Until Midnight
Kieran POV
I adjusted the silver clasps of my formal midnight-blue tunic, my fingers brushing against the embroidered Valdoran crest over my chest. The fabric was immaculate, the tailoring perfect, but I still felt a restless energy humming beneath my skin.
Announcing the Luna ceremony had triggered an avalanche of royal obligations.
My time was no longer my own, swallowed entirely by meetings with the pack Alphas, coordinating security for a flood of visiting wolves, and wrangling the logistical beast that was a sudden coronation.
I had been separated from Aurora for over a day and a half, a painful reality that had my wolf clawing at the walls of my mind, deeply unhappy about this.
I glanced at the grand clock in my chambers. It was almost time to get going. The preliminary banquet will be starting soon in the Great Hall.
By ancient Valdoran tradition, the preliminary banquet was a grand affair.
It was my duty as the Alpha King to host and feast first with the pack Alphas and their Lunas, alongside our Betas, the council of Elders, and a select group holding special invitations, such as trusted business partners, esteemed allies, and close family.
While the kingdom’s elite celebrated below, the new Luna was to remain entirely hidden away, guarded and prepared by her most trusted inner circle.
Aurora wouldn’t make her official appearance until the clock struck midnight, the exact hour the Moon Goddess reached her absolute peak.
The wait was already agonizing, a slow burn of anticipation that had my wolf constantly on edge, but I took comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone.
Mara, Lyra, and Elara had practically barricaded themselves in the west wing with her.
With those three fierce females keeping her company, I wasn’t worried about her safety, nor her sanity.
A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.
“You can come in,” I called out, turning away from the mirror.
The door swung open, and my mother glided into the room. She was dressed in her own breathtaking formal gown of deep emerald, a proud, maternal smile gracing her features. But it wasn’t her presence that surprised me; it was the, silver-haired woman trailing close behind her.
“Mother,” I greeted, stepping forward to kiss her cheek before narrowing my eyes at the seamstress. “Madame Tulla. Forgive me, but shouldn’t you be with my mate? We are merely hours away from the ceremony.”
Tulla didn’t look frantic or panicked, as I had expected. Instead, she looked entirely at peace, carrying a slightly smug, secretive smile. She offered a deep bow.
“Worry not, Alpha,” Tulla said smoothly. “The Luna is in the most capable hands. My daughter, Kaia, has entirely taken over the final fittings and preparations. I was politely, but firmly, banished from the room.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Kaia? I wasn’t aware she was involved. Is the outfit complete? Does it suit her?”
Tulla’s eyes sparkled with a knowing, infuriatingly mysterious light. “Oh, it is complete, my King. But you will pry no details from my lips. Kaia swore me to absolute secrecy. You will simply have to wait until midnight to see the canvas the Moon Goddess has painted.”
My mother chuckled softly, looping her arm through mine. “Patience, Kieran. Let the ladies have their secrets. Your Luna will be perfect. Now, I believe you have a hall full of hungry, restless wolves waiting for their Alpha King to officially open the banquet.”
I let out a low breath, my wolf practically vibrating with anticipation at Tulla’s cryptic promise. “Alright. Let’s not keep them waiting.”
I escorted my mother out of my chambers and down the sweeping marble staircases of the stronghold. The low, thrumming roar of hundreds of voices hit us long before we reached the Great Hall. The sheer volume of the gathered elite created a vibrant, electric weight in the air.
As we stepped through the massive arched double doors, the room fell into a sudden, respectful silence.
Hundreds of faces turned toward us, a sea of distinguished leaders and honored guests dressed in their finest court attire.
The long, grand tables groaned under the weight of roasted meats, fresh breads, and overflowing chalices of wine and ale.
The massive hearths at the ends of the hall roared with fire, casting a warm, flickering glow over the magnificent assembly.
I guided my mother to her seat at the high table before stepping forward. I rested my hands on the carved wood of my own chair, projecting my voice so it carried effortlessly to the furthest corners of the room.
“Welcome,” I began, my voice echoing off the ancient stone walls.
“Tonight, we gather not just as one pack, but as a united kingdom and a formidable alliance. To our Pack Alphas, our wise Elders, and our steadfast friends and family—thank you for standing with us. We celebrate the strength that brought us through the darkness,
and the bright future that stands before us all. Eat well. Drink deeply. Enjoy the bounty of our lands.”
I paused, letting a fierce, proud smile touch my lips.
“For at midnight, the shadows finally recede, and Valdora welcomes its true Luna.”
A deafening, euphoric roar of approval erupted from the crowd, silver chalices and heavy tankards raised high into the air. The banquet had begun.
The grand feast was in full swing when Alpha Vaughn of the Ashenvale pack approached the high table.
He was a formidable man, scarred and imposing, yet his expression softened as he led his Luna, Elara’s oldest sister, Cerys, toward me.
