Chapter 40: The Full Moon Ceremony

The full moon rose over Lunaris like a silver crown.

For three days, I had told everyone I wasn't nervous.

By sunset, I had changed dresses twice, walked out of my room without shoes, forgotten the ceremonial speech on my desk, and nearly snapped at Tessa because she asked whether I wanted my hair up or down.

"Nervous?" she asked again.

"No."

Rhea, sitting on my bed, snorted.

"You tried to put your earring in your hair."

"I was distracted."

"Terrified."

"You're supposed to support me."

"I am. By documenting this for future blackmail."

Mom entered before I could throw a pillow at her.

She stopped when she saw me.

For the ceremony, I wore a long ivory dress with fine golden embroidery along the sleeves. It wasn't the traditional Lunaris Alpha gown. That one had been destroyed eighteen years ago.

This was new.

That mattered.

Mom touched the crescent pendant at my throat.

"Your grandfather would've cried."

"Everyone keeps telling me what Grandfather would've done."

"He cried easily."

"Nobody told me that part."

"He would've denied it."

She smiled, but tears filled her eyes.

I hugged her.

"Don't start or I'll start."

"Too late."

Outside, the restored courtyard was filled with wolves.

Not thousands.

Lunaris wasn't that large anymore.

But hundreds had come.

Survivors.

Children of survivors.

Families who had hidden under different Pack names.

Representatives from Nightvale and Stormridge.

Even Silvercrest had sent a formal delegation, though Alpha Alaric Snowe stayed away while investigators examined his family's historical involvement.

Elodie came independently.

Knox stood with Stormridge.

Rowan stood with Nightvale.

Neither stood beside me.

Tonight wasn't about them.

At the center of the courtyard, the old cedar stretched over a newly carved stone platform.

Mireya waited there.

Cassian stood to her right.

Rhea stood to her left.

The Moon Court observers sat farther back.

When I entered, the courtyard went silent.

My wolf lifted her head.

Not afraid.

Aware.

Every step toward the cedar seemed to echo.

I remembered the first time I had come here.

Ruins.

Ash.

A hidden chamber.

My grandfather's voice.

Now lanterns glowed along rebuilt walls.

Children sat on their parents' shoulders.

The old crest had been restored above the arch, but one change had been made.

Two lines now crossed the crescent instead of one.

One for me.

One for Rhea.

Mireya raised her hand.

"Nessa Arden, daughter of Selene Lunaris, granddaughter of Aurelius Lunaris, the surviving Pack has called you before the moon."

I swallowed.

"Do you answer?"

"I do."

"Do you claim ownership of Lunaris?"

The question surprised several outsiders.

I knew the correct answer.

"No."

Mireya smiled.

"Do you claim ownership of its wolves?"

"No."

"Do you claim the right to command because of blood alone?"

"No."

"Then what do you claim?"

I looked around.

At people who had spent eighteen years without their Pack.

"The responsibility to serve if they choose me."

The silence deepened.

Mireya turned to the gathered wolves.

"Those who recognize Nessa as Alpha candidate, step forward."

For one terrible second, nobody moved.

Then Garrick stepped forward.

Lyra followed.

Cassian.

Mom.

Rhea.

One by one, the courtyard filled.

Some remained where they were.

I didn't resent them.

They had the right not to choose me.

Mireya looked toward Rhea.

"Rhea Lunaris, recognized blood heir and Keeper candidate, do you challenge Nessa's Alpha recognition?"

Rhea stepped onto the platform.

Her gold-silver eyes met mine.

"Yes."

My heart stopped.

Cassian made a strangled sound.

Rhea's mouth twitched.

Then she continued.

"I challenge her to stop trying to carry everything alone."

Several people laughed.

I glared.

"Seriously?"

"Very."

She faced the crowd.

"I don't want the Alpha seat. I want the archives, survivor protections, historical records, and the authority to annoy her whenever she becomes stupid."

"That's not an official title."

"It will be."

Mireya was openly laughing now.

"Do you withdraw your Alpha candidacy voluntarily?"

Rhea nodded.

"I do."

The bloodstone pieces were brought forward.

Mine glowed gold.

Rhea's glowed silver-gold.

She placed her half beside mine.

The pieces did not fuse.

Instead, both lights spread into the stone platform.

The ground hummed.

My wolf surged.

A command formed inside me.

Not words.

Connection.

I felt the Pack.

Fear.

Hope.

Grief.

Curiosity.

Hundreds of emotions brushed against mine without overwhelming me.

I gasped.

Mireya whispered, "Don't fight it."

"I can feel them."

"They can feel you too."

That was terrifying.

I breathed slowly.

Then I understood the final part of the ceremony.

An Alpha wasn't supposed to crush those emotions.

She was supposed to stand steady inside them.

I opened myself to the bond.

Golden light erupted from the platform.

Wolves shifted across the courtyard.

Howls rose beneath the moon.

My own wolf burst free.

My body transformed smoothly.

Silver-white fur.

Golden eyes.

Lighter and sleeker than the wolf I had once imagined I could become.

But tonight, I didn't think about whether she was beautiful.

I thought about whether she was mine.

She was.

I lifted my head and howled.

The Pack answered.

When I shifted back, Rowan had tears in his eyes.

I pointed at him from across the courtyard.

He immediately wiped them.

Later, after the ceremony, he found me beneath the cedar.

"Congratulations, Alpha Lunaris."

"Don't call me that like you're making fun of me."

"I'm absolutely making fun of you."

I leaned against the tree.

"Was I terrible?"

"You were terrifying."

"Rowan."

"You were good."

His expression softened.

"Really good."

I looked toward the celebrating Pack.

"I'm scared."

"I know."

"What if I mess this up?"

"You will."

I stared at him.

"Excellent support."

"Everyone in power makes mistakes."

He stepped closer.

"The question is whether you listen when people tell you."

"Rhea will definitely tell me."

"Violently."

"Probably."

He smiled.

Then his expression became serious.

"There's something else."

Of course there was.

"What?"

"Marcus asked to speak with you."

My good mood disappeared.

"Why?"

"He says Project Moon Crown isn't finished."

I folded my arms.

"Convenient."

"He also says the person running it now isn't him."

A chill moved through me.

"Who?"

"He won't tell anyone except you."

Behind us, Lunaris wolves celebrated their first Alpha ceremony in eighteen years.

I looked up at the moon.

Apparently I was getting exactly one peaceful hour as Alpha.

"Fine," I said.

"Tomorrow."

Rowan nodded.

"Tomorrow."

Tonight, I turned back toward my Pack.

Whatever Marcus wanted could wait until morning.