Lunar Vow

The Morning After

The moon disappeared from the sky, Dawn taking its place. The horizon started to glow. Hues of deep indigo gradually gave way to delicate shades of lavender and blush pink. The sun slowly peeked its way through the branches of the trees, casting a warm, golden glow on the blades of grass in front of him, transforming the field below into a treasure trove of colorful wildflowers. The crisp air was fresh, carrying the fading scent of his pack through the air. As the birds sang their joyful songs, welcoming the new day.

As Fenris made his way home, the familiar path, the feeling of solitude surrounded his every step. The absence of his mate weighed heavily on his mind. The ground was damp from the dewy night, and he paused, looking back at the single set of paw prints left in the dirt.

Continuing down the path, the sounds around him were a haunting reminder of his solitude. As he neared the forest's edge, he looked back one last time, the emptiness behind him causing a single tear to fall from his eye. With a heavy heart, he neared his family's home, hoping that his soul would one day be bound with another.

Entering the door, his family was nowhere to be seen, a feeling of gratitude flowing over him. Fenris walked up the stairs and plopped on his bed. Landing, he felt something in his pocket, reaching in and pulling out the ring his sister had given him the previous night, remembering his sister's words. “Just make sure you give it to your Luna when you complete the bonding ritual. I need my future sister-in-law not to think her new mate is a cheap skate with bad manners, okay?”

“So much for giving this to my Luna,” he says to himself before opening the drawer to his side table and throwing the ring inside. He hears a knocking at his bedroom door, “Fenris, it's Mom, can I come in?” His mother says, entering before he can even reply. “Honey, I brought you and your mate something to eat. I hope I'm not interrupting any—“ She stops speaking once the door is wide open, spotting the only one in the room, being me. “Fenris, where is your mate? I assumed you two would be spending time together now that you're bound.” She says with a worried look in her eyes and a tone to match.

Sitting on his bed in silence, he looks up at her for just a second, then, returning his head to his pillow, continues to sulk.

“Fenris, where is your mate?” She asks once more, the concern noticeably growing.

“I don’t have a mate, Mom. I sat at the cliff overlooking the field for hours, howling until I was too exhausted to howl anymore, and she never came! I didn’t find my mate!” Quietly answering as he lifted himself off his bed to walk towards his mother, and before he knew it, he dropped to his knees, tears flowing down his face like a waterfall down the side of a mountain.

“Oh, honey, I am so sorry.” She whispers as she pulls him into her chest, allowing him to release his sorrows. Feeling the pressure of his mother’s arms around him, he wept heavily, the soft, silky material of her shirt on his face, the natural heat from her skin caressing him in a blanket of security, the subtle scent of her perfume flowing into his nostrils, creating the feeling of ease as he felt his breathing slow. His eyes start to dry as a sense of calm fills his body.

After a few minutes of just sitting there wrapped in his mother’s embrace, they both lifted themselves off the ground. His mother looked him in the eyes and smiled. “Oh, honey, it will be okay, I promise, you’ll find your mate when the time is right, the moon goddess always delivers.” She said in the most sympathetic tone.

“How do you know, Mother? How do you know I'm not meant to have a mate? Maybe I'm meant to be a lone wolf for the remainder of my life.” I asked, my voice muffled and quiet.

His mother lifted his head with her hands. “Have I ever told you about how your father and I met?” She asked him.

“No, you and Father don’t speak much of it; Father says it angers him too much,” I replied.

“Well, that is because your father was not my first bond.”

“I thought a wolf could only have one bond, though,” I asked.

“Yes and no, a wolf can only have one fated bond, but if a wolf bonds with another without it being their fated bond, then they can bond with another if the moon goddess allows it, and in my case, she did.” Mother stated.

“Tell me the story, please, Mother. I want to know how you and Father found each other.” I asked her curiously.

“When I was thirteen, I was out with some friends, and they introduced me to a wolf by the name of Maverick. He was the sweetest wolf I had ever met. We got to know each other, and I fell head over heels in love. Everything was great, my family loved him, and we hung out every weekend. We were together for many years when, out of nowhere, things started to change. He got possessive, controlling, and we fought almost every day.

I sought love and comfort in other wolves, trying to find a way out. Eventually, the fights became violent, and I became a broken version of myself. My friends tried to convince me to leave, but my family wanted me to stay, so I did because I wanted to please them. We got married, and things got worse, but then I met your father. Your father and I got to know each other, and we fell in love. He made me smile and laugh, which is something I hadn’t done in a very long time. He gave me the strength to do what I could not do before: leave. I stayed with some friends and then eventually moved here to Silverfang Hallow.

Although your father and I did not live close, we still managed to visit each other. Although the luna of his pack did not like us being together, that did not stop us. We were together for many years, and eventually, I grew on their luna, your grandmother, and it was as if I was a part of a pack again. I found my light again. Unexpectedly, Blaze came along. We were terrified and clueless, had no clue how to be parents, but once Blaze was born, we knew that we would never let anything harm him. Then you came along, and we felt so blessed by the Moon Goddess. You, my dear pup, were the most beautiful thing we had ever seen. It was as if the Moon Goddess herself delivered you to us. You had a light to you that has never been seen before. You, little wolf, became the reason for my existence. I knew I had to protect you. You are very special, my dear pup. The Goddess has a great thing in store for you. And that is the story of how your father and I became one. That is the story of how I found my fated mate and gained the best thing I could ever call my own…you".

She paused for what seemed to be an eternity before continuing, “I know you’re hurting right now, Fenris, but I promise you when the time is right and you least expect it, the moon goddess will bless you with your fated mate, but until then, you have to live your life and become the best wolf you can be, even if that means you have to have several relationships before you meet your fated mate. It will get better, little wolf, you just have to find your reason for living until that time comes.”