The Wheel of Fortune is generally an indicator of luck or destiny and it is a Major Arcana signifier of change. When the Wheel of Fortune appears upright in a Tarot reading, big changes are coming. The Wheel of Fortune is also a card of destiny so in a love context it can signify soulmates.

July, 2023

After the disastrous night at Jacob's house, Emma had been getting a lot of support from the other counselors. She was surprised it even happened. She always assumed they'd rather stay away from werewolves after all they went through.

Ryan would meet her often, bringing any useful information he could find about lycanthropy. They'd spend hours, discussing and making theories about possible manners to cure, or at least prevent her transformation every month.

Abi also called a few times to know how Emma was doing. But things still weren't the same. She didn't want to see her. She didn't want to go out together, as a way to avoid any romantic involvement between them.

One evening, Jacob dropped by the diner when Emma was almost done with her shift. Benjamin wasn't there, but Addison was. She threatened she could literally kick him out of the place, in case he caused any trouble. But Emma decided to listen to him that one time.

"I just want you to know I'll never forgive myself for what happened to you," he said, keeping as much distance as possible. "And if there's anything I can do to fix it, I'll do it."

Laura and Kaitlyn were being the most supportive of all. They'd reunite every weekend to help Emma to find a solution. Or at least it was what they initially planned when they decided to throw those girls' nights at her apartment. They'd spend most of the time drinking, gossiping, laughing. No research was being done at all.

"Aren't you even a little bit curious?" Laura asked.

"I admit I'd be. It's a werewolves' den after all," Kaitlyn added. "It's not an opportunity you get everyday."

Addison invited Emma to meet her pack. Some kind of event or special ritual would be happening that weekend and the woman thought it'd be a good idea if she went. It'd be an initial step - socializing with the other members, getting familiar with the place and their traditions. No commitment, no promises. Emma would be free to go back home anytime, in case she wanted.

"No," she was still hesitant though. It sounded like she'd be embracing her curse if she accepted the invitation. "This is not happening."

"Come on, it can't be that bad," Laura seemed excited about the idea. "They'll be in their human form. Nothing gross will be happening until the Full Moon, right?"

"Maybe they're even hot, like in all those movies and TV shows," Kaitlyn suggested. "Fiction always has some connection with reality."

Emma's mind immediately returned to the videos she recorded of her transformations. There was nothing beautiful there. Her werewolf form looked ugly as a sin.

"Hot and werewolf are two words that won't fit together in the same sentence."

"I definitely felt hot when I was about to transform," Laura told. From all of them, she was the only one who genuinely enjoyed the experience of being a werewolf that night in Summer Camp.

"Look at yourself, Emma. You are hot. At least when you're human," Kaitlyn was more realistic. After all she witnessed Nick transforming, besides the confrontation she had with Silas and Caleb.

"I bet they'll be a bunch of lumberjack old dudes, waiting for the Full Moon to awaken their most primitive instincts."

Both of the girls laughed at Emma's supposition. She let out a weary sigh, playing with the ice rocks at the bottom of her empty glass.

"Girls, focus. I need to break this curse."

"You're not a problem to be fixed," Laura said, knowing exactly what she had in mind - her situation with Abi. "You're a werewolf for only a few hours every month. You're still Emma most of the time."

"Yes, if Abi truly loves you she needs to accept every part of you. Even the uh… howling parts," Kaitlyn's terrible werewolf puns never failed to make Emma smile.

In the end, she was a little bit convinced. One weekend would cause no harm. Maybe she even enjoyed the event, after all.

"I'm doing it," Emma called Addison to inform. "But on my terms."

"This is not definitive," Emma reinforced when she arrived at the rural property in Upstate New York. Benjamin had borrowed her his truck, in case she decided to return home earlier. "I agreed to meet your pack, not to join them. It's not my final answer."

"Never thought it was," Addison was waiting for her right at the entrance.

