Chapter1
Brook
Run.I stifle the internal voice screaming at me and step into the pool of white material waiting.The Michaels can’t afford any more black marks on their reputation. Not after my older sister, Moss, was excommunicated from the Fellowship of the Moon.
For centuries, my family has been in good standing with the Alpha. Some consider us blessed by the gods of the moon. One rebellious, defiant act from my sister Moss has placed us under heavy speculation.
When I was chosen to join the yearly mass wedding, it was the perfect chance for redemption. I quell the insistent voice inside me, stomping out the selfish thoughts of freedom like sparks that threaten to become a wildfire.
The crescent moon on my shoulder blade tingles. The mark of our people feels more like a brand than a badge of honor. The tingling increases and I wince, feeling punished for my doubt-filled musings.
This is the way we’ve always done things. Every couple paired today is divinely chosen. Our unions are blessed and handpicked by the Alpha and his wife through the gifts bestowed upon them.
I can’t let nerves get in the way of my duty. From the moment I presented as an Omega at fifteen, I’ve been prepared for this moment.It’s all a lie.The bitter voice echoing in my mind sounds like my older sister Moss.
Punished for questioning the traditions of our people, she fought for our freedoms until the end. Shame fills me. I turned my back on her like the rest of my family.
Ignoring her emails and phone calls has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The pack’s treatment of Moss has left me with more questions than answers. I used to find peace and solace in our simple way and clearly defined rules.
The elders have always seemed kind and wise. But I can’t unsee the other side they showed with their harsh words, unforgiving nature, and bullying.
At nineteen, they’d still tossed Moss out into the world we avoid because of its wickedness to fend for herself. They claimed she chose her fate and used her as an example.
Her ex-communication is likened to the boogie man who will come for you if you step too far off the path. I ball my hands into fists, pushing away the doubts piling up in my head and threatening to bury me like a snow avalanche.
My mother slowly pulls the dress up my body, gathering the fabric together. The white gown bells out around me. She zips me in, and I’m strapped for the main event.
The crystals sparkle under the light like diamonds, and the fitted sweetheart top flatters my figure. I’m beautiful, but my reflection doesn’t move me. My mother meets my gaze in the mirror. I force a fake smile.
“It’s a blessing you were chosen so early. Some omegas wait until they’re twenty-five. You were chosen at twenty.” Excited, she kisses my cheek.
“You will restore our family’s honor.” She pats my cheek. She reaches into the pocket of her pastel blue dress and pulls out a tiny round gold pill box with a raised red rose in the center.
“It’s time to take our daily devotion.”
She pops the lid on the gilded gold item and takes out the small white pill with a half-crescent moon. I open my mouth, and she places it on my tongue. I let the chalky pill dissolve. The last thing we needed was complications from my omega status today.
I should feel honored, but all I can taste is bile as I choke down the excess saliva and will myself not to be ill and shame us. A mark of displeasure from the gods weighs heavily on its recipient.
I have no idea who’ll wait for me at the end of the altar, and my trust has been so badly broken I question who the elders will place me with.
“Some women must wait until they’re twenty-five, yet here you are at just twenty.”
Her words are a noose around my neck, tightening and blocking my airways. I inhale deeply, trying to get more oxygen without being obvious.
“It’s okay to be nervous, Brook. That’s natural. I felt the same way on my pairing day, and look at how happy your father and I have been.”
Because you wait on him hand and foot and never question anything he says. Is that my future?
“Brook. Are you listening to me?” My mother’s voice is stern.
“Yes. I’m sorry. There’s a lot on my mind right now.”
“Of course, there is honey.” She places her hands on my bare shoulders. “You’re moving on to your new life. There’ll be no more living with mom and Dad and your brother, Canyon. It’s a scary time. But there are things to be excited about too.”
The desperation in the hazel eyes, identical to my own, rips at my soul. I’m not sure if she’s trying to convince herself or me.
I inherited her heart-shaped face and button nose. But my green eyes and blondish brown hair are all my father. Resentment bubbles up in my belly like carbonation in seltzer water.