"Stop stressing, you look great!" Tan said, helping Kegan to fix his suit. "You're going to be perfectly fine!"
Kegan nodded, too stressed to speak. He reached for his glass of water, careful not to spill it on his white suit, knowing it'd show. There was a chair in the small pop up tent he was getting changed in, and he collapsed onto it, trying to settle down.
He heard the door to the pop up tent whip open and Astra rushed inside, a grin on her face. She was carrying both of her pups, each carried in a pouch; one her front and one on her back. There was a small box in her hand and she gave it to Kegan.
"Can't believe you almost forgot this, Luna," Astra said, kissing Nova's forehead since she was in the front carrier. "It's only the one thing you were supposed to bring."
Kegan growled at her, but took the box with gratitude. "Thanks," he mumbled, opening the case to make sure his gift was in there.
He'd been taught about the ceremony and what he'd need to do by Astra and Tali, Tan stepping in to assist at the last minute. One of the biggest pieces for the ceremony, since it was both a mating ceremony and the Alpha and Luna ceremony, was an object to symbolize and strengthen their bond.
It was similar to a human's wedding ring, but they didn't like using rings in packs. The objects were symbols of love and a bond, and it often was a handmade gift to be cherished.
Kegan had made a woven bracelet out of a marshy grass that was a deep green with lighter hues. Tali had told him that it symbolized strength and growth, and it was a common material used for weaving gifts when wolves were newly mated.
"He better make you something good," Astra said, panting slightly from carrying her pups. "If not, smack him and walk off the stage."
Kegan closed the box, groaning. "Stop calling it a stage please. It's stressing me out," he mumbled, before moving off of the chair. "And will you please let me take Sirius so you can sit down?"
"Aw, the mothering instinct is taking over!" Astra cooed, having Tan take Sirius out and put him on the ground. "Soon enough you'll have to deal with these little gremlins on your own."
"They haven't even started crawling yet," Tan said, picking up Sirius and grinning at the baby.
Astra glared at him. "Crawling isn't the issue, buddy," she growled. "I haven't gotten a full night sleep in over a month! Either these month old babies are crying or Calix is crying!"
Kegan giggled. "He does get whiny when I fall asleep before he gets laid," he pointed out, making his two pack mates laugh.
"Is he getting lucky tonight?" Tan asked, sitting on the grass and cuddling Sirius, who was cooing and giggling at the Alpha.
"Why is everyone so interested in my sex life?" Kegan scowled. "And how long until we start this ceremony?"
"It's only Luke and Tan who care about your sex life," Astra said bitterly, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "And we have about a half an hour. Luna Jolene will come in to get you."
Kegan was tapping his toe against the ground anxiously. "I'm so scared," he mumbled, starting to pace the room. "What if I mess up?"
"You literally cannot mess up," Tan said reassuringly. "The Alpha will proclaim you two as mates and the Alpha and Luna, you'll repeat some words, give your gifts, pledge loyalties to the pack, and boom, you're good."
"It sounds so easy when you say it!"
Tan and Astra both exchanged eye contact, rolling their eyes at Kegan.
"You're the perfect Luna, Kegan," Astra promised him. "Tan, get up, you're going to stain your pants."
Tan glared at her. "My pants are fine!" he growled, making Sirius hiccup and start to cry. "No, don't cry, your mommy is the one being an asshole."
"Don't talk shit to my kid," Astra snapped, but her eyes held no malice as Tan soothed her child.
"Kegan?" someone called from outside the tent. "Can I come in?"
Kegan felt his heart beat much faster than it had before. That was Jolene's voice; they were almost ready to start.
"Uh, yes," his timid voice said.
Jolene walked in with a smile on her face. "Tan, Astra, do you mind if I have a few minutes alone with our future Luna?" she asked.
The pair instantly left the tent, Astra saying something about running back to the pack house so Tan could change his now grass stained khakis.
Jolene had a thin, square box in her hands, above as big as a piece of paper. She handed it to Kegan, smiling at him as she did. "You Can open it. It's a gift; most Lunas wear one like it to their ceremonies, and I believe it would be beautiful on you," she said.
