Emerald Eyed Luna

Every girl dreams of her high school prom, and I was no exception. My friends and I were getting ready to go dress shopping, but my parents couldn’t understand how important the prom was to me. They believed I should refrain from doing anything that could affect my image and bring negative attention to our family name.

Apparently, being the beta’s daughter put a leash on you having fun. Of course, I took every opportunity to enjoy my life and live life to its fullest. Mom said I reminded her of who she was before she found a mate, and tended to give me some leeway, but Dad was a huge stickler for the rules. My mom, Sarah, was 5’ 6” tall with a toned frame and light brown hair that was chest length. She was a warrior in our pack and had taught me to fight since I was five. My dad, Ben, was 6’ 7” with a football-build body that could bench a car, had tattoos from head to toe, and slick black hair. He had never gone easy on me and was upset I was not a boy, but that did not stop him from raising me as such. I competed in all the same competitions as boys, but I had yet to get the best of him. He thought I was just as good and should get the beta position when he retires—if I could shape up and not cause him more headaches. Laughing, I thought about all the lectures he had given me over the years. “What mate will want a girl who parties and is fast and loose with the rules, let alone what alpha would want you as a beta?” I laughed because I grew up with the future alpha, Damian.

He was my best friend, and occasionally we had kissed, but I was keeping my virginity for my mate. Damian was 6’ 8” of solid muscle, had short black hair, and a tribal tattoo from his chest to his shoulder, around his neck and arm, and across his back. He was a walking sex-on-a-stick with piercing, bright blue eyes. His temper matched his bad-boy look, but he always had a sweet spot for me. I knew I had always caught his eye. Being 5’ 7” with a slender and toned body, waist-length dark wavy hair, and emerald green eyes, I tend to catch a few guys’ attention. However, most of them thought they would get the position of beta, so I tend to ignore them.

“Hurry up, Nina!” shouted my best friend, Holly. She was beautiful with her creamy mocha skin and shoulder-length black hair. She might only be 5’ 5”, but her attitude was that of an eight-foot-tall person. Jumping away from my vanity, I ran to the front door before she could begin to climb the stairs. I kept her waiting once, and she almost broke my door down.

“I’m coming! I had to finish my makeup,” I said, slightly out of breath.

“Zach, Damian, and Trevor are in the car waiting for us.” Zach was another warrior’s son. He was 6’ 6” with a pale skin complexion, hazel eyes, and shoulder-length blonde hair. He was cute in his own way but had a softer expression to him. He always had eyes for Holly, not that she paid attention. Being the gamma’s daughter, she got the same lectures that I did. Trevor was her brother and also Damian’s right-hand man since they were born only a few days apart. He was 6’ 6” with a darker complexion than Holly, and had jet black hair and the same matching dark brown eyes with gold flakes in them that Holly had. Apparently, it was a family trait of theirs.

“Bye, Mom and Dad!”

“Bye, honey. Remember to behave and mind-link me if you have any trouble. Don’t get into a fight this time!” Dad yelled from the kitchen. It was one time, and I won the fight. Not my fault that a guy couldn’t understand no. Dad was not too worried this time since I promised the boys were going along and could “protect us.” Like I needed a guy to protect me. I rolled my eyes and walked out the door with my arm on Holly’s shoulders.

“Hurry up, girls! I don’t have all day,” yelled Trevor.

“Oh, shut up, Trevor. You have nothing but time today,” Holly mouthed off, sliding into the backseat of Damian’s Cadillac Escalade. I, of course, hopped right into the front seat next to Damian. Some people thought I was Damian’s mate. We didn’t believe we were, but we weren’t against it either. I was treated as such though and never minded.

“I should be able to sit up front. My legs are a lot longer than yours, Nina, and if we need to get out quickly, I need better access than the third row,” grumbled Zach.

“Oh really, do you want another rematch, Zach?” I arched my eyebrow at him. The last time he questioned me, I laid him out more times than he could count, but he still said he “let me win.”

Everyone laughed out loud except Damian, who just cocked an eyebrow at Zach. Zach was a great warrior, but when you had beta blood running through your veins and had been trained since you were five, not a lot of people could compare.

“I am just trying to be a gentleman here, Nina. I would like to treat you as the princess you are,” Zach joked with me. He just earned a snort and an eye roll from me and a chest growl from Damian.

“Anyway,” Holly smirked, “What kind of dress are you wanting to get today?”

“Hmm,” I mused. “Maybe a skintight one that stops right below my ass with a deep V-neckline that is sheer.”

“The fuck you are!” growled Damian.

I busted out laughing. “I am just joking. Jeez, I don’t really know. I want a floor-length one though!”

“Well, I want a short one that will make my legs look longer and that will hug my curves.”

“Holls, Mom and Dad will kill you—you know that right?” asked Trevor as he rubbed his hand down his face. “You will be what gets me killed,” he whispered, but with our wolf hearing, we all heard him.

“I am their princess. They won’t! Plus, if I find my mate, they can’t say anything!” Holly said with a determined look in her eyes. I knew that look, and there was no changing her mind. Our “prom” was a prom per se. It did start as a traditional prom, but over the years, all the eighteen-year-olds that are unmated crash other packs’ “prom” night in hopes of finding their mate or getting a quick lay if not.

My birthday was the day before prom, one week away, and I was so excited. I would finally get to see if Damian was my mate or not. I get a weird feeling in my stomach every time I think about this. What if he wasn’t my mate and he found another girl? Would I be okay with that? Deep down I have always liked him being protective of me, but he did it in a way that I was still able to smack a guy around and he would be there watching, making sure I didn’t get hurt in the process.