Luna Elara

Elara's POV The words caught in my throat, a desperate plea I couldn't quite force out. "Sunshine, please! We're going to be late!" "I'm… almost… done," she finally managed, appearing in the doorway. I wasn't sure how other packs handled it, but for the Blackwood pack, the annual Harvest Feast was a sacred event, its importance dictated by the Alpha's will. It was held on the last full moon of the year, a night to offer thanks to the Moon Goddess for her protection and blessings. It was also a night to seek her favor for the year to come. In all my years working as a servant in the Alpha's manor, I'd never truly experienced the heart of the celebration. While other staff members were given significant roles, my best friend, Sunshine, and I were always assigned the most menial tasks. But this year was different. We were responsible for acquiring all the decorations for the manor and ensuring the guests were well-cared for. It sounded exciting at first, but after Sunshine and I saw the endless list, we knew we were in for a long day. "What took you so long?" I asked, grabbing the woven basket. "You were in such a rush you forgot to get our list approved. And," she added with a grin, "do you even have any money?" "Oh no!" I panicked, and she laughed at my reaction. "Relax," she said, patting my arm. "We'll take it one step at a time. We could even do a countdown—" "Absolutely not," I interrupted. "I'm nervous, I admit—maybe because it's my first time with a real responsibility, or maybe it's something else entirely. But a countdown? That's just asking for trouble." "Okay. We're in this together, though. Remember that," she said, giving me a quick hug. "Yeah, I know," I whispered into her shoulder. "Thanks. Now let's go." I said, pulling her along. Soon, we were at the sprawling marketplace. To make things easier, we decided to split up and get the smaller, less important items first. We'd send them back to the manor with the driver before tackling the bigger purchases. As planned, we met at the entrance to drop off our first load. "I never knew shopping could be so exhausting," she mumbled, earning a sarcastic look from me. "We've only just started," I said, putting the last bag in the trunk and waving the driver off. "Yeah… I know. I think that's why I already hate today," she complained. "I thought I was the only one feeling that way," I teased, but she stopped me. Her expression turned serious, and she looked around as if she thought we were being watched. When she was sure we were alone, she pulled me to a quieter spot. "Have you heard?" she whispered. "Heard what?" I asked, feeling lost. "The council is getting impatient with the Alpha. They've given him an ultimatum to find a wife, and I don't even want to think about what will happen if he doesn't." "How do you know?" "Rumors," she said, as if unsure. "I don't know why it bothers me so much." "I don't see why you're worried, but if you don't want me to ask, I won't," I said with a small smile. We started walking through the crowd again. "Is it just me, or is this place getting more crowded by the second?" I said quietly. "I don't know," she said, not looking at me. She was busy haggling with a vendor, while I followed with the trolley. "There's a lot we've heard but haven't seen." "I wish the first Alpha was still in charge," she said. "My mom says he was the kindest Alpha ever, and the Moon Goddess always favored him. He always helped the poor and needy…" She trailed off. "I don't know much about the old Alphas," I admitted. "I know he was a good man, but not much else." "He was peaceful, hated war… I can't even explain how good he was. Sometimes I wish we could have someone like him again," she said, smiling dreamily. "The pack doesn't just pick an Alpha whenever they feel like it," I said, snapping my fingers in front of her face. "I know, but just imagine! Imagine if Alpha Kael could be more like him. Imagine the peace and change… it would be like a rebirth!" she said, walking through the crowd. "Or maybe everything we've heard about him is just stories, and we're so scared we believe Alpha Kael is cruel without even knowing the truth," I said. Sunshine glared at me. I knew she hated Alpha Kael, and her reaction just showed how much. "Alpha Kael is the worst thing that's ever happened to this pack! Stop trying to make him sound good!" she snapped. "Whatever. It's good to be open-minded," I whispered. "Wait here. I need to use the restroom," she said, handing me the list before disappearing into the crowd. I looked at the list to see how much more we had to buy, and thankfully, we were almost done. Soon, she came back, and we finished our shopping. The driver was quick, and I couldn't wait to get back to the manor and rest. "What the hell?" Sunshine cursed as the car stopped. I watched the driver get out and open the hood, trying to fix the problem. "Oh, please, not here," I said, getting out to see if I could help. Sunshine followed, looking annoyed. "I need to get some tools," the driver said. "How bad is it?" I asked, not wanting to stay on the busy road for long. "Not too bad. One of you can stay here while I go back to the market," he said. "Fine," Sunshine said, slamming her hand on the car. "You stay here. We'll be quick," she told me, and I watched them leave. Not long after they left, I glanced down the road. The Alpha's car was parked nearby, as if he was waiting for someone. I felt his presence, and it was as if he felt mine too. I tried to look away, but it was too late. He looked out the window, and our eyes met, freezing time and blurring our world.