Luna Rising: The Prophecy

Chapter 4: Tour

Derek

"You are a vision," I said warmly as Aeliana came down the stairs.

"Thank you," she said with a bright smile, taking my proffered arm.

"Are you ready for your tour, my darling?" I asked her, raising my elbow so I could kiss the dainty hand that was tucked there.

"Yes I am, very much so," she said, giggling. "Let's go!"

It wasn't always like this with Aeliana. We started trading off visiting over the summer when we were only six years old. At first, we played as children do and got along as well as two high-spirited pups might. However, as we got older, we entered a time where we wanted absolutely nothing to do with one another. I was in an awkward pubescent stage, she grew moody, and we fought constantly.

Then, a few summers ago, that changed. It was my turn to visit Howling Rivers that year, and I recall dreading it with every fiber of my being. I begged my mother not to make me go. But she was insistent, and off I went.

I still remember laying eyes on her for the first time that summer, right as I stepped out of my carriage. My mouth had dropped open in awe, speechless in her presence. Gone was the chubby-cheeked girl of my youth, nowhere to be seen was the surly teenager. Standing before me was the most beautiful young woman I'd ever seen. My sixteen-year-old self could barely restrain myself from kissing her on the spot.

At first, she was standoffish, rebuffing my attempts to be charming and to make up for my many transgressions from the previous years. But by the end of that summer, neither of us could deny our attraction to one another, and we shared our first kiss, out under her favorite sugar maple tree.

After that, we grew closer and closer, exchanging letters during the winter months, and were inseparable every summer. We were able to open up to each other in a way we couldn't with many others, due to our circumstances regarding the secret prophecy. We were in it together. I knew I was as dear to Aeliana as she was to me, and we were counting down the days until our eighteenth birthdays. When I had mine about a month ago, she had sent me a beautiful gold pocketwatch that had the Blue Moon symbol on it, and I'd worn it on my waistcoat ever since. She had known that my father had one very much like it that he wore until the day he died, and that it was lost along with him.

Now, walking with her on my arm once again, I felt at ease, and better than I had in awhile. The war was growing stressful, with more attacks happening all the time. My mother was always stressed out and irritable these days, too. Having Aeliana here was a bright spot in my day, my own little ball of fire, a small sun radiating only good things to everyone around her.

"Can we see the omega housing?" Aeliana asked as we finished walking down a lane of pretty cottages that housed pack members with families.

"Why would you want to see that?" I asked with surprise. These cottages were nice and kept up well. The omega housing was little better than huts that were built in the woods near the edge of the border, so as not to sully the landscape.

"Omegas are part of Blue Moon, too," she said, making me smile. She really was very kind, always caring about everybody. While I loved that about her, I couldn't help but feel jealous sometimes, watching her shower affection on others. She was mine. Or would be, a month from now.

"That they are. Alright, I'll take you," I said, turning to the right. The path went from broad and smooth to narrow and windy, and was full of roots and divots. Did the omegas use this path all the time?

Aeliana seemed to have the same thought. "Improving this path is officially on my Luna list," she said, picking her way carefully around a smattering of rocks.

"Your Luna list?" I inquired, helping her over a tree root. "What, may I ask, is a Luna list?"

"A list of things I want to do after I become Luna," Aeliana said, taking my arm again as the path grew wide enough for two people for a stretch. "I know you're busy with the war and keeping us all safe. So I thought I could make myself useful in a different way, and try to make positive changes in areas that you don't have the time to focus on."

"That's a lovely sentiment," I said, still a few minutes away from the omega huts. "But the war will likely end soon after we become the official Alpha and Luna, so I'll have time to help you with those changes."

"Oh," she said, sounding a little disappointed. "Well, it's the thought that counts, right?"

"Yes, it does—"

"Oh!" Aeliana, interrupting me. "Hello!"

---

Aeliana

The familiar face on the path ahead looked up, startled. His eyes grew wide. He was taller than I remembered, but then again, it had been two years since I last saw him. He'd grown rather nicely into his broad shoulders.

I let go of Derek's arm and walked over. "Well, if it isn't Shy Boy!"

"Hello, Nice Girl," he mumbled, his cheeks reddening.

Derek finally snapped out of it and walked up to join me, putting my hand possessively in the crook of his arm again. "How are you this fine afternoon?" I asked, giving Derek's arm a squeeze to let him know there was nothing to worry about.

"Good," came his short answer. I smiled, remembering that he had a bit of a bristly exterior. "Alpha Derek," he said, bowing in his direction.

"August," Derek said cordially, nodding once.

"Oh, is that your name?" I pouted teasingly. He nodded stiffly. "I managed to go nearly ten years without knowing. The tradition has officially been abolished."

"What tradition?" Derek asked, looking suspiciously between us.

"Oh, it's nothing, darling," I said, rising up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I've just managed to run into August here from time to time during my summer visits here. I didn't know his name when we were young, so I nicknamed him Shy Boy. He called me Nice Girl, and the names sort of stuck." I turned to August. The name fit him well. He had dark hair and brilliant blue eyes, which were currently downcast, as if he wished he were elsewhere.

"Well, we'd best finish our tour," I said to both men, sensing their awkwardness. "It was nice to see you and finally learn your name, August."

"Nice to see you, Aeliana," he mumbled, of course knowing my name already. "Alpha Derek."

"You may call her Luna Aeliana," Derek said tersely.

"Derek!" I exclaimed. "I'm not yet the Luna. That title is reserved for your mother." I turned to August. "You may call me Aeliana or Nice Girl, or whatever else you like. But not Luna just yet."

August nodded once, then, after bowing once more to Derek, turned and walked away quickly.

"What was that about?" Derek asked as we turned back the way we had come, the visit to the omega housing forgotten. He kept his voice light, but I could tell the exchange had bothered him.

"It wasn't about anything," I told him. "Just saying hello to an acquaintance."

"You two seemed close," he said petulantly. "You even have nicknames."

I looked around, then pulled Derek off the path. After we'd made it about twenty yards into the trees, I gently nudged him until he was resting against the trunk of a tree. "Those were nicknames given by children," I said, leaning into his chest. I knew he was just being over-protective, but there was nothing to worry about. I only had eyes for him. "They're nothing compared to the names I have for you."

"Oh really?" He asked, arching a brow and smirking a little. "And what pet names do you have for me?"

"Oh, how about...darling?" I asked, kissing his cheek.

"My dear..." I kissed his other cheek.

"My Alpha," I kissed his nose.

"My love," I gently touched my lips to his.

His response was ardent, arms tightening around my waist, his lips moving in tandem with mine, demanding access to my mouth. I moaned into it, and our tongues fought for dominance. Then he lifted me into the air and cupped my bottom, and I hitched my legs around him as much as my dress would allow. I felt that familiar rush of heat all over my body, relishing this feeling of being cherished, yet wanting so much more.

Eventually, I had to break away. As much as we loved each other, we had decided to wait until after I turned eighteen to fully mate with each other, so it would be special. But sometimes, it was really hard. "Need I say more?" I asked breathlessly.

Derek was breathing hard, too, his lips pink from moving with mine. "Do you need to say more? No," he grinned. "But I might still need a little more reassurance."

I placed my hand on his cheek. "I love you."

He gazed into my eyes. "I love you, too."

Then he leaned in to kiss me again, and I was lost.