Bond of Blood and Moonlight 

Sunlight danced across the sky, bathing everything in its path with brilliant beams of gold. It was the second week of April, and the beginning of a new London season. Young ladies from various packs and clans between the ages of 18 and 21 were ready to make their debut into society and find their soulmate.

Standing before her large gold mirror, Jacqueline Bradford felt a jumble of emotions flowing through her body. She was excited, nervous, anxious, and confident all at once. At the age of 18, it was her first London season, and she was hoping to find her perfect mate.

Jacqueline was the daughter of Lord and Lady Bradford. Her father, Arthur, was the third Baron Bradford, and Olivia was the second daughter of Viscount Greystone. Arthur had tragically passed away three years prior due to scarlet fever.

Unlike normal supernatural creatures, Jacqueline was far from that. She was an immortal wolf, Arthur being a vampire and Olivia being a werewolf. She and her twin brother James had both vampire and werewolf blood running through their veins.

For her debut ball, Jacqueline wouldn't be wearing white. At least, not pure white. The gown she was wearing was composed of cream silk with off the shoulder sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. Blue diamonds and lavender moonstones decorated the bodice. The back of the gown was composed of a corset.

Jacqueline examined her gloves, her eyes traveling across the cream silk that was embroidered with small powder blue swirls along the top. Smiling, she snapped her fingers and turned the blue swirls into matching blue diamonds that curled around the opening of each glove. She slid them up to just above her elbows before sliding into her matching cream silk slippers.

James. "You look beautiful my sister."

Jacqueline turned and smiled at him. "Thank you brother. I hope that both of us find our mate by the end of this evening."

James smiled, stepping further into Jacqueline's bedroom and taking her hands. "By the blessings of the moon goddess, I believe we will."

Olivia. "I can tell you that I found your father the night of my debut ball."

Jacqueline smiled at her mother. "Did you?"

Olivia. "I did indeed my love. Your father asked me for the final dance of the evening, which I gladly accepted. My other four dances had not gone very smoothly."

James. "And the one with father did?"

Olivia smiled wistfully. "It did my dear, we fell in love that night on that very dance floor."

Jacqueline. "I miss him terribly."

James hugged her. "We all do, but I believe father would be very proud of both of us. And of mother."

Olivia. "He certainly would be my dear."

James. Well then, shall we head out? I don't believe we want to keep the moon goddess waiting."

Jacqueline giggled. "I'm ready."

Olivia squeezed her shoulder before making sure that her daughter's hair did not come out of its lovely braided bun. "You look perfect."

Jacqueline smiled at her. "Thank you mother."

Stepping out of Bradford Park, the trio climbed into the carriage that was waiting for them and settled back against the tufted seat. Moments later, the carriage began the journey from their country estate and into London toward Kensington Palace. The journey lasted all of five minutes, and before they knew it, they had arrived.

Jacqueline felt her heart sputter as she watched several other ladies and their families stepping out of their carriages. Squaring her shoulders, she climbed out of her own carriage while carefully examining her competition. She knew exactly which ladies were vampires and which were werewolves.

Olivia squeezed her hand as she slid it through her elbow. "Are you ready my dear?"

Jacqueline took a breath. "Yes, indeed I am."

Within moments, the procession of debutantes stepped into Kensington Palace. They were escorted by one of the butlers to a hall where they would wait to be presented. A pair of large gold doors separated the hall from the ballroom where the moon goddess was waiting.

As she watched the first few young ladies being presented, Jacqueline felt a wave of confidence sweep through her. This was it, the day she had been waiting for. The day she would find her mate. The day she would find love.

Half an hour later, the Harold's voice boomed throughout the ballroom. "Presented by her mother, the right honorable lady Olivia Bradford, Miss Jacqueline Bradford."

Her heart flying, Jacqueline took a deep breath before stepping into the ballroom. With poise and elegance, she walked across the ballroom to where the moon goddess was waiting. With a soft smile, she dropped into a perfect curtsy.

A gentle hand came beneath her chin, and Jacqueline found herself staring into a pair of diamond blue eyes. She was spaced to face with Selena. Up close, she realized the moon goddess was magnificent.

Selena smiled. "Flawless my daughter."

Jacqueline felt her heart rate climb ever so slightly, but kept her soft smile composed. Rising from her curtsy, she gave Selena one last glance before turning and making her way further into the ballroom. Her blood was singing with joy. Flawless, she had been called flawless.

Olivia hugged her tightly once she approached. "I heard exactly what she said to you."

Jacqueline smiled against her chest. "I am not going to let that get to my head mother, you know that."

Olivia laughed softly. "I know you won't my dear. You are very humble and kind, attributes that I do not believe some of these young ladies here possess."

Jacqueline giggled. "Some of them do."

The two of them watched the remaining debutantes enter the ballroom and be presented to Selena. Most of them looked incredibly nervous, some a bit too confident. Some looked petrified. Once the final debutante was presented, the ball began.