Blood and Mate novel Chapter 1

Leera's POV

"No way!" I gasped, squinting at the calendar. This could not be happening!

Looking at it more carefully, I counted the days between today and the date. Exactly 7 more days till my doom. It was the 5th of December, and in exactly a week I was going to get my blood colour checked.

Just fun-fricken-tastic

Not only was I reminded of it at home- but at school as well. I had just graduated high school, and was making my way to college. Even there, girls couldn't wait for the chance to meet their 'mate'. It was pathetic if you asked me. Sadly we had no choice if we wanted to have our blood colour checked, and it was so important there was a name for the day- Par Ordo Lux.

Of course, it was different for men.

The men were lucky though, they didn't have to move packs or give up their lives. They just had their blood taken so they could match it up with their mates. It was really unfair and sexist in my opinion, and I was dreading the day I would have to have my blood taken.

Every year there was a celebration the day before the women had theirs, because it was then that the mates could find each other. Rolling my eyes, I tossed the calendar to the other side of the room, it landed with a 'thump' beside my dresser. Some parents were so eager to find out their child's fate, that they had private doctors go and take their child's blood, and in some cases the higher-class parents got rid of their babies if their blood colour wasn't dark enough. Supposedly it was a disgrace to have someone in your family who was from a lower class.

Bastards.

But I'm and orphan- or was, I'm 18 now, so I'm a legal adult. Luckily for me I had no-one to try and take my blood from a younger age. No-one knew my parents; they say I was just 'dropped off' at the front door to some stranger's house, with no name, just a silver chain necklace. Fantastic, huh?

Looking out the window, I saw the postman drop something off in my letterbox, getting up; I trudged to the old ornate door. Taking steps by two, I finally reached the bottom level of the apartments, swinging the door open. Gazing out on to the street, there were some kids playing in their yard in front of my apartment.

Jogging to the letter box, I saw the thin, pale yellow envelope peeping out of its slot. Not bothering to unlock the letterbox, I grabbed the paper by its corner, and gave it a harsh tug; making the edges crease a little.

Oh well.

Managing to get out the letter, I made my way back to my apartment. Sitting on my marble kitchen table, I turned the envelope to see who it was from.

"The Council of Shifters'

Shit, shit, shit! Aww crap... I knew exactly why I had received this letter. How had I not noticed before, I mean, who sends a pale yellow envelope that looks like it was dated in the 1700's in 2013?!

I hoped so.

Turning the letter over, there was a small print on the back. Leaning over slightly to have a better look, it didn't look to be important, but I read on anyways.

"If you don't turn up on the correct date and time, we will assume you don't want to come. So by then our men will have been sent to your address, and will forcefully bring you to California. So make sure you turn up on time'

You're kidding me. Looks like they didn't want anyone to see that part of the letter, otherwise they would have put it with the rest of the letter. Flopping onto my bed, I contemplated running away- they would just hunt you down- a small voice in my head said. It was right though, the council had the best of the best trackers in the shifter society, and they could find you even if you left five years ago.

Getting up I decided I should probably start packing, everyone in my neighbourhood was a shifter, humans were long gone. Shuffling through my wardrobe, I grumbled to myself about how unfair this was- why couldn't the man move in with the girl. Not the other way around. I didn't even know where I was going to live. For all I knew, I could end up in the desert, surrounded by cactuses.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Taking a deep breath, I heaved out my suitcase, and chucked random clothes in it, leaving enough room for toiletries and spare money. Picking up the rest of my clothes, and dropping them into boxes, I'll sought through them when I get to my new pack. Grabbing random utensils, and hunting equipment, I placed them carefully into another box filled with polystyle foam peanuts. I hadn't shifted into my wolf yet, when my mate bits my neck- or 'marks' me- then about an hour later I'll shift.