Chapter 168: Youthful Absorberance

Selene POV

The day of the festival had finally arrived, and the energy was unlike anything I had ever felt before.

Hopes were high. Expectations were even higher.

The entire grounds were completely filled, just as we had anticipated. William had suggested we put up extra tents for people to sleep in, and that decision proved more useful than any of us had imagined. People ran helter-skelter, making last-minute arrangements, ensuring everything was in place.

Oh, what a joy it was to be hosting the mating festival.

It was a three-day event, running from Friday deep into the weekend, so there was literally no excuse to miss it.

The first day was designated for the induction of esteemed guests. The mating festival was invented by Morvaine, which meant people from other cultures had always wanted to come and experience it for themselves. Dignitaries poured in from other states and districts, and we received each one of them warmly.

"We’re so delighted to have you, sir," I said as we welcomed the president of the Southern Country.

This was shaping up to be something truly big.

The introductory dance began. It was a mating festival, after all, so of course there were going to be seductive outfits and provocative gestures. Everyone was searching for their mate, which meant every single performer had something to prove.

The she-wolves took to the floor first. They shook and twisted their waists, winding and syncing perfectly with every beat that was played. It was a live band ... no electronic music for this performance ... and something about that raw, unfiltered sound made it all feel even more electric.

It reminded me of when I had once been expected to dance for Lucian. How I had done it so irregularly, doing whatever I felt like, making it all up as I went ... and it had still come out beautifully. I allowed myself a small, private smile at the memory. I was a little proud of myself for that.

The first group of she-wolves finished, and another set took the stage. They were from Winterwood, and they brought an entirely different style and flavor that set the crowd on fire. No one was slacking. Everyone was delivering a five-star performance, and they knew it.

Then the male wolves performed.

They showed off their six-packs with absolutely no shame, and the ladies in the crowd lost their minds. And honestly? I understood. Some of those males were built like they had been sculpted by the Moon Goddess herself.

But the danger was real. Some of those same males would end up mating with someone else’s long-term partner before the festival was over, and tears would absolutely flow. No one could stop that from happening ... it was just the nature of the festival. That was exactly why it was crucial that everyone brought their A-game. You had to match your mate’s energy, had to give them a reason to stay, because this generation had very little self-control.

All it took was one she-wolf shaking her ass the right way, showing off her cleavage in a seductive get-up, and the males would be on their feet ... dicks standing at full attention before they even realized they had strayed. And just like that, someone’s beloved would be fucking someone else before the first night was over.

We needed more discipline as a people. But it wasn’t forthcoming, and the mating festival certainly didn’t help with that. Anything went here.

Next came the intergender dance. It was a tradition that the people of Bloodmoon had originally practiced and eventually introduced to Icefang, and it was something else entirely.

Interesting and steamy at the same time.

It was a deeply sensual dance. The male and female performers were almost completely bare, their bodies pressed together, rubbing and rolling against one another as soft, cozy, almost eerie songs played in the background. This portion was entirely electric.

From what I could observe, the dance was a retelling ... a performance meant to reveal the origin of the mating festival itself. How mates were meant to find one another, how they were meant to be claimed. It was primal and beautiful and a little bit haunting, all at once. I respected it.

Throughout all of this, my husband was not beside me.

William had gone ahead to formally welcome the two Alphas of the other territories that made up the greater Morvaine alliance. Beta Damien had accompanied him, leaving me to hold down the Luna’s seat on my own.

That meant Lucian was here.

I found myself wondering briefly what his reaction would be ... seeing the wolf who had taken the love of his former life. But males had always been skilled at switching between emotions when necessary, so I told myself we were partially fine and left it at that.

Then I saw them.

William, Roran, and Lucian walked into the festival together, moving with the kind of quiet authority that made an entire room shift. The music dimmed instinctively for a moment ... even the band seemed to sense that their arrival warranted acknowledgment. She-wolves were positioned at their sides, and as the seating arrangement became clear, I understood that those wolves would be seated near me, at the Luna’s table.

Everything came back to me in an instant. I remembered. I processed. And then I decided to keep my composure and play it cool.

That was when I spotted her.

Someone was beside Lucian, carrying herself in the manner of a Beta. A lady wolf, someone who felt familiar from a distance, and then she came closer ...

"Valerie!"

The name left my mouth at full volume before I could stop it. I was on my feet before I even realized I had moved, and we crashed into each other in a hug that knocked the breath out of me.

It was such a delight to see my Valerie ... standing here, in this place, at this level of honor. She had risen.

The music was still playing at full volume, so conversation was nearly impossible. I leaned in and whispered into her ear instead.

"Welcome to the High Table."

She laughed, and we held each other for a moment longer.

When I finally pulled back, my eyes drifted to the woman approaching the podium alongside Lucian. She was stunning in a way that was almost difficult to look at ... adorned in shimmering, elaborate apparel that even Tessa and I, in all our years as Lunas, had never quite managed to pull off.

This was Lucian’s Luna.

And I was genuinely glad to see that he had found someone that beautiful. He deserved that.

They walked up together, Lucian’s hand holding hers, and then they took their seats. His Luna settled directly beside me, which placed me between her and William, and by extension, fairly close to Lucian. The irony of the seating arrangement was not lost on me.

Since William and I were the hosts, it fell to him to take the mic and formally open proceedings. The music and dancing came to a stop. Every soul in that space stilled and turned their attention forward.

"Hello, Morvaine!"

The crowd erupted.

The cheer that followed was thunderous ... it was clear they were happy to see William lead. He had that effect on people.

"Welcome to this event that carries so much of our history," he began. "It is scheduled to run for three days, and we want to thank each and every one of you who traveled from far and wide to be here. This wouldn’t be possible without you, so myself and your Luna are saying a very big thank you."

Another wave of applause crashed through the crowd, and I stepped up beside him, close enough that our shoulders nearly touched. The crowd saw me and something shifted.

*"Luna! Luna! Luna! We love you, Luna Selene!"*

They were chanting my name.

I smiled ... the slow, composed kind of smile that said I was moved but not shaken. I was about to steal this entire show, and I knew it.

"But this festival cannot truly begin without recognizing some very important people in our midst," William continued. "All the way from Bloodmoon and Winterwood ... please welcome Alphas Roran and Lucian, along with their respective Lunas!"

They rose to their feet.

The applause and cheering that followed was immense, filling every corner of the festival grounds. It was a sight I was going to carry with me for a long time.

"That being said and done ..." William grinned, turning back to the crowd ... "let the festival continue!"

The music surged back to life, and the energy returned in full force. As the night stretched deeper into itself, some guests began drifting toward their tents and rooms, but no one looked disappointed. No one looked ready to forget this.

And honestly? Neither was I.

It was shaping up to be one unforgettable camp experience.