Moonbound: Mated to the Cursed Lycan King

Annalise “Queenette, where is my mother?” I demanded softly. Even though I already knew the answer. “In her chambers… Luna.” Queenette smiled at me in the mirror, hoping to cast a brighter light, one that would cover the darkness of my mother refusing to be there for me on a day like this. I couldn't help but return her smile, albeit weakly. It wasn't her fault that I was something of a black sheep among my family members, and she always did a good job of trying to get me to see the brighter side of things. “You know I'm not Luna yet, Queenette.” I reached up to link my hand with hers. Snorting, she adjusted the wreath of bluebonnet flowers on my head. “I don't understand why you insist on saying that. You were chosen by the oracle to be the Alpha and just because you—” her eyes narrowed like they always did whenever the topic came up, “—gave that title to your mate, doesn't mean you're not still the carrier of the mantle.” I rolled my eyes as unladylike as I possibly could. “It does, and you know that. And it doesn't matter, in a few hours I'll be marked, and I will carry that mantle again.” “You will share that mantle.” She bent to whisper in my ear with a warning tone. “He's my mate, Queenette, whatever is his is mine.” Queenette gave a snorting laugh, turning away and reaching for the jar of poultice behind her as she mumbled something under her breath. I sensed something in that laugh and turned around, narrowing my eyes up at her. She refused to meet my gaze, staring quite raptly at the small jar of poultice she was stirring. “What did you just say, Queenette?” My voice wasn't harsh, just gently demanding. “Nothing, your Highness. Please turn around so I can apply the mixture.” I glared at her, refusing to comply. “I really–” she began, then sighed, throwing up her arms — albeit gently to prevent the contents of the jar she held spilling. “Fine. I said ‘clearly not’.” My brows furrowed as I regarded her, a knot slowly forming in my chest. “What is that supposed to mean?” I demanded. Queenette opened her mouth to protest, to tell me to forget about it. I could see in her eyes that it was what she wanted to do. But then, her eyes softened, and I saw a small tick in her jaw. “Let's just say that if Drew truly believed that whatever is his is yours and whatever is yours is his, he would have been content receiving the title of Alpha after marking you. Instead of having you transfer it to him and regain some of it back after he marked you.” I swallowed, turning my gaze away from her and facing forward as she'd earlier requested, my back going ramrod straight. My decision to give my title to Drew hadn't been solely mine as I'd led everyone to think. And of course, I couldn’t fool Queenette for long, she'd figured that part out for herself. She took my reaction as confirmation of her thoughts and immediately scrambled to kneel by my side. “Annalise, he's not even your true mate–” “No!” I lifted my hand, refusing to listen to this on what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. “Whatever you say now does not matter. The deed is done. And it doesn't matter because I trust Drew to be a great Alpha for the pack, and I am very content just tending to duties as Luna.” I could see the hurt in her eyes, so I turned away, staring straight ahead at the mirror, but not seeing myself. I only saw Queenette's face, the pain that she felt for me, swimming in her eyes. I swallowed. “As you wish, your Highness,” She murmured and rose, reaching for the jar she'd dropped. She muttered the words offering me a living sacrifice to the Goddess—words my mother was supposed to utter on my behalf—and began to make markings on my body with the poultice. She started from my ears, then moved to the nape of my neck, the inside of my wrists, and finally, my ankles. Then, on her knees, she bowed. “May your reign be filled with peace, Luna.” My eyes filled with tears, but I ferociously blinked them back. I nodded, knowing that if I opened my mouth to utter a word, it would turn into a river of tears. She stood up. “I will go and announce that we are ready.” And then she was gone. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. It always amazed me how I always managed to look into a mirror and see unworthiness and ugliness. Whereas, when I looked at Isabella, who was my almost identical twin—with the only difference in our physical attributes being the color of our hair and eyes, I saw beauty and regality. Not tonight though. Tonight I saw the Luna I was about to become – beautiful on the outside, broken and bandaged underneath. Yes, bandaged. I'd finally taken charge of my life without the help of anyone but Queenette, as usual, and I was coming out on top. I rose and went to wait for the procession at the door. They came in just a minute later, two female warrior wolves, dressed in full regalia. They flanked my sides, with Queenette coming up in the rear as we made our way out of my chambers. The music that filtered in from outside was alive. An undulating and repetitive tempo. It warned of a change, of a great change, one that was like a battle. But a battle that would be won. It unnerved me and strengthened me at the same time. I knew what I was doing, I told myself. As we walked into the clearing, my sheer, white gown billowing in the evening breeze, a hush descended over the crowd. Drew was in the center of the circle, shirtless and looking like he was about to wrestle—which he sort of was. Here, tonight, he would mark me in front of all these people, and he would have to keep it together for the ceremony that was to take place after. A true test of an Alpha's strength and loyalty to his pack is his ability to divorce himself from his animalistic tendencies. Behind me, Queenette was replaced by my sister, Isabella, and my procession continued to move. As I approached Drew, I could see the rabid hunger in his eyes. Our gazes were locked as we circled each other for a moment, the tempo of the music rising, my claws and his slowly extending. The music stopped suddenly and with finality, snatching the breath from everyone present and signaling the end of our circling. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the two female warriors move to the very perimeter of the circle, leaving Drew and me alone in the center. Our eyes were still locked on each other, but he didn't make any attempt to begin. I stared at him for a moment more and then, moving forward, I decided to take the first step. It all happened so fast that I barely had time to wrap my head around anything. Drew's gaze suddenly left mine to focus on something behind me and I saw his brown eyes turn golden as two identical howls erupted, one from Drew and—I turned around to see my sister, the same molten gold color dissolving in her eyes as she launched herself at Drew, howling. Drew caught her, cradling her in his arms, their bodies glowing in sync as the air charged with an electricity that we all knew was the Alpha's mate bond, operating at its highest frequency. I was sure the crowd had erupted in murmurs, but I couldn't hear a thing. My soul had left my body as I stood there, watching my sister get marked by the man who was supposed to be my mate.