Signs of Something New

The stinging in my hand subsided soon after I stopped touching Alex.

"Are you ok?" He looked at me with concern.

I fanned my hand back and forward. "I'll see you later. Thanks for the walk by the way." Alex watched with confusion on his face. I tried not to be rude, dismissing him in such a manner. But I needed to talk to my friend.

I grabbed Anna by the hand and dragged her into her house.

I paced around her living room several times before she finally stopped me. "Okay. Are you going to tell me what's wrong with you?"

Anna had been like a teacher to me these past few weeks. She was like an endless pit of information. Showing me the ins and outs of pack life. Showing me the land. And provided me with basic information on hierarchy, so I knew who not to piss off. I knew she would be able to answer my questions.

I blurted out. "I need you to tell me about getting my wolf."

She looked at me crazy for a minute with a frown on her face. "Has no one told you this?"

"No. That’s why I'm asking you." I started pacing again. "Something is happening with my senses, and I think it has to do with me getting my wolf soon."

"Ok calm down. And take a seat. You are making me nervous with all that pacing." I took a seat on her comfy couch. "Our birthdays are coming soon, and your wolf will reveal herself. In the weeks leading up to that, you will start to gain hypersensitive senses."

"Like smelling sweet things?" I asked. It was one of my main concerns. Everywhere I turned, that scent was in the air. I was beginning to think the mountains behind the pack lands were made of sugar.

"Ummm. Sweet stuff?" She took a seat next to me. "Have you been smelling sweet stuff?" She asked again. Her eyes widen with glee.

She was happy but her questions were making me nervous. "What is it? Tell me! Is it good or bad?"

Anna could sense my patient was running low. She took a deep breath. "In preparation for me getting my wolf and coming of age, the Luna told me to beware of certain signs. But she didn't only tell me about getting my wolf. She told me about getting my mate. Luna Ariel said when you meet your mate, their presence brings certain signs. Like pleasant scents in the air. Things you love to smell. The Luna would smell vanilla every time she saw Alpha Ken. But he only smelled like a wolf to me. So that scent must be specific to your mate."

"What are the signs of meeting your mate?" Now I was curious.

Anna started listing out all the signs she knew by heart. "Smelling something that you love to smell. You will feel a pull toward that wolf. Almost like a deep connection. Your body knows your mate is nearby. The closer you get to meeting your mate, your body will start to prepare itself to meet." She touched my hair. "I didn't notice until now, but your hair has grown almost two inches in the last two weeks. And your body is fuller. Naturally, I assumed it was due to your training. But now I think you will meet your mate soon." She laid back and grabbed her pillow. Then she sighed. "And when you and he touch, sparks will fly. The Luna described it as a tingly feeling."

Anna jumped up, releasing the pillow from her grip. "Maybe we can guess who your mate is. You should try hard to think about each time you felt a sign. Think about who was near you?" She waited a minute, while I thought hard.

I sat back thinking about everything she just said. All the signs she named, that I experienced already. "Ever since I got here, I have been smelling sweet stuff. And a few times, I have felt sparks in my hands. And on my back. At least twice." When I thought about those times, I couldn’t help but feel a small rush of anxiety. I had felt those sparks when both Godric and Alex touched me. Then each time I smelled a sweet scent in the air, no matter how faint the smell, one of the brothers was near me. The thought of one of the Alpha's son's being my mate put butterflies in my stomach. Now I was past nervous.

Anna interrupted my thoughts. "That must mean your mate is close by. Especially if you felt the sparks. Who were you near?"

I couldn't tell her it might be one of the Alpha's sons. I didn't know much about pack life, but I knew they were at the top of the chain. And even though I felt I could trust Anna, I decided to lie.

"I remember feeling it at the festival and breakfast one day. But it was so many wolves around me, I couldn’t say who triggered the feelings."

My response must have been enough for her. She laid back, grabbing her pillow again. "I can’t wait to see who it is."

Anna was overjoyed for me. Or maybe she was more excited for herself. Getting your wolf was an important event in our lives. Our birthdays would be here in just a matter of days.

I asked her. "What about you? Your birthday is also a few days. Have you felt the signs?"

"I have not felt the sparks yet. But I do smell papayas and grass all the time. I know in my heart; that my mate must be nearby. I just hope he already has his wolf." She saw the confusion on my face and playfully rolled her eyes. "You can only meet your mate if both of you have your wolves. If you have it but he doesn't, then you will have to wait. For only the wolves can sense each other."

"My mother never told me about mating. She probably thought we had more time. Or maybe she thought I would never meet him since we lived among the humans."

"To be honest, I never thought I would meet him either. Up until the day I came here, I never met any other wolves."

"Not even your grandparents?" She asked me.

"The moon goddess had already taken them by the time I was born."

"Oh. I’m sorry to hear that Zaya."

"Luke was my first boyfriend. He was attractive and athletic. And I thought he was the one for sure. But then coming here and meeting so many other wolves, I have no idea how I could have ever been attracted to him."

Anna laughed loudly. "I have only seen a few human men, but I could understand why you would say that."

"I used to be mad about my parents dragging me here. But if they didn’t I would have never known what it truly meant to be a wolf. From the moment I was near this pack, it was like my body awakened. I felt stronger. Also, I would have never met you. I miss my friends back home, but I could never talk about this stuff with them."

We both sat in silence, thinking about everything that happened and all things that would soon come.