"The moon shone bright, upon the sky, the stars twinkling, throughout the night, I feel so high, I come alive. I'm ready to be with you tonight!"
.....
The full moon was fast approaching, and so was the terror, news had spread out real quick and although those from the Wayne pack had on conclusive evidence of their claims, the restlessness built the ark of suspense.
Alpha Wayne had sent out some of his warriors to scout other packs and it had now been days and they weren't yet back. He knew they were alive since he still felt his bond with him still intact. Alot was going through his mind as he couldn't think of cancelling the coming of age ceremony. He had a meeting with the elders in the pack and they also suggested the same as this moment was very special to any werewolf!.
We should keep vigilant!" One of the Elders had suggested which was easy to the lips. Others supported him too and so did I, but there was a pressure falling down on me.
I've doubled the warriors on the far edges of our territory and I'm going to ensure the safety of everyone." Wayne said to which the Elders smiled and nodded. He hadn't disappointed them so far so they held faith in his word.
. ...........
The ceremonial grounds were packed with the she wolves going here and there, decorating as the children played around. Colourful flowers hang lossely and nearly all across the grounds and the stage where the pups initiated into adulthood had been decorated to fit its purpose in a few days as the pack shaman also prepared the tonics that were to be served to the pups before their transformation had already been made.
The excitement was there and so was the fear.
.......
Hey, I heard that the carnivorous pack have been attacking other pack lands!" Conner said with a frown.
I couldn't help but feel his worry. "Don't worry about that! Our pack is strong to keep him off and away from our lands!" I said with firm belief in my mate. He had been busy the past days but he still always dropped by at my home and he'd spend more time with me at night.
He had been coming to me in his wolf form being all docile and good. Sharing a bed with him had initially been nerve wrecking but seeing that he was behaving, I got more comfortable with him and we'd cuddle. By the time I woke however, he was already gone!
When I walked around the pack, I noticed the other members were looking at me in confusion while others somehow connected the dots together, silently, they had started looking at me in a different regard and immediately, I started feeling the duty weighing down on me. Conner and Leila had luckily not picked up on the change yet. Back at home, mom and dad seemed tense with each day that drew close. Father seemed more aganist me being with the Alpha, though he hadn't said a word about it, his whole demeanor when I walked up to the dinning and was filled with the Alpha's scent made him scowl for some reason. Mother on the other hand would occasionally steal glances at me then look away with glistening eyes.
It had bothered me but I hadn't had the chance to confront them though I was sure they wouldn't open up if they didn't feel like.
A tap on my shoulder brought back and I saw Leila looking at me worried. "Hey are you alright?!"she asked and I smiled at her with a nod. "You know you are really bad at lying and we've been best friends for as long as I remember. I can tell that something is bothering you." she said scooting close to me. I looked towards Conner and he was no different. We had grown super sensitive thanks to our wolves. I smiled helplessly.
Indeed they had been best friends. "It's nothing really!" I said with a shrug.
"We won't push you" Conner said holding Leila back not to press for more. "...come to us when you feel the need to talk. We are your best friends forever." he continued but I saw that Leila had been hurt. I didn't want to see her hurt, I sighed and looked at them. The Alpha is my mate." I said and the whole place grew quiet, I could hear the silence ringing in my head accompanied by a low purr sound in my head. My wolf!! She seemed to be happy that I acknowledged that fact.
I had been feeling her peak curiously everytime our mate was close but that was as far as she'd go.
Looking at Leila and Conner who were shocked to their cores. I sniffed " I know it's shocking right? I also wasn't ready for all this but...it's what it is. Not that I'm unhappy about it...I'm just starting to feel overwhelmed by it." I said looking into the woods. The elders in the pack already know it and everytime they look at me...I just feel, feel like this, I don't know. They expect big things from me and it's scaring me!" I finished and looked at them distressed.
I had expected Leila to jump all over the place in joy for me but all I got was a hug. So comforting! I hugged her back with a heavy sigh. I looked up and saw Conner giving me a defeated look, avoiding my eyes, he stood up and left...I was confused!
Conner!" I called him as I withdrew from Leila's hug feeling confused. What's wrong with him? "What's wrong?" I asked standing up with Leila standing up along with me and looking at Conner.
I never had a chance from the start." he spoke softly with a mocking smirk at the end.
"What are you trying to mean?" I asked looking back at Leila and saw her shake her head with tears. I looked back at Conner and saw that look...the look that Leila had been giving him....he was not looking at me that way!! No, please, no! I shook my head at him. "Conner don't do this!" If he didn't say a word about it, we could go about it like it never happened. Moreover, all this long he, he never looked at me that way..what now?!
"I can't help it Shania. It has always been you. It was you that I wanted. I slept to dream about you and woke up to meet with you everyday with great hopes that'll you'll be mine. This is so unfair! I could have been as good as him! He even knows nothing about you....I know everything, I know you that I forgot myself." He spoke in a pained voice as the tears brimmed in his eyes.
I looked at Leila and she was weeping silently beside me, watching the man she had loved for years confess to another girl right before her and that girl being her own best friend.
"Conner don't do this! please" I broke as I tried to not cry. "....we've come so far to break apart now. Don't!" I felt my eyes sting bitting my lip.
He shook his head at me and I knew how sturbbon he got. I saw him stalk towards me with firm steps and gripped my upper arms tightly. I was forced to look him in the eyes. "We have know eachother for forever, Shania, that should have been me!, and besides, he is way older than you..it's just a mate bond Shania..you...you can break it!" he stuttered and I looked at him in disbelief. "Reject him!" I heard his unreasonable words and felt so deflated.
"Conner, this is not you speaking! Let go of me!" I said trying to pry my arms from him, I had to get a hold on my emotions and not turn this into a disaster. His hold only got firm. "Conner, you could get hurt ok, let me go! My mate wouldn't want you touching me like this!" I warned him but before I could add another word, I felt myself fall back into a hard chest and watched how Conner was thrown feet away crashing hard on the ground from where I stood caged in a firm grip. With that, a loud snarl and growl accompanied that I felt my ears would burst any moment.
"Mine!" I heard the possessive snarl from the top of my head as I felt my mate take a deep sniff in my hair.
The pack warriors were fast to come and hold Conner down who was planning on launching at the Alpha, he was man handled because what he was trying to do was considered treason more so to the Alpha's mate....but he was and is still my friend. I heard his scream and I whimpered. I failed to open my mouth to defend Conner because of the murderous aura that surrounded my mate. He screamed again and I gave in. "Forgive him...please...mate...he has been my friend don't hurt him! He was just being unreasonable!" I spoke in the smallest voice but I knew he could hear me.
"You are standing up for another male?" I heard the deep voice and swallowed the lump in my throat. I didn't know his wolf was the one in control! "I will end my friendship with him, right now!. Forgive him! Please!!!" I sniffed trying hard not to burst in tears. I had just lost Leila and now Conner could be killed....it was just a two days to the big day and now all this? Which bad luck struck me!
"Throw him in the dungeons and starve him for a week. That'll teach him a lesson or two." I heard his snarl and next thing I was practically being dragged by my mate that I had to run to catch up with him. I noticed he wasn't taking me home but rather the pack house!
His hold on my wrist was so painful, I wanted to break free but I also didn't want to agitate him further so I gave in and followed