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"Is that beautiful silver she-wolf part of our pack?"
"Have you forgotten? She's the girl you rejected three years ago."

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“Miss Phoebe! Miss Phoebe!”
The chorus of excited squeals greeted her as she entered the packhouse kitchen. Phoebe smiled sinking to her knees as the ten young pups ranging from four to thirteen rushed to greet her. She laughed hugging each of them tight, rubbing noses with a few she was particularly close to.
“Thank you so much for taking them today,” one of the female wolves said carrying a two-year-old.
Phoebe stood accepting the pup who giggled at her and said, “It’s no problem at all. This is my favorite part of the day. All right everyone let’s go on a scavenger hunt!”
“Yeah!!”
Phoebe herding the pups out of the packhouse and led them to the woods. This was how all her days started since her rejection.
* * *
The Rimrock Pack was located in the southwest of Washington State about forty miles from Mount Rainier. Only a few miles to the north was the similarly named town. The town and the pack had been there so long no one remembered which had been established first. Regardless the pack used the city for most of their needs including shopping and schooling though their pups sometimes had a difficult time adjusting to a human-run school. Pack members who went on to college generally only went as far as Seattle or, more rarely, Portland and Phoebe was no exception.
Their pack was not overly large, about four hundred members, a respectable size carefully nurtured by their previous alpha. While most pack members lived in the packhouse Phoebe still lived in the small cottage she once shared with her parents. She was not an omega but also not one of the high-ranking members.
Like the majority of pack members she was one of the unranked masses: the nameless cogs without which the pack would cease to function. Her parents had been fated mates and also unranked members though not without their own bit of prestige. Her mother had been head cook and her father the chief groundskeeper in charge of the pack gardens as well as a tutor for members struggling with their studies as he was one of the few with a college education.
Human beauty standards didn’t mean much to wolves who skewed more toward voluptuous profiles. High-ranking wolves were fit, muscular and aggressive whether male or female especially if they were warriors. The unranked members below them were not quite as extreme muscle-wise but still physically strong. Below them omegas lacked physical prowess and stamina. Though they didn’t stand a chance in a fight against a high-ranking wolf or even most unranked ones omegas were still far stronger than humans.
As an unranked member Phoebe was…average. She was average height, if somewhat petite by wolf standards. Her form was pleasingly curvy. Like most wolves she had a mane of thick mousy-brown hair that reached just past her shoulders though her skin was on the pale side. Her only notable physical feature was her silver-gray eyes. Phoebe was average in every way: except her wolf.
Wolf spirits usually awakened in their mid-to-late teens. The more powerful the wolf the sooner it emerged. Alphas, betas and some gammas awakened as early as sixteen while omegas might awakened as late as their early twenties. Phoebe’s wolf awakened when she was fifteen.
Phoebe was in a deep asleep when Máni suddenly woke her up with a bright, ‘Hello, moonshine!’
To say she was surprised was putting it mildly but Máni proved to be excellent company for a wolf san siblings. An even greater surprise awaited Phoebe on the first full moon after her sixteenth birthday. Máni woke her in the dead of night and insisted she go out into the forest behind her parents’ cottage. Sleepy and confused Phoebe nonetheless obeyed her wolf’s directives.
Once outside she greeted the rising full moon only to be wracked by a sudden excruciating pain as her joints popped and bones lengthened and realigned. Fur bristled covering her body as her nose elongated to a muzzle. Máni talked her through the pain urging her not to resist and to let her wolf spirit take over. After an excruciating hour Phoebe stood on four padded paws.
‘Shall we see ourselves?’ Máni suggested bringing them to the water’s edge of a nearby pond.
Looking at their reflection Phoebe saw a silver-white wolf. Their fur practically glowed in the moonlight with silver-blue eyes that shimmered like water.
‘We’re…beautiful.’
‘Yeah, we are. Let’s go for a run.’
Phoebe let her wolf take over. They stretched and sniffed the cold, clean air before rushing off into the woods. It felt good to run, to feel the wind through her fur and fill her lungs. It all ended too soon and they returned home. Máni talked her through the shift back and they safely returned to bed before the sun rose.
For some reason Máni insisted on keeping their early shift secret and usually stayed quiet deep in the recesses of Phoebe’s mind to avoid others sensing her. Phoebe didn’t argue though she was confused since the first shift was an important rite of passage for every werewolf.
Even more confusing was her wolf’s color. Gray was a fairly common color but Phoebe never heard of a silver wolf. Even Máni was at a loss to explain, or at least unwilling to. Desperate for answers Phoebe spent long hours in the packhouse library as well as her father’s study researching werewolf history and silver wolves without any luck until she found a book of werewolf lore. According to it silver wolves were even rarer than white wolves. They were wolves of prophecy and considered harbingers of chaos and upheaval.
Máni shrugged off the book’s description saying, ‘you read too much,’ but refused to give any definitive explanations. It was strange to think her own wolf would keep secrets from her but without anyone else to consult Phoebe let it go. She was just happy to have a faithful ally.
Phoebe thought her wolf’s secretive nature was just to hide its early awakening but as her eighteenth birthday approached Máni showed no signs of revealing herself. As far as others could sense she was wolfless which led to some ostracizing and bullying. She didn’t particularly mind it and Máni was amused by the pack’s efforts to ridicule them. It was easy to ignore and she focused on her studies to graduate early and go on to college.
She assumed like most she-wolves everything would make sense once she found her Goddess-given mate. Her parents were fated mates and she never doubted their love and devotion to one another. It was sweet and she looked forward to finding her own. Little did she know reality would be a far cry from her dreams.
She met her mate when she was twenty-one and freshly graduated from college. During her four years of study Phoebe seldom returned to the pack. Her first week home after completing her studies Phoebe sat in the cottage’s porch swing quietly reading Sense and Sensibility when her mate suddenly appeared.
Graham was the son of their alpha and destined to be their future leader which was why his father sent him overseas to attend the only Alpha School in the world. According to Phoebe’s father the school was very exclusive only accepting the sons and daughters of alphas from the highest-ranking packs.
Packs were ranked based on history, size, collective wealth and the relative strength of the Alpha’s bloodline. The criterion was vague and her father said the Rimrock pack barely qualified. Attendance was not mandatory for alphas by any means. The highest-ranking packs generally avoided it as the tuition was prohibitively expensive and preferred to train their heirs within the pack. But that wasn’t to say there weren’t advantages.
Despite the number of packs spread across the world werewolf communities tended to be very insular. They seldom interacted with packs outside their immediate neighbors. By attending the school future alphas and lunas had the opportunity to meet with others far beyond their usual territories and make allies in addition to taking practical classes about running a pack, managing finances and maintaining pack territory.
It also helped them find potential mates as it was usually difficult for alphas and many betas to find their fated mates within their own packs. According to her father packs intermingled more in the past so it was easier for high-ranking pack members to find their Goddess-given mates but as packs became more insular it became more difficult. While some thought it coincidence Phoebe couldn’t help but think the Moon Goddess herself was telling her children they needed to change their ways.
Since Phoebe graduated early from high school and left for college before her contemporaries she hadn’t had much interaction with their future alpha. From what she saw of him he was a typical young wolf ruled by his hormones carrying on several relationships throughout school with little regard to attachments. She thought he could use some maturing as did Máni.
When Phoebe heard their young alpha had returned from his studies she avoided his welcome home party which devolved into a drunken shamble according to her father who had to clean it up the next morning. Máni had been quiet all day so Phoebe hadn’t been expecting any dramatic events when she suddenly caught scent of evergreen and chocolate. The combination was pleasant if not overly stimulating but she understood what it meant. Looking up Phoebe found herself staring at her pack’s future leader.
To say she was surprised to be mated to an alpha was putting it mildly. Máni immediately pressed forward eager to meet their mate but almost as quickly receded with a snort saying, ‘Don’t worry, Phoebe. I’ll protect us.’
‘What do you…’ Phoebe’s internal protest fell silent as she looked again at her mate. His confused frown turned to a cold scowl. She tilted her head to the side instantly wary.
“You’re supposed to be my mate?!” Graham demanded. “A Luna needs to be strong and tall and beautiful and you’re…”
“Average.” Phoebe said.
“How straight you are!” Graham growled. “And wolfless? Are you kidding me?”
Phoebe winced. She understood his confusion but his outrage was something different. The Goddess did not choose their mates randomly. There was reason behind it. Just as their wolf spirits were their center their mates were their second halves. Only together were they complete. At least that was what her parents taught her.
“What is your name?” Graham demanded.
“Phoebe Luan,” she answered after a moment already anticipating his next move.
“You don’t have a wolf so this won’t hurt at all,” Graham said as a word of caution. “I, Graham Archer, future Alpha of the Rimrock Pack, reject you Phoebe Luan as my mate and Luna.”
Phoebe leaned forward whimpering as a sharp pain pierced her chest. Her book fell to the ground as she hugged herself and a burning sensation spread to her extremities. It felt as if she were being stabbed by hundreds of needles.
“Hurry up and accept it or it will just hurt more,” Graham snorted unhappy with her dramatics.
“…I, Phoebe Luan…accept your rejection,” she managed to gasp. The pain eased to a dull ache similar to heartburn.
To her surprise Graham suddenly bent over groaning in pain as their bond snapped. Perhaps it was cruel but she was glad not to be the only one suffering. Slowly straightening he sneered at her before hurriedly departing.
‘Máni? Are you all right?’
‘…I will be. We will be. The Moon Goddess loves us.’
‘If she loved us why did she make him our mate?’
‘She has her reasons. You’ll see.”
Phoebe thought the worst was over but another surprise was waiting. Two weeks after her rejection Kristie arrived with Graham proclaiming her to be his Luna. Their Alpha Succession and Luna Ceremonies were held in tandem at the following full moon. Phoebe dutifully helped with preparations but declined to attend the actual ceremonies though attendance was supposedly mandatory so that the pack could swear fealty to their new alpha pair. She managed by faking ill something she never did before.
Máni suggested a run, a precaution that proved advantageous when she was suddenly assailed with pain as her mate marked another. Despite the severing of their bond Phoebe suffered whenever Graham and his chosen mate were together. She hoped that the marking would finally bring an end to the pain but it continued to linger slowly dulling over time.
Phoebe kept her distance avoiding the packhouse except when it was absolutely necessary. She knew her parents wondered about this behavior and probably had an inkling why she did it but they respected her privacy and did not directly question her.
Five years had passed since then and Phoebe continued to avoid the packhouse. The only difference now was that her parents had passed away leaving her alone to maintain the cottage and garden. Now whenever Graham and Kristie mated she only felt a dull ache and thankfully those times were few and far between.
The alpha pair had yet to produce a pup and heir but that wasn’t completely unexpected. Chosen mates were less fertile than fated ones. While a fated pair could easily produce four or five pups, chosen ones would only have one or two in the same amount of time. Given that Phoebe felt his betrayal less often she could only assume the pair didn’t mate as often as they used to making it even more difficult to conceive.
Though she wondered about the pack’s future stability it wasn’t her place to question their alpha. No one knew she had been his fated mate and no one would listen to a wolfless unranked she-wolf anyway. So she focused on what she could do for the pack: namely educating the pack pups.
* * *
“All right, gather around,” Phoebe laughed as the kids swarmed around her.
Phoebe carried the two-year-old on her hip while the others waited for the rules of their game. Sometimes it felt as if the pack treated her as a glorified pup-sitter but she didn’t mind as it allowed her to spend time with them without interference. She used their numerous outings to teach them various bits of practical knowledge.
She had brought them to a wide clearing filled with wildflowers. When they arrived, a pair of deer spooked and leaped back into the safety of the forest shadow. It was a promising sign that no one from the pack had sullied the area so they should have no problem with their scavenger hunt. Piled off to the side were several baskets woven from wild grasses. The pups immediately noticed them and fidgeted with excitement.
“Okay, so did everyone bring their herb book?” Phoebe asked holding up her own.
Eagerly the pups held up their homemade pamphlets they made during their craft project earlier in the week. Taped to each page was a medicinal herb that had been pressed and dried specifically for the application. Each page also included the plant’s name and most common uses written in Phoebe’s neat scrawl for the younger pups while the older pups wrote theirs themselves. Over the last few weeks they had learned about herbs, how to identify edible plants and poisonous ones and where to find them. Now it was time to put that information into practical experience.
“So today we are going to have a scavenger hunt!” Phoebe announced to excited cheers. “As I’m sure you’ve figured out we are going to collect herbs. I want you to split into pairs because…why?”
“Safety first!” the pups answered in chorus.
“That’s right. So in pairs you will take your baskets and collect as many herbs from your books as you can find,” Phoebe said. “I will award special prizes for the most herbs picked, the biggest variety of herbs collected and for the rarest herb found.”
The pups bounced on their heels eager to begin.
“Remember to stay in the boundaries of the clearing. Ready? On your marks. Remember our safety rules! Go!”
Squealing the pups darted to the pile of baskets before dispersing through the clearing. Phoebe smiled cooing at the two-year-old pup in her arms. He was too young to take part in this event but he would still benefit from being able to run around in the fresh air.
“Miss Phoebe! Miss Phoebe!”
She turned as an eager pup hurried up to her holding a sprig with bright yellow flowers.
“Is this wormwood?”
“No. That’s mustard,” Phoebe answered kneeling down to the pup’s level. She never liked to talk down to them. “Let’s see what wormwood looks like again, shall we?”
The pup dutifully opened her book to the appropriate page for comparison. Phoebe was always patient with the pups and never lost her temper. They were young and still learning so it was natural for them to make mistakes.
Once the mini-lesson about the difference between the two herbs was over the pup returned to her brother and continued their hunt. The pups were free to ask her any questions but she wouldn’t help them find the herbs. Phoebe smiled at the young pair.
Blake and Emma were brother and sister born one year apart so they were close. Their parents had also been unranked members of the pack. Their mother was the alpha’s maid and their father an architect who designed most of the packhouse as well as many of the private homes scattered throughout the territory. Unfortunately both had been killed in a rogue attack two years ago leaving the pups orphaned.
Since then Phoebe did her best to look after them, taking them shopping for clothes and school supplies as well as making sure they were included in activities. Orphans could easily be ostracized by other pack members and that was something Phoebe wanted to avoid. Strong bonds kept a pack together and she wanted the pups to maintain and cherish those bonds. So far her efforts seemed to make the difference. The others included the orphaned pair in their games and didn’t bully or belittle them for what they lost.
After an hour the pups gathered around her to show their efforts. Phoebe led the group to the pack hospital where Bridget waited to receive them. Bridget separated out the herbs and gave the pups what appeared to be an impromptu lesson in first aid demonstrating how some herbs could be used with minimal handling and how to bandage injuries.
Like Phoebe, Bridget was on the petite side though slightly taller than the former. Her hair was a rich chestnut with a hint of an auburn sheen and her skin a soft tan color as was usual for werewolves. She had a round, pretty face and a small, pert nose.
Bridget was another unranked wolf that kept the pack working. A couple years younger than Phoebe, they met shortly after the latter’s rejection. In fact the young, talented nurse was the only pack member who knew about it. She didn’t know who rejected Phoebe but she knew they were a pack member and assumed they were fairly high-ranked given Phoebe’s aversion to the packhouse and official ceremonies.
As one of the few Phoebe considered a close friend she often turned to Bridget when she was in need of assistance. Luckily Bridget was a brilliant herbalist and talented chemist so she had plenty of practical knowledge to share. Once the demonstration was over Bridget handed out her homemade lollipops made with medicinal herbs. If one peered through the semi-transparent, jewel-like creation they would see whole leaves or petals of the herbs used and now that the lesson was over the pups could even identify them.
The excited pups followed Phoebe back to her cottage where she handed out their prizes. Praising them for their impressive finds and sheer amount collected she gave out prizes accordingly. A pair of boys collected the most and received a pair of gloves and a baseball. Surprisingly Blake and Emma found the greatest variety and received a jug of bubble solution and bubble guns. A young pair of she-wolves found the rarest herb to receive a styling kit with a variety of barrettes and colorful hair extensions.
Phoebe always made sure the prizes suited the awardees and their interests. All the pups received large bouncy balls for participating. She was certain the winners would share their special prizes during their daily games.
After the prizes were awarded, Phoebe led her troop back to the packhouse. The pups were eager to play with their new toys and Phoebe hoped they would retain the lessons that earned them their prizes. What she wanted most was for the pups to take pride in their own abilities. Not everyone would rise through the ranks as warriors but everyone could contribute to the pack in some meaningful way.
