CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 21
The packhouse was alive with noise and movement. Everywhere I turned, someone was carrying boxes, arranging chairs, or stringing soft golden lights along the trees that bordered the courtyard. 

I watched from the balcony of one of the upper rooms, heart thudding in my chest. Below me, pack members worked together to make sure every detail was flawless.

For a moment, I wondered if this was really happening. A few days ago, I was sitting alone in my house, drowning my sorrow with alcohol, and now I am watching everyone eagerly prepare for my ceremony.

Elara appeared behind me, her reflection visible in the mirror across the room. “You’re supposed to be getting ready,” she said with a teasing smile. “Not staring down like some ghost bride.” I laughed quietly, though the sound felt a little forced. “I just needed a moment.”

“Well, your moment’s over,” she said, grabbing my arm. “The makeup team’s waiting.” She dragged me toward the large vanity table where two of the pack’s women, Marla and Jess, were already setting out brushes, powders, and lip colors. They smiled warmly when I sat down.

“Don’t worry, Luna,” Marla said. “We’ll make sure you look unforgettable.”
“Please don’t call me that,” I murmured automatically, and Elara snorted. I don't think I will ever get used to the special attention and so much warmth.

“You might as well get used to it,” she said. “By tonight, everyone will be saying it.” I looked at my reflection in the mirror, barefaced, nervous, and pale. I didn’t feel like a Luna, I didn't even feel like I deserved the title. I am not a werewolf. Why should I be their leader when I can't even represent them correctly?

Marla began working on my hair, curling it softly and pinning it up with tiny gold pins. Jess started on my makeup light foundation, soft blush, and shimmering eyeshadow that brought out the color of my eyes. Elara hovered nearby, chatting endlessly.

“Did you tell Raven about the dress?” she asked. I shook my head. “No. He’s been busy all morning. I haven’t even seen him since breakfast.”

“Well, he’ll be speechless when he does,” Elara said with a grin. Then she frowned, studying me through the mirror. “Why do you look so down? This is your day, you are supposed to be happy."'

I hesitated. “I had a vision today, something I have never had growing up in my coven.” Her expression immediately changed, her smile fading. “When?” 

“Earlier today.” The makeup brush paused mid-stroke. Jess glanced at me curiously but didn’t say anything. I don't even know why I am telling Elara when I haven't told the Alpha; somehow, it feels like I am betraying him.

Elara moved closer, lowering her voice. “What kind of vision?” I swallowed. “I saw blood, and I was wearing the same red dress I bought today. I was standing in the packyard, but it was empty and silent.” The room fell quiet except for the faint hum of music drifting up from outside.

“That’s not good,” Elara said finally. “You think it’s a warning?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered. “It felt so real. Like something terrible is coming.” Elara crouched down beside me, her tone gentle and serious now. “Aine, your powers are changing. Maybe the visions are just mixed-up energy. But still…” She bit her lip. “Be careful tonight, okay? If anything feels wrong, trust your instincts.”

I nodded, even though the knot in my stomach only grew tighter. An hour later, the preparations were nearly done. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. From the window, I could see the bonfire being built in the center of the yard where the ceremony would take place.

The sight should have filled me with excitement, but all I could feel was unease. When my hair and makeup were finished, Elara helped me into the dress. The crimson fabric shimmered under the lights, clinging to my body in all the right ways. The slit brushed against my thigh as I moved, and the lace neckline made my skin glow.

“You look breathtaking,” Elara said softly. I stared at myself in the mirror. The girl looking back at me didn’t seem like me anymore.
“Thanks,” I said quietly. Someone knocked on the door. Jess went to open it, and Miles stepped inside.

“Everything’s ready,” he said. “The Alpha wants to know if Luna is prepared,” Elara smirked and gave me a little nudge. “Well, Luna?”
I rolled my eyes but stood. “Let’s go.”

The courtyard was glowing when we stepped outside. Torches lined the path, and garlands of white flowers hung from the trees. Wolves in their finest clothes filled the yard, their voices a low hum of excitement.

Raven stood near the bonfire, dressed in black with a silver crest on his jacket. His eyes found mine immediately, and for a moment, everything else faded. He smiled just a small, crooked smile, but it made my heart flip.
Elara leaned close and whispered, “If you don’t breathe, you’re going to faint before the ceremony even starts.”

I exhaled shakily. “I hate you.” She grinned. “You’re welcome.”
Raven met us halfway down the path. His gaze swept over me slowly, from the top of my curls to the slit of my dress. “You look…” He trailed off, shaking his head slightly. “You look perfect.”

“Thanks,” I said, trying to sound steady. The ceremony began as the moon rose higher. The Alpha elders stood in a circle near the fire, chanting softly in the old tongue. Raven took my hands, his grip warm and steady.

“I never thought I’d get this chance,” he whispered.
“Neither did I,” I admitted. The ritual was simply a promise of unity before the pack and the moon. 

But as the fire burned brighter, the unease inside me grew. My vision from earlier kept flashing in my mind: blood, silence, the red dress. When the chant reached its peak, I felt something cold pass through me. My body tensed.

“Aine?” Raven whispered. “You okay?” I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Just nerves.” Elara stood among the crowd, watching me with worried eyes. 

I tried. I really did. But when the fire flared suddenly higher than it should have, I gasped. The flames glowed red, then gold, then crimson again.
A ripple of murmurs passed through the pack. Raven turned sharply to the elders. “What’s happening?” Before they could answer, the fire steadied, flickering back to normal. The crowd relaxed, laughing it off as a sign from the moon. But I wasn’t laughing.

My eyes caught on Lenny, who immediately leaned against a post near the bonfire with that smug curl at the corner of his mouth, the kind that always made my skin crawl.

When he saw me, he straightened, and the smirk widened. He pushed off the post and came toward me as if we were old friends. “Congratulations,” he said loud enough for the people closest to us to hear. “For fucking your way to the top.” He tipped his chin toward Raven, then laughed like he’d told a brilliant joke.

A switch snapped inside me, and I started trembling vigorously, unable to control my body and anger. Laughter bubbled in my throat and turned to a growl. I stepped forward. “Don’t you dare—” I started, but the words died on my tongue.

Before I thought at all, my hand closed around something cool and hard. My fingers tightened around it as I prepared to attack. I could hear Elara's voice shouting, but she sounded like she was far.

Lenny’s smile didn’t falter. “What, sweetheart? Do you miss your dead friend, Kadeee?” He took a half step closer, voice low and cruel. His voice was taunting and sick. He wanted to die, and he knew I had a good reason to kill him.

I moved before my mind could catch up. The knife was up, and without any second thought, I shoved it straight into his chest. I heard a wet sound that was probably coming from him, a gasp. Lenny’s eyes widened; the look in them was not fear but a surprised hurt, like he hadn’t expected anyone to be able to hurt him. He grabbed at the knife with one hand and pushed at my wrist with the other.

I shoved again. His fingers closed on me and then slipped. The knife slid in and out, more than once. I kept going because I couldn’t stop. Each shove felt like emptying something out of me. Rage, shame, humiliations stacked like stones inside my ribs.