The Alpha's Daughter-in-law

The mountains were behind them, and the sky was a mix of orange and pink after the sun had set. The people of Alpha King's Gondar Square were preparing for the yearly mate-calling ceremony. The air smelled of flowers, and the sound of drums and singing echoed throughout the place.

As the sun went down, the villagers assembled in the square's center, where a large fire was lit. Young men and women surrounded it, all dressed in their best clothes. They came from all over to see the heir apparent announce his luna, hoping to find their own as well.

The atmosphere was electric, excitement and anticipation filling the air. The young ones sang songs of love and longing, their voices rising and falling with the beat of the drums. The music grew louder and more intense, and the villagers began to dance around the fire, their bodies moving to a hypnotic rhythm.

As the night progressed, drinking began, and the villagers passed around jugs of honey wine, drinking from large gourds. The wine flowed freely, and everyone was feeling a bit dizzy and lightheaded. Merriment continued until late into the night, with people laughing and singing, and the drums beating in the background.

Finally, there was a sudden hush as the moon rose high in the sky. A tall man stood out from the dense crowd, wearing an elegant blue robe. He had a long face with prominent cheekbones, slanted and hooded brown eyes, a slightly plump mouth with a perfect archbow on the top of his lip, a straight nose, and porcelain-like skin that shone brightly under the moonlight. He walked slowly, making everybody catch a glimpse of his elegance.

Flinn breathed against Ayra's ear, sending chills down her spine. "You're nervous, but you'll be fine. I'm right beside you," he said, holding her hands gently as they walked down the aisle.

"It won't hurt," he said once they arrived at the field center, where the ReinsAim pack and the Nomenclane pack met.

Flinn locked his eyes with Ayra's, took her hand, and pulled her close to him. She felt the heat of his body against hers, and her heart raced. "How painful do you think it'd….." she whispered.

"Shh," he replied. "Trust me."

Without warning, Flinn sank his teeth into Ayra's neck, and she gasped in surprise and pain. She didn't pull away, and in a few seconds, the sting started to fade. For a moment, everything went quiet, and Ayra felt like she was floating in a dream. She felt Flinn's strength and power flowing into her through the bite.

Suddenly, it was over, and Flinn pulled away. His lips and chin were stained red with blood, and Ayra could feel the wound on her neck aching and throbbing now that the evening's air rested on it. Flinn looked down at her with a mixture of love and possessiveness. Ayra looked back up at him, her eyes filled with wonder.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Ayra nodded, feeling content and peaceful. She knew she belonged to Flinn now, and she was happy to be his. The ceremony continued around them, but Ayra and Flinn stood there, locked in each other's embrace, as if they were the only two people in the world.

Then Flinn cleared his throat and turned to face the crowd.

"With my fangs, I will put my mark on you!" he started, his hands raised, and his head slightly bent backwards. Lightning flashed across the sky with the thunders trailing behind it.

"He said, 'With my hands, from the storm I'll shield you'," and as he was about to continue, a lightning bolt illuminated the sky with thunder close behind.

"With my mouth, with love I will shower you," he finished, turning to Ayra and sealing their bond with a light kiss.

The crowd cheered, mostly from the right side while the ReinsAim Pack did nothing to show support. Ayra held his hand, feeling the overwhelming bond between them, but wondered why he didn't show much reaction.

She could feel the bond, strong and overwhelming. It took her a lot of effort to keep herself from jumping into his arms.

The mating comes first than his lack of interest.

However, why wasn't he showing much reaction that he felt the bond too…?

Soon the spinsters and bachelors split the two amongst themselves, pulling each to their side of unnecessary convos. Ayra was no longer considered a spinster, and she was quickly surrounded by the other women from the Nomenclane pack, who congratulated her.

Ayra was stiffened by the clinginess of these women she barely knew.Thankfully Melinda was still around to see to her friend's awkward predicament.

“Does it hurt?” Melinda asked Ayra while helping her apply a soothing lotion to the wound on her neck. It had gone a good way into healing.

"A little," Ayra admitted. "But it's nothing compared to the joy I feel in my heart."

Melinda smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Ayra…I mean, if you're happy of course.”

“Sure…I'm happy.”

Ayra nodded, feeling a sense of appreciation settling over her. She was grateful for her friend's support, and she knew that she had made the right choice…

Except that something did not make her feel content about the whole fiasco.

Or was she just being her overly-sensitive self?

Meanwhile, Flinn was among his few bachelor friends, who were even barely close enough to him to be termed friends. Just think of a group of young men from the aristocracy who think that's what made them bond.

If anything, Flinn didn't mind their company this night.

"Looks like you're finally settling down, Flinn," one of them joked.

Flinn barely made a sound in response, only smiles that bore deeper words beneath them.

The men laughed at his stiffness, but there was a note of admiration in their voices.

Just then, one of his father's men approached him. "Young Lord, the Alpha has summoned you to the palace," he said.

"I'll be there soon," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.