𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐦

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝐹𝑂𝑈𝑅𝑇𝐸𝐸𝑁

𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐧

"When we arrive at your pack, will we conduct all the ceremonies at once? Or will we wait for an auspicious occasion?"

I stopped typing on my laptop and turned to look at Karina.
"Excuse me?"
"The ceremonies that are held in honor of the new Luna," she said patiently. "The five ceremonies that are administered by the pack elders and the parents of the male."

"Oh right," I closed the laptop and put it back in my bag. "After you've unpacked and freshened, up I'll introduce you to my family. Later during the day, my parents will check the calendar to determine on which day you'll be introduced to the pack."

She nodded and turned her head to look out the window. There wasn't much to see, just dark skies, silhouettes of trees and an endless stretch of open road on both sides of the car. It was around one in the morning, we've been on the road for over six hours. Thanks to Gregory's skilled driving, we were just two hours away from Rubellite Cove.

I noticed that Karina was fidgeting nervously while fingering the pendant around her neck. I could also hear her heart, beating a mile a minute in her chest. Wondering what was the reason behind her anxiousness, I reached a hand out and touched her shoulder, making her jump out of shock and turn to face me. "What's the matter? You seem nervous. Are you carsick?"

"I'm fine, I was just thinking about your family. I'm worried that they won't like me," she said quietly.
"You don't have to worry Karina, my family will love you," I assured her. "My mother will spoil you rotten with her love."
I could see a small smile appear on her face. "Ever since my Mom died, I've never had another close maternal figure in my life. Just Thea. My mother never had any siblings, so I don't have any aunts or uncles. Only Uncle Trevor from my Dad's side of the family."

"My parents have lots of siblings so you'll have no shortage of  aunts, uncles and cousins. On holidays and special occasions, we gather together for a fun time," I explained. "Most likely Mother will invite them to Bloodstone Isle to meet you in a few days."
"How many relatives are on your dad's side?" she asked curiously.

"My father's younger brother Edmond, his mate Tatiana and their two year old pup Terri, his older sister Olga, her mate Landon and their daughters Eli and Mel, and his great aunt Jezebel and her three daughters, Sofia, Perry and Eve,"
"I see. And what about those on your mother's side?"

"My mother has two older brothers, Thomas and Mitchell, their mates are Ellen and Daphne. The latter couple has two boys in their early twenties," I told her as I took a sip of coffee. "and my mother also has a younger sister named Laura. She's been estranged from the family for years."

"That's a lot of family," she murmured. "Do any of them live in Bloodstone Isle? Or do they have their own packs?"
"They all have their own packs," I replied. Then I checked the time again, one fifteen it read "It's late, try to get some sleep, we'll reach Bloodstone Isle in a few hours."

"Keira is still awake, I won't be able to get much rest until she falls asleep. She's restless tonight," she sighed.
"Come sit close to me, my scent will help calm her down," I reached my arm out for her and she hesitated for a brief moment, then slowly inched closer to me.

I let her rest her head on my chest while I wrapped my arms around her. On impulse, I kissed her on her forehead and rubbed her soothingly on her back. To my relief, she didn't flinch away.

"Ask her if she's comfortable," Drake urged.

"Are you comfortable?" I asked.
"Very. Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome. Now, close your eyes and sleep, I'll wake you up when we arrive in our pack."
"Our pack? But, I'm not the Luna yet."
"You became my Luna the moment I met you sweetheart. All that I own belongs to you as much as it does to me. Including but not limited to my pack."