As Renee and I walked down the hall to the main room I was feeling confident. This was it. This what I have been waiting for. Had my night gone how I thought it would so far? No, but now that I had my cry I was ready to see who the moon goddess had given me as a mate. I tried to shake of the nagging feeling I was having chalking it up to being nerves. We reached the double doors that were shut and Renee turned to me.
"Are you ready?" Her smile infectious.
I took a deep breath trying to calm my nerves and then nodded. "I'm ready."
"Knock em' dead." She winked at me and threw open the doors.
I was stopped in my tracks as soon as the doors opened, the hall had been decorated beautifully. Blue like the color of my dress and coral was the theme and all the decorations reflected that tastefully. My family had out done themselves. I looked ahead of me and saw my path I was to take to the center of the room. As custom, all unmated werewolves that were eighteen and older lined a route to the center of the room. The person that was now eighteen took the path the unmated werewolves made and looked each of them in the eye looking for their mate. When you found your mate in line you made your way to the center of the room for your first dance. Werewolves didn't have weddings, but this was the closest thing we had.
"Annie... I really think we should-" Nan said to me as I stepped into the room and I quickly cut her off.
"Nan I really appreciate you wanting to give me a heads up but I really want to be surprised!"
"Oh, you're going to be surprised all right." She snapped at me. I didn't mean to upset her but I really did want to be surprised! She said I would be surprised, I wonder what means. Before I could get a chance to think about what she meant because the first person in line had stepped forward, of course it was Sam. I purposefully did not look him in the eyes right away.
"Annie, what took you so long? You've kept me and these people waiting, they want to see me be chosen as their future Alpha!" Sam scolded me. "Would you look me in the eyes already?"
As I lifted my eyes to his, I couldn't help the huge smile that broke out on my face. I looked him square in the eyes and saw the look of disappointment cross his face as he realized we were not mates. I nodded my head at him and stepped forward to keep moving. I was stopped by Sam grabbing my arm.
"This isn't over, if you do not find your mate tonight I will be the one you choose. Even if you do find him, let's just say no one is as strong as me. I will destroy him." Sam whispered to me, I couldn't help the angry feeling that bubbled up inside of me. How dare he threaten my mate! I ripped my arm from his grasp and straightened my shoulders. I was not going to let him ruin this for me, tonight was going to be magical and the best night of my life. I took another breath and put a small smile on my face as I moved forward. One by one each of the unmated males stepped forward to make eye contact with me as I walked by, and with each one I could feel my stomach sinking. I was almost to the end of the line and I had yet to find my mate. I tried to keep my head up high and not let the tears fall as I looked the last guy in the eyes, he wasn't my mate either. None of them were the one! As I made it to the center of the room alone I could hear the whispers start.
'That Alpha's daughter doesn't have a mate!'
'Who will our next Alpha be now?'
I could feel myself starting to have a panic attack and I started searching the room franticly for my dad, my mom, my friends, anyone! This party needed to start and get the attention of me, NOW. My breathing became harder and my head started spinning.
"Why's everyone standing around? Pick your jaws up and let's eat! Food is in the back of the room, and there's only 5 dozen of my special cupcakes. First come first served, so you better get on it!" My Oma's spoke up loudly and her announcement about her cupcakes got people moving. I gave her a grateful look as she started shooing and herding people to the food. She waved her hand at the guy running the stereo and he quickly started the music drowning out the whispers.
"Annie honey...." My mom said as she rushed to me and wrapped me in a hug. I could see my dad over her shoulder also giving me a sympathetic look. "Just cause you didn't find him tonight doesn't mean he's not out there. We can go to some of the neighboring packs and see if he is there, don't get discouraged sweetie, we will find him." I was grateful for my mom trying to reassure me but I just wanted to get out of there.
"Sam is willing to step in as your mate, he would make a great mate Annie and an excellent Alpha. We wouldn't even need to go search other packs. And it would be great to keep the same pack blood. I mean if you have a mate from another pack who knows what they could bring into this pack. I think Sam is the wise choice here." My dad said calmly as if I hadn't just gone thru the most embarrassing and devastating moment of my life. He had the audacity to suggest I first, not go find my mate because he may be 'tainted' and secondly, to take Sam as my mate. I have been upset with my dad before but never have I been this angry at him. I couldn't help the explosion that came out of my mouth.
