Chapter 3 The Moon Blessing
Layla's POV
Three days later, I lingered after our final class, gathering my things slowly while the other students rushed out.
Unlike them, I wouldn't be heading home right away. Tonight was my Moonlight Blessing ceremony—the ritual every werewolf underwent at eighteen to mark their passage into adulthood.
Maya waited for me by the door, her expression a mixture of excitement and regret. "So, tonight's the big night," she said, reaching out to straighten the collar of my jacket. "Are you nervous?"
"Terrified," I admitted, grateful that at least with Maya I didn't need to pretend. "What if I make a mistake during the ritual? Or worse—what if I don't feel anything at all?"
"You'll be perfect," she assured me, squeezing my hands in hers. "And whether you feel the mate bond or not, you'll still be the same Layla tomorrow. Just officially grown up."
I smiled at her certainty. "I wish you could be there."
Maya shrugged, but I caught the flash of sadness in her eyes. As the pack's only young witch, Maya existed in a strange space—respected for her gifts but separate from many of our traditions. The Moonlight Blessing was for werewolves only; the magic was incompatible with her witch bloodline.
"I'll be waiting up for all the details," she promised, then pulled me into a tight hug. "Good luck, Lala. May the moon guide you to happiness."
"Save some of that luck for yourself," I said, thinking of her plans for Ethan. "You've got your own mission coming up at the bonfire celebration."
She grinned, her cheeks flushing. "One momentous event at a time. Tonight is all about you."
We parted at the school steps, Maya heading home while I made my way toward the ceremonial grounds. As the afternoon shadows lengthened, my thoughts drifted to what awaited me under the full moon's light. In just a few hours, I might discover who fate had chosen as my perfect match—a truth I wasn't entirely sure I was ready to face.
At the edge of the forest, where our ceremonial grounds stood, several pack elders were busy with preparations. Garlands of wolfsbane and moonflower hung from wooden poles forming a large circle. Within this space, soft furs and cushions were arranged for the participants.
Mrs. Steward, our History teacher and one of the pack's respected Beta females, spotted me hovering uncertainly at the perimeter.
"Layla, dear," she called, waving me over. "Come help me with these candles."
I hurried to her side, grateful for something to do besides overthinking.
"Nervous?" she asked kindly, handing me a box of silver-blue candles.
"Is it that obvious?"
She laughed softly. "Everyone is on their Moon Blessing day. I still remember mine, almost thirty years ago now." Her eyes grew distant with memory. "It's a special night, whatever happens."
"Did you... find your mate that night?" I ventured.
"No," she said simply. "Not everyone does. But the blessing still marks an important transition." She squeezed my shoulder. "The Moon Goddess reveals what we need to know, when we need to know it."
Her words were meant to be comforting, but they only heightened my anxiety. What if I wasn't meant to know? What if there was no one for me?
By sunset, eighteen of us—all the pack members who had turned or would turn eighteen this year—gathered nervously at the ceremonial grounds. I recognized most of them from school, including Ethan, who stood across the circle looking unfairly handsome in dark jeans and a crisp button-down shirt. Maya would have swooned at the sight.
Garrison Steward, a Beta elder in our pack, stepped into the center of our circle, his weathered face solemn in the fading light. His voice, when he spoke, carried the weight of centuries of tradition.
"Tonight, under the blessing of the full moon, you stand at the threshold between childhood and the adult path. The Moon Goddess offers each of you a special gift—the possibility of glimpsing your destined mate."
A murmur rippled through our group. Even though we'd all heard about this ceremony our whole lives, having it finally happen felt surreal.
"Not all of you will feel the mate bond tonight," he continued, his eyes sweeping across our faces. "Some may feel it years from now, or never at all. There is no shame in any path the Goddess chooses for you."
He raised his hands toward the darkening sky. "The moon's light amplifies the mate bond that exists within our kind. Those of you who have already met your destined one may feel the pull tonight. Those whose mates are not present, or not yet part of your lives, may feel nothing. Both outcomes are equally blessed."
My heart pounded against my ribs as Elder Garrison instructed us to form a perfect circle, our shoulders nearly touching. The forest had fallen completely silent, as if holding its breath.
"When the moon reaches its zenith," he said, "close your eyes and open your hearts. Let the Goddess guide you."
We waited as darkness fell completely. One by one, stars appeared overhead, but the moon remained hidden behind the mountain peak. The minutes stretched endlessly. No one spoke. I could hear only the sound of nervous breathing and the occasional rustle of clothing as someone shifted their weight.
Then, suddenly, the first silver rays of moonlight spilled over the mountaintop, bathing our circle in ethereal light.
"Now," Elder Garrison whispered. "Close your eyes."
I did as instructed, feeling the cool moonlight on my skin like a physical touch. Around me, I sensed others doing the same—eighteen young werewolves with closed eyes, faces tilted toward the silver light cascading from above.
The ancient tradition held that when we reopened our eyes, the first person we instinctively looked at would be our destined mate.
For several heartbeats, nothing happened. Just as disappointment began to creep in, I felt it—a warmth spreading from my chest outward, like invisible threads stretching from my heart.
The sensation was unlike anything I'd ever experienced—primal and ancient, as if the wolf inside me was suddenly awakening to a truth my human side hadn't yet recognized.
My inner wolf stirred restlessly, then howled in silent recognition. Something was calling to me, pulling at the very core of my being. The sensation intensified until it became nearly painful, a yearning so powerful I gasped aloud. It felt like my soul was reaching outward, searching desperately for its other half.
When I could bear it no longer, my eyes flew open of their own accord. All around me, others were opening their eyes too, their gazes immediately and instinctively drawn across the circle.
Without conscious thought, my body turned—pulled by some force I couldn't control. My heart pounded wildly as my eyes locked onto a boy, standing across from me, and every cell in my body seemed to sing in recognition.
Ethan.