The special event that would be taking place on her pack that weekend, before the next Full Moon, was some kind of wedding. Emma was told to bring a formal outfit for the occasion.

"How many of them are here?"

"How many of us ," Addison corrected. "Twenty-one. Including you."

"And what do you usually do when you reunite?"

"Let me see… we hunt people, set the bonfire to grill them and then we eat. Is that what you assume we do?"

Emma didn't confirm, but didn't deny it. In truth she expected it to be something horrible, like she witnessed back at Hackett's Quarry. Werewolves causing a bloodshed while hunters attempted to kill them. There was absolutely no way that could be a fun and enjoyable experience.

"Honestly, Mountebank, you're the worst werewolf I've ever met."

"Thank you? Maybe because I wasn't supposed to be a werewolf in first place."

"You fail it in every possible aspect. Basement, chains, sedatives… Of course it's horrible and painful for you. You're going against your nature."

"And you expect the experience of shifting among your pack, in the middle of the woods, will make me change my mind?"

"No," Addison sighed, disappointed, "you're a lost cause."

"I won't change my mind," Emma crossed her arms, acting like a stubborn child. "I'll break this curse and be normal again."

"All of that because of a girl, who can't love you the way you are."

"This is not who I am. And it's not about Abi either. It's about me. I can't love myself when I'm a monster."

"Okay, let's go inside. But if I were you, I'd refrain myself from using the M word out here. It's offensive."

The woman grabbed her bag and took them to a manor in the middle of the property. Emma was shocked when she entered and found out those were normal people, just like her, her friends and family. No one could tell they were werewolves by simply looking at them.

"Here's your room," Addison told. Emma looked inside and spotted two bunk beds. It seemed like she'd be sharing the bedroom with three other people. "Now, go outside. Take some time to explore your surroundings. It's a sacred land for our people. You'll feel more connected to your werewolf part, you'll see."

Addison was right. Although Emma didn't feel completely comfortable in that place, she definitely felt better. The next Full Moon would be happening in two days and all the negative sensations she usually felt had disappeared. She felt replenished, energized.

After walking in the woods for a few minutes, she found a small cabin. In a wooden table outside, she spotted a familiar figure. That old lady who once stopped by the diner and told her about Eliza's curse.

Of course. Now everything made sense. Addison seemed to know her very well. How could Emma have forgotten? She could only be part of the pack.

"There you are," the old lady said with a smile. "I knew you'd come."

"You are the woman who told me about Eliza's curse," Emma said, still a little shocked about the information. "Are you a werewolf too?"

The woman introduced herself as Aurelia. She was the pack's Elder. Besides having an extensive knowledge, she was responsible for their rituals and customs. Aurelia invited Emma to sit down and have a cup of tea with her, which she accepted.

"How have you been?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't need to act around me," the Elder said with a small smile. "I can see exactly what is going on in this young heart of yours."

"Okay…" Emma let out a sigh. "I'm sorry but I don't want to be like this. It's not for me. I mean, Addison told me it runs in her family. She grew up with that. But me? I made a mistake and I got cursed."

"You still blame yourself, don't you?"

"Sort of. I acted kinda stupid that Summer. I made some things I regret. It feels like I'm being punished."

"Who doesn't act stupid at your age?" The woman let out a small laugh. "I particularly broke a few hearts too, when I was young."

Her comment made Emma let out a giggle too.

"But that's not the reason why I'm a werewolf. Or you. You're a werewolf because of somebody else's hate. A revenge plan."

"Do you think Eliza wants to use me to hurt people?" Emma asked, remembering the voice inside her head suggesting Laura should face the consequences for Silas' death.

"It's possible. What she didn't expect was that you'd go through the most painful experiences only to keep your werewolf form away from people."

The Elder touched her hand in a loving manner. Emma smiled. They talked for hours. Aurelia told her everything about the pack and werewolves in general.

"Is there any manner to make the transformation less painful?"

