Mailstone village, North Arusat, Lu'aria /SLZ

  Far from the war raging in Shabashok, was a separate region untouched from the mechanized killing, but embroiled in its own affairs. Arusat.

  These lands have remained pure from the terrors of technology. Until the Sorean invaders came and divided the region into North and South. Knowing there will be no opposition from the inferior natives.

  Deep in the mountains of North Arusat, there was a village playing music and lighting bonfires in celebrations. The wolves were howling in the air in enjoyments as many enjoyed the festivities participating in activities like drinking, eating, dancing and even the unique wrestling matches called wolf fights.

  While the festivities were ongoing a pack of wolves arrive at the village, unlike the wolves in the village, these newcomers towered over many and had numerous scars, at the head of this pack, was the leader with jet-black fur, scars over muscle, and deep purple eyes.

  The crowd parted for the village alpha, named Jorgen Mailstone, the pack leader of the Mailstone pack. The leader met face to face at the entrance with stoic silence. Until Jorgen broke into a wide smile.

  "Alpha Thraga" Jorgen greets with glee "My mate has given birth"

  To the wolves of these lands, the birth of children is a huge blessing. Once partners are united in mate bonding, the process of giving life to a new generation of young who will roam the world in search of their destined is seen as a sacred sign and union. One that must never be restrained or curtailed.

  "Congratulations" he simply says, everyone in his pack bows in respect

  Jorgen is disappointed with his dear friends reaction, but can understand his stance. Although such a lacks attitude would be seen as an insult. Thraga commands the most powerful pack in the north and he does not need to bow to traditions. Besides, Jorgen knows his friend well enough to know his actually happy for him. He thinks.

  "Would you like to meet my blood?"

  "No, I would simply like a drink" Thraga said. "And a place for privacy..."

  Jorgen guides him to a secluded part of the village where the two alphas can talk in private. He already knows his friend is not keen on socializing. A servant brings them their drinks.

  "I need to your scouts" Thraga states, once the servant leaves "Ones familiar with the south plains"

  Jorgen sighs rubbing his forehead with irritation. He already expected his friend to ask such a question, but no matter how many times Jorgen experiences it. He still expected Thraga to respect this special event, it's his pups arriving to this world.

  "Thraga, you know I hate to talk about these kinds of matters on important occasions such as this, especially when my pups were recently born" Jorgen says "Can't matters wait until first light?"

  "No." Thraga flatly rejects

  "Oh for-" Jorgen rolls his eyes "Fine, take them!"

  The Mailstone alpha knows better than to argue with his stubborn friend who rarely takes no for an answer, besides the fact that he commands the most powerful packs in their land.

  Thraga looks stoically pleased, before staring back at the stars. The two sit in silence, as they let the festivities and the cold air flow in the night.

  Jorgen is happy, but one look at thraga and one can tell there is an endless void in his soul. The truth is everyone can see the endless void in this beast of an alpha. What can bring a beast who took down the vampire oppressors to such a level of bleakness.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Jorgen and everyone close to thraga, knows the answer.

  "You still haven't found her..." Jorgen asks knowing the answer, he sees Thraga knuckles turn white.

  "No" he answers firmly, leaving no hint to his stoic mask.

  Thraga despite having all the power, respect, and fame of the mountain tribes and the enemies encroaching on their lands. He still has not found and united with his mate.

  While wolves are known to have destined mates for partners, that does not mean they are bound to celibacy or abstaining, in fact during the war against the vampires, Jorgen has seen Thraga in action when celebrating the victory aftermath. Just because wolves are bound to their mates, they are still bound to carnal desires.

  It is not uncommon for wolves to have flings or mistresses. When it comes to marriage and binding, wolves do marry non-mate partners.

  "Why don't you settle down?" Jorgen sips his drink "There are plenty of mateless wolves roaming these lands, or do you prefer mated wolves or rogues?"

  Thraga shoots him a glare "I will ripe out your tongue for speaking such blasphemous words Jorgen."

  Jorgen chuckles in response. The reason for such a hostile reaction from a joke is simple. Thraga belongs to a sectarian pack where the value of mate is at the upmost important.

  Wolves are allowed to procreate with anyone and there are wolves that do not adhere to such traditions in North Arusat. the wolves worship the moon, but Thraga's pack however, follow the eclipse moon deity.

  The eclipse deity, takes a hardline and conservative approach to the wolf and mate concept. The wolves following the eclipse do not recognize non-mated partners as their legal spouses, their one and only legal spouse for them is the fated mate, and they shall wait for their fated mate until death.

  Failure to adhere to the eclipse teachings, the wolves face severe consequences, ranging from banishment to death.

  It is this strict teaching, that Thraga's Blackmane pack have been in stagnant population decline. Even when there is a surplus of healthy males and females to reproduce, by the eclipse teaching. If they are not bounded, then they are not meant to be together.

  Although in exchange for such a rigid and strict dogma, the blackmane have a smaller population than normal packs. Yet, Thraga's wolves are far more formidable than any wolves Jorgen has ever met in Arusat.

  "we've been roaming through the whole land Thraga..." Jorgen says not expecting an answer "You don't even know your mate looks like?"

  "I do"

  Jorgen chokes and spits out his drink, he turns to thraga in shock. "What!?"

  The Mailstone Alpha has known Thraga ever since their alliance to end the vampire tyranny years ago. He knows thraga has been desperately searching for his mate. He has scoured every pack, every inch of this mountain thinking he does not know his mate. Only to find out his brooding friend knows his mate's identity.

  "Who, When, how!?" Jorgen inquires

  "It..." Thraga goes silent "It was a long time ago..."

  Jorgen wants to throw his hands up into the air in exacerbation. After all this time and effort, he has gone through for his brooding friend. The least Thraga could do was share information regarding his mysterious mate whose been driving everyone crazy.

  "Is she a wolf or not?" Mailstone Alpha raises a brow in question

  "She isn't a wolf..."

  It took every fiber in the mailstone Alpha not to answer those words, for wolves have been terrorizing these lands for centuries, so the hatred and discrimination to anyone related to wolves would suffer irreversible consequences for non-wolf mates.

  "Even after searching the North and plains, I still have not found her..."

  Jorgen did not want to say the words everyone is thinking; your mates not alive. However, no matter how deep their relationship goes, if Jorgen were to utter those words, he will not be spared of thragas wraith.

  Instead, the Mailstone Alpha encourages his friend "Patience my friend, she will come to you with the moons blessing..."

  "I have already waited half a lifetime for her, my friend..." Thraga sighs "Patience it seems... is my torturer, and time is my executioner"

  Thraga looked like a broken shell of his former glorious self. Although wolves can remain strong without their mates, but once wolves encounter their mates. Their whole world will revolve around them.

  Jorgen secretly hoped that Thraga and his mate have not met, so the passage of time will not degrade Thraga's spirit. But upon learning that Thraga met his mate once, means thraga has been experiencing an agonizing pain in his soul and being.

  To never meet your mate is painful, but to meet your mate and be separated for a long time is the truest form of tragic pain. Jorgen was lucky to meet his mate, to see his friend this broken would be hell he would never want to endure.

  "I believe we have waited here long enough" Jorgen said standing up "Come, the celebration will end, and you have a long journey ahead, best you rest while you can"

  "Yes, perhaps your right" Thraga looks at the night sky once again before turning away.

  Above the nocturnal skies of Arusat, the people fail to notice a sleek object dart through the night sky. With a purpose to change everything.

  To Be Continued.