Gift of the Goddess

Selene descended the grand staircase and crossed the courtyard out into the main garden, her footsteps echoing softly against the ancient stone path. The towering white gazebo, draped in silver and blue silk—not red or purple like she first thought—stood in the heart of the Nyxbourne estate's expansive garden, bathed in the ethereal glow of the full moon. 

Pack members of both Nyxbourne and Duskveil gathered in silent reverence, encircling the ceremony site like a barrier awaiting her presence. They parted when she drew near, making an open path up to the center. She saw both familiar faces, and also faces of those she had never met. There had not been this many people at the dinner last night, they must have arrived during her preparations. Selene tried to look everywhere but forward but all too soon she had reached her destination.

Lucian awaited her beneath the gazebo, his sharp features illuminated by the moonlight that was so bright it almost seemed to be daytime. The black and blue tuxedo he wore fit his lean frame perfectly and she could see that he was quite muscular under the fabric. His eyes, cold and calculating, sent a familiar chill down Selene's spine as she approached. He extended a hand, and with great hesitation, Selene placed her trembling fingers in his and stepped up to join him. Standing so close to him she could clearly see he was quite a bit taller than her, and she had to crane her neck to look up at him.

No others but the couple stood in within the gazebo's delicate structure, but the elders and leaders of both packs formed an inner circle just outside the gazeebo. Estrella joined her husband's side, and as she met Selene's eyes, she gave an encouraging nod. 

For a moment, the air was eerily still, silence thick and unyielding. Then, the slight rustle of a breeze through the trees. The sound of bird wings fluttered nearby. A frog song off in the distance.

She felt it in her bones before she heard it. A murmur. A low chanting, the song that awakened the ancient rites of Bonding. The air grew heavy with magic as it began to weave itself between Selene and Lucian, binding their souls and fates as one. A silver thread of light became visible, emerging from her chest and intertwining with the shadowy tendril that emanated from Lucian. The threads twisted together, intertwining themselves before connecting around the other person's wrist, shadow on Selene's, silver on Lucian's.

Selene felt her body shudder as the magic coursed through her veins, searing her soul with the sensation of connection. Despite the magic though, Selene could sense that the magic was not complete and the bond was weak. A subtle reminder that he was not her True Mate.

Lucian's grip tightened possessively around her hand as the tendrils of magic settled, and for a fleeting moment Selene could see past him, past the magic and into what she thought might be fate itself. A pair of burning amber eyes stared into her soul. Before she could process what she was seeing, Lucian gripped her hand again and the illusion was shattered.

"By the blessing of the Moon and the will of the Packs," the elders proclaimed, "the Bond is sealed."

Howls and hollers erupted all around the garden and echoed through the night air, but Selene felt dazed, her heart heavy and cold. Though bound to Lucian by ancient magic, an ominous foreboding settled deep within her soul. She was now set on the path to fulfill her duty, but what had she seen during the ritual, and why?

"Are you ready, my dear Selene?" asked Lucian, as he began unbuttoning his jacket and shirt.

Selene could see the sleek definition of muscles under his shirt and peering through the parts he had unbuttoned, and she froze in panic. She had forgotten this part of the ceremony. She smiled at him shyly.

"This dress is quite hard to remove" She said quietly, hoping maybe this one time she wouldn't have to participate.

"Don't worry, I'll help you," he said, a dark twinkle in his eyes that she decidedly did not like. 

"Oh, no its alright, really. I think I can manage."

The night hunt was the last part of the ceremony. All the able bodied and adult members of the joined families took to their wolf forms, and led by the bonded couple, took down prey. To eat together, to hunt together, to spill blood together. 

Selene slipped off her heels and quickly unlace the bodice of her dress, letting it fall to the floor as she quickly shifted, not letting his eyes wander any more than she could help. Lucien smirked, and she could see his eyes taking in the ribbons now tied to her fur, and the moonstone that still hung around her neck. 

She cringed inwardly. She had been in such a hurry she forgot to take the necklace off. She prayed it didn't get caught on something and torn off, but she was not about to shift back just to take a necklace off.

Lucien quickly removed the rest of his clothing as Selene pointedly looked away. Most of the other ceremony participants had already shifted, clothing neatly folded on the ground, and were waiting patiently for the signal. A growl behind her signaled the commencement of the hunt and she whirled around to launch herself into the brush, Lucien's shadowy form following quickly behind her.

She knew this forest like the back of her paw, having ran past every tree, up every hill, through every valley. The night air had begun to cool and it felt good in her lungs as she raced through the thicket. Lucien kept pace with her easily.

The scent of meat sent her senses alight and she slowed slightly to pinpoint the direction, but Lucien was already bounding off in another direction. Selene followed behind him, dodging tree trunks and fallen vegetation as she tried to keep pace but he was slightly faster, staying just a few lengths ahead. 

Suddenly they sprang out of the tree-line and Selene could see a herd of elk grazing in the distance ahead of them. Lucien pelted after the deer and she was close behind. She could hear the steps of those who had kept up. And so could the elk. In the distance, the few closest had started to run, and it only fueled the wolfs blood-lust in her. But they needed to work as a team in order to capture it. 

Slowly they adjusted, some running along the left flank of the herd, some along the right flank. There at the end, a larger cow with a slight limp who couldn't quite keep up with the rest.

Lucien gave a yip and instinctively she knew. They honed in quickly but once again, Lucien got there first. He launched himself at the elks nose in an attempt to bring its head down towards the ground.

Another wolf moved in and grabbed its flank. Selene saw her chance and leaped for its throat, hoping to give it a quick end. 

It kicked out against its attackers, connecting with the ribs of the wolf at its flank, but another moved in to take its place. 

Selene could taste the heavy iron of blood in her mouth and she bit harder, harder, until it was a torrent, the beast's hunger within her eager for the feast that was to come. 

The cow fought the pack for many long minutes, far longer than Selene thought possible. It turned its head toward her, despite Lucian putting his full weight on her snout, and she could see the flames of defiance where she thought there would be fear and despair. It felt like forever she gazed into her eyes. 

Selene harbored no hate for this fellow creature, it was just their nature, to eat, and be eaten. She knew this was probably an older cow who had birthed many into the world. Who had lead the herd for much of her lifetime. She was in awe of its will to fight despite the odds stacked against it. To protect. To survive. To endure.

Estrella launched herself up on top of the elk, the silver tips of her dark coat like a halo against the moon. She sank her teeth into the back of the elks neck, and its legs buckled. It collapsed to the ground with a thud and stopped moving altogether. Howls of victory filled the air.

As the rest of the pack tore into its hunt, Selene cast her gaze toward the distant forest, still longing for an escape that felt forever out of reach. Despite the despair and hopelessness she felt, a new emotion began to overcome her. She looked up to the moon as it bore silent witness to her oath and the burning sensation that had settled in her chest: defiance and determination, to survive, to protect those she loved, and to find her true destiny, no matter the price.