CHAPTER 22

Bella's p.o.v

Bella's Luna Dress- url?sa=i&url=https% .com-wedding-dresses-2018-new-arrival-summer-white-chiffon-beach-wedding-dress-with-straps-halter&psig=AOvVaw2Pgxc1WCeiyzkfJ8yWZ-Jr&ust=1587332117076000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCLDEgoz38ugCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

"You look beautiful, Bella." Kim gushed as she watched me twirl in a circle in front of the closet floor length mirror.

Apparently, it was customary that when the Luna is to be introduced to the pack, she is to wear a full length white gown. After a small panic attack, Kim said she had some gowns that might look good on me. I pursed my lips in dislike. To be honest, the dress looked and felt like something one would wear for a beach or summer wedding. It was beautiful, long flowy with a slip up the waist and the chest sorta laced up showing a modest amount of cleavage but still tasteful. Still beautiful nonetheless. I don't normally wear anything white, I mean with Lucas around it is always damn near impossible to keep white clean, but I might just actually 'forget' to give this dress back.

My hair was tied back into an elegant messy bun that I was amazed Kim was able to pull off with just a simple YouTube tutorial. She had done my makeup with light, neutral colors and I couldn't believe that it was actually me in the reflection.

"Thanks again, Kim. I don't know what I would have done without you here to help me." sincerity dripping with every word I spoke as I hugged her tightly. Guilt rolled through me as I leaned back, still holding her hands in my own. I felt so bad about how I had talked to her yesterday. I normally don't really yell or react like the way I did to those I love. Clearing my throat I voice my apology. "Kim. I just want you to know I feel horrible the way I treated you the other day. I was upset at Sam and took it out on you. I'm never like that with the people I hold close and dear to me." I finish with a quick squeeze to both of her hands and a tender smile on my lips.

"Don't worry about it Bella, Even though you and Sam haven't fully mated yet, Your Luna tendency will show more now that our Alpha gave you your Mating Bite," She winks then moves to start cleaning up my vanity littered with beauty paraphernalia. "Besides, even though my reaction might have looked bad in your eyes...I was actually really proud of you, It might sound weird but when our Luna gives orders to us, we -meaning the pack- get a great satisfaction she/he want us to do things for them. We like feeling needed by our Luna. So please don't beat yourself up hun.

I like your spunky-kickass-don't take any shit from anyone attitude. I know you're going to keep this pack in line for sure." She finishes with a wink and a smarmy smirk. I just stood there, hands resting at my sides and listened, my eyes widening in shock. I'd never thought about it like that before.

I sigh and go to reach down next to where she stood at the vanity for a pair of simple flats that I had brought but Kim suddenly reached out and smacked my hand away, like I was a disobedient child. I give her a confused questioning look and stand back up. "What?" I ask incredulously as I bring my hand up to cradle it to my chest. The girl had a swift slap.

"The Luna doesn't wear shoes for her Introduction ceremony to the pack." Kim says flippantly, like it was the most obvious of knowledge. "Really? Why?" I ask.

Kim just shrugged her shoulder in response. "I'm not really sure. Something about how its easier for the Luna to shift and lead the ceremony run."

"But I'm not a wolf?" I had meant it to sound like a statement but it ended up coming out as a question.

"Well, to be fair. You are the first Luna in a long time to be human. So I guess we will figure it out as we go."

I nod absently as I turn back to the mirror. I couldn't fight the nerves from bubbling away in my belly. I wish Sam was here. It didn't feel right to be meeting the entire pack as Sam's mate without him by my side. What if they didn't like me? What if they thought that the pack will be weaker wit ha human Luna leading them? I mean, I may be more of a dominate personality and able to lead those that needed but never on this big of a magnitude. But that was way back when I was in school. The last few years kinda went downhill for me. Now, now I wasn't so sure I could be a leader. I haven't had to take care of anyone other than myself and Lucas, and look how that had turned out. I had ended up taking my clothes off for money and gotten us both kidnapped!

"Whats wrong, Bella.?" Kim stopped my hands from fiddling with the chest part of my dress. I heave a long sigh as I look down at my bare feet. "This feels wrong to me without Him here." I mumble out mournfully.

Kim sighs. "I know. But the pack needs to know the Luna is here for them." She puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder and offers me a small smile. I try to smile back,but I think it was more of a grimace. The pack needs their Alpha just as much as I needed Him. Just then a sharp knock on my bedroom door racks through the room, startling me. Kim jumps up and scuttles over to the door, poking her head out, I watch as she mutters something to the person on the other side of the door, nods then shuts the door swiftly and walks back over to me, giving me a soft encouraging smile. "Paul says its time. Everyone is outside." My eyes widen at her words, my respiration and heart going sporadic. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, trying to calm the bubbling in my belly and the bile threatening to rise up my throat. Kim gives me one last encouraging smile before she's opening my bedroom door for me.

'Just breath, Bella. One step at a time girl. Don't trip. Everything is going to be okay.' I keep repeating my mantra over and over in my head as we make our way to the elevator and go down. I watch the numbers of the floors; with each floor we passed, my heart beats a little faster and by the time the doors open to the ground floor I feel like my heart will take to flight. I was so grateful for the Anxiety med's the doc had given me, cause I was pretty sure had I not taken the pill this morning Id of passed the fuck out from lack of oxygen by now.

Murmured voices could be heard through the house as we made our way to the front doors. The pack was too large to fit all in the meeting hall inside the house, so Paul moved the ceremony to the front yard and driveway. I took one final deep breath, right before Paul threw the double wooden stained glass front doors open extravagantly and stepped out onto the little front balcony. He held out his hand for me to stay, so I waited for his signal. I craned my neck to suddenly look around outside. The front pour area was more like a balcony. It had staircases on both sides of the balcony, so that you could descend the front porch from either side. It sort of wrapped around and ended out towards the gravel driveway. The stoop was made of white polished marble and reminded me of the old English castle out in the country side.

