Chapter 14

Eclipse had a high counsel, and as I stood in front of them with Elroy they were all trying to yell over each other. I probably should have felt more dread, but after almost an hour of this stupid back and forth I was mostly just annoyed.

Granted, my lack of anxiety was mostly because Elroy clearly didn’t believe Louisa’s tale. I felt a twinge of guilt at the show of trust, but it was better this way. If he ever found out—no, I didn’t want to think about it.

Still, my mind was racing. Elroy had the final say, sure, but I would never be respected as this pack’s Luna if I didn’t put this to rest, and I hated making him fight his own council for me.

“I can’t believe you’re all so blind,” Elroy sighed, deeply frustrated. “IF Olivia was dormant, then she’d be sick and weak. Our own pack doctors have given her a clean bill of health, so what more do you need?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be hard to prove it,” one man said pointedly, glaring at me.

“Watch yourself,” Elroy growled, suddenly heated. “She may not be your Luna yet, but she’s still my Mate. She has my Mark on her neck and by child in her belly, and you will show her the respect she’s due for it.”

And okay, yeah, I could admit his reaction was hot, but I couldn’t help but feel touched at the same time. He was going through hell to defend me, and I couldn’t put that burden on him.

Besides, this situation wouldn’t be solved just by pointing out my Mark. All of Lunaris had seen that video by now, there were already posts and commentaries popping up all over the internet, and even some on the TV. Louisa had wanted to make this too big to ignore, and she’d succeeded.

The only option left to me was a definitive counter. I had to show them I could shift, as soon as possible.

If ‘as soon as possible’ happened to fall on the day of the Luna ceremony, I’d just have to make it work.

“If you’re so worried, reinstate the ancient rites,” I said, pretending like my heart wasn’t jackhammering out of my chest. “Both Alpha and Luna historically shifted to receive the Moon Goddess’s blessing. Would you have a problem with that, Elroy?”

“I wouldn’t,” he said, one eyebrow raised and something a little like worry hiding behind his pride. “But are you sure? I mean, shifting in front of someone is seen as much more intimate now than it was back then, I don’t want to make you do it.”

“I’m sure,” I announced firmly. “It’ll be worth it just to shut Louisa up for good.”

Elroy’s grin was sharp and wide as he said, “Then that’s what we’ll do. Are there any objections among the council?” There was some muttering around the room, but no one spoke up.

Elroy stood up, signaling the end to this emergency meeting. “Great, so it’s decided. We’ll add the rites to the ceremony and put this to bed. Dismissed.”

Clearly the counsel was less than pleased, but there wasn’t really anything they could say so they started to filter out. Elroy turned to me, looking proud and self-satisfied. I wished I felt the same.

“Good thinking,” he praised, smiling. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s faces—oh, also, I think I hate your sister.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank the Goddess,” I said, “because I’d never willingly spend time with anyone who actually likes her.”

“Well, glad I pass the test,” Elroy shrugged. “It was obvious from the way you talked earlier that you’re a born leader. You’re exactly the Luna that Eclipse needs.”

I didn’t realize how much I’d needed those words until they were falling out of Elroy’s mouth. I had worked for years to become the best Luna I could be, and I’d never been shown any kind of acceptance for it before. I couldn’t believe I got more recognition at Moonshadow’s archnemesis than I did in my own pack.

“Pardon me,” one of the councilmen interrupted, lips pursed. He didn’t even want to look at me. “But if Miss Harp could follow me, I’ll take her to choose her gown for the ceremony.”

I blinked, a little bubble of excitement forming in me. Oh yeah, the gown. While the Luna ceremony would also serve as our wedding, its primary purpose was to officially induct me into the Eclipse pack and crown me Luna.

It was tradition for a Luna to wear one of the pack’s sacred garments. She could adjust and alter it as she pleased, but it was symbolic of her stepping into the shoes of the Lunas before her. The dresses were white, symbolizing the blessed light of the Moon Goddess, and it was almost like choosing a wedding dress again.

A girlish part of me was giddy at the idea. My own wedding dress wasn’t one I ever wanted to look at again, so it would be nice to get a sort of redo.

“Alright,” I nodded. “I don’t believe you needed anything else from me?”

“Aww, so I’m not invited?”

“No,” I smirked at him. “You’ll wait to see the dress just like everybody else.”

“I’ll wheedle it out of you before the ceremony,” Elroy promised. My grin just grew. It was going to be fun frustrating him at every turn.

“Uh-huh. Please lead the way, esteemed councilman.”

Based on Elroy’s pleased pheromones, he didn’t mind the challenge.

I should have known the council would do their best to sabotage me. They hadn’t liked me before Louisa’s video, citing my prior engagement and my affiliation with Moonshadow, and now they downright hated me. I was surprised they’d be this petty though.

These weren’t gowns, these were rags.

The fabric was discolored, there were rips and moth holes, some of them weren’t even finished. They must have dug deep into the very back of Eclipse’s vault to pull these out. They’d obviously been forgotten about some time ago.

Well if the council wanted to play checkers then I was going to pull out the chess.

I picked the worst possible dress. It was nothing but a paper-thin bodice, the seams unravelling and whatever beads it once held long since fallen off, and an empty skirt frame. There was no way to make it wearable, not in just four days.

At least, he thought there wasn’t.

“Jordan,” I said, throwing open the doors to the Pearl Room to find my personal maid tidying up. “You said you kept all those sewing supplies, right?”

“Yes, Luna,” she said, looking confused at the ‘garment’ I was carrying. We’d gotten to know each other a little bit, and she’d confided in me that she’d dreamed of being a fashion designer before she’d presented as an Omega. This pack didn’t allow Omegas to get jobs doing anything but cooking or housework.

“Good,” I grinned, “because you’re making me a gown.”

Through Elroy’s Eyes

I was frustrated, and I was antsy, and it wasn’t actually for the ceremony. No, Olivia had managed to keep her promise of not showing me the dress, and more importantly, she’d been so busy working on it I hadn’t been able to see her once since the council meeting.

I didn’t like that. I wanted to see her, at least for a moment. My wolf demanded I care for and dote on her as much as possible, insisting that I see to her needs while she was busy building our child, but nothing I’d done in the last four days had afforded me even a glimpse of her.

It was driving me insane, and I think she might have known it. That minx.

Aside from my own desire to see her, I wanted to make sure she’d be alright tonight. It would be her first shift, and those were notoriously painful. My mother said the rituals had gone perfectly, but I was still worried.

She was probably far more worried than me.

I looked up to the full moon above me, silently sending up a prayer. Moon Goddess, please let this work. The music started, and I looked down the aisle to where my Mate would be making her entrance.

She turned the corner, and my eyes widened. I held my breath as she began to walk towards me in the moonlight, hardly able to believe what I saw. Nothing had ever been so gorgeous.