Peter Young: Elara I'm so sorry I can't make it, I hope you find it in you to forgive me.

Elara read the text a few times before sitting on the edge of her bed and looking out of the window. She couldn't believe Peter would ditch her. He made it clear how much he was excited to go to prom with her.

She stood up and looked at her reflection in her full-length mirror letting out a heavy sigh.

"Well looks like all of this was for nothing!" She shrugged picking up her phone and texting the girls on their group chat telling them she wasn't going.

Sophia: What! You can't do that!

Laura: Listen to me Elara Bell, bring your ass to prom right this second or I'll come over and kick it!

Elara laughed at her friend's words shaking her head amused.

Elara: I won't show up dateless, Nolan might think I did it for him.

Laura: I bet that jerk has something to do with it!

Elara frowned for a few seconds remembering how pleading Nolan was and how much he didn't want her to go with Peter Young. She also remembered the way he kept glaring at Peter and it hit her. Laura was right, he certainly did something to Peter.

Elara: Alright, I'll see you there.

She went downstairs to find her grandpa watching TV. Daniel Bell turned around when he heard her footsteps and smiled in awe seeing his granddaughter look like a grown-up lady.

"You look amazing Elara, you were always unique, not looking like anyone in the family. But tonight, you look exactly like your grandma."

Daniel stood up from his couch groaning a little catching Elara's attention. She looked at her grandpa, really looked at him, and only then, realized how old he was getting and how tired he seemed. She studied his face and noticed the black circles under his eyes. Before she could say anything, he closed the distance between them and took her tiny hand in his, and kissed it gently.

"Please, Elara, be careful tonight. Last time you went to a party I received a call from the town's sheriff telling me you were in the hospital. I don't want that to happen again, choose your crowd wisely. I can't lose you Elara, you're the only one I have left and I can't imagine a day going by without your smile or your sparkly eyes or your feisty attitude. Promise me you'll come back to me in one piece and you won't act recklessly."

Elara gulped trying to push back the tears before hugging her grandpa tightly. She knew they haven't been on great terms lately, but it was just because of all the secrets they were both hiding. She knew how much he cared for her and how much he loved her. Elara couldn't imagine her life without him either. He was her everything, her only family and her rock.

"Way to go old man! Now my makeup is ruined" she smiled pulling away from the hug. "Don't worry grandpa, I promise I'll be careful and I'll come back in one piece. And did you forget? Tomorrow is my birthday so there is no way I'm spending it in a hospital" She winked at him and pecked his cheek.

"My date bailed on me though and I need to borrow your car if that is possible?"

"With those puppy eyes you're giving, it's absolutely possible. And don't tell me who your date was or I'll kill the ba..."

"Easy old man" She laughed patting his shoulder.

"Yeah well go on" he handed her the keys "Again, be careful, and please be home before midnight."

"Sure, just like Cinderella" she grinned taking the keys, and with one last peck on the cheek, gracefully left the house.

The drive to Peter's house didn't take long, but once she was there she started overthinking things. She stayed in the car for ten more minutes before finally gathering all the courage she had. She knocked on his door waiting impatiently.

"Hi, may I help you?"

"Oh, hi Mrs. Young. Is Peter here? I'm his date." She said blushing.

"Oh well done Peter" his mother smiled "I'll go get him. He changed his mind about prom for some reason. Come on in, don't wait outside."

Elara went inside and waited in the living room with the deepest blush she ever had. She was looking at a painting hanging on the wall in wonder as she saw Peter's signature. She never knew he could paint, or that he was so talented. Come to think of it, she didn't know much about him.

"Elara?" she was startled by Peter's voice and turned around briskly "Wow, you look... amazing."

"Why aren't you dressed?" She cut him off to hide her blush.

"I text you earlier, I'm not going Elara, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to be my date in the first place."

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"You have a boyfriend, you should go with him instead of me. I don't want to be part of anyone's games."

Elara shook her head "First, I have no boyfriends, and second, I'm not playing games, Peter. You asked me out and I said yes. Do you think I'm the kind of girl who would go out with a guy when she already has a boyfriend?"

Peter shook his head "no, I don't actually and that's why I was hesitant at first. But Nolan said you two should be going together and he..."

"He threatened you didn't he?"

Peter ran a hand through his hair "look I wasn't scared of his threats, but he seemed to have gone mad, he's so in love with you... I didn't want to get in the middle of that."

"Thank you for your honesty Peter, but I'm not letting you miss prom because of my drama with Nolan. Get dressed, I'll be in the car." She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and left before he could argue more.

