A GRIM MELODY throbbed in every corner of my brain. Slowly revealing my face in shame to the Alpha brought me no pride. Bad luck always ensued when encountering the Alpha on unfriendly terms. 

Each step up the stairs felt like the echo of my hollow soul. The baggy tee-shirt that Rylan gave me swayed against my waist. My feet groaned against the steps leading to the red abyss of the Alpha's ire. 

His face grew more precise and more apparent as I trudged to the top. A mess of thick spikes in the hue of dried blood failed to conceal his piercing eyes. Those dead irises—black as coal—sparked dangerously between Rylan and me. His eyelids hung low. He furrowed his brow. Red seared his cheeks. He clenched his fists.

"How dare you!" The Alpha's words snapped against every boundary of sound, making it rattle like a snake's tail, only he possessed more significant venom than the slithering threat. At least the reptilian had no other choice if he either felt threatened or required food and could be scared off. And for those unfortunate victims who lost a battle to the serpent, at least they died with dignity. "You"—his finger pivoted between us, Rylan and me—"betrayed my trust! I kept you in the warmth of our town, safe from humans, safe from harm, safe from our enemies. In exchange, I ask very little but for mutual respect of wolves, and you ignore them." 

The Alpha seized my wrist and yanked me out of the staircase. His grip compressed against my skin, every second becoming more and more unbearable. His darkness blurred as tears welled in my eyes. But his fire made my eardrums tremble. "You bitch!" 

"What did you just call her?" Darkness laced through Rylan's rising voice. 

The Alpha yanked me over to his side as he sifted his son. His fingers blazed around my wrist. "I called her a bitch!" He threw me to the floor. "She's a worthless whore—" 

"Call her a whore one more time!" Rylan cracked his knuckles. "I swear, you'll regret it!"

"I had such high hopes for you." The Alpha shook his head with a smirk. "Such high hopes. You were my son, my heir—"

"You never treated me like a son." Flares burned in Rylan's voice. Tears wriggled down his face. They must've been hot as hell. "If you were truly my father, and if you loved me, you wouldn't have ignored me. You would've listened to my poetry instead of slapping my face, kicking me, and ordering me to grab you a beer. You would've listened to my ideas for how to improve Howl Falls. The Moon Haven allows you to choose your mate. They've even adopted a new religion—Ecumenical Catholicism, which accepts same-sex couples. Zavory Piper wrote me about it. We need to try a new approach. It's 2020, after all. And the best part, she said it's safe for us to lurk into—" 

With a growl, the Alpha lashed Rylan's face with the back of his hand. "You are not my son," the Alpha snapped. 

"And you're not my father," Rylan replied with cold eyes. 

"You're a bastard." The Alpha shoved Rylan onto the floor. He gazed down at us with a smirk. "Enjoy captivity before the Ceremony." 

The world fell silent for a moment. In those few seconds, I could've breathed and allowed my heart to calm down. Unfortunately, some sensation—maybe fear—swelled against my chest as the Alpha eyed my stomach. 

"And congratulations on your bastard spawn," the Alpha said. He then turned to the side. I watched all of the fire inside him vanish as he called out, "Hey, boys, take them away." 

Two hulking men entered the manor, and summer air filled the foyer. One grabbed my arms from behind, his shadow casting over me. He yanked me to my feet and bound my wrist together with cold cuffs. 

He shoved me out into the forest. People lined up from the steps of the manor down the paths ridden by foliage. All of them seemed to have piercing expressions. 

Whore, were Zaina's words as she glared while I walked by. As our eyes met, I noticed that Yahir enveloped her inside his arms. 

I guess the Moon Goddess favored those two as a couple. 

He had the same thoughts. 

You're unworthy of Rylan, were others thoughts that echoed against every cell in my brain as one of the hulking men ushered me passed them. This explosion of taunts came from particular sharp-eyed female peers warm inside the arms of their mates.

My male peers dappled this chorus with words like whore, puta, and harlot. At this point, it no longer bothered me. Instead, Keanna's absence worried me. She wouldn't have turned us in. When my peers called me a quean when I appeared in the courtyard in only my bra and underwear, Keanna gave me her clothes. 

