Luna Rising: The Prophecy

Chapter 2: Soon To Be Yours

Aeliana

"Welcome to Blue Moon, girls!" Derek greeted them joyfully in the gravel drive in front of the packhouse. He offered his hand to Stella and helped her out of the carriage. "Stella, you're looking well." Then he turned to me and lifted me out of the carriage by my waist. "And here's my future mate!"

"Derek!" I squealed, clutching his shoulders as he spun me around. "Put me down!"

He obliged, then kissed me soundly on the lips. "What can I say? I'm excited to see you." He pecked my lips again.

"As am I," I replied with a smile. Derek was tall, with reddish-brown hair and thick eyebrows, and dark gray eyes that twinkled with merriment. I was grateful that he greeted us alone, without his mother. I would have been embarrassed by his exuberant greeting under her watchful eyes. "The carriage was getting stuffy!"

Derek tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and started leading us to the packhouse. "We'll have plenty of opportunity to let you and Eliora run free," he said, knowing how much my wolf and I enjoyed going on runs through the woods.

"That sounds wonderful," I said as we entered the four-story house. It was large and pale gray, built in the Second Empire style. Inside it was light and airy, just as I remembered. I'd spent so many summers here, it already felt a little like home. Soon enough, it really would be. "But there's something I want to do, first."

"And what would that be?" Derek asked teasingly, escorting me up the stairs, Stella following right behind.

"I want you to give me a tour of the Blue Moon's land."

Derek stopped on the second floor landing. "What?" He asked, surprised. "You already know most of the pack's land like the back of your hand. Why, may I ask, do you require a tour?"

"I'd like to see it with new eyes," I said absently.

He peered into my eyes intently. "What?" I asked, blinking.

Derek studied me a little bit longer. "No," he said finally, his eyes twinkling. "Still the same beautiful big brown eyes."

"Derek!" I exclaimed, tugging his arm playfully. "I mean, I want to look at it as if I were a Luna. See it from a leader's perspective, you know?"

"Ah, I see," he said, nodding. "Well, what my future Luna wants, she shall have. I'll take you on a tour as soon as you've settled in."

"I'll settle in this evening. Just let me change my clothes and then I'll be ready to go," I said energetically. I could feel Stella rolling her eyes behind me.

I took a single step toward the door to the second floor, where the guest rooms were, when Derek stopped me. "Stella, your room is the first on the left," he told her. "Aeliana, if you would follow me?"

I took his arm again quizzically, and he led me up to the third floor. "What are we doing up here?" I asked nervously. "I wouldn't want to disturb anybody."

Really, there was only one person I didn't want to disturb, and that was Derek's mother, Luna Carolotta. She could be very strict and, to be honest, a little cranky. But I didn't blame her. She lost her mate and Alpha when Derek was barely conceived, and had been running the pack alone ever since. She had every right to be a little short-tempered sometimes. Just the same, I usually tried to steer clear of her whenever possible, so as not to stress her out unnecessarily.

"My mother is currently in a meeting," Derek said, understanding my hesitancy. "Besides, there's something I want to show you."

He strode confidently down the hall, and I had to really lengthen my stride to keep up. "Remember, you're escorting someone shorter than you," I said, silently cursing my corset for making the movement even more difficult.

"Oh! I'm sorry," he said, slowing down. "We're here, anyway." He was stopped in front of a polished oak door. "After you," he said, gesturing to the fancy brass doorknob.

I tentatively opened the door and my breath caught. "Oh my," I breathed, taking it in. "It's beautiful."

The room was large, with sizable windows framed by white gauzy curtains. The walls were papered in a beautiful floral pattern, and the dark hardwood floor was partially covered by a beautiful oriental rug. The furniture was a beautifully carved set, with a dresser, wardrobe, vanity, and, dominating the room, a large four-poster canopy bed with white bedspread. There were two doors on the left and one on the right, begging for further exploration.

"It's yours," Derek murmured as I stepped inside.

"How can that be?" I asked in surprise. "This is the third floor." This floor was only for the ranked members of Blue Moon. I wasn't even a pack member yet.