Most would always be in the middle like herself. It was important to do what they could do. Finding, collecting and delivering herbs to the pack hospital benefited everyone. Being able to perform simple first aid could save a life in dire circumstances. Those were the kinds of lessons she hoped to instill in the pups.
“Miss Phoebe.”
She paused seeing Blake and Emma had remained while the other pups dispersed.
“Can we come over tonight?” Emma asked.
“Are you sure you won’t get into trouble?”
“Jake is patrolling tonight and he never checks on us,” Blake wrinkled his nose.
“All right. I’ll make something special for us,” Phoebe smiled.
The pair hugged her before hurrying to catch up with the others. Phoebe watched them feeling a familiar pain in her chest. Ever since they were orphaned she did her best to care for them. She remodeled her own childhood bedroom to suit the brother and sister filling it with books, toys and games as well as a closet full of clothes. Phoebe even petitioned to adopt the pups officially but had been denied. Her face warmed at the memory.
* * *
“Alpha!” Phoebe stormed into Graham’s office without waiting for permission. “Explain this!”
Phoebe tossed the denied adoption papers onto his desk staring at him as he flinched. It had been years since she last set foot in the packhouse and it was the first time she entered his office. Despite the vast difference in their status Phoebe showed no inclination to give him proper respect. Her eyes shimmered silver as she glared at him and his wolf cowered.
Trying to maintain some semblance of his authority he looked at the paper she tossed at him stating, “It seems pretty obvious.”
“I didn’t ask you to identify it,” Phoebe practically snarled. “I told you to explain it. Why did you deny the application?”
“Why would you want to adopt two pups in the first place?” he snorted. “Their family can take care of them.”
“They don’t have any family,” Phoebe snapped. “Their aunt and uncle were killed three years ago in a rogue attack. Their grandparents passed the year before that. Their mother was from a different pack.”
“Was she?” Graham frowned.
“She was your exclusive maid. Do you even remember what she looked like?” Phoebe snorted in disgust. “Have you compensated those pups for their loss before you sent your yes man to turn off the water and power to their home? A home they were still living in. They nearly froze to death!”
Graham winced. He did remember signing the order to turn off power to the abandoned home but he had been assured it was empty.
“Those pups have been living with me for the past six months so why can’t I adopt them?”
“You aren’t even mated!”
“And why is that I wonder?” Phoebe growled. Máni had never made herself known since she awakened but now she pressed close to the surface adding power to Phoebe’s anger and enhancing her aura.
Graham involuntarily shuddered as her anger washed over him. It made his wolf completely withdraw. Feeling his wolf become submissive irritated him. He was alpha and everyone was beneath him especially a wolfless female.
What made it worse was that she was right. He should have been aware the pups’ parents were gone and that they had no close relatives within the pack. They should have been placed in appropriate lodgings and whoever adopted them compensated for raising them.
None of that had been done because he hadn’t bothered with the paperwork. Compounding the issue was the fact Kristie overspent her weekly clothing allowance and he had to get the money from another part of the pack’s finances.
“It’s not your place to question your Alpha,” he forced himself to stand giving him a height advantage since he was little over six feet and Phoebe only five-four. “The pups will be taken care of. They don’t need you. Understand?”
The pups had been given a room in the packhouse that was hardly larger than a closet. Somehow they crammed in two camping cots and a pair of trunks inside. According to the pups it was drafty and dark since it only had one small window and no one bothered to install a light bulb in the single overhead light. Even worse the pups’ had mandatory bed checks.
After bedtime the patrolling security made periodic checks to ensure the pups were actually in bed. It had been bad in the beginning but now the patrols were getting more lax allowing Blake and Emma to sneak away returning to her cottage where she kept their room ready.
Her heart ached knowing her anger made life difficult for pups that already had enough tragedy in their young lives. Máni whimpered in her mind sharing her guilt. Their anger was completely justified but they expressed it in the wrong setting. Even so Phoebe continued to care for the brother and sister providing them with new clothes, much better than the shabby hand-me-downs from the pack’s donation closet.
Turning away from the packhouse Phoebe made her way back to her cottage. Her mind raced with meal ideas. She smiled already looking forward to company. Normally her meals were solitary affairs unless Bridget stopped by so the pups would most certainly be a welcome change.
Máni perked up. Phoebe could practically feel her tail wagging in anticipation. One day they would find a way to keep the pups close. She just had to be patient and avoid Luna Kristie’s notice.
“There you are Phoebe.”
‘Speak of the devil,’ Máni huffed.
Inwardly she cringed as she turned, “Hello Luna.”
Kristie was almost a half foot taller than Phoebe with a lithe body punctuated by an hourglass figure. Her long, blonde hair was neatly highlighted and professionally styled as were her nails. It was clear she spent a lot of time and money on her appearance.
Yet her aura was minimal. In fact Phoebe barely felt it even when Kristie tried to exert influence over her. Máni confirmed the Luna’s aura was exceptionally weak so Phoebe knew she didn’t imagine it. Despite this, or maybe because of it, Kristie resorted to rather extreme measures to keep her authority over the pack. Phoebe struggled to maintain a neutral expression keeping her disgust contained.
“How can I help you, Luna?”
Kristie smirked, “We’re having some very important visitors next week and I don’t want those annoying little spawn to bother them. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes Luna. I’ll arrange some activities to keep them busy and out of the way.”
“Good.” Kristie smiled tipping up her nose. “Poor Phoebe, I do pity you.”
“Pardon?”
“If only the Goddess had been kinder to you and gave you a wolf then you wouldn’t have to deal with those snot-nosed kids.”
With a condescending smile Kristie walked away. With a sigh Phoebe tried to calm herself. A luna was meant to be the heart of the pack and ensure the pack’s future. How could she not like pups?
‘She is no true Luna,’ Máni gave a dismissive snort. ‘A Gamma maybe. Delta most likely.’
‘Hmm.’ Phoebe really couldn’t argue considering the alpha had been her fated mate. ‘I don’t see why she has to act like that. She’d get more respect if she was more personable.’
‘She is in a position she was never meant to have so I suppose an inferiority complex is natural,’ Máni said. ‘Especially since her wolf is submissive to us.’
‘It is?’
‘Oh yes. Imagine how much her pride must smart every time her wolf shows its belly to you…a wolfless she-wolf.’
Phoebe frowned. This was not the first time Máni mentioned something similar. Although her wolf continued to hide itself other wolf spirits instinctively sensed her presence and reacted in various ways. Higher ranks acted subservient causing disconnections to their human half while the lower ranking wolves showed difference and respect.
Phoebe found they had a calming influence on others defusing arguments even if she didn’t directly intervene. Yet despite this others continued to think she was wolfless but as Máni wasn’t inclined to explain it was a mystery she never expected to solve.
‘Well we’ll just have to stay out her way.’
‘Or she could stay out of ours,’ Máni countered. ‘Next time…I vote we don’t save her.’
Phoebe chuckled remembering the night as if it had happened yesterday. It had been the night of the Winter Solstice and the pack was celebrating the longest night of the year in fine style.
* * *
Avoiding the party as usual Phoebe’s quiet night was interrupted by Máni suddenly declaring an urge to go for a run. Since the majority of the pack would remain at the party there was no reason to be overly cautious.
Phoebe headed to her garden. Satisfied they were alone and unseen she slipped out of her clothes folding them neatly and stuffing them in a small bag she hid under her mother’s rhododendron. The cold, night air caused her pale skin to prickle with goose bumps as she stepped beyond the garden gate and into the woods beyond but the discomfort faded as she shifted. Her first shift had been painful but now it was exhilarating as she gave into her wolf and dropped to all fours. Thick silver fur kept her warm and her senses sharpened.
It was an odd sensation as Phoebe and Máni switched places. Still aware, Phoebe’s consciousness faded to the background as Máni pressed forward. The switch wasn’t strictly necessary but it was more efficient to allow her wolf to take the lead in this form where Máni’s control was instinctual and automatic just as Phoebe’s was in human form.
Stretching Máni sniffed the air and assured them they were indeed alone. A light snow gently fell, landing on their fur but not melting. Delighted with the picturesque night Máni turned in circles with her tail held high. Leaping straight up, she snapped at the lazily falling flakes before sprinting off with freshly warmed-up muscles. It was exhilarating to run like a ghost through the dark woods. Their breaths came out in clouds that quickly vaporized behind them as they ran onward through the snowy landscape.
Máni suddenly slowed and stopped. She sniffed the air, hackles curling back as she caught the faint scent of arousal in the crisp air. They were relatively close to the packhouse but still far enough away for it to be unusual to meet another. Cautiously she eased forward until her sharp vision located the pair currently engaged in illicit activities.
Phoebe jerked to attention recognizing the she-wolf as none other than their luna. She was pressed up against a tree. Phoebe recognized the male as one of the delta warriors though she never had contact with them. Máni growled softly at the sight. Either it was too quiet to hear or the pair was too occupied to notice because they didn’t stop.
‘H-how can she do this!’ Phoebe stammered.
Máni didn’t answer immediately. In the brief encounters they had with her they had picked up on subtle smells of her affairs. Though Kristie tried to hide it with frequent baths and perfume it followed her like a cloud.
‘You really shouldn’t be surprised,’ Máni finally said. ‘We’ve known she’s been doing this for some time.’
‘But…shouldn’t the alpha be tearing everything apart because of her betrayal?’
‘Under normal circumstances but remember they are chosen mates. The bond between them is weaker.’
‘I know, but still…’
‘Plus, their wolves never bonded.’
‘They didn’t?’
‘No. The alpha’s wolf has been disconnected since he rejected us and the luna’s…well I’m surprised she can still shift at how weak it’s become since rejecting her fated mate.’
‘She rejected hers too?’
‘Of course.’
Phoebe cringed at the thought of the pain the other must have suffered. She didn’t know if there was anything crueler than rejecting one’s fated mate. Máni whimpered comfort and turned to leave just as hunting howls chorused through the forest.
Five rogues emerged from the night setting upon the distracted pair. Though the warrior attempted to protect his Luna and lover he was quickly overwhelmed. He only managed to kill one before he was brought down. Kristie screamed in horror watching the rogues tear him apart. She was completely frozen in fear unable to shift or defend herself.
Máni briefly considered leaving her to her fate but a gentle prod from Phoebe resigned the wolf to interfering. Rushing forward she was on top of them before they even sensed her. Máni leapt landing on one and breaking its back before attacking another. She sank her teeth into its neck ripping its throat out. Whirling around she charged a third bowling it over and ripping into its belly before darting back into the woods leaving one for Kristie to manage on her own.
Angry howls filled the air signaling the pack warriors were on the way. Kristie would only have to handle the remaining rogue for a few minutes. Máni raced through the woods with unmatched speed quickly distancing them from the fight. Once clear she rolled in the snow to remove any traces of blood from her coat before heading home. She took a long, meandering route back to avoid pursuit.
Phoebe quickly dressed before heading inside. Locking the door she turned off the lights before going to the shower to wash away any lingering scent of the rogues then headed to bed as the hunting howls continued to echo through the territory.
“Jace. Earth to Jace. Hey wake up!”
Jason jolted awake grumbling as his Beta playfully swatted him. They had known each other since they were pups so there was no need for formality between them when they were alone. Yawning Jason stretched in the passenger seat and looked out the window at the same scene that had surrounded them the past several hundred miles.
“Where are we?”
“About another hour before we reach the next pack,” Luke answered.
“And which one is that again?” Jason sighed. After visiting six other packs they were all beginning to look alike.
“Rimrock,” Luke cued the information on his iPad before handing it to him.
Jason dutifully read the pack’s dossier. At just over four hundred members it was only a mid-level pack. Like other packs they had been experiencing more rogue attacks of late which was the reason for his little tour…at least publicly.
Jason was Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, one of the six ancient packs. With over five thousand members strong it was the largest pack in North America and one of the most prosperous. At thirty he had been running the pack for almost ten years making him one of the youngest as well. As with most alphas, Jason was tall and muscular without excess bulk.
He had dark brown hair. His chin was usually softened by a trim goatee but due to the tight travel schedule he had a bit more stumble as of late. There was very little his sharp, brown eyes missed. Others characterized him as a hard one but those who knew him knew he was quite amicable, witty and charming despite his growing despondency.
His wolf spirit had awakened early a testament to the sheer power contained within it. Lobo was a large brown, nearly black, wolf with burning amber eyes and stood almost a foot taller than other wolves, even other alphas including his own father. Lobo’s early emergence was part of the reason Jason assumed the mantle of leadership sooner than planned. His alpha aura was simply too powerful over-shadowing his father’s and funneling the pack’s loyalty away from his predecessor whose rule was waning.
Jason always knew he would be Alpha so he had no problem assuming the mantel. His one regret was not having his Luna at his side. As his father’s successor, normally Jason would have marked his Luna before leadership was passed but despite years of searching and traveling among his neighbors he had yet to scent the one fated to stand by his side.
After a werewolf’s wolf spirit awakened and once they experienced their first shift they were able to sense their fated mates. He had been promised he would know her immediately by her scent. It would be so intoxicating he would have difficulty focusing on anything else. Yet despite the fact his Beta and Gamma, even his sister, found their mates with relative ease Jason still searched for his.
To pass the time most wolves engaged in mating activity to take the edge off their pent-up drive. Jason; however, abstained from such frivolous activity. The last thing he wanted was to be covered in another she-wolf’s scent when he finally found his mate. He was determined she would be his first, only and last. Lobo was in complete agreement.
But after a decade of searching they were both were feeling the strain. A pack was meant to be led by a pair. An Alpha was the pack’s strength but a Luna was its heart. His pack desperately needed the heart they had been missing as much as he needed his Luna by his side. Tensions were ready to snap and discord wormed its way into the pack harmony. Jason was beginning to wonder how long it could maintain its tenuous balance.
Wanting to help his mother suggested a security tour. Rogue attacks were on the rise. It was a good time to tour the packs most affected and evaluate their security levels to determine if they were adequate. It was also good cover to extend the search for his Luna as he would be visiting packs he hadn’t been to before. That was the real reason for this trip but after a half dozen packs he was beginning to lose hope, especially after the last one.
Jason cringed at the memory of the alpha’s daughter in his bed covered in rose petals. Despite numerous complaints and even threats she continued to try and enter his bedroom. Lobo was ready to go on a killing spree so Jason cut his visit short.
“Cheer up, Jace,” Luke eyed him with concern. “Hey, lucky number seven. Right?”
“Right.” Jason sighed looking again at the dossier. “Looks like the alpha’s a little younger than me…and he’s mated.”
“Y-yeah…well, maybe not. If rumors are true they aren’t fated mates.”
“He took a chosen mate?”
Jason frowned. It was common knowledge a mated alpha was more powerful than an unmated one and a fated bond stronger than a chosen one. That was the reason why alphas went out of their way to locate their fated mates as it would guarantee them more influence and strength. There was no reason for a young alpha to resort to taking a chosen mate if his fated was not yet found. Was the Rimrock’s alpha just impatient or had he lost his mate in a rogue attack in which case the Goddess would certainly have granted a second chance mate?
There was no way the Alpha would have done the unthinkable and actually…rejected his mate. The Goddess was benevolent and caring but she never forgave anyone if they rejected their fated mate. While the rejected wolf would be given a second chance the one who rejected them would not. Their soul would be cursed never to know the serenity of finding their match. They would have no choice except to settle for a chosen mate which was cruel enough but when they died they would be cursed to wander the Moonlit territory alone…forever.
Lobo stirred, whining. His wolf was desperate to find its mate but not so desperate to resort to taking a chosen mate. No. Their fated mate was out there and when they found her she would be…perfect. Lobo settled in the back of his mind, comforted for the time being.
Jason turned his attention back to Rimrock’s dossier and tried to forget his anxiety but that was easier said than done. His apprehension remained as they entered the pack’s territory and arrived at the packhouse. With a sigh Jason opened the door and climbed out while Luke conferred with their escort emerging from two other vehicles and reminding them of proper visitor conduct.
Grabbing his jacket Jason breathed deep and suddenly froze as Lobo practically leapt to attention and surged to the forefront of Jason’s mind. It was a struggle to keep his wolf in check even as he breathed in the cool air again. There was no mistaking it: she’s here.
