Born of Two

A Pearl with Diamonds

Chapter 17

Lochlyn’s POV

The last week has been interesting. For starting, Rosalynn moved into my room on a trial basis, as she called it. We found out the morning after our night together that Marco mated with Molly, and that made Simon leave because that is something that should have been impossible. The elementals possess souls but are tied to one soul to protect them. So how can that soul be split and belong to two people? I have barely got to see my Rosie because her training is always with the addition of Avalon. She has gotten good at the wind element and even can grow grass now. It seems the more she excepts life here, the stronger she becomes. Finn, Marco, and Josephine oversee the Luna and mating ceremony preparations. Chase and I are working on the final details of the house. We got all the paint up and some of the significant furniture done. Jo and Deren took her to the local shop to see if she wanted to update anything for the Alphas suites before they arrived. Jo sent me a photo of anything she said she liked for herself, and then I bought it later that day. She currently has no clue that we have this entire house built, and it starting to concern me about her awareness. Either Jo and Chase fabricated the greatest tall tale, or she is blissfully unaware. Either way, we officially move in tomorrow, and I couldn’t be more excited.

Today is the mating ceremony, where she will take her vows as Luna. It's a lot like a wedding, she will be done up in a simple linen gown, and her hair and make-up will be all done. However, the major difference will be that there are four other couples solidifying their mate bond tonight, but we will go last and then right into the Luna ceremony and then the reception after. I walk around our open-concept kitchen with its booth/bar seating. The only thing in here currently is her fun list stuck to the fridge with a smile magnet. Her funny little fun list. I smile at the idea of completing all of this with her.

With her.

My smile grows at the thought of eternity. I twirl the wedding band that is in my pocket. I know that on her fun list are the words courtship and wedding, and while we are going kind of out of order on this, I thought I would give her the symbol of my eternal devotion. I pull out the black hammered ring with a single Aquamarine stone in it, the symbol stone of our pack.

I look around our house and take a deep breath. “Moon Goddess, let forever be slow, and the trials coming move swiftly. Keep her safe always.”

Rosalynn’s POV

I am sitting in the chair facing the window, watching the wind in the trees. I have gotten good enough that if I focus on it, I can quiet the wind that is currently happening. I know all my girls said no training today, but I couldn’t help myself. With so much nervous energy running through me, I couldn’t sit still.

I couldn’t wait to be with Lochlyn for eternity. I know we had a rougher start with the whole k********g thing and then finding out my whole life was a detailed fabrication to hide me from my Father’s pack; who can blame me?

“Umm, what are you doing?” I could smell Jo's wonderful scent surrounding the chair. “Not getting cold feet, are we? It's been like five weeks since the underground you can’t back out now.”

She walks around the front of the chair and sits on top of me while wrapping her arms around me.

“Plus, at this point, I am kind of set on you being my sister-in-law to balance out the masculinity in my life, so if Lochlyn doesn’t claim you… I will.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek and then stands up to pull me up and over to the bathroom.

Hazel and Deren come barreling into the room with Champagne, make-up, coffee, snacks, and hair supplies. They drag me to the bathroom to start getting ready. Pouring the champagne, Jojo even dropped a gummy worm in mine to make me giggle, but it was my favorite combination. They brought in a lady who did facials and our nails.

“Jo, did you rip everything we are doing out of every princess movie ever?”

“You tell me?” She shrugged. She couldn’t look at me with her facial all done up. “I know for a fact your favorite childhood movie was Princess Diaries.”

“That is a classic, and I will never be ashamed of that!”

For the next hour, we spent the entire time quoting the movie while they finished our pedicures and did a deep tissue massage. At one point, Finn tried to come in to ask Jojo a decorations question, and we all screamed till he left. He ended up passing a note under the door. Jojo, Deren, and Hazel had all closed off their minds to everyone to focus on our pamper afternoon.

I kept looking at the clock, hoping time would slow down. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to spend my whole life with Lochlyn, but it hit me how fast this was all moving. The circumstances that we met, leaving home, finding out I am not a human.

“Guys, is the room hot to you?”

Deren came over and grabbed my wrist to check my pulse “Damn girl, your heart is racing.”

“I am going to lie down.”

Jojo pulled me into her in a hug. “Breathe. You are just having a panic attack.”

I held onto Jojo’s fuzzy robe and let the feeling pass over me as she had taught me so many times before. The breeze in the room felt good, and I saw Molly at the door. She was leaning against the frame, wiggling her fingers to create the breeze I felt.

