After the bombshell Justin dropped on my lap, the day blurred past too quickly. While Justin kept me busy by taking me out to several of our usual hangouts, I couldn't stop thinking about what he said. He and Alisha had been friends since kindergarten, with me along the way. Only a year ago, Justin and Alisha started dating. I had foolishly believed that he had loved her, but that wasn't the case.
As we drove back toward the pack, the last dying rays of the sun flashed through the forest. Justin was busy humming along with the radio while tapping his forefingers to the beat of the drums. Before us, two massive iron-wrought gates slowly swung open. The time had finally come. Eighteen years of waiting wrecked havoc on my heart.
"Don't be so nervous," Orion said. If the wolf had a physical form, he would have wagged his tail. "We've been waiting for this for so long. I can't wait to feel the touch of grass underneath my paws for the first time."
"Well, just don't go crazy. Dad's going to watch us like a hawk. If we don't act dignified, he'll probably hunt us down and skin us for embarrassing him."
Orion snorted and replied with a huff, "Well, he can go and chase his tail for all I care. This is our night and not his."
"Well, it's your ass on the line if he takes a bite out of it."
"Hey, Cal." Justin waved his hand over my face, snapping me out of my conversation with Orion. "Are you ready?"
I shook my head as we turned into the parking lot in front of the pack house. My breath froze in my lungs as I saw the droves of pack members making their way into the mansion in front of us. Before I could freak out, Justin's hand caught mine as I tried to loosen my seatbelt. My head snapped toward his. A radiant, yet handsome, smile threw my worries aside. A gentle squeeze of Justin's hand further mellowed my frazzled nerves.
"Don't worry about tonight," Justin said. "Just enjoy the party. I have you."
Those three simple words, made all the difference in the world to me. If I had the courage of heart, I would have kissed Justin right in that moment, but reality was far from fantasy.
"Thanks," I mumbled out as I clicked my seatbelt loose before exiting the SUV.
I slowly walked in front of the red SUV and came to a halt at the edge of the green lawn that surrounded the pack house. Sweeping my hand through my golden locks, I stared apprehensively at the entrance where the Luna and my mother greeted the pack members. This is going to be a long night...
Justin's hand touching my shoulder caused me to jump out of my skin, earning a chuckle from the bouldering lump of muscles. "Come on, it's not as if we're walking to your funeral."
"It sure does feel this way."
The would-be prince of the pack laughed as he threw his arm around my neck and led me toward the entrance of the pack house. It was funny. For as long as I could remember, I wanted to shift into my wolf form. But now that the day had finally arrived, I didn't want to deal with the strings attached. It could have been the best day of my life or the worst.
As we neared the pack house, I saw Alisha standing beside the Luna, wearing a floral summer dress with a purple cardigan. Her caramel skin glowed under the setting sun while her dark-brown afro bounced around as she laughed along with the Luna and my mother. It was a wonder that Justin didn't love her. Who couldn't? She was gorgeous. She had captivating hazel eyes that warmed your soul.
"So tell me, Justin," I asked. "What's going to happen between you and Alisha?"
Justin sighed and said, "I don't know... I love her. But not as a lover or mate. Besides, I believe that even her heart belongs to someone else. She's probably too afraid to disappoint her parents."
"But that's not up to them. Can your father and the Elders really force you two into mating with each other?"
"In the past, it would have happened, but not now. I told my father that I would find my own mate."
My eyebrows furrowed at the idea that the Alpha would have allowed Justin to find his own mate. Especially if Alisha were to turn into an omega wolf. Then all bets were off. Most Alphas had a martyr complex where they sacrificed their happiness and lives for the safety and prosperity of the pack.
"And your father accepted it?"
Justin chuckled and replied, "Not at first, but then my mother gave him a kick in the right direction."
"The nuts?"
"The nuts," Justin agreed. Nothing was worse for a dominant than being threatened that their mates would cut their balls off.
Too soon for my liking, we reached my mother and the Luna. An ear-splitting shriek cleaved through the pack grounds before a body plowed into me. Justin, the traitor, snickered as my mother hugged the stuffing out of me and then kissed my face repeatedly.
