Mated to the Last Lycan

"Hey Mum, Dad, it's been a while. I've missed you" Anna placed two bouquets of white roses on each tombstone before sitting between them. "It's my eighteenth birthday today, I'm a little bit anxious, you know? I'm scared the shift is going to be so painful and I won't have anyone accompanying me" She sighed and closed her eyes as she laid her head on her mother's tombstone. "I wish you were here Mum; everyone is getting prepared by their parents for the shift but I'm all alone, do you think I will make it? Do you think my wolf will be beautiful?" she paused before looking to the sky "Do you think my mate would love me as Dad loved you?" she choked out as tears began to fall. She's never had a peaceful moment in the Greystone pack since the day her parents died five years ago in a rogue attack. It had been five long, arduous years. Five years of hard work and isolation. Five years without any support, except for the hope that she would find her mate on her eighteenth birthday. The day had finally come, and instead of excitement, she felt only anxiety and fear. The thought of meeting her mate filled her with dread. What if he didn't accept her for who she was? What if he rejected her and left her alone? The future was so uncertain, and the fear of the unknown was overwhelming. The thought of being alone for the rest of her life made her not want to face the rest of the day. "I'm sorry for not being strong enough, I'm sorry for bothering you, I just needed to let it out somehow, I'm so lonely" She breathed out and stood up dusting her faded blue dress, and bowed to both tombstones "Well, I will come to see you again, I need to get back to preparing for the shift ceremony, and no matter what happens tonight I promise to be good, maybe not happy but I'll live," she said and went away The time for the shift arrived when the moon turned the brightest, gleaming brightly in the sky in its fullness. Every member of the Greystone pack stood outside in a circle under the bright moon to perform the ceremony for the shift. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, anxiety and anticipation. The Alpha stepped forward, dressed in the ceremonial attire, a white robe and fur wrapped around his waist, chanting the ceremonial song to the moon followed by the teenage werewolves who were anticipating their shift as they formed a smaller circle inside the previous one. Anna stood in the middle of the line, chanting the song with shaky hands. She was anxious and scared even, after all, there had been situations where young werewolves forever lost their wolves due to a slight mistake during the shift. She looked towards the congregation of people, hoping someone would be dear enough to guide her through, but none paid attention to her as they were focused on their family members. She sighed and said a little prayer to the moon goddess. "Oh, blessed moon goddess, help me through the shift, guide me as I welcome my wolf" Screams echoed through the clearing followed by the sounds of bones cracking, Anna turned pale as she saw other wolves her age, writhing in pain, her fear escalating through the roof, she noticed their family members rush towards them in panic as they began providing some sort of support. Soon, she felt a burning sensation all over her body, starting a little warm, as it spread from her head through to her toes. At first, it was like a tingle from an electrical current and then it increased by a wave. On the third wave, she doubled over in pain holding her head as it began ringing and burning like she was being scorched by the moon. Blood oozed out of her orifices soaking her pale face in crimson, she let out a pained scream, as her bones began to grow bigger and her muscles grew into an odd standing shape, her fingernails grew into claws, onyx eyes turned golden as polished black furs grew out of her clear skin. The gasps of horror were deafening, reverberating around the clearing. The crowd recoiled, staring in disbelief at the creature before them. She was humanoid, yet not quite human, nor a werewolf. Her features were strange and foreign, unfamiliar to their eyes. Her black fur was shimmering under the glow of the moon. Her eyes were a vivid gold, like the burning amber. She looked like something out of a myth and the people were terrified. "What is that thing?" "Abomination! Black fur! She has been cursed!" "She has been cursed by the moon goddess!" "That's a beast!" "Send her away! Kill her!" The people whispered around her, she wanted to scream she hadn't been cursed, but she let out a growl instead, her voice nowhere to be found. "I was just an unsuccessful shift, I wasn't cursed" she repeated in her head as tears of blood flowed down her face, she trembled in fear at the horrified and guarded expression on the faces of the people that surrounded them. The moon turned red, scaring the onlookers out of their wits, "It's true! She has been cursed! Look, the moon goddess is angry, she'll punish us if we don't do something about this cursed wolf!" someone yelled from the crowd pointing to the crowd, voices of affirmation followed as others nodded in approval. The scent of Agarwood drifts into her nostrils, calming her nerves, a voice in her head mutters a silent 'Mate' as hope blossoms in her heart. She turned towards where the scent was coming from, tracing it until she got to Andrew the future Alpha of the Greystone pack, he looked horrified and disgusted at her sight, breaking her heart into a million pieces before he even uttered his next words. "You will never be my mate!" "I, Andrew Mcclain reject You, Anna Brown as my mate!" After which she was sent out of the pack.