The Meadow that Lies Between

“It’s been seven years since I was promised to the Alpha of our rival pack and kingdom. Today is the day our rivalry ends and our kingdoms join, he will become the strongest Alpha with the largest army to back him and me? I will be his Luna, his Queen.” Isobel wrote these words in her black leather bound diary, her perfect handwriting swirling across the page. Isobel had hoped that she would be writing something different, she wished that the words that were entered into her diary were ones containing the name of her true mate and that this day, this dreaded day was no longer going to happen.

However her mate hadn’t crossed her path yet, it was her fate to marry a man she didn’t love a man she barley even knew. It was her fate to marry Lucas Delgotto, Alpha of the Black Moon Pack. Isobel wasn’t the first in her family to marry someone she wasn’t mated to, her grandmother had done the same but their situations were different. Her grandmother would tell Isobel how at first they didn’t love each other but within time they grew to and though their hearts were not magically bound together by the Moon Goddess Luna, Isobel’s grandfather treated her grandmother like she was his true mate. He was a kind and just husband and Alpha.

‘At least they were from the same Kingdom and had grown up with each other’ Isobel thought to herself. She prayed that her marriage would turn out like that of her grandparent’s, that the rumours that surrounded Lucas were wrong. That what they said about him having a different woman- wolf or human- each night wasn’t true.

Isobel put her fountain pen down and tucked her diary away in her suitcase; there was no way she was going to leave it behind when she left her home. She walked into her bathroom and slipped into the lavender scented bath that she had ran for herself. This was her way of mentally preparing herself for what was to come.

‘But would they defend her against Lucas?’ she thought to herself, after all his reputation was that he was a dominant lover.

For the past fifteen years-since the age of five- Isobel had wondered about her mate, what he looked like, smelt like, how he would claim her. Isobel had witnessed her older sisters finding their mates the way they had been attracted to one another the moment they caught each others scents. Isobel’s eldest sister Kay was mated to an Alpha of near by pack- the Bear Tooth Creek Pack- within their kingdom, this meant that she was not eligible of becoming the ruler of the kingdom. Her second eldest sister, Eliza, was mated to the son of their fathers beta, whom of which would have been beta if Isobel had had any brothers.

(The wolf society had strict rules: All Packs must be run by an Alpha, Each Alpha must be male. Each Kingdom must be ruled by a king, the heir to the kingdom must be male if there are no male heirs, females must marry an existing king and join the two kingdoms.)

Due to these rules Isobel’s father had no choice but to marry off one of his daughters to Lucas Delgotto, and as Isobel was the eldest unmated daughter it had to be her.

“Isobel come on!” Isobel’s mother, Carrie, shouted

Isobel took one last look around her room, noticing that she had left a photo of her family on her bedside table; picking it up she remembered the day it was taken, the perfect, perfect day of her fourteenth birthday. She held it to her chest for several seconds before slipping it in to her suitcase.

Zipping up the sides she sighed this was all of her belongings; one bag, that was all she was allowed to take with her. Her mum would bring it to Isobel’s new home at the Black Moon pack house after the ceremony was finished. There was a tradition that went back thousands of years when wolves united in holy matrimony the bride and her mother would perform a ritual within the bedroom of the newly wedded couple. First the bed would be blessed with a saying, then a moon stone- for life- a rose- for passion- and a crescent moon talisman-for strength were placed around the room. After the blessing had been completed and the objects placed around the room, the mother of the bride would pass on her wisdom, in Isobel and her mothers case that would mean wisdom not only as a wife but also as a Luna and Queen.

Closing the door of her bedroom behind her Isobel made her way down the stairs to where her mother was waiting for her, Isobel's long white gown- with the blue shimmer to it- trailed behind her flowing like a river with the moons rays shimmering off of it. As Isobel reached her mum she looked into her eyes- with tears pricking her own- and asked with a small sniffle

“Do I really have to do this?”

Carrie took her daughters hands in her and sighed taking one of her hands to Isobel’s cheek she wiped away a single tear that had managed to escape then said

“Baby girl, you know why this has to be done. I know Lucas has a bit of a...” she trailed off

“Sexual apatite” Isobel filled in for her. Carrie rolled her eyes at her daughter

“Well I was going to say reputation but yes Isobel. But that is all it is a rumoured reputation, we don’t know if he really is like that.” she paused for a few seconds “Listen as is wife, Luna and his Queen you must be by his side regardless of his reputation” Carrie kissed her daughters forehead before leading her out of the house to where her father was waiting with the car.

As Isobel walked up to her father she saw that he had a tear rolling down his cheek, he gave her a small smile, a smile that showed Isobel that her father was proud of what she was doing for the pack and kingdom but also that he wished there was another way, a way that meant he wouldn’t lose his daughter.

Isobel wrapped her arms around her dads neck and buried her head into his chest. Kai hugged his daughter, his arms around her waist he squeezed a little tighter as felt her chest heave with small sobs.

"You look beautiful my little Isobel, I wish the circumstances of this day were different but know that I am proud of you."

The ceremony would be taking place at sunset before the two packs would run together under the full moon. First they’d gather under the old oak tree that stood in the centre of the meadow that sat on the edge of the two packs territories, hell the two kingdoms.

The car slowly pulled up to the meadow, turning it off Kai got out first opening the door for his wife and daughter. All the pack members had gathered around in a circle; Lucas, his pack elder and Isobel’s grandmother-their pack elder- were stood at the base of the oak. Isobel took a deep breath and exited the car taking her dads hand-that he had held out for her giving her a half smile as he did. It really did hurt him having to give his daughter away not only to a man that was once his enemy but also a man that was not her true mate.

Isobel returned her father’s smile as weak as it was and allowed herself to be lead to the tree.

This was it...This was the end of life as Isobel knew it.