"Soak it up, boys," she said with her arms wide open while I quickly slid into the hand-me-downs. "This might be as dirty as it gets before Mating Day." 

She strutted around the courtyard before one of the teachers noticed Keanna's semi-nudity, and ushered her in for a lengthy discussion over school-appropriate and violating the dress code. She accepted her punishment, which would've been mine had she not stepped in — a month of detention. 

Out of regret that swelled in my chest, I snuck into detention with her and gave her my tapa. We always went to great lengths for one another—nothing more to it. Something happened, and whatever it was, it didn't end well. 

"Keep moving," one of the hulking men barked and shoved me forward. 

Foliage crunched under my feet. The moon dappled the forest floor with its pale glow. My heart pounded while firm shoves kept me propelling down the paths. 

In the lines of stern, hateful eyes, I couldn't find anyone in my family present. I couldn't see my brother Kyran, or his wife Eliana, or even Sabia. I guess the feeling of shame of having me attached to their name made it unbearable to attend the parade of dishonor. Not even to provide me with a solaceful glance to assure me that everything would turn out alright, though I knew, it never would. 

Whistles laced through the wind. Disdain emitted in the crickets' chirps. The leaves of the trees smugly muttered as they danced in the pale glow of the night. 

I moved with a slouch, keeping my eyes focused on the dim foliage that blanketed the forest floor. Under my feet, they felt wet against my skin—they always did. I caught a glimpse of my stomach as my tee-shirt rippled from side to side. Flat without any signs that would signal a sign to hang over me with loud words: Hey, I'm with child. Sure, pride surged through my veins, but with all the scorn that pummeled me, it seemed like news for another time. 

Then, a tiny voice stirred inside me: I love you. The noise made me halt in my march to the dungeon. Unisex notes riddled the words. According to Sabia, we could hear the thoughts of our children during pregnancy, but it didn't happen until later on in the gestation. It didn't even sound possible at this stage. I hadn't even reached a week yet. 

Like humans, we wolf shapeshifters experienced pregnancy for around a total of 280 days that followed a sequence of three trimesters. My future child hadn't even become an embryo yet: until thirty hours after Rylan and I consummated our engagement, our child would remain a zygote.

Something felt off. 

I nearly lurched forward when I felt a hand shove me forward. "Keep moving!" 

I wish Sabia were here, I thought, and frowned, trudging to the end of the forest, which in the moonlight made the metal bars cover the holes scattered across the field glisten. What is this place? 

The d—Rylan didn't even finish his reply before the lackeys cut us off. 

"Get in the hole!" one of the hulking men barked. "Welcome to the dungeon." He held the trap door open with one hand, a firm grip on Rylan in the other. 

"Move it!" the other hulking man—the one behind me—snapped and shoved me forward. He lowered me into the hole, and the trap door closed with a click. 

The night swelled against my souls as I heard their laughter ringing over the metal bars. They got what they deserved, were one of the two hulking men's thoughts. 

The other one agreed. Serves them right for breaking the rules of the Elder Scrolls.

I sat on the cold concrete floor with my back against the curved wall. Tears painted my face in the darkness. It was dark and transparent. I let my breath hitch, and I sighed. This is all worth it, right? 

I waited for the warm hum of Rylan's voice to filter through my brain. His reply had a tender touch against the cells of my mind: Of course. His words brought light to the darkness. We're following our hearts. As long as we're together, nothing can tear us apart. 

I felt the wall behind me. The cold concrete seeped against my fingertips. I love you.  

I love you, too. After a moment, he added, So, we're going to have a child? 

Yes, I replied and smiled. We're having a beautiful or handsome baby. The child already has a thought process. 

Rylan's long, thin sigh filtered through every crevice of my thoughts. Ahh, you're on a good route then. 

I blinked. I am? 

At that point, I heard Rylan emit a laugh aloud; it seemed distant, yet when our thoughts intertwined, it felt near and intimate as if he could caress my skin with his words: Yes. Castilla men have—how would I describe it—sperm that creates offspring that develop into infancy in the timespan of a natural wolf pregnancy. 

So, you're telling me, I'm carrying a fast-growing baby? 

