Dead Luna
Chapter 81

Amelia's

POV

I spent several hours cuddling with Leo, listening to his heart beating. Feeling the heat roll off his bod someone besides myself would make Leo scream in pain. Until even that was too much effort, and the Raghu comes in at some point to tell me that most of the wolves had arrived, and I would need to ad "Is there anything I can do for you, Luna?" He asks, just before he leaves. "Actually, I have a question you could maybe answer," I say. "Have you milked Leo yet?" "Why would you ask such a thing?" The stuffy Beta asks, sounding very suspicious of my motives. "Ambrosia says that after I shift, I might be able to call forth Leo's Lycan if we've marked each other. I' "I have not milked his venom for the Alpha ceremony, yet." Raghu says. "That was originally scheduled "Oh well, Ambrosia wasn't entirely sure it would work anyway, if he doesn't mark me himself on his ow "That's probably true, the mate bond being such a sacred pact between two fated souls." The Beta agr "Don't worry about it." I answer, and the Beta leaves me here, with Leo, his mom and my mom. I lay my Some time later I wake to the sounds of people whispering in the room.

"Just let her sleep, the poor girl." DeeDee is saying. "She's heartbroken!"

"She asked me to be here at 4, and it's nearly 6 now," Jackson replies quietly. "People are waiting for h "It's fine, I'm awake." I say, sitting up. I look back at Leo, who hasn't moved much in hours. His heart is Jackson takes me back to my guest room, which surprises me at first. "I thought you said people are w "They are waiting for a Princess, so you better dress and act like one." Jackson says, and I roll my eyes and I'll get everything you need ready to dazzle them!"

I don't have much enthusiasm, but I do as he says and head to the shower for a quick soap up and rin wear, while Jackson is going thru my limited supply of makeup, deciding which products I should use.

tries to fight the infection caused by the bite of my so-called "father". Despite the pain medication pumped into his body via IV fluids, any touch from

ms eventually turn into whimpers. And then after a while there was no response at all.

veryone at some point. I have trouble replaceing enthusiasm to do anything at all at this point.

g to figure out how I can get Leo to mark me if he's unresponsive.

open around 2 this afternoon. But with all the changes to the schedule, I decided it was unnecessary for now."

y, becoming despondent.

dly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more assistance to you."

back down on Leo's chest, and I fall asleep to the sound of his beating heart.

eating, but it's slowed down to only 40 beats per minute. I touch his face, and get no response. "I'll be back as soon as I can, hang in there!" for me?"

But then I get a load of myself in the mirror. I'm wearing an old T-shirt and ripped jeans, and I've obviously got bed head. "Hop in the shower real quick,

ob, wetting my hair just enough so I can do something with it. I leave the bathroom wearing a towel, to replace everything laying on the bed ready for me to

"I don't want to waste time on makeup, Jackson!" I tell him, as he zips up the dress I had been waiting weeks to wear, the pastel dress with the embroidered butterflies. The one I wanted to wear to my Luna ceremony. "You said people are waiting!" "Sit down, I'll do it for you."

I sit down, and he commences to add foundation and powder, then a bit of eye shadow and eye liner, a touch of blush, and a lip gloss in record time. I'm actually impressed. "Wow," I say in wonder. "Where did you learn to do all that?"

"I used to watch Haley when I was little." He tells me, as he begins to work on my hair. "When she wasn't around, I used to practice on myself. And if you EVER tell her that's why she was going through those products so quickly, I'll deny everything!" He worked quickly, and within 25 minutes of entering my room, I had showered, dressed, and had my hair and makeup done. Jackson had me looking like the princess I was in record time.

We head in the direction of the tents, and as everyone knows and was expecting me, I am waved thru security. A raised dais with a podium was waiting for me. Jackson grabs a lemonade for me to sip, and I thank him via mind link. "You got this, princess!" He links back.

The podium had a microphone. Never having used one before, I tapped it a couple times to see if it was on, causing a bit of feedback. Yup, it's on!

"Welcome everyone!" I say into the contraption, and am pleased to hear my voice come out clear but not too loud. "I know I kept you all waiting, and I'm sorry about that. Someone special to me is currently very ill, and I was spending time with them in the medical building. So I truly appreciate everyone's patience this evening."