“No time like the present to get cold feet, babe. Can Avalon and I join the party?”

“If you tell us that you are finally going to accept Marco and say f**k it to the rules,” Hazel popped off from the bathroom.

A bright red blush crept across Molly’s face as Avalon entered in a light green linen dress. Her chocolate hair bounced in its ringlets curls as she tipped-toed into the room.

“Are we talking about lover boy who keeps leaving trinkets for my sister?” Molly flashed her a glare when she mentioned the gift. “Oh, was that a secret?”

“No, but still, brat.” Molly stuck her tongue at her sister and moved over to the chaise in the corner. “Can we focus back on the Luna?”

“That’s right!!!” Avalon said with a squeal. “I am here to do your hair and crown.”

“Crown?” Jojo was curious about this new detail.

“Yes. She is the chosen one, and tonight everyone will know. Tonight you get a crown.” Avalon pulled my hair out of the towel. “Trust me. I am really good at making them.”

The joy in my heart was greater than the fear. I always wanted to be a princess, someone’s Cinderella but maybe more like Rapunzel from Tangled. I nodded at Avalon as she smiled back at me before we went to the bathroom to do my hair.

A few hours later, Deren and Avalon were done with me. My hair was loose, with a few strands pinned up to create a braided base for my flower crown.

The Flower Crown.

Nothing could have been better. Avalon used red and orange coned-shaped bristle flowers that I had never seen before mixed with babies' breath and white lilies. It looks gorgeous with my shorter brown hair. I l looked at my reflection, smiling and wondering what he would think of me. My make-up was light. The most striking part was the mauve lip, gold dusting on my cheek, and eyeliner. It made the blues in my eyes dance, and then when Adira let my eyes turn yellow, it made hers look like the creamiest shade of gold.

“My human is the prettiest of them all.”

“Is this where I say ‘Mirror, Mirror?”

“You tell me, Disney nerd. But really, Lochlyn and his wolf are going to love us. They won’t be able to look away.”

“If you have a name, does Lochlyn wolf have a name?”

“Yes. But you need to ask him that.”

“I am nervous for tonight, Adira.”

“Girl, you already saw each other naked what are you nervous about? I know you trimmed and cleaned up that bush.” I swear, just then, she covered her eyes with her paws. “Are you nervous because Molly and Avalon mentioned the prophecy?”

“Yes. What if no one understands me and wants me to go away?”

“No one will want that. Rosie, I can’t tell you everything, but you are the only thing standing between possible life and certain death. Tonight it will be revealed. Just breathe and go get dressed.”

With that, Adira retreated back to her spot in my mind. A knock on the door broke my concentration on the mirror, and Jo appeared with two garment bags. “You ready, sis?”

“More than ever. But why two bags?”

“Tonight, you have two dresses. Come out of the bathroom, and we will walk you through it.”

She reached out her hand and lifted me from the chair. She instructed me to go sit on the bed with Avalon and Molly while Deren, Hazel, and her sat across from us. She took a long breath and began to unzip the first bag. I was expecting something glamorous, but it was the opposite.

She pulled out a simple white tunic linen dress. The straps tie up into bows that drape over the shoulders. The dress had no designs until the bottom, where it had white and cream delicate flowers sewn into the bottom. I could see Avalon get excited over the flower detail, and Molly reached out and grabbed my hand with a light squeeze.

“It’s beautiful, Jojo.”

“Thank you. But there is something more than just the look.”

“What is it?”

“This is the same dress I wore to my mating ceremony and the one my mother wore to hers. Of course, the person who passes it on makes one alteration for the next person. My mom had cap sleeves, but she did the bows for me. From me to you, I added the flowers at the bottom. I really hope you like it.”

I could feel the tears coming to my eyes as I took a shaky breath in to steady myself. “Jojo, it is perfect… thank you.”

We continued in silence as the girls helped me into the dress. I couldn't help but begin to miss my mom. It made me realize how much my parents loved me to sacrifice the joys and safety of a pack. To protect me at all costs, even if it meant hiding who I was. Their protection, love, and devotion let me find Lochlyn, and now I was more determined than ever to make my way to my mate. Just then, a knock came through the room. Hazel waddled over to the door and opened it up to Philemon and Heather. Heather immediately started sobbing at the sight of her dress on me. Phil excused himself to get his composure mumbling something about how I looked like my mom. Eventually, Jojo got Heather calmed down and brought her over to me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the best hug ever. She let go and twirled me around to get a better look at me before sitting me on the bed.

