The Lycan Princess' True Mate

Chapter 9

I kept checking my phone to look at the time. I heard a voice kinda off in the distance. I was Brahn calling out to me about my gift and apologizing that he was late. I quickly looked in the direction of the voice, and saw Brahn holding a gold gift bag with black tissue paper, pointing at it with a huge smile on his face.

I smiled and waved him over. It is very sweet of him to bring me something because it is my birthday. It is a little weird when I think about it. How could he get a gift for me and he doesn't even know me? However, my mother taught me better. Even if the gift is something I already have or didn't like, I will smile and thank him. I took the gift bag from him and thanked him for it. I placed it over next to where I was sitting, where all the birthday gifts had been placed.

I checked the phone's time again. It is 11:45 pm. Only 15 minutes left. I scan the crowd to see if I can spot Heath. I caught a glimpse of him over by the drink table. He is chatting up with Brahn’s twin sister. I forgot her name. Heath had such a huge happy smile on his face. I haven't seen him this happy in days. He must really be enjoying her company. I can feel my blood starting to boil.

Heath turned towards me and looked up. Our eyes lock and his face drops. I smile and wave and then turn my head away. I checked my phone yet again and saw it was now 11:53 pm. 7 minutes left. Uncle Kiel and Daniel made their way to the front row of the stage. They were talking to each other and every so often Daniel would look up and meet my gaze. And everytime I would quickly turn away, as my face would get red because of getting caught staring at him.

Heath must have also noticed that I was staring, because he made his way over to where my uncle and Daniel were. He shook their hands and looked at me. He gave me another smile, but this one was like something I had never seen. It almost looked evil. I looked back down at my phone. It is now 11:56 pm, 4 minutes to go.

My mother tapped me on my leg, letting me know that it was time to head to the stage. My parents and I got up and made our way there. My father greeted the crowd quickly. My mother, arm and arm with me, walked me to the very front of the stage so everyone could get the best view of my wolf. My hands started to shake and I felt like I was going to be sick to my stomach. All of a sudden, I got this really weird pull. My eyes scanned the crowd, and as soon as they landed on Daniel my whole body froze. He smiled sweetly at me and I smiled back.

"It is now midnight. In just a moment, Nevada will shift. Please stay as quiet as you can until she is done shifting. " My mother said, looking out at every guest watching me.

Out of nowhere I heard the most beautiful howl.

"Hello, Nevada. I am your wolf Hera. We are going to shift but before we do, here is some advice. Focus on your breathing and take deep breaths and try to relax your body. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to shift. Visualize the transformation. Imagine yourself growing fur, elongating your limbs, and shifting into a wolf. This will help you to mentally prepare for the shift. Above all, remember that shifting is a natural part of being a wolf. Embrace the experience and enjoy the freedom that comes with your new form. So what do you say? Are you ready?" It was my wolf! I heard her for the first time louder and clearer than day, I could barely contain my self.

"Hera, that is such a beautiful name. Thank you for the advice, but I am still very nervous, but I am very ready to shift. I have been waiting for this moment for my whole life." I said to her. She then told me that it was not going to be too bad the first time that I shift. And focusing on her voice and thinking about becoming a wolf was going to make it easier.

I closed my eyes and listened to Hera’s voice. Within minutes, I started to hear my bones break. It was a little painful if I am being honest. When my spine extended, I let out a little yelp. That has to be the most painful out of everything. Shifting took a total of only a few minutes. Once I was fully shifted, all the guests gasped. Hera shook from head to toe, as if she was trying to get water off of her.

Hera’s fur is a lustrous shade of gray, with hints of brown and black intermingled throughout. The individual strands are long and soft, with a slight wave that gives the fur a flowing, almost ethereal quality. In the moonlight, the fur shimmers with a subtle iridescence, as if each strand is infused with a touch of magic. As Hera moves, her fur ripples like a gentle tide, creating a mesmerizing effect that draws the eye and captures the heart of everyone in the crowd. Including me. Hera’s fur is a masterpiece of nature, a testament to the beauty and power that the Moon Goddess gives each of us when we get our wolf.

Hera’s eyes look like they can cut through the darkness like a knife, they are a piercing, icy blue that seems to stare straight through you, conveying a sense of understanding and knowledge as though they have seen and experienced more than most humans ever will. Her eyes are very hypnotic, drawing you in and holding you captive with her wild beauty.

My heart was racing as I asked Hera how long we were supposed to stay shifted for. I was eager to find her mate, but also nervous about what that would mean for her relationship with Heath. Hera teased me, asking if she was ready to get rid of her already, but I reassured her that I wasn't.

As we continued to shift, Hera explained that we needed to stay in our wolf forms for a few minutes to increase their chances of spotting their mate. I nodded, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't stop thinking about Heath and what Hera might say about him.

Finally,I mustered up the courage to tell Hera everything about my relationship with Heath. I poured my heart out, hoping that Hera would understand. But when Hera told me that unfortunately Heath wasn't our mate, my world came crashing down.

Tears streamed down her face as I realized that five years of I life with Heath were over. I couldn't believe it. I wanted to tell him myself, but Hera told me that he already knew. I was shocked. How could he have found his mate without telling me?

Hera explained that Heath's mate had found him, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. In a dramatic tone of voice, I vowed to confront Heath and demand answers. I couldn't let him get away with keeping such a big secret from me. My heart was broken, but I refused to let him break my spirit too.

I fell silent, bracing myself for the wave of emotions that I knew was coming. But to my surprise, I felt nothing. No sadness, no anger, no overwhelming sense of loss. It was as if I had been drained of all feeling.

