I was walking through the mall with my mom, admiring the sparkling dress on display in the window of one of the stores.

"Mom, can we check out that dress inside?" I asked, pointing towards the shop window.

"Of course, sweetie," my mom replied with a smile. "Let's see what they have in store for us."

We walked inside, and my eyes widened as I saw the beautiful dresses, shoes, and accessories on display. I made a beeline for the sparkly dress that had caught my attention from the window.

"Wow, this is gorgeous!" I exclaimed as I showed my mother the dress.

"It certainly is," my mom said as she admired it. "But let's see what else they have before we decide on anything."

As we continued to browse through the racks of dresses, excitement began to well up inside of me. I was eager to select the ideal attire for the Selene festival ball. I observed that there were numerous other lovely dresses in the store as we made our way through it, each with a distinctive design and allure. Short and flirtatious dresses with lace accents, long and flowing dresses made of smooth materials, and even some gowns with striking motifs and patterns were all there. I couldn't resist trying some of them on and spinning about in front of the mirror as my mother smiled and observed.

I found a gorgeous ball gown that was a shade of deep blue that made my eyes pop. The dress had intricate beading along the bodice, and the skirt was full and flowed beautifully when I twirled. As I turned around, I saw my mom's eyes widen with delight, and I knew this was the one. I also found some beautiful accessories that would complement my chosen dress perfectly. There were sparkly earrings, bracelets, and necklaces that caught my eye, but I eventually settled on a simple but elegant silver necklace and matching earrings that would add just the right amount of sparkle to my outfit.

I felt a tap on my shoulder as I waited for my mother to try on some outfits. When I turned around, an elderly woman was standing behind me wearing a long, flowing skirt and a bright scarf over her hair. Although she had a friendly face, I felt a little uneasy because of the mysterious glitter in her eyes.

The elderly woman grinned at me, flashing her oddly white yet crooked teeth. With a raspy, low voice, she proclaimed, "You are the chosen one."

I frowned, not sure what she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"You have been chosen to carry the light of the moon goddess," the old woman continued, her eyes still fixed on mine. "To bring hope and healing to those in need."

I still didn't understand. "But how do you know me? And what does this all mean?"

The old woman just smiled. "All will be revealed in time," she said cryptically. "For now, just trust in yourself and your inner light. The world needs it now more than ever."

I stared at her in confusion. How could I, a regular teenager, be chosen for such an important task? And how did she know my name? Before I could ask any questions, my mom appeared, calling out to me from the other side of the store. I turned back to the old woman, but she was gone, as if she had vanished into thin air.

"Did you find something you like, honey?" my mom asked.

"Yes, I did," I replied, still feeling a little shaken from my encounter with the old woman. "But something strange just happened."

"What do you mean?" my mom asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

I informed her of the elderly woman's remarks to me. Although she listened intently, my mother didn't appear as frightened as I did.

She patted my hand reassuringly and remarked, "Sometimes, people just say strange things. Don't stress yourself out too much. Let's concentrate on getting you the ideal shoes to match that dress."

Despite my mother's reassurance, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to the old woman's words than just rambling. How did she know my name? And what did she mean by "chosen one"? I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind as we continued to shop for shoes and other accessories.

Ultimately, I discovered a pair of silver heels that wonderfully complemented my necklace and earring set, and my mother found a stunning red dress of her own. I looked around as we left the store, half-expecting to see the elderly woman again, but she was nowhere to be seen.

I wondered if the old woman was some kind of fortune teller or mystic who had seen something in me. Or was she just a random person who had mistaken me for someone else? The possibilities seemed endless, and I felt a sense of unease wash over me.

There have been far too many weird occurrences lately. Maybe, all these events were connected or perhaps, I was only imagining things. I wanted to meet Ethan soon to get some answers to all of the questions in my mind but how could I find him? I had no idea which pack he belonged to or even where to start looking for him.

My mom must have noticed the frown on my face because she enquired, "What's on your mind, sweetie?"

"I'm just thinking about how I'm going to find someone," I replied vaguely.

"Is it a friend from school?" she asked.

"Sort of," I said, not wanting to explain the whole mate thing to my mom. "It's someone I met recently."

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out," she said with a smile. "Maybe you can ask around on social media or something."

I nodded, not really convinced. Social media seemed like a long shot, especially if Ethan was trying to keep a low profile. And even if I did find him, what would I say? "Hey, remember me? You saved my life the other day. You claimed to be my mate. Can we chat?"

The more I thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed. But I couldn't just give up. As we drove home, I made a mental list of all the neighboring packs I knew of. There was the Silver Ridge pack to the east, the Moonstone pack to the north, and the Blood Moon pack to the south. But how was I supposed to narrow it down?