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After eating and a few discussions, my mother suggested that I showed Alpha Archer Hamilton into his guest room and that's how I found myself alone with him currently walking him to his guest room.

We were both silent, I didn't really know what to say honestly and it became apparent to me that Archer was a man of a few words so I doubt he had some conversation starters up his sleeves.

"This way." I say and turned to the left.

Ugh, why does this have to feel so awkward?

"I remember it now." he started. I turned to him with a look of curiosity. "The first time we met. It was a long time ago, wasn't it? In Chase's pack?"

Oh, so he remembers. That made me feel a bit better.

"Took you a while." I say and smiled, unable to contain that I was quite glad he at least remembered me.

"If I saw you in daylight, I for sure would have remembered you instantly. There's no way I wouldn't remember you."

My heart kind of made this small leap and I immediately stop and looked at him intently. What is he trying to say?

"We only met for a few moments, why would that be significant in any way, Alpha?" I say.

He chuckled softly and put his hand up to take a strand of my hair and putting it closer to his nose.

"Anyone would remember you if they saw you."

WHAT?!

I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks at what he did and my heart beating faster. Who knew he was a flirt?

"D-don't make excuses, you didn't remember me when you first saw me. It's not really big deal, it was a long time ago." I say stepping away from him so he let go of my hair. "Anyways, your room is that one!" I pointed at the first door.

He turned around to look at it. As for me, I was already walking away. "I'll see you tomorrow or something." I say and quickly get away from there.

Before I was fully out of sight, I heard him mutter something again. "Running away again?"

What? He thinks I'm running away?

Am I running away?

T-that's not it at all! I'm just... I'm just giving him the time to rest! He must be tired after all right?

Yeah, for sure. He came a long away so I'm not inconsiderate enough to not let him rest.

I need to go for a run. This is too much stress for me.

I ran outside and found a female pack border guard. I told her that I was going for a run and she nodded. She guided me to one of the changing rooms we had beside the forests where we could leave our clothes so they didn't have to rip every time we shifted.

After changing into an oversized shirt, I went out and shifted.

Shifting didn't hurt as I've done it many times now. It didn't take long for me to be on all fours and when I opened my eyes again, I have successfully shifted.

I let my wolf have the control. She stretched and shook our grey fur before she we went for a run around the territory.

❀

Three days later, I found myself packing some of my clothes already. The day of my departure was getting closer and as much I hated it, it was time to prepare.

It was customary for the female wolves to follow their mate, it was very rare that it would be the other way around. All the more, my mate was an Alpha.

I heard a knock on the door and knew that it was my mom.

"Come in." I say absentmindedly and the door opened and she entered.

I looked up to her and smiled. She also smiled and came towards me. She sees that I was folding my clothes and putting them into a box.

She sat at the chair in front of me and also started folding the clothes that I was going to be bringing with me.

"I remember this jacket. It was Nash's gift to you wasn't it?" she asks with a smile. I looked at the denim jacket she was holding up. I nodded.

"Yeah, he got it for me after I asked him for a thousand times." I say also smiling.

We continued folding my clothes and when suddenly, I hear my mom stifle. I immediately looked up to see that she had tears in her eyes.

This made me feel sad too. I stood from my place and knelt down in front of her.

"What's wrong mom? Isn't this what you wanted? For me to find my mate, for me to be a strong Luna. It's all happening now mom." I said. She put a hand on my cheek.

"I know I've been hard on raising you Hazel. I always had a feeling that you were going to be a Luna and I wanted to prepare you for that. You know the hardship I went through because I wasn't ready for this position. I didn't want that to be the same for you. I hope you forgive me if I've been too hard on you, I just want you to know that I love you." she says with tears.

I smile at her and shook my head. I understood where she was coming from. See, my mom was a regular pack wolf when she and my dad, the next Alpha, met. A lot of people expected the old Delta or the old Beta's daughter to be my dad's mate so our pack was shocked when they found out it was her.

She had a lot of hardships in her first few years of being a Luna because she was unprepared and untrained and that's why she raised me that way.

She wanted me to be strong, she wanted me to be able to handle my own problems. And I'm more than thankful for that.

"Mom, look at me. I'm going to be fine. You have nothing to worry about." I put my hand over hers.

"And your mate. I can sense he's a good man, but wasn't there that girl? Everyone was sure that they would be each other's mates. How did things turn out to be this way." she says worriedly again, more to herself than to me.

