Chapter 129 Dancing In Front Of Everyone
The eastern hall had grown warmer by the time Mara closed the heavy ceremonial book again. The sunlight had shifted from pale gold to something brighter, streaming through the high windows and stretching long shadows across the polished floor.
My head was already swimming with everything she had explained.
The vigil.
The moon walk.
The shared flame.
The lanterns.
The howl.
It felt like an entire lifetime of traditions had just been dropped on my shoulders overnight.
I leaned against one of the pillars and exhaled slowly.
“Please tell me that was the last one.”
Mara studied me for a moment, and something like amusement flickered across her face.
“Almost.”
I groaned.
“Of course.”
She picked the book up again, but instead of opening it right away, she walked toward the center of the hall.
“Come here.”
I pushed myself off the pillar and followed her.
The middle of the room had a circular pattern carved into the stone floor. I had noticed it earlier but assumed it was just decoration.
Apparently not.
Mara stopped at the edge of the circle and tapped the stone lightly with the tip of her shoe.
“This is where the final rite takes place.”
I crossed my arms.
“Please don’t tell me I have to memorize a speech.”
“You don’t.”
“Good.”
“This one doesn’t involve words.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“That’s promising.”
Mara opened the book and glanced down at the page briefly before speaking.
“The final ritual is called the Binding Dance.”
The name alone made me suspicious.
“Binding dance?”
“Yes.”
I tilted my head.
“That sounds like a mating ritual.”
Mara’s eyes snapped up immediately.
“It is not.”
Her tone was so firm that I actually blinked.
“Okay, okay.”
She stepped into the circle and gestured for me to do the same.I hesitated for half a second before walking onto the carved stone.The floor felt slightly different here,cooler, smoother.
“This is the Balance Step,” Mara explained.
“Balance step?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you and the Alpha stand here together.”
“So Darius and I.”
“Yes.”
“And then what?”
“You dance.”
I stared at her.
“You’re kidding.”
“I am not.”
I rubbed my face slowly.
“Of course we dance.”
She ignored my sarcasm.
“The dance is slow and deliberate.”
I glanced down at the circle again.
“Is the whole pack watching this?”
“Yes.”
Fantastic.
“So I get to embarrass myself in front of everyone.”
“You will not embarrass yourself.”
“You clearly haven’t seen me dance.”
Mara almost smiled again. “The purpose of the dance is symbolic.”
“Symbolic of what?”
She stepped forward and demonstrated two slow steps across the stone.“Balance.”
I watched carefully.
“No dominance.” She stepped again. “No submission.”Her voice carried quiet authority as she spoke.“This dance is about equality.”
I frowned slightly.
“That’s… unexpected.”
“In what way?”
“I thought most pack traditions were built around hierarchy.”
“They are.”
“Then why this one?”
Mara stopped moving and looked directly at me.“Because leadership cannot exist on dominance alone.”
The words settled into the quiet hall. “The Alpha carries power,” she continued. “But the Luna carries the pack’s heart.”
I swallowed slightly.“And the dance represents that?”
“Yes.”
She walked back toward me and positioned herself across the circle.“Two leaders moving together,Not ahead of one another.Not behind. Side by side.”
I tried to imagine Darius and me doing that.
Slow steps.In front of the entire pack.“Does he know how to do it?”
“Yes.”
“Well that’s reassuring.”
“You will learn it together.”
“Today?”
“Later.”
I groaned again. Mara closed the book with a quiet thump.“There is something else you should understand.”
“What?”
Her voice grew firm again.“This is not a mating ritual.”
I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself.
“Yes, you mentioned that.”
“And I will mention it again if necessary.”
“Why?”
“Because some young wolves misunderstand the meaning.”
I snorted.
“You mean they turn it into something dramatic.”
“Yes.”
“Or romantic.”
“Yes.”
“Or embarrassing.”
“Exactly.”
I shook my head.
“So the whole pack stands around watching us slow dance under the moon.”
“It is not a slow dance.”
“That’s literally what you just described.”
“It is a ceremonial movement.”
“Sounds like a slow dance.”
Mara pinched the bridge of her nose.“Lyra.”
“Yes?”
“The bond between Alpha and Luna is acknowledged here.”
“Okay.”
“But it is not exploited.”
I tilted my head slightly.
“What does that mean?”
“It means the ceremony does not belong to your private bond.” Her gaze was steady.“It belongs to the pack.” The seriousness in her voice made me stop joking.
“So it’s about responsibility.”
“Yes.”
“Not romance.”
“Correct.”
I thought about that for a moment.Then I nodded slowly. “That actually makes sense.”
The hall fell quiet again.
For the first time since the lessons began that morning, Mara didn’t open the book again.
She simply watched me.
“What?” I asked.
“You are thinking.”
“That’s dangerous.”
“I disagree.”
I leaned against one of the carved pillars again.
“Thirty-five years.”
Mara blinked.
“What?”
“You said the last Luna was thirty-five years ago.”
“Yes.”
“That’s a long time.”
“It is.”
“What happened?”
Mara’s expression softened slightly.
“She died.”
I already knew the answer before she finished the sentence.
“Childbirth.”
The word hung heavily between us. Darius’s mother. I had heard the story before, but hearing it now felt different. Because suddenly I wasn’t just Darius’s mate.I was the next Luna.I ran a hand through my hair slowly.“So the pack hasn’t had a Luna in three and a half decades.”
“No.”
“And now they get me.”
Mara didn’t answer right away.“Lucky us.”She walked closer until she stood directly in front of me.
“You think they resent you.”
I didn’t deny it.“Some of them probably do.”
“Perhaps.”
“Especially the ones who think hybrids shouldn’t exist.” Her gaze remained calm.
“Yes.”
“Or the ones who think I caused the hybrid attacks.”
“That rumor will fade.”
“Will it?”
“Yes.”
I crossed my arms again. “You seem very confident.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
Mara studied me for a long moment before answering. “Because you stayed.”
I frowned slightly.
“Stayed?”
“You could have left after the trial.”
That was true.
“You could have refused this position.”
Also true.
“You could have walked away from the pack entirely.”
“Maybe.”
“But you didn’t.”
I looked down at the stone floor again.
“No.”
“You are still here.”
Her voice softened. “You are still trying.” Something in my chest tightened.
“I’m not exactly doing a great job.”
“That is not true.” she smiled .
“I barely understand half these traditions.”
“You will.”
“I’m probably going to mess up the ceremony.”
“You won’t, child.”
“You have an impressive amount of faith in me.” Mara smiled faintly.
“Faith maybe the right word.”
I looked at her.
“You care about this pack.”
“Of course I do.”
“And that is why you will be a good Luna.”
The certainty in her voice made something warm settle in my chest.“I’m still terrified.”
“That is normal.”
“I’m also very tired.” I smirked.
“That is also normal.”
“And tomorrow I have to lead an entire pack in preparationa for the ceremony.”
“Yes.”
I sighed dramatically. “Fantastic.”
Mara laughed quietly.The sound surprised me.Then she placed a hand on my shoulder.
“The pack has not had a Luna in thirty-five years.”
“I remember.”
“And yet here you are.”
I glanced at her.
She shook her head gently.Her voice carried quiet sincerity. “ we are a Lucky lot.”
I blinked.
Mara’s smile was small but genuine.
“Because you gave the pack a chance.”