They were mated the following morning, three weeks after her wolf’s return. On the shortest day of the year the moon lingered long after the sun rose, hovering low in the clear blue sky and signalling to all that the Luna had blessed the latest of her children's unions.

Hannah remembered little of the ceremony. Performed under the shelter of the ancient oaks, the partially frozen lake creating a beautiful backdrop, only Blake's family observed the intimate proceedings. Sarah, Sky and Asher had returned to celebrate the Solstice accompanied by his father, and his brother Ethan. Tristan was the only member of the family absent, though he had promised to travel to see them as soon as he was able.

There was a priest, who performed the ancient ritual almost entirely in a language she didn't understand, and a brief moment of pain as Blake lifted her wrist to his lips, marking her as his own. The memory of him repeating the ritual bite on himself was hazy, as was the priest tying their wrists together with a delicate cloth, giving their blood a chance to mingle and form the bond that would create a private link between them.

Because, throughout it all, his eyes burned into hers with an unquenchable fire that sent shivers through her entire body, holding her gaze and refusing to let go. Completely lost in their swirling depths, how she remained standing was a mystery. Even more so when he leaned in, brushing his lips against her ear to whisper vows of his own:

“I will honour you and protect you until our days are done,” he promised. “If all the light in the world suddenly fell from the sky, I would look to you and still be content in the darkness, because you are my light. You chase the shadows away and give me a reason to breathe. I am yours, always.”

Good Goddess! Who could resist a vow like that?

Certainly not her wolf, and by the time they greeted their pack as a mated pair, she was struggling with a strong urge to flee from the celebrations and complete their bond then and there.

Instead, duty called, and they had a ball and a solstice dinner to sit through. So, it was with many side-long glances and a patience she never knew she possessed that she took up her official mantle as Luna and graciously accepted the welcome they had prepared for her.

Given free reign to plan the entire Solstice celebrations, Ophelia had outdone herself. The main hall had been transformed, sparkling under a canopy of tiny lights. Hundreds of delicate strings hung from the beams accented by spirals of tiny, silvery snowflakes. They fell so low the tallest guests could reach out and touch them. Huge displays of white flowers and winter greenery graced every table, and a dancefloor took pride of place in the centre of the room.

The banquet tables groaned with a hundred different dishes – meats, fish, delicate pastries – all prepared under Ophelia's watchful eye, and waiting to be served by the gathering Omegas.

Her fingers entwined around Blake's, Hannah wandered over to admire one of the floral displays, her free hand reaching out to stroke the petals of one of the white roses. “They're perfect,” she smiled.

“You're perfect,” Blake murmured, not even glancing at the flowers, but tracing the way the light played across her face.

A small frown appeared, and she looked at him with earnest eyes. “Don't say that.”

“Say what?”

“That I'm perfect. Nobodies perfect, especially not me.”

“Oh?” His smile deepened and he leaned in closer. “I disagree.”

“I - I have many flaws,” she argued, flustered by his proximity. “I'm impulsive...”

“Hmm,” Blake agreed, tilting his head to caress her neck with his lips.

“I - I can be reckless, and - and opinionated...”

“Uh huh,” he murmured agreeably, his warm breath soft against her neck as he continued to pepper her skin with feather light kisses.

She swallowed thickly, desperately trying to retain her train of thought. “And I - I argue far too much...”

“You do,” he confirmed, and she could feel another smile forming as his kisses lowered to cover the nape of her neck.

“I'm not perfect,” she tried one last time, as he began the journey back up the other side. “Don't... Don't put me on a pedestal I cannot -- oh my -- live up to.” The rest of her argument was lost as his lips reached hers, and for a long moment all thought was unimportant amidst the sensations his kiss evoked.

“Perfect,” he murmured again as he pulled away, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes.

“You're incorrigible,” she whispered, acutely aware of the flush that rose from her cheeks as the guests around them feigned blindness. Well, most of them.

“Ahem,” Alex cleared his throat, a broad grin on his face. “Do you mind? There are children present.”

