Luna Athalia

1. Anniversary

Athalia Marie Sylas

"You don't think I know that?" Athalia snapped, her long black hair flipping over her shoulder as she leaned forward on the desk, "Who are you to preach to me about the importance of this anniversary, Dominique?"

"The only person on this side who's willing to talk to you, Luna Athalia!" The woman spat back with a glare, "You asked us what we wanted and now you deny everything! Excuse me for thinking you're not taking this seriously."

"May I remind you that this Thursday isn't just the anniversary of Roaming Ember's rogue attack, but the anniversary of my parents' deaths." The Luna said coldly, "Your demands are ridiculous. This is supposed to be a memorial of their lives, not another slaughter of innocents."

"Innocents? Is that what they are to you?" Dominique practically growled, her dark brown eyes turning an inky black, "You speak of the very rogues who plotted your parents' deaths. They are not innocent."

"They are the families of the rogues who invaded our lands. They had no hand in the attack. How many times do we have to go over this?" Athalia retorted with an exasperated sigh. She pinched the bridge of her button nose, sharply inhaling, "Killing them will bring no peace to our pack, Dominique. The vote was barely in favor of keeping them prisoners here instead of just letting them go. Now you want us to murder them after keeping them here for two years? I should have just let them go to fend for themselves, not have them here as a constant reminder of what happened."

"We kept them here for this exact purpose." The woman balled a fist at her side, her nails digging into her palm, "We wanted to kill them all to avenge the actual innocents they slaughtered. But you proposed we keep them as prisoners. We accepted your compromise but frankly, we didn't think you'd stay in power very long."

"Then this can be the second disappointment for your little union." Lia said dismissively, waving a hand as the she-wolf stomped out. The 17-year-old girl crumpled into her chair as soon as the door shut, groaning into her folded arms as she laid her head on her desk.

"That could've gone better." Beta Vincent chuckled, smirking from his chair. He had been quiet the entire time, looking amused as the two she-wolves argued.

"Really? I thought that was the best outcome considering no one got slapped this time." Lia mumbled into her arms before raising her head. She glared at her Beta, "You could've chimed in there once or twice, by the way."

"I thought you handled it really well." Vincent shrugged, rising from his seat and moving behind the desk. He placed a large, comforting hand on the Luna's shoulder, "It's alright, Atty. You were clearly right - they're crazy to think we would just agree to killing all the prisoners like some sort of free for all."

"And yet they keep proposing the idea." Lia swatted his hand away - he knows she hates it when he calls her Atty, "Bold of them to bring it up on the second anniversary of the raid too. They're getting more reckless."

"It's a sensitive time for everyone, you know that." Vincent said reassuringly, shooting her a smile as he took her chin and tilted her face upwards so she could see him. Her cheeks puffed in annoyance, trying to wriggle away.

The door opened, Elder Renee appearing, "Ah, my apologies, Luna Athalia, Beta Vincent. Am I interrupting?"

"No." Athalia jerked her head away.

"Yes." Vince said at the same time with a smirk, letting her go.

Athalia knew her Beta was a flirt, but it always seemed like she was the only one. Everyone else in the pack regarded him as a gentleman. Lia watched him flirt with every she-wolf who crossed his path, and had the misfortune of sharing a bedroom wall that no amount of soundproofing could save her from. But it seemed every single pack member was fooled by his charms.

Elder Renee smiled as she entered the office, followed by the pack's other two elders.

"Is there anything we can help you with, Elder Renee?" Vincent asked, moving from behind the desk to properly greet them.

"Well, we actually wanted to speak to Luna Athalia alone, if that's alright." She blushed at Vincent's attention as he nodded, laying a peck on her wrinkled cheek as he excused himself.

"What can I do for you all?" Athalia asked as the elders gathered around, "Is this about the raid anniversary? I don't suppose Dominique was so quick to complain to you all about my rejection of their m******e?"

"In part, my dear. We wanted to speak to you about your birthday." Renee started, "You're turning 18 in just a couple days. You know what that means!"

Athalia raised her eyebrows and shook her head incredulously, "No?"

Renee looked a tad disappointed, "It means you will find your mate soon."

"Ah...right..." Lia pursed her lips. The thought had indeed slipped her mind, "And that's important enough for all the pack elders to come here?"

"Luna Athalia, with all due respect, you realize the pack needs an Alpha." Elder Paul asserted, "So you must see the importance of you finding a mate."

"Is my leadership so faulty that you all need to jump at the chance to replace me?" She asked haughtily.

Elder Renee's clear disappointment only deepened, "It's our law to have both an Alpha and a Luna, you know that. We would never demean the Luna position as inferior but the doesn't mean we should keep going on without an Alpha."

"But on the subject, there has been plenty of unrest since you took up your position." Elder Yvonne raised her chin defiantly, "It is our job as the pack Elders to guide our royalty, but it is the pack's wellbeing that we prioritize."

"What are you getting at, Elders?" Lia pressed.

"We have an ultimatum for you, Luna Athalia." Elder Paul sat up a bit straighter, "The number of wolves in this pack who oppose your status grows every month and the unrest they stir within everyone else is just a bomb waiting to go off."

