Howling Hearts

The long days and pleasure-filled nights went by in a flash. It was already time to start actively planning the last bit of details of the marking ceremony since it was only 4 days away. 1

I was starting to get nervous as the ceremony was a big deal. It was like a wedding for us werewolves, but just so much more.

A lot of lower rank wolves could just mark one another in the privacy of their own room and officially be together and some still decide to do a marking ceremony even after already marking one another. The marking ceremony was more of something for family and friends to join in on. I was starting to become insecure. Why hasn't Lucian marked me yet?

I mean a lot of people do that before their planned marking ceremony, so why couldn't we? 1

Was he uncertain of me?

Just then Freya was walking past talking with an event planner. She looked over at me and walked over to me with a worried look masking her face. "Are you getting cold feet," she asked in a worried tone. I shook my head in protest. She just watched and waited for me to talk. "Well, I'm worried that Lucian might be."

She sat down next to me and placed her hand on my back. "Why would you think that?" She asked in a caring tone. "Well, he hasn't marked me yet and a lot of wolves do even before the marking ceremony" She sighed in a relief tone and I looked at her wondering what I was missing. How could she be so relieved? I looked at her with a questioning gaze and she giggled.

"I know this is a stressful time, Scarlet, but Lucian isn't getting cold feet. You see, for average wolves and lower ranks, their choices don't matter so much. However, Alphas betas and gammas don't have that luxury" "but why?"

"Well, you aren't only uniting souls with your mate, you see. You also become the Alpha and Packs Luna. If Lucian marks you without the proper steps, you can't be his Luna and no one else can either because he has marked you. When you mark your mate, they become your equal, so how can you be his equal when you aren't the packs Luna? And you can't be Luna unless he is marked by you."

"But that doesn't make sense"

"I know my dear, but that is how the moon goddess intended for this to happen. That is why the marking ceremony is so important. It's not just an ordinary wedding where you can divorce within a few days if you get sick of one another. It is a lifelong commitment.

Not only to your mate but also to your pack. Something you cannot be separated from unless by death. Anyway, enough of the scary talk... High rank ceremonies tend to be much different than an average wolf.

But not to worry, I'll walk you through it and I believe your mother will as well." She said, giving me a warm smile.

I nodded my head at her. "Can you tell me how it will happen?"

"Well, just like a normal wedding, you will walk down the isle just like a bride. You will have to vow your loyalty and life to the pack and Lucian like a wedding almost. To seal it all off you will mark one another",

I then nodded again. "Thank you Miss Silvermane."

"Call me Freya". I nodded again and she was off to go chase down the event planner from earlier.

I ran everything through my mind trying to calm my nerves. I was walking up and down the hallway in my nervous walk while looking down at my fiddling hands.

I then walked into something that felt like a brick wall. I rubbed my head trying to relieve it from the shooting pain. When I opened my eyes, I saw it wasn't a wall but instead a man.

When I looked up, my eyes rolled from annoyance. That smug face was the last thing I wanted to see. I turned around, ready to leave, but he grabbed hold of my hand. I looked back at him and ripped my hand from his clutches.

"Leave me alone", I growled at him. He giggled. That annoying giggle. "Is miss taken getting cold feet... don't worry, I've got my car outside ready to make a run for it"

he winked at me "leave me alone Aiden

"Stop playing hard to get. You've already won my heart angel"

"I'm not your angel.. And I'll win if you leave me alone". I turned around again and walked off. "Angel?" his voice started disappearing in the background.

I turned the corner and heard him call me angel again. I had no time for him or patience and he was starting to get on my last nerve. I stormed down the hall like a mad woman.

When I eventually reached my room, I fell face down onto the bed. I curled myself into the blankets and heard Lucian's giggle.

I looked over to him and saw his sexy-self standing there in the doorframe. "I knew you'd be here, princess," he said before he cuddled up next to me.

"Rest up princess, you'll need it for tonight", he said, before giving me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed at his statement, but the sleepless night had worn me out.

I would never trade them for anything else though. Soon I felt myself slip deep in dream land.

I was walking in a dark and gloomy forest and saw a man fully n**e curled up into a ball on the forest floor covered with nothing but blood and mud.

He was whimpering and seemed to be very fragile. When I touched his shoulder, his head whipped to face me. It was Asher. He got up from his position and started walking towards me in a destructive and taunting way.

I took a step back for every step he took forward. He then pounced on me and pinned me to the floor. I was shuffling under his grip trying to free myself from him.

He just screamed and I could see his canines were gone and the empty space that they used to fill was bleeding. The droplets fell onto my face even when I tried to move away from them.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT" he screamed into my face. My eyes shot open and I sat up in bed gasping for air. A few tears escaped my eyes and I could feel Lucian rubbing my back attempting to calm me down.

"What's wrong, princess?" he asked in such a loving tone that it made me feel even guiltier for what I was about to ask of him. "L...Lucian" I asked through my heavy breaths. "What is t princess?"

I took one last deep breath before letting it go with a sigh. "I have to tell you something but don't get mad"Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

I said fearing that this might be the end of us but I have to clean up the past before I continue with my future. He gritted his teeth as he thought about my request for a few minutes.

"Sure Princess" he tried to say as calmly as possible. I sighed and thought about it for a while but knew that I had to do this. "I have to go see Asher."