The Compliment Concept of Mating
Feeling guilty, Damien furrowed his brow as Kael went after Ethan to check on him.
Logan spoke up in a soft voice as he put Zev down on the floor. "You should know better than to upset Ethan about mating. It's the only thing he believes in after being abandoned by his parents." The rest of their parents were in another pack, living in a different district in Canada.
Damien averted his gaze, "I get it, but why is everyone so obsessed with this whole mating thing? I've been keeping my thoughts to myself around Ethan, but with the elders constantly breathing down my neck, it's becoming a real hassle."
Zev hoisted himself up onto the kitchen counter and posed the question, "So, are you going to reject your mate? That's never been done before."
Lucian looked perplexed as he asked, "Can you even do that? As the prince, isn't it your duty to mate and produce an heir?"
Damien clarified, "My mate will only serve as a means for me to access more of my supernatural abilities. I'll feel the pull, but it won't be love, it'll be like an arranged marriage. The only difference is that our bodies will react differently from our minds. The rest is just nonsense. I just hope I don't end up with a clingy mate who professes her love for me." His words were direct and pointed.
No one dared to challenge Damien's deep-seated aversion to mating; they were aware that he was stubborn and unyielding. In Nightshades, everyone was aware that Damien Ashworths held a strong distaste for the concept of finding one's mate. Ever since they reached the age of maturity, Damien had flatly rejected the idea of mates.
Despite the elders' attempts to educate them on the importance of the bond between mates, the rest of the pack was eager to discover their other halves. However, 13-year-old Damien's initial reaction was to scoff and declare, "That's just stupid."
At the time, the elders had dismissed his reaction, believing that he would eventually come around to the idea. But as time passed, Damien's indifference to the concept of mating only grew stronger.
The council of elders became increasingly concerned about the future of werewolves, given that Damien was the next in line to lead. They had high expectations for the young man, who had shown exceptional talent and proficiency in combat. However, his lack of interest in mating troubled them greatly.
Why can't you guys just find your mates already? It's getting tiresome having the elders constantly on my back, as if it's my fault no one in the royal pack has found their mate yet," Damien grumbled, sounding more like a petulant child than the regal, cynical prince of wolves that he was.
Lucian chuckled and rubbed his temples. "Believe me, Damien, we're all trying. Full moons are getting more and more painful each month without our other halves," he said, sounding a little worn out from the search.
Zev nodded emphatically. "Lucian's right. It's tough out here."
Logan, always the jester of the pack, couldn't resist a quip. "Looks like my baby is all grown up, thinking with his dick already," he teased, hugging Zev close.
Aiden, the serious one of the group, cut in. "Speaking of which, Damien, what's your plan for surviving full moons?" he asked pointedly, trying to steer the conversation back on track.
"Seriously? Full moons are the best! I get a real buzz and that's when I can get in some serious practice. No worries on my end." Aiden held back a smile as he averted his gaze.
You just wait until you find your mate. Full moons won't be so peachy then."
Their attention was diverted by Kael descending the stairs, bringing news that Ethan was doing fine and required some personal space. They all nodded in agreement and dispersed to their respective rooms.
It always ended like this when the topic of mating came up. No one could convince Damien otherwise, and they had all but given up trying to change his mind.
As Damien peered out the window, he pondered how he could convince the elders that he wasn't ready for a mate. While his attention was fixed on the moon, his emotions caused stars to twinkle into existence in the dark sky without him even noticing.
Normally, Damien had to be careful when manipulating the weather and sky to avoid arousing suspicion among humans. But this time, he didn't think humans were astute enough to pick up on such subtle changes.
Meanwhile, in a forest in California, a girl watched the same sky from her house and marveled at the rapid appearance of the stars. She couldn't help but wonder how they appeared so quickly.
"Hey, did you remember to pack your toothbrush?" Ava teased as she strolled into Mia's room, interrupting her packing frenzy. Mia's eyes widened in panic, "Shit! You're right! I almost forgot!" She dashed past Ava and into the bathroom to retrieve her toothbrush. Mia was preparing to embark on a year-long exchange training program in Canada offered by her company.
Ava felt a twinge of nervousness as she realized it would be the first time she'd be living without her sister. But she couldn't bring herself to say she didn't want her to go; Mia had been eagerly anticipating this opportunity. Mia returned to the room and placed her toothbrush in her suitcase before closing it. "I think that's everything," she said, double-checking her list.
Ava chuckled as she sat on Mia's bed, "Really? Are you sure you don't need a fifth suitcase?" Mia rolled her eyes, "Ha ha, very funny. I just didn't want to forget anything." Ava sighed, "A whole year, huh?"
Mia flopped onto the bed beside her and gazed up at the ceiling with a grin, "Yeah. It doesn't feel long enough to see all of Canada." Ava tried to hide the wince on her face, "I'm going to miss you." Mia sat up abruptly and looked at Ava, the polar opposite of herself.