CHAPTER TWO

I had just about chewed through every fingernail on my right hand by the time our doorbell rang. My mom insisted that I change out of my PJs for James's visit, but I really couldn't bring myself to leave the comfort of the suede plush that I was currently sinking into.

I had been dreading this day since I was sixteen and first learned about the Eclipse Ceremony. Every year our pack hosted an event to celebrate the she-wolves coming of age, or 21st birthdays. It was mostly to give unmated wolves the opportunity to find their mates, since mates couldn't be discovered until the female reached full maturity.

With my 21st birthday being the day before it was scheduled to take place, and with me being basically ostracized from the pack since I was born, I was curious if I would be allowed to attend this year, which was why James had to appeal to the council. His news could make or break my entire year.

My mom sprang to her feet to let him in, giving him an affectionate squeeze as soon as his tall, hairy frame slipped through the mahogany door.

"Great to see you again, Kim." He smiled warmly at my mother, his hazel eyes twinkling under the light of our simple chandelier. He really had one of the gentlest gazes. "And where's my sweet girl at?"

His fantastical eyes wandered the room before landing on my dejected form melting against the cushions. "Ah, already depressed, I see."

He crossed over to me, his loud boots echoing across the hardwood of the living room. Once he reached me, he lowered his massive frame to wrap me in his arms. He just about managed to lift me off the sofa in his widespread biceps, causing a faint squeak to escape my lips, before plopping down in the seat previously occupied by my mother.

"I have great news, Aria. The council has agreed to allow you to attend this year's Eclipse!"

My mom and I both burst out into a fit of squeals and giggles, clutching onto each other so hard that, had we not both been wolves, we would have crushed one another.

"Mom, James, I could meet my mate!"

I had no idea if I had even been blessed with a mate. It was one of those major curiosities that kept me up at night. Did the Moon Goddess assign someone to love me for all of my life? How about The Sanguine One? Though vampires didn't technically have "mates," they did have something called "royals." As far as I knew, the only difference was the name and the sensation one got when they were around their betrothed.

What if I had a mate, but no royal? Or vice versa? Or what if I had neither? What about both?

Don't get too greedy, Aria, I thought to myself. I wouldn't know what to do with myself with one divine lover, much less two.

While my mom was still gushing over the possibility of a big werewolf wedding, James spoke again. "Just keep an open mind, Aria."

Both my mother and myself snapped to, looking at him with cocked brows. "Did the Moon Goddess share some more juicy details with you that we should know about?" My mother challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

He let out a deep chuckle, shaking his bearded head. "I don't know who you are eternally paired with, but I do know there will be someone to rule by your side. Personally, I'm still holding out for it to be Bas."

I groaned in exasperation, pulling myself up to rest my elbows on my knees. James's only son, Bastion, was 24 and still hadn't found his mate. This was quite the scandal amongst the pack members, considering that Bastion was their top warrior, was incredibly handsome, and had been with a handful of the she-wolves already. He was the most eligible bachelor.

I had never met the guy in person. Turns out he inherited more of his mom's view of who and what I am, so he never thought it beneficial to meet me. I didn't really care, since he seemed like an asshole, but I wasn't going to tell his dad that. His dad, who happened to be the kindest wolf on this side of the country, who literally helped raise me, and who seemed obsessed with the idea of his son being my future "King."

"Look, James. I'm sure your son is... charming. But that doesn't mean that there isn't some other she-wolf, some better she-wolf that can satisfy his... needs."

James's hand flew to the back of his neck, rubbing it bashfully. "He can be a little wild sometimes, but I promise, he's a good kid."

My mom cut in, playing the mediator and saving me from having to confess my somewhat cruel and unbased opinion. "Regardless of how they might have felt about each other in the past, if they are chosen mates, their opinions will change entirely."

Wait, what?

"Is that true? My previous opinions would mean nothing?" Was the mating bond really that powerful that it would wipe away years of negative thoughts and experience?

"Well, you won't forget about the past. It's more like... you'll think of it differently. The past will become the stepping stones that led you to your true love. Believe it or not, Kira and I used to fight all the time growing up."

Kira was his loud and heavily opinionated wife. And yes, I could absolutely believe that they were previously enemies. Their personalities were polar opposites, and Bastion only seemed to inherit his father's eyes.

My mom laughed along with him, patting his knee in a way that screamed decades of friendship. "That's so true! Honestly, I thought you two would have killed each other by eighteen. When you first announced your mating at the Eclipse Ceremony, I nearly died of shock!" She wiped away a tear derived from her amusing memories. "Oh honey, mates hold a power unlike anything else. I'm sure that whoever the Moon Goddess has blessed you with will be an an amazing man and you will desire no one but each other. That's just how it works."

