The Alpha's Claim

Chapter Two

The journey to the ceremony was a treacherous one that managed to calm my nerves. Instead of worrying about what the future held, if my mate existed, and if they would be present tonight, my mind focused on not falling down the numerous traverses and ridgelines we followed.

I allowed Vera to take over and I sat at the back of my mind admiring her grace as she carefully selected each spot to put her paws. In front of us was my father, while my mother and sister trailed behind. I took a breath allowing my lungs to fill with air deep within my chest, as the scent of pinyon pine swirled within me. The rest of our village was also making the journey with us as it was required for each member to attend the ceremony.

Our mind link buzzed with nervous and excited energy, but I tuned it out to a low hum. Despite their words adding to the butterflies fluttering in my stomach, I took comfort in knowing that they were in my mind.

We finally arrived to a neutral territory outside of our pack lands just three hours after we started the journey. Upon our arrival, we shifted and the men changed into white pants and button-down shirts while the women wore white dresses. This was to represent the purity of the moon goddess.

We found ourselves surrounded by ponderosa pines towering above us. Most of the forest floor was empty due to a forest fire that had recently swept through the area.

Most of our pack had already arrived to the ceremony and other neighboring packs were beginning to arrive at the same time. A bonfire was started and our pack carefully removed the desert sage woven through our hair and threw it in the fire allowing the rich scent to fill the air. Other packs brought their symbols to burn as their offering to the Moon Goddess.

After the Moon Goddess was properly acknowledged in our burnings, we all began allowing the music that had started to play to move our bodies. This was the only time that packs interacted playfully. It did not matter where you were from we all fell into a similar dance. Some elders stayed on the sideline looking on wistfully as the glow of the bonfire left an orange hue on our dancing white clothing. Almost immediately I was able to find Lana and we fell into dancing both of us not caring that this was not favorable behavior when the intention of this event was to find a mate.

When the music ended we both felt our carefree attitude ripped from us. This was the moment that I had been dreading all winter. I attempted to simply put the moment in a box and observe it from afar, but no matter how hard I tried, there was no escape. Lana also began to tense. Although, I knew she still held onto hope that her mate would arrive.

There were no instructions given, since a young age I had watched with wide eyes as the young women of our pack had gone through the same process I was about to go through. Back then I had been excited about the process, hopeful to find a mate. However, now that I was twenty and this would be my last ceremony to find a mate I held nothing but trepidation surrounding the process.

One by one women lined up. There was no order, your pack did not matter as a woman, you would be forced to join your mate's pack. For years I had watched women ripped from their family, their pack, the only things they knew. This was simply the way.

The heat of the bonfire burned my back as we continued to line up. I could feel my heart raging in my chest causing my hands to shake. Despite my effort to take deep breaths, my nerves could not be calmed. Our pack mates and parents surrounded us watching with hopeful eyes adding to my anxiety.

Over the next few minutes, unmated wolves scoured the line of females. Trying to find the scent that was driving them crazy.

I heard Lana gasp in excitement as her mate had selected her. I tried to get a better view of who her mate was, but it was not proper for a female to look anywhere but down as males continued their hunt. Despite not being able to see Lana, a wave of relief and a hint of jealousy rolled through me for her.