"It'll get easier with time. But until then, there's this mix of herbs that should help. I'll prepare you a tea before your next transformation."

"Can this curse be broken?" Emma finally asked.

"If you came from a family of werewolves, no," Aurelia told. "Your case is very rare. I think there must be a way."

"Really?!"

"I'll research my books for the right and safest ritual. Only a few more weeks, I suppose."

Aurelia gave her a tour around the property. They stopped by the lake, where a group of people was swimming and having a lot of fun. Two children would climb up a tree and jump into the water, making a competition to see who had managed to splash more water.

'Werewolves can smell each other', Addison said. And it was true. Somehow, Emma just knew those people were exactly like her.

The Elder introduced her to the group. The children were twin siblings. They were 10 years old and hadn't transformed yet, but they were very excited about the possibility. There were also two girls of Emma's age, who were training a foreign fighting style. They offered to give her some classes, if she wanted to.

"And this is Logan," Aurelia introduced. "He's new around here, just like you."

Emma learned Logan was 20 years old too. He came from a werewolf family, the youngest of four brothers. Until one year earlier, they assumed he had inherited his mother's human nature. Like her, he wasn't very thrilled about the experience.

"I was in the middle of a date when I started showing the first signs," the young male told her.

"Oh my god, it must've been horrible," Emma said.

"It looks like it'll never get any easier. I've been trying to practice yoga and meditation to keep myself grounded. It helps to reduce some of the side effects, such as the bad humor and the aggressiveness."

"Can you give me some tips? I think my roommates would appreciate that."

In the end, the day wasn't so terrible as Emma assumed it would be. In fact, for the first time since her first transformation, she felt better. Being around people who were going through the same made her actually feel like she belonged somewhere, like she wasn't completely alone in the world.

The wedding started around noon, the next day. When Emma woke up in the morning, the backyard had already been decorated and prepared for the ceremony.

She took a shower and got dressed. After doing her hair and make-up, she decided to call Abi to share the news she heard from Aurelia. She didn't answer. Emma decided to send a text. Maybe she was only busy at the moment.

After that, she followed to the wedding venue outside. Most of the seats were already taken. More guests had arrived, besides the members of the pack. Emma could sense most of them were humans.

She grabbed her phone again, before the ceremony started. Abi still hadn't answered. But she had read it. A sharp pain hit Emma right in the heart.

"Screw this," she turned off the phone.

The ceremony started. Aurelia would be the one responsible for officiating the couple's union.

"We are here today to celebrate the union of these two members of our community, Carl and Diane…"

Emma looked across the aisle, noticing the flash of a camera. A blonde girl was behind it, not missing a single shot of the ceremony and its guests.

"We must thank Goddess Moon for guiding them into finding each other," Aurelia proceeded. "Finding your mate, your lifelong partner is something rare. A blessing most of us isn't lucky enough to be granted."

The photographer had stopped taking pictures for a second. Emma's look crossed with hers when she looked in that same direction again. She had the prettiest light blue eyes Emma had ever seen.

The girl smiled at her, causing a funny sensation in her stomach.

Emma turned her attention back to the ceremony, where Aurelia continued her speech. She now spoke about destiny and how those two souls would be officially entwined after that ritual. The couples' hands were bound together with a cord, while they voiced their vows. To finish, they lit a candle together, using their tied hands.

"And now, Carl, you may kiss the bride."

Many guests were in tears, Emma noticed. Even the blonde photographer behind the camera. She laughed when she noticed Emma was observing her again, probably realizing her eyeliner had been ruined at the point.

It was a beautiful ceremony, Emma had to admit. Almost like a regular human wedding, but mixed with the pack's traditions and rituals. After it ended, all the guests followed to a marquee tent, where the party would take place.

"So, what's your first impression of our community?" Addison asked when Emma stopped by the bar to grab a drink.

