ough the pack like wildfire. Today would be the day fate would show itself, the day that young wolves would find the partners that the Moon Goddess had selected for them, the day that lives would a

had silently counted down through lonely nites and hard years. She had clung to the promise of this moment for as long as she

t under her cover, listening to the quietness surrounding her. Then her lips slowly curved into a smile,

n," she

And the realisation came to her slowly, with a meaning she c

he morning, their preparations starting long before the sun rose, the anticipation humming under the skin of the day. The excitement was thick. The

as yesterday, with the same dark hair, the same gentle features, the same silver grey eyes, and the same plain clothes. Her appearance was unchanged, b

row may bring. Maybe she'd find someone kind, someone patient, someone who didn't think of her as a burden. Someone who look

evitable. There was work to be done

their faces. The guests from all the surrounding areas were still arriving for the evening ceremony, their presence just contributing to the increasing excitement throughout the estate. The kitchens wer

to the ban

le linens into her arms, barely pau

hur

, ma

passed groups of delighted wolves in the passageways, animatedly talkin

rely

e's from an

his mate at last

bond feels

ng even as she proceeded on her path. Hope and eagerness were wherever she looked, faces lit up with the prospect of the day to come

brics catching the morning light, others were talking haircuts and jewellery with increasing excitement. Among them was Chloe Olivier, as lovely and assured as ever. The prospective Luna candidate seemed ent

re on her job as she walked through the hall. The

ed like fate was going

ace

ond, turning to face Chloe who was smiling in a way that appeared nice enou

es

slightly. "Today's a s

ugh they had a shared understanding. Arace

pose i

birt

nts slowed, and a lot of wolves looked their way. They gazed back at the conversat

eighteen," Ch

said n

participate in th

es

ed for a single second, for some reason. The change was so smal

her arms. "I hope f

ls close giggled and exchanged funny looks. Someone said something th

nevertheless their comments didn't seem to hurt much today. Maybe because hope was more real than it had been in a long time, or

sked by her normal demeanour. The kitchen was humming around them and Araceli turned back to her job, focusing on what was wait

lour. Musicians played in the village square, their joyous sounds drifting over the territory, adding to the cheerful energy that seemed to touch every corner of the pack. Th

the music that rang out over the grounds. Children laughed above the heads of the crowd, darting between the decorated buildings, a

oked at the smooth exchanges going on all around her, the laughter, the talks, the calm knowing of people

tion and it was love weaved seamlessly throughout ordinary moments. These were things Araceli had spent most of her life watching from the outside,

whispered the same though

ht changes

ching the life unfold around her, she allowed h

oden structures as evening slowly descended over the hamlet. The full moon, big and bright, climbed into the lowering sky over the mountains. Its de

elf. She just needed to be away from the commotion and away from the people and away from the thoughts that had been plaguing her mind all day long. The more s

e wasn't surprised to fi

ce S

et. The golden brightness of sunset and the rising silver of the moon appeared to gather about him, throwing

get his ear. His only company was quiet. It was a sight that surprised her. He didn't look like himself. No

sonating through the hushed arena. Pierce spun round and their eyes met again. All at once, a flush of h

d quickly. "I didn't

lence between them was unbroken, impossible to i

rce surp

't distur

ing one he used during training. Araceli blinke

O

ile touche

Araceli,

e was the Alpha King after all and he must know the names of thousands of people throughout the country. And it sti

es

et. The festival was a riot of colour and m

val looks

gaze, looking out ove

do

m had expected, free of tension and demands as they stood side by side overlooki

s echoed f

bers were a

shattered

duty returning to his expression

houl

cour

ything more, his eyes upon her as if