Bella
I thought, given everything that had happened, we would cancel, or at least postpone the Luna Ceremony. But the brothers insisted that now, more than ever, we needed to complete it. “They need you,” Byron explained, brushing my hair aside and kissing the back of my neck. “They have been without a Luna since my mother died. And you need them. You won’t have only your mates to watch over you and protect you, you will have a whole pack ready to fight and die for you.”
I blanched. “I don’t want anyone to die for me.”
“Don’t you see sweetheart? We are all woven together. If anything happens to you, Wyatt and I will be destroyed, and if we are destroyed, the whole pack is in danger. So, every pack member has a vested interest in keeping the Luna safe. Just as you in return must watch over them, like a mother-figure. You are responsible for their spiritual and physical well-being. You are the earthly embodiment of the goddess to our people.”
Ah, it all sounded so serious, and so heavy. Sometimes I doubted myself. What did I know about being “the embodiment of the goddess”? I felt horribly inexperienced and unqualified. I know how to bake a mean apple pie, and I just finished a second-grade level reading work-book. I had to shake away those negative , self depreciating thoughts. Wyatt assured me over and over that I would learn everything I needed to know, in time. And Byron insisted that it would be instinctual. I was born to be their Luna. Not only that, but I was a royal.
Whatever that means.
I found myself awake at night, long after the brothers had fallen asleep, pondering my lost family. Byron had gone onto the internet. Werewolves don’t really frequent social media, but he did find a picture from a news article about the accident that killed my mother... and supposedly me too. It was a little eerie, reading about my own death. In the photograph, we are a smiling, happy family. A big bearded man must be the father I don’t remember. A beautiful woman. And a tiny, four-year old me. I recognized my own eyes. And my hair, although it had been thin and baby-fine at that age, still had the unique mixture of black and red strands, just like my mother.
Byron had bought a frame for the picture, but looking at it only made me sad. I felt like this was a part of me I had lost forever. I didn’t really have anything left of that family, not even my memories. I could only imagine that if it hadn’t been for the accident, I would have had a happy, normal childhood with loving parents, the best education, nice clothes, toys, hugs and bedtime stories. Maybe I would have learned to play Candyland instead of scrubbing dishes and carrying firewood. I finally put the picture away in a drawer, because I couldn’t bear thinking about it anymore.
During the daytime, I was too busy to ponder it. There were so many last minute preparations to be made for the ceremony. It was like planning a wedding, only worse, because there was a political side to it. Which neighboring packs would be invited? Certainly all our closest allies. Byron thought some of our neutral neighbors and the fence sitters should also be invited, as an olive branch and a gesture of good will. Daphne thought we should invite the White Pines Alpha and Luna, just to rub their noses in my new station. Before I could protest (and I would have protested loudly, if I’d had a chance) Wyatt said if he laid eyes on them, he would surely rip their heads off their necks, and send them back in boxes as special wedding favors. The brothers looked so excited at the idea that Daphne quickly held up her hands, “No, I was only kidding.”
When we went back for the final fitting of the dress, it had to be let out. “You’ve gained weight, my dear,” the seamstress said in an approving tone. “Even your bust is bigger.”
I blushed and resisted the urge to cover my breasts with my arms. Wyatt had commented the same thing during our love-making. The brothers were quite pleased with the changes to my body. I was looking more like a woman and less like a skeleton every day. There were muscles now on my arms and legs from training, and my once sallow skin now had a healthy, sun-kissed glow.
Daphne took me out to a spa for a manicure and pedicure. The brothers never let me go out alone any more. One or both of them followed me everywhere, or if they were both unavailable, I had no less than six body guards surrounding me any time I left pack lands. It seemed a little excessive... but comforting at the same time. So that’s how the four of us ended up sitting in chairs at the spa, Daphne, Wyatt, Byron and me, with funny little sponges stuck between our toes. My feet have never had so much attention. We laughed together as Byron contemplated putting color on his nails. In the end he chickened out and left them nude. I chose a dark red color that would match my dress... and that beautiful nightgown that Daphne made me buy. I loved the way my toes looked.
On the day of the ceremony, Daphne insisted that she be the one to do my hair and my make up. I didn’t mind, because I really had no idea how to do either. At least, not anything fancy. Daphne dove into my hair with combs and brushes and bobby pins, and when she was done, she handed me a mirror to observe her masterpiece. She had created a braid that circled my head like a crown, while the rest of my hair tumbled down my shoulders and back in loose curls. Two tiger-lily blossoms were tucked into the braid just above my ear. She had applied just enough make up to make my eyes look huge and sultry, and my lips a little redder than usual. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, not quite believing what I was seeing.
For once in my life... I looked like a princess.