Chapter 146 The Luna's Rite (I)
Kristen's POV
It's hard to stay put at this point when I know the time for the Luna's rite is here. Something which has given me sleepless nights for the past two days.
The hall is jam-packed with over a thousand people from our pack to witness this. And everyone is wearing modern outfits, save for me who's dressed like a woman in the 17th century.
All eyes are on me, waiting to see what next will take place. They're watching me with caution as if I am a newly made sculpture, protected by a glass case at the museum.
All their phones and tabs were seized from them so they wouldn't take pictures or film me as the ritual takes place, as it is forbidden.
The Luna's rite was something that occurred three centuries ago in the Greyhound pack, so none of them were able to witness it. That's why everyone is eager for tonight, I am sure they've anticipated this for the past few days.
With instructions from the big black book, two servants are holding each of my arms. Waiting for the right time to push me down the swings where I'll fall and land into the bull's blood.
Yes. They never mentioned I'd bathe in the bull's blood until tonight. Even the Greyhound elders weren't aware of this, until they went through the books earlier this evening and figured that I'd have to bathe in the bull's blood before eating its heart and restless. It's because I gave birth to a boy and not a girl, so the ritual is even more brutal for me.
I harden my jaw to withhold the wide range of emotions I am feeling inside of me, wordlessly praying in my heart that I don't fail this test, or it would separate me and Calhoun for life. And Aiden will never get to know his father.
There'd be no marriage, Calhoun would have to reject me as his mate and find someone else to marry and make his Luna.
I doubt I will be able to live with such pain.
The omegas are instructed to slam beat the drums, something which is creating this uneasiness in me because, at each slam of the drum, I feel entirely uncomfortable. They're waiting for Elder Adolphus to instruct them to stop, so the Luna's rite can finally begin.
My eyes travel across the hall until they stop at Calhoun, who's on his Alpha's stand, along with Bruce and a few of his men standing right behind him.
He's carrying Aiden in the baby carrier and this threatens to bring a smile on my face.
Calhoun is holding our son because he doesn't want the accident that happened the last time to repeat itself. Where a maid accidentally dropped Aiden and he got injured, and almost lost his eye.
And the look on Calhoun's face says a different thing. I haven't seen him look this way before.
Not angry, emotional, or even sad. Just a calm demeanor, and I can feel he has something up to his sleeves tonight.
What are you planning, Calhoun?
The rise of the drums sound has my heart racing in my chest, and then I shift my gaze to my friends, Maddy and Sapphire. They're unusually quiet, and I can already perceive their fear all the way from here.
We've been friends since freshman year and they never thought I'd be thrown in such a position. They're so afraid for my sake that I will fail this test tonight.
It hits me hard that I have no family member to be present tonight. Dad is six feet down and Mom is in the dungeon, contemplating her sins.
But on the other hand, this reminds me that I have to harden my heart and strengthen myself.
When Elder Adolphus raises his hand, the beating of the drum goes to a halt.
"You're all aware why we are gathered tonight," he starts addressing the crowd.
"The last time the Luna's rite took place was three centuries ago, and none of us existed then. Now, due to circumstances that could not be tackled, we're to have another Luna's rite for the first time in Three hundred years," he explains and there are a few murmurs here and there.
Silence falls as Elder Adolphus carries on, and I am grateful there are no claps and cheers because this is not a night of celebration. Rather, it'd guarantee if I'd remain in this pack and get to be with Calhoun. "As we all know, Kristen is Calhoun's mate and she'll be his wife in a few days. But because she gave birth to Calhoun's first son, Aiden, right before marriage, she has to perform the Luna's rite before she can be his wife and Luna to us all." Elder Adolphus looks away from the crowd just to face me.
"Kristen will be needing our prayers to do this, as it is a tough one. A faint-hearted person cannot do this, but tonight, she's determined to undergo this, irrespective of what the result might be." He pauses and looks through the crowd.
"Let the Luna's rite begin," and immediately there's another quick drum roll.
I shut my eyes as I count to ten, waiting for the maids to be instructed to push me down the slides.
My breathing is getting quick, making me light-headed and woozy.
And I am on number seven when it happens.
The push is harder than I predicted and it takes me by surprise
because I wasn't expecting it.
Upon opening my eyes in a rush, I see myself flowing down the slides and with a loud slosh, I fall into the pool of blood.
Panic punches through my lungs because it's deeper than I thought,
and my heart begins thumping in my chest with force. I wonder how many bulls were killed because this is a blood bath. Pure, thick blood with no mixture of water.
Holding my breath, I kick my legs and spread out my arms until I resurface the pool of blood.
All the Greyhound pack members are already chanting a word that I cannot even decipher. Except Calhoun. Aiden is being fussy and Calhoun is giving him milk through the feeding bottle, so it's a bit hard for him to concentrate on me.
Two men step forward to help me out of the pool, and when my feet touch the ground, the chants die and the room goes silent. From the crown of my head and the soles of my feet, I am soaked in blood. And even the blood is creating a small pool around me.
It's like a night of gore, save for the fact that no one is out here to eat the fresh testicles and heart of a bull, except me.
My eyes fasten to Nana Joyce, just in time to see her staring at me with so much admiration in her eyes. Something which signifies that
I did well.
The old me would have panicked right before I was pushed down the slides, but I must admit that this new me is growing up. My mentality changed since Aiden sprung out of me five days ago.