“Jace, what’s up?” Luke asked joining him. “Jay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“She’s here.”
“What? Who?”
“My mate.”
Luke blinked hardly willing to believe it, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s faint but it’s definitely her scent. She’s here.”
“I told you lucky number seven,” Luke grinned. Spying their approaching hosts he said, “But let’s keep it together for now.”
Jason growled. His dark eyes swirled amber as Lobo pressed closer wanting nothing more than to tear straight through the pack until he found his mate. He had waited long enough.
“Easy Jace,” Luke muttered feeling Jason’s aura washing over him. “Your mate is here, right? Well we’ll be going on a tour soon so it’ll be the perfect time to find her, right?”
“Right.” Jason breathed deep slowly regaining control.
Lobo whimpered, ‘Mate!’
‘I know. We’ll find her. We are not leaving without her.’
‘Yes! Find Mate!’ Lobo finally receded allowing him to withdraw his aura.
‘Patience, buddy. We’ll find her.’
* * *
Jason stepped out of the bathroom drying his hair before dressing. After a tedious tour of Rimrock’s packhouse and surrounding grounds he now had to sit through a welcome party with his hosts. Lobo impatiently prowled the back of his mind. They had picked up their mate’s scent just about everywhere but it was always faint and impossible to track.
His mate was like a ghost: everywhere and nowhere, except in the packhouse. Oddly enough her scent was everywhere except within it. It was strange. The packhouse was the one place most wolves spent the majority of their time, especially unmated ones. It was only through mingling and meeting others that one found their mate after all. Unless…
Had his mate given up on finding him? Or did she have a mate previously and lost him? Though he was somewhat disappointed he would not be her first, his heart also ached for her if she had gone through the pain of losing a mate. Lobo whimpered his sympathy. In either case they wouldn’t know the answer until they found her.
Dressing in a pair of simple slacks and a button-down shirt Jason was ready long before Luke arrived to collect him. Together they headed to the back patio where tables and decorative lights had been set up. Pack members manned grills and a steady stream of omega servers brought out salads and sides from the kitchen.
Every pack he visited insisted on these welcome parties hoping to impress him. This meant he sat through the same party seven times, only the faces changed. Still it was a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Jason saw several of his warriors mingling with the crowd. Aside from Luke, his escort was comprised of unmated wolves.
It was not only difficult for alphas to find their fated mates but also for warriors to find theirs. To help his warriors as much as possible he always traveled with unmated ones giving them the opportunity to search for their mates. Whenever his warriors found their mates he was both happy for them and jealous. But now, finally, he was close to finding his own mate.
Reaching the coolers Jason considered his options. There were bottles of water and a few sodas but most were beer. That fact alone wouldn’t bother him as werewolves’ superior recovery rate eliminated alcohol almost as soon as it was imbibed. However, werewolves had developed their own brews using small amounts of aconite, otherwise known as wolfsbane.
In large amounts the herb was deadly but in small doses in conjunction with alcohol it slowed their recovery rate and allowed them to get drunk. There were three different strengths to this special concoction determined by how much aconite was used. It was easy to tell the strength of the three brews based on the color of the label: blue for the weakest followed by amber and finally red for the strongest.
Looking in the coolers Jason was rather disappointed to see the majority were red-labeled with a few amber ones but no blue. Lobo growled as Jason grabbed an amber-labeled bottle. He supposed it wouldn’t look good for an alpha to walk around with a bottle of soda though he had no intention of drinking the beer in his hand. The red-labeled beer wasn’t even allowed in his own territory.
Greeting nervous pack members he made his way to his host who held one of the red-labeled bottles with two empty ones on the table in front of him. Jason was careful to keep his expression neutral. Lobo hated it when Jason imbibed aconite beer as it caused some pain to their wolf spirits and weakened their connection. Jason wondered if Alpha Graham could even feel his wolf anymore after three.
Luke joined Jason shooting him a glance seeing their host’s growing stock of empty bottles. No doubt the Beta was thinking the same thing he was. They didn’t have a problem with someone kicking back and relaxing but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a need for self-control.
“Alpha Jason,” Luna Kristie greeted sauntering toward him in a rather short skirt and a blouse so tight she was practically bursting out of it. She sidled close to him fondling his arm and making his skin crawl. “How do you like our little party?”
“It’s nice to see the whole pack together,” Jason agreed gritting his teeth trying to control Lobo who wanted nothing more than to rip out her throat as she stroked his arm.
“I’m sure it’s far below what you’re used to,” Luna Kristie smiled batting her eyes. “You’re from an ancient pack so this must be quaint.”
Jason’s brow furrowed trying to figure out if she was complimenting his pack or insulting her own. A pup brushed past them chasing her brother. He chuckled at the pups’ excitement. Tonight must feel like a festival.
Beside him Luna Kristie practically snarled, “Where is that useless, wolfless girl…these spawn are her responsibility.”
Jason frowned. A Luna was the heart and soul of her pack and the one who secured its future. As such lunas were particularly maternal treating all pups like their own. He recalled the rumors Luke mentioned during the drive. Though it was far from proof he found it hard to believe she was a true Luna.
“Finally!” Luna Kristie exclaimed moving away much to his relief.
Jason sighed as the night breeze cleared away her overwhelming perfume. A new scent reached him far more intoxicating than any artificial odor. It was a mix of sage and lilac and made Lobo practically roll onto his back.
‘Mate! Mate is here!’
Jason turned into the breeze and watched as a petite she-wolf stepped onto the patio. She was rather pale for a werewolf but her hair was a mane of rich, walnut brown. Her clothing was simple: turtleneck, denim jacket and jeans that hugged her small frame and teased him with what lay underneath. But it was her eyes that captivated him. Her gaze shimmered silver in the moonlight like captured slivers of the moon itself.
Jason broke into a sweat, his hands went clammy and his throat constricted at the vision in front of him. After a decade of searching he finally found her. And she was perfect. Lobo practically bounced off the walls of his mind. Their mate was here!
“Miss Phoebe!” an excited squeal erupted from the crowd as several pups emerged from the crowd.
They ran up his mate like moths drawn to a flame. A dazzling smile warmed her face as she knelt embracing the first little she-wolf who reached her. They rubbed noses in a familiar gesture usually reserved for mates or between mothers and their pups.
Another she-wolf approached carrying a two-year-old handing off the pup to Jason’s mate. She accepted the pup with open arms. The pup didn’t show the least amount of stress as its mother gave it to another. It was clear the pup was used to these handoffs and contentedly clung to his mate who tenderly nuzzled him.
Phoebe. Her name is Phoebe.
‘Yes! Phoebe!’ Lobo happily whined, eager to learn the name of her wolf.
“I thought I told you I didn’t want to see these heathens while we had guests,” Luna Kristie snapped as she neared Phoebe surrounded by pups.
Phoebe bowed her head, “Sorry Luna. It won’t happen again.”
“It better not. I won’t have our guests’ night ruined by these spawn.”
“Of course, Luna. Come along pups,” Phoebe herded the little ones inside the packhouse and out of view.
“Jace? You okay?”
Jason’s hair bristled as he tried to calm his wolf, ‘Easy.’
‘How dare she talk to Mate like that! I’ll rip her throat out!’ Lobo growled.
‘Easy, let’s be smart about this.’
Jason frowned. It wasn’t right for his mate to bow to any wolf, Luna or no. Kristie’s attitude had been rubbing him the wrong way since his arrival and now he had a hard time controlling his disgust. Jason never heard of a Luna who hated pups or treated them with such contempt, chosen or not.
As his mate disappeared inside, Jason struggled to suppress his urge to follow. He searched for her for so long he wanted to keep her within his sight at all times. But he was the guest of honor and could hardly leave without drawing notice. He had to handle this situation carefully. Alphas were very protective of their territory and there was protocol to follow for a wolf to transfer packs though no one would prevent an alpha from claiming his rightful mate.
‘Mate come home with us!’ Lobo growled.
“Jace! What’s wrong?” Luke’s voice finally cut in.
“My mate. That was her.”
“You mean the one who took the pups inside?”
“Phoebe. Her name is Phoebe.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Go inside and watch her for me, please.”
“Sure. Don’t worry. She’ll be safe.”
“Keep me updated. I want to know everything.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’ll be like you were there yourself.”
Jason suppressed a growl. He wanted nothing more than to be at her side but something told him not to reveal his hand too soon to his hosts. There was something off about them that went beyond simple, chosen mates.
“What was that about?” Jason casually asked as Kristie returned.
“Oh nothing. Just a little trouble with the staff,” she smiled.
“Staff?”
“Yeah, poor wolfless Phoebe. Minding those little heathens is all she is good for.”
Jason raised an eyebrow looking at Graham for insight as the latter downed the rest of his beer. With a belch Graham set down the now empty bottle with the others before demanding another from the nearest pack member. A new bottle soon replaced the last and he didn’t hesitate to drink deeply from it despite the fact his wolf had to be suffering. Jason warily eyed his hosts. Something was very, very wrong with these two.
* * *
While Jason was too prominent a figure to slip away Luke had no such issue quietly returning to the packhouse. Entering the dining hall the echoes of laughter directed him to a small room off from the kitchen.
This room, unlike the dining hall, was plastered with the children’s artwork and educational posters from their lessons. It made the room cozy unlike the sterile atmosphere of the larger room. The same sense of unease that made Jason wary of their hosts also piqued Luke’s mind. Packs thrived on their pups which were literally their future. It was unnatural to hide them away like some dirty secret. Not wanting to disturb the little group Luke stood near the door out of sight peeking around the corner to keep an eye on his pack’s Luna.
She was average height standing only a little over five feet but more concerning was the fact she seemed thin. Luke didn’t recall seeing her at lunch and now he wondered if she was getting proper meals. Wolves tended to have a higher metabolism than humans so it was important they consumed enough calories or else they would rapidly lose condition especially if they shifted often.
She also seemed paler than normal though she could also have a naturally lighter complexion. Luke knew wolves from certain parts of Europe and the east coast tended to be paler than those on the west. Her hair was a mane of rich chestnut with a healthy sheen and her smile was warm causing her eyes to shimmer from gray to silver. It could also be her wolf hovering close to the surface though he never heard of a wolf with silver eyes, most had brown or amber.
The pups quickly took their seats at a long table laden with colorful paper, glitter glue, markers, sequins, buttons and string. In front of the younger pups the paper had been cut into star shapes with rows of plastic bins full of different craft supplies so they could color and decorate their stars as they wished. The older pups were given plain, paper squares. Once they were seated Phoebe demonstrated how to fold the paper square into an origami star once they finished decorating it. The older pups colored their paper, folded it and, if they chose, Phoebe would spray the finished project with adhesive and they could sprinkle glitter over it for the final touch.
Attaching strings to the finished projects Phoebe climbed up on a step stool to hang the stars from the ceiling much to the pups’ delight. When they were done they cleaned up their project table before pushing it to the wall. Once it was out of the way Phoebe brought out her final surprise, a bucket. She placed a light in the bottom before setting it on the ground. Over the bucket she added a paper fire effectively making a faux campfire. The pups giggled gathering around it as if it was real holding branches with paper marshmallows and hotdogs on the end.
“Excuse us.”
Luke jerked back allowing the kitchen omegas to enter bearing plates laden with real hotdogs, salads, coleslaw and other goodies from dinner. The pups squealed delight using the ketchup, mustard, relish and other condiments on their hotdogs. Each was given a soda and they happily ate their dinner around the pretend campfire.
Luke’s stomach complained about its own empty state. He stepped into the kitchen and helped himself to the sides lining the center counter. Outside he knew there were barbeque ribs and steak along with burgers and hotdogs but he didn’t mind missing out as he watched over his future Luna keeping Jason informed about her activities.
Slowly he became aware he had an audience. Luke turned to see one of the cooks watching him closely. The she-wolf studying him was an omega but well within her prime giving her an aura of experience and elevating her status somewhat even toward a beta like him. Luke gave her a respectful nod.
She pressed her lips together before asking, “Just what do you want with her? She doesn’t like playing games especially the ones you want to play.”
Luke grimaced at her candor before turning his head to show his mark. He thought the gesture would be enough but she continued to study him unimpressed.
“I’m just confused,” Luke finally said. Maybe he could glean some much needed information, “why are the pups in here and not outside?”
“Because our Luna doesn’t like pups. She thinks they get in the way.”
“But pups are a pack’s future.”
“Not according to her.”
Luke frowned. Alpha Graham was still young by werewolf standards so there was no reason for him to feel rushed into securing a mate. He didn’t have to wait as long as Jason but certainly he could have given it a little time. Given the advantages of a fated mate not to mention the risks of taking a chosen one every alpha made an effort to find their destined mate.
“Phoebe takes care of those pups like she was their mother,” the omega continued. “She’s sweet and gentle so I won’t tolerate no playing around with her.”
“I promise you, I have no intentions of doing that.”
The cook watched him a moment longer before returning to her duties. Luke hesitated but slowly sidled back to the door as the pups finished their supper.
“Miss Phoebe! Tell us a story!”
“Yeah! Story time!”
Phoebe chuckled as she gently cleaned the two-year-old’s face, “And what kind of story would you like?”
“An adventure story!”
“A story about kids like us! Adults are boring.”
“A scary story!”
“Oh my, that’s a tall order,” Phoebe laughed. “Let’s see…how about Treasure Island? I haven’t told you that one yet, have I?”
“What’s it about?”
“Well it’s about a treasure hunt.”
The pups shared dubious looks.
“It has adventure on the high seas, about a young boy just your ages…and it has scary pirates!”
“Okay!”
Phoebe chuckled urging them to settle down. When all were comfortable she started, “Once upon a time in a small English town…”
* * *
Jason struggled to keep his revulsion in check as Graham continued to drink heavily. Kristie flashed him flirty smiles and tried to play footsie under the table. The only thing keeping his wolf under control was Luke’s running commentary of his mate’s activities. Jason could almost picture the scene as she and the pups crafted their stars then pretended to camp around their campfire. By the time she related the plot of Treasure Island Lobo was practically purring.
‘Mate is amazing!’
‘Agreed.’
Jason sighed looking out across the patio with a relaxed smile. Her scent still lingered in his nostrils. What he wouldn’t give to trade places with Luke to watch over her himself. A pressure on his leg caused his skin to prickle bringing him out of his revelry. His eyes shifted to his host where Kristie sat smirking. He could feel her trying to mindlink him but Jason shut her out changing position so he was out of her reach. Lobo stirred with a growl. How dare anyone interrupt their fantasies about their mate?
As the party wound down couples began to disperse. Jason assumed they were retrieving the pups to take them to bed. His suspicions were confirmed as Luke continued giving him updates. The last pups Phoebe escorted to their own room within the packhouse before she departed leaving through the back door and disappearing into the night.
Luke followed at a discrete distance tracking her to a cottage. Jason was on the edge of his seat as Luke described the single story structure surrounded by a cozy garden with the woods butted up against it. The windows were dark when she arrived and remained that way as she went directly to bed. Luke prowled the perimeter not picking up any strong scents but hers. It seemed she lived alone.
Jason frowned. Not that he minded the fact his mate was not surrounded by unmated males but it was unnatural for a she-wolf to live alone. She-wolves generally possessed more gregarious natures than their male counterparts and preferred to live in close proximity with one another.
In all likelihood the cottage was her parents’ home and where Phoebe grew up. The fact she was living alone meant they had already passed. Lobo whimpered in sympathy upset they hadn’t found their mate sooner and would have been there for her during what was certainly a trying time. But why would his mate continue to live alone so far from the others? Most in her situation would have moved into the packhouse to be closer to other she-wolves, their support and comfort.
“Looks like she’s gone to bed,” Luke commented. “What do you want to do?”
‘Go to Mate!’ Lobo immediately demanded.
He would give anything to follow through with his instinct but Jason hesitated. Waking her from slumber by suddenly appearing on her doorstep was sure to be confusing for her. No, he needed to talk to her. They needed time to get to know each other. But…
“I don’t like leaving her out there alone so far away from the pack.”
“Agreed,” Luke answered. His pack’s Luna needed to be protected at all times. It was an instinct he didn’t dare fight. “What about a guard?”
Jason hesitated. Aside from Luke the rest of his escort were unmated males a fact that made Lobo bristle. He didn’t doubt the loyalty of his warriors but he also couldn’t fight his instinct to protect his unmarked mate from interlopers.
“What about Cam?” Luke suggested knowing his thoughts.