A chuckle felt warm inside my brain. Yes. And if your next concern is, will it be risky, my answer is no. My mother didn't die until last year. My paternal grandmother survived childbirth. And my paternal grandfather's mother didn't die because of our bloodline, so it's safe. 

All of a sudden, footsteps approached. "Beatriz," my brother Kyran called out. The sound of feet ceased. "Beatriz?" 

"Here," I replied. If I could've waved my arms, I would've done so. 

The footsteps picked up and drew closer. In seconds, I could see Kyran's face against the bars. "What happened?" he asked. 

I glanced down at the floor. "I fell in love, Ky," I muttered. "He's not my mate, but we're willing to live outside of Howl Falls if it means we get to choose who we give our heart to."

"Where will you go?" Kyran asked. He had a soft-spoken voice, tender eyes, and a smile. And that was the only thing I wanted — hope. "Surely, other packs won't accept you once Llwyd notifies the other Alphas that he banished you two. Your violation is seen as disloyalty to the pack. Even if other packs agree with your thinking, you broke the sacred brotherhood that holds the pack together." 

"The Moon Haven—" 

Kyran cut me off. "The Moon Haven has a treaty with Howl Falls. Setting foot on their territory would surely mean execution since it would be a sign of rebellion. So, again, I ask, where are you going to go?" 

"I don't know," was my dull answer. After silence filled the area for a moment, I asked, "Was it easy learning how to love Eliana?" 

"Yes." He spoke in gentle syllables. "But that's because I fell in love with her from the moment I found out she was my mate. She said I was everything she imagined, and that she had awaited me for a long time."

"Sounds romantic," I said and glanced up at my brother. 

It appeared as if Kyran were blushing. "It was and still is," he replied. "When you meet the one, all pain is worth it. It doesn't matter that Eliana comes from the Moon Haven." 

"Dad came from the Haven," I reminded him. 

Kyran nodded. Silence filled the little prison yard. After his sigh wafted to my ears, he said, "I have to go. I'll see you soon." And he rose to his feet, and sound his footsteps faded away. 

"I'll see you soon," I echoed. 

Silence swelled against the prison. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness settle in, and searched for Kyran's soul in the distance. Brother? 

After a moment, my brother's soft voice filled my brain: Yes, Bea?

I'm with child. 

A second later, I could sense his smile in my soul. Congratulations. 

Did you tell him? Rylan's voice filtered through every cell in my mind. 

I opened my eyes. The cold concrete returned to my skin. Yes. I did tell him. He said congratulations. 

That's odd. He paused for a moment. Kyran just told me that the pack's getting a new Luna. 

My jaw almost dropped to the floor. A new Luna? 

Yes. Rylan's slow words of melancholy filled my thoughts. They're replacing my mother. I'm surprised they didn't do it last year, meaning the woman is undoubtedly our age. 

After a second, our thoughts intertwined: Ew!

So gross. I shuddered. 

Rylan's reply came back amidst a groan: I know. I feel bad for the girl who has to put with the man who sired me. 

I pulled back in a sigh. I bet the wedding will be lovely. 

The loveliest, Rylan replied. But my point is that my father'll bully her. 

I grazed the cold walls with my fingers. I'm sorry. 

For some reason, it felt as if we were sitting back to back. However, his voice still had an intimate volume to it: It's okay. After a moment, he added, Close your eyes. 

I squeezed my eyes together. For a moment, I only saw darkness. However, the world of shadows transformed into a large, gold room shimmering with specks of crystal light. My gaze flickered to Rylan, who stood in front of me. His hand waited near my chest. "Triz, can I have this dance?"

I smiled and took his hand. "Of course." 

He led me into the middle of the room and curled his arm around my waist. 

Warmth and security encompassed me. My heart seemed to slowly beat as if to syncopate to the rhythm of the slow waltz filling every inch of my senses, and I melted into Rylan to calm the sobs rumbling inside me. I rested my chin in his shoulder and clung to his frame—anything to assure myself that this was real. Anything.  

The rhythm was a graceful breath, guiding our hips in a gentle sway. Like the room, the waltz consisted of warmth. It didn't rise to a startling octave or plunge to the low chords. It simply hovered in the middle.  

