Alpha's Fallen Angel

Surrounded by Violet, Serena, Cici, and Sophie, I look at myself in the mirror as Aylin finishes my makeup and Gemma does my hair. Aylin must hold more magic than I thought because she managed to cover up these bags under my eyes. I almost look like I did pre-motherhood, minus the breast pump milking me like a cow. Remind me why I insisted on having my Luna ceremony, the equivalent of my wedding, after I had Delaney? Because I wanted to drink at my own ceremony? It seemed so logical at the time. Now, I wanted to go back in time and slap me upside the head, Aylin style.

Delaney screams in Sophie’s arms in protest at how long it’s taking me to pump. In the hospital, the nurses and pediatrician on the postpartum unit said she lost too much weight by the time she was 24 hours old. It was before my milk supply came in, so they put it down to lack of production, but when I filled up a syringe with colostrum, they had a lactation consultant come see me. She had said Delaney’s latch wasn’t effective and spent an hour trying to get it right before I gave up and just said I would pump. I wasn’t attached to breastfeeding, and frankly, her latch hurt.

I sigh as I feel my body react to her cries, and my freshly deflated breasts fill up yet again. I pause my pump, dump the two smaller bottles I had just filled into her larger feeding bottle and hook myself up again. Aylin brings the bottle to Sophie, who gives it to my greedy baby.

“She just ate like an hour ago! How is she so hungry already?” Sophie asks, and I laugh

“If it was up to her, she would eat 23 hours of the day and then only sleep for the last hour,” I tell her and smile.

Despite her constant hunger, Delaney was a good baby, and even though her features pointed to her genes favoring an angel, her growth pointed toward a demon. I was only pregnant for (we think) just under 3 months, which would be a short demon pregnancy, and then she was growing very slowly, also like a demon. At two weeks old, she was still only nine pounds, which the pack pediatrician freaked out about at her 1-week visit, but dad had brought up his own pediatrician who said she was perfect.

The pediatrician and dad said “demonlings” will grow rapidly in utero but very slowly once they are born. Essentially, she would age at half the rate of a pup until she was about 6 years old. Which, honestly it sounded like the best of both worlds to me. Half the pregnancy time and double the newborn snuggles? Sign me up.

“Amara, turn back around; I’m almost done,” Gemma tells me, tapping my shoulder to turn my attention away from Delaney. “I can’t believe how much your hair has changed since having a baby. It’s almost twice as thick, and didn’t I just cut it last week? It’s almost as long as it was before I cut it!”

“Believe me, I know. It’s tempting to just shave it all off at this point,” I tell her.

“While I support you in every way, shape, and form, please don’t cut off your hair. Or, if you must, at least make me a wig out of it. I would kill for your hair,” Sophie calls over from the couch, pouting as she looks at her straight blonde hair.

“There, done,” Gemma says

Between her and Aylin, I have to say they did not disappoint. My makeup was dark and smoky, with just a little eyeliner to make my eyes pop, dark red lipstick, and just a light blush to add some color to my pale face. Aylin didn’t go all out with contouring my face like she wanted to; she just used concealer under my eyes and a light face powder. Gemma had some of my hair braided into a crown that she laced some baby’s breath and lavender flowers into, and the rest cascaded down my back in loose curls.

Even though I was kicking myself for doing this now and not when I was still in that cute stage of pregnancy where a tiny baby bump was visible, I could still walk without waddling, and my ankles were a standard size; it was nice to feel human again. Time has moved so differently since having a baby, and even though Roman and I had plenty of help, I still found all my days bleeding together into one.

“Get your titty milker off so you can put that dress on! I’m ready to party,” Sophie screeches, making Violet cackle.

“Damn wolves, you make everything sound so indecent” Aylin shakes her head, scolding Sophie, who shrugs her shoulders with a smirk at Aylin.

Those two were an interesting pair; I swear that Sophie loved doing anything to make Aylin scowl, which was not difficult. She found her seriousness and standoffish attitude endlessly amusing. Gemma clicks her tongue at the two before running off to get my dress.

