Lunar wolves: His to own (Book 1) - Complete

IT IS THE ANNUAL BELTANE FESTIVAL. Frank has been dragged to this hippy weird celebration by his sister. She is forever going to some offbeat thing and this time he “simply has to go with”. Melissa turns around to look at her mother with her eyes brightly shining. Her light purple dress flaring out from her middle, to just above the knee, looking amazing on her pretty young body. Long black hair swirling around her. Beltane hand-fasting plans have been made for the Silver-fox witch coven. The festival is filled with color. Fairy lights shining bright in the trees in the late afternoon light. Colourful stalls each sell their wares, food being the most popular. There are stalls with old books, new books, vegan food, dried food, and freshly baked food. The smells teasing your taste-buds from all sides. Dresses and capes are specially handmade for all magical occasions; potions, lotions, and soaps. Wands, glass balls, tarot cards, gypsy palm readers, and fortune-tellers. Puppet shows, illusionists, and healers. You will, of course, always have your hacks and quacks trying to swindle money out of people, and unfortunately some want to believe so much that they fall for the facade. Later in the evening there are hand-fasting ceremonies for those who find mates or love at first sight... It is everything that Frank has been trying to avoid all his life, but his sister loves it. He follows his crazy sister through the rows of utterly ridiculous stalls as she buys one after another unnecessary potion or book that is the next best thing. Dragging him into the tent of the palm reader, she plops down on the chair. The gypsy has curly black hair. She is wearing a colourful, off-the-shoulder t-shirt. An arm almost full of bangles around the wrist with a golden snake twisted around her upper arm. Exactly what one would expect. She has a necklace-type golden chain hanging over her hair with a star in the center, hanging down her forehead. Inside it has a purple stone, shining every time the light hits it. “Please tell me something good.” Frank’s sister sounds out of breath with excitement. “Ah la mademoiselle, I can only tell you what I see...” Frank almost rolls his eyes at the fake accent. The woman takes his sister’s hand. She carefully studies the lines on the young girl’s palm. Probably trying to think of some fake story of a tall dark and handsome stranger and falling in love in the next three months. “No Sir, she will not, but you will.” The woman smiles, making Frank growl. He is walking around looking at all the items she has for sale inside her tent, pretending to be interested. “How can you say that? You don’t even have my palm in front of you. I told you Lilly, this is utter nonsense.” Frank finally loses his temper. “What if she is right?” Lilly pleads. “What do you mean?” Frank sighs. “If she is right Frank, what are you going to do, huh? Because I believe in their talents even if you don’t! Please continue.” Lilly doesn’t seem to be fazed by her growling brother. “You young lady will live life. You enjoy life very much, I see. You will have love for a short while, but I am sorry to say it can’t last in this life.” She lets go of Lilly’s hand. “Is that all?” Lilly sounds utterly disappointed. That was not why she came to see the fortune-teller! “Unfortunately, that is all I see.” The woman shrugs. “I guess that is all there is then.” Lilly shrugs. “You must be kidding me, Lilly!” Frank throws his arms in the air. “Thank you, Madame!” Lilly smiles brightly, thanking the Gypsy on the way out of the tent. Looking back at this woman who just cost his sister money, he walks right into something that yells “OW!” He grabs for what he realizes is a person and, when he looks in front of him, a beautiful person. Catching her just in time before she falls flat on her ass on the floor, and he walks all over her. “You brute! Can’t you look...” Melissa looks into the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen, giving him her brightest smile after reprimanding him. “I can ask you the same, young lady?” Frank frowns. “But you were looking behind you!” She suddenly sounds angry. He is a bit frazzled seeing this girl who, within a second, has him completely mesmerized. Her ice-blue eyes have captured his, and he can’t look away. All other thoughts are gone, his hands still on her shoulders. “Do you mind? I would like to see Emily.” Her voice breaks the spell as she points at the fortune-teller. “Not at all, Emily who?” He smiles like an i***t. She moves his arms away from her shoulders, dusting them off as if his hands were dirty. “Emily is my friend... in the tent... that you just came out of...” Melissa frowns, looking slightly confused. “Oh, would you like to have coffee with me?” He surprises himself as Lilly walks up to him after looking for him. Lilly looks astonished. Her brother, who has never dated a girl or even looked at anyone as a possible mate, asking a girl for coffee ... just like that? Without calculating the pros and cons? She stands back, not wanting to break the spell that is hanging around her brother. “Em! I’m going for coffee! Tell mom if she is looking for me.” Melissa looks at another girl beside her before taking his arm that he holds out for her. She smells of cinnamon and her long black hair shines like the night sky against her beautiful blue eyes. They talk the night away until the hand-fasting ceremonies are announced. Standing closer to watch, he snakes his arm around her waist. “How does this work? Is it a mating ceremony, or like a legal marriage?” Frank frowns, trying to figure out what exactly it means. “It is a spiritual promise. It is way more than a legal marriage.” She looks up at him. “Have you never seen hand-fasting?” She is confused that an Alpha wolf would not know of such things. THE SILVER-FOX COVEN STANDS in front of the priestess and is bound in hand-fasting for the remainder of the festival. “What is wrong with them? Everyone else seems so happy, but they looked like it was an arranged marriage.” Frank frowns at Melissa. “No, that is their happiness. Their families are both parts of the magic council. All magic council families are so serious. You will never see any of them laughing. They only come to the festival when someone needs to be bound in hand-fasting,” Melissa explains. “Oh, okay. Weird.” Magic Council, what did she mean by that? Frank thought to himself, surely all this can’t be real. Yes, okay, he met a tall dark girl that is beautiful. Cr@p he will have to go to the gypsy and apologize. All this is too much. After all the hand-fasting is done, they walk through the rows and rows of stalls talking, getting to know each other better until his sister finally catches up with them. He introduces them, and it seems the girls hit it off immediately. Lilly stealing Melissa and running off with her to shop and only returning forty-five minutes later. The three of them walk to where the May Pole celebration is to take place and each fall in line to grab a line. Frank has never done anything like this and is very hesitant. Alpha wolves don’t run around poles like silly girls! When the places are filled, the dance begins with the colours weaving in and out. Laughter fills the air. Lilly watches her brother come to life almost as if he had been dead for many years, watching love at first sight bloom. The ties growing closer with each circle, making the people let go one by one until, finally, only Melissa remains. She has the honour of tying the end. Her bright smile and energy are contagious, making everyone happy. A burst of clapping hands erupts when the pole is finished. It brings Frank back to the present. It is the day that opened Frank’s eyes to the magic of love at first sight and the start of his life with Melissa. An adventure that will lead them to marriage, magic, and five beautiful daughters. The day that changed both their lives...