A Luna's Journey: A Line Between Duty And Desire

Chapter One

December had wrapped my world outside my window in a quilt of snow, with snowflakes drifting down like tiny fairies. Inside my room of the packhouse, my earth-tone bedroom glowed warmly, and fairy lights draped across my bookshelf, adding a soft comfortable light.

My best friend Piper, daughter of Alpha John Darling of the Bloodmoon Pack, and I sat cross-legged on the white, plush carpet, in a sea of wedding catalogs and portfolios scattered across the floor. We were picking out my wedding gown for my wedding and mating ceremony, which is taking place in two years. “I like that one,” Piper said, pointing to a photo of an ivory, one-shoulder mermaid gown with a sweep train and beading throughout. She chuckled, imagining my fiance’s reaction. “Brandon is surely gonna rip that off of you the second you walk down the aisle.”

I shook my head while making notes. “Too plain,” I said simply, leaning over her shoulder. “I want something that pops and screams Kionna, not something that looks like it was crafted from Snoresville. That completely lacks the wow, pow, I’m going for.” I rolled my eyes at the mere thought of even stepping a toe in that dress. “That dress looks more like the mother of the bride’s dress, and we both know my mom won’t be caught dead in that.” A thought occurred and I chuckled. “ Maybe that can be Candice’s dress.”

Piper laughed, then rolled her eyes at my pickiness. “You’re missing it though!” She scoffed, jabbing her slender finger into the page. “Look at the color and the beading! It’s the perfect shade of ivory to compliment your flawless skin! The shape alone will make your gorgeous figure pop! This dress screams Luna-classy and sophisticated!” She threw up her hands in frustration. “You’re just too picky!”

I laughed. “You act like you’re the one getting married.”

“I am just doing my maid of honor duty, by making sure my best friend is drop-dead gorgeous on her big day,” she said closing the catalog. Then her expression shifted, her emerald eyes locking on my ice-blue ones. “Kionna, are you sure you want to marry Brandon?”

“Of course I do, why do you ask that?” I said, a little confused.

“Because you don’t seem that enthusiastic,” Piper shrugged, opening back up the catalog. “You’ve been promised to him since you were sixteen, and the two of you have been in a relationship since then. I know it’s early, but planning something of this magnitude takes time, and you’re not the least bit excited. You have rejected every single dress we’ve looked at, even the ones you said were your dream gown.” She folded her arms and c****d a brow. “Sounds like hesitation to me.”

“Piper,” I began, a sigh escaping my lips. “I love Brandon, and I can’t wait to be his Luna. But the thought alone, it…”

“Terrifies you?” Piper raised a brow.

I dropped my notebook. “Piper, I do appreciate you helping me plan my wedding while our fathers are having the alpha meeting, but right now, my mind isn’t on this. Right now, I’m more focused on meeting the king for my emancipation. If we were in the human world, I’d be an adult as soon as the clock strikes midnight Friday.”

“Yeah, but here we’re not legal until we turn twenty-one, because of that law the king passed,” Piper said, flipping through another catalog. “For us, eighteen is sixteen.”

“It’s pointless!” I blurted, frustration bubbling over. “I understand why the king implemented the law, but not every eighteen-year-old is careless. Some are wiser beyond their years.”

Piper chuckled. “Maybe not as wise as the elders, but I get it.”

I picked up my pen with a shrug.

“Look Kiki,” Piper said gently. “This is the only way to pursue your dream. You’ve always wanted your own beauty line, especially for people with Albinism, like you, and a chain of natural hair salons. Once you become Luna, your duty will be focused on Brandon, your family, and the pack. You won’t have time for anything else.”

‘I know, which is why I have to do this,” I said, scribbling down some notes. Piper nodded, flipping the page when suddenly I glanced over her shoulder and my mouth fell. There in front of me was a one-shoulder white satin ballgown, with a deep V bodice and thigh-high split. The Tarzan-style sleeve was just a piece of silver lace draped over the shoulder, and the sweetheart neckline was draped with a crystal line, crossing the top to the sleeve. I was in love. “Now that,” I pointed to the dress excitedly,” screams Luna Kionna.”

Piper grinned. “I was hoping you picked this one.” She folded the page of the catalog and then moved on to the hair portfolio I had made. A knock at the door, then an intrusion of my personal space caused Piper to jump out of her skin. She blushed, hiding her face inside her sweater as the assailant came closer, taking a space on the carpet next to my best friend.

