Chapter Two ~The Lunar Convergence~

~Gwen~

The Coit Tower is crowded with all the werewolves in San Francisco. All the four packs are gathered here.

The Lunar Convergence is a ritual held three times a year. It symbolizes the coming together of werewolves under the full moon to recognise and unite with their destined mate. We also call it the Moonlit recognition.

It was obvious that a lot of werewolves who were here for the ritual looked nervous. They did not know how tonight might turn out for them. Just like me. Fate either gave you someone you love or didn't. Few may not find their mate here today until the next Lunar Convergence and there are a few rejections sometimes. Although it was most times a happy ending for everyone.

Rejection in San Francisco's pack community was similar to a death sentence. If one doesn't get a mate, the individual will be ridiculed to the point that they sometimes have to leave their pack because they can't take it anymore. It was that bad.

"Hey, cheer up. You look like you are about to melt." Leonard poked me.

"I do feel like I am going to melt. I am so scared," I said.

Leo smiled and rubbed my back. He is my best friend and sometimes I think I'll be dead lonely without him in my life. He is the perfect description for a nerd which is why we are close.

"Leo, do you think anyone fate chooses for me will want me?"

"Why do you ask such a question? You have to be optimistic."

"I am just being real here. You can see the way my pack treats me. No one wants to relate with me because of my history."

"Gwen, you are not your history. It's their loss. They all do not know how wonderful you are as a person, except for your parents of course."

My parents. Those were the people who ever showed me genuine love, even though I wasn't their child.

My history is messed up. The story I grew up hearing was that my mother was Alpha Roderick's childhood friend. They grew up together here. She fell in love with a man, who happens to be a rogue then she abandoned her pack to be with him.

A few years later Alpha Roderick found a baby at his doorstep with a letter from my mother. Alpha Roderick almost turned me away until his close friend, Nate Blackthorn, promised to raise me as his own because they had no child. But a year later they had Lionel. That's the version of the story that I know.

Alpha Roderick was giving the opening speech before the ritual began.

"We all know why we are here on this night of a full moon. This is a tradition that has been held for generations. Before the moonlit recognition begins, I would like to pass on the information that tonight is a great night for me as well. Not because I am looking for a mate. My Luna would kill me if I was—."

There was so much laughter when he said the last part of his speech sarcastically. His Luna poked him. He gave a false moan.

Alpha Roderick continued, "The reason why I am happy is because my son Jasper just turned nineteen and will be find his mate today. His best friend Reginald who also turned nineteen will also get a mate. The Alpha of the Golden Gate Guardians will be proud, just like me. Can you scream hurray with me?"

"Hurray!" The sound of our scream shook the entire ground.

Alpha Roderick continued. "The cost of today's celebration is on the Pacific Moonrise pack. Enjoy yourselves as you please."

Everyone screamed and praised Alpha Roderick. They began to yell. "You rock, PMP! You rock, PMP!"

They all cheered loudly. PMP is a short form for the Pacific Moonrise pack.

"Enough" Alpha Roderick raised his hand to halt the cheerful crowd. "With this, I say may the Moon goddess bless this ritual."

We all made a howling sound in response. That was our way of commemorating the beginning of the ritual.

Alpha Roderick held Luna's hand as she stepped down from the stage. They looked cute together. His Luna was a very beautiful and nice lady.

Most times I wonder if Jasper is even their son. Perhaps he got switched at birth.

He is the complete opposite of both of them. Well, he is good-looking, no doubt. But that was the only thing he got from them. Character-wise, he was a rebellious jerk and a bully.

****

I could not believe it. This was too good to be true. I just caught my mate's scent.

"Leo, I can smell him. His scent. I think I got a mate!" I bounced from foot to foot.

Leo hugged me. "I told you not to worry."

Under the full moon's light, those qualified entered the field at once and began to look for their mate through the scent.

I searched for mine, I followed his scent until it brought me to where he was standing. He had his back to me. I reached out to him, tapping his shoulders softly. "Hi," I said with a shaky voice.

