Storm Forest is going crazy!

The Lupercalia Full Moon Festival is tonight and it is already afternoon. Final preparations are being made to make this year's festival even more successful than last year. This moon festival is meant to increase the libido of mated wolves, driving them crazy with lust to produce more pups. More pups, a bigger pack, a powerful Alpha. It is bursting with life around the packhouse, everyone eagerly awaiting the start in a few hours.

"Rain! Haven't you finished roasting all the meat yet?" my mother-in-law asks, annoyed behind me. She hasn't been in the mood all day and is taking it out on me. And it's my job to make sure all the meat is ready when the starving mates return from the cave some kilometers away where the festival is being held. "Yes, mother, just the lamb and everything will be ready in half an hour," I reassure her.

When she hears me calling her 'mother', her face turns sour.

The former Luna hates it when I call her like that, although she has never told me so herself. She doesn't dare because she knows Jasper would be terribly upset about that, and she avoids all arguments with her son. Especially when it involves me.

"Okay, get everything ready in time. The wolves will gather here in half an hour and then the run to the cave will begin. Like last year, of course, you will stay in the packhouse, no wolf has time today to wait for a human or take her on their back," she tells me viciously. I nod indifferently, this is not the first time she has stressed that I don't have a wolf and I am just a mere human. In the past years I have learned not to respond to that anymore in order to keep the peace in the house.

I place all the meat I have prepared on the large table.

Next to me, I see Anje, Gamma Kenrick's mate arranging the sauces and cutlery. She looks at me sideways and I also await a mean remark from her. And of course, she doesn't disappoint me. "Rain, you stay behind in the packhouse anyway. Maybe you can help the unmated she-wolves babysit the pups. At least you'll get a chance to finally hold one in your arms". I nod again, not wasting any time arguing with her. Once I have everything settled, I head to the packhouse to take a bath first. I have been roasting and steaming meat all morning and can already smell myself.

When I want to push the button of the elevator, the doors just open.

Jasper, my mate, steps out. "Rain! I haven't seen you all day. I was terribly busy but surely you could have come into my office for a kiss. I missed you, little mate," he reproaches me, winking. I jump on him with a bright smile and snuggle into his neck. Jasper is the love of my life. He is clearly madly in love with me too, protects me like no other. When he is around, no one dares to utter any offensive word against me. "I was busy too, my love. Everything must be ready when you return. You know how hungry wolves can be after fierce mating," I laugh.

"Hmmm, is that so? I'm hungry now but you haven't taken care of me yet, mate," he whispers sultrily, nibbling my earlobe. He grabs me tighter, takes a step back into the elevator and presses the button that locks the doors. Then he gently pushes me against the elevator wall and I wrap my legs around his waist. His hard-on presses against my core as he kisses me passionately. "I stink, Jasper," I whisper to him. "All day I've only touched bloody meat. Blood is all over my body and clothing". He seductively nips my neck, sending shots of desire through my body. "No problem. I'm a beast too, so I'm used to raw meat. And now I feel like devouring you". And that's exactly what he does.

When he opens the elevator doors half an hour later, he grins contentedly.

After a kiss on my nose, he hurries to his study while I head for our apartment upstairs. Striding inside, I move straight to the bedroom and while ripping off my dirty clothes, I walk into the bathroom. After lying in a warm bath for half an hour, my muscles relax and I feel refreshed again.

Stepping into the bedroom with a towel around my body, my eyes immediately fall on it.

On the bed, there is a long red dress with a deep V-neck set with gemstones. The bodice is tight but falls loose from the hips. I walk up to it and when I look at the packaging, I see that it comes from a well-known expensive fashion designer. In the middle of the dress, there is a box. When I open it, I notice a platinum necklace with a Ruby as a pendant. It matches beautifully. I take a step back and find a pair of open shoes in the same color as the dress.

I scream with joy.

Jasper! He always knows how to make me happy. My mate understands how much this festival takes a toll on my mental state and knows exactly how to lift my spirit. I look at the bed table and see a note. 'Be ready at eleven.' Eleven is when the mate hunt starts and he comes back to the packhouse for me. I am his mate, so he always spends the night with me in a special way during the festival.

My night can't get worse.

Quickly I wear a skinny jeans and white top and dance out of the apartment, heading to the daycare where the unmated she-wolves are waiting for me. Of course, they too are ready to pester me about not being able to join the festival. But I don't mind, I have my mate all to myself at eleven o'clock.

Nothing bothers me anymore....