The High King's Bride

rm

le of my back. It was time… at least I hoped. I was cute. I was a small, tan, amber-yellow

in the wrong pants…? I’d gone to the Harvest Moon Festival for years…. Four different packs, one as bi

ckname, but she was the other half of me. She was my bla

e. It was the number one thing wolves my age conversed of, sometimes pups if they chose to have some so young, but I couldn’t relate. I didn’t

m 12 packs are here, even some from your uncle Bryson’s. He’s bound to be here.” Said my mom, the Luna

minute.” I said quietly, and s

ing moved too fast, and too slow at the same time. I didn’t really hear my parents do the traditional speec

it was tradition to leave with them, and spend your eternity with the wolf lite

ord was an insult, one bad enough to start a fight… but what do you do when it’s true? Why was I worrying about that now?! No one had ever made me feel left out here, or reminded me of that, b

ng to shift to prove me wrong, but I was

ar, and the year before. I don’t know why this time…. but I was somehow surprised. The moo

Moon for the seventh year in a row... A night so honored, none would fight, l

th

wrong with me? Every wolf, no matter how old, strong, high or low statu

times like this that did it for me. It was the unspoken times like this that made me want to she

r suddenly. I didn’t know if he’d left me there to

father, who stood next to my mother behind me. I stoo

houlders. He was a large wolf of few words. As Alpha and Third Prince to our people

id with a small smile, but inwardl

e said leavi

time with my own grief. I didn’t have any friends for comfort, and the only wolves my age that regularly hung

Whined Lummi, but I

on my heart. It cau

ng without question, but I was surprised at who I saw. This was no Alpha…. His scent was too powerf

y Warrior, shifting and running

el immediately scrambled to stay out his way, while I was dumbfounded…. His black pooled eyes refl

ack.” He said, walking to me. His voice stunned me in place for

led ram’s horns… Something very few had. He was no demon… he was no satyr…. That wasn’t the scent; I was told they would smell of magic and matches… what was this? He looked me up and down

han stare, because the butterflies in my stomach made

I’d never seen before if he was, and one I was in denial of whose title the others screa

d to… his eyes…. They were obsidian, an eye color that didn’t exist in wolves, though his hair was

ngled on every pore…. It made it hard to gather my thou

It sent a wave of sparks, giving me goosebumps, awakening instincts I’d never needed until th

my bride on the Harvest Moon, I give my thanks.” He looked up at the sky. The moon looked as if it were captured in a black mirror, then his gaze went back to me. “Tell me your na

mumbled, seeing his intense

He leaned down, closing his eyes. My Lady… I wasn’t as panicked as I thought I should be, reaching up slowly,

ntle as he was powerful, holding me up, because my shaking legs could no longe

tead of fear. It would have been the normal reaction. It would have been sensible to run, as others kneeled as low as they could, giving him a wide berth. But he was my ma

uffed stomping her feet in my mind, making her ears flop. It was the most active I’d seen her all night, and I ha

of his mouth slightly turn upwards. He took my hands and held them gently, r

an’t see myself leaving here without you… but I would consider any req

as my mate, but Lummi trusted him completely now that she’d calmed down from the initial sh

e somewhere a little more private.

eled at his feet, and wolves made way for him as he quietly stepped down the path that led to the back garden area.