The Crimson Mark

I groaned lowly as there were sharp bangs on my door, waking me from my sleep. "Mara, get your ass up! We need to get you ready for your mating ceremony!" That authoritative voice came from my handmaid, Claire. Claire was a young woman who was hired to make sure I was always on time and dressed as an alpha's daughter should be. I sat up in my bed, feeling a bit groggy as I was still waking from my dream. I was a bit annoyed that I was stirred from my wonderful dream of running with my wolf through the woods behind our home. I always envisioned her to be beautiful, stunning to the eyes, and powerful. Today was the day I was supposed to meet my wolf, to be bound to her for the entirety of my life. This was the day I always dreamed of. Of meeting my wolf and maybe meeting my mate, although that wasn't a guarantee. "I'm up! "I need to shower, and I will be right out." I push away the blankets from my body and lazily head to my bathroom. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, studying the dark bags under my silver eyes, sighing as I started to brush at the tangled mess of platinum blonde hair. These features resemble my mother, while the sharpness of my nose and full lips were gifted to me by my father. I could only imagine the excitement they felt about this day, while I felt a hard pit in my stomach. I was excited for today, yes, but also dreaded the thought of what if I didn't get my wolf? Standing there in front of everyone and embarrassing my father, who was the alpha of the pack, the Eclipse pack. I think that is what scared me the most, disappointing my father. We had a decent relationship, but he was always so busy during my childhood that I never really got to know him. I peel off my nightgown and step into the lukewarm shower, trying to get myself into a better mindset as I wash myself. I finished up after shaving my legs and washing my hair before stepping out to dry off, where Claire was already preparing my outfit for today. I smile a little, thinking of how much help she was. Not just by making sure I looked the part of an alpha's daughter, but also by being my best friend. She was the only person who seemed to genuinely care about me. I had other friends, but I didn't know if they wanted me around for the fact I had the highest status among them. I walked over and ran my fingers along the delicate silk of the maroon dress for my mating ritual today. "It is beautiful..." I whispered, making Claire smile over at me. "It was made specially for you, your mother and I worked hard on designing it as a gift for you." I chuckle softly as I keep a firm grip on the towel around me, "You are too good to me." She helps me with drying my hair and styling it into an intricate hairdo of curls and pinning it into a half-up, half-down style that frames my face perfectly. I sit down at my vanity as she does my makeup. "Are you excited?" she asks as she does my eyeshadow. "Yes... but mostly scared shitless," she snorts at the response. "You will be fine. Just make sure you smile and follow the ritual as practiced." I nod and take a deep breath as she finishes the makeup, having me look into the mirror to see a different person looking back at me. "Oh wow... thank you, I haven't felt this beautiful in so long." I smile at her. She grins, "You know that I don't mind." She has me stand and helps me into my floor-length gown, which fits me like a glove, showing off my curves and my cleavage tastefully. Claire comes up behind me and puts on my favorite necklace, a moonstone enclosed in a golden heart that my grandmother gave me before she passed away. "There... now you are ready." I felt tears brim in my eyes at all the thought and attention to detail that Claire gave to my outfit for today. I turned and hugged her tightly, breathing in her calming perfume of lilac and fresh linen. "Thank you, my father will be pleased." She wipes the tears from my eyes and gives me a warm smile. "Get going, you don't want to be late." I nod and give her one more hug before rushing down the stairs and out the door to get to the ceremony. It was held in the pack house, as it was customary for the alpha and his family to start the ceremony. My father would give a speech, and all the other eighteen-year-olds would be sitting in the front. This year's ritual happened to be on my birthday, which was a relief because I wouldn't have to wait. I get to the ceremony as it begins, taking my seat in the front as my father looks physically relieved to see I made it on time. Glad to see you too, pops. He stands up in front of the pack, seeing his silver hair shining in the lights of the room. "Welcome, everyone. Today, we will welcome these young wolves officially into the pack. They will become essential in the everyday roles in our pack that keep us strong and united." He rests his hands on the podium as he looks at all of us, sitting patiently but eager to start. He clears his throat and looks through the glass ceiling to see the full moon at its highest point. He has the elders stand, and they start chanting the ancient words to bind us to the moon goddess, who will grant us our wolves and the ability to meet our mates. I glance down and see my moonstone glowing, a smile curving at the edge of my lips as I hold the stone between my fingers. I felt this clawing inside my chest, making me gasp a little from the sudden feeling. I closed my eyes and heard a howl in my head as my wolf was introducing herself to me. She growled lowly in satisfaction in her human, purring as she made herself comfortable in my mind. I smiled to myself, feeling a warmth I had never felt in my life before. I took a deep breath, not realizing I had tears streaming down my face from the intense feeling of relief as I had finally had my wolf. I was excited to take her for a run, to see her ability of strength and power. I watch around me as others meet their wolves, each having a sense of profound love and excitement for this bond. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see my father smiling, nodding towards me as he saw my wolf and me were already bonding. "You are all dismissed. Familiarize yourself with your wolf before dinner tonight. Maybe you'll even meet your mates some time before then. But please, make sure you are at dinner on time so we can find roles in the pack for every one of you." I stood up and slipped through the back door to go meet with my wolf, wanting to give her a test run. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath as I feel her take over, howling as she reveals herself fully to me. A stunning wolf with silver hair and icy blue eyes. As she takes over, she digs her claws into the soil, getting a feel of the land before sprinting into the woods. My heart was full and happy to see her so happy in her new home. We sprint through the trees, dodging fallen limbs and trunks as we go deeper into the woods. I never felt so alive or content in my life, enjoying the breeze as we wandered. I wasn't paying attention fully when suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks with her nose up in the air. I frowned slightly, curious as to why she stopped before I heard those words I had longed for years to hear. Mate.