"Mate!"

"We are going to recognize our mate tomorrow. I can't wait to find out who our soulmate would be. I bet he would be the most handsome in the entire werewolf community." Ashley's wolf stated excitedly. 

Ashley would be turning eighteen the following day and she was so elated because she wasn't just getting older, she was going to know her destined mate. There would be a big party and preparation was ongoing in her home already. 

"All the unmated male wolves in the pack are coming! You have to appear very gorgeous and blow off their minds so even our mate will realize how lucky he is, for being the only one to get us. I bet he won't be able to keep his hands to himself when we meet with him. I want to feel how his hands will be on our body. I can imagine how hot that feeling would be!" Her wolf stated. 

"Will you calm down, you horny wolf. Let us meet him first!" Ashley chided her wolf inwardly and chuckled. 

"You have been grinning from ear to ear since. What are you thinking of?" Her mother, Luna, asked her as she decorated the birthday cake, in their kitchen. 

"Just something ..." Ashley chuckled shyly and Luna nodded knowingly. 

"I know. It is normal. We all did that, so you shouldn't be shy. Be rest assured, dear child. Your mate will be as handsome and wonderful as your father." Luna assured her daughter. Then her father, Zach, walked into the kitchen. 

"How are my gorgeous ladies doing?" Zach inquired as he hugged them lovingly, one after the other. 

"My dear, are you sure you can handle all of that, alone? Don't you think you need some help? Why don't you call on the servants?" Zach inquired, upon seeing the workload set before his wife. 

"We are doing well. And no, I don't need any help. I want to be the one to bake and decorate the cake for her eighteenth birthday. It is a promise I have made to her since her first birthday." Luna replied him. 

"Welcome, Dad." Ashley greeted. 

"Our young adult! I can't believe you have grown that much already, but you are forever going to be daddy's little princess!" Zach maintained and they all laughed. At that moment, Ria entered the kitchen, carrying some cardboards. 

"Mrs Zach, these are the only kind of boards I could find at the pack's store. Will they be manageable?" Ria asked Luna and showed her the cardboards. 

"Oh, dear, they are definitely manageable. They will do just fine. Thank you." Luna stated and collected them from her. 

"Oh, Beta Zach is back! Welcome sir." Ria greeted Zach. 

"Thanks my dear. I knew I would meet you here. You two are inseparable! The birthday girl's best friend, I hope you remember you are the master of ceremony?" Zach stated warmly at Ria. 

"Yes, sir. I dare not forget my duties. I am actually going to sleep here tonight, because I have other things to take care of. I also have to do her makeup and hair tomorrow." Ria said. 

"You are going to do all of that? My dear, you have such a loyal and dependable friend!" Zach said to Ashley. 

"I know, dad. I am blessed to have her as my other half." Ashley hugged Ria. 

"Good! So, what can I help you people to do in here?" Zach faced his wife. 

"You are going be of great use, my love. Just stick around and I will let you know whenever I need your help. Meanwhile, you can be looking at my face for now." Luna said to her husband, teasingly. 

"Hun, gross!!!" Ria and Ashley both faked a shudder. 

"That is why you two should go find your mates on time and be all lovey-dovey with them." Zach informed the girls and helped his wife tucked some strands of hair which were getting in her face, behind her ear. 

"Thank you my love." Luna smiled warmly at him. 

"I love the way your parents love each other. It is so sweet to watch." Ria informed her best friend, smiling. 

"I know, right!" Ashley replied her, happily. 

"Wait, are we expecting guests? I am hearing voices in the compound!" Ashley called on the attention of her parents. 

"No, the party is tomorrow, so nobody is supposed to be here today." Luna pointed out as she sniffed the air. Suddenly, they heard their entrance door being forced down. 

"No, those are definitely not guests! Which guest tear down doors of people they are visiting?" Ria noted, worryingly. 

"Yeah, right. Let me go check on them." Zach said but hadn't even moved an inch before the supposed guests barged into their kitchen. They were five hefty men with weapons. 

"Excuse me? Are you people lost? What are you all looking for in my kitchen?" Luna was bewildered at the invasion. 

"What is the meaning of this rude disruption? Why would you guards barge into my home like this?" Zach shouted angrily at the intruders. 

"Alpha's guards? What are they doing here?" Ashley whispered to her friend. 

"Exactly my question!" Ria whispered back. 

"Even if there is an emergency, are you not supposed to mind link me or better still, knock on my door like every sensible person would do. This is all shades of wrong." Zach said to them, chidingly. 

"Beta Zachary, we are not here to exchange pleasantries with you." The leader of the guards informed him rudely. 

"What disrespect! Have you gone nuts?" Zach bellowed. 

"Beta Zachary, you are under arrest for treason!" The leader announced loudly. 

"Uhn...?" Zach went pale. 

"Trea..a...son?" Luna's jaw was touching the ground. She was shocked. 

"What is going on?" Ashley swallowed hard to trap in the tears burning the corners of her eyes. 

"The Alpha has commanded the traitor and his family members to be arrested and be executed with immediate effect!" The leader announced, shocking them further.