Chapter 3 - Her mate

If mingling in the crowd had Mina feeling like a deer facing down a pack of hungry wolves, being on stage made her feel like she was being dressed for their feast. 

They all watch every move she makes. Some critical, some admiring but all judging in some way or another. She doesn’t know how she could get her presentation wrong, but somehow, under their eyes, she fears it. A wrong move, a wrong decision, a wrong word causing a back lash to Clear Blue that’d be all her fault.

“Stand straight.” Her mother hisses as she walks past her to the centre of the stage. “Hello, dear allies and neighbouring packs. Thank you for attending my daughter’s presentation.” She smiles at their applause, arms out wide as if hugging them all. Mina sends a silent apology to her brother beside her, but he just shrugs. “25 years ago, my lovely twins were born, and my precious daughter became the next in line to rule our mighty pack.” She turns to Mina, “I wish your fathers were here to see the woman you’ve become. They’d be so proud.”

Mina holds back a scoff and feels the soft bump of Sam’s shoulder against hers. She chances a glance at him and spots the turn of a smile fighting at the corner of his mouth. Before a laugh can spread between the siblings, she looks away and decides to tune the rest of the speech out.

Clear Blue is great... Blah blah blah. 

Our future is bright... Blah blah blah.

So proud of the daughter she secretly hates... Blah blah blah.

Time to bring honour to the pack and find her mates... 

Mina is pretty sure she heard her mum practising that last bit in her office last week, but it's the only part she really cares about. Not only does finding her mates mean the Moon Goddess has blessed her, but it means she will be able to take her rightful place as Luna. Every Luna has at least two fated mates, a sign from the Moon Goddess of a leader, and a gift from the deity by giving them a strong unit. Once Mina finds the first, she will have proven her worth and will be inaugurated to the pack. No more listening to her mother, no more Luna lessons. She’d be free and happy, left to serve her pack however she wishes. It’s her dream.

A nudge to her arm brings her back to her mother’s speech which is wrapping up. Disgust wells up when she sees the woman has tears in her eyes. Damn, she is good. Not a good person, but a good Luna.

“And now, it is time to see if the Moon Goddess has already blessed my Williamina with her first mate.” Her mother holds out a hand which Mina takes as she strides to the centre of the stage.

A hush falls across the hall, as the Luna gives her an awkward hug and then retreats to Sam’s side. Mina watches her go, feeling the unease of standing before that many wolves alone, and wishing at least one person was at her side. Even if that someone was her mother. But she can’t be seen as weak, so she stands tall before them all, praying they can’t see the tremor of her hands.

She takes a breath and echoes her mother’s greeting and thanks. A formality when most of them are there to steal the chance of being the next Clear Blue Luna’s mate. Her eyes glide across the crowd, finding Owen standing near the front with his father, Beta Oliver. He’s grinning, they both are. The Beta stands proud, an arm around his son’s shoulder ready to push him forward when the time comes.

His certainty over the outcome of the next few minutes gave her some confidence but not a lot. 

If she had been asked yesterday who her mate was, she would’ve said Owen. But now... doubt pools within her. And she’s not sure why.

But it is time to find out.

The room is ready and whether she is or not, she has to step up.

A silence wraps her as Mina takes a breath. Every wolf has pheromones, usually released in times of heightened emotions, but this is the first time she is releasing hers knowing she could find her mate.

When she hears the clock chime for midnight, the first seconds of her 25th birthday passing over her skin, she frees her pheromones to the room, letting every wolf inside smell her unique scent. Many wolves dip their heads in deference to the power it contains, the power of a leader, a sight that clutches her chest as much as it makes her stand taller with pride.

Then, as one, the unmated wolves of the room add their own pheromones to the hall. It’s a test of compatibility, to find their mate either in her or the allies around them. A few calls suddenly ring out from the back of the room, then a squeal of happiness, and a thud as another new couple collide near the front and fall to the floor. 

She hears a low grumble behind her too, and turns to see Sam’s arm outstretched, his eyes locked to someone in the crowd. He holds out his hand and sends out a powerful burst of his pheromones. Chloe pushes through the crowd, her eyes teary and grin wider than Mina has ever seen it. The friends lock eyes as she passes and takes Sam’s hand, an appropriate response for someone about to join the pack’s head family, but Mina knows her friend and can see the excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

She covers her giggle with her hand and focuses on the room again, knowing there would be time to celebrate with Chloe later, when they both found their mates.

Immediately, her happiness dwindles. Her mum had said she’d know instantly if her mate was in the room, but there were so many scents clogging the air, how would she? Should she have felt him by now? She takes in breath after breath, waiting for the moment of connection so many wolves talk about. That moment of certainty and peace, knowing they’d found their perfect match.

It doesn’t come.

With a frown, she searches for Owen again. When she spots him, his face is a light pink, his eyes intent on her. He nods to her, confirming his pheromones have been released, but there’s nothing there. No connection, no bond, no nothing. She can’t even smell him. Her smile falters.

But it has to be Owen. He is her boyfriend, her first love, the man she wanted to give everything to.

She pushes her pheromones out again with a force that carries them to every corner of the hall, her eyes locking with Owen’s. Still, nothing.

Then, the faintest thread of a scent reaches her.

It’s deep, musky, cedar.

It snags her attention like she’s bound with a rope, and pulls.

Her gaze travels across the crowd of wolves, desperately searching. She doesn’t care when she sees the moment Owen recognises what happens, nor does she stop herself from taking a step forward, to the very edge of the stage, as if those last inches were blocking her connection.

Then she finds him.

Hazel eyes wide, trying to hide beneath the brown waves of his hair, his usually cocky smile strained. Alastor freezes under her gaze, confirming what he must’ve known the moment she released her pheromones. 

It is only the substantial training from her mother that stops Mina from jumping off the stage and running to him. First, the instinct of the demure Luna her mother had beaten into her, and second, the three wolves that were staring at her reaction. Alastor’s surprise, Owen’s betrayal and Jade... standing beside Alastor, tucked into his side, an eyebrow arching as Mina’s gaze lingers.

Before either of them can do something dumb, Alastor blocks off his pheromones, releasing her from their hold. Immediately, she forces her gaze to continue over the room, hoping that the moment their bond snapped into place was only a heartbeat long and no one noticed the pause.

Her mind is racing, lungs tightening. It shouldn’t be him, it couldn’t be. Not with the alliance deal and Owen and... the ache of knowing he can’t be hers blooms harsh and sharp in her belly. She presses a hand to it as if the touch would keep her held together and smiles to the crowd.

“It seems the Moon Goddess’s plan is yet for me to find out. Thank you all for participating, and congratulations to the new fated mates among you, especially my brother Sam, and best friend, Chloe. I couldn’t be happier for you both.” She gives them a genuine smile before putting this whole crappy situation to bed. “I hope you all return to celebrate with me when I find my first fated mate.”

She can’t help but look to Alastor when she says that last line. Like just saying the word draws her to him. He looks away, whispers something in Jade’s ear and leaves. 

Her smile wobbles, so she spread it into a grin and raises her arms wide. “Please, everyone, enjoy the party.”