I knew she was talking about Jessica Fields. I would be lying if I wasn't having the same thoughts, but I wanted to assure my mom that I was going to be fine.

"Look at you worrying over small things, mother. You're forgetting that I'm your daughter. Whoever she may be, I'm his mate and not her."

This has her stopped from crying and she nodded.

"Of course, you're my Hazel." I smiled at her again.

I stood up and went back to my place. "Now then, we have to hurry and finish this up. Tomorrow's the big day."

❀

I wore a turtleneck and put a black dress over it as I observed myself at the mirror. I decided to tie my hair up and before leaving my room, I took one last look at it.

It saddened me that it was mostly empty now. I put away the pictures that I was leaving behind and most of my items since no one would be using them now. It was strange to see the room that I've had for over twenty years now reduced to a few items.

Before I could feel depressed any further, I closed the my room's door, understanding that I was also closing a chapter in my life.

I went down and saw that my parents were waiting for me at the living room. They were now changed to formal attires.

My dad was wearing a suit and my mom was wearing a maroon dress, matching my dad's dress shirt.

Seeing that, I realized that this was all very real. I really was going to leave now. I wouldn't be able to see them as much.

I wouldn't wake up to my mom cooking me breakfast and my dad asking about my plans for the day. I also wouldn't be bother by Nash, thank goodness, but I know that I was going to miss that also.

I felt a bit teary eyed but I was quick to force those threatening tears out.

"Shall we?" I say with a big smile.

They both forced a smile and nodded.

We all walked outside our house and until the pack house. During this small trip, I tried lightening up the mood.

"Mom, remember not to worry too much about me, alright? Don't clean my room too much either. I've hid my journals there so I trust you won't snoop around and read them. And Dad, don't worry too much about the problems of the pack. You've retired from your position already so let Nash take care of it all." I remind them.

We see the line of cars waiting for me, the pack's leaders as well as our pack members who came to bid me farewell.

I was feeling really heavy inside. Why did they all have to come?

I saw Archer and his Beta, whose name was Allan, coming nearer. Nash also walked closer to us.

"Good morning, Alpha Archer, Beta Allan." my dad greeted them both. "We'll let Hazel say her farewell first, I hope that's not too much trouble."

"Of course." Allan said and nodded.

I took a deep breath and faced our pack members. Some of them were my classmates when I was young, some I've trained with, some were those I worked with, some I went on runs with, and many more. Many people came to bid me farewell.

I smiled at them and bowed deeply, showing them my gratitude.

"Oh please, don't bow to us Hazel!" I heard one say.

"We will miss you!"

"You'll make a fine Luna, Haze."

I heard many things from them as I kept my head bowed. When I finally stood back up, they all stopped. Some of them clearly had looks that were sorrowful at my departure.

"Everyone, I just want to tell you all that I love all of you, truly. You all hold a special place in my heart. I hope that you all will be well until we see each other again." I said and bowed briefly again.

I turned to our pack's current leaders. My brother Nash and his wife, the Beta and his wife and also our Gamma who has yet to find his mate. I bowed to them briefly. "I know that all of you are strong and righteous leaders so I won't worry much of our pack's well-being, except for you Nash." I say as a joke and we all laugh.

Caroline and Quincy were crying. They were my best friends, we spent our childhood together, of course I felt sad too.

"Don't cry. You two can always visit me, I'll welcome you anytime. And Quincy, you're the last to find your mate, Caroling and I won the bet." I say and again, we all laugh and say our final goodbyes.

Finally, I turned back to my parents. For the last time, I bowed to them again. I wanted to thank them for all that they have done for me.

"Please stay safe and healthy. I love you." I tell them and finally give them a hug. They both nod and pat my back. My dad held my hand as he walked me to Archer.

He did something that I didn't expect. With my hand that he was holding, he held it up to Archer.

"Please take care of my daughter, Alpha. She is very precious to us." he says and that's when the tears that I was holding back fell.

Archer also seemed to be surprised, but he was quick to recover. He slowly took my hand from my father and planted a kiss on it.

"I will try my best to treasure her as much as you and your pack did, sir." Archer said. The contact of our skin caused an eruption of spark to travel into my body again.

"Good, good. Now, you must be on your way so you can arrive in your pack early." my dad says.

Archer and Allan nodded. Allan was the first to leave and start the car. Their pack members have also already entered their car and one by one, their cars started to leave.

"Let's go?" Archer asks me and I look at him for a moment and I nodded.

I don't know what awaits me when I arrive in his pack, but I can only hope that all will turn out for the better.