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Chapter 4

Harmony

I tried my best to keep the style the hairdresser made, letting it drape to the lower middle of my back. It was time… at least I hoped. I was cute. I was a small, tan, amber-yellow eyed wolf from the royal family. I thought this to pump myself up, but it wasn’t working…

Why was I so nervous? Why was it that the sun was set, and the festival about to start, but I was still in the wrong pants…? I’d gone to the Harvest Moon Festival for years…. Four different packs, one as big as a state, but no one selected me. Not a soul out there was my mate, and if he was… he didn’t want me.

Do not say that! Huffed my wolf, Lummi. She hated the nickname, but she was the other half of me. She was my black, silver tip furred inner wolf-dog, floppy ears and all…

I subconsciously put my hand where wolf ears would be…. I was only half … I didn’t even feel the way other wolves felt when talking about a mate. 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 feel the bond’s pull… It made me a freak, but no one ever really bothered me about it. Most would give me looks of pity, but I didn’t want that…

“Sweety look at me.” My mom hugged me, looking stern. I didn’t even know when she came in. “Wolves from 12 packs are here, even some from your uncle Bryson’s. He’s bound to be here.” Said my mom, the Luna of my pack even though she wasn’t a wolf. She was the sweetest person I knew, and I hugged her gently.

“I know mom… I’ll be ready in a minute.” I said quietly, and she could tell I needed my space.

She left out the room, probably worried for me. I put on the pants Hank got me and went downstairs. Everything moved too fast, and too slow at the same time. I didn’t really hear my parents do the traditional speech … I was trying my best to find him. I stood at the top of the packhouse stairs, sniffing the shifting wind.

All it would take was the scent. You could smell your mate. Once you had them, it was tradition to leave with them, and spend your eternity with the wolf literally created just for you so long as no one rejected you…. rare but possible….

Damn near guaranteed for a half blood. A weak one at that, only about as strong as the average pack wolf as an adult. I am the shame of my ancient pureblooded line…. I was the runt pup… That word 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, but I knew it probably wasn’t the case in other packs. Above all, most wolves valued strength and leadership…. Though at least I was a healer. That was also valuable… but no Alpha would want me.

Lummi paced impatiently in my mind, wanting to shift to prove me wrong, but I was against it…. I would wait a little longer.

Minutes turned to hours, and no one stepped up to announce me as theirs… Just like last year, and the year before. I don’t know why this time…. but I was somehow surprised. The moon was in the center of the sky, and the air was filled with joyous yips and playful growls.

I saw the new happy couples dance and be happy under the full Autumn Harvest Moon for the seventh year in a row... A night so honored, none would fight, lest they received the wrath of the Pale Lady herself. I didn’t feel anything.

Nothing.

I felt no pull of my soul mate, or even the desire to find him… What was wrong with me? Every wolf, no matter how old, strong, high or low status went without their one…. but as only half wolf… would I have that right?

I was the only half wolf in the pack, yet I was never reminded of that fact by purebloods. It was times like this that did it for me. It was the unspoken times like this that made me want to shed a tear. It was one thing all wolves crave; and it seemed like it was something I wouldn’t have.

“Anything?” Asked dad, putting a hand on my shoulder suddenly. I didn’t know if he’d left me there to be by myself or not…. but he was holding a blanket.

“He’s not out here.” I finally admitted, turning to my father, who stood next to my mother behind me. I stood a moment longer at the top of the packhouse stairs….

“Come inside, I’ll be in my office a while.” Said dad, throwing a blanket over my shoulders. He was a large wolf of few words. As Alpha and Third Prince to our people, he was born that way. He’d always been a serious man, and today was no different.

“…I’ll be there in a minute.” I said with a small smile, but inwardly I felt lonely for the first time.

“Alright.” He said leaving with mom.

I silently hid my tears… everyone else was happy, and my wolf was silent. I wouldn’t spoil everyone else’s good time with my own grief. I didn’t have any friends for comfort, and the only wolves my age that regularly hung out with me were Hank and Keith. I should have gone with them so at least I’d have had someone to cheer me up.

Wait a little longer. Whined Lummi, but I turned to go inside.

I felt almost a pull on my heart. It caused me to turn around.

I sensed the aura of someone who held authority…. Someone used to giving orders, and others following without question, but I was surprised at who I saw. This was no Alpha…. His scent was too powerful to be that… it was one of earth and … I didn’t know what… I couldn’t put my finger on his scent.

