Even the smallest of us wolves know what this word means. We're drummed into thinking that there's only that one special someone that makes you fall madly in love. It's not for nothing that they say that the eyes are the mirror to the soul, and when you look into your soulmate's, you're looking right inside them, just like they look into yours. You reflect on it, recognize its darkest abysses and are made to accept them without resistance.
Wolves who have been lucky enough to find their mate always tell their experiences in the same way.
It would only take one look, and time and space would lose meaning. You feel connected to him and know that only he can make you perfect and that only he is able to bless you with happiness and love.
But my personal opinion is different. I feel compelled to know that I don't have the right to control my life on my own. There's no guarantee you'll even find your soulmate, and when you do, what then?
Yes, then what?
Thoroughly unnerved by the subject of the lesson, I dropped my pen in frustration and hastily stood up and asked Mr. Handsome to go to the bathroom. I wouldn't get 500 words together anyway. Was even glad that I could think of anything to write down at all.
When he gave me permission with a nod, I walked slowly along the edge of the room to the door, letting my eyes wander over my classmates. Everyone seemed very enthusiastic about this topic, which I couldn't understand at all. Didn't they want self-realization, just total dependence? Was I the only one who felt afraid of being attached to someone?
Shaking my head, I disappeared into the hallway, through whose large windows the sun got in and looked for the toilet a few doors down, where I immediately heard a tearful sobbing.
I stood frozen in the doorway, not sure whether to go in or out.
After a moment's hesitation, curiosity and sympathy plagued me, so I closed the door behind me and took a few cautious steps towards the sinks, which were on the right side of the room, opposite the three cabins.
Sobbing in my ears, I looked at myself in the mirror and then turned on the cold water to run over my hands.
It was refreshing and soothing, but I quickly turned it off and turned to the cabins.
"Hello?" I asked softly and the person in the booth stopped howling immediately, bringing instant relief to my ears.
"Jadelyn?"
"Guiselle?"
Immediately, the girl I knew from detention opened the cabin door and looked up at her wet blue eyes with me. Startled that she looked like shit compared to usual, I quickly ran towards her. Her blond hair with purple strands looked disheveled, the otherwise beautiful brown skin was pale and her eyes reflected fear and despair, which sent a shiver down my spine.
"What happened?" I asked sympathetically and put my hand on her shoulder until I suddenly felt something wet and pulled my hand back in irritation, which to my astonishment suddenly had blood on it.
"He just tagged me against my will," she breathed, crying, and let herself fall into my arms, exhausted.
I hugged her tightly, saving her from asking any more questions, trying to soothe her with a steady stroking of her trembling back.
What a crap!
I only knew her from detention and since she often messed things up, she had been twice already. So, in front of me was an adult female wolf who probably hadn't found a mate when she came of age and now the male wolves thought they could attack her as if she were fair game or just there to belong to someone.
This world was so unfair and once again I was just grateful to have Devin. My brother made sure that nothing like this would ever happen to me.
"What am I going to do now?" she asked through sobs, pulling away from me to adjust her black blazer.
We didn't have a police station and if they did, they wouldn't do anything about it anyway. The superiors were our law, but they would probably even laugh at her or claim that she was lucky to have found someone who wanted her as a mate.
But there was one who had sympathy for us girls and tried again and again to prevent forced marking.
"Come with me," I whispered, holding out my hand before pulling her down the sun-drenched hallway after me. "I'll get Mr. Handsome."
Arriving in front of my classroom, she leaned her back against the wall and hung her head. I was infinitely sorry to see the girl, who usually laughed so often, suddenly so broken. Someone should tell me again that something in my world would be fair.
I looked away from her, opened the door just a little, and looked for help at Mr. Handsome, who was sitting at the desk reading a book.
"Mr. Handsome," I said softly, but apparently not softly enough, because my classmates suddenly looked at me in shock.
He looked up from his book, stared at me questioningly for a moment before his eyes widened and he hurriedly got to his feet.
"Keep writing. I'll be right back," he addressed the class and then quickly ran over to me, closing the door behind him when I got to the hallway. "What happened? Is that your blood, Jadelyn?"
It wasn't until he pointed to my shoulder that I realized why everyone was staring at me in such shock. My denim jacket must have gotten some of the red liquid from the hug.
Before I even got around to explaining anything, his eyes fell on Guiselle, who was still leaning against the wall next to us and crying incessantly.
"Go back to class."
He didn't look at me anymore, but I nodded anyway and then opened the door with a pitiful look at the blonde and disappeared into the classroom, where everyone was still busy writing.
A few looked at me in confusion, including the girl in charge, but I just looked down, scared that something like this might happen to me.
Being forced to belong to someone and then it wasn't even the soul mate you should be hoping for... A horrible thought to banish.
As soon as I arrived at my seat, my two friends looked at me questioningly, but then the bell rang for the break and everyone around me got up hastily to storm the hallway.
"Whose blood is that?" Sawyer asked, helping me put my stuff in the backpack because I suddenly felt unable to do anything.