Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Daphne''s Point of View
I was wrong to think that my life could not get any busier. Thest four days I feel like I have been
running a marathon. The day after we decided to have the mating ceremony this weekend, Hannah has
dragged me everywhere shopping for the event. I never realized that there was so much to do for a
mating ceremony, but Hannah exined that it was simr to a human wedding. Evidently, we needed
music, dancing, food, and of course a killer dress.
At least with Hannah helping with all the preparations I have been able to learn more about the mating
ceremony. The only part that Iam worried about is the vows during the binding.
Werewolves cite vows pledging to stay loyal to their mate while an elder binds them under the moon. It
is supposed to pay homage to the Moon Goddess that created us.
The legend goes that the Moon Goddess fell in love with a mortal man. He proimed that he loved
her as well. As time went on the man aged, but the Mood Goddess lives forever so she went in search
of a way to help him stay young, so that they could spend eternity together. The Moon Goddess was so
in love that she went to the Great Creator and asked him to turn her love immortal. The Great Creator
questioned if the mortal man really loved the Moon Goddess, or if he just loved the things that she
could provide for him. The Great Creator made a deal with the Moon Goddess, he would give her an
elixir that would make her love live for eternity. This elixir would make it so that she could spend
eternity with her love. There was a catch though, if the man were unfaithful or betrayed the Goddess,
he would lose his immortality, and suffer a curse. The other stiption is that the Moon Goddess could
never tell the man about the conditions of the elixir. The Moon Goddess was so sure of the man’s love
that she felt confident enough to agree to the terms. For along time after the man drank the elixir, he
and the Moon Goddess lived happily.
The man marveled at his young face, and muscled body and rejoiced in the fact that he did not age.
The man was vain, and it would be his undoing. As time stretched on the man became bored with the
Moon Goddess. He forgot that his own immortality came from her. He soon became enamored with a
human female, showing her the affection that he once held for the Moon Goddess. Eventually he
convinced the human toy with him in carnal pleasure, releasing the curse of the elixir. The man
turned into a wolf, and it devastated the Moon Goddess.
Her heart broken she went to the Great Creator and asked why the man turned into a wolf. The Great
Creator reminded her that she was a Goddess and should be celebrated, loved, and held in the highest
esteem of all men; therefore he turned her love into a wolf so that he would always howl and give
praise to the moon. :
The Moon Goddess was still sad, her heart was broken. After a few years of watching the man she
loved howl at her in agony she once again went to the Great Creator. She told him that she had made a
mistake in asking for the man to be made immortal. She told him that she could no longer bear to see
the man’s pain. The Great Creator was surprised when the Moon Goddess asked him to create a mate
for the man so that he would not be lonely anymore.
The Great Creator was in awe of the Moon Goddess ability to be generous to someone that hurt her so
badly. The
Great Creator still did not choose to grant her wish, instead he agreed to make the man the first shifter
in existence. He told the Moon Goddess that now she can talk to the man and find out what he feels
would be the best choice for him in a mate and that she herself would have to create it for him.
Although it hurt the Moon Goddess to do so she talked with the man that betrayed her, he apologized
and begged for her forgiveness, but she could not trust him again. Instead she did create him a mate,
someone that could handle his vanity, and help him be the best version of himself. They in turn
celebrated her, and it was the birth of our people.
That is why when we first shift it is a horrible pain, a reminder that our human side once hurt our
creator.
Since we celebrate her with love and loyalty that is why we live longer than humans. Our homage of
loyalty and vowing before her is exalting her kindness through love, and our vow to cherish it.
I have memorized this story since Hannah told it to me. The elder that binds Caleb and I will be telling
the story as we make vows to not betray the other, to be loyal, and to ce our mate first in our lives. It
is the most important part of the whole ceremony, and Iam terrified thatm somehow going to mess it
up. It does not help my anxiety that I know that we will be reciting these vows not only in front of our
pack, but most of Caleb''s allies, the neighboring packs and whoever else he chooses to invite. To say
that it is a big deal would be an understatement.
Today though I am focused on finding a dress. Currently we are in the third shop that Hannah has
dragged me to.
Hannah is busy pulling all kinds of different dresses from racks and handing them to a middle-aged
woman, that seems more than happy to help since Hannah shed Caleb’s tinum card when we
came in. I told Hannah! wanted something simple, but elegant.
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The first shop we had visited the saleswoman was pushy and kept trying to put me in theserge puffy
ball gowns that I detested immediately. The second shop was better, but their selection was small, and
I did not find anything that felt right. 1 am hoping that we find the dress here, I hate to admit it, but
shopping is tiring. The woman retreats into a back room to get
the dresses prepared for me to try them on.
“They have a great selection, and I am sure that we will find a winner this time.” Hannah is so excited
as she flounces over to me. Even though I am tired I give her a smile and nod my head agreeing with
her. Soon thedy motions us to follow her, there is an assistant waiting to help me try on the dresses.
The first couple of dresses were beautiful but they just did not feel right. As I was nearing the bottom of
the pile of dresses that Hannah had picked out, I seen one that felt like it was Calling me. I grabbed it
and decided to try iton next. °
The moment I stepped into the dress I knew it was the one for me. It was a slim dress that did not
widen out until the ankle area. It was sleeveless, witha higher choker, that was covered ina finece.
Silver pearls dotted the dress randomly, looking like stars falling down the dress. The back was dipped
low but had strings of pearls leading from the cor neckline that attached to the waist. Standing and
looking at the full-length mirror I knew that this was the dress I was going to choose.
Hannah knew the moment that I walked out of the dressing area that this was the dress I was going to
choose. We gushed over how beautiful it was, and the pearls, and thece. I felt like a queen.
“Do you think Caleb will like it?” I can not help but wonder what his reaction to this dress will be.
“Girl you are going to be lucky if he does not kidnap you caveman style and haul you back to your
room. You look amazing in that dress. Actually, you look like royalty in that dress, definitely a great
choice for our new Luna.”
Hannah''s words made me want to tear up. She knows that Iam worried about being the new Luna.
Hannah is the closest female I have in my life and realizing that makes me miss Scarlet. A part of me
wishes that I had a mom to share this moment with or even my sister.
Hannah breaks me out of my thoughts, as she announces that if I do not change out of the dress soon,
we are going to have to go to the catering ce with me in it. I had forgotten that we were going to
taste some sample food from the cateringpany that Caleb had hired. Heaving a heavy sigh, I
reluctantly return to the dressing room to change back into my jeans. The salesdy rings up my dress,
and my eyes go wide at the total. Hannah just swipes Caleb’s card as if it is no big deal, and then we
are on the road again this time to the cateringpany.