6

“Mate… mate… mate…”

Selene kept repeating the word like a desperate prayer as she ran in wide, frantic circles across the dark fields. She could feel him. The pull was real, burning inside her chest, yet no matter how far she ran or how loudly she howled, he never appeared.

The absence drove her nearly mad. Where was he? Why wouldn’t he answer? All through the long night her silver form raced beneath the moon, voice breaking the silence again and again, but the only reply was the empty wind.

By early morning her strength finally gave out. She collapsed and transformed back to human at the entrance of the Alpha’s villa.

Up on the balcony Luna Yudi had been waiting for hours, heer arms were wrapped tightly around herself. Everyone in the territory had heard the howls, yet no second call had ever answered. The thought that her daughter might not have an Alpha mate felt almost impossible—both she and Gabriel carried pure Alpha blood.

The moment she spotted the naked body lying motionless below, she ordered the maids and servants to hurry. They gently lifted Lunelle, draped a soft robe over her, and carried her inside.

Alpha Gabriel stepped out of the Silver Chamber just as they brought her in. He had spent the entire night searching through the old records and had found some clues but he was yet to put the pieces together. “How is she?” he asked at once.

“She’s fine,” Luna Yudi answered quietly. “Just completely drained. I think her wolf is hurting. Has anything like this ever happened before?”

Gabriel shook his head. Luna Yudi rubbed her temples and forced herself to calm down. “She’s still young. She will find her mate. Maybe he’s younger than we expected… and even if he’s an omega, we will accept him. We’ll train him and groom him. Yes.” She said the words as much to convince herself. As a mother she needed to stay calm so she could be strong for Lunelle later.

Gabriel said nothing. In truth he almost hoped the mate was only an omega—anything would be safer than the terrifying possibility that she was mated to an otherworldly creature. He rubbed his tired eyes and glanced around the quiet house. “The guests?”

“Because she took so long to return, I dismissed most of them. Some left last night. The rest are resting in the guest houses we prepared.”

“Alright,” he sighed.

Hours later Lunelle’s eyes fluttered open. She squinted at the white ceiling above her, taking several seconds to remember where she was.

A soft groan escaped her lips as she tried to sit up. The door opened and Luna Yudi stepped in carrying a bowl of warm porridge. The moment she saw her daughter struggling she hurried forward. “Oh my—don’t move,” she said gently, setting the food on the table and handing her a glass of water.

Lunelle drank deeply, then let out a shaky breath. “What happened, Mom?” Her thoughts still felt hazy, the night’s memories had not returned completely. Luna Yudi remained quiet for some seconds giving her time for everything rushed back at once, the shift, the long run, the overwhelming pull. “My mate,” she gasped, bolting upright. “Mom, has my mate arrived? Can I go see him?”

Luna Yudi’s expression flickered with pain. How was she supposed to explain without crushing every hope in her daughter’s heart? She reached out and stroked Lunelle’s hair. “Don’t worry about that yet, honey. Just focus on getting your strength back. He will appear in the future, alright?”

“No… I mean, did he come?” Lunelle’s asked excitedly

Luna Yudi hesitated. As far as she knew there had been only one set of howls. If a mate had answered, he would have appeared by now. “Honey… no one came back with you. And no one has come since.”

“…What?”

“But don’t be sad,” her mother said softly, still stroking her hair. “He will appear eventually. For now just rest and regain your strength.” She placed the bowl of porridge in Lunelle’s hands. “Eat something to replenish your energy. I’ll go prepare supper, your favorite, alright?” She pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter’s forehead and left the room.

Lunelle remained frozen on the bed, the bowl cooling in her lap but she didn't bother to pick it up, She was confused. Had she been wrong? Had she imagined the whole thing?

“Selene?” she called quietly inside her mind. Only her wolf could answer the questions burning in her chest. “What… what is happening? Didn’t we sense our mate last night?” Her voice trembled. “Does… does he not want us?”

"I don't know." She was also hurting inside, she felt him too.... how could?

Dragon Realm..

Draven arrived at the archives, where the information of their ancient history are usually kept.

The people around immediately bowed your head seeing him.

He nodded slightly and rushed in, and met the elder who was in charge, Elder Faustus. He was known to be the most knowledgeable and intelligent dragon alive and choose to confine himself to a prison of books.

"Your Majesty, pleasure see-"

"How does this mate bond work?" He interrupted him immediately.

"Huh…?"

"Did I stutter?" Draven asked in an intimidating time clearly pissed as his reply. His heart was practically hammering against his chest, and his dragon longed for another. He was at the brink of madness at this point.

"No... I am quite surprised and merely curious, the mate bond isn't something a royal like you should concern yourself with.." He wanted to say something more but seeing the glare that Draven shot him, he held back his words.

"Dragons have mates, a bond that pulls two people together. Once bound, they're together for life. But this clause made it difficult for some male dragons to accept, considering their mates might be weak."

"Can't they just refuse?" Draven raised an eyebrow.

"You can't refuse the bond nor reject it unless you are already bound to another, that's why a bridal ceremony is held early for the rulers and high society men. So that they can bond with a more powerful person before they cross paths with their actual mate."

Draven hummed in deep thought, he was still unsure what to do.

"If I might ask your Majesty... Have you crossed paths with your mate?