LUNA'S RETURN

CHAPTER SIX: A FESTIVAL AND A SHOW

RIVERA’S POV

I styled my hair into a small bun because of the length and used my mother’s hairpin to put the bun in place. I took out one of my mother’s dresses from my father’s box and danced round the room with it.

It was the annual Mating Ball and I had high hopes that my fated mate would be in attendance and take me far away from this place.

The ceremony was for the people that were of age and we’re yet to find their mates and for us, who were not yet of age but could be found lucky enough to find our mates. I admired the blue dress in my hands which was sewn with the finest linen I had ever laid my eyes on.

It was my mother’s favorite dress, according to what my father had told me about her, and she wore it only once – when she went to the mating ball in her pack house and met her fated mate, my father.

Somehow I hoped my story would be like hers and I found the dress to be my lucky charm, hoping I would meet my true mate and have a beautiful love story- the kind my mother and father shared.

I tried on the dress and looked at myself in the mirror. For the first time in a very long while, I was genuinely happy.

I ravaged through my father’s box to see if I could find any jewelry. Then I saw a small tin box with a name on it. The name was faint as the tin box had obviously rusted over the years.

I cleaned off the dust with a rag and tried to make out the name. Scarlett. It was my mother’s name.

I opened the box carefully and inside it, different necklaces and bracelets sat in a circle on top of each other. One necklace had a small diamond pendant that glistened, and I picked it up examining it slowly.

It was a real diamond and I was shocked at how my mother could afford to have real diamonds when she died of a terrible illness caused by a lack of a balanced diet in her system.

I had questions and no one to answer them.

I placed the diamond necklace on my bed and shut the small tin box, placing it inside my father’s box. I wore the necklace proudly, happy that my mother owned one luxury item at least.

I used my hands to straighten out small creases on the dress. I looked out my window and it was almost full moon, which meant that the ball had already started. I picked up my father’s portrait.

“Wish me luck papa” I said, kissing the portrait and placing it down carefully.

…

I walked down to the hall used for the ball. Different males and females had travelled from their pack houses to attend the ball, in hopes of finding their mates.

The young ladies had on luxury gowns and jewelry pieces and strutted the halls proudly, for the first time I felt included wearing my mother’s vintage luxury gown and diamond necklace. It was pure bliss.

I spotted Celeste behind the hall. She looked different and even prettier. She wore a black gown adorned with gold embroidery designs and flowers at the hem.

Her hair was styled in a beautiful braided pattern, falling below her shoulders. She looked like a princess. I felt a little intimidated but I couldn’t show it. I couldn’t let her feel superior, at least not today.

I walked down to where she stood, tugging at her dress.

“Ah, there you are” she said, observing my appearance.

“Can we get to why you asked me to come here, when you’re done admiring my dress, Celeste?” I asked, irritated.

Celeste looked up, ashamed that I had caught her staring.

“Oh yes. You are going to make a performance on my behalf. I’ve already spoken with the organizing team for the ball and everything has been set up for you.” Celeste responded.

“A performance? What kind? And for whom?” I asked, puzzled.

“You’ll find out what kind when you meet them backstage. For whom? It’s for Casper. I want to confess my love to him and you’re going to pass the message”.

“What? Casper? Why, Celeste? If you wanted to confess your love for him, why ask me? He doesn’t care about me anymore. It’s you he cares for” I replied.

“Exactly! He doesn’t care for you. I want to test that. I want to test him, Rivera. His reaction to your performance will answer the question as to whether he still feels something for you. Besides it’s not like anyone seated there besides Casper’s family and my friends knew about your past relationship with him so it’s a perfect plan” Celeste responded, grinning.

“I can’t… I can’t do it Celeste. I’d scrub your bathroom floors five times over tomorrow but I can’t do this. Please” I pleaded.

Celeste moved closer to me and stared right into my eyeballs.

“Seems like you want another report to get to Alpha about you abusing me. If you don’t, then man up and do what is required of you! It’s not like you ever had a say here”.

Celeste stepped back and walked away, mouthing the words “Backstage Now!”. I sighed and moved backstage.

“You’re Rivera right?” a girl asked as I opened the backstage curtains.

“Yes” I replied, climbing up the stairs.

“Okay. Celeste said you were making a performance. Has she informed you?”.

“Yes, she did. Last minute actually” I responded.

“Oh. I guess that’s why she made sure everything was already set up before you got here. Just take this paper and sing the exact words on it, staring at Alpha’s son”.

“Sing? Wow, okay”.

“You know how to sing, don’t you?” she asked.

“I do, yes. I’m just wondering how she knew that” I replied.

“Trust me, Celeste knows everything” the girl said, chuckling and I didn’t know how to feel about her statement.

She seemed to notice my reaction and said “Your dress is beautiful by the way”. I smiled politely and read through the piece of paper.

It was a love song which she had written herself. It was actually beautiful and it described my childhood with Casper for some reason. Celeste was definitely setting me up for something.

I had not sung since my father’s passing and I never imagined that I would sing for Casper ever again after the incident with Celeste. Circumstances were different now and I was being blackmailed to sing for my first love and his mistress.

I took my place and the speaker for the evening introduced me.

“Let’s welcome a performance to Casper Chann from Gamma Lukas’ daughter, Celeste”.

I sighed, once again I was not relevant enough for my name to be mentioned. It was definitely going to be a surprise to Casper when he saw me singing for Celeste to him. I hoped his reaction would be composed at least, so that Celeste would not have my head.

The audience clapped as the curtains drew open. I walked to the center of the stage and started singing immediately. There was no look of surprise on anyone’s face which meant that no one knew I had been in a relationship with Casper before.

I looked at the left side of the room where Casper and his family were seated and they all looked surprised. Celeste stood at a corner, watching.

I swallowed a lump and continued, singing confidently. My voice was clear and resounded throughout the hall. By the time I was done singing, the crowd cheered me on. I plastered a fake smile across my face and curtsied, leaving the stage. The curtains drew close and I came down from the stairs, almost bumping into Celeste.

“Well?” I asked her, straightening my dress.

“It was good. Casper was composed, even though I half expected him to leave in anger during the performance. I guess he has gotten over you” Celeste responded and I walked past her immediately, going back to the hall through the front door.

I didn’t care about her and stupid cheating Casper. The first dance was about to start and I needed to score myself a gentleman.