Her chosen vampire mate

Leia’s POV— I am so excited for my brother. Last night at the annual mating ball he finally met his mate. I know he has been waiting for her for a while. As a werewolf he was able to meet his mate as soon as he turned 18 as long as his mate was also 18. Now at 24 he was starting to get restless wondering if he was ever going to meet her. I did not get to meet my future sister last night as the word is that as soon as she learned my brother was her mate she took off in fear. My heart breaks for my brother James as I know he was thrilled to meet her. Yet I also understand what she must have been feeling. It can be very overwhelming to know that your life is pre-determined for you by the Moon Goddess. We don’t get to choose our life partners we just meet our “mate” or soul mate and that is it. That is who we are supposed to be with for the rest of our life. I am honestly not sure I can do that. I want to be free to choose my own mate. I have not yet figured out how I will get around the mate bond that will tie me to my mate but I am determined to try. Making it all the more difficult is that I am the daughter of the Alpha of the Blue Moon pack. One of the oldest and most powerful packs. The reality is that I will most likely be mated to an Alpha’s son. As such mating will be seen as a political move and a way to strengthen our pack with an alliance. The flip side is that a rejection of my mate will likely result in turmoil, insult and possibly a war. Such a wonderful position for a “loving goddess” to put her daughters in. This is why, although I will never share this with my brother, I understand why his mate ran away. I know he will treat her with love and respect and treasure her as the blessing he sees her as. She didn’t know this last night just like I don’t know how the mate I get will treat me. Knowing my luck I will likely get paired with a spoiled future Alpha who thinks it is my job to worship him, look pretty and just bear his pups. No thank you that is not the life I want. I want to actually have a career. I want to attend the local university in the fall and after I graduate I want to attend law school. Not a typical path for an Alpha’s daughter. Then again I am not your typical Alpha’s daughter much to my mother’s dismay. My mother was always trying to trying to get me to wear dresses and look like a 50’s housewife. She tells me I need to look the part as the Alpha’s daughter. I much prefer my cut up jeans and t-shirts. I tell my mother I prefer comfort over style. She hopes finding my mate will help me settle down. I need to find a way out of the pack and soon to avoid that. My birthday is in a month and I don’t want to find my mate. I have talked to my father about heading to the university but graduation is next week and then classes won’t start until the fall. I don’t want to turn my back on my family but I need to find a way out. I head downstairs to find my best friend Casey. I want to hear if she has learned any news about my new sister-in-law. Maybe I can use my brother’s mating as a way to take the attention from me so I can leave the pack early. A girl can hope right. I find Casey quickly. She is in the pack dining room. She is wearing a sports bra and biker shorts. So I can assume she is ready to head to warrior training as soon as she eats breakfast. “Morning sleepyhead” she says in greeting to me. “Nice of you to finally join us.” I can tell she is almost finished with breakfast so she clearly has been down in the dining room for a bit. “You know I am not a morning person Case. So I never understand why you expect me to be.” “I just thought with news your brother was bringing his mate back this morning you might be motivated to be here to meet her.” Ahh so Casey does know some details. “Oh so he did track her down and is bringing her back?” I ask Casey. “Do you know who she is? I only heard he found her and she raced out as soon as he said “Mate.” “I didn’t get her name or what pack she was from last night. She had no sooner arrived when she bolted. I did hear he caught up with her at her pack so her pack must be close by. I heard your mom say last night she has agreed to return but no one knows when they will arrive. So most the pack has been hanging out in the pack house to get a glimpse of our future Luna.” Casey explains. Casey has already turned 18 so she was at the mating ball last night. Whereas I got one last chance to avoid the formal occasion. “I did notice that there are more pack members in the dining hall today than normal when I expected many to sleep in due to the ball last night. Now it makes sense.” I replied. “I didn’t hear did you find your mate last night Case?” “I was not so fortunate last night. So maybe my chance will happen at your brother’s Alpha ceremony.” She tells me. I know Casey is wanting her mate. She doesn’t understand why I want to wait. I am hopeful for her but that reminds me now that my brother has his mate he will take over the pack and there will be a ceremony to do so. What are the chances I can get him to rush the ceremony so it can happen before I turn 18? “I wish you the best with that Case.” I tell her. “I better eat so I am not late to training.” I say wanting to change the subject. “I am going to head over I will see you there” she tells me. I nod as she heads out and I head to eat.