Chapter 50: scents of truth

The eight-year-old sat by the lake, staring into the clear blue water absentmindedly. In her eyes, her reflection was that of her wolf, staring back with so much sadness. It was a day after her mother told her that if she does find her mate, she should reject him; twenty-four hours after learning the reasons why she must avoid her mate at all costs. They were sad.

"I don't want to spend the rest of my life without a mate, Zinnia, we'd be lonely like Mother is," she said sadly, sniffing at the end of her lament. Her wolf rolled her eyes around.

"But even if she is alone, she did meet your father and he was her mate. Although she will never share the memory of him with us, she still has wonderful memories to brighten her day. I see her sit and smile, staring at the ring on her finger. She knows how the mate bond feels, she knows how it feels to be in love and have someone put you before anyone else. Why does she want to take that away from us?"

"Zinnia, Mother is trying to protect us, c