Love. Doesn't it always come down to love? Someone is willing to give it all for the ones they love. They protect, surrender, suffer, murder for the ones they love. It can creep up on you, suffocate and destroy everything but that love. Or it can be there always, wrapping you in a cosy blanket and holding you. Love is destructive. Love is constructive. Love is constant.

***

My paws hit the dirt, pounding like a drum as I ran through the forest. Wind bristled through my light fur, as the smells of the forest filled my nose. The fresh, earthy pinecones, the freshly fallen rain and the gritty dirt all created my home. I slowed down as I came up to the lake.

Gulping down the freshwater, I felt my body run cold quenching my thirst. My fur glistened as I bathed in the water, enjoying the light hours of the day. The sunlight peeked through the trees, and I got up and sat in the sun drying my fur.

I belong to the werewolf pack: Lupus Constellatio. We are one of the largest packs in Europe residing in several places. I lived just outside of the main city, where the Alpha and Luna lived. The pack leaders had a son, Orion who had just turned 21, the age where he could take over the pack. It was an ancient, but fair rule that a future Alpha had to have a Luna to keep themselves level. He had not found his mate, but he would probably marry the neighbouring pack's alpha's daughter- Sienna. Sienna's mate died shortly after they met in an accident.

A rustle behind me made me stand and turn. I sniffed the air and recognised it as my brother: Sebastian. He was friends with Orion, and they would often spend time with one another. I would hardly ever attend anything that happened at the castle, but I preferred being out here.

"Esme, finally." He spoke to me through our mind link.

"Is everything okay? I just wanted to run." I walked up to him and rubbed my snout on his shoulder.

"You run so fast. I always struggle to find your scent, too. You know you're too fast." He panted and I laughed.

"Race you back home?" I took off sprinting in the direction of home with Seb on my trail. I slowed down for us to run beside one another. Seb's wolf was larger than mine and had dark, almost black fur. He was a fighter and built that way. However, I was a tracker and the perfect size for that. I was small, fast, and lightly coloured. It helped me zip through the forests in front of the pack to see what was ahead.

We got back home where our mum had left some clothes on the porch. I pushed my wolf down and pulled my human side forward. My fur disappeared, bones clicked into different places, and I became human. I slipped on the clothes which was a light flowery dress. Transforming only hurt on the first one when a werewolf is between the ages of 12 and 15. I turned quite early when I was 12 and it was excruciating. But it was worth it. To become a wolf properly was a gift and I would think that.

I turned to see Seb breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling fast. I laughed and he just stuck his tongue out as we walked into the house. Our mum had left breakfast on the table and rushed off to work in the hospital. She was a nurse. I sat down at the table and scoffed through the cooked breakfast.

"Not very ladylike, are you Esme?" My brother spoke as he sat reading the paper opposite me. The front cover read: Tonight- the Mating Ball. I scoffed, chewing on another piece of bacon.

"Shut up." I spoke and he just smiled. I got up, took his plate, and washed them up leaving them on the drying board.

"Excited about the ball tonight?" He yelled from the other room.

I shrugged and made a noise.

"Wow. You sound very excited."

"Ha. Ha. What's there to be excited about, exactly?"

He appeared in the doorway, "It's your first one. I just assumed as a girl, you'd be excited."

"As a girl? Could you be any more sexist? Not all girls are screaming to find their mate. You know it's just path-"

A scream interrupted me as my best friend walked into my house. Seb gave me a look to prove himself right before walking out. I just rolled my eyes and turned to finish the washing.

"Oh my god, Esme! Tonight has finally come!" Mei danced around my kitchen, and I just gave her a look.

She noticed my face and stopped coming to grab my hands. "Please be just a little excited. We get to dance, wear pretty dresses anddddd get lush food."

"Ah yes, the food." I pretended to dream about it, making her laugh.

We went up to my room and began getting ourselves ready for the Ball. Mei put on some pop music, and we danced and sang around the room whilst curling our hair, doing our makeup, and getting dressed.

I showered whilst Mei sorted out the makeup at my vanity table. When I returned, I saw the colour-coordinated desk with reds, pinks, purples, and golds all separated. I smiled at her, and she just shrugged.

"You know I can't help it." I smiled and handed her a towel for her to take a shower. Mei was beautiful. She had bright features with black hair that framed her face. It was long but she always styled it. Mei's family was originally from South Korea, but they transferred packs when her mother found her mate in our pack. She was born a few months after me and we grew up together.

I quickly slipped on a loose dress and began picking out my makeup. I picked purples to match my dress. Mei quickly returned, slipped into a gown, and chose her makeup.

"Purple really suits you, E." Mei complimented me as she applied my eyeshadow. I thanked her and looked at myself in the mirror as she finished. My eyes were a light purple, and my face was light on makeup.

"I look pretty." I laughed out as I admired myself.

"You always look pretty." Mei uttered, handing me the makeup she wanted to be done. I did hers quickly in reds and she looked just as gorgeous.

After finishing our makeup, we got ourselves dressed in our gowns. Mei's was a long red Hanbok, traditional Korean clothing. I wore a pastel purple gown, which fell around my ankles and was low cut at the top.

Mei plaited her hair and tied it into a bun before she did my own. She did mine in a similar way but with fewer plaits and added some purple beads. I grabbed my heels and my bag, and we made our way downstairs.

My mother, brother and Mei's mother were stood dressed waiting for us.

"Wow, don't you both look beautiful." Mei's mother spoke. She blushed and hugged her before being handed a red mask. Mum gave me mine which was purple just like hers and Seb's.

Colours were given every year to have some level of tradition from when families had them designated individually. Last year Seb and mum wore green ones. I didn't attend as I was underage.

We placed on our masks and after about 1000 photos, we all left together to get to the packhouse where the ball was being held. I got into the car with Mei and drove us both with the other 3 in the car behind us.

Nerves crept up on me and I began to wonder what it truly would be like to have a mate. I never thought about it as I didn't want a husband, children, that life. I loved my life as it was, but it could change in the next few hours.

The house came into view too quickly for my thoughts, but I pushed them away. The house was lit up with the noise of music blasting from the open windows. People wandered up the road as they parked their cars and made their way into the building. Decorations were sophisticated with black and white details.

I parked up in the closest parking space to the house. We walked up together and immediately everything became overwhelming. I breathed deeply, slipped on my heels, and entered the building.