Chapter 20:

The last thing Camila remembered before her world turned upside down, was the intensity in Taines eyes before he kissed her. Those pools of green and brown had pierced her soul, it frightened her.

His lips were warm and unfamiliar against hers. She could still smell their blood mixing together. The warmth of his hand on her back seeped into her clothes and awakened all her senses.

The moment would have only lasted five seconds, but Camila would replay those very seconds over, and over and over and over, in her mind for weeks to come.

It was a forceful kiss. A dominating touch that felt more like a claim rather than a tender moment between lovers. When Taine pulled away she saw his features become impassive and cold once again. He didn't look at her. She tried to match his own stance and expression as she attempted to make sense of what had just happened.

He could be so cold. So sold and so confusing.

Trying to get her breathing under control, she looked up at the faces of her new pack members. They were smiling even wider and cheering even louder than before. The realisation hit her.

The kiss was for show. For everyone to see. A trick to fake a love, a union that did not exist. It was both a necessary celebratory action and a warning. A warning that told anyone who might threaten or undermine her power to run. Far, far away.

She felt like that kiss was a lie. A first kiss between mates, and it was all to please the masses.

It was merely pretending. Only a fleeting feeling of being close. Taine only kissed her to send a message. It was planned and if he had brought it up with her beforehand...she would have probably put her heels somewhere very, very painful...Which explained the way he grabbed her and clutched her to him.

It meant nothing. She glanced at Taine's stony expression and rigid posture. Nothing.

The kiss almost made her feel guilty for what she was about to do...Almost...but she suppressed the urge to disregard her careful plans.

She let her wolf senses rise closer to the surface. She became hyperaware of her surroundings. The formalities were over now and Taine or Ivory was just about to announce the beginning of the meal. Ivory approached them from the side, she was about to extend the microphone to Taine.

Camila stepped forward, in front of Taine so that she was closest to Ivory. She concentrated her gaze on Ivory's green eyes and spoke loudly and clearly.

"Please pass me the microphone, Beta Emerson. I would like to say a few words."

Confusion laced Ivory's features. Camila could see her looking behind at Taine asking him what to do. She mentally cursed. Ivory was too loyal. Could she not just hand her the damn microphone. Did Ivory not know what girl power was? She was the Luna now.

A large component of this plan was that neither Taine or Ivory could refuse her bold demands in front of the pack. They would have expected her to say something and Mila was not one to disappoint a crowd.

She almost felt Taine about to step forward to speak in her ear. She reminded herself, 'there is nothing he can do or say to silence me.' She stood resolute, waiting for Taine's reaction.

But none came.

He must have signalled silently for Ivory to hand her the microphone. Once she held it in her hands she truly felt like she had won. She opened her mouth to speak from her soul and it was at that moment she knew that she was born to be a Luna.

Camila must have spoken for minutes, but it felt like seconds. One moment she was trying to block out the look of pure fury on Taines face (and the horror on Ivory's) and the next she felt elated as the pack began to clap and cheer. They were cheering for her.

It was a simple but powerful speech. She introduced herself and expressed her happiness at becoming the new Luna. She spoke about making a difference, putting the wellbeing of the pack before anything else. Even though she didn't know them yet, she meant every word.

By the end of her address the few looks of caution and trepidation she had seen in some faces, was gone. It was clear that she had won everyone over. Well almost everyone. She refused to look at Taine afraid she would burst out laughing at the probably deadly expression on his face. She dared to look at Ivory and was surprised when she saw respect and admiration in her eyes.

Still avoiding eye contact she stepped back and handed the microphone to Taine.

"Anything else you want to add?" She whispered cheekily.

"I think you said it all." Camila couldn't detect any emotion in his voice.

Ivory took centre stage and announced that the formalities were over and that the meals were about to be served.

Camila took a deep breath of the cool evening air. Time to meet her new pack.

Immediately after she had recovered from her 'stage-hijack' she was dragged off the stage by Taine. She expected to be yelled at and she braced herself for the venomous words and threats, but none came. He simply said, "we need to meet some people, smile, act happy, then we're done."

She blinked in surprise but still nodded in agreement.

They moved through the area at a turtles pace, everyone seemed to want to stop to meet them, to congratulate them, or to earn brownie points with the new Luna. Everyone was friendly but she could sense that some of the excitement was purely for the purpose of showing the Alpha how welcoming and sugar-sweet they could be.

Taine was like a different person when he was forced to play happy Alpha. He actually smiled at a few people. Camila was shocked.

His hand seemed to be super glued to her upper back as he subtly but forcefully guided her to meet this couple or that woman. The shoulder area was friendly and everyone knew what the lower back meant, but the space between...What did it mean?

