The Chosen Mate

My name is Mavis, soon to be 18 years old.   I have a round face, big hazel eyes with some gold flecks in them, a small buttoned-up nose, and full lips. I think I like them the most about my face. I have mid-length brown wavy hair. I am not ugly but rather plain, really plain. Yeah, I’d be the equivalent of plain bread, not even toasted. Other people say that I’m exaggerating but no, I just know and see the truth every day when I compare myself to my other female pack members. I am part of the Emerald Forest pack, not the most powerful but a very respected one. We are part of the “Horned Moon Alliance”. My father, Richard Turner, is the Alpha of our pack. He didn’t inherit this pack, he founded it almost twenty-five years ago, with his Luna Elise, my mom. They wanted to build a new pack that would live by what they thought was the right way to be; which meant not rejecting others who were in need, respect nature, respect your family no matter what, and never leave anyone behind. They truly built something wonderful. Every pack member is living their truth up until my generation. My mother would be so happy and proud of us. She died when I was 9 years old, I don’t have many memories because I was so young, but I sometimes recall peaceful times and some details about her while rewatching old tapes and pictures of her, of us... She died of sickness. Even though werewolves are supposed to be stronger and fitter than regular humans, she was vulnerable and weak. Well, her body was. As a Luna, she was very strong, honest, and imperial in any situation. She was respected and loved by all. I wish to be like that one day. Two years after building the pack, they had my sister, Anna, me, then Ethan. My sister is 23 and already married to her mate, the Beta of an allied pack, the Crimson Moon pack. She has my mom's blond hair and dad's brown eyes, her pale skin is perfect, just the way people in magazines look like. We were very close but since she went to live with her mate, she had less and less time to come visit us. The Alpha of the Crimson Pack even asks Anna for advice from time to time. She may be at a Beta rank, but her "Alpha aura and instincts are still there and can still be of use", that's what Dad says.  My brother is 2 years younger than me. We are what you can consider as close, yeah I mean we are close, he just doesn’t want to admit it. He still comes to my room when he’s sad or when he doesn’t know who to bother, when he found something unnecessarily interesting, or just when he wants to watch our show together. Yup, I really love my cute little brother. He has our mother’s eyes, electric green, her golden hair, and our father’s freckles; which he hates the most, says it’s the opposite of a masculine feature, which I can only roll my eyes at his stupid comment. Female Alphas are never going to be the ruling Luna of their Pack, so when I find my mate, I will be Luna of his pack, that is why my brother is to take the role of Alpha of own once my dad decides it’s his time to “retire” as he likes to say, but deep down I know he loves our pack and loves to take care of everyone. Ethan says he still has time, I think he is kind of stressed out about this, he just doesn’t want to handle all the work, but he’ll get used to it. He is hardworking, loved and, will soon be respected by all of our pack members.  Seems like I am the only one with a blurry future. Anna is already fulfilling her duties, Ethan is training and waiting for the day Dad will retire. Dad will for sure be on the Elders Council until he decides to just stay at home with the pups. I wonder what will become of me. Up until now, I have been taking extras courses to become a doctor, my grades are high enough for me to be in an advanced class. I tried to distract myself with studying, because in my heart, I know that it will not be with the person that I like. I know, this is only a childhood crush, but it sometimes feels so right in my mind and in my heart, like it is the truth. But I know that it's because I'm daydreaming about it, all the time, that it feels so real. It won't happen because his heart is already taken. I could say that she took him away from him but it's not true, I just was not courageous enough to tell him my feelings... How can I be happy with my mate when my heart already belongs to someone else? I'm afraid to face him, afraid of not being enough, of not being up to his expectations... Well, at least this innocent and one sided love will have given me something, a distraction. Now, I'm just waiting for my birthday and for graduation. I'll see, soon enough, what the Moon Goddess has for me...