Looking up into the infinite heavens above her, Wren was in awe of the vast night sky's beauty and grandeur. Standing there alone in the safety of her special place. Her heart was racing, her breath was rapidly coming in and out of her lungs. That's when she became aware of the delicious scent that rode the wind and now engulfed her. It drove her insane and filled her with an insatiable hunger for something, but for what she did not know. The strange yet alluring scent was reminiscent of the smells of the Autumn woods mixed with a musk.
Wren looked all around, trying desperately to pin point the source of the tantalizing aroma. As she turned and faced the Eastern woods she saw him. A huge wolf, fur as black as soot and the most mesmerizing emerald green eyes. He oozed power from his very pores. As she watched he crept slowly towards her, much the way a lion stalks its prey. Closer and closer he came. He came to a stop just out of her reach. Her fingers ached to be run through his coal black fur. His green eyes were locked on her own. His stare was so intense that it seemed as though he were able to see directly into her soul.
He took her breath away when he shifted into his human form in front of her. He was everything she could have ever hoped for. He was tall, at least 6ft 5in. His every muscle taught and well defined. She couldn't blink and she couldn't look away. Nor did she want too. She would have been perfectly content to spend the rest of her life just looking at him. He was just that perfect.
As she looked up into his face she took in every inch of his features. Wren took two steps forward and reached out to caress his cheek and jaw. As she did so he seemed to tremble and lean into her touch. He closed his eyes and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the sparks that arose from her skin on his. He reached forward and wrapped her in his arms. Being trapped in his warm embrace was what Wren imagined heaven would be like. She felt safe. She felt like there had been a piece of her soul missing all of her life and with his touch he had filled the void. His hands moved up and cupped either side of her face and he lowered his face down to hers. He paused only for a moment to smile at her lips before pulling her into a kiss. The kiss was tender and loving. He then took her by the hand and led her to the little brook that flowed through the meadow. There he bent down and drank the cool refreshing water. Still stooping down, he turned his gaze back upon Wren briefly before standing and looking off into the distance for a moment. When he looked back at her he sported an impish grin.
Without saying a word he shifted back into his wolf form. The giant black wolf knelt down in front of Wren his tail wagging happily. He whined and cocked his head to the side before giving her an excited yip and leaping into the air in a show of excitement. He did this a couple more times. Wren giggled. Here before her was this giant werewolf begging for her to shift and play with him. It amused Wren to see him acting just like a happy puppy.
Wren shifted into her red wolf. When she did the male froze in front of her. Clearly mesmerized. Wren wondered if she had the effect on him that he had had on her. After a moment he approached her. She allowed him to approach and sniff her. He then nuzzled her fur and rested his head atop of hers. When he stepped back to admire her again she jumped to the side with a playful yip. She jumped a couple more times before yapping at him again. Then quick as lightning she turned and raced away from him. The black wolf was quick to catch up to her. They ran all through the meadow, jumping, nipping, and rolling one another in the tall grass. Wren had found her mate. Or, he had found her. They ran and played together all the rest of the night. With the dawn approaching, they laid down together on the thick brown grass covered with all the fallen leaves. The man held her in his arms as they watched the sun rise. Wren thought to herself that this must be what heaven was like Snuggling into her mates side, Wren soon fell fast asleep.
The warm sunlight filtered into her room and caused Wren to open her eyes. She sat up, startled to learn that she was once again in her own room lying alone in her own bed. Confused she rubbed and blinked her eyes trying to clear her head. A Dream? It had only been a dream? It had seemed so real. She had never experienced a more real moment in all of her life. "Just a dream. It was only a dream... how? It was so real! It felt so real. He was so real!" She said, her words conveying her inability to wrap her mind around it. And then as the realization that it had all been imagined settled over her, her heart sank with disappointment.
All her life she had felt that something was missing from her world. In the dream it was as if the male had been the missing piece. The one perfect thing that could make her whole. She felt a pang of pain deep within her soul. It was crazy, but it was like she was mourning this wolf that she didn't even know. Whom she had never met, nor would she, because he didn't exist.
After a few moments of sitting in her bed trying to come to terms with her imaginary loss she snatched up one of her pillows and screamed into it trying to release her frustrations. Then she threw the pillow to the foot of her bed as she kicked off her sheets. Wren stood and stomped over to her bathroom. Halfway across her room a cool breeze blew the scent of the Autumn morning in to her through her open French doors. Stopping momentarily when her heart skipped a beat, she turned angrily to the doors and glared. She then stomped over and slammed them shut before entering the bathroom to relieve herself and to take a shower.