Cam was a fierce warrior and a skilled fighter. He was also gay. Unmated or not, he would certainly be no threat to the bond slowly forming between Jason and his mate.
“Good. Have Cam meet you.”
“Should I tell him why he’ll be guarding a random she-wolf?”
“He’s smart. He’ll figure it out on his own. But yeah. Tell him to keep it to himself for now…At least until I can speak with her.”
“Got it.”
Jason escaped the party and Kristie’s amorous overtures as soon as he could, retreating to his room. Double locking his door he hopped in the shower to try to cool his eagerness to see his mate. His arms itched to hold her, caress her. He was dying to bury his nose in her neck and breathe her scent.
‘Mate!’ Lobo growled pacing in the back of his mind like a caged animal.
‘I know pal,’ Jason sighed. ‘I want to be with her just as much as you do but we have to be cautious. There’s something wrong with this pack.’
‘If that Luna touches us again we rip her throat out!’ Lobo snarled.
‘Strange Alpha Graham didn’t react at all,’ Jason suddenly realized something that had been bothering him the whole night.
A chosen bond wasn’t as strong as a fated one but it still connected one’s wolf spirit to another allowing them to communicate and sense each other. If one member of the pair betrayed the bond the other would certainly feel it. Though Kristie had only been flirting her mate should still have felt her intentions and yet Graham hadn’t even flinched despite the fact she was sitting next to him. Then again he had been drinking quite heavily so perhaps he couldn’t sense his wolf through the haze. Or was he drinking to deliberately suppress his wolf and dull the ache of his mate’s betrayal?
Jason couldn’t decide which scenario was more disturbing. In either case his instinct told him it wasn’t safe to announce his fated mate had been found, at least not until he had a chance to speak with her. The sooner they could leave and get his mate back to the safety of his own pack the better.
‘Yes! Take Mate home!’
‘We will. We are not leaving without her.’
Lobo growled assent. No matter what he had to convince Phoebe to leave with him. Nobody could stop him from claiming what was his. Stepping out of the shower Jason felt more exhausted than when he entered. Quickly drying himself he splayed out in the large bed. Sleep didn’t come easily.
His mate was etched in his mind and he saw her as soon as he closed his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to curl up with her in his arms, her warm scent wafting around him and filling his nose. Only with that image firmly in place did he finally manage to fall asleep.

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"Is that beautiful silver she-wolf part of our pack?"
"Have you forgotten? She's the girl you rejected three years ago."

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“Miss Phoebe! Miss Phoebe!”
The chorus of excited squeals greeted her as she entered the packhouse kitchen. Phoebe smiled sinking to her knees as the ten young pups ranging from four to thirteen rushed to greet her. She laughed hugging each of them tight, rubbing noses with a few she was particularly close to.
“Thank you so much for taking them today,” one of the female wolves said carrying a two-year-old.
Phoebe stood accepting the pup who giggled at her and said, “It’s no problem at all. This is my favorite part of the day. All right everyone let’s go on a scavenger hunt!”
“Yeah!!”
Phoebe herding the pups out of the packhouse and led them to the woods. This was how all her days started since her rejection.
* * *
The Rimrock Pack was located in the southwest of Washington State about forty miles from Mount Rainier. Only a few miles to the north was the similarly named town. The town and the pack had been there so long no one remembered which had been established first. Regardless the pack used the city for most of their needs including shopping and schooling though their pups sometimes had a difficult time adjusting to a human-run school. Pack members who went on to college generally only went as far as Seattle or, more rarely, Portland and Phoebe was no exception.
Their pack was not overly large, about four hundred members, a respectable size carefully nurtured by their previous alpha. While most pack members lived in the packhouse Phoebe still lived in the small cottage she once shared with her parents. She was not an omega but also not one of the high-ranking members.
Like the majority of pack members she was one of the unranked masses: the nameless cogs without which the pack would cease to function. Her parents had been fated mates and also unranked members though not without their own bit of prestige. Her mother had been head cook and her father the chief groundskeeper in charge of the pack gardens as well as a tutor for members struggling with their studies as he was one of the few with a college education.
Human beauty standards didn’t mean much to wolves who skewed more toward voluptuous profiles. High-ranking wolves were fit, muscular and aggressive whether male or female especially if they were warriors. The unranked members below them were not quite as extreme muscle-wise but still physically strong. Below them omegas lacked physical prowess and stamina. Though they didn’t stand a chance in a fight against a high-ranking wolf or even most unranked ones omegas were still far stronger than humans.
As an unranked member Phoebe was…average. She was average height, if somewhat petite by wolf standards. Her form was pleasingly curvy. Like most wolves she had a mane of thick mousy-brown hair that reached just past her shoulders though her skin was on the pale side. Her only notable physical feature was her silver-gray eyes. Phoebe was average in every way: except her wolf.
Wolf spirits usually awakened in their mid-to-late teens. The more powerful the wolf the sooner it emerged. Alphas, betas and some gammas awakened as early as sixteen while omegas might awakened as late as their early twenties. Phoebe’s wolf awakened when she was fifteen.
Phoebe was in a deep asleep when Máni suddenly woke her up with a bright, ‘Hello, moonshine!’
To say she was surprised was putting it mildly but Máni proved to be excellent company for a wolf san siblings. An even greater surprise awaited Phoebe on the first full moon after her sixteenth birthday. Máni woke her in the dead of night and insisted she go out into the forest behind her parents’ cottage. Sleepy and confused Phoebe nonetheless obeyed her wolf’s directives.
Once outside she greeted the rising full moon only to be wracked by a sudden excruciating pain as her joints popped and bones lengthened and realigned. Fur bristled covering her body as her nose elongated to a muzzle. Máni talked her through the pain urging her not to resist and to let her wolf spirit take over. After an excruciating hour Phoebe stood on four padded paws.
‘Shall we see ourselves?’ Máni suggested bringing them to the water’s edge of a nearby pond.
Looking at their reflection Phoebe saw a silver-white wolf. Their fur practically glowed in the moonlight with silver-blue eyes that shimmered like water.
‘We’re…beautiful.’
‘Yeah, we are. Let’s go for a run.’
Phoebe let her wolf take over. They stretched and sniffed the cold, clean air before rushing off into the woods. It felt good to run, to feel the wind through her fur and fill her lungs. It all ended too soon and they returned home. Máni talked her through the shift back and they safely returned to bed before the sun rose.
For some reason Máni insisted on keeping their early shift secret and usually stayed quiet deep in the recesses of Phoebe’s mind to avoid others sensing her. Phoebe didn’t argue though she was confused since the first shift was an important rite of passage for every werewolf.
Even more confusing was her wolf’s color. Gray was a fairly common color but Phoebe never heard of a silver wolf. Even Máni was at a loss to explain, or at least unwilling to. Desperate for answers Phoebe spent long hours in the packhouse library as well as her father’s study researching werewolf history and silver wolves without any luck until she found a book of werewolf lore. According to it silver wolves were even rarer than white wolves. They were wolves of prophecy and considered harbingers of chaos and upheaval.
Máni shrugged off the book’s description saying, ‘you read too much,’ but refused to give any definitive explanations. It was strange to think her own wolf would keep secrets from her but without anyone else to consult Phoebe let it go. She was just happy to have a faithful ally.
Phoebe thought her wolf’s secretive nature was just to hide its early awakening but as her eighteenth birthday approached Máni showed no signs of revealing herself. As far as others could sense she was wolfless which led to some ostracizing and bullying. She didn’t particularly mind it and Máni was amused by the pack’s efforts to ridicule them. It was easy to ignore and she focused on her studies to graduate early and go on to college.
She assumed like most she-wolves everything would make sense once she found her Goddess-given mate. Her parents were fated mates and she never doubted their love and devotion to one another. It was sweet and she looked forward to finding her own. Little did she know reality would be a far cry from her dreams.
She met her mate when she was twenty-one and freshly graduated from college. During her four years of study Phoebe seldom returned to the pack. Her first week home after completing her studies Phoebe sat in the cottage’s porch swing quietly reading Sense and Sensibility when her mate suddenly appeared.
Graham was the son of their alpha and destined to be their future leader which was why his father sent him overseas to attend the only Alpha School in the world. According to Phoebe’s father the school was very exclusive only accepting the sons and daughters of alphas from the highest-ranking packs.
Packs were ranked based on history, size, collective wealth and the relative strength of the Alpha’s bloodline. The criterion was vague and her father said the Rimrock pack barely qualified. Attendance was not mandatory for alphas by any means. The highest-ranking packs generally avoided it as the tuition was prohibitively expensive and preferred to train their heirs within the pack. But that wasn’t to say there weren’t advantages.
Despite the number of packs spread across the world werewolf communities tended to be very insular. They seldom interacted with packs outside their immediate neighbors. By attending the school future alphas and lunas had the opportunity to meet with others far beyond their usual territories and make allies in addition to taking practical classes about running a pack, managing finances and maintaining pack territory.
It also helped them find potential mates as it was usually difficult for alphas and many betas to find their fated mates within their own packs. According to her father packs intermingled more in the past so it was easier for high-ranking pack members to find their Goddess-given mates but as packs became more insular it became more difficult. While some thought it coincidence Phoebe couldn’t help but think the Moon Goddess herself was telling her children they needed to change their ways.
Since Phoebe graduated early from high school and left for college before her contemporaries she hadn’t had much interaction with their future alpha. From what she saw of him he was a typical young wolf ruled by his hormones carrying on several relationships throughout school with little regard to attachments. She thought he could use some maturing as did Máni.
When Phoebe heard their young alpha had returned from his studies she avoided his welcome home party which devolved into a drunken shamble according to her father who had to clean it up the next morning. Máni had been quiet all day so Phoebe hadn’t been expecting any dramatic events when she suddenly caught scent of evergreen and chocolate. The combination was pleasant if not overly stimulating but she understood what it meant. Looking up Phoebe found herself staring at her pack’s future leader.
To say she was surprised to be mated to an alpha was putting it mildly. Máni immediately pressed forward eager to meet their mate but almost as quickly receded with a snort saying, ‘Don’t worry, Phoebe. I’ll protect us.’
‘What do you…’ Phoebe’s internal protest fell silent as she looked again at her mate. His confused frown turned to a cold scowl. She tilted her head to the side instantly wary.
“You’re supposed to be my mate?!” Graham demanded. “A Luna needs to be strong and tall and beautiful and you’re…”
“Average.” Phoebe said.
“How straight you are!” Graham growled. “And wolfless? Are you kidding me?”
Phoebe winced. She understood his confusion but his outrage was something different. The Goddess did not choose their mates randomly. There was reason behind it. Just as their wolf spirits were their center their mates were their second halves. Only together were they complete. At least that was what her parents taught her.
“What is your name?” Graham demanded.
“Phoebe Luan,” she answered after a moment already anticipating his next move.
“You don’t have a wolf so this won’t hurt at all,” Graham said as a word of caution. “I, Graham Archer, future Alpha of the Rimrock Pack, reject you Phoebe Luan as my mate and Luna.”
Phoebe leaned forward whimpering as a sharp pain pierced her chest. Her book fell to the ground as she hugged herself and a burning sensation spread to her extremities. It felt as if she were being stabbed by hundreds of needles.
“Hurry up and accept it or it will just hurt more,” Graham snorted unhappy with her dramatics.
“…I, Phoebe Luan…accept your rejection,” she managed to gasp. The pain eased to a dull ache similar to heartburn.
To her surprise Graham suddenly bent over groaning in pain as their bond snapped. Perhaps it was cruel but she was glad not to be the only one suffering. Slowly straightening he sneered at her before hurriedly departing.
‘Máni? Are you all right?’
‘…I will be. We will be. The Moon Goddess loves us.’
‘If she loved us why did she make him our mate?’
‘She has her reasons. You’ll see.”
Phoebe thought the worst was over but another surprise was waiting. Two weeks after her rejection Kristie arrived with Graham proclaiming her to be his Luna. Their Alpha Succession and Luna Ceremonies were held in tandem at the following full moon. Phoebe dutifully helped with preparations but declined to attend the actual ceremonies though attendance was supposedly mandatory so that the pack could swear fealty to their new alpha pair. She managed by faking ill something she never did before.
Máni suggested a run, a precaution that proved advantageous when she was suddenly assailed with pain as her mate marked another. Despite the severing of their bond Phoebe suffered whenever Graham and his chosen mate were together. She hoped that the marking would finally bring an end to the pain but it continued to linger slowly dulling over time.
Phoebe kept her distance avoiding the packhouse except when it was absolutely necessary. She knew her parents wondered about this behavior and probably had an inkling why she did it but they respected her privacy and did not directly question her.
Five years had passed since then and Phoebe continued to avoid the packhouse. The only difference now was that her parents had passed away leaving her alone to maintain the cottage and garden. Now whenever Graham and Kristie mated she only felt a dull ache and thankfully those times were few and far between.
The alpha pair had yet to produce a pup and heir but that wasn’t completely unexpected. Chosen mates were less fertile than fated ones. While a fated pair could easily produce four or five pups, chosen ones would only have one or two in the same amount of time. Given that Phoebe felt his betrayal less often she could only assume the pair didn’t mate as often as they used to making it even more difficult to conceive.
Though she wondered about the pack’s future stability it wasn’t her place to question their alpha. No one knew she had been his fated mate and no one would listen to a wolfless unranked she-wolf anyway. So she focused on what she could do for the pack: namely educating the pack pups.
* * *
“All right, gather around,” Phoebe laughed as the kids swarmed around her.
Phoebe carried the two-year-old on her hip while the others waited for the rules of their game. Sometimes it felt as if the pack treated her as a glorified pup-sitter but she didn’t mind as it allowed her to spend time with them without interference. She used their numerous outings to teach them various bits of practical knowledge.
She had brought them to a wide clearing filled with wildflowers. When they arrived, a pair of deer spooked and leaped back into the safety of the forest shadow. It was a promising sign that no one from the pack had sullied the area so they should have no problem with their scavenger hunt. Piled off to the side were several baskets woven from wild grasses. The pups immediately noticed them and fidgeted with excitement.
“Okay, so did everyone bring their herb book?” Phoebe asked holding up her own.
Eagerly the pups held up their homemade pamphlets they made during their craft project earlier in the week. Taped to each page was a medicinal herb that had been pressed and dried specifically for the application. Each page also included the plant’s name and most common uses written in Phoebe’s neat scrawl for the younger pups while the older pups wrote theirs themselves. Over the last few weeks they had learned about herbs, how to identify edible plants and poisonous ones and where to find them. Now it was time to put that information into practical experience.
“So today we are going to have a scavenger hunt!” Phoebe announced to excited cheers. “As I’m sure you’ve figured out we are going to collect herbs. I want you to split into pairs because…why?”
“Safety first!” the pups answered in chorus.
“That’s right. So in pairs you will take your baskets and collect as many herbs from your books as you can find,” Phoebe said. “I will award special prizes for the most herbs picked, the biggest variety of herbs collected and for the rarest herb found.”
The pups bounced on their heels eager to begin.
“Remember to stay in the boundaries of the clearing. Ready? On your marks. Remember our safety rules! Go!”
Squealing the pups darted to the pile of baskets before dispersing through the clearing. Phoebe smiled cooing at the two-year-old pup in her arms. He was too young to take part in this event but he would still benefit from being able to run around in the fresh air.
“Miss Phoebe! Miss Phoebe!”
She turned as an eager pup hurried up to her holding a sprig with bright yellow flowers.
“Is this wormwood?”
“No. That’s mustard,” Phoebe answered kneeling down to the pup’s level. She never liked to talk down to them. “Let’s see what wormwood looks like again, shall we?”
The pup dutifully opened her book to the appropriate page for comparison. Phoebe was always patient with the pups and never lost her temper. They were young and still learning so it was natural for them to make mistakes.
Once the mini-lesson about the difference between the two herbs was over the pup returned to her brother and continued their hunt. The pups were free to ask her any questions but she wouldn’t help them find the herbs. Phoebe smiled at the young pair.
Blake and Emma were brother and sister born one year apart so they were close. Their parents had also been unranked members of the pack. Their mother was the alpha’s maid and their father an architect who designed most of the packhouse as well as many of the private homes scattered throughout the territory. Unfortunately both had been killed in a rogue attack two years ago leaving the pups orphaned.