He must be searching for someone because I could see his attention was somewhere else. Was he searching for me?

He turned around. I nearly collapsed from shock. It was Reginald Nightshade. Reginald the son of the Alpha of The Golden Gate Guardians.

Fate gave me a soon-to-be Alpha as my mate! I must be dreaming. I didn't know if I was to scream or to run away and hide.

Reginald stared at me with protruding eyes, mouth agape. "You! No. You can't be my mate. Fuck this!" He walked away from me.

I feared the worst. This reaction was not a good one. There was only one person I could run to now. No, not my parents. Leo.

"Leo! Leo! You would not believe this." I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I wanna hear it. Tell me, girl." He screamed, looking excited. He was so happy for me when I told him I could smell my mate. He was probably thinking I came back to tell him I was happy with who I found. Little did he know.

"You are keeping me waiting. Who is he?" Leo asked.

"It's Reginald."

"Which Reginald? You mean Reginald —as in Reginald Nightshade of the Golden Gate Guardians. Jasper's best friend?"

"Yes, him."

"Woooh. I think you just hit yourself a jackpot. You got yourself a potential Alpha as a mate! This calls for celebration, Luna."

My head was spinning. "Wait, Leo. Stop! He wasn't happy when he saw me."

"How do you know that?"

"He walked away from me in annoyance."

"Really. That's not a good sign then. Let's not assume things or conclude based on that. Let us patiently wait for the acceptance phase."

What happens in the acceptance phase is that we all accept those whom we have found as our mates and promise to be one forever.

The first werewolf couple rejoiced over their mate bond. The second couple looked excited too. The third were okay with each other. On and on it went. It was my turn. Reginald stared at me, his jaw clenched. He had so much anger in his eyes. He wasted no time speaking.

"I Reginald Nightshade reject you Gwen Blackthorn as my mate."

He didn't stop there. He continued. " I feel cheated to have you as my mate. As the soon-to-be Alpha of the Golden Gate Guardian, I need a strong Luna, not a slug and the daughter of a rogue," he said in a sharp tone and walked away. His father went after him, trying to calm him down.

There were murmurs and soft giggles in the crowd. I heard someone say 'Serves her right'.

Tears well up in my eyes. Sobs trapped in my throat. My hair hung in my face, I was trying to hide my eyes from everyone. This was so humiliating.

It would have been less brutal if he stopped talking after he rejected me but Reginald decided to call me a slug and the daughter of a rogue in front of the whole pack community.

A petite and soft hand taps my shoulder. I looked behind me to see that it was my mom. She tried hugging me. I stepped away, with uncontrolled tears and ran away. I didn't care how long it would take me to reach back home on foot.

I just kept running, breathing heavily. I wish every breath could make me a different person.

Twenty minutes later. Leo strode into my room. He gave me a tight hug.

"I am sorry Gwen. Don't let this deter your spirit. You are stronger than you think."

"I would have accepted his rejection wholeheartedly. I know I do not deserve him. But he chose to humiliate me in front of everyone. Is it my fault that I am unable to shift yet and that my father was a rogue?"

"He is an ass. If he has such a bad personality. I will say good riddance to bad rubbish."

"The shame is too great to bear. I was the only one rejected at the Coit Tower today. I hate to admit it but Tara was right. No one wants me!"

"Who said you were the only one rejected? Jasper got rejected too."

"What?!"

"Yeah, it shocked us all. Seraphina Darkwater outrightly rejected him. Although she did not state her reason." Leo revealed. "So cheer up. You weren't the only one rejected. An Alpha's son got a taste of it too."

For a while, I forgot about my problem. I thought I alone was going to be the talk of the town. Taunted for being rejected to the point where I might finally die of misery.

But now it seemed I was going to share the Rejection Popularity Badge with Jasper Draven. But it doesn't make sense whichever way I look at it.

Who on earth will reject such a guy as Jasper? Lot of girls will kill to be his mate.