Tina moved closer to Eve, "So...what are you wearing tonight?"
"I don't know,I brought out some of my mom's old dresses, but I was thinking it would be too much"
"Why would it be too much? This is your first meeting with your mate. First impressions matter Eve" Tina lectured her.
"What about you? Are you dressing up?"
Tina smiled, "of course, my mom already made me a new dress."
"But Jude already knows you, why do you need to dress up?"
"To keep things exciting" Tina laughed.
"And what are you two laughing about?"
They looked up to see Luna Alice.
"greetings Luna" they chorused.
She smiled and then leaned down to pat their cheeks.
"And how are you girls?"
"Fine, I was just convincing Eve to dress up for tonight" Tina answered.
Luna Alice gave a small frown, "Would you not be dressing up dear?" She asked Eve.
Eve twisted her fingers, "I...I...was thinking it would be too much"
"My dear, it wont be too much, this is going to be your first meeting with your mate, you have to make a good impression"
Tina nodded, "it was exactly the same thing I said"
"Okay, I will dress up" Eve agreed with them.
"Good, now Tina love, I need your help with some things"
"Okay", Tina stood up. "I will see you tonight Eve"
"Okay, see you" Eve watched the leave.
Already Luna Alice was training training Tina to be Luna of the pack. Eve knew Tina would be a good Luna to their pack and a good mate to Jude.
As for herself, Eve wondered how her mate would be? Would he be caring? Would he love and understand her?
She genuinely hoped she would find a love just like the one her parents shared.
...Later that evening
Eve looked at herself in the mirror, she tried to calm herself down.
What if she didn't find a mate tonight? Some werewolves didn't find their mate at their first red moon ceremony. And if they didn't find a mate after their fifth ceremony, they were expected to settle down with any wolf they wanted.
Eve shook her head to free herself from negative thoughts, she wasn't going to settle, she would find a mate and fall in love tonight.
A knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts, she turned to see her father.
"Oh my love, you look so beautiful tonight" he told her.
"Thanks dad"
"My baby is so grown up, just yesterday you were a little girl and today, you are about to get your mate"
"Do you think I am going to get a mate tonight?" She asked.
"Of course, are you having negative thoughts?"
Eve nodded.
"Eve, remove those negative thoughts from your mind. You are a wonderful girl and you are going to get your mate tonight and he is going to be every bit what you dreamed of"
"Thank you dad"
He smiled and brought out a little box.
"This is for you, it belonged to your mother and I want you to have her with you tonight"
Eve opened the box and looked at the beautiful necklace, her eyes became teary.
"Let me put it on you" he took the necklace and helped her wear it.
Eve was crying, he wiped her tears away. "Don't ruin your makeup my love"
"Dad, I want you to know I will always be here for you. I wont abandon you after I find my mate"
Her father wiped her tears away, "I know you won't do that, but I want you to also focus on creating your family, okay?"
"Okay dad"
"Now lets go" he took her hand and they left the house together.
The pack arena...
"Eve, over here" Tina waved at her.
"Go meet your friends, I will see you later and good luck tonight" Eve's father told her.
"Okay bye dad"
Eve made her way to her friends.
"Wow! You look so beautiful tonight, so you could look this beautiful and you were always dressed like one of the boys" Tina teased her.
Eve smiled shyly and looked at Jude, he was staring at her intensely.
"Is there something on my face?" She was feeling self conscious.
"No, you look beautiful Eve"he told her.
"You want to make a good impression on your mate, huh?" Tate teased.
"I can't wait for you to get a mate who will tame your sharp tongue" Tina told Tate.
Tate rolled his eyes in response.
A werewolf came to the stage and howled. There was silence as everyone looked at the stage.
Eve's dad, Beta Johnson came on stage. He was the beta to the late Alpha, Jude's dad. And since his death, he had been the one managing the pack.
"Everyone,welcome to this year's red moon ceremony. The red moon will be coming up soon, all single werewolves over the age of twenty one are to line up, males on one side and females on one side. All eyes are to be closed and the females are to remain standing and the males are to find them. Now remember everyone, mates are sacred gifts from the moon goddess herself. It is to be respected, unless necessary, such a gift should not be rejected. Now everyone , line up"
Tina squealed, "This is it guys, the beginning of our adulthood"
Tate groaned and walked off.
"Goodluck Eve" Jude told her and walked off as well.
"Come on Eve, lets go line up" Tina grabbed Eve and took her to line up. They stood next to each other.
"The red moon is almost here, close your eyes everyone, open them when you hear the drum" Beta Johnson instructed.
Eve closed your eyes, praying to the goddess that when she opened her eyes, her mate would be in front of her.
She heard footsteps around her, and then she felt it, her heart reaching out to someone. Her inner wolf stirred, reaching out to reach her mate.
Her mate was here, she could feel him already.
The drum sounded and she opened her eyes.
Jude was in front of her