XERAPHINATilly, an omega wolf in her late twenties, joined our pack a few years ago, having come from a neighboring pack. Her story of why she left her old pack remains a mystery to everyone except my father, the Alpha and my mother, the Luna of our pack. Despite being here for ten years, she arrived without a mate and has yet to find one.Returning her hug, I step back to retrieve my plate and put it back in the oven to keep it warm. I then turn to face Tilly. “I’m not sure what has happened to you, but my condolences for whatever it was. Little did I know that him carrying me outside in the middle of my first shift into a wolf was so risky. If I had known, I wouldn’t have let him do it. Now I feel guilty. The whole time he was taking me away, I was mentally hoping I could shift and use my claws to castrate him.”“My older brother, who was only a year older than me, died when he picked me up and carried me outside, when I was going through my first transformation into my wolf. We di
XERAPHINAAfter finishing my meal, I made my way down to the basement where my party would take place. It’s going to be an elegant affair, and my dress is stunning. My parents are pulling out all the stops for me, which doesn’t happen very often. The whole excitement of the event used to revolve around me finding my mate, but that’s no longer the case. As a result, families from different packs will be attending. Honestly, I’m not too bothered about that anymore. A party is a party, and I’ve been anticipating this moment for a few years now.If only I had been born a boy, perhaps my father would have shown more interest in me throughout the years. It feels like I have always been a burden to him. My mother has always been the one who looks out for me, even amidst her responsibilities towards our pack. However, my father keeps her occupied with pack affairs, leaving little time for us to bond as mother and daughter.As I make my way down to the basement, I spot my mother taking charge,
XERAPHINA “Charity was the one who pursued Xachariah first. I discovered them together one night, and that’s when Xachariah admitted they had been dating for a few months. Your brother was splurging money on jewelry, clothes, and whatever she desired, all without our knowledge or permission. Charity moved on and started seeing Cassius after we learned the truth.”“Cassius doesn’t know about Xachariah and Charity. As far as I know, no one does. Beyond them two, your dad, me and his mother Catherine. Cassius’s father, Carleson, doesn’t even know. We should have told him and I guarantee you Cassius never would have been able to stay with Charity so long. He never would have let them get married, either. That woman is rotten to the core,” mom says, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes in anger. “She and her family have caused nothing but problems since merging into our pack thirty years ago.”“It sounds to me like she’s been out for money and ranking from the get go. I’m glad you and d
XERAPHINA“Has your wolf Xariah been present since you shifted back into your human form and rejected Cassius, Xeraphina,” mother asks with concern, stretching her features as she clutches my hand lending support.“No. Xariah is there, though. I can feel her, but she hasn’t connected with me since I shifted back into human form.”“It is normal for a wolf to rest for a while after their first transformation, sweetheart. Since you have rejected her mate, she may be dormant for a few days as she recuperates. With Cassius not accepting the rejection, it may not take her long to connect with you again. Just be patient, Xeraphina.”“I’m exhausted, mama. I didn’t sleep well last night and so much has happened today. It would be nice if I could take a nap myself. I know there isn’t time, though.”“No, my dear. There is still much to do before your party. One of the top priorities is performing the blood ritual to welcome your wolf Xariah into our pack. However, your father and I have prepared
XERAPHINA “Thank you so much for this, Xeraphina. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to feel wanted, to have fun of any kind. I’ve been in a rut for ten years now. You have brought back my youth.”“Oh, come on. You’re only twenty-eight. You are not that old Tilly.”“Actually, I’m nearing twenty-seven.”Halting, I glance at her, my face scrunching up in confusion. “What did you just say?”“I’m twenty-six. My birthday is in two months.”“But you’ve been here ten years?”“My brother and I both got our wolves at sixteen instead of eighteen.”“Wolves shifting that early is extremely rare.”“I don’t know what to tell ya. But yes. I had just turned sixteen when I connected with my wolf and shifted for the first time.”“WOW! Well, let’s get down there and find you a mate. You deserve greatness Tilly. Let’s both put the past behind us and have fun tonight.”“I’m really looking forward to it! Let’s go!”Once we’ve gotten halfway down the stairs, I mind link mom to start the song and ‘Uptown Funk’ b
XERAPHINAAs Tilly and I descend the stairs, our hands intertwined, we sing and dance, taking in the awe-inspiring scene before us. While I knew that my mother and father had invited several packs from the surrounding area, I am astounded by the sheer number of people present. The place is bursting at the seams with individuals from wall to wall. Amongst the crowd, I notice some mates have already found each other, but there remains a multitude of proud and towering men who have yet to connect with a mate. They gaze up at Tilly and me, in hopes one of us may be their mate. In this sea of unmated males, we are bound to find our perfect match.Cassius’s eyes meet my own from across the room, penetrating deep into my soul. ‘MINE,’ he says through the mind link. ‘MY MATE.’‘Not yet,’ I replied and wink at him. It’s mean, but I can’t bring myself to give into his charm right now. I need to stay focused on the task at hand.‘You’ve got to admit, our mate looks mighty handsome in that get up
XERAPHINA Tilly and I step up to the vast steaming hot buffet adorned with many types of seafood and other meats like steak, chicken, and pork. Each section remains warm to prevent contamination with salmonella, and my stomach rumbles.“I’m gonna gain a hundred pounds tonight. Look at all this food, Xeraphina,” Tilly yells over the music with a huge grin on her face, as she reaches out and clutches a plate and silverware. “This is freaking fantastic!” she says, clutching a pair of tongs and placing a whole cooked king crab onto her plate. Her eyes widen in delight as she notices a bin down the way of oysters on the Half Shell, being kept cool in a bin full of ice. “Oh goodness, I’ve got to have some of those,” she says, scurrying off.Taking matters into my own hands, I reach for the tongs that Tilly left behind. With a swift motion, I transfer a succulent lobster onto my plate. Not stopping there, I make my way to the next station and grab a mouthwatering 16 oz Ribeye, placing it be
XERAPHINAFather chuckles and tightens his grip on my hand. “Okay, I won’t mention that again. Like you, a vast majority of the men downstairs have recently transformed into wolves, and they are all single. More than half of them are in their late twenties, above the age of twenty-five. That’s why they’re here, to find a potential mate. They come from alpha, beta, and gamma bloodlines, and I did my research on each pack and the males before inviting them. They come from different parts of the country and even from around the world.”“Thank you, daddy, for everything you’ve done for me. It really means the world to me you’ve gone to such great lengths. It was disappointing on Cassius’ part not to let anyone know that he already knew I was his mate,” I say, a frown appearing on my face. He pulls me into a hug, trying to comfort me. “If I find a chosen mate, I hope they live closer to home,” I say, a smile crossing my face. “I don’t want to be too far away.”“That’s good to hear, princes