Isabella POV:
The tall vaulted ceilings reverbed the barely audible whispered conversations into a creshindo. My wolf had eyes locked on our mate before I did. Amber's confusion bleeding through made me look towards the door. In the doorway stood a small she-wolf, her expression confused and echoing that of everyone in attendance. I watched as Erik nudged her forward. She refused to move forward down the aisle for a few seconds. Her dark gray hair hung in large ringlets around her hips framing the cream-colored silk dress that was fitted tightly to her waist. Her large, almost crystal grey eyes sat perfectly in pale pink-hued skin. "She's an amazingly beautiful wolf" I thought to myself as she began to walk quite irritatingly slowly down the aisle. I could hear Amber making these small confused whimpers that echoed through my head as she strove for something to say yet stayed silent. I could tell Amber had also noticed how beautiful this woman is and was questioning everything at the moment. Amber's voice whispered in my ears,
"Why ... would the Goddess gift us another Luna? This makes no sense at all." Her voice trailed off into a contemplative thought.
I watched as this small wolf ascended the altar platform and stopped directly to my left. I could hear the faint sound of her irregular breathing next to me. The MoonShield took a second to compose himself before launching straight into a rant about the sanctity of marriage. I tuned out mentally after he rambled on about how the Goddess only gives blessings, how her matchmaking is always perfect, though we may not see why. I lowered my head as if in thought and closed my eyes, mindlinking Erik,
"Erik, I do apologize but you seem to have shown up with the wrong person..." I said sarcastically.
"No Luna, I arrived with the one I was assigned to watch, I honestly don't know what's going on." Erik cut the mind-link before i could respond. Amber made a very confused huffing sound which then prompted me to snap slightly at her,
"Amber! Stop huffing and give me some advice here!" I yelled at Amber in irritation.
"Isa, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm trying to figure out a plan, so calm yourself." Amber echoed a low growl through my head.
I'm not sure how long I had tuned out for, but when I looked back up, the look of irritation on the MoonShields face told me that it had been a few seconds too long. Nodding to him to confirm that I was still listening, he then continued. I stopped listening all together and instead began to think about ways to reject a mate that had been fated to me by the Goddess. I knew it was a horribly painful thing to do and not approved of for the regional Pack Leaders, but how was I supposed to take another Luna? There have been cases of two Lunas or two Alphas ruling a pack. However, they also either end up rejecting each other or having their packs taken over by someone not of their bloodline. I could not let that happen. My family has ruled over this pack for generations and i refuse to let it die like this. I need an alpha, not a Luna.
"Isa... ISA. Pay attention!!!" Screamed Amber, interrupting my thoughts completely.
Once again, I turned my attention to MoonShield as he held out his hand, waiting for both my mate and I to place a hand on his. I put my left hand onto his and watched out the corner of my eye as she hesitated before putting her right hand on top of mine. I watched as he wrapped the braided cord of silk around our hands, binding them together to signify two wolves becoming one under the graces of the Goddesses' match. "Good grief he talks a lot," I thought to myself as he finished up his speech. Unwrapping the cord from our hands, he set it on a small green pillow atop the altar podium and stepped from behind the podium, standing directly in front of both of us. He looked out into the crowd and gestured for those in attendance to stand.
"With the power given to me by The MoonGoddess, and the passing down of Reign, to the next generation.
I present to you the new fated mate pair and rulers of our region.
Queen Isabella Eira and Queen Rose Cendra of the LunarSnow Pack." The MoonShield stepped back and looked at me.
After a few seconds, I noticed his eyes looking toward the she-wolf and then back at me with an expectant face. I sighed and turned towards the girl .... Rose, he said was her name .... right?
