Mate? Or Die!
Yet, beneath the facade of strength, anxiety had me on edge.
The prophecy echoed in my mind. "Find your mate before your 30th moonrise. For if you remain unmated, your power will wane, and with it, your life."
The words were a constant reminder of the deadline, the curse that threatened not just my power, but potentially, my very existence.
Time was running out. I was 29, only a year left until the prophecy took effect.
Annually, I inspected the major packs to increase my chances of finding a mate. Every interaction, every inspection, were driven by the desperate search for the missing piece, my mate.