7 days till Heartbreak
Day 2 - Monday

Day 2 - Monday - 8:00am - 6 days until rejection finalizes - Present Day.

Willow

She felt the sun on her back as she walked. It warmed her to the bone, causing her to tighten her grip on the iced coffee in her hand. She had not slept at all last night, her mind replaying yesterday’s events over and over again, asking the same question. Why now? Why wait so long to come to her? She bit down on her straw while thinking, only to grimace as the top of the straw broke off due to being made of paper. Damn it. She needed this caffeine to survive today, but it seems the curse of Mondays began, a sigh escaped her lips as she disposed of the now broken straw and scowled at her drink.

“Willow!” The familiar voice of Drayn’s sister was heard behind her, tensing she turned her anger at the straw forgotten. “Val, what are you doing here?” Val despised the human village, in high school she was often found going after them and using them for her amusement. Of course, it was possible she grew out of that stage, it had been a while since she had seen her. Val took after her father in looks having dark red hair, a tan complexion, and his blue eyes. Coming to a stop in front of her Willow took in the girls current state, she looked as tired as Willow felt. “I came to talk to you.”

First Drayn, now Val? What was going on? She was often invisible to the sibling’s something she enjoyed until she was thrown into the spotlight on her birthday. “Do you have time for some breakfast?” She sounded out of breath while holding a twinge of hope in her tone. Willow shook her head “I’m sorry, I have to get to work.” Surprise flickered in the girl’s crystal eyes but she seemed determined. “Right, What about after? What time are you off?” Something swelled in her stomach a need to say no was on the tip of her tongue. But Val looked like she needed to talk about something important, was there something wrong? “Is, everything okay?”

Val looked down and sighed as if this very conversation was making her uneasy. “You don’t know, right. Look, we need to talk. What time are you able to meet today?” Her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed the girl. She didn’t know what? “I can meet at the cafe at 3?” She got off at 2:30 today and that would give her thirty minutes to prepare herself for whatever this conversation was. Val looked reluctant to wait that long but nodded. “Okay. Great. I’ll see you then!” With that said she turned on her heel and disappeared down the road. Leaving her behind even more confused then she was this morning. Sighing Willow turned and continued towards the hotel to begin work.

Three years ago

January 17th day before rejection

Willow stretched on her bed and sighed in content. Today was her 21st birthday, the day she can legally drink and the day her mate bond would activate her heart did a flutter as she thought of the idea of her mate. Her wolf was already urging her to go replace him. Finding your mate was a wonderful thing, your mate was always within 4 years of your age, but you are only able to feel the bond when you both turn 21. To help people try and replace their mates twice a year a ball is hosted and everyone from 21-25 is invited to go.

A part of her hoped she would replace her mate here, she was an omega. Considered meek and a pushover, omegas were known as the heart of the pack and were in charge of fleeing with the young children at a last resort of an attack upon a pack. Some packs treated them terribly from what she heard, however, a majority treated them with respect. Omega’s were in charge of helping raise pups and taking care of chores. Here in her pack omegas were treated fine, none were physically abused, emotionally was more of a lack of self esteem. Omegas stayed within the packhouse in the center of the pack land.

Slipping out of bed she got dressed for the day and made her way towards the kitchen. Polly was already there placing some food on the table. “Finally awake?” The tone came out teasing, her friend shoved a cupcake in her hand. “Happy Birthday.” Willow eyed the treat in her hand “Did you.. make this?” Her friend wasn’t the best baker, she often used the wrong flavoring or added spices to the food. Spices that had no place in the item she made, once she was given a milkshake with paprika and oregano in it. Since then she hasn’t trusted a single thing she was given from her. A huff was her response and Polly shook her head. “No. I bought them.”

Willow nodded satisfied she began to nibble on the desert. Polly set out the last plate of breakfast food. “Hurry up, we have a pack meeting and a certain someone slept in.” She shrugged and tossed the now-empty wrapper. They had morning pack meetings twice a month, it often lasted thirty minutes and consisted of the latest patrols and updates regarding what’s happened in the pack. It was the most boring thirty minutes but they were mandatory. But breakfast was sometimes offered for those who needed to head to work.

Ten minutes later she was in the back of the room where they hosted pack meetings when a scent filled her senses. Breathing in she felt her wolf stir once more ”mate?” her wolf whispered. Straightening she looked around the room trying to pinpoint the owner of the chocolate raspberry scent. There were too many people to correctly determine, their pack had about 100 members which meant the meetings took place in a hall built directly opposite of the packhouse. Her mate was here? Relief touched her senses that didn’t take long, her mind mentally going through everyone her age that did not replace their mate.

