Her insides swelled with an indescribable joy as each clank of her magnificent boots blessed the hall floors. They were black and threaded, with gleaming gold soles. They were a bit weighty, yes, but they weighed like the treasures they were. Totally worth it. A few students from the academy stopped, gawking openly at her feet. Just as she wanted it. She savoured every bit of it. The castle was definitely her runway.
Her cousins spotted her instantly.
"Freya!" Nadia pulled her in a huge hug.
"How's my little munchkin?" Erwin chimed from behind.
Freya's eyes widened, caught completely off guard. "I'm not your little munchkin" she cleared that up quickly.
He made an "eh" with his face, scrunching his nose under his downturned mouth. "Sassy pants will do"
"Oh, she got you good," Nadia said, looking up at him from over her shoulder, nodding approvingly at her.
"Yeah, no one asked"
"Whoa. Would you look at those" Nadia gasped at Freya's boots in complete admiration.. "By the Moon, they're gorgeous" she groaned to the ceilings, eyes rolled back, her hands in fists.
"Whatcha got there, munchkin?" Erwin teased.
"You mean these?" Freya feigned condescension. "I traded them off some items"
"Pretty good, bargain"
"They are not of this world"
She flicked her hair dramatically.
"How can you afford these?"
"What did you trade them for?"
Freya dropped the act for a moment. "Who cares?" She grinned. "They're mine now"
Erwin hummed conspiratorially "Don't want Daddy to find out, huh?" He slung an arm over her shoulder tugging her close with a grin. "Don't worry it'll be just between you and me" he lowered his voice.
Freya's face fell.
"My lips are sealed"
She stepped away from him first. "You're the last person I'd want to keep secrets with". She got into character again. "Now, if you'll excuse me–" She flicked her hair. "I'm going to my friends," she said, her voice affected with condescension. She strutted off toward a group nearby.
"Man," Erwin watched her go. "She's like how old again?"
"She turns 13 soon. Teen angst" Nadia whispered.
"Hm" Erwin sort of considered that for a while. "I'll take that" he nodded.
"Is Floyd heading back with us?" Nadia suddenly asked.
"Doubt it. Speaking of, where is he?" He lifted his goblet. "Probably stuffing his face in books–Waoh!" His drink wobbled dangerously as he bumped into someone.
"So sorry" The girl in an orange dress apologized.
"Nah, it's okay. You're good" He paused, studying her face, and not letting either of them move just yet. Clara followed his face, amused. He looked at her quizzically. He'd never seen this beautiful face around the castle before. "Have we met?"
"No… actually. I'm Selena's sister"
"Selena? Who's that?"
"The Luna"
"Ooooh…happy to meet you, my name's Erwin." They shook hands. "Cousin to the Alpha," He said with a playful lilt, sort of French. "Although he's a dickhead and I haven't seen him all night"
Her head bounced with the movement of their handshake. "Clara, nice to meet you"
"Clara!" Someone called across the crowd over Erwin's shoulder.
"Clara, over here!" Selena waves her over.
"It was nice meeting you…Erwin" she slipped past him.
"Selena, I've looked everywhere for you" she held her sister by her shoulders. She searched her sister's guilty face. "Don't tell me…", trailed off.
"Yes" Selena threw her hands in the air. "I was with Callum"
"What?"
"I knowww"
Stay away from him. This isn't healthy for you"
The lights suddenly went out. The chatter in the throng grew quiet. Torches along the walls dimly lit the hall with their orange flames. Through the skylight dome, the moon splashed through the glass ceilings, basking their skins in its ghostly pale tint. Erratic beating of drums and chantings arose from the altar.
"Oh! It's starting!" Nadia grabbed Erwin's sleeve, pointing toward the altar.
Clara looked over to Selena. She couldn't be serious right now. "What're you waiting for? Go Go Go!" She quietly urged her.
At the altar, Lucian stepped forward alone, bare-chested. Beneath knitted brows, his eyes were deep-set and cold beyond the gathering. He dropped to one knee before his father. Alpha Renwick laid a broad hand on his shoulder. "Moonglade, one and all" his voice boomed. "I present to you my son today, that you might accept him as your next ruler!" With that, he made a mild cut in his palm with an iron scalpel and taking his son's shaky hand, he repeated the act.
Selena's heart fluttered despite herself under the sight of his toned abs as he strode to perform the rites of the passage of leadership. His glistening skin. His perfectly cut hair. And most of all, those ivy-green eyes even as they strictly avoided hers, made her wolf sing with pride. Her wolf knew joy today. But she wasn't sure about herself in the coming days. She dabbed her eyes severally with a cloth beneath her veil.
Within the crowd, Callum's glassy eyes shone under the moonlight locked on Selena as she stepped forward. She was devastatingly beautiful in her dark dress. The lunar crown sat on her head, scintillating. And when she stood hand-in-hand with Lucian for all to see after Uncle Bane had invoked the Moon Goddess to bless their bond, he didn't need her to pull the veil over to know what she was feeling at that moment. The same sadness tugged at his chest.
After all was said and done, the ritual ended with the pack howling skyward in unison toward the skylight dome ceiling, right under the full moon.
Then came the feast. One loud celebration with long tables, roasted meat, overflowing goblets of wine. Laughter rolled like thunder as the assembly grew louder, messier, and rowdier.
A sudden noise gathered the attention of the crowd. Freya had collapsed.