“I know I am not your mom. However, I guess I will have to ask because my husband can't get his composure. Can we escort you to the area Lochlyn is waiting for you? He will walk you down, but we would love to stand in for the pieces missing from today.”

“I would love nothing more than that. Do I call you anything different today?”

“Mom darling, call me mom if you like.”

“I would like that.”

We hugged, and I saw Philemon standing in the doorway, blowing his nose and tears rolling down his face. I knew he loved me like a daughter because if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have broken the agreement and sent Jo and Chase to me. I reached my hand out and waved him forward to come to join our hug, which Jo had joined as well. He came over and hugged the three of us, emotional women. He backed away before clearing his throat.

“I have one more gift as well.” Philemon pulled out a small velvet box. “This…uh…..ok, I can do this. This was your mother's. When your dad passed, she sent this to us for safekeeping for this day. I can’t open it because it’s not mine to open.”

He sent the box in my lap before he pulled Heather to his side. The other girls had left the room except for Jo, who scooted close to me. She held my shaky arm as I pulled the box close. I didn’t have much from my mother, so this was a complete surprise. Most things I had were recipes, blankets, and clothing. She was simple and easy. My father never bought her fancy jewelry or anything like that. She always said that the greatest gift he gave her was me and her future. I understood what she meant as I opened the box. Tea s flooded my eyes at what I held. Something I remembered from a dream. A simple silver necklace with a teardrop pearl and three very small diamonds adorned the top. I remembered this from my youth. She never took it off until after my father died, but I assumed it was too painful to wear. I forgot all about it at the time of her death.

“This was what your father gave her when she excepted him.”

Jojo moved my hair to fasten the necklace around my neck. I laughed that the silver didn’t hurt. Silver could hurt us in all the movies I grew up with, but even the greatest quantities would only be a mild reaction. I rolled the pearl between my fingers when Deren popped her head in.

“It’s time to go, guys. You ready, Luna?”

“Let’s go find my mate.” Jo gave me a hug and giggled. “What is that for?”

“Remember when you bet him so you could go home?”

“Can we not talk about that?”

“Oh no, I will never let you forget that part.”

We walked out of the room and out of Lochlyn’s house. Jo turned around and locked the door behind her before giving me a wink. Chase stood on the sidewalk waiting for his wife. He had on a simple tan button-down and dark brown pants. Jo had on a pale gold dress that was tunic style like mine. Chase smiled at me and nodded. “Luna.”

“Not Luna Chase.”

“Today, Ros, you become Luna. This isn’t a normal day. Today you take your rightful place next to Lochlyn.” He motioned for Philemon and Heather to take the lead with me. No one was out on the streets as I expected. It was just the five of us. Chase and Jo walked hand in hand behind us. Jo told me earlier that today they would be officially taking the titles of Beta as Lochlyn and I became leaders.

We walk through the town and quickly reach the edge of the woodland I can see the string lights set up to form a path as other young girls that have been mated walk ahead of me. Apparently, I am the last to enter with Lochlyn. Philemon and Heather will be the elders present to bless all the mated pairs before us. There are only four this season, not including Marco and Finn. Most of these couples are already marked and have mated, meaning Loch, and I are the oddballs here.

We are walking through the woods when we come to a clearing. It is obvious that Avalon had a hand in the decorating as the field at the end of fall is lush and green with many flowers present. The trees began to sway as I passed through them, I reached out and touched the rough bark, and the trees began to bow again to me as they did in the last clearing I was in. All around me are moms and dads wiping their eyes as they give their daughters to their mates for the ceremony. Other women are in simple dresses like mine, donning family heirlooms, soft makeup, and curls, but none have a crown. That made sure I would stand out. I walk through the crowds in front of me and reach the back of the field when I see Lochlyn craning his next in the opposite direction of where I came from. It was clear he forgot where I would come from. I stopped and unhooked my hand from Philemon and Heather and wiggled my hand just like Molly taught me, pushing a breeze toward him from where I was. His wolf pickup up my scent from the wind and locked onto my standing. Lochlyn took back control and briskly walked over to me.

A smile plastered his face to see me in his mom's dress. “I have no words, my love.” He said as he brought me closer to him. He gently kissed my forehead, sending a river of sparks through me.

I get to be with this man forever.