Mate!

Karen was escorted to her room and informed that her parents would join her shortly. Once she was alone, she took the opportunity to look around her new room.

The room was spacious, just like her former room at the cabin, but everything about it felt more luxurious. The walls were painted her favorite color, pink, with a soft cream shade that made the room feel warm and welcoming. Instead of the old bunk bed she had been used to, there was a large, comfortable queen-sized bed sitting in one corner.

Karen slowly walked around, taking in every detail of her new surroundings. She still couldn't believe she was back home after eighteen years. As she admired the place, something on the side table caught her attention. It was a family photograph.

She picked it up and studied it carefully. The sight of the people in the picture felt strangely familiar. She had seen a similar photograph before, back when she was living in the cabin.

Karen's eyebrows arched together as she stared at it, trying to remember where she had seen it. Why did this picture feel so familiar?

Before she could think any further, a feminine voice broke the silence.

"Do you like your new room?" the woman asked, standing near the doorway.

Karen quickly turned around, her breath temporarily ceasing when she realized who was standing in front of her.

It was the same woman on the photograph.

"Mom?" Karen whispered, confusion and disbelief filling her voice.

The elegant woman, who looked to be in her mid-thirties, opened her arms with a warm smile.

"Come here, darling. I've missed you so much," she said, holding her arms out to her.

Karen didn't hesitate. She rushed toward her and threw her arms around her mother, holding her tightly as though if she loosened her grip, the woman might disappear again.

"Mom, I've missed you too. You have no idea how long I've waited to hug you like this," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Helena hugged her daughter even tighter, gently stroking her hair as tears gathered in her own eyes.

"I've waited for this moment for so long," she whispered, pressing a kiss against her forehead.

Karen pulled back slightly and wiped her tears, only for another familiar voice to come from the doorway.

"Looks like we're having a great family reunion," Charlotte exclaimed, entering the room with a bearded man beside her.

Karen's face immediately brightened when she saw her father, Alpha Adam.

"Father!" she cried, rushing toward him.

She wrapped her arms around Adam without hesitation, but his body stiffened the moment she embraced him. Although Karen noticed it, she refused to let go. She had waited too long for this moment to allow his awkwardness to ruin it.

"Father, I missed you too. You look so handsome in person," she complimented him, smiling through her tears.

Adam cleared his throat awkwardly and gently pulled away from her.

"Uhmm...the party is about to start. We shouldn't keep the guests waiting," he said coldly, glancing toward the door.

The smile on Karen's face faded slightly, but she quickly hid her disappointment.

"Of course," she replied, wiping the remaining streaks of tears from her cheeks.

She understood that her father was still trying to get used to having her back in his life. After all, they had been separated for so long. She didn't want to pressure him into accepting everything at once.

Before she could leave, Charlotte suddenly stopped her.

"Oh, Karen, I almost forgot. I have a present for you," she revealed, reaching for something beside her.

Karen turned around, but before Charlotte could hand it to her, she glanced toward the door.

"Apologies, Charlotte, but may we postpone this until later? The party has already begun, and everyone is waiting for us like father said," Karen reminded her, glancing toward the clock.

"Alright then," Charlotte agreed, placing the gift aside.

"Come on, let's get moving, ladies." Cullen beckoned from the doorway, motioning for them to follow him.

The party was already in full swing when they entered the hall. Friends, relatives, and members of the pack gathered around Karen to celebrate her return and birthday. She received warm greetings, countless presents, and well wishes from everyone.

Later, a magnificent rainbow cake decorated with two flickering candles was carried onto the stage by her mother, Helena. Karen's name was beautifully written across the top, along with a small edible picture of her.

"Wow, this is both creative and hilarious! Is that me on the cake?" Karen laughed, pointing at the tiny image.

Everyone around her laughed as well. The pack members gathered around her and began counting down together. When they reached three, Karen held the ribboned knife and cut into the cake amid cheers and applause.

Amidst the flurry of presents and well-wishes, Karen found herself lavished with attention, yet a nagging worry lingered: she hadn't caught a scent of her mate throughout the party.

As Karen watched the swirling couples on the dance floor, a twinge of jealousy clawed its way into her heart. She felt a sickening sense of isolation at her own party, lacking a partner for the dance.

When a waiter approached with a drink, she accepted it reluctantly before finding solace in the company of a group of girls nearby. Their chatter piqued Karen's interest, particularly when they mentioned a famous individual.

"Have you heard? He just purchased a villa worth two hundred million dollars," one of the girls hyped.

