Chapter 1 The Acceptance Letter

Lilieth

"Oh, my dear, isn't it wonderful?" my mother exclaims as she holds my letter of admission into the Noctem Lunae Academy. Her eyes are filled with tears, and she looks like she might get a heart attack. "My daughter, in the academy! You don't know how proud I am!"

"Mom, please calm down," I say to her as I place my hand over her shoulder. I'm worried about her health. Just last month, we had to take her to the healer because she fainted after raging at my older brother Corey for being out late drinking with his friends. It's all he does. All day. Drink, drink, drink.

"I'm sure this is some kind of mistake, Mom," I tell her even though it hurts me to see the light in her eyes dim. "Remember, I'm an Omega. We don't get into Noctem Lunae. We don't compete to become Luna. That's only for the Alpha- and Beta-borns."

"That's right," my sister Anice quips from the other side of the room. She's stationed near the window, filing her nails for the dance tonight. A dance we're all meant to attend. It's the last Harvest Moon of the year, so we're celebrating. "That has to be some mistake. Lilieth, a Luna? She can't even kill a fly!"

"Don't be foolish, both of you," she says, turning the letter in her hand and reading the back. I've never seen her this agitated before. Even when she was yelling at Corey, she didn't look like this. "This is an official letter. Why would they make such a mistake? Do you think people in their position make mistakes? You took the aptitude test, Lilieth. Obviously, you passed it!"

"Everyone takes the aptitude test," I remind her. "Only, we Omegas never pass it because we're not strong enough. In comparison to the other shifters, we fail each and every time."

"But not you," she mentions, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "You passed it. Don't you see, Lilieth? This is your chance! You can change your life!"

"Yeah," my sister adds sarcastically, "you can get us all out of this gutter. We'll move into the packhouse with you when you win the competition and Alpha Cadeon's heart! Then, we can set this shack on fire and never have to lay sights on it again!"

"Don't talk about our home like that!" I scold her. "Joke or not, it isn't nice!"

"Lilieth!" my mother exclaims, grabbing a hold of my arms. I look her way, and she searches my eyes. The tenderness in them melts my heart. "You have to be there tomorrow for orientation. Tomorrow morning. No partying for you."

"But Mom!" I exclaim. "I've been waiting for this festival all year! Is it fair for me to miss it for something that might be a mistake?"

"It's not a mistake!" she retorts, gesturing at the page in her hand. She's gripping it without wrinkling it. I don't know how she does that. "This is the truth. From tomorrow onward, you'll be known as the first Omega to ever make it into that place. Do you understand? There'll be competition. Bad looks. They'll try to sabotage you, especially the other girls. But you'll win, you know why?"

"Why?" Anice asks from the other side of the room, snickering.

"Because you're you," my mother claims softly, tucking my reddish-brown bushy hair behind my ear. "You're you, and you're one of the best people I know. Of course, you could be Luna. You're generous. Kind. Since when did being Luna become all about being a fierce warrior? Women have always led with kindness."

"It's the new trend," I remind her gently. "It's what the Alphas are looking for in a bride now."

"Equality? Hello?" Anice says as she stares at her fingernails. Satisfied, she rises from her seat and makes her way toward us. Her bright red hair isn't very common, especially in our pack. I can still see the remnants of the black dye she uses to cover the red strands.

"None of it will matter when they meet Lilieth," Mom insists, smiling.

"Mom, don't give yourself a heart attack," Anice says somewhat cruelly. "It's clearly a mistake. We should just tear that page up and move on. Lilieth will get chewed up in that place. It's for the best."

Then, she walks past us and heads toward the door, leaving the shack. Mom steps closer to me and says in a low voice, "See? That's exactly what you're going to have to face. But you're strong. I know it. That's why you got in."

I sigh. When I took the test like everyone my age-twenty-one-it was never with any hope that I'd get in. Why would I hope? It's never happened before. Growing up, every girl would dream about becoming Luna. I was a part of those girls, too. But after realizing that our reality was different, of course, I had to abandon those hopes. These days, all I wish for is to complete my program to become a supervisor at the farm. It'll help me earn more than I am now as an intern, and help me support Mom.

She works alone to feed us, and it isn't fair. We're all adults now.

And she isn't getting younger.

"If I do this," I begin, "I'll have to abandon my post as an intern. You know what that means, Mom."

"The post will always be waiting for you if you fail and come back, and I know that you won't," she replies. "You'll always have the chance to come back and restart. But entering the academy? That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Imagine what it will be like if you come back! They'll give you the supervisor job, no questions asked."

My eyes light up at this, and for the first time since this letter was delivered this morning, I feel somewhat hopeful. She's right. I'll learn some things at the academy even though I probably won't pass the quarter.

They'll be valuable.

Mom winks at me and places a hand on my shoulder. "Exciting, huh? Oh, Lilieth. You don't know how proud I am."

"Thanks, Mom," I say before we embrace.

I hear her sniffling before she says, "I wish success like this to all of you. Corey...he'll come around. He'll return to his senses. He'll stop the drinking and he'll go back to being the bright boy he was."

"You're right, Mom," I whisper, my voice tight.

"And your sister will stop antagonizing everyone who employs her and keep a steady job," she adds. "They'll end up alright. We'll be alright. You go and don't worry about us. Forget."

Then, she pulls away and holds me at arm's length. Her eyes are wet with tears and her voice is low. "Don't let anyone ever tell you you're not worth it, do you hear it? Don't let them put you down."

"Yes, Mom," I say.

"Now, let's pack your bags," she says excitedly as she turns on her heel and heads into the small room I've always shared with Anice. "I know you don't own much, but we have to wash all your clothes. Make them sparkle."

"What about the festival?" I ask, leaning against the doorframe. "I really want to go, even if it's to say goodbye to everyone."

She sighs. "You're above all that now."

"Mom," I chide, "that's not how a Luna thinks."

She freezes and glances at me. She's smiling broadly. "You're right. That's why you got in and I didn't all those years ago. See the difference?"

I chuckle and shake my head. "Oh, Mom."

"You can go," she concedes. "Come straight home after eight, alright? We have an early start tomorrow. We'll ask the Mangroves for their carriage. It'll take us two hours to get to the academy on time."

"Thanks, Mom," I say, kissing her cheek before we start packing my bags, preparing for the surreal day I'll have tomorrow.

I guess in many ways, I haven't truly understood that I'll go and that this will change my life. I still have the lingering fear that it's a mistake of some kind.

I guess we'll see tomorrow.