CHAPTER 1  

                                      Jack 

The wind howled, the sand flew around in a tornado of rocks and dirt. As the wind howled, the waves crashed on the shore, spraying Jack in the face with water that was salty to the taste. But Jack was not afraid, in fact, he was calmed by the wild wind, the frantic sand and the violent waves. 

Normally, Jack wouldn’t be out in this weather, but he was waiting for his best friend Max turner, who was 15 minutes late he noticed with annoyance. He was not surprised. Max was either early, or late. Jack could not help the worry that swirled around in his mind what if something happened to him? He thought. Jack had a good reason to be worried; the rouge attacks were getting more frequent, and even though Max was a formable opponent, Jack was not sure that he could fight 20 rogues at once, but his worry dissipated as quick as it came when he heard the voice of his best friend. 

Jack whirled around “were where you” Jack snapped “you were supposed to be here 15 minutes ago Max.”  

Max rolled his eyes “traffic” he stated matter of factly. Now it was Jacks turn to role his eyes, “sure”, but Jack was grinning, “so why did you want to meet at a time like this?” Max said, raising an eyebrow. Jack beamed bouncing on his toes. 

 “I found my mate!!” he exclaimed in excitement, 

 “oh my god! You did?” Jack nodded enthusiastically “what’s his name?” Max teased  

“his name is Alexander Hunter, he’s 18” Jack said, and his face fell “he goes to Eastwood Academy.”  

Eastwood Academy was a mandatory school for werewolf’s. normally, when wolves reached their maturity, they gained there wolfs and elemental powers, there 18 years old, but of course Jack, who was already an abomination in his father’s eyes, gained his wolf at only 11 years old, but because wolves did not get there wolfs until maturity, Jack had to suffer and wait until he was 18 to even consider enrolling into Eastwood Academy. But now he found his fated mate, and he was 18 years of age, he could finally enroll and learn how to control his wolf…and have a relation ship with his mate. 

“So how are you going to enroll without your father finding out about you?” Max asked, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. Max, along with Jack’s siblings were the only ones who knew about Jack being gay and having multiple powers. Jack sighed as he staired out into the sea, this was the kind of thing that kept him up at night, his father finding out the truth. 

 “I…I don’t know” Jack said honestly, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Maybe he would never be able to meet his mate and be happy.  

“Hey, cheer up man” Max said nudging Jack gently “We will figure this out, I promise.” Max pulled Jack into a hug, and he felt a pain of sadness as he felt Jacks sharp and bony shoulder blades digging into his chest. Jack doesn't hug many people because of his home situation but he trusted Max and knew he would never hurt him. And if anyone deserved to find his fated mate, it was Jack, he tried so hard to protect the ones he loved, even if it meant that he is hurt in the process.  

Jack smiled softly “Thank you, that means a lot”  

“of course.” Max said smiling gently. 

The two of them stood there for a few minutes, before Jack pulled away sighing. “I should probably get back home before my father finds another thing to yell at me for.” Max nodded  

“Be careful, please.” Max begged and Jack nodded 

 “of course, and you as well.” They hugged again before going their separate ways; Max heading to work. Jack walked to the edge of the water. He picked up a stone, before throwing it in to the water, silently praying that whatever happens next that he will have the strength and courage to continue. When he was done, Jack headed back to the Starlight Palace. 

Jack was walking home, as he tried to think of reasons to enroll into the academy, that would not sound like a lie to his father. His father King Anwir was particularly good at detecting lies. Why he had to lie, was because Jack could not very much walk into his father’s office and say, “ hey dad, just so you know, I am gay, Oh  and I also have multiple powers. I found my mate, he goes to Eastwood, so could you enroll me into it? That would be swell.” Yeah, he could imagine how well that would go with his father. He would probably get a whole new layer of bruises and cuts to add to the ones he already had. His father, even though he was king, made it his mission to make Jack and his siblings life a misery. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind, and he hurried home to tell his father. 

By the time Jack got home it was past dinner (around 8:00). “Where the hell have you been Jack.” Anwir snaped, and Jack whole body tensed up, and he slowly turned around.  

“father” he greeted tersely. 

 Anwir growled softly. “I will ask you one more time son. Were. were. you?” Anwir said slowly taking a step towards him and Jack slowly stepped back.  

“I-I was…” Jacks voice cut off and Anwir growled again  

“don’t lie to me Jonathan” he said using Jacks full name, and Jack flinched hard, fear coursing through him. Anwir’s Shadow swirled around his father, and Jack took a deep breath. 

 “I was with Max father.” That was the wrong thing to say, Jack realized with shock as Anwir snarled, grabbing Jacks’ neck, slamming him against the wall, leaning in close. 

 “I thought I told you not to speak to that boy Jonathan.” Jack looked down and he whispered;  

“What’s so bad about Max, father? Do you hate me so much that I cannot even have a friend?” Jack, said as fur rippled down his arms as his wolf tried to take control.  

“Control your wolf.” Anwir ordered, and Jack struggled to regain control. “I don’t trust the boy or his family,” Anwir stated calmly.  

“What could you possibly have against Max and his family? Max is my best friend and-” Anwir held up his hand, silencing his son’s futile attempts to defend the boy and his family.  

“They are a bad influence on you.” Jack swallowed  

“how? What has his family done that’s so bad?” he asked through clenched teeth. 

 “They had a son, Liam. He was gay., and They refused to turn him in. So I took matters into my own hands.”  

Jack gasped in horror, Max had told him the story of his brother’s death multiple times, but Jack never realized that it was his father who had killed him. “y-you killed him.” Jack said his voice trembling 

 “yes I did. They broke the law, so they had had to be punished.” Jack took a step towards his father 

 “so you killed him!!” Jack shouted at his father before he clamped his mouth shut, waiting for the blow to come but it never did. 

 “I did what I had to do to protect my people!!” Anwir shouted at Jack, who flinched, slamming his fist into the wall next to him in rage before he slowly turned to face his son, breathing deeply. “Something you need to learn how to do if you are ever to take the throne.” Anwir said quietly, and Jack paled. “But… Jack started, “enough, I am done with this conversation, go to you room, now.” He ordered. “but” Jack said, and Anwir slammed his hands on the table. “NOW!” he shouted, and Jack hastily left, practically running for the den, up to his room in fear as he closed the door behind him, collapsing onto his bed, breathing heavily.