Chapter 1
2247 Words
The drive on the bus is electrified with energy. Tabatha is excited that she might meet her mate, but she is also scared. Glinda might have found her perfect mate and Willow found hers after more heartache than any one person should take, but what happened to Isobel is foremost in her mind. How do you carry on with a normal life after something like that?
She, however, doesn’t want to spoil the mood for anyone and join in the conversation with her friends about what they plan to wear for which event. They talk about what the plane might look like inside because most of them haven’t left the pack grounds except for the festival, never mind flown to some mystical castle for a week of fun and meeting other people and creatures.
What if her mate isn’t a wolf?
Her stomach knots and she feels her chest tightening at the thought.
The buses pull up next to a huge plane and the noise in the bus grows louder. She understands why the grown-ups prefer to take another bus! One of the girls in her group grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the bus.
The flight is pretty uneventful and not as exciting as they thought, and it’s over too soon to pay much attention to it. They have more buses waiting for the ride to the castle. The worst of the discussions have died down a little until the huge castle comes into view.
Are they going to stay in the actual castle? When they received the invite saying that it would be at a castle, none of them thought it would be an actual proper castle. It looks ancient from the outside, and when they walk in through the huge front doors, it’s breathtaking.
There is a huge foyer that is lit by a crystal chandelier and a huge staircase that leads up to the next floor. The staircase is covered in a blue carpet that looks new compared to the rest of the room.
In the one corner, people are busy setting up for what looks like a bar. They are escorted upstairs and shown to their rooms and, to her surprise, they each get their own! How many rooms does this place have if it can house so many people?
She steps into her room and puts her suitcases down. There is a huge wooden bed in the centre of the back wall, and it’s exactly what she thought would be in an old castle. Curtains pulled back around the sides. A huge window looks out on gardens that are perfectly groomed.
This is a fairy-tale place. The perfect place to fall in love. If that’s what you want to do. She sighs. She doesn’t have a lot of time to get ready.
***
Tabatha looks around her at all the people, and she takes a deep breath. Her heart is racing, and Dib is jumping around as if she’s on steroids.
“Dib! Calm down. If he’s here, we will find him.”
“He’s here, he’s here, he’s here!” Dib jumps up and down.
She feels her heart racing and her palms start sweating. Dib is going crazy in her head, and she can’t see anyone that stands out. Is this how it feels? What if she finds him, and he rejects her? What if she finds him, and he’s a dork?! Suddenly, wondering if this were such a good idea, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath… Again, this is going to be the week that changes her entire life.
“Moon Goddess, please let him be a nice guy.” She sends up a quick prayer before they all walk into the dining room.
Her friends are all happily chatting away about the people around them, but she is having trouble concentrating on the conversation. Her attention is drawn to the fact that people are slowly getting up from their seats, and you can see the mate bond immediately taking control over them. Their eyes meet, and they walk to each other.
“Talk about love at first sight.” Her one friend giggle.
“What if your mate is here and he chooses someone else?”
“I don’t think that is how it works, Tess. I think we are all here to find our destined mates.” Another friend speaks up.
“I was just saying.”
“Oh… It’s sooo romantic.” One of them swoons.
They pull faces at each other and Tabatha bursts out laughing. A sudden scent catches her attention, making Dib swoon and almost drool! Spearmint! Looking around her quickly, she tries to find where it’s coming from, but the group of wolves that are passing them is so huge that she can’t figure out who…
Her friends start talking again, distracting her from the scent. There are so many people. How are you supposed to find your mate in this crowd? Dib tries to find the scent, but it is mingled with others, and she can’t pinpoint it.
***
Erik walks into the dining room talking to some of the other pack members, and a scent hits him. Chocolate mint. He has always loved chocolate mint ice cream.
“I hope they will serve that for dessert.”
“Serving what?”
“Chocolate mint ice cream.” He grins at Harold.
“Dude, I don’t smell anything.”
Erik frowns and starts looking around. Why would he smell something that nobody else can?
“Girls! Girls!” Lykos bounces around in his head, and it’s driving him insane.
Sitting down at the table with the rest of their group, he takes his time to look around the huge group of unmated people.
At least they have some interesting events planned for the week.
Christiaan jumps up and walks out, and Erik wants to follow him, but he knows to leave his brooding friend to finish brooding.
***
Tabatha rubs her palms on the sides of her legs. She was looking forward to doing sports with her friends, and suddenly her stomach is doing summersaults, and Dib is trying to drive her out of her mind. She won’t keep quiet; she won’t sit still, and she is making her feel nauseous.
Everyone is standing around in a group on the track field and excitedly talking when she looks up, and his eyes lock with hers. The first word out of her mouth before she can even think to stop it is “Mate”.
His blue eyes make her feel as if she is about to drown as he walks up to her, sliding his arms around her. He puts his forehead on hers and his hot breath blows on her lips as he says. “Mine.” A soft growl coming from his throat.
