29
My favorite women surround me outside Noah’s cabin, organizing themselves as we prepare to hop into Amy’s car. Kira wrestles Lexi’s car seat into place, my niece is safely tucked into Amy’s arms, Yasmine and Rainn giggle quietly about something as Lilian raises a skeptical eyebrow, and I pull up my phone’s map, inputting the address Noah gave me for today”s outing. In a few minutes, we’ll be off to find my Luna Ceremony dress.
I have no idea what this Lycan ceremonial dress shop is like, but when I asked Noah what would be best to wear, he suggested something on the fancy side. It’s over 90 degrees here, so the best I could do was a thin white button-up tank with lace framing my chest and collar. The shirt tucks well enough into my black pencil skirt, but it won’t fit for long if I really am pregnant; I’m already a bit too bloated for it.
Kira pops up behind me, resting her head on my shoulder. “So what is this human tradition, exactly?”
I smile at her puppyish head tilt. “Usually the human bride’s best friends and family shop together for a wedding dress. You’ve all been so welcoming to me in your traditions, so I thought it’d be fun to find a Luna Ceremony dress together.”
Rainn hops on her toes with rapid little claps. “I love that! I’m so excited!”
Amy puts her chin on my other shoulder, prompting us into a giggle fit.
As we break apart, Amy picks off a stray hair from my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. “I”m curious why we had to look extra nice, though. Did you say Noah gave you an address?”
“Yes. Noah said it was a pack dressmaker living on the territory outskirts, and it’s not too far of a drive, thankfully. But still a couple hours.”
Yasmine straightens her back at this, breaking into a sly grin. “All the more time to talk about Noah behind his back.”
I sputter out a laugh. “Yas! That”s not exactly the point—”
Lilian looks over my shoulder at our destination”s address on my phone screen, refocusing the group with her stoic stare. We await her reaction in a frozen silence, even little Lexi gaping at Lilian.
The current Luna hums in approval when I show her the shop Noah recommended, but she doesn’t comment further.
We pile into Amy”s new minivan with three rows of seating. Yasmine and Kira smush in on either side of me in the third row, making me feel even smaller. Cuddling in like the wolves they are, they look at my phone screen without permission.
Kira grips my arm. “Girl, what the fuck?!”
My eyes bulge. “What?!”
“Language!” Amy plops into the front seat with a scowl.
But Yasmine’s eyes are just as wide as Kira’s. “Holy ship, though! That’s where we’re going?”
Lexi breaks into giggles. “Holy ship!”
“Wait, where am I taking us? What do I need to know?” Amy whips around to face us, waiting to start the car.
Her mate shakes her head, still gaping. “Noah’s sending her to the heckin’ Celestial Couture Shop.”
Amy’s jaw drops, gripping her car’s center console until she can turn around far enough to look me in the eyes.
My shoulders raise. “What? Is it weird? I mean, I”ll admit I thought ‘Couture’ sounded a bit excessive.”
Lilian groans in the passenger”s seat, dropping her head back. “She’s a Greenfield Luna. What do you all take her for?”
Rainn gapes at her mom from the second row despite Lexi death-gripping a strand of Rainn’s wavy hair. “Mom, come on! Who does the Celestial lady ever take as a client?”
“Who else would she take except the Greenfield Luna, you mean?” Lilian meets my eyes, giving me a soft smile. “Almost no one.”
I’m already self-conscious about the eyes that’ll be on me today, so my heart rate skyrockets.
Yasmine gapes. “Dang, Luna. So you went to Celestia for your Luna dress too?”
Lilian smooths a hand over her silver bun. “Of course I did.”
Rainn gasps. “Mom! Why don”t you ever tell me these things?! Does that mean she”d take me as a client too?”
“Of course, Rainn.” Lilian melts into a smile I recognize: the one I only see when she thinks of Alpha Ritchie. With everyone falling into an awed hush at her expression, she softens her voice. “Your father spoiled me to death, taking me to the best dressmaker in the Pacific Northwest. He”d want the same for you.”
I swallow hard, reaching between the seats to rub Rainn”s arm as a bittersweet excitement rushes through her watery smile.
In the following silence, anxiety bubbles throughout my core until my stomach loudly growls. I clear my throat. “But I thought we”d be going somewhere similar to a wedding dress shop?”
Amy uses the back of her seat to yank her body as far around as she can manage beneath the steering wheel. “No, girl, this is in the middle of the flipping woods—”
Kira grips my arm. “On a bleeping mountain—”
“And she makes mating ceremony dresses, yeah, but she doesn’t alter them for most wolves. Mainly only Lunas.”
“Bleeping mountain!” Lexi laughs.
I laugh with her, reaching over the seats to squish her little shoe. “That was so silly, wasn’t it?”
“Yes!” Lexi steals my hand, placing her toy car onto it. I’m not sure if it’s on purpose, but she successfully softens my tense shoulders.
Yasmine crosses her arms as she drops back into her seat, spreading her knees despite her tight skirt. “Huh. Yeah, that all checks out, actually. Especially for our top Alpha”s Luna.”
