His Native Beauty, Her Ruthless Beast

Feasts and Festivities

Travis POV

Evening is upon us, all of the invited Alphas have arrived to attend the summit tomorrow, however tonight is all about festivities and feasts. I am restless as I engage in small talk with fellow Alphas to keep up with appearances. My beta Chad stays close to my side knowing I am drawing on his strength to get me through each passing hour until we get to go meet and claim my Luna.

Omegas huddle near the buffet tables flirting with the unmated Alphas and their higher ranks who have joined them for the summit. Ranked unmarked shewolves flounce their bodies in impeccable evening gowns hoping to catch our attention. I find myself irritable and avoiding all of the female charades. My mate is out there, close enough I can almost smell her, and I’m stuck here waiting until I’m allowed to make my move. Chad is enjoying the show, but knows better than to act on his desires as he has a greater passion to retain his head on his shoulder.

As the feast closes, and the mingling dies down, the Alphas slowly clear out to retire to their quarters. It’s 10pm, so I ask Chad to meet me for a run. I gather my slacks and button down shirt into a pouch, which I tie onto my leg so I will be decent when I make my presence known to my mate. Chad follows suit, and then we shift into our wolves. Ember is a large black wolf with a silver crescent moon on my head, while Chad’s is a slightly smaller dark grey wolf with black paws named Thunder.

The idea crosses my mind for the first time that we were given wolves with the names of some of the earths elements but before I can ponder much on this thought, Ember takes off into the night with Thunder right on his tail.

Sarah POV

After enjoying our fun in the sun and nature, Jenni and I spend the afternoon chatting about her travels. She made it her goal to see the world, and is well on her way.

Uncle Terrence returned home at lunch time after excusing himself just after breakfast, citing important pack business. My uncle is retired, but the pack still asks for his expertise and assistance often. Uncle Terrence pecks a kiss on the foreheads of my sister then I, before going out in the garden to find my aunt. Jenni raises her eyebrow quizzically before we turn to see he and my aunt talking animatedly outside. My aunt then jumps into his arms sobbing, with a smile on her face as if she just received a great relief.

Unable to contain ourselves, Jenni and I exit out onto the back patio. Jenni speaks up, “Well this looks like an interesting story,” as she smirks at our aunt.

Auntie wipes her eyes and quickly responds, “Oh we are just sharing our joy of finally becoming empty nesters as your sister reaches her maturity.” Grinning slyly at us. “Come now, help me gather the flowers which we will use for the ceremony.”

Jenni and I join her in gathering all the wildflowers we can, then proceed to make flower crowns to wear and wreathes to decorate the ceremonial site at the top of the hill. As the sun begins to set, my father and uncle carry up a large stone basin which will be filled with water from the spring just down the hill. My aunt places torches at 5 points around the basin which will be lit during the ceremony. A wooden archway which my father has been working on for much of the summer is placed behind the basin, and my sister and I begin hanging our flower wreathes and draperies along the arch. Standing back to review our work, my aunt clasps a hand to her mouth as she gently cries, my uncle wrapping his arms around her waist. My father places his arms around my sister and I, as we all agree that everything couldn’t be more perfect.

Jenni and I return to my bedroom to begin dressing for the ceremony, while my uncle and father fill the stone basin with spring water. Jenni pins up my hair so that I make shower off my body without disrupting her handiwork from this morning. After I dry off, I wrap a towel around my body. The coming of age ceremony calls for a gown of white silk, which my aunt has saved back from my mother to give to me. She informed me that my mother chose to void undergarments to feel her body fully connect with the wind and Mother Spirit without the restraints of underwire and cotton, so this is the path I’m choosing as well.

While I dress, Jenni pulls on a gown of deep earthy green. After donning my own gown, Jenni releases my hair to let it cascade down my back, before taking bobbi-pins to the side to keep my hair out of my face when I connect with the elements. She then helps me apply neutral make-up while adding a dark smokey eye before finishing with my favorite peach lip gloss.

Auntie enters the room adorned in a gown of midnight blue, “Oh my Princess! You are radiant!” She gushes.

Jenni pulls me from the bathroom to stand in front of my full-length mirror in my room. Staring at myself I am awestruck. I see so much of my mother before me, except I have my father’s blue eyes. I do feel radiant, powerful and sexy with the way the silk gown clings to my curves, the neckline plunging low on my bosom, while the back opens all the way down coming to a ‘v’ at the top of my hips. The 3/4 length sheer bell sleeves complete the look of a mighty priestess.

“You are beautiful sister, mother would be so proud.” Jenni whispers to me, as she hugs me gently, careful to not disrupt her masterpiece. Tears threaten to spill from my eyes before I receive the soft scold of my sister, “Now, none of that. I worked hard on your eyes, you don’t want to turn from a smoking hot seductress to a raccoon now do you?”

Laughing, I pull away before dabbing carefully at the inner corners of my eyes while Jenni wipes her hazel eyes. “Point taken, sister. Alright let’s get this party started.” As I wrap my arm with Jenni’s and turn to follow my aunt down the stairs.

Once we reach the bottom of the landing, my father takes my arm and kisses my temple while murmuring how beautiful I am.

Uncle Terrence explains that we will have a few visitors in attendance. The current and former Alphas of Rosebud and Spirit Lake packs along with their current Lunas Rachel and Emma. We walk out onto the back patio, looking up at the hill I see 4 large male figures standing with two smaller female forms. The size of male wolves, especially those of Alphas never cease to amaze me, even though I’ve been raised most of my life on wolf territory, and my uncle is in fact a wolf.

Uncle Terrence takes Auntie’s arm and escorts her up the hill to the ceremonial site with my sister following close behind. My uncle lights the torches as my aunt lights two smudging sticks of sage, handing one to my sister as they begin the ritual cleansing of the site while my aunt softly sings a song in her native tongue. Once the cleansing is complete my fathers grip on my arm becomes slightly more firm as he asks me if I’m ready. With a deep breath, I nod, and we begin our ascent up the hill.