Fated From the Start

But She's Human

Harlow POV

"Hey sleepy heads, you're missing dinner!" Cedar yelled through the bedroom door, startling us both from our s*x induced slumber.

"What day is it?" I mumbled, fumbling for my clothes.

"You f****d each other into a nap, not into next week Totty, it's still Wednesday." Cedar yelled back laughing.

"SHUT IT CEDAR!" Ash boomed. "We'll be down in a minute, save our seats."

I heard Cedar's laugh descend down the hall away from us.

As we walked into the dining room we drew way more attention than we had at breakfast. I guess news of my mate status had spread throughout the pack. Everyone was gawking at me like I had 3 heads. I felt Ash's arm drape across my shoulders, pulling me closer in a gesture that was somewhere between possessive and comforting. This made the last few people that weren't already staring, turn to face us. Their eyes followed us all the way to our seats, the same seats I'd used to remain relatively unnoticed in this very morning.

"Alright everyone, let's eat." Ash addressed the crowd, but no one moved.

"Is she really our new Luna?" I heard a small voice ask shakedly from somewhere down the table.

"She will be." Ash responded firmly.

"But she's human." Another voice called out from the crowd.

"And how lucky we are that the Moon Goddess herself led her to us and that Harlow accepts who we are and is willing to step up and lead by my side despite our differences." Ash responded, his voice still firm but now almost prideful.

"How can she lead us? She doesn't even know what that means." Someone retorted, slightly disdainful.

I could feel myself shrinking in my chair as their interrogation and questioning of my worthiness continued. I met Cy's gaze across the table and he mouthed "defend yourself".

"She will learn. We have all had to learn our role in this pack, Harlow is no different." Ash was clearly growing tired of the interrogation.

"If she is truly the destined Luna and your destined mate, why is she unmarked?"

"Why would the Moon Goddess send us a human? What benefit could this have?"

"If you're mated, why does she not live here?"

"If you're confident in her ability to be our Luna, why are you hesitating to name her Luna?"

The questions were coming rapid fire now as more pack members found the nerve to speak.

I could see the anger in Ash's face. It agitated him that they were questioning him, questioning me. Cy was right, I had to stand up for myself. Shrinking into my chair was no way to earn their respect.

I jumped up on my chair and clapped my hands three times like I was a camp counselor. The room fell silent and all eyes were on me, honestly didn't expect it to work that well.

"Hello everyone" I began to address the crowd. "I know that when things are different they can seem scary or uncertain. When I found out that werewolves are real, I basically had a full blown meltdown for a month. So you all are entitled to a little doubt and some questioning over the idea of a human becoming a ranked member of your pack. I believe, as you believe, that the Moon Goddess brought me to Ash and all of you for a reason. My role in this pack is fated. I respect the title and role that will be bestowed upon me deeply and will do everything in my power to be the best Luna I can be. I will live from this moment forward to make you all proud to call me your Luna. Please, help me to lead you the way you deserve. Help me to become a proud and functional member of this pack."

"To address some concerns that I heard arise: Ash has not marked me yet out of respect for our differences. I need time to adjust to your way of life, Ash has been gracious enough to give me that time and has moved much slower than I hear wolves are accustomed to. As far as me living away from the pack, that again is a weird human thing about not moving too quickly, but we will be remedying that shortly and I anticipate I'll be a Shadow Woods resident by the end of the month. I can not officially be named your Luna until I am a marked full-time pack member, so that is the delay on me claiming the title formally. As far as why the Moon Goddess sent me, a human, to help lead you, I don't have that answer, but I promise you I will do my best. Now, let enjoy this fine meal that's been prepared for us before it gets cold, shall we?" I was blown away by the strength and certainty I'd managed to hold in my voice the entire time I spoke.

The crowd continued to stare blankly up at me for a few moments, the room so quiet you could hear a pin drop. And then all at once the room burst into a chorus of whoops and cheers.

"Welcome Luna Harlow!" Someone bellowed from the crowd and then it was echoed from voices all over the room.

Ash and Cedar each stood and offered me a hand to climb down from my chair. Once I was seated the commotion died down some and people began to dig into their dinner. I couldn't even tell you what all was piled down the length of the giant table, but I instructed Cedar to fetch me some braided pork chops, sweet corn, and mashed potatoes that I saw. My tiny human self didn't stand a chance fighting these wolves for food so I felt no guilt making Cedar do it for me.

"You are incredible my love," Ash murmured with his lips pressed to my temple, exactly as he had this morning.

"I will be beyond proud to pass you my title Harlow," Ash's mom chimed in from just down the table. "You handled them exactly as a Luna should; firm, direct, and compassionate. You acknowledged their concerns, yet quieted their fears, all while holding true to yourself. It was impeccable my dear." Her words made me feel bubbly inside and helped settle some of the doubts the pack had stoked up.

"I think we should formally introduce you to the pack the next time you're here, you're ready now." Ash told me.

"Wasn't I just introduced?" I inquired, unsure of what a formal introduction might entail.

"The wolves that attend family meals are but a small fraction of the pack, we need to hold a gathering and formally introduce you to all eight hundred and thirty-seven members."

"Well that's not the least bit intimidating." I sighed, just when I thought things were getting easier.

"You'll do fine love, the Moon Goddess made no mistakes when she destined you to be Luna, you're a natural." Ash reassured me. "Speaking of which, do you truly believe what you told the pack about believing in the Moon Goddess?"

"I believe that what I feel between us is unlike anything I've ever experienced in my entire life, if you say that's the Moon Goddess' doing, then I believe you." I shrugged.

Willow POV

"Where have you been all day dude?" I jokingly berated a very sleepy Harlow as she dredged into the apartment.

"I told you I was spending the night at Ash's," she brushed me off.

"Yeah, last night, it's more than twenty-four hours later…" I eyed her inquisitively, "last time you spent the night you walk of shamed your happy ass back in here first thing the next morning."

"Well last time I was hiding and this time I decided not to, everyone was actually genuinely unimpressed that I decided to come home tonight," she chuckled.

"Who's everyone? What have I missed? You're going to need to bring me up to speed Lolo." I continued my interrogation.

"Umm, basically this morning I woke up early and attended pack breakfast, got in a fight with some psycho she-wolf who apparently regularly throws herself at Ash, after breakfast Cedar and I went shopping for a few things to make the penthouse more comfy, Ash then used those to lure me into agreeing to start moving in, we skipped lunch cause we were to busy orgasming our brains out, then we napped until dinner, at dinner the pack gave Ash an I a full blown inquisition about me truly being the future Luna, I apparently handled that well and got blessing from Ash's mom to take the Luna title as soon as I'm marked, found out that Ash has literally no idea what happens when a human is marked, and then I watched some dumb action movie with the guys and Cedar escorted my ass home cause I was falling asleep and they literally don't trust me to go anywhere myself now. I'm pretty sure there's a guard stationed outside our apartment at all times FYI." She rambled through her day so fast I barely caught everything.

"Umm well, there's a lot to unpack there, but the main thing I took from it was I should start packing." I laughed

"Sleep now, rearranging life later." Harlow mumbled as she stumbled up the stairs to her room. Cedar apparently should've just put her to bed at the pack house instead of dragging her home.

I on the other hand am still coasting on the last shot of espresso from this afternoon so I might as well start putting my summer clothes in boxes. I won't miss them while we figure things out since it's been major sweater weather lately.