River got dressed for her first party in half an hour after a lot of fuss by Faria and Mia. Mia was also supposed to go for the high tea but she had a test coming up the next day and so she chose not to.
The venue for the party was the Emerald Hall which was next to the main hall in the front of the castle. Faria escorted River to the hall and as soon as River walked in, she saw that there were more than thirty she-Lycans out there. These were the women who used to sneer at her and sometimes call her ‘breeder’, but the moment they saw her, they all bowed to her. Amongst them was Rosalie and that surprised River. She didn’t say anything and went to sit on the couch where Faria guided her.
When she sat down, there was an awkward silence for a few minutes and River fumbled with hands as her gaze flitted everywhere. She was wearing a coral silk gown with a two-string pearl necklace and earrings.
The eldest of the women rose and greeted her. “Luna River, I am Joanna. It’s a pleasure to have you amongst us. Because of you, the laws have changed and we are already seeing a lot of changes in the pack. There has been a lot of employment amongst the Lycans, not that they needed.” She chuckled and so did some more women. “Though you are very young and don’t have experience in how to run a pack, please don’t worry because we all are there to help you.”
Joanna sat down and before River could speak, Rosalie got up. She said, “Luna River, you already know who I am so I won’t waste time in introductions. But as Joanna said, we are all here to support you. You were brought as a breeder for the pack’s Alpha. Who knew that you would end up as his wife?” Rosalie’s expressions were that of ****but she was loathing River every minute. In a soft voice she added, “We all know that you are very inexperienced and haven’t been schooled as Luna, but I am sure that with our support you will learn soon.” Then she looked at Joanna and said, “Please don’t say anything to Luna River about being inexperienced. I will not hear it. She is the Luna of the pack who will be leading all of us.”
“But you were the one who was supposed to take over, Rosalie. You have also been schooled like that. You would have become the perfect Luna of the Dark Moon pack, Joanna said as a jab to River, “Joanna,” Rosalie said in a very sad voice. “Alpha Hunter has made the right choice. If anyone had to be his Luna, that was River. She has all the characteristics to become one. Don’t say anything to her. I am not the one who should have been your Luna.” Suddenly she started crying. “I-I think I didn’t meet Alpha Hunter’s requirements.”
Rosalie’s mother, Lisa, came running to her and hugged her. She stroked her hair and said, “There, there. You would also have been a perfect Luna, but you don’t get everything in the world.” She shot an accusatory glare at River. “Some people just like to snatch others’ luck for their own benefits.”
“Please mother, Rosalie cried. “Don’t say that. Luna River is Alpha Hunter’s wife and not me. If anyone deserved that position, it was River. I just-I thought I was good enough.”
Lisa patted Rosalie’s shoulders. When she stopped crying. Rosalie said, “Luna River, please don’t mind these women. They are just so used to me that they are a little flustered seeing you in my place. In a few days, things will become absolutely fine. I am going to help you in every way possible.”
As River watched them going back to where they were sitting, she noticed that every woman was feeling sympathetic towards Rosalie. It was as if River had snatched the position from her using her own devious schemes. Initially when she had met Rosalie, she assessed Rosalie as very ****and ***and haughty. But now she added another adjective for her – conniving.
River took a deep breath in. She had to take charge of the situation and not let Rosalie play the victim card. Her gaze traveled to each and every she-Lycan in the party and she measured their expressions, their behavior and their loyalty towards the pack.
“Thank you all so much for joining me today for tea,” River said with a smile. “I know that you were not expecting me to be your Luna, but that’s what the Moon Goddess wanted. I don’t think Hunter and I had time to mention it to all of you, but Alpha Hunter and I are mates.”
There were audible gasps. Some looked at each other and then at River as if to absorb the shock that rippled in the air. River’s lips curled up in a big smile. “Yes, we are mates. And so it is natural that Alpha Hunter chose me as his Luna.”
What she meant to say was that even though Rosalie was groomed to be the Luna of the pack, nothing was above being a mate. She turned her gaze at Rosalie who was looking like she had eaten vinegar. She said, “Thank you for offering your help, Rosalie. I will surely be needing it at all times.”
By saying that she reiterated the fact that Rosalie would be nothing more than a help. Obviously, she was never going to take Rosalie’s help.
Rosalie was so shocked when she heard that River was Hunter’s mate that she was dumbfounded. Mates were so rare in their world that many Lycans lived their life without mates and they lived happily, having as many partners as they liked. Moreover, it was also known that when the mates marked each other, the marks that were formed were special. Her gaze snapped to River’s pulse point to find the mark.
River knew what Rosalie was looking for. That was actually what she also wanted to show to all the women so that they
understood what she was in Hunter’s life. She rolled her shoulders back, elongating her neck. The neckline of her gown shifted a little towards her shoulder and two very beautiful crescent shaped marks were revealed that were slightly on the outside and red on the inside.
“Oh goddess!” One of the women rasped. “Those are your marks! She got up and then knelt on the floor in front of her Luna. You both are true mates!” There were tears in her eyes as she clasped her hands together. There was nothing more revered in the world than mates. It was above every form of marriage. Slowly every she-Lycan came and knelt in front of River, baring their necks in submission.
River gave a side glance to Rosalie and Lisa who were looking like they were sitting on thorns. She rose to her feet and walked to the women. “Please get up.” She gave her hand to every one of them. The women kissed her hand as if acknowledging her.
Then she looked at Lisa and Rosalie and said, “I think you two are still having doubts.” She wanted them to submit to her. They snapped out of their stupor and then immediately came to kneel in front of her. River gave her hand to them like a queen and they were forced to kiss her hand.
When River looked up, she saw Hunter standing at the door with a smile on his lips.
