~~~~*Back to Lara's POV*~~~

A day had gone by after the incident and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

No vampire attacks. No creepy vampire Prince or King

Maybe Dorian hadn't told the King.

Now it was the day before the mating ceremony and the unity of the SilverMoon and BlackNight pack.

Through the pack bond I could feel the pack's excitement, nervous, anxiousness and fear.

Fear of the unknown.

I was still staying at Nick's house and he was doing a good job of keeping me out of trouble.

My training with Colleen was continuing but it was more to exercise my powers and fighting ability. I was getting use to manipulating the elements, but I had learned that until I was able to fully control my powers, I would need to have the elements present to control them.

"You need to really want them or to be feeling a very strong emotion to release the full potential of your abilities. That way you wouldn't need to rely on the element being presented." Is what Colleen would say.

"I'm doing my best but it's not working." I would say through gritted teeth as I did my best to form a fire ball out of my palm.

But no matter how hard I tried to push myself I just couldn't do it, only a bit of smoke would start to appear. I could only form a fire ball if I had at least a candle near by.

Rick hadn't come by until later that night as he had been busy helping organise and prepare things for the big day tomorrow with the Beta and other important pack members.

We had planned that tomorrow was the night that I would confront Eleanor and reclaim my rightful position as Luna.

For my parents

For my mother, Rosaline

And most importantly for my pack

Now that I knew who Elanore really was and how she had some sort of connection with the vampires who killed my real mother, I had to save my pack because with her as leader and Sabrina taking over, I knew my pack would fall, it was already happening.

Pack members found dead with Vampire bite marks all over their bodies. Pack members suddenly disappearing and never being found. Small fights breaking out between wolves.

Ever since I was little people had been disappearing but I guess I didn't take notice of it because there was nothing I could do, until now.

It had always been small talk for our pack but no one could do anything about it. We had grown accustomed to it in a way, although it still worried the pack.

Rick, Jade and Colleen came over to the house that night. We where all standing around a table with a map Rick had made of the Main Pack House which was where everything was going to take place. Jade has insisted on helping out and so we figured we needed as many eyes and ears that night as we could get in order for the plan to go along without me being noticed.

"It's a good thing that this event will be a masquerade dance because it will make it easier for Lara to sneak in unnoticed." Rick said.

"Eleanor made it like this because she wanted both packs to feel comfortable with each other and she thought if no one could tell anyone apart it would make things less awkward and more relaxed." He continued.

"The doors for the dance open at 8 o'clock at night. Lara, Jade and Nick will meet us there at about 8:05 which gives us enough time as everyone settles in. I'll meet everyone else at 8:15 as I'll be with Stephan before hand to distract him. Eleanor isn't coming out of her room until about 8:30pm which gives Lara enough time to sneak upstairs to her room."

"Am I going to go up with her?" Nick asked.

"Yes but you will stand guard near Eleanor's door in case anybody comes up."

"Colleen will be outside the pack house in case anything goes out of hand and Jade you will be our eyes and ears on the dance floor."

Jade nodded in response.

"If Lara is going to kill Eleanore and fight her wouldn't it be best if I'm there with her. I will need to know she's safe." He said worriedly. I guess it was his Protector side coming out.

I cut Nick off before he could continue.

"I've decided I'm not gonna kill Eleanor straight away, instead I'm going to confront her and tell her to step down and put off the mating ceremony. I don't want to be a murder like her, I'm gonna show her that I'm the better person by giving her a chance. If she doesn't back down then I will challenge her." I said looking both of them in the eye, while Colleen just smiled at me, proud of my decision.

"That seems like the right decision Lara. I'm proud of you just as I know Rosaline would be " Colleen said.

"Thankyou Colleen."

"Well the choice is yours Lara and I'm by your side every step of the way." Rick reassured me.

"So if things go according to plan, Lara will be Luna of our pack tomorrow?" Jade said excitedly.

"Yes." Rick said. I couldn't help but feel a tad bit nervous at this. This was all new to me.

"But what will happen with the BlackNight pack? Don't forget what Lara's true mission is as the True Luna. We mustn't forget about the Vampire King" Colleen spoke up.

I nodded at her. " Yes that's right. Colleen and I talked earlier about how we will need all the help we can get to take down Eric Northman." I said to the others.

"So I've come to the the conclusion that we will ask the DarkNight pack- which will mostly likely be Kian by that time- that we will need their help to go to war against the Vampires."

"But what if they say no? I mean this is another pack we would be putting in danger." Jade questioned.

At this Colleen spoke. "Since a True Luna is born when there is an unbalance threatening the supernatural and human world, it is said that with the marking as proof, all werewolves beings will instinctively follow the command of a True Luna. This means that the BlackNight along with other packs will look up to you Lara and help you achieve your mission for the good. They will understand."

