When Vera opened her eyes she was in an unfamiliar room. She knew that she had gotten up from a deep sleep. Her mouth was parched with thirst. Water, she begged to anyone who was around. There was a sound of hurried footsteps outside.
"She is awake," a woman announced.
Vera couldn't remember how she got there. Her mind was fogged by the soreness in her muscles. "How long have I been asleep?" she wondered to herself.
"Three weeks," a masculine voice spoke.
Vera looked up to see a seven foot giant standing in the doorway with deep purple eyes. "Who... who are you?" she asked in awe.
"What is the last thing that you remember?" he asked.
Vera tried hard but couldn't recall anything that happened before going to sleep. "I remember some rogues attacking our pack and my father leading a charge against it. He is the alpha of the Silvershine pack. You are a paranormal right? I sense some magic in you." Vera pointed.
The man in front of her pulled a chair from a corner and sat down. "Vera, I am sorry to say this but your father is no more. I was invited to the coronation of your cousin Samson as the next alpha. I was a part of the royal envoy. Do you remember that?" he asked with concern.
Tears sprang to Vera's eyes. "You are lying," she shouted at the stranger. "My father can't die. I am only fifteen. I haven't even got my spirit yet. Who will take care of me?" she wondered.
"You aren't really concerned that your father is dead but rather about your own safety?" the man asked surprised.
"My father died the day my mother did. He was surviving just for my sake. If he and my mother could be united in death I wish them well. But he promised me that he would be safe till I found someone to..." Vera broke off. She couldn't believe that her father was no more.
"Your pack decided to mate you to the most capable male in the werewolf realm. A tournament was held. You ran away though and when you got severely wounded you asked me to take you away from all that. I brought you here." he confessed.
"You brought me here without the consent of my pack. My alpha will sense that I am here and there will be a fight. You have no idea the trouble you have caused." she told him.
"No one can reach you right now. Firstly your alpha has no control over you till you receive your wolf which won't be for over a month. Even then my father was a warlock. An evil shaman whom I killed myself. When I killed him I inherited all of his powers. I am blocking your pack from reaching your scent as well but I need you to reject your affiliation to your pack so that you can be a part of mine." the man spoke.
"But what about your alpha? Will he accept me knowing the circumstances under which I am here?" she asked in anguish.
"You are speaking to the alpha right now," he spoke.
Vera laughed. She knew he was joking now. He had to be joking. A shaman couldn't become the alpha of a werewolf pack.
"I know enough about the paranormal world to know that you are no alpha. I have read every law book on paranormal out there and I know a shaman can't be an alpha." she told him.
The man before him shook his head. "You are right. A shaman can't be an alpha. But a shaman possessed by the animal spirit of an alpha he killed can impregnate an Ancient who is his destined mate to bear an heir who is neither a shaman, nor an Ancient, nor a wolf but definitely an alpha. You are speaking to your king." he announced.
Vera's eyes widened. The height and the color of his eyes should have clued her in on the fact that the man standing in front of her was no ordinary shaman. Vera tried to get on her feet to curtsied but stumbled as she tried to stand. The man reached forward to steady her.
"I shall forever be indebted to you for rescuing me from whatever situation I was in," Vera said bowing her head in reverence.
"Vera, I need to tell you something. As King I cannot allow a female to be kept from her mate without mutual consent. The result of the tournament is that the Lucius pack has won the right to mate you with one of their wolves. The only way I can keep you safe is that if you reject the claim and choose to be with my pack." Gregorio explained.
"Your Highness, I do not want you to break any law for my sake. If my pack thinks that this pack is suitable for me I should obey because obedience to authority is what the werewolf pack is based on," Vera reminded him.
"You are a very noble werewolf, Vera. But I have a substitute in mind. What is you were mated within the Bloodmoon pack?" Gregorio suggested.
Vera couldn't help the smile that broke out from her face. "You want me to remain here. But I thought the Bloodmoon pack doesn't accept outsiders." Vera reminded him.
"They could overlook the detail if the outsider fulfilled a very important position that has remained vacant for centuries." he suggested.
"What position?"
Gregorio hesitated. The modern world was so different from the world of his youth. He didn't expect her to understand what she was to him but given a choice would she choose him.
"Your Highness" she called out. "You were saying something about a position I could fill in your pack." Vera reminded.
Gregory looked away. He had never felt so nervous before. Vera couldn't believe that the King was fidgeting to answer. "Your Highness," she spoke out again.
"Gregorio, my name is Gregorio Lune. If you accept me as your mate you could become the Luna and part of this pack" he spoke her going on one knee. "You just need to say yes. We can wait for you to come of age. Being immortal I can give you all the time you want. You just have to consent," he beseeched. Vera nodded shyly. "I am not old enough to consent though." she explained.
"As your King I give your consent on your behalf. Our mate bond will be established only once you are of age and after you have received and trained your wolf. For now however my pack has waited for a Luna for over seven hundred years. But before that you need to severe your ties with your previous pack. Are you ready?" he spoke.
Vera knew that it was the strength of the bond that was keeping her sane despite hearing about what had happened to her in the past several days. She was safe in his presence and the fabled sparks could not be faked. He was her mate. Vera nodded her consent once again.
"Then repeat after me," Gregorio commanded.
"No longer one blood with the pack of my blood but magic joins me with my mate."
Vera repeated, "No longer one blood with the pack of my blood but magic joins me with my mate,"
"Destined to be more, accepting what's in store, I surrender to the hands of fate."
"Destined to be more, accepting what's in store, I surrender to the hands of fate."
"In better or worse, sickness and health joined till our last ever breath."
"In better or worse, sickness and health joined till our last ever breath,"
"I take you to be, surrendering my loyalty, my better half for all's sake."
"I take you to be surrendering my loyalty, my better half for all's sake."
Vera saw the magic bind them in red tentacles as the beast laid his lips on hers.