With that, Amy starts the car.
By the time we reverse onto the winding forest road, the ever-present wolves have already moved on like Noah always does. Everyone settles into their seats, accepting this conclusion only a minute after making a huge fuss.
But I haven’t settled. Something strikes me as off. Of course Noah is the top Alpha of the Greenfield pack, otherwise I wouldn’t be the Luna.
Between this uncertainty and my nerves about becoming Luna next week, I groan at the heavy rolling in my abdomen.
“You okay?” Kira asks.
“Yeah.” My voice comes out shakier than I expect. “I just feel a little sick.”
Only Amy, Kira, and Yasmine know it’s because I might be pregnant. Thankfully, Kira rubs my back, releasing her protective Alpha scent before anyone has further questions. “Let’s pull over, Amy. We’ve gotta eat something before there’s no restaurants in sight, anyway.”
I’m grateful to stretch my legs, especially when I’m welcomed by Rainn’s warm hug.
Affection wells in me whenever I smell her sweet, familiar-but-not scent; a touch of her scent overlaps with Noah’s. I bet it’s similar to how Noah’s children will smell when I finally get to hold them.
That thought only heightens my nerves, too much excitement flooding my wiry stomach. I grip it, taking deep breaths as we enter the restaurant.
Rainn slips her soft hand into mine. “Hey, do you want me to get you something for your stomach? I bet they have some crackers.”
“Thanks, Rainn. I actually feel better now that we’re holding still.”
She nuzzles against me, and my heart leaps. My surprise must show in my scent; Rainn instantly pulls back.
“Oh, sorry. Did I startle you?”
I soften into a nearly inaudible whisper, knowing Rainn’s expert ears can still pick it up. “Aren’t we in a human restaurant? I didn’t think we wanted to do— um— wolfy things in front of them.”
The wolves sniff the air in unison. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
Kira smirks. “Nah, I don’t smell any human. Except you.”
Lilian’s chin juts. “You mean Lycan-human hybrid. She”s not just one or the other, and we shouldn”t shame her for her human side.”
As the group”s Alpha shrinks apologetically, Lilian’s correction gives me goosebumps. She really is defending both Noah and me now.
I wish she didn’t hurt Noah so badly before coming around. He can”t trust any progress she makes, and I don’t blame him.
As I sit surrounded by my favorite girls, I feel a thousand times better. I kiss Lexi’s head of curls, huddling in to chat with her about funny animals as she scribbles all over her menu. My closest friends laugh together in a rapid-fire chat with ever-changing topics. It’s been so long that I’ve had an outing with a group of women that my heart feels a little fuller, even if I don’t join in on the conversation too much.
Although, I am a little uncomfortable with how the adults keep glancing at me with intense curiosity—a universal language no matter our shared species.
Yasmine props her head on her chin with a sultry grin, and I can guess what’s coming. “Alright, future Luna. I’m ready to hear how you really feel about the mating ceremony. Between us.”
I bite my lip, but it doesn’t stop my smile. “About the ceremony in general, or...?”
“Nah, the fun stuff. What do you think of the whole public sex thing?”
I clear my throat, playing with my napkin to settle my nerves. Of course I knew that’s what Yasmine was asking, but with everyone’s eyes on me, it’s sinking in how I’ve never talked about sex with an entire group of people before. At most, Kira and Amy gushed about their sex life in college while I sat back, full of red-faced giggles.
But I”ve always wanted to feel connected enough with my friends and family to talk about how I really feel, and it”s coming true. Maybe I can share more than I usually would.
“To be honest, I”m—” I cut myself off.
They probably expect me to say “excited” or “nervous.” While that’s true, there’s an even deeper truth I haven’t dared to share.
“I’m craving it,” I mutter.
With my announcement, Amy’s eyebrows raise, but she rubs my arm the second I duck my head in embarrassment.
“Heck yeah, girl, spill it! We’re so excited to hear all the juicy details. It’s all going over someone’s head, anyway.”
We glance at Lexi, who remains absorbed in her scribbling with quiet, rambling humming.
Yasmine’s hushed voice is laced with heavy excitement. “Which part are you craving? Is it Noah? My shy best friend is probably a secret exhibitionist, isn’t he?”
I glance at Noah’s sister and mom, my neck flushing hot. But Lilian sips tea with a smile, as if the thought that her children have sex is as normal as knowing they eat lunch.
I guess it is normal to Lycans, but it’s still new to me.
A thrill rushes through me as I decide to keep sharing anyway.
“Yes, a lot of it is because I”m craving that moment with Noah. He— um... He seems really excited by it, and I—” I clear my throat. “I want to let myself go enough to show everyone how deeply we love each other.”
Amy giggles, Yasmine and Kira tease me with winks, and Lilian nods in understanding.