Colleen had mentioned this before during training and the information surprised me at first. It would mean I would have the power to be leader of all werewolves but for this I had to have the title of Luna first.

"Lara you will be a powerful leader" where the words I remember my mum, Helen saying the day before she died.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure there are as little lives lost in this war." I said.

I had gone to take a seat on the couch as I put my elbows on my knees and let my head rest in my hands.

I was exhausted. This was all mentally draining.

"Here". Colleen placed a cup of tea on the small table in front of me.

"Thankyou." I said as I took a sip, letting the drink warm my insides up and making me feel more energised somehow.

Nick and Rick seemed to be discussing things in the kitchen. Jade had to go home since her parents had come home early from the patrol shift and she didn't want them to get suspicious of her disappearance and question her.

"I know this has all been a lot and it probably seems like your world has turned upside down but I know you will make it through, you are stronger than you take yourself to be. I see a strong leader within you."

"I know. I was just never expecting that I, just some normal girl who was excited to find her mate would become the all powerful and rare True Luna." I laughed to myself.

Silence fell upon us for a minute before Colleen continued.

"Lara there is something important I haven't told you yet and I know when I tell you it will upset you." She said lowering her voice a bit.

At this I looked up at her, confused and worried at the sudden change in her.

"Well what is it?"

"I- well.. you should know that first born Luna's in your pack have been known to not be blessed with a mate by the spirits. However don't get me wrong they do feel love for others just like your mother Rosaline did with Rick but they aren't destined to find that one person, like mates. This also normally goes for True Luna's too as they are not your average werewolf. Based on past True Luna's, normally the Protector is the one they fall in love with and decide to get mated with, since they also spend most of their time around each other. But normal Luna's as you probably know cannot be mated with someone who is more dominant than them as their wolf would always feel challenged, which is why the Luna's in our pack chose to have pups with the betas. Your mother told me all about how that tradition works in your pack before everything.. "

My eyes widened and it felt like my heart stopped.

That's right, I had completely forgotten about the tradition in our pack.

"So the spirits haven't given me a mate?" I said as my voice threatening to break.

Colleen shook her head sadly. "But Lara don't give up hope! You can still be with someone you love and get mated with by ritual, there just won't be that instant spark of a connection at the beginning that helps you identify your mate. Well not until you are fully mated with them and by that I mean like an official mating ceremony."

My eyes where starting to prickle as I fought hard to hold the tears back.

"I'm very sorry Lara. I know that mates are usually one of the most important things within the wolf community." She said as she rubbed circles on my back soothingly trying to comfort me.

"Do you know why?" I asked

"Unfortunately I don't have an answer to that, I wish I did. I may be a witch but there are some things that I don't have the answer to. But don't worry I know you will find someone."

I nodded sadly at Colleen but there was still that spark of stupid hope I had that maybe this might be a mistake.

'Are you ok?' Nick mind linked me

I looked up to see Nick looking at me with a concerned look, from the other side of the room as Rick continued to explain something to him not realising that Nick's focus was else were.

I gave him a small smile at his concern, trying to hide how sad I was feeling.

He didn't seem convinced and seemed to see right through me.

I'm not sure if he knows about this. Or maybe he did but he didn't want to tell me because he knew how much it would hurt me.

"Thankyou for telling me." I said to Colleen as I looked away trying to hold back the tears with all my willpower. She seemed to see how much this news hurt me and gave me a small but meaningful hug.

"Get some sleep, see ya tomorrow kiddos." Rick said as he gave my shoulder a squeeze and waved at Nick as he walked out the front door.

Colleen gave me a small goodbye smile to me and Nick as she followed Rick.

Not even two second after closing the door and Nick was already questioning me.

"Will you tell me what's bothering you, please?" He said calmly as he approached me.

"Well Colleen told me something tonight which I wasn't expecting and the news made me upset." I said looking at my feet.

"What did she tell you?"

I looked up at him to see how he would react. "Did you know that True Luna's don't get blessed with a mate?"

I saw his eyes widened slightly at this in surprise.

"No I'm sorry I didn't know that but I'm sorry to hear. I know what it feels like though.. you know to find out,"

I looked at him confused.

"Did you know Protectors don't have mates either."

"I think I vaguely remember Colleen mentioning something about that." I felt a pang of guilt for Nick he was pretty much risking his life for me and was too busy protecting me that he didn't even get blessed with a mate.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you have to be forced to be a protector. I wish you had a chance to at least say 'hey I don't wanna be a protector' instead of having to just because you where born as the chosen one." I said looking away.

