The Blood Moon Priestess

Preface

I can feel my fingers and toes ache. The stretching of my joints to change into my wolf. My spine cracking and twisting at odd angles as I writhe on the ground outside my house. My mom and dad watching, nervous. Tonight is a Blood Moon, and I could be chosen by the Moon to be her Truth Seeker. My neck twists at an awkward angle and rumbling spills from my chest. I can hear my best friend Roman calling my name faintly. My skull feels like someone has poured hot lava over it, spilling into my mouth. I remeber Roman shifting last year. He didn't scream or cry, but I can't help but scream at the Moon for this agony. I can pick up the faint smell of something perfect, it makes me want to lean towards the aroma,even in this pain.  I feel my knees break and realign and my scream sounds like a howl. Everything is black and I fear I might be dead. "Callie, can you hear me?" I feel foggy, my brain feels like sludge. "Callie,baby can you hear me? My beautiful mate. I always knew you would be my other half." I can feel his hand run along my jaw. I lean into it and open my eyes. His face is always as I remembered, strong jaw line, blonde hair and green eyes, the color of moss. He looks upset, why is he so upset? We are mates. I'm not a priestess. I'll be his Luna. I cock my head to the side in question. "Callie, we...we can't be together. Your eyes.... you have a red eye." I shake my head, they don't get mates. They are alone, pushed from packs because Alphas fear them. They cannot be commanded. Only by the Moon  herself. A lone tear strays down my cheek. My tail tucking under me. I turn to my parents, my dad is holding my sobbing mom as she collapses on the ground. I whine and walk towards my mother on shaking legs. This isn't how its supposed to be. Ill be sent away tomorrow. To live among the elder Priestesses. I feel my heart bunch and a howl escapes my jaws. I howl to her, begging to take this "gift" back. My mother is clutching my fur nearly yanking it from my skin. My dad pats my head and pulls my mother from me. Leaving me with Roman. I lay at his feet. He would have been my equal and my leader. My Alpha. Now I no longer feel his blood line, the prestige he held. Just the mate bond. He looks at me sadly and sits beside me. "Can you change back?" I focus on my human skin and how it feels to be on two legs. Cracking,snapping, and popping and finally I'm naked on my belly beside him. "Callie, we can't be together. I love you, so much, but I need pups and a Luna at my side. Once your training ends in a few years, you can come back, but we can't be paired." "Why Roman? The Moon allowed me the gift of you. We are soul mates, you're my half." He looks at me in shame. "All because I can't bear you pups?! Or is it because you won't be able to control  me?!" He sighs and rakes his fingers through his hair. " It's not just that Callie. You could be called away at times of war. What kind of Alpha lets his Luna march into war? Just because the Moon says you are her Truth Bringer?" I can feel the sizzling hot anger coming from him. I reach out to hold his hand. "I love you  Roman." "I love you too, Callie." He leans down and kisses me gently. "Tomorrow we have to say goodbye, so we should just go ahead and reject each other now." I nod my head and hunch my shoulders. Curling into myself. "I, Roman Pearson, reject you Callie Johnson as my mate and Luna." It feels like my heart is being ripped from my chest. " I, Callie Johnson, accept your rejection and will no longer hold claim to my title as your mate and future Luna." I choke on the words as they exit my mouth. Tasting like stomach acid. I start crying and he holds me to him. Tomorrow I would start my new life. Alone. In four years time, I would return The Blood Moon Priestess of the Apollo pack. Would they be able to accept who I would become? Or would they reject me in fear? Time would soon tell.