Chapter 83- Luna Ceremony

Salara’s POV

Nerves wrack my body as I stand up on the stage set up by Beta Charles and Luna Evelyn. Every eye in the crowd is glued to where I stand and being the center of everyone’s attention is causing anxiety to course through me. Derrick reaches over and grabs my hand in his, soothing away some of the nerves with nothing but his touch.

He always has a way of calming me down whenever he is near. Just the slightest touch from him is enough to chase away my worries and doubts and make me feel calm. I know it has something to do with the mate bond that I don’t quite understand just yet, but the reasons behind are irrelevant to me. The only thing that matters is that he brings me peace. Something that Henry never did.

I might have suffered a lot thanks to my life with Henry, but I have to admit that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him. While I am sure that the Goddess would have found a way to bring us together, he is my destiny afterall, I can’t help but feel like everything has happened for a reason. Though I am not sure if that reason is good or not.

My thoughts drift to Henry and what I have learned about his wolf. I can’t deny that I felt a connection to Henry at times that was never there before. There was this side of him that was so sweet and caring and completely different than the real Henry and a part of me wanted to side to be real.

‘But that side is real.’ Leigh pipes in, apparently listening to my thoughts like the nosey wolf that she is. ‘I can not help it when your thoughts are loud.’ Her sultry chuckle moves through my mind, drowning out the sound of the pack Elder that is currently moving forward with my Luna Ceremony.

Another thing that I know nothing about. How in the world did I get here? I am new to the supernatural world and now I am expected to run a large pack. The magnitude of my situation is overwhelming, but when I look into Derrick’s gorgeous forest green eyes, I know that there is nothing I can’t accomplish if he is by my side.

“Salara.” The sound of my name being called, pulls me from my thoughts and back to the ceremony that I am ill prepared for.

I turn my head to the side so I can face Elder Nigel in order to give him my complete focus. I am terrified that I will make a mistake in front of all of Derrick’s pack and disappoint him. Even though I know he is nothing like Henry, I still can’t help that fear of rejection that lingers in the back of my mind.

‘Breath.’ Leigh tells me in a soft, reassuring voice. ‘I will be here to guide you through this.’ A sense of relief moves through me, some of it coming from Derrick’s firm grasp, but most of it coming from my wolf that I have grown to depend on more and more each day. Sometimes it is hard to remember what it was like to not have the nosey wolf inside of my head.

‘I heard that.’ She chuckles through my mind, causing me to miss something important from Elder Nigel if his expectant look is anything to go by. ‘You have to slice your hand and repeat after him.’ My loud wolf tells me helpfully.

Turning back, I catch sight of Derrick’s amused face, causing my cheeks to burn slightly as I smile up at him shyly. He lifts his hand and runs his fingers lovingly down my right cheek with the love that he feels for me clear on his face for all to see. My heart stutters in my chest from looking at his beauty, a part of me still unable to understand how we could have gotten so lucky with him.

He is absolutely perfect and I could not have asked for a better mate. I can sense Leigh withdraw back in my mind at that thought, but I don’t have time to check on her with so many expectant eyes staring at me. Derrick leans down, giving me a light peck on my lips before pulling back and handing me a beautiful, silver-plated dagger.

The artwork around the dagger was beautiful to look at. Intricate lines were carved into the handle in the shape of vines with flowers that I have only ever seen in my dream world. My eyes widen in surprise when I see one of the unusual flowers that was planted in the garden from my dreams.

Derrick’s hand rubs over mine, his soft eyes trained on my face. “Are you ready?” He asks, putting his hand over top of mine. I nod my head yes and together, we slice into the palm of my hand, the wound burning thanks to the silver blade on the dagger. Derrick runs his hand over mine in comfort, before taking the dagger from my hands and swiftly cutting open the palm of his hands.

Once the cuts have been made, he then hands the dagger back to Elder Nigel before bringing our hands together, causing our blood to mingle together. He kisses the tips of my fingers that are joined with his before straightening himself to his full height. “I, Derrick Lee Brennan, Alpha of the Evergreen Pack accept you Salara-” He pauses mid sentence and gives me a sheepish look.

It took me a while to figure out that poor Derrick has no clue what my middle name is. With everything that has happened, I am not surprised that he wouldn’t know something so trivial. Though you would think that he would have learned specifically for this occasion. Brushing that thought aside, I provide the missing information and he continues.

“Rose Jones to be my mate and my Luna for as long as there is breath left in my body.” The words coming out of his lips sound almost like wedding vows. They spread feelings of warmth and love throughout my system.

“I, Salara Rose Jones, accept you Derrick Lee Brennan to be my mate and my Alpha and I accept this pack-” I turn to face the crowd staring up at us. “The Evergreen Pack as my family and home and vow that I will do everything I can as your Luna to keep you all safe until the end of my time here.”

Cheers erupts all around us at my impromptu acceptance. Something inside of me encouraged me to veer from the normal Luna acceptance that Leigh told me before disappearing and say the words that I felt in my heart. There was something inside of me telling me that if I didn’t say these words now, then I would never get the chance. A feeling that causes me to feel uncomfortable.

As if my thoughts had conjured up the doom that I had been feeling, the sound of a stranger's voice in the crowd brings the remainder of the Luna Ceremony to a halt. “How sweet.” The man says, moving himself forward from the back of the crowd. Derrick’s pack mates part ways to make space for the man, indicating that they know him and he is not a threat.

“What brings you here, Malcom?” Derrick asks, pulling me close to his side and making me feel anxious with his protectiveness.

It was then that I smelled them. An army of wolves were racing towards us in quick movements, growing closer with every second that passes. It was clear that Derrick hadn’t noticed their arrival yet, but before I could say something to warn him, the army of wolves rush through the woods behind us, stopping just outside of the treeline as if waiting for their orders.

“The thing is-'' The man that Derrick called Malcom flashes us a predatory smile. “We know all about the prophecy and what she-” He points in my direction. “Is supposed to bring to us all.” He spreads out his hands to encompass everyone in attendance as if he was trying to get them on his side. “And we can not allow for that to happen.”

My heart stutters in my chest as fear overtakes me. What if Derrick’s pack gives me to this man in order to save themselve? I mean, I am new to the pack and I have caused nothing but trouble since my arrival, so why would they side with me?

Derrick takes a step forward, placing me behind him as he lets out a menacing growl that is moer fierce than anything I have ever heard come out of him before. “You will not touch a hair on my Luna’s head.”