#Chapter 62: The First Trial

Chris I stepped back from the mirror, straightening the starched collar of my crisp white dress shirt. The ceremonial attire of the Alpha of Moonstone pack always felt a bit stifling compared to the casual human clothing I had become accustomed to wearing in recent years. “Dammit…” With a frown, I tugged at the embroidered gold and sky blue sash draped across my chest, willing the thick fabric to lay properly. The sash was an old Moonstone tradition, the fabric supposedly imbued with magical properties dating back centuries. I didn’t know how true that was—it just seemed like regular old fabric to me. All I knew was that the blasted thing never wanted to cooperate. Suddenly, a soft rap at the door made me glance over my shoulder. “Enter,” I called out, expecting it to be Leonard, one of the Elders, or maybe even my damn sister. Instead, the door creaked open to reveal Ava. As soon as I saw her, I felt my breath catch in one of the deep recesses of my chest.