"Elara slow down". You'll tear the dress
Elara stopped walking and looked over her shoulder at her mother standing behind her. Her face was full of worry.
"I'm fine", Elara said. "It's just a dress"
Selene, her mother moved closer and patted her on the shoulder. "It's not just a dress today"
Elara didn't answer and continued to walk away. This time the Pack courtyard was already getting full with noises and laughter. Lyra, her older sister walking from behind playfully took Elara's hand.
"You're going to drill a hole in the ground if you keep walking this way"
Elara looked at her. "You were not this calm on your birthday"
"That's because I knew it would work". She said easily. "And it did"
Elara looked away. Her brother, Kaelion came out of one of the rooms and ran in front of her. "Everyone's here and waiting for you" he said. "And father wants you immediately". Elara's mother cut in immediately. "Don't rush her".
Elara nodded. "It's fine, I'm ready". That was in fact a lie, she was very afraid. "What if everything goes wrong?" she thought.
As they walked out together, the noise grew louder, and conversations became intense as soon as they saw Elara. She felt the pause and all attention on her. Lyra saw that she was very afraid and walked up to her. "Don't worry too much, you'll be fine"
"You said that the last time," Elara replied
"That was different".
"How?"
Lyra mumbled. "It just was"
When they reached the edge of the courtyard, Lyra stepped back and left Elara. Then her Father, Orion alpha of the Thalor Pack stepped up beside her feeling proud as he always did on days like this, and started talking. "Today, my daughter comes of age," he said. Selene stepped up and squeezed Elara's hand. "Remember," she whispered, "whatever happens today, you're still my daughter".
Elara nodded her head
Her father continued. "And she will awaken her wolf".
Elara then stepped away from every other person to the middle of the circle to find the wolf meant for her. She closed her eyes and breathed in the way she had been taught to do. She suddenly felt cold and she was afraid because that was not the description she was given. Her siblings had described a different feeling- heat, light, a voice, and a feeling of being found. She didn't feel any of that.
She tried again.
Still nothing.
A few seconds passed, and then minutes but nothing happened still. Someone coughed and Elara opened her eyes. She saw her father looking at her with the same pride he had on his face but she saw the tension.
"Take your time," her mother called from the edge of the circle.
Elara nodded and closed her eyes to try again. Now she pushed harder, ignoring the panic she already feels.
Nothing
The silence continued until someone whispered.
"Is something wrong?"
"She should have shifted by now"
"Maybe she's scared" they said.
Hearing this, Lyra answered. "She's fine, give her a moment"
But by this time, Elara knew nothing was going to happen and the moment would never come. There was no heat, no light, and no sign of a wolf.
Now someone spoke loudly after confirming that nothing was going to happen. "There's nothing there". "This is impossible"
An elder from the crowd spoke again. "Try one more time"
She tried and tried and tried and still failed. Elara looked at her father and could see the disappointment growing. He never stepped forward.
Now the whispers had increased.
"Moonless",
"Maybe the moon has rejected her"
Elara's stomach turned. She stepped backwards and almost fell. Her brother wanting to move and help her stopped instinctively.
Her father lowered his hand slowly.
"That's enough," he said
Elara stared at the ground, she could feel everyone's eyes watching her note with pride but with curiosity and something darker.
Pity.
She turned to leave the circle and as she was about to, her gaze met his.
Kael.
He was standing close to the outer edge of the courtyard, dressed in dark colours that marked him as Duran.
She knew him before anyone said it.
She swallowed hard and for the first time that day, she suddenly felt calm.
Something pulled at her, slow, low, and deep.
Kael froze.
He looked just as surprised. She saw he took a step towards her but then stopped and their eyes met again.
Elara could not look again. She felt seen.
Then Kael stepped back and that one step broke the awkward silence.
"Elara."
Her mother's voice trembled.
Elara stopped looking at Kael and walked towards her Mother and siblings at the outer part of the circle. Her sister saw how she and Kael were looking at each other.
"That wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered
"I know," Elara said.
Her sister asked.
"Did you feel anything?"
Elara answered too quickly. "No," she said.
That was a lie.
They began to walk out of the courtyard.
And whispers followed.
"She didn't get her wolf."
"The alpha daughter."
"What does that mean?"
Elara kept walking, but deep down she knew.
She knew nothing about her life would remain the same after that day.