ZANA’S POV

The morning arrived faster than I expected. I could barely sleep with excitement. I wanted to run to my father to thank him, but Lina advised me to wait until after the ceremony when he would feel more relaxed. She was right.

I felt like I was in a fairy tale. The help came to my room, bringing fresh fruits and more dishes for breakfast. After eating, I took an aromatic bath. They washed my body and hair with special oils and ointments to make my skin glow. I never felt so beautiful, or this healthy before.

After they finished steaming my hair, I wrapped myself in a bedrobe. Lina called me to the bedroom to pick up my outfit and my jewelry.

I start pulling out dresses, skirts, and all kind of beautiful embroidered fabrics, colorful flowers, and naturally dyed ‘manta’ fabric.

Anyone would feel honored to be able to wear anything like this but for me, it was more a question of a feeling. I was so grateful with my father’s forgiveness but at the same time, none of these outfits were inspiring anything.

I was about to lose hope when, at the bottom of the chest I saw it, it was my Mom’s Luna ceremony dress! And it was perfect!

“I found it!” I said with an excited tone, louder than what I was intending; “mmhhm, I mean, I think this one is perfect for the occasion.” I tried to correct my childish behavior in front of the woman assisting me.

Of course, Lina was orchestrating everything. She was supervising everything meticulously until the most minimum detail, as she was repeating to herself every ten minutes, “No effort is enough when your skin is on the table”.

She could be terrifying when it was about protocol and rules matters. ‘Thank the Moon she was my Lady in waiting and not my enemy’, the thought of that makes me giggle, which earned a cold dead stare from her.

Returning my sight to the dress now lying on my neatly made bed, I forgot about everything else, the fabric was of a warm white color, and beautifully adorned by my mother’s unique embroidery handwork; around the neckline, you could appreciate the story of a family, the parents and 5 pups, each of them portraying different color themes; It became a legend how my mom could predict the future so accurately that the Moon goddess awarded her with a last jewel to adorned her crown, which supposed to be my baby brother, Huitz.

That was the only adornment of the dress, it was so beautifully simple that it outstanded between all the overly adorned dresses that the other Lunas tend to wear to formal events.

My mom’s Luna dress was everything I could ask for and more, Happiness bubbled up within me. My heart fluttered; an unfamiliar sensation that made my hands tremble slightly. Joy warmed my cheeks, yet beneath it, a nervous flutter danced in my stomach, reminding me of the weight of the day ahead.

“Lina, pinch me”

“What, why should I do that? Zana, stop making me lose my time and yours, it’s getting late!”

“Malina, I’m serious, I need you to pinch me and tell me all of this is real, that it is happening.” I could feel my watery eyes threatening with start pouring tears.

“Ok, here!” Lina said pinching me on both cheeks at the same time.

“Auch!” hey, it hurt! It hurts? IT HURT! This is real, it is happening! Lina, it is happening!”

“YES, yes! Of course it is, you have been asking every ten minutes! now we need to get you ready! Jewelry!” And just like that, Lina was in supervisor mode again.

Lina told me that the guards she sent to look for my anklet were not able to find it. I was so sad and disappointed of myself for being that careless with my most treasured possession.

I decided to wear only the one I still had. And leave my other ankle naked.

I saw a pair of gold bracelets with incrusted turquoise, they were a bit too much for my taste but Lina insisted that they would match perfectly with my dance gear. I cannot call it a dress as it is much like a skirt and a neckpiece that covers my chest. Thank goddess it is heavy enough to give me the security that my dignity will be secured.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Being Lycans; human nudity is not a big deal, many members of the pack have no issues uncovering their bodies when shapeshifting, but I had promised to Father long time ago, that I would never unveil my body until my mating ceremony. And I’m pretty much planning to keep my promise.

While the skirt of my dance gear was made with leather and adorned with dangling gemstones, the neck piece, was covered with gold, turquoise, and onyx, therefore the weight.

On my upper arms, two leather armlets showcasing my embroidery work, one with my father’s name, the other one, with my mom’s.

The heaviest piece was not my neckpiece but my crown. Made in leather but heavily adorned with gems and hand-picked quetzal feathers by mom and dad when I started dancing; a long time ago. I dreamt so many nights the day I would finally fulfill my duty as the lead dancer for the pack's ceremonies while my proud parents were following me with happy glares from their throne.

