Soon To Be His Luna

It all started 200 years ago

-Ella

It's ten past 12 and I am still on my bed, reading "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban".

I love the Harry Potter books and movies. One day, I want to get a 'Deathly Hallows' tattoo. My mother had already been three times outside my room, knocking on the door, but I pretended I was sleeping. Fortunately, I have a key and can lock the door.

It was clear to me, that my mother would come barge in here the moment the daylight hit the sky and prepare me for the wedding. My sister, Danielle left yesterday on her honeymoon, Kate and Kade are probably mating right now, Ian had left me five messages, asking where I was the most of the time and that he was angry at me. That's fair, I guess.

I have no idea, how many people know about me marrying Xander today. Hopefully just a few are coming to the wedding. What if we made it private?

That way it would stay a secret. Kate wouldn't find out, neither Ian or any of the villagers around here.

Another knock on the door startled me and I put my book down.

"Ella, are you awake?" It was Kate.

I immediately rose from the bed and unlocked the door quickly and as I opened it, pulled her inside and locked the door again.

"What's going on? I just heard some rumors about you getting married to one of the sons of your new ally. Is it true?"

"s**t!" I cursed and punched the wall behind me.

"Who told you?" I asked, trying not to let my wolf out. She would destroy everything around here.

"Ella? Is it true or not?"

"Yes, Kate. Yes! It is true. My father is making me - they want me to get married, to ensure peace in our Pack."

"That's outrageous, he can't do that. What about your mate?"

"What about my mate? I'm never going to find him now and that's what's bothering me the most!"

"Ella, I am so sorry - and I made you my Maid of Honor and you had to witness me marrying Kade. Oh, what a shitty friend am I?" She cried and I shushed her.

"You didn't know. Please don't say that, you deserve love just as much as everyone."

"Have you thought about running away?" Kate turned my thoughts into spoken words.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. I almost ran away this morning, at 4 am, but something inside me stopped me from doing it. It's like a task from which I cannot run away, you know? Ugh, it's so frustrating, waiting in here for it to happen. Me all dressed in white and my father giving me away to this strange man."

"It's going to be alright. Listen to me, Ella. If you cannot run away from this, I will talk to Kade and ask him, if he'd be willing to leave his job and accompany me, to come with you."

"What? Kate, that's insane, you just got the internship, you cannot leave because of me. I won't allow you!"

"Ella, you're practically my sister. We've known each other since we were born and you think I am going to let you do this alone? Never."

Her words were so comforting, knowing that someone was actually against the wedding and trying to help me, but I would not let Kate leave everything behind, just for me. It would ruin me.

"Let's talk about this later. Right now I want to go downstairs and eat something, I am starving."

"I'll go with you."

I was still in my cute pink cat pajamas and I didn't care, going downstairs like this. My mother never let me come downstairs wearing pajamas and this was a special occasion; we have guests and one of them is going to be my husband.

We arrived at the kitchen where our guests were seated and so were my parents and my little sister.

They were talking and as soon as Kate and I approached them a bit more, all eyes turned on us.

My mother had her back turned on me and didn't see me come in wearing pajamas.

"Good morning, everyone," I smiled and when my mother finally noticed what I was wearing, gasped so loud that the others were startled.

"What is it?" My father asked, not having the slightest idea what was going on.

"Nothing, nothing," my mother repeated two more times and I was biting my lip, trying not to laugh.

"It's almost 12:30pm, silly. It's not morning anymore," my sister joked and I knew she knew what was happening.

"Had a long night?" Xavier asked and I yawned, indicating that I indeed had a long night.

"How did you sleep?" I asked looking at all of them.

"It was rather pleasant, in the village. I didn't hear one single car this morning and it bothered me, really. I am used to hearing motors running every single day, unfortunately and it has become a very uncomfortable habbit," Alpha Farris said and I chuckled.

I sat down on the table and so did Kate.

Xander and Xavion didn't say anything, but kept eating what was left on their plates.

"Alpha Rick, I heard a rumor about a contract marriage between Ella and the oldest son of Alpha Farris. Is that true?"

