From high in the sky, I saw alpha Cedric, his son Max the future alpha and soon-to-be my former mate, and the rest of the fighters, running with increased strength, hoping I would get tired and go down on our side of their territory, not in the free territory.     

- Alexis, come down and talk things over! You are my half, you are my Luna, our Luna! Max keeps on telling through our pack link.   

Max, she was what? Your mate! You stupid prick! How could you do everything you did to her and say everything you said to her? I will kill you, you idiot! I heard the alpha scolding his son.At the moment when Max admitted that I was his mate and not the one he presented to everyone, I heard a collective gasp, and how more werewolves began to disapprove of his actions towards me. Anyway, this no longer mattered to me; I just wanted to get out of that hell hole.

-His mate and Luna! sneered Luna. I didn't seem to be his mate last week when he chose Lauren, the pack slut, as his chosen mate.

- Freys, I think we should go down. We have crossed the river and we are above free territory.

In this territory, I hope to find my peace and recover after years of suffering and abuse. But, before the peace I'm looking for, I must do one more thing: cut all my ties with the BlueMoon pack and my mate.

We landed on the river bank and waited for the others to arrive and shift.     

Since the great war, among all the territories occupied by supernaturals or humans, it has been decided that there should be free territories, territories where the unwanted, expelled, or who, like me, are looking for a refuge away from abuse, can stay without being afraid that they will be hunted and killed.

The chronicles say that these territories will exist until the One will come... that One who will unite us all. It is said that the One will have all the important elements from our world: fire from dragons, air from vampires, water from fairies, earth from werewolves, and the most important element - love and compassion from humans. It is said that after their birth, all beings will live under one rule and one kingdom. I know that I still have a lot to learn about my powers, but I'm sure that here, in free territories.          

Suddenly I heard the howling of the pack and immediately a big brown wolf came out of the forest. I knew instinctively that it was Max. He ran to the river bank and shifted.       

- Alexis, please come back! I can not live without you! You are my perfect half! I will explain everything to you! Why I behave like that! Please, just come back! he said with tears in his eyes.

"What a great actor! Shall I go and make him swallow his crocodile tears? He wouldn't even know what happened!"  said Leya.   

- Is that so? I asked mockingly. Your perfect half!.... Oh, I'm sure I fail to understand this from your behavior! Silly me!

-Alexis, you are my.....

 - And Lauren, what is it then? Your other half? 

-Please, Alexis! Come back and I'll explain everything!

Remembering the way he treated me for .... always...I felt rage surging through my veins.

-You knew I was your mate for more than a year, but you didn't say anything....you and your pack made fun of me, humiliated and threatened me every day. 

-Alexis, please.....

-You made me the pack slave, less than an omega, even though I did nothing wrong. And now you're telling me that I'm your perfect half?

- Alexis, I know I was wrong but... 

 -Do you remember Max, the day I turned 18, and I discovered that you are my mate? I looked him in the eyes and I knew he remembered.

-Do you remember what you told me? That someone like me, a freak, doesn't deserve a perfect mate like you!

-You are my perfect, little......

- And you know what the irony is Max? It took me half a year of abuse and humiliation to realize that you are right.  So Max, go to your perfect Luna! The one you chose for yourself, even if you didn't reject.

-Do you know Max, how it feels to see your mate kissing another one, and do not only these with her? 

-Alexis, I didn't sleep with her. She only .....

-I don't want to know what you two did! I felt it for the last six month. Every single time you screw around, I felt it Max! And it hurt like hell!

- Alexis, please just talk to me ..... it's not all lost. I haven't marked Lauren, and I will never mark her. You are my mate! said Max with sorrow in his voice. I had my reason to act like these. Please, just listen to me! he said. 

 I looked long at Max and the rest of the fighters... on their faces, I could see the regret and at the same time, the hope that I will be the same Alexis who cannot refuse anyone. But no more with the obedient girl, with the girl who can't say no, who cries when no one sees her! 

I smiled sadly and said: 

- Max, all I know is that I'm not going back to the life I had. The only things your pack offered, since I was ten were humiliation and abuse. All I hoped for was that my mate would love and protect me. I waited for him and kept myself pure for him. And what did I get in return?! 

I looked at them, and all I see in their eyes was sorrow. Sorrow for what they did, and how they act. But I didn't care anymore. 

-How naive I was! The day I realized that you are my mate, was the day I lost myself!  

- Alexis, I know I was wrong, but...   

- More humiliation and abuse! And all just because I didn't shift on the day I turned eighteen? You all felt my wolf, but because she didn't want to surface, you just labeled me as a worthless wolf?    

- Alexis, please!    

- The irony is, that I shift for the first time at the age of ten. On that day I met Leya. And since then, I have become the freak of the pack just because my hair turned white. 

- Alexis! Max groaned. Please stop! You're hurting yourself!  

- And why do you care if I'm hurt or not? I shouted at him nervously. 

-Please Alexis! I'm begging you: stop, just stop!

I looked at him, indifference for what he have to say written all over my face. I scoffed.

-You were never interested! You were the one who humiliated me the most in the last two years. And now, all of a sudden, you care if I'm suffering? Don't make me laugh, Max! I told him bitterly.  

- Alexis, you won't be able to live without me. We are destined to be together. Your wolf will die without us!   

- You know Max, in a way you are right. My wolf will suffer for a while, but I'm sure that all of us - Freys the dragon, Leya the vampire, Ferin the fairy, and I, Alexis, her human and witch - will help her get over it. 

I saw shock on their faces and smiled inwardly. 

"They didn't see these coming!" laughed Leya.

"That's for sure!" answered Freys.

-What Max? Did the cat eat you tongue? Yes, Max, I am the One! I shouted angrily at him.

-The moment I revealed the matter of  fact that I am the One that all creatures are waiting for, I saw the shock in their eyes and heard their desperate howls. 

"Yep! You lost us!"Freys said.

- Alexis, please! I heard Max begging me.

I looked at Max and said the words he didn't dare to tell: 

"I, Alexis Nomi reject you, Max Wang, as my mate and future alpha of the BlueMoon pack!"

I watched Max fall to the ground trying to catch his breath from the shock of our bond tethering.

I then looked at alpha Cedric, the one who should not have allowed the abuse I was subjected to, the one who should have protected me, but who preferred to look the other way and I said: 

"I, Alexis Nomi cut all the ties I have with the BlueMoon pack. From this moment on I become a free werewolf!"

I saw the horror in the eyes of the alpha Cedric the moment the bond between me and the pack was broken. It was unheard in our history for a werewolf to tether his bond with his pack. Even if, he stayed in free territories he never break the bond, because doing that might lead to his death. 

-Alexis! alpha Cedric told me, you can do that! You might die!

-Alpha, I am no ordinary werewolf.

I looked once more at those whom for more than eighteen years I considered my family, and then I turned and entered into the unknown forest having no clue of what awaits me in the future.

- Alexis, I don't care what or who you are! For me, you are my mate! My Luna! You will always be! I do not give up on you! I do not accept your rejection! I will find you and we will be together! I heard Max shouting in the distance.

- I don't care what he says, we are free at last! we all scoffed.