'Ella...Ella?'
My eyes fluttered open as I looked around my room wondering who had called my name, and who had woken me up? There was a pounding in my head, as I slowly sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. Ugh, no more mixing drinks. My stomach flipped as nausea rolled through me, causing me to cover my mouth and hold my breath.
'Ella.'
There it was again, the voice was soft and sweet, it calmed me and had that home like feeling. "Hello?" I mumbled out loud.
'Hello.'
There it was again that voice
'Ella, its me. Your wolf.'
My wolf? "Your my wolf?"
'Yes now, get up and shift, I want out please.'
I sat still on my bed, wide awake now like someone had tossed a bucket of ice on me. Shock filled my body, my wolf was talking to me. I'm half asleep half awake, and there's a voice in my head, yea its official, I'm insane.
'Your not insane, now listen here, get up, go outside and let me out!' Her voice rose a bit, taking on a command tone, with an hint of anger.
Pouting to myself and scratching my head not sure what to make of all this. "Are you telling me what to do?"
'Yes now go.' I felt my body twitch, and my skin tingle with her words.
I groaned and got out of bed stumbling as I did. Oh god. My room was turning so I held onto the edge of the bed for support for a few seconds.
'Oh get up you sissy, you call yourself a wolf.'
"Oh shut up you. You weren't the one drinking all night, wait.....why can I hear you now?"
She laughed, and the sound seemed to vibrate in my head, her chuckles sounded like wind chimes blowing.
'Well when you first shifted at 15, it was just you. I have always been here just in the background, but there was a limit to what I could do. You had my power to shift to a wolf, but couldn't hear my voices till you turned17, meaning today. Didn't you feel me last night? Every time you made a decision that little feeling you get, of rightness, or indecision...that was me.' I felt her stir in me, a warm feeling spread through out my chest, comforting me again.
"Oh, that was you? I still don't understand." Rubbing my head still confused and hurting from the night before. I really shouldn't have drank so much...ugh. I took slow carful steps and looked down at my self. Oh God I was still wearing my cloths from last night, geez I hadn't even changes. Actually I don't even remember how I got back to my room. Changing out of my cloths, and put on a pair of shorts and a tank. I still smelt like beer, but figured I'd shower when I get back from my run.
'Yes I have always been with you but its not till you become an adult at 17 that I could talk with you. When you become an adult, we became one. So that I may better guild you through the rest of your life.'
"Thank you...I think." There was that awkward silence, then I felt her get happy and I knew a sisterly like bond would grow between us.
'You are welcome. You're my human, that's what I'm here for, to help you, protect you, and find our mate. Now get our perky butt up and feed us so that I can go for a run.'
I couldn't help but laugh, she was blunt, forward, dominant, out going, and caring, a lot of what I wasn't and I was glad for that. I opened my door, and walked down the steps of the pack house. Its quiet....for once, a little to quiet to be honest. As I reached the last few steps I was hit with a sudden smell of pancakes and chocolate chip cookies. My stomach grumble loudly. I heard my wolf growl, or was it a humming sound, I don't know but what I did know was that we shared the same thought of yum.
Right as I took the last few steps down...
"Surprise!!!"
I jumped back seeing everyone jump out in front of me from their hiding spots behind the sofas, kitchen, under the tables and etc. I laughed as arms went around my waist.
"Happy birthday Grumpy!" Tay said giving me a bear hug, as I gasped for breath giggling. She released me and smiled, holing my at arms length as I looked around.
"Thanks Tay." I smiled and looked at the rest of the women and girls that had surprised me for my birthday. Yes on a girls birthday none of the males or boys were allowed in the house until it was time for their ceremony. It was the main rule my father had, and vice versa for the boys.
"Thank you everyone." I said smiling as one of them, Darla Jean came out of the kitchen holding a loaded plate of chocolate chip pancake's with a little candle in the middle of the stack. My inner child came out of me as I hopped up and down on the spot giggled, and like a church quire they sang happy birthday to me.
This birthday was turning out to be an amazing one....the only topping I was really looking towards was meeting my mate. I seriously couldn't wait.
'And neither can I.'
Her voice startled making me flinch in surprise.
'Sorry.'
"No, it's not your fault I need to get use to hearing you."
'Then I shall talk more often. Deal?'
