Abused

Thirty Three

Kya, the elder, lead us both to the middle of the stage. She pulled a long piece of ribbon from her pocket and a knife. She made us both stand to face each other and told us to hold both our hands out. I followed Brad's lead because I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right. Kya then wrapped the ribbon around both of my wrists and then did the same to Brad, while mumbling something I assumed was in Latin. 

Finally, Kya spoke to us in English. "Winter Adams. Will you love, protect and care for this pack and the alpha for as long as you shall live?" 

I smiled, looking directly at Brad as I said, "I will" 

She smiled and nodded and then turned to Brad. "Bradley Curtis. Will you love, protect and care for you Luna and be her mentor for as long as you shall live?" 

Brad grinned. "Of course I will"

Kya then grabbed her knife and unwrapped the ribbon from one of my wrists and then one of Brad's. She then addressed the crowd.

"Both the Alpha and his Luna have promised to love and protect all of you and each other as long as they shall live. Anyone who objects against this, please speak now" 

My nerves came back once again. The pack was silent and Kya nodded. She turned back to finish the ceremony when a voice pieced through the air. My eyes widened and I felt my heart clench in fear. Shit.

"I object!" I looked over from where the voice came from. The blonde girl I threw into the bathroom stall.

"Shit" I muttered to myself. 

"This girl," She sneered. " She threw me at a bathroom stall!" She screeched. 

The pack gasped and I received a few death glares.

The brown haired girl and the ginger haired girl joined her.  "It's true! We saw it!" 

Shit.Shit.Shit.

I sighed. Brad shook his head. "Winter would never intentionally hurt someone, you must've done something to trigger that reaction" He rolled his eyes slightly but didn't let anyone see.

Britt joined in too. "We all know how you bully people and manipulate situations Courtney!" 

Oh so that was her name.

"You're one to talk Brittney. You attacked her yourself"

Britt growled and advanced towards Courtney but I stepped in before someone got hurt. 

"ENOUGH!" I cried. "This is petty and you're all acting like children!"  

I sighed. " Yes I did throw her at the stall. She was verbally attacking me because I am the alpha's mate. She was in my face and wouldn't back down. I understand this isn't the way to react and I should've found a less violent way to get away. I'm still new to all of this. I had no idea of the conduct in the pack and reacted on instinct to protect myself."

"This isn't the only time she lashed out either!" Courtney went on. "She shot her best friends mate!" 

Gasps echoed around the pack, louder this time.

This was really beginning to test my nerves. I took a deep breath. "He was a wolf attacking me while I was still a human. He could've killed me. I had no choice." 

Kya shook her head. " Maybe it's best to pause the ceremony until these issues have been resolved." 

Kya addressed the crowd and I took this opportunity to escape. I ran off into the woods, as best I could in a big dress  and stopped by a tree to take the dress off. Once I was free from all the fabric, I  shifted and bound off into the woods. 

I ran and ran until I couldn't run anymore and collapsed in a clearing. I shifted into my human form and sobbed. All of my worst nightmares were happening. The pack were rejecting me, I was going to be made a rouge with almost no knowledge of being a wolf and no where to run to.

"Winter!" I heard Brad calling out my name. 

I suddenly remembered what happens when the pack rejects the Luna. The alpha has to choose. I gasped. Brad has to choose between me and his pack.

"Oh my god, Winter!" Brad breathed out in relief when he spotted me in the clearing. He walked over to me and sat beside me, pulling me into a hug. 

"It's going to be okay," He promised. "Kya will solve this" 

I shook my head."If she doesn't, I need you to promise me something." 

He looked at me wearily. "What is it?" 

"If the pack choose to reject me, you choose the pack and you reject me too" 

He looked at me like I was insane. "What? Are you crazy? No way! You're my mate! You come first. Always!"

I shook my head and stood up. "No Brad. I'm used to being alone, without my family or friends, being attacked everyday. I can live with that. You can't. You've only ever known love and this pack. I can't let you leave it over me!" 

Brad was silent for a moment, until he stood up and held my hands in his own. " I wouldn't be alone, baby. Your love is the only love I need. We'll move to somewhere where there isn't many wolves. We'd live in Newyork or where ever you'd like. We'd make our own family. We would be okay. And so would the pack. Jackson would take over."

This made me stop and think for a second. Living in Newyork and having our own family did sound perfect. 

"Always you baby. Always" He kissed me gently, sealing his promise. 

When we pulled away, I nodded.
"Okay,you're right" 

Brad smiled and nodded. "Of course I am" 

I snorted. "Alright, careful or that fat ego won't fit through the door" 

Brad chuckled. "Come on. Let's get back to the ceremony" 

We stopped by the tree I left my dress at on the way back to the ceremony and Brad helped me back into it. We held hands and walked back to the ceremony and I was surprised to see that everyone was back in their positions. Kya waved us over to the stage with the ribbon and knife in her hand. We joined her on the stage and the three girls who had challenged my authority were knelt down at the end of the walkway I walked down earlier that evening. I frowned. 

Courtney spoke. "We are sincerely sorry Luna for all the trouble we have caused you now and in the past. We hope that you can accept our apologies and accept that we are forever in debt to you" 

Kya noted the confusion on my face. " The alpha cast that little fiasco, that you had back in the clearing, through the pack link and the pack were delighted by the way you insisted that the alpha choose the pack over yourself" She whispered in my ear. 

A small smile spread across my features. " You are forgiven, girls. I understand you wanting the best for yourselves and your fellow pack members," I spoke confidently. " But do not cross me again" I whispered the last bit to them so it seemed menacing and so that only they could hear. They all nodded and went back to stand in the crowd. 

I tried hard not to laugh, but Brad was already chuckling. He cleared his throat when Kya looked at him though. 

She tied the ribbon around one of our wrists. She then cut both out hands with the knife and told us to hold our hands together in the air. 

"BY THE POWER INVESTED IN ME, I PRONOUNCE WINTER ADAMS THE LUNA OF THIS PACK!" Kya shouted. 

The crowd erupted into cheers and I felt a wave of power as I felt myself being tied to the pack. 

"Welcome to the pack my Luna" Brad whispered. 

"Welcome home."