As those in attendance began to cheer loudly, I reached over, grabbing Rose by the waist and pulled her in close to me, looking down at her. I mouthed the words "Im sorry" to her and kissed her deeply. As our skin touched, I felt an odd sensation, like a cold, almost electric fire spread across my lips and then through my entire body. It was such a strange yet enjoyable feeling that I didn't want to let go, it was like being complete. I forced myself to let go of her, knowing that this was only the mate bond taking hold, yet i didn't want it to end. Looking down at her soft full pink lips, I had a weird momentary thought that I was happy and whole. The sound of cheering growing louder, I turned towards those in attendance, taking Rose's hand in mine and softly pulled her down the podium stairs next to me, making our way down the aisle and to the doors.
Looking quickly at Erik, he stood next to the doors and closed them directly behind us as we walked into the hallway. I pulled her behind me, quickly making our way back to my room with Erik trailing close behind. There were two guards blocking off the hallway that led to my room and I knew Olivia had already cleared the corridor. As soon as we passed the guards, they moved into the middle of the hall, blocking it off completely to give us privacy from the nosey castle staff that had begun to stare. Olivia stood waiting at the bedroom door. As soon as we had walked into the room, clearing the doorway, she whispered to Erik before closing and locking the door behind us. Turning and looking at us, Olivia sighed and leaned back against the door.
I let go of Rose's hand and pulled off my crown, setting it in the satin-lined wooden box on my vanity. Olivia quickly began pulling the small pins out of my hair and letting the intricate braids fall around my shoulders. I began to unbraid the front of my hair as Olivia unbraided the back. Running my fingers through my hair, I sighed, happy to have my hair down and free. Turning, I looked over at the frightened looking girl that stood motionless next to the bedroom door as if looking for an escape route.
"First off, your name is Rose, correct? I'm Isabella and this is Olivia." I motioned towards Olivia as she waved at Rose.
Rose looked at me and after a few moments replied cautiously, "Um ... My name is indeed Rose Ma'am."
I raised a brow at her while undoing the buttons that kept my fur shawl from falling off, "Where are you from?"
"The EdenMoon Pack Ma'am. I apologize Ma'am, I will take my leave and retire back to my room." Rose curtsied to me.
Olivia helped me unbutton the back of my dress and pull it off over my head after removing my knife holster and laying it on the dresser. I kicked off my boots at the end of the bed and stared at Rose for a few minutes before speaking again,
"Rose, what exactly is your rank within the EdenMoon Pack?" I asked.
"An Omega Ma'am .... I was the maid to the pack house..." I watched as she curtsied again and scurried quickly out the door, closing it behind her. I turned to look at Olivia while pulling off my earrings and lying them in the case with my crown.
Olivia pulls out a dark blue and silver fitted dress that hugs my waist and flows out around my hips like water. Pulling my undergarments off, I dropped them into a pile on the floor and took the dress from Olivia, pulling it on over my head. The lack of sleeves is a welcome feeling after wearing that wedding dress for several hours. I walk over and sit on the edge of the bed and pull off both of my stockings, dropping them onto the floor before letting myself ragdoll backwards onto the bed.
"Isa, don't you think your being a bit of a d**k? That poor girl is ju-," I cut off Olivia's sentence before she could say it.
"Yes! I know ! Thank you Olivia, it's not her. I just ..... my mate was supposed to be an Alpha. What could any possible reason be for the Goddess to fate me to another Luna?! How is the bloodline supposed to continue?!." I growled in frustration.
"Maybe it's a test? Maybe .... look I don't know okay, but we have got bigger problems." Olivia said as she sat next to me.
That last statement caught both mine and Amber's attention, causing her to perk up, waiting for an explanation.
"Look, I was mind-linked with Erik while we were waiting, and I am going to travel to the Moon Temple. I'm leaving tonight and I'll take one of the guards with me in plain clothes. I think you should try and maybe get to know her a bit. While I was dressing her, I noticed some deep scars across her back. I think EdenMoon needs to be looked into." Olivia looked over at me, waiting for a reply.
I sighed, sat up and looked at Olivia and thought for a minute, "Okay, you go petition for a rejection at the Moon Temple and ill see whats up with her, take one of the black furs in my closet so you done freeze to death and keep me updated." I smiled at Olivia.
