003– Unexpected Gifts from the Moon Goddess

[~♠CORAL♠~]

Soon nightfall came with the passing of the sun as the moon toppled over the reddish-orange hues of the sky and the day became even buzzier.

I was overly excited— I was nervous and I was almost about to implode.

It’s the night of my birthday and my parents had invited every member of the pack. The celebration is customary since I'm the daughter of the pack leader.

Well, former pack leader, since my father, Knox Hendrix, is retired and my eldest brother, Raegan has taken over leadership as the next head.

It’s the night I get to discover my other half, my second piece.

My mate.

So it was an important event and it was going to be grand.

My brothers had turned eighteen years ago and the same was done for them, although they hadn’t been able to find their mates, even after taking over the leadership position from father. It’s been sixteen years since turning eighteen and it’s also been five years since their enthronement as pack leaders so I understood the worries of the pack’s elder council.

But even with all the nagging, the elder council couldn’t do anything about it; especially with Raegan because he was the pack’s true leader. A true alpha.

And a true alpha is born from the strongest of the strongest werewolf within the pack—when the right to leadership of being the pack’s leader is challenged but only by a mated beta or deltas—when the pack’s leader is unable to find his mate after a year of enthronement. It was a long held tradition and it had no ending date until the supposed leader was either defeated in the duel or had finally found his mate.

So the elder council couldn’t do any more than nag at Raegan because he had won every duel challenge. His reputation from his battles had earned him the fear and respect accorded to him both by the council themselves and very members of the pack but it didn’t keep them from worrying and being persistent about the matter.

But it’s also been two years since Raegan had told me about his mate. She’d be turning eighteen today, just like me—that made us age mates and I’ve really wondered what she was like but I couldn’t tell who she was because I could never really track his movements so I’d given up after a while. Since we were age mates, it wouldn’t really be long till I find out who she was. Sooner or later, Raegan would have to introduce her to the council and the pack members.

I wondered if she was the reason he’d missed the morning mini celebration. If it was then I could understand even though begrudgingly but was it the same for Damian and Rune as well? They were triplets, though non-identical and no one knew for sure the sort of mating they would get but still their absence left an ache in my chest I couldn’t quiet fathom.

“Oh my goddess… my flower… you look absolutely gorgeous.” Mother fawns as she walks into my room. I turn on my seat to look up at her from the dresser where I’m sat. The golden lights from the hanging chandelier bulb in my bedroom illuminates her platinum blond hair and her cobalt blue eyes glowed intensely under the warm spray of the lights.

She pulls me up just as Agatha and Kiara did a finishing touch to my hair and makeup, my dress already fitted on me. The soft cotton of the skirt flowed down and brushed the floor in a light spin as mother twirled me gently in her arms. Then her smooth, firm palms catches my face by the underside of my jaws. Aga curtseys behind me and mother gives her a regarding nod before she leaves us.

“How are you feeling, my love?” Mother asked, a faint smile curls up her lips

“Excited and nervous.”

“Everything will be perfect, I’m sure of it.” She says reassuringly and I nod, returning her smile. “It’s almost time, let’s head out so we can greet the guests.”

“I’ll head out first,” Kiara says as she starts towards the door of my bedroom. “See you later, coco.”

“Okay.” I respond to her disappearing figure behind the door.

“Shall we?” Mother asked as she comes up beside me and I smile, nodding as I link an arm with hers.

The drawing room is packed with members of the pack when we step in and everyone in our way turns, parting when they recognize us walking through—the room is decorated in white and gold draping and designs. We maneuver around round tables filled with food assortments that drew the attention of many members while the others idly chatted with each other over wine.

It wasn’t until I met up with father did I feel at ease. I’ve never been a fan of big events and most importantly, I’ve never liked to be the star of the show—being under the spotlight was excruciatingly exhausting but for some reason, the opposite was the case for my three brothers—actually, it was just Raegan and Damian but my brother, Rune was a little different from them and; he didn’t particularly like the spotlight but he didn’t hate it.

It was more like, out of necessity than feeling. Raegan and Damian always stand out—they would still stand out even if they weren’t current leaders of the pack. I wouldn’t be in this spotlight if I wasn’t customary. Everyone was watching so I had to play the part; the smile, the pleasantries while being shuffled from one important guest to another.

The gifts though was the part I mostly enjoyed, my hands were so full, I couldn’t see my path or handle my dress sweeping over the floor, mother had to call up the maids to relief me.