"It was a nice wedding," she said, taking a sip from the champagne. "But what exactly is a mating bond? Is it like a soulmate thing for werewolves?"

"A mate is a lot more than that. Your mate is your partner for life. You two will share an unexplainable connection."

"Oh," that wasn't something Emma really believed to be possible. "And every werewolf has one? Do you have one?"

"No," Addison told. There was a hint of relief in her voice. Like Emma, she seemed to be the kind who wouldn't like to be in such a serious relationship. "Mating bonds are rare and when they happen, it's for a greater purpose. Most of us will never find our mates."

"And how do you know when someone is your mate?"

"You just know."

"It's like Twilight's imprinting then," Emma let out that comment on purpose, making Addison nearly choke on her drink. "I'm joking."

"Thank god," Addison smiled. "Maybe you're not as lost as I thought."

After their conversation, Emma decided to take a walk around the property. She returned to the lake she had seen in the previous day. It felt really peaceful there.

"Astounding view, don't you think?" She suddenly noticed she wasn't alone. "I've never been to this place before."

It was the photographer. Emma recognized her from the ceremony. She pointed her camera to the lake's direction, taking a few pictures.

"Yes," Emma said. "It's my first time here too. A friend invited me."

"I'm Sarah."

"Emma."

They shook hands. Sarah's touch sent a wave of electricity all over Emma's body. She had never felt such a sensation before. Her eyes, beautifully adorned by her long eyelashes, seemed bottomless, hypnotizing. Emma could spend hours immersed into them.

She remembered how emotive she became because of the wedding vows. Or how cute she acted when she realized her make-up was probably ruined. Was it possible such a sweet, graceful creature was also a werewolf?

"So, I was a little hesitant when they hired me for the wedding. There was a long and complicated contract, a lot of clauses about privacy and such."

The girl giggled, taking a look at the pictures she took.

"It was a beautiful wedding though. All that speech about Goddess Moon, destiny, soulmates… maybe they belong to one of those new spiritual religions, right?"

No. She wasn't. She had no idea she was among savage beasts that sought for bloodshed at every Full Moon. Good for her.

"At first I thought there'd be celebrities here or something. I mean, there's you."

"Me?" Emma noticed she was barely paying attention. She was staring at the girl for too long. She felt her cheeks burning.

"Yes, your videos were kinda popular. I watched them all the time," the blonde blushed too, getting a little bit anxious. "I-I m-mean, a friend of mine did. She watched them all the time and showed me."

Emma let out a laugh upon their awkwardness. She decided to change the subject before one of them died in embarrassment.

"So, are you also from New York?"

They spent the next few hours talking about everything. Sarah had recently moved to New York City. She studied photography and loved old movies, especially horror classics. She spoke about them passionately. If she ever made enough money, she told, she'd move to LA and attempt a career in the film industry.

Then, she managed to drag Emma to the dance floor. They danced together until they were exhausted. Emma couldn't remember when was the last time she had so much fun.

"I'm finally going to eat," Sarah said when they finally sat down at one of the tables. "God, I was starving."

"Wait, didn't you eat anything yet?" Emma asked in shock. "Were you forbidden to be served or…?

"No. Actually, I was saving for the best part."

The girl pointed at the cake, who had been cut and was being served to the guests. She was excited as a child. Emma couldn't help being infected by her excitement.

While they ate, they started a small game - choosing a random person at the party and inventing a story about them.

"That woman," Emma pointed to a middle-aged brunette. "Workaholic, definitely. Look at the bags under her eyes. She spends too much time at work because she feels neglected by her husband."

"Who she met at college," Sarah added. "He was a stud, but now all he can do is watch sports on TV all the time while she miserably drinks a bottle of wine in the kitchen."

"Ouch! That's sad."

"So, drug dealer or working for the mafia?" Sarah asked.

"Who?"

"Carl, the groom."

Emma burst into laughs. Carl definitely had shady vibes, probably for being a werewolf.

