Delila, my best friend, sprints toward me across the living room with a dazzling smile on her face, and a smile forms on my lips.
"Delila!" I exclaim as Delila engulfs me in a bone-crushing hug. "When did you come back?" As Delila steps back, I question.
"I returned just a few moments ago. I went to your house and your mother told me you were here!"
"Yes, I was preparing some wheat cakes."
"Why? You shouldn't do anything but get dressed and look pretty for your Slava!" Delila says, frowning, and my eyes widen. I glance down trying to hide the flash of sorrow in my eyes, Delila's scowl intensifies.
"The Slava is not for me, Delila. It is to welcome Ciro's female." With a sorrowful smile on my face, I quietly say and look. Delila's confusion grows, and she drags me out of the packhouse.
"Please don't tell me it's someone else!" Delila pled, and all I could do was smile solemnly.
"He is blessed with a very beautiful female, Delila. And I know she will be perfect for him and our pack."
"You two were meant for each other! And you would have made an excellent Luna!" Delila exclaims, and I shake my head.
"The Goddess created someone else for him. We clearly aren't meant to be together. And what sort of Luna would I have been when I don't even have my wolf!" I spin around to face the packhouse's foyer as the words come out in a quiet murmur. "Perhaps the Goddess picked someone else for me. I'm simply hoping to find him out. Some day." Delila stares towards the foyer as well, following my gaze.
I watch as Ciro along with his female Milena walk out of the packhouse. He is dressed in our traditional attire, which consists of a white shirt, black slacks, and a sleeveless coat known as a jeleks. He looks as dashing as ever, and Milena, she looks like a Goddess in those traditional clothing of ours. She is dressed in a black flowing skirt plaited in embroidered linen, with tkanice wrapped around her waist serving as a belt. Her waist is wrapped with an apron designed especially for a Luna, adorned and hand embroidered with floral motifs. The Luna embroiders the apron for her successor herself. The blouse she is wearing is in the style of a tunic and is richly embroidered with silver thread and cords. Her hair was braided and pulled back into a bun. Milena's hair is accented with red, white, yellow, and blue flowers from my garden, which completes her ensemble.
I along with the wolves waiting on the side of the road bent our heads in reverence as the couple passes by. I look up as Ciro and Milena walk by, waiting for my parents to reach where I was. When they reach me, I walk towards my parents, who are trailing the Alpha couple. Delila joins me as well, and we begin walking to the Moon Goddess shrine with our wolves.
At the shrine, the new Alpha couple offered the Goddess wheat cakes, loaves of bread, our traditional liquor rakija, fruit harvested on our lands, flowers, and crops. It is a rite to get the Goddess' blessing and the hope that the offerings made through the hands of the new Alpha couple, the fruit, crop, flower, and land would thrive even more. After visiting the shrine, we returned to the packhouse and spent the remainder of the day feasting, listening to music, and dancing. Milena was then officially introduced to the pack as the new Luna. The new couple socialised with our wolves, and Milena became acquainted with everyone.
It is a joyful and celebratory occasion. As I stroll by the food-filled table, I smile and grab some bread and cheese for myself and Delila. I glance up to find Ciro heading directly towards where I was, and my initial thinking is that I don't want to converse with him. I'm not sure whether I'm strong enough to keep myself up in front of him.
As a result, I make an attempt to flee. But before I could leave, Ciro reaches the table, and all I could do was bow before my Alpha.
"You don't have to bow down to me, Nesta." As he murmurs lovingly, I raise my eyes. He has affection in his eyes as he looks down at me. Every time his eyes are tender and loving towards me, it simply adds to my anguish.
"Yes, I do, Alpha." Ciro scowls as I say as calmly as I can.
"Nesta, don't use my title. Call me by my name." His voice comes out as a command and I glance down shaking my head.
"You are my Alpha, and I ought to show you the respect you deserve."
"Before being your Alpha I am your friend Nesta. So, please call me by my name." I can not disobey my Alpha, so I nod, consenting to his request. My eyes are downcast as Ciro returns his attention to me after a quick glance at the food on the table. He then picks up a slice of wheat bread and nibbles on it.
"Did you make this yourself?" When he asks, I nod.
"They're just as good as they've always been." Ciro beams warmly at me, and I return the smile whispering a small 'thank you.'
"Are you alright?" I look up as he suddenly asks in a dainty tone. I nod my head and answer,
"I am, indeed. Thank you for asking."
"When we entered the pack I went to conduct business with, my wolf recognised her. And he went insane, so I had no choice but to bring her home, despite the fact that she was only eighteen. I first wanted to come back and talk-" I raise my hand, stopping him in the middle of his speech. He is not bound to justify his actions to me, and I do not wish to hear him do so.
"You owe me no explanations for bringing your female to where she belongs. She belongs to her home and with you. I'm delighted you were able to find her. She might be young but she seems to be a wonderful female." Ciro nods as I say this with a kind smile.
"Please excuse me now." I bow my head. I don't want to be here any longer. But just as I am about to turn around and leave, Ciro speaks out stopping me.
"I simply wanted to make sure you were okay, Nesta. I'm sorry for all of the false aspirations and dreams I filled you with." He filled me with? I am the one who is guilty and wrong for allowing myself to dream about such things. I turn around to look at him.
"You had no culpability in this, for I had filled my head with false hopes as well. Even after I knew that it was the Goddess who made the decisions, I had dreamed of something like that." I pause for a moment. "You have nothing to be guilty of. And don't think too much about frivolous things like that. You have found your female; cherish and adore her, and aspire to be a great Alpha, which I know you can be. We were friends and will remain so if you so wish." I say with a smile, and Ciro returns the smile. I didn't lie when I said he will be a wonderful Alpha; I genuinely believe he will be, and he is truly blessed with a stunning female. And if he wishes to, I would like us to be friends.
"You are an amazing female, Nesta. Your male will be truly blessed to have someone like you as his soulmate." My male will be blessed to have me? Which werewolf would consider himself blessed to have a wolfless female like me? I just chuckle because I don't know what to say. My eyes fall on Milena standing alone, staring at her male.
"Go to your female now, she is standing there alone. I will see you around." Hence, I suggest, and Ciro leaves with a grateful smile and a few pieces of wheat bread and cheese to share with his female.