Chapter 1

“Oh dear, you look beautiful!” Beatrice remarked as she pinned the diamond earrings to Miranda’s ear, the last of her ornaments after she’d tried on her wedding dress and now stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking dazzling, her blonde hair tucked in a neat bun and even though she wore no make-up, it didn’t appear as if she needed it because of the natural beauty the gods blessed her with. Her friend jumped as she took in the sight of Miranda all dressed-up, the soon to be bride and Luna to the alpha of the Night shadow pack, the famous alpha Walden.

“I don’t know,” Miranda held a look of uncertainty, her face flushed as she stared at herself in the mirror in front of her. “Do I really look good in this dress?”

“Of course, dear! Oh, I can’t wait for Audrey to come in and see you right now! There’s nothing wrong with your appearance, the only thing you lack is confidence to see just how gorgeous you are!!! Oh… I knew those earrings would look good on your gown the minute I saw them at the display!”

Miranda sighed as she stared at herself once more, not only was she unsure of how she looked, but she was also tremendously nervous about tomorrow’s Luna ceremony.

Just then, her room door opened and her other friend, Audrey brought in a bouquet of flowers that had been delivered to Miranda’s address.

“It’s for you!” Audrey grinned, handing the present to Miranda. Of course, it was another wedding gift, from either her mate-to-be, or one of the well-wishers that would be at their wedding tomorrow. It was the latter.

“Who’s it from?” Miranda asked as she looked down to check the label, before reading the message it contained out loud to her friends.

*Congratulations on your upcoming Luna ceremony dear princess,

We all look forward to when you will wed the Night shadow pack’s alpha at the grand opening of the cardinal conference tomorrow,

Signed,

Alpha Dylan of the Bane pack…*

Miranda smiled as she read the message from one of her dad’s closest allies. After hearing what the message contained, the two friends squealed with excitement.

“Everyone knows how important this wedding is to the continuation of the Lotus breed… Finally! There is hope at the end of the tunnel for us!

Beatrice held her shoulders high, nodding at Audrey’s statement, “yes… when our princess becomes Luna to the night shadow pack, our pack’s dignity and honor will be restored, no more will people hear the name of the Lotus and throw away their faces in pity or disgust, our lands will be healed, our people will no longer suffer, as we will now have the full support of the night shadow pack!”

“Let’s not get too carried away guys…” Miranda cut in. “I mean… how sure are you that this wedding is even what the Lotus pack needs? We’ve been in the dark for a good number of years because the pack was badly damaged after the last rogue war, how sure are you that an alliance with the Night shadow pack is what will help us out of this tunnel?”

The happy faces on Beatrice and Audrey suddenly turned upside down.

“Miranda….”

“You’re not thinking of calling this engagement off, are you? I mean… have you even bothered to consider what will happen to us if you do?”

Audrey then took her hand and led her to sit on the bed beside her, patting her hands softly, “I know that you and alpha Walden haven’t been as close as you used to before, but please, you have to carry on with this… for us, for your father, Miranda.”

Beatrice took her seat on the other end, with Miranda in the middle, “the Lotus pack cannot survive another rogue war alone Miranda, we need to align with another pack before that time comes or else, we’d be goners!”

Miranda nodded, “I know, I know… but has anyone never considered my true feelings about this? Getting married to someone who I know will never love me enough as his mate? Walden and I used to be very close growing up, but I don’t know… we just… sort of grew apart.”

“Is this because of Samara?” Beatrice scoffed. “Pay no mind to her at all dear, all you need is an alliance with the night shadow pack, so they will stand by our side lend us their aid during the next war, you are a princess Miranda, we know that this isn’t what you want… but that’s what princesses do… making sacrifices for the betterment of her home, her people; do this for us Miranda, please… Do this for the Lotus pack.”

Sighs.

**********

A few hours after trying on her wedding attire, a vehicle stopped in front of the Lotus packhouse, Audrey was the one to see it first through the window, the driver, Beta Finn of the Night shadow pack, coming out of the vehicle, and entering into the packhouse.

She jumped up and down excitedly, going back to Miranda to tell her what she’d just seen.

“Walden’s beta is here! I think he’s come to pick you up!”

“Miranda threw a surprised glance, “pick me up?? He was supposed to come and do that himself!”

“Don’t jump to conclusions dear, maybe he couldn’t come because of something important.”

“You know the life of an alpha is a busy one Miranda,” Beatrice chimed. “He must have sent his beta over to take you to the goddess’s crescent since he couldn’t come.”

Miranda shrugged, “I guess you’re right; he did say that Samara got injured during training today, he called earlier to apologize that he’ll be late because of that.”

“You see! I told you that there must have been a reason for him to have been unable to come, but he still sent someone over to come pick you up so you’ll be at your wedding venue by this evening, such a gentlewolf!”

The three friends packed up the wedding dress and the ornaments up in their boxes before heading downstairs to meet Beta Finn in the pack’s meeting room, he’d already been welcomed into the packhouse and was seated there, speaking to her father, Alpha Luther the great, as he was formerly known, for the last war with the rogues had damaged him and his wolf completely, leaving him sick and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

“Miranda dear,” her father managed to give her a weak smile upon seeing her enter the meeting room, because of his condition, he’s not able to speak much.

“Hello father,” she came closer to give him a kiss on the head before turning to the beta.

“Princess Miranda, it’s so good to see you today, I bring you greetings from alpha Walden.”

She nodded, unable to hid her concerned look, “thank you, but he was the one who was supposed to come here to pick me up himself so we’d be at the wedding venue by this evening, is anything the matter?”

She turned to see her father, who had a disappointed look on his face, like he’d already known what the beta came here for, the words then flew right from Beta Finn’s mouth to her ears, handing her own share of the disappointment.

“I’m sorry dear, but you’re not going to be able to get married this year.”