"So we have come up with a solution." Elder Renee continued hesitantly before gesturing to the door. The door opened, Dominique returning with a triumphant smile as well as the Fighter Remy. Beta Vincent followed them both, his expression firm. Despite being a pain in her ass, Lia knew that her Beta was still loyal to her and his contempt for the Union was palpable. Remy especially seemed to tick Vincent off, the two males glowering at each other as they all gathered.

"Well get on with it then, Elders." Athalia maintained composure.

"Come your 18th birthday, if you are to find your destined mate, you and he may continue as the Alpha royalty of Roaming Ember." Elder Yvonne moved to place a hand on her son's shoulder, "But if not, Fighter Remy will take Alpha Aaron's place as the new Alpha of our pack."

"That's ridiculous!" Beta Vincent reared, his eyes obsidian, "You can't just appoint a random Fighter to be Alpha. If anything, should I not take the Alpha position as our current Beta?"

Wow, thanks, asshole. Athalia thought bitterly through their mindlink, shooting Vince a look.

Vincent met her gaze, raising a hand slightly in apology, Sorry. You know what I mean.

"Even as you stand in front of us, gossiping within your mindlink, you truly think reform and progress can come from an Alpha who is clearly devoted to the enemy?" Remy growled lowly, pointing an accusatory finger to Athalia, "You sully the name of our slain royalty, sitting there showing compassion to those rogues, ignoring pack traditions. The only way to move on is to start completely fresh, with new royalty to lead."

"Mind your tongue, Vincent." Athalia snapped, her Luna voice taking hold and quieting them against their wills, "I am still your Luna. This heinous ultimatum will never be approved by the pack."

"It already has been." Dominique folded her arms across her chest, "The Union makes up more than half of Roaming Ember and we are all in agreement that this plan is the best chance our pack has."

Silence befell them as Athalia absorbed the information. This mutiny was only growing stronger. 

This is the best compromise we're going to get, Atty. Vincent's voice flowed through her mind, And there is a good chance you will find your fated mate in two days. 

"It seems you leave me no choice then." Athalia muttered, "In two days, we will see. But until then, I will not see hide or hair of either of you in the pack house. There is still the anniversary to tend to on top of this ridiculous plot and I don't suppose you'd be so kind as to leave and let me do my duties."

"For now, Luna." Dominique sneered her title as she flounced out, leading Vincent and the Elders away.

Elder Renee remained, looking hesitant as she lingered at the doorway, "This is the only way we can solve anything, Luna Athalia. I hope you know that we are not all on the side of slaughtering the prisoners, but we all need a proper Alpha."

"And if those innocents die, their blood is on your hands, Elder Renee." Athalia moved to the door, closing it behind the older woman. She sighed after a few moments, turning her back to the door and slowly sliding down until she was crouched on the floor. 

Vincent moved towards her, crouching next to her and reaching out to gently pat her head, "It's alright, have some faith. Your mate could very well  come up in two days."

"But a mate willing to lead the pack? I don't know, Vince." Lia's eyes were cast downwards, hesitant before looking up to meet his gaze. If he wasn't such a damn pain, Lia would almost be smitten with the care in his green eyes.

Vincent John Reyes

It pissed him off to see Dominique and Remy walk away so smugly, shooting glances behind their shoulders as they openly gossiped about Athalia in the pack house. The Union had always been a pain in their asses since she was named Luna at the age of 16 but as the years passed, they only got worse. But beyond that, Remy Bell had been a bully since they were kids. 

He was about four years older than they were, held back a year in middle school so he was always around them. He teased Athalia constantly and mocked Vincent whenever he tried to defend her. But Vincent knew it was all just some childish ploy to get into her good graces; his desire to become Alpha was so great and so selfish that he was adamant on mating with her. He even started bragging about feeling a mate pull towards Athalia when he turned 18 just to convince the more fate-oriented pack members that he was meant to be Alpha. 

Vincent watched as Athalia sat on the floor of her office, looking more annoyed than anything. It always amazed him how she was rarely visibly nervous or shaken. It seemed he and Eloise were the only ones she was willing to let her guard down around. She looked up at him, her delicate features tipped with red. He always felt himself taken off guard by how pretty she was.

They had grown up together in the pack house, born just a few months apart and raised together for royalty. Alpha Aaron had no sons so the question of who would rise to be Alpha always seemed to land on Vince. His younger brother, Julian, was raised to Beta right along side him - just in case. But even when their mating appeared to only be logical, more than once he considered what it would be like to be fated for each other.

Vincent had always felt something for Athalia, whether or not it was a premature version of the mate pull, he never knew. But he knew there was something there. When he turned 18 just a few months ago, he felt no different, his mate did not show herself. But no one seemed to mind, everyone subconsciously assuming when Atty turned 18, it would be confirmed. 

With her ebony black locks, honeyed brown eyes, and skin as soft and clear as cream, Atty was nothing short of perfection. If it wasn't for her tongue and the stresses of Luna pushing on her so early, she may have been the envy of the entire pack.

Athalia rested her cheek against his palm, looking up at him with clear distress and just a touch of childish whine, "What happens if I don't find my mate?"

It was a logical question. Fated mates were beginning to dwindle as werewolf numbers fell. But Vince liked to believe that the Goddess would grant at least the Alpha family a strong lineage to pass down. He could only gently stroke Atty's cheek with his thumb, smiling reassuringly before patting and helping her to her feet, "You will."