Chapter 3

Tomorrow was the time to leave for the hunting ritual, and I told the maids early that I was going to my room to rest in order to refuse another lecture from my parents, and told them that I hoped no one would disturb me.

I closed the door to my room and stayed in bed for a while, but I kept turning over and over but couldn't sleep. My mind was in turmoil, all the possibilities about the hunting ritual were turning back and forth in my mind, but I couldn't stop to think seriously about any of them.

By the time the moon appeared, I finally gave up sleeping and I sat up straight from the bed. In the darkness I felt that the moonlight coming through the cracks in the windows was so bright that it was like a bright street lamp.

I went over and pulled the curtains open, the moon in the sky was a bright and huge disk, I suddenly remembered at this time, tomorrow was a full moon day, and tonight the moon was already so round.

There were no clouds in the sky to hide things, and the moonlight was really too bright and brilliant, in the quiet, as if it was a kind of scrutiny from Moon Goddess.

I suddenly felt very aggrieved, shouldn't I be the one to choose my mate? Why did she force us to accept the one she picked? I suddenly remembered that when I was young, the elders in the pack would usually praise me by saying that I was very talented and capable, and that I was Moon Goddess' favorite child. Then I thought that she and I were on the same side, but what about now? My future was firmly in her hands.

I just sat on the carpet and looked at the moon, and for the first time I was fascinated by it, for a long time, until the sound of my dad's car coming home brought me back from my state of fascination.

Only then did I remember that I had forgotten to pack my bags. Damn it, forgetting something like that was a testament to how much I hate the upcoming ritual.

I turned on the light, then dug out my suitcase from the cupboard. If it were just a three-day trip or an assignment, I wouldn't be standing in front of my closet hesitating for so long.

I swore I wouldn't bring a single dress, let the other women show their charms, I could take a back seat. I brought several sets of comfortable and loose clothes with me. When female wolves leave the residence, they usually head to the cave or the depths of the forest, and loose and comfortable sportswear was the best for such times. There were also game consoles to pass the boring time, as well as some daily necessities, my suitcase was finally stuffed after my little tussle. When I zipped it up, I suddenly realized that I had no chance to go back, the hunting ritual was already approaching me.

A sudden knock on the door brought me back with all this panic.

"Who is it?" I inquired coldly.

"It's me." My mother's voice came from the door.

I didn't want to see anyone right now, but my mom seemed to have guessed what I was thinking as she added, "I saw your light was still on and wanted to bring you some snacks."

I hesitated, but opened the door for her anyway.

Mom was holding a plate with the same kind of treats Jayden had brought for me earlier in the day, even the plate was the same.

I acted as if nothing had happened and sidled up to let Mom into my room. She placed the treats on the low table next to my bed, and as she passed my suitcase, she glanced back at me, "Are you ready?"

If I was not ready, wouldn't I have to go? I didn't put that question out there, and I didn't want to upset my mom or have a big fight with her at this point. But the resentment in my heart was always there and would continue until the ritual was over.

If the ritual did get me a mate that I was not happy with, I thought the resentment in my heart would stick around for a while longer.

I didn't answer, I just sat quietly across from her. She sighed and pushed the snack in front of me.

"I heard that you haven't eaten properly these past few days, and your father and I have been too busy with our work lately to take care of you. You should eat things now, so you'll have some strength when you go on the road tomorrow."

I did not resist the tempting aroma of the snacks and ate. She watched me eat, and did not say anything, and after sitting for a while, she suddenly spoke.

"I also met your father at the hunting ritual in the beginning."

I looked up and gazed at her too, I didn't expect her to talk to me about it now. But she looked behind me, as if she was recalling a long but beautiful story.

"Back then I never envisioned, like you, why I was looking for my mate so soon, in fact I was envisioning my future with the expectation that I would find my mate later because my pack still needed me and I hoped I wouldn't marry into a distant pack. And I was not ready to have children, and I didn't want to have them too soon, I didn't envision what my life would be like raising them.

But it was in the ritual that I met your father, and he grabbed my hand, but I gave him a stern warning. I advised him to stay away from me, but he just wouldn't, and we even wrestled, and while rolling off the cliff with him, I suddenly thought the man was nice, too, especially since he smelled so good."

I was listening attentively, my mother had only briefly mentioned to me before her first encounter with my father, had not yet covered these details. I brainstormed the expression of my father refused to let go, and my mother frowned and scolded his demeanor. I found it very interesting, for a while forgot the pain of tomorrow's arrival.

But soon my smile froze on my face, "I've never smelled anything on the opposite sex that would make me fall in love with him, if you're here to persuade me, then let's get an early night, I will just stick around for the next three days since I'm not running away now."

I stood up sensitively and made as if I wanted to send her out of my room.

I saw a hint of surprise displayed in her expression, did she never recognize my pain?

"Beryl..." she closed her eyes in pain, "I'm too busy, especially when it comes to big events like this, I don't have time..."

"Mom." I interrupted her, I turned my back to her and looked again at the window that was not covered with curtains, the bright moon moved its position, but the light was still as strong as before.

"My heart is empty, mom." My voice fluttered, with a pain that I could not talk to anyone about, "I have no idea about the person who is coming close to my heart, does he love me? Do I love him? Will he not like me; he just wants me to give birth to a child for him..."

Mom rushed over and hugged me, she trembled and hugged me hard, "Stop talking my child, you are the daughter your father and I love the most, we will never let you suffer any aggravation. You have to remember that we will always be your back.

Those things don't need your pessimistic imagination like this, if he dares to hurt you, your father and I will not let him go."

I couldn't control my tears, I was wrapped in my mother's arms, she gently patted my back, as if I was back in my childhood.

Her embrace was so warm that I just remember slowly closing my eyes and falling asleep at some point.

When the alarm clock went off, I was the only one in bed, and after I washed and dressed, I carried my suitcase downstairs. When I walked to the living room, I suddenly saw that everyone was abnormally not at work, sitting on the sofa, as if waiting for me.

Jayden looked up and saw me first, and he came over and helped me carry my suitcase, while Dad and Mom gathered around.

"What are you guys doing here?" I didn't know what to say, I always felt like I would be a little uncomfortable. From my perspective we were still in a cold war and to avoid embarrassment they should have gone out to work like they always did.

Dad patted me on the back and led me along towards the door, "The added work the hunting ritual gave us is over, so of course we had to come and see our baby girl off."

I glanced at my mom at my side, she just looked at me and my dad and smiled, and wouldn't tell me why my dad would care about me again today.

"Go ahead and beat up anyone you don't like, it doesn't matter which one of the Alpha's sons you cripple, Daddy will always have your back."

"How did you know I'd do it?" I muttered in a small voice, but my mood was much more relaxed.

Dad laughed brightly, "That's what your mother did to me back then, but I was already an Alpha, so I made it."

"Don't you brag here," Mom finally looked away and interrupted, "How could you have won if I hadn't done it on purpose."

"Yes, yes, and the support of my charm, which instantly made your mother fall in love with me, that's why I could succeed."

Mom raised her hand to hit Dad, but he dodged it. Looking at the two people's intimate appearance, I suddenly didn't feel so much resistance to the upcoming hunting ritual. Maybe it really was not that scary, if I didn't like it I could just beat him up hard and then hide behind Dad and wait for him to clear up any problems for me afterwards.

So which man would be this unlucky? Thinking about it my heart suddenly surged with a hint of anticipation.