I wished that reality turned out this way. But the reality was cold and hard. Clinging to the warmth of Rylan's frame helped me savor the moment as the music wafted through the air. 

The crystal lights waltzed through the ceiling. 

Our hearts beat in sync. It moved the beat of a slow drum and soft too like a tap. 

Each glide stride across the floor was magic. The world could've spun and spun for days, and the dizziness wouldn't have befallen upon me.

I felt Rylan's lips against my ears. "We're going to be alright." 

The tender ballad fused into our souls, and I believed it. Everything would turn out fine.

Our lips met in a kiss as the song finished, and the fantasy faded back into the reality of chains, darkness, and the sound of feet approaching. 

"Beatriz." Sabia's voice hovered over the metal bars. 

I glanced up at her shadowy face. "Sabia," I whispered. 

"You want to tell me what happened?" There was a certain sternness to her voice that felt all too familiar. Maybe it stemmed from years of knowing the hell I put Sabia through. She never asked to raise two children who lost their parents due to unknown causes. I never made it exactly easy either, stealing her jewelry whenever the pack entrusted Sabia with Elder duties, breaking into the liquor cabinet at sixteen, and hanging around Eliana, who gave me a pack cigarettes. 

I sighed and revealed everything from the beginning: "We started dating two years ago. Glances across the cafeteria turned into full-on secret conversations. And there was just something we couldn't ignore. We couldn't stay away from one another, and we needed to be together. 

"It was all chaste. We would meet up at midnight and just talk under the moonlight. And the more we talked, the more our bond grew. I didn't want a life without him. I don't want a life without him, so we're engaged, and my reaction to the Mating Day reveal certainly means I will have publicly admit that I reject the mate the Moon Goddess gave me." 

"Yes," Sabia assured me, leaving a lump hardening in my stomach, "it does, but I'm at least proud of you that you're not one of those lust-filled teenagers who just do it for the sex." 

"I am not one of those," I replied with a smile. 

"But you did give up your virginity," she reminded me. 

"How did you know?" I asked, and felt the muscles in my shoulder tighten. 

"You're glowing."

I glanced down at my stomach. "I am glowing," were my soft words. 

After a moment, Sabia begged me to let her prepare Rylan and me for the Ceremony. "You two are going to get married today." 

"What?" Rylan and I said at the same time.

"Even though his anger towards your actions is unsatiable," Sabia explained, "Alpha Llwyd is willing to marry you two off before banishing you." 

"Really?" Despite the inability to see Rylan, his tone told me tales of squinting with one eye and a furrowed brow. For those granted such a luxury as to see this rarity out of him, it tended to cause laughter. "My father wouldn't do that." 

"Yeah," I agreed. "Someone must've talked him into it." 

"Probably his new mate," Rylan said. 

"It was," Sabia admitted and sighed. "She'll make a wonderful Luna." 

I heard a click, and the trap door groaned. Moonlight poured into the little prison. I heard a grunt and the scrape of fingers until—plump!—feet cracked against the surface. Footsteps grew closer and closer. When they stopped, I felt the brush of her fingertips against my wrist. 

Unshackled from the consequences of incurring the Alpha's rage, I threw my arms around Sabia. 

Her fingers laced through my locks. "It's okay," she whispered. "The worst part is over."  

As we pulled away, I heard the footsteps approach above. I looked up at the opening created by the trap door. Rylan peeked inside with a smile. "Sabia's sister, Freira, helped me out," he said and stretched his arms out.

I made way to the other end of the hole and latched into the warmth of his hands. Slowly, he guided me out of the hole. He enveloped me inside his arms while Freira helped Sabia climb out of the prison. 

We then trekked through the forest back home for the last time. My home didn't have alcoves or turrets like Rylan's manor. Instead, it consisted of a canopy of shingles that shadowed the porch, a window on the side, orange light inside, and a mahogany door that opened into a second layer—a wiry screen. 

We pooled inside and Sabia ushered us through the rectangular cut in the wall on the right. The checkered panels caressed my skin with its watery light hanging overhead. To my right, a long span of glass stretched along the back of the kitchen sink. To my left, there was a long plank of mahogany settled on spindly legs and shoved against the wall. Five chairs lined the table. One for Sabia, one for me, one for Kyran, one for Eliana, and one for Freira. 