Blake barely looked away from Hannah as he countered: “Talking about yourself in the third person again, Alex?”

“Alex,” Ophelia interjected firmly. “Why don't you and Marcus take Olivia and go check on the desserts in the kitchen?”

“Before the main meal?” Alex blinked. “No thank you Ophelia, I’m not sure –”

“There's cake.”

His face brightened. “Where did you say they were?”

Hannah smiled warmly at the two lieutenants as they wandered away, Olivia leading the way in a bright, deep burgundy party dress that had somehow survived intact since Ophelia had wrestled it on her two hours ago.

“When I get mated there won't be any flowers,” the little girl informed her father as they headed away.

“Won't there?” he said in a strangled voice.

“No, flowers are boring. I want fish.”

“Fish?”

“Yes. In bowls on every table in all the colours of the rainbow.” Marcus made another strangled noise and Alex’s laughter drifted over them as they vanished through the doorway.

The ballroom began to fill up. Avery nodded to them from the centre of a crowd of wolves desperate to curry favour, and Hannah clearly recognised Sarah’s steely tone warning more than one socialite to retreat from her presence.

Just before they sat down, they were approached by Ethan who, in the light of day, seemed even more intimidating than he had in the shadows. He congratulated his brother with gruff awkwardness, then looked her up and down.

"You're taller standing up," he observed, his blunt observation taking her by surprise.

"I... erm... thank you?" She flashed a startled look at Blake.

"I heard you killed your uncle."

Again, she had no idea how to respond. "Yes?"

"Good for you." He stared at her for a few more seconds, then slapped his brother’s shoulder with one meaty hand. "She'll do." He tilted his head towards her, much like a gentleman would tip his hat, and sauntered off to his place amongst the tables without another word.

"What just happened?" Hannah whispered in bewilderment.

"I do believe that's the closest our brother has ever come to a compliment," Blake murmured genially, guiding her to her seat. "If I were you, I'd take it and run."

After the dinner there came the speeches. One by one various guests took turn to stand and wax lyrical about the wonderment that was the feast, and the blessings of the Luna that had led to their successes that year. Hidden amongst their bloated boasting were compliments towards the newly mated couple, and not a small amount of sucking up towards the head of the family, who sat listening with a distinctly disinterested air. Finally, bored of all the repetitive and increasingly tipsy self-congratulations, Avery himself raised a glass.

“A toast,” he said in a quiet voice that nonetheless reached every corner of the room. “To my eldest son and his new Luna. May their union bring strength to our family and their pack.”

“To Alpha Blake,” the guests murmured obediently, sipping at their drinks.

“And to my younger son, Asher,” he continued, a glint in his eye. “Who is soon to join them in mated bliss.”

Wait, what? Hannah’s eyes flicked to a furious Blake, then to Asher whose sudden stillness suggested that he too had just been blindsided by their father's little announcement.

“At the spring equinox,” Avery continued calmly, completely ignoring the warning rumble from his eldest son. “I'm delighted to announce I’ve recently arranged his upcoming nuptials to a dear, sweet girl that I'm sure he will love as much as I do.”

Oh, Goddess.

A ripple of laughter filled the hall as the guests looked to each other for reassurance that Surely, he isn't serious? But – he was.

So, it was a shock to everyone that the laugh that rang loudest came from Asher himself. Full of bitter humour at his father's temerity he continued long after the rest of the hall had fallen into an uncomfortable silence. Then the smile fell from his face as though it had never been there. For a long moment he stared at his father with dangerous eyes.

"No," was all he said.

Avery watched him with absolutely no change of expression.

"It's already done," he stated, his voice like gravel under a tyre. Then, he raised his glass in a toast, returning Asher's glare with one of his own. "To my sons and their continued commitment to their duty."

Asher's chair screeched in protest, almost tipping over as he stood up. The two Alpha's stared at each other for a long moment. Then he leaned forward to pick up his own glass, raising it much like Avery had. "I'm never one to turn down a good toast."