She gave me a reassuring pat on the knee, and I couldn't help but blush at her words. Desire? I had never desired anyone in my entire life. It wasn't that I was asexual or anything like that. Unlike Bastion, I had just never met anyone that sparked a sexual need in me. I supposed that was a good thing, since I doubted that anyone would have wanted me without a supernatural being forcing their hand. Again, the stench for the wolves was intense. I was sure it wasn't much better for the Vampires, though I hadn't interacted with any except for Anthony, and that was just briefly when I was like six.

I pulled the sleeves of my nightshirt down over my palms, rolling them along my exposed and freshly shaved knees. In my own personal preparations for my potential lover, I had taken to shaving nearly every single day. It really was a chore, and increased my efficient five-minute showers to fifteen-minute showers. What women did to be beautiful amazed me, and I would be lying if I said I was entirely on board for it. I hated all of the makeup and skimpy dresses scene I saw in present-day fashion. I felt so awkward done up that way.

Still, my mother absolutely insisted she be allowed to make me over for my upcoming birthday celebration in Vegas. Vampires were not nearly as territorial as werewolves, and were more than willing to invite all species to blow money at their expansive casinos and and bars. Thus, my mom thought it would be a great idea to lead me straight into Sin City the day I turned twenty-one, starting with a grand tour of the very place I was named after, the empire my father had previously built.

I was more than a little excited to see the flashing lights and joyous drunken escapades that were associated with such a place, and secretly hoped I would even get to meet more vampires along the way. Maybe if I were more exposed to them and their culture I would be able to awaken my own vampiric nature. But that was still two days away. My first hurdle would be surviving my own anxiety up until that point, and tonight's abrupt discussion of my love life wasn't helping with that.

"Thank you for the encouragement, Mom. And thanks, James, for coming to tell me the good news! I look forward to seeing you in your own element for once. Mom told me that you would be doing the speech. But I'd better head to bed. I'm shoeing the horses bright and early and I'd better not do that tired."

I smiled warmly at the only man in my life, before moving to embrace him in a firm hug. He winced slightly at my excessive use of force.

"You sure you weren't using a bit of your vamp strength there, Aria?" He asked, rubbing his shoulders tentatively.

I poked his handsome nose, scrunching my face up in a 'ha ha you're funny' kind of way. After giving my mom a hug and kiss goodnight, I disappeared into my bedroom. Once there, I shut out the light and crawled beneath my toasty sheets. I couldn't sleep a wink without noise, so I plugged my earphones back in and was about to hit play on my cell when I heard them continue their discussion. My brow furrowed immediately. It sounded like they were still sitting beside me and not down the hall past a closed door.

"Hey Sella, you catching this?" I whispered, shifting to my forearms.

"Yea, that's odd. It seems a bit of your vampire is seeping through. Can you turn it off, though? I'm sleepy."

I brushed off her complaint, instead focusing on their conversation with no shame.

"Does she know the possibility of her having a royal instead?" James's burly voice whispered.

"I think she's put it together. That's why I suggested the ARIA in the first place. I at least want to give their side a chance before thrusting her into an environment where she might be disappointed. I've already spoken to Anthony about it, and he's agreed to try to subtly assemble a variety of their non-paired men to greet her at various points in the night."

I gasped at the news drop. I thought this was all so that I could see the place that inspired my name, the place mom and dad met, but it's actually just one giant blind date orchestrated by my mom and dad's old best friend?

"And I take it you haven't told her of your plans?"

Nope. Well, now she has.

"No way, are you kidding me? You know how she gets with the whole mating thing. She would stress herself senseless if she knew. I want this to be a time for her to let loose a little. She has too many burdens already for such a young girl."

Too late. I hated how true everything she said was. I was absolutely terrified of the prospect, mostly because I was afraid of not being wanted. I was sure that, even though it was nearly impossible to do, whoever I was mated with would ultimately reject me, thus crushing any hope I had to expand my circle of companionship beyond the small ranch where I resided.

Deciding I had heard enough, I plugged my earbuds in, turning the volume all the way up as to drown out their talking, and then hit play. My brain nearly melted out of my ears at the deafening noise, since I hadn't considered that all of my hearing was enhanced, not just my ability to eavesdrop on private conversations. I could bet both the Moon Goddess and The Sanguine One were in fits over my mistake, and it took me over a half hour of listening to my softest tunes at the lowest volumes for me to finally drift off to sleep.