Gifting Day

                                    

                                          
Crossing the Moon
By Robin Omaka and Mika Tertius
"It's finally Gifting Day!"
Happy squealing drifted to Pax's ears as his younger cousin ran around the house with boundless energy. She was finally of age to join a special ceremony with the other Omegas in their town, where they would finally be allowed to seek out their mates. The older werewolf shook his head and smiled. Omegas were revered and respected for the peace that their presence brought to the Alphas and Betas. Their family was quite proud that his cousin Maribelle turned out to be one.
Pax's family was part of one of the oldest packs in the town, the Akashi pack. The young man and his immediate family members shared the rich, mocha skin tone of his grandfather. But, only he had inherited the striking silver hair of his grandmother. The pelt of his wolf form gleamed like pure silver, and his eyes were a hue of golden yellow with the slightest hint of orange.
"I wonder what kind of piece I'll receive," Maribelle wondered aloud as she continued to dance with joy. "A headband? An earring? A ring? A bracelet?"
"Do you plan on keeping your piece as it is?" Pax asked her in curiosity. "Or will you fashion it into something else?"
"Depends on how pretty it is!" She responded. "I mean, if it turns out to be an ugly anklet or something, I'll probably fix it up a bit."
The older werewolf chuckled. "If it lights up, I doubt you'll even think twice about what the rest of it looks like," he pointed out.
"So true! Celestials, what if it lights up then and there? That'd be so cool!" Maribelle cooed.
"Are you that eager to meet a mate?" Pax teased.
"Wouldn't anyone?" The young woman countered. "I mean, it's about the best part about being an Omega."
Their conversation was called to a halt when Maribelle's parents, Pax's aunt and uncle, finally came downstairs. The entire group then left the house and walked their way over to the large, central building in the middle of their town. That building was the academy, where werewolves were taught from young pups through to adulthood. Gifting Day was similar to a graduation for Omegas.
Packs of all sizes were funneled into the building. Pax's cousin rushed off to join the other Omegas as the rest of his family found seats. They sat down somewhere in the third row and waited patiently until the ceremony kicked off.
"Citizens of Carnelian, welcome to the Gifting Ceremony." greeted the head Khonsu devotee as the remaining werewolves standing began to find seats. "To visitors who have come from other towns to wish our Omegas well, my name is Tatiana Laurette. I am the head devotee to our beloved Khonsu, goddess of the moon."
"To be an Omega is a great responsibility. The aura of peace that Omegas radiate has been known to even put a stop to civil skirmishes between our kind for centuries," Tatiana continued. "However, it is this unique gift from Khonsu herself that bestows honor upon the Omegas today. Each of our Omegas will receive a Khonsu Stone that has been fashioned into a jewelry piece."
Carts were rolled out in a line beside the head devotee, each of them full to the brim with stones of all shapes and sizes embedded into jewelry. The sizes of the stone didn't matter, neither did the jewelry piece itself. The importance lied within their use.
"Our goddess infused each of these stones with a drop of her own blood," Tatiana explained. "That gifted power allows Omegas to seek out their mates." She held her arms outward, palms facing up. "May this Gifting Day prove to be fruitful for all of you."
Tatiana's words rang of the truth. Pax, his family, and the werewolf community in its entirety treated Omegas differently. Maribelle was treated like a princess at home, and the other Omegas were treated just as regally.