The Luna

Chapter 17: Family Reunion

It was indeed an hour later when Austin was free. Aidan had asked Elysia and Ashlyn if they could distract Alex and Jason for a little while, and he promised to fill them in later. Now, the fourteen year old had a small group gathered. The group consisted of Chris, Lily, Austin, Koda, Max, Leah, Emma, Silas, and Tessa.

"What's this about, Aidan?" Chris sighed, exasperated.

"So, it's the fifteenth today. In nine days, Alex and Jason turn twenty. We should give them a little party! They haven't had an official party together since they were eleven." Chris rolled his eyes, and Lily lightly smacked him.

Everyone shifted uncomfortably, even Austin. Not a lot of them really knew the older Arrowoods. Aidan visibly drooped. It was Silas who looked at Aidan and said, "I think that's a great idea." Everyone looked at him in surprise. Aidan smiled from ear-to-ear.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We can get started planning it after the Luna Ceremony. We're gonna need a lot of help from you, though. You know them best." Silas grinned at the boy and ruffled his hair.

"That settles it, then," Austin wrung his hands together, a nervous smile on his face. "Aidan, you're the official party planner."

Aidan's nerves immediately jumped. He couldn't plan a party! Just as he was about to object, he heard Silas' deep voice in his ear. "Don't worry, kid. I'll help you out." And just like that, he calmed down. Now that he knew he'd have help, it wasn't as... nerve wracking. He wanted his siblings' twentieth birthday to be absolutely perfect.

~~~

The rest of Friday and most of Saturday went by incredibly slowly. Austin had surprised her on Friday with a little picnic. As friends, he'd said. They'd talked about their families and their lives and everything else under the sun. It'd been amazing. Soon enough, though, they had to return home.

And now they were at the pack house, awaiting Alpha Rhett and Luna Lena. Alex had her red hair styled in a half-up-half-down style, and she'd dressed nicely in a pair of jeans and a light sweater. It was significantly warmer in Silver Claws than it was in Blood Moon, but it was chilly enough for a light jacket or sweater. Ashlyn had applied minimal makeup to her face, and Alex looked pretty, but she was still nervous as a bride on her wedding day.

"You look beautiful. There's no need to worry." Austin's blue eyes met her green ones as he pushed a section of hair behind her ear. She offered him a smile.

"What am I going to do when they get here? They're going to expect me to talk and-"

"I'll take care of that, I promise. Rhett and Lena are very good friends of mine; there's no judgement from them. They're very understanding." Just as he finished, a car pulled into the lot. "Ah, speak of the devil!" Austin grinned at the car.

The back door of the car opened, and out stepped a very tall man with short blondish hair. He was dressed in jeans and a short sleeve shirt, but he didn't so much as spare Austin and Alex a glance before turning to help his mate out of the car. And the woman who stepped out was something else.

Alex knew Lena was pretty, but she didn't know Lena was that pretty. She was quite obviously taller than Alex, and absolutely gorgeous. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled into a messy bun, and her eyes were a bright arctic blue. Her lips tilted into a bright smile as soon as she saw Austin and Alex. She hurried over, enveloping Austin in a hug. "Oh it's been too long!" Against her better judgement, Alex's eyes flickered to a brighter green and she frowned slightly. Lena detached herself from Austin and looked to her.