THE GIFT OF MANY WISHES

"Before we proceed, my Luna has specially prepared a gift for you." Alpha Lorent said. He turned to his Luna and prompted, "Dear, you have a gift for our new daughter."

Luna Edith stepped forward with a small white box in both hands. She spoke haltingly as if not used to speaking aloud, "I wanted to personally prepare a gift to welcome you as our daughter... I didn't know... what a young girl would want... nowadays there are so many new trends... but when I was thinking about this... I remembered something... from when I was young..." She stopped and smiled. Luna Edith was very beautiful when she smiled.

"When I was young... my family was very poor... so poor that I was given away as a baby... to a very kind woman in the Lorent Pack. My adpotive mother was good to me... but she was only a normal wolf... And I didn't want to burden her... so I never asked her for anything... but there was one thing...one thing I always wished for... I admired all the girls in my school who had it... I wished for it for many years."

Luna Edith opened up the box. Inside sat a watch. It had white straps, and a white face. The outer rim of the face was lined with diamonds. There was also an inner ring of diamonds too.

"What I wished for was... a watch... so I wanted to look for a watch for you... when I saw this one... I remembered that wishing stars were all once just diamonds in the sky."

Luna Edith laughed a little shyly, she pushed the gift box into my hands, "It is only a watch... but may all your wishes come true with time."

Honestly, I had to admit, at this point my wish would be to actually know how to respond to that. My brain just short circuited. I'm really bad with feelings, but you probably know that already.

I opened my mouth and then closed it again.

I would have accidentally handed over the reins to Wolfie again too except even my stupid Wolfie knew this was beyond her and had retreated. Gee. Thanks a lot, Wolfie.

"Your new mother had put a lot of thought into this gift." Lady Amber informed me, perhaps she had decided to start lessons early. No time like the present, eh? Hahaha. (Get it? Time?)

"The watch itself is of equisite workmanship too. The strap is neither metalic nor leather, but a ceramic. Do you see how the pearl face reflects the diamonds? It is significant that the designer of this watch had also once said, "White is pure and simple, and is the most versatile color that matches everything." Purity and simplicity are one of the rarest things in the world." Lady Amber finished expounding on the finer points of the gift in my hands.

"Now knowing this, say thank you to your new mother." Lady Amber instructed.

"Thank you." I managed.

"Well done." Lady Amber said, as if I had succeeded in something particularly difficult, "That was very good."

Now if my piano teacher had been so forthcoming with praise, perhaps I wouldn't had quit yet.

Not that I was any good at music anyway, so I supposed my quitting just saved everyone the time and unnecessary frustration.

"What a wonderful gift." Delta Felicity praised, she looked at my dumbfounded expression and laughed, "See, our Alpha Sam is lost for words."

Mum put her arms around me, she was teary, but smiling.

I noticed Laura taking photos in the background. I guess she was the official photographer as usual.

Dad cleared his throat, "We have also prepared a gift to welcome our son."

Killion materialized next to him with a dark blue folder.

Dad handed the folder to Rebel.

Rebel looked at the file, obviously nonplussed, he accepted it anyway, "Thank you."

Killion took the initiative to explain the contents, "Alpha bought you an online stock brokerage account. It comes with an mobile app platform, charting tools, investor education, and access to research reports and a generous initial capital to start off with."

Then Dad spoke, "Son, what I give you today is only going to be whatever you make of it in the future."

Dad was speaking in zen mode, so I knew that he meant something more than what it sounded like but as usual, I had no idea what.

Rebel seemed to understand. He had a grave expression, "Thank you, Alpha. I will make the most of it."

Killion grinned then, "I got myself one too. Even though you've got a bigger initial capital, wanna race?"

Rebel raised a brow at Killion, "Are you challenging me?"

Killion grinned like the Cheshire cat got a bowl of cream, "First to a million wins."

Rebel growled, his wolf was up. "You're on."

I'm not sure if it's a male wolf thing to be so competitive. Oh well, at least Bell and Ki are having fun together... I mean if you find financial trading fun.

I mean, no offense if you do, you'd probably even be all the richer for it, but financial trading bored me to tears. It was right down there in my least favourite conversational topics, just under political analysis and mathematical equations.

"A gift given with wisdom and true foresight." Lady Amber lauded. "Now, without further ado, let's proceed to the betrothal ceremony."

So we hadn't even started the ceremony yet?

{Trap} Wolf reminded me politely.

Hmmm? I looked around as Rebel and I were ushered to the only empty area in front of the balcony. The moon was full and large outside.

"Oh! It's truly beautiful. A miracle, it's not even a full moon night. It seems that even the goddess is blessing the ceremony." Lady Amber declared. (Did no one mention that Rebel was dream travelling? He wasn't really here.)

Laura apparently agreed with Lady Amber's assessment though, she stepped forward to take more photos. Alpha James took out his phone and took a few shots himself, "Very nice." He showed his screen to his Luna.

They admired the handheld sized photo even thought we were still just standing right there in front of them.

And then they made us stand closer to the balcony to use the full moon as part of the background.

"This is so romantic!" Laura exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes, it is the right atmosphere for the occasion." Lady Amber agreed.

"We should take a video." Alpha James decided.

Beta Lorent sprung up straighter, he was holding a wooden box in his hands so he yelled, "Anthony, video this!"

The guy he called Anthony lifted up his phone. Anthony looked like a taller and broader and younger version of Beta Lorent.

"Alright, now we will proceed with the betrothal ceremony." Lady Amber declared clapping her hands together.

I saw Mum hug onto Dad's arm, smiling. Alpha James had an arm around Luna Edith, and his phone held up ready to take a photo. Basically everyone was poised to watch us.

I looked at Mate, I sure hope he knew what was supposed to happen, because I hadn't the faintest clue.

"Just follow my lead." Mate growled lowly to me.

Alright, Mr. Bossy. (Of course I didn't say this aloud.)

Lady Amber waved to Beta Lorent to come closer. He did, proffering the wooden box. Lady Amber looked into it, "Yes, now this is also a treasure."

She took out a silver colored bangle.

{Trap}

Why? Was it made of silver? Oh wait, but Lady Amber had no problems touching it. She handed it to Mate.

Mate took my left hand, I was still looking intently at the bangle.

Wolfie, if you meant to say letting a man put a bangle on my wrist is being trapped into becoming his mate or some kind of over-emotional nonsense about the loss of single hood, I will kill you.

Wolfie said nothing.

Mate slipped the bangle over my hand. "I, James Lorent the Third, future Alpha of the Lorent Pack accept you, Samantha Kingsley, future Alpha of the Night Leaf and Morning Light Pack as my mate."

At those words, I felt something in my heart link to Mate's. Immediately, I felt a rush of emotions that were not my own, they were very forceful, a possessiveness and protectiveness... "Mine" I heard from within Mate's soft growl.

Wait, I thought he was going to reject me? He can't reject me anymore right? Not with this link established. Hoohoohoo... I win again!

Lady Amber handed me a bangle. I took it, then looked at Mate.

Uh, was I supposed to say something? I just needed to echo what Mate said, right? Probably. But what did Mate say again? I searched my mind and slipped the bangle past the hand he held out to me, just to buy a bit more time.

The moment the bangle touched his wrist, he bent down and... And he... One moment he was standing in front of me, and the other his stoopid handsome face was right in front of mine, and then he came just a tad too close... And his lips touched mine. Just very briefly.

So quickly that it was over before I realised what had happened.

SO HE DIDN'T KISS ME.

IT DIDN'T COUNT.

Omo.