𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐦

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝑊𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑌 𝑂𝑁𝐸.

𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚

I sat on my bed reading a book whilst I waited for Bethany and Aisha to come in and help me get ready for tonight. It was the first of April, which meant it was the day of The Receiving, where I will be presented to Damian's pack for the first time since my arrival at Bloodstone Isle.

To say I was nervous would be a huge understatement. I was terrified. Terrified that I'll screw up in front of everyone, terrified in thinking that the wolves of Bloodstone Isle won't accept me as their Luna. What if they thought I wasn't good enough? What if they thought I was too weak to be their Alpha's mate? Or Goddess forbid what if they found out about my past?

A little orphan wolf who lost her parents and became a charity case for her aunt and uncle?

"Charity case? You are no such thing," Keira said firmly. "If anything Vanessa and her children are the ones living off of our charity. Any other she wolf would've long since kicked them to the curb the moment they started treating her with disrespect."

She was right. No she wolf with a shred of dignity will sit back and let anyone disrespect her. Even more so if she was of Alpha blood. I had to be the only one who would allow herself to be disrespected, being too scared to stand up for herself.

I was a disgrace to she wolves everywhere.

"Karina?"

I looked up and saw Damian standing in the doorway. Closing the book I set it aside and made room for him to sit next to me. Reaching a hand out he caressed my cheek and I felt my pores raise on my arms at his touch.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm okay. Just a little nervous for tonight," I confessed.
"I guessed as much. That's why I thought I'd come up to see you before Bethany and Aisha comes to deck you up."
"Oh goody. I wouldn't have to wear a corset would I?"
"This isn't the eighteenth century Karina. Nobody wears corsets anymore. Unless it's a royal pack."

"Or unless you're wearing a corset lingerie," Keira said wickedly. "I'm sure Damian would love to see you in one of those. Maybe you can wear it at The Claiming."

"Excuse you? I will not be wearing a corset lingerie on my mating night," I said indignantly. "I will be wearing a normal white lingerie and maybe a pair of white lace fishnet stockings. But that is it. We'll be making love, not porn."

Keira rolled her eyes and laid on her side to take a nap. I let her do that so she won't have any more cheeky comments to make. I swear her mind was so dirty. People would always find the silver lining in every cloud, Keira always found the double meaning behind every word, phrase or statement. Damian and I were talking about me not wearing a corset along with my dress, she managed to fit corset lingerie into the equation.

"Karina could I ask you something?" Damian asked.
"Ask away," I said, giving him my undivided attention.
"It's about the other day when I took you and Keira out for a run."
"Okay, what about it?"
"After lunch you went to take a nap. But sometime after you started screaming in your sleep, telling someone to get away from you and to leave you alone. Who..who were you talking about?"

I inhaled sharply and turned my gaze away. Whenever I have a nightmare I don't remember much about it or anything that happens after unless someone tells me about it. On that day Keira said I did have a nightmare. It wasn't about Aunt Vanessa or Bailey and Bradley.

It was about them. The monsters that destroyed my family.

On the day they attacked my mother told me to hide under my bed and not to come out until she came to get me. I hid under the bed for a while, waiting for her to come for me, little knowing that she wasn't coming. Ever. She died in the garden along with my father and brother.