The first day of school…actual school, and the jitters were kicking her tail. Though not in the literal sense. 
For thirteen years, she’d been homeschooled at the behest of her mother. And now, after all of this time not being permitted around kids her age, unless she was serving them at her mother’s Inn and diner or the packhouse, she had to attend school with them; her...the outcast of Mystic Cove.
Taking deep breaths, Nel obsessively looked into the mirror, the girl’s nerves practically destroying her from the inside out. Though, it wasn’t like she wasn’t known throughout town anyway. Her rich brown skin, exuberant red hair, and verdant eyes made sure of that.

****
“Are you ready for your Ascension?”
The Ascension was what the wolves would call the ceremony of a young alpha coming, officially, into his own. It was usually carried out on one’s eighteenth birthday, and on this day, an inhuman and their beastly counterpart will officially become one soul. It is then that their senses are heightened and only grow from that point. It’s also on this day that one is awakened to their true mate’s scent. It was often that an ascent would find their mate on this day.
Colsin shrugged. “A little nervous, if I’m being honest. Slim pickings in our pack.” 
“I want Sara to be my mate,” said Colsin. In truth, Colsin could almost say that he loved Sara, but he knew that it wasn’t a deep-down type of love. If she was in trouble, he’d do his best to get her out of it, but he couldn’t say that he’d move mountains to make sure that Sara was the priority, however.

But will Sara really become Colsin's mate? How will everything change when he meets Nel?

The Blood Moon's Heir

An hour and a half passed and Nel realized that she’d dozed off. The sun had set and surely the dinner rush was nearing its busiest time. She got out of bed and stretched, ready to leave when she noticed her mother standing there, a look of pure upset on her face.
“Mom? Hi. I was just about to…” She...

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