Never taking his eyes off his father, he took a long swig of his drink, then turned to Blake. "Thank you, brother, for an excellent dinner. But I think it's time I took my leave." And, with a dignity Hannah wasn't sure she could muster under similar circumstances, he walked out of the room.

If Avery's announcement was the talk of the Solstice dinner, then Hannah's next encounter would keep the pack's gossip mill churning for the next few weeks.

Briefly separated from Blake, and avoiding the dance floor for as long as possible, Hannah practically bumped into a woman in a sheer, crimson dress. Startled, an apology on her lips, she found herself looking up into a pair of extremely familiar eyes. Angela.

The woman paled, then bowed her head in respect for the new Luna. "Congratulations," she mumbled awkwardly, her eyes darting around the room.

"Thank you." Hannah could feel the silent tension as everyone around them pretended they weren't watching carefully, waiting to see how she would handle this. "I hope you're well?" Hannah started in a desperate effort to ease some of the awkwardness.

The leggy blonde shifted uncomfortably, her mouth opening and closing as though unsure how to phrase her next sentence. "I'm not going to apologise," she blurted out in a rush, interrupting Hannah's empty platitude.

What?

Seeing Hannah's raised eyebrows, the blonde flushed a heady red. "I- I- mean...” she quickly continued, her voice stumbling over the words as if she were fighting to get them out.

“I can't apologise not that I won't."

Hannah could feel her wolf's fury, and bit her lip, determined not to cause a scene.

"If we hadn't gotten into that fight,” Angela ardently continued despite her own wolf screaming warnings inside her head. “If Faye hadn't lost control... I would never have been p- punished." She swallowed thickly. This was their Luna. Insulting her was equivalent to insulting the Alpha himself.

Hannah watched her grit her teeth and plunge on regardless, intrigued by the woman's determination. She spotted Amara heading in their direction, a grim look on her face, and held her hand up to warn the young warrior off. "Go on," she encouraged.

Angela shot her a startled look of surprise before letting out a nervous breath. "If I hadn't been punished, I would never have met my mate. My mate-to-be." She corrected herself awkwardly.

Hannah blinked in surprise. Of all the explanations, this was not one she'd expected to hear.

Glancing around the room at the countless pairs of curious eyes, Hannah took Angela by the arm and gently drew her to one side, towards a window seat helpfully shaded by a privacy screen. Here she encouraged the confused girl to sit, deliberately choosing two seats that blocked the view of the majority of their audience.

“Tell me about him,” she said softly.

Angela flushed, her surprise warring with an overwhelming desire to talk about the man she loved. "His name is Liam. He's one of the warriors in the border patrols. His job was to keep watch over me, make sure I kept running."

Liam? Interesting...

"I thought you weren't allowed to communicate during The Long Walk?" Hannah frowned.

"Oh, we didn't!" Angela assured her. "Not verbally. I found him quite annoying actually, at first. He trailed me all day and then slept nearby every night. They were supposed to rotate, but he wouldn't leave, even though I made it clear I didn't want him there.” She looked slightly confused as she remembered his devotion. “He brought me food when I was hungry, herded me towards the streams to drink, and when the attack happened, he protected me from a rogue. It wasn't until he was called away that I realised... I missed him." She smiled sheepishly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is... thank you."

Hannah studied her carefully. Gone was the arrogant, out of control socialite she had faced all those weeks ago, and in her place a gentler, softer young woman had emerged, far more interested in her mate than her position in the pack. “And your parents?” she asked. “What do they think of the match?”

“Oh, well...” Angela flushed. “My mother isn't overly enamoured. She had high hopes I'm mate a wolf with more status than that.” Both girls studiously avoided glancing towards the Alpha. “But father has been surprisingly encouraging. He even invited him over for drinks, much to mother’s disquiet.” Her face turned almost fearful, the worry clouding her perfect features. “I actually think she's hopeful the Alpha will deny our request to mate.”

