A TRUE LUNA

"D-i-a-n-a," said Nick, one of our BlackWood Pack members, with a smirk.

I didn't answer him and kept going. My name is Diana, and as beautiful as that name is, my face is as ugly as it gets. Members of the pack would always call me Dinana to make fun of me.

"Well, well, look how proud our ugly duckling princess is." Nick stepped forward to block my path, he stretched out his hand and intentionally pulled the scarf that covered my face, and poked at the blisters on my face.

"Don't touch me" I slammed his hand away, my right face was covered with red blisters, which made me feel inferior and made me suffer from other people's bullying.

I tried to make a detour and run away, but Nick slammed into me and pushed me to the ground, rubbing my right cheek against the ground. I feel a burning pain in my face, "let me go"

"Then beg me." Nick grabbed my hair hard.

"You're dreaming" Although my headache exploded, begging for mercy from such a person is never my style.

"How dare you reply defiantly?" Nick grabbed me by the scruff of the collar, ready to drag me into the forest and beat me up, as usual.

I struggled to get rid of his control, but I was too weak, a woman's strength was far inferior to a man's.

I'm almost desperate.

"Nick, enough." Ms. Flora said sternly. I was usually afraid of her cold face, but now I was relieved to see her. Ma'am Flora is the Matron of Dark Wood Pack and also in charge of me. She is the only one that was willing to accommodate me because she needed a helper. "Diana, go to the kitchen and make food for dinner, the Alpha will soon be back."

Nick let go of me with a look of pity, then gave me a hard look and strode away.

"Thank you, Ma'am Flora, I will come back to the kitchen immediately," I said sincerely.

"Where's your scarf?" Flora frowned. I touched my face hastily, but the scarf wasn't there. It must have been ripped off by Nick just now.

I lowered my head and looked around, but fortunately, the scarf was scattered not far away, I quickly picked it up and didn't dislike the scarf being soiled and wrapped around my face.

"Remember your job, don't walk around and cause trouble for me, after all, you have such an ugly face." I nodded, not wanting to refute.

On the way to the kitchen, Beatrice and her friend walked past me and they laughed at me. They only cross my path when they want to tease me. Fortunately, they didn't bother me today.

I was in the kitchen preparing dinner when I heard the voice of Alpha Edward and his two sons returning home.

"Welcome home my sons," Luna Bianca said as she came out to welcome her sons and husband.

I peeped through the kitchen window to get a clear view of them.

"Tell me how the meeting went?" She asked as they all went inside the house.

"Our Pack has been chosen to host the coming event," Alpha Edward said before getting into the house. Immediately I understood his statement because once in a year they usually had an adulthood ceremony. This is the ceremony where all unmated would gather with the hope of finding their mate.

Every wolf was destined to have a mate that's why they all gather every year in the adulthood ceremony to find their mates. They also believe that anyone unmated that's unable to find a mate after the age of thirty years should forget having a mate. The person is then subjected to arranged marriage because they believe there is no need for such people to find a mate in their life.

This is the first time the adulthood ceremony will be hosted in the Dark Wood Pack and I am glad because it is also the first coming-of-age ceremony I will be attending.

I am already twenty-three yet they never allowed me to attend the adulthood ceremony hosted in another Pack because they want to hide the shame of harbouring someone like me living in their Pack.

I started thinking about how my life would be if our Pack was never attacked.

I was only ten years old when the incident happened and I don't really remember most of the things that happened during the attack. The only thing I can remember was my mother taking me to the river that's behind our Pack and casting a spell that only a few Lunas have access to.

"Everything will be fine when you find him," my mother said and asked me to run, and never looked back. I did exactly what she told me. I was lost and all alone in the desert until Alpha Edward saw me and decided to bring me to his Pack.

When we got to the Pack and washed my face and he discovered that my blisters were permanent, from that spot he regretted his decision of bringing me to the Pack.

Already I knew that it was the spell my mother did that caused the blisters on my face but I can't tell them or even let them know that I came from the Blue Rock Pack which was among the strongest Pack that got destroyed.

I was jerked out of my thoughts when Ma'am Flora entered the kitchen and told me to serve the food.

"Tell me, is there any special reason they decided to choose our Pack?" Luna Bianca asked.

"They choose our Pack because that is the only way to bring the Emperor of the South to appear." Alpha Edward replied.

It is very understandable since almost everyone knows the Emperor of the South. He is the only Alpha that is addressed as the Emperor and his pack as Empire. I also heard that he is so vast and very strong in the sense that some Alphas pay homage to him.

"But wait, how does hosting the ceremony in our Pack make it possible for him to appear? Luna Bianca asked again.

"If the adulthood ceremony is hosted in one of the big Packs and he attends it, they will take it to their advantage as well as when it is hosted in a small Pack, it will be below his standard. In this case, our Pack is the best option." Alpha Edward said as they all started eating.

"Dianna, this would be the first adulthood ceremony you will attend?" Beatrice asked, I looked up to see her mocking gaze towards me.

I simply nodded and didn't say anything. Anyway, every time she came to talk to me, it was no good.

"That's too bad for you because you will still not be among the participants," Beatrice said and my eyes widened. I looked at Alpha Edward hoping he would say anything but he kept mute.

"But why won't I attend the ceremony?" I asked as my heart already felt crushed.

"It is very obvious, you won't be attending the ceremony because you are a wretched girl." Beatrice said as she started eating her food.

"Or do you want to bring disgrace to the Dark Wood Pack? It is obvious that your mate will reject you because of the blisters on your face." She smirked and I felt downgraded and wished I could squeeze her mouth.

"Beatrice that is enough, you can leave us now," Alpha Edward said and obediently I left the dining room.

I came outside and saw some of the Pack female warriors busy with their duties. Immediately, I saw Gabu passing by and he looked at me and I nearly melted. Although he hasn't talked to me for once, he smiled each time he saw me as a gesture of acknowledgment. My heartbeat increased and the thought of how wonderful it would be if Gabu was my mate.

'You will be fine when you meet him,' that's my mother's words and it echoes in my head and I wonder who she was referring to.