Gray Valley

t w e n t y - f o u r

I FELT MY FINGERS TREMBLE SLIGHTLY. Why did I have to do this? My nerves were getting ahead of me and I couldn't help the anxiety that blinded my senses. I was going to become the Alpha. I would be responsible for the lives of over a hundred people.

"You look weird," Liam's voice snapped me out of my daze.

Anna. I was going to kill her when the ascension was over. She made me wear a dress; it was a long, pure white dress that practically forced me to put on. I never wore dresses. It was just too much effort to go through just to look good.

"By Luna, are you wearing a dress?" He joked, his tone was light; playful. He chuckled softly, as I glared up at him. "Lyn, I'm just joking." His fingers slid down my jaw, gently lifting my face to meet his. "Weslyn," the playfulness vanished from his voice; his warm breath heating up my face. His deep tone made my body tingle. "I've never seen you wear a dress before. You look..."

"I look like someone else," I finished, feeling myself flush.

"Sometimes it's good to look different," he whispered. He closed the distance between us and let his lips brush against mine. "You look beautiful, Lyn."

"But you're biased," I mumbled, as his lips still lingered on mine. "You would say that no matter what."

"But I'm not," a voice interrupted. I quickly recognised it as West and jumped away from Liam, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I'm not biased. So, little sister, trust me when I say that you look gorgeous."

"T-thanks," I stuttered, not sure what else to say. His smile disappeared when he turned and gave Liam a pointed look.

"I don't need to give you 'the talk', do I, William?"

"That sounded suspiciously like a threat, West," Liam teased, lightly punching him on the arm.
I blinked, surprised that they were getting along as if they had been friends all their lives. Until the day before, the two of them were at each other's throats.

It was Liam, I realised. He was the reason that they suddenly got along so well. He had changed for me. He had changed his mind in order to accept West, like I had. Liam accepted West for all the things he had done, just because he was my brother. He had done everything... For me.

"I thought you'd like it if your brother and I made up," he explained. "It was easy for me, you know. Partly because I understood that it wasn't his fault. But most, it was because you had already forgiven him in an instant."

I never thought someone would care for me as much as he cared for me. Or someone who thought more about me than themselves - just like he did. Liam was a gift to me. A gift from Luna herself.

"I love you, you know?"

"I know."

"Are you ready?" Michael stepped out of nowhere, shooting a death glare at West. "Everything is ready."

"Thank you."

"Come with me, all of you," he called leading us out of the large house and into the forest, where the entire pack was gathered. Bryan and Bryanna stood at the back everyone else, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Bryan, Anna, come to the front, please," I told them. Wordlessly, the crowd parted, letting the pair come closer. Michael opened his mouth, looking as though he wanted to argue but I hastily interrupted him. "We can discuss any of your queries or objections tomorrow."

"We will offer you the title and you have to accept your position," Liam told me. "You will then have to shift, and everyone else will follow..."

"Except the two beasts," Michael intervened, scowling at them. I frowned at him, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Father," Martyn muttered, giving him a cold stare. "Watch your mouth."

"Let's get started," Liam interrupted hastily, trying to stop the tension in the atmosphere from increasing. He stepped back and beckoned Michael to come forward.

"You should do it, William," he objected. "You're the rightful Beta and her soulmate... There is no one more worthy to offer her the Alpha title."

Liam nodded lightly and stepped before me, bowing down in submission. It took me a minute to realise that he was not alone. The whole pack, including Bryan and Bryanna, were also kneeling in front of me.

"Weslyn Grayson, on behalf of the Pack... I, William Moonstone; Beta of the Luna Park, offer you the honour of becoming our beloved Alpha. Do you accept?"

"I, Weslyn Grayson, accept in becoming the Alpha of the Luna Pack."

And then I shifted.

At that moment in time, the beauty of the world around me; the happiness on his face; the laughter that echoed in the air... I could have died, then and there, and I would've been happy forever.

I should've known it was too good to be true.