The Awakening

Chapter 4

     I'm not usually a dress person I'd say more of a t-shirt, jeans and converse shoes for me. However, this dress was amazing it fit perfectly so we took everything back to the pack house with us. Camille had Caleb carry my things up to my room. I went to the kitchen to grab a soda and then decided to go talk to my parents. As I approached my fathers office I hear my parents deep in conversation about my birthday. I knock and my father says, come in. I enter and there is Ethan with my parents. My father says, "Alyiah, I'm sure you remember Ethan". Yes, I do. I reply. Ethan here is my Beta. He is over the training of our pack members. Alyiah as a shifter you must train daily. Yes father I understand. Your birthday is in four days so we will be busy the next few days with preparations for the event. Thank you father. 

     I awaken early and decide to see if I can help with any of the preparations for the event. I get up, shower, get dressed then head downstairs. I hear Miss Davis in the kitchen making food which smells amazing if I may add. I walk in and ask if there is anything I can help with. Miss Davis says, well I'm not used to having help, but if you'd like to help Sarah set the dining room table that would be appreciated. I head to the dining room and Sarah is doing her best to set the tables as fast as possible. Hey are you Sarah? I ask. Yes, I am she responds. Do you care if I help you set the table? No I would love that. she replies. I'm Alyiah by the way. Nice to meet you Alyiah. I observe Sarah for a moment to see how she is placing the plates and utensils. I grab some plates and start going down the other side. Sarah looks over and says "Hey speedy slow down are you going to a fire?" I can't help but laugh. Nope. I reply. Ok just checking, she says. We finish the place settings a few minutes later about that time Miss Davis comes around the corner with two carts and she asks if we can grab the other four carts. four?? yes Alyiah, four. We go to the kitchen and there are four more carts of food waiting for us. Man this is a lot of food. I say. Yes it is but it doesn't go to waste trust me. Sarah replies. 

     We take the carts to the dining room then I leave to try to find my parents. I walk to my fathers office and he isn't there so I wonder upstairs to my room. I decide to lay down on my bed for awhile. I'm not really feeling breakfast right now all of this stuff about mates and being a wolf I can't grasp it. In Spain, I never had not one person even look my way much less try to hit on me, yet in a few days I might have a mate. I lay on my bed and daydream for a bit about what it would be like to have someone love me. I couldn't wrap my head around it. 

      A knock at my door startles me and I jolt awake. Good gracious how did I fall asleep? Come in, I say. The door opens and Camille comes in with a tray of food. What time is it? I ask. It's 2:30 in the afternoon. How the world did I sleep like seven hours? I shake my head and thank Camille for bringing me some food. No problem Alyiah, but after you eat your parents would likke to see you. Thank you. I reply. I eat my food and then make my way downstairs. My parents are in the sitting room with Stephen. Hello sleepyhead, my mother says then adds a chuckle. Hello everyone. I reply. My father motions me to sit down. Alyiah the reason we want to talk to you is because we wanted to let you know what to expect from the transformation ceremony. Ok I would appreciate that I'm so nervous.

     So, during transformation ceremonies there are three parts. The Blessing, The Gifting, and The Transformation. All three will take place throughout the day on odd times. For this one it's 9am, 3pm, and 9pm. You will travel with us to the Temple of The Moon Goddess where we will pray and then she will do a blessing, then during the next part you will receive some gifts, and then we will all meet at the ceremonial grounds out back and transform into our wolf forms and hunt or in your case try to find your mate. My heart beats heavy and my anxiety builds at the thought of what the ceremony will hold for me. Will I find my mate? My mother looks at me and says Do you have any thoughts or questions Alyiah? Actually I do. I reply. Do mates get refused and if that happens what do I do? It does happen. She explains, however very rarely though. Its called being rejected and you and your chosen one have to accept it to break the mate bond. I don't believe that will happen to you though, she adds. I tried to remain hopeful and listen to my parents' encouraging words. 

     Can I ask you all a question? Sure what's on your mind besides your birthday, my father chuckled out. Well, I was wondering if there are any other wolves here? I mean I've seen a few others and I'm assuming they are wolves. My parents and Stephan all bust up laughing. Yes Alyiah, there are other wolves here. They are keeping their distance until after your ceremony because they didn't want to scare you. Will I get the chance to meet them anytime soon? Yes, actually you will see all of them at the transformation ceremony. All one hundred and fifty of them, he replies. Are there any my age? Yes, there are a few. You'll meet them soon I promise, my mother adds. Ok, well that makes me feel better. My mother walks over to me and pulls me close she gently lifts my head and says "Honey please don't worry about all of that there is a school here and I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends this fall. I nod my head and excuse myself.

      I return to my room to try to organize my things a bit, but I hear noise outside like a clapping or something and someone counting. I walk toward the window and look outside and Ethan plus a few others are doing jumping jacks and push-ups. I stand there a few minutes and watch them before long they switch places and Ethan gets down to do push-ups and another guy starts counting one-two-three-four-five I walk away from the window for fear of being noticed. I sit down to go through my bags. I start separating the stacks of clothes I brought with me. I get half way through the suitcase and I can still hear counting outside. I get up and walk back to the window and Ethan is still doing push-ups thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven. Damn he's got me beat I think to myself. I can barely choke out twenty. I watch for a few more minutes before I accidently bump my bedside table and a vase crashes to the floor. Ethan and the other guys stop and look around I try to move out of sight, but the other guy I didn't recognize waves at me. I stay silent and duck down and waddle away from my window. I stand back up when I feel I'm far enough away that I won't be seen.

      I head back downstairs for supper. Good Evening Miss Davis. She's so busy she nods but keeps her eyes on what she's making. Ahh...that aroma my father says with an added nothing like tuna noodle casserole and homemade yeast rolls! I walked with my parents to the dining room. I take a seat on the left side of my father I wait for the drink cart to arrive and get up to grab some lemonade. I return to my seat and serve myself some tuna noodle casserole and a couple of rolls. I dig in and holy cow I don't know how Miss Davis does it but her food is amazing. I end up eating two helpings and six rolls. I get up and refill my glass with lemonade and excuse myself for bed. I'm beat and I kind of don't wanna run into Ethan or his friends right now, although I'm sure I will sooner or later.