The next morning, there was the sound of tables and chairs being moved and voices giving orders. The final preparations were being made, while areas were set aside for those shape-shifters who were arriving from other places to rest.
Just as Roxi had predicted, the pack authorities posted triple guards with all the warriors who already had partners so as not to affect the singles.
They positioned themselves in circles around the pack. One outer circle infiltrated the forest, another halfway between the forest and the perimeter walls of the pack, and another line of containment on the walls themselves. This created an impenetrable fortress, and if anyone managed to get past all these barriers, there were still the warriors inside at the celebration.
When evening came, Roxi put a hooded cloak on Luz and took her back to her room.
It was already seven o'clock in the evening, and Aliana came to Luz's room dressed in a beautiful yellow dress.
"You're not dressed yet! I'm already ready and excited. I need you to get ready. I want to see how beautiful you look."
Reluctantly, Luz tried on the dress and when she looked in the mirror, she felt almost like a Disney princess. She looked beautiful and it made her happy, but then she felt sad when she thought about the dress she had bought for the prom, which had definitely already taken place without her. But she was even sadder to be away from her best friends and everything she loved. Lost in thought, she smiled bitterly at an insane memory. She missed everyone except her grandfather, and she realized how sad that was.
"What's wrong, Luz? Don't you like the dress?"
"I love it, it's beautiful, I just miss my loved ones. I want to go back to my city."
"Don't worry, tomorrow we'll see about your departure. After the celebration, I'll talk to Cristian early so he can escort us with a group of warriors, and then you can go back."
A smile appeared on Luz's face and a slight feeling of hope filled her heart.
"Is today your birthday?" she asked, tentatively, to confirm.
Luz, with a thoughtful look on her face, resting one hand on her chin and the other on her elbow, analyzed the date seriously. "If I'm being strict, today, or rather tomorrow at 12:05 a.m., I'll be eighteen. My parents always emphasized the time, since my poor mother was in labor all day and they marked my birth time forever.
"Well, you'll be celebrating your birthday in the middle of a full moon. How lucky!" Aliana commented with a big smile.
Continuing with her preparations, Luz wasn't used to wearing makeup, so she was completely useless at it. She decided not to wear any, remembering her mother who would say, "Luz, you're beautiful, you don't need makeup because you have natural beauty. Never forget that." The young woman had forgotten this over the last three years and only now remembered those words. She also remembered her best friend's comments: "Luz, you have an exotic beauty, but you would be even wilder if you wore makeup," she smiled as she remembered.
Her large green eyes with thick eyelashes didn't need to be painted, and her full, red lips didn't need lipstick.
She gathered her hair into a half ponytail, which she braided skillfully so it wouldn't get messy, leaving the bottom loose with her long black curls. Aliana approached her with a look of wonder and gave her a red rose, which she helped pin to her left ear (Luz didn't know it, but it was a custom to wear it on the day the female wolves came of age). In short, she looked enchanting.
At ten o'clock in the evening, the ceremony would begin. It was an important time, as they waited for the moon to be fully visible at its highest point in the sky on this planet. Both the Alpha and the Beta would give a short speech reminding everyone of the importance of this moment and thanking the members of the different packs for attending and wishing them luck in finding a mate.
Luz was nervous, unsure whether or not it was safe to go out. She was terrified of running into her attacker. Aliana encouraged her to forget her fear and accompany her to enjoy the view and the food.
Together, they left the room. Luz noticed that Sarmiento was not at the door, as he had been assigned to guard duty in the forest.
The young women headed to the central square of the herd, which was beautifully decorated. Lanterns dimly lit the surroundings, while the large full moon above their heads gave a mystical feeling.
They stood in a corner away from the center. There were a large number of tall females and males blocking their view of the central area where the speech would be given.
The girls took advantage of the moment to eat the snacks placed on a table near them. Luz wasn't sure what they were, but she found each one delicious.
The shape-shifters who noticed her presence discreetly looked at the green-eyed creature, not daring to approach her because she was the Alpha's sister's protégé, and many of them wished they had the fortune to be her mate, unaware of her human nature.
The welcome speech began at 11 p.m., led by the Beta. Aliana and Luz couldn't see it because the circle of giant werewolves surrounded the area, and even though the girls were tall, they looked like ants next to the shape-shifters. Luz didn't care because she was more interested in eating and looking at the moon.
When the Alpha finally spoke, officially kicking off the celebration, Luz tensed up, began to sweat coldly, trembled, and her heart beat frantically. She wanted to run away from the place. Aliana noticed her reaction, remembered the time Luz peed her clothes when she heard her brother speak, felt sorry for the girl, and took her away from the place.