Mated To The Gamma

I awoke with a start to the sound of my heavy curtains being drawn open with a snap, and the morning sun filtering in quickly, and hitting my eyes. I slumped back into my bed with a groan, not quite ready to start the day. "Up, up, up!" my mother chirped, truly much too chipper for my taste this early in the morning. I rolled on to my stomach and buried my head into my soft feather pillow with a huff. "None of that today, flower, it's finally your big day and we need to get a move on, now up!" she said, using the nickname she'd given me as a small pup. With one more heavy sigh I pulled myself up out of my warm down comforter and placed my bare feet on the cool wooden floor. "Fine, fine I'm up Mama, I'm up." my voice was groggy, I hadn't slept well the night before, my head has been too full of anxiety for today. Today was my 18th birthday and the day my life was supposed to change. My Mama and Papa were the betas of our pack, the Amber Moon Pack, and our Alphas right hand. Because of their status, when I was born the Alphas chose me to become their oldest sons mate, and the packs future Luna. Many generations ago, our packs Alphas were cursed to never have a fated mate again, because the Alpha at that time was cruel and did not honor his fated mate, resulting in her death. After that Luna from centuries ago was murdered by her Alpha mate, the moon goddess cursed his line, to never know the love of a fated mate again, but without a mate or Luna the pack would die out, so our pack adapted and found a way to force a mate bond with a ceremony that involved marking, and mating I'm sure, but no one had shared all of the specifics with me yet. So here I am now, promised to the newest Alpha Alex Romero. Alex was a few years older than me, he had turned 21 a few months ago and started taking over most of his father's alpha duties, though his coronation wouldn't happen until after my birthday and after our mate bond had been established so that together, we would be crowned the new leaders of the Amber Moon Pack. Thankfully today was not the day of our mating ceremony or coronation, but today would start the beginning of a months long preparation for me to transition into the Luna role and for Alex and I to begin spending more time together under one roof. I pulled myself together mentally and started making my way out of my bedroom following my mother out the bedroom door and down the stairs. I could smell breakfast wafting into the air and it made my stomach churn, I was far too anxious for food today. I made my way into the kitchen after my mother regardless, having no intention of being difficult today for them. I knew me leaving our home today was already hard enough on them even if it was only down the street and into the pack house to be closer to the Alpha. After forcing a few bites of waffles down my throat I was pulled into my mother's suite where Omegas twirled about with outfits for me to wear for my presentation to the Alpha this afternoon. On a normal day I loved picking out clothes and trying things on. I wasn't a shy girl, I was fairly popular at the pack highschool, and I was decently attractive I suppose with waist length auburn hair and deep blue eyes. My lips formed a natural pout and a small splatter of freckles went across the bridge of my nose and onto my cheekbones against my milky white complexion. Being of Beta blood I had a decent build, I was about 5'7 and slim but my wider hips and bust created more of an hourglass shape. I'd also had a fair amount of physical training, as the packs future Luna it was important so I had a decent amount of muscle to my arms, calves and tourso. I stopped admiring myself in my mother's floor length mirror when another pang of anxiety threatened to make me throw up the few meager bites of waffles I'd had that morning. I saw my mother eyeing my from the other side of the room through the mirror. "You can do this Eden, this is for the good of the pack, you were born for this my little flower." She was smiling at me warmly, I know that her words were meant to calm me, and provide support but it didn't, it only added to the pressure I felt to please everyone around me. I just gave her a small smile back and nodded. I let my mother choose my outfit for today, it made her smile. She ended up selecting a dark jade green dress with bell sleeves that stopped just above my knee, with a sweetheart neckline that showed off my curves well. It was beautiful and ordinarily I would love it but today it made me feel like a offering served on a platter to the Alpha. Our house Omegas dressed me and helped me with my hair and makeup, and the last touch was a pair of simple pearl earrings that belonged to my grandma, and a long string of pearls that had been passed down for generations of my family on 18th birthdays. My mother clapped her hands together in front of her face in awe when I was finished as I turned in front of, feeling mildly unsteady on the black pumps she had put me in as my nerves started to climb. My wolf Nadine had hardly made a sound this morning and it didn't help put me at ease in the slightest. I could hear her own frustrations, almost as if she was pacing impatiently inside of my mind all morning. She usually had a knack for being vocal in the best ways and knowing just the right things to say to make me feel better but today, not a word. I went into our foyer behind my mother and my papa was standing there in his usual grey suit and amber colored tie that he wore when attending to official pack duties. In a few months my older brother Ethan would turn 21 and take over his place as Beta to our pack but until then it was still papa's job and he would be helping in my transition into Luna and ceremony preparations. He looked serious when we entered but he broke into a large grin when he saw my mother and me walk through the arched doorway. "You look gorgeous little flower" He beamed with pride and then scooped me up into a warm hug, spinning me around just a little. "Careful Ben! You'll ruin her hair and wrinkle her dress!" my mother chided at her mate. He threw her a wink over his shoulder and flashed her his warmest smile. My parents were not Alphas so they were fated mates, and loved one another with their whole being. Growing up I had admired their love, and had looked forward to finding a mate of my own until I was old enough to realize that wasn't the path laid out for me and quicky squashed that dream and replaced it with my sense of duty for my pack. I knew Alex decently well, as pups they kept us together often hoping to force us into forming a strong bond as childhood playmates, but most of my memories of Alex involved him being a petulant child, and later being somewhat cold and even cruel to me. The knot in my stomch bobbed up and down and my nerves were shot. It was time for us to leave, and for my new life's chapter to begin.