#10 Royal Twins of La Lune

Chapter 9 Stella

The odd sense of being watched followed me around all day as we prepared for the coming of age ball. I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was breathing down my neck, but I refused to let it ruin my mood. The castle had a grand dressing room prepared for the woman coming of age and that’s where I found myself with my mother, sister, Wren, and Oaklee. I was standing on the center of a round, red velvet covered pedestal in front of an ornate, floor to ceiling mirror.

“Oh, vous êtes belle!” My mother gawked, covering her mouth with her hands and tears brimming in her eyes as she called me beautiful.

I was wearing a floor length dress made of layers of fabric with a full skirt. It was dark blue in color with silver appliques scattered all over the skirts and bodice, which was a modest scoop neckline that covered all the necessary assets. My mother handed down her diamond necklace to me, which was given to her by her mother at her coming of age ball in France. The necklace was a single diamond pendant shaped like a teardrop and settled nicely on the center of my chest, dangling from a silver chain.

My hair was wrapped up in intricate braids ending in a pristine bun, leaving my neck and shoulders bare, save for the spaghetti straps that held up the dress. I folded my hands nicely in front of me, smiling at my reflection.

“You ready to go?” Wren asked, hugging me from behind.

“Am I ever!” I grinned, bouncing excitedly on the pedestal. Everyone in the room laughed at me as Oaklee helped me down.

Oaklee and Wren went ahead of us, joining the rest of the crowd waiting for my entrance in the ballroom. My father was standing next to a set of closed double doors, smiling ear to ear when he saw me.

“You look gorgeous, baby girl.” Dad gushed, kissing me on the cheek, “Ready?” He asked and I nodded. Cece took my hand and gave it a squeeze, looking nervous about standing in front of a large crowd.

Dad nodded at the doormen and he pushed open the doors, revealing the magnificent ballroom all done up in fanfair. There was an imposing, candle lit chandelier dangling from the twenty foot ceilings. Along one wall were nothing but stained glass windows arching high up to the ceilings, which were decorated in gold molding and hand painted pictures that told the story of the Moon Goddess. The floor was white marble and the other four walls were adorned with blue and gold floral wallpaper.

We were standing on a balcony overlooking the ballroom, a lofty four foot wide staircase twisting down to the on-looking crowd. A man dressed in a regal evening coat tapped his walking stick loudly on the ground and cleared his throat. Everyone went silent, their eyes glued on me.

“The realm, present Kings Alexander and Sebastian, former King Caspian, and former Queen Junie are pleased to announce the coming of age of a life member of the Redemption pack, Stella Ruby Dubois-Summers.” The man announced in a bold voice that carried throughout the room.

On my father and mother’s arm, I inched forward nervously and looked around the room. Wren, Oaklee, Brady, Dallas, Kinley, Mylah, and Tate were in the front of the group beaming up at me proudly. I drew on their expressions for strength, and my confidence grew.

On the far end of the balcony, in two matching thrones, sat the former king and queen dressed in their official regal attire including the royal jewels and crowns to match. I released my parents’ arms and walked towards the king and queen, curtsying low in front of them.

“Congratulations on your ascension to maturity, Stella Dubois-Summers.” King Caspian said with a broad smile that touched his eyes and wrinkled his nose.

“We apologize for the absence of our sons, the current kings, but they send their affections as well.” Queen Junie said in a soft voice, her smile more delicate and from the heart.

“Thank you for your offerings and for hosting my ball.” I said politely.

“Enjoy your day, Ms. Dubois-Summers.” Queen Junie said once before gesturing towards the waiting crowd. I curtsied again and rejoined my parents.

Cece met Eliot who was waiting at the top of the stairs and they followed behind as my parents escorted me down the steps. They released me when we reached the bottom and the crowd parted to create a makeshift aisle. As I walked through the aisle, they bowed their heads in greeting and acceptance of the newest wolf. At the end of the hallway of people were glass french doors, the full harvest moon shining its light into the ballroom. Basking in the moonlight, I closed my eyes and waited for my wolf to greet me.

“Hello, Stella.” A low, growling voice greeted me.

“Hello, my wolf.” I replied, my eyes still closed against the moonlight.

“I’m Reign and I’m so happy to finally be able to speak with you.” Reign’s voice was soothing and comforting.

“Me too.” I said excitedly.

“Enjoy your party, Stella, I’ll be here waiting for our first shift at midnight.” Reign purred before shutting off the connection.

I smiled and turned back towards the crowd.

“My wolf’s name is Reign.” I said in a quiet voice, but I knew everyone could hear me.

“Welcome wolf Regin!” The pack choroused.

With the moonlight ritual complete, the traditional affairs of the coming to age ball were finished, other than the first dances and the midnight run. The DJ changed the music to something more upbeat and modern, and the dance floor was open for business. All the adults shuffled to the outskirts of the ballroom, hugging the walls and chatting amongst themselves, while the new adults and awaiting teenagers crowded into the center of the room. Everyone may have been dressed to the nines, but the party was as good as any realm bonfire affair.

An hour into the event, everyone sat at their assigned tables to eat. After dinner were the father-daughter dance, mother-daughter dance, and, finally, siblings dance. By the end of all that, my feet were killing me and the high heeled pumps were discarded underneath my table. I joined my circle of friends on the dance floor once more. Even the Icicles were being kind to me, at least for today.

And by kind I meant they were avoiding me and reframed from the usual torment.

“I wonder why the kings aren’t here?” Kinley asked as we swayed to a pop song.

“Not sure.” I shrugged, not really caring.

