I Watched My Mate Declare His Devotion to Another

On my birthday, under the full moon, my mate howled his devotion to another—their childhood bond displayed in a blaze of silver sparks that lit the night.

I watched from the shadows, feeling the familiar pull of the moon in my veins as my body twitched with the urge to shift, to run, to fight… yet I stayed frozen.

A traveler passing by caught it all on film, and soon the village whispers and pack rumors spread like wildfire.

His packmates nudged me, smirking through their fur, “What do you think of this, sister of the moon?”

I forced my voice steady, “I watched. What else could I do?”