As soon as they started moving, she couldn’t help but think about Connor. He was the kindest person she had ever met; he didn’t deserve to die. If he were still here, there would be no way he would have let her be signed up to the Matchmaker; they could have left and found a new life somewhere. Hopefully she still could, it would just be in the human world, that is assuming she survived this in the first place.

Saphira wasn’t sure where they were headed or how long it would take to get there. She had never ventured beyond the borders of the Silvermoon pack before.

Saphira asked the driver politely, “Excuse me sir, how far away are we from our destination?”

“We will arrive at the airport in around two hours, Miss.” He replied.

“Airport?” She asked, confused, not thinking it was overseas.

“Well, yes, I cannot drive over water.” He answered, chuckling to himself.

“Obviously.” She muttered under her breath.

The driver asked if Saphira had ever been abroad. She admitted that this was her first time leaving the pack, while gazing out the window. Her life had been so confined and controlled that she never had the chance to see the outside world, which she found quite sad. The driver expressed hope that Saphira would enjoy the ride, and she nodded in response, continuing to look at the world through the window, knowing it might be her only way to experience it.

Saphira remembered learning about the Matchmaker at school. It was originally used to find a mate of one’s own kind. Having a mate was now a choice, but years ago it was rumoured that individuals were destined to be with one another. That hadn’t happened in centuries. Now, one chose a mate, and once they marked each other, a special bond was meant to form, igniting a magical feeling.

Saphira remembered being taught that in the past, matches were made based on DNA and personality compatibility. If the matched partners didn’t connect, they could freely leave and return home or re-enter the Matchmaker for another attempt. However, over time, the rules changed, and the process no longer worked that way. The Matchmaker became one of the most dangerous places to go. All supernatural’s were now mixed together, and once chosen to participate, they had no choice but to comply or face death. Saphira knew that in the supernatural world, the Matchmaker held the highest form of authority, and whatever it decided was final.

The Matchmaker was divided into two halves: the strong and the weak. The strong, chosen based on status and power, were usually forced into the Matchmaker to try to produce an even stronger bloodline. They were compelled to stay until paired, leaving either with a chosen mate or mutually agreeing to part ways after ten days.

Conversely, the weak were typically forced into the program due to being unwanted or for other negative intentions. Occasionally, some joined willingly in hopes of meeting a powerful mate, but this was becoming less common with the mix of supernatural beings.

The weak who were forced into the Matchmaker faced three possible outcomes. The first was to be fortunate enough to be paired with a chosen mate. The second was to agree to part ways after ten days, allowing the partner to return home while the other would be banished from the supernatural society. The final outcome was death. If mating wasn’t viable between the pairs, the desperation of the weak to avoid banishment often led to attempts at forced mating, resulting in their demise.

Saphira knew she was entering as a weak being, without abilities or means of defense. She doubted she would last more than five minutes.

Just as the driver had said, they arrived at the airport in just over two hours. Instead of stopping at the main entrance, they drove down a side entrance which led directly onto the runway and stopped next to a smaller fancy plane.

“Here we are Miss, I will get your bag, you make your way on board.” The driver told Saphira.

Jed chuckled softly. “You’ll get used to it. Just keep your mind occupied. So, what do you think about the Matchmaker?”

Saphira hesitated, her thoughts swirling with the stories she had heard. “Honestly, I’m scared. It sounds like such a dangerous place, especially for someone like me.”

Jed nodded, understanding. “It can be. But sometimes, it’s the unexpected matches that turn out to be the strongest. You never know what might happen.”

Saphira pondered his words, trying to find some comfort in them. “Do you think there’s someone out there for everyone?” she asked, voicing a question that had been on her mind for a long time.

Jed took a moment to reply. “I’d like to believe so. But it’s so rare nowadays.”

Saphira looked out of the window, watching the clouds drift by. “I just hope I’m strong enough to survive this.”

Jed gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re stronger than you think, Saphira. Just take it one step at a time.”

She nodded, feeling a small spark of hope igniting within her. Maybe, just maybe, she would find her place in this unpredictable world. And with that thought, she settled back into her seat, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.