Heart of the Moon

Aggie has been helping me plan this gala for the orphans.. and we decided to combine our Luna ceremony for the same night. Kieran has been phenomenal in getting all the e-vites out and arranging for party tents to be set up. He ordered three separate adjoining tents.. One for dining and cocktails.. a second for the children to meet prospective parents.. and the third for our ceremony and dancing.

We are nearly done with the decorations and flowers. My dress is hanging in our closet.. in a zippered bag. Kieran swore not to peek.. on threat of death. His tuxedo arrived this morning.. and the boys each have matching ones. I can’t wait to see all three of my guys dressed in them!

Aggie walked over and slid her arm around my waist, saying “It looks perfect, my girl! You have done a fine job.” I kissed her cheek and said “WE have done a fine job, Mom! I couldn’t have done this without you!” She smiled and said “I have to get home.. your father is hopeless at tying a tie!” I smiled and nodded.. then I asked “How is Valerie doing with mated life?” She laughed “Oh Goddess! That girl has that poor man jumping through hoops to prove himself worthy. Unfortunately, her extreme sense of entitlement gets in the way of her happiness! I despair she will ever be happy!”

Walking into our room, Kieran turns to me with a hopeless look on his face.. he asks “Can you help? I have tried five times and this tie is not meant to make a bow, I swear!” I laughed and said “My dad can’t tie one either” as I take the ends of his tie and fashion a bow in less than a minute. He looks in the mirror.. then smiles at me.. “Damn! I look good!” Causing me to giggle again. And I shoo him out so I can get ready.

After my shower, I curl my hair into beachy waves.. and apply light makeup. Derek and Darius charge into the room to have me get them dressed. Once they looked like the little gentlemen they are, I sent them to find their daddy. I slipped into my dress.. a slinky floor length gown of royal blue silk. Fitted bodice.. dangling crystals hang off my shoulders in a faux sleeve design. It flares subtly at my hips.. sweeping the floor with a slight train behind me. I slip silver strappy heels on my feet, just as my father knocked on my door. I yelled come in as I pinned up the left side of my hair with a single orchid.

My dad took me into his arms and hoarsely whispers “So beautiful. You are so much like your mother! I wish she could see you now!” I smiled and told him “She’s watching, Daddy.. She sees us!”

We walked out and started down the stairs.. I asked if everyone had arrived and had been seated.. He grins saying “Stop worrying! It’s going to be perfect!” We reached the curtains and as we waited for them to be drawn back he whispered “Are you sure about this? I can have us in the car and out of here in ten seconds flat!” I busted out laughing, just as the curtains opened.

Up the aisle.. standing on a dais.. was my family. My handsome mate.. with two equally handsome miniature versions of him, on either side.. I realized for the millionth time, they look identical to their father… almost like I had no hand in creating them. My hand immediately reached my tummy, as I sent a prayer to the Goddess… please let this little girl look a little like I was involved!

We reached the steps and Kieran took my hand, whispering into my mind “You are radiant” and I smiled into his eyes. Councilman Edwards was performing the ceremony.. I repeated my vows and Kieran asked the pack if they accepted me as their Luna.. everyone roared out their approval. He sliced his palm.. and then mine, we clasped hands and a wave of energy rushed across the pack as the bond snapped into place.

Just as Kieran moved to remark me, in front of witnesses.. the border alarms sounded. We were under attack. I looked at Aggie and my dad “Get everyone to the bunkers” and Kieran and I raced for the borders.. along with five hundred of our warriors. The attending Alphas joined us, without hesitation.

Arriving, we saw about thirty dead rogues just inside our borders. And another several hundred rogues along the wood line. Kieran stepped forward and demanded “State your business!” A man stood proud among the rogues.. and snarled “I have come for my bride!” Alec moved up to my side and asked “Did you misplace her?”

