Chapter 5: Luna Ceremony.

**REIKA/ZARA**

A shrill horn pierced through the silence of the evening. Outside, the sky had begun to darken and a cool breeze blew through the open windows.

Arya placed silver jewelry around my neck before running a brush through my thick red hair once again.

The image in the mirror nearly sent me flying.

The body I was in was magnificent, with the dress hugging her generous curves, full red lips and thick lashes framed large doe eyes.

It was evident why the Alpha kept her as his mistress over his fiancé.

Well, Zara was gone. Now it's Reika and she's about to become Luna.

“Thank you, Arya.” I wrapped a fur shawl around my shoulders and stepped out of the room, my anxiety returning.

“Where is the ceremony taking place?”

“It's at the left wing of the house. Don't worry, I'll lead you there,”

I nodded, grateful for the offer, and busied myself with admiring the decor as we walked.

I could see the reason why Ravenclaw was the biggest and most influential pack in the region.

The interior exuded power and taste, more sophisticated than my pack or any other pack I may have visited.

I moved to stand at the corner as a trail of soldiers marched through the corridor and suddenly had the crippling feeling of being watched.

My eyes landed on a soldier, dressed in black armor with a mask shielding his face.

His gaze was pinned on me, sending shivers down my spine as I averted my gaze.

He came closer, making me move further to the edge.

It did nothing to help as he brushed my shoulder with his cold steel armor, sparing me nothing but a grunt before disappearing.

But that wasn't what caused my breath to hitch.

I opened my fingers to see a neatly folded paper pressed in it.

Was he a witch? How was he able to slip in something without my notice? Furthermore, who the hell was he?

As Arya continued the journey to the ceremony hall, I cracked open the paper, my eyes scanning the surroundings to be sure we were truly alone.

Three words were hastily scrawled on it.

‘Palm groove. Midnight,’

I squeezed the paper in my palms, contemplating asking Arya who he was but abandoning the idea as she stopped before a high-rise gold-crested double door.

“This is it, my lady.”

“Thank you, Arya.”

I took a deep breath, wiping my clammy palms against my dress as the doors parted open.

As I stepped in, a hush fell over the guests, each one turning to gaze at me.

Well, what was I expecting? It's not every day the mistress of an Alpha tries to become a Luna!

I plastered a warm smile on my face, feeling my trembling reduce as I sighted Alpha Stephan seated on the stage.

The murmuring resumed as the doors shut and I exhaled a deep breath from my lungs. I took a stand next to one of the pillars, my eyes scanning the guests.

They were all females, dressed to the nines in the trendiest outfits I have ever seen.

Their faces were made up so beautifully that I shrank back in my little corner.

How did I ever think I could compete against this?

If it was my previous body I had an advantage, but this body, a prostitute, has no standard among the sea of elites.

The organ mounted at the corner suddenly stopped playing as the alpha stood up, his gaze moving around the hall.

This was my chance!

In front of him was a lady, her blonde hair woven into a French braid with flowers sticking out from it.

She wore a lilac gown which had a fitted bodice, nearly throwing all her bosom in our faces.

It was the lady that burst in earlier. Sofia. The ex-fiancée.

I moved out of my corner, standing in a spot I was more likely to get his attention.

I can't be picked if I was hiding and I need to be picked!

“The Alpha will now choose his Luna!” A voice boomed.

Alpha Stephan made his way through the crowd, the ladies fawning and batting their eyelashes at him, bending down a bit to flash a hint of their breasts at him.

I snorted and deftly raised my fan to cover the smirk that graced my lips.

He stopped before a lady, taking her gloved hands in his for a while before dropping it.

My heart pounded nervously at the gesture, my brain immediately cooking up a plan b if this one falls through.

How was I supposed to run away from the deadliest Alpha?

I fanned myself, my anxiety nearly through the roof as the breeze cooled the rising heat in my cheeks.

He did the same for three other ladies, trailing his fingertips over their bare skin as if searching for a spark before dropping them.

Before I could blink twice, he stood before me, his brown eyes like rich coffee.

I swallowed hard, my heart thumping in my ears as he took my hands in his, weaving his fingers through mine.

“I choose you.”

I blinked, my brain suddenly going blank as he held my hand and pulled me through the crowd and up to the stage.

I followed, too stunned to even fight back; not that I wanted to. Too stunned to even pay attention to the snickers and murmuring around me and to the deadly glare being shot my way by Sofia.

He guided me up the stage before taking a seat on his throne and pulling me into his lap.

“ I have made my choice!” His voice boomed, startling me out of my reverie.

I turned to him, my mouth parted in shock at my incredible luck.

Not that I was complaining but why was this so easy? What game was he playing?

His lips parted in a smirk as if reading my thoughts as he trailed a finger down my open back and brought his lips close to my ears.

“Smile. Isn't this what you wanted?” he murmured.

I stiffened and turned to the crowd as a smile slowly tugged my lips.

He turned to the crowd once more, eyeing Sofia who looked like she was about to fly off and scratch my eyeballs out.

“Zara is my Luna. This ceremony is over,”

Mission one: Successful!