The prospect of Conrad's presence added an extra layer of tension to the already buzzing anticipation of the upcoming ceremony.

Maybe he'll let his ego stay in his way and just won't show up. But if he doesn't, would that mean Mom and Dad definitely won't?

"Come on." Aiden grabbed my hand and led me through the house and outside. "I want you to meet someone."

We went outside to the training grounds where a few dozen people were wandering around and sparring.

"Minerva!" he roared, beckoning to a woman wielding a large staff-like object as she trained on a wooden dummy.

She jogged over to us, her long black ponytail bouncing behind her. "Alpha?"

"Minerva, have you met Elara yet?"

She shook her head while wiping her brow. "No. I haven't yet."

She smiled and extended her hand to me.

"Hi," I said, returning the smile.

"It's great to meet you."

"Would you mind training her a bit? Showing her some of your techniques?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah. I don't mind at all." She turned towards me and motioned for me to follow. "Come on. We can get started now."

"Oh, right now? Cool. Yeah."

As we made our way towards the training area, Minerva kept the conversation flowing effortlessly, her voice carrying a blend of contagious confidence and enthusiasm.

"Alright, Elara, let me give you a rundown of what we'll be doing today," she began, her tone brisk yet welcoming. "First, we'll start with some basic drills to warm up those muscles and get your body accustomed to the movements. Then, we'll gradually progress to more advanced techniques."

I nodded, eager to soak in all the information she had to offer. "Sounds good. I'm ready to dive in. I've never done anything like this before."

Minerva grinned, her eyes alight with anticipation. "That's what I like to hear. Just remember, it's all about focus and discipline. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve with the right mindset."

As we approached the training area, she pointed out various pieces of equipment scattered around. "See those wooden dummies over there? They'll be your best friends for the next little while. But don't worry, we'll take it step by step."

I nodded enthusiastically. "Okay. That sounds good."

We arrived at a spacious open area, surrounded by tall trees that rustled softly in the breeze. Minerva gestured towards a collection of training equipment scattered around the perimeter.

"We'll start with some basic drills to warm up," she said, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Then we'll move on to more advanced techniques."

I nodded eagerly again, my anticipation mounting as I prepared to dive into the training. My father always refused anytime I asked about training with Dark Moon Howler guards.

"Elara, that is no place for a Beta's daughter. You need to learn to raise the pups and tend to your house," he would always say.

Aiden wasted no time making sure I was learning.

Minerva stepped forward and began a series of demonstrations, each movement executed with a fluidity and precision that clearly displayed her expertise.

"Watch closely, Elara," she instructed, her voice firm but encouraging. "I'll show you each step first, then it'll be your turn."

I focused intently on her every move, absorbing the details of each technique she showcased. From the stance to the strikes, every motion was executed with a level of precision that left me in awe. Her movements flowed seamlessly from one to the next, a testament to years of dedication and practice.

Once she completed the demonstration, she turned to me with a reassuring smile. "Now, it's your turn. Give it a try."

With a mixture of excitement and apprehension, I mirrored her movements as best as I could. But despite my efforts, it was clear that I still had much to learn. My strikes lacked the same fluidity and control that Minerva effortlessly demonstrated, and my footwork felt clumsy and uncoordinated.

But she was patient and understanding, offering gentle corrections and words of encouragement to help me improve. "Good effort," she said, her tone warm and supportive. "Just remember to keep your stance steady and your movements fluid. You'll get the hang of it with practice."

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, we pushed through the drills, sweat trickling down our faces as we worked tirelessly to perfect each technique. Her dedication was infectious, driving me to push myself further than I thought possible.

"Okay, let's take a quick break," she said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. She motioned towards a nearby bench, and we collapsed onto it, breathing heavily but exhilarated by the progress we'd made.

"That was amazing," I said, grinning from ear to ear. "I never realized how much there is to learn."

Minerva chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "And we've only scratched the surface. But don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. You're a quick learner."

We spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in training, the hours slipping away as she helped me learn more and more. By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, I was exhausted but filled with a sense of accomplishment unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

"Great job today," Minerva said, clapping me on the back as we made our way back to the others. "You're a natural."

Grinning, I basked in the glow of her praise. "I've never done anything like this before. It's amazing."

"It's good to hear," Minerva nodded, her tone supportive. "We make sure everyone learns the basics. You never know when those skills might come in handy."

"I couldn't agree more," I replied, feeling a newfound sense of confidence.

Just then, Aiden's voice rang out from the patio of the house. "Elara!"

"I'm going to get cleaned up and see what Aiden wants. Thanks, Minerva!" With a wave, I turned and jogged back towards the house.

As I entered the house, the aroma of dinner greeted me, mingling with the faint scent of sweat still clinging to my skin. Aiden stood by the kitchen counter, his eyes lighting up as he spotted me.

"There you are, Elara! How was training?" he asked, his tone eager.

I approached, a grin spreading across my face. "It was intense, but incredible. Minerva really knows her stuff." I stood on tip-toe and kissed his cheek.

Aiden nodded, pouring a glass of water. "She's one of the best. I'm glad you're getting the chance to train with her."

I took a sip of water, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. "Yeah, me too. I feel like I've learned so much already."

Aiden leaned against the counter, his expression thoughtful as a smile spread across his face. A blush crept onto my cheeks and I shyly looked away for a moment before meeting his gaze again. Taking a deep breath, I took a step closer, feeling a flutter in my chest as our eyes locked.

Aiden reached out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "You are so beautiful."

My heart skipped a beat at his touch, warmth spreading through my veins. "I'm also incredibly sweaty and smelly."

Aiden smiled, his thumb brushing lightly against my cheek. "I'll like you even when you're sweaty and smelly."

His proximity sent a shiver down my spine, my breath catching in my throat. I leaned in, my lips barely grazing his as I whispered, "I'm glad you're in my life, Aiden."

"I'm more than glad, Elara. You know how you said the whole mate bonding thing was so crazy? That we find that one person and suddenly you just can't live without them?"

"Mm-hmm," I said.

"I love you."

I smiled up at him, sweat rolling down my face. "I love you too, Aiden."

Our moment was interrupted by the ringing of Aiden's phone, breaking the spell we were under. He reluctantly pulled away, a rueful smile on his lips. "Duty calls, I'm afraid."

I nodded, though a part of me wished we could stay in this moment forever. "Go on, I'll be here when you get back."

With a final, lingering look, Aiden grabbed his phone and hurried off, leaving me with a racing heart and a smile on my lips, already counting down the moments until they could be together again. Marshall and Aiden hurried through the front door as I picked up an apple from a bowl on the counter. I happily munched on it until I heard a commotion coming from the backyard.

Turning quickly, I watched as a group of wolves ran past the back door and windows heading toward the tree line.

Odd.

Opening the door, I stood and watched as the guards converged on a rather large, shaggy, brown wolf.

"No!" I screamed, jumping onto the patio wall. "Stop!"

I shifted and ran as fast as I could to the strange wolf that encroached on Silver Moon territory.

Everyone stopped and stared at me as I pushed my wolf body through them all. I stood between the guards and the brown wolf letting out a warning growl as he stood behind me. The other wolves paced around us until we heard Marshall and Aiden shouting for them to stand down.

"Explain yourself, Elara! How dare you interfere with the guards!"

"What are you doing?" Aiden asked.

I whined and nudged the brown wolf behind me who was now sitting with his tongue hanging out panting. I walked over to Aidn, headbutted his knee, and walked back to the wolf.

His face softened and he smiled. "Ohhhhhh! You know this wolf?"

I nodded my head and nuzzled the brown wolf.

"You care about this wolf?"

I nodded again.

"I see. Okay, false alarm everyone. Let's get these two clothes and find out who our visitor is."

The guards made their way back to their barracks on the opposite side of the estate while I followed Aiden, followed closely by the shaggy brown wolf.