My eyes swooping over the hundreds of werewolf's...this is my soon to be pack...my people….my werewolves. Even though Sam was here with me I felt like his presence was and that made a large smile break out over my face. Then people started to panic and shout.

"Are we under attack?"

Where's the Alpha?"

What do we do?"

Person after person shouted out their questions, before Paul's voice yells for silence. And everyone instantly stilled. It even made me give my full attention to him, my back was ramrod and shoulders pulled back in an almost AT ATTENTION ARMY STANCE.

"As your Beta, I demand your respect. As always when the Alpha is away or incapacitated, I am in charge. I gathered you all here today to inform you of what is going on." His voice was clear and strong, full of authority as he address the pack.

"The Alpha was injured our most recent attack on our pack. This happened while protecting some of the worriers. But he is in good hands! The pack erupted into gasps and murmurs as Paul worked to keep them calm.

"SILENCE!" His voice boomed and instantly all noise stopped.

"There is no need to panic," He then turns around to face me. "Bella, can you come out here please?" I close my eyes, gulp then take a final deep breath before walking out through the double doors to take Paul's warm hand and stand next to him at the edge of the balcony.

My jaw drops slightly at the amount of eyes that are staring back at me in confusion. The never told me a final number on how many was in the pack, but I had assumed there was a lot, two hundred or something like that. But standing out in front of me was probably close to FIVE HUNDRED OR MORE WOLVES! I was beginning to feel faint. I clutched Paul's hand harder, wanting his support even more now.

Paul looks down at me, offering me a encouraging smile as he pulled me to stand before him, He moving to stand slightly behind my right shoulder. All the wolves look me over, some with curiosity, others with wide incredulous eyes. Whispers begin circulating around the crowd but I cant make out what any of them say.

"Yes, its true. That is the Alphas Mark on her Neck! He has found his mate!" Based on the shocked faces, I had expected there to be crickets sounding from the audience. Though I was very mistaken. VEEEEEERRRYYY mistaken.

Suddenly cheers erupted through out the land. I jumped about ten feet in the are, my left hand flying to my chest clutching my heart from how loud the audience yelled and cheered happily. Paul chuckles at my startled expression but smiled happily at me and the pack. My eyes glide over all the faces. Every single one had a huge smile and were clapping excitedly.

My eyes then catch a small little brunette boy smiling sadly up at me from the first row of people. It was Lucas. He probably didn't understand what was going on. But still he should look so sad and like he was about to start crying. Kim, who was sitting next to Jared -her mate- followed my gaze and sees LuLu's face. She immediately reaches over and pulls him off Jared's shoulders to hug him tightly to her chest.

"Silence everyone!" Paul yells. He was desperately trying to gain their attention by waving his arms around, but it wasn't really working. All their attention was solely on me.

I don't know what came over me, but I gracefully bring my pointer finger up to press lightly against my lips and give a soft 'Shoosh' sound while rising my other hand up then slowly lowering it downwards. A universal signal for everyone to calm down. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a try. I am taken aback right away as at once everyone started to quickly quite down.

Paul leans down to my right ear whispering. "Their wolves recognize you as their Luna, Even though I didn't say so yet. They can see your mark on your neck." I nodded. My tattoo had formed overnight over my Mating bite. It was gorgeous too. It started just under my eye, taking up my hole neck and crawled down my shoulder to end over my collarbone. It had a black wolf howling up to the moon and what looked like Rose and Ivy crawling down my shoulder and collarbone. Had it been something Id of gone to get inked I'm pretty sure it would have cost close to $600 bucks. I was very proud of my mating tattoo.

Paul walks over to my left and steps up to the edge of the balcony addressing the crowd. "Thank you all for coming out here today at such a short notice. You may all go back to your daily duties and lives now, while Bella go's back to tend to her Alpha." Chatter begins to pick up and fill the air, tho a lot calmer than before.

LuLu runs up the stars and wraps his arms around my left leg, smooshing his face into my hip, rubbing his forehead and face on me. I absentmindedly think 'There goes my beautiful white dress.' He had started sniffling quietly, but his face stays glued into my hip. When I bring my hand down to run my fingers threw his hair he pushes his face away but still looks down at the ground.

"Bell's, did Sammy go to where mommy and daddy are?" My throat constricts; it felt like my breath was stuck in it. Then my jaws slacks a little as I start to gape like a fish as I look for something to say. I look to Kim, Paul and Jared to see them giving me sad smiles.

"Baby, why would you think that?" I ask softly, running my hand through his hair, grabbing the top of his arms as I kneel down to his level I look his in the eyes, searching.

"Paul says he's gots hurt. And Mommy and Daddy gots hurt before they left." I wipe away his tear stained cheeks with the him of my dress, -its already ruined from him might as well make it worse- before I pull him into my chest, giving him a super big bear hug and kiss his cheeks and then head. "Baby, Sam's gonna be okay, He's just sick is all. Just like when you get sick from playing outside in the mud puddles with no shoes on. Okay?" He stars at me, then slowly understanding seeps into them.

"We should make him soup! That made me feel better!" A small laugh escapes me as I nod at his sudden eagerness.

"Okay. but he is sleeping right now. So why don't we make him soup when he wakes up?" I grab his hand as I stand back up. "Okay." He says with a shrug of his little shoulder. I smile down at him then my gaze wondering over to Paul, who was walking with us, when a sudden though hits me, causing my smile to fall.

What if Sam never wakes up?