'I am not backing down from this,' Talia responded to Damon through their mind-link with confidence. 'I am Talia Blake, your Luna. I am also Natalia Moonrider, the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. I refuse to shrink in front of dangers no matter how big they are.'
Talia looked Damon straight in the eyes and continued with her voice for everyone to hear. "I don't know what lies ahead of us, but I am confident that we will go through it together."
Damon was emotional. His timid kitten, who he found hiding in the attic, was standing proudly in front of him and the audience, and she spoke to him as an equal. And she was his.
Damon reached for the necklace made of teeth that was around his neck and lifted it over his head.
"Talia Blake, the Moon Goddess made us fated mates. The Elders of the Dark Howlers pack accept you as their Luna. I stand before you, humbled by your beauty, kindness, and power. Do you accept to be my Luna and lead the Dark Howlers pack with me, as the pack Luna and my equal?"
"I do," Talia responded with a smile that widened when Damon put his necklace around her neck.
"This necklace represents my honor, my ability to provide for my pack and to protect them. It is yours now. Everything I have is yours as we are one."
Talia's heart swelled with all the emotions that poured into her. Damon meant every word, and he was really happy and proud that she accepted him in front of their friends and pack Elders to see.
Talia wished that she had a necklace to give him in return, and she wanted to hug and kiss him, but this was not the time, so the only thing she could do was to say, "I acknowledge your sincerity, Damon Blake, Alpha of the Dark Howlers pack. I will be your Luna and stand by your side, as your equal."
'I love you, kitten,' Damon said through their mind link.
'I love you more,' she responded dreamily.
Gideon saw that Damon and Talia were about to kiss, so he cleared his throat loudly before starting the ceremony.
Caden and Maya stood by Damon's side, and Meg and Sandy were next to Talia. Kai wanted to be there also, but Talia was not ready to reveal her identity as Alpha Natalia, so he needed to watch as an audience. Meg and Sandy were known to be Talia's friends, so their presence at the podium was not suspicious.
Fire danced in a bowl that was on the stone altar, and Gideon chanted while putting herbs in the fire that burned with purplish smoke. Mindy was passing things to Gideon without a word, and every next thing Gideon threw into the fire created a different scent that spread through the air to create a mystical and solemn atmosphere.
Talia was glad that Damon was holding her hand as butterflies went crazy in her stomach, and she feared that she might start floating from the excitement that swelled within her. It was happening!
Gideon handed the perfectly white knife to Damon, who accepted it with a bow.
Damon turned to Talia while holding the blade.
"This is it," he said in a low voice. "After this, there is no going back."
"I am ready," Talia responded.
Damon didn't flinch when he cut his palm. It was a deep wound, and Damon made a fist above the fire.
Flames twirled and reached higher like they were hungry for Damon's blood that was dripping in there.
It was Talia's turn next.
Talia cut her palm and made a fist above the fire, and the flames intensified further, nearly licking her hand.
Gideon was chanting unintelligibly as Damon put his bloodied hand over Talia's.
Talia gasped when Damon's blood mixed with hers. She could feel the burning sensation traveling up her arm. It was almost as intense as when he marked her.
Talia's fist loosened, and Damon's hand moved to interlace his fingers with hers. Their wounds pressed against each other, and Talia wondered if Damon could feel her coursing through his veins because she could feel him.
But it was not just Damon; it was much more. Like thousands of minds were combined into one, her mind expanded to accept them all, like a boost that amplified her powers.
The connection with the Midnight Guardians pack was full of respect and worship. This was different.
The energy of the Dark Howlers pack coursing into Talia wrapped around Damon's emotions, creating something warm and friendly, like when one returns home after a long journey; a home that was safe and filled with positivity, welcoming, and eager to embrace her.
Talia's eyes swelled with tears of happiness.
She spent two decades alone, hiding while craving to be noticed and accepted, and here was not only Damon but his whole pack accepting her as their Luna. She knew that the acceptance of the pack came only because she was Damon's fated mate, but she was the only one who had that status which meant that only Talia could be received in this way.
Talia smiled at Damon as her heart swelled with joy and all things good in this world.
Everyone stared at the scene of Talia's hair turning white, and in less than a second, her whole figure was glowing in pulses that followed her heartbeat.
Elder Agatha pressed on her chest to feel that the pulsating light matched her heartbeat, and it was not just her. It was like all people in attendance got synchronized. One heartbeat, one breath… it was unity on a higher level, with Talia in the middle.
Talia's light expanded and enveloped Damon, and then it exploded silently in all directions.
It was over, and only the fire crackling could be heard.
Talia's body was buzzing with energy, and she had an urge to shift into her wolf and run. Unfortunately, that was not an option.
'Did it work?' Damon's voice sounded in Talia's head.
She wanted to say it did, but then she remembered that she had a mind-link with him and that this energy boost might be because of whatever energies Gideon attracted.
First, Talia focused on her connection with the Midnight Guardians pack. It was still there, but just to make sure.
'Meg?'
'You will need to explain to these ignoramuses the flashing spectacle,' Meg said sourly.
Talia wanted to do something else first.
She confirmed that she didn't lose anything, but was the ceremony successful?
'Maya?' Talia called through the mind-link.
'It's good to hear your voice, Luna. I must admit that I could feel the jolt when you joined the pack link. We will need to tell something to our people because just saying they were happy due to the fair won't be believable.'
Talia's face exploded into a smile when she heard Maya's voice.
"It worked," Talia said to Damon and added through the mind-link only for him to hear, 'And our pup is fine also.'
Damon was quick to wrap her into his arms and give her a mind-spinning kiss like no one was watching.
Damon didn't want to pressure Talia, but her joining him as his Luna officially meant the world to him. Now they were a mated couple in front of their friends and their packs, just how it was supposed to be from the beginning.
Talia wondered how to explain the glowing. Most of their friends were aware of witches and magic, but she could feel many questioning gazes on her.