It feels as if her heart is about to jump out of her chest, and she is going to drown in those blue eyes. Her palms rest on his chest, and she can feel his calm breathing, but she can feel his heart racing just as fast as hers.
His lips move closer to hers, and he places a soft kiss on her lips as if tasting her. Her eyes close, and she feels slightly faint, sliding her arms around his neck to steady herself.
***
Her scent caught his nose, and when he looked up, all he could think about was holding onto her and never letting go.
“MATE” Lykos shouts out loud, but all Erik can think about is getting her out of here and out of the hands of any other unmated wolves! She has to accept him so he can mark her as his.
She is his, destined to be only for him. Her head rests on his chest as he holds her tight against him. She is a perfect little blond, blue-eyed doll. His perfect little doll.
Sensing a slight hesitation, he smiles at her and lets her go, but keeps his arm around her waist.
“I’m Erik.”
“Hi, I’m Tabatha.” She smiles, and her pretty cheeks turn bright red.
“What happens now?”
“I don’t know. Do you feel like going somewhere a little more private to talk?”
They walk over to the track and her family is there. She introduces him to everyone and her father looks at him with interest, making her blush even more. He feels great when he sees her laugh and joke with her friends, but it feels like she’s stalling. When it’s time to go to lunch, he walks her to her room and tells her not to leave until he gets back.
***
“What?"
“Just because you are my mate doesn’t mean that you can order me around.”
Tabatha feels offended that he even thinks he is allowed to!
“Tabatha, wait for me here, or I’m not leaving.” He insists, and she can’t believe he just said that to her.
This is supposed to be her fairy-tale! But she got the possessive wolf that doesn’t want to let her go for a couple of minutes so she can get dressed for lunch! She knew it! This is going to be just as bad as things were for Isobel!
“No! I will meet you there.”
He opens her door and lets her walk in, closing the door behind her.
“Erik?”
“Yeah?”
“Oh, my Goddess!” She rips the door open, and he is standing there in front of her door with his back to her and his arms crossed.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m waiting for you.” He looks over his shoulder with a lopsided grin, and she notices he has dimples.
This is ridiculous! They are going to be late! Closing the door, she quickly takes a shower and gets dressed. Putting on her favourite pink open-back dress with the wide skirt that comes down to just above her knees. Putting on a pair of natural-colored sandals and some pink lip-gloss before opening the door.
***
She looks beautiful, and he slides his arm around her waist, he feels her warm bare skin against his hand. She turns to walk to the dining room, but he turns her in the opposite direction.
“Uhm, wait… Where are we going?”
“I still need to get ready. You don’t want me to go to lunch with my sweaty clothes, do you?”
She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. Ready to wait by the door while he gets ready in his room, he opens the door and shows her in.
“I don’t… I shouldn’t.”
“I will get ready in the bathroom.” He disappears into the bathroom before he starts to stumble over his words.
“Oh, damn!” When he climbs out, he realizes he didn’t take his clothes with him and has no other option but to walk to his room where his beautiful mate is waiting.
Ah well, no time like the present. He opens the door slightly.
“Tab, I'm sorry for doing this, but I forgot to take my clothes.”
“Oh, I’ll wait outside.” She jumps up, disappearing out the door before he can say anything.
“MATE!” Lykos jumps around his mind screaming until Erik steps out the door and pulls her into his arms again.
***
She shivers when he nuzzles his nose into her hair and takes a deep breath. She feels her knees go weak at his touch, and her hands are on his bare, wet chest making her heart race. He moves away slowly, grabbing some clothes, and gets dressed.
When they walk into the dining room, she turns to join her friends, but he pulls her towards his side of the table.
“Where are we going? I sit over there."
“Okay, we can sit there.” He nods and guides her in that direction, making her feel a little uncomfortable having to sit with him with all her friends around.
This is the weirdest thing and feeling she’s ever had. She knows wolves are possessive. She’s a wolf, she’s one of them, but why does she feel so nervous. Why on earth does this feel so…
Why does she feel like running to her parents' side every time his blue pools look at her?
“You are insane! This is our soulmate you are talking about! What’s wrong with you?” Dib shouts.
“He’s our mate!”
“I know Dib. I just feel a little… Nervous.”
Her palms feel as if they were on fire, and she rubs them against her sides feeling the friction build-up.
Erik slides his arms around her and leaves a soft kiss on her shoulder. He pulls the chair out for her to sit down, and she smiles, looking into those beautiful blue eyes.
He keeps staring at her, making Dib jump in delight.
“Where are you from?”
“Oh, uhm, we have a small territory in the west, and you?”
“Can we go for a walk after lunch?”
“Sure.” What else was she going to say? No, I’m too nervous! You make me nervous. I’m drowning in your beautiful blue eyes?
- Writer
