Chapter 31: Our mate is from the Hilltop Pack?
Two years had passed since the harrowing event, and with each passing anniversary, they could not help but recall the fateful actions of the children.
Despite their efforts to convince themselves otherwise, they had come to view Judith as a potential threat rather than a gift.
If indeed she was destined to govern the packs, it meant that she would assume control only after a tumultuous conflict—a war where she would triumph by vanquishing the Alpha leaders of the packs.
Even at the tender age of thirteen, Judith had already displayed her prowess by infiltrating their homes.
Mark and Nathan, on the other hand, were eighteen, eagerly anticipating their imminent transformation into their full wolf forms.
Mark had begun to exhibit the telltale signs of this stage, experiencing a surge in speed and strength. His eyesight had sharpened, surpassing its previous acuity, and his heightened senses brought him a newfound clarity.
He had also started to communicate through the intricate network of mind links, though he still needed guidance from his father to master this skill.
Inadvertently, Mark's thoughts had been seeping into people's minds without concealing his presence.
The final stage awaited him—a ravenous craving for raw meat.
As the approaching full moon cast its ethereal glow, the pack members were cautioned to remain indoors, far away from the dense thickets and looming forests.
As the time for Mark's transformation drew near, a peculiar ritual unfolded. It was customary to release him into the wild, allowing his newly transformed wolf form to roam and revel in the freedom of its existence.
With unwavering obedience, every member of the pack sought shelter within their dwellings, their hearts brimming with a mix of anticipation and caution.
The imminent arrival of the full moon cast an ethereal glow upon the land.
At the precise moment when the moon's radiance reached its zenith, Mark's human form surrendered to the insistent call of his lupine nature.
Like a beacon of gold amidst the shadows of the forest, his fur shimmered, emanating an otherworldly brilliance.
The echoing yowls reverberated through the dense thicket, each stride a testament to unleashed power.
Yet, as the transformative experience neared its end, a faint yet unmistakable scent caught the attention of Mark's wolf senses.
It was a fragrance that defied description, tantalizing his olfactory perception with its elusive essence.
Though they could not quite grasp its origin, Mark and his wolf shared an inexplicable awareness that this scent beckoned them to give chase.
Mark's pulse quickened, his heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and fear.
The scent that had captivated his senses was not a mere coincidence—it wafted from beyond the formidable barrier, signaling the presence of an outsider.
And, more intriguingly, this mysterious individual resided perilously close to the pack's territorial border.
A surge of determination coursed through Mark's veins, granting him an unyielding command over his lupine form.
The allure of the scent mingled with the stirring desire to seek out a potential mate.
He couldn't ignore the primal instinct that urged him to go to any lengths, even to overcome barriers, in order to unite with his destined partner.
His thoughts flowed into words as he contemplated the path before him, musing aloud to his wolf.
'Do you sense it too? That scent—it's beyond our pack's confines. There's someone out there, closer to the border.
You possess the strength to overcome any obstacle, even scale these walls, if necessary. We can't simply let this opportunity pass by.
But the Hilltop pack isn't a place we want to find ourselves roaming in.'
His wolf's eyes gleamed with a mix of caution and excitement. 'Mark, you're right. Our instincts are guiding us for a reason. This could be the one—the mate we've been longing for.'
A surge of recognition flooded through Mark's being, overwhelming him with the certainty that the tantalizing scent belonged to his long-awaited mate.
Months of diligent study on the topic of mates and the transformative process had prepared him for this momentous revelation.
But then…
'But Hilltop pack? That can't be possible. Let's go, human. We are enemies with them, not that it's official.'
'Yeah, we'd figure a way out. We can't have our mate from the Hilltop pack. The moon goddess probably made a mistake. She'd fix it!' Mark assured himself and his wolf.
Having reverted to his human form, Mark swiftly reached out to his father through their profound mind link, urgently requesting a set of clothes to conceal his vulnerability.
With regained composure and full access to his human form, he awaited his father's response, poised to embark on the next phase of his journey.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone