Elara woke up to voices
There were not loud voices, but they were clear enough for her to hear every word.
"…I'm telling you, it's never happened before."
"That doesn't mean it can't happen now."
"She's the Alpha's daughter."
"And she has no wolf."
Elara sat up slowly on her bed so she did not make any sound as she wanted to continue hearing what they had to say. She didn't need to move towards the door. She heard voices coming from the hallway outside her room.
"She stood in the circle for over ten minutes."
"I saw her. There was nothing."
"No glow. No shift. Nothing."
Then another voice came, this time lower.
"They are already calling her Moonless."
Elara swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her hands were sweaty and her chest was tighter than ever. And when she could no longer sit and listen, she walked to the door and pulled it open.
The voices stopped.
Three Pack members stood very close to her door, all of them adults, all of them had known her since she was a child.
None of them wanted theirs and her eyes to meet
"Say it again," Elara said.
One of them mumbled. "We didn't mean—-"
Another person shifted. "You should be resting, Elara."
"I asked you to say it again."
Then the third person finally answered. "People are talking."
Elara nodded. "I know."
She looked at them one after the other.
"You can talk somewhere else."
They didn't argue. They stepped back and walked away without saying another word.
Elara went back to her room, leaned against the wall for a few minutes before she finally went back to sit on her bed.
Someone knocked.
"Come in."
Her mother entered first and then her father followed.
Two of them looked very worried.
"You should have stayed in bed," her mother said.
"I was awake." Elara replied.
Her father closed the door behind him and came closer.
"We told the Pack to give you space."
"They didn't listen."
Her mother sitting beside her reached for hand. Elara reluctantly let her take it.
"How are you feeling?"
Elara looked at her. "Like everyone already decided who I am."
Her father crossed his arms. "The ceremony does not change who you are."
"Father, it does, it changes everything" Elara said.
He didn't say a word.
"Are they going to announce it?" Elara asked
"Not yet." her father said quickly. "Not yet."
"Not yet," Elara repeated. "So later"
"We need more time" her father said.
"For what?"
"For answers."
Elara shook her head. "There are no answers, I didn't get a wolf."
Her mother cut in. "Sometimes it happens late."
"No one in our bloodline has ever awakened their wolf late, ever." Elara said.
Her father looked away, obviously worried and confused as he didn't know what to do.
"Thats enough."
"So what now?" Elara asked
"For now, nothing changes."
"That's not true."
"Your position is secure, but for how long?"
Elara was pacing the room when another knock sounded.
Her brother came in looking disturbed.
"I've heard people talking." he said
Elara looked at him and remembered how he had shifted three years ago. His wolf came easily and everybody celebrated.
"I'm fine." she said.
He nodded, not knowing what to say.
"If you need anything—"
"I don't."
He swallowed hard. "Okay"
He left quickly. Her older sister had not come to check on her
Elara noticed. Her mother noticed too.
"She's giving you space." her mother said forcefully.
Elara gave a short laugh.
"That's one way to call it."
Her father cleared his throat. "The council wants to meet."
"When?"
"Tonight."
"About me?"
"About the Pack."
Their eyes met. "About me"
Her father didn't deny it
"Am I invited?" Elara asked
"No"
Elara nodded. "Of course not."
"Elara—"
"It's fine."
She didn't like it, but she didn't argue.
After they were gone, Elara sat on the edge of her bed and looked at the floor. She didn't cry. She didn't scream. She waited.
Later, she took the long way across the grounds. When she walked by, people stopped talking. Some looked away. Some stared.
She heard it again.
"Moonless."
She kept walking.
That night, she pulled up alongside the council chamber where she knew they would be having their meeting. She didn't stray far enough that she couldn't catch voices through the closed door.
"…the Duran Pack will notice."
"They already have."
"She shouldn't attend."
"She has to"
"If she stands there without her wolf—"
"Then we might control the narrative."
Elara stepped away before anyone could notice.
She turned and walked away
A member of the Pack caught up to her and called out. "Elara."
"Yes?"
"You have a message."
"Message?", "from who?"
"The Duran Pack."
Her heart skipped a beat. "What kind of message?"
He hesitated. "Questions"
"About what?"
"About you"
Elara nodded in
"Did they say who sent it?"
"Yes."
She waited.
"Kael."
She didn't expect to hear that
"Thank you,"
That night, her father called her into his room where her mother also was.
"The Moon Oath ceremony is in two days," he said.
"I know."
"You will attend."
Elara looked up at him. "I thought you didn't want me seen."
"No, I never said that"
"I want you seen properly."
"And what does that mean?" she said.
He hesitated. "Unbonded. Not cursed."
Elara folded her arms. "So I go and stand there, and let them decide who I am."
"You stand there as my daughter."
She looked at him. "Or as your problem."
He didn't answer.
Her mother sighed. "If you don't go, they'll assume the worst."
"And if I do go?"
"They'll watch."
Elara nodded. "They already are."
She stood. "I'll go."
"Good," her father said. "We'll present you carefully."
He looked at her. "We'll discuss the details tomorrow."
She left without agreeing.
Then the next morning came, preparations began fully for the upcoming Moon Oath Ceremony
People whispered. Lower rank members of the Pack watched her now more closely than usual.
A seamstress asked, "Do you want something modest?"
Elara met her eyes. "I want something honest."
The woman nodded.
That afternoon, someone approached her quietly.
"Elara."
"Yes?"
"The Alpha requests your presence."
Elara froze. "Which Alpha?"
"Kael asked for you by name."
Elara stood still frozen.
Her father approached her slowly.
"Kael has requested you specifically."
And Elara understood one thing clearly.
The Moon Oath ceremony was no longer optional.