"Deal."
About 2 hours, lots of cloths and presents later, I was able to escape the pack house leaving out the back door, into the open air. My body hurt from the anticipation of shifting.
"Are you ready?" I asked, taking my cloths off and placing them into the basket by the back door. The fresh cool breeze kissed my naked flesh, leaving goose flesh across my skin. Feeling my body shiver as I let my wolf take over the shift, my bones popped and shifted. It hurt at first like a pinch or 2 but nothing more. When you shift for the first time, it's worse. The pain that fills you is debilitating, and after your first shift, normally you pass out. But when you shift over a few years, you get accustom to the shifting.
My skin burst out with black fur, as my wolf took over pushing me to the back of our mind. Its like being in the backseat of a car, along with having an extra steering wheel, you could possible use it but my wolf have complete control.
She stretched and pawed the floor, 'Oh god, thank you Ella, it feels wonderful.'
"Your welcome," I gave her a mental rub of the ears.
She took one step forward, then another and started off in a walk. We walked about 20 yards to the edge of the forest that engulfed my house. As soon as we reached the edge she took off in a sprint.
"Don't take off anywhere, go to my parents house just down the road. I wanna see my parents."
'That's fine,' she replied her tone of voice was calm and happy at the same time. She dodged trees and pushed us faster as we ran.
Just at the edge of my parents property...it hit me, that scent, that smell. We ran right through it as it inveluped us, completely surrounding us in that delicious scent, cinnamon, pine and rain.
'Mate!' My wolf practically screamed, as she howled over joyed and took off faster, following the scent. We came to a stop just outside the back door of my parents house. The scent was much stronger here, and it lead into the house.
'Mate,' she kept chanting in my head, as we shifted back. I was now naked again standing in front of my parents back door, inhaling the smell of my mate.
"I know, now relax," but I was shivering, like a scared cat except I was shivering from excitement. I know I'm not suppose to know who he is till my ceremony but come on. If he was so close to me now, what would it hurt? I opened the door to my parents house, and it was saturated in his scent. I felt weak kneed, and dizzy, my mother was the first to see me and he face light up with excitement. I grabbed the blanket that hung against the wall, specifically for us to wear in a quick situation if we aren't staying long. Its a thin throw blanket that we can drape over ourselves.
"Hi honey," She had been sipping from her cup of coffee, but put it down and walked around the kitchen island with her arms open for me. "Happy birthday love."
She embraced me tightly and I hugged her back giving her a kiss on the cheek. I wasn't really paying attention to her, as I scanned the room, searching for the owner of the scent. "Hi mom, thanks."
She let me go and took a step back holding me at arms length. "My baby, 17 already an adult. I remember wh-."
"Mom?" I cut her off so I wouldn't hear another embarrassing story of what I did when I was little. She looked at me waiting for my to continue. "Mom where's dad?" I asked hoping if I were to talk with him I could find out who was in the house.
"He just left hun back to the main pack house with Lorenzo, Ryan, Alex, and Joseph. They had a meeting that ended a few minutes ago. Now they are setting up for your party." She looked at me curiously. "Why what's wrong?"
"I'm just asking is all." I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and stepped away from her practically bouncing on the balls of my feet. "Well I'm going to go shopping with Tay out in town."
She nodded, eyeing me but went back around the island table to continue drinking her coffee. "Alright behave, Be back by 6.
Smiling, I waved her off and walked down the porch leaving the blanket in the basket by the door and shifting. The walk back to the pack house was quiet, and it gave me some time to think before meeting up with Tay so she could help me buy something at the mall to wear tonight.
'Who do you think it is?'
"I'm not sure," Thinking on it, I really wasn't sure as to who my mate was.
'Don't think to hard on it. We will find out later.'
I really hope so.
---
Shopping with Tanya was exhausting to say the least. She dragged me from store to store and our chaperone Marcie followed us the whole time. Eventually Tanya and I found something for me to wear for my party tonight, and we headed out with bags upon bags full of cloths, more then half of them weren't even mine. Once we reached pack land I was able to relax, but once we got close to the pack house, the whole area around the pack house smelt like pine and rain. Mate... he had been hear, his scent wasn't heavy, as if he were currently in the area, but it was faint. He must have past by an hour or so ago. I walked up the stairs with Tay in toe talking on about her mate and how they already completed their mating bond.