Since then Phoebe did her best to look after them, taking them shopping for clothes and school supplies as well as making sure they were included in activities. Orphans could easily be ostracized by other pack members and that was something Phoebe wanted to avoid. Strong bonds kept a pack together and she wanted the pups to maintain and cherish those bonds. So far her efforts seemed to make the difference. The others included the orphaned pair in their games and didn’t bully or belittle them for what they lost.
After an hour the pups gathered around her to show their efforts. Phoebe led the group to the pack hospital where Bridget waited to receive them. Bridget separated out the herbs and gave the pups what appeared to be an impromptu lesson in first aid demonstrating how some herbs could be used with minimal handling and how to bandage injuries.
Like Phoebe, Bridget was on the petite side though slightly taller than the former. Her hair was a rich chestnut with a hint of an auburn sheen and her skin a soft tan color as was usual for werewolves. She had a round, pretty face and a small, pert nose.
Bridget was another unranked wolf that kept the pack working. A couple years younger than Phoebe, they met shortly after the latter’s rejection. In fact the young, talented nurse was the only pack member who knew about it. She didn’t know who rejected Phoebe but she knew they were a pack member and assumed they were fairly high-ranked given Phoebe’s aversion to the packhouse and official ceremonies.
As one of the few Phoebe considered a close friend she often turned to Bridget when she was in need of assistance. Luckily Bridget was a brilliant herbalist and talented chemist so she had plenty of practical knowledge to share. Once the demonstration was over Bridget handed out her homemade lollipops made with medicinal herbs. If one peered through the semi-transparent, jewel-like creation they would see whole leaves or petals of the herbs used and now that the lesson was over the pups could even identify them.
The excited pups followed Phoebe back to her cottage where she handed out their prizes. Praising them for their impressive finds and sheer amount collected she gave out prizes accordingly. A pair of boys collected the most and received a pair of gloves and a baseball. Surprisingly Blake and Emma found the greatest variety and received a jug of bubble solution and bubble guns. A young pair of she-wolves found the rarest herb to receive a styling kit with a variety of barrettes and colorful hair extensions.
Phoebe always made sure the prizes suited the awardees and their interests. All the pups received large bouncy balls for participating. She was certain the winners would share their special prizes during their daily games.
After the prizes were awarded, Phoebe led her troop back to the packhouse. The pups were eager to play with their new toys and Phoebe hoped they would retain the lessons that earned them their prizes. What she wanted most was for the pups to take pride in their own abilities. Not everyone would rise through the ranks as warriors but everyone could contribute to the pack in some meaningful way.
Most would always be in the middle like herself. It was important to do what they could do. Finding, collecting and delivering herbs to the pack hospital benefited everyone. Being able to perform simple first aid could save a life in dire circumstances. Those were the kinds of lessons she hoped to instill in the pups.
“Miss Phoebe.”
She paused seeing Blake and Emma had remained while the other pups dispersed.
“Can we come over tonight?” Emma asked.
“Are you sure you won’t get into trouble?”
“Jake is patrolling tonight and he never checks on us,” Blake wrinkled his nose.
“All right. I’ll make something special for us,” Phoebe smiled.
The pair hugged her before hurrying to catch up with the others. Phoebe watched them feeling a familiar pain in her chest. Ever since they were orphaned she did her best to care for them. She remodeled her own childhood bedroom to suit the brother and sister filling it with books, toys and games as well as a closet full of clothes. Phoebe even petitioned to adopt the pups officially but had been denied. Her face warmed at the memory.
* * *
“Alpha!” Phoebe stormed into Graham’s office without waiting for permission. “Explain this!”
Phoebe tossed the denied adoption papers onto his desk staring at him as he flinched. It had been years since she last set foot in the packhouse and it was the first time she entered his office. Despite the vast difference in their status Phoebe showed no inclination to give him proper respect. Her eyes shimmered silver as she glared at him and his wolf cowered.
Trying to maintain some semblance of his authority he looked at the paper she tossed at him stating, “It seems pretty obvious.”
“I didn’t ask you to identify it,” Phoebe practically snarled. “I told you to explain it. Why did you deny the application?”
“Why would you want to adopt two pups in the first place?” he snorted. “Their family can take care of them.”
“They don’t have any family,” Phoebe snapped. “Their aunt and uncle were killed three years ago in a rogue attack. Their grandparents passed the year before that. Their mother was from a different pack.”
“Was she?” Graham frowned.
“She was your exclusive maid. Do you even remember what she looked like?” Phoebe snorted in disgust. “Have you compensated those pups for their loss before you sent your yes man to turn off the water and power to their home? A home they were still living in. They nearly froze to death!”
Graham winced. He did remember signing the order to turn off power to the abandoned home but he had been assured it was empty.
“Those pups have been living with me for the past six months so why can’t I adopt them?”
“You aren’t even mated!”
“And why is that I wonder?” Phoebe growled. Máni had never made herself known since she awakened but now she pressed close to the surface adding power to Phoebe’s anger and enhancing her aura.
Graham involuntarily shuddered as her anger washed over him. It made his wolf completely withdraw. Feeling his wolf become submissive irritated him. He was alpha and everyone was beneath him especially a wolfless female.
What made it worse was that she was right. He should have been aware the pups’ parents were gone and that they had no close relatives within the pack. They should have been placed in appropriate lodgings and whoever adopted them compensated for raising them.
None of that had been done because he hadn’t bothered with the paperwork. Compounding the issue was the fact Kristie overspent her weekly clothing allowance and he had to get the money from another part of the pack’s finances.
“It’s not your place to question your Alpha,” he forced himself to stand giving him a height advantage since he was little over six feet and Phoebe only five-four. “The pups will be taken care of. They don’t need you. Understand?”
The pups had been given a room in the packhouse that was hardly larger than a closet. Somehow they crammed in two camping cots and a pair of trunks inside. According to the pups it was drafty and dark since it only had one small window and no one bothered to install a light bulb in the single overhead light. Even worse the pups’ had mandatory bed checks.
After bedtime the patrolling security made periodic checks to ensure the pups were actually in bed. It had been bad in the beginning but now the patrols were getting more lax allowing Blake and Emma to sneak away returning to her cottage where she kept their room ready.
Her heart ached knowing her anger made life difficult for pups that already had enough tragedy in their young lives. Máni whimpered in her mind sharing her guilt. Their anger was completely justified but they expressed it in the wrong setting. Even so Phoebe continued to care for the brother and sister providing them with new clothes, much better than the shabby hand-me-downs from the pack’s donation closet.
Turning away from the packhouse Phoebe made her way back to her cottage. Her mind raced with meal ideas. She smiled already looking forward to company. Normally her meals were solitary affairs unless Bridget stopped by so the pups would most certainly be a welcome change.
Máni perked up. Phoebe could practically feel her tail wagging in anticipation. One day they would find a way to keep the pups close. She just had to be patient and avoid Luna Kristie’s notice.
“There you are Phoebe.”
‘Speak of the devil,’ Máni huffed.
Inwardly she cringed as she turned, “Hello Luna.”
Kristie was almost a half foot taller than Phoebe with a lithe body punctuated by an hourglass figure. Her long, blonde hair was neatly highlighted and professionally styled as were her nails. It was clear she spent a lot of time and money on her appearance.
Yet her aura was minimal. In fact Phoebe barely felt it even when Kristie tried to exert influence over her. Máni confirmed the Luna’s aura was exceptionally weak so Phoebe knew she didn’t imagine it. Despite this, or maybe because of it, Kristie resorted to rather extreme measures to keep her authority over the pack. Phoebe struggled to maintain a neutral expression keeping her disgust contained.
“How can I help you, Luna?”
Kristie smirked, “We’re having some very important visitors next week and I don’t want those annoying little spawn to bother them. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes Luna. I’ll arrange some activities to keep them busy and out of the way.”
“Good.” Kristie smiled tipping up her nose. “Poor Phoebe, I do pity you.”
“Pardon?”
“If only the Goddess had been kinder to you and gave you a wolf then you wouldn’t have to deal with those snot-nosed kids.”
With a condescending smile Kristie walked away. With a sigh Phoebe tried to calm herself. A luna was meant to be the heart of the pack and ensure the pack’s future. How could she not like pups?
‘She is no true Luna,’ Máni gave a dismissive snort. ‘A Gamma maybe. Delta most likely.’
‘Hmm.’ Phoebe really couldn’t argue considering the alpha had been her fated mate. ‘I don’t see why she has to act like that. She’d get more respect if she was more personable.’
‘She is in a position she was never meant to have so I suppose an inferiority complex is natural,’ Máni said. ‘Especially since her wolf is submissive to us.’
‘It is?’
‘Oh yes. Imagine how much her pride must smart every time her wolf shows its belly to you…a wolfless she-wolf.’
Phoebe frowned. This was not the first time Máni mentioned something similar. Although her wolf continued to hide itself other wolf spirits instinctively sensed her presence and reacted in various ways. Higher ranks acted subservient causing disconnections to their human half while the lower ranking wolves showed difference and respect.
Phoebe found they had a calming influence on others defusing arguments even if she didn’t directly intervene. Yet despite this others continued to think she was wolfless but as Máni wasn’t inclined to explain it was a mystery she never expected to solve.
‘Well we’ll just have to stay out her way.’
‘Or she could stay out of ours,’ Máni countered. ‘Next time…I vote we don’t save her.’
Phoebe chuckled remembering the night as if it had happened yesterday. It had been the night of the Winter Solstice and the pack was celebrating the longest night of the year in fine style.
* * *
Avoiding the party as usual Phoebe’s quiet night was interrupted by Máni suddenly declaring an urge to go for a run. Since the majority of the pack would remain at the party there was no reason to be overly cautious.
Phoebe headed to her garden. Satisfied they were alone and unseen she slipped out of her clothes folding them neatly and stuffing them in a small bag she hid under her mother’s rhododendron. The cold, night air caused her pale skin to prickle with goose bumps as she stepped beyond the garden gate and into the woods beyond but the discomfort faded as she shifted. Her first shift had been painful but now it was exhilarating as she gave into her wolf and dropped to all fours. Thick silver fur kept her warm and her senses sharpened.
It was an odd sensation as Phoebe and Máni switched places. Still aware, Phoebe’s consciousness faded to the background as Máni pressed forward. The switch wasn’t strictly necessary but it was more efficient to allow her wolf to take the lead in this form where Máni’s control was instinctual and automatic just as Phoebe’s was in human form.
Stretching Máni sniffed the air and assured them they were indeed alone. A light snow gently fell, landing on their fur but not melting. Delighted with the picturesque night Máni turned in circles with her tail held high. Leaping straight up, she snapped at the lazily falling flakes before sprinting off with freshly warmed-up muscles. It was exhilarating to run like a ghost through the dark woods. Their breaths came out in clouds that quickly vaporized behind them as they ran onward through the snowy landscape.
Máni suddenly slowed and stopped. She sniffed the air, hackles curling back as she caught the faint scent of arousal in the crisp air. They were relatively close to the packhouse but still far enough away for it to be unusual to meet another. Cautiously she eased forward until her sharp vision located the pair currently engaged in illicit activities.
Phoebe jerked to attention recognizing the she-wolf as none other than their luna. She was pressed up against a tree. Phoebe recognized the male as one of the delta warriors though she never had contact with them. Máni growled softly at the sight. Either it was too quiet to hear or the pair was too occupied to notice because they didn’t stop.
‘H-how can she do this!’ Phoebe stammered.
Máni didn’t answer immediately. In the brief encounters they had with her they had picked up on subtle smells of her affairs. Though Kristie tried to hide it with frequent baths and perfume it followed her like a cloud.
‘You really shouldn’t be surprised,’ Máni finally said. ‘We’ve known she’s been doing this for some time.’
‘But…shouldn’t the alpha be tearing everything apart because of her betrayal?’
‘Under normal circumstances but remember they are chosen mates. The bond between them is weaker.’
‘I know, but still…’
‘Plus, their wolves never bonded.’
‘They didn’t?’
‘No. The alpha’s wolf has been disconnected since he rejected us and the luna’s…well I’m surprised she can still shift at how weak it’s become since rejecting her fated mate.’
‘She rejected hers too?’
‘Of course.’
Phoebe cringed at the thought of the pain the other must have suffered. She didn’t know if there was anything crueler than rejecting one’s fated mate. Máni whimpered comfort and turned to leave just as hunting howls chorused through the forest.
Five rogues emerged from the night setting upon the distracted pair. Though the warrior attempted to protect his Luna and lover he was quickly overwhelmed. He only managed to kill one before he was brought down. Kristie screamed in horror watching the rogues tear him apart. She was completely frozen in fear unable to shift or defend herself.
Máni briefly considered leaving her to her fate but a gentle prod from Phoebe resigned the wolf to interfering. Rushing forward she was on top of them before they even sensed her. Máni leapt landing on one and breaking its back before attacking another. She sank her teeth into its neck ripping its throat out. Whirling around she charged a third bowling it over and ripping into its belly before darting back into the woods leaving one for Kristie to manage on her own.
Angry howls filled the air signaling the pack warriors were on the way. Kristie would only have to handle the remaining rogue for a few minutes. Máni raced through the woods with unmatched speed quickly distancing them from the fight. Once clear she rolled in the snow to remove any traces of blood from her coat before heading home. She took a long, meandering route back to avoid pursuit.
Phoebe quickly dressed before heading inside. Locking the door she turned off the lights before going to the shower to wash away any lingering scent of the rogues then headed to bed as the hunting howls continued to echo through the territory.
“Jace. Earth to Jace. Hey wake up!”
Jason jolted awake grumbling as his Beta playfully swatted him. They had known each other since they were pups so there was no need for formality between them when they were alone. Yawning Jason stretched in the passenger seat and looked out the window at the same scene that had surrounded them the past several hundred miles.
“Where are we?”
“About another hour before we reach the next pack,” Luke answered.
“And which one is that again?” Jason sighed. After visiting six other packs they were all beginning to look alike.
“Rimrock,” Luke cued the information on his iPad before handing it to him.
Jason dutifully read the pack’s dossier. At just over four hundred members it was only a mid-level pack. Like other packs they had been experiencing more rogue attacks of late which was the reason for his little tour…at least publicly.
Jason was Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, one of the six ancient packs. With over five thousand members strong it was the largest pack in North America and one of the most prosperous. At thirty he had been running the pack for almost ten years making him one of the youngest as well. As with most alphas, Jason was tall and muscular without excess bulk.
He had dark brown hair. His chin was usually softened by a trim goatee but due to the tight travel schedule he had a bit more stumble as of late. There was very little his sharp, brown eyes missed. Others characterized him as a hard one but those who knew him knew he was quite amicable, witty and charming despite his growing despondency.
His wolf spirit had awakened early a testament to the sheer power contained within it. Lobo was a large brown, nearly black, wolf with burning amber eyes and stood almost a foot taller than other wolves, even other alphas including his own father. Lobo’s early emergence was part of the reason Jason assumed the mantle of leadership sooner than planned. His alpha aura was simply too powerful over-shadowing his father’s and funneling the pack’s loyalty away from his predecessor whose rule was waning.
Jason always knew he would be Alpha so he had no problem assuming the mantel. His one regret was not having his Luna at his side. As his father’s successor, normally Jason would have marked his Luna before leadership was passed but despite years of searching and traveling among his neighbors he had yet to scent the one fated to stand by his side.
After a werewolf’s wolf spirit awakened and once they experienced their first shift they were able to sense their fated mates. He had been promised he would know her immediately by her scent. It would be so intoxicating he would have difficulty focusing on anything else. Yet despite the fact his Beta and Gamma, even his sister, found their mates with relative ease Jason still searched for his.
To pass the time most wolves engaged in mating activity to take the edge off their pent-up drive. Jason; however, abstained from such frivolous activity. The last thing he wanted was to be covered in another she-wolf’s scent when he finally found his mate. He was determined she would be his first, only and last. Lobo was in complete agreement.
But after a decade of searching they were both were feeling the strain. A pack was meant to be led by a pair. An Alpha was the pack’s strength but a Luna was its heart. His pack desperately needed the heart they had been missing as much as he needed his Luna by his side. Tensions were ready to snap and discord wormed its way into the pack harmony. Jason was beginning to wonder how long it could maintain its tenuous balance.
Wanting to help his mother suggested a security tour. Rogue attacks were on the rise. It was a good time to tour the packs most affected and evaluate their security levels to determine if they were adequate. It was also good cover to extend the search for his Luna as he would be visiting packs he hadn’t been to before. That was the real reason for this trip but after a half dozen packs he was beginning to lose hope, especially after the last one.
