Dark Moon

33

Sage's POV:

Now I understand how Zach felt before his ceremony; I'm pacing the room, Zach sitting on a plastic chair watching me while I try not to have a breakdown. I think it's partially because I'm pregnant but also because I'm a bit nervous to be in front of my pack because Ashton and I are going to be declared leaders as well once the ceremony is done.

Plus, we're announcing that we're going to be having a pup or potentially more than one.

It's a stressful day.

"Sage, I speak from experience when I say it's going to go well. Everything will be alright and soon you'll be a leader of this pack. I know it'll all go well."

I smile at my friend even though I can't fully relax like I want to. "Thanks, Zach."

"Yeah, plus watching you pace is stressing me out, so I'm really telling you to calm down for my personal benefit."

"How kind of you, Beta," I comment, making him smirk even wider as the tent opens and my mom peeks her head in. "Is it time?"

Mom hums in agreement, a small smile on her face, hiding how tired she really is. "We better go now before your mate passes out from stress," she says, chuckling and rolling her eyes fondly. "Poor guy."

"He'll be fine," I reply, wiping my sweaty palms off and hoping that Ashton doesn't notice; he knows I hate when I sweat so he always jokes about my palms being sweaty.

We leave the small tent and I find my pack already waiting together in the large area covered by a tent. There's a gentle sprinkle of rain, almost closer to a mist which gives a beautiful appearance of fog outside and it's way more calming than pacing the room.

Ashton meets me at the start of the aisle, wearing similar clothing to mine. He looks beautiful and I can't help from hugging him and pecking his cheek. There's a collective "aw" from our pack mates and some claps from the kids who don't fully understand what's going on. Sure, they know mating ceremonies are big celebrations but they don't know the deeper meaning behind it.

"You look beautiful," he whispers and my cheeks heat up.

"So do you," I respond, laying my head against his shoulder looking down the long aisle where my mother is waiting for us. "I hear you were a little stressed."

He scoffs, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Your hands are pretty sweaty for someone who's so calm and composed," he murmurs, grabbing my hand and looking at my palm.

I pull it away. "I never said I was composed."

He just chuckles and kisses the top of my head.

Since everyone is ready, we start to walk down the aisle, and I catch the eyes of all of my ecstatic pack mates who have watched me grow up and the younger ones who I've watched grow.

Owen and Zach are at the front to be official witnesses for us, with Zach on the left and Owen on the right of my mother. They're looking at each other and back to us, both smiling widely.

My mom looks proud, but the deep sadness that has been living behind her eyes since my dad died.

He always wanted to see my mating ceremony... there was a point where I feared I wouldn't find my mate, and my dad was confident I'd find the other half of my soul. He always wanted me to be happy, he didn't care whether it meant me leaving the pack or anything like that; as long as I was happy, he was happy for me.

The same with my mom, but my dad was much more up front about it... he was such a pure soul and it hurts that he isn't here today.

Ashton pulls me tighter to his side and reaches for my face to wipe away a tear that I didn't even know was there.