ELDER'S BLOOD

Elena held up two blushes, considering her options. "Do you want the light pink blush or this warmer one?"

Serena didn’t bother opening her eyes. "I don’t understand why I need to look pretty too."

"Hm." Elena answered her own question. "Pink will suit you better—it’s softer on your complexion."

Serena sighed. "Fine."

The sisters sat cross-legged on the floor in front of a worn wooden mirror, its stand long broken. Elena carefully swept the pink blush across Serena’s cheekbones with a wide brush. "What about a lip color?"

"Elena, I know you’re anxious about the Beta’s son, but fussing over me isn’t going to change whether or not he’s your mate."

"I know," Elena admitted, "but this keeps me from spiraling. I haven’t felt this calm all day, so let me focus, okay?"

She grabbed a random lip color, but as she brought the rosy tint to Serena’s lips, her sister opened her eyes and stopped her hand. "Wait," Serena said. "I know Mom is making this a huge deal, but—"

"She’s not making it a big deal; it is a big deal," Elena interrupted, her shoulders sinking. "I’m already twenty-one, and with Dad’s promotion, they need me to make a good match. The Beta’s son is turning eighteen soon, and he’ll be the only unmated male with a title that matches our family’s status."

Serena frowned. "I hate seeing you like this. I know no one deserves to be mated to the next Beta more than you, and you will be. But—"

"There are no 'buts,'" Elena cut in. "This is my only chance."

Serena glanced down, her caramel hair falling in soft waves. "Our family’s reputation shouldn’t hinge on something you can’t control. That’s why I hate the idea of mates—why I want to run away and never deal with Mom’s impossible standards. Not everyone just happens to be mated to a Beta the moment they turn eighteen."

"Run away? Don’t say that," Elena said sharply.

Serena’s voice softened as she fidgeted with the scattered makeup. "It’s the truth."

"If you ran away, it would destroy this family," Elena said, standing to smooth the creases in her dress, an outfit she wouldn’t normally wear at home.

Serena shook her head. "Mom doesn’t love me as much as she loves you."

"I’m sorry you feel that way. It’s not true, but..." Elena sighed, brushing invisible dust off her dress. "If you ever left, just know I’d come after you and drag you back—kicking, screaming, whatever it took."

"You wouldn’t last a night outside the pack’s borders," Serena countered, also standing. "Not with the rogues and wilderness. Everyone knows it’s dangerous out there. If it wasn’t, we’d be free to leave, but we’re not."

"You’re right. I wouldn’t survive. So don’t make me go."

"Okay. I won’t," Serena says softly.

I place my hands on my hips. "Let’s head downstairs with Mom and Dad. The future Beta should be turning eighteen soon; the day’s almost over."

"Imagine he was born a minute before midnight," Serena teases. "Mom and Dad might fall asleep and miss it."

"Mom said he was born just after dinner."

Serena raises an eyebrow. "How does she know that?"

"She has her ways. Now come on."

I take Serena’s hand, guiding her out of my bedroom and into the hallway. Together, we descend the staircase and join our parents in the living room. Dad is seated on the couch, flipping through the pack’s guard roster, visibly tired from his shift. Mom, meanwhile, paces anxiously in front of him.

When she spots me, dressed and ready, her expression softens. "How are you feeling, Elena?"

"Fine," I reply with forced cheerfulness, taking a seat in the armchair. Serena walks past Mom to settle on the loveseat next to Dad.

Mom glances at her briefly before focusing on me. "You’re not feeling anything unusual, are you? Any scents, tingles, or fluttering?"

"My stomach has been fluttering all day," I admit, trying to mask my nerves.

Mom exhales with a mix of hope and tension. "According to his aunt, he should be of age any second now."

She gestures at her pendant, signaling me to fix my own. I adjust the moonstone necklace she insisted I wear, centering it on my chest. She believed it would show the Beta where my priorities lay.

"Why don’t you sit down?" Serena suggests to her.