Cerys was heavily pregnant, her hand resting protectively over her swollen belly.
Trailing just behind them, however, was Elder Thorne, looking as stiff and sour as a man sucking on a lemon.
My inner wolf immediately let out a long, aggrieved sigh in the back of my mind.
’Of course the old buzzard had to invite himself up here’.
Just the sight of Thorne’s perpetually pinched, judgmental face threatened to put a damper on my otherwise excellent mood.
“My King,” Vaughn greeted, extending a thick forearm in the traditional warrior’s clasp. “My congratulations. And my thanks. The extra patrols you dispatched to our western borders allowed us to travel with peace of mind.”
“You are welcome, Vaughn,” I replied, returning the clasp firmly. “And congratulations to you both. It is a blessing to see the Ashenvale line growing.”
Cerys smiled warmly, a maternal glow radiating from her. “Thank you. We wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Though I admit, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of my little sister. Is Elara around?”
“Elara is perfectly safe, Cerys,” I reassured her with a gentle nod. “She is in the west wing with Mara and Lyra, keeping Aurora company and helping her prepare. I’m sure she’ll come find you the moment the midnight ceremony concludes.”
Cerys’s smile widened, relief and sisterly pride mingling in her scent. “Ah, of course. I should have known she’d be right by our new Luna’s side.”
Before we could speak further, the Alphas of the Stonejaw and Sunforge packs approached, accompanied by their respective Lunas.
Haldor and Cyrus were both close to my own age, young leaders who had taken up their mantles in their early twenties during the chaotic aftermath of the war. We had bled together in border skirmishes and shared far too many drunken nights in our youth to stand on strict, stuffy formalities now.
“Kieran!” Alpha Haldor boomed. He was built like a mountain, his broad, tattooed shoulders stretching the absolute limits of his fine silk tunic.
He bypassed a royal bow entirely, pulling me into a crushing, brotherly embrace and clapping me heartily on the back.
“Finally found your mate, have you? And an Argentis Princess, no less! You Valdorans always did have a flair for the dramatic.”
Next to him, Alpha Cyrus of Sunforge grinned.
He was lean, sharply handsome, and practically radiating a confident warmth.
He leaned against the high table, raising his silver goblet in a toast.
“We were starting to think you were going to grow old and grumpy alone, brother. May the Moon Goddess bless your union. Our packs rejoice in your happiness.”
“Thank you, Hal, Cy,” I said, shaking Cyrus’s hand firmly before offering their radiant Lunas a warm, respectful nod. “Tonight we celebrate not just my mate, but the fact that I finally have a good excuse to out-drink the two of you again. Enjoy the feast.”
“How much longer until midnight?” Haldor muttered playfully, leaning toward Cyrus and earning a sharp, exasperated elbow to the ribs from his own Luna. “What? I want to see the she-wolf who finally managed to leash the wild King of Valdora!”
I let out a low, genuine laugh, the sound filled with the easy comfort of old friendship and a fierce surge of pride. “You’ll meet her soon enough.”
As Haldor and Cyrus moved down to the tables to find their seats together with their Lunas, I finally settled into my own chair. My mother offered me an amused, sideways glance, gracefully sipping her wine.
“You’re pacing on the inside, aren’t you?” she murmured, her sharp gaze catching the restless tapping of my fingers against the wooden armrest.
“Is it that obvious?” I asked, tearing off a piece of warm, crusty bread.
“Only to anyone with eyes,” she murmured, a gentle, teasing smile playing on her lips. “But I imagine your subjects are more than willing to forgive their fearsome Alpha King for counting the seconds until he sees his mate. Just try not to claw straight through the armrest before midnight.”
I let out a breath of a laugh, forcing my hand to relax against the carved wood.
She wasn’t entirely wrong. Despite the persistent ache of separation radiating from my chest, I couldn’t deny the profound satisfaction washing over me.
For years, this hall had been filled with the tense, heavy atmosphere of war councils, hushed strategies, and the endless matchmaking circus.
Tonight, it was vibrantly alive. The air was thick with the mouth-watering scents of honey-glazed boar, roasted root vegetables, and uninhibited joy.
Roaring laughter bounced off the vaulted stone ceilings, weaving through the lively, stomping rhythm of the musicians playing their instruments near the roaring hearths.
I took a deep draught of my ale, savoring the rich, dark brew as I watched my people celebrate without fear. It was a good night. A historic night.
But every time my eyes drifted to the massive clock at the far end of the Great Hall, my inner wolf let out a low, impatient whine.
The golden hands seemed to mock me, creeping toward the midnight hour with agonizing, deliberate slowness.
I forced myself to stay present, engaging in boisterous conversations, eating the rich food, and raising my goblet to a dozen different toasts.
I was enjoying the feast, truly, but my senses remained stretched thin, constantly reaching toward the west wing, silently counting down the excruciating seconds until my mate would finally show herself.