Vivian’s POV
“I can’t believe you turn 18 tomorrow. What if you mate with Chris, and I never see you again?”
I spun away from my vanity, seeing that Zeke had a severe look on his face, and he wasn’t joking. “There’s no way the Moon Goddess would be that cruel as to mate me with that tool. And if she did, I’d reject him.”
I walked over to him, kneeling before him, gripping his hands. I stared into the icy blue eyes I’d come to call home the 14 years I’ve known them. “Best friends forever, Zeke. I won’t mate with someone you hate so much and be swept away from you. Plus, you’ll be alpha soon, and you can banish him.”
Zeke rolled his eyes. “It’s not that easy, and you know it. Chris and his family are too integral to the pack. I’m stuck with him.”
I sighed, standing up. “I know. I wish he weren’t such a dick.”
“He’s only a dick to you because he knows how much you mean to me. And if he claims you, he’ll keep you away from me to hurt me more.”
I brushed a stray lock of dark blonde hair behind his ear, the only person who dared to touch him. “It’ll be okay, Z. I won’t let him keep me from you. No one could.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
*****
Every female werewolf found their mate at age 18, like clockwork. And tomorrow, I’d find mine. I should be excited to see my forever home since my parents were crappy at best. Someone to love and to hold sounded good on paper, but something about being happy ever after also didn’t sound realistic.
They said you fell in love when your mate bond snapped into place. It was more than lust, and you instantly felt a connection with them that was impossible to explain. But that didn’t mean you were compatible. It didn’t mean you were friends. I wouldn’t get my hopes up to find true love with the mate bond.
Not when I found true love in my best friend, Zeke.
Zeke had been like a brother to me since we were pups. He’d found me crying on the playground when my bully, Chris, had ripped my favorite teddy bear to shreds. But over time, those feelings had changed. For me, at least. Zeke still ruffled my hair and wrestled with me when we started shifting at age 14, all like brother and sister. We were best friends.
Everyone made comments that we were indeed meant to be mates. Part of me secretly hoped that to be true. As each new she-wolf turned 18 and they didn’t mate with Zeke, I was hopeful. I watched their birthdays on the pack’s calendar, as each she-wolf had a moonlit celebration at midnight every birthday.
I counted down the days to my birthday. I picked out my prettiest dress. It took a month to save up for by mowing lawns and cleaning gutters. It wasn’t the most feminine work, but paid better than serving drinks. It also worked better for me and the school.
And now it was time to wear. I looked at the midnight blue dress that would bring out the bright blue of my eyes and the golden hues of my dirty blonde hair. I slipped into it, feeling nothing short of a princess.
I had already done my makeup in shades of gold and black and placed a golden foliage tiara atop my head, letting my natural wavy hair cascade down my back. I slipped into strappy sandals and looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn’t confident, but tonight, I felt beautiful. Tonight, I was confident I’d find my true home in Zeke.
*****
The celebration was well underway by the time I got there. When I arrived, a cheer went out of the crowd. I blushed, not used to the positive attention. I was usually ignored or shoved aside.