His mate

Samantha Skylar Wright

Ever since I was a young girl I have dreamed of meeting my mate, falling in love, having a few kids, and dying old together. And still to this day those dreams are still intact. Many people call me naïve because of it. But what's wrong with wanting to be loved? What's wrong with wanting to be in love? There's nothing wrong with love, just heart break.

Today is the first day of the Mating Ball. The Mating Ball is a three day ball where boys and girls come to meet their mates. The rules are that if you meet your mate on the first day you have to wait until the last day to meet them or see them at all outside of the ball. The second rule is that there is zero completion of the mating process during the ball or until the last day is over. There is one more rule, but I forgot it.

My mother is very excited for me to be able to attend the ball this year. Since as soon as you turn seventeen you are eligible to meet your mate. My father on the other hand isn't as pleased as he could be. I'm his baby girl and he's very overprotective of me. My brother attended his two years ago but we haven't seen him since. We believe that he found his mate and went to spend forever with her. Nice, isn't it?

I'll be going to the ball with my best friend, Genelia Mary Fosters, she's really pretty and tough. Just like me she wants to meet her mate, she's just unsure if she wants to do it now. I can't wait. My wolf is itching for her mate's love and approval. Call me crazy if I depend on a guy so much, especially a guy I haven't even met yet. 

"Samantha! Are you getting ready!" My mother calls out to me. I sigh and started heading to the bathroom. 

I take out all the things I need for my little relaxation. I strip out of my clothes and get into the bath. I put my hair into a mess bun and start applying the face mask I got from LUSH. The music I started playing was bursting in my ears. I'm listening to Vagabond by MisterWives. Something about this song relaxes me. I take deep breaths and sit there waiting for my timer to go off.

I get out of the tub and place my towel around my chest. I sit down in front of the vanity and started washing my face and brushing my teeth. Once I finish that I start my makeup. Normally my mother would do this, but I feel capable enough to do it myself. I'm a big girl right? After that I take my hair out of the bun it was so lazily put in. I straighten my hair and put it in a really neat ponytail.

The dress I'm wearing to the first day of the ball definitely isn't my choice. It shows a little too much skin for my liking but the dress is beautiful. I put my slip on and start to get into the dress. It's finally on. I look in the

mirror

and smile. I place the mask on my face and slip on my shoes and jewelry. Then I hear a knock on my door.

"Are you all done?" A small voice asks. I laugh and answer with a 'yes'. The door opens and I see my mother in tears forming in her eyes. "Sweetie, you look beautiful." She awes. I smile, "Thank you." A small blush forms on my cheeks. A single tears falls from my mother's right eye and I pull her into a hug. "I'm so sorry for crying like this, " She laughs, "But my baby's all grown up." She sighs. "I'll always be your baby."

I carefully walk down the stairs and I'm greeted by my father. "Samantha, you look amazing." He compliments. I give him thanks and we start taking pictures as if I'm going to prom. Which in a way I kind of am. Minutes later I hear the doorbell ring . "I'll get it." I offered and went to my door. 

There in front of me is my best friend, Genelia. "Sam, you look gorgeous." Genelia awes. "Me? Look at you!" I throw the compliment back at her. But she truly does look amazing. She is wearing a red dress. It starts to flow out at her waist and the puff is made of miniature flowers. The top is a velvet material and she looks fabulous. 

Genelia's mother and father walk in and they greet me, my mother and my father. We talk for a while until our limo gets here to pick us up. I take a few deep breaths and I say goodbye to my parents. I grab Genelia's hand and we walk out together.

"Miss Samantha Skylar Wright and Miss Genelia Mary Fosters." The limo driver calls for us. We hurry over to him, I mean, as fast as girls in heels can. We giggle as we get into the limo and we start our two hour drive to the Central Hall.

On the car ride I get the pleasure to meet many other girls. A few of them told me that it wasn't their first year participating. That's the last rule. If you don't meet your mate in your first year, you have to come again until you do. But this year, I hear we're having a special guest.

"I hear that he's never come to one of these before."

"So, he's like our age?"

"No! He's like twenty-six."

I listen very closely to the two girls' conversation. "Did you hear that Ginny?" I get Genelia's attention. "Hear what?" She says so cluelessly. "There's a man coming this year and he's twenty-six." I inform her. "He's been attending for... nine years!" Genelia shrieks in shock. "Goddess no! This is his first year." I tell her. "But the rules-" I cut her off. "He's a rule-breaker I guess."