Kissed by The Moon (HS)

One

My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest as the Palace of the Council came into view on the horizon . It was stunning. So different from the fortified castle I lived in. "Are you excited for your first council meeting, Minnie?" My twin brother, Dion, asked with an amused smile. My father had brought him to the last three meeting since my brother will take over Alpha. But this meeting was special. Every year at the beginning of the new year the council hosts a ball that's open to all packs, even the ones that don't have a seat on the council. Its a time to network for most packs. A lot of marriages are arranged at these balls, I know that's my father's goal for me out of this ball. "I am. I'm excited to get my first glimpse of being a Luna." I said with wide eyes. "Oh is that all? Not excited to possibly meet your true mate?" Dion teased, and i felt my heart clench a little. "Didi, you know that I don't get that luxury like you do. Father will choose my mate." I said with a sad smile. As much as I hoped that there was a perfect match for me out there, finding your true mate was exceedingly rare and they weren't always in the same ranking. Many were forced to reject their true mates because they were royals and their mate was lowborn. For Royals, mating was and always will be more about strengthening your pack and little to do with love. The chances of my true mate being an Alpha or even royal at all were even less than even finding them at all. i stopped holding on to that hope long ago.

"You never know Minnie. You're a special little wolf" Dion said squeezing my knee. I rolled my eyes at him. We weren't special, just different. Just something for people to stare at from a distance like a zoo exhibit. My twin and I both had stark white hair and our wolf eyes were always showing, and had been since we met our wolves.

Everyone meets their wolf when they're around 12-14 when they're going though puberty. They'll meet their wolf and be forced to shift for the first time. It's terrifying and painful for those of us that are able to fully shift. Every once in a while you hear of a highborn that wasn't strong enough to change back. If a child can't shift back they have to leave and go live as a wolf. It's heartbreaking. It happened to a highborn in our pack were Dion and I were children, just after we found our wolves. For Dion and I, meeting our wolves was a little different. Usually you're asleep and dreaming when you meet them, being totally relaxed helps with the first shift. Dion and I were awake and going about our day when we both, at the same time, collapsed and started to shift. If that didn't make us strange enough our wolves are twins. That had never happened before. It was so new and odd in fact that it had to be brought up at a council meeting. Once Dion and I shifted back, our eyes stayed purple. Not as bright as they are as a wolf, but they were no longer the pale blue they were before.

After what felt like ages, our carriage finally stopped in front of the white palace steps. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. I'd never left my pack lands before, i was hardly allowed to leave the castle for that matter. Dion gave me a reassuring smile as someone opened the carriage door. Dion got out first then helped me down. Father and his beta, Cedric, were already waiting for us before going in.

When the door opened I was met with an array of unfamiliar scents. It was almost overwhelming, between the scent of new wolves and the brights golds and reds of the Palace Decor. "Welcome Rose Moon pack!" A voice greeted. She was a looking middle aged woman. My eyes widened as I caught her scent. She was a human. I'd never seen a human before. I knew in theory that the council only employed humans to keep all the scents neutral since alpha's were inherently territorial by nature. "Hello Councilman Alric sir, I trust the journey wasn't too bad." She greeted my father. "It was fine Winifred. Are our apartments ready?" My father asked her, sounding bored and tired. "Of course Councilman. If you'll follow these ladies they'll bring you to your chambers and they'll be your personal maids for the duration of your stay." With that each or the human girls standing behind her stepped forward. "Hello Miss Amelia. please follow me." One of the girls said. she looked like she was about 15, with brown and freckles sprinkled across her nose. she was quite a cute little human.

It made me wonder how she came to work for a council of werewolves at such a your age. I nodded and followed her down the corridor. We walked silently through the maze that was the Palace until we came to a set of double door that had my name on the plaque outside. She opened the door and led us in. The room was beautiful and ornate. Very unlike my apartment back home that was full of dark woods, although beautiful all the same. The doors led into a sitting area with several sofas and chairs as well as a breakfast table. there was a room off to the side that had the large bed, sofa, chaise lounger, desk, and fireplace.

"Is this suitable Miss?" The girls asked. I looked at there and gave her a small smile.

"Yes thank you, this is lovely. I apologize if I seem stand-offish. I've never been around a human before." I admitted shyly.

"Really? I though all packs lived in harmony with humans." The girl stated.

"We do! it's just that my pack borders with the rouge territory. Humans aren't safe there. Rouge attacks happen often and humans are not suited for those conditions." I said looking at the ground. There were many packs that had good relations with the humans and even employed them. But our lands were dangerous. Its why my father is set on an advantageous marriage, he wants to drive the rouges back even farther into the badlands. To do that he needs more soldiers. "Oh! Well we're not that exciting. we just farm and get mad at each other for seemingly no good reason." She shrugged. I laughed at that, it sounded a lot like the disputes that father settles all the time in his throne room. "Whats your name? I'm sorry, I just realized that I never asked." I said apologetically.

"It's Isabella." she said with a wide smile. "You should rest Miss. I'm sure you're tired from your travels." I nodded gratefully, and she left. Leaving me alone in the unfamiliar room. As much as I wanted to just go to sleep I knew I'd get no rest tonight if I did. I settled instead for wandering around the Palace. I'd heard that the Council had an impressive collection of books on all manner of topics and I was determined to learn what I could while I had the opportunity.