The intensity in his eyes scared me and I did my best to move away from him, “Alpha! Beta! STOP!” My uncle’s voice cut through the room and they both snapped their attention to him. Cain was close enough to me that I heard a growl rumble from his throat, “I didn’t tell you because of her state. I didn’t want to risk your instincts damaging the future you have with her.” Lynelle whimpered out. She sounded like she was in pain. I looked at Tobias' hands on her. It was clear he had a tighter than necessary grip on her. He was hurting her. 

“Alpha…please let her go…” My voice was shaky and small, but he looked from her to me and then released her with a growl. He turned away and punched a nearby wall cracking the stone. He stood there with his fist against the wall, his back to us for a while, “Cain…” His voice was intense and raspy. Cain was still standing before me only a few feet away, tense, his eyes locked on me. Their beautiful blue, overtaken by black. I could see his jaw flexing, “Cain…get a hold of yourself.” He didn’t move but closed his eyes as he opened and closed his fists several times. My uncle finally spoke up again, “Do we want to go out into the hall and talk?” Cain opened his eyes, they were a dark blue now that the back had faded some. He almost seemed to be in pain and the look on his face made me want to touch him, make him feel better. He turned on his heel with a grunt and all four of them left, leaving Abby and myself alone in the living room. Aunt Lynelle stopped at the door and adjusted it back onto its hinges as best she could before closing it behind her. Abby came over and got on the couch with me where she pulled me into her arms. Instinctively, I cuddled into her and hugged her back.

We sat like this for a long time. Abby running a soothing hand up and down my back. She shifted a little and then finally spoke, “Hey, if you go through with this…” I lifted my head and looked up at her. She was smiling, “It sounds like you’ll have to secretly tell me what they keep not telling us about the mate ceremony.” A smile slowly spread across my face and a small giggle started to bubble up in me, “Is your curiosity the only reason you would support this?” She giggled and shook her head, “No, have you seen the Alpha and Beta? They’re both smokin’ hot. And you don’t even have to try to choose between them. You get them both.” She flexed her free arm, “You’ll have two big strong men protecting you. You will be the safest and, honestly, most loved woman in the world.” She giggled, “Besides me of course. Michael does love me a lot.” I giggled and settled my head back against her.

I took a deep breath as I thought things over and then let out a sigh, “I guess things are pushing this to happen sooner rather than later. I know close to nothing about either of them. I would have liked to have some time to get to know them a little before I had to make a choice of what I was going to do. I guess I need to just accept this and get to know them after.” I didn’t want to do this but after everything Aunt Lynelle said earlier, it would be grossly selfish of me to run away from this. Abby gave me a squeeze, “Are you sure?” I nodded, “Do you want me to go tell them?” Did I want them to know yet? What was the point of not telling them? I nodded again. She gave me a pat, “Okay.” I got up so she could get off the couch and went over to the door and left the room as well. She closed the door behind her so I was unable to hear any of what was said.

Abby was gone far longer than I thought she would have been for what she was supposed to be telling them. Then Aunt Lynelle came in. She was smiling but approached me like she was going to scare away a frightened rabbit she’d found in the forest, “Lily, you have no idea how happy this makes so many people.” She sat down next to me on the couch, “I know you’re in conflict with yourself and the feeling of the mate bond, but I promise you, there’s no truer happiness than being with your fated mate.” She took my hand, “I know you don’t want your life plans to be discussed and planned by others but at the moment the Alpha and Beta cannot come into the house…for your safety.” She was a little sheepish about the last part, “Because of this, after Abby told us of your decision we discussed a time frame that needed to happen. And the only reason this needs to happen like this is because of what’s happening to you. It's not safe for you to let this go on for too long.” I nodded quietly listening as she explained, “We decided that it would be best to have the ceremony no later than two days from now.” My lips parted in shock but I did not protest. There was no point to that, “This gives enough time to set everything up and get you a dress and get it fitted. Since this is also for the Luna the whole pack will be in attendance instead of just the usual small collection of close loved ones.” 

