1. The Princess of the Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon Pack-4 BC

Andraste paced the lower floor of her best friend's cottage.  If Ceres took any longer they might miss it. Normally a she-wolf with a calm demeanor, Andraste's nervous energy was coming off in waves. It still took nothing away from her regal beauty. A tall willowy figure, Andraste had delicate features betraying the fact that she was one of the most skilled warriors of her pack and she didn’t even have her wolf yet. Her skin was as light as cream and was in sharp contrast to the raven black hair that cascaded in waves down to her waist. Her cheekbones rode high giving her a false look of superiority.  More often than not she was rather shy and unassuming.   But all you had to do was look into her eyes to know her true nature. Round and almost too big for the rest of her features, her eyes were as blue and as bright as the clearest day. In the depths you could see the intelligence and compassion that made her who she was.

"Will you sit down already!?" This exclamation came from down the stairs where Ceres was getting ready.  She was the only one in the pack that truly understood Andraste and didn’t treat her differently.

"You may not care but I am supposed to be there when they arrive, not the next full moon."

“I care, I just want to look perfect!”

“Still hoping Seth is your mate?”  Seth was Andraste’s brother and future Alpha of their pack.

“Of course!”

Andraste rolled her eyes, being his little sister meant she really didn’t understand her friend’s obsession with the annoying arrogant prick that he was.

“Well, how do I look?”  Ceres had arrived at the foot of the steps and did a twirl for her best friend.

“Gorgeous as always!”  And no words could be truer.  Ceres wore a dark green dress that swept the ground as she walked.  Loose around her waistline were braids of gold that emphasized her curves perfectly.  There was a slit on one side that ran all the way up to the gold braid giving her the appearance of longer legs than what she had.  The neckline dipped low showing off the v between her breasts to come up to two twists that continued over her shoulders and down to her waist leaving the back open.  She really did look regal herself.  

Ceres and Andraste shared the same skin and eye color but past that Ceres couldn’t be any more different.  Her hair was straight as a pin and the color of the setting sun.  Her short stature was only amplified by her nearly six foot best friend.  And where Andraste was of a slight build, Ceres was filled out in all the right places.  Andraste was often secretly jealous of the bust Ceres had, one that was currently spilling out of the green dress Ceres had donned.  Andraste wasn’t flat, as she looked down at her own bust. But the boys still teased her saying that she had “just enough for a handful.”

“Ceres, that dress is gorgeous!  When did you get it?”

“Mother made it last week in anticipation of my 18th birthday.  She won’t be pleased when she sees me wearing it but I figure this counts as a special enough occasion.”

"You're going to count this enough of a special occasion?”

“Greeting my future mate back home? Of course!”  With a giggle, Ceres looped her arm through Andraste’s arm.  “Well, are you ready then?”

All Andraste could do was sigh.  Leave it to Ceres to take forever to get ready but be impatient at the same time.  The two girls proceeded out the doorway of the cottage and onto the dusty road that led into the village.  Ceres and her parents lived on the outskirts of the Harvest Moon capital city nearest to the stone fortress that also served as Andraste’s family home.  Leto, Ceres’s mother, was handmaiden to Andraste’s mother Gaia while Ceres’s father Jove was Beta of the pack. 

The two girls were not the only travelers on the road into the capital.  Most of the pack would be headed into the capital square for today’s events.  Their prince and future Alpha was coming home. 

Seth had been away for the past year living with the Iceni Pack in order to prepare for becoming Alpha of Harvest Moon.  The Iceni were led by the most powerful wolves known to the land.  The Alpha of their pack was also the King of the New Moon Alliance, an alliance that consisted of 51 packs that were united under the one King. Each Alpha had their own ranking within that alliance including Andraste's father.  Until recently, this body of Alphas and their King maintained not only relations among the packs but a harmony with the humans as well.  The Alpha king and the human king for centuries now had ruled their people in tandem with neither having a say over the other.  But the world was changing.

“And here I was afraid you’d be late.”

Andraste grinned as she heard the voice coming up from behind her.  She tugged on Ceres’s arm that was looped through hers indicating to stop.  Ceres huffed but just like Andraste she was grinning.

“My what beautiful girls!  May I have the pleasure of escorting you into town?” 

Andraste looked up into the eyes that were identical to her own.  “Of course Father!  We would be honored!”

“Yes Alpha!  It will make us the two luckiest she-wolves of the pack!”

Geb, Alpha of the Harvest Moon Pack and her father.  Andraste’s heart always swelled with pride and strength when near her dad.  She slipped her other arm into his and the trio continued down the road.

“So tell me Ceres, are you ready for your ball?” Geb inquired.

“Oh I can’t wait.  I’m just so glad that Seth has made it home in time.”

Geb’s eyes flickered for a moment but only Andraste caught it as her friend continued chattering about the upcoming ball.

“Mother and Father have out done themselves for my Wolf Ball.  I just hope that there is no rain so that the full moon is not only felt but seen in all its glory.”

“Well it's not every day your child turns 18.”

“Alpha, do you think I have a chance of finding my mate that night?”

“Only Selene knows when you will find your mate.  But I cannot think of a larger gathering than this for a she-wolf of a Beta.”

Andraste knew that wasn’t the answer Ceres was hoping for.  It was no small secret even to the Alpha that Ceres prayed to Selene for Seth to be her mate.  It only took a full moon after you received your wolf at 18 to recognize your mate.  Since wolves lives were so much longer than that of their human counterparts, most of the girls in villages around the pack were already married and settled down.  But for Ceres and Andraste they still had plenty of time to find their true mate.