“Oh my Lady Run!” Shouted a burly Warrior, shifting and running off into the night, howling alarm.

“…It’s the Horned One!” Screamed someone, causing there to be a bit of a panic. All who didn’t kneel immediately scrambled to stay out his way, while I was dumbfounded…. His black pooled eyes reflected the moonlight, and like a deer in the headlights, I really was frozen there, unable to move.

“Forgive my tardiness… I almost followed the GPS to the wrong pack.” He said, walking to me. His voice stunned me in place for a second. I looked at him unable to do anything other than gawk…

He flexed dark olive skin unknowingly, revealing a muscled body hidden under a long sleeve black shirt, black sneakers, and dark blue jeans. His head carried a low, messy manbun, and spiraled 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, seemingly gliding …. His slow confident steps caused any wolves that hadn’t ran to bow, and make way. I just couldn’t believe it…. I’d heard who they said he was…. It was just impossible….

I tripped on nothing, fumbling to do anything other than stare, because the butterflies in my stomach made even the smallest effort to do anything a challenge.

“Careful.” Said the deep velvet voice of the strange Alpha of Alphas smelling man…. one I’d never seen before if he was, and one I was in denial of whose title the others screamed…. For the first time in my life, I felt powerless to whatever this voice commanded….

I slowly looked up; he now embraced me in a gentle hold I knew I couldn’t escape… not that I wanted to… his eyes…. They were obsidian, an eye color that didn’t exist in wolves, though his hair was a dark chocolate… I wanted to say something, but it felt like I was fighting a frog in my throat...

I could only utter one word… the sparks of his touch tingled on every pore…. It made it hard to gather my thoughts that now ran away because of my wolf, Luminescence…

“Mate…” I whispered, he grinned showing sharp fangs. He leaned into my ear, nipping it gently. It sent a wave of sparks, giving me goosebumps, awakening instincts I’d never needed until this moment… this was the man I was promised to…. And I had no idea why I thought of it like that.

He slowly reached for my face, and cupped it with his clawed hand. I dropped the blanket around my shoulders…. “Mate.” He parroted with his deep smokey voice. “It seems I’ve caught 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 name.” He commanded gently, and my wolf wagged her tail in my mind. She was beyond intimidated by the stature of male before us, but was happy that he’d placed us in his gentle hold.

“…. Harmony, your majesty.” I mumbled, seeing his intense gaze trail down to my breasts.

“You sound as a songbird before first light… I wonder if you taste as sweet as your honeyed words my lovely.” He leaned down, closing his eyes. My Lady… I wasn’t as panicked as I thought I should be, reaching up slowly, wrapping my arms around his neck while he held me tighter. I was a rabbit… captured by what felt like a lion….

His lips slowly pressed onto mine. It was warm and soft…electric. He was as gentle as he was powerful, holding me up, because my shaking legs could no longer do so… “For you, and you alone, I am Xaxas, my promised one.” said the King…

For a moment time stopped. His presence was nearly overpowering, but a welcome one. I was in the arms of the Tyrant King; the man who destroyed this world. I felt safe instead 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 mate. I was the one promised to the ruler of this realm, the one feared by all who knew of his legend. He slumbered all this time until now, but without warning…. He was here…

He is mate; it does not matter his rank. It does not matter his power; he will love us. You think too much. She huffed stomping her feet in my mind, making her ears flop. It was the most active I’d seen her all night, and I had a feeling she’d be back to her old happy self. I took a breath, listening to her words. She was right after all.

“…. I suppose you’ve come to take me then?” I asked shyly, seeing the corners of his mouth slightly turn upwards. He took my hands and held them gently, raising them to his chest. I could feel his heartbeat. It was fast, but steady.

“I have; this already beats for you. It is selfish to ask so much… I can’t see myself leaving here without you… but I would consider any requests you may have. I can do that much.” He said kissing my knuckles.

“I don’t think I’d let you do that.” I said quietly, still shocked that the man before me was my mate, but Lummi trusted him completely now that she’d calmed down from the initial shock. I would follow her on this. I trusted her instincts as well as my Lady Moon’s judgment…

“Good, let’s discuss your departure somewhere a little more private.” He smiled, taking my hand gently.

He said nothing as we walked, rubbing my knuckles with his thumb. There was nothing to say…. All who drew breath kneeled at his feet, and wolves made way for him as he quietly stepped down the path that led to the back garden area. Warriors lined the way, treating me with a respect I never had before, but it wasn’t something I necessarily craved.

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