"MOMMM!" I yelled out, trying to pry myself loose from my mother's embrace. (Which I couldn't, mind you. She was strong as hell!)
My mother's laughter earned the gaze of all the partygoers who arrived, adding to my humiliation. I didn't know where to hide my blushing face. "Happy birthday, my baby boy!" She then released me from her death grip.
🌕🩸🌲🌙🐾 Deputy Omega 🐾🌙 🌲🩸🌕
It was twenty minutes before sunset when the Luna escorted me to the ceremony room. Inside, four other pack members waited, pacing around. I couldn't blame them, for even I couldn't stop fidgeting. It was as if my body didn't want to stay in one place for long. A dull ache also began throbbing throughout my body. As we entered the room, the Luna addressed us.
"Well, you all," she said with a smile. "The time has finally come. In a few minutes, you'll partake in a rite all werewolves have to take before you're regarded as an adult."
I wanted to smile, but I faltered at the prospect of shifting for the first time. Justin wouldn't stop talking about how bad shifting was, and I was dreading it.
The Luna's blue eyes lingered on us before her gaze softened. "I know all of you are afraid, but don't be. If you don't fight the transformation, the pain won't last long."
I gulped. Her words didn't help much.
The Luna then walked up to a railing that extended across one wall, which had a dozen white robes hanging from it. She then pulled off four white robes before walking toward us. She quickly handed us each a robe.
"Why don't you all get undressed in those booths," she pointed past us toward four changing stalls, "before donning these?"
I could only nod before I walked over to the leftmost booth. Breathing in deeply, I gripped the red curtain hesitantly before closing off the space. Throughout changing out of my clothes, my heart hammered about. The ceremony was getting nearer by the second, and I couldn't stop shaking. As I pulled on the robe, hiding my naked body from the world, I took a deep breath before exiting the booth. The Luna smiled at us before she pushed open the sliding doors, which led toward the ceremony grounds.
A soft breeze swept through the forest as we walked. None of my fellow pack mates talked. I stole a glance at Alisha, who was busy playing with a loose strand of her hair as her eyes scanned the darkened forest. I couldn't stop thinking about what Justin had told me earlier. Even if he didn't love her intimately, would the Elders still push them together for the sake of the pack? Most likely, especially if she turned into an omega.
"Stop thinking about Justin's love life," Orion growled out. "I know you love him, but we can't force him to love us more than a brother would. It sucks, but that's life."
I bit the bottom of my lip before nodding. "You're probably right... Let's just get this night over with."
"Hey! I won't have you sulking on this night. I have been waiting for years for this, so perk up, Nancy, because daddy's hitting the ground running the moment my paws hit the dirt."
I scoffed while sidestepping a massive root sticking out of the ground."Just don't hit a tree. It would give too much ammunition for Justin to torture us with."
"Bite me!"
Before I could retort back, the ceremonial trail opened up into a large clearing, sucking the air out of my lungs. Hundreds of partygoers lined the edges of the clearing, with bated breath. Their insistent whispers were grinding against my over-sensitive eardrums. Before I could stop, a growl slipped from my lips. A few chuckles rang out from the crowd, causing a flare of humiliation to flash through my body. My eyes quickly settled on the ground as we made our way toward the wooden podium where the Alpha, Justin, my father and brothers stood.
For the life of me, I couldn't gather the courage to look at my father. Without a doubt, he had a scowl on his face. (When did he not?) From the chill that slivered down my aching spine told me enough. Soon, the booming voice of the Alpha replaced the crowd's whispering. I could taste the anticipation in the air as our leader's speech riled up the partygoers.
"Tonight, we gather here to celebrate the passing of these children into adulthood," the Alpha's voice roared out over the cheers from the crowd. "Tonight, the Moon Goddess will bless us with five new wolves to strengthen our pack. I dare say, even a new Luna will emerge from these hopefuls to join their hands in matrimony for my son, your future Alpha."
I stole a peek at Justin's response to his father's declaration. As ever, Justin kept his emotions under his collar. But Alisha couldn't; she flinched at the Alpha's words. I nearly choked on my spit when I saw Liam, my older brother, react to her. So they were together...
"So let the ceremony begin!"