The days leading up to the ceremony were a blur. Atlas would spend the afternoons and evenings sparring with Serena while the rest of the days were filled with history and etiquette lessons from Eli and Venus.
"No, no. This is one thing that you need to get right!" Eli groaned while he waved a copy of The Blood Moon and Its Significance wildly in the air.
"We've been working on this all day. I don't think I'm gonna be getting this." Serena flopped onto the couch cushions and pulled a pillow over her face.
"Come on. Just think really hard. What does the blood moon represent for the werewolf culture? We just talked about this." Eli propped himself up on his elbows and looked intensely at Serena. The book supported his face, and his eyes were narrowed. He looked tired, but so did everyone. They had been pulling all-nighters and getting minimal sleep in hopes that Serena would be able to grasp some of the information that they threw at her.
Serena sighed and rose from her lying position, tossing the pillow aside. She ran a hand over her face and pinched her nose.
"It symbolizes the ending of an era and the..." Serena squeezed her eyes closed and rubbed her forehead.
Eli nodded and gestured for her to keep going.
"It symbolizes the ending of an era and the..." He repeated, spurring her thoughts.
"And the removal of a king?" Serena shrugged.
Eli's face fell, and he sighed.
"No. It's the ending of an era and the potential for rebirth. The removal of a king was from the ancient Babylonians. You will be asked this at the meeting of the Elders." Eli straightened the placed the book back on the bookshelf behind him. He turned to Serena and knelt in front of her. "You need to remember this stuff if you want to be accepted as the Luna and a member of the pack. It makes matters worse that you aren't even from a pack. You're human. Other pack members won't respect you unless you know our laws, history, and etiquette. You've got tonight and tomorrow morning until the meeting of the Elders. Then the next night is the Blood Moon." Eli dropped his head and gazed at the floor.
"Tell me everything that's happening those days so I can prepare," Serena asked, leaning towards him. He looked up and met her gaze. Bags were heavy under her eyes. Her normal joyful, emerald eyes were as dull as an unpolished, rough agate. He sighed and sat back on the floor.
"You will meet all the Elders and the Circle for a dinner meeting, much like the brunch we had. We like to keep things casual. After that dinner, you will be separated from the Circle and taken to the Clearing where you are asked a series of questions, and your worth is determined by the Elders. If you do not pass, then you will be removed from the pack and sent back home. If you want to return to your previous life, that would be the time to do it. After you pass the Elders inspection, you will be a low member of the pack."
"I have the option of returning?" Serena whispered. Her voice was wobbly. Eli looked up and saw tears puddle in her eyes. He stretched out and hand and rubbed her thigh gently.
"Yes, you do." Eli met her gaze. "Do you want to return?"
Serena was silent, gazing blankly at him as the tears began to recede. She swallowed hard and shook her head.
"I don't think so. You, Venus, and Atlas are my home now."
Eli smiled at her softly and continued.
"After the meeting, you will be officially accepted as a low-ranking pack member. This will happen as the Blood Moon rises. Be careful that day because it is one of the strongest moon phases for werewolves. You will go to the training grounds. There, the Elders and the Circle will watch from the balcony as you fight to prove your worth. Or you become a werewolf. Any member will be able to challenge you." Eli scratched his scraggly chin. He shot up a hand and blurted out, "Oh! You must be challenged at least once for it to be accepted as an actual ceremony."
"What if no one volunteers?" Serena pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly.
"Venus will volunteer. Or I will. Atlas is unable to as he is the Alpha and technically your mate. His wolf will have... Let's just say problems that night. But there will be some who will go after your position. Remember that it's a full moon that night. A strong one too. This is also one final chance for anyone who opposes you and the potential union of Atlas to come forward."
Serena nodded but continued to hug her knees tightly.
"If you survive that, you will be given a better rank and another choice. You will be able to become a wolf, like us, or you will be left alone. You can remain human, but will not be allowed to leave this pack. There will be an official motion at the ceremony." Eli pulled himself off the ground and straightened his back. He glanced at the clock and widened his eyes. "Shit. It's way past when I was supposed to send you to Venus. She's up in your room. I'm gonna hear about it tonight..." He waved his hands and pushed her out of the study.
Serena stumbled out of the doorway and almost into a wall. She shook her head and glared back at Eli who waved one final time before she headed up toward the room.
She knocked on the door softly, and as she did so, the sound of running feet sounded through the wooden door. The door swung open wide, and Venus' dark head popped out, a smile on her face.
"About damn time." She cried and pulled Serena into the room, slamming the door behind her. "Let's get an outfit picked out for you." She smiled and pulled Serena toward the walk-in closet. The closet was packed with more clothes than usual of all kinds of autumn colors and textures. "We need two outfits. One for the meeting of the Elders and one for your official ceremony."
Venus rummaged in the closet while Serena tip-toed away. Venus snapped her head out of the closet and pulled Serena sharply back to her side.
"You can't get out of this," Venus said, head covered in shirts and skirts.
"I've been hearing that a lot lately." Serena rolled her eyes and rubbed some of the shirt's material between her fingertips.
"Do you want to not be a part of the pack?" Venus closed the closet doors and sauntered over to the bed, plopping beside Serena.
"I-I don't know." Serena sighed and closed her eyes, fisting the fabric in her hands. Venus laid a hand on Serena's and rubbed it gently.
"That's okay. We don't want to pressure you. It's a big decision." She smiled weakly. "But I know that we love having you here and would really miss you."
Serena clenched the shirt in her fists tighter, pulling the stitching and cloth almost to their breaking point. She relaxed her white knuckles, and the fabric fell onto her thighs.
"I want this. This is how I will get closure for what happened to my father. That's what's most important to me right now."
Venus turned her head away from Serena and retracted her hand to her lap. She fidgetted with her nails for a moment before jumping to her feet. A smile was plastered onto her face, but her eyes showed no joy that she desperately tried to convey.
"Great! My job is to get you ready for the meeting. Let's focus on that, and then you can go to bed. But only after we find the best outfit and go over some basic questions and answers." She spun on her heel, flung open the nearest dresser drawer, and began tossing its contents about the room.