TESSA’S POV
The next few days passed like a blur. I learned how to somehow ignore the shifters and got used to their presence around me. I had to say that I learned a lot of things about werewolves. Not because Mikhaela had been telling me new things, but also because I’d seen it with my own eyes. I must admit that werewolves were like walking mysteries to me, but as the days passed by, the shock of surprise became less.
Two days before the annual mating season, everyone had become so preoccupied. I just realized that it was really an important event, as the university gave us a three-day break to give way to the pre-mating ritual that would allow all the young werewolves who had come of age to prepare themselves for the most awaited night of the year.
And here I was, practicing purity for the next two days so that the Moon Goddess would bless me with a perfect mate that would accept and love me for who I was. I kind of felt it was insane to feel love at first sight on the night of mating season, but Aunt Alice said it was possible because of the mate bond pull.
I closed the book I was done reading and sighed out loud. Sitting on the countertop table, my gaze landed on the vegetable salad that my aunt was making. Apparently, during the pre-mating ritual, meat was not allowed. Sure, it was an instant diet.
“What’s with the loud sigh? Aren’t you enjoying the book I bought for you?” Aunt Alice asked as she made some final touches on the vegetable salad before serving it to me.
“Reading so many things about controlling my thoughts bores me to death,” I admitted.
Auntie laughed softly. “When I was your age, I said the same thing to my mother. She thought I was liberated to think about sex at all times, and so when the pre-mating ritual came, she forced me to read something that would block me from thinking any perverted things. You see, your mind has to be cleansed.”
“I’m not thinking about sex, Aunt Alice.” I winced a bit.
“I know, but just to be sure, the book’s going to help you free your mind from nonsense and negative thoughts.”
After lunchtime, Aunt Alice and I went to her garden to harvest some fruits, and I used it as a chance to ask her so many questions about the mating season.
“What usually happens in mating season, Aunt Alice?”
Aunt Alice giggled, which ignited the curiosity aching inside of me.
“Do you really want to know now? It’s fun to find out at the event.”
I pouted my lips as I put down the basket she needed for the tomatoes.
“I don’t want to look dumb when I go there,” I said.
“Well, it’s a fun night for werewolves, sweetheart.” Aunt Alice continued to harvest tomatoes while talking. “But since you grew up surrounded by humans, you might find it not conventional.”
My forehead creased, crouching down and embracing my knees. “What do you mean, Aunt Alice?”
She smiled and sighed. “A lot of things happen under the full moon during the mating season. Werewolves tend to become animalistic once they find their mates. They become thirsty and on heat. You’ll encounter a lot of them hugging, kissing, literally mating and marking each other, not minding if someone’s watching them. The mate bond pull is so strong that it makes any werewolf crazy and lustful. It is a powerful sensation, which even you can’t ever beat.”
My mouth made a gasp at what I’d learned just now. I could not help but swallow hard, envisioning that I would do the same… react the very same once I found my mate.
“D-Do you think I will experience the same thirst? Even if my wolf remained locked? ”
“There are werewolves whose wolf got unlocked during the mating season, Tess,” Aunt Alice responded. “The event will be blessed by the Moon Goddess and the highest priestess, so that will surely awaken the sleeping wolf inside of you.”
My breath froze in my chest, and all I could do was bite my lip and nod, deep down feeling a bit anxious and excited about the said event.
***
The two-day preparation had passed more quickly than I thought. My heart pounded aggressively in my chest as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Wearing a white silk dress, all I could feel was the shiver crawling on my skin. My amber eyes were filled with fear, my lips and skin were pale, and my body appeared to be unprepared for mating. Aunt Alice made my hair hanging on my back, yet it didn’t block the cold from making me tremble.
This whole situation was making me nervous to my bones….
“It’s time,” Uncle Harry spoke as he stood on the door frame.
I swallowed my fear away and nodded at him. We all went out of the house after a few minutes. I could not help but glance up at the sky where I saw the radiating full moon; loom large; glowing yellowy white that seemed to know that something important would happen tonight.
“So how are we going to the Red Oak mountain?” I asked.
“We’ll sprint, my love.” Aunt Alice looped her arm around mine. “Are you ready?”
I inhaled sharply. “Y-Yes…”
She glanced over at Uncle Harry and nodded once. Seconds later, he scooped me up and carried me into his arms. “Time to run, princess.”
My eyes instantly closed when he and Aunt Alice started to sprint. I could feel the wild wind brushing against my hair and body. They ran so fast, and it made me unable to breath for a few minutes.
But it didn’t take more than five minutes when we finally stopped, and before I could even process what happened, we were now standing on the hill.
“A-Are we here?” I asked in confusion.
