Chapter 3

With that hope serving as her beacon, she endured every hardship that came her way. She waited for the day she would be united with her wolf, her lifelong companion. She believed her wolf would be as formidable as any other, and she would no longer be a target for bullying.

How mistaken she was!

Once more, it seemed as though the Moon Goddess had decided to play a cruel jest on Winona. Life had a peculiar way of lifting her hopes high, only to ruthlessly shatter them into countless fragments. If only she hadn't dared to harbor any hopes.

On the day she turned sixteen, the same day as her sister Hayley and many of their peers, they all eagerly awaited the arrival of their wolves. The anticipation surrounding the lycanthropy ceremony was palpable. Everyone was filled with high hopes, including Winona.

In the Silver Moon pack, the transformation into a wolf occurred at the age of sixteen, and most found their mates by the time they were eighteen. So, one can imagine the joy and excitement that Winona felt about the upcoming ceremony.

However, fate had a cruel twist in store for her. On the night of the ceremony, under the blood-red full moon at midnight, Winona watched as Hayley and their peers transformed into their wolves.

She waited for her wolf... she waited in a shroud of shame.

Her wolf never came. It was a soul-crushing experience. With her head bowed in defeat, she walked home, tears streaming down her face. What had she done to deserve such a cruel fate?

As expected, Divina was at the door to welcome Hayley and to unleash a fresh wave of insults on Winona. It seemed as though the goddess had given her the perfect excuse to continue her verbal assault.

"I always knew you were a curse! This just confirms it. If you weren't an evil child, you would have transformed like the rest of your peers. This is your punishment for causing your father's death." She spat at Winona before locking her in the basement.

Winona didn't care anymore... She felt abandoned, hurt, and filled with bitterness, but she had no other option. She had nowhere else to go. She spent three days in the darkness without food or water before Divina finally released her.

Seven months later, Winona transformed into her wolf. One would think this should have been a moment of joy for her, but it only led to more shame and disgrace.

As was her usual luck, misfortune seemed to cling to her. She finally had her wolf, but it wasn't a wolf at all. It was more akin to a terminally ill dog! Her wolf was incredibly small and weak, and the comparison was the perfect description for it.

Her wolf was feeble and fragile, its fur a dull shade of brown. It never communicated with her, and Winona couldn't help but feel that they were both in the same unfortunate situation - both cursed, according to her mother, Divina.

Once again, she knew she would become the target of mockery for the entire Silver Moon pack. Anyone who wished to could bully her at will. It was now painfully clear that her wolf was so small and weak that if she ever found herself in a confrontation, she would be effortlessly defeated.

"Weak and pathetic! Why are you still alive?" Divina spat at her one fateful day.

Overwhelmed with bitterness, Winona finally responded. "Are you truly my mother? Why do you harbor such hatred for me? Why!"

"Did you just raise your voice at me, you worthless creature! You're a dog! That's why you have a dog instead of a wolf..."

"Mother!"

"Don't you dare call me mother after you caused your father's death! You are a curse and a disgrace! I am sending you to the palace first thing in the morning!"

Divina's words echoed in her ears, filling her with shame. She ran away, seeking refuge in the dense forest opposite their house.

Once there, she allowed herself to cry. She knew no one would hear her, so she let her tears flow freely. The tears she had been holding back for so long fell heavily.

"Are you okay, young lady?" A voice from behind startled her. His scent was unique and refreshing, like water from a spring.

"I... I'm fine. I just got something in my eyes," she quickly lied, lowering her head. She could tell he was a stranger because his scent was unlike anyone from her pack.

"Got something in your eyes and you're crying this loudly?"

"I'm fine. It stings... that's why I was crying. I thought the tears might help," she lied again, her words tumbling out more easily than she expected.

She heard a soft chuckle from him, and her heart skipped a beat. That sound... It was eerily similar to the one from the night she got lost. She wanted to look up at him, but she didn't dare.

"Lift your head. I want to see your face," the voice commanded.

"I... I can't," Winona responded, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You can't?" He echoed her words, a hint of surprise in his tone.

Before she could utter another word, he was already standing in front of her. He gently raised her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. She wanted to shut her eyes, to hide from his scrutiny, but she found herself unable to.

"Is this the face you've been hiding? Are you scared because you're different?" He asked, his voice soft.

She was taken aback by his reaction. He wasn't repulsed or angered by her appearance, unlike most others.

Then she heard him say, "You're different because you're unique. The Moon Goddess will surely send someone who will treasure you. Keep hoping."

His words sounded eerily familiar. It had been too dark that night for her to clearly see the person's face. Could he be the same boy?

As she was lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice when he left. Where did he go? She hadn't even had the chance to ask his name!

Despite her disappointment, she clung to his words and held onto the hope that the Moon Goddess would send someone who would cherish her.

With each passing day, she held onto that hope - just as he had advised her. She made it a habit to cling to the possibility of good things to come; it was what kept her going each day.

Even though she often felt down, she was, in truth, a very optimistic person. She believed in fate and the Moon Goddess, even though she felt let down by her several times.

So, she held onto yet another hope. She chose to believe in the words of that stranger. She believed that everything would eventually be fine. There was a glimmer of hope.

Her mate.

She held onto the belief that she would find her mate once she turned eighteen.