Chapter 2

Huh? What's wrong with Daddy?

I saw Daddy suddenly drop to his knees with a loud "thud," his whole body shaking like autumn leaves in the wind.

Mommy was the same—her face turned ghostly white, her lips trembling, and there was a kind of fear in her eyes I'd never seen before.

"What's wrong?" I looked at Daddy, then at Mommy, completely confused. "That Alpha just wants me to come play at his house. Why are you so scared?"

Everyone around us had strange expressions too. Some had their mouths hanging open, others had their eyes wide as saucers, like they'd seen something unbelievable.

I really didn't understand. What's so scary about visiting someone's house?

That handsome Alpha seemed so gentle, and he was the first person who thought I was interesting. He must be a good person.

Daddy lifted his head, his eyes red and watery, his voice shaking: "Alpha King... do you mean..."

"Why is Daddy calling him Alpha King?" I tilted my head and asked. "Is he a king?"

Wow! Everyone gasped so loudly!

I didn't understand why they were so shocked. I just asked if he was a king. Alpha King sounds just like a king, doesn't it?

Even stranger, that handsome Alpha stood up, and the corners of his mouth seemed to curve up a little. Was he smiling?

I quietly sniffed the air and noticed the bitter smell around him had faded just a tiny bit. It was still very, very bitter, but better than before. Was it because of my candy? Or because of my question?

"Everyone," his voice was so beautiful, like when Daddy tells me bedtime stories, but more authoritative, "I have an announcement."

The air around us felt thick and heavy, making it hard for me to breathe. Everyone fell completely silent—not even the smallest sound.

Alpha King walked down the steps one by one. With each step, my heart beat faster. I didn't understand why, but I felt something very important was about to happen.

He walked right up to me. He was so tall! I had to crane my neck to see his face. His eyes were golden, so beautiful, like autumn maple leaves.

"I declare," he reached out and gently touched my cheek with his warm hand, "this girl is my destined Luna."

BOOM! This time the noise was even louder!

I jumped, startled. Why was everyone being so loud?

"What?!"

"Alpha King is choosing her as Luna?!"

"How is that possible? She's just a child with an undeveloped mind!"

So many people were talking all at once, their voices mixing together until my head spun.

But what I really wanted to know was: "What does Luna mean?"

After I asked, everyone went silent again. They all stared at me with wide eyes, like I'd said something very strange.

I really didn't know what Luna meant. Why couldn't I ask?

Daddy was still kneeling on the ground, his body shaking terribly. I'd never seen Daddy like this. Was he sick?

Then an old man in black robes stepped forward. He smelled terrible, like spoiled milk.

"Absolutely not!" the old man shouted. "Alpha King, this is too rash! She's just a child with an undeveloped mind—she's completely unworthy of being our Blackthorne Pack's Luna!"

Huh? Why were they saying I was "unworthy"? Unworthy of what? I didn't understand again.

Many other elders started talking too:

"Exactly! This is blasphemy against the sacred title of Luna!"

"She hasn't even awakened her wolf—how could she possibly fulfill Luna's duties?"

I knew all these words individually, but when put together, I didn't understand them. What did "wolf awakening" mean? What were "duties"?

Alpha King's face became scary, with fire seeming to burn in his eyes. The air around us grew heavy, pressing down until I could barely breathe.

"My mate," his voice turned ice-cold, "is my decision."

"As for your talk of 'unworthy'..." Suddenly, that heavy feeling intensified, and several elders dropped to their knees. "Who gave you the courage to question your King?"

Wow, Alpha King was so powerful! But wasn't he being a bit mean?

That smelly old man kept talking: "Alpha King, I know you have the right to choose your mate, but she's too young, and her mind is..."

"When she comes of age, I will formally bond with her." Alpha King cut him off. "Until then, no one is to harm her."

Bond? What did bonding mean? Like Daddy and Mommy?

"Alpha King~"

A woman stepped forward. She was so, so beautiful, like a princess from fairy tales! She wore a sparkling silver dress, with long black hair as smooth as when Mommy brushes mine. Her face was pretty too, with red lips and big eyes.

But how strange—she looked so beautiful, but she smelled terrible, even worse than that old man!

"I think I'm much more suitable to stand by your side than this little sister." Her smile looked fake, and she deliberately pushed her chest out. "I'm already of age, I've awakened my wolf, and I know how to assist a great Alpha King."

She looked at me like I was a little bug.

I wrinkled my nose: "Ew, you smell really bad, like rotten eggs."

"What did you say?!" Her face turned ugly instantly.

"I said you smell bad," I repeated. "Even though you sprayed lots of perfume, it can't cover up that stinky smell."

Everyone started talking loudly again! I didn't understand why. I was just telling the truth. That lady really did smell terrible—so bad I wanted to cover my nose.

The lady shook with anger, looking like she wanted to hit me.

But Alpha King spoke: "My Luna says you stink, so you stink. Leave."

Wow! He actually stood up for me! He really was nice!

The smelly woman's face kept changing from green to white, and finally she had to walk away.

People slowly began to disperse, but Alpha King called to Daddy and Mommy.

He walked up to Daddy, his voice low and authoritative: "In three days, bring her to Blackthorne territory. I will personally educate her."

"Alpha King, could we possibly..." Daddy tried to say something.

"This isn't a discussion." Alpha King looked coldly at Daddy. "This is an order."

Then he crouched down to my eye level and said softly: "Remember, from tonight on, you belong to me."

His voice was gentle, but I didn't quite understand what he meant.

The celebration ended just like that. On the way home from the square, Daddy and Mommy didn't say a word. The atmosphere felt so strange.

When we got home, Daddy sat on the sofa holding his head, and Mommy's eyes were red as she held me tight.

"Daddy, Mommy, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

Daddy looked up with red eyes: "Aria, in three days... you have to go to Alpha King."

"For how long? Like when I go play at Amy's house?" I asked innocently.

Mommy's voice trembled: "A long time... a very long time... you'll have to learn many things there."

I suddenly understood something, and tears burst from my eyes: "I don't want to leave you!"

"I don't want to go! I want to stay with Daddy and Mommy!" I jumped out of Mommy's arms and threw myself into Daddy's: "Daddy, I don't want to leave you!"

Daddy and Mommy's eyes turned red too. They were crying.

"Aria, sweetheart, don't cry." Mommy said through her sobs. "You're going to be Luna—it's a very honorable thing..."

"I don't want to be any Luna!" I cried even harder. "I just want to be with you!"

I didn't care about being Luna or whatever—I just wanted to stay with Daddy and Mommy!

I looked up through my tears, still crying: "Can I... can I bring my honey? Grandma left it for me."

That honey was my most precious possession. If I could bring it with me, maybe I wouldn't be so scared.

Mommy gently stroked my hair, choking back tears: "Of course you can, baby. We'll pack all your favorite things."

Daddy nodded too: "Grandma's honey and your little bunny toy—you can bring everything."

The three of us hugged together, tears flowing everywhere.

I didn't understand why this was happening, why I had to leave home, why I had to be this Luna thing.

I just wanted to stay with Daddy and Mommy, forever and ever.

Just then, at the forest edge outside Nightfall packhouse, Richard and Lizzy were secretly watching this tender scene.

"She's really going to become Luna..." Lizzy gritted her teeth.

Richard's eyes flashed with viciousness: "We won't let her succeed. Three days is enough time for us to arrange everything."

The two exchanged a look full of malice, then disappeared into the night.