Shadows in Moonlight

My face felt ablaze as the eyes of those around me shifted between the newly marked pair and me.

"Jayden! What have you done?" Alpha Oliver bellowed, storming toward his son.

"Oh, my God!" Abigail whispered loudly. "There's some serious drama llama going on here tonight."

"Ash!" I looked at her, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Girl, you dodged a bullet here. I'm sorry, but if that had been you, you deserve way better than this hot mess."

King James murmured loudly, and Queen Aurora looked utterly disgusted. I briefly locked eyes with Sebastian. He appeared shocked and furious.

"Eleanor!" he finally screamed.

"I can't watch this anymore. I refuse to allow it!" Abigail grabbed my hand and briskly led me across the ballroom toward the stairs.

As we stormed past Jayden and Eleanor, she glowered at them. "You two are awful for doing that in such a public manner."

I glanced back as they stood, nuzzling each other. No one else, aside from Alpha Oliver, had even dared to move. Not even our utterly mortified parents.

Abigail held my hand firmly as she pulled me up the stairs and all the way to my bedroom. "Okay, you stay. I'll be right back."

I nodded as she shut the door behind her. I sat on the floor, sobbing, and hugged my knees.

A soft knock on the door followed by a voice calling out, "Can I come in?"

"Abigail?" I sniffled, recognizing my friend's voice.

"Yeah, it's me. Can I come in?"

I stood up and opened the door a crack, allowing Abigail to poke her head in.

"Hey there," she said gently.

I looked at her and sniffled.

Abigail nodded sympathetically. "I know this is really tough, but I brought something that might help. I bribed the bartender and got us this bottle of champagne and some glasses. Want to try to drown your sorrows a little?"

She held up the bottle and glasses, and I reached out my hand to take one.

"Maybe not everyone saw what happened," Abigail said, attempting to comfort me.

"Everyone saw!" I wailed, collapsing back onto the bed. "I can't believe this. Why would he do something like this in public? I loved him, Abigail. I can't understand why he would humiliate me like this."

"I know it's hard to understand, but the whole concept of a mate bond can be really confusing. Maybe he just couldn't control himself," Abigail suggested.

"But what about Eleanor? She's my sister. She could have at least told him to wait until the marking ceremony. I was so sure he was my mate," I said, feeling hopeless.

"I know," Abigail said, handing me a glass of champagne. "It sucks that this happened, but if he couldn't even wait to mark his mate privately, maybe you dodged a bullet by not being with him. You deserve someone who will treat you with respect and love."

"I know, but it still hurts. Why couldn't he wait like a normal wolf? How am I supposed to go back to school and face everyone after this?" I asked, feeling overwhelmed.

"It's not as bad as you think."

I rolled my eyes while chugging the bubbly in my glass. "It's worse than bad. It's utterly humiliating."

"Yeah, that is pretty bad. I doubt anyone's going to care."

"Abigail, they're going to care. They're going to talk about it. The future alpha marked his girlfriend's sister. In public. At their birthday party. This is the biggest news to hit the pack in years."

She sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulders. "If anyone says anything, you want me to beat them up? I can do that."

I let out a small chuckle. "No. Just give me more champagne."

"I don't think anyone would really blame you if you took a few days off of school. Since we are graduating in just a few short months, maybe there's a way that you could rework your entire schedule to not go to class."

"How would that be possible?"

"So, you know I work in the office as an office aide."

"Yeah," I said.

"I happen to know some rules when it comes to senior wolves and their schedules."

"What kind of rules?" I queried.

"A rule that says the wolf with the highest grades, who is eighteen and desires to run for the local council after graduation, can work closely with the head of the strategy department and not go to class."

"I do like strategy," I mumbled. "And Council President Andrew is knowledgeable and nice."

"Indeed."

"Yeah, that can work. I can do that. But I am definitely taking like two weeks off from going back to that place. I don't want to see anyone."

As we sat on the bed, the door flew open. Eleanor jumped up and down in the doorway.

"What do you want?" I growled.

"Oh my god! Can you believe it, Ava? The future alpha mated with me!"

"Yeah, I know. My boyfriend. Get out. I don't want to see you."

"What? You're not happy for me?"

"Are you dense? Happy for you? No, I'm not happy for you! You humiliated me in front of everybody. Why would you mark each other in public? I never want to speak to you or him ever again! Get out!"

Her smile vanished as she stood staring at me. "But, you're my sister."

"Was."

"I was hoping you could help me when the time came to become Luna."

"Are you out of your absolutely ditzy, airheaded, idiotic mind? I'm not helping you. I'm doing nothing for you! Go away!"

She pouted and stared for a minute.

"Uh, you heard Ava, right?" Abigail asked, glaring at my sister. "Shoo."

"Oh, okay."

She shut the door and was gone.

"Was I too mean?" I asked, staring at the wood.

"Too mean? Hell no! You have every right to be pissed!"

"It's not really their fault though. I mean they can't help that they were mated. That's something that's determined before we're born."

"They didn't have to rub it in the way they did. They could have done it privately like you're supposed to. I mean we're wolves, we're not uncultured animals. Some things are meant to be done in private."

"I guess."