"I believe, first of all that we need to give a big shout out to Alpha Leo and all the members of Bull Run pack, for hosting the mating ball! Aren't they doing a great job?"

A big cheer went up, with lots of clapping and wolf whistles.

"I'm so happy to see all of you again, as Ambrosia and I personally spent time with each and every one of you, to help replace the perfect mate for every wolf here! And once the moon has risen this evening, everyone will be able to scent out their mate, except for about a dozen of you, which I will explain momentarily."

"In order to prevent confusion and expedite replaceing your mate this evening, each of you was given a name tag with a different colored background. If you go to the tent marked with that color background, your mate should have been given the same color background. However, there are a dozen wolves from Gifford Pinchot pack who were unable to come. If your background is grey, your mate is from Gifford Pinchot and was not able to attend this evening, and if you meet at that tent there at 9, you will be given more instructions." "Now, I know a couple bachelor Alphas are here tonight that are anxious to meet their Lunas. Alpha Craig Armstrong of Silver Falls, Derrick Lyons of Winter Moon, and Leo Hart of Bull Run! Zachary Blake of Iron Peak has already found his mates and is therefore not joining us." "First up, Craig Armstrong. I must say, this Alpha made my choice very difficult. He is a wonderful Alpha to his pack. Silver Falls is a beautiful place and his pack members were very welcoming to me. And he is quite a hunk! Am I right?" "Sit down, I'll do it for you."

I sit down, and he commences to add foundation and powder, then a bit of eye shadow and eye liner, a touch of blush, and a lip gloss in record time. I'm actually impressed.
Plenty of wolves clapped or whistled in agreement.

"I honestly almost chose Craig as my own mate, but I recently received some news about myself, which made me realize that choosing Craig would not have been what is best for his pack. So Craig, I wish you and Clarice Hastings of Three Sisters pack a long and happy life together!"

Lots of clapping and cheers went up at that news, and I saw Craig and Clarice looking for each other in the crowd. Many people were helping to bring the happy couple together.

"Now Alpha Derrick! You were a tough one. As a child growing up at Winter Moon, I had a bit of a crush on you. As well as every other female under 50 within a hundred miles, I'm sure. Handsome, athletic, rich, kind... and dare I say competitive? But when you told me what sort of Luna you needed to help run your pack and be your life partner, I listened carefully. And I wish you and Kitty Armstrong a long and prosperous life together. Best wishes to you both!"

The crowd was again cheering for the happy couple as they made their way towards each other. It felt good to have been a part of bringing them together like this.

I was about to go on, when I heard Prince William calling to me from the crowd. He and my father were both here. As soon as things quiet down, I decided to call them out.

"Hey everyone, we have a couple party crashes here this evening. King Alexander, whom I briefly called dad, and my not-really-a-cousin Prince William. I wonder what sort of underhanded tricks they pulled to get in here tonight without an invitation? Especially after I told them both I didn't wish to see them."

"Anyway, I thank everyone for coming tonight. Dinner will be served in a few minutes, and there will be music and dancing afterwards until the moon rises. I wish everyone much happiness!"

Then I go confront my so-called relatives. Jackson was beside me, congratulating me on my first major public address since the alpha meeting. I see Raghu and Malcom also heading towards the King and Prince.

"What are you doing here? Come to bite anyone else I might choose that you don't approve of?" I snap, wanting to hurt him like he hurt Leo. If I had shifted already, he'd already be sporting several scratches and bites from Ambrosia, she assures me. "I did what I needed to do for the kingdom," he claims, "and I've come in order to take you and Juliette home after your shift."

I start to feel odd, and begin to glow with a weird light. Then the voice of the Moon goddess comes out of my mouth.

"William, the mate you seek tonight will be in the tent marked in red," Selene addresses the prince first, who then eagerly runs off to replace his mate. And then she speak directly to the king, through me. "Alexander Worthing, you have caused your own troubles by

rejecting and abandoning your fated mate 21 years ago. And now you would take Amelia's fated mate away from her against her wishes. But if Leonard Hart dies tonight, the Worthing line will also die. Amelia will take no other mate, and you will become sterile. That will be your punishment for defying ME twice."

As the goddess leaves my body, I watch as my father turns pale from the shock and horror of his punishment.

"Oh my goddess, what have I done?"