The Dragon's Moon

Epilogue

"Hurry up mom! We're going to be late if you don't hurry up!"

I chuckled to myself at how much Rhea reminded me of Willow when she was younger. I turned around as I slipped my vest over my shirt. "I'm ready now Rhea. Let's get to the clearing so you can talk to Aunt Willow before the moon rises."

She bounced from foot to foot like she had ants in her shoes, "But daddy and Alex are already there! Why did we have to wait if they got to head out at sunset?"

I ruffled my ten-year-old daughter's hair as I walked out of my room, "Because daddy and Alex had to do some training while they still had time. You know how busy your father is with running the pack. Your brother needs to learn how to do that while he still has time to learn from his mistakes."

Rhea puffed out her cheeks in a pout, "But I want to lead the pack someday too."

I smiled as I led her down the hallway, "Someday you will lead a pack, but you'll lead your mate's pack as their Luna." I glanced down at her, "You understand that don't you?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I understand." Her deep green eyes lit up as she beamed at me, "Just like you, right mom?!"

I nodded as we exited the back of the pack house, "Exactly, just like me." I glanced around to make sure things were in order, and I nodded to a pair of guards as they went out on patrol.

We walked through the woods for about ten minutes before we came into a large clearing. Aaron, Blaze, Maddy and the rest of the gang were already there, as well as my mother and a very nervous Willow.

I pat my sister on the back with one hand, "Excited about changing for the first time?"

Her eyes, so like my own, flashed with a mixture of fear and excitement, "I know this is normal for a werewolf, but I'm still nervous."

"Don't be silly dear." Mom said as she took Willow's left hand in her own, "Shifting is a part of who we are, so there is no reason to be nervous. Just let things happen as they will, and everything will be alright."

Willow nodded, though it didn't look like she felt any better.

A high whistle pierced the air, and everyone winced as I turned toward the sound. Aaron ceased his call with a smile, satisfied that he had everyone's attention. "The moon is rising. We should let Willow prepare before things get started."

Everyone nodded, save for Alex and Rhea, who didn't quite understand what was going on. The pack members formed a ring with Willow standing alone in the center. She had stripped down to her panties and bra so the shift wouldn't ruin her clothes, and as the moon began to rise, Aaron walked up to Willow with a bottle in his hand.

When Willow gave him a questioning look, he simply handed her the bottle and ripped out the cork, "It'll help with the pain."

She nodded and downed the entire bottle in a series of rapid gulps, coughing a couple times once she had drained it. "That's disgusting." She whined as Aaron took the bottle from her.

He smirked, "That's why we don't let kids drink it. It's for adults only."

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "Not sure I want to grow up now."

A soft chuckle passed around the circle, and Aaron stepped back into his place beside me, glancing at Rhea and Alex on either side of me.

As the moon continued to rise, Rhea tugged on my shirt sleeve, "What's going to happen mom?"

Alex sent me a look saying that he was curious too, so I nodded once before looking back at Willow, "I've told you about how werewolves get the ability to shift at the age of sixteen?" They nodded, their gazes now locked on their aunt as well, "Tonight is your Aunt Willow's sixteenth birthday, so once the moon reaches its highest point, her wolf will appear and she'll shift for the first time."