HIS MATCH

08.

Better Now.

River.

We all have moments when things don't go the way we want them to at first, and when we get out of our own way and let it flow, let the process in itself just move and get past us, we find that everything we wanted becomes clearer and a path to what I could only describe as tranquility opens up, if only it were that easy, getting to the point of peace, it's never easy. "Are you ready?" Julian asks, his face showing on the phone, I had decided to video chat with him rather than have him over at the house, he would distract me and my nerves didn't take well to that, I got more nervous than less. "I am, I'm just nervous." I told him as I grabbed a crystal from one of the open shelves in my room. "Release." Willing my magic into the crystal it grounded me, and I breathed easier.

"It's almost time, you sure you don't want me picking you up?" He questioned again and I realized he's just as nervous as I was, the ceremony was being held in pack territory but at a different place than the wedding, it was for security reasons, and also the snowfall, winter was almost here. "No, Riley has that covered." I replied just as Riley showed up at the door. "I'll see you soon sugarplum." He exclaimed as I blew him a kiss and ended the call. "Well things seem to be going well with you two." Riley commented and I nodded. "Extremely good, after that awkward dinner with his dad, we came to an agreement, he would try understand us both more and learn to accept his son, Julian did give him an ultimatum, if he couldn't accept us then he wouldn't be alpha." I replied my brother who was astounded, I could tell.

"He said that, proposed to let go of the alpha title?" He demanded and I nodded, in the same way he was shocked, I was amused, Julian was making great strides in proving that he wanted to be with me, to build something with me, and I was meeting him halfway but he still had a lot of ground to cover, you can't erase all the time we were a secret overnight, it would take time, and the time, we had, we just needed to keep working at it. As we got to the event Hall, its looming structure had me feeling intimidated, it was a big building and a lot of lycans were there. "You ready?" Riley asked and I scoffed. "Do you want me to answer that?" I spoke and he shook his head in refusal. "I'm nervous and I'm not the one who's going to be standing in front of all these people." He muttered with a chuckle and it did nothing to help.

"Let's get this over with." I asserted and he nodded as we both got out of the car, my boots crunched on the snow beneath me and I realized snow had actually fallen more so than before. "Cold feet?" Riley joked and I rolled my eyes, looking at him his silver hair like mine had a dim glow, with the snow, he looked angelic. "Come on." I stated taking his hand and we moved toward the hall. "River, Riley, welcome dears, you look absolutely beautiful, both of you." Elder Errin exclaimed as she waited for us by the entrance. "Thank you Elder." Riley mumbled hugging her and I could've sworn she leaned in more, who wouldn't though, it was cold and Riley was like a warm angel. "I told the alpha I'd look after you boys, follow me to your seats, your introduction to the pack families and our surrounding wolf neighbours was combined with a special gathering, so that everyone got to know you as the next luna and also what happens at these gatherings, at some point Julian, yourself and the elders will be sitting in on them, so this is to get your feet wet with an experience." She explained vividly and I was grateful that I wasn't the main attraction here, it seemed like a lot.

As we found our seats, the three of us, I spotted Kirk, Clarke, Zaya, Brent, and Julian sitting at one table, they were the next in line for something in the pack, I figured they would sit together. "So is it me, or a lot of the turn out is on the young side." Riley mumbled next to me and the elder with us chuckled. "Your powers to read a room are impeccable, the next in lines of the lycan pack are all here, so what better way for the other packs and pack members who haven't found their mates to try their luck here." She explained and I was amused, the elder was called away just as I laid ny palm on the table, a circle of disjointed symbols appeared glowing a light green. "Red or white, also flutes or just ordinary?" I asked my brother who thought it over in a hum.

"Let's go white, Chardonnay sounds fine, and flute obviously." He spoke looking at me as if I had degraded him, the symbols lit up more as they separated and I conjured the bottle of wine and the glasses, I hadn't noticed that I had gained a little bit of an audience. "Ooops." I chuckled and Riley did damage control. "Cheers." We both said it in unison as alpha Khan showed up at our table. "So I see you two are starting the party." He mused and we both looked like deer caught in head lights, I shook it off and smiled. "It's for the nerves." I told him as he dragged the bottle to him and chugged it down. "I know." He slightly grunted out as he placed it back on the table empty, I was starting to wonder if the man had a gag reflex, he chugged the whole thing down. "Ready?" He asked and at this point, I was tired of being asked that. "Let's just get it over with." I told him and he snickered.

"Everyone, the tribunal of packs shall commence, please find your seats!" The alpha announced as he left our table, Chad showed up at our table dragging his chair with him. "Hey guys." He greeted with that beaming smile. "You were late huh." I teased and all I got was a snicker. "So we're the mates of the big guns." He mumbled and I chuckled to the statement, in its on way it was true, we were mates of the big guns. "Our first order of business, the introduction of the next luna of the Forester Pack—" Whispers definitely went around the room there, everyone was wondering who it was.  "Secondary issue is with the attacks we've all had on our packs amongst other issues, we have a lot to go but these two hold major importance as they have indeed changed our lives, one for the better, the other one, not so great." Alpha Khan stated as he nodded to elder Errin who stood up and made her way down from the stage.

"We as the Forester pack have been given a gift, a true beauty, to nurture us, love us, and protect us, that you can be sure of." She started causing a chuckle from everyone. "May you stand up and come up here, luna, and indulge us." She asserted as I breathed in deep and stood up but another person stood up as well. "Kara." I whispered as gasps went all around the room, even time seemed to move slower. "How dare you think you can just take what's mine?!" She hissed as everyone made a ruckus of noise and questions. "Kara, control yourself, what right do you have to stand there and claim a title that isn't yours!" Alpha Khan demanded with a growl. "I have every right, Julian was mine, he ruined everything, I was supposed to be luna!" She screamed everyone looking at her with pity.

In all the chaos noone had noticed me walking to the elder and Julian walking up to us. "Everyone!" He yelled, his voice amplified with power. "Your luna." He presented me,in a way I never thought he would, he had done it, claimed me in front of everyone. "My love." He added and my heart, it must have skipped several beats as everyone stood up to clap. "Stop, I won't let you!" Kara yelled as the sound of a bullet being shot into the ceiling rang out, oh no.

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Saint_Jay