Chapter 5

           The day is hot.  Sweat beads form on my forehead as we stand outside of the castle waiting for Alpha Alexander to come out.  I lift my nose to the air and discreetly searching for the scent of my mate, but I know it is too early in the day for me to detect him.  I frown at the thought that my mate won’t be waiting for me within the Labyrinth, but I already knew that.  I have lived this once before.  I should be disappointed, but I am not.  I know that Alexander waits for me at the end of the three days.

            With a loud creek the castle doors open wide and Alexander, my Alexander, walks slowly through the doors and stops just at the edge of the platform.  I stare up at his beautiful, chiseled face and butterflies form in my stomach.  Even though I know that he will be cruel to me for a few weeks I cannot help but remember how gentle and kind he becomes.  Everyone else bows their head in respect as he scans his crystal blue eyes over us.  When he reaches me I give him a small smile before lowering my head.  When I look back up his eyes are still on me, and they are burning with lust.  A look that I had become all too familiar with, and I cannot help the smirk that crosses my lips. 

            Tearing his gaze away from my own, Alexander clears this throat awkwardly.  “Welcome to the first day of the Mating Labyrinth,” his voice is cold and uncaring.  “You will have three days to find your mate.  If you come out of the Labyrinth without your mate you will become a permanent servant in the Royal house.”  His eyes sweep over my waiting form, and I am suddenly pulled into the past. 

**Flashback**

            “…you will become a permanent servant in the Royal house.”  Alexander’s voice rings out on the clear hot day, but I barely notice.

           Tears are streaming down my face as I wait to be led into the Labyrinth.  Crystal is standing beside me and grabs my hand to try and keep me from crying, but it is no use.  My silent sniffles turn into loud controllable sobs.  Alexander’s cold gaze falls on me as he looks at me with disgust.  Crystal squeezes my hand and pats me on the shoulder, silently begging for me to shut up.  

           Alexander says a few more words but I cannot hear them over my sobbing.  Then one of the guards grabs my arms and pulls me away from Crystal and leads me to the first gate at the Labyrinth.  Crystal is led to the second.  I stand frozen staring at the massive door in front of me and more tears stream down my face.  Crystal peers over in my direction and yells out above the crowd.  “Once the moon is at its highest peak you should be able to sense your mate,” she says with a weak smile on her face.  I nod to her slowly and turn my attention to the task in front of me. 

          The sound grinding of metal fills the air and the large gates before us begin to open slowly.  Once the gate is fully opened I am shoved inside the Labyrinth by the guard and the gate slams shut behind me.  Turning to face the massive door once again I bang my hands against the metal begging to be let out.  I hit the door until my knuckles are raw and bleeding.  Turning my back on the door I let the hot metal burn my skin.  Sliding down the door, I pull my knees to my chest and bury my face in them trying to believe that I am anywhere else but here.  Slowly the moon rises in the sky, and I lift my nose to the air and sniff.  There is no sign of my mate anywhere.  My mate is not here. 

**End Flashback**

            Crystal grabs my hand and gives me a little squeeze pulling me out of my memory.  I look over to my friend and she is grinning stupidly from ear to ear.  I never understood her excitement to take part in this barbaric tradition, but I squeeze her hand back to let her know that it is all going to be okay.  One of the guards approaches my side and I give Crystal’s hand another squeeze before I let go and follow him with my head held high this time.  No, this time I will go with dignity. 

            Standing in front of my door, I look over at Crystal and she gives me a weak smile.  “When the moon is at its peak,” she begins.

            “We will be able to sense our mates,” I finish for her, and she gives me a look of relief. 

            I turn my attention back to the massive gate in front of me and wait for it to open.  The sound of gears turning, metal on metal, fills the silence surrounding the Labyrinth.  Once the door is high enough I step inside the maze willingly.  This time when the door slams behind me, I jump a little, but I do not turn and look back.

            Running my fingers along the bricks that line both sides of me, I walk until I reach a fork in the path.  I can go left, right, or straight ahead.  Lifting my chin to the sky I look around for the moon and it is almost at its peak.  I sniff the air and the smell hits me like a ton of bricks.  The smell of citrus and pine fills the night air around me begging for me to find its owner.  I stand frozen to the spot with the realization that Victor might be my mate.

            I stand at the crossroads and stare up at the sky, trying to decide my next move.  If Victor is my mate why did he have me killed last time.  As much as Adeline is pushing me forward.  Pushing me to find out the origin of the scent, I cannot help but hesitate.  What if it is a trap?  Victor was not in the Labyrinth last time and there is no way that he is here this time.  Deciding to turn left and search for his scent, I follow along the corridor until I come to a dead end. 

            “Of course,” I mumble to myself before turning around.  As I do I notice the walls shifting and changing.  My eyes grow wide with fear.  How will I find my way back out? 

            Adeline quietly coaches me in my brain, telling me that we need to find a way to escape, and I know that she is right.  This maze was made so it would be impossible for someone to find their fated mate.  But why would Alexander do this?  What would he have to gain from keeping us from our fated mates? 

            Keeping my nose to the air I take off in a sprint.  I try to follow Victor’s alluring scent of citrus and pine, but I keep ending up at a dead end.  Once I reach the third dead end I turn around in time to see the walls changing and shifting once again.  Breathing heavily I sit down against the wall and listen to my surroundings.  The sounds of wolves howling fills the air.  It is the howl of someone that has found their mate.  I promised myself that I wouldn’t cry this time, but I cannot stop the tears that begin to prickle at the corners of my eyes.  Why is this so easy for everyone else? 

            I need a break; my mind needs a break.  Stripping off my maids dress I call Adeline to come forward and I give her the reins.  But instead of searching for our mate she lays down on the ground and lets out a sorrowful howl.  Curling up into a ball she tucks her nose into her fur and we both fall quickly asleep.