Ashira's POV
"Ashira!" A cheery sweet voice took my attention.
My friend, Lucy, came running towards my direction. Just like me, she was wearing a white thin satin dress that is just above the knee. We both are wearing a wood—made sandals.
We have no underwear inside the thin white dress. The wood sandals are even made by the elders of the pack.
But this is not the way we dress—up.
A sacred ceremony will be held and we just need to dress like so.
It's a pack tradition.
"You looked excited, Luce." I said to her when she came near me. We walked sideways towards the line where the other She—Wolf is. They wear the same kind of dress.
"And you're not? We're talking about mapping here! Of course I'll be hell bent!"
The Mapping is a sacred ceremony and is one of the most important event for every pack.
It's held annually before the end of the year. Now, it's happening five days before christmas.
We'll be able to know from which pack our mate is. This is the main concern of the mapping.
Each wolf have their own mates. If a wolf is not able to meet its mate, they won't have the chance to produce a pup.
Even if a wolf had sex with every wolf, you'll not be able to get pregnant unless it's your mate.
So finding a mate is a must every wolf, especially for the Alpha's of the pack. They'll need their mate to continue their legacy.
I just shrugged the thought of finally locating my mate. "I'm just waiting for this moment ever since I was born." Lucy's eyes are even sparkling as she said that.
"How does this work again?" I asked. I knew most of pack laws and its system but I never dig deep when it comes to anything about mapping or mates.
Here," she point the house of the enchantress. "There's a sacred knife inside and you'll cut your palm with it. You'll let the blood drop on the map and the part of the map where you're mate is will glow." She explained with excitement.
"Technically, we won't know who exactly our mate is." I stated. That sounds like a job.
"Exactly! Isn't it exciting!" Her voice almost made me cover my ear.
I scowled. "Exciting how?"
Lucy rolled her eyes at me. "We'll go to where they are, duh! First, we'll be able to visit other territories."
"Only if the mate is not from our own pack." I cut her and shrugged.
"Whatever, Ashira! Oh! And second, we'll be accommodated by the other pack. That's like having a free vacation with place to stay and free foods to eat!" She screams the last words.
"You sound like they don't feed you here." I cut again.
She ignored me this time.
"Third, we'll finally have the chance to attend the annual mapping party!"
Every year, every pack celebrates the annual mapping party. On the same dates the Alpha's agreed on.
This year will be held the night before Christmas. So that the She—Wolves will have their time to travel to the packs where the mapping leads them. And to prepare themselves.
There are She—Wolves from other pack that come here every annual mapping party. And they'll meet their mates at the party.
The same will happen to our pack, Regal pack soon.
Every year, Regal pack loses its She—Wolves. And every year new She—Wolves from other packs was added.
It's like exchanging the women of packs. But for a reason.
The men cannot leave the pack. Only the She—Wolves can.
It's not possible for male wolfs the transfer to another pack. The female should always transfer. That's every pack's law.
The loyalty of the men wolves is essential.
I looked at the line, It is now a few. I guess the process of mapping is easy. We're almost next.
Many girls came out of the enchantress's house with wide ear smile. Knowing where their mate is really cause rampage in their system. I can't relate.
"Oh my God! I'm next!" Lucy screams. I just smiled and gave her a light push. Not really feeling any excitement.
Lucy went inside and I'm the next in line.
A few minutes and Lucy came out of the house. There's a red cloth wrapped in her left hand just like the others before her. Maybe it helps to stop the bleeding but that's weird since we can heal fast.
Lucy was grinning like crazy. She sure is in high spirits.
"Ashiraaaaa!" She jumped on me and hugged me tight. "My God! I know where my mate is! Shadow pack!" Lucy screamed once again that made a whizzing noise in my ears.
"Wow! I'm happy for you. Yay." I exclaimed.
Shadow pack is the second strongest wolf pack. Most wolves in that pack are fighters. They also outrun the other packs in numbers.
Our pack , which under the reigning of Alpha David together with Beta Eric, is fourth in line in the strongest pack. We also have a lot of wolf that made us earn the fourth place.
We're mostly women but we made that as an advantage. Our She—Wolves are also fighters. Some even are the best.
I was about to talk more and congratulate her when the before me came out of the house. But then I realized that I need to go in.
"I'm going in" I said to Lucy. She nodded nonstop with excitement.
I walked through the door of the house of enchantress. Once inside, I was welcomed by the dark with only the dimmed lights from the candles on some place.
A circle wooden table is in the middle of the living room. There's a huge map in its middle, a box on the side, and five candles formed into circles in shape of a Star.
Behind the table is where the enchantress is seated. I can barely see her because of the dark.
When my eyes adjusted, I saw her almost in her fifties.
"Come closer, Wolf." The enchantress said, almost a whisper.
I did.
I'm not nervous nor afraid but my feelings are uncanny.
This place feels so heavy. I wonder why. Should I felt this way? I feel so different from the way the other She—Wolves react.
The ambiance of the place somewhat gave me a light fear. Not enough to make my knees tremble though.
It's like my Wolf is saying something. Somehow telling me danger. At least, how I felt.
"You know what to do." The Enchantress said. She sound tired and bored. Like, she've been doing this thing all her life and she's just not into it.
I looked at the table in front of me. I looked at the box beside the map. Inside, I saw the sacred knife laying flat. Almost waiting for me to take it.
There's two wolves, hugging each other carved as the knife's handle.
I picked it up and put its edge on my palm. I inhaled deep as I start cutting through my palm but not deep enough.
It sting a bit. My forehead is knotted as I let my blood drop on the map.
Once my blood dropped on the map, it was quickly absorbed.
That explains why there's no stain of blood in the map after all those girls before me.
I put the knife down inside the box again. I almost growled when the enchantress took my hand hastily.
Her move is fast, it also made me think she's weird.
She wrapped my hand with a red cloth just like what others have.
After, she looked at the map, waiting for the result. I did the same.
I looked at the map as well. There's no light from it yet. I was pretty sure Lucy said it will glow or something.
A few seconds and a round little glow was visible in a part of the map.
The enchantress's eyes looked even bored than it already is.
"Prime pack." She announced, no emotion can be detected in her voice.
Once informed of where my mate will be, I started turning my back to the enchantress. It's all done.
I was about to take a step when another light showed on the map. And then another, and another. Almost every part of the map are glowing!
