Chapter 30

Elara

I felt a gentle shake on my shoulder, and it jolted me awake. Someone had pulled open the curtains, and the bright light that filled the room made it hard for me to completely open my eyes. With a groan, I turned away from the open curtains, but Naya's soft laughter reached my ears, forcing me to open my eyes once more. A chorus of hushed whispers made me pull myself into a sitting position and at the foot of my bed, I found Rose and a handful of maids hovering, their faces a blend of anticipation and excitement.

Today was the day of the mating ceremony and now that I was more awake, I could hear the whole household buzzing with activity.

Rose clapped her hands delightedly. "Elara, we've planned so much for you!" she exclaimed and Naya, along with the other maids, agreed in a rush of excitement, causing me to laugh.

"Come on, we need to start with a bath. It's going to be a very long process to get you ready today, and we need to move fast. I've made it my absolute mission to get you looking perfect and gorgeous," Naya urged, pulling the quilt off my body so I could move out of the bed.

I felt a mixture of anticipation and apprehension at the thought of facing the entire pack, I didn't know the first or last thing about how this mating ceremony was supposed to go and certainly didn't relish the idea of the grand feast that was supposed to happen afterward, especially as the thought of the incident in the mall came flooding back.

"Where's Kai, Rhys, and Rowan?" I needed to talk to them first.

"They left the house quite early this morning to finish up some last-minute preparations. I'm sure they will be back soon," Rose offered, and disappointment washed over me.

After I saw Scarlett yesterday, I had told Naya about it, and together we had begun combing through the mall, hoping to run into her again. It was to no avail, because it had seemed like she had simply disappeared into thin air, but I knew that was the way she worked.

Scarlett was one of Silas' favorite Sirens because not only was she ruthlessly cunning, but her ability to manipulate minds and scents made her nearly impossible to catch. She could imitate whatever scent called out to a person the most and use it against them. Scarlett was usually very successful with every one of her missions, and it usually took a very strong mind to be able to resist her temptations.

My anxiety grew as I knew that she had to have been sent by Silas himself, and she was living freely within this pack, manipulating her way in and out of situations while masking or imitating various scents to make sure she was never caught. The thought of it all was enough to make me sick.

I had hoped to discuss it with Kai, Rhys, and Rowan the moment I got home last night, but they had been out and busy. Even the texts that I left them were unanswered. I barely remembered them coming back to bed last night, and it saddened me to know that they were out again.

I moved into the bathroom and stripped out of my clothes before settling into the bathtub, where I scrubbed and washed with sweet-smelling soaps and soothing fragrances that helped to calm my nerves.

Once I was out, the maids sprung into action. Oil was massaged into my skin, and I was dressed in the most elegant green dress I had ever seen. The dress was the perfect compliment for my eyes, and it fit me like a glove, regardless of my baby bump that was starting to form. Anyah had told me to expect to grow much bigger to accommodate the twins.

My hair was brushed out until it shone like polished gold, and my arms were adorned with bracelets and cuffs. On my neck sat a beautiful necklace, and my feet were slipped into dainty slippers.

Naya and Rose managed to convince me to wear a bit of makeup, and I agreed. By the end of it, I was a vision of beauty and elegance.

"Wow! Goddess, Elara, you look like a Luna already! Told you it was my mission to make you look so perfect! I'm so impressed," Naya complimented me and the maids around agreed along with her, causing me to blush.

A knock came on the door, and it was pushed open to reveal a maid who approached carrying a delicately wrapped box. "This is a gift for you from the Alphas," she said.

I took the box out of her hands, my curiosity piqued. The maids that had helped prepare me all filed out of the room to give me some privacy and only Naya and I remained. As I unwrapped the box, my eyes widened in surprise when I looked at the contents. Inside were a variety of exquisite items packaged in different, equally beautiful boxes: a diamond bracelet, a pair of emerald earrings, and a sapphire necklace. Each piece was undeniably beautiful, but it was the accompanying notes that truly caught my attention.

