Animalistic

1

I felt like a specimen under a microscope the way my mother prodded and poked at my face with this brush full of that product trying to make me look flawless. Stupid, this whole event, girls get dressed up and go off to one of the largest packs to stand around and be judged by every male from each of the packs. It is absurd that I should be expected to be excited about this, which might be because I'm a low rank so barely any males will pay any attention to me. Well there's always next year, and the next, and the next, until I'm 21 and then I'll be alone forever.

"There, you look perfect!" my mother squealed excitedly. I took a look at myself in the mirror and almost cried. This is the first time I've ever looked at myself and felt beautiful. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't say I'm ugly, or plain faced, I'm just not beautiful. I'm the kind of person that someone passing would look at for maybe a second longer than a needed then look away and not give a second glance. But now my complexion was even and flawless, my freckled nose doesn't look large enough to take up my whole face, and my large lips were painted a soft pink shade darker. My blue eyes were outlined in black with an elegant cat eye that brought attention to my light orbs, lashes that fanned out in dark black and curled, reaching for my brow opened my eyes and brought a certain livelihood to them. My usually straight as a board red-orange hair was in loose curls, cascading down my back, barely past my breasts.

Standing, I hugged my mother. "Don't worry darling, its water proof so you can cry" she says smiling while squeezing me.

"When I'm not claimed?" I mumble grouchily and she pulls me away to look at me.

"No daughter of mine is going to be left unclaimed, I mean look at you; you look like a suitable Luna!"

"Well looks will only get me so far, once they see my rank I'll be dropped like trash." I muse, not wanting my hopes to get too high.

"It's just a number, you are not weak. NEVER forget that. Okay?" she says in her perky way.

"Mom, how did you get Dad to pick you?" I sigh out hoping for actual advice this time.

"Well I wore a much tighter dress but I think it was that I was myself, showed him just how strong I was with my voice." She said, staring off into space and smiling from ear to ear. I loved it whenever she talked about Dad; she had the purest love with him. Well, eventually everything pure is tainted so I had to grow up hearing about my Dad; he was a lot like me. "You'll do fine honey, show those hormone raging males who's got it going on." She says seriously, like a pep talk before the super bowl.

Smiling I roll my eyes and shake my head, "Sure thing Coach. If I don't come back" which I was pretty sure I would "I want you to know that I love you and I'll visit as often as I can, I promise."

"Can you promise me lots of grandchildren as soon as possible as well?"

"Mom!" I say shocked and she starts laughing.

"I love you too hon. Go get 'em." She says giving me one last squeeze before grabbing my heels and bringing them to me. They're wedges, with white lace to match my dress which was short yet flowy with a sweetheart neckline and two inch straps. There was a long howl as I pull my shoes on and look to my mother one last time. "Mating season has begun. You better hurry." She said smiling that heartwarming smile that melted my heart.

-

I hurriedly rushed out of my small cottage to race for the pack caravan before they left. I reached just on time to climb in and sit down next to my friends. I wasn't a very social person and I honestly didn't know half of the other eighteen year olds going with us to the mating grounds located in Left Hand Pack territory. I look to my three friends, each with the same blonde hair and green-blue eyes, the triplets. They, like I, weren't all that social, they had each other after all, well that was until Audri became the social butterfly she is and brought Alex up with her, though Savannah decided to hang back in the shadows. We were still all the best of friends, I sometimes felt as if I were they're fourth sibling, taken from them before birth and placed in my mom because Mr. and Mrs. Sterling wouldn't be able to handle quadruplets, they barely held onto their sanity with three curious and clumsy pups alone.