Loud music was blasting through the halls of PHH as Elara and Peter walked inside hand in hand. They stopped a few minutes and had their picture taken before going to the gym where it was all happening.

Peter's grip tightened on Elara's hand when they saw Nolan casually leaning on the doorframe hanging out with his usual crowd. She looked up at Peter and smiled before looking at Nolan.

"Looking good Nolan, I thought you wouldn't be here tonight." She grinned and walked past him and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. He did take her breath away, but she couldn't let him know. He couldn't know how vulnerable he made her.

"You're tough you know that?" Peter smiled and led the way toward her friends.

"I have to be. I hate being bullied, and after the incident in the woods, Sean has made it his goal to turn my life upside down. And I made a promise to myself not to let anyone tear me down. And you shouldn't let anyone do that to you either Peter, that's why I brought you here despite Nolan's threats."

Prom was better than she thought it would be. Even though she wanted nothing but to run to Nolan to spend the rest of the night with him, Peter was fun and nice and kind, and most importantly he was genuine. She liked that about him. She was done with people having many faces and hiding their true selves. Elara felt in the right place with the right people. She glanced at her friends making silly dance moves and laughed.

"See? You would have felt bad if you missed this." She nudged Peter "I need to be back before midnight, but you can stay if you'd like."

"Before midnight?" he raised an eyebrow and smiled "Of course Cinderella, we can head out now if you want. Your pumpkin... I mean, your carriage is ready my lady." He bowed dramatically causing Elara to burst into laughter gaining the attention of many students.

Without a thought, Peter took her hand pulling her closer to him, his lips mere inches away from hers, his minty breath was ragged, his eyes locked on her green orbs. At that moment all he could think about was how beautiful she was and how much he wanted to kiss her. Before he could lean any further, Peter was suddenly pulled away from her and thrown to the hardwood floor.

"Peter!" Elara rushed to him before processing what was happening.

"I told you to stay away from her!" Nolan growled and looked like he was going to attack Peter.

"You're the only one that can calm him right now. Do something before he loses control and turns." Nora whispered in Elara's ear.

She didn't need to be told twice, she stood between Nolan and Peter who was now on his feet glaring daggers at Nolan. Elara could feel Nolan's wolf, he was coming to the surface ready to burst out. Breathing hard, she reached for his hand and held his cold blue gaze.

"We didn't kiss, nothing happened. Please don't do anything stupid." She whispered so low, only Nolan could hear her. She took a step forward and touched his cheek, knowing contact with his mate would calm his wolf. "Let's go outside?"

Nolan's gaze softened as his hand tightened on Elara's tiny hand before dragging her outside, away from Peter, away from the crowd of curious students. Away from everyone.

They reached the parking lot in no time, in a deafening silence that said too much. They were both angry and upset, they were both trying to figure out how to deal with what had just gone down a few minutes ago. They were both afraid of the other's reaction.

Nolan turned around briskly, a storm brewing in his eyes, a frown appearing on his forehead. Anyone who'd see him would feel threatened, but not Elara. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. Biting his lower lip Nolan pulled her to his chest and hugged her tightly to him squeezing her so much she felt her bones were going to break. But she wasn't complaining.

Elara felt safe, this is where she was supposed to be. She wanted to ignore their bond, she wanted to pull away and yell at him for pushing Peter, she wanted to confront him for not respecting her wishes... but she couldn't. Nolan was her soul mate and she couldn't fight it anymore. She didn't want to fight it anymore.

"You're mine Elara... I didn't mean to cause a scene. But you're mine. You're my soul mate, you can't provoke me like that... I've been trying to keep my wolf at bay all night, but you kept pushing!" he pulled away and looked at her.

There it was again, that vulnerable look he gave her when he was asking for forgiveness. It only meant he lowered his guard, he was baring himself to her.

"Nolan... I didn't mean to. I just wanted to have a normal prom like any normal girl..."

"You're not normal Elara... you are special, you are powerful and you are my soul mate. We can't defy our bond! I've already tried to break it and what happened? It only got stronger. Stop fighting it... stop fighting us..."

That's it, Elara thought as she made up her mind. But before she could act on it, a bluish-white light appeared from nowhere. Elara knew it was a portal that would take her to her mother.

"What the hell is that?"

"I'm sorry, I really am, but I do have to go. I will see you tomorrow and we can talk about this." She gave him a reassuring smile and went into the portal that closed as soon as she stepped in.

"Elaraaaa No!!"