noun ~ two people who are married, engaged or otherwise romantically associated

"Your Highness," Charlie bowed. "We were just discussing who gets to dance next."

Alexandar laughed, a hearty sound that could put people at ease. I span myself around to not be disrespectful and gave a shaky smile. I could smell the beer already, noticing how Alexandar was beaming and merry already and it had only been an hour since they were claimed.

"I say, you and Phoenix should dance together." Alexandar snorted, nudging Charlie.

Charlie faux laughed but Phoenix remained stoic as he stared down at the half-witch beside his cousin. She was not paying attention to him however, her gaze focused on me or flickering to something behind me.

"Say, I'd like you to officially meet my mate Theia." Alexandar beamed, downing a half pint of beer in his hand. "Theia, this is my cousin, as you know Phoenix Titan, his mate Nova and their Beta Charlie Evans."

"The Lycan." She nodded, smiling at me. "Nice to meet you at last Nova, I've heard many things about you."

The uncertainty about this woman had my stomach-churning. I couldn't understand why though; her whole demeanour screamed innocent flower. I met her outstretched hand, however, Cel bristling for an attack. When my hand met hers, I felt the firey warmth and my eyes shot down to our hands in shock. I pulled away like I had been shocked, uncomfortable with how she made me feel.

Alexandar laughed, however, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Oh I tell her to stop doing that, but she always insists."

"Doing what exactly?" Phoenix growled.

Theia's eyes snapped to him in surprise, as if realising he was truly there. I was glad her brown orbs were away from me, taking in a deep shaky breath as the weight seemed to leave me all at once.

"She is half-witch, so she can not only shift into a werewolf, but she has some magic in her too."

"Only some." She blushed. "I can do some life skill spells and the odd fun one."

"And what you just did now?" Phoenix grumbled.

She shrugged. "Most witches do it, it's a way to channel energy."

The King chuckled, his hand clutching at her waist. "I tell her not to do it but she does it with everyone she meets."

I hummed with interest. If she had done it with everyone she met, then it had to be more than just channelling energy.

Perhaps she can seek someone's soul. Cel mumbled.

Or worth. I added.

She yipped in agreement and I turned my attention to Phoenix who sipped on his whiskey. His eyes met mine over his glass and I took the opportunity to sip my own drink. The King and Queen were lost in love-sick giggles as their foreheads met each other in an embrace.

"Well, your highnesses, if you shall excuse us..." Phoenix grumbled.

They didn't hear us, too caught up in their own world. I was glad when Phoenix pulled me away, his arm still secure around me, Charlie behind us. He led us towards Demetrius, his wide shoulders creating a path between the crowds. Demetrius' eyes found us and he turned to mumble something over his shoulder. His mate, Aila, appeared, her head peaking out from behind her mate's shoulder. Her eyes widened in delight as we came to a stop by them and she immediately took my arm.

"We got it from here boys, girl talk." She waved her hand which caused the men to roll their eyes.

I cast a glance at Phoenix who was still grimacing, his whiskey glass held to his stomach, his royal rings glinting in the dull light. I smiled at him as Aila walked me through the crowds, our heels clicking in synchronisation.

"So...mated to Phoenix Titan. I bet that was a shock when you found out." She smiled, her arm looped through mine.

I laughed gently. "You don't even know half of it."

She chuckled. "Demetrius told me some basics, about you finding out you are a Lycan blood. Sounds like a crazy life you have going on. Any pups on the way?"

I blushed, shaking my head. "No pups, we're happy just working on our relationship."

Her motherly eyes smiled down at me and she rubbed my wrist. "That's all you can do, love. How old are you, may I ask?"

"I'm twenty-one."

She let out a small breath of air. "I am twice your age, and I still have not graced Demetrius with pups."

I raised my eyebrow in curiosity. "You've not?"

She shook her head. "It just never happened, I guess."

I frowned slightly just as we came to a stop. Her blue eyes flickered back to me, pulling away from me slightly.

"Do you not feel pressured...to secure an heir?" I hesitated.

She shrugged. "I do, sometimes. But we are always so busy with pack things, so time will come."

"How long have you two been together?" I wondered, taking a sip of my drink.

She licked her lips, "Ten years. Phoenix's mother and my father were siblings. The King Alpha packs are all family if you have not already realised... I was not first in line to be Alpha, my older brother actually was but he declined the title. Demetrius came along, and he fitted it perfectly. I let him take the lead, to be Luna rather than Alpha and it suits us well."

I smiled at her words, finding contentment on her face. "I'm glad it worked out for you both."

"Me too, and for you... I never thought Phoenix would have a mate." She smiled "When he took over Alpha at fifteen, his mother's loss hit him hard and I feared he would never love again. He's changing, I notice it in the way he holds himself...in a good way."

"He is, he's letting himself go more." I agreed.