Jason cringed at the memory of the alpha’s daughter in his bed covered in rose petals. Despite numerous complaints and even threats she continued to try and enter his bedroom. Lobo was ready to go on a killing spree so Jason cut his visit short.
“Cheer up, Jace,” Luke eyed him with concern. “Hey, lucky number seven. Right?”
“Right.” Jason sighed looking again at the dossier. “Looks like the alpha’s a little younger than me…and he’s mated.”
“Y-yeah…well, maybe not. If rumors are true they aren’t fated mates.”
“He took a chosen mate?”
Jason frowned. It was common knowledge a mated alpha was more powerful than an unmated one and a fated bond stronger than a chosen one. That was the reason why alphas went out of their way to locate their fated mates as it would guarantee them more influence and strength. There was no reason for a young alpha to resort to taking a chosen mate if his fated was not yet found. Was the Rimrock’s alpha just impatient or had he lost his mate in a rogue attack in which case the Goddess would certainly have granted a second chance mate?
There was no way the Alpha would have done the unthinkable and actually…rejected his mate. The Goddess was benevolent and caring but she never forgave anyone if they rejected their fated mate. While the rejected wolf would be given a second chance the one who rejected them would not. Their soul would be cursed never to know the serenity of finding their match. They would have no choice except to settle for a chosen mate which was cruel enough but when they died they would be cursed to wander the Moonlit territory alone…forever.
Lobo stirred, whining. His wolf was desperate to find its mate but not so desperate to resort to taking a chosen mate. No. Their fated mate was out there and when they found her she would be…perfect. Lobo settled in the back of his mind, comforted for the time being.
Jason turned his attention back to Rimrock’s dossier and tried to forget his anxiety but that was easier said than done. His apprehension remained as they entered the pack’s territory and arrived at the packhouse. With a sigh Jason opened the door and climbed out while Luke conferred with their escort emerging from two other vehicles and reminding them of proper visitor conduct.
Grabbing his jacket Jason breathed deep and suddenly froze as Lobo practically leapt to attention and surged to the forefront of Jason’s mind. It was a struggle to keep his wolf in check even as he breathed in the cool air again. There was no mistaking it: she’s here.
“Jace, what’s up?” Luke asked joining him. “Jay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“She’s here.”
“What? Who?”
“My mate.”
Luke blinked hardly willing to believe it, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s faint but it’s definitely her scent. She’s here.”
“I told you lucky number seven,” Luke grinned. Spying their approaching hosts he said, “But let’s keep it together for now.”
Jason growled. His dark eyes swirled amber as Lobo pressed closer wanting nothing more than to tear straight through the pack until he found his mate. He had waited long enough.
“Easy Jace,” Luke muttered feeling Jason’s aura washing over him. “Your mate is here, right? Well we’ll be going on a tour soon so it’ll be the perfect time to find her, right?”
“Right.” Jason breathed deep slowly regaining control.
Lobo whimpered, ‘Mate!’
‘I know. We’ll find her. We are not leaving without her.’
‘Yes! Find Mate!’ Lobo finally receded allowing him to withdraw his aura.
‘Patience, buddy. We’ll find her.’
* * *
Jason stepped out of the bathroom drying his hair before dressing. After a tedious tour of Rimrock’s packhouse and surrounding grounds he now had to sit through a welcome party with his hosts. Lobo impatiently prowled the back of his mind. They had picked up their mate’s scent just about everywhere but it was always faint and impossible to track.
His mate was like a ghost: everywhere and nowhere, except in the packhouse. Oddly enough her scent was everywhere except within it. It was strange. The packhouse was the one place most wolves spent the majority of their time, especially unmated ones. It was only through mingling and meeting others that one found their mate after all. Unless…
Had his mate given up on finding him? Or did she have a mate previously and lost him? Though he was somewhat disappointed he would not be her first, his heart also ached for her if she had gone through the pain of losing a mate. Lobo whimpered his sympathy. In either case they wouldn’t know the answer until they found her.
Dressing in a pair of simple slacks and a button-down shirt Jason was ready long before Luke arrived to collect him. Together they headed to the back patio where tables and decorative lights had been set up. Pack members manned grills and a steady stream of omega servers brought out salads and sides from the kitchen.
Every pack he visited insisted on these welcome parties hoping to impress him. This meant he sat through the same party seven times, only the faces changed. Still it was a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Jason saw several of his warriors mingling with the crowd. Aside from Luke, his escort was comprised of unmated wolves.
It was not only difficult for alphas to find their fated mates but also for warriors to find theirs. To help his warriors as much as possible he always traveled with unmated ones giving them the opportunity to search for their mates. Whenever his warriors found their mates he was both happy for them and jealous. But now, finally, he was close to finding his own mate.
Reaching the coolers Jason considered his options. There were bottles of water and a few sodas but most were beer. That fact alone wouldn’t bother him as werewolves’ superior recovery rate eliminated alcohol almost as soon as it was imbibed. However, werewolves had developed their own brews using small amounts of aconite, otherwise known as wolfsbane.
In large amounts the herb was deadly but in small doses in conjunction with alcohol it slowed their recovery rate and allowed them to get drunk. There were three different strengths to this special concoction determined by how much aconite was used. It was easy to tell the strength of the three brews based on the color of the label: blue for the weakest followed by amber and finally red for the strongest.
Looking in the coolers Jason was rather disappointed to see the majority were red-labeled with a few amber ones but no blue. Lobo growled as Jason grabbed an amber-labeled bottle. He supposed it wouldn’t look good for an alpha to walk around with a bottle of soda though he had no intention of drinking the beer in his hand. The red-labeled beer wasn’t even allowed in his own territory.
Greeting nervous pack members he made his way to his host who held one of the red-labeled bottles with two empty ones on the table in front of him. Jason was careful to keep his expression neutral. Lobo hated it when Jason imbibed aconite beer as it caused some pain to their wolf spirits and weakened their connection. Jason wondered if Alpha Graham could even feel his wolf anymore after three.
Luke joined Jason shooting him a glance seeing their host’s growing stock of empty bottles. No doubt the Beta was thinking the same thing he was. They didn’t have a problem with someone kicking back and relaxing but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a need for self-control.
“Alpha Jason,” Luna Kristie greeted sauntering toward him in a rather short skirt and a blouse so tight she was practically bursting out of it. She sidled close to him fondling his arm and making his skin crawl. “How do you like our little party?”
“It’s nice to see the whole pack together,” Jason agreed gritting his teeth trying to control Lobo who wanted nothing more than to rip out her throat as she stroked his arm.
“I’m sure it’s far below what you’re used to,” Luna Kristie smiled batting her eyes. “You’re from an ancient pack so this must be quaint.”
Jason’s brow furrowed trying to figure out if she was complimenting his pack or insulting her own. A pup brushed past them chasing her brother. He chuckled at the pups’ excitement. Tonight must feel like a festival.
Beside him Luna Kristie practically snarled, “Where is that useless, wolfless girl…these spawn are her responsibility.”
Jason frowned. A Luna was the heart and soul of her pack and the one who secured its future. As such lunas were particularly maternal treating all pups like their own. He recalled the rumors Luke mentioned during the drive. Though it was far from proof he found it hard to believe she was a true Luna.
“Finally!” Luna Kristie exclaimed moving away much to his relief.
Jason sighed as the night breeze cleared away her overwhelming perfume. A new scent reached him far more intoxicating than any artificial odor. It was a mix of sage and lilac and made Lobo practically roll onto his back.
‘Mate! Mate is here!’
Jason turned into the breeze and watched as a petite she-wolf stepped onto the patio. She was rather pale for a werewolf but her hair was a mane of rich, walnut brown. Her clothing was simple: turtleneck, denim jacket and jeans that hugged her small frame and teased him with what lay underneath. But it was her eyes that captivated him. Her gaze shimmered silver in the moonlight like captured slivers of the moon itself.
Jason broke into a sweat, his hands went clammy and his throat constricted at the vision in front of him. After a decade of searching he finally found her. And she was perfect. Lobo practically bounced off the walls of his mind. Their mate was here!
“Miss Phoebe!” an excited squeal erupted from the crowd as several pups emerged from the crowd.
They ran up his mate like moths drawn to a flame. A dazzling smile warmed her face as she knelt embracing the first little she-wolf who reached her. They rubbed noses in a familiar gesture usually reserved for mates or between mothers and their pups.
Another she-wolf approached carrying a two-year-old handing off the pup to Jason’s mate. She accepted the pup with open arms. The pup didn’t show the least amount of stress as its mother gave it to another. It was clear the pup was used to these handoffs and contentedly clung to his mate who tenderly nuzzled him.
Phoebe. Her name is Phoebe.
‘Yes! Phoebe!’ Lobo happily whined, eager to learn the name of her wolf.
“I thought I told you I didn’t want to see these heathens while we had guests,” Luna Kristie snapped as she neared Phoebe surrounded by pups.
Phoebe bowed her head, “Sorry Luna. It won’t happen again.”
“It better not. I won’t have our guests’ night ruined by these spawn.”
“Of course, Luna. Come along pups,” Phoebe herded the little ones inside the packhouse and out of view.
“Jace? You okay?”
Jason’s hair bristled as he tried to calm his wolf, ‘Easy.’
‘How dare she talk to Mate like that! I’ll rip her throat out!’ Lobo growled.
‘Easy, let’s be smart about this.’
Jason frowned. It wasn’t right for his mate to bow to any wolf, Luna or no. Kristie’s attitude had been rubbing him the wrong way since his arrival and now he had a hard time controlling his disgust. Jason never heard of a Luna who hated pups or treated them with such contempt, chosen or not.
As his mate disappeared inside, Jason struggled to suppress his urge to follow. He searched for her for so long he wanted to keep her within his sight at all times. But he was the guest of honor and could hardly leave without drawing notice. He had to handle this situation carefully. Alphas were very protective of their territory and there was protocol to follow for a wolf to transfer packs though no one would prevent an alpha from claiming his rightful mate.
‘Mate come home with us!’ Lobo growled.
“Jace! What’s wrong?” Luke’s voice finally cut in.
“My mate. That was her.”
“You mean the one who took the pups inside?”
“Phoebe. Her name is Phoebe.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Go inside and watch her for me, please.”
“Sure. Don’t worry. She’ll be safe.”
“Keep me updated. I want to know everything.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’ll be like you were there yourself.”
Jason suppressed a growl. He wanted nothing more than to be at her side but something told him not to reveal his hand too soon to his hosts. There was something off about them that went beyond simple, chosen mates.
“What was that about?” Jason casually asked as Kristie returned.
“Oh nothing. Just a little trouble with the staff,” she smiled.
“Staff?”
“Yeah, poor wolfless Phoebe. Minding those little heathens is all she is good for.”
Jason raised an eyebrow looking at Graham for insight as the latter downed the rest of his beer. With a belch Graham set down the now empty bottle with the others before demanding another from the nearest pack member. A new bottle soon replaced the last and he didn’t hesitate to drink deeply from it despite the fact his wolf had to be suffering. Jason warily eyed his hosts. Something was very, very wrong with these two.
* * *
While Jason was too prominent a figure to slip away Luke had no such issue quietly returning to the packhouse. Entering the dining hall the echoes of laughter directed him to a small room off from the kitchen.
This room, unlike the dining hall, was plastered with the children’s artwork and educational posters from their lessons. It made the room cozy unlike the sterile atmosphere of the larger room. The same sense of unease that made Jason wary of their hosts also piqued Luke’s mind. Packs thrived on their pups which were literally their future. It was unnatural to hide them away like some dirty secret. Not wanting to disturb the little group Luke stood near the door out of sight peeking around the corner to keep an eye on his pack’s Luna.
She was average height standing only a little over five feet but more concerning was the fact she seemed thin. Luke didn’t recall seeing her at lunch and now he wondered if she was getting proper meals. Wolves tended to have a higher metabolism than humans so it was important they consumed enough calories or else they would rapidly lose condition especially if they shifted often.
She also seemed paler than normal though she could also have a naturally lighter complexion. Luke knew wolves from certain parts of Europe and the east coast tended to be paler than those on the west. Her hair was a mane of rich chestnut with a healthy sheen and her smile was warm causing her eyes to shimmer from gray to silver. It could also be her wolf hovering close to the surface though he never heard of a wolf with silver eyes, most had brown or amber.
The pups quickly took their seats at a long table laden with colorful paper, glitter glue, markers, sequins, buttons and string. In front of the younger pups the paper had been cut into star shapes with rows of plastic bins full of different craft supplies so they could color and decorate their stars as they wished. The older pups were given plain, paper squares. Once they were seated Phoebe demonstrated how to fold the paper square into an origami star once they finished decorating it. The older pups colored their paper, folded it and, if they chose, Phoebe would spray the finished project with adhesive and they could sprinkle glitter over it for the final touch.
Attaching strings to the finished projects Phoebe climbed up on a step stool to hang the stars from the ceiling much to the pups’ delight. When they were done they cleaned up their project table before pushing it to the wall. Once it was out of the way Phoebe brought out her final surprise, a bucket. She placed a light in the bottom before setting it on the ground. Over the bucket she added a paper fire effectively making a faux campfire. The pups giggled gathering around it as if it was real holding branches with paper marshmallows and hotdogs on the end.
“Excuse us.”
Luke jerked back allowing the kitchen omegas to enter bearing plates laden with real hotdogs, salads, coleslaw and other goodies from dinner. The pups squealed delight using the ketchup, mustard, relish and other condiments on their hotdogs. Each was given a soda and they happily ate their dinner around the pretend campfire.
Luke’s stomach complained about its own empty state. He stepped into the kitchen and helped himself to the sides lining the center counter. Outside he knew there were barbeque ribs and steak along with burgers and hotdogs but he didn’t mind missing out as he watched over his future Luna keeping Jason informed about her activities.
Slowly he became aware he had an audience. Luke turned to see one of the cooks watching him closely. The she-wolf studying him was an omega but well within her prime giving her an aura of experience and elevating her status somewhat even toward a beta like him. Luke gave her a respectful nod.
She pressed her lips together before asking, “Just what do you want with her? She doesn’t like playing games especially the ones you want to play.”
Luke grimaced at her candor before turning his head to show his mark. He thought the gesture would be enough but she continued to study him unimpressed.
“I’m just confused,” Luke finally said. Maybe he could glean some much needed information, “why are the pups in here and not outside?”
“Because our Luna doesn’t like pups. She thinks they get in the way.”
“But pups are a pack’s future.”
“Not according to her.”
Luke frowned. Alpha Graham was still young by werewolf standards so there was no reason for him to feel rushed into securing a mate. He didn’t have to wait as long as Jason but certainly he could have given it a little time. Given the advantages of a fated mate not to mention the risks of taking a chosen one every alpha made an effort to find their destined mate.
“Phoebe takes care of those pups like she was their mother,” the omega continued. “She’s sweet and gentle so I won’t tolerate no playing around with her.”
“I promise you, I have no intentions of doing that.”
The cook watched him a moment longer before returning to her duties. Luke hesitated but slowly sidled back to the door as the pups finished their supper.
“Miss Phoebe! Tell us a story!”
“Yeah! Story time!”
Phoebe chuckled as she gently cleaned the two-year-old’s face, “And what kind of story would you like?”
“An adventure story!”
“A story about kids like us! Adults are boring.”
“A scary story!”
“Oh my, that’s a tall order,” Phoebe laughed. “Let’s see…how about Treasure Island? I haven’t told you that one yet, have I?”
“What’s it about?”
“Well it’s about a treasure hunt.”
The pups shared dubious looks.
“It has adventure on the high seas, about a young boy just your ages…and it has scary pirates!”
“Okay!”
Phoebe chuckled urging them to settle down. When all were comfortable she started, “Once upon a time in a small English town…”
* * *
Jason struggled to keep his revulsion in check as Graham continued to drink heavily. Kristie flashed him flirty smiles and tried to play footsie under the table. The only thing keeping his wolf under control was Luke’s running commentary of his mate’s activities. Jason could almost picture the scene as she and the pups crafted their stars then pretended to camp around their campfire. By the time she related the plot of Treasure Island Lobo was practically purring.
‘Mate is amazing!’
‘Agreed.’