"Wow Tay TMI!" I said rolling my eyes, as we walked through the house and into my room.
"Bitch please you'll being mated today and you wont wait watch, then I'll say I told you so....so meh!" She stuck her tongue out at me, making me laugh like always.
Dropping the bags of cloths I just bought on the floor I threw myself onto the bed as Tay started to pick out a cute outfit for later today. Slowly getting up from the bed, I watched as Tanya slipped in and out of cloths like a magician. Getting up from the bed and I walked over to the bathroom to shower and to get ready....
It was 520 and by the time I was out and finished combining my hair, I really didn't know what Tanya was going to make me wear and I hope it wasn't something slutty either. Our taste differed, she wore revealing cloths where i was more conservative.
I stepped out to find her laying across my bed, looking at me, all I had on was a towel wrapped around my naked body.
"Did you shave?" What the fuck kind of question was that?!
"Seriously Tay do you really have to ask that question?" Clutching the my towel closer to my body, I could feel my body heat up from embarrassment.
"I'll take that as a no." She snickered sitting up on my bed and moving cloths around.
"Yes I did, damn." I growled at her and she flinched, before laughing and brushing me off.
"Good," She giggled. "We don't want your mate thinking your hairy now do we?" She winked at me, and I felt a slight pain of self consciousness.
Rolling my eyes and trying to ignore her. I have to say, my bestfriend before she met her mate was a hoe. I would never say it to her face, but she did sleep around. Regardless she wasn't an ass about it. I love her, and she was like my sister. I walked over to her and stopped in front of the bed, there were an array of cloths on my bed. On the bed next to Tay's legs sat this this beautiful black and nude lace floral gown, and on the floor next to the bed were these cute little black stilettos decorated with a laces mesh.
'Beautiful.'
"Thank you" I gave my wolf a head rub of affection at her compliment.
"Put them on, the lace will look good against your skin." Tanya smiled, and leaned back against my pillows. She held her hand out with the pair of matching black lace panties. If I met my mate tonight I was going out with a bang.
"Thank you." I practically through my self onto Tanya, kissing her face. She was the best person I could have in my life right now. It took me 25 minutes to change, and 10 minutes for Tay put my makeup on. Smokey eye and thick winged eyeliner, looking at my self in the mirror, I didn't recognize myself. Honestly Tanya worked her magic, I looked really good and was so giddy, excited.
'You are beautiful.' Her voice was soft and sweet.
"Oh were you sleeping?"
'I was, but now I'm alert.' She yawned and stretched in my head.
"Well, thank you for the compliment."
"Hurry up slow poke," Tay said looking at me from my door.
I hopped up and put my heels on. I felt confident, I felt comfortable in what I wore. Taking hesitant steps, I walked over to her and smiled, "Ok...Lets do this thing." I clapped my hands smiling at her.
We walked down the stairs to the fist floor, I was nervous and the scent of my mate had started to fade. I sighed knowing I would see him today, and that knowledge made me smile.
Today would be the best night of my life.
Tay stopped before opening the back door, and gave me a once over. "Damn girl you look hot."
I blushed and laughed it off "Open the door and lets get this over with shall we."
With out saying a word Tanya opened the door and I was greeted with shouts hoots and howls. My stomach started to flip, I was so nervous, but breath, I need to breath.
"Ella," My fathers voice boomed, I walked over to him and his awaiting arms as he embraced me in a warm comforting hug. Standing next to him was my brother then my mother. I hugged them both then went back to standing next to my father. "My dear girl, you are now an adult, I pray you be well. On this day you will find your mate, and if not today then moving forward. Live well, find happiness, and find love." He raised my hand in his, and the crowed erupted once more. My friend stood at the front glued to her mate's side and howled the most. I smiled at everyone and gave a wave, my wolf stirred a little and I felt a tingly sensation caress across my back.
'Mate.'
I turned to look behind me but no one was there.
I looked back to my father and then the crowd and couldn't help but feel some people were missing today. Lorenzo, Mat and Paul, I knew for a fact Lorenzo had said he wasn't going to be here because he had to over see patrols tonight. I looked around for them, but didn't find a single sign of them.
Where could they be...