“Yes we are.” Aunt Alice chuckled, and motioned for me to check the field.
There I saw werewolves who were around my age, scattered on the vast ground of the mountain that was filled with red oak trees. The earthy, sweet fragrance lingered in my nose, making my head a bit fuzzy.
“It’s time for you to join them, sweetheart,” said Uncle as he put me down. “We will wait here and watch.”
“O-Okay…” I said, reluctantly.
“Good luck, Tessa. May the Moon Goddess bless you with a good mate,” Aunt Alice cheered.
They seemed to be happy with the fact that I’d come to the event, as if they had been waiting for this night to come for me. Not wanting to disappoint my vampire guardians, I nodded, inhaled sharply, and slowly walked across the vast ground to join the other shifters.
There were probably hundreds of us here, waiting and observing. I knew for sure that Mikhaela was here too, but I could hardly find her. It was almost ten minutes of nothing but feeling the cold creeping over my skin when three creatures entered the area. One, who seemed to be their leader, was holding some things… like those of a witch who would cast a spell.
“The high priestess is here,” said the familiar voice of Mikhaela.
I turned around and saw her, completely amazed as she looked at the high priestess, wearing the same color of dress as mine.
“I’ve been looking for you!” I beamed at her.
She then gazed at me and pouted. “I’m sorry. I’m late because I had to convince my brother to join the mating season.”
“What? Why?”
“Because he’s still unmated,” Mikhaela answered.
My heart instantly panicked. All this time, I didn’t know that Cohen was still unmated. I suddenly felt excitement… what if he was my mate?
“Attention, everyone…”
We both looked at the priestess and noticed that she had raised her long, dark wand.
“We welcome you to this year’s mating season,” she intoned, eyes glancing at each werewolf’s soul. “Meeting a mate is one of the important phases you have to go through, and now that the time has come, the Moon Goddess Selene will bless each of you with a fated pair you’ll be living with until your last breath.”
Everyone was focused on the high priestess, who then started to speak a chant in a language I could not understand. All of us fell silent as we watched her perform the initial ritual, until her eyes rolled back; until she finished the creepy chant.
My eyes wondered around. At first, nothing seemed to be happening in the surroundings. Only the cold night breeze kept blowing and making a whoosh sound. But seconds later, I heard some gaps. Looking around, I saw most of the shifters glancing above, including Mikhaela.
When I did the same, my eyes widened as I saw millions of silver dust pouring down on us. It was, indeed, beautiful and a bit terrifying as I didn’t know where it all came from.
“And now… I announce that your mating journey has finally started. Don’t detest the mate bond. Surrender to your bodies’ desire; mate and mark each other!” intoned by the high priestess.
My heart raced wildly as she said those words. Our eyes met for a split second, and I felt a shiver run down my spine right away. The high priestess looked at me with a blank expression, and then, seconds later, she grinned at me.
“Mikhaela…” I called to Mikhaela and turned to her, only to see her glancing over at the handsome man who was standing not far from us.
The way they looked at each other… they were mates!
And just like that, as if the rest of the world did not matter, Mikhaela ran towards her mate, caressed his face for the very first time, and surrendered to the mate bond pull. They kissed, touched each other’s bodies… and I turned my gaze away when a few minutes later they delved deeper than mere touching.
The entire ground became a mess. Werewolves running to their mates, some tearing their dresses and shirts apart due to the heat engulfing them… some going crazy… kissing and literally mating despite the presence of many.
I could only gasp as I looked around.
So this was how the mating worked….
My heart continued to pound as I waited for a man to step forward and tell me that he was my mate, but no one showed up even after an hour. While the shifters on the ground were already happy about finding their mates easily, it was not the case for me.
I blinked my tears away. It seemed to me that this wasn’t my night, and so I walked to the corner and leaned against the big red oak tree. Deep down, I could not help but question why I was being left out again…
Was it because I had an inactive wolf?
Why wouldn’t it be awakened?
Was I really that different among others?
The pressure… and failure ached so badly inside of me. I waited for another five minutes, but still nothing.
Sighing deeply, I looked up at the hillside where I saw my guardians watching me. I could see the sadness and worry in Aunt Alice’s eyes, and perhaps she pitied me for this failure.
“I’m sorry, Aunt Alice. But this night isn’t for me…” I whispered, and when she gasped, I knew she heard me with her heightened senses.
I was about to walk away and ask them to go home, and I heard these entrancing voices behind me, saying, “Mate…”
It wasn’t just one voice, but two… and when I turned around, my lips parted seeing the future Alpha and Beta… both looking at me with their eyes brooding… expression darkening because of the great amount of desire, which was probably because of the mate bond pull.
But wait… they called me mate?
The two of them?!