Once Rejected, Thrice Accepted
Chapter 48

"You ready for this?" Allie asked me as she gave my make-up one last look. "I can't believe we pulled this off."

I giggled staring at my transformation in the mirror. "I can't believe my sister-in-law is so good with make-up. No one can see the big a*s bags I have under my eyes. Holy crap."

She shoved my shoulder with her smile almost reaching ear to ear. "Shut up. It is easy to do great make up if the person is already beautiful."

"Ok, enough complementing each other." Britt interrupted us wiggling a camera. "Let's take a few pictures in before we have to head down. I know your mates are biting at the bit waiting to see you."

I nodded slowly standing up. The girls insisted I wear heels with the dress Cherry chose for me. It really was perfect and I am so glad she decided to join us when we were planning everything. "Cherry, Missy, Korina come join us." Britt yelled.

Missy and Korina rushed in first hugging Britt. They were friends she had made in the pack since getting here and I loved that for her. They really were sweet girls and they treated her with respect. It was a plus that when I asked them about being friends with her because I am the luna my lie detector rang that they spoke the truth when they liked her for her.

"Hold on. I have something for our main girl." Cherry yelled from the other room.

We were in one of the meeting rooms in the pack house that had a second one attached. I didn't think we would need this much space but I was so wrong. Between make up, dresses, shoes, food, and who knows what else we almost needed a third room. "Close your eyes, Luna." She yelled from the door.

"Quit calling me that." I mumbled putting my hands on my eyes.

I heard the door open and her steps rushing toward me. "Open!"

The first thing I noticed was bright red roses mixed with beautiful white ones wrapped in a purple ribbon. She was almost shoving them up my nose, so I had to take the flowers from her quickly. I didn't need to lose my ability to smell or for her to poke my eyeball out.

"These are amazing. Thank you so much." Everyone made sure to step forward and smell them.

"I didn't get those. Your mates did. I have your present from us girls." She pulled a jewelry box from behind her back. "This is what we got you."

My hand shook as I took the box from her. This whole present thing was new to me. Fighting the urge to cry and ruin my make up, I opened the box to replace a beautiful gold necklace with a heart jewel in the middle. It was small and delicate which made it even better. Jewelry was new to me so something small didn't overwhelm my anxiety.

"Guys, this is absolutely amazing. I can't..." I dragged Cherry into a hug. "Amazing. The lot of you."

They each got a bone-crushing hug with some of my tears left on them. It took a lot of me fanning my face to keep any more tears from coming after they put it on.

'Let's go baby. The pack is ready for you to be their Luna.' Duncan linked.

"Let's do this, bitches!" I grabbed Britts arm and lead them out.

It didn't take as long as I thought it would to get there in these dang heels and my tight, strapless red sparkly dress. The girls looked great in their variations of pink and white dresses. It felt like valentines to me but I was fine with that since I never got to dress up or do any holidays. First time for everything and they were knocking it out of the park.

The girls walked out in front of me to stand in the front of the crowd. I waited for Duncan to announce me to come out doing my best to walk in a steady manner and not embarrass myself. I had enough people ready to boo me off the stage for just being me so no need to feed them anymore.

'You look amazing!' Leo linked as he stared at me with his mouth open and his eyes wide. 'I can't wait to rip that off of you.'

'I knew you would look amazing, my love! Lucas stated with his matching look to Leo's face. 'Yummy!'

Duncan was busy explaining what would happen tonight seeing how I was the first Luna of this pack so things were new. I was even more nervous knowing this was first for everyone and I was feeling a bit like the test bunny. At least the guys were testers with me. Step one: Answer yes to everything they ask. Step two: cut their palms and mine before mingling out blood together. Step Three: Speech. Step Four: Pack run. We got this.

I walked up to stand in face to face with the twins with Duncan beside us facing the crowd. He gave me a wink letting my insecure self-know that he knew I was there and that I was sexy.

"Gemma, mate of the Alphas, do you promise to protect this pack against all threats?"

"Yes, I swear."

"Gemma, do you promise to put the pack before yourself and your mates?" Duncan grimaced a bit at that. "Let me rephrase that. I always hated that one from our old pack. Do you promise to risk your life for your pack no matter the consequence?" "Yes, I do."

"Do you promise to rule with understanding and love for all pack members?"

"Always and forever."

"Time to mix the blood of the pack with our Luna to become one." He handed a silver blade to Leo. I forgot about the silver. It is so we don't heal as fast but it hurts like a bitch.

Leo cut his hand before handing it to Lucas who cut his. I put my hand out for the blade but Lucas shook his head. He gently took my hand and cut it for me. I didn't scream or whine like I wanted but I sure as heck cussed the guys out in my head.

I put my hand to Leo's and then Lucas's mixing and making our blood one. Duncan gave me a clean town to wrap it with before facing the crowd again.

"Now time for our Luna's speech."

"This ought to be good." A group of girls giggled near the front.

"It will so shut the hell up and listen to your leader." Britt scolded her before turning her back on her.

I had to hold back my laugh but later on my sister was getting a big a's hug. I took the microphone and gave a small prayer to the goddess not to sound like a total wack job.

"Thank you all for being here and supporting us. I know since me coming here life hasn't been easy and I am sorry for that." I took a breath slowly letting it out. "You all are amazing and I am so glad to be a part of this pack. I am here for you in any way I can be. I hope you all will accept me as one of your own and as someone you can trust. Now how about all this seriousness be over and we get ready to run, baby, run!"

Everyone clapped with the guys each giving me a kiss on the cheek. 'Ready moonlight?'

"Never been more ready.

"You have to lead us, Luna." Duncan whispered in my ear tickling me.

"Yeah, Yeah. Let's do this." I gave him a death glare and stuck my tongue out.

I walked toward the forest before dropping my dress and shifting. I heard some gasps behind me so I knew the pack had seen my scars, but it was something I was going to have to get over. They needed to know the real me. They needed to know what made me strong and what made me into such a loyal and fierce protector for each of them.

Shifting into moonlight, we leaned our head back and howled putting our alpha power into it. Time for the pack to see all of me, scars and power included. Leo, Lucas, and Duncan joined my family and pack following suit.

'You think we can outrun all of them?' Moonlight teased already knowing the answer.

'Let's show them who the real boss is going to be.'