Chapter 19:

The tightness in Camila's arms and neck when she woke, told her that despite the few hours of sleep she managed to get, she would still be tired and sore all day.

Despite her achy start, the brightly shining sun was too hopeful to ignore. She felt nervous energy return when she realised what today was.

She should have been feeling elated, not only did this day mean she was officially becoming a Luna, it also meant that the bond Taine and her shared would be publically exemplified. In the eyes of the moon, they were almost one. They would have to pretend. Pretend that they both couldn't wait to be recognized as a unit, pretend that they were in love.

If she couldn't do it for herself then she would do it for the pack. A pack she didn't know but hoped she could come to love.

--

Camila swung back and forth on the pencil tip heels of her shoes and smoothed out the fabric of her sky blue dress. She was so preoccupied with trying to catch the butterflies in her stomach that she didn't notice that Taine had come to stand next to her. She refused to look at him, avoiding eye contact keeping consistent with what she had done all day.

From subtle peripheral glances, she could see that he was wearing a light coloured button up shirt and he looked good. Too good for Camila to remember (momentarily) why she was angry with him. She wasn't about to break the silence that forced itself between them and she was confident that Taine wouldn't either.

Just when the thick, tension-filled air had begun to stifle Camila, Ivory came through the double doors that were separating the pair from the pack gathering. She was dressed for the occasion. Camila was surprised to see her in a dress, which differed from her usual more uptight attire. As the door was opened she could hear chatter and laughter from the outdoor area.

"You look pretty Ivory."

Ivory's eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at herself as if looking at what she was wearing for the first time. She grew shy at the compliment.

Ivory tried to be reassuring by smiling at her a final time, before turning to Taine. "Alpha Alverio everything is ready when you are."

Soon it would be Alpha female and Alpha Alverio. A sick feeling wormed itself inside Camila's stomach. She didn't feel ready for this, but when would she ever be? She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

She opened them to see an outstretched hand near her own tightly clasped fingers.

She looked at the hand then at Taine and then at the hand again. "What do you want me to do with it?"She asked dumbly.

Taine didn't look at her, but she could see the frustration in his jaw. "Take it, we need to look the part."

"No."

She understood what he had asked of her and was prepared to do it unprompted. The only reason she said no is because she wanted him to look at her. She wanted a reaction. It worked.

He fully turned to face her, momentarily stunned by her face. She was painfully beautiful. His eyes were instantly drawn to the sparkle in her earrings. The delicate curve of her neck, the shape of her dress against her skin. She glowed tonight, the glow of a Luna. He knew she was hurt, it was written clearly on her face. But there was nothing he could do now.

Electricity sparked between them as they looked at one another, really looked. After an understanding passed between them Taine gestured at his open palm. Open for her.

Camila ended the moment by rolling her eyes and grabbing his hand. Her heart clenched. It felt right but yet so wrong.

Taine opened the door and lead her outside. She took her heel and dug it into his leather shoes. He was pulling her too forcefully. She wasn't a wild dog. Oh, the irony.

A satisfied smile formed on her face as she saw and heard Taine's grimace of pain.

---

The buzz of all the pack members outside ended in waves as the silence moved from the front to the back of the rows of chairs. All eyes were on them.

She could see smiling faces and surprised ones too. Some would have guessed what this gathering was for, but others were clearly not expecting a new Luna. Camila could hear her racing heart beat loudly in her ears. She decided she imagined the reassuring squeeze that she felt around her fingers.

She let herself be (gently) lead to the front of the seated crowd. Ivory handed Taine a microphone, he wasted no time before beginning the ceremony.

He instantly commanded the attention of everyone in the area. "Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for coming. As most of you would have realised by now, we are here not only to enjoy some time together but also to celebrate. This is Camila Kadner and she will be your Alpha female."

Applause and cheers erupted before Taine had fully finished speaking. Camila reminded herself to smile extra broadly at the faces of her new pack. They were cheering for her, for her happiness. Although she met many eyes, she could not remember them all. It was overwhelming. She used this as an opportunity to remove her hand from Taines and use it to wave excitedly at them all.

Taine cleared his throat after letting them express their excitement for a few moments. "She is from another pack and will be pledging her loyalty to ours, in front of all of you, today. I hope that you will all join us for a meal after the ceremony, it will allow you to get to know your new Luna better...Beta Emerson?"

With slow and steady steps Ivory presented Camila with papers she needed to sign. She had already read and signed other documents, this was merely a public formality. After she had quickly but deliberately scrawled her signature on the bottom of the pages, she took a small dagger from Ivory. The hilt was intricate and gold and had a single ruby encrusted on one side. The light hitting the jewel was almost as blinding as the sharp blade of the knife. This was a Luna's blade, she would get to keep this.

She sliced the blade through the skin of her palm. She had barely skimmed the blade across her open hand before a pool of crimson red appeared. If there was pain, Camila did not feel it. She Intentionally allowed blood to spill on her dress. The pack would like that. A sign of her loyalty that she would wear like a badge for the rest of the night. She hadn't planned on using the dress again anyway. The smell of her old scent in it would become difficult to handle, especially because now she was a Luna.

She kept her face impassive as she handed the dagger to Taine. His eyes darkened at the sight of her blood. The blood of an Alpha's mate was both dangerous and alluring. She tried to decipher his emotions but couldn't. He took the dagger from her and sliced his own palm. Many Alphas and some Luna's had palms with raised scar tissue in a small line, from each time a new member joined their packs. Camila noticed that Taine chose to slice diagonal to his already existing scar. It would form a small permanent cross on his hand. She wondered why he had done it like that.

Ivory spoke through the microphone. "Our Alpha pair will join hands and the mixing of their blood will mark a new era for our pack."

Camila expected more applause but even the birds were silent. Anticipating. Blood dripped onto her white shoes.

She knew it was her that needed to extend her hand to Taine, it was always the pack member asking for the leaders' acceptance...and in some cases mercy. Your soul was in your blood, it was the same as offering your life.

Taine surprised her (as well as some pack members close enough to the front to clearly see) by extending his hand to her first. He was asking her, this was not protocol. She supposed this was him asking for her forgiveness. She hoped it wasn't an apology because if it was, he would be filled with regret it in about seven minutes.

She placed her hand into his and felt a new energy surge between them. Like tendrils of life that coiled themselves around her body. The pack members applauded as their new Alpha pair became bonded by blood. Taine's grip on Mila's hand tightened as he pulled her close. His other hand came to rest under her neck.

Mila has envisaged this moment over and over in her minds eye for the past week. She had played out all possible scenarios. Her tripping and faceplanting, her accidentally amputating a finger with the dagger, pack members hating her, the possibility of having a wardrobe malfunction....

Despite imagining hundreds of hypotheticals, something totally unexpected and shocking happened.

Taine leaned down and met her confused eyes with a look of intensity. He tilted his head and captured her lips with his own. For all to see.