Moonstruck

𝓼𝓲𝔁 | The Ceremony

Resisting the urge to scratch her behind, Ellie shifted uncomfortably on her feet and listened as Seth galvanized the entire Sanguine Pack into a bloodthirsty, war-mongering frenzy. Annihilate the enemy, they chanted. Avenge Alpha Asher and Luna Zahra and countless others. Destroy the Azure Pack. Standing tall and proud in the spotlight upon a raised platform, Seth looked more lively than Ellie had seen him thus far. It was almost as if he was the sun; the other pack members—his satellite subjects— gravitated to him in all his fiery glory, mesmerized like moths by his brilliance. For all his faults, Ellie had to admit that Seth was a natural at public speaking.

At Darlene's insistence, Ellie had patiently stood in front of a gilt floor-length mirror, allowing herself to be smothered in various silks and satins until, upon slipping on an elegant scarlet gown, had finally earned an approving nod from Darlene.

"I'd say you look almost flawless," Darlene had crooned in satisfaction. "All but for that little scar on your cheek—where'd you get that from?"

You can thank your son for hiring someone to throw a knife at my face, Ellie wanted to say. But she couldn't afford to offend the Alpha's mother. So she bit her tongue and obediently held still as Darlene caked her face in foundation, making a show of carefully concealing all of Ellie's pitifully noticeable human blemishes.

Despite Ellie's increasing irritation at Darlene's saccharine disingenuity, she agreed that the dress was indeed lovely. Its floor-length tulle skirt, fading at its hem into the blushing pink ombre of a gentle sunrise, billowed out like fluttering rose petals floating on the breeze when Darlene had Ellie twirl before her. The girlish delight at donning such a stunning dress, indeed, was the only thing that mitigated Ellie's discomfort when Seth called her onto the platform beside him to officially announce her as the new Luna.

Blank, stony silence. Only after Seth grabbed Ellie's hand and raised it above their heads in a tributary salute was there a smattering of halfhearted applause. Ellie felt herself flush—she fancied herself redder than the very dress she was wearing—and realized that Darlene had essentially draped her head to toe in the Pack's signature color. It was almost like a symbolic peace offering: bear with a weak, worthless human Luna like me, and my presence will ensure a swift victory. It also served as a reminder that, however much of an outsider Ellie had been and still was, she was now the property—as well as the unwilling public face and mascot—of the Sanguine Pack.

Like two-faced, scheming mother, like manipulative, power-hungry son.

The rest of the ceremony whirled by in a blur of smiling faces and scornful whispers. At one point, Darlene walked up to Ellie, arm in arm with a tall, blond man who was the spitting image of Seth.

"This is my mate—Beta Caleb."

Beta Caleb peered down at Ellie with such haughtiness and authority that she was almost tempted to curtsy before him. But she stared right back into his cold gray eyes and said simply, "Pleasure. I've heard so much about you—my stepfather absolutely adores you."

Darlene smiled. "Are you very close with your stepfather, sweetheart?"

"No, not at all."

Before either of them could realize what she meant, Ellie ducked her head and rushed away with the mumbled excuse of having to use the powder room bubbling from her lips. She slipped into a small side corridor, sighing in relief at the sudden peace and quiet—a welcome reprieve from the stifling social atmosphere of the ceremony. Leaning against a wall, she wondered if anyone would notice or care if she called it a day and retired early.

Awaken, my love. Come back to me.

Ellie whirled around in shock, eyes darting this way and that, but there was no one there. She scanned the empty hallway, peering into the shadows for any sign of a wayward flicker of movement. But there was nothing.