“Knox.” Mother calls softly to grab father’s attention from behind the man that blocked our path. The man was just as tall as father, his shoulders just as broad but he was a bit slender in physique.

My father’s attention shifts and catches hold of my mother’s gaze, his Amber eyes glows intensely as he takes her in. Then he side-steps the man in front of him and reaches her in two quick strides before pulls her, twirling her gently in his arms before wrapping an around her. He mutters something into her ear and she flushed.

I clear my throat up and both their heads turn up immediately and they pull apart as they realized themselves. Father clears his throat, standing tall while mother stuck to him, still fawning over whatever it was he told her.

“Pearl, you look lovely.” My father greets me with an unbridled smile when he sees me. And like some of the people in the room, he’s holding a goblet in his hand.

“Thank you, father. You don’t look bad yourself.” I say, returning his smile. He was perfectly dressed for the occasion, one would thing he was the celebrant. His long black kaftan bore gold embroidery design along the middle, wrist and shoulder areas. He lets out a quiet chuckle amidst his smile.

“Well, it’s my beautiful daughter’s special birthday, I have to look the part as well.”

The air, filled with slow, soft, soothing music, soon shifts into a slightly fast but danceable tune, indicating the time for the first dance, the first formal activity that set the celebration in motion.

“Looks like it’s time.” Father comments and takes a step towards me, “Would you grant your father this hour of a first dance with his beautiful daughter.” He says with a courteous bow. A smile pulls my lips up, I nod, taking his hand.

“Of course.”

Father takes my hand and pulls me into an open space with all eyes are painfully etched upon us, he pulls me closer, “Are you ready, Pearl?”

“Whenever you are.” He nods, smiling and takes the lead in the dance.

In my brother’s cases, it was mother who took the first dance with them. And once again, for the umpth time today, my mind drifts away, in wander of their whereabouts.

It’s been hours since anyone last saw them. It’s almost as if they had disappeared but no one just up and disappear, do they? I felt a panic start to rise up my chest after endless search of them amongst the gathering of people in the room. Why weren’t they here yet?

“Relax, Pearl...” My father’s voice drives me out of my thoughts. “I trust your brothers would be here soon, definitely.” His eyes held assured absolution and a flicker of something else. “They wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

His strong arms on my waist tightens a bit; a little bit of his anger and disappointment wafting off him but he was holding himself up for me because he couldn’t go off to find them himself.

I smile at his resistance, nodding as I try to hold onto his words. They wouldn’t miss it for the world. Then the music slows before it quietly stops. The dance was over but the moon was almost at its highest. It was almost midnight; when the moon would get brighter and completely unclouded and like the moon goddess was delivering her gift, its ray would—through the window panes —reflect upon he who is meant for me.

My heart thuds painstakingly against its ribcage because what comes next would change my life. I knew it. My parents knew it. The entire pack new it. Because the second dance was supposed to be led by my mate. That is how the custom has always had it done.

I waited.

Then I felt it; the threadlike pull that surged through my soul and linked me to my soul mate. Like my mother told me about when she felt her wolf being called out by my father’s. Every cell in my body was driving towards overheat.

Then I smelt it—the most enticing smell I’ve ever inhaled.

The smell of musk and earth filled my senses, an instantly addicting yet somewhat familiar scent that blocked off every other smell in the room.

But another overbearing scent sizzled my skin and it gave off a rooty and citrus fragrance. A combination of wood and earth with a hint of leather and smoke; like the smell of a crackling campfire.

My body turns as it caught wave of another scent—the most alluring of the previous, potent scents. Cinnamon and a perfect balance of spiciness, sweetness and earthiness.

I felt faint from all three powerful scents and they all felt nostalgic and distinct and that was when our eyes locked.

At the far corner of the room, covered in the shadows of the night and the splay of moonlight flowing in behind them. Three glazing orbs watched me with a primal hunger that struck my core.

Time and space stood frighteningly still and everything fell apart and it felt as though we were the only creatures in the room, devouring the sight of each other in deafening silence. My dread was instant and bone crushing when I realized who they were.

Glowing eyes dominated the darkness, the very same darkness that now hovered around me as that dread transformed into something more malevolent. It twisted my core but failed to extinguish the heat that pooled at it and lit up my skin.

My mouth pulled apart and through the clogs I pushed out words.

“It…can’t be.”