Preparation

A moment of silence passed and everyone seemed rooted to their spots for a moment. It was like they all needed a moment to process the very words they just heard.

Atticus glared at the side of my father's head while Belly and Shania smirked in response.

"Father, Raine already said she would participate in the moon dance." Atticus reminded him.

Tiki didn't reply for a few seconds. He forked some applesauce into his mouth and took a drink of water from his glass.

"The moon dance is a show of feminity to attract masculinity. Raine is betrothed to a future beta. She has no business being in the moon dance and sending attraction signals. She will be the symbol of holiness." Tiki explained.

Raine's eyes watered. She still couldn't believe her father was making her marry Tyrion.

"Father, please. Don't begrudge me of this request. Tyrion is a lying, cheating bastard. You can't give me to him." She pleaded.

"That's enough, child." Tiki thundered slamming his hands down on the table. Raine jumped back in surprise and fear.

"Stop trying to get out of this engagement. This is the way things have been from the time of our fathers. You will marry Tyrion, and that decision is final. The temple attendance will be here soon to prepare you for the moon dance tonight."

A single tear rolled down Raine's eyes. She felt Atticus shift in his chair and so she looked up at him. Anger tightened his features and she knew he was contemplating murdering their best friend. She looked away knowing his mood would likely get to her.

"Dont fuck this up, Raine. I have important guests coming over here ro participate in the celebrations. If you disappoint me, you will live to regret it." Tiki warned. He got up angrily, his actions causing the chair to scrape noisily along the cemented floor. Once Tiki disappeared down the hall, Bellona snickered.

"Raine, you don't need to dance beneath the moon to attract a wolf when you're not even a wolf yourself. How would they identify you? How would they sniff you out? Or are you just depending on your art of seduction like you did with Tyrion?" She asked in a saccharine sweet voice that was as fake as the extensions she had in her hair.

"That's enough, Belly." Atticus chided.

"You know, son, I would never understand why you take the side of a bastard girl over your sister. Your father committed a crime against you and the rest of the family. And this is how you accept it? By treating her like she is one of us? She would never belong with us, Atty. No matter what you do, she will always be an outcast." She sneered at Raine and got up from the table following behind her mate.

"You should take it up with Dad. Its not Raines faukt she was befotremnfrom his infidelity. If anyone should suffer, then hold the responsible adults and not the innocent child."

Shania snarled at him from the doorway before continuing with her retreat. Atticus mumbled under his breath but Raine couldn't make out what he said.

"Remember to be holy like the holies you will represent tonight, o mighty priestess." Bellona grabbed an apple and gave her brother a peck before getting up.

"I'm going to practice my moves for tonight. I hope this alpha dad keeps talking about declares me as his mate." She sighed dreamily.

"Alphas love dominant wolves, Belly, I don't think you stand a chance." Atticus quipped.

"O Atty, no one can resist all this beauty and feline appeal. Besides, our mother is not dominant, and look who she's mated with." She gloated.

"It's no surprise Dad cheated on her. She could never be enough for him."

Bellona gasped at the insult. She shot Raine a dirty look and stomped out of the dining area. Raine couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. She shot Atticus a look of gratitude.

"You should eat enough food. Once the temple attendants get their hands on you, they're going to sap the life out of you with their intense preparations."

Raine could not even bring herself to say anything so she just nodded and continued to eat.

"Raine?" Atticus called. She looked up from her plate.

"When I'm alpha, I will have enough power to protect you. It's a good thing you don't have the Spirit. That means you won't be able to imprint on Tyrion and it will be easy for you to leave him without suffering for breaking the mating bond."

"I couldn't have asked for a better brother." She gave him a watery smile. Soon they were done with breakfast and she retired to her room to await the attendants.

Hours later, a commotion began downstairs in the main pack area. Raine got up from her bed and rushed down to see what the noise was about. Her brother Atticus stood in the foyer, holding the door open and allowing fleets of women carrying all sorts of clothing and accessories to pass through into the house.

Raine's eyes widened in what could be described as surprise mixed with fear. She had never worn more than a pair of jeans, or at most, a sundress, in her entire life. Seeing all these clothes with the heavy-looking jewelry freaked her out. And even the makeup box looked bigger than her entire room.

The women shoved past her chatting in excited voices as they hurried to get the equipment into the house. Raine plastered herself against the wall and watched them with wide eyes.

"Good luck, baby sister." Atticus patted her shoulder and shook his head with a sly smile.

"You are going to look stunning." His shoulders shook with silent laughter.

Raine glared at him as he walked out of the house.

"Now, where is the moon?" A voice asked from the top of the stairs. Raine looked up to find a homely-looking woman staring down at her. Her eyes looked like embers, and Raine found herself melting away at the sight of them.

"Do you speak, child?" The woman asked. Irritation flickered across her face for a second.

"Yes, I'm playing the moon." Raine squeaked.

"Come along then. Lets get to work."

Raine hurried up the stairs and joined them in her room. She coild hear her heart besting in anticipation. Everywhere she turned to, a brush or tie or something scary tumbled out of the numerous boxes cramped into her small room.

Soft hands brushed through her wild hair. A heavy sigh fell out from the lips of whoever stood behind her. Raine caught her eyes in the mirror and gave an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry about the hair." Raine apologized.

"Are you kidding? I've never had to work with such natural beauties before. Look at those curls. It just needs a bit of trimming and some gloss to make it shiny. You have the perfect hair. I can't wait to work my magic on them."

The enthusiasm on her face was scary. Raine gave her s tight smile and let them get to work. Hands were all over her body. Some did her fingernails, some worked on her toes, some pulled at her hair causing her to groan and wince at intervals.

"So much for the perfect hair." She mumbled. The stylist laughed heartily at her comment but didn't relent in her brutal ways.

The day dimmed calmly and Raine could feel the night approaching. Anticipation for the moon dance thrummed within her and her blood warmed at the thought. She might not get to dance like she wanted, but she would have fun and live a little even if for one night.

Soon, the attendants were done. Raine looked at herself in the mirror and gasped. The red-haired girl staring back at her looked nothing like her. The woman before her was a goddess. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders in massive curls. It bounced lightly and Raine couldn't stop herself from running her hands through it.

Her face looked glamorous like all her features had been highlighted. She smiled when she noticed that they didn't try to hide her freckles with the makeup. Her normally green eyes popped out and glittered like emeralds.

"Is that me?" She whispered uncertainly.

"Of course, child."

"I look beautiful." She whispered again, tearing up.

"Oh no, don't do that. You'll ruin the make-up. You are the most beautiful moon I've ever seen." The homely looking lady praised. Raine nodded and blinked back the tears. Next, they unveiled a whie dress made entirely of lace and adorned with shiny-looking stones which Raine suspected to be diamonds. The dress took her breath away and she gasped lightly.

Another gasp sounded from the door and all eyes riveted to the sound. Bellona stood there with jealousy blazing in her eyes and glaring daggers at the wolves in the room. Raine knew at once that she was about to cause trouble.

"You little bitch." Bellona deadpanned and stalked towards them.