The ride to the palace is short, but it feels longer than it needs to. The whole ride Mother complains about a hair out of place or my lack of makeup. Any spare breath she has, she tells me to sit up and use my manors. I swear she thinks I've already been mated to the prince. The only good thing about her nagging is the distraction it causes from the tight fist of anxiety squeezing my lungs.

"Mother, what was it like when you met Father?" I ask when the palace comes into view. I've never asked this question. It's something I didn't really care to know, but right now the future feels so real and close. I'm not ready.

I catch Mother off guard and she is quiet for a moment, "You know, your father and I didn't meet at Moon Light Ball. We met in the forest, years after our first ball."

Mother doesn't speak again. She looks lost in her thoughts and slightly sad. Great, there goes my distraction. I think back to the magazines under my bed. The teachers put boys and girls in different rooms. The girls got magazines with lots of male models and were told to pick our favorite. After a lot of giggling and comparing bulges, everyone had their favorite model. We had to tear the page from the magazine and rip it to shreds. "Your mate will look nothing like any of these guys," our teacher said over the annoyed groans and rips of paper, "But that won't matter, Luna picks our mates for love. Any physical attraction you have for another man will vanish the second your meet your mate." I think the point of the lesson was to teach you to not worry about how your mate will look, but most of the girls started using cutting from the magazines to build their perfect mate. By the end of the week, there was an underground penis trade where girls would trade things like money or snacks to get the perfect bulge for their little paper mate. I thought the whole thing was stupid, but that didn't stop me from getting a few magazines to play around with at home.

When we arrive at the palace Mother grabs my hand, "This is your first ball, and hopefully your last. When you leave here tonight your life will be completely changed."

I managed a small smile. Gee, thanks Mother, this helps my nerves.

Mother smiles and lets go of my hand, "Have fun, I love you."

The palace is made out of white marble with small black streaks. The marble used to be pure white, but it's said the black streaks are punishment from Luna herself for the royal family not following her rules like they are supposed to. The Royals host the Moon Light Ball once a year on the first full moon after graduation. Most people find their mates that night, but some come back for a second or third year.

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I follow the markings into the ballroom have to keep myself from gasping. The marble almost seems to be glowing in the moonlight. The full moon casts the only light. My former classmates are walking around in gorgeous gowns and stunning tuxedos. The guys seem to be staying around the edge while the girls congregate in the middle. Both too nervous to interact with the other. An invisible hand squeezes my chest and I remind myself to breathe. Everyone says once you find your mate it gets a lot easier. I wish he would just hurry and show himself.

There is a loud screeching noise followed by a few booms and I notice everyone looking up front where the king is standing, "Hello and welcome. I do not normally address the graduating class personally, but this year my son joins you as he seeks his own mate."

There is a short applause before he continues, "I know all you ladies are dying to meet him, and all you guys are dying to get home, so now I mark this year's Moon Light Ball officially started!"

I wonder who will be the prince's mate. Probably someone beautiful and super-rich. Of course, they would also be high in social standing. Whoever she was would be queen. The prince may be the youngest of the two royal children, but his older sister was two sickly to take the thrown. She was the talk of the town last year when she missed her Moon Light Ball because she was bedridden. She's so sick the kingdom doesn't even know what she looks like.

I start making my way around the room, avoiding the front where most of the girls flocked to meet the prince. I meet every curious eye I pass, but none make anything stir inside. After a while, I retire to the punch table and grab a drink while I study the paintings that line the ballroom. Most of them depict pure white wolves, but this is just for show. Like the white of the marble, each royal's white fur can be tainted in with black for not following Luna.

Hours pass and most people have left with their mates or snuck away to the adjoining halls to make out or get handy. Some people have given up altogether and called their parents for a ride. I'm not ready to see Mother yet.

On the west side of the ballroom, there is a huge balcony that isn't occupied. I waste a few minutes by kicking a few loose stones over the edge. This was a bust.

"HEY!" I hear someone yell from behind me.

I turn around to see two guards chasing a hooded figure through the ballroom. Some couple look up in surprise, but most continue ignoring the world around them. Damn, I wonder how much jizz they have to clean up after these things. The hooded figure looks to be carrying a painting. What an odd thing to want to steal from the palace.

Their eye catches mine and they stumble for half a second and I understand why. The iron gripped hand around my chest disappears completely. My wolf rises up and I feel the link that separates us and keeps us one. Chemicals flood my brain and I'm bombarded with so many emotions it's no wonder I exploded.