Hannah sighed, and leaned back, observing the nervous young socialite carefully, recalling a conversation she'd had with Sarah just a few days earlier:

"Socialites as a group are vain creatures, flattery will get you everywhere." Sarah had declared with a sniff. "Feed the ego, just don't let them get too comfortable. The trick is to make sure they understand that their good fortune lies entirely in your good will."

As Luna of the pack, she would be sore in need of some allies, especially in the socialite circles, and in light of recent events, their quarrel seemed such a ridiculous reason to hold a grudge.

“I'm always happy to make new friends,” she intimated. “Especially loyal friends, in the months to come.” She offered Angela a pointed look, and the she-wolf's eyes widened almost imperceptibly as Hannah's offer registered.

A subtle look of hope appeared on her face, and she leaned forward eagerly. “I would give everything I have to start again,” she whispered.

Hannah allowed her face to relax into a welcoming smile, her wolf simultaneously soothing the anxiety of Angela's, content with the submission she felt emanating from them both.

“Blake tells me he was very impressed with your father during Simon's trial,” Hannah mentioned casually. “That he conducted himself in a manner that brought honour to the pack.”

As Hannah recalled, he'd said no such thing, merely registering his surprise at the level of Eric's cooperation. But she supposed liberties could be taken with the truth in the pursuit of peace. By the look of delight on Angela's face, she guessed this particular 'truth' would spread rapidly amongst the socialites, a clear sign that their leaders had forgiven the Cartwrights, even held them in favour, despite recent events.

“I'm delighted for you Angela,” she continued. “Were you planning on waiting until the Spring Equinox for the ceremony, or would you rather mate before the end of winter?”

“I'd mate him tomorrow, if I could,” Angela murmured, the sincerity clear on her face.

“Well then,” Hannah stood up. “Let us see what we can do to assist you. Starting with persuading the Alpha to give you licence to mate.”

“Do - do you think he will?” she asked, a nervousness Hannah never expected to hear in her voice.

“Trust me,” she smiled. “I can be very persuasive.”

To say Angela looked as though all her Christmases had come at once would have been an understatement, and she glided off to share the news with her future mate, and to praise the generosity of the new Luna to all who would listen.

Amara appeared at Hannah's side. “I'd keep a close eye on her,” she advised, watching the girl disappear into the crowd. “Leopards don't change their spots overnight, you know.”

No, Hannah agreed silently, but her instincts told her the long walk had had a significant impact on her. “Duly noted,” she said out loud. “Though, I suspect I need be more concerned about her mother. She's a high-ranking socialite with a lot of influence, and I'm not her favourite person right now.” Even less so once she realises, I've just aided her daughter's un-favoured mating, she added to herself.

Amara snorted. “What can she do? complain that the new Luna is favouring her daughter? That the Alpha honoured her husband with his approval?” She looked approvingly at Hannah, a new found respect in her eyes. “I wouldn’t worry too much about your new position, Luna,” she said. “I think you're going to do just fine.”

Blake approached, his presence as always making her heart jump in an erratic dance of joy. He nodded politely to Amara, who bowed her head with respect and retreated, a mischievous grin playing around her mouth.

“Dance with me?” Blake asked, holding out his hand and leading her gracefully onto the dancefloor. “Well played,” he murmured over their private link, wrapping his arm around her waist and swaying gently across the floor.

“You were listening?” Hannah objected with a small hiss.

“Of course,” he smiled. “I wanted to be able to rescue you, if need be.” He paused. “I suppose I ought to invite Eric to our next get-together, considering how favoured he currently is?” He raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

“A means to an end,” she murmured back. And a necessary one at that. She allowed a flicker of worry to play across her face. “Please play along my love, I need allies, not enemies.”

Blake's smile widened. “Say that again, and I shall give you anything your heart desires.”

“Say what again?”

“My love,” he whispered out loud.

Oh. She blushed, and looked up into his mesmerising eyes, the entire ballroom vanishing in an instant. "My love," she repeated softly. Then she frowned, a thought occurring to her. “Blake, I –”