Blue, the most hypnotizing blue to ever be. A golden string only visible to them appeared across the room long enough for both of them to notice it. Silver appearing within both of their eyes, there was no denying it. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she took in his face as multiple expressions passed his face. Was that, what was that emotion? Did it really matter? No, it didn’t all she knew was that she had found him, standing next to his family on the stage staring straight at her.

Her mate was the next alpha.

6 days until rejection finalizes - Monday - 3:00pm

Willow spotted Val the moment she entered the cafe, Val was sitting at a table in the far corner with a drink in front of her that seemed to be untouched. Val’s head shot up and instantly waved her over, “I’m so glad you came.” came the relieved greeting. Willow fiddled with the hem of her shirt under the table. “You did ask me to.” Val shrugged and leaned forward a little. “I honestly expected you to completely ignore me. But I am glad you came, we have a lot to cover.” Willow peered at her curiously.

“What do you remember about the day you were rejected?” Willow tensed “In front of our goddess Mayari, that is.” It was suddenly hard to breathe she managed to swallow the ball forming in her throat as her mind brought her back to that day. “Is there a reason you’re bringing this up?” Val frowned impatiently. “What do you remember?” Came the insistent question. “All of it. Every single moment. Now, what is this about?” Her tone became impatient, but she had to keep civil it was still the Alpha’s sister. Even if she was leaving it was best to not tick them off just yet.

Val nodded expectingly. “Did you know Mayari came to speak to Drayn after you left?” What? Why did this even matter? “I didn’t. We haven’t exactly talked since then.” Val looked away a flash of something that looked like regret in her eyes. “Right well, she did. After you left she appeared to us at the next pack meeting. The first one you missed, she confronted us knowing that a majority of us agreed with the um.. with what my brother planned. She demanded to know why we did it, we tried to explain our reasons but she simply got well angry. She said we betrayed her decision to choose someone meant to be Luna and help rule the pack. She informed us that our reasonings were not just and we were letting pride get in the way of what she wanted to happen.”

Val paused for a moment and regarded Willow to see what her reaction would be, Willow felt stunned it was nothing new for Mayari to be involved in her children’s lives. She created them for a purpose and when that purpose is threatened she would become protective and violent. Although, She had met with Mayari a year ago to discuss the rejection. There was no mention of speaking to the pack but she had hinted that she had done something.

Val waited a few more moments before continuing. “She cursed us, to feel what you two feel during the separation. We do not feel it as badly as you two, but we feel the pain and longing you two have. She said we went against her plan, that we made a mockery of her mate bond. So she would make a mockery of us, our wolves got weaker, the pack link began to weaken, transforming is painful. She is using us as an example, Willow, to show other packs what happens when you deny a mate bond of a high ranking wolf such as a Beta or Alpha. we didn’t notice anything at first we just thought she was trying to scare us. It happened gradually, by the time we knew what happened it was a year. Mayari said that the end of our curse would be when the end of the mate bond happens or if you two were to get back together. I’m here to convince you to give my brother a chance.”

It was as if time stopped, she frowned feeling a bubble of anger appear within her chest. She was here to convince her to get back with him? After 3 years? After what he said?! She couldn’t be serious, this had to be a joke. Maybe they just did not want to handle the pain the breakage of a bond would do. That had to be it, they had been cursed for 3 years and decided now to talk to her? They had time, plenty of it. She clenched her teeth, “Let me get this straight. You have known for 3 years, that you’ve been cursed. Why now? Why not back then?” Val winced. “I told you, we didn’t believe her. We thought she was just trying to ward off other people from breaking the bond. By the time we found out a year had passed and we-” Willow stood so fast her chair screeched among the marble flooring. “You still had this past year, didn’t you? And the year before that?”

Val chewed her lip and nodded with uncertainty, the two ignored the stares from the other patrons. “We thought we could make it, we thought.” Her eyes turned misty her voice sounding choked. “Please Willow, we’ve lost so much.” A laugh of disbelief crawled its way out of her throat. ”You’ve lost nothing.” the hiss surprised Val just as much it surprised her. She was never one to talk back, yet there was this unknown feeling in the back of her mind to not back down this time. “I lost my mate, I lost my friends, my family! I have spent the past three years in a cabin by myself. So don’t you tell me what you have lost.” She turned and stormed out of the cafe ignoring the calling of her name. Back in the cafe, Val leaned completely forward in her seat resting her head on her arms, closing her eyes feeling tears going down her cheek as a silent sob escaped her, they were running out of time.