THE AGONY OF REJECTION

Carrie's POV

The atmosphere seemed charged, as though the night was holding its breath in anticipation of a momentous event. Day of graduation. For my pack life as well as for school. To get to this point, I had to train, labor, and shed blood. On a night like this, my pack had a custom of honoring the next generation of leaders. We had grown up from puppies. As wolves, we were prepared to assume our role within the pack.

However, tonight had more significance for me. I was going to meet my friend.

Every she-wolf longs to meet the one person the moon has selected just for them-their destined mate. It was the intense attraction, the spark that ignites when two wolves first lay eyes on one other, that I had been picturing for as long as I could remember. The mating relationship is unbreakable and holy. We have been instructed to do it. I have lived my whole life believing that.

But I couldn't stop the butterflies from running up my spine as I stood there in the moonlight, encircled by my pack in the huge forest that surrounded our little town. What if everything went wrong? What if this is the night I never found him? Even worse, what if I managed to locate him but he rejected me?

I forced myself to swallow hard as I tried to ignore my misgivings. Carrie, keep your optimism up. I tightened the straps on the white dress my mother had chosen. She had added, "You'll look radiant in it, dear." "The ideal Luna."

Moon. The term almost made me giggle. My mother had always thought highly of me and anticipated that I would become the next Luna in our pack. But I was unable to plan that far ahead. I just wanted to experience the pull of the mate connection at that moment.

I cast a quick look at the others. There was much laughing and joy throughout the evening. Elderly wolves gathered in groups, drinking and chatting while the blaze crackled and lit up the area where couples were dancing. Everything was bathed in a silvery radiance as the moon hung full in the sky.

I then noticed her. Sarah. My greatest buddy, the one who had supported me through it all. Tyler, her boyfriend, was dancing with her. As I saw them together, I couldn't help but grin. Samantha, with her vibrant red locks and contagious grin, and Tyler, the rock of our little three, were a wonderful match for one another.

With joy in her eyes, Samantha gestured for me to come closer. "Carrie, hurry up! Be active and social!

Even though my feet were firmly placed toward the edge of the crowd, I yelled back, "I'm not." "I am merely awaiting."

Spinning around in Tyler's arms, she giggled. "You know, waiting for your mate to come along and blow you away?"

I attempted to seem unconcerned as I shrugged, but my heart was racing. "Possibly."

Tyler smiled back at me. "Carrie, you'll locate him this evening. I'm aware of it.

Hopefully, he was correct. My sense of being on the brink of something significant persisted throughout the entire evening, but as the hours went by, that sensation gradually gave way to disappointment. All night long, wolves had been mating, and the aroma of their new mate bonds and their excited gasps filled the air. but not me.

I looked up to see the moon. Was my request unreasonable? Just a single, magical moment?

That's when I realized.

The smell.

It was both cozy and eerie at the same time. Everything about me froze. "Oh, deity." My partner. He was in attendance.

My eyes darted around the throng, desperate to locate the source of that scent, and my heart raced. It was not far for me to look.