Loëk's P.O.V

After I had calmed down, I was eager to hurry up and get to the selection. Father told Levi he could go. Levi waved at me and with a "Peace bro" he left. Father then took me to a room with two thrones and one huge mirror where a wall should be. Mother paced in front of the thrones and when we walked in, she looked up, eyes worried. "Loëk!" She said, quickly walking over to me. She stopped in front of me and did looked me up and down. "What happened?!" She demanded.

"I found my mate." I say simply, smiling. "You did? Oh that's wonderful! Who is she?" Mother asked looking around like she might be hiding somewhere. "I, uh actually don't know." I confess. Her head snapped back to me. I smelled her. "She's definitely one of the girls in the selection." She sighed at my vague explanation. "I would have found out who she was if someone didn't stop me. I glare accusingly at my father. He cleared his throat. "You would have scared her." He said, somewhat uncomfortably. "I suppose your right." Mother said slowly. Ice was getting annoyed. He paced back and forth and growled, anxious for the selection to get started so he could find out who our mate was. "Can we hurry up and get started with the selection?" I ask. Mother and father looked at each other and nodded. Father put his hand on my shoulder. "I know you want to find your mate as soon as possible, but remember, this is a selection. You must give all the girls a chance." I cross my arms and purse my lips. As if I could be with anyone but my mate. A selection my ass. As soon as I find out just who my lovely mate is, I'm sending all the other girls home.

I nod anyway and take my place between mother and father's seats. After a while Ms. Kapla came in with the first ten girls. I know immediately that none of these girls are my mate. "Emily Katches." Ms. Kapla said primly. One of them stepped up. I groan inwardly and approach the first girl. She wagged her tail in nervous hope as I got closer. I go one one knee, close my eyes, and breath in her scent. Raspberries. Not a bad scent, but it pales in comparison to my mate's. I open my eyes and shake my head. The girl's ears and tail droop, but she got up and went to the end of the line. It goes on like this for some time, me smelling all these girls scents and then rejecting them. It wasn't until the second group of girls did I smell her scent faintly. It was coming from a blonde wolf who kept glancing flirtatiously at me. She obviously wasn't my mate, but when I got to her I shifted anyway and tried to draw out my mate's heavenly scent from this girl's. The blonde wolf's scent was of cheap perfume and bitter almonds. I was tempted to shy away from her, but I wanted to get another whiff of my mate's smell. There. Under all the blonde wolf's smell was my mate's. I leaned in, trying to get a better sniff. The blonde wolf must have thought that I was interested in her, because she pressed her chest against mine and growled flirtatiously. Ice snarled angrily, disgusted at the very thought of being with this gold digger. I immediately wrinkle my nose in disgust and back away from her. She looks shocked that I did this, and narrowed her eyes in disbelief.

After the blonde wolf I didn't smell my mate again for a while. When a mostly light brown wolf stepped up, I smelt my mate strongly on her. She must have interacted with her. I go to her and shift. The brown wolf looks surprised but wags her tail in a friendly way. I smelt her scent which was poppies and honeydew, but was mostly interested in my mate's. After a while, I was getting tired of smelling this girl who wasn't my mate, even if she did have my mate's scent on her, and backed away from the brown wolf. The brown wolf nodded understandingly, got up, and walked to the end of the line. When I was finished their was only one group left, and I was beginning to lose hope. If my mate wasn't in the last group, then maybe I was wrong. Maybe she wasn't in the selection and she was actually one of the hundreds of girls who came in and out of the castle everyday. I shifted back into a human and turned away from the door with a grunt. Ice whined, anxious. I hear the door open, but don't turn around. That was until I smelled her scent. "Mate!" Ice chanted in my head. I whip my head too the door and immediately see where the smell is coming from. My mate was a beautiful black wolf with speckled with silver. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was more breathtaking then I had ever imagined. She walked in with her head down, but I saw her nostrils flare so she must have known that I was her mate. When they lined up I quickly make my way down the line until I get to her. "Winter Leaves!" Ms. Kapla called. She stepped up, head down. "So Winter is her name." I think, elated that I finally knew it. I turned shifted and took her in. She was strongly built and sleek. I stuck my muzzle into the fur around her neck and inhaled her scent. Ice was on cloud nine, and I had to keep a strong hold on him to stop him from taking over. I growled happily as I nuzzled her neck. I felt her stiffen. "Did I do something wrong?" I think, panicking. I pulled away from her and tilted my head questioningly. She shuffled away a few steps, staring at her paws.

Aw, poor thing. She must be embarrassed. I thought, amused. How cute. I growl with amusement and step forward. I stuck my muzzle into her neck fur again. She didn't move, which I took as her accepting me. I took it a step further and nipped at her neck. She flicked her head away and backed up. Oh no. I was too forward. Now she must think I'm a jerk or something. No! I took a step towards her thinking: Please don't hate me! She snapped her head at me, stood up and snarled. The room was filled with tension. She didn't want me any closer to her. "Why? She must know I'm her mate. Oh goddess, I must have been too forward. She must be angry or something. Oh Loëk, you idiot!" I was about to go to her again when Ms. Kapla shouted, "TIME!" I cursed at myself. I'd forgotten that I'd be timed with each girl if I shifted. Winter got up and nearly ran to the end of the line. A million thoughts flew through my mind. I shifted back to a human and stared at her while she stared at the wall. Ms. Kapla called out another girls name, but I ignored her. I hope Winter doesn't hate me. Ice growled in agreement. "SARAH MATHEWS!!" Ms. Kapla shouted, making everyone jump. The second to last wolf nervously stepped up. I refuse to tear my eyes away from Winter. Winter is looking at the wolf that got called up. I have no choice but to quickly take a look at the wolf and then dismiss her. "Jane Glass!" The final wolf stepped up, and I heard Winter take a breath. I glance at the girl. She was pretty I suppose, but on no account prettier then my mate.

"Everyone up, we're leaving." Ms. Kapla snapped. All of the wolves got up. Including my mate. "Wait!" I cry, shifting to human form. "Leave Winter! She's"- "Your Highness." She interrupted me sharply. "Winter Leaves is going to get ready for dinner. You shall see her again there. Now come along girls!" They got up and followed Ms. Kapla out the door. My mate walking out with them. She didn't turn back. My mate. . . Does she hate me now? I can't believe it.

I had both found my mate and lost her
              in the span of two hours.