Chapter 6: Beneath the Moon's Gaze
1211 Words
The ceremonial horn echoed across the pack for the fourth time, the sound echoed loudly from across the council hall, silencing everyone inside.
Alpha Rowan slowly rose from his seat. "The ceremony cannot be delayed," he said.
His voice was calm, but there was a way he said it that made the room colder.
One of the elders cleared his throat. "Alpha... what about the girl?"
Every eye fell on Ella again immediately.
She stood rooted to the spot, painfully aware of how out of place she looked among the powerful wolves surrounding her. Rowan looked at her for a long time before speaking.
"We will continue this discussion after the ceremony."
The oldest elder frowned slightly. "But what about the silver fur—"
"I said after the ceremony." He repeated, his tome made no room for further arguments.
The elder lowered his head. "As you command, Alpha."
Rowan looked at Ella. "You will attend the ceremony." He finally said.
Her breath caught instantly because the old woman had warned her not to attend the mate's ceremony. "What?"
His expression remained unreadable. "The Moon Goddess has summoned every unmated wolf of age and you're obviously of age."
"I..." Ella's fingers tightened around the hem of her dress. "I don't belong there."
A few elders exchanged sympathetic glances, others looked relieved in a way. Roman's gaze never left her. "Whether you believe you belong or not, I don't care right now. You've defaulted already and this is the only way you can pay to your sins." He continued... "The ceremony is sacred, no eligible wolf may refuse."
The words hit her like an actual physical blow, Elder Mira's warning still thundered through her mind.
*Do not attend the Mate Ceremony.*
Her chest tightened, she wanted to tell Rowan all that Elder Mia had told her but she wanted to explain how scared she was instead.
But what could she say? That an old healer had warned her to stay away without giving a reason?
She would only sound foolish and unreasonable.
Two warriors stepped forward towards her. "They'll escort you," Rowan ordered.
Ella lowered her head. "Yes, Alpha."
---
Outside, the village had transformed. The fear and whispers of what had happened in the morning had given way to excitement because of the long awaited mate ceremony, Golden lanterns were lined up in the pathways leading toward the Moon Temple. Children laughed as they ran between the crowd, their parents calling after them.
Musicians played soft melodies on wooden flutes while servants hurried back and forth carrying baskets of flowers. It was beautiful but indeed yet Ella couldn't appreciate any of it, she celebration felt like she was watching someone else's life unfold.
As the warriors escorted her through the village, people moved aside from them, the whispers returned almost immediately.
"Isn't that the cursed girl?" They gossiped, their gaze focused directly at her. "Why is she going to the ceremony?"
"She shouldn't even be there."
"I heard the Alpha summoned her himself." Others said. "Maybe she's being judged."
Ella kept her eyes on the ground, the whispers got to her more than she had thought.
"You don't have to listen to them." She told herself and looked up.
Ethan had somehow appeared beside the warriors, one of them nodded respectfully and allowed him to walk with them. "You shouldn't be here," Ella murmured. "I know." He smiled. "But someone has to make sure you don't run away."
Despite everything that she was going through, she managed a weak laugh. "You know me too well Ethan."
"You've been thinking about Elder Mira's warning right?" She looked at him, surprised. How did he know about the warning?
"Was it that obvious?" She asked, curiosity written all over her face. "You've looked terrified all day."
They walked in silence for a moment then finally, Ethan spoke again.
"I don't know why she warned you but what I do know is this." He stopped walking, forcing Ella to face him. "You've survived nineteen years of people treating you like s**t, you survived today and you'll survive tonight too."
Something inside her softened, no one had ever believed in her the way Ethan did.
"Thank you."
He smiled. "You can thank me by proving Nora wrong."
Ella laughed quietly. "I'll try."
From across the square, Nora watched them, her eyes narrowed. She leaned toward one of her friends. "Look at them, they're practically inseparable." Her friend smirked.
"You seem jealous?" Her friend asked.
Nora folded her arms. "I simply don't understand why Ethan keeps embarrassing himself over someone like her."
She glanced toward the Moon Temple. "It won't matter after tonight anyway."
---
The temple stood at the highest point of the village, a massive white stone column surrounded the entrance. Silver banners fluttered gently in the evening breeze, hundreds of glowing moonflowers covered the steps leading inside.
Ella had seen the temple many times but she had never entered it.
The sacred doors slowly opened, one by one, unmated wolves entered. Some of them looked nervous, others smiled knowing that she'll be mated, they would meet the person chosen by the Moon Goddess.
Ella's heart ached, she had never allowed herself to dream about finding a mate because of her curse.
How could she? She didn't even have a wolf.
She slipped quietly toward the back of the temple, hoping no one would notice her, people whispered around her.
"She actually came." Some said.
"I thought she'd stay home."
"Imagine if the Moon Goddess gave her a mate." A burst of laughter answered.
"As if."
Ella lowered her head, those comments were a boy too embarrassing.
At the front stood Alpha Rowan, he was dressed in ceremonial black robes embroidered with silver thread, he looked every bit the leader, the pack admired. For a brief second, his gray eyes met hers across the crowded temple, neither of them looked away immediately.
Then Rowan turned toward the High Elder. "The ceremony may begin."
The elder stepped into the center of the temple, he raised an ancient silver staff toward the full moon shining through the open ceiling. His voice echoed through the sacred hall.
"On this blessed night..." He began. "We gather beneath the gaze of the Moon Goddess, may every destined heart find its other half."
A hush fell over the crowd, the elder lowered his staff.
"Let every unmated wolf step forward." He finally said to the crowd.
Ella's pulse thundered in her ears. Around her, young wolves began moving toward the center of the temple, she couldn't move her legs, it. Was like a force held her down.
*Don't attend the Mate Ceremony.* Elder Mira's warning echoed louder than ever.
Her feet remained frozen. Then... Suddenly, a strange warmth spread through her chest.
She frowned. No..... Something was buried deeper inside her, she felt a sharp pain shot through her chest. Ella gasped. Her knees nearly fell to the ground, she held onto a pillar of a stone and lowered her head down.
What... is happening to me?
Far beyond the temple walls... Deep in the forbidden forest, two crimson eyes slowly opened in the dark somewhere around,a line wolf howled.
The sound sent a chill through every werewolf in the temple.
- Writer