The Luna Mate Ceremony….It was going to be a really big deal wasn’t it? My gut twisted but I pushed the feeling away. It was for one day. I can handle that, “Okay…since it's going to be on such a big scale event, Abby can attend right?” Lynelle practically wilted in front of me, “Unfortunately…for both your sake and hers, she cannot attend.” I gave her a frustrated look, “Why not?” She looked a little flustered. It was her culture why was she flustered? “Well….that’s because-” The door opened and Abby and Uncle Anthony came back inside, “Due to the evening’s…events, the alpha and beta are having dinner delivered to us and then Lily…you and Abby will be going back to your room after dinner.” He smiled, “From what Abby tells me you have quite a large bed there, the two of you can share.” Then Abby piped up excitedly, “And then tomorrow we’re going to go into town to pick out your dress!” I smiled, at least if she’s not able to attend she can help me with everything else and be there for me through all of the process leading up to the ceremony.

Dinner arrived and over dinner we talked about colors for the ceremony. All the topics that came up all sounded much like the things of a human wedding. Colors, flower choices, dress, tuxedos, music, food for the guests. I didn’t understand why Abby couldn’t be there. I didn’t bring it up again since it had made Aunt Lynelle uncomfortable the last time I asked and everyone seemed in a good mood and excited. I didn’t want to put a damper on the mood. Throughout dinner I had been given bags of ice and ice water to drink so by the time we’d finished dinner I was, as Aunt Lynelle put it, stable and therefore was safe to head back to my new room. 

Abby and I headed to my room with Abby’s bag, “Wait, Abby, we were both supposed to have headed back home today. I need to message work.” She giggled and shook her head, “No, I already took care of that for both of us. I called your work and let them know that you were sick and unable to contact them yourself and when you could you would be in touch. And I told my boss that I had a family emergency.” I nodded, “Oh…okay…um, thank you.” I giggled a little. But what was I supposed to tell them and when? I guess what she told my boss could buy me enough time to figure things out here. Aunt Lynelle said that after the ceremony I would get some more quality time with Tobias and Cain so we should be able to talk about such things then.

When we got to the room I was shocked at how big it was. I hadn’t really fully taken it in when I woke up here earlier. There were those beautiful high arched ceilings and the wonderfully big windows framed by massive red velvet drapes. The whole room was decorated to compliment the era the villa had been built in with its beautiful stone work walls, arches, and pillars. As soon as I walked into the room the first thing I saw was the massive bed. It could easily and comfortably sleep six people. I wasn’t sure why anyone would need such a massive bed but it was mine for now. It was draped in beautiful red and gold blankets that looked lavished and inviting with many big fluffy pillows. On either side of the bed were stone night tables with antique lamps that put out gentle warm light through their thick lampshades. There were drapes on a runner that suggested one could pull them all the way around the bed to give further privacy.

To the left of the bed and its partition was a large sitting area that faced the massive windows and the large fireplace that was nestled between the windows. The sitting area was decorated with a large polished dark wood coffee table. On either of its long sides were red velvet claw foot couches with matching polished dark wood and two sets of matching chairs placed at either end of the coffee table. Even further beyond the sitting area was a large dining table that could seat ten people. It too was made of that beautiful polished dark wood. A chandelier hung above the center of the table and beyond the table was the far wall of the room, another massive fireplace settled between more large windows.

I turned back towards the bed and that’s when I saw the room continued to the right but not as far. There was a wall about ten feet from the bed with two doors that stood about ten feet from each other. I went over and poked my head into the first door. Inside was a large bathroom. One whole wall was a mirror. There was a standing shower and a huge jacuzzi bathtub and everything was made of a well polished cream colored marble and all fixtures were colored gold.

“Lily!” Abby’s voice was muffled. I came out of the bathroom but didn’t see her, “Where are you?” Her voice called out to me muffled again, “I’m in here!” Her voice was coming from the other door. I made my way over and stepped inside to find the floor carpeted in fluffy red instead of the usual stone floors. This room was lined with matching dark wood to the rest of the main room. Shelves and cabinets everywhere. It was a walk-in closet and half of it was already filled with clothes and shoes and Abby was inspecting them, “They are all your size!” My eyebrows raised, “What? Really?” I came over to inspect them with her. Sure enough every article of clothing, shirts, blouses, pants, skirts, dresses…they were all my size. Even the shoes. I opened up a couple of the cabinets. One held accessories. One I opened and quickly slammed shut, “What? What’s in that one?” I shook my head, “Oh…nothing of importance.” Abby laughed, “Yeah right.” She pushed past me and opened it and gasped before looking at me excitedly. It was filled with bras of many different styles and colors, some far sexier than I would ever get for myself. She opened the drawer below the cabinet and gasped before looking at me with an excited big ‘Ooo’ face. I leaned around her to look in the drawer. Lacey panties some of which had so little material I probably couldn’t even cover my pinky with.