Chapter 2 Date with Drake

I hardly slept a wink that night. Throughout the entire evening, my mind replayed all the things he had done to me in the past year, filling my heart with anger, regret, and resentment. ‘Just break up with him, and everything will be fine,’ I kept consoling myself, attempting to calm down, but with little success.

The next morning, my mother's call roused me from sleep. I glanced at my phone and cursed under my breath; it was only six in the morning, and I had barely slept for an hour. There was a birthday message from Aunt Mary with a kiss emoji. I quickly replied with a kiss emoji back.

Dragging myself to the bathroom with messy hair and heavy footsteps, I looked in the mirror and almost thought I had seen a ghost. My face was pale, dark circles marred my eyes, and my lips were devoid of color. Oh, my goodness, what happened to me!

"Hey, girl! Stop dawdling; you have a date with Drake today!" Mother's voice echoed from upstairs.

"Coming!" I shouted back at the door.

After freshening up, I picked out my usual loose gray sweatshirt and black leggings, paired with sneakers. I tied my hair into a simple ponytail and stepped out of my room.

I headed to the kitchen and prepared a sandwich, pouring a glass of milk to take to my mother's room. She never closed her door, so I wouldn't miss her call. I left the tray on her bedside table.

"Oh, Zoe, you look terrible. Did you not sleep well last night? I understand, you must be excited. So am I. By the way, are you planning to wear that? Today is your big day. You should dress up a bit." She said as she took a bite of the sandwich.

"I'm ready, Mom. I'll leave now," I replied with a forced smile.

As I approached the door, my heart felt as heavy as if a giant stone was lodged in my chest. I turned my head back and asked tentatively, "Mom, what if Drake and I don't end up being mates?"

She stared at me with an indescribable look in her eyes. "My daughter, what nonsense are you talking about? You and Drake are destined to be mates."

"But, but no one can be sure, right? And what if he rejects me even if we are mates?"

Her expression turned very serious, and in a tone that startled me, she said, "If he rejects you, it will be your fault."

I lowered my head, nervously biting my lip, afraid to say anything more.

"Take these away; I've lost my appetite," she pointed at the tray on the bedside table, the milk untouched, and only a small piece of the sandwich eaten.

After washing the dishes, I didn't return to my room to change; instead, I walked straight out the front door. I let out a silent sigh; on my birthday, my mother didn't wish me a happy birthday but instead had her mind set on me becoming Drake's mate. Sometimes I really resent her, but who can I blame? I was the only family she had in this world.

Two years ago, my mother and I moved to the Red Moon pack and settled in this two-story house on the outskirts, which was once the residence of her parents. After my grandparents passed away, the house was left unattended for fifteen years. In the first half month, I've been busy renovating the place - changing windows, repairing the roof, fixing the plumbing, cleaning, and furnishing it. I did all of this alone; my mother didn't lift a finger to help. She used to be a good mother, excelling in managing household affairs and raising us, but everything changed five years ago when my younger brother drowned in the sea. She suffered a tremendous blow and since then, she has been shattered, retreating to her bedroom, crying day and night, mourning her departed son. Her once bright and lively eyes became swollen and lifeless, and her once healthy and rosy complexion turned pale and swollen, like a corpse soaked in water for three days.

Three years ago, during the war between my former pack and the Night Eagle pack, my father volunteered to go to the battlefield, despite being past the age for enlisting, and despite everyone's advice against it. He insisted on going and ultimately died in battle. I heard people say that he was prepared not to come back alive. I understood him; the pain of losing a child couldn't defeat him. However, my mother's downfall shattered him. He would rather die by the enemy's blade than live in this house, which had become a place of mourning.

After my father's death, we tried everything, pulling all the strings, to move away from that sorrowful land, and that's why we ended up in the Red Moon pack.

Behind the house is a large patch of woods, and the pack's training ground is located within it. At the end of the woods lies the border between the Red Moon pack and the Blue Moon pack. There are watchtowers set up every 500 meters in the woods, with soldiers patrolling 24 hours a day. Overall, it is a safe place to live, but my mother doesn't see it that way. She says the people in this pack don't care about us at all.

I walked toward the woods behind the house. It was early March, and there was a slight chill in the air. The deeper into the woods I went, the denser the trees became, and the lush leaves blocked out the sunlight, intensifying the cold. Soon, I arrived at the spot where Drake and I had agreed to meet. It was a space about ten square meters in size, and Drake had hung a blue ribbon on the oldest elm tree to mark the spot. It was a place rarely visited by others, and he could do whatever he wanted to me here. That's why it became our most frequented meeting place. Today was Saturday, and we had enough time to resolve this matter.

There he was, standing in the middle of the clearing in his full glory. The morning light filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows on him, making him seem ethereal. In the semi-darkness, I couldn't make out his expression, and he waved for me to come over.

As I got closer to him, my heart pounded more and more fiercely. Due to nervousness, my legs trembled, and my hands shook uncontrollably. My palms were sweaty, and I clutched at the hem of my clothes, balled my fists, and straightened my chest, trying to give myself some confidence.

Would he be my mate?

What will my fate be?

When I was only a few meters away from him, I stopped, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and felt relieved - there was no specific scent. My mood lightened considerably. Then, I walked up to him, meeting his gaze directly, and felt nothing of that matebond sort. My suspended heart finally settled, and I took a deep breath, thanking the moon goddess! No words can describe the joy in my heart; I wanted to shout out loud with happiness, but in front of Drake, I had to stay calm. If I showed any sign of being happy, it would hurt his fragile ego and trigger his explosive anger. So, I tried to put on a regretful expression, but the corners of my mouth, betraying my true feelings, slightly curved upwards.

"You're happy that we're not mates, aren't you?" His face darkened instantly.

Oh no, the devilish Drake appeared.