THE WOLF CEREMONY (PART TWO)

“That’s such a hassle, Jessie; you watch too many movies. That’s why you think life is full of roses when you meet your mate; trust me, you are going to hate your life for sure.’

“It’s not about watching too many movies; I want someone for me, just like my sister wants, to love,” she argued.

“Love is not everything.’ I remarked.

“Who told you those words, your brothers?’

I thought for a moment. “Nah, but I think it’s Gerard who told me I’m still not sure.’

“Alpha Gerard wouldn’t say such words; he believes in love, unlike you. Love is everything. It conquers all.’

“It’s not like I don’t believe in love; I do and my brothers taught me a lot about love being, everything, but to other people, nay.”

“I don’t care; I just want so much love from my mate, then we will dance at the night ball till twelve midnight and...”

I don’t even want to know anymore why she is so obsessed with getting a mate. I think I have heard enough.

There’s no use trying to convince her, and I’m pretty exhausted listening to her.

“Listen to me when I say you are still a child; just believe me.’ I rolled my eyes.

“And you as well,’ she countered. “I don’t know why you despise mates. It’s every werewolf’s biggest dream to get a mate to love and cherish them, but your mindset is something else. Well, I would love to get a mate today and get married to him today; I don’t care, as long as it is good for us to be together.”

When I say my best friend is sick in the head, she truly is sick in the head.

It’s of no use arguing with her at this point; it’s better to be quiet than to be sorry later on.

“That’s for you, but not for me.” I uttered my words casually with a sigh and continued the manga I was reading.

I love my peaceful moments. Some peace and quiet will be good around here if she's talking bullshit.

I don’t want a mate, I just want to be with my peaceful family and avoid all these problems.

I’ve seen how mates suffer when their partners are jerks.

I don’t want to be miserable and depressed, then die on my deathbed and burn to ashes because my mate declined to bond, making me suffer and refusing to be with me.

No, I’m not interested in it and besides, who would want to mate with a woofless alpha like me?

I was already a laughingstock. Maybe the moon goddess chose this path for me to suffer so I could have a peaceful life with no mate.

I hear about fated mates and their horrible stories every day, which scares me sometimes, so I don’t want to be a victim.

Alphas are assholes, and they stink a lot, except for my brothers, who smell so nice and lovely; they have the nicest pheromones in the world, and whenever I perceive them, it relaxes me.

I miss them, and I wish they would come home for this moon festival; it’s been so long since I’ve seen them.

Two years.

“Come on, your mother will search for us; the elders are coming soon; let’s go downstairs.”

“Go on without me; I’m coming, and I will be there before you know it.” I casually promised and switched on to the next episode of my manga.

She ran out of the room.

She exhausted me as it was and didn’t want to leave my room.

I know what she was speaking about; the pack has gathered again to discuss some stupid stuff and talk about their boring lectures.

I’m not going, anyway; it’s best I stay in my room.

No one would even notice I wasn’t there, anyway.

“Oceana,” my mother called from downstairs; I could hear her footsteps coming upstairs.

Not now; why today of all days to relax?

Wasn't she supposed to be at the ceremony leading the wolves as Luna of the clan? Why was she back so quickly?

“Oceana!” she shouted.

Could she quit yelling my name? It is embarrassing, and if I pretend to be asleep, I will be in deep trouble.

If I pretend to be tired, she will snap at me and have suspicions concerning my reasons for being weary.

What should I do?

“Oceana!” she yelled even louder.

“Coming!” I yelled back.

“OCEANA!” she screamed at the top of her voice.

My eardrums were hurting non stop at this point and she knows how to frustrate the shit out of someone.

What a day!

“Mom, I’m coming.’ I quickly clicked on the green icon to close itself, but my stupid phone wasn’t clicking the way I wanted it to. What kind of day is this?

Finally, it clicked.

I quickly hid my phone under my bed after checking the time on when they will post the next episode of the manga, and I scampered out of my room and shut the door behind me.

My mom frowned with her hands on her slender waist upon seeing me. Hell was about to break loose, I guess.

“Oceana, what have you been doing inside your room since morning?” She asked solemnly.

Here we go again. Should the moon goddess remind me of why she is my mother again?

“Arranging my bed,’ I answered casually.

“What?” she frowned.

My mother is the Luna of the clan, the queen of the five packs; she is a powerful wolf; her long hair is the same colour as mine; her eyes were so blue; she had a little of acne on her face; a pointed nose; pale pink lips; she had a sort of oval expression; she was pretty attractive and stunning to the core.

She was as beautiful as a goddess; no wonder my dad wouldn’t leave her alone and was always protective of her, as if she would run away from him any moment from now.

She was just forty years old, slim, and curvy.

I want to be like her when I grow up and be as beautiful as ever.

“Reading my books and also solving my assignments,’’ I lied without blinking, hoping she wouldn’t go to my room and search for my phone to see if I was lying.

My mom of justice and dictatorship despises comics, mangas, whatever they are called; she feels they are distracting me from my studies. I wish my brothers were here to stop her from scolding me.

“Are you sure you are not reading those stupid mangas that teach nothing or add some sort of advice to your life?”

Says the person who spends her money on clothes, being more obsessed with it than her children, I’m just a ten-year-old kid; what’s wrong with reading a manga?