Tradition. Smadition. Fo fanna sedition. – Sirius
Celeste sat in her father's office as he and her mother continued to tell her why she should participate in the Summer Solstice Hunt. She was eighteen. Had graduated high school. They had allowed her an extra year. It was time for her find a mate.
Nope. It was not going to happen. There was a little bit of guilt at her deception. But they were refusing to listen. Tradition dictated her life. And tradition could kiss her ass.
It was nearly midnight when they decided that they had lectured long enough. Finally. She went to bed and slept for a few hours. She was up before the sun. Starting her running playlist and putting in her earbuds, she stepped out of the house and began her stretches.
When she was warmed up, Celeste stepped off the back deck and started her run. Lucius, her father and the pack alpha, allowed her running, for now. He allowed a lot of extra activities. And he liked to remind her how generous he was. She had participated in sports at the local human high school. Reluctantly, he had even allowed gymnastics and tumbling, later cheer squad and then competitive cheer.
Her freshman year, he said no more. Within a week he was letting her go back to all her activities. Trapped inside the house, and with no way to expel her energy, she was driving everyone crazy. Even now, with no sports to play, she was getting restless. Her runs were getting longer. She kept her brother at the gym more than he wanted. Few warriors would spar with her anymore.
None of the warriors had any interest in her. She knew it wasn't because of her looks. She stood five and a half feet, with an athletic body and a full chest. Even the men in the pack that had no interest in her, always watched for her at the picnics and pool parties. Her pitch-black hair currently hung past her shoulders and topped her tanned body.
She had a slight sprinkling of freckles across her face. Full lips, the human boys said they were kissable. The pack members had no opinion. High cheek bones and a pert nose gave her a striking profile. But her eyes were what everyone always commented on. They were silver. Most assumed they were pale blue until they got closer.
Celeste reached the overlook at the lake just in time to watch the sunrise. There was a running path that went from the town to the overlook and then back around to the training grounds. It completely encircled the town and was usually used to by the warriors during patrol.
She knew when her oldest brother arrived. He approached her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head. This was their ritual. It was their time. And it was here that she had confessed her plan last fall.
Like her other siblings, Sirius had reddish brown hair and green eyes. He stood a little over six feet with about four inches between them. They both had athletic builds and tanned skin. Sirius wore running shoes, black basketball shorts and a gray tank top. His neck had his mate's mark and the Silver Moon Pack Crest was tattooed on his left upper arm.
"When do you leave?" Sirius asked breaking the silence.
"Two more days." She replied. "I'm going to miss this."
"Me too. Just promise that you'll come back whenever you can." He squeezed her tight and kissed the top of her head.
"I will. As long as dad will let me." She said with a catch in her throat.
"He will. It may take a little while."
"Did I do the right thing?"
"I can't tell you that. But I completely support you. I didn't meet Laura at the hunt. To be honest, I agree with you. I'm glad I met Laura before she went to the hunt. I dread having to host it when I'm alpha."
"I don't envy you." She whispered and they fell back into silence.
"Can I take you?" he whispered, fighting back the tears. "When you leave?"
"I would love that."
"I'll tell dad you're staying over at our house. What time do you have to be there?"
"I meet the recruiter at four at the office."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I'm getting nervous."
"Too late for that. Come on," he said leading her back to the trail that went to the training ground. "You only have two more times to kick my ass."
"And I plan to. Race your sorry ass!" she laughed as she took off running.
It was close, but Sirius beat her. She made up for it by beating him several times while sparring. Their brothers, Aries, Phoenix and Caelum joined them. At eight, Sirius kissed his sister's cheek and told her to stay strong. He offered a salute to his brothers and then headed home for a shower before work.
