A Mermaid, A Prince and a Pirate

14

As the car stopped, Kitarni jumped out and raced over to Lucian jumping into his arms.

Lucian laughed and squeezed her tightly. "Oi. Love birds. Care to give me a hand?" Lydia asked unimpressed. "You got some good things?" Lucian asked, lifting Kitarni effortlessly from the floor.

"Yes. It is a lot though, I can return stuff." Kitarni said feeling guilty despite Lydia insisting he could afford it.

"No. It's fine with you shopping with Lydia. I expected more." Lucian laughed, easing Kitarni's anxiety.

She breathed a sigh of relief before running over to Lydia to help her and the guards with the shopping bags. "What is this?" Lucian asked pulling the bag out from the lingerie store. "Nothing, Lydia made me get them." Kitarni said, snatching the bag from Lucian and hiding it behind her back before her face went tomato red.

Lucian exchanged looks with Lydia before smirking and nodding his head and grabbing other bags from the car. "Okay Kitten." He laughed.

"Oh so putting them on your head wasn't embarrassing but them in a bag makes you go redder than a strawberry." Lydia remarked. "You put pants on your head?" Lucian asked, pulling his head from the car to look a Kitarni who was giving Lydia a scowl.

"For fun." She said innocently.

Lucian nodded and proceeded to help get the bags inside.

They continued laughing and joking as they helped Kitarni unpack the clothes she bought, deliberately placing the lingerie bag behind her bed for her to unpack later. Lucian noticed and couldn't help but laugh at the redness of Kitarni's face.

"Shut up." Kitarni mumbled before throwing some clothes into the drawer.

Lucian snickered and held his hands up. "Didn't say anything." Kitarni growled. "You were thinking it." She said pointing her finger in his face.

After more messing around and two hours later, they had finally finished and Lydia excused herself to make a phone call. "Lucian, can I ask you for something?" Kitarni asked with her big light blue eyes. "Anything." He said, resting on her bed. Kitarni went over and sat beside him and smiled sheepishly.

"Can we go for a walk tonight?" "Yeah, of course." He smiled, putting an arm around her and pulling her closer.

A few hours later, they went off for their walk. Kitarni had changed into her light grey flared trousers and a white vest top and white shoes and she put her hair in a braid.

They went to the far end of the pack grounds in the forest. Lucian was so distracted by Kitarni that he didn't notice eyes were on them. "Lucian. Please may I see your wolf?" Kitarni asked innocently.

"Of course but why?" Lucian asked.

"He is so beautiful and I have never seen a wolf like him." She said shyly. "Okay. Give me a moment." Lucian said, ducking behind a tree to strip his clothes off. Moments later, he emerged in his wolf form.

Kitarni smiled brightly and went over to him and held out her hands.

Lucian in his wolf form knelt down and Kitarni jumped onto his back. "Run." She whispered in his ear making his body shiver, her voice still had that effect on him.

As told, he began darted through the woods as Kitarni held tight and laughed.

It was almost child-like the way Kitarni was laughing as they darted through the woods. "Lucian. I love you." Kitarni whispered. Despite running through the wind and jumping on every twig, Lucian heard this and stopped. Kitarni then slid off his back and went to look at him. She put a hand up to his wolf face and stroked it.

"I mean it. Lucian, I love you so much." She repeated, smiling softly at him.

Lucian changed to his human form and stood up standing there in all his glory. Kitarni looked into his eyes and smiled brighter. "I love you too Kitarni." Lucian replied, putting his hand up to cup her cheek.

Lucian then pulled her closer and kissed her.

As their kiss deepened and Kitarni wrapped her arm around Lucian, she realised that he was nude making her face redden. She coughed and turned away, feeling flushed.

"It's okay Kitten." Lucian laughed. "Let's go back now. It is getting late and you need plenty of rest for tomorrow." Lucian said as he shifted back to his wolf form.

Kitarni climbed back onto Lucian's back and they went back to where they had left his clothes. Lucian went behind a tree, shifted back and got his clothes on before escorting Kitarni back to her room.

The next morning came quicker than Kitarni wanted, she woke up in the bath and stretched as she heard shouting at the door. She slept in the bath in her mermaid form as she felt a bit disconnected from her mermaid side.

As her eyes adjusted, she flinched as she noticed the door open.

She quickly grabbed a towel and attempted to cover herself before the intruder noticed. "What on earth are you doing?" Lydia shouted, causing Kitarni to sigh and relax.

"I was having a bath nap." She said innocently.

"Today is the day. We have strict rules on what you need to be doing today. You aren't to see Lucian until the ceremony at 3pm. You have fruit salad for breakfast, I have Kelly bringing it to you at eight which is in 4 minutes so I really need you to hurry up and get out of the bath." Lydia said tapping her watch.

Kitarni rolled out of the bath, flicking water all over Lydia who looked less than amused.

"Kitarni." Lydia groaned wiping the bubbles from her face.

"Oops sorry. Here, I can dry you off." Kitarni said, raising her hand to use her powers. Seconds later, Lydia flicked her hair over her shoulder and looked down and smiled. "Well. Where were you when I slipped in a puddle at the ball last year?" Lydia laughed.

"Probably at home." Kitarni replied not getting the sarcasm.

"Okay well, dry off and get dressed." Lydia said leaving the bathroom. Kitarni quickly dried herself and walked out into the room and looked through her wardrobe for an outfit. She quickly slipped on a white baggy top with matching shorts.

Moments later, someone knocked on her bedroom door. Kitarni sat down and began to put a braid into her hair. "Come in." Kitarni called. The door opened revealing Lydia with a tray for Kitarni's breakfast. "Oh Kelly. Bless you, thank you so much." Kitarni said, walking over to the table where Kelly was putting the tray.

"No problem at all Luna. It is a pleasure to make your ceremony day breakfast." Kelly said patting Kitarni's cheek. "Kelly, please could you tell me why these ceremonies are so important. I feel like a mouse heading into a room with I guess wolves." Kitarni laughed, taking Kelly's hand.

Kelly patted her hand and pulled the table chair out for Kitarni.

"I almost forgot you were human. Take a seat dear. You see, the moon goddess that created all light creatures including us werewolves, created a special gift for us. She created the gift of soul mates. It means that a wolf has another person designed for them. It means that despite all the pain and sorrow, there is one person in the world that can complete the other. It is like two pieces of a puzzle, you need each other. For an Alpha, finding a Luna is especially important. Luna's are incredibly important. The Alpha may make the tough decisions, but the Luna supports the Alpha in making those decisions and sometimes being the voice of reason. The Luna is like a mother to the entire pack. It is a hard job but I know that you are perfect for it." Kelly said, wrapping her arm around Kitarni and kissing her head.

"Are you sure? I want to be a good Luna and Mother and the best mate for Lucian. He deserves it." Kitarni said taking a mouthful of the yoghurt on her plate.

"You already are a great Luna and Mate. You will be a great mother."

"The ceremony?" Kitarni asked, looking up at Kelly." "These are important and set in place to announce the new Luna and allow people to wish their luck for the new couple and for the pack. I think they are a great idea as packs come together and it's a good opportunity for mates to come together."

Lucian smiled to himself listening in on the conversation. He didn't want to pry by spying on her conversations but as he was unable to see her today, he wanted to make sure that she was doing alright.