One note, in bold, confident handwriting, was from Kai. It was short and sweet, expressing his admiration for me. Another, in a flowing script, was from Rowan, filled with poetic compliments that made me blush to the tips of my toes. The third was in a scrawl that I recognized as Rhys', and it was wishing me a magical day. I smiled as I read through the messages again. The gestures were sweet and thoughtful, and they made my heart skip with joy.

But then, at the bottom of the box, sat another box, much smaller than the previous three that I had unwrapped. My heart pounded as I picked it up, the familiarity of it causing a churning to begin in my stomach. Inside was a pearlescent white opal necklace that hung with delicate silver chains and it had a note attached to it that sent a chill down my spine.

"With Love, Silas."

I immediately let go of the box like I had been burned by it and the world around me seemed to blur from the panic that I felt.

"This is impossible. How could this be?" I heard Naya say as she picked up the box and the note that had fallen out of my hands.

My mind was racing. How was this even possible? Panic crept into my mind. There was no way that Silas would have made it into this house unnoticed. Someone here on the compound was responsible for this and my first thought was the maid who had delivered the box. I moved out of my seat with speed, determined to find her and do whatever it took until she told me the truth.

"Where are you going?" Naya called, moving ahead of me to block my path.

"To find the maid who delivered this. She must have tampered with it in some way," I said, trying to move around her, but Naya wouldn't let me.

"What if you accuse an innocent maid? If your mates hear this, they won't even wait to hear her side of the story before they condemn her. For all we know, she could be innocent. She's not the only one who has had access to this box, and to accuse her alone would be unfair," Naya said, and her words made me pause.

I turned back around and moved to pull my phone from the charger. I had missed messages from Kai, Rhys, and Rowan, each telling me how they couldn't wait to see me later in the day. The messages were from hours before, and so I knew it might be ineffective if I just texted them back. I knew they might still be busy with planning. I immediately began dialing their numbers, but as I expected, they all just went to voicemail.

"I need to find them. I need to tell them about this. Silas could be within the pack already and we wouldn't even know," I said, but before I could move again, Naya held onto me. I looked up at her with tear-filled eyes.

"Calm down, Elara. I feel as panicked as you do. All of this is an attempt to unsettle you. This ceremony has to take place, for your sake and the sake of your babies. If it gets canceled, then it'll be a win for him. Your mates have been out all day and I'm pretty sure that they would put every security precaution in place to make sure you are safe. I don't think Silas will want to try and snatch you from right under their noses. I'm not saying you shouldn't tell them. All I'm saying is that you wait until the ceremony is over," Naya encouraged me.

Her words made a lot of sense, but I couldn't bring myself to calm down.

Another knock on the door made me jolt and Naya moved to pull it open, revealing Pierre, the guard who had accompanied us to the mall yesterday.

"Alpha Kai has requested I bring you to the venue," he announced and I swallowed before nodding, allowing him to lead me out of the room.

The grand hall was a maelstrom of activity when I arrived. It was filled with men and women anticipation flooded the space. Kai was at the entrance, waiting for me when I arrived. I took the hand that he offered, blushing when he dipped his head to kiss me in the presence of all these people.

"I'm so blessed. You truly are the most beautiful woman alive," he said to me, and I blushed to the tip of my toes

Rhys and Rowan stood at the head of the hall, their figures imposing against the backdrop of opulence. My heart pounded like a war drum as Kai and I made our way toward them. Rhys and Rowan's eyes were sparkling with emotion when I got to them. The Alphas looked like a formidable trio of power and authority and as I stood with them. I felt a cocoon of safety surround me.

Kai cleared his throat, bringing the hall to silence. "Golden Moon Pack, over the last couple of months, we have been witnessed to the most peaceful time our pack has known in decades and all of that began with the arrival of an Omega in our territory. It is with intense pride and joy that we not only present to you the source of that peace, but we also officially introduce our mate to you."

The hall erupted in a thunderous applause, but Kai was quick to bring it to silence again.

"Elara has not only brought us peace, she bears the mark of the prophecy that has been foretold from generation to generation since time immemorial. Within her are the seeds of our future," Kai finished.

I wasn't sure what I had been expecting from the second part of the announcement, but maybe because of how well the first part had gone, I had hoped that it would continue that way. What I never anticipated was the deafening silence that settled in the air following the announcement.

