“Amber” He tasted the word in his mouth. Drawled it slowly and curled his lips into an ever-growing smirk with every syllable of letter that he pronounced with a smooth precision. I could feel his gaze piercing through me, igniting a flurry of emotions within. But I was interested in something else more than his name, I needed to know the name of the pack where he was from. Because as much as I didn’t want to, I would have to move there. Physically and mentally, I won’t be able to stay away from him. That’s what I had heard all my life, and I think I know how it feels like now. “Which pack are you from?” I sounded so different than I did from yesterday, from the morning today. My voice was not dull or dead and instead replaced by a curiosity, a thirst I wanted to quench desperately. He looked at me, his eyes shimmering with a combination of surprise and amusement. "You're a wanderer, aren't you?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of knowing. "You're searching for something, and somehow, you've found your way to me." I stood still, staring at him, feeling the weight of the day's events and the unexplainable connection between us pressing upon me. "I wouldn’t say that. I’m not much of an adventurer” and yet now, it feels like my whole life is going to get ripped out of me and thrown into an unknown world. “ I have never seen you in our pack so that means you are not from here and your pack is one of the others that are participating.” A brief silence hung between us as the moonlight cast an ethereal glow on our surroundings. The air was thick with anticipation, as if the very elements of nature held their breath, waiting for our next move. He broke the silence, his voice laced with a mixture of caution and excitement. "The pack I belong to is called Moonshadow." he revealed, his words carrying a weight of responsibility. "We have a deep connection with the moon and its power. Our pack is known for its unyielding nature, driven by a primal ferocity that courses through our veins. We are a force to be reckoned with, feared and respected by those who dare to cross our path." A surge of determination coursed through me as I met his gaze, our eyes locking in a silent understanding. "I know Moonshadow pack. You guys are known for your lust for power, which often comes at a steep price, leaving destruction and suffering in your wake. Your dominance is gained only through fear and brute force, creating an environment that feels oppressive and suffocating for the other packs." I was not the only one who had the same opinion about that pack. They had been purging the weaker packs and claiming their territory for their own. Creating a hierarchy of power that never existed. And yet every other pack never interfered with them because everyone was scared of them. He nodded, his expression a mix of concern and fascination. "It won't be an easy journey, accepting us while you are there, but you have to come with me. There is no other possibility that exists." he warned, his voice tinged with a hint of possessiveness. "But if you're willing to embrace the unknown, to face the challenges that are waiting, I will be there by your side. It’s your call, it can be very difficult or very easy." He already knew the outcome of what had come to be, and he enjoyed challenging me. He was not going to be easy to live with, for sure. “What if I don’t go?” I challenged him back, knowing fully well that it was impossible for that to happen. Even as the words made it out of my mouth, I felt the sharp stab of pain in my heart. The very thought of being away from him was unbearable. Well, it was difficult to explain to be honest. I was not attached to his body or physical form, something else burrowed deep within him. Like a red string tying me to him. An invisible knot, heavy and strong. Pulling instead of holding on. “Oh my Luna, you know that is not possible, don’t you?” His smirk was more honest than I was to myself. And I hated that. Tears brimmed up to my eyes as I stared at him. Hating how I wanted to be close to him but the other part felt betrayed by the change in me that was against it and such a contrary of myself who wanted to stay isolated and lost in the memories of past. His smirk vanished away when he saw my tear stained face, as he walked closer, closing the distance in an instant to caress my face with his cold hands. “It’s okay my Luna, you are not alone anymore.” As we stood there, beneath the moonlit sky, our destinies entwined, I knew that this was just the beginning of a life that I was not ready for, but it was inevitable. The day had taken an unexpected turn, leading me to a path I never could have anticipated. With a mixture of fear and trepidation, I looked into his eyes, hoping things won’t turn out for the worst, like it does every time. **** We walked back to the town center together and parted our ways, as the custom was, to our own packs. Everyone looked so happy around me, excited and completely in love, as the men and women smiled gleefully. There was this strange kind of anxious excite in me too, but I couldn’t exactly categorize it as a happy one. “Hey, Amber! Over here!” I heard Ace’s voice and turned around to find him waving a hand around in the air. A smile on his face. He found his mate too. I walked over to him through the crowd of people with a small smile of my own. Happy that his wait was over, with a good ending of its own. “How’d it go?” I asked him first, because I sure didn’t want to talk about mine. “Well… I think that’s it. This is my last time in this ceremony. I found a mate, Amber.” His eyes shined with something that I couldn’t quite decipher, but I think it was relief. I had always known that he liked me but at the same time he knew I was not his mate, I knew that as well. But love has its ways. And finally his heart can be at peace with the one he was meant to be. “I am so happy for you, Ace.” I smiled my a genuine smile, the first one today, and pulled him in for a hug. “Where is she? Is she from another pack?” He gave out a small laugh and scratched his head. He felt different and that made me a little sad. For a moment I hated who we were and this whole finding your mate thing that changes people, almost completely. I might lose my best friend because of it. “Y-yeah. She’s amazing. I never thought I could feel this way, you know? This is completely crazy.” I smiled a little, relieved that our minds were still in sync. “I know right.”