Golden Destiny

Chapter 3. - Mate

"So, do you have any plans for your birthday? I hear eighteen is a big number," Harper asked in between singing out lyrics to the song blasting from her car radio.

I shrugged. "Not really."

"I have an idea. What if the two of us go up the mountains? I've seen some cabins we can rent and just have some time away from this pack?" Harper suggested. I was sorely tempted, specially when I thought back on how my sixteenth birthday party went.

It was customary for wolves, when they turned sixteen, to have a gathering in the pack house. This had a two-fold purpose: first, so that the members could welcome the member's wolf into the pack; and second, so that there will be bigger chance of the newly shifted wolf to find their mate.

During my sixteenth birthday, everyone was at the pack house, since I was the Beta's only daughter. I knew that Alpha Andrew, our current Alpha and Adam's dad, had hoped that his son and I would be each other's mates. Alas, that night was a complete and utter failure, and instead of leaving the party having found my wolf and my mate, I ended up leaving as just plain old me. After that, the taunts started from the teenagers, and for the adults, they would whisper whenever they would see me in town, more so when I was with mom. Though they would keep it perfectly cordial if the Alpha or dad were with us.

"I don't think my parents would let me. Specially since neither of us can shift," I told her ruefully.

"I don't mind if your mom comes along. She can protect us," Harper declared.

This was true. Although mom was latent, she was one of the strongest and fiercest warriors in the pack. She was super fast and agile, and she moved like the wind, that during sparring, only Alpha and dad had been able to make her submit.

"I don't know, Harp. I can ask her."

"That's all I want," she grinned.

———0———

When I got home, mom was in the backyard practicing archery. We had a sweet setup where dad had placed several targets from various distances, from a mere ten feet, all the way to a hundred. Most of the houses here opened up to the forest to enable the pack members to run when they feel like it and not alarm any visitors that may stumble into town.

I watched as she let go of the arrow and my eyesight, which thankfully were that of a wolf's, followed it all the way to the bull's eye in the farthest target. I clapped with delight, knowing that mom was also the best archer we had in the pack, bar none.

She looked over to where I was and made her way to me. She placed her hand on my cheek and smiled. "My darling girl."

We went inside and as she got a bottle of water from the fridge, I asked her about Harper's plans.

"Hey, mom, is it okay if Harper and I go away for my birthday? We were thinking of renting a cabin in the mountains and just having a quiet celebration."

Mom thought on it for a while. "I don't think your dad would be too keen on the idea of it, honey."

"What about if you came with us?"

She looked at me and smiled.

"Are you sure I won't cramp your style, or however you kids say it these days?"

"I think it's 'harshing my juju,'" I laughed. "And no, mom. I would love it if you go with us."

If for nothing else than to avoid seeing you gaze longingly at dad's back as he leaves the house, I added silently.

"Well in that case, I'll talk to you father, but I'm sure that will be okay," she beamed.

"Thanks, mom!" I said as I hugged her tight.

"I wanted to talk to you too, sweetie. It's about your wolf."

I dropped my arms and refused to meet her eyes.

"There's nothing to talk about, mom."

She lifted my chin and said in a very serious voice, "Honey, I fervently believe that you are destined for great things, and that that's the only reason why you haven't gotten your wolf yet."

"You believe I'll still be able to shift?" I asked her, surprised that she did, since I figured she would be much more accepting of my latency, being latent herself.

"Yes. I truly believe that. And that's the only reason I'm allowing you to go to the mountains for your birthday. When you get your wolf, and you will, dear girl, I will have a lot to explain to you." She gathered me into her arms and kissed the top of my head. "For now, though, go on to your room and do your schoolwork. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

———0———

As expected, dad had no objections to us girls going away. I actually thought I saw a glimmer of relief in his eyes. Maybe he's relieved that he would have three days without mom harshing his juju, I thought, then felt guilty I thought it in the first place.

We had a week to prepare for our trip and Harper and I went to mall on Saturday to buy proper clothes. After buying several thermal tops, we decided to go for some coffee before going back for some pants. Harper was inexplicably too excited about this detour, or maybe it was the fact that she had her phone glued to her hand the entire way to the coffee shop.

"Hey, who're you talking to? Is it a guy?"

"What? No, of course not. Which guy would I be talking to?"

Since it would take wild horses to drag the answer from her, I gave up and instead focused on deciding what to order. I always do this, decide even before I get to the front of the line, because my mind usually blanked once I got to the front if I didn't.

We opened the door of the coffee shop and immediately, the smell of coffee assaulted my senses. Being wolves, our senses were much more acute than a human's, and that goes for latent shifters as well. However, since I loved coffee, I didn't much mind the aroma of brewed liquid gold.

We placed our orders and went to sit at a corner table. Harper was still busy texting away.

I snapped my fingers in front of her. "Hey! Who the hell are you talking to that's putting that silly smile on your face?"

She didn't answer. She looked down once more at her phone when I heard it vibrate, and her smile grew even wider. After reading the message, she put her phone down on the table and sat back and sipped her latte.

I heard the bell over the door tinkle and suddenly, the smell of citrus overwhelmed my senses. I looked up and met the eyes of whoever was by the door and read desire and passion in them. When my frame of sight widened, I realized that it was none other than Adam, our future Alpha.

My mouth started to form into a smile and I slowly got up from my chair. He was my mate! My mate!

However, as I started to move towards him, I saw his lips curl up in disgust as he turned and left.