I was pacing back and forth in my room. I don’t really know why I was nervous. It’s just a silly ceremony, but something was worrying me and I couldn’t put my finger on it.
You’re worrying for nothing Devon said in my mind. Our mate is here and in a few hours she will be marked and ours. What more could you want?
He was right. I found my mate, she accepted me, and now we're going to be complete. Why am I buggin? I need something to calm me down.
“Best friend to the rescue,” yelled Hunter, bursting through the doors with a bottle and two shot glasses. "Dude I could feel your anxiety down the hall. You need to chill."
Of course. His remedy to everything. He quickly poured us a shot and we downed it immediately. We repeated this about four more times before I felt a bit calmer.
"Thanks man. I don't know why I'm so nervous."
Hunter cocked an eyebrow towards me and I shrugged my shoulders to say ‘What?’
"You're about to seal the deal with your mate while you still have unresolved feelings for another. So you're second guessing yourself, thinking all of this is too fast and you're making a huge mistake."
I looked at him in disbelief. How could he possibly know that? Did I share that with him and forgot about it? Hunter was sitting in a chair, studying me.
As if to answer my question he said, “I see things, man. Because of Ashlee I know what love looks like and you, my friend, love two women. Question is: who do you choose? The woman the moon goddess made for you or the woman you can’t seem to get off your mind?”
"I'm sorry did you body swap with another Hunter from another dimension or something," I asked as Hunter sat down laughing at my question. I continued to look at him shocked. The guy who made it a mission to bed as many unmated she-wolves was speaking about love.
“Why haven’t you brought this up before," I asked, a little annoyed that he kept this to himself. All this time my friend has been observing my behavior with these two women and hasn't said anything. Hunter looked back at me with regret in his eyes.
“I didn’t because I knew you would want me to help you make a decision and I can’t do that, man.”
I laughed a little. He was right. I definitely would’ve asked his opinion but more his pick between the two. I ran my hands through my hair not caring if I messed up the minutes the stylist spent it on to keep it back.
“All I can say,” Hunter continued, “When I found Ashlee something inside me changed. I mean, I was the pack slut for some time-"
"A long time, Hunter, like really long time," I said laughing and dodging an object being thrown at my head.
"Fine a long time. Anyway, I remember having a different girl in my bed every night trying to fill something that they couldn’t. I didn’t realize it was driving me mad until I found Ashlee at that party. She made me feel something no one else could. I felt complete, you know, but unworthy. I didn’t think she would accept me because of my past, but she didn’t. She didn’t care about how I was before. She just wanted to focus on who we are together. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
My best friend, my Beta, was sitting next to me with tears in his eyes for a woman. I wasn’t sure how to take all this emotion but I was glad he trusted me enough to let me see this side of him. Hunter quickly wiped his eyes and got up to take another shot.
“Anyway I know when she’s ready and we mark each other, it’s probably going to be one of the happiest moments of my life because it will be with her,” he said, bringing me another shot. “So who comes to mind when you think of that.”
I took the shot and thought about what Hunter said as I walked over to my balcony. The full moon was bright tonight, illuminating the area below filled with people. Some were chatting on the porch and walking around the garden, waiting for the ceremony to start.
I remembered the day I saw Alaia walking along the flowers. She looked so beautiful and innocent. She took my breath away. I looked at the bracelet she gave me and watched as it glowed in the moonlight. There was a wave of pure emotion flowing from my wrist to my chest. It felt amazing and it was only when I thought of her.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Zira with her family. The gray dress she was wearing was gorgeous, almost matching the color of my eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was the moon or something she was wearing on her skin but she was glowing. I had to really look to see if she was in fact glowing. It reminded me of the first day I saw her. In the gym watching everyone acting crazy around her as she tried to shrink away from the chaos. My father told me about their pack getting overrun by rogues and only a few families made it out. So he asked the pack to help make them feel comfortable.
I'm pretty sure sitting there staring at her while ignoring whatever Hunter was talking about wasn't what my father had in mind. I just couldn't help it. I couldn't put my finger on it but something about her aura just drew me in. The fact that the sun peeking through the shades on the roof only highlighted her silhouette.
Every now and then she would shift her feet standing in and out of the light. Her hair was done up in two puffy ponytails and her caramel skin had a nice sheen coming off of it. When she caught my eye, I couldn't help but smile. She looked away quickly and I felt like a total idiot. I tried focusing on Hunter when I felt someone staring at me. I thought this must have been karma until I realized it was her. She smiled back this time and I was about to wave her over when I caught Jimmy's motion with the ball.
I saw it and tried to warn her but she wasn't paying attention because of me. I remembered she took the whole thing like a champ and I knew from then she was a tough girl. Maybe I became more attracted to her strength than anything else because from that day we became the best of friends. I wanted more but Isa was there all the time, it was hard to get anytime with her alone. So I just accepted what I could get, her friendship.
I watched as she conversed and joked around with some of the attendants. She is always a joy to be around. As if something whispered to her, she looked up and our eyes connected. We stared at each other for a moment before she smiled at me. I returned it and nodded before she went back to talking with others. That smile. The moments of our night together started to flow in my mind when I felt a sharp pain shoot through my arm. It was small but still noticeable.
It came from the wrist my bracelet was on. It wasn’t the first time I felt this weird shock and every time I was thinking of Zira. I studied the bracelet more closely and there was a bruise I hadn’t noticed. I turned to see Hunter smiling at me
“What,” I asked in confusion.
“Look at you all grown up, making grown up decisions. I’m so proud right now.” Hunter faked crying, trying to pull me into a hug.
“Stop that you weirdo. I’m starting to think you lost your balls somewhere in all of this.”
I successfully pushed him away laughing. I walked over to the mirror to fix my clothes and my eyes went back to the bracelet. I took it off to examine the bruise. It wasn’t painful but more irritating than anything.
“What I say about wearing fake jewelry,” Hunter said.
“Shut up. My sleeve should be able to cover it.”
I gave myself one last look before an Omega notified us it was time.
“So, what’s it gonna be, Alpha,” Hunter asked.
I’ve made up my mind. Alaia was made for me and the Goddess sent her to me for a reason. I’m going to get this ceremony done and over, then I’ll give Zira her freedom. She deserves it. I clapped my hands together and turned to Hunter.
“Let’s do this.”
My mother really outdid herself with this setup. The way the moon reflected off the pool and the linens of the tables made everything look as if we were under water. I stood under the lighted archway awaiting my mate and shaking off the last bit of nerves I had left.
The moment she turned the corner with Alpha Zack walking next to her I felt a familiar feeling rising up. Like the first time we met, everyone disappeared with only her in my view. She was radiated. Maybe it was the moon making her look like the Goddess herself. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until her hand touched mine. Those sparks rushed through my body as if to give me life and everything felt so right.
“You look so-”
“I know,” she cut me off. “You too.”
We both smiled at each other and turned to my father as he began the ritual of making Alaia, Luna of the Black Moon Pack. At this moment everything felt as if it was falling in place as I held the hands of my mate.