“Why are you in here Lo?” I asked my younger brother, Lorenzo.

"Just checking on my favorite females," he said with that signature grin of his, settling down next to Piper. "Y'all in here looking mad serious with all these catalogs."

I rolled my eyes as Piper hid her face, concealing her blush. She can’t fool me. I know she and my brother like each other. Piper has had a crush on my brother for ages. Every time she visits, she’s always getting dirty looks from the she-wolves of this pack because they know Lorenzo likes her. Girls swoon over my brother like he’s this muscle-toned Greek caramel god. With his rich, medium-brown skin and his gray-colored eyes, they flock to him like he’s some kind of Adonis. But he never gives them the time of day, and they hate it. They hope that he will take one of them to be his Luna, however, they must be high on Arnica Montana, if they believe my brother will choose them over Piper.

"Yo sis, you really bout to let these females keep shooting their shot?" Lorenzo chuckled, brushing a curl from Piper's face. "They ain't got the memo yet that I'm good on all that?"

I faked a gag, sticking my finger in my mouth.

"Nobody tells you and Brandon anything when he's eating your face off," Piper rolled her eyes, and Lorenzo let out another laugh.

"Facts though!" Lorenzo agreed. "But ain't nobody gonna say nothing to a future Luna.”

“Nobody will dare tell us anything,” I countered, picking up my planning binder, and then stood to my feet. I walked over to my desk and placed my binder neatly back on the bookshelf. I opened my drawer, took out two red cardboard boxes, and then waved both boxes in front of my face with a mischievous grin. “Spades or Uno?” I asked.

Piper and Lorenzo both fixed their gazes on both sets of boxes, then locked eyes. “Spade! No UNO!” They said in unison. Lorenzo rubbed his chin, eyeing the boxes, and Piper raised an eyebrow. “How are we gonna play Spade with only three people?” she asked.

‘We play Cutthroat,” I said, returning to the two with a notepad and pencil. I carefully scooted between Piper and Lorenzo, causing Lorenzo to scoff. I locked eyes with him and grinned. “Are you taking the bids?”

Lorenzo cut his eyes at me, then snatched the pad and paper from my hands. “Cockblocker” he mumbled, and I chuckled. "Sis, you doing too much right now, Always tryna knock a n***a shine."

I took out the two of clubs, then started dealing out the cards. “Knock, knock!” A knock on the door distracted me, making me lose count. “Come in!” Lorenzo yelled over his shoulder, and I gathered the cards I already dealt, preparing to redeal them.

Duriel, the gamma’s oldest son, and Lorenzo’s best friend entered the room, then strolled over to our circle and sat down, rubbing his hands together, then gave each of us an upper head nod. I rolled my eyes and continued to deal the cards. “What y’all getting into?” He asked, picking up the empty card box.

"Bout to run this Spades game," Lorenzo said, already picking up his cards.

"Say less!" Duriel rubbed his hands together like he'd just discovered buried treasure. "Let me get in on this."

“Nobody invited you,” I said with a scoff. I continued to deal the cards until the whole deck minus the two of clubs was issued out.

"Why you gotta be so cold, Kiki?" Duriel said, already reaching for the cards I'd dealt. "Acting like we ain't been playing cards since we was shorties."

"Why you gotta be in my room, DeeDee?" I rolled my eyes, which only made him chuckle more.

"How you bout to play Spades with three people though?" He locked eyes with me while dealing a new hand, including himself without invitation. "That ain't even make sense."

“Kiki, don’t be rude,” Piper chuckled. “We needed another player anyway. Playing teams is a lot more fun than playing alone.”

I rolled my eyes, annoyed by her comment and this uninvited guest. “Fine, he can play!” I huffed, throwing my hands up in surrender. Duriel's smirk grew wider as he locked eyes with me again. Piper switched places with him, making her face-to-face with me, but leaving me uncomfortably close to Duriel. Duriel grinned, picking up his hand, then let out a sneaky chuckle. “Put me down for five books, Lo,” he smirked.

"We got this," Lorenzo muttered to Duriel, their teamwork already clicking into place.

I knew exactly what was coming. Those two were about to run this game, and Piper and I didn't stand a chance.