Chasing Moon

// one

1.

Murmurings.

"Silence," Craw spoke, a voice with such strong dominance that the entire hall came into a complete silence. Eyes looked in anticipation at him, but never into his eyes. He was the Alpha of the Craw pack, a true descendant of the wolf who first lead the pack.

"We have gathered today for a celebration," he continued, eyes twinkling with excitement, "so please give your congratulations to our next heir, Crystella Craw!"

The crowd broke into applause and cheers as the lights shone onto the red carpets, illuminating the way where the star of the night would take path. Clad in a sheer white gown laced with pure gold accents, the Alpha's daughter walked with confident down the aisle while giving them a charming smile. Sending a wave, the wolves of the pack howled in approval at their next leader, showing their utmost loyalty to her.

But that was not the only reason to why the crowd was especially jubilant tonight. The Alpha's daughter would come of age as of midnight, and it would be then where her mate would be revealed. Among them was one honoured wolf who would lead the pack in the near future, alongside with the Alpha's daughter, and everyone was dying to know who the wolf would be.

"Thank you," Crystella said as she stood next to her father. The hall fell into a complete silence again as they listened intently to what their future Luna had to say.

"As all of you know--at exactly midnight, I will turn 17, the promised age where a female finally finds her soulmate, and one among the whole crowd of you may just be the one I am destined for. He will be recognised as the next in line of the Alpha of Craw and will stand by my side through thick and thin.

We will take our vows in exactly 17 days from when I meet him, under the eyes of the entire pack. And when the ceremony is over, the pack will pledge their loyalty to the both of us. We will then wait until the current Alpha and Luna hand over their title to us while we serve the pack as much as we can."

The crowd broke into another round of applause. The countdown started from sixty.

Sixty!

"Dad."

Fifty-nine!

"We're not doing this again, Crystella—"

"Dad!"

Fifty-four!

"Listen. You will marry Dmitri by the end of this month—"

"I don't even like him—"

"—and your mate will be given compensation of course—"

"Are you even listening to yourself—"

"—all you have to do is to reject him, Crystella. Reject. Him."

Forty!

"I won't be able to be happy with Dmitri."

Thirty-seven!

Thirty-six!

Thirty-five!

"This isn't about your happiness. This is about the pack. My pack. Your pack. Our pack."

Thirty!

Twenty-nine!

Twenty-eight!

Twenty-seven!

"Crystella!"

Twenty-five!