Jason sighed looking out across the patio with a relaxed smile. Her scent still lingered in his nostrils. What he wouldn’t give to trade places with Luke to watch over her himself. A pressure on his leg caused his skin to prickle bringing him out of his revelry. His eyes shifted to his host where Kristie sat smirking. He could feel her trying to mindlink him but Jason shut her out changing position so he was out of her reach. Lobo stirred with a growl. How dare anyone interrupt their fantasies about their mate?
As the party wound down couples began to disperse. Jason assumed they were retrieving the pups to take them to bed. His suspicions were confirmed as Luke continued giving him updates. The last pups Phoebe escorted to their own room within the packhouse before she departed leaving through the back door and disappearing into the night.
Luke followed at a discrete distance tracking her to a cottage. Jason was on the edge of his seat as Luke described the single story structure surrounded by a cozy garden with the woods butted up against it. The windows were dark when she arrived and remained that way as she went directly to bed. Luke prowled the perimeter not picking up any strong scents but hers. It seemed she lived alone.
Jason frowned. Not that he minded the fact his mate was not surrounded by unmated males but it was unnatural for a she-wolf to live alone. She-wolves generally possessed more gregarious natures than their male counterparts and preferred to live in close proximity with one another.
In all likelihood the cottage was her parents’ home and where Phoebe grew up. The fact she was living alone meant they had already passed. Lobo whimpered in sympathy upset they hadn’t found their mate sooner and would have been there for her during what was certainly a trying time. But why would his mate continue to live alone so far from the others? Most in her situation would have moved into the packhouse to be closer to other she-wolves, their support and comfort.
“Looks like she’s gone to bed,” Luke commented. “What do you want to do?”
‘Go to Mate!’ Lobo immediately demanded.
He would give anything to follow through with his instinct but Jason hesitated. Waking her from slumber by suddenly appearing on her doorstep was sure to be confusing for her. No, he needed to talk to her. They needed time to get to know each other. But…
“I don’t like leaving her out there alone so far away from the pack.”
“Agreed,” Luke answered. His pack’s Luna needed to be protected at all times. It was an instinct he didn’t dare fight. “What about a guard?”
Jason hesitated. Aside from Luke the rest of his escort were unmated males a fact that made Lobo bristle. He didn’t doubt the loyalty of his warriors but he also couldn’t fight his instinct to protect his unmarked mate from interlopers.
“What about Cam?” Luke suggested knowing his thoughts.
Cam was a fierce warrior and a skilled fighter. He was also gay. Unmated or not, he would certainly be no threat to the bond slowly forming between Jason and his mate.
“Good. Have Cam meet you.”
“Should I tell him why he’ll be guarding a random she-wolf?”
“He’s smart. He’ll figure it out on his own. But yeah. Tell him to keep it to himself for now…At least until I can speak with her.”
“Got it.”
Jason escaped the party and Kristie’s amorous overtures as soon as he could, retreating to his room. Double locking his door he hopped in the shower to try to cool his eagerness to see his mate. His arms itched to hold her, caress her. He was dying to bury his nose in her neck and breathe her scent.
‘Mate!’ Lobo growled pacing in the back of his mind like a caged animal.
‘I know pal,’ Jason sighed. ‘I want to be with her just as much as you do but we have to be cautious. There’s something wrong with this pack.’
‘If that Luna touches us again we rip her throat out!’ Lobo snarled.
‘Strange Alpha Graham didn’t react at all,’ Jason suddenly realized something that had been bothering him the whole night.
A chosen bond wasn’t as strong as a fated one but it still connected one’s wolf spirit to another allowing them to communicate and sense each other. If one member of the pair betrayed the bond the other would certainly feel it. Though Kristie had only been flirting her mate should still have felt her intentions and yet Graham hadn’t even flinched despite the fact she was sitting next to him. Then again he had been drinking quite heavily so perhaps he couldn’t sense his wolf through the haze. Or was he drinking to deliberately suppress his wolf and dull the ache of his mate’s betrayal?
Jason couldn’t decide which scenario was more disturbing. In either case his instinct told him it wasn’t safe to announce his fated mate had been found, at least not until he had a chance to speak with her. The sooner they could leave and get his mate back to the safety of his own pack the better.
‘Yes! Take Mate home!’
‘We will. We are not leaving without her.’
Lobo growled assent. No matter what he had to convince Phoebe to leave with him. Nobody could stop him from claiming what was his. Stepping out of the shower Jason felt more exhausted than when he entered. Quickly drying himself he splayed out in the large bed. Sleep didn’t come easily.
His mate was etched in his mind and he saw her as soon as he closed his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to curl up with her in his arms, her warm scent wafting around him and filling his nose. Only with that image firmly in place did he finally manage to fall asleep.

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"Is that beautiful silver she-wolf part of our pack?"
"Have you forgotten? She's the girl you rejected three years ago."

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“Miss Phoebe! Miss Phoebe!”
The chorus of excited squeals greeted her as she entered the packhouse kitchen. Phoebe smiled sinking to her knees as the ten young pups ranging from four to thirteen rushed to greet her. She laughed hugging each of them tight, rubbing noses with a few she was particularly close to.
“Thank you so much for taking them today,” one of the female wolves said carrying a two-year-old.
Phoebe stood accepting the pup who giggled at her and said, “It’s no problem at all. This is my favorite part of the day. All right everyone let’s go on a scavenger hunt!”
“Yeah!!”
Phoebe herding the pups out of the packhouse and led them to the woods. This was how all her days started since her rejection.
* * *
The Rimrock Pack was located in the southwest of Washington State about forty miles from Mount Rainier. Only a few miles to the north was the similarly named town. The town and the pack had been there so long no one remembered which had been established first. Regardless the pack used the city for most of their needs including shopping and schooling though their pups sometimes had a difficult time adjusting to a human-run school. Pack members who went on to college generally only went as far as Seattle or, more rarely, Portland and Phoebe was no exception.
Their pack was not overly large, about four hundred members, a respectable size carefully nurtured by their previous alpha. While most pack members lived in the packhouse Phoebe still lived in the small cottage she once shared with her parents. She was not an omega but also not one of the high-ranking members.
Like the majority of pack members she was one of the unranked masses: the nameless cogs without which the pack would cease to function. Her parents had been fated mates and also unranked members though not without their own bit of prestige. Her mother had been head cook and her father the chief groundskeeper in charge of the pack gardens as well as a tutor for members struggling with their studies as he was one of the few with a college education.
Human beauty standards didn’t mean much to wolves who skewed more toward voluptuous profiles. High-ranking wolves were fit, muscular and aggressive whether male or female especially if they were warriors. The unranked members below them were not quite as extreme muscle-wise but still physically strong. Below them omegas lacked physical prowess and stamina. Though they didn’t stand a chance in a fight against a high-ranking wolf or even most unranked ones omegas were still far stronger than humans.
As an unranked member Phoebe was…average. She was average height, if somewhat petite by wolf standards. Her form was pleasingly curvy. Like most wolves she had a mane of thick mousy-brown hair that reached just past her shoulders though her skin was on the pale side. Her only notable physical feature was her silver-gray eyes. Phoebe was average in every way: except her wolf.
Wolf spirits usually awakened in their mid-to-late teens. The more powerful the wolf the sooner it emerged. Alphas, betas and some gammas awakened as early as sixteen while omegas might awakened as late as their early twenties. Phoebe’s wolf awakened when she was fifteen.
Phoebe was in a deep asleep when Máni suddenly woke her up with a bright, ‘Hello, moonshine!’
To say she was surprised was putting it mildly but Máni proved to be excellent company for a wolf san siblings. An even greater surprise awaited Phoebe on the first full moon after her sixteenth birthday. Máni woke her in the dead of night and insisted she go out into the forest behind her parents’ cottage. Sleepy and confused Phoebe nonetheless obeyed her wolf’s directives.
Once outside she greeted the rising full moon only to be wracked by a sudden excruciating pain as her joints popped and bones lengthened and realigned. Fur bristled covering her body as her nose elongated to a muzzle. Máni talked her through the pain urging her not to resist and to let her wolf spirit take over. After an excruciating hour Phoebe stood on four padded paws.
‘Shall we see ourselves?’ Máni suggested bringing them to the water’s edge of a nearby pond.
Looking at their reflection Phoebe saw a silver-white wolf. Their fur practically glowed in the moonlight with silver-blue eyes that shimmered like water.
‘We’re…beautiful.’
‘Yeah, we are. Let’s go for a run.’
Phoebe let her wolf take over. They stretched and sniffed the cold, clean air before rushing off into the woods. It felt good to run, to feel the wind through her fur and fill her lungs. It all ended too soon and they returned home. Máni talked her through the shift back and they safely returned to bed before the sun rose.
For some reason Máni insisted on keeping their early shift secret and usually stayed quiet deep in the recesses of Phoebe’s mind to avoid others sensing her. Phoebe didn’t argue though she was confused since the first shift was an important rite of passage for every werewolf.
Even more confusing was her wolf’s color. Gray was a fairly common color but Phoebe never heard of a silver wolf. Even Máni was at a loss to explain, or at least unwilling to. Desperate for answers Phoebe spent long hours in the packhouse library as well as her father’s study researching werewolf history and silver wolves without any luck until she found a book of werewolf lore. According to it silver wolves were even rarer than white wolves. They were wolves of prophecy and considered harbingers of chaos and upheaval.
Máni shrugged off the book’s description saying, ‘you read too much,’ but refused to give any definitive explanations. It was strange to think her own wolf would keep secrets from her but without anyone else to consult Phoebe let it go. She was just happy to have a faithful ally.
Phoebe thought her wolf’s secretive nature was just to hide its early awakening but as her eighteenth birthday approached Máni showed no signs of revealing herself. As far as others could sense she was wolfless which led to some ostracizing and bullying. She didn’t particularly mind it and Máni was amused by the pack’s efforts to ridicule them. It was easy to ignore and she focused on her studies to graduate early and go on to college.
She assumed like most she-wolves everything would make sense once she found her Goddess-given mate. Her parents were fated mates and she never doubted their love and devotion to one another. It was sweet and she looked forward to finding her own. Little did she know reality would be a far cry from her dreams.
She met her mate when she was twenty-one and freshly graduated from college. During her four years of study Phoebe seldom returned to the pack. Her first week home after completing her studies Phoebe sat in the cottage’s porch swing quietly reading Sense and Sensibility when her mate suddenly appeared.
Graham was the son of their alpha and destined to be their future leader which was why his father sent him overseas to attend the only Alpha School in the world. According to Phoebe’s father the school was very exclusive only accepting the sons and daughters of alphas from the highest-ranking packs.
Packs were ranked based on history, size, collective wealth and the relative strength of the Alpha’s bloodline. The criterion was vague and her father said the Rimrock pack barely qualified. Attendance was not mandatory for alphas by any means. The highest-ranking packs generally avoided it as the tuition was prohibitively expensive and preferred to train their heirs within the pack. But that wasn’t to say there weren’t advantages.
Despite the number of packs spread across the world werewolf communities tended to be very insular. They seldom interacted with packs outside their immediate neighbors. By attending the school future alphas and lunas had the opportunity to meet with others far beyond their usual territories and make allies in addition to taking practical classes about running a pack, managing finances and maintaining pack territory.
It also helped them find potential mates as it was usually difficult for alphas and many betas to find their fated mates within their own packs. According to her father packs intermingled more in the past so it was easier for high-ranking pack members to find their Goddess-given mates but as packs became more insular it became more difficult. While some thought it coincidence Phoebe couldn’t help but think the Moon Goddess herself was telling her children they needed to change their ways.
Since Phoebe graduated early from high school and left for college before her contemporaries she hadn’t had much interaction with their future alpha. From what she saw of him he was a typical young wolf ruled by his hormones carrying on several relationships throughout school with little regard to attachments. She thought he could use some maturing as did Máni.
When Phoebe heard their young alpha had returned from his studies she avoided his welcome home party which devolved into a drunken shamble according to her father who had to clean it up the next morning. Máni had been quiet all day so Phoebe hadn’t been expecting any dramatic events when she suddenly caught scent of evergreen and chocolate. The combination was pleasant if not overly stimulating but she understood what it meant. Looking up Phoebe found herself staring at her pack’s future leader.
To say she was surprised to be mated to an alpha was putting it mildly. Máni immediately pressed forward eager to meet their mate but almost as quickly receded with a snort saying, ‘Don’t worry, Phoebe. I’ll protect us.’
‘What do you…’ Phoebe’s internal protest fell silent as she looked again at her mate. His confused frown turned to a cold scowl. She tilted her head to the side instantly wary.
“You’re supposed to be my mate?!” Graham demanded. “A Luna needs to be strong and tall and beautiful and you’re…”
“Average.” Phoebe said.
“How straight you are!” Graham growled. “And wolfless? Are you kidding me?”
Phoebe winced. She understood his confusion but his outrage was something different. The Goddess did not choose their mates randomly. There was reason behind it. Just as their wolf spirits were their center their mates were their second halves. Only together were they complete. At least that was what her parents taught her.
“What is your name?” Graham demanded.
“Phoebe Luan,” she answered after a moment already anticipating his next move.
“You don’t have a wolf so this won’t hurt at all,” Graham said as a word of caution. “I, Graham Archer, future Alpha of the Rimrock Pack, reject you Phoebe Luan as my mate and Luna.”
Phoebe leaned forward whimpering as a sharp pain pierced her chest. Her book fell to the ground as she hugged herself and a burning sensation spread to her extremities. It felt as if she were being stabbed by hundreds of needles.
“Hurry up and accept it or it will just hurt more,” Graham snorted unhappy with her dramatics.
“…I, Phoebe Luan…accept your rejection,” she managed to gasp. The pain eased to a dull ache similar to heartburn.
To her surprise Graham suddenly bent over groaning in pain as their bond snapped. Perhaps it was cruel but she was glad not to be the only one suffering. Slowly straightening he sneered at her before hurriedly departing.
‘Máni? Are you all right?’
‘…I will be. We will be. The Moon Goddess loves us.’
‘If she loved us why did she make him our mate?’
‘She has her reasons. You’ll see.”
Phoebe thought the worst was over but another surprise was waiting. Two weeks after her rejection Kristie arrived with Graham proclaiming her to be his Luna. Their Alpha Succession and Luna Ceremonies were held in tandem at the following full moon. Phoebe dutifully helped with preparations but declined to attend the actual ceremonies though attendance was supposedly mandatory so that the pack could swear fealty to their new alpha pair. She managed by faking ill something she never did before.
Máni suggested a run, a precaution that proved advantageous when she was suddenly assailed with pain as her mate marked another. Despite the severing of their bond Phoebe suffered whenever Graham and his chosen mate were together. She hoped that the marking would finally bring an end to the pain but it continued to linger slowly dulling over time.
Phoebe kept her distance avoiding the packhouse except when it was absolutely necessary. She knew her parents wondered about this behavior and probably had an inkling why she did it but they respected her privacy and did not directly question her.
Five years had passed since then and Phoebe continued to avoid the packhouse. The only difference now was that her parents had passed away leaving her alone to maintain the cottage and garden. Now whenever Graham and Kristie mated she only felt a dull ache and thankfully those times were few and far between.
The alpha pair had yet to produce a pup and heir but that wasn’t completely unexpected. Chosen mates were less fertile than fated ones. While a fated pair could easily produce four or five pups, chosen ones would only have one or two in the same amount of time. Given that Phoebe felt his betrayal less often she could only assume the pair didn’t mate as often as they used to making it even more difficult to conceive.
Though she wondered about the pack’s future stability it wasn’t her place to question their alpha. No one knew she had been his fated mate and no one would listen to a wolfless unranked she-wolf anyway. So she focused on what she could do for the pack: namely educating the pack pups.
* * *
“All right, gather around,” Phoebe laughed as the kids swarmed around her.
Phoebe carried the two-year-old on her hip while the others waited for the rules of their game. Sometimes it felt as if the pack treated her as a glorified pup-sitter but she didn’t mind as it allowed her to spend time with them without interference. She used their numerous outings to teach them various bits of practical knowledge.
She had brought them to a wide clearing filled with wildflowers. When they arrived, a pair of deer spooked and leaped back into the safety of the forest shadow. It was a promising sign that no one from the pack had sullied the area so they should have no problem with their scavenger hunt. Piled off to the side were several baskets woven from wild grasses. The pups immediately noticed them and fidgeted with excitement.