Everyone went quiet. Oh, if I had a knife and a fork, I could feed myself the tension in this room.

"Yes, it is, Kate. Word travels fast, I presume."

"Could you delay it a few days? I am getting married next Wednesday and I want Ella to be my Maid of Honor," she said out of no where and some hope left inside of me, traveled to my heart, pounding.

"Kate, you are getting married?" My mother was excited.

"Yes. I found my mate a couple of weeks ago and we decided to get married as soon as possible. Since we already set the date for the wedding, we can't postpone it and I would love it, if Ella could stay until next Wednesday."

"I am very glad you are getting married, child, but the marriage is happening tonight on sundown. It must happen tonight, I'm afriad."

"Must?" I asked and Alpha Farris started talking, "If I may, the marriage is supposed to happen tonight, because it is the second Friday of the month. An Alpha can only pass his title to his next of kin, on the second Friday of the month, after sundown. It's a law."

"You've never told me about any of this," I looked at my father and mother who were staring back and forth from me to each other.

"That's because it is not our law, Ella. It's their law. Every Pack has their own laws, written by their ancestors, passed on to the current day."

". . . and," Alpha Farris added,"that is why you are getting married tonight at sundown. After you get married and have claimed each other, I can pass my title to Xander, for he can only become Alpha if he has a Luna."

"You need a Luna to be complete, yet when it comes to mates, you don't care," I slammed my fist on the table.

"Ella!" My mother warned me, but I have had enought of this. They disrespect our nature, our entire beliefs but when it comes to becoming an Alpha, only the Luna has the key to success. What a load of rubbish!

"It's rather complicated, Ella and I would like to enlighten you on that matter. It all started 200 years ago, when the first powerful Alpha of the Golden Moon Pack, had found his mate. He proposed to her later that day and she agreed. They were very happy together. The Alpha had become kind, warm and loving toward everyone. His villagers lived in peace and so did he with his mate. After ten years of trying to conceive children,but failed, the Luna killed herself, for she thought she was an abomination, who couldn't bare the children of her own mate. Upon her death, the Alpha became cruel, he killed thousands of men and women who were happily married, because they had what he didn't. From that day on, every one who found their mate, had to reject them, otherwise they would be killed. Few were the ones who found their mates and hid it from the Alpha, but they were unsuccessful. The Alpha killed them, showing no mercy. Since then, our ancestors were forbidden to find their mates, but nowdays it is not as frowned upon as it was 200 years ago. The last forty years have been a bit more quiet on the subject. Our ancestors have cut themselves some slack from that tradition and have started to look for their mates, but 200 years of suppression and restrain on our part, the mating bond has almost vanished. There have been of course very few cases on our Pack, that men and women have found their mates, but I did not want my sons mating bonds to still be hoping for a mate, so I had a warlock block it. Now my sons can love whoever they want, without hoping that it could be their mate."

That's what Xander meant - what his father has done. I thought they didn't want to have mates, because they thought it was weak, but it is not their fault. Alpha Farris has done what every parent would have done to protect their children.

"That is so sad," Kate cried and brushed her tears away with her fingers.

"Yes," my little sister choked.

What I now felt for Xander and his brothers wasn't anger anymore, but rather pity. They cannot find their mates, they cannot have what was meant for them to have, what was given to them by the Moon Goddess.

"Well, now you know the real story behind it. I felt your judgement towards us and that is why I felt obligated to share this story with you," he said quietly.

Now I feel awful for judging them.

They all rose from the table, except for me, Xander and Kate.

"Ella, come on sweetheart. You have to get ready for tonight."

"I need a word with Xander," I said. My mother hesitated at first but then walked away.

"You want me to go?" Kate asked but I grabbed her hand, making her stay beside me. I wanted her to hear this.

"I owe you an apology, Xander. I behaved poorly yesterday. You were being honest with me and I got offended because I thought you didn't respect women or men who wanted to find their mates. I judged you and I feel terrible. If you can do this, give up your mating bond, to protect your family, than so can I."