Sunny's POV.

Two long years had passed in relative peace and happiness, living in the kingdom among my loving family and with Juan, my future mate and the love of my life. Everyone in the pack knew that we had already mated when it came to physical intimacy - we shared a bed, we made love regularly, we acted like a married couple in every way. But we weren't officially mated yet according to the ancient laws and the moon goddess's requirements.

"Soon," Juan would whisper to me during our intimate moments. "Soon you'll be mine forever."

"I'm already yours," I would whisper back, tracing patterns on his chest. "I've been yours since I was a child."

"But not officially. Not in the eyes of the goddess."

We were both still afraid deep down that our fates might change dramatically when the official time came, that some unforeseen force might tear us apart.

So we both, along with the entire kingdom, were anxiously waiting for my birthday celebration until the moon was completely full in the sky.

The guards were surrounding me all the time now, creating a protective barrier wherever I went. Juan didn't trust the King of vampires, Calum, especially since he hadn't made any aggressive moves for the past two years.

"He's planning something," Juan would say during our strategy meetings. "Calum never gives up that easily."

"Maybe he's moved on," I suggested hopefully. "Maybe he's found someone else."

"No," Juan shook his head firmly. "Men like him don't just move on. He's waiting for something."

Juan believed that Calum might make his final, desperate move on my birthday when I would be most vulnerable.

Especially since that night, according to tradition, Juan was not supposed to be next to me during the ritual.

I was supposed to go to the forest completely alone and wait to smell my true mate's scent, to let the moon goddess reveal my destiny.

I knew that Juan was secretly terrified that he might not be my real mate after all, that the goddess might have someone else planned for me.

"What if you smell someone else's scent?" he had asked me one night, his voice heavy with worry.

"That's impossible," I assured him. "You're the only one for me."

"But what if the prophecy is true? What if you really don't have a mate?"

"Then I'll choose you anyway. I have free will, don't I?"

But I knew that either way, if I discovered he wasn't my destined mate, I would still do my absolute best to be with him forever. I had a choice in this matter, and according to my strange past, I knew that I was different from other wolves. As I had heard from various sources, I apparently had no predetermined mate.

The night of my eighteenth birthday finally arrived. I was in my room, taking a long, hot shower to calm my nerves. Tears were falling freely down my cheeks as the warm water cascaded over me. I had asked everyone to leave me alone for a while until the sacred time came.

"Goddess, please," I prayed silently. "Please let Juan be my mate. Please don't take him away from me."

When the time finally arrived, I was ready - wearing comfortable jeans and a casual shirt that I could easily run in. I knew I would need to run through the forest, and I might shift into my wolf form for the first time. I had no idea what might happen during this ancient ritual.

Once I opened my bedroom door, I found everyone I cared about waiting for me - everyone except Juan.

I searched frantically with my eyes, panic rising in my chest, "Where is he? Where's Juan?"

They answered me with frustrated, broken voices, "He left already, just like the tradition requires. He's on the other side of the forest, waiting and hoping that you might sense him as your mate within the next hour."

I smiled weakly at their worried faces and waved goodbye to them, trying to appear braver than I felt.

My father Nathan and my mother Isabella both hugged me tightly, holding me like they might never see me again. "We will be watching over you from a distance," my father promised.

I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady, "Okay. I love you both."

My mom kissed both of my cheeks tenderly, "I will be watching your back every second. You're not alone in this."

I sighed deeply, trying to calm my racing heart.

Then I walked out of the castle, hesitant but praying and hoping for the absolute best outcome.

Once my legs stepped inside the dark forest, I started to run as fast as I could through the trees and undergrowth.

I was hoping for a miracle, hoping that everything would work out perfectly. But I didn't have much time to think or prepare. Before I could even attempt to shift into my wolf form, I stumbled over a hidden root, fell hard to the ground, and suddenly huge teeth attacked my neck viciously.

I tried to fight back with all my strength, clawing and struggling desperately. But it felt like it was too late to escape.

But strangely, I didn't die from the attack. I didn't lose any blood at all.

I raised my head in confusion to see no one but Juan standing over me, "Juan! What are you doing here?"

He smirked playfully, "What! Did you really think I would let anyone else take you from me tonight? If you don't instinctively know that I'm your mate, then I'm absolutely sure that you're mine regardless."

He cupped my face gently and kissed me hungrily, passionately, then growled possessively and touched the spot on my neck where he had bitten me. "I only wanted to leave my mark on you again, to make sure everyone knows you belong to me."

He shrugged casually, and I giggled with relief, "Yes! I thought it was a real vampire bite. You scared me to death!"

He licked the corner of his mouth seductively, "So, do you smell anyone else's scent around here? I mean, a potential mate?"

I decided to play with his nerves a little and pulled my head away teasingly, "Mmm. Kind of, actually."

I tried to stand up slowly, and he looked at me with obvious nervousness, "What! Really? Someone else is here?"

I raised my eyebrow mischievously, then suddenly jumped up to wrap my legs around his waist and attacked his neck, leaving my own mark on him. Then I pulled back with a huge grin, "Yes, it's your scent I smell. Only yours, forever and always."

He hugged me tightly and spun me around in joyful circles, "Oh my god! Are you absolutely sure? So we are really destined mates after all?"

I nodded enthusiastically, but then all of a sudden, I felt extremely dizzy and nauseous. I patted his shoulder urgently, "Put me down right now. I don't feel good."

He looked at me with concern and carefully set me on my feet. Once I was standing, I immediately started throwing up violently. I wiped my mouth with shaking hands, "Oh my god, what's happening to me?"

He asked me with deep concern, "Sunny, what's going on? Are you sick?"

I raised my head slowly, realization dawning on me, "I think... I think I might be pregnant!"

He gasped in shock and amazement, "Are you serious? Really?"

I didn't give him a direct answer because we both knew the truth - we had been sneaking around at least once every month, making love in my room or his room whenever we could find private moments.

I gulped nervously, worried about announcing this news to our families and the entire kingdom, since we both hadn't had an official mating ceremony yet.

I bit my lips anxiously, "What should we do now? What will people think?"

He shrugged and immediately lifted me in bridal style between his strong arms, "Are you kidding me? We're getting mated right now, tonight! I will prepare the most beautiful mating ceremony the kingdom has ever seen. I am the happiest wolf on earth right now!"

I said joyfully, feeling completely comfortable and safe in his arms, "You mean the happiest king on earth."

We walked back toward the castle together, both of us glowing with happiness. Our families were waiting anxiously for our return. It didn't take more than five minutes to reach the castle grounds.

But we were completely surprised to find bright lights everywhere, beautiful music playing, and a large crowd of people gathered in celebration.

"Juan, what's going on here?" I asked, amazed by the elaborate preparations.

He didn't give me a direct reply until I saw my father Nathan and my mother Isabella approaching us with a gorgeous wedding dress in their arms.

"Juan, tell me what this is!" I insisted, demanding an explanation.

He shrugged with a huge grin, "What! Did you really think I would ever let you be with anyone else? I prepared for everything a long time ago, just in case this moment came. It's our mating ceremony, my dear queen. Sunny, will you marry me and be my luna forever?"

I squealed with pure joy and excitement, "Yes! Yes! I do! I absolutely do!"

THE END.