"Here's your closet and bathroom," he said, pointing to the two doors on the left. "And...that's the door to my room, and the rest of the suite," he gestured to the door on the right, clearing his throat.

I gasped. "Then this is..."

Derek nodded. "The future Luna's room," he said gently, pulling me close. "And you are as good as Blue Moon's Luna." I tucked my head under his chin and settled into my favorite place to be. "This room is soon be yours, anyway. I'm simply giving it to you early."

"This is too much," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"Nothing is too much for you," Derek whispered huskily. He pulled back, but only so he could tip my chin up and capture my lips with his. "I want to give you everything, Aeliana," he murmured against my skin. I felt the heat of him against me and melted into it.

I knew what it meant for him to do this for me. It wasn't just a nice gesture. This was making a statement, to the pack, to the ranked members, to his own mother.

I was Blue Moon's next Luna.

Blue Moon had two Alpha suites, one for the reigning Alpha's family, and one that the heir moved into when they were old enough. Each had a spacious bedroom suite and private offices for the Alpha and Luna, plus a living space and kitchen. When the reigning Alpha retired and their successor started a family of their own, their heir would move into the other suite. I knew that Derek had moved out of his mother's suite and into his own a couple of years ago, as the time for him to take over grew ever closer. Now, it was time for me to join him.

"You are too good to me, Derek," I whispered into his chest. "I couldn't feel more blessed to be your fated mate."

"I feel the same," he said, kissing my hair. "Now, should I send up a maid to help you change?"

"Could Stella come up to help me?" I asked tentatively. I realized with a small pang that this meant I wouldn't be sharing a wall with her.

"Of course. You can invite whoever you want up here," Derek promised. He hesitated, then continued. "It may be best to make sure your guests are quiet and unobtrusive in the hallways, though."

The message was loud and clear. Don't disturb his mother.

"I promise to behave," I said teasingly.

Derek smiled, his eyes lighting up. "I'll take my leave, then, and meet you downstairs."

"What about—"

A knock on the door interrupted my question about my trunk, which was answered when Derek opened the door to reveal two omega servants carrying my luggage between them. "Put them at the foot of the bed," he instructed them, then turned and lifted my hand to his lips. He kissed my knuckles gallantly. "I'll see you soon, Aeliana," he said sweetly. Then he turned and followed the omega servants out, leaving me alone in the Luna suite.

I turned in a slow circle, taking in the details of the room. Everything was very fine, so fine I was almost afraid to spoil the luxury. But, as Blue Moon's next Luna, I had only myself to impress in here. I would just have to make it my own.

I threw myself on the bed and giggled. "I can't believe it!" I whispered to myself. Stella, could you come up to the third floor and meet me in my room?

Your room!? Stella squealed through mindlink. Oh my Goddess, he put you in a room on the ranked members floor?

Not just any room, the Luna suite, I replied giddly. Derek's Luna suite.

I'm on my way! Stella cried, cutting off the link. Less than a minute later, she was knocking excitedly on the door.

I flung it open. "Hush!" I said, pulling her in and shutting the door. At her confused look, I explained. "Luna Carlotta is often stressed, so we need to be careful to be quiet in the hallways, and not too loud in here, either."

"Oh," Stella said, nodding her head. "I still can't believe you get to stay up here for the summer!" she exclaimed.

"I can hardly believe it myself," I admitted. "It's all happening so fast."

"Not really," Stella said seriously. "This has been happening for nearly twenty years now. Everything has been leading up to this."

"Except, it hasn't been leading up to this," I said softly. "Even this is leading up to something else entirely. It's just a step on the journey."

"And an exciting one," Stella said comfortingly. "Cherish the now, Aeliana. Because you never know what comes next."

I thought about her words as she helped me out of my restrictive human clothes and into a similar outfit more suited to werewolves. The truth was, I did know what came next. Sure, I might not know the details, but I knew Derek and I would be mated and we would win the final battle. It was what came after that I didn't know.

I wasn't sure whether to be excited or terrified by the prospect.