Chapter 2

 She turned to see who it was. She was mesmerized every time by the man standing in front of her, he was beautiful as always. His features were so manly and so feminine as well. He was of average height and his eyes were sea blue. His lashes were as lush as a woman's. She couldn't help but keep staring.

"I wouldn't mind if you would speak to me, my lady"

He said with a wide smile. His tousled brown hair fell effortlessly over his forehead her eyes fixated fervently on him.

She was embarrassed that she was staring for so long she quickly responded.

"Sorry Damian, it's a pleasure to see you here"

She couldn't help but continue to stare at him. Celeste had always felt great affection towards Damian even though he was not an alpha or a high-ranking werewolf. She would always get the opportunity to stare at him some more when he was invited over to her abode by her father for pack meetings. She was almost sure he had feelings for her too. She had always dreamt of them being mates.

"I couldn't help but notice how radiant you look tonight, like the moon"

Leaning in slightly, he gently took her palms in his and placed a tender kiss on it.

She felt a rush of warmth flow through the skin from her palm to the whole of her body. Celeste was too flattered to even look up at him.

"Flattery won't get you everywhere Damian," she said with a blush she so hardly tried to conceal.

"It got me a smile from my lady," He said staring her in the eyes with a wide and comforting smile.

She let out a little chuckle and the both of them busted out in laughter.

"You know how to flatter a lady Damian", She was blushing at this point.

"It's not flattery my lady, I couldn't resist expressing my admiration"

Celeste had never blushed this much in her entire life.

"Thank you, Damian".

As the conversation flowed, Celeste's eyes traced Damian's movements and couldn't help but notice simple traits that held so much allure.

She was so engraved in the conversation that she didn't notice Lucia standing next to them.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything"

Lucia knew she was interrupting a lot, but still had to ask, staring at Celeste with a mischievous grin stuck to her face

"Not at all my lady, I was telling Celeste how ravishing she looks tonight".

Lucia already knew how Celeste felt about Damian and never let an opportunity to match them slip by.

"No doubt, Celeste looks ravishing tonight and her future mate would be extremely lucky"

Celeste was so flushed but she was already used to Lucia by now. She was Celeste's childhood friend and they've been like bread and butter from childhood, their friendship was a testament to the beauty of connection and understanding.

"I bet he would be a very lucky werewolf to have a gem as his mate"

He said while looking Celeste in the eye like he was trying to say something.

"I will leave you ladies to catch up"

He placed another gentle kiss on her palm gave Lucia a warm handshake and left.

Celeste knew all of Lucia's schemes and she wouldn't lie, she liked most of her innocent shenanigans.

"Someone's cheeks are going to explode in a minute"

Lucia winked at Celeste

"Stop it, Lucia"

Celeste didn't want to be teased anymore

"Tell me you don't like the man hmm" Celeste's cheeks were still red from blushing.

"Seems like you know too much about me miss", She couldn't hide a thing from Lucia, they were vulnerable and bare to each other, each one pouring out their heart to the other.

 "he seems to be head over heels for someone"

 Who was Lucia talking about and who was Damian head over heels for? She didn't want to seem desperate to know.

 "Who could that be"

 Her eyes were fixated on Lucia waiting for her to respond.

 "Do you want to know"

Celeste quickly responded

 "Maybe I would like to know"

Still staring eagerly waiting for a response

 "Bribe me"

 Lucia said with a smirk lingering on her face

 "Okay Lucia, anything you want, just tell me"

 She held Celeste's hands and said

"Just be happy Celeste, I want you to be happy"

 It was rare to see Lucia being dead serious but she cared deeply about Celeste

 "And the man is head over heels for you"

 Lucia opened her arms for a hug and she embraced her

 "It's almost time for you to transform"

Celeste's demeanor suddenly changed.