But Rainn beams, her eyes rimmed in red. “I’m so happy for you and my brother. Whenever I see you together, I can tell you’re bonded deeper at this stage than most mates I’ve known.” She swipes her eyes, softening into a warm smile. “The pack will be so honored you”re letting them celebrate your bond alongside you. And I know they”ll benefit from witnessing the pure love you two share, inspiring everyone to be more loving mates.”
Tears prick my eyes at Rainn’s wholesome view of the ceremony. “I guess it is a celebration of our bond, isn’t it? I’m really curious how it’ll feel in the moment. With everyone watching us, and being so bare and vulnerable on top of it, I’m imagining I won’t even know how nerve-wracking it’ll really be until we’re there.”
My cheeks flush as I admit the truth, but their patient, attentive eyes spur me into blurting out more.
“It’s so nice to be able to talk about sex this freely. It was seen as so shameful, growing up around humans. And that’s why the dress is important. I honestly want to look really good while mating with Noah.”
Amy grins. “It’ll be a surprise for Noah, right? The dress?”
I laugh. “Yeah. Noah was cute. He was so bummed he couldn’t come with us today until I explained it was specifically to surprise him. Then he was all for the idea.”
Yasmine’s eyebrows raise as she chuckles. “He”s a big, smitten puppy dog of a wolf. Never seen a man so taken in my life.”
I giggle, ducking my head. “I love him.”
Amy rubs my back, giggling with me. “You’re not trying to get all dressed up just for him, right?! Or am I going to have to give my best friend a reality check on how incredible she is?”
I can’t bear to look at the kind faces around me a second more, the lid on my emotions threatening to burst. “No, it’s not solely to surprise him. It’s mainly to boost my confidence when we mate. I want to look like I’m confident enough to know what I want and how I want it, even when I choose to be beneath my Alpha.”
My heart is on fire with how raw this confession feels, but everyone’s collective scent only rises to meet me, wide-eyed and focused on my every word.
“Heck yeah—sweet, sexy, and cool! I can picture it!” Yasmine says.
“That pretty much describes you, girl. The world needs more Omegas in power like you,” Amy says.
My chest tightens, afraid of what Noah’s mom might think. But Lilian’s smile is brighter than ever. Her doting scent wafting over the gentle candlelight tells me it’s genuine.
Piling back into the car to drive up the mountain, I sit in Amy’s passenger seat to keep from feeling carsick. But I can”t help but turn and look at my favorite women every few minutes, loving the giddy energy surrounding me.
“Thank you all so much for coming with me today.”
The wolves all straighten in attention, widening my smile.
“This means so much to me. Before meeting Noah, I never thought I’d have any bridesmaids, other than Kira and Amy.”
Rainn’s brows furrow. “Wait, I just realized why that human phrase sounds so weird. Is it supposed to be like we’re your maids?”
Kira’s smile warps, her jaw dropping like Rainn just slapped her. “Girl, what? Is that true, Aliya? You call your female best friends maids? Humans are so sexist!”
“No, no, no, not a maid! A bridesmaid! It”s one word for all of the bride”s favorite people featured in the wedding.” My eyes widen. “Although, wait— That is kind of weird, now that I think about it. What if it really is supposed to be like the bride’s maidens-in-waiting?”
Everyone except Lilian groans.
I have to laugh. Amy sputters out a laugh with me, and our attention whips to her. She grants me a sarcastic smile before returning her eyes to the road. “You’re enjoying the idea of us waiting on you that much, huh?”
I laugh, grabbing her shoulder. “Amy, no! It’s dark, but... Okay, maybe it’s a little funny because of how mad Kira is about it.”
Amy cackles as Kira rolls her eyes. She sighs through the end of her laugh, sparking warmth through my heart with the smile I’ve always known. “I’m messing with you, girl. We’ve all got our own traditions that are a little twisted if you look closely.”
But Kira growls beneath her breath in the backseat. “Nah, I’m not being a stinkin’ handmaiden. We need a pack name for our new mini—”
Kira cuts herself off with a gasp, and Amy laughs even harder—assumedly feeling the panic in Kira’s eyes through their bond.
“Oh, no,” Kira hisses. “Don’t tell Noah I suggested breaking into a smaller pack or he’ll kick my Alpha butt for treason!”
I bust out laughing. “What? He wouldn’t!”
“She’s kidding! ...Kind of,” Amy says. “But I agree, babe. I think we should call ourselves something about sexifying our Luna.”
Yasmine snaps her fingers. “Oh, yes! How about the Sexy Luna Taskforce?”
“Dang, I like that,” Kira says.
“Oh, fudge yes, Kira!”
They high-five over Rainn’s head, forcing her to duck, and when Lexi squeals, her little arms poking above her car seat to high-five herself, the whole minivan bursts into laughter. Lilian shakes her head in the far back seat, but her giggly energy radiates from here.
I’m so happy. I allow myself a soft touch on my belly despite how premature it feels to celebrate the possible-baby growing inside me. But the longer I keep my hand there, the more my heart aches at the deep, nurturing love blooming in my heart. I hope Mom can join in our fun with us, wherever she is.