"Wow, that's a whole lot of money! Whoever snags this guy as a mate is incredibly lucky," another remarked, her eyes sparkling with romantic fervor.

"I wonder, has he found a mate?" the first girl pondered, attempting to cut her chicken.

Before they could delve further into the topic, their conversation halted as they noticed Karen, who had been quietly eavesdropping.

"You're the birthday girl, right?" a blonde girl asked, her face alight with excitement.

"Yes, I'm Karen," she replied politely.

"Oh my gosh! You're the strongest she-wolf everyone's been buzzing about," the blonde girl exclaimed, turning to her companions who were now equally intrigued.

"Do you mind if I ask, who's this famous guy you're discussing?" Karen asked curiously.

"You mean you haven't heard of Damion Creek? He's the Alpha of the Golden Paw Pack, the sole heir of the Creek family which is the wealthiest family in these parts," the blonde spilled out, her tone filled with admiration.

Karen's heart swelled with joy at the possibility of meeting the man Charlotte had described as her mate. Suddenly, a pleasant scent drifted into her nostrils and she couldn't resist the urge to follow it. Her wolf, Jenna, nudged her forward, urging her to seek out the source of the alluring fragrance.

Could this be the fated mate she had long been yearning for?

Without further hesitation, Karen sprang up from her seat.

"I'll be right back," she announced, flashing the bewildered girls a grateful smile.

With that, she bunched up the sides of her flowing red gown, lifted the fabric before running off. Her steps quickened into fast paces as the scent grew stronger and stronger.

Breaking through the crowd, Karen continued to follow the masculine scent until she arrived at the grand hallway. There, a broad-shouldered figure stood conveniently in a distance, his back turned away from her as he engaged in a conversation on a mind-link.

{Stand in my stead. I'll be back before sunrise}

He severed the connection to his mind-link as a prickling sensation hinted at a presence behind him. Slowly turning around, the man's luscious golden curls danced in the night's chilly air, framing his striking features like a model on a pin-up.

Dressed in a sleek black suit against a crisp white shirt and impeccably polished leather shoes, he exuded an air of elegance that was hard to ignore. Karen couldn't help but notice the chiseled shape of his face and the outline of his broad chest.

But among all these features, it was his eyes that captivated her the most. Twin pools of shimmering gold that held a magnetic pull, which drew her in like a moth to a flame.

"Hello," Karen squeaked, her voice betraying her awe at the splendid sight before her.

"Yes, how can I help you?" The man asked unfriendly,  his tone carrying a hint of impatience.

Karen blinked.

She had expected a warmer reception, a hint of curiosity perhaps, but instead, she was met with a cold indifference. Undeterred, she gathered courage and pressed on, determined to make her point.

"I'm Karen Adams Van Brunt, the birthday celebrant and you are?" Karen introduced herself, extending her hand towards the man standing before her.

"Damion Creek Alejandro," he replied coldly, declining the handshake.

Karen couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment at the cold reception from her supposed mate. However, a flicker of excitement brightened her face upon hearing the name Damion Creek. It was the very same name the girls had been raving about back in the party hall.

Her heart fluttered with happiness, grateful to have such a prominent figure as her fated mate. With a renewed sense of warmth, she wasted no time in expressing her feelings to Damion.

"I'm Karen, the birthday celebrant, and your mate!" Karen announced, stepping forward with a small pout. "I find it rather surprising that you don't feel the same way."

"Karen, I don't mean to be harsh," Damion began, keeping his distance from her. "I've already marked someone else as my Luna."

Karen was utterly perplexed. Her face was clouded with confusion as she tried to make sense of his words. 

"Hang on a sec. What do you mean by that? Listen, I'm not trying to make up stories..." she trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

"The truth is that my wolf scented you. What else could that mean if not that you are my mate, yet you still deny it?" She ran a hand through her hair, at a loss for words.

Just as Damion prepared to give her another dismissive response, something in a distance caught his attention. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he looked past Karen.

"There she is." He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow.

"Charlotte! Over here, I've been waiting for you, sweetie," he called out, his voice suddenly growing warmer and inviting.

Karen's heart dipped into the pit of her stomach at the sound of that familiar name. She desperately wished it wasn't true, and that her instincts were wrong. But as she turned around, her breath hitched and her eyes widened in disbelief at the figure standing before her.

It was truly Charlotte, her older sister.

A gasp escaped her lips, and tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as her body froze in shock.

"No...no...this can't be real," she murmured, staggering backwards as her purse slipped from her trembling hands, crashing to the ground unnoticed.