Chapter 3 - The mating season gone wrong?

Lilith couldn’t stop smiling occasionally whenever she thought about mating with Jayden tonight.

After lunch, Lilith took out the red dress she had chosen for the mating gathering. This dress caught her attention when she went shopping with Aria last week. She decided right then and there that this dress was perfect for this special event.

“Are you sure you don’t need help getting ready, sweetie?” Erica Venerelli stood in the open doorway leading inside Lilith’s room.

“No, thanks, mom.” Lilith told her mom. “Aria is coming over soon.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Erica asked for the umpteenth time today.

“I’m fine, mom.” Lilith shook her head, her long dark hair sliding across her shoulder.

“Okay then… Later.” Erica nodded before hesitantly leaving.

Lilith knew that there was something troubling her mom but she completely ignored it thinking that it was a parental thing.

Lilith never attended the previous mating seasons since it was forbidden to attend unless you are eighteen and above and you haven’t found your mate yet because of the danger that looms the forest on this specific day.

The werewolves present at the mating gathering would become mindless creatures subject to the moon’s whims. Driven by their lust and animalistic wolves’ instincts, they are forced by the primal need to find their destined mates.

As much as the mating season brought a fortune for the Blood Moon pack with a lot of unmated werewolves finding their mates, those who remain mate less, become wild and uncontrollable under the full moon. Only those with true alpha blood were able to rein in their wolves during that night.

There was no pledge that Lilith would find her mate tonight but Lilith hoped that Jayden was her destined mate.

It was between three and four in the afternoon when Aria came waltzing inside Lilith’s bedroom to get ready for the mating gathering. By this time, Lilith had already taken a bath.

“Are you ready to get banged tonight?” Aria exclaimed eagerly once she had closed Lilith’s bedroom door.

Lilith couldn’t help but cringe at Aria’s choice of words. It was undeniable that her parents heard Aria’s crude comment despite the closed door. Nothing could go pass a werewolf’s ears undetected yet this did not stop Lilith from responding.

“As ready as I can ever be.” Lilith winked at Aria who wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“That’s the spirit.” Aria squealed in excitement.

Lilith wrinkled her nose displeasingly when Aria neared her. The smell of sex and the scent of her mate were strong on her.

“Looks like you spent some great time with Chris before coming here. You stink!”

“Well, he just can’t resist me.”

“You’re such a slut.”

Aria gave Lilith a very serious look so she reciprocated it, but they both cackled before exploding in a fit of laughter.

Lilith started feeling feverish during the evening but she paid no heed to it. Instead, she sat down at her vanity table and applied some light make-up while Aria busied herself in getting into her dress for tonight.

Lilith smiled at her reflection when she was done. She had chosen to let her hair down since Jayden loved it that way.

It was nearing dusk when they both left the house.

The mating gathering was already in full swing when Lilith and Aria reached the area it was being held this year. The lights surrounding the dark dense forest was dimmed which created some shadows looming in on them.

They were used to the dark. Werewolves had heightened senses which allowed them to see perfectly well at night.

Feeling ecstatic that the day they both have been eagerly waiting for had finally arrived; Lilith dashed down the remaining trail and ran straight into Jayden’s awaiting arms once they locked gazes.  

Jayden gave her a kiss before wrapping his arms around her waist which angered her wolf. Lilith was surprised when Lucy retorted with a string of incoherent words at Jayden’s actions.

Her wolf always preferred staying withdrawn to the back of Lilith’s mind whenever she would spend time with Jayden. She would never intervene apart from showing her hostility towards him.

When the first ray of moonlight descended on earth, the mating season finally began. A haze descended upon the forest, hanging low as Lilith felt the same heat she felt earlier increased tenfold.

Thinking that this was what this event brought to those present for the mating gathering, Lilith shrugged it off. Her eyes went wide open when Jayden murmured mate with his eyes firmly pinned on her.

Completely enraptured and basking in this great news, her heart dropped when something felt off. She was not able to say the same word to Jayden. 

“Mate”

“Mate”

The same word sounded again and again, overlapping each other.

When she turned around, she found that all the male werewolves have turned towards her, dazed in a fit of trance.

All of them were lusting over her while repeating the word mate in a chant as they approached her, like predators eyeing the same prey.

Distressed, Lilith’s eyebrows furrowed deep in confusion while her eyes sparkled with unshed tears in the dark night. She sensed something strangely bothering when even Chris joined the chant becoming incessantly louder as time ticked by.

She alarmingly searched through the faces surrounding her and cried for help. A few female werewolves stood still, some confused while some totally astounded by what was happening. Aria was the only one who was down on her knees, crying and begging as Chris abandoned her.

Her heart raced in unreasoning panic when she caught Aria’s gaze. Aria stared at her with a demeaning look on her face as she angrily made her way towards Lilith. Instead of helping her, Aria pushed her away.

“What the fucking hell did you do, you slut?” Aria swore under her breath but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

“A-Aria, please -” Lilith begged.

She couldn’t understand what was going on. She was as confused as everyone else but no one gave her a chance to explain. Neither was there any time to explain nor ask for an explanation.

“How dare you hypnotize everyone? You got them all under your spell. You didn’t even spare my Chris, you bitch!” Aria shrieked, her wolf forcing her to shift.

“H-Help me -” Lilith still begged but Aria smacked Lilith’s arms away.

“You’re better off dead!” Aria’s wolf exclaimed before she ran away into the woods.

Lilith gasped. Fear gripped her in its vicious grasp. Feeling overwhelmed, her heart pounded against her chest. She was breathless. With their eyes fixed on her heaving chest, excitement rushed through the male werewolves as their advancing steps turned urgent.