The coffeemaker emitted a low drone through the kitchen. I plopped into a chair facing the black-and-white walls. Rylan sat next to me and Freira next to him. Meanwhile, Sabia hovered over at the counter. 

"Hazelnut or caramel?" she asked. 

"White chocolate." My finger pointed in her direction—she was slouching against the corner of the kitchen next to the coffeemaker—and my tongue made a click at the roof of my mouth.

A snort softly entered the air. "I knew you would say that," Sabia said turned to the coffeemaker with a packet of my preferred flavor of coffee. "Are the rest of you okay with white chocolate?" 

As Rylan replied, "White chocolate is perfect," he kept his eyes on me. He then smiled. 

"You know I love white chocolate," Freira then piped in. 

After a while, the scent of coffee filled the room. Sabia placed the mugs in front of us and stroked my hair. "I'll go find the clothing your parents wore for their Ceremony," she said and made her way over to the doorframe. 

I glanced in her direction—"Thanks"—and then focused on Rylan, whispering in his ear, "Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" 

"Not when you have nowhere to go," Rylan replied and planted a kiss on my cheek.

Freira cleared her throat. Coffee dripped from her lips. "You know," she said, "maybe the outside world won't be so bad—" 

"Zavory said—" Rylan began to say between a cough before Freira cut him off. 

"Please don't interrupt me." She had a mug between her hands. When silence sank into the kitchen, she continued, "I mean, they seem to fantasize us. I mean they must have more music than old Spanish incantations and Michael Jackson's Thriller." 

In the distance, Sabia's muffled voice warned, "If you start singing that damn song, a bar of soap is in your future. That goes to you too, sister." 

"Noted," Freira shouted back. She turned to us and mouthed the lyrics to the chorus. 

"I know you just mouthed it." Sabia's voice drew closer and closer until she appeared in the opening into the long hallway. Her eyes swelled with sternness while her lips seemed to exude the joy, the positivity likely stemming from finally finding a use for my parents' wedding garb. "Don't think you're off the hook. Cleanse your soul with tribal Spanish tunes for the next seven days." 

I glanced at the mound of black fabric piled in Sabia's arm. If my textile courses served any purpose, my mother wore a gown of silk charmeuse covered by a sheer layer of Swiss dot and nylon tulle. It would go well with my bronze skin. 

I lifted my lips into a small smile. "It's beautiful," I said as Sabia placed the gown on my lap, and gazed into her eyes. "Thank you." 

"Go try it on," Sabia said. 

I rose from my seat and headed into my room with my mother's gown in hand. It seemed Sabia found the key to get into my sacred space. I saw a closed window. 

Thank the Moon, I thought. If the cold air of the night had crept into the house, Sabia would've been forced to turn on the heater. In turn, repercussions worse than the Alpha's wrath could've ensued: humans could've found out about us. All we built could've fallen into ashes. 

I slipped out of Rylan's tee-shirt and changed into the gown. Due to the lack of sleeves, it hugged my bust and draped down from my neckline. When I looked in the mirror embedded into the brown walls, I saw my resemblance to my mother. Near-black hair fell just below my bust in thick, straight strands. 

I continued to stare at myself until someone tapped on the door. I whipped around to see Rylan all neat in a suit. 

He made his way to me and breathed against my lips, "It's time." 

After letting Sabia fawn over how incredible we looked, we made our way through the forest to a clearing known as the Main Clearing and nicknamed an architectural wonder. From the outside, it seemed like a large forested hill. However, when one drew closer it became clear that it served multiple purposes. The middle of the pit was carved out, revealing its rows of rings straining out past each other every level. It felt almost like an ant hole, the way networks of tunnels dissected out of the earth so the wolves could return to the neighborhoods. 

Since the town's founding in 1889, The Main Clear served as a location for Elder meetings, clan gatherings, and tribal celebrations such as the renowned Ceremony. 

I stood behind one of the tunnels as my heart raced. I had never navigated through any of these tunnels. They restricted usage to full-fledged members of Howl Falls only.  This would be the only occasion in which I went to the Main Clearing. 