All through out her shower she kept having flash backs from the dream. Every vision blissfully tortured her very soul. Why? Why had it only been a dream? She remembered how happy and complete she had felt. Her heart broke a little as she questioned whether she would ever share that kind of connection with anyone in this life. Huffing out loud in annoyance with herself, she turned off the water and tried to prepare herself for the coming day.
Once she was back in her room she threw open her closet door and tried to decide on what to wear for the brunch. Thinking about going down and recieving all of her guests she couldn't help but feel disappointed. She now had no concerns over whether her mate would be amongst them. She truly hoped that he wouldn't be. Because no werewolf in the world would ever measure up to her dream man. As she stood there looking at all of her clothes she suddenly wondered if it would be possible to just stay in her room. She pondered over whether she would be able to just hide away from her birthday celebration and avoid meeting anyone the rest of the weekend. She knew it was only wishful thinking. She knew her mother would never forgive her if she did. Not that her father would allow it either. They would both be furious and disappointed if she tried.
Sighing once again she walked over and grabbed a green dress that wrapped around her waist and tied around her middle to secure it on her. She then chose a pair of toupe colored flats. It was a nice enough outfit for brunch. It would allow her to be comfortable until it was time to slip into her white evening gown for the birthday celebration. She gently let her hand slide down the silk dress that she was expected to wear later that evening. Her mother had picked it out for her. Luna Freya insisted that it was the perfect dress for Wren to wear the day that she was to meet her mate. She had tried to reason with her mother. Arguing that she was just as likely to not meet him on her birthday. Freya wouldn't hear it. She was so certain that it was going to happen. Her mother believed it like a little girl believes a good fairy tale.
Wren smiled sadly as her hand dropped once again to her side. Sighing for the millionth time she walked over and started brushing her soft auburn locks. She decided to do a simple braid at the nap of her neck. Finishing the braid she started applying her make up. A little blush, a little eye shadow and mascara; she then applied her lipstick and finished with a little powder.
Sitting alone in her room staring at her reflection her mind wandered back to her dream. She couldn't believe it was just a dream. It had been so real to her. Once again she felt herself mourning the imaginary mate. She knew it was silly to pine for someone that didn't even exist. But she couldn't help herself. She felt tears welling up and quickly grabbed a tissue. She scolded herself for being so silly over the matter. It wasn't real. But if it wasn't real then why did she feel real pain? Wren was sure that she had finally lost her mind. She had heard about delusional people. How they believed imaginary things. How they would lose any grasp on reality that they might have once possessed. She thought it was something that she would fear. After all shouldn't it be normal to fear losing one's mind? But now she found herself longing for more of the delusion. Fearing instead the prospect of facing reality. A reality in which the man with black hair and emerald eyes didn't exist suddenly seemed like the worst imaginable hell she could ever face alone. Because she would most definitely face it head on alone. Who could she tell? How could she expect others to help her to face losing someone that was not REAL? She went over it again and again in her mind. Pleading with herself to face reason.
Wren forced herself up on to her feet. This was ridiculous. She needed to immerse herself in the days activities. She had to busy her mind. She couldn't allow her self to spiral out of control over the matter. So she turned and walked across her room to the door. Pausing for a moment in an attempt to gather her composer, she took a deep breath and went out into the hall.
Outside her door wolves were rushing here and there. Smiling at those who knew her and that wished her happy birthday. Some even made small talk with her as they passed. Wren managed to force a smile and greet them. At the top of the stairs she met her brother, Mitchell, and his lovely mate, Anna. Both smiled warmly when they saw her. They hugged her tightly and wished her a happy birthday before turning and heading down the stairs to head to the brunch. Wren watched them walking hand in hand and couldn't help the stabbing sensation of jealousy that hit her hard deep in her gut as she watched them go. She was debating returning to her room not wanting to deal with any other couples today. When she caught a whiff of a familiar scent. It was unmistakable. It was HIS scent.. It was faint and mixed with the scents of many other werewolves in the mansion. But she knew that she recognized it. She immediately spun trying to sense where it was coming from as her heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Was it real?
She flew down the stairs. Ignoring well wishers as she passed them. Some appeared shocked or insulted. Others watched with smiles and a knowing look as she rushed past. She followed the smell through the mansion and out the back door. Her eyes searching every face as she looked all around. The scent grew stronger as she walked across the back lawn. Then as she passed the last if the people in the yard she spotted him. He was at the edge of the woods and her heart nearly lept from her chest. Could it be? Was it really him?
Ahead of her the man with raven hair stopped in his tracks just as he entered the woods. His head tilted up to the sky and he was sniffing the air. His body suddenly went rigged before he spun on his heals and looked directly at her. It WAS him! It really was him!