June.
The Great Hall was suffocating. Golden banners bearing the Moonstone Pack crest, a silver wolf howling at a crescent moon, hung from the high-beamed ceiling. The air shimmered with fairy lights and buzzed with the excited chatter of hundreds of pack members. It was a party fit for a future Luna, which only made the knot in my stomach twist tighter.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” my mother said, smoothing a wrinkle on my simple white dress that wasn’t there. Her smile was bright, but her eyes were frantic.
“You’re practically glowing,” my dad added, his voice a little too loud. He stood ramrod straight in his formal Beta attire, a sentinel guarding his defective daughter.
“It’s probably just sweat,” I mumbled, fanning my face with my hand. “It feels like an oven in here.”
Finn appeared at my side, a glass of sparkling cider in each hand. He passed one to me. “That’s not the heat. That’s the pressure of two hundred werewolves staring at you.”
“Finn, don’t,” my mother warned.
“What? It’s true,” he said with a shrug, though he gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “They’re not being malicious. They’re just curious. You’re the main event.”
“I feel more like the main sacrifice,” I whispered, taking a sip of the cider. The bubbles tickled my nose.
I scanned the crowd. Everyone was dressed in their finest. Warriors who I’d seen covered in mud and blood were now in crisp uniforms. She-wolves who could take down a grizzly bear were adorned in silks and jewels. And everywhere I looked, I saw their pity. It was in the soft smiles of the elders and the wide, curious eyes of the pack pups.
Old Martha, the pack’s head cook, shuffled over. “We’re all praying for you, child. The Goddess will bless you tonight. I’m sure of it.”
“Thank you, Martha,” I said, forcing a smile.
As she walked away, I heard a whisper from a nearby table. “Can you imagine? Alpha Owen, mated to a human?”
“She’s not human. She’s just… delayed.”
“It’s the same thing if she can’t defend herself.”
Finn’s jaw tightened. “Want me to go over there and rearrange their teeth?”
“No,” I said, placing a hand on his arm. “It won’t help. Let them talk.”
Suddenly, a hush fell over the hall. The chatter died down to a reverent silence. I followed everyone’s gaze to the grand entrance.
Owen stood there, flanked by his father, Alpha Marcus. He was breathtaking. He wore a tailored black tunic with the Alpha’s crest embroidered in gold thread over his heart. He looked every bit the king he was born to be.
His honey-colored eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on me, a slow, possessive smile spread across his face. He said something to his father, then started making his way through the crowd.
People parted for him like the sea. He was their future, their strength, their hope.
My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the sudden silence of the room. He stopped directly in front of me, ignoring my family completely.
“June,” he said, his voice a low purr that sent shivers down my spine. He took my hand, lifting it to his lips. “You look… perfect.”
“You clean up okay, I guess,” I managed, my voice shaky.
He laughed, a rich sound that made my knees feel weak. “Come with me.”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He just laced his fingers through mine and led me toward the large balcony doors, away from the prying eyes of the pack.
The cool night air was a relief. We stood overlooking the training grounds, bathed in the silver light of the full moon.
“Nervous?” he asked, turning to face me. He didn’t let go of my hand.
“Terrified,” I admitted.
“Don’t be.” He took a step closer, his body heat wrapping around me. “I told you this morning. I have a good feeling.”
“What if your feeling is wrong? What if nothing happens, Owen? I’ll be a disgrace. To my family, to the pack… to you.”
His expression hardened for a fraction of a second. “That won’t happen.”
“But what if it does?” I pressed, needing the reassurance only he could give me.
He sighed, lifting his free hand to cup my cheek. His thumb traced my jawline. “Do you know why the Moonstone Pack is the strongest in this region, June?”
I shook my head, mesmerized by his touch.
“Because we have never tolerated weakness. My father, and his father before him, made sure our bloodline remained pure, powerful. We lead from the front. We are warriors.”
This wasn’t the comfort I was looking for.
“I know that,” I said softly.
“I’m going to be the greatest Alpha this pack has ever seen,” he continued, his eyes glowing with ambition. “I’m going to dominate the Decennial Games. I’m going to expand our territory. And I need a Luna who can stand beside me. Not behind me. Beside me.”
He leaned in, his voice dropping to an intimate whisper. “I need a she-wolf whose power mirrors my own. A queen for the kingdom I’m going to build.”
He was so close I could feel his breath on my lips. My entire world narrowed to the space between us.
“I want that to be you, June,” he breathed. “I’ve always wanted it to be you. But I can’t lead with a human at my side. The other packs would see it as a fatal flaw. They would challenge us. They would smell blood in the water.”
His words were a strange mix of a beautiful promise and a cold, hard threat.
“So you’re saying… if I don’t shift…” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes, his expression deadly serious. “You will shift. The Moon Goddess is not cruel. She would not bring us this close only to tear us apart. She chose me to lead, and she will give me a worthy partner.”
He sounded so certain. His conviction was a tangible thing, a force of nature.
“Just imagine it,” he said, his smile returning, full of charm. “Leading together. Our pups will be the strongest the world has ever seen. A new dynasty, June. Ours.”
My fear began to melt away, replaced by the intoxicating future he painted. He wasn’t just my crush. He was my destiny. We were meant for this. The Goddess would see it. She had to.
“Okay,” I whispered, a real smile finally reaching my face. “Okay.”
“That’s my girl,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss my forehead. His lips were warm, branding me with his confidence. “Now, let’s go get you a wolf.”
He took my hand again and led me back inside. The energy in the room had changed. It was no longer just a celebration. It was a vigil.
Alpha Marcus stood near the great hearth, where a massive grandfather clock was ticking loudly, each second echoing through the silent hall.
Finn caught my eye from across the room and gave me a small, encouraging nod.
Owen led me to the center of the room, placing us directly in the moonlight streaming down from the high windows. He stood beside me, a united front. His presence was my shield.
“Five minutes to midnight,” Alpha Marcus announced, his voice booming with authority.
My heart pounded in my ears. Five minutes until I knew my fate.
Owen squeezed my hand. “Ready to meet your other half?” he whispered, his tone proprietary, certain.
I looked up at him, at his perfect, confident face, and I let his certainty become my own. I was not a liability. I was a queen in waiting.
I nodded. “I’m ready.”
The clock began to chime, counting down the final moments of my old life.
Ten.
Nine.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the power of the moon overhead.
Seven.
Six.
Owen’s grip on my hand was like steel.
Four.
Three.
This was it. My life was about to begin.
Two.
One.