The routine was simple. She would shake hands, flash a toothy smile and say, 'So nice to meet you...Yes I am so honoured to be your Luna...' Or something of a similar vein. Then whoever she had been introduced to would more often than not talk to Taine about pack matters she did not understand yet. They seldom included her, but if they did it was meaningless small talk. She wasn't used to just standing and looking pretty. She was a Luna now and refused to be invisible. Camila tried to include herself as much as possible. If Taine wasn't going to set a precedent then she would do it herself.

As eager as she was to learn the ins and outs of the pack, the evening was taking a toll on her. Two hours into the celebrations Camila had lost feeling in her toes and her cheeks hurt from smiling. She had forgotten many of the names and faces that she had been bombarded with.

Her steps staggered and her smiles began to fall quicker, it was only then that Taine cottoned on to her exhaustion. She hadn't even eaten and the overpowering scent of Taine, so close, had started to make her head spin. He lifted his hand off her back and told her to go eat. Immediately the cold air began to bite at the absence of his touch.

After being stopped by a few more overly chatty pack members she grabbed a hefty plate of food and sought refuge under a large tree bordering the area. She sighed in relief as she sat down on the grass under the gently swaying branches, her sore legs could rest. She shoved forkfuls of food down her throat as she surveyed the space. Darkness began to drape itself over them like a blanket and creatures of the night began to make their presence known. Pack members began to leave and she almost felt guilty for not being there to say goodbye..but then she thought about the twisting pains in her belly and forgave herself for the disappearing act.

Taine was still in the midst of it all, illuminated by paper lights, like a dangerous angel. He seemed to be looking for something. Camila snapped her head down when she realised he was about to look in her direction. She focused on the half-empty plate of cold, but delicious food sitting in her lap.

----

Sara was in the middle of an imaginative story about werewolves that could turn into fairies and unicorn princesses when she spotted someone sitting under her tree. In her favourite spot. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was a lady who was sitting on the grass stuffing her face with a plate of food. Sara thought she ate more like a pig than her older brother.

Sara decided that if this lady wasn't wolfing down her food she would be quite pretty. She stood from the other side of the tree watching curiously. She thought of the nicest way she could kick this intruder out.

Maybe she could challenge her to a swordfight to the death?

Or claim her rightful place as princess of the tree? Maybe then the trespasser would grovel and beg for her forgiveness.

Sara kept staring as the pretty lady stopped mid-chew and was staring at someone across the grass. It was her Alpha. The lady looked like she wanted to go over to him...Well, then why didn't she just go over there? Why did she have to hide in Sara's tree looking so lonely and sad? Grown up's could be so silly sometimes. Didn't make any sense.

---

"Oh hello! You can come out, I'm not as scary as I look." She smiled warmly and encouragingly at the small child who was looking at her wide-eyed and curious. The little girl stepped towards her new Luna.

"My mumma wolf says that it's rude to chew with your mouth full."

Camila laughed and covered her mouth with her hand while she quickly finished her last morsel.

"Your mum is right, how rude of me....What's your name?"

The little girl maybe only five in age, smiled in approval when Camila apologized for her indiscretions. "My name is Sara."

Camila stuck out her hand. "Pleasure to meet you Sara, I am Mila, your new Luna." She added with a wink.

Sara looked at Camila in surprise. "Does that mean Alpha Alverio is your mate?"

"Yes he is."

Sara placed her hands on her cheeks. "Do you love him?"

Way to hit me hard with the difficult questions...If only it were as simple as yes or no Camila thought.

"Um..heh, I don't know yet."

"You don't look very happy...You're eating by yourself under a tree."

Camila forgot how damn perceptive werewolf kids could be. She looked at Sara's expectant face and thought about how to delicately answer her questions.

"Sometimes, being a mate is complicated."

"Why?" Now Sara's hands were placed on her hips in confusion. It looked like she was about to demand answers from her. Answers to questions that Camila had pushed into the furthered recesses of her mind.

"Well...because sometimes wolves can be stubborn and angry." Camila realised she was talking about herself as well as Taine.

"I have advice for you Luna."

Camila laughed, "Oh do you now?"

"When I accidentally punched Danny in the face at school, he was real mad at me. So I made him forgive me by giving him a kiss! He told me he would forgive me if I promised not to do it again and now we're best friends." Sara clapped her hands excitedly at her foolproof method of ensuring everlasting friendship.

She snorted unattractively. "A kiss? That's an interesting tactic. I'll keep it in mind."

Camila felt another pair of eyes on her. She turned her head to make electric eye contact with Taine. Despite the distance between them, she could still feel the pierce of his gaze.

Only momentarily taking her eyes from his she stood up and took Sara's hand. "It's getting late, let's go find your parents."