Esme Beaumont stared at herself in the mirror, the silver circlet sitting on her vanity like a promise she wasn't sure she was ready to keep. Tonight, she would become Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack. The thought should have thrilled her. Instead, her stomach twisted itself into knots.
The white dress Derek had picked out hung perfectly on her frame, all flowing silk and delicate beadwork. He had driven three towns over to Thislehaven's finest boutique to find it, insisting she needed something that screamed "Luna material." The memory made her chest flutter. He cared so much about making sure everything was perfect for her big night.
Suddenly, her door burst open, and Derek strode in wearing his ceremonial robes, the deep blue fabric making his dark hair look almost black. He was handsome. Even stressed like this, he commanded attention just by existing.
"Are you seriously still getting ready?" His eyes swept over her, a hint of disgust briefly flickering in them. "The ceremony starts in twenty minutes, Esme. Try not to trip walking down the aisle like you did yesterday."
Heat crept up her neck. "That was just because the dress is longer than what I usually wear—"
"The pack doesn't care about your excuses." Derek adjusted his collar in her mirror, checking his reflection with the kind of precision that made her feel sloppy by comparison. "The Council of Elders will be watching every step you take tonight. They're already questioning whether you're the right choice for Luna. Don't give them more reasons to doubt me."
Esme's throat tightened. "I won't. I promise."
"And speak louder during the vows. Nobody could hear you at rehearsal." He turned back to face her, his dark eyes critical. "This isn't some casual pack meeting, Esme. This is the most important night of your life. Act like it matters."
"It does matter—"
"Then stop slouching." His gaze flicked to her shoulders with obvious displeasure. "A Luna carries herself with dignity. If you can't manage that naturally, at least pretend."
Before Esme could figure out how to respond to that, someone knocked on her door. Juno Rivers peered inside, holding a bouquet of white roses and wearing an expression that could have frozen hellfire.
"Sorry to interrupt," Juno said, though she clearly wasn't sorry at all. Her eyes landed on Derek like he was something unpleasant she'd found stuck to her shoe. "Brought your flowers."
Derek checked his watch, the expensive one his father had given him when he had become Alpha. "Those should have been here an hour ago."
"There was a problem with the order," Juno replied smoothly, walking over to hand Esme the bouquet. "But everything worked out."
"It better have." Derek straightened his already perfect robes. "I need to check the ceremonial hall. The Elders want everything flawless tonight." He paused at the door, giving Esme another once-over. "Don't be late. And remember what we discussed about your answers during the traditional questioning."
The moment he left, Juno let out a breath she'd apparently been holding since he walked in.
"That man just gets more charming every time I see him," she muttered, sarcasm dripping from every word.
Esme clutched the roses, grateful for something to do with her hands. "He's just nervous. Tonight's huge for both of us."
"Nervous." Juno said the word like it tasted bitter. "Esme, he just spent ten minutes picking apart everything about you. Your dress, your voice, your posture—"
"He's trying to help me succeed," Esme interrupted, turning back to the mirror to avoid Juno's knowing look. "Being Luna comes with expectations. Standards."
"Whose standards? Because last I checked, the Moon Goddess doesn't require perfect posture to bless a mating."
"Juno, please." Esme's reflection looked pale, uncertain. "I need to focus on getting through tonight without embarrassing myself."
Juno was quiet for a long moment, watching as Esme fiddled with her hair for the hundredth time. When she spoke again, her voice was gentler.
"You know I love you, right? And I want you to be happy."
"I am happy," Esme said automatically.
"Are you? Because you look like you're about to throw up."
Esme's hands stilled. Was that what this feeling was? Not nerves, but genuine fear? The thought was ridiculous. This was Derek. Her mate. The man the Moon Goddess had chosen for her.
"I'm just nervous about the ceremony," she said finally. "It's a big responsibility."
"It doesn't have to be tonight. Not if you're having second thoughts."
"I'm not having second thoughts." The words came out sharper than she intended. "Derek and I are fated mates, Juno. This is destiny."
Juno's expression softened with something that looked suspiciously like pity. "Destiny doesn't give someone the right to make you feel small, Es. Mate bond or not."
"He doesn't make me feel—" Esme started, then stopped. Because hadn't Derek just spent ten minutes doing exactly that? Critiquing her dress, her walk, her voice, her posture? But that was different. That was him wanting her to be the best version of herself.
Wasn't it?
A soft knock interrupted her spiraling thoughts. A young pack member peeked around the door, looking nervous.
"Miss Beaumont? Alpha Derek requests your presence in the ceremonial hall. The ritual is ready to begin."
Esme's stomach dropped to somewhere around her ankles. This was it. In a few minutes, she would be Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack, bound to Derek for the rest of her life.
"Ready?" Juno asked, though her tone suggested she hoped the answer was no.
Esme nodded, not trusting her voice. She gathered her skirts and followed the messenger down the hallway, Juno's footsteps echoing behind her. The pack house hummed with activity, servers carrying platters of food, pack members dressed in their finest clothes heading toward the main hall, the soft sound of ceremonial music drifting through the air.
The ceremonial hall had been transformed.
Hundreds of candles flickered against the stone walls, white flowers adorned every surface, and the pack's most sacred artifacts gleamed under the soft lighting. Every member of the Crescent Moon Pack had gathered, their faces turned expectantly toward the altar where Derek waited.
He looked magnificent.
Tall, commanding, every inch the Alpha their pack needed. When his eyes found hers across the room, he smiled, and for a moment, Esme remembered exactly why she'd fallen for him.
The music shifted to the traditional mating song. Her cue.
"Es," Juno whispered urgently beside her. "You can still—"
"I'm fine," Esme whispered back, though her hands shook as she gripped her bouquet.
She took her first step down the aisle, then another. The pack members stood as she passed, their faces solemn with tradition and reverence. This was what she'd dreamed of since she was little, becoming Luna, leading beside her mate, building something beautiful together.
So why did every step feel like walking toward the edge of a cliff?
Derek's smile widened as she reached the altar. The pack elder, ancient and dignified in his ceremonial garb, raised his hands for silence.
"We gather under the full moon to witness the joining of Alpha Derek Gray and Esme Beaumont, binding them as mates under the blessing of the Moon Goddess."
The words flowed over her like water. She moved through the ritual responses, the ceremonial wine, the exchange of tokens. Everything felt distant, dreamlike, like she was watching someone else's life unfold.
Then came the final moment. The elder nodded to Derek, signaling the most sacred part of the ceremony.
Derek took her hands in his, his grip firm and sure. His voice carried clearly through the hushed hall as he began the ancient words that would bind them forever.
"I, Derek Gray, Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack..."
Esme's heart hammered against her ribs. This was it. The moment she'd been waiting for, working toward, dreaming about since she was old enough to understand what mates meant.
Derek's eyes met hers, and something cold flickered in his expression. Something that made her blood freeze.
"...reject you, Esme Beaumont, as my mate."