SELENESince I was a little girl, I've been dreaming about turning eighteen, not because of the party or the gifts, but because it meant one thing to the Light Moon Pack: The Equinox Mating Ball.Young werewolves throughout the pack would attend the annual mating ball to meet their fated partners. The ritual event was where supposedly unbreakable bonds were created, and I couldn't wait to participate in one for myself.I have seen it every year. Seeing my more experienced friends go off with their soulmates made me happy. Now, it was my time, and my emotions were tizzy.For weeks, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness as I prepared for the mating ball. The thought of finding my destined mate filled me with hope and anticipation, but I also wondered if I could make a connection as strong as those I had witnessed before.I sat in front of my mirror and nervously smoothed down the emerald-green fabric of my dress. I thought of Nathaniel Wulfric, my childhood sweeth

SELENEA haze surrounded us as everything around me faded away. It was just the two of us in this bizarre state of enchantment. Is this what they called the bond magic of the ritual? If this was it, then perhaps there were no words I could use to describe the feeling.His gaze, at once penetrating and gentle, explored mine, asking and answering simultaneously. There was no mistake in the familiarity of his presence."It's really you!" My voice was barely above a whisper, disbelief and hope dancing in my words.His lips curled in a smile, revealing years of nostalgia within me. "Mate..."As I was about to respond, he enveloped me in his arms, drawing me closer. I could feel the warmth of his embrace as if we were reuniting after a lifetime apart. The heat of his touch ignited something deep within me, stirring up emotions I'd been building up before.As we held each other, memories flooded back, reminding me of the countless moments we shared. It was as if time had stood still, and in