Moonlit Desires (BxB)

1✔️

Saturday, 24th November
10:26am

Jax

The relentless chants of my name echoed through the air like a broken record. "Jax, when are you going to show us your mate? Jax, when are you going to bring us our Luna? Jax, don't you think it's about time you found a partner?"

Every single day, without fail, it was the same tiresome chorus: Jax this, Jax that. I was sick and tired of it. Did they think I was oblivious to my responsibilities? Did they believe I had no desire to find my mate? It had only been five months since I turned eighteen, yet they acted as if I were on the brink of death without an heir. My parents were still in their prime, more than capable of leading the pack, so why the incessant pressure?

My frustration boiled over, and I muttered under my breath, "There are plenty of unmated, grown-ass werewolves out there, but you don't see anyone hounding them like this. Yet, they all expect me to summon my mate as if I can snap my fingers and make her appear."

Leon, my best friend and Beta, gave me an empathetic pat on the back. "Don't give up, Jax. You know I've heard stories of some wolves going years before finding their mates."

"Wow, thanks, Leon," I replied with heavy sarcasm. "You're really a master of consolation."

He chuckled, his voice full of warmth. "Well, look at it this way. Even if you don't find your Goddess-given mate, there are plenty of other wolves out there. The right one for you might be closer than you think."

His words held truth, and I had pondered over them many times before. However, there was an unspoken understanding among our kind that the bond between chosen mates was different, deeper. As the alpha of our pack, I couldn't ignore that aspect. The pack's trust was essential, and it rested upon the belief that the Goddess had chosen me and my mate to lead.

Exhaling in resignation, I let my frustration seep away. "Thanks, Leon. No for real this time. I apologize for the attitude; the pressure gets to me sometimes. I just hope, for everyone's sake, that my mate is among the Northridge Pack. I've combed through every pack within the city in search of her, and this is the last one. If they aren't there either, I'm not sure what I'll do."

Leon gave my shoulder a reassuring pat. "Don't lose hope, buddy. I've got a feeling; this time, it's the one."

——

Saturday, 24th November
6:45pm

I found myself once again enduring the well-meaning condolences and sympathetic looks from the alpha pair of the Northridge pack. Harrison, the pack's alpha, placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for visiting, Jax. We're truly sorry your mate wasn't here, but don't give up. I'm sure they're bound to turn up at the right time."

My smile in response was as genuine as I could muster which to be honest, really wasn't that genuine. It was always the same thing over and over again — the same old speech, the pitiful looks, the sympathetic back pats, and awkward shoulder rubs and I was starting to get sick of it already. I knew that Harry and his mate, Ryan, meant well, but they couldn't possibly understand the weight on my shoulders. After all, Harry had found his mate on his eighteenth birthday, and their love story was the kind you'd expect in romantic tales.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night? It's getting quite late," Ryan offered.

I declined with gratitude. "As much as I'd like to, I promised my people I'd be back home by sunrise."

Truth be told, I wanted to return to my pack as soon as possible so that I could wallow in my disappointment and self-pity in the privacy and comfort of my own home. The last thing I needed was to linger in a place where the happiness of mated pairs seemed to mock my solitude. It probably sounded petty, but it was genuinely how I felt.

Ryan persisted, "Then at least have dinner with us. You'll need to replenish your energy if you're going to run all the way back home tonight."

"Let him go, Ry; his pack's probably going to get worried if he doesn't return soon."

"Thanks again for having me; I'll be sure to come and visit next time, maybe then I'll stay longer," I said with a tight lipped smile.

I had ventured through every neighboring pack, extending my search within a 2000-square-mile radius, yet there was no sign of my supposed other half. It was either they didn't exist, or they were playing a rather intricate game of hide and seek to which I was completely oblivious. Fatigue, frustration, and sadness weighed me down.

The evening sun had sunk below the horizon when I finally took my leave of the Northridge pack. My emotions were a turbulent mix of frustration, anger, and sadness. Needless to say, I was exhausted and very close to giving up.

However, my pride as an alpha prohibited me from returning to my pack in such a vulnerable state immediately. So instead, I decided on a slight change of plans: I would take a detour on my way home, mind-linking Leon with my intentions to ease my pack's worries.

I stumbled upon a shabby, run-down bar and decided it was as good a place as any to drown my sorrows. What better way to forget my problems than to drink myself into oblivion? It would take an exorbitant amount of alcohol to get a werewolf drunk, and that was precisely my goal. I wanted to drink until my mind was too clouded to remember the relentless questions and empty feelings.

Hours passed, and I drank to excess, ignoring the disapproving glances from the bar's patrons and the barkeep's growing impatience. Eventually, the bar owner had enough of my inebriated state and unceremoniously kicked me out into the dead of night.

The alcohol hadn't numbed the ache in my heart; it had only made things worse. My sense of judgment and direction were impaired, and I found myself wandering aimlessly through the city streets, with no clue as to where I was going. I was stranded, intoxicated beyond reason, and I couldn't even rely on my sense of smell, which was severely impaired by the lingering stench of alcohol.

With no money, no place to stay, my faculties severely compromised, and approximately two and a half functioning brain cells left, I resolved to wander aimlessly, hoping that the cool night air might clear my muddled mind enough to sober up enough to make rational decisions.

Time passed, but in my intoxicated state, I lost all sense of it. The city's winding streets became a confusing maze, and I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. Suddenly, the blinding headlights of an approaching car stunned me, halting me in my tracks.

I tried to move out of the way, but my limbs felt heavy and uncooperative. The alcohol seemed to have taken its toll on my body. As the car drew closer, the most tantalizing scent I had ever encountered washed over me, overpowering my senses. It was strong, even stronger than the smell of alcohol that drowned me, and it completely took over me.

My mind was too foggy to process what was happening. All I knew was that there was a car, and it was stopping right in front of me. The scent, that irresistible aroma that had intoxicated me moments ago, now radiated from the vehicle.

As the car door swung open, a figure emerged, but my vision was blurred, and my thoughts jumbled. All I could discern was that it was a man, and he was the source of that incredible scent. I couldn't think, couldn't form words. My body moved on instinct alone, driven by an overpowering desire to be close to him.

With clumsy steps, I stumbled forward, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. The world around us faded into insignificance as I reached out, my trembling hand brushing against his arm. The contact sent a surge of electricity through me, and I clung to him desperately, unable to let go.

Nothing else registered as I succumbed to the intoxicating sensations that overwhelmed my senses. The world blurred, and finally, everything went black.