The man let loose derisive laughter “I have come for the Heart of the Moon. She is mine! Born to be queen! Just as I am King!” Cole moved in front of me and sarcastically said “Dude! You weren’t born to be King! There’s no such thing! I mean.. obviously.. you were born to be Rogue! But sorry.. not seeing a king!”

Kieran asked “Who the fuck are you? What makes you think we would even think about turning one of our women over to a worthless rogue? I want some of what he’s smoking.. can I have some of that shit?” Causing everyone to chuckle.

The man screams “I am Emory Cassius! Born of the great rogue that destroyed a kingdom! Making him King! Give me my Queen! She is standing beside you! And I know you have not marked her! I stopped the ceremony!” Kieran laughs.. “You may have InTerrupted the ceremony.. but MY MATE and I have been marked and mated for a month! You stopped nothing! And if you think to try and take my mate.. I challenge you, Emory Cassius! For your self-procalimed title! Right here! Right now! What will it be, Cassius? Do you accept? Or do you run away, with your tail between your legs.. like the DOG you are!?”

He growled loud enough to scatter the birds and said “I will return! And when I do, my legions will return with me!” Again, Kieran laughed “Exactly what I thought. You are a coward, Cassius! How many men will follow a coward? Once word gets out you are incapable of accepting an honest challenge.. your ‘legions’ would be idiots to take orders from you! Such cowardice cannot lead legions of men!”

Cassius snarled “I accept! And as the challenged it is my right to choose the time.. the place and the method!” Shaking his head, Kieran said “NO! You only choose method. The challenge was issued for an immediate resolution. You leave now, you forfeit the fair challenge right. And know this! I will hunt you down.. I will find you.. and I will kill you where you stand. So, Coward! It’s now.. or you have already lost!”

He stepped forward and said “Now it is! I choose wolf! And when I kill you I will hang your pelt on the bedroom wall where you can watch me fuck your mate every night!”

Kieran roared “Make a circle, men! It’s time to teach a coward about real men!” He handed me his jacket, as he stripped out of his clothes. We watched as Emory stripped and shifted.. I nearly laughed out loud. His wolf wasn’t as large as Lenore.. his fur patchy and straggly.. the sign of having been a rogue for a long time.

He leaped into the circle, while half of our warriors circled out into the wood line, surrounding the rogues on all sides. Kieran walked into the circle.. just sauntered in… like he was out for a Sunday stroll. He rolled his head from side to side.. stretched his shoulder and shifted into Onyx. He was black as midnight… easily eight feet tall.. and he huffed at Emory.. like he was laughing.

We heard one of the rogues say “Holy Fuck! That is one monster of a wolf!” While another said “He’s the Devil! That’s the devil!” Cole started laughing and yelled “Didn’t know who you would be facing, guys? Too late to back out now!”

Onyx stood still.. just watching. Waiting. He would prance his feet in a little impatient dance.. making me chuckle. When Emory charged, he didn’t budge. He let the wolf barrel into his chest. His body rocked a little but he didn’t fall.. he just batted the wolf away with his giant paw.

Just as Emory charged again.. another wolf pounced on Onyx’s back from outside the circle…and locked his jaws on his neck. Emory cut into Onyx’s chest, and I felt the pain of the claws rip into his flesh! He batted Emory away again and twisted his body.. flipping his entire weight onto the wolf on his back. That wolf lost his hold.. and Onyx jumped up.. spinning a half circle, he ripped the wolf’s throat out.

As he bled out, he shifted back.. it was Isaiah! As Emory’s wolf found his feet.. Kieran shifted back. Not one wound showed on his body.. you could see the blood.. but no open wounds. He snarled “I was going to give you an honorable death.. but you are not only a coward.. but a cheater as well! When the wolf charged the third time.. he leaped at Kieran’s throat.. but his body was caught and Kieran’s hand plunged through his rib cage.. ripping his heart out. He held the heart in the air.. turning in a circle, so all the rogues could see it.. and he crushed it in his hand