My peers surrounded the outside of the hill in dark or white dresses in a variety of fabrics — tulle and lace seemed like a popular choice among the females. My heart raced. I shifted up and down with my feet as I waited for the last of the pack's members to file into the hill. 

Five minutes of counting and I knew exactly who hadn't arrived yet: my brother and his wife. 

I closed my eyes and tried to find Kyran's soul: Where are you? 

A moment later,  a slim and svelte wolf, fur as silver as glass china—one that Sabia kept locked up in her closet—appeared. The eyes seemed mellow ... almost sympathetic, almost opposite to the sharp dagger-like eyes that my brother bore in his human form. Kyran approached me, his skinny legs shifting up and down, and his sharp claws dragging across the dirt pavement. 

I'm right here. He glanced up at the morning sky, which hadn't fully reached its blue hue. For a moment, we met eyes in complete silence. He then asked, Where is Keanna?

I glanced at the dirt. I don't know. She's around here somewhere. 

The grass rustled for a moment. In the side of my eye, I caught a honey-brown wolf bounding towards us. The sweet voice belonging to the wolf's human form crept through the crevices of my brain: Wait! 

Meanwhile, the way their slender body bounced made me laugh. I had seen this so many times, but it never got old. 

I navigated through their soul. Eliana, we'll wait. I paused for a moment. Also, this never ceases to amuse me. 

Eliana finally reached Kyran's side. I'm glad I could amuse you on this day. From there, she and my brother disappeared into the tunnels. 

As the last of them faded into the shadows, they chorused, Good luck! The words grew fainter and fainter until the world fell into silence.

While thinking back on this, I regret not finding the benefits of silence. Silence is a luxury that should receive respect when given. When it's gone, and demons take over, it doesn't easily return. 

Even if it's just a second of silence, treasure it. 

The silence ended when footsteps echoed from inside the Clearing. "Good morning Howl Falls." The echoes of the Alpha's voice carried outside the pit. "Our ancestors today bless the youth who have followed the Elder Scrolls. May the Moon Goddess protect those taking the rite of passage into our society." 

My peers said in unison, "Protect us, oh Moon Goddess." 

"We'll start off the Ceremony with a passage written by an ancestor who was the epitome of everything we value in wolves," the Alpha continued as the chatter died down. 

I could feel the following words that would fall from his lips. As they filled the air, I mouthed the name too. "Eloísa Caro." 

I'd heard stories about the great Eloísa Caro before. It felt almost like a legend—a legend of an audacious fifteen-year-old who led the clan out of Mexico where they forced us to work like slaves on farms, scaring off feral pests. And when we failed our duties, they would chain us outside, especially when it rained. 

Upon hearing of the land of the free in 1875, Eloísa Caro rallied the pack at the borders of the Rio Grande and led us through the states, trying to find a new home. No one excepted us, but we found an empty forest near the Everglades. We built society from there. 

"'As wolves,'" the Alpha read, "'we devote our existence to the Moon Goddess as her humble servants. Wiseness encompasses her. She knows past, present, and future. She warned me that if my people stayed in Mexico, the humans would try to purge us from reality. So, today I, Eloísa Caro, will cross the Rio Grande from Jiménez with my pack. Hopefully, the nearest town in this new world will grant us asylum. Signed, Eloísa Caro on the second of June in 1875.'" 

Howls filled the air — what a sweet melody. A sigh filled my chest. It struck me that I would never experience it again, and out of all the things about Howl Falls, the idea of never having a group howl again struck my heart like a stone. 

"To start off the ceremony, we will have Eloísa's direct descendant, her great-great-great-great-granddaughter begin."

My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't start the ceremony off. I didn't want to. Not when almost the whole pack hated me. 

"Beatriz Wilson," the Alpha called out in an echo, "come forward." 

Slowly I bent over and pushed through the tunnels, a light wavering ahead in the distance. My heart pounded. The tiny voice inside of me urged me to continue propelling forward. Go, go, go. 

So, I did. The light broke into the circular shape of the surface. Grass grazed my feet. I looked around at the dozens of eyes staring at me—judging me. 