Kegan opened the box, finding a string of multicolored stones inside. He didn't really know what it was, but his question was answered when Jolene picked it up and unclipped it before putting it around Kegan's neck.
"This necklace is a common gift from the previous Luna to the new one," Jolene said, turning Kegan around so she could help place it correctly. "Each stone represents something different and, according to our legends, since Lunas are emotionally intact with their packs, they can help the Luna to be an emotional healer and better the pack."
Kegan surged forward and hugged Jolene. "Thank you so much," he said, grinning at her. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."
"Of course, honey," Jolene responded, embracing her son's mate. "I'm glad to see you're composed. Calix is a nervous wreck."
That brought another smile to Kegan's face. "And I thought I was freaking out," he said, somewhat grateful that his mate seemed to be as nervous as he was. "How long until the ceremony?"
"Not long," Jolene promised as Kegan lifted up his gift for Calix. "Jonas will tell me when they're ready."
A gentle breeze drifted through the air and Kegan could pick up the scent of his pack and his mate. A smiled graced his face for a brief second before it fell.
Jolene saw his brief panic and narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Will there be... prepared warriors?" Kegan asked hesitantly, not knowing if it was his place to ask.
"Yes, there will be," Jolene said, hugging him again and trying to soothe him. "There will be other packs as well that are allies and friends of ours, and they have warriors ready to assist and protect our pack."
That was relieving, but the anxiety in Kegan's gut only picked back up when Jolene exclaimed that it was time to go. She guided Kegan out of the tent and through the grassy clearing to a larger tent where many wolves were standing outside of it because it was so packed.
They walked into the corner of the tent, near the front of the stage. A melody was playing through the room, and it calmed Kegan a bit, but he was only able to completely settle down when he saw Calix walk in from the other side.
His mate's appearance was stunning. His dark hair had been tamed from its usual wild mess, his face had been toned slightly with make up, so his eyes were brighter. There was the unmistakable look of awe on his face with he saw Kegan, making the Omega's heart swell with love.
They made it to the front of the stage, Jolene leading Kegan and Jonas leading Calix.
Their closest pack mates were standing around them, all looking happy for Kegan and Calix. Tan seemed happy for them, but Kegan could tell he was irritated, and he figured it had a lot to do with the fact that he had to change his pants into longer, darker pants that were too warm.
"Hey, sexy," Calix said once they were right across from each other.
Kegan couldn't help but last. "I hear you're a nervous wreck."
"You don't seem to be completely relaxed either, love."
Rolling his eyes, Kegan fell silent as Alpha Jonas began to speak.
"Today we're here to witness the official shift from Alpha and Luna in training to the true leaders of this pack. I could not be more grateful and proud of my son and his mate. They are truly a connected pair, chosen by the goddess herself, and they will make not only our pack stronger, but they will make each other stronger.
"We also take today to announce the official mating of these two wolves, as they have taken the leap of faith and chosen to be bonded until death do them apart. Now, I ask both of you to present your gifts and repeat the words that will seal your bond."
As Calix was the Alpha, he was meant to go first. He opened a matchbox sized container made of wood and pulled out a beaded necklace, the beads made of wood and a dark string holding them together.
"With this offering, I pledge myself as the Alpha of the Blood Moon pack and as your loyal mate, who will forever protect and stand by you, so long as we live," Calix said, locking the necklace around Kegan's neck so it laid above the necklace given to him by Jolene.
Kegan barely stopped the tears welling in his eyes from falling. He pulled out his own gift and secured it around Calix's wrist, the grass standing out against his mate's tanned skin.
"With this offering, I pledge myself as the Luna of the Blood Moon pack and as your loyal mate, who will forever protect and stand by you, so long as we live," he said, copying the words said to him.
Jonas moved to conclude the ceremony, seeing how desperate Kegan and Calix were to escape for a while and be together. They could come to the party later.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Alphas, Betas, and Omegas of the Blood Moon pack! I give you your Alpha and Luna!"
Everyone cheered as Kegan and Calix hugged on stage, attempting to hide their faces and their tears.
"Let's go to the garden and escape for a bit," Calix whispered in Kegan's ear.
Kegan nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan, Alpha."