She smiled at me, her eyes wrinkling with the movement. "Anyway, enough of that... What I wanted to show you, is this."

She spun me around to face a wall and my eyes widened as they wandered. Before me, was a grand portrait, on a cream painted wall encased in a golden frame. Two people stood, dressed in formal gowns as they looped their arms through each other.

One was a large built man, a cheery smile on his face, a beer-bellied laugh being seen but not heard. His hair was a dark blonde and wavy on his head. His eyes were dark brown, almost black but it did nothing to discourage the happiness he held with the woman on his side.

The woman herself was slender and beautiful. Her familiar features did nothing but astound me; her blonde hair falling in ringlets down her torso to her hips. She was dressed in an elegant green gown, long wide sleeves and trails of fabric surrounding her ankles. She held a small smile, her smaller features softer and more gentle compared to the boisterousness of the man.

But despite their comforting, attractive features, I was drawn to her eyes. The familiar green caused my stomach to churn with emotions as I stared into them. I felt a desperate longing, a need deep within me as I stared at the woman I believed to be my mother. I remembered her the night of the fight, of her worried and sad eyes, to the painful screeches as she succumbed to her death.

"My mother." I breathed.

Aila chuckled softly. "And your father."

"Was this taken before I was born?"

She nodded. "How much do you know of your history?"

I shook my head. "Not much, just what Pollux found out."

She inhaled deeply, casting a look at the picture. "I knew your mother. Rather well. Despite her being a different creature to me, she was always kind. She was softly spoken, stern and smart. She wouldn't take crap from anybody, a fire beneath her docile appearance. She was older than me when we first met. I was a teenager living in the castle. Being royal blood I spent a lot of my time there since my parents were a King's pack, they often had meetings. Sometimes the Lycan's would get involved in the meetings, and I remember meeting your Mother during one of those days."

We had walked to a secluded area, only a few wolves passing by us as we chose to sit on a white leather sofa, still in view of the picture.

"I think I was about twelve when I first saw a Lycan. I remember being shocked by their beauty. Isabella's parents, your grandparents were one of the first-ever Lycan's, so this meeting was a big one. I remember them being stern, and uptight when they arrived, and even more so when they left. It hadn't been a good meeting." She chuckled. "Your mother was their middle child, and it was the first meeting she had been taken to since she became of age. I think she was sixteen, possibly seventeen... But Isabella had taken one look at me, and her eyes fogged over. It was so strange, but I assumed it was her mind-linking as she had turned to her parents who stared at me before letting her approach. She had introduced herself, very proper and polite, and we had stayed and hung out the entirety of the meeting; she never went inside the meeting room."

"I had thought her strange, but soon realised she was just a considerate, compassionate woman. We grew up together, and as she took over from her parents we became distanced. We still messaged, even back in the days of letters." She laughed, "I remember when she called me to tell me she was pregnant and it was twins... We were ecstatic, I even travelled to visit after you both had been born. I remember you at only a few days old; feeling such pride for my best friend."

Her hand wrapped around mine before her eyes darkened to her wolf's hazel.

"The day she died, I received a phone call from her. It started as a general catch up but when we were about to hang up, she told me to look after myself and that she cares for me. We had been friends for thirty years, so I assumed she was just being soppy. That night, we got told that the entire pack had been taken down, the Lycan's destroyed and the children missing... I felt like she was giving me her last messages, she told me she loved me and that I was like an aunt to her children. I hurt for days, for weeks... I lost my best friend."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I...I don't remember them... I had a vision once, a dream I guess of the night it happened..."

Her eyes widened. "A vision?"

I nodded, frowning. "Yeah, it was like I was in another body but I saw it all. To how my brother was taken by Gaia, the witch, and to how I was washed away in a river."

Her eyes were still wide, I felt strange as she began to study my face with a hunger. Her warm hands lifted to my cheeks, and her gaze intensified as she pressured me to stare into her eyes. The hazel of her wolf was strong, and I allowed Cel to surge with a wariness. Why was she so intrigued?

Her mouth opened and closed in a silent mumble of incoherent words. "Your wolf... What is her name?"

"Celimene, why? Is something wrong?"

She inhaled sharply, her hands shaking against my cheeks as tears filled her eyes. "Your mother's wolf was named Celimene."

•••
Dun dun duuuunnn

Hey everyone, thank for your support we are so close to 100k reads with finding Luna!

If you've seen my latest update on lost luna itself, ...
I've run into a couple of snags with lost luna regarding it being stolen but they have responded and hopefully it will be taken from their app (walknovel pro) by the weekend!

Question of the Day:
I'm in need of some new music, what's your fave song/album/artist atm??

I'm into most genres, however not including rap/R&B/Kpop just not into it lol

I'm falling bored with the songs I have atm, so looking for new ones! Slow or fast, scream or country, pop or rock, hit me with ur most recents or all times !

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