"I still haven't forgotten the contract thing. There's something weird about this event. Maybe they'll start an orgy after midnight."

"You do have some very creative ideas, Sarah."

Emma's mouth curled up in a devilish smile. She decided to tease the girl's imagination a little bit with the closest from the truth she could tell.

"Or maybe they're vampires," she said.

Sarah looked serious and pensive for a moment. She approached Emma and lowered her voice to whisper:

"Do you think they'd turn me?"

"And why would you even want to be a vampire?" Emma replied in the same whispering tone.

"One, immortality. Second, powers. Third, fangs are sexy."

"You know vampires aren't real, right?"

"Maybe they are. Want to investigate?"

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" Emma was muffling a laugh while they broke into the manor. They had locked the doors to prevent the guests from exploring the house during the wedding. Maybe because she was feeling so relaxed and well, it wasn't difficult for Emma to use her enhanced strength to open an old rusty window that gave them full access to the place. She entered first, helping Sarah to get in.

The blonde girl seemed to be amazed, her blue eyes scanned every corner of the bedroom, searching for anything scandalous to prove one of her crazy theories.

"Do you think I'm a bad influence?" Sarah asked, taking a look inside the attached bathroom next.

"A little, but I admit I was really really bored before you found me at the lake."

"Thank my lucky stars I picked the right person to act criminal with me."

There was nothing interesting in the bedroom they broke into. Emma took the opportunity to explore the manor herself, what she hadn't done since she arrived a day before.

One of the rooms particularly got their attention. It was some kind of entertainment room.

"Look!" Sarah exclaimed, excited. "A pool table. Wanna play?"

"I'm not very good at it," Emma admitted. "But let's do it. I like challenges."

"Okay, to make it even more fun - for every ball I pocket, you tell me something about you and for every ball you pocket, I tell you something about me. Deal?"

Emma accepted. She was very interested in learning more about that mysterious photographer. There was something about her that made her feel puzzled, intrigued.

Sarah was indeed good at that game, her first move was determined and precise, sending a couple of striped balls to the pockets.

"Okay…" the girl bit her lower lip in excitement. "So, are you single?"

Emma took a second to answer, thinking about her situation with Abi. She clearly stated she wanted to be friends only until Emma's curse was broken. She was ignoring her messages and calls most of the time. She also refused to attend the girls' nights with Kaitlyn and Laura.

"Yes," she finally said. "I'm single."

Sarah made a small spontaneous celebrating gesture, which made Emma let out a small laugh.

"My turn."

She leaned against the table, positioning her cue and aiming at a solid ball. She only played pool a few times before, her werewolf abilities could be very useful at the moment. Her predatory senses could help her to measure her strength and angle.

"Need any help?" Sarah pressed her body against Emma's, placing her hand over hers. That electric sensation returned, making Emma shiver head to toes. "A little bit more to the left and… go."

"Ha! I did it," Emma grinned when her ball got into the pocket. She missed her next shot, but she had earned her right to ask a question. "Describe yourself in five words. Not all of them can be positive."

"Uhhh… adventurous, compassionate and energetic. But also stubborn and a little reckless."

They continued their game. Emma was always expecting questions about Hackett's Quarry to come up, but they never did. Sarah alternated between silly and personal questions.

"Hogwarts house?" She asked.

"Slytherin."

"Team Edward or Team Jacob?" Emma asked in return, to test her a little.

"Team Jacob. Werewolves definitely. Vampires are snobs and full of themselves."

A small, satisfied smile formed in the corners of Emma's mouth.

"Tell me something random about yourself," Sarah asked when she sank her last ball.

"I always try to be cautious but I always end up attracting trouble to myself."

The blonde missed the 8 ball. It was Emma's turn to celebrate. She still could win that game. She stared at the table, focused and determined.

"So, I'm trouble?" Sarah was standing by her side, playing with a strand of her light blonde hair. Her fragrance was hypnotizing, addictive.