“Too bad you’re stuck with a bunch of wolves as a family now, big sis,” Sophie taunts Aylin, who looks at my daughter in Sophie’s arms before sighing and walking away to help Gemma. I swear I hear her mutter something about being surrounded by fools.

“I’ve literally watched her stab Azrael just for annoying her; you’re on your own when she finally goes after you,” I tell Sophie, who just laughs.

“She thinks I’m hilarious; she just won’t admit it,” Sophie says

I just shake my head as I disconnect my pump, take the bottle from Soph and refill it.

“My turn!” Serena says as she grabs Delaney from Sophie’s arms and takes the bottle from me

I was the last one who needed to get ready; everyone else was already dressed and glamoured up, so it was go time once I got this dress on. Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous. I’ve already been the unofficial Luna for long enough; at this point, Luna duties were the most minorly intimidating piece of my future. I’m more nervous about this being Delaney’s first night away from me and Roman, even though she’ll only be two rooms away.

Gemma and Aylin come back in the room, Gemma with my shoes and a bag full of my accessories and Delaney’s outfit in it, Aylin with my dress. They both help me into the dress, and Gemma zips it up while Aylin puts my shoes on. The dress is gorgeous; it’s a form-fitting ivory-colored gown that spills onto the floor with a black floral lace overlay. The black lace extends into long sleeves, a slit down the left side, showing off my leg, and a deep v-neck. Sophie and Violet tried to talk me into a veil, but that was just too cheesy and not my style.

I opted for a black cotton sundress for Delaney; there was no reason for a newborn to get all dressed up. I would have been okay with her just in a onesie, but Violet insisted on dressing her up. Delaney herself would be happy in just a diaper. She always runs hot, and even though it was a crisp and cool night, she’ll likely still sweat in the dress. Violet gets her dressed and hands her to me to calm her down.

When I get her quiet again, Aylin clasps a necklace on me. It’s simple, a thick white gold chain with a large oval black diamond amulet framed by small diamonds. Just my style, dark and not over the top.

“A little underworld pride. Me, Dad, and Azrael all have similar ones. I had this made for you a week ago,” she says nonchalantly.

Before I can thank her, she steps away and opens the door, letting my father in. He’s dressed in an all-black suit and has a baby wrap over his shirt. I laugh at him, he’s a serious baby hog, and if I hired him as a live-in nanny, he would jump for joy.

“You look beautiful,” he says, looking at me with eyes full of pride. “Now, let’s get my favorite tiny one all snuggled in here; you girls will want to have fun all night, so don’t worry, I got the baby.”

I laugh at Violet’s scowl, but he’s not wrong. I get Delaney secured in her wrap on her grandpa as he extends an arm to me.

“Ready, kiddo?” he asks.

“As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go,” I tell him as I take his arm, and he leads me away, everyone else following us.

Right before we enter the backyard, Seth meets us at the door; he scowls as he looks at me, his eyes glistening.

“Well, you look like shit,” he says, wiping his eye, and I laugh as I offer him my other arm.

The entire backyard of the packhouse was lit by the fairy lights and full moon. Chairs with people standing before them left a pathway for my dad and brother to lead me to Roman.

Considering every single member of this massive pack is present, the walk to the stage Roman and Elder Joseph are on is not short. When we finally get to the steps leading up to the stage, my dad and brother kiss me on the cheek before taking their seats along with the rest of my family in the front row.

Elder Joseph steps down and attaches a small microphone to my dress before Roman steps down, extending his hand to me. I take him in; he ditched his usual man bun and allowed his shoulder-length chestnut hair to be free; the scruff on his face was neatly trimmed, and he wore a black shirt and pants with black suspenders. I wonder if he had used concealer to cover the bags under his eyes that matched mine this morning, which were no longer there. My smile is broad and unrefined as he takes my hand, leading me up to the center of the stage where a book a gold dagger, and a small chalice lay on a stone podium.

“We gather here today, after much anticipation,” Elder Joseph begins, “to finally welcome our new Luna into the Ivory Moon pack” he pauses as a few cheers erupt. “Let’s start the ceremony. Luna Amara, you may begin”

I step forward and start to repeat the words I painstakingly memorized over the last few weeks.

