Luna - Beasts of Beauty Series - Book 1

Chapter Thirty-One

How did we get so lucky?

You've asked me that seven-thousand times in the last seven days,  Eliza mutters at me. I wish I could slap you!

Don't be mean, I pout back at her, smiling warmly and waving at a couple wolves that pass me by. They smile and bow their heads respectfully as they continue on their path. 

I don't know where I'm headed. I've been wandering the pack lands most of this morning. Since everyone is busy this morning, Eliza suggested I take the opportunity to become more familiar with the land. 

I just always get so overwhelmed with the beauty of the nature and people around me. The wolves in this pack are kind, welcoming, and respectful. There is no other word to describe my situation other than lucky. 

Eliza, it seems, is not affected by how amazing our new life is. She's just annoyed that I like to point it out all the time. 

I just think you should be more excited, is all, I tell her, waving to a little girl picking some flowers. 

"Good morning, Luna!" she chirps, running up to me. She looks familiar, but I don't think I've formally met her. She couldn't be much older than eight years. 

"Good morning," I greet her. She holds her flowers up high for me to see. I take a giant whiff and hum in approval. "Those smell amazing."

"They're Sweet Swinnies," she announces proudly, "and they mean strong leadership. They're my favorite. I told my Nan she should give one to you at your Luna Ceremony tomorrow." I blink at the pretty blue flowers as her words sink in. Strong leadership, Luna Ceremony, her Nan.

Tomorrow.

"Who's your Nan?" I ask her, combing my memory of all the elders. Her light brown hair and pretty brown eyes are reminiscent of Lorelai. She confirms my suspicions when she points to the Zeta female that Sam briefly introduced me to a couple days ago. 

Sam has been trying to ease me into the pack slowly. After dinner with our families, I decided I was ready to try and move past everything. Well, more like Eliza bullied me into the decision, but I'm grateful nonetheless. I started by going to my third training session. I've also been going for walks to try and meet some of my pack members. Sam and I hosted a dinner for the elders a few days ago for me to meet them formally. 

Lorelai is sitting on the porch of her home, watching her granddaughter play; she is painting on a giant canvas with a detail brush. I remember her having a quieter personality. 

"Good morning, Luna," she calls out warmly before going back to her painting. 

"Is your Luna Ceremony going to be fancy?" the little girl asks me, ignoring her grandmother completely. 

"Cleira, don't bother Luna Evelyn too much," Lorelai calls out. 

"I won't!" she answers happily before asking me all sorts of questions about my ceremony. "Luna Marianne's ceremony was astro-themed," she comments out of the blue. "My mum said she had shiny stars all over the ceiling and that's where all the light in the room came from."

"That sounds really pretty," I tell her. "Marianne is planning my ceremony, so I hope she makes mine just as beautiful."

"I want to be just like you and Marianne when I grow up," she says dreamily. Suddenly, a woman with reddish-brown hair appears a few feet away and calls Cleira over before I can respond. 

"Cleira, lunch!" she announces, "hello, Luna. I hope she's not bothering you."

"No bother at all, I was just taking a walk. Cleira is lovely company," I answer. The little girl beams at me before bowing ever-so-slightly in respect and running to her mother.