"Hey hey hey no." He grabbed my chin and tilted it up making me look him into his ocean blue eyes as he came closer.

"Do not feel sorry for me because I'm not. I'm not sorry for being by your side and protecting you. I'm not sorry at all, actually I'm glad that I was the chosen one and not some other guy. If being by your side means giving up on having a mate and living a normal life then I'm willing to do that, even if I was given the choice, I would still pick being with you." He held his gaze on mine as a way of showing me that he meant it.

I closed my eyes and smiled as I leaned into him, my cheek against his chest, dissolving into his hug. My heart fluttered at his kind words. "Thank you."

"Of course anything for you. I mean what would you do without me, who else is going to pull you out of trouble and be your knight in shining armour." He joked mischievously as he suddenly in a flash bent down and grabbed my legs making me squeal as he threw me over his shoulders and ran around the house.

I couldn't stop laughing as I tried to get off but he had a firm grip on me.

"NICK, put me down I'm going to fall." I said between breathless laughs.

"Make me." he said smirking.

"Oh you asked for it!" I said as I started tickling his side.

Something that most people didn't know about him was that he was very ticklish, especially on his sides.

"Okokok you win! No tickling." he chuckled as he put me down but somehow tripped over a shoe with caused him to topple on top of me, letting out an offt as we landed on his bed.

A shiver of goosebumps went up my arm as I felt his warm breath against my neck making my insides come to life.

I'd forgotten how much he made my body react sometimes.

He was so close I could smell his cologne

His blue eyes looked at me and for a second I thought I saw his pupils darken but he quickly blinked and looked away slightly embarrassed.

"Oh sorry." He let out a small grown as he lifted his body off me.

"No it's ok." I said laughing awkwardly as if nothing had happened.

What is wrong with you get it together Lara.

I told myself.

I couldn't be developing feeling for Nick.

No.

Not again.

He broke your heart Lara, don't forget that.

But he didn't mean to

Keep those feeling locked away, don't let them come back, we don't want them getting in the way.

"I'm gonna go get ready for bed. I'll give you some privacy to get changed." he said as he grabbed a change of clothes and walked out the door.

I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding as I fell back on the bed.

*Next day*

"I was up since 5 am preparing this for you and can I just say I am very pleased with the outcome!" She said excitedly as she made a beautiful, short, black, lacy dress and a mask float into my arms using telekinesis.

"Oh my it looks amazing! Thank so much Colleen." I said beaming at her.

"Since you already have a tux, I made this for you too young man."

"Gee thanks Colleen. Looks great!" He replied as he held a silver shinny mask in the air examining it. It looks similar to mine.

"I'm glad. Now I have to go out and sort somethings out with a friend of mine. I will meet you guys at the pack hall at 8:15 like planned."

"Ok that sounds good. I have to go meet some of the other warriors at the gym in 5 so I need to head off." Said Nick grabbing a leather jacket.

Colleen and Nick both looked at me as I was still looking at my dress.

I looked at both of them, confused. "What? Why are you both staring at me?"

It took a moment for it to click in my head.

"Oh I get it. You guys think since I'm gonna be left all alone, I'm gonna get into trouble." I chuckle to myself annoyingly.

"Well you can't blame me. Last time I left you on your own your wolf took over and you ended up having an encounter with a Dorian Northman." Said Nick jokingly but I knew he was also being serious.

"Hey you know that's not my fault. How was I suppose to know that was going to happen, I was trying to save a human." I let a breath out. "Look you don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself, so you guys just go do what you gotta do."

"Ok fine. But no going out."

"What no fair! What am I suppose to eat, there's nothing here,I already devoured every thing that was pretty much in the fridge. At least let me go grab something to eat."

Nick looked at Colleen thinking she would back him up but she stayed silent as if say your on your own.

He let out a defeated breath

"Ok fine! But then you come straight back to here. Promise?"

"Okay yes! Promise."

Satisfied, I jumped onto the couch as I extended my body and turned the TV on as I started humming happily.

A few minutes went by before they left the house.

"See you later Lar." Shouted Nick as he left.

"Bye."

"Stay outta trouble missy." Said Colleen as she followed Nick out the door before closing it behind them.

I waited as I counted to 10 before I was sure that they'd left.

Then I went upstairs to have a shower and get ready.

(Lara's outfit)

I grabbed one of Nick's blue button up top as mine where all in the wash since I didn't have many clothes here and got change. I blow dried my hair, put some mascara, concealer and lip gloss on and then headed out the door to grab some lunch.

I decided to take Nick's car as the closest food store was about a half an hour drive.