The ground level had a metal platform on which the Alpha stood with firm eyes. He wore a fur cape over his broad shoulders. Surrounding the surface, three levels stacked to the top of the hill. 

My heart raced as I wrecked my mind over who the Alpha would summon first to me: Athan or Rylan. 

"Athan Solano, come forward," the Alpha said. 

A few moments later, Athan appeared in what we deemed breaking the dress code for such an occasion. Fingers clung to the collar of a black biker jacket. Under it, the hem of his baggy dress shirt swayed in the wind.  

I swallowed a gulp. He didn't care rather than piss me off. At the time I had thoughts around the lines of, Have respect for our culture. I also could smell the scent of blood that matched the hue of his eyes. 

Feed on human blood, lately? I smirked as Athan drew closer, his eyes growing larger and larger. 

"Approach the platform," the Alpha called to us before Athan could answer. 

Our footsteps echoed in unison as we made our way to the foot of the platform. I gazed into those red eyes. Ready?

For a lifetime of bachelorhood? Yes. Athan cracked a smile as his answer seeped through my mind. 

In the background, the audience jeered. 

"Whore!" cried one of the full-fledged members of the pack. 

"Bloodsucker!" bellowed another member over the outrage stirring in the three levels. 

''Quiet!" the Alpha's voice cracked like a whip against the entire Clearing. I could hear the cold growl laced into each word that followed. "I shall serve justice to them for their infractions. You shall show for me by keeping the peace. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes, Alpha," the crowd chorused. 

"Good," the Alpha said and turned to us. "Recite the rejection passage."  

I gathered my breath and closed my eyes. For love, I thought and recited the passage: "I, Beatriz Wilson, reject you, Athan Solano, as my mate. Henceforth, I shall leave the pack and bare the title of a rogue for the rest of my life. May the Moon Goddess have mercy on my soul." 

"Okay." Athan shrugged. I noticed how he hid his hands in the pocket of his jeans. "Umm, I, Athan Solano, reject you, Beatriz Wilson, as my mate. Henceforth, I shall leave the pack and bare the title of a rogue for the rest of my life. May the Moon Goddess have mercy on my soul?" He appeared as if about to laugh. 

"Yes, hybrid," the Alpha said with a low growl. "Your soul." 

"Okay," Athan said and smiled, revealing his fangs. "I'm out."

"Typical," I muttered under my breath and glanced at the Alpha. 

The Alpha buried his face in his hand. I could hear the low growl swaying throughout the Clearing. 

"Ciao!" Athan said and whisked through the tunnels. All the while, his voice became smaller and smaller. "I'm free." 

"Rylan Castilla," the Alpha then called out. 

The world seemed to stop as Rylan emerged from the tunnels. It felt as if the world began to shine brighter when he came into the picture. And time seemed to move slowly when he was around. 

A small voice moaned in between my hips: Papa. 

A smile crept across my face as Rylan drew closer, and I replied to the voice, Yes. Papa.

As my future husband approached, the Alpha instructed, "Please, join hands." 

The warmth of Rylan's fingers seeped against mine. Forever? He blinked a few times and smiled. 

I nodded. Forever. 

"Ladies first." The Alpha nodded at me as he said this. 

"I, Beatriz Wilson," I said as my heart pounded, "take you to be my husband. I pledge my fidelity to you. I shall be your comfort, your sanctuary, your shield, your sword in blessings and burdens as we shall be family henceforth and forevermore." I squeezed my lips together. 

"I, Rylan Castilla," Rylan replied, "take you to be my wife. To you, I pledge my loyalty and fidelity. In blessings and comforts, I shall a fortress of comfort, your sword,  your shield, the glow to your moon. Henceforth and forevermore, you are my family." His eyes glistened with tears. And in turn, he became a kaleidoscope of sunshine in my sight. 

My heart began to flutter. As our lips met in a kiss, I felt our souls intertwine. Scattered, slow applause bursted throughout the Clearing. We even shared a thought: I love you. Everything felt perfect. 

"Please, stay for the rest of the ceremony," the Alpha insisted. 

Rylan and I made our way to the edge of the circle. Bliss painted across our cheeks. 

