Sapphira's 18th birthday and the mating ball are quickly approaching. She has kept her true identity a secret and managed to keep out of her father's clutches. Will she be able to hide her mysterious past from her future mate? Or will her real identity be exposed?
View More(Lily POV)
Today is my 14th birthday.
There will not be birthday cake, singing, or a party. Instead, we are attending a funeral. My sister's funeral, to be exact.
Before my sister... died... we had a large party planned for me. I normally do not have a big party, but 14th birthdays are a really big deal to werewolves. They are the day that we first meet our wolves. The next monumental birthday is our 20th birthday; that is when can first identify our fated mates.I am our Beta’s youngest daughter, and my father is loved and well-respected. Everyone was excited to meet my wolf and to see what type of wolf she would be. Thus, the guest list for my party was pretty large, and it included ranked wolves from nearby packs.
I am normally a little bit of a loner, hence why I usually do not have a big birthday party. However, for this particular occasion, I was happy to have a lot of guests. Meeting your wolf comes with the first shift/ transition, and that can be incredibly painful. As inherently social creatures, the only thing known to help wolves with the pain of the first shift is to have supportive family, friends, and community around you.
The way that it typically works is that the pack will host a dinner or barbeque in your honor. As night falls, and the moon replaces the sun in the sky, everyone will gather inside the pack amphitheater. The shifter-to-be will stand in the middle of the amphitheater while guests quietly chant well wishes and prayers to the Moon Goddess. The energy in the space can be electrifying for everyone present, no matter whether there are 25 attendees or 500.
Once the first shift is completed, the new wolf will prance around the stage and strut their stuff. The crowd will “ooh” and “aah” until the pack alpha approaches, learns the new wolf’s name, and introduces the wolf to the crowd. The new wolf will also swear his or her allegiance to the pack and to the alpha, allowing the wolf to mind-link with other pack wolves. Finally, the new wolf and any guests old enough to shift will go for a pack run.
The whole process is incredibly special and exciting.
As you might imagine, décor is also an important part of the party planning process. Each shifter gets to decide the decorations and party theme that will be used for their party. If more than one wolf turns 14 on the same day, the wolves can either agree on a theme or split the party into parts that they can individually decorate. The pack luna will then work some sort of magic that somehow blends the individual areas into one cohesive theme in the center.
My birthday is in October, and despite how large our pack is, I am the only one born on that day. I love having an October birthday because my favorite season is fall. For my décor, I had picked flowers and decorations in rich fall colors, including deep oranges, reds, and greens.
Unfortunately, none of my party decorations will be used. Or rather, none of my decorations will be used for me.
As I mentioned, we are holding a funeral today instead. My oldest sister, Stephanie, died this morning.
Pack and religious tradition dictates that we must hold funerals within 24 hours of death. Because Stephanie died shortly after midnight, her funeral must be held today. All food and décor set aside for my birthday party was therefore immediately diverted for the funeral; thankfully my fall themed colors were sufficiently somber-ish to work.
All decorations that seemed relatively “happy,” celebratory, or that mention me have been removed. Pictures of Stephanie have now been placed on tables and podiums, and the music I selected has been swapped out for songs about loss or Stephanie’s favorites.
The loss of Stephanie is a really big deal. Not only was she my sister and my parents’ oldest and favorite child, she was also widely anticipated to be the mate of Alpha Randall’s son, James, which meant she was most likely the future luna of our pack.
Stephanie would have turned 20 in three months, and she and James would have been able to confirm that they were mates then. The pack was so sure that they were mates —and Alpha Randall was so eager to turn the pack over to James and his mate, once she was identified and ready to take on the luna position— that they deviated from standard protocols and decided to begin Stephanie’s Luna training just after she turned 18.
If I am being completely honest, something never sat right with me about Stephanie starting Luna training. Part of it is what Stephanie's Luna training meant for me, but that is a separate conversation. The biggest thing was that I did not understand why luna training could not wait until Stephanie turned 20 and could confirm who her mate was. Lunas for generations have waited for their training; why couldn't Stephanie?
It also bothered me quite a bit to watch Stephanie hang all over James at pack functions. Our pack frowned upon dating and public displays of affection prior to finding your mate; it created too much risk for problems, anger, and jealousy once your mate was located.
For whatever reason, an exception was made for Stephanie. But then again, exceptions always were made for her. Stephanie was strong and absolutely beautiful, and the pack knew her as being kind, smart, and energetic. She could do no wrong in the eyes of my parents, the alpha, or the pack.
I hope I do not sound too jealous or bitter. I loved my sister, and her death is hitting me really hard. It’s just that…. I knew a different side of my sister than everyone else, and I know more than anyone that my sister was far from perfect. Had I spoken up before she died, I would have been accused of jealousy and lying. And were I to speak up now, well… I would be accused of jealousy, lying, AND improperly speaking ill of the dead.
It is easier to just let it go. Along with my birthday. It isn't that important anyway. I do not want to be selfish or self-centered.
The only immediate problem with letting go is that --bad timing or not-- I am going to shift for the first time tonight. There is nothing I can do to stop or postpone it, as much as I would like to do so. I am worried about how it is going to go.