“Father, don’t you think it's possible that her chances are even greater now that Seth is home?”  And there it was again.  Just as quick as the last time but Andraste confirmed the flicker of change in her father’s eyes.  It gave Andraste a sinking feeling in her gut.  He obviously knew something that the two girls did not.  But for being a strong Alpha, when it came to his girls he was a push over.

“Ahhh, yes, yes, Ceres and Seth, how could I forget?”  Geb said with a weak chuckle.  Ceres was still oblivious to the warning signs while off in her dream world.  Geb saw the quizzical look on his beautiful daughter's face and gave her a shake of his head.  This wasn’t the time or place to discuss what he knew.  She fell silent understanding his gesture.  Oh how she wished she was already 18 and had her wolf.  Then she could have mindlinked her father to get the answers she was seeking.  But unlike Ceres who had only weeks to go, Andraste wouldn’t be turning 18 for another 6 months.

They had entered the city boundaries and could start to hear the chatter of those gathered in the square.  The air was filled with excitement and anticipation.  Gaia had gone all out in preparing the capital for the return of her son.  She had gotten the Omegas to help her ensure that each home had the Harvest Moon crest on their doorways.  Businesses and homes alike were covered in garlands and wreaths decorated with bounty from their fields.  As they entered the village square a hush fell over the crowd and those gathered bowed to their Alpha and princess.

“Rise.”  Geb spoke softly.  He was a strong but fair leader.  He prided himself on treating his pack with kindness and respect regardless of their rank.  He expected everyone in his pack to do the same.  Should someone break his rules or code of conduct though his justice was swift and harsh.  He had no tolerance for those who would dare defy him.  Between his natural leadership and his ability as a warrior, Geb had elevated his territory to one of the largest in the alliance.  He had not inherited an alliance title when he had become Alpha.  His own father was happy to be only a participating Alpha.  But Geb had wanted more.  And so through either battle or contracts he had worked his way up.  The King had seen his abilities soon enough and awarded Geb first with the title of Duke of Iceni.  It didn’t take long before  his contributions to the alliance earned him the title of Lord Chamberlain.  This essentially made him the king’s right hand man within the alliance.

It was that prestige that had allowed Seth to be schooled by the king himself rather than a trade off with another pack like was typical.  In Andraste’s mind, it only meant her brother was going to come back more arrogant than when he left.

As everyone resumed their chattering, some came up to greet Geb and so the two girls wandered away.  Andraste was only too aware of her family’s position and tended to shy away from the fanfare.  It wasn’t that she didn’t like being of high rank, in fact she respected it a great deal.  But until she had her wolf and her own place amongst the pack, most treated her as more like the pet of the pack rather than the princess she was.  Deep down she knew that one day she was meant for greater things and then they would all see her for more than just being the little she-wolf of the Alpha’s family.

Ceres began to pout as she scanned the crowd. “Why are there so many pretty she-wolves here?  I didn’t even know we had this many in our pack!”

“Calm down Ceres, you’re still the prettiest of them all.”  Andraste answered her with a chuckle.  It did nothing to stop Ceres’s pout however.

“Easy for you to say, you’re not trying to impress anybody.”

“Ugh, no.  You are right on that.”

“You know, someday, you’ll have to realize that there is a mate out there for you, then what are you going to do?”

“Hope that he loves and respects me for who I am, not the way I look.”

Ceres just shook her head at her best friend’s logic.  Secretly she always worried that Andraste was going to end up an unhappy she-wolf because the wolves in their world just didn’t care for a she-wolf’s intelligence.  Uncle Geb was rare in that aspect.  He had always valued Gaia as not just his mate but as his Luna.  He saw her beauty, strength, and intelligence.  Ceres seriously doubted there was another one like him out there.  But by the goddess she hoped if there was another like him then that wolf was meant for Andraste.

The girls continued to make their way through the crowd towards the stage that had been erected just for today.  The stage held two rows of chairs with the front being for the King, Geb, Seth, Jove, and two more that Andraste could only assume were for the King’s prince and Beta.  In the second row were chairs for the she-wolves of those sitting in the front row including one for herself and Ceres.  Their mothers were already sitting in their respective chairs and Andraste could see her mother Gaia wringing her hands.  Her mother was the perfect Luna, especially for Geb.  She knew every name down to the youngest Omega.  Everything was planned and executed to a T.  And always perfect.  But it didn’t stop Gaia from being a nervous wreck every time she hosted a pack event.  Add to that the nerves of seeing her son again, Andraste was amazed her only nervous giveaway was her hands.  But that was Gaia, cool, collected, and poised.  In so many ways Andraste looked up to her mother but she knew she would always be a disappointment to her.

Gaia was happy to be a Luna whose chair was behind her mates.  Andraste wanted more.  Andraste dreamed of a mate that would place her chair next to his.  A mate that saw her as his equal, not just a respected Luna.  And it was this mentality that Gaia would never understand in her daughter.  For that matter, most of the she-wolves shook their heads at the young girl.  A she-wolf was not meant to be headstrong on her own but to follow the lead of her mate.  They were all sure that the only wolf that would be mated for her was an Omega, no ranking wolf would be matched with such an independent she-wolf.

As the girls reached the stage Andraste realized there was a chair she couldn’t account for in the second row.  And unlike earlier, Ceres too recognized the presence of one too many.

“Andraste, who else is expected in the row of she-wolves?”

“I’m not sure.  Maybe the King has an extra she-wolf in his entourage.”

“Andraste, Ceres, hurry up and take your place.” Leto, Ceres’s mother, called out to them.  In response, the two girls gave each other a knowing look but parted ways to be on opposite sides of their mothers.  No sooner had they taken their seats than Geb and Jove appeared to take their places on the stage.