Children of the Moon

• chapter one •

This is chapter one of my new book, it is a sequel but it can be read as a stand alone book 😊 hope you like it because I've kinda fallen in love with it 😬

ALSO THANK YOU ALL SO BLOODY MUCH FOR GETTING OH, ALPHAS TO 1 MILLION READS IM LIKE SCREAMING IM SO HAPPY, I HOPE YOU LOVE THIS TOO AHHH, IM LITERALLY GRINNING SO MUCH I LOVE YOU GUYS
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

"Thank you so much for coming, Sir." I bowed in respect as another Alpha made his way into the backyard of our pack house.

Turning to take in the scene around me I swallowed nervously. My parents, being the annoying people they are decided to hold my eighteenth birthday the same week as when both of my brothers would become alpha. So, because every alpha in the country gathers to watch the crowing of a new alpha, everyone had come to my eighteenth party because my parents had decided.

I turned to my fathers, yes, I have two, "How many more?"

Papa answered, "Three, maybe four. Probably just three."

"Why probably? Who's the other one? I thought it was compulsory attendance!"

Papa sighed, turning to dad. I knew this look. This was the 'should we tell her?' look. My eyebrows furrowed in disappointment as I folded my arms across my stomach and raised an eyebrow, waiting for them to finish mind linking each other. I saw dad sigh and turn to me.

"Lucas..." Papa warned Dad, but he ignored him. I smiled in triumph, dad was always the one more susceptible to me. No matter what I could usually get my way, if I really wanted to.

"Well, we've invited Alpha Kieran but we don't think that he will come. Since his parents died a few months back he has become unhinged and frankly quite dangerous to be around. If he does come I don't want you near him."

I nodded in understanding, after all they were just looking out for my safety.

"We also don't want you near Alpha Michael, he has a tendency to forget that he has a mate." Papa grimaced as he turned to me.

My eyebrows raised in surprise, I could never imagine looking at someone else the way I would my mate, let alone cheating on them!

As the last alphas arrived and were greeted by my fathers and me, we returned to the throng of the party, the chatter of the guests reaching our ears. All I had wanted for forever was to attend a masquerade ball, and so when my mother had invited all the alphas from all over the country, I jumped at the chance.

My long navy dress reached floor and flowed around me as walked and the straps sat firmly on my shoulders. Both the front and back of the dress came into a 'v' that dipped low. Papa and Dad had both immediately refused to buy the dress for me – even though I had instantly fallen in love with it – but a little begging from Mum fixed the issue at once. Papa and Dad would do anything – absolutely anything to make sure Mum was happy. It was somewhat cute. I only wished that I would have that with whoever my mate turned out to be.

I walked around the party, weaving through people and dodging furniture, searching for my best friend. Event though Isabelle was three years older than me and happily mated to my brothers – James and Braxton – it didn't lessen our bond. In fact, it only made it stronger as she was always over; my idiot twin brothers weren't able to let her out of their sight for too long.

"Isabelle!" I called, spotting her standing between my brothers. She turned towards me, a smile gracing her face.

"Malia!" She grinned back, separating from Braxton and James to loop her arm around mine. Adjusting my mask with my free hand I looked around the party nervously.

Because as a wolf you were born the size you were destined to be – an alpha's mate would be larger than a beta's, for example – and my wolf was as large as my brothers, even though I wasn't next in line for position of alpha, I had strong reason to believe that I was mated to an alpha or a beta – although the latter was less likely.

And it just so happened that every alpha and beta family in the country was here tonight. Although I had greeted all the alphas and Lunas, that was only the people over the age of twenty-five. There were still the people between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five that I had to greet yet.

"So...." Isabelle smirked as she turned to me, "all the alphas and betas are here, do you think your mate is here?"

"So, Luna," I replied, jokingly bowing. She only scowled at me, making me burst out with laughter, "Out of everyone I have met so far, no, they're not here."

My crestfallen face was enough to cause her to stop us in our tracks and turn me around.

"Don't be upset, Ma, he will be here. You haven't met all of their children, have you?" To that I shook my head. "Well then let's go!"

Approaching the group with all the children of the families Isabelle and I sat down amongst them, listening to their introductions.

"I'm Caden," a boy of about nineteen or twenty introduced himself and everyone around him muttered their greetings. I felt like I was in a support group; ready to say my issue to the crowd.

Caden turned to me, a smirk lighting up his face, "You must be the beautiful Malia," he all but purred, leaning across Isabelle who was seated in between us to look at me.

Isabelle turned to me, amusement in her eyes. I scowled at her and turned my attention to Caden. He was good-looking, no doubt, but not my type.

"I believe my correct name is 'Out of your damn league.'" I smirked at his astonished face and turned to the girl on my left, holding out my hand in greeting, "Hi, I'm Malia."

What felt like hours passed and I discovered, much to my dismay, that none of these men were my mate. However I did notice, as we talked among the group of older teens and young adults that there was a person standing around the younger children, choosing to keep the company of them rather than us.

If this person was not my mate, then no one in this entire country was, I thought bitterly, unless they were younger of course. I was destined a powerful rank, and the only other way that would happen was if –

No. I shook my head. Everyone I loved would stay alive. I would not take position as alpha for this pack.

As I picked my way through the chairs I glanced around the crowd, my eyes locking onto a man's who was standing on the outskirts of the party and instantly the bond snapped into place.

Mate.

His piercing eyes burned into my soul, igniting a fire within me. His hair was messy and unkempt, the stubble on his cheek made him seem like he hadn't shaved in weeks and his clothes were tattered and torn. But despite all this, he was still the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

He wore no mask upon his face, and so I reached to pull my own off, our eye contact never breaking.

I saw him gulp and his eyes widen as I removed the mask; he was frozen on the spot just as I was. I internally smirked, glad that I had this effect on him.

A smile made its way onto my face as my eyes ran over his body. He stood tall, towering at least half a foot over my five foot ten frame, which I was glad. Not many guys my age were taller than me, and that was one of the only things that I wished for in a mate. Of course, had he been shorter I would have accepted him either way.

His body was on the lean side, not bulky, but I could tell he was strong by the way he carried himself.

"Fuck. Me. Dead." I muttered to myself, eyes continuing to scan his features. Damn my mate was hot.

"Ma, what are you doing?" Mum approached me and I jumped, turning to her with a smile to see that she was already looking at my mate with wide eyes.

"He's my mate, mum." I beamed, turning back around.

But he was no longer there.