and I hate being late.

Most of the kids at school think we’re a couple, mostly because we’re always together. What they don’t know is that we’ve never done anything romantic. Not even a peck on the cheek. I can’t wait for my eighteenth birthday when we can move beyond friendship to something more intimate.

At lunch, our friend Maria joins us. Maria is the third member of our little friend group. She and I grew up together, and she’s like a sister to me. She’s smart, funny, and one of the most caring people I know.

The three of us hang out pretty much every day. As we eat, we chat about our weekend activities and plans for the upcoming weekend.

“Did you hear about the ball the werewolf king is throwing?” Maria asks, her mouth full of bread.

“What ball?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. The king has never held a ball before.

“Yeah, he’s inviting all the unmated women from packs around the country. He’s hoping to find his mate—the queen,” Maria continues.

I’ve heard stories about the king. He’s the leader of our world. Each pack has an alpha, and the king oversees all of them. There are tales of his ruthlessness and violence. I once heard a story about his wolf eating a man alive. The thought of the king makes me shudder.

He’s thirty years old. It’s almost unheard of in our world for someone his age to be mateless. As soon as we turn eighteen, we can sense our mate if they’re nearby. Most people find their true mate by their mid-twenties.

If you’re really unlucky, your mate dies before you get the chance to meet them. Or they were born in the wrong part of the world, and you’re too far apart. But most of the time, the bond between mates succeeds in bringing them together.

I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness for the king. His mate is likely gone, and the thought of living a life without a mate seems unbearably lonely. But then, I remember the stories that circulate about him. Parents often use him as a scare tactic, spinning terrifying tales about him to get their pups to brush their teeth or finish their vegetables.

“Damn. Can you imagine being the unlucky girl who ends up being his mate?” I say, forcing a laugh.

“You’re turning eighteen on Saturday, right? The ball is the following weekend, so I guess you’ll be invited too,” Maria chimes in. “We can go together!”

“Yeah, sure. That is, if I haven’t found my mate by then,” I reply, grinning. I can feel my cheeks heating up again, but when I sneak a glance at Jake, he’s engrossed in his phone. I have no plans of attending that ball.

After lunch, Maria and I split from Jake. He’s off to history class, while we have art next.

As we head to our classroom, Maria slings an arm around my shoulders. “Do you really think Jake is your mate?” she asks, her smile wide.

“I hope so. I haven’t brought it up with him, but I hope he feels the same way.”

Maria chuckles. “Well, why don’t you talk to him about it then? Guys can be pretty dense. He might not realize you’re in love with him unless you spell it out. And if you tell him before your birthday, maybe he can mentally brace himself for the fact that his best friend is his mate?”

Maria’s probably onto something. I resolve to talk to Jake before my birthday. It’s time to muster up all my courage and let Jake know that he’s the love of my life.