"Sir, I don't like this," Marshall muttered while walking alongside Aiden.

"I trust my soon-to-be Luna, Marshall. If she's okay with our guest, I'm okay with our guest."

"What if it's a trap?"

Aiden laughed while shaking his head. "Please bring our guest a change of clothes."

Marshall sighed heavily and glared back at me. Aiden reached down and scratched my ears.

Oh, oh that's nice.

I'd never had my ears scratched before. It was an incredible feeling as his fingers ran up and down the long red fur on them. Without realizing, my back leg started thumping off the ground. Aiden laughed as he kissed the top of my snout.

"Feels good doesn't it?"

I nodded my head.

"Gertrude?" He called his main housekeeper.

"Sir?"

"Could you please bring Elara something to change into?"

"Right away." She smiled down at me as she hurried away.

She was a pleasant older woman who was always puttering around the house. She kept everything running the way it should, everything clean, and organized the nightly pack meals. She was incredible.

Marshall returned at the same time Gertrude did. They handed over the clothing and left so we could shift and change. The brown wolf looked around with the shirt and pants in its mouth. I nudged him to a door on the far side of the room. As the door shut and everyone except Aiden left his office I shifted back into my human form.

"So, who is that?" he asked.

I quickly pulled on the t-shirt and sweatpants. "That is Harry."

"Harry?"

"Yup."

The bathroom door opened to reveal my older brother coming out with pants that were just a bit too short and shirt just a bit too tight.

"Oh my Goddess. Harry."

"I don't think these are my size," he laughed.

"I know your name is Harry, but why did my Luna save your life?" Aiden asked again, seeming to be a little more agitated.

"She didn't tell you about me?" he asked, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Please put my mate down."

Harry let out a long and loud laugh. "I'm her brother."

"Brother? You're her brother?"

Harry nodded his head again.

"I am."

"I don't think I expected you to be so..."

"Tall?"

"Yeah. Especially since she's so..."

"Short?"

"Yup."

"I am so sorry for just barging into your territory," Harry said. "I didn't know how else I could get here without being caught by our security."

"You could have called," I said.

"Huh. Yeah, I guess I could have, but it wouldn't have been as dramatic."

"You're nothing but drama, Harry."

"Me? Excuse me, Miss 'I'm running away to mate with the enemy's Alpha,'" Harry teased. Aiden gestured for Harry to take a seat.

"I hope you're hungry. The pack dinner will be soon."

"Pack dinner?" Harry asked.

"Aiden keeps the house open to his entire pack. They're here all the time," I explained.

"That's awesome. Too bad Conrad isn't like that."

"Speaking of your Alpha, how is he?" Aiden asked.

"He's Conrad. Furious. Angry. Bitter. And mean."

"He's still mad?" I asked.

"Elara, when isn't he? He holds a grudge like no other wolf I've ever met," Harry sighed. "The good news is Dad isn't as mad. He's just sad now."

"He's sad?" I looked surprised.

"Yeah, I mean, you are his daughter."

"He was so angry."

Harry shrugged his shoulders while shoving another sandwich down his throat. "I think it was just that you found your mate before Morgan and myself. And it's him."

"How is the she-devil?"

"A complete she-devil. She cannot let go of the fact you're about to be a Luna."

We sat and talked until the front door started opening and closing nonstop.

"Alpha?" a familiar baritone voice called out.

"In here Carlisle."

Harry stood quickly, wiping his face as he sniffed the air.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"That...that smell? Do you smell that?"

"I think the cook made chicken?" I said.

Aiden chuckled as he watched Ciara push past her father. The two of them stood there staring at one another.

"Oh, oh boy," Carlisle said.

"What's going..." Laura stopped talking when she saw Harry and Ciara. "Oh my Goddess! It's happening."

Harry walked up to Ciara, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. He let out a small growl. "Mine."

Ciara was grinning ear to ear. "Mine."

"Holy shit, Ciara's going to be my sister-in-law."