Chapter Two

    With this morning's upset now forgotten, my mom was fussing over me. Not only was tonight the full moon Bonfire but also it was my birthday party. My mom had gone over the top with decorations and food. My birthday cake matched that of a huge wedding cake. 

 "Mom, don't you think this is a little over the top?" I asked her

 "It's not everyday that your only daughter turns 18. So I decided to make it the best birthday yet." My mother replied. 

 I had never really been into big parties. Everytime my mom threw one, I always managed to sink into the background and read my books. I kept to myself. I didn't have any friends and had never even had a boyfriend.  I really kept myself from ever having anything to tie me down. I was leaving tomorrow and not looking back until I had finished seeing everything.  

"Now don't you look absolutely beautiful." My mother whispered

 She had spent the last week taking me store to store to find the perfect dress.

 We had finally decided on a blue party dress that puffed out at my knees. It was perfect. I was comfortable in it and could move around. 

"Thank you mom." I replied 

  

"Now it sounds to me like all the guests have arrived and the party is in full swing. Let's go down and join in the fun." My mom said while smiling.

"I agree the sooner I get this thing over with, the sooner I can sleep and the sooner I can get on my plane." I muttered 

"Now Venus, I want you to enjoy tonight. You never know you may find your mate tonight and he may agree to go with you." Mom said excitedly. 

"Mom please don't make me laugh.  We both know that will never happen. If my mate is out there tonight and he finds me I'm not going anywhere." I laughed at what she said.

"Okay, let's stop talking about this. I want you to have the perfect night. Stop worrying about finding or not finding your mate. Let's worry about getting you fed. You haven't eaten at all today. You promised me you would eat tonight. Now go find your brother and Jason. They started cooking the ribs an hour ago. I'm sure they are tender and just how you like." 

"Okay mom" I said to her without arguing. She was right. I hadn't eaten all day and my brother Zeus' ribs were my favorite.  I slowly started walking towards them when I got a sinking feeling.

"Umm Venus..." My wolf Jewel said to me in my head "I really don't think we should go get ribs right now"

"What are you talking about Jewel? I'm starving and they smell mouth watering" I question her.

"Well I'm pretty sure your mom said Jason was over with Zeus and if we want to go on our trip we need to stay away from him. Remember?"

Oh goddess I had almost forgot. I had a sickly feeling that Jason was my mate. Growing up he had always treated me as the annoying little sister. It wasn't until last year, when he and my brother came back from alpha and beta training, that he started following me around. Constantly asking me how I was feeling. If I was eating enough. Just things that he never had asked me before. He and my brother left when they were 15. 5 years of alpha and beta training is required before you can become an alpha or beta. Well that was the rules in my father's pack. The day they came back was the day he started annoying the crap out of me. Jewel and I had discussed this odd behavior for 3 months before we came to the conclusion that he had already started feeling the mate bond and that bond was to me. Lucky being 17 I didn't feel it and wouldn't be able to until tonight. I had been careful to avoid him all day. 

"OH goddess, Venus we need to move he is heading this way." Jewel cried out.

You may be thinking why would my wolf be okay with my walking away from our potential mate. Well that question is easily answered. She also wanted to travel before being tied down from the mate bond. I often wondered if the Moon Goddess at paired me with Jewel because of this. 

Together Jewel and I started to say the same prayer that we have been saying for a month. " Dearest Moon Goddess, please just this once allow me to hold off the urge of the bond. Please give me one year. Then after I promise I will do what has been fated to me since I was born." 

Normally I don't get an answer back. But this time I heard a voice in my head that made me feel calm and relaxed. 

 "Venus, your prayers have not gone unheard. I will grant you this but only because I need you to find the answers to who and what you are. You have one year. You will know he is your mate but not be pulled by the bond unless you decide to be. Make me proud."

"Jewel?"

"That wasn't me Venus. That was mother. The moon goddess herself."

"What did she mean, find the answers to who and what we are?"

"Your guess is as good as mine girl. But I'm okay with searching for these answers and not being tied up by a bond for a year."

 

"Jewel we need to play like we don't feel him. Like we know he isn't our mate."

"You handle the boy, I'll handle the wolf." Jewel replied quickly 

 Once the bond is felt by both people, their wolves could communicate. I knew how she was going to handle the wolf. She was going to ignore him.

I felt the force of Jewel putting up a strong block. I myself was already prepared to fight off the pulled.

"Hey there princess, I've got a plate full of ribs with your name on it." A voice said behind me.

I knew that voice. Slowly I turn around and looked straight into Jason's eyes. I felt the slightest pull and knew that our guesses were correct. But somehow the pull was not bringing me to jump into his arms. The Moon Goddess had done what she said she would do.

Now to get him to believe I didn't know he was my mate....