Jemima's POV

Today is the mating ceremony of our pack. The Blackwater pack. I was so excited because every year, there is a rite performed in our pack for all the unmated wolves. I was one of them and this was the fourth time I would be attending the ceremony. Even though I still had faith that I was going to find a mate.

Being from a very poor background who had no one to turn to, I had hoped for a mate but it wouldn't come.

"Won't she stop going to the mating ceremony?" One of the females kicked.

" The moon goddess must have also hated her like we did to not have given her a mate. "

" Who won't hate her? After all she had done to her adopted family. She's such a heartless one! "

Yes, I'm Jemima Brown. My parents died in a car accident and I was adopted by another one. But a fire broke out in the house and all of a sudden, everyone thought it was my fault. I didn't remember the details of what happened because I was quite young then, but my Aunt who hated me so much said I was the one who caused it.

She sent me out of our family house and I became a maid in the pack house. At first, everyone there avoided me; later I became their slave. Treating me the way they like. It wasn't as if I had a choice, so I had to endure.

I knew that if I could find myself a mate, I wouldn't be experiencing such hardship. That is the sad reason I wasn't giving up.

"Paaa!!!"

A resounding slap brought me back from my thoughts.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here? I have a ceremony to attend yet my dress hasn't been brought out!" Isobel, my younger cousin shouted.

Isobel had because she was in love with the Alpha's son and came to live in the pack house. Since she came in, my situation got worse because she kept telling them lies about me.

"But I already got your dress prepared," I said to her.

She gave me another slap. " Are you saying I'm lying? " She shouted.

Just for her trouble to be avoided, I started to leave for her room but she dragged me back and started hitting me.

When she was satisfied, she left me. That made me know that she didn't come for the dress, she only came to torture me. I soon forgot about Isobel's maltreatment because of the preparations for the party by evening. I couldn't wait for the evening.

Just by evening, the priestess walked into the Pack Hall with her girl and every unmated wolf was so happy. She then lined every female up. I couldn't stay in the line because I was going to get pushed away by others. So I waited till everyone was done.

I was serving drinks when I realised that it was already the last person on the line. I quickly went to the priestess. She looked at me and smiled. That was the only person that ever did that in our pack.

"Don't worry child your mate will come," that was what she told me every year.

I also never gave up and I stood there praying that I won't have to wait for another year. I stretched my hand to her and as usual, she pierced my finger making my blood drop on the magical plank.

Before it would stay red but now it turned blue and I couldn't explain the joy that escaped from me.

"Congratulations my child," she said to me.

Although I didn't know my mate yet, I was so happy. That was the saviour I'd been waiting for all my life. Just as I waited, a nice wooden smell mixed with honey invaded my nose and I paused.

My mate!

My wait was worth it. I finally found my mate. Then I slowly turned to see who that man gifted to me was. Turning, I almost fell to the ground.

"Mate!" He growled.