1: THE BREEDING SEASON

D E L I L A H

The blaring sound of my alarm made me jump from my bed, accompanied by my grandma's scream for my name.

I quickly scrambled from the bed and ran towards the sound of her voice. My vision felt foggy and all I saw was blue, but the alarm in her voice was enough to make me worried.

My grandma's health was slowly deteriorating and I couldn't afford anything that would make her sicker than she already was.

I walked down the stairs to see my grandma holding a paper in her hands with a shocked expression on her face. Her face was as white as sheet as she read whatever was on the paper. What could have her so worried like this?

Hearing my footsteps, Nana Alma's head snapped up towards mine. Her olive green eyes that were so much similar to mine wrinkled with worry. “Lilah dear, can you go get me my glasses? I must surely be seeing things.” She said in a fearful tone that I haven't heard her speak in years.

“What's wrong, Nana? Are you okay?” I walked closer to her and held her trembling wrinkled hands in mine. She looked pale white and her eyes were widened as if she's seen a ghost.

Her olive eyes looked up at me in worry as she caressed my face softly. “I have always feared that this moment was going to come, but I didn't know it would arrive this soon. I can't afford to lose you, Lilah. Not you too. Losing your parents broke me, but losing you would kill me. You're all I have left. I can't lose you. I will never lose you!” Her voice rose up an octave, startling me. My heart clenched at the mention of my parents. I missed them so much and the horrid memory of their death was something I didn't want to remember. I wouldn't be able to control my tears.

Right now, I needed to be strong for my grandmother.

I was growing more and more confused by her words as the minutes passed. “Nana stop! You're seriously scaring me. You know you shouldn't be stressing yourself like this. Your drugs are barely doing enough and you know how expensive they are...” I trailed off, remembering how many menial jobs I had to do just to get some of Nana's medications.

“Can you just tell me what's got you so worked up? Stressing isn't good for your health.” I said, pulling her to sit on her favorite sofa. I quickly ran into the kitchen of our small home to get a glass of water and handed it over to her. She gulped it down hungrily before placing the empty glass on the table with shaky hands.

“Are you okay now?” She nodded her head but her face was still white as sheet. “Can you tell me what's going on now?” I asked almost impatiently.

“You should read this,” Nana's eyes bored into mine and I could see series of emotions and secrets swirling in her eyes. She stretched out her right hand and handed over the white piece of paper to me.

I took the paper from her and read the contents carefully. The further I read, the more my heart started thumping rapidly in my chest. My body grew cold as a cold chill ran through my spine. “N-no—” I slapped a hand over my mouth and tears immediately started to gather at the corner of my eyes.

“I'm so sorry, Lilah. I couldn't protect you like I promised your parents. They must be rolling in their graves right now.” Grandma said sadly as a tear rolled down her cheeks.

I stood up abrubtly, shaking my head and wishing I could wake up from this dream. But it wasn't a dream, the words were glaring straight at me. “T-this can't be happening to me. I don't want this! Why are they doing this to us? Don't we have a choice over our own life too? This is unacceptable!” I yelled, squeezing the paper with anger.

“I'm afraid we don't have a choice, Delilah. This is tradition and neither you nor anyone else can change it. I should have known this was going to come sooner or later. I can't lose you too, you're all I have left!” Grandma exclaimed, her eyes filled with horror.

“What am I going to do, Nana? I can't leave you. I don't want to ever leave you.” I cried, feeling completely hopeless. Was this going to be my faith? Will I be claimed and forcefully mated by an Alpha against my own will?

Grandma looked at me with pity and I got my answer from her expression. There was no way out of this. I have no choice but to go to the breeding ceremony and hope I don't get chosen by Alphas who wants a baby making machine.

“I'm so sorry, Lilah.” Grandma said sadly, her head turned down in shame.

I crouched down to her height on the sofa and shook my head at her. “You have nothing to be sorry about, ma. This isn't your fault. It would still happen if you weren't here. I have come of age and I guess it's my turn to do what the other maidens of my age have been doing for years. But, I'm pretty sure I won't be mated to any of the Alphas.” I said with certainty.

“What do you mean by that, Lilah?” Grandma asked in confusion.

“Look at me, I'm a weak wolf. My wolf can barely compete with the other she wolves. I'm pretty sure the Alphas would want a strong she wolf to breed their pups. I'm not up to those standards, Nana.”

Grandma shook her head as if she knew something I didn't. “Do not be blinded by your ignorance, Delilah. You are more than you give yourself credit for, darling.” She caressed my face tenderly with a longing look. I knew she was thinking about the uncanny resemblance I had with my mother. Several times, she had told me how much I reminded her of my late mom.

I couldn't control my emotions anymore. I've been pulling this cool facade too much to hide the fact that I was literally broken on the inside. I wanted to be strong, strong for the only family I have left. And I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to do that for much longer. The thought of being away from her terrified me.

“Why do you make it sound like you want me to get chosen, Nana?” I said, speaking my mind out loud.

“That's not true, darling. I want you to stay with me as long as you wish to. But remember, if it is truly the wish of the moon goddess, then there's nothing we can do about it.” Grandma said with a distant look on her face.

I placed my head on her lap and closed my eyes as she ran her hands through my long brunette hair. “Nana?”

“Yes, darling?”

“I really don't want to get chosen by the moon goddess.” I said sincerely.

I only got a deep sigh from her in response. When I thought she wasn't going to speak, her voice finally said. “I'm sorry, Lilah.”

I had a feeling that the reason she was sorry had a whole new meaning to it. What does Grandma know that I don't?

In a matter of two weeks, my faith would be decided. I've never wished for two weeks to take longer until now.