Zaina and Yahir went next. They recited the same vows, shared a long kiss that resembled that of falling into Yahir's arms as their lips met. They joined us at the edge with snide looks, and the Alpha summoned the next couple. It went on and on as sunlight seeped through the sky. 

My heart began to pound as we came down to the last person. A girl. All of the boys had been initiated into the pack, meaning the girl would certainly marry the Alpha. I couldn't recall hearing Alpha Llwyd call Keanna's name. 

My pulse was heavy against my chest. No. My calculations had to be wrong. Maybe Wynne returned and Keanna would join the spinster coven of Sabia and Freira. The thought just freaked me out. 

"Keanna Zoido," the Alpha called out, "come, dear." 

It seemed like a grand entrance. Keanna slowly floated out of the tunnels, the train of her fur cape trailing along far behind her feet. Tulle fanned out from her bust in long ripples of red.

Oohs and ahhs filled the Clearing. "Lucky," one of the Elders muttered. The voice belonged to a female. 

Rylan squeezed my hand, and his thought intertwined in my brain: I don't think Keanna had coition with Athan. 

My stomach felt like twisting. Yeah. She made love with—

Before I could finish, the Alpha called out to Freira: "Elder Freira, could you oversee the ceremony?" 

I glanced up as Freira disappeared from the third ring above us. In moments, she appeared at the surface in a dark cloak. She made her way to the platform as the Alpha stepped down, meeting Keanna with a certain gentleness that made my insides gag. 

The same man who called me a whore and disowned his son suddenly stepped into the facade of compassion through caressing my best friend's cheek. How revolting! 

And my best friend—well, the alien who bore the appearance of someone I used to consider a best friend—had light in her eyes as she gazed at the Alpha. 

Tears threatened to swell in my eyes, so I squeezed Rylan's hand. She lied to me. She betrayed me. She stabbed us in the back.

 "Howl Falls," Freira announced as my heart pounded, "today, we gather for a momentous occasion. Last year, we lost Reyna Castilla, a Luna who touched the hearts of all who came near. But, on this happy day, we regain a piece of the beloved Reyna as we witness Keanna Zoido and Alpha Llwyd Castilla in matrimony and coronation." Freira tied a satin cloth around the two's hands. "Let this be a symbol of your love for one another." After a moment, she added, "The vows, please." 

"I, Llwyd Castilla," the Alpha said, "vow to be the shoulder for your tears, the smile to your bliss, the pedestal you stand on to shine. I vow my devotion, my protection, my loyalty. Through this satin cloth, I surrender my heart. You're my queen from hereon out." 

"I, Keanna Zoido," Keanna replied with an unbroken stare into the Alpha's eyes, "vow my fidelity. I will share in your burdens and blessings. I will stay loyal to you, my Alpha. With this satin cloth to which we're bound, I surrender my heart to you." 

"It is with great pleasure," Freira said, "I pronounce you husband and wife." 

The Alpha drew Keanna to his lips. I could see the passion sizzling between them: as she seized his cheeks, he gripped her hips, fingers curling around her waist. 

A sensation seared my cheeks as the crowd erupted into applause. "Luna Keanna!" they all chanted. It seeped through every crevice of my brain. Luna. Luna. Luna. 

"Why is he here? Is he going to banish me as his father did to ..." her voice fell quiet. "Her." She began trembling. I could see it in her eyes—swirls of fear.

"Keanna, I'm not going to punish you." His gaze shifted to the ceiling for a second. "The Elder Scrolls are not the way to live."

Keanna brushed her waves out of her face and narrowed her eyes. "How can I trust you? You're Alpha Llwyd's son."

"Because Triz is my girlfriend," Rylan said and took my hand. The warmth of his palm over mine felt as if it could guard me against the entire world. We were in this together. "What is life if we can't be free to love who we want?"

"You're correct about that," Keanna said, leaning against the sink. Her gaze lingered against the marble. 

Anger coursed through my veins. She betrayed me. She played me for a fool. At the time, it seemed evident that Keanna ratted on us to the Alpha. Damn her, I thought with burning cheeks. 

Adrenaline surged through every of my body until thunder cracked as my heart began pounding loudly. And as lightning struck, the world went black.

— Shay <3