Alpha's and Amor
The pack house was abuzz with excitement. She-wolves of every caste were running around squealing with anticipation. Elara Belle smiled and rolled her eyes as a pair of young Omega girls bustled passed her, knocking her elbow. They barely noticed their error in their storm of giggles.
Tonight was the Engagement Ceremony of the young Alpha Henry Black to the future Luna of the Silver Moon Pack Jana Belle. Jana was Elara’s older, fairer sister. Their family were Beta’s, not THE Betas but, Betas, nonetheless. Their blood had Alpha in it somewhere centuries down the line. This was the only thing that made Jana acceptable as an Alpha’s Moon-Bound mate and gave her mother an inflated sense of superiority.
Even without the bond Elara knew her sister and Alpha Henry were madly in love. She knew it since they were pups, way before their first shifts. They couldn’t stand being away from each other from the moment their eyes met. When their first moon festival came and their first shift bonded them no one was surprised.
Of course, there were whispers of whether or not it was appropriate for the two of them to keep their bond. Our pack was a small one, and many elders wished for Alpha Henry to marry the daughter of the neighboring Blood Moon pack. Elara remembered being completely enraged at this. The audacity of these wolves to think that they know better than the Moon Goddess Herself.
If Alpha Henry had listened to the vicious whispers he would have broken her sister’s heart and would have made it impossible for Jana to ever have another fated mate. It was rare that the Moon Goddess blessed a fated pair with a Second Chance Mate after they rejected her precious gift.
Elara found herself scowling at the thought as she made her way into her family’s quarters on the Beta side of the Pack House. She could hear her mother’s shrill voice through the door.
“Girls! Girls! Can you not calm yourselves? We must conduct ourselves in a manner fitting the family of our future Luna!!” Margerie Belle scolded her two youngest daughters who were fighting over an ornate moonstone hair comb. “Now, Katya, please give the comb to Lyda. You may wear my Goddess comb on my vanity upstairs, now go!”
Elara entered the foyer to their Modestly luxurious Apartments. They lived comfortably because of their Beta status. Her Mother was rubbing her temples when her expression turned from exhaustion to exasperation.
“Elara Belle!” Mrs. Belle cried, “What are you wearing!?”
“My training gear?” Elara replied nonchalantly. She had spent the morning sweating out her nerves and staying out of her mother’s way to avoid this very thing.
“Child, you will be the death of me, I swear it! Go quickly bathe and get ready for tonight. I don’t need to remind you how important it is for us to show up early AND looking our best.”
“No, Mother, you do not. I just wanted to get in some training before all the forced smiles, and awkward encounters I will experience this evening.” Elara quipped back raising her eyebrow.
“There will be many members of the Blood Moon Pack present tonight. You may be lucky enough to find your fated mate among them, and if the Goddess truly favors us it will be a Beta at least.” Mrs. Belle replied with irritation “I will not have you looking like a sweaty mutt! Now, go get ready!!”
“Yes Mother!” Belle called back as she made her way up the steps to her and Jana’s room. “That woman will drive me to madness!” Elara thought to herself.
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The hot water was beginning to cause the bathroom to steam. Elara shed her training gear carelessly and stepped into the steady falling water. The pulsing flow of the shower head always felt amazing after her training sessions. She lathered her thick long dark chestnut hair with her favorite Apple Blossom Shampoo. The suds slid over her taught body. She scrubbed herself slowly with her loofa appreciating each slender muscle. She earned every single one of them.
Elara was one of Silver Moon Packs best She-wolf warriors. Her mind and body were equally quick and strong. She hadn’t found her fated mate yet, but when she did, she hoped the Goddess would give her one that would appreciate the warrior in her and not expect her to simply look pretty and pump out a large litter of pups like many of the Alpha and Beta females of the pack. She needed her mate to be strong enough to weather her strongest storms, but gentle enough to guide her through them and Love her even more for them.
