Mate's Gamble

Maureen's POV

It was my brother's eighteenth birthday. My parents, for the first time, have been home all day. It seemed strange seeing them around because they were never around. The Alpha of our pack was also present.

My name is Maureen. I am the only daughter and second child of the High Moon Pack's Beta male and female. My brother Lancelot is three years and some months older than I am. And that day my brother was turning eighteen, I was so filled with joy.

The pack men took my brother outside to wait for the time to strike midnight. The women and the Alpha all waited in the living room.

I could see the anxiety on my mother's face. Everybody patiently waited for my brother to get his wolf.

My parents were the Beta male and female of our pack. So it is expected that my brother will take over from them one day.

My best friend, Lucia, and I silently sneaked from the crowd of women. We sneaked upstairs to the guestroom to catch a glimpse of what was happening outside.

My best friend Lucia had a very big crush on my brother that sometimes I wonder if she were my friend for me or for her to get close to my brother Lancelot.

Lucia had chipped both herself and my brother together a lot of times. One time, it was #Lulan#; later, she came up with #Lancia#. Yes, she was that crazy about him. As funny as her feelings for my brother were, he never for once noticed her.

My brother Lancelot was one of a kind, something you call a rare find. He was nice, caring, handsome, friendly and every other trait that you can think of that makes a guy a good guy. Above all this, he is my hero. Although we both do not fancy his name much. So we simply accept he answered to Lance.

My parents as serious with life as they could be, are actually big fans of the movie Merlin. My mum had once joked about the name Lancelot resonating in her mind for days after she watched the movie.

Lucia and I peeked out of the guest room's window. The guest room was the only place in the house where we could clearly see the pathway to the forest.

Our wolf vision allowed us to see the distance clearly. No human will be able to see or make out any images in the pitch dark.

' Can you see Lance?' Lucia asked me quietly.

'No. I can only see my dad.'

'Why can't the moon be out and full on a day like this? I just want to catch a glimpse of his wolf,' Lucia whispered and sighed dreamily.

I laughed at her as quietly as I could because if the women caught us up there, we might be sent to the room for the rest of the night, and that would not be good enough.

'Calm down Lucia. I can hear your heart beating out of tune. We will all eventually see his wolf when he comes to acknowledge his Alpha,' I said to calm Lucia down.

After Lancelot must have turned into his wolf, he would go on a run with the men in the pack. They were all there to watch his change as it was a sign of respect for the future Beta.

'I wish his wolf would just pick me as his mate,' Lucia said still looking dreamily at the distance.

'It doesn't work that way, Lucia, his wolf will recognize you but you can not feel the pull because you are not eighteen yet,' I explained to her.

'Since when did you become so knowledgeable about mates?' Lucia turned to glare at me.

'Mina from the kitchen at Alpha's house told me everything.'

'So suddenly because Mina turned eighteen and found her mate immediately, has now made her the pack's adviser on mating issues,' Lucia hissed.

Mina had found her mate the very night she turned eighteen. It was an unusual occurrence. Since low-ranked pack members only have a few of their family members around when they get their wolves while some were even alone when they get theirs, depending on how low in rank they are.

'Still, you have like four years to wait to discover if he is your mate or not,' I stated the obvious.

'Why can't he just be allowed to name his mate after he can sense her, even if she is not eighteen yet?' Lucia asked trying her best to keep her voice very low.

I rolled my eyes at her. Lucia was my friend and I loved her unconditionally but she can be really clueless on a lot of things. Sometimes I wonder if she was really a wolf.

She didn't seem to grab onto anything that was explained to us in the mating class. It was the tradition in our pack, once you turned twelve, you would join the mating class where you would be taught everything about mating. But obviously, my friend never listened probably too busy daydreaming about Lancelot.

'You can never tell your mate who has not yet gotten their wolf that you are their mate because the moon goddess can make a change before they get their wolf,' I explained what I had learned in the mating class.

'You know sometimes they make the moon goddess seem like a real sadist with that type of teaching,' Lucia said looking deep in thought.

'Hey be careful what you say, Lucia.' Understanding the fact that we might need to talk better, I stood up and pulled Lucia's hand. 'Let us go to my room.

Without arguing with me Lucia got up and followed me seeming absent-minded.

We would turn fifteen in months which means Lancelot was three years and some months ahead of us. Lucia's obsession with Lancelot was beginning to seem odd to me. The fact that my brother wasn't even reciprocating was enough reason for the feelings to die a natural death.

Lucia had met my brother two years ago. He was sixteen then, and he had come with the Alpha's son Dominus to pick me up from school. Lancelot couldn't drive because he was underage so Dominus had offered to drive him, he was three years older than Lancelot so he owned a car and a driver's license.

Lancelot usually walked down to my school to get me. Most times I would meet him halfway by which time Lucia would have gone in the opposite direction to her house.

Lucia had behaved like a lost puppy. She followed me home that day claiming she wanted to know my place. After she had spent some time in our house, Dominus offered to take her back home. She wanted Lancelot to take her but he had simply explained to her that he did not have a driver's license so he couldn't drive. She had felt so disappointed but she never gave up and she became closer to me ever since.

When we got to my room I gently pushed her to sit on my bed and made sure to lock the door.

'Lucia, don't you think what you feel for Lance is beginning to look like an obsession?' I asked her gently holding her hands in mine while sitting opposite her.

'It is not an obsession Maureen, I love your brother. Since when has that become a crime?' She asked removing her hands from mine and getting up to pace.

'I am not saying that you don't love him but I want you to realize that his wolf might not choose you tonight,' I subtly dropped the hint of what I was driving at.

'What do you mean?' She asked stopping her pacing. She looked so unhappy that I couldn't stop the feeling of pity that I felt for her but I dared not show it because I didn't want her to feel bad.

I walked towards her and put my hands on her shoulders

'I want you to prepare your mind for whatever outcome we might have today. Even if his wolf chooses you, you might have to wait for the next three years plus for him to come to you.'

She nodded her head gently and we hugged each other.

'I will always be here for you ok?'

Just then I heard my mum call for us saying my brother was on his way in and we both quickly rushed down the stairs almost falling.

By the time we got downstairs, the men were opening the door and coming in one after the other as if they were intentionally building the tension.

Finally, my dad came in which indicated that the new wolf was right behind. When he came in I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was the most beautiful wolf my young eyes had ever seen.

He was immaculately white like my mum's wolf. The only difference was that his paws and tail were midnight dark whereas my mum's were brown.

He padded his way to where the Alpha was seated with his Luna and his son Dominus. His head was bent as a sign of submission.

'Welcome to the pack my boy. Go get changed it is time to celebrate.'

The Alpha said running his hands through Lancelot's fur.

As he left the Alpha to go to his room to change and wear his clothes, he suddenly sniffed the air and made a beeline for me. Before anyone could stop him he tackled me to the ground.

I laughed thinking he was playing with me in his wolf form. Suddenly he lifted his head and jumped away from me as if my hands burned him.

I was confused at first, I looked around to see everyone frowning at us, and my dad and the Alpha exchanged a confused look. I became confused myself. Can't a brother play with his sister in his wolf form?

Lancelot quickly ran upstairs and disappeared out of sight. I became more confused when I saw the Luna saying something to my mum who looked both angry and confused at the same time.