THE UNTAMED

THE GATHERING

I wake up early in the morning, with a shattered sound.

My phone’s alarm is so loud, like a warning bell, ripping me from sleep. I jolted upright, heart pounding, breath uneven, as if my body already knew today was not ordinary. I shut the alarm with trembling fingers and swung my legs off the bed.

I could not be late.

Not today.

They would already be gathered at the dining table, waiting... watching. And today… today I will finally meet the rest of Marvin’s pack.

His family.

The word alone made my chest tighten.

Nervousness curled deep in my stomach, coiling with a strange, dangerous excitement. I dressed quickly, barely tasting breakfast as I forced myself to eat. Every second felt like it was ticking toward a trial I could not escape.

Afterward, Jolina and I picked up Mom, and we headed to the mall. The car ride was loud with laughter, but underneath it, my thoughts raced like wolves through a forest.

They grilled me nonstop, both of them leaning forward, eyes bright, voices overlapping like excited girls half my age.

“So?” Jolina teased. “Tell us everything.”

I told them about our first date, about the way Marvin looked at me as if I were the only soul in the world. I told them how, at last, he had taken my hand.

My fingers curled unconsciously at the memory.

“It felt like coming home,” I admitted softly.

Their reactions exploded at once.

“Did he kiss you?” Jolina demanded.

“Ah—yeah…” Heat rushed to my face.

Mom leaned in, eyes sharp with curiosity. “Where?”

I lifted my hand and pointed to my cheek.

“Ohhhwww... ” they chorused, laughter spilling out, but there was warmth in it. Pride and relief.

After hours of shopping, eating, and talking, I finally found the dress.

It hugged my figure without exposing too much of my body.. ellegant and formal. The color was a deep bluish blue, rich and calm, like moonlight reflected in water.

Like Marvin’s eyes.

When I stepped out of the dressing room, Mom froze.

Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes glistening.

“That’s the one,” she said, voice trembling with certainty.

Jolina nodded immediately. “No doubt.”

As if fate itself had chosen it.

Back at Albanzo’s house, the air shifted into controlled chaos. Tonight loomed over us like a gathering storm. Mom and Jolina went straight to the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, moving with practiced urgency. Every ingredient was already prepared, every step planned, as if this night had been waiting for me long before I knew it existed.

I helped where I could, but eventually they waved me away.

“Go,” Jolina insisted gently. “We’ve got this.”

I retreated, guilt tugging at me, but my nerves were unraveling fast. I hadn’t seen Marvin all day. I couldn’t sense him nearby. That absence gnawed at something deep inside me, an instinct older than reason.

As I finished my makeup, my hands shook.

Mom entered quietly and stood behind me, smoothing my curls with tender care. Her touch grounded me.

“You are so beautiful, sweetheart,” she whispered. “I see so much of your father in you.”

I caught my breath.

“I never told you that,” she continued, voice breaking. “I’m sorry. I thought hiding the pain would protect you.”

I turned to her and shook my head.

“It’s okay, Mom. I understand.” My voice wavered.

I’ve only been away from Alpha Marvin for half a day… and I already feel sick. Empty. Just like my mother, I can't imagine how she suffered that pain without my father.

Mom pulled me into her arms. We held each other tightly, two hearts bound by love and loss. When she pulled back, she cupped my face and looked straight into my eyes.

“He will protect you,” she said firmly. “I see it. And I know you love each other.”

“I’ll be fine,” I promised, even as fate thundered in my chest.

After one last embrace, she left to change into the dress she had brought. She told me Dad would be attending as well.

That thought warmed me, like unseen approval from beyond.

Then..

I felt it. A presence surged through the pack house, it's unmistakably powerful.

Alpha Marvin had arrived.

I inhaled sharply, smoothing every jagged nerve, anchoring my soul. My body responded before my mind could, while my shoulders relaxed.

Mom noticed instantly. She smiled wide, knowingly. "He’s here.”

Yes.

I heard his footsteps on the stairs... slowly, and commanding. Each step echoed like a drumbeat in my chest.

Mom slipped out of the room, sending me one last understanding smile.

Voices murmured in the hallway. Greetings exchanged. All the attentions attended well with respect.

Then... there's a knock.

On my door.

And with that single sound, the world narrowed to a breath, and the man waited on the other side... is the Alpha who would change my fate forever.

He crossed the room in three swift strides, as if some invisible force had pulled him toward me.

Before I could speak, Marvin wrapped his arms around me, strong and certain, drawing me against his chest. His breath brushed my skin as he lowered his head, nuzzling his nose into the hollow of my neck.

He inhaled deeply. The gesture was intimate.. instinctively.

“You look… absolutely beautiful,” he murmured, roughened voices with something barely restrained.

I tilted my head back slightly and met his gaze, trying to hide the way his attention made my knees weak.

“You clean up nicely too, Mr. Albanzo,” I teased softly, though a blush crept up my cheeks under his unashamed appraisal.

He wore a tailored suit that framed his broad shoulders and muscled arms with dangerous elegance. The tie at his throat matched my dress too perfectly.

I glanced at it and smiled. “Jolina?”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “She insisted.”

His fingers laced with mine, grounding me.