Mom waves her off impatiently, unable to stay still. For weeks, her focus has been on this day. It’s my responsibility to secure a match with the Beta’s son, and the weight of it is crushing. My silent prayers to the Moon Goddess aren’t selfish—I simply can’t fail my family. At my age, being unmated is a source of shame, a mark of being a burden.

"Elena? Anything?" Mom presses again.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my anxiety building as the minutes tick by without any sign of the bond. Just as I begin to despair, Serena gasps, clutching her chest. The sound draws everyone’s attention. My nails dig into the armrest as I watch her.

"Serena?" Mom asks, alarmed. "What’s wrong?"

Serena stammers, her face pale. "I-I don’t... I think..."

My heart pounds as realization dawns. She’s only been eighteen for a month, but that’s all the Moon Goddess needs to forge a bond.

Mom’s eyes widen, and she drops onto the loveseat beside Serena, grabbing her arm. "Do you feel it? Is it the mate bond?"

Serena doesn’t answer, but her apologetic glance in my direction says it all. I rise to my feet, my chest tightening.

"It is, isn’t it?" Mom turns to Dad. "Go outside. Wait for him."

Dad sets his papers down and studies Serena briefly before casting a disappointed glance my way. His silent judgment stings. He places a comforting hand on Serena’s shoulder as he passes, then steps out through the front door.

Mom looks at me but quickly averts her gaze, focusing on Serena instead. She rubs her back reassuringly. "This is good news. Don’t worry, sweetheart. Do you smell him yet?"

I turn away, unable to watch.

"Elena," Mom calls, her tone firm. "Give Serena the necklace."

My hands tremble as I fumble with the clasp. Once it’s undone, I hand the pendant to Serena. Mom helps her fasten it, repeating all the encouraging words she’d directed at me over the past week.

But it no longer feels real. Detached, I retreat into the kitchen, my mind spinning.

The back door creaks as I step out, unable to watch Mom fuss over Serena. The summer night feels warm, but the wind presses my dress against me, lifting its hem. I circle to the side of the house and stop near the corner leading to the front yard. Dad stands a few steps from the door, arms crossed, scuffing the dirt with his shoes while keeping his eyes on the horizon.

The moon was high up in the sky. So bright that it's beauty personified it.

I linger in the shadows until someone finally arrives. My father approaches the figure, and the porch light reveals him—it’s the future Beta. My chest tightens. Nothing stirs in me, no sign of the mate bond. Shame and frustration settle in my gut.

Why would the Goddess choose Serena over me? Why make me seem so unworthy?

The front door opens, and Mom steps out with Serena at her side. Dad speaks briefly with the Beta before stepping back. Mom guides Serena forward, her hand firmly on her arm, pride radiating from her every move.

I’ve done everything Mom ever wanted. I’ve tried to be her perfect daughter. Now, she won’t even glance my way. Hot tears stream down my face. Serena is the Beta’s mate. She’s the one securing our family’s future.

As the Beta takes Serena’s hand, I can’t bear it anymore. I turn and rush away, the damp earth soaking my shoes as I sprint toward the trees. The house’s warm glow fades behind me, yet I feel no comfort, only rejection.

Kicking off my shoes, I reach the forest line. Mom always warned us to avoid the border—rogues lurk there, and it’s lawless. But tonight, I don’t care. Shifting, my wolf bursts forward, shredding my dress. I race past the border, finally free but lost in a whirlwind of emotion.

My wolf’s small blonde form powers through the woods with boundless energy, ignoring the howls from distant mountains. If I stay, I’ll be nothing but a failure—a mateless embarrassment, pitied and ignored. I refuse to be the forgotten daughter.

I run until unfamiliar scents flood my nose. Two large wolves appear, flanking me on either side. They’re guards. They sprint ahead, forcing me to stop abruptly. I stumble, crashing into the damp ground.

The scent hits me hard, strange but intoxicating. The guards bark at me to shift, their teeth bared as they circle. All I can focus on is the overpowering scent, its pull growing stronger with every breath.