I was almost ready, looking at the mirror while Lina was tracing the fine lines of my pack’s traditional makeup, my hair being softly arranged with an aromatic wooden comb.

As the protocol mandates, during the first part of the ceremony, I will wear a purely white dress, with my embroidery work also in white. The fabric is thin and flows with the wind. No heavy jewelry and natural white Dahlias crown.

As time passes ticking, I started feeling more and more nervous. I know I am prepared, Lina has made sure to keep preparing me for a ‘just in case’ moment; well, that moment is here, but I’m so nervous of not being as great as I want to be, as not being perfect enough to restore a bit of the love and trust of my father, I want him to feel proud me. To accept me, to love me.

My nerves are getting unbearable; Lina asks one of the ladies assisting her, to bring me something to calm my nerves, with strict instructions to not give me anything that may jeopardize my performance. The woman goes as fast as she can.

When she returned, on a tray she brought a single cup of what it smelled like lavender tea, she handed it to me with shaky hands.

"Stop!" Lina said, making the maid stop in her tracks and shake like a leaf.

"Let me smell that". She continued; the maid turned to her with her gaze to the floor and handing it to Lina the cup of tea with both hands.

Lina smelled, stopped, and stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, as if analyzing it.

"Okay, you can give it to the princess".

Goddess, Lina can be scary for sure! the woman looked even a bit pale!

I drank it almost in one gulp, not without burning my tongue in the process.

"I’m ready."

Huitz POV

The day is passing faster than I thought, as far as I have been told by my man, everything is ready and the news of Zana being the host of the ceremony has been spread as wildfire, so now I’m sure that all the pack will be present, a big part because of curiosity and another part because of loyalty to her, and hopes to have her back to the place she should have.

I need to talk to my father and convince him to let her stay.

“Nix, I need to go to talk with my father, keep an eye on the arrangements, everything has to be perfect, I don’t want any mistakes.” I told him through mind-link.

“Of course, you can count on it, is everything ok?”

“Yes, yes, I just need to see him before the ceremony, just fine-tuning details.”

“Oh, ok, I see, see you later, then.”

“Xali, is my father in his room?” I asked while she was commanding an army of omegas where to set the name tags on the tables for the banquet after the ceremony.

“Oh, yes my Prince, your father is resting, he was feeling a bit tired after yesterday’s meeting.”

“Ok, I’m going to see him now, please send some people to tend to him, he needs to be ready for today’s event.”

She bows her head and shows her neck as a sign of respect.

My wing of the castle is opposite my father's, so it takes a few minutes to reach his chamber. I knock on the door and gently open it, greeted by darkness.

The window shades are impeding the light from sneaking in. I can hear my old man’s troubled breaths.

Getting closer to the window, I start opening the curtains, just to be yelled by my father to stop.

The air in the room felt heavy with unspoken tension, each breath a struggle against the weight of the past. I swallowed hard, steeling myself for what must be said. My jaw tightened, a muscle twitching in my cheek as I fought to keep my voice steady.

“Father, you cannot keep living like this, it’s making you sick”

“Don’t tell me what to do, child!”

“I’m not a child anymore, Father, I’m a man; I’m worried for you.”

“You shouldn’t, I’m the greatest Alpha of Nahual Pack, there is no one stronger than me.”

“You are not, not anymore. You haven’t trained a day in five years. You don’t eat, you don’t sleep, you keep drinking those bitter concoctions that Xali makes for you… I’m surprised that you haven’t fallen ill just yet.” 'Shit this is going to hurt', I think right after my outburst.

“You ingrate child!” I could hear my father’s voice filled with rage.

Then as I already knew it, he punched me right into my eye, sending me directly to the other side of the room. He may be getting old and sick but he is still the alpha so he did indeed hold a lot of power.

I told you, do not disrespect me, you have once more, disobeyed my words, and now you fool child are going to learn your lesson.

“Guards!”

“Yes, your majesty”

“Take my son to the dungeons. Lock him in one of the small cells; no one is allowed to see, speak or send any kind of messages to him until I say so. Understand?”

“But, y-your majesty, the cerem...”

“Silence, am I not the Alpha?”

“Mi apologies, Alpha, yes of course, as you say. Prince, please follow us.”

As my father's crushing aura was elevating, I couldn’t do more than follow these useless guards. In other circumstances they would not represent any type of challenge for me to subdue them, but this time, I only could lower my gaze and follow them to the cell.

And come to think I didn’t even get the chance to speak about Zana...