Olivia nodded and jumped up and headed to the small closet next to the door. I watched her take the same dress in a deep sapphire out of my closet and toss it next to me on the bed before pulling out one of the long fur coats with a large hood. Standing up, I grab the blue dress off the bed and slip on a pair of black fur-lined flats before walking over to my desk on the other side of the room. I look back at Olivia as she puts on the coat and snags a pair of my fur hunting boots, slipping them on and pushing her shoes under the edge of the bed.
"I'll send word as soon as I know. I'm just going to grab some provisions and I'm headed out. I'll see you in a few days." Rose smiles brightly and opens the door, quickly stepping out before closing it behind her. My eyes clouded over black as I mind-linked Erik,
"Rose is leaving for the Moon Temple. Could you make sure she takes someone reliable and have them ready for the winter carriage please. It's cold outside and I don't want them to freeze."
Erik answered back a minute or so later, "Got it done, she'll be taking Cayden and they're prepping the carriage now." He paused before adding on, "Thankyou Isa, your too kind to Olivia and myself ."
I smiled to myself without replying and pulled back the tapestry next to the desk, opening the secret door, walking inside and closing the door behind me. Blinking a few times, I let my eyes adjust to the darkness and made my way down the curved hallway to the door to the Roses knocked softly.
Receiving no answer, I pushed open the door quietly and pushed the tapestry aside, stepping into the room. Closing the door behind me and fixing the tapestry on the wall. I spotted Rose sitting on the bed facing toward the other wall in a thin slip. Walking over to the bed, I lay the dress down and cleared my throat to get her attention. Watching Rose jump, I chuckle and smile at her as she turns around jumping up off the bed.
"I'm so sorry Ma'am! I promise I didn't hear you come in," Rose curtseys, looking at the floor and avoiding eye contact.
"Rose, you don't need to be sorry I walked in because you didn't answer the door," I pointed back at the hidden door.
"Olivia is headed to the Moon Temple, you and I are supposed to be downstairs at dinner already. Olivia picked out a dress, before she left." I smiled again and walked over, sitting on the bed next to where Rose stood. Patting the bed softly, I waited as she slowly sat down pulling a throw blanket around her shoulders.
"So, you are from a Forest Pack, do you miss them?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
Rose took a moment to think before shaking her head no and then stating, "I miss my bed though."
I laughed and nodded at her, "I get that. Well, we will have to figure something out so your comfortable in your room."
There was a few minutes of silence before Amber chimed in,
"Ask what she needs. Did she bring anything with her?" She waited very impatiently for me to ask.
"Hey, do you need anything? Did you bring anything at all with you?" I asked as I looked around the room, guessing it was a no. Rose shook her head no and sat there quietly. I watched as she contemplated before responding.
"Olivia left me toiletries in the basket next to the tub, and ... I just need some clothes. I can work for them!" Said Rose in a slightly frantic voice. "I think we may indeed need to look into this EdenMoon pack, she doesn't seem .... trusting" Chimed in Amber.
Shaking my head no, I smiled, "No dear. That's not necessary at all. We will get the tailor to make you some clothes. Until then I'll give you some of mine. You don't need to worry about it."
Standing up, I held out my hand to Rose and waited as she put her hand in mine. Turning her around, I use my fingers to brush through her long silky hair and then braid her hair back into one long french braid. Grabbing one of the ribbons off the desk, I tie the bottom of the braid with a nice blue bow and pull two small tresses of hair out to shape her face. ... She's got the most beautiful face, not round but not sharp, a perfect balance. .... I catch myself and snap out of it. We needed to get downstairs, I thought to myself.
I heard Ambers' voice chim in like a nuisance for just a moment,
"Come on Isa, she's so pretty and she's OUR mate! Just give her a chance!"
I sighed at Amber with a snarky reply, "She's a Luna, we needed an Alpha not a Luna Amber."
I heard her scoff at me before she fell silent. Great, now she's going to mope around the rest of the night....