The kings and I didn’t exactly get along. They were seniors when we were 8th graders, and that one whole year in the same school told me everything I needed to know about the, then, future kings of our realm. After they graduated, the only other time I saw them was at their coronation two years later. They were just as smug and cocky then as they were in school.

It wasn’t that I hated them, honestly, there wasn’t much to hate. It was that I was impartial to them. Kings should make their people feel, envious even, and they should feel like family to everyone; that’s how King Caspian and Queen Junie always were. But, not the twin kings. They made you feel beneath them, like gum on the bottom of their very large, shiny boots. I wasn’t proud of them, I didn’t look up to them, and the only loyalty I felt was patriarchal.

“Try to hide your distaste when in their home, Ella.” Dallas laughed.

“Oh, like any of us are their biggest fans.” I snorted.

“True that. Remember the first day we saw them? They stood by and watched as those witches tried to shove you in a locker.” Wren said, recalling a memory I’d rather forget.

“They didn’t just watch. The one laughed. The meaner one. I always forget who is who.” Mylah sighed in frustration.

“Sebastian. He laughed, he’s always the ring leader.” I answered robotically. I could always tell the difference between the two, if only because of Sebastian's wicked expression in contrast to Alexander’s kind eyes.

“Right, King Ian.” Mylah nodded.

Even in school, the kings, who were princes at the time, demanded we use their titles. Other than their pack of popular mutts, they looked down upon everyone else. They were sent to the realm’s school to learn to be productive citizens and cooperative human beings, instead they learned how to be the poster children for realm socialites.

“Wait, what’s that smell?” Tate asked, her face scrunching up.

“What smell?” I asked.

“Uh-oh.” Dallas mumbled as we all turned towards the sound of a low, dangerous growl.

Tate, who turned 18 four months ago, paled and her eyes widened as the wolf charged towards her. We bailed out of the way, not wanting to be in the path of a newly mated wolf. I recognized the man, he was tall with chestnut colored hair and dark eyes. He was older than us by a few years and the son of an elite guard member by the name of Mack Landry, from the original packs who started our realm.

“Nolan Landry?” Oaklee whispered as we watched Nolan attack Tate’s face with his mouth.

“Apparently.” I muttered, watching them with dull fascination.

“Another one bites the dust.” Dallas sang bitterly.

After that, Tate and Nolan disappeared and no one wanted to ask where they went. Throughout the night, several others were mated as well, including Dallas who mated to Harvey Marco, a member of our class who also turned 18 earlier this month.

“Well, that leaves Mylah, Oaklee, Wren, Brady, Kinley, and me.” I said as the six of us sat slouched in our chairs at 15 minutes till midnight.

“Then there were 6.” Brady mumbled.

“We know Mylah’s safe until the Ball, at least.” Wren said, smirking at Mylah who would turn 18 just two days before the Mating Ball. She wasn’t even having a coming of age ball, not that she was complaining any.

Wren and Oaklee turned 18 first, five months ago in January. Tate and Dallas’ both had birthdays in February. Brady’s birthday was in March and Kinley’s was in May. Mylah and I both turned 18 in June, the same month as the Mating Ball and graduation. The Ball was in five days, graduation was in three.

“She could meet him the day she turns 18, you don’t know.” Brady added earning an eye roll from the group.

“We’ll have her in lock down.” Oaklee said.

“Sitting right here.” Mylah grumbled as she gave us a lame two finger wave.

“Everyone is in lockdown from here on out. No one goes anywhere besides our houses and graduation.” Wren ordered, “No one else meets their mate before the Ball.”

“Yes, drill sergeant!” Brady mockingly saluted her.

“Ella, it’s midnight.” Eliot said, coming up behind me.

“Have fun you guys.” Mylah waved with a smile, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes at being left out.

“We’re all going to run with you at midnight on your 18th, whether you have a ball or not.” I promised her, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Her eyes lit up then and she nodded eagerly.

“Deal.” She agreed.

Everyone was already waiting outside when our group walked through the french doors and across the soft, cool grass. The moon was at its height, glowing comfortingly down on us.

“You ready, Reign?” I asked.

“Yes!” Reign barked excitedly, “Remember, I’m here with you, Stella.” She said in a calmer voice, knowing that the first shift was always the most painful.

I closed my eyes and titled my head back to the moon. Everyone shifted around me, the sounds of bones breaking and howls filled my ears as the shift began to take control. My body started to grow warmer and warmer, a fire sparking deep inside of me. My skin boiled painfully and I dropped to the ground, convulsing. I heard Eliot and my parents speaking words of encouragement from behind me, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than the pain.

The first shift was different for everyone. For some of us, it took hours, for others, only minutes. I shook on the ground for 20 minutes, but it felt like hours, before Reign came bursting out of my skin. We laid, curled into a ball on the grass, for a while before I had the strength to move. I looked down at myself and saw that my fur was as red as my hair. I slowly stood up, shaking on Reign’s four legs. I shook Reign’s head and looked behind me to find Eliot and my parents, in their wolf forms, watching me.

Reign tilted her head up and howled at the moon before leaning back on her hindlegs and taking off. We caught up with the rest of the pack and ran through the woods with them freely, enjoying the sensation of giving ourselves over to the Moon Goddess. Reign slowed to a trott as the rest of the pack ran ahead of us.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her.

“I can sense our mates. They aren’t here, but they’re close. We’ll meet them soon.” She said in a far off voice.

“Mates?” I squeaked but she didn’t reply, instead she shut off the link and took control of her form again.

Mates?