" I simply don’t believe such a Werewolf exists...therefore, I suppose I will be alone forever!” Elara swiped a hand across the fog covered mirror and sighed. She was attractive in her own way, not as beautiful as Jana, but her looks had their own merits.
Where her sister was fair skinned, Elara was tanned from endless time spent outdoors on missions and training. Where Jana had blue eyes and Golden coiled hair, Elara Had Dark wavy chestnut hair with deep chocolate brown eyes. They were very opposite in their personality as well. Jana was pleasing and demur and full of mercy and Grace. On the other hand, Elara was opinionated, quick to judge and anything but demur. They were as different as night and day, but there were never two closer sisters.
A gentle knock on the bathroom door brought her back to the moment. Jana’s sweet and lilting voice came through “Elara, could you help me with this dress? My fingers are trembling with nerves, and I can’t for the life of me get the fasten this last button.”
“Of course, I can.” Elara smiled as she opened the door to her sister’s pleading eyes. “Turn around.” she said gently. Her steady fingers found the elusive button, and it quickly found its way into the loop. Elara ran a gentle hand down Jana’s sculpted back. “You are a vision. Henry will barely be able to breathe tonight.”
“I thought the Silver gown would be appropriate since Henry will announce me as the packs future Luna tonight. Do you think he will like it?” Jana asked nervously.
“He would be a fool not to like it. Besides, Jana, Alpha Henry would love any gown as long as you were the one wearing it. ” Elara teased as she rested her chin on her sister’s bare shoulder. This brought a thoughtful smile to her sister’s face, but it was quickly replaced with wide eyes a gaping mouth.
“Elara, why are you not dressed yet? Come... hurry, Mother will be furious!” Jana gasped as she realized that her younger sister was still damp from her shower and the Engagement Ceremony was only two hours away.
After one very long hour and a lot of fussing over dressing, hair and makeup, Elara was finally ready for the Ceremony. The results were definitely worth the effort. She stood admiring her reflection.
Her gown was a sapphire blue, trimmed with diamonds that looked like stars hung in the night sky. It was fitted with a slit on the right just above the knee. The bodice had a faux corset look to it with sheer off shoulder sleeves. The train gathered into a bustle at the base of her spine accentuating her hourglass figure. Her brown waves were pulled up into a loose coif secured with an ornate diamond comb.
“Excuse me Madam, but have you seen my Elly?” Elara’s face lit up at the sound of her Father’s voice. “I could have sworn this was her room?” Mr. Belle queried with a mischievous grin.
“Faaaather!” Elara giggled while gently pushing a gloved hand into his chest. Mr. Belle loved all of his daughters, but Ellara was his favorite.
“Ah, there she is! I almost did not recognize you!” Her father jested. “You look very well tonight. You bring great pride to this old wolf’s heart.”
“I feel so very out of my element. I would much rather be wearing my leather leggings and armor. It makes for much better movement!” Elara joked, as she smoothed the satin gown.
“Yes, it would, but it would make for poor matchmaking.” Mrs. Belle chimed in as she entered the room. “We must really be going. The Alpha’s carriage has arrived for us, and we mustn’t keep them waiting.” Elara and Mr. Belle shared a knowing smirk and acquiesced to Mrs. Belle’s demands.
The family of six loaded into the back of Alpha Henry’s ornate carriage emblazoned with the Silver Moon’s Crest of a Single wolf howling up at full moon. “I would much rather walk; it is only a three mile walk to the Alpha’s Mansion.” Elara thought irritated at the waste of it all. She preferred the walk to being crammed into this gaudy carriage with her rambunctious younger sisters and her mother’s crowing.
The driver shut the door as Elara climbed into the car and tucked the train of her dress safely into the foot well. She breathed out the small knot that was forming in her stomach, smiled softly at her saint of a sister Jana twisting her satin gloved hands nervously and was completely unaware that this carriage was driving her reluctantly right to where fate and the Goddess wanted her to be.
