Celestial Bodies: Of Runts and Lycans

Chapter 28: Welcoming Ceremony

happy reading

Celeste's POV

From the minute I woke up, my stomach was in knots. I spent an extra fifteen minutes in the shower; combing through every tangle in my hair, shaving every inch of visible skin (almost cutting myself in the process as it was maybe my third time shaving), and being overall stuck in my head about tonight. Last night ended wonderfully. Everyone danced the night away, ate amazing barbeque, and caught up with the former Alpha and Luna. They told stories of their travels that made me feel as if I was glimpsing into mine and Xavier's future. Him and I, hand in hand as we sail around the canals of Amsterdam. Xavier, leading me through the streets of France or Germany.

But today was supposed to be about me. Everyone watching as Xavier introduces me to and welcomes me to the pack. Everyone saying some form of hello, probably asking me questions about myself and my history. The thought of all that attention was making me extremely anxious. I ran to the bathroom, feeling like I was going to throw up only to sit there hacking over the toilet, nothing willing to leave my stomach.

A knock sounded at the door. I swayed on my feet as I went over to the door, pulling it open and wiping at my mouth in case there was any drool. Josh stood at the door, a big smile on his face until he saw the state of me. "Uh, are you okay?" I nodded unconvincingly. "Okay, sure, lie to one of your closest friends here." I glared at him.

"My stomach is in knots," I admitted.

"Relax, tonight will be fine and done in a blink of an eye. Besides, Xavier instructed me to take you out for a day of pampering." He did? Of course he did. . He knows how nervous I am for tonight. "So you and I are going to a spa in the human town nearby." The human town?

"Xavier okayed that?" He rolled his eyes.

"All I had to do was explain that a nice hot stone massage would do wonders to help his darling little mate and he said I could take you anywhere I felt would get the job done." I smiled at that. Of course he said that. "We do have to bring a few extra warriors with us but I figured that would happen." Yeah that also sounds like something Xavier would have happen. .

Josh and I drove, a car following behind us with three extra warriors, to the nearby human town and got breakfast. My stomach was still in knots so I poked at my scrambled eggs and english muffin, only eating when Josh encouraged me to. I still left my plate half untouched. We then went and got pedicures, to which I raised a brow at him. "What? Guys should get pedicures too, feet are gross." I nod, that's fair. The warriors tried to blend in but it was clear that the three bulky men outside the nail studio were there with an intention. The nail ladies whispered about them, glancing outside as they did our nails. "Sorry ladies," Josh apologized. "They're with us. She's famous." My eyes went wide at his blatant lie. The whispers stopped as they stared up at me.

"I'm not famous," I say quietly.

"Hush," Josh says, leaning back into his massage chair.

Once our nails were done and dry, we headed to the spa for our massage. He booked a couples massage but asked for a privacy partition, emphasizing to the ladies that I was taken by a 'big, bad, hunk of a man.' I blushed profusely. I was glad the massage was with Josh and not Xavier, because I made some noises that I think Xavier would read far too much into. The warriors followed us as we made a few final stops at some shops Josh had seen on his way in. He insisted I get a piece of jewlery that stopped me in my tracks. It was a green stone, surrounded by a dark metal on a matching chain. The green reminded me of Xavier's eyes and I found myself asking to try it on. Josh whistled as the store attendant put it around my neck. "Yeah, you have to get that. Xavier will notice for sure." I blushed, brushing my hand over the cool stone. Josh handed the same gold card he'd been using all day to the store attendant. "She's going to wear it out." The sales attendant handed Josh a little pair of scissors, to which he cut off the tiny blue price tag, before handing them back and getting his card in return. "Do you already have an outfit for tonight?" I nod. Lesa helped me pick out an outfit before her parents arrived yesterday. It was a long, flowy dress with a floral pattern. It was two separate pieces attached by a belt-clasp looking piece in the middle of the front waist of the dress, leaving my back and sides exposed. At first, I was unsure about the amount of skin that would be showing, but then she pointed out that Xavier would be able to run his hand over my back, letting our bond calm me better through the night. "How are you feeling?"