Chapter 5 Black Moon Night

Jasmine's pov

Sun shone through the thick cloud as Mira, and I made our way through the crowded pavement of Manville.

"Yes, I admit. Wisconsin is naturally beautiful during falls, but Manville is the prettiest amongst all its towns," I confessed to Mira, who had made that claim at the beginning of fall, but I was quick to try to prove her wrong. But suitable walking in the crosswalk and this bright and sunny day just proved her claim. It was beautiful.

"See, I told you." she smiled and clapped her hand merrily before doing a little happy dance.

Really? Does it feel so good to have me agree to something? I turned my head upwards to look at the sky, and I noticed the changes in it.

I hurried through my backpack and fished out my phone before turning to the calendar app. I checked the date, and that was when it hit me.

Today was the blood moon festival. On the day of mating, I was fulfilling my desires and finding out who I would spend forever with. But for me, another period to remain single and almost jobless. It was like the moon goddess forgot about my existence. Not once have I been mated, unlike every other person my age.

It's not like I was complaining, though. I honestly couldn't bother less. Although my parents, especially my mom, were disappointed. My Dad had always said not to worry because people's fate differs. I probably might be among the few allowed to choose their mates by themselves or designed for a particular purpose. Rarely at times, does the moon goddess choose people for a specific purpose that might not be known to them until a later stage in their life.

So why should I worry?

"What is wrong?" Mira asked when I abruptly stopped.

"It's the blood moon festival today." I didn't need to say more because I told her earlier what the blood moon entails.

"Are you finally getting paired up today?" She asked with delight.

"I hope not," I snapped.

"Why?" She queried.

"I don't like the whole idea. I'd very much prefer to meet my special someone naturally without having to be mated to him or risk the idea of him rejecting him or me doing so to him. I want to find and take love as it comes. A slow but even feeling of warmth and butterflies for that one person holding hands while strolling under the autumn light and chilling away at some beach during summer and building up snowmen and snow angels during winter. I want to experience the gradual processes and not just wake up one morning to be the person who would be mine forever. I'd love to enjoy every moment of the process," I said truthfully.

No, don't get me wrong. Werewolves, too, do enjoy romance, but it is always not as palpable as that of humans from the start. And again, I have this fear-the terror of being mated to someone clawed me inside out. Sometimes it made my insides churn. I wouldn't say I liked male wolves. They were perceived as more possessive, vicious, and fierce toward their females. It was also a well-known fact in the werewolves' kingdom that female wolves were inferior to male devours. Rubbish! I'd rather be mateless than mated to someone who would see me as weak. Who sees or wants nothing except for powers, domination, and control? A person who considers a female a breeding whore to ravish and command.

May the goddess forbid such a person for me.

The penetrating and hideous howls echoed through the woods for the rest of the evening. Earlier my mother had called and informed me about the latest development as to my mate. She said the consultation from the Oracle had proven me once again mateless. I couldn't be any happier.

"But the good news is..." she stated then paused. A gesture she does when she is highly pleased. I imagined her with her signature Cheshire cat grin. "You've been betrothed to," she concluded happily.

"What?" I asked, shocked by the news. "To whom?"

"Not physically my child, but divinely. We'd get to know him in the next blood moon. I'm so delighted."

"So I am," I coughed out, hoping she missed my sarcasm. How could she be delighted with a person she doesn't know? I am delighted because if there is any iota of truth in the information she just gave, I have about two years to plan my exit from this place. I don't want to be mated to my kind, period!

But if I don't get to escape before the period of the following blood moon comes, I'd be sure to reject him, whoever he might be. Except he wouldn't be of my kind.

"Alright, daughter. Your father called. I need to attend to his demands. I'd talk to you later, princess," she cooed.

"I'd talk to you later, Queen," I replied, then hung up.

I was feeling bored just staying indoors alone. Mira left earlier to get her hair done, so I was alone in the dorm room. I still needed to write up my article, which I was still coming out empty-handed on, so I decided to brew a cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine would surge through my veins and keep me awake for the night.

My wolf instinct suddenly kicked from the inside. She wanted to go out. But I thought my mate wouldn't come until the next blood moon. As a female wolf, my sexual desire was at its peak, and I was in my heat now and then. I didn't want to go out and implore trouble on myself through my heating scent.

My heating scent was so strong. It disturbed nearly all the unmated male wolves in my pack whenever it happened.

It was my wolf urge to go out that landed on the roadside close to the woods in the night.

My head was hung low, facing the ground, when a strong urge made me look up. What I saw was overwhelming or, rather, handsome