“I, Amara Alayna Dawson, hereby pledge my loyalty as Luna to the Ivory Moon Pack. I vow to the Moon Goddess to serve, protect, and standby Ivory Moon until my dying breath” I pause as Roman steps forward and slashes my palm diagnonally with the dagger, holding it high so everyone can see my blood fall into the chalice. I continue after a few drops fall “I vow to stand by Alpha Roman Salvatore Madden as his mate and Luna, to love, cherish, and respect him as his mate and Luna until the Moon Goddess calls us home” I finish as he makes another slash across my palm, opposite of the other, forming an X, and again allows my blood to drip into the chalice.

Then, he makes a slash across his palm and the scar that decorated his palm from his Alpha ceremony, making an X to match mine.

“I, Roman Salvatore Madden, accept you, Amara Alayna Dawson as my mate and Luna. I vow to stand by you, love you, protect you, and cherish you as my mate and your Alpha until the Moon Goddess calls us home,” he says as he allows his blood to drip into the chalice, mixing with mine.

We both pick up the chalice and hand it to Elder Joseph. Once he takes it, we connect our bleeding palms together as a jolt of new power rushes through me. Elder Joseph then sets the chalice on the book, the official Pack book, as an offering to Selene, and we wait. Thirty seconds pass by before we see the bindings and title of the book illuminate a brilliant blue, signaling that Selene has accepted our mating and cheers erupt from the pack members.

“I present to you Alpha Roman and Luna Amara Madden. May your reign over this pack be long and fruitful and bring us to new triumph!” Elder Joseph states as the cheers grow impossibly louder

Roman grabs my waist and dips me before his lips claim my own. I immediately allow him dominance and entry, kissing him back with all the love in the three realms. He kisses me passionately until someone clears their throat, and we break away, a small giggle leaving my lips before Roman speaks.

“Go, eat, dance, and celebrate!” he booms, and everyone instantly obliges

I watch a few kids run over to the dessert table, grabbing what their little hands can fit as they run away from their protesting parents; most adults head over to where the alcohol is being served, and others run to the dance floor. His hand never leaving my waist, Roman and I head down the steps and start mingling with the pack. He hands me a flute of champagne before grabbing one for himself, which he downs right away before grabbing another. I take a sip of mine, watching him in amusement.

“This is our only free night for a long time, Little Devil; better drink up while you still can,” he tells me as he jokingly tips my flute up so more champagne flows into my mouth.

I cough, glaring at him while trying not to laugh as he whisks me away to the dance floor. I drink a couple glasses as we dance, carefree and laughing with the pack. I have no idea how long we’re dancing for, but I have a very light buzz going. Not wanting to overdo it, I switch my flute out for some water as Roman approaches me, doing the same. If I’m barely feeling the alcohol, he isn’t feeling it at all.

He steps away from the table, smiling at me and grabbing my hand as the music slows down, and leads me out to the dance floor for our first dance as Alpha and Luna. He pauses for a second, his eyes finding Dad and Delaney, before he goes up, takes a wide-awake Delaney, and comes back up to me. He cradles her in his arm before grabbing my waist with his other, and the song starts.

“I wanted both my girls with me for this dance,” he tells me.

My smile widens as Sweet Symphony by Joy Oladokun plays through the loudspeakers, and I lay my head on his shoulder as he starts swaying us, both of us looking at each other and then at Delaney, who stares back at us with her brilliant violet eyes. It probably looks awkward, and I know we have no rhythm as we sway together with our newborn, but I couldn’t care less. My heart beats in sync with theirs, and I listen to the lyrics of the song he picked out. Tears prick my eyes as I listen.

Even if the world that we built falls at our feet

We’re still right where we’re supposed to be

Together through ups and the downs

Dungeons and ivory towers

We stay like that, the three of us on the dance floor as the song ends and the pack returns to the floor, dancing around us. There are still plenty of trials and tribulations ahead of us, but for now, we forget that as we both revel in the love we found together, the beautiful girl we made, and the happiness of the life we’ve built together.