The Lunam Ceremony (Book One) by Nicole Loufas Read Free Book Online

by accident, illness, or childbirth. Cassie says most low alphas don’t even go to Lunam. I don’t blame them. Why be part of a community that looks down on you? I think about Tandy and her son. Tandy was a pureblood and now she is a beta. Her son is a low alpha that probably won’t go to Lunam either. For some reason I start to feel sad for Tandy and Warner. I don’t know why. It’s horrible to think of people in this way, but it’s the way the pack operates. We can’t all be leaders. I want to ask Cassie about her lineage, but it feels intrusive. I don’t know if she is the daughter of purebloods. I suspect she is if she’s making comments about a low alpha. Cassie takes a loose piece of ratted hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear. Her smile is so genuine, so loving, I don’t give a shit about her lineage. I like her, and that’s all that matters.
    Just before sundown, Layla asks me to help her get something from the car. I haven’t seen her all day. When I went to the kitchen earlier to sneak some food with Cassie, she wasn’t there. Bonnie told me she was in negotiations. Whatever that means.
    “I really like Cassie,” I tell my mom as we walk to the parking lot. It’s filled with cars now, and people walk around in small groups. Everyone is having a great time, including me. I don’t want to ruin it by fighting with my mom, but I really have to know more about who I am before I lose myself to destiny. “I guess it’s sort of inevitable, seeing how we’re cousins and she’s from Shasta.” The three beers I’ve consumed are making me brave, or maybe it’s because I’m on the verge of womanhood. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Shasta? I feel like an idiot.”
    “Because some things you need to learn on your own, Kalysia.”
    I’m frustrated when she doesn’t offer any more of an explanation. Layla lets me pout until we reach the convertible. She pops the trunk and pulls a tiny box out of her purse. “This is for you.” She hands me a Tiffany Blue Box, complete with a white bow.
    My anger subsides while I tear into the gift. I flip open the small blue box and find a paw pendant inside. “It’s the Shasta paw, isn’t it?”
    “Yes. Here, let’s put it on. Don’t forget to take it off before tonight, ok?” She takes the necklace from me and puts it around my neck. The paw sits in the middle of my chest, over my heart. “There is so much I wanted to tell you, but I never had the courage. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. So, I focused on what I knew was important, your destiny.” Layla takes me by the shoulders and looks me in the eye. “You feel it; I know you do. You belong here.”
    I nod my head once. She’s right. I do feel comfortable here, more myself. I just have doubts about my role and who I am meant to be. I still can’t imagine myself partnering with a male tonight and becoming his sidekick. There are so many questions I have for my mother, but there is only one I am brave enough to ask. “Why did you leave?”
    “I left for you.”
    I roll my eyes. This is the answer she’s given me my whole life. I want the truth now. “You had a destiny. You had a pack, and a mate, and you walked away from it all. Now you want me to embrace this life, a life I know nothing about. A life you ran away from.” Layla’s eyes meet mine. “You got me to Lunam, Mom. I’m not going anywhere, so please tell me the truth.”
    She nods, and I actually feel scared for her. For what she’s about to say. “I’m assuming Cassie told you I’m from Shasta and that I matched with a Sierra. What she doesn’t know, what nobody knows, is that I chose him. Everyone believes the male is the dominate one, but I felt in control. I had feelings for Conall, the son of the Shasta pack leader. I adored him my whole life, but when I saw Monte, I felt his strength, his power, and I wanted it.”
    “Did you love him?”
    “I did, in my own way. I respected him,” she admits. “He’s a good