Ancient Moonlight

“Are you ready Relia?” The sound of my friend, and adopted sister, Nyssa startles me from my thoughts. Today is the day. Today I will become Theron’s mate. I will become who I have been trained to be since I was found in the woods 18 years ago. I swivel in my chair to look by at her, and smile. “I’m ready Nyssa, just nervous I think.” I swear I can see a glint in her eye, but it passes quickly before her face breaks into a smile. “What are you nervous about? You and Theron are made for each other,” she says. With a slight roll of her eyes, she adds, “Everyone knows that.” And its true, everyone knows that. The moment they found me, it was decided. I had been placed as a gift to the pack. A future Luna for the future Alpha. Its what I was raised to do. Who I was raised to be. I playfully roll my eyes back before turning back to the mirror. Tonight is a big night, I need to make sure I look my best. With one last quick glance at myself to make sure my dark curls are perfectly flowing down over my shoulders, and the dark kohl lining my silvery grey eyes is sharp and precise, I smile at my reflection. I look perfect. The walk to the clearing is long, and normally Nyssa and I would chatter the distance away, discussing everything from what we did that day to the gossip we have heard around the village, but tonight words are few and far between. I glance quickly at my best friend, the girl who I have lived with like a sister, and grab her arm to stop her right at the edge of the forest, before it opens into the clearing the ritual has been prepared to take place in. “Nyssa,” I say, “you know what is happening tonight changes nothing. I will always be your friend, even if I belong to him.” Again, I see a flash of something in her eyes, the clear brown of the majority of the Weres native to this village, a small tightening in the corners, a visible clench of her jaw. “Don’t be silly Relia, after tonight, you won’t even belong to yourself anymore. You’ll belong to him. I doubt he would want us spending time together.” She shoots me a look before letting out a quiet scoff. “After tonight, everything changes, and no amount of wishing or promises will change that.” Before I have a chance to respond, I hear my name called from the clearing, I look through the low hanging branches, and see Theron and his parents standing there. His mother, as always, looks impeccable. Her age can be seen in the greying streaks in her ebony hair, straight and sleek as water, falling down her back, but that is the only place her age betrays her. She is standing strong and sturdy, a direct contrast to her husband. The current Alpha, and Theron’s father, Cassian is hunched. The hair he has remaining is completely grey and lies lank and limp on his shoulders. Even his ceremonial robes look less than they should, nearly falling off his body as he’s grown so frail in the last year. Theron’s time as Alpha comes soon, and we can all see it in the aging body of his father. Only his eyes remain the same, the dark brown shining with intelligence and kindness, as they always have. His smile seems fragile as I come closer, but even that feels welcoming. Cassian has always been kind to me. It was him who found me all those years ago, wailing on the edge of this very clearing wrapped in cloth and pine needles. Its why he chose this place for the ritual. So close to the outskirts of the village, it isn’t the usual place. But he insisted, the sacred space of my arrival to the pack would be the place where I would become his sons mate, and even an aging and frail Alpha has last say. “Good evening, Luna Seris,” I greet Theron’s mother as I join their group. She never felt as strongly as Cassian about my arrival being fated. Once, I overheard her telling Theron that fate and omens are only as strong as the belief given them. She merely smiles in greeting, a small nod in my direction. I understand though, some may view the mating ceremony of their son as a gaining of a daughter, but I know she views it as losing her son. “Good evening to you Relia, our little dawn.” I can always count on Alpha Cassian to make me feel included, sometimes even loved. “Are you ready for your big night? Luna Aurelia, it has a lovely ring to it, don’t you think?” He shoots me a wink. “Future Luna, you mean. I’m sure you and Luna Seris will be leading us for many years to come,” I reply respectfully. “Of course, of course. But eventually, you will be Luna, and Theron will be Alpha, and tonight is the beginning of that journey.” He responds. “I’m so glad I get to be here for this, not every Alpha is lucky enough to see his heir complete the bonding ritual with his intended.” Smiling shyly, I shrug, despite knowing how unladylike it is. Cassian always prefers the irreverent, but I can see both Luna Seris and Nyssa’s disapproving glances out of the corner of my eye. “I’m glad you get to be here too,” I begin, but before I get a chance to say anything further the booming voices of the Elders calls everyone’s attention. “Aurelia and Theron, come to the ritual space, the ceremony is about to begin.” I send one more, quick smile to Cassian as I turn to give Nyssa one last hug before taking Theron’s arm to walk toward the stage the Elders have erected in the center of the clearing. Until now I have been able to avoid thinking about what the ceremony actually is. How I will be forced to lie naked under the moonless sky, next to Theron. How the Elders will take both our arms and slice across our forearms, allowing our blood to intermix. Allowing our inner wolves to commune. How everyone in the village is hidden in the trees, staying out of the ceremonial space, but watching none the less. “Remove your robes, and lie in place,” is the command given as we reach the stage. I expect Theron to give my arm a squeeze in comfort. This is after all, something we are both doing for the first time. He knows how nervous I am. But instead, I turn at the sound of a scream. Luna Seris is bent down toward the ground, her hair covering her face. Nyssa is standing tall next to her, looking directly at me. No…looking at Theron. Cassian is lying on the ground. Dead.