"It's almost time for us to transform Celeste"

Lucia didn't want her to lose hope, she reassured her never to lose hope

 "It's just going to be as usual Lucia, everyone transforms and then I go back in disappointed"

 She was sensitive when it concerned the topic and the whole mood changed.

"You have something no one else has Celeste can't you see"

Lucia looked around like she was searching for something, It was dark but her eyes glowed. She finally stopped like she had found what she was searching for, and she bent down to pick up what looked like a sharp spear. Celeste wondered what Lucia was up to this time.

What she did next shocked Celeste. Lucia swiftly ran the spear into her skin, her tender skin parted with blood drizzling down.

"What the hell, Lucia"

She screamed in fear and shock, she had no idea what she was up to, She hastily placed both her hands on the cut, she closed her eyes as if harnessing powers.

Lucia watched with curiosity and awe already knowing what would happen next.

The wounded skin under Celeste's palms and eyes began to glow with light emanating from it, the open wound began to shrink, the angry redness gave way to a delicate pink hue, and the skin began to close in like a magnet pulling each side of the cut to itself, the wound closed completely.

Celeste opened her eyes and the glow in her eyes came back to normal. She was red with anger, she already knew Lucia was a crazy person but didn't know she would be so irrational.

"What were you thinking Lucia, have you gone mad or something".

Lucia just kept on staring at Celeste in awe and amusement. She wanted to show Celeste that what she had was far from ordinary and she had more in her than just being a werewolf.

Celeste was still clouded in anger that she didn't realize she just healed Lucia's hand.

"Never underestimate your powers, Celeste, what you think is darkness could as well be light"

Celeste quickly realized what just happened and the gravity of what she had done. Her parents told her not to allow herself to be controlled by those powers and told her it was not a gift but could destroy her.

"I told you this is not normal Lucia, I still don't know what this is or what it could be, I could be a witch or even something worse for all I know, Remember my dreams?"

"You might be a witch but at least be an irresistible and breathtaking witch"

Lucia always knew how to lighten the mood of the atmosphere.

" There you go again"

Celeste said bursting out with laughter and Lucia followed suit.

Amid their laughter and unending teasing, Lucia's eyes suddenly changed their color, from brown to a swift Amber in color, her once soft eyes swiftly changed revealing the primal instincts of a creature of the night. Thick lustrous hair, a dark brown began to sprout from Lucia's skin, covering her entire body in a coat, bone Cracking sounds began to fill the air as the rest of the pack also transformed.

The clouds covering the moon began to shift and the rays of the moon began to reflect on the whole of Clawthorne.

Lucia was fully transformed by now, she sniffed Celeste from head to toe like she was trying to absorb her scents then she swiftly took off. Deep down Celeste had accepted that she would not transform to ease the pain of disappointment, she took one last look at the scene in utter disappointment and turned to leave

"Are you okay my lady, Why leave so soon "

She turned towards him, her eyes filled with vulnerability and sadness. She wondered why Damian had not transformed yet.

"I'm fine Damian"

She managed to give a weak smile.

"There's no need to be here anymore, the full moon is over".

Her voice was shaky at this point and She couldn't hold back her tears for too long as they came gushing down her cheeks. She felt so ashamed she let Damian see her in that condition. She quickly comported herself and wiped the tears off her face.

"I .....I'm sorry, you didn't have to see that"

Damian could only stare into her eyes like he was searching for something, he had always had feelings for Celeste and it broke his heart to see her like that. He took out his hands and reached for hers

"I know you're hurting Celeste but I know many werewolves who took longer than you to transform my lady, give yourself a little more time".

He couldn't resist the urge to hold her in his arms and console her, he opened his arms. Celeste hesitated for a moment, caught between vulnerability and a need for comfort. Eventually, she leaned into his arms seeking solace and warmth. She held him tightly and cried a little more. Damian held her gently, offering a silent reassurance of his support to her.

He had always wanted to declare his interest in her being his mate but wasn't sure if she felt the same, he tried to muster up the courage to tell her but words failed him.