3|The Star

“Don’t worry, Mom.” I hugged her, trying to comfort her. “We will protect you. I believe Maddox is doing his best to find a way to increase our defense. No pack can easily destroy us.”

“You won’t protect me. You will meet your mate today.” Mom pinches my chin with affection.

“Well then, I’ll force him to ignore the tradition and stay with us,” I joked.

“No!!!” Dad, Mom, and Garrett shouted in unison.

I looked at them in surprise. “What? Are you guys so impatient to kick me out of the house? Is that why you’re so hopeful I’ll meet my mate today?” I asked, pretending to be angry.

Mom’s mood changed for the better. She was no longer thinking about our intense conversation. Dad and Garrett shared the jokes they had. So, the rest of our trip was full of laughter. Even that annoying Tyra was giggling.

“OK. We have arrived.” Garrett stopped the car in the available parking space.

“I’m sure you will discuss that matter later at royal dinner. Watch your words, Son. Don’t say any bad thing about dead people.” Dad patted Garrett’s back.

My brother nodded obediently. He was a Beta in our pack. He and Alpha Maddox were best friends. So it was not a surprise when he got his Alpha position, he chose Garrett to be his second in charge. They were a brilliant duo who managed to bring our pack into the fifth largest werewolves packs in the North Kingdom. There were four hundred werewolves in our group.

As the daughter of a Beta, I didn’t want to lose to Garrett. We had been training together since we were little pups. I was a girl, but Dad didn’t care about that fact. He had taught me just as hard as my brother. The result was very satisfying. I became one of the strongest warriors in our pack.

Maddox gave me the task of training our young pups, also leading the patrols at night. I was a bit more powerful than my comrades.

There were so many vehicles around us. It was a common sight every time this annual event was held. The werewolves who came were getting younger every year.

‘It’s you who’s getting older,’ Lou teased.

‘Oh, shut up!’ I teased her back.

We walked together to the location where the mateless werewolves assembled. The first thing we should do was for all mateless women needed to stand in the spot they provided. Then the men would walk past all of us until they smelled the unique scent of the mate destined for him.

A large number of werewolves gathered together in one place was not an easy thing to hide. Therefore this event was held in the middle of the forest so that no one knew about it.

“Go, Cora. Hope you meet him this year.” Mom hugged me and kissed my cheek. I looked at Dad and Garrett as they nodded their heads at me.

The eyes of many men followed me, not caring that they already had their mates. I might not have a mate yet, but my charm was not lesser to the she-wolves who had one.

I was blessed with blonde hair that I let grow so long it touched my lower back. I had green eyes, an oval face, thin lips, and a straight nose. My body was curvy and a bit muscular because I often practiced.

I did not need to swing my hips on purpose to get attention. My natural way of walking was enough to attract the men around me. The mateless men in my pack often joke about wanting to sleep with me, so I was not surprised to see the men in this place fantasize about me with nothing to cover my body.

‘They can only dream. I won’t let them touch us if he’s not our mate.’ Lou snorted arrogantly.

‘We agree on that. Enjoy it, Lou. It could be our last year being watched by many men.’

I arrived at the place provided by the committee. I stood with the other girls, waiting to be picked up by our mates. Lou was silent and did not respond to my sentence earlier. She did it again.

‘Why are you always silent when I’m discussing this?’

‘Because I don’t smell anything, Cora. I don’t like to spoil your excitement, but I don’t smell our mate is in here.’ Lou sounded sad and desperate.

Yes, she was right. She had ruined everything. I was not excited about this event anymore. ‘Let’s just hope that he’s coming late,’ I hoped.

The king of the werewolves, a higher position than the Alphas, greeted us all. King Edmund looked elegant with his royal robe and magnificent crown. He was the first king to make a peace treaty.

I had not been born in the era when war was still happening in this land. But I did not want to imagine a life of terror and anxiety where war could break out at any moment.

The crown prince, Prince Elric, stood by his side. He had found his mate. She was his second chance because he rejected the first one, the daughter of a classless warrior. He just wanted to be with the daughter of an Alpha. And he got what he wanted.

However, neither his spouse nor the Queen was present. Poor woman. She had been sick for years for an unknown reason. The Queen gave birth to Prince Elric and had not been away from her bed ever since.

After King Edmund ended his speech, the event began. One by one, the men walked vigorously through the women from the starting point of the queue. To avoid chaos, the committee gave enough distance from one man to the next one.

The first happy shriek came from behind me. The first two lucky werewolves found their mates. The next cheers of joy rang out. One at a time, women left the line, following their respective mates.

The young woman standing on my left gasped in surprise. I turned and saw her staring lovingly at a handsome man with a strong aura like an Alpha walking over. What a lucky girl!

“My mate! Mate!” said the woman, greeting him.

The man smiled at her. “What’s your name?” he asked gently.

“Alicia Cooper, Alpha. I am pleased to be united with you. You won’t regret having me accompany you as Luna.”

“I, Alpha Devon Lancaster of the Blood River Pack, reject you, Alicia Cooper, as my mate and Luna,” the man said viciously.

Everyone gasped at his evil deed. The silent forest suddenly filled with loud whispers. Everybody talked at the same time to the person beside them to share their shock.

“Why …?” asked the girl with her arms folded and a pained expression on her face. She fell to her knees unable to endure the discomfort.

I quickly knelt beside her, trying to help. I did not know what to do because it never happened before. It was the first time I witnessed a werewolf rejected the mate. However, I let her hold and squeeze my hand to ease her pain.

“Quick! Accept my rejection,” the man rebuked impatiently.

Alicia wept bitterly. I would do the same thing if rejected by the mate assigned to me. “I, Alicia Cooper, daughter of Alpha Richard Cooper of Silent Crescent Pack, accept your rejection,” said Alicia, who managed to pronounce it though it was difficult for her.

The man left without any remorse or pain from the rejection. He walked with firm steps and arrogant eyes. It was as if the forced broken bond had not broken his heart and soul. Was it because he had no feeling for her that the breaking of their ties as mates didn’t affect him?

Two women approached and helped Alicia to get up. They took her to where our families were. I stood up and fixed the clothes I was wearing. I looked at the girl. Poor her. It was the first time I had witnessed a participant reject his mate in front of everyone.

The event continued. But the high enthusiasm that had filled this place was suddenly gone. I understood how they felt because I felt it, too. What if the same fate befell me? What if my mate rejected me as cruelly as just happened?

My body was shaking at that thought. Alicia was a beautiful woman and an Alpha's daughter, yet that man rejected her. I might be attractive to other he-wolves. But what if my mate looked at me and found me repulsive?