“I can’t wait to introduce you to our family… and our friends,” he said, eyes glowing with anticipation. “They’re going to love you.”

Before I could respond, he lifted my hand and pressed a reverent kiss to my knuckles. His eyes sparkled, not with dominance, but with pride.

He led me out of my room and down the stairs.

With every step, the weight of the night settled heavier on my shoulders. Voices rose from below.. laughter, conversation, the hum of many presences gathered under one roof. My heart raced, but Alpha Marvin’s grip never loosened.

I felt like a princess walking toward my fate.

The moment we entered the hall, all heads turned.

I spotted my father among the crowd, and his face lit up with a smile so wide it nearly undid me. Pride shone in his eyes.

Marvin guided me forward, positioning us at the center of the hall.

Then he spoke.

“May I have everyone’s attention?”

His voice carried... calm, commanding, absolute.

The room fell silent instantly. Conversations ceased. More people filtered in, forming a wide circle around us. I counted quickly, twenty, maybe twenty-five in total. Elders mostly, their gazes sharp and assessing, their auras heavy with authority.

Marvin nodded once.

Jolina stepped forward. She stood beside me, her presence steady and dignified.

And there is another man who joined Marvin’s other side...he is tall, composed, and his eyes were alert.

"Alpha Pedro. The second Alpha after my father's death." Marvin told me.

“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Marvin began. “This gathering marks a moment I once feared would never arrive.”

His hand tightened around mine.

“For years, I waited... for my destined mate. I searched, hoped, endured. And when I least expected it… she found me.”

A murmur rippled through the room.

“I stand before you are proud, honored, to present my future Luna.” His gaze softened as he looked at me.

“Abby Jezz Urdanzo. Daughter of Beta Robert Sandique and Solidad.”

A hush fell, reverent and deep. All of them can sense that my mother, Solidad is a human.

“Jericho Urdanzo,” Marvin continued, gesturing toward my father, “stood beside Solidad and helped raise this intelligent, resilient human-wolf. I ask that you recognize them as a trusted human within our pack.”

Marvin inclined his head toward my father.

My father returned the gesture, visibly nervous, but he standing tall.

Then the applause errupted, thundered around us, voices rising in approval. Relief washed through me as hands reached out, warm and welcoming.

“Luna Jezz.”

The title echoed again and again as I was embraced, hugged, welcomed. Every touch carried acceptance. Every smile felt genuine. It was overwhelming… and deeply moving.

Marvin never left my side.

As the elders congratulated him, he leaned close, murmuring quiet explanations into my ear, names, ranks, roles. Leaders. Protectors. Friends. I could see it clearly now: these people respected him not out of fear, but the loyalty that was extended today.

Then..suddenly..

“Abby Jezz,” an elder woman asked, her eyes sharp with interest. “When is your eighteenth birthday?”

“Tomorrow,” I answered honestly.

A breath passed through the crowd like wind through tall grass.b

The elder turned toward Marvin. “Then she should receive his mark.”

My heart skipped.

“Alpha Marvin,” she continued, “may I speak with you?”

“Yes, sister.”

“We can wait until midnight,” she said calmly. “The moon will be full. It is auspicious.”

A voice shouted from the back, “Luna’s birthday is tomorrow!”

“Marked!”

“Marked!”

“MARKED!”

The chant rose, echoing off the walls. My chest tightened as the weight of their expectations pressed in. Their excitement wasn’t cruel, it was reverent. They longed to witness the bond of their Alpha and Luna.

Marvin raised his hand, and the silence fell.

“I thank you all,” he said firmly. “And I am deeply honored by your acceptance of my mate.”

His thumb brushed soothing circles over my knuckles.

“In the coming weeks, she will be trained. I ask some of you to aid in that process. Tomorrow, she will undergo her change. You are all invited to witness her transformation... it will be a day of celebration.”

That moment was paused after what he said.

“As for the marking,” he continued evenly, “I have already sought permission from her parents. It will occur tomorrow, privately.”

Applause followed, but a male elder stepped forward.

“Why wait?” he challenged. “The moon tonight is perfect.”

Marvin’s gaze hardened.

“She lived her entire life, unfamiliar with our customs,” he said. “Honor her by giving her more time. Her world is changing drastically. I will not rush what is sacred.”

No one argued.

Then he went on, his tone easing slightly. “We are still determining the date of our union ceremony. Circumstances are… complicated.”

A few surprised expressions surfaced.

“Abby Jezz is currently one of my students,” he added. “If human law becomes an obstacle, I will address it.”

A ripple of discontent stirred, but Marvin lifted his chin.

“Our destiny will not be denied,” he said with quiet certainty. “Only postponed.”

Laughter and cheers broke the tension.

An elder woman nodded approvingly. “She is young. There will be challenges. But destiny always tests what it values.”

“We will protect our family,” another elder vowed. “No force will bring us down.”

Marvin squeezed my hand.

The gathering slowly dissolved as people offered final embraces and blessings.

“Welcome to our family, Luna.”

“Thank you,” I said, emotion thick in my throat.

As the last guest departed, Marvin leaned close.

“It’s been a long time since our pack welcomed a young female shifter,” he said softly. “They see hope in you.”

I looked around the now-quiet room. And for the first time, I didn’t feel like an outsider.

I felt chosen.