Evie sat perched on top of a large rock with her feet dangling into the lake water below her. Little ripples circled out over the shallow water the covered an array of coloured stones. Looking up, she observed how she could not see the rainbow of stones a few meters in front of her. After a moment she squinted at the dark tree line across the lake. She wondered what creatures lurked about in there, and if they minded that she was disturbing their home. She ought to leave just in case - she wouldn't want to be rude after all.

With a sigh she stood up on the rock before reaching her hands up above her with a satisfying crack resounding from spine. That felt amazing. Leaning down she picked up her brown, leather sandals before turning to the dirt pathway behind her. The covered, and rough pathway would lead her pack to the wood log cabin on the edge of the woods. This was where she lived with her mum - Marie.

As Evie walked slowly back home as she focused on the ground wary of stepping on sharp rocks with her sandals still swinging by her side. She would hate to ruin another pair of shoes with her wet feet. And this was a new pair that she particularly liked.

As she walked further, she could hear the patrol wolves running through the trees a few hundred meters to her left, so she quickened her pace until a small cottage appeared as the trees thinned out ahead of her.

A smiled graced her face at the site of her mum sitting on the veranda with a white, knitted blanket draped over her frail shoulders. Marie's favourite spot was to sit on the veranda and enjoy to afternoon sun, waiting for her daughter's return after her daily walks through the wilderness.

'Mum!' Evie shouted as she waved her arms in the arm with a wide grin across her face. The woman with the lined face looked up with a smile to greet her approaching daughter. Despite being gone less than an hour, Evie had missed her mum.

'Hiya pumpkin. Did you have a good walk?' Evie's mum questioned as the two embraced in a loving and firm hug.

'It was pretty good. What have you been doing?' Brushing aside the question Evie focused one her mum.

'I started a new painting. I really think it could be my masterpiece!' A sparkle took over her eyes as she empathically talked to her daughter. Marie had always enjoyed painting ever since Evie was a little girl. Aside from her daughter, Marie's greatest passion was painting.

'That's great mum I'm so glad - '

All pack members are to report to the main hall for dinner at six. The Alpha has an announcement and there are no excuses for not attending unless you are on patrol. All must adhere with this command.

The strong and gruff voice of the Beta range out in Evie's mind.

'I guess we better start walking over then in case anyone in the kitchen needs a helping hand seeing as everyone will be eating together.' Evie's mum stated as she stood up and grabbed the carved walking stick that rested against wall beside her chair. She had been using the walking stick for the last few years as her health had greatly deteriorated. Her mum's condition often weighed heavy on Evie's mind, but she pushed aside her worry for the moment.

With a nod Evie grabbed her arm to guide her down the veranda steps and along the path that led to the cluster of buildings where most of the pack members resided along with the administration buildings, the childcare centre, and the communal resources. It was not really a proper path, more a line of grass worn down by the limited traffic that visited the home of Evie and Marie.

Evie and her mum had lived on the outskirts of the small township for as long as she could remember. A unique personality, her mum did not thrive living amongst her pack mates unlike most werewolves and had stated many times before that she enjoyed having her own space away from everyone. Evie had previously wondered if she encroached in her mum's space - she hoped not. Afterall, she too did not do well spending too much time with others and she understood the strain it took on her. The pair was suite to the quieter lifestyle.

Her mum had moved out of the main settlement when she was pregnant with Evie - after her mate had disappeared leaving her to be a single parent. Despite this great pain, she smiled every day and raised her daughter as well as she could. And to everyone around them in the pack, it was apparent that Marie had done a fantastic job, raising a caring and loving young woman.

The two figures with linked arms walked for ten minutes, chatting about Marie's newest project and the plans that Evie has for her new but flourishing garden. Before long they were passing the outer buildings of the settlement were most people in the pack lived in modest, brick or timber homes. After another 5 minutes they reached the building which housed the dinning hall and kitchen, with a large garden situated behind it. Many families within the community relied on the garden for their fresh produce, as such it was well cared for. Evie had considered volunteering to tend to the garden but had decided she liked the freedom to tend to her own plants. It would be impossible to use up space in the communal garden with flowers.

Evie and her mum slipped down the side of the building and entered the kitchen which was bustling with people preparing to the evening meal - which already smelt amazing and made Evie's stomach grumble.

'Evie! Marie! Hello, my loves, have you come to help your beloved cousin?' Joanne, the petite but loud head chef, called out to them above the buzz of conversation, and sounds of food being prepared.

'Yes, dear cousin. I assumed you might need an extra hand with the recent announcement. I assumed you would be very busy.' Marie replied with a smile.

'Can you believe it! Absolutely no warning! Just inconsiderate I say. I do not know how the Alpha expects me to cater 300 people in 4 hours. Unbelievable. But I will try my very darndest to do it - after all I am a culinary genius!' Joanne proclaimed loudly as Evie giggled at her antics.

'Come on my dear. You will prepare the vegetables that are going to be roasted whilst your mother helps me with deserts.' Joanne pulled Evie along to a workstation and thrust a sharp knife into her hand whilst gesturing to a huge pile of vegetables that sat waiting to be washed, peeled and chopped up.

'I'll have it done in no time.' Evie gave her a reassuring look before setting to the task in front of her. Soon she settled into a rhythm and the pile began to shrink at a rapid pace.

As she worked away, she listened to the gossip and hub bub of the kitchen staff. She loved to listen and learn about their daily lives. Who had just found their mate, who was expecting a baby and so on. After a few minutes, a particular conversation peaked Evie's interest.

'I heard that the sons of the Alpha and Beta are returning. Apparently, the Alpha's son has found his mate and is going to present her to the pack. Can you believe it? After all of the searching and waiting it is about time.' One of the young kitchen hands chattered excitedly to her friend.

'Ugh. If that is true, then we will be preparing for a mating celebrating and crowning ceremony within the next few weeks. I was really looking forward to having a quiet few weeks with nothing on the calendar.' The other kitchen hand replied with a groan dreading the work that would arise if the rumour were true.

'It'll be fun. They'll invite other packs, and you never know - your mate might visit.' The first kitchen hand raised her eyebrow suggestively at her friend.

Evie tuned out when the two young women started discussing what they hoped their mates were like. She hoped soon that she would meet her own mate. Surely it was only a matter of months if not weeks considering she was approaching her nineteenth birthday, and werewolves were able to identify their mates when they turned eighteen. She remembered how excited she had been that few days after her birthday, so sure that she was only moments away from bumping into the love of her life. After a few weeks, this excitement had faded slightly, but Evie still dreamt about the day she would meet her mate.

Looking down she shook her head and focused on the task of slicing up the carrots in front of her before moving onto the potatoes and pumpkin. Before long, the huge pile of vegetables had been transformed into neat rows of sliced up vegetables ready to be put into the large, industrial ovens. Satisfied with her work, Evie set off to see what other jobs Joanne had in store for her.

'Alrighty what else do you need done?' Evie questioned as she approached Joanne and her mother, the pair huddled together talking - no doubt they were gossiping about the ongoings in the pack like the two kitchen hands that Evie had eavesdropped on before.

Pleasantly surprised, Joanne dragged Evie off and set her to a new task.