This was it!

One of my deepest fears was coming to life.

The people did not want me. My heartbeat roared in my ears, and I could have sworn that it was the longest ten seconds of my life. Before I could even react, the hall erupted with cheers, shouts, whistles, and howls of celebration. The sudden noise shocked me enough to cause me to lose my footing, but thankfully Rhys was able to catch me before I could hit the floor.

"You are what the people want. You should never have doubted it," Rhys whispered into my ear, and the euphoria that filled me was enough to drive away some of the gloom that occupied my heart.

The mating ceremony followed after, once the people had settled enough, and Kai, Rhys, and Rowan stood with me in front of the makeshift altar that had been made. An elderly man who I had never met before came forward with a bowl in his hands. His voice was low and resonant as he invoked ancient blessings while walking around us in circles.

"We are all aware of the mating ritual that provides a sacred bond, a union of the souls and bodies of those involved, and by the moon and the stars, we have all gathered today to witness this sacred union. Not only are these the leaders of our pack, they are our future, and so today, in the presence of the Moon Goddess, we ask that she look upon this union with blessings." His voice echoed in the quiet space.

"Stretch forth your hands," he instructed only for our hearing.

With swift efficiency, he slit tiny cuts across all our wrists with a single blade, allowing the drops of blood to gather into the bowl in his hands. Once he was done, he took a swipe of the blood and applied it to our palms.

"Now join hands again," he instructed and we did, forming a chain with our joined hands.

A wave of warmth spread throughout my veins like liquid fire the moment our hands linked again. It felt like a primal sensation, a connection formed at the deepest level. For the first time, I heard my wolf howl in excitement in my head.

"May your love be as enduring as the mountains, your bond as unbreakable as steel, and may your offspring be a beacon of hope for generations to come. And finally, may this union be blessed and protected." With these final words, the crowd erupted in cheers once more.

Kai stepped forward, his hands resting on my shoulders as he gently pushed me so I could stand in front of him. "And so, we proclaim Elara, bearer of our heir, Luna of the Golden Moon Pack. May she reign with wisdom and compassion," he declared and was met with howls and cheers.

Music filled the hall, and the feast began. Many people approached me to offer their congratulations, and my anxiety returned in full, knowing that among them could be an enemy, someone who could have been sent by Silas to cause us harm.

Although I was worried about Silas, I knew it still wasn't the best time to mention seeing Scarlett as Kai, Rowan, and Rhys were mingling with the guests. Exhaustion crept into my body from standing for so long. My body was starting to ache, and the noise and relentless attention worsened my distress.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Rhys asked after a while, and I shook my head.

"I think I need to retire for the night. I feel exhausted," I confessed, and he nodded in understanding, signaling for Pierre who was guarding me.

"Take her home and make sure she's safe," he instructed the guard.

Naya offered to follow me back, and I was grateful for the company.

"Thank you, Pierre. Please feel free to return to the ceremony. I wouldn't want you to miss out on all the food, drinks, and entertainment. I'm sure I'll be safe here with the guards already in place." I dismissed Pierre the moment we got to the house, feeling bad that he had to be taken away from the grand ceremony because I had chosen to leave early.

"That was such a powerful ceremony. I couldn't hold in my tears. Do I have to call you Luna Elara now?" she asked as we moved up the stairs once we got home, and I laughed.

"Don't be weird, Naya. You don't have to do that," I said, but she simply shrugged.

"I'll do it anyway. It sounds so fun," she replied, and I laughed again.

Naya helped me undress and take my makeup off the moment I got back into the room, and although the dress was beautiful, I was happy to slip into my pajamas and get under the warm covers.

"Goodnight, Luna. Sweet dreams," Naya called playfully, and I rolled my eyes at her antics, reaching by the head of the bed to turn the lights off before closing my eyes and letting sleep take over.

I woke up to the sensation of eyes on me. The room was enveloped in darkness, and I blinked, hoping to see better. My eyes slowly began adjusting to the darkness.

A figure emerged from the shadows, its shape indistinct in the dark room, and fear, cold and sharp, clawed its way up my spine when the figure began moving in my direction.