The mate test ceremony that Emily had asked Allerio not to partake in had started, and Darling, the new beta to Raguel, was the person in charge.
She had taken the role that was played by Charles.
As usual, the matched mates of the previous year were inside the main hall to take part as it should be, while those who had no mates, the non-mates, were outside the hall, forming a line before her.
'Katie isn't back from the trip.' Emily thought to herself.
Clearly, she was anxious, and if she had gone to the ceremony with a friend, the friend would have observed it. But now, the only friend she had was far away from her, Allerio.
Her anxiousness wasn't because Katie had spent an unusual amount of time. It was all because she needed her to be in her consciousness, especially now that the mate test ceremony was starting.
Emily was about the ninth person in line before Darling.
The moon was full, and was bright enough to assist the burning torches in brightening up the place. The light passed through the windows of the hall, showcasing the experience of mates for non-mates to see while standing outside.
As the rule in most packs in the Crest world, when two werewolves were considered mates, they were not allowed to have sex until the next mate test ceremony.
All the mates inside the hall were without clothes. The males were holding cans of oil, rubbing it on the females to brighten their skin, and to act as a lubricant.
The sexual process would be followed after.
Darling was also holding a can of oil.
"Come forward," she said to the first person before her.
The girl was about eighteen. She took two steps forward.
Darling raised the can of oil. "Open your mouth."
The girl opened her mouth, stretching her neck backward a bit, and her eyes facing the sky.
She allowed a drop into her mouth.
The first step was completed, and she urged her to inhale the scent of the incense that was burning beside the torches.
"You would wait there." She gave the final instruction to the girl, pointing her finger to a spot outside the line.
She was going to wait for Darling to be done with the others, and then, they would mingle together to find their mates.
Of course, the act of finding a mate was not limited to this process, or else, what would explain the way Emily had found Charles as her mate?
Emily was in the line, breathing like an athlete after winning a race. Katie had not shown up.
'I need her in order to maintain balance. I can't go through this process alone.'
Time seemed to be slow, but at the same time, fast for her as Darling seemed to spend little time with the others before her.
Finally, it was her turn.
Instead of moving forward to cover the space that the others who were in front of her had left, she was just standing on the same spot. Not bulging a muscle to move forward.
Darling was simply looking at her, expecting her to walk forward. She wasn't moving a step, and Darling gave up on waiting for her to do the needful without being told.
"Come forward," she said.
With a sluggish effort, Emily moved. Her eyes appeared to be lifeless, and Darling saw it.
Emily was looking mindlessly at her.
"Open your mouth."
She was beginning to suspect that Emily was not interested in the process, but how would she not be interested?
Emily did not open her mouth, giving Darling evidence for her suspicion.
Her suspicion turned into eager eyes on Emily.
"Is something wrong with you?"
The question was simply an obligation, and not out of concern. If no one could remember, she still had a vivid memory of almost the same thing happening at the time Charles was taking charge. Emily had behaved the same way, and he had ended the ceremony.
As of then, she was just assisting him. She could not probe, even when he had not given her a valid reason, or a reason not qualified to be an excuse.
He had claimed he was sick, and the case was left off.
Emily could barely see around her, and even Darling who was standing close to her was like a shadow to her eyes
Those standing behind her were eager to finish the process. No one was okay with her delay.
Unable to hold herself anymore, she fell out of line in a drunken state. With the sound of the wind, she heard Katie's voice sound loudly in her head.
"Go!"
"You are back?" She felt strength rekindled in her.
She walked farther away from the line, and Darling was watching her, everyone was watching. No one attempted to bring her back in line.
"Just keep moving." Katie prompted her.
"How about I turn into a full wolf?"
"No."
She had run about a meter from the line, almost completely out of Darling's view when Allerio came out from the woods.
He had been in the woods observing everything as Emily had told him.
"Emily!" He called out.
'That was close.' She thought.
"Hop on."
The sudden arrival of Katie had not stopped the weakness she felt. He had to help her up, but by then, she was already drowsing and almost falling off to the ground.
Strangely for her, her body was weak, but her mind was still full of strength.
Allerio had not moved far when to his surprise, Raguel came from the opposite direction to meet him.
"Alpha." His mouth was wide open.
"How is she?" Raguel asked.
What was all this about? He wanted to ask her, but fear would not let him.
He stopped moving, looking around for her guards. There was no one.
"I do not know," he said
He was sincere. Everything seemed to be an act to him. He wondered why Raguel was riding alone, something he could take as an abnormality.
"You are here for her?" He asked.
"Where are you going?" She replaced the answer with a question.
"She… has… a cave."
He continued his ride, and she followed behind him.
Meanwhile, Emily was still conscious.
"You came late." She whispered to Katie.
"But enough to help you." She answered from her consciousness.
"What I feared happened again." Emily said, her voice almost going off.
"And once again, you are unable to get a mate."