Then, Hera spoke up, offering a glimmer of hope. "I have some good news that might make you feel a bit better if you would like to hear it," she said.

I was desperate for any shred of positivity, so I eagerly replied, "Now some good news, I could really use it right now."

And then, Hera dropped the bombshell. "Your mate is here," she said.

My heart leapt into my throat. "He is??" I exclaimed. "Where?? I need to meet him right now!"

But Hera cautioned me to wait. "Not yet little wolf. His wolf said we would meet before the night is over."

I couldn't understand why my mate was making me wait. Why couldn't he just come to me now? But Hera had an answer for that too. "His Wolf says he has a surprise for you, but he needs a little bit more time for it to get here."

I hated surprises. My mother had always told me that they were never good news. But if my mate was requesting that I wait, then that was what I would do. I would wait for him, no matter how long it took.

As I sat there, waiting for my mate to arrive, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building inside me. What surprise did he have in store for me? And why did he need so much time to prepare it? The questions swirled around in my mind, but I knew that the answers would come soon enough. And when they did, I was sure that my life would never be the same again.

Hera's voice cut through the air, signaling that it was time to shift back. Shifting back was a breeze compared to the arduous process of transforming into a wolf. I suppose it was because I knew what to expect this time around.

As I shifted back, my parents draped a stunning crushed red velvet cape over me, shielding me from the prying eyes of the crowd. I couldn't risk other male wolves catching a glimpse of me, especially since my mate was among them. Whoever he was, I didn't want to start off on the wrong foot.

My mother stepped back, and my father approached me, holding the crown. This was it. The moment of truth. I had to decide whether or not I was ready to take over as Queen when my mother stepped down. My father placed the crown on my head and addressed our guests with a short speech.

He turned to me and offered me the center stage, giving me the opportunity to say a few words.

"Hera, are you sure you want to do this, Nevada?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I have to do this for me, Hera," I replied, my voice steady and resolute. "I don't want to have any regrets in my life."

With that, we took our places, ready to embark on a new chapter in our lives. The weight of the crown on my head was a constant reminder of the responsibility that lay ahead.

I carefully approached the center stage. The cape was very very long. I in no way wanted to trip and make a fool of myself. When I reached my destination, everyone cheered and clapped for me. It was very kind of all of them to do that. I lifted up my hands, which signaled the crowd to quiet down, which they did. Now I am going to give my little speech.

“First of all, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for taking time out of your lives to celebrate this special day with us. Secondly, I want to thank you all for being here to meet Hera with me. I hope that you all like her as much as I already do.

I am truly honored to know you all undoubtedly accept me to take over the kingdom after my mother steps down. She leaves some very big shoes to fill. At this time I would like to ask my cousin Donna to please come and join me up here for a moment.” I said, addressing everyone that was listening.

It wasn’t long before the crowd started to part as they made a makeshift walkway for her to walk down. When she got to the stage, her pace quickened. Once she was next to me she leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Is everything okay little cousin?" She questioned with a look of concern on her face. I assured her that everything was fine. I just had a surprise for her.

Donna looked at me in utter shock.

“Thank you Donna for joining me on the stage. Now back to what I was saying. My mother will leave some very big shoes to fill. And that is what has led me to my decision. I have only just turned 18. I am fresh out of high school and haven't done anything to write home about. I want to travel with my mate, and see the world. I love my family and this whole kingdom. But I am too young to run it. However, my cousin Donna here. She is the eldest cousin of all of us. She knows this place and all of you better than anyone. Way better than I do ten fold. I know she could run this whole place blindfolded. So, with that being said…

I took the crown off my head and walked behind Donna.

“I betrothed the crown to Donna.”

I turned and looked at my parents. I ran up to them both and gave them a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Nev- I am going to go put some clothes on. I am not very comfortable with just wearing this cape, robe, thing.

I took off running, then I shifted to give Hera control. The crushed red velvet cape, hit the ground behind us. She ran all the way into my room. Shifting gave me a sense of freedom that I had never felt before. Once we were in my room, we shifted back. This time, I went into the closet and put on a pair of leggings and my mother's old Nirvana shirt. Once I was dressed, I headed back to the party. I needed to grab my sneakers from the stage. I started to put them on when my mother came over to me.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Nevada Garden. Because we sure as hell don't. " My mother said, with a very upset tone. I know that she was not expecting me to do that. Hell neither was I, until just now.

"Honestly Mama, I don't have a damn clue myself. But I plan to figure it out! " I said to her in hopes that she wouldnt be so mad at me.

I got up and gave my mother another kiss on the cheek and then I jumped off the stage and started to make my way through everyone. I didn't acknowledge my mother, as she called after me, because I knew that if I had turned around, she would have found one way or another to make me accept the crown. Not out of force, but because it is my birthright. I started to pick up the pace through the guests, when Heath stood right in front of me, stopping me in mid stride.

"Can I help you?" I questioned Heath not wanting to talk to him at all right at that moment. He responds by asking me why I am acting this way. I told him how I already knew about his mate, and questioned why he didn't say anything to me, when he knew. He knew when we were eating together, and when we danced to our song together! He had more than one chance to tell me and he didn't. So I refused to give him any more of my time. I told him that he could go f**k himself and took off. as far away from him as I could get.

I took off running. I was so close to shifting again but then chose against it. Last year, while Mel, Rain and myself were walking around the woods just shooting the breeze, we came up to this old cabin. It was beyond dirty, like very very dirty. The 3 of us cleaned it for days. We use it as our get-away house. It gave us the feel of going on vacation but never really leaving. It was our secret place. Only the 3 of us knew about it. Tonight I plan on staying there.