"I think I'm starting to get the jitters."
Aria looked at Chynna. They are walking back home after their lesson for their preparation on their incoming awakening. The next blue moon is already three days from now, and recalling all the things Elder Sharon told them earlier, she didn't expect that there are lots to prepare before that day. They were actually talking about doing the preparations together tomorrow.
"I understand what you're feeling. It's really nerve wracking." Aria said.
"I know, right?" Chynna stopped walking and raised both hands to the night sky. "I mean, finally I will have my chance to meet my lifetime mate! I hope we meet on the night of the awakening."
Aria choked from the surprise when she heard what her friend said and ended up coughing for a while.
"Hey, are you not feeling well?"
Aria looked at her friend incredulously. Right now, she's already coughing from being so shocked. Weren't they talking about their awakening and the preparations that they needed? Why all of a sudden Chynna transformed into someone like a fan girl?
'I honestly think I might not be 'well' enough to even take you as my friend.'
Not knowing what the other person is thinking, Chynna rubbed Aria's back who is still coughing. "You must take good care of yourself. Our awakening is a serious matter. A simple cough like that might cause you a lot on that day."
After calming her cough, Aria answered. "Don't worry, I'm fine. At least I still know to focus my attention on the process itself. On the other hand, it's you who's making me worry."
"Eh, me?" Chynna innocently points to herself.
"Yes, you. Isn't it too early to think about imprinting right now? Shouldn't you focus first on preparations for awakening?"
Chynna did not answer right away. Instead she looked back at the night sky. And then, without looking back she said. "What's not to be excited about imprinting and getting imprinted? It's part of the whole process of awakening into our wolf form. Besides, not everyone gets the chance to be imprinted with their mate in their lifetime. Just imagine, meeting that one person that will devote his self to you and you to him. Not a single being can stand between the two of you. I just find the whole process so romantic."
"You find it romantic to be tied up with somebody you personally did not choose and was only forcefully dictated to you by your nature, and without room for an argument serve that person your whole life?"
Chynna pouted. "Why did you make it sound like I'll just turn into a slave and my master is my mate?"
'Eh? Did I say that? Hmm okay, it might sound like that, but that's not the point!'
Chynna continued. "Besides, what made you so sure that it was not your choice?" She raised her right hand towards the moon. "After awakening, all our senses will be heightened and some bodily functions will speed up."
"I also know that."
Chynna looked at Aria. "I think that what happens when imprinting is your feelings for that person is amplified a thousand folds..so strong that it wants to burst out of your chest. And that will not happen to you with any other person except for him because your heart will only recognize your feelings for him as true and pure."
"So you think you'll imprint on Bryle? You have liked him for a long time now."
Bryle is two blue moons ahead of them. When he returned after he awaken, Chynna was so excited to welcome him back hoping that he will imprint on her. But he did not say anything about the topic and their interactions continued to be the same as before. She cried for days after that. And then one day, she suddenly declared that she will move on and accept her fate.
Now looking at Chynna, Aria knew that she is still hurting.
A small smile crept on Chynna's face. "Even if I do imprint on him, it will only be a forced one. There's no one-sided imprint."
***
It was a Saturday the next day and waking up, Aria went straight outside their backyard deck sipping her hot choco. Last night, she failed to give a reply to what Chynna said. But she really hope for her friend's happiness.
Despite what she said about imprinting, she do believe that relationships formed through this is powerful and true. She can even attest to the strength of such a relationship since she grew up in a family where her parents imprinted on each other. But she also knew that her parents' story is different. Even before imprinting, they have already acknowledged their attraction for each other. Just like what Chynna said last night, the feeling was just magnified a thousand folds.
"But I don't have anyone I'm attracted to right now." She mumbled while still holding her mug.
"Why, is someone trying to make a move on you?"
"Dad!" She looked around, she really heard nothing until her father spoke. "How long have you been here?"
"Hmm long enough to see your troubled face and to hear what you said. Can I sit here?" Without waiting for an answer, he sat on the chair opposite hers.
'So typical of my dad. Why bother ask when he had already decided to take the seat no matter what.'
"So answer me. Is someone trying to make a move on you?"
"No one." She replied right away.
He took a sip first of his coffee. "That's disappointing."
"Dad!" She can't believe it! Her father is selling her out! She's just sixteen, shouldn't he be relieved?
"No kidding, you took after your mother and she was easily the most beautiful young lady during those days. Why is no one hitting on you yet?"
"Am I even your daughter?" She said, surprised by how tactless her father is in this discussion. She then heard her father laugh hard and she smiled.
"Seriously kid, if ever you meet anyone, even if you imprinted on him already, let me meet him first. I want to meet the person you chose and make him understand how to take care of you properly."
"Thanks, dad. Don't worry you'll be the first to know." She'd be lying if she will say she was not touched. She really feel so blessed to have such a loving father to guide her.
"Speaking of imprinting, how was it when you imprinted on mother?"
"Oh ho, you're interested?" There it is again, the sparkle of mischief in her father's eyes.
"Well, Chynna was talking about imprinting and stuff last night, so I am just curious." Better to remove any possible misunderstanding right away.
"Okay then, I'm actually in the mood to tell a story right now so listen carefully." He positioned himself to face my mother's flower garden directly but he did not talk right away. Just when Aria was about to call his father's attention again he started talking.
"It was right after our awakening. Coincidentally we awakened at the same time together with two other people. I came back first in our designated meeting place, and then half an hour later she followed. I looked at her and she looked at me. And then I saw my own reflection in her eyes, curiously I saw both my face as a man and as a wolf bathed in the light coming from the moon. And then a surge of unknown energy started forming inside my chest. My emotions were all over the place during that time, but even so, I can't remove my focus on her. I can only see her shine in my eyes and nothing else matters. And when I can't hold back that surging energy anymore that's when everything clicked. I saw us together, enveloped by the light of the moon, that's when we both recognized that we are each other's soulmate. And then its like we're instantly connected by a thread, we can easily understand each other. We can even talk through our minds in human form like its the most natural thing in the world."
"You both love each other so much, with or without imprinting." I hope I can have the same relationship as my parents.
"Yes, we do. Even before she left us, she made sure that i know how much she loves the two of us."
"I miss her."
"Me too, kid. But I still feel her. That thread that connects us is still there, i can feel it. She's just gone physically but she is guiding us together with the spirits of our ancestors and the spirits of nature. She's here."
They then shared a moment of comfortable silence. Her father seemed to drift into where the other end of that thread is while she ponders on her father's last statement.
Whispering, she said. "It's more than 'til death do us part'."