Soul Sparked

Everyone is born with a mate. The only clue that each person gets is a soul mark that makes its first appearance on their tenth birthday. The mark interacts with each person because they are a piece of the person, they will one day bond with. Derek has always longed for his mate after seeing his mama and papa so happy together and hearing the story of how they met. When he gets his soul mark it's the happiest day of his life. Then comes a day when the mark no longer brings him happiness and hope as it once did. Instead, he's reminded of the so-called loves that didn't work and he no longer wants to be reminded. So, when he turns eighteen, he takes a friend up on the offer to rid him of the mark which is legal once a person reaches that age. Derek had no way of knowing what effects his mate would endure because it was supposed to be painless.