His High Priestess Luna

7

Mia

I was nervous standing in front of so many people. I knew being the daughter of an alpha, my first shift was expected to be on display. I was happy I had Cayden next to me going through his own first shift at the same time. Thankfully we were not asked to stand naked in front of everyone. We were allowed to wear some clothing. Cayden wore only a pair of shorts that hung low on his hips. I chose to wear a large t-shirt and a pair of shorts under it that I didn’t care if they were lost. The clothes we wore tonight would be shredded during our shift, so we were told to choose something we would not miss. As the time got closer, I became more nervous even though I was so ready for this week to be over. Every alpha in the world that had a son that hadn’t found his mate came bringing their sons, who all stared at me as if I was a piece of meat. I hated it. I wasn’t the only one either. Cayden was not a fan either. Nor were my parents. As the week went on, I not only had Cayden, who was glued to my hip but two of our best warriors. Glancing over at my brother, he nodded his head slightly. We had this. There was nothing to be worried about. We just had to get through this, and then we could go back to our normal lives. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly. And that's when I felt it. The first jolt of pain moved through my spine as my body began to shift. Next to me, I saw Cayden fall forward as his body began to shift. Everyone in front of me became aware of several women that stood around all of us. A wave of magic washed over everyone. A voice filled my head. “Do not be afraid, my dear. Embrace the power within you. Let it be free.” Closing my eyes, I let out a long breath as I too fell forward as my brother had and let myself transform. Opening my eyes, I took in the sight around me. Every alpha shifted and lunged towards me with their teeth bared and deep growls rolling through their chests. Cayden took a step closer to me, standing his ground as he growled back at them. My father and grandfather shifted from behind me, stepping up beside me and taking stances to protect me just as my brother had. But what they couldn’t see was the wall that stood between us and all the alphas. The witches stayed strong, continuing their chanting as the alphas slammed into the wall they could not see. With every attempt to get to me failing, they all grew angry. Soon enough, they turned to the more vulnerable members of my pack. If they couldn’t get to me, they would go after them. My heart sank as the first of them leaped at those that stood the closest to the alphas. But just as they had before, they slammed into an invisible wall. “Repeat the words with the witches to strengthen the wall.” The same voice from before filled my head. I didn’t ask questions as I began saying the words with the witches in my head. My wolf took a step forward, pushing past my father, grandfather, and brother, a deep growl rolling through her chest as she did so. At the sound of the growl, every eye fell on me. Every member of my pack except my family fell to the ground as though my father himself had used his alpha voice, making every one of them submit. Another deep growl and several of the alpha’s themselves followed suit, falling to the ground. 

My father and grandfather's wolves exchanged a quick look before shifting back. “Impossible.” My grandfather said while looking at me with wide eyes. My father looked from me to the alpha’s who had fallen submitting to my wolf. “I thought the story was a fairytale my father used to tell me as a child.” My mother moved to his side. “What is going on?” My grandfather looked around, taking in everyone that was in the clearing, his eyes landing on a woman at the far end. “I think there is more to your mother’s family none of us knew.” All of us followed his gaze. Standing at the far end of the clearing was a woman that looked similar to my mother. She was much, much older. Our eyes locked with each other. “It is time to shift back, my child. I am sorry, but the next few days will not be easy. Unfortunately, it will get worse before it gets better. But I promise in the end it will all be worth it.” The woman looked as if she pitied me a bit. Was it her voice I heard in my head? As though she could hear my thoughts, she nodded. Taking a deep breath, I returned her nod, letting her know I understood before shifting back. My mother was ready as she wrapped a large blanket around my shoulders before anyone could see my naked body. Next to me, Cayden shifted back, Lex ensuring he had something to cover himself with. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I couldn't find myself able to. My attention was glued to the older woman across the field. Not for long, though, only for a moment. It was pulled back to the alphas in front of me when one of them slammed into the invisible barrier again. This time they were in human form, so I was able to see it was Christoff. A deep growl rolled through me. “ENOUGH.” Falling, he growled back at me but stopped his attempt to get to me. I looked at my father, who still looked shocked. “They won't be able to hold the barrier up for much longer.” Pulling himself out of his shock, he turned to the pack. “Everyone inside. Alphas, it has been a pleasure, but your time on my lands is up. I suggest you all leave now.” With his words, every member of our pack retreated into the packhouse going straight to the safe rooms until they were told it was safe again. 

Once the last of the members were inside, my father motioned for us to follow. As we moved to join the rest of the pack, the witches began to move as well, following us inside. Once every member was inside, they cast one final spell, ensuring no one else could get in. Standing in the middle of the front room, I looked around at everyone. My father and grandfather were having a hushed conversation with each other. My mother was doing the same with the older woman that looked as though she was related somehow. Cayden stood next to me, looking just as confused as I did. “What is going on?” He shrugged his shoulders. But it wasn’t him I was asking. Clearly, he didn’t know. So I asked louder, not meaning to us my apparent alpha voice I didn’t even know I had. “What is going on?” The room fell silent as everyone turned to me. The older woman slowly looked to my grandfather then back to me. “A prophecy that was long overdue is finally coming to pass, my dear. And I am sorry, but you are at the heart of it.” The same voice I heard in my head. It had been hers. “You can’t know that. How can you be so sure?” My grandfather moved away from my father, stepping closer to the woman with a growl. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. But it wasn’t her that responded to him. An older woman with white hair that was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head moved forward. “Is she not the first-born daughter to one of the most powerful alphas? Is she not the second-born child to a luna that was raised among humans? Was she not born while her pack fought, while a storm brewed, while both fighting and storm were at their peak? Did you not see so many alphas submit to the young ones growl? Did you yourself not feel it, pup, when she shifted for the first time at the start of her eighteenth birthday?” A deep growl rolled off my grandfather's chest, but the woman didn’t seem fazed. “You can deny it all you want, but Mia is the one spoken of in the prophecy. She is not only a wolf but also a witch, alike. She will be Queen to wolves and high priestess of witches. There is no going back now. Only going forward. And to do that, we have exactly three days to help her master her skills as a witch before our spell wears off and your pack is attacked by every alpha out there that wishes to claim her as theirs.” A deep growl rolled through not only my grandfather’s chest, but my father's and brother's as well. My mother held her hand up, cutting them all off. “What happens if she is able to accomplish this? What will happen to the pack at the end of the three days then?” The older woman smiled at my mother. “Then she will be able to send them all home and go in search of the lost alpha. The strongest alpha. The only alpha that will be able to make her wolf submit. The alpha that should have been here tonight but wasn’t because his father is foolish. The alpha that even after being cast out has still established his own pack while waiting patiently to take back what was his, to begin with.”