The Hybrid's Curse

Wolfless

LANA’S POV

The past few years of attending the mating ball had been pointless. I had not found my wolf and I had not found my mate either. The thought of attending the ball and returning once again without my wolf was making me think twice about attending. The mockery was too much and I just couldn’t stand revisiting the same nasty comments from the girls that had found their wolves and their mates. Judy, my best friend, was not making this easy for me. She always insisted on buying me dresses just so that I wouldn't have an excuse for not going with her.

“Lana, the universe was still making you a mate and that is why you are still alone. This year you will turn and your mate will be right there with you. I can feel it in my bones” she said.

“I strongly doubt your sentiments, my friend, and for that reason, I will not be going. It’s not like anyone will miss me”, I said sadly. “I would much rather stay here at home and feel sorry for myself.”

“ I will miss you if you don’t come with me. If we go this year and nothing happens to you, then next year we won’t go I promise”, she pushed. I swear the girl could never take no for an answer.

Judy was the kind of person that would never give up on this conversation until I gave in. I could never win an argument with her. I reluctantly agreed to go with her to the ball even though I already knew that nothing would come of it. She excitedly volunteered herself to help me find a dress that I obviously couldn’t afford. My family wasn’t as well off as hers was and therefore, I couldn’t afford all the fancy dresses that girls wore at this dance. However, just like every year, Judy was more than willing to purchase the dress for me if she had to, just as long as I got the opportunity to go with her.

“Now this will have you a mate by the end of the night” she laughed throwing me one of the dresses she had picked for me from her closet.

“ I feel naked,” I said, tugging at the neckline of the dress that was exposing my breasts and leaving little to the imagination

“It’s a pretty dress but I just don’t think it's for me” I added

“The dress looks perfectly fine, you need to love your lady bumps” she couldn't help laughing at my insecurity of showing a cleavage.

“Trust me I love you too much to lead you astray,” she said, and I could see that she was not willing to let this go.

“Thank you,” I said and I gave her a smile of appreciation for her kind gestures, she returned the gesture by showing me her pearly whites

“It’s always a pleasure,” she said “now all you will have to do is wear your prettiest smiles because you don’t want your mate to think he got mated to a depressed she-wolf” she joked

“Only I don’t even have a wolf,” I said sadly

“You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start being positive, stop moping and look on the bright side,” she said

“And what is the bright side if I may ask?” I asked her

“The fact that you get to try again tomorrow is a bright side,” she said “ and I will be right there with you”

“It’s easy for you to say that now but I know you will be glued to Francis’ side tomorrow night and I will be left to watch everyone from the corner,” I said

”I won't leave you and I will speak to Francis, my mission for tomorrow is to help you find your mate and you might not feel like it now but I truly feel that tomorrow will be the night for you. The moon goddess cannot fail you again” she said and I sighed, I hoped there was some truth to what she was saying but after attending the mating ball for as long as I had, it was a little hard for me to believe that things would suddenly take a turn and I would find my mate. It wasn’t as if there would be anyone new at the ball because there were always the same people every year and none of them had turned out to be my mate. However, for Judy’s sake, I was willing to be positive and hope for the best.

Now that the dress was picked out and ready for me to wear, I felt a little positive about the mating ball. I mean anything I did with Judy was always fun and exciting, but the mating ball was just a different game ball. Judy had already found her mate so it was easier for her to go to the ball because her mate would be there. They still hadn't finished their mating rituals, but the process had already begun. I was genuinely happy for her but I felt lost because she could no longer relate to the pain I felt about not having a mate. For the longest time, Judy and I had shared the same pain of being alone and having no wolf but she slowly escaped the loneliness. First Judy got her wolf and then she found her mate soon after that, and that was the order in which these things were supposed to happen, and yet none of that had happened for me. I started thinking maybe it was best if I just accepted that I was a wolfless she-wolf and live my life with that fact. The worst thing about that would be the fact that I would have to live my life as a servant. I would be forced to serve as an omega because I would be considered the weakest amongst my peers and I just couldn’t bear that possibility.

But Judy was right, tomorrow night had to be my night and I had to stay positive. Surely the moon goddess would finally see my pain and help me find my mate. If I walked away with one of these two things tomorrow night, then I would be very grateful to her.

ANDREW’S POV

The day of the ball had finally arrived and I was excited, the excitement I had was very different from the one that other wolves had because, unlike them, I wasn’t going to find my mate but I was going to introduce my mate to the pack. It was finally time for them to know that the crowned prince had found his mate and maybe they would finally show me a little respect. Respect was all I wanted from my subjects and I wished and hoped that introducing Dahlia to them would be a good place to start. I still hadn’t told my father that I had found my mate, but he sounded positive that tonight would be the night that I found her.

“How are you feeling about tonight son?” my father asked as he came into my room. I was just getting ready for the ball.

“I am as ready as I could ever be father,” I said excitedly

“ You look excited and I am happy to see that you are looking forward to it,” he said. My father knew that I always avoided going to mating balls because I didn’t have a wolf. Most of the wolves that attended the mating ball would turn into their wolf forms the moment they met their mates and that always made me feel out of place.

“I am looking forward to seeing my mate,” I said

“Now don’t allow the wolf thing to get in the way of you having fun. You are the crown prince and nothing can change that and I am certain that meeting your mate will help you find your wolf. The moment your wolf instincts kick in you will be able to sniff her out” he said, walking out of my room and I sighed as I watched him close the door.

I honestly didn’t think I would come back home with a wolf. My father seemed to think that meeting my mate would help me get my wolf and yet I doubted that would be the case. I had already found my mate and my finding a wolf was just going to be a waiting matter. I had to wait for the moon goddess to give me my wolf and only she knew when the right time for that would be.

I didn’t have to pick Dahlia up for the dance because she promised me that she would come on her own. I trusted that she would come because she knew how much this meant to me, my very reputation was at stake and I couldn’t walk away with no mate again tonight. After I got dressed, I headed to the ballroom where the mating ball was being held. The only good thing about this event was the fact that I didn’t have to travel to attend it. It was literally in my backyard.

I could see that the guests were already arriving and it was the usual suspects. This ball was always attended by the same wolves and some of them just came for the free food and the free alcohol. Most of the wolves in attendance already had their mates and, in my opinion, having them here was a waste of space, but the event was open to every young person.

The room was beautifully set and ready for the crowd to start arriving. This event was usually packed and I expected it to be the same even today. Of course, as the prince, my seat was separate from the crowd so that not just anyone could get to me, but tonight I only had my eye out for Dahlia. The room was slowly getting packed but she was still not there. I got up from my seat and started walking around hoping that I would see her if I looked hard enough, but she just wasn’t there.

Where the hell was she? The party had already started and, from the look of things, everyone who was supposed to be here was already here. Everyone except my mate, to whom I had explained how important this night was to me and my father. I couldn’t afford to put my father to shame again this year.