OSNYWM Chapter Contest Response

 

            My heart thumped in my chest as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Bella had finished my hair and makeup then left to help make some final adjustments to the decorations; I told her I would be down in a minute, but that had been thirty minutes ago. Every time I started to make a move towards the door, I would catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and then my legs would tremble so badly I would have to sit on the bathroom floor. Then I would start to get up and the whole process would start all over again.

            I had finally given up on that plan ten minutes ago and now all I could do was stare at the stranger who stood before me. I say stranger because there is no possible way that the woman who was staring back at me could be me. Rainie Harper was a timid plain girl who avoided eye contact, who never raised her hand in class; the woman in the mirror was strong, heart breakingly beautiful and anything but a Rainie Harper.

Her hair fell around her shoulders in waves and there was a small silver clip keeping a strand of hair from her face. Her gauzy white dress fell to her knees and accented her curves enough to show that she was far from a child. Around her neck, resting just above her breasts was the necklace. The purple stone in the middle was the only source of color in the entire outfit, causing the gaze to draw immediately towards it. But the eyes, those are what seemed the most foreign. They were filled with more love than I knew was possible for one person to contain on their own and held knowledge that was unknown to me merely a few hours ago.

Those eyes knew what it was like to be irrevocably loved, to have an unbreakable trust, to come together with the man she loved until there was no separation of flesh, but only one body, one mind and one soul. Those eyes knew what it was like to be mated. And that thought terrified me just as much as it thrilled me. Because I had to face facts, the woman whom I saw in the mirror was no stranger, it was me. I was no longer that trembling girl Mason had rejected so long ago, but a Beta and a future Luna who had both the grace and the ferocity of a lioness, and just like a lioness I would do anything to protect my pack.

Thinking of Mason and my pack finally calmed me down; so I stood up from the bathroom floor, gave my reflection a firm nod and walked out into the hall. Normally, being in the Harbor Pack house was confusing as hell and a pain in the ass to navigate, but ever since Mason and I had mated, I just knew where to go and how to find him and suddenly the maze seemed incredibly easy to figure out. It was like my heart was a compass that pointed to Mason instead of north. Before I got to him however, Bella grabbed my arm and pulled me into the kitchen. Hard. My wolf growled at being deviated from the course to her mate.

“What was that for?” I growled myself. Bella looked taken aback for a few seconds, but her sassy response was not far behind.

“Excuse me?” she fired back, holding out the u way longer than necessary, “I am going to try to forget that, being it’s your special day and all but don’t make me remember Rainie Harper. Anyways you can’t go outside, Mason is out there and you know you can’t see him before the announcement ceremony.” One of my eyebrows shot up, giving her an amused but slightly confused expression.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure that’s only for weddings.” I finally said, holding back giggles.

“Well you know what Miss Smarty-Pants, now it counts for announcement ceremonies too.”

“Says who?” I said, not liking this new rule one bit. I hated being apart from Mason more than necessary as it was and this was kind of throwing a wrench in my plan.

“Um I think I just did,” Bella fired back. I rolled my eyes and started to leave but she just grabbed my arm again.

“Please Rainie,” Emma said, startling me my appearing out of nowhere “just go with it. I don’t think you understand how gorgeous you look right now and imagine how surprised he will look when he finally sees you at the ceremony; I promise it will be completely worth it. Have you ever known me to be wrong young lady?”  I sighed knowing she was right and Bella gave a squeal of excitement when she realized she had won.