Hopefully, during the reception, my mother or father or brother or someone will be willing to step aside with me for a 20-30 minutes just to get me through it. We could then return and act like everything is normal. Or as normal as it can be with Stephanie now gone.
Sadly, I should have known that nothing in life is that easy.
Sapphira's ankle gave way and she tumbled forward into the dark. The ground was cold and gritty under her, the air pungent with mildew and ... more jasmine. This place was old. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her vision sharpened, her wolf sensing for threats. But the air was still. The only movement was a trickle of water running down the wall. She turned towards the direction she had fallen from, her eyes adjusting in the dark as Evander materialised behind her. He dusted his shoulders and adjusted his cuffs before extending a hand towards her. "Sapphira, darling. The floor is no place for a beauty like you." She snarled gently and heaved herself up, pointedly ignoring his hand. He shrugged and flicked his fingers, a golden light erupting from the candelabra on the walls. Her jaw dropped, the relatively small room was full of dark mirrors. Some had sheets thrown over them; others stood on their own, more huddled together in groups as though they were conversin
Gentle birdsong drifted through the window as Sapphira's eyes flickered open. The side of the bed where Evander had slept was empty and cold; the covers still peeled back at the corner where he had risen. There was no sound coming from the bathroom, and the packhouse sounded quiet, many of the guests still asleep even as light began to pour in through the windows. The events of last night seemed as though they had occurred weeks ago; her whole life had changed in ways she could never have imagined. The thought of having to leave her friends behind to begin a life as a rogue or possibly enter into some bargain with Alpha Kai to convince him to let her stay had left her frazzled. The chances of finding her mate here were slim to none, and yet, it had happened. Even though her future was not much clearer to her now, finding her mate had settled her. But the tales of mates that had torn each other apart simply because they were not compatible were rife, and Evander
The only sounds in the room were the slow drip of her blood onto the floor and her racing heart. The tangy smell of her fear became consuming. "Easy. I have no desire to hand you over to your family." "Why?" She rasped. His answering smile was breathtaking. "Because I want you for myself." Her soft snort reverberated off the fractured windows. The sword slid back into its sheath with an easy sigh as the warmth of his chest disappeared. If he wanted to kill her, the sword was unlikely to stop him. His wolf was a shadow to his human form; its presence seemed to lurk in the corners behind him. Watching and waiting. The Beast, indeed. Her skin crawled, and she shivered, suddenly aware of the chill. "My brother will kill me." "I know," the desk groaned under his weight. "Which is why I want you to come back with me." Outrunning her family was madness. But she wasn't sure she had any other choice. If she stayed here, the news
The packhouse was already full when El's father, Rodrigo, pulled up. Cast-iron lanterns and a burgundy carpet lay on the stone steps leading into the foyer where Alpha Kai and Beta Declan stood, greeting people. El's squeals made Sapphira jump as Rodrigo opened the car door for her, his dark skin glowing in the lamp-light. He had insisted on being their chaperone tonight, much to El's initial dismay. Sapphira was glad that he had; their scents might hide hers. What had started this morning as slight nerves had become overwhelming panic, but missing the ball would look even more suspicious. She was just a usual 18 year old, desperate for a mate. Being handed back to her family had been in the forefront of her mind for years. The idea of unconditional love seemed so far-fetched that her machinations had never included the possibility. She shook her head. Just get through the night unnoticed. El's worried glances haunted her as the A
The week was passing in a blur. Irina, the packhouse matron, had been ordering grumpy wolves around all week. It was the first Mating Ball to be held by the Bridgewater pack in 5 years, and everything was going to be perfect. "Cleaning duties at the packhouse" had become "preparation for the Mating Ball", with flowers and food and decorations arriving every afternoon. The main hall was usually empty unless pack members needed chairs for meetings, but now tables lined the walls, with a stage at one end to accommodate musicians. Pink and orange oriental lilies hung in giant wreaths from the walls, with lights strung through them, twinkling and sparkling. The enormous windows that stretched floor to ceiling on the east side of the building were draped with a delicate silvery mesh, reflecting the light from the cast iron chandelier that hung low in the centre of the room. And Irina was not finished. "Don't you get mud on my floor!" Clutching her cli
"Happy birthday, Sapphira!" "Oh, thank you, El. You shouldn't have!" Sapphira blushed as her closest friend bounced over with a silver-wrapped parcel and the most obnoxious hot pink balloons. "Don't be silly. You're only 18 once, Sapph!" She winked, flicking her brown curls over her shoulder. El had been her best friend since her first week in the pack, and her endless energy, although exhausting, was a welcome distraction from all the stress in her life. The girls had met the day she started at Bridgewater High. Honestly, she hadn't intended on making friends here, worried that this would only be temporary or that it would open her up to questions that she couldn't answer. But when El had hopped up to her, the epitome of a southern beauty with her deeply tanned skin and dark eyes, Sapphira hadn't the heart to turn her away. Sapphira rolled her eyes as El handed her the present and balloon. It seemed now everyone in the school was now staring at her.
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