Awakening of the Bond

The first light of dawn streamed through the small, cracked window of Eila's bedroom. She lay awake, her heart pounding with anticipation.

It's finally here.

Her sixteenth birthday.

For any werewolf, this was the most important day of their life—the day they received their wolf, discovered their special gifts from the Moon Goddess, and gained the ability to sense their fated mate.

She inhaled deeply, waiting. Would it happen instantly? Would her wolf just… appear?

Then, a voice echoed softly in her mind.

"You've kept me waiting long enough, Eila."

Eila gasped, her body jolting upright.

"Who—?"

A warm chuckle responded. "Seraphina. But you can call me Sera."

Eila pressed a trembling hand to her chest. She had heard of this moment, but experiencing it was entirely different. She wasn't alone anymore. A powerful presence had settled within her—a part of her, yet distinctly separate.

"Are you ready to see what we can do?" Sera asked, her voice laced with excitement.

Before Eila could respond, a wave of warmth spread through her. Her senses exploded.

She could hear the steady heartbeat of her sleeping siblings in the next room, the soft rustling of leaves outside, and the distant chatter of early risers preparing for the day. The scent of her mother's baking filled her lungs with an intensity she had never experienced before.

Everything is so… sharp.

"Welcome to your new reality," Sera whispered.

Eila squeezed her eyes shut, overwhelmed. And yet, something was missing.

She waited for a pull, a sign—anything—that would indicate she had a mate nearby. But there was nothing. No sudden warmth, no invisible thread tying her to another soul.

A flicker of unease crept into her heart.

What if I don't have one?

"That's not how it works," Sera reassured her gently. "If he's not nearby, we'll find him within a year. Be patient."

Eila exhaled, nodding to herself. She would wait.

For now, she needed to face the day ahead.

Downstairs, the Johnson household was already buzzing with activity.

"Drew! Give that back!"

"I had it first!"

"No, you didn't! And stop using magic to cheat!"

Eila arrived just in time to see Drake and Drew wrestling over a book while small sparks of energy crackled between them.

Daria was enjoying the corner after initiating the fight. 

Michael sighed, shaking his head. " Are they not tired of doing this every day?"

Eila laughed. Despite their endless bickering, her siblings were her world. They might not have much, but they had each other.

A small voice interrupted them.

"Happy birthday, Eila."

She turned to see Jean and Jake standing by the kitchen doorway, their bright eyes watching her intently.

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

Jake tilted his head. "Did you get anything special?"

Eila hesitated. "I… don't know yet."

Jean and Jake exchanged a glance, but before they could speak, their mother's voice called from the kitchen.

"Everyone, time to eat!"

As she joined her family at the worn wooden table, Eila pushed away her worries. Tonight, at the pack gathering, everything would be revealed.

And maybe, just maybe, she would find the missing piece of herself.

The Mate Bond

The Moon Treasure Packhouse was alive with energy.

The full moon hung high in the sky, bathing the courtyard in silver light as young wolves and their families gathered for the coming-of-age ceremony.

Eila stood among them, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Tonight, she would shift for the first time, reveal any special gifts she possessed, and—if fate allowed—discover her mate.

Her heart pounded as Alpha Magnus Baldwin stepped forward. His towering figure commanded attention, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. Beside him stood his Luna, Priscilla, the woman responsible for enacting rules that allowed female warriors to thrive in their pack.

And just behind them stood a man who sent whispers rippling through the crowd.

Beta Leonard Blackwell.

Eila had only seen him from afar, but the stories about him were endless. At thirty-six, he was wealthy beyond measure, powerful, and untouchable. Women spoke of him in hushed, reverent tones, yet no one truly knew him.

His mate had died before they could meet, leaving him the only werewolf without a fated bond.

Eila shivered. She couldn't imagine such loneliness.

One by one, the newly shifted wolves stepped forward, and their transformations met with cheers. Some discovered abilities—enhanced strength, elemental control, healing. Others found their mates, immediately drawn to the ones the Moon Goddess had chosen for them.

Then, it was her turn.

Eila stepped forward, closing her eyes.

A sharp pain shot through her body as her bones cracked and shifted. She fell to the ground, but the pain quickly gave way to something else—power.

When she opened her eyes, gasps filled the air.

Her fur was silver-white, shimmering under the moonlight. Her eyes glowed an unnatural violet.

A ripple of murmurs spread through the pack.

"A silver wolf…"

"Is she blessed?"

"No one has seen one before."

Eila stood tall, feeling Sera's strength coursing through her. She could sense everything—every heartbeat, every whisper, the very pulse of the land beneath her paws.

And then, she felt it.

A pull so intense it nearly took her breath away.

Her mate was here.

She turned, scanning the crowd.

And then—her gaze locked onto Leonard Blackwell.

Time seemed to stop.

His icy blue eyes widened, his usually unreadable expression faltering for a fraction of a second.

Eila's breath caught in her throat.

This couldn't be happening.

Leonard was thirty-six.

He had already had a mate. A mate who had died.

But the bond between them crackled like wildfire, undeniable and unbreakable.

A stunned silence fell over the gathering.

Whispers swirled like a storm.

Eila Johnson, a simple house helper's daughter, was fated to the most powerful, untouchable man in the pack.

And no one—not even Leonard himself—knew what to do about it.