The Mating Ceremony

~ZIRA

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and a smile covered my face as my wolf spurred within me.

I was clad in a perfect dress that hugged my chest and flowed freely down my legs to the ground. They showed off the curves I was said to possess. The dark dress brought out the stormy gray of my eyes and my chestnut hair which was usually a rebel agreed to be tied behind my head in a low ponytail.

I felt good and I hoped I was pretty enough to impress the man of my dreams and allow him to accept me as his mate.

My wolf stirred at the thought of Arden Blackstone. 

He had always been around since I was a child. He was my playmate and I grew up to love him. The only person who was a pain was his twin brother. I hoped that Kael would not bother to show up for my mating ceremony.

Yet, even as I thought this, I knew it was impossible. Kael would always be by his brother's side.

As if on cue, a knock resonated on my room door and I spun just in time to see my mother walk in. She wore a white dress which made her seem like the goddess herself.

"There you are sweetheart, everyone is waiting for you. Or have you changed your mind about choosing your mate today?" She asked in her usual soothing and calming voice.

I shook my head at her. As the daughter and only child of the Alpha, the White Moon pack had a tradition of allowing me to choose my mate in everyone's presence since whoever I selected would become the next Alpha of the pack.

It was a serious decision and somewhat a great burden if I chose wrong.

"I'm ready mom, I'm just nervous," I revealed as I felt my wolf moving restlessly within me.

My mother sighed before walking up to me with a smile. 

"My sweet Zira, it's okay to be nervous. But I can assure you that you will choose the right mate and the right wolf for you. You just need to follow your wolf. Nala can never be wrong. She's there to guide you through even the darkest of paths," she assured me.

I inhaled deeply before releasing it. The supposed Nala only stirred again before going back to her initial position within me. She did not say a word.

I wanted it to be Arden but Nala had never given me one sign. Was it a must to wait until today before she revealed who my mate was?

"I wish I was as wise as you. Queen and Luna Athena Dragon of White Moon pack, the Luna who chose wisely and gave her people a great Alpha. I don't think the case is the same for me," I stated.

My mother only chuckled before grabbing my hand and leading me gently out of my room. 

We walked silently through the corridors and all the guards lining the path bowed when we walked past them. 

My mother only came to a stop at the top of the grand stairway that led to the grand hall beneath. It was already filled with pack members who were anxiously waiting for me to make my choice.

"For the record, I did not know if what I was doing was right at that moment. I only chose to follow my wolf and she led me in the right direction. I'm asking you to do the same as well," Mom revealed.

So I nodded at her in response and began to descend the stairs. All I had to do was follow my wolf —Nala who had only ever said two words to me before.

I pushed all thoughts about my wolf aside and reached the bottom of the stairs. I was about to begin navigating my way through the handsome young men who had filled the pack house when a strong scent hit me.

It was a familiar one yet for some reason, it was so strong that it sent my senses reeling. My heart began to pound hard against my chest. My body began to tremble and walking became a very hard task. My intake of breath became very heavy and I felt a pull, tugging at my heart.

"Follow it. . ." Nala commanded me. Her voice carried so much authority that I could not ignore it even if I wanted to.

Like a puppet being pulled by strings, I followed the invincible force calling to me, and the closer I got, the stronger the scent. It was like the mixture of the forest and the first set of rainwater when it touched the earth.

My fingers continued to tremble as I moved. I heard someone call me but I ignored them. I was more concerned about finding the source of this scent.

Suddenly, I bumped into someone and when he turned around, I was met with the burning blue eyes that belonged to Kael Blackstone, Arden's twin brother.

For some reason, I was lost in his gaze and I suddenly forgot about the anger that I felt for him. The nervousness I had been feeling earlier melted away and I felt my wolf pulling me to him.

"Zira?" A familiar voice called, breaking me out of my trance.

Kael immediately turned and stormed away. I turned towards the voice only to be met with eyes as dark as the night. The scent from earlier plummeted to the peak of my senses and I ran into his arms.

Arden caught me immediately and when I looked back into his eyes, I saw confusion for a split second before he composed himself.

"Mate. . ." I muttered.

He widened his eyes at me, too stunned to speak. My heart began to race again at that moment. My wolf had picked him but what if he did not want me? What if he rejected me? What if I made a mistake choosing him?

"Mate," he answered my call.

That was enough to make my wolf leap with excitement. My stomach melted into jelly and all I could do was blush like an idiot.

I immediately took him to my father who was waiting with my mother at the other end of the hall. Knowing my parents, I knew that they had been watching everything.

Besides, my father, sat the Moon crest. It was a white precious stone, passed from generation to generation by the Moon goddess herself. Whoever possessed it would have great power and would be undisputed. Only the Alpha of the pack was allowed to have it and the man I had chosen as my mate would be gifted with it.

"I see you've chosen your mate already. I'm not even surprised, I always knew it would be him," Alpha Tyrone announced with a smile.

Then he rose to his feet and lifted the small box that was used to keep the Moon Crest.

"As a symbol of your addition into my family as my daughter's mate and as the next Alpha of White Moon, I bestow upon you the care of the Moon Crest," My father stated.

I looked up at Arden as he watched the glowing stone in my father's hands and for a moment, I caught a dangerous look in his eyes but it disappeared as fast as it came.

Arden accepted the stone. "I promise to give your daughter and your entire family exactly what you deserve. . . my love," he concluded.

Yet for some reason, my heart began to race again. Had I made the right decision today?

Had I chosen the right Alpha for White Moon Pack?

Last, of all, had I chosen the right mate?