"ENOUGH! Just stop!" I shouted quietly at my dad, I didn't want the whole pack hearing what I had to say. My parents looked at me wide eyed as I continued my outburst. "I can't believe you! After what I just went thru, how humiliated I am. You want to shove the most horrible guy I know on me just to keep the same pack blood?! How about how I feel? What about my mate that is out there waiting for me?! Is finding your next Alpha more important to you than your daughter's happiness? I can't believe you! I will NOT mate with Sam. I'll go Rogue before I would mate with that jerk." I brushed past my parents and I took off out of the Pavilion to the woods. Before I had rushed out I saw the hurt looks on my parents face, especially my mom's when I had threatened to go rogue. It may have been a little below the belt and a little dramatic at the time but it got my point across. Rogues had no family, answered to no one, and were looked down on by all packs. Once you are a rogue there is no coming back, it was the lowest thing someone of our kind could do. I wouldn't actually go rogue, I had just wanted to get my point across.
"Annie we can't give up, our mate is out there. We just have to find him. Please don't give up. I'm sorry you had to go thru that, I did try to warn you." Nan said quietly to me as I was pacing back and forth. I stopped at her words, she had tried to warn me and I hadn't listened. I hung my head ashamed.
"I'm sorry for not listening to you. I really should learn to start listening to you huh?" I apologized to her
"Ya think? I do know a few things ya know!" And like that my smarty pants wolf was back. "Come on let's go back, I want one of Oma's cupcakes!" I wasn't going to argue that logic and I was calmed down enough that I would be able to communicate with people without screaming. I hoped.
As I stepped out of the woods and walked up to the Pavilion I saw my parents were standing at the door waiting for me, probably to give me a good tongue lashing for my behavior earlier.
"Annie, your father and I would like to say something to you. William?" My mom announced and looked at my dad with a stern look. I looked at my dad curious what they had to say.
My dad sighed and looked from my mom to me, "We're sorry." I raised my eyebrows at my dad, getting an apology from him was not a normal thing. I was about to say I was also sorry when my mom nudged my dad and I knew there was more coming so I bit my tongue.
"We shouldn't have pushed Sam on you or put so much pressure on you tonight. We just see how much potential you have, what a great Luna you will be and we wanted someone that would make a great Alpha. A mate that would make you two an unstoppable force and amazing leaders, Sam could do that!" My dad trailed off as I narrowed my eyes.
"But....." My mom said telling my dad with that one word that he better finish the rest of his speech.
"But, we also know you deserve to find your mate. Or at least a chance to. Your mother and I were lucky enough to find each other, and we know what that mate bond is like. How strong it is, how much it means to be with the one the moon goddess destined you to be with." He paused giving my mom those googly eyes. I wasn't even grossed out because I was so happy, they were going to let me take the time and find my mate!
"So that's why we are giving you the summer to find your mate. Once fall comes you will have to take Sam or someone as worthy that is willing to be your mate and start your preparations to becoming Alpha and Luna." I shook my head in disbelief at what my dad had just said. I only had the summer? That wasn't nearly enough time, what if I had to travel all across the country to find him? He can't be serious, I looked at my mom to see if they were joking.
"I'm sorry honey but we have to think about the pack. You're eighteen now, that's when the next leader is to start making preparations to be the next leader. We are already bending the rules a little to give you time to find your mate." Mom gave me an apologetic look.
"A suitable mate." My dad added.
"A suitable mate?! What are you saying?" He couldn't possibly mean what I thought he meant.
"Annie we need a strong leader for this pack. Your mate needs to be that." My dad said.
"So you're saying that if I find my mate, and he's not 'suitable' I have to reject him? Do you know what that would do to me?! To my mate?!" I couldn't believe this. This could not be happening.
"Mom, you can't be going along with this? Please....." I looked at my mom with tears in my eyes.
"I'm sorry honey, what your dad says goes." She told me and my dad kissed her on the forehead and walked back into the party.
My mom grabbed me in a hug and whispered, "I'll try to change his mind Annie but you know how stubborn he is. I'll do my best." She kissed me on the cheek and went to follow my dad.
My mind spun as I reflected back on the last two hours of my life. I didn't find my mate, I only had the summer to find him, and if he wasn't a 'suitable' mate I had to reject him. So far being eighteen isn't looking that great.