"You definitely could be," Emma told, biting her lower lip as she stared at her.

"In a good or a bad way?"

"Well, it depends."

Emma had to sink two balls to be tied with Sarah. One of the solids was already in.

"On what?"

"You already asked all of your questions."

Another solid went to the pocket. Now Emma only had to sink the 8 ball. She looked at Sarah with a smirk.

"Before we end this," Emma took a long breath, making some suspense, "my question. Are you hitting on me?"

"It depends," Sarah grinned mischievously.

"Smartass! On what?"

"Is it working?"

Emma took her last shot before answering. She did it. She managed to win the game. In a quick move, she pressed Sarah against the table. She brushed off her hair away from her shoulder, inhaling her fragrance as much as she could.

"What do you think?" She placed her lips only one breath away from Sarah's.

"If I have to take a guess," Sarah wrapped her arms around Emma's neck, "I'd say you are very very into me."

"Right answer."

Emma closed the distance between them, teasing the girl a little bit before deepening the kiss. As their tongues moved together, she felt that electric sensation getting stronger than ever. Her skin felt like it was on fire. But in a good, pleasant way.

"You won," Sarah spoke when they parted. "I suppose I owe you a prize?"

Emma nodded, immediately going back to her mouth. She didn't want to stop. She couldn't stop. She'd kiss Sarah for eternity if she could. No sensation would compare to what she was feeling in that moment.

"I promise you it can get a lot better than this," Sarah whispered in her ear, before nibbling softly on her earlobe.

"Then show me."

After undressing each other in a frenzied mode, Sarah pushed Emma on the couch, grinning widely at the view in front of her. She crawled on top of her, kissing her mouth feverishly, while her hands explored Emma's body. She finished the kiss with a long and soft bite on her lower lip.

Her mouth descended to Emma's neck, then at her collarbone. Her hands started caressing her tights, in a provocative manner.

"Sarah…" Emma let out a moan as she proceeded with her moves. The girl lowered herself even further, placing her mouth between Emma's legs. "Holy fucking shit…"

It was difficult to keep quiet. Sarah pleased her expertly, driving her to the edge and then withdrawing for effect.

Werewolves with advanced hearing were right in the backyard. If one of them decided to venture closer to the manor, they'd definitely get caught. But somehow the risk made it even more enjoyable, more fun.

"Fuck…" Emma dug her nails into the couch's fabric, as Sarah sent her into ecstasy.

It was already night. In less than 24 hours, Emma would be turning into a werewolf. She was in a werewolf territory. Her emotions were enhanced to the maximum, including desire. She wasn't ready to stop. Not yet.

She switched positions, being on top of Sarah on the couch.

"What's with you?" Emma asked, gazing into her eyes in a fiery mode. "You're driving me crazy."

"It's crazy, I know," Sarah said as they started to move their hips against each other. She grabbed Emma by the waist, increasing the pressure between them. "But I wanted you from the moment we saw each other at the wedding."

"Me too."

Emma woke up in the first hours in the morning, still feeling exhausted from all that action in the previous night. She had faced an intense night of strange dreams. Flashes of images and sensations she couldn't describe, or even remember. Her heart was racing inside her chest. She was trembling and sweating.

Sarah was still sleeping peacefully on top of her body. She looked at the girl and smiled. A strand of light blonde hair insisted on falling over her face. Emma placed it behind her ear. When she touched her, a surge of electricity suddenly hit her. A sensation she had never felt before. Everything felt peaceful, everything felt right. There were no more feelings of emptiness or sorrow. She felt complete.

"What the…"

She closed her eyes again. Maybe that was just another weird dream or something. And for a second, it was like her mind was connected directly to Sarah's and she could see exactly what she was dreaming about or what she was feeling in that moment.

"N-No… it can't be…"

And then, the realization came. The girl, asleep in her arms, was her mate.