“Okay, so did everyone bring their herb book?” Phoebe asked holding up her own.
Eagerly the pups held up their homemade pamphlets they made during their craft project earlier in the week. Taped to each page was a medicinal herb that had been pressed and dried specifically for the application. Each page also included the plant’s name and most common uses written in Phoebe’s neat scrawl for the younger pups while the older pups wrote theirs themselves. Over the last few weeks they had learned about herbs, how to identify edible plants and poisonous ones and where to find them. Now it was time to put that information into practical experience.
“So today we are going to have a scavenger hunt!” Phoebe announced to excited cheers. “As I’m sure you’ve figured out we are going to collect herbs. I want you to split into pairs because…why?”
“Safety first!” the pups answered in chorus.
“That’s right. So in pairs you will take your baskets and collect as many herbs from your books as you can find,” Phoebe said. “I will award special prizes for the most herbs picked, the biggest variety of herbs collected and for the rarest herb found.”
The pups bounced on their heels eager to begin.
“Remember to stay in the boundaries of the clearing. Ready? On your marks. Remember our safety rules! Go!”
Squealing the pups darted to the pile of baskets before dispersing through the clearing. Phoebe smiled cooing at the two-year-old pup in her arms. He was too young to take part in this event but he would still benefit from being able to run around in the fresh air.
“Miss Phoebe! Miss Phoebe!”
She turned as an eager pup hurried up to her holding a sprig with bright yellow flowers.
“Is this wormwood?”
“No. That’s mustard,” Phoebe answered kneeling down to the pup’s level. She never liked to talk down to them. “Let’s see what wormwood looks like again, shall we?”
The pup dutifully opened her book to the appropriate page for comparison. Phoebe was always patient with the pups and never lost her temper. They were young and still learning so it was natural for them to make mistakes.
Once the mini-lesson about the difference between the two herbs was over the pup returned to her brother and continued their hunt. The pups were free to ask her any questions but she wouldn’t help them find the herbs. Phoebe smiled at the young pair.
Blake and Emma were brother and sister born one year apart so they were close. Their parents had also been unranked members of the pack. Their mother was the alpha’s maid and their father an architect who designed most of the packhouse as well as many of the private homes scattered throughout the territory. Unfortunately both had been killed in a rogue attack two years ago leaving the pups orphaned.
Since then Phoebe did her best to look after them, taking them shopping for clothes and school supplies as well as making sure they were included in activities. Orphans could easily be ostracized by other pack members and that was something Phoebe wanted to avoid. Strong bonds kept a pack together and she wanted the pups to maintain and cherish those bonds. So far her efforts seemed to make the difference. The others included the orphaned pair in their games and didn’t bully or belittle them for what they lost.
After an hour the pups gathered around her to show their efforts. Phoebe led the group to the pack hospital where Bridget waited to receive them. Bridget separated out the herbs and gave the pups what appeared to be an impromptu lesson in first aid demonstrating how some herbs could be used with minimal handling and how to bandage injuries.
Like Phoebe, Bridget was on the petite side though slightly taller than the former. Her hair was a rich chestnut with a hint of an auburn sheen and her skin a soft tan color as was usual for werewolves. She had a round, pretty face and a small, pert nose.
Bridget was another unranked wolf that kept the pack working. A couple years younger than Phoebe, they met shortly after the latter’s rejection. In fact the young, talented nurse was the only pack member who knew about it. She didn’t know who rejected Phoebe but she knew they were a pack member and assumed they were fairly high-ranked given Phoebe’s aversion to the packhouse and official ceremonies.
As one of the few Phoebe considered a close friend she often turned to Bridget when she was in need of assistance. Luckily Bridget was a brilliant herbalist and talented chemist so she had plenty of practical knowledge to share. Once the demonstration was over Bridget handed out her homemade lollipops made with medicinal herbs. If one peered through the semi-transparent, jewel-like creation they would see whole leaves or petals of the herbs used and now that the lesson was over the pups could even identify them.
The excited pups followed Phoebe back to her cottage where she handed out their prizes. Praising them for their impressive finds and sheer amount collected she gave out prizes accordingly. A pair of boys collected the most and received a pair of gloves and a baseball. Surprisingly Blake and Emma found the greatest variety and received a jug of bubble solution and bubble guns. A young pair of she-wolves found the rarest herb to receive a styling kit with a variety of barrettes and colorful hair extensions.
Phoebe always made sure the prizes suited the awardees and their interests. All the pups received large bouncy balls for participating. She was certain the winners would share their special prizes during their daily games.
After the prizes were awarded, Phoebe led her troop back to the packhouse. The pups were eager to play with their new toys and Phoebe hoped they would retain the lessons that earned them their prizes. What she wanted most was for the pups to take pride in their own abilities. Not everyone would rise through the ranks as warriors but everyone could contribute to the pack in some meaningful way.
Most would always be in the middle like herself. It was important to do what they could do. Finding, collecting and delivering herbs to the pack hospital benefited everyone. Being able to perform simple first aid could save a life in dire circumstances. Those were the kinds of lessons she hoped to instill in the pups.
“Miss Phoebe.”
She paused seeing Blake and Emma had remained while the other pups dispersed.
“Can we come over tonight?” Emma asked.
“Are you sure you won’t get into trouble?”
“Jake is patrolling tonight and he never checks on us,” Blake wrinkled his nose.
“All right. I’ll make something special for us,” Phoebe smiled.
The pair hugged her before hurrying to catch up with the others. Phoebe watched them feeling a familiar pain in her chest. Ever since they were orphaned she did her best to care for them. She remodeled her own childhood bedroom to suit the brother and sister filling it with books, toys and games as well as a closet full of clothes. Phoebe even petitioned to adopt the pups officially but had been denied. Her face warmed at the memory.
* * *
“Alpha!” Phoebe stormed into Graham’s office without waiting for permission. “Explain this!”
Phoebe tossed the denied adoption papers onto his desk staring at him as he flinched. It had been years since she last set foot in the packhouse and it was the first time she entered his office. Despite the vast difference in their status Phoebe showed no inclination to give him proper respect. Her eyes shimmered silver as she glared at him and his wolf cowered.
Trying to maintain some semblance of his authority he looked at the paper she tossed at him stating, “It seems pretty obvious.”
“I didn’t ask you to identify it,” Phoebe practically snarled. “I told you to explain it. Why did you deny the application?”
“Why would you want to adopt two pups in the first place?” he snorted. “Their family can take care of them.”
“They don’t have any family,” Phoebe snapped. “Their aunt and uncle were killed three years ago in a rogue attack. Their grandparents passed the year before that. Their mother was from a different pack.”
“Was she?” Graham frowned.
“She was your exclusive maid. Do you even remember what she looked like?” Phoebe snorted in disgust. “Have you compensated those pups for their loss before you sent your yes man to turn off the water and power to their home? A home they were still living in. They nearly froze to death!”
Graham winced. He did remember signing the order to turn off power to the abandoned home but he had been assured it was empty.
“Those pups have been living with me for the past six months so why can’t I adopt them?”
“You aren’t even mated!”
“And why is that I wonder?” Phoebe growled. Máni had never made herself known since she awakened but now she pressed close to the surface adding power to Phoebe’s anger and enhancing her aura.
Graham involuntarily shuddered as her anger washed over him. It made his wolf completely withdraw. Feeling his wolf become submissive irritated him. He was alpha and everyone was beneath him especially a wolfless female.
What made it worse was that she was right. He should have been aware the pups’ parents were gone and that they had no close relatives within the pack. They should have been placed in appropriate lodgings and whoever adopted them compensated for raising them.
None of that had been done because he hadn’t bothered with the paperwork. Compounding the issue was the fact Kristie overspent her weekly clothing allowance and he had to get the money from another part of the pack’s finances.
“It’s not your place to question your Alpha,” he forced himself to stand giving him a height advantage since he was little over six feet and Phoebe only five-four. “The pups will be taken care of. They don’t need you. Understand?”
The pups had been given a room in the packhouse that was hardly larger than a closet. Somehow they crammed in two camping cots and a pair of trunks inside. According to the pups it was drafty and dark since it only had one small window and no one bothered to install a light bulb in the single overhead light. Even worse the pups’ had mandatory bed checks.
After bedtime the patrolling security made periodic checks to ensure the pups were actually in bed. It had been bad in the beginning but now the patrols were getting more lax allowing Blake and Emma to sneak away returning to her cottage where she kept their room ready.
Her heart ached knowing her anger made life difficult for pups that already had enough tragedy in their young lives. Máni whimpered in her mind sharing her guilt. Their anger was completely justified but they expressed it in the wrong setting. Even so Phoebe continued to care for the brother and sister providing them with new clothes, much better than the shabby hand-me-downs from the pack’s donation closet.
Turning away from the packhouse Phoebe made her way back to her cottage. Her mind raced with meal ideas. She smiled already looking forward to company. Normally her meals were solitary affairs unless Bridget stopped by so the pups would most certainly be a welcome change.
Máni perked up. Phoebe could practically feel her tail wagging in anticipation. One day they would find a way to keep the pups close. She just had to be patient and avoid Luna Kristie’s notice.
“There you are Phoebe.”
‘Speak of the devil,’ Máni huffed.
Inwardly she cringed as she turned, “Hello Luna.”
Kristie was almost a half foot taller than Phoebe with a lithe body punctuated by an hourglass figure. Her long, blonde hair was neatly highlighted and professionally styled as were her nails. It was clear she spent a lot of time and money on her appearance.
Yet her aura was minimal. In fact Phoebe barely felt it even when Kristie tried to exert influence over her. Máni confirmed the Luna’s aura was exceptionally weak so Phoebe knew she didn’t imagine it. Despite this, or maybe because of it, Kristie resorted to rather extreme measures to keep her authority over the pack. Phoebe struggled to maintain a neutral expression keeping her disgust contained.
“How can I help you, Luna?”
Kristie smirked, “We’re having some very important visitors next week and I don’t want those annoying little spawn to bother them. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes Luna. I’ll arrange some activities to keep them busy and out of the way.”
“Good.” Kristie smiled tipping up her nose. “Poor Phoebe, I do pity you.”
“Pardon?”
“If only the Goddess had been kinder to you and gave you a wolf then you wouldn’t have to deal with those snot-nosed kids.”
With a condescending smile Kristie walked away. With a sigh Phoebe tried to calm herself. A luna was meant to be the heart of the pack and ensure the pack’s future. How could she not like pups?
‘She is no true Luna,’ Máni gave a dismissive snort. ‘A Gamma maybe. Delta most likely.’
‘Hmm.’ Phoebe really couldn’t argue considering the alpha had been her fated mate. ‘I don’t see why she has to act like that. She’d get more respect if she was more personable.’
‘She is in a position she was never meant to have so I suppose an inferiority complex is natural,’ Máni said. ‘Especially since her wolf is submissive to us.’
‘It is?’
‘Oh yes. Imagine how much her pride must smart every time her wolf shows its belly to you…a wolfless she-wolf.’
Phoebe frowned. This was not the first time Máni mentioned something similar. Although her wolf continued to hide itself other wolf spirits instinctively sensed her presence and reacted in various ways. Higher ranks acted subservient causing disconnections to their human half while the lower ranking wolves showed difference and respect.
Phoebe found they had a calming influence on others defusing arguments even if she didn’t directly intervene. Yet despite this others continued to think she was wolfless but as Máni wasn’t inclined to explain it was a mystery she never expected to solve.
‘Well we’ll just have to stay out her way.’
‘Or she could stay out of ours,’ Máni countered. ‘Next time…I vote we don’t save her.’
Phoebe chuckled remembering the night as if it had happened yesterday. It had been the night of the Winter Solstice and the pack was celebrating the longest night of the year in fine style.
* * *
Avoiding the party as usual Phoebe’s quiet night was interrupted by Máni suddenly declaring an urge to go for a run. Since the majority of the pack would remain at the party there was no reason to be overly cautious.
Phoebe headed to her garden. Satisfied they were alone and unseen she slipped out of her clothes folding them neatly and stuffing them in a small bag she hid under her mother’s rhododendron. The cold, night air caused her pale skin to prickle with goose bumps as she stepped beyond the garden gate and into the woods beyond but the discomfort faded as she shifted. Her first shift had been painful but now it was exhilarating as she gave into her wolf and dropped to all fours. Thick silver fur kept her warm and her senses sharpened.
It was an odd sensation as Phoebe and Máni switched places. Still aware, Phoebe’s consciousness faded to the background as Máni pressed forward. The switch wasn’t strictly necessary but it was more efficient to allow her wolf to take the lead in this form where Máni’s control was instinctual and automatic just as Phoebe’s was in human form.
Stretching Máni sniffed the air and assured them they were indeed alone. A light snow gently fell, landing on their fur but not melting. Delighted with the picturesque night Máni turned in circles with her tail held high. Leaping straight up, she snapped at the lazily falling flakes before sprinting off with freshly warmed-up muscles. It was exhilarating to run like a ghost through the dark woods. Their breaths came out in clouds that quickly vaporized behind them as they ran onward through the snowy landscape.
Máni suddenly slowed and stopped. She sniffed the air, hackles curling back as she caught the faint scent of arousal in the crisp air. They were relatively close to the packhouse but still far enough away for it to be unusual to meet another. Cautiously she eased forward until her sharp vision located the pair currently engaged in illicit activities.
Phoebe jerked to attention recognizing the she-wolf as none other than their luna. She was pressed up against a tree. Phoebe recognized the male as one of the delta warriors though she never had contact with them. Máni growled softly at the sight. Either it was too quiet to hear or the pair was too occupied to notice because they didn’t stop.
‘H-how can she do this!’ Phoebe stammered.
Máni didn’t answer immediately. In the brief encounters they had with her they had picked up on subtle smells of her affairs. Though Kristie tried to hide it with frequent baths and perfume it followed her like a cloud.
‘You really shouldn’t be surprised,’ Máni finally said. ‘We’ve known she’s been doing this for some time.’
‘But…shouldn’t the alpha be tearing everything apart because of her betrayal?’
‘Under normal circumstances but remember they are chosen mates. The bond between them is weaker.’
‘I know, but still…’
‘Plus, their wolves never bonded.’
‘They didn’t?’
‘No. The alpha’s wolf has been disconnected since he rejected us and the luna’s…well I’m surprised she can still shift at how weak it’s become since rejecting her fated mate.’
‘She rejected hers too?’
‘Of course.’
Phoebe cringed at the thought of the pain the other must have suffered. She didn’t know if there was anything crueler than rejecting one’s fated mate. Máni whimpered comfort and turned to leave just as hunting howls chorused through the forest.
Five rogues emerged from the night setting upon the distracted pair. Though the warrior attempted to protect his Luna and lover he was quickly overwhelmed. He only managed to kill one before he was brought down. Kristie screamed in horror watching the rogues tear him apart. She was completely frozen in fear unable to shift or defend herself.
Máni briefly considered leaving her to her fate but a gentle prod from Phoebe resigned the wolf to interfering. Rushing forward she was on top of them before they even sensed her. Máni leapt landing on one and breaking its back before attacking another. She sank her teeth into its neck ripping its throat out. Whirling around she charged a third bowling it over and ripping into its belly before darting back into the woods leaving one for Kristie to manage on her own.
Angry howls filled the air signaling the pack warriors were on the way. Kristie would only have to handle the remaining rogue for a few minutes. Máni raced through the woods with unmatched speed quickly distancing them from the fight. Once clear she rolled in the snow to remove any traces of blood from her coat before heading home. She took a long, meandering route back to avoid pursuit.
Phoebe quickly dressed before heading inside. Locking the door she turned off the lights before going to the shower to wash away any lingering scent of the rogues then headed to bed as the hunting howls continued to echo through the territory.
“Jace. Earth to Jace. Hey wake up!”
Jason jolted awake grumbling as his Beta playfully swatted him. They had known each other since they were pups so there was no need for formality between them when they were alone. Yawning Jason stretched in the passenger seat and looked out the window at the same scene that had surrounded them the past several hundred miles.
“Where are we?”
“About another hour before we reach the next pack,” Luke answered.
“And which one is that again?” Jason sighed. After visiting six other packs they were all beginning to look alike.
“Rimrock,” Luke cued the information on his iPad before handing it to him.
Jason dutifully read the pack’s dossier. At just over four hundred members it was only a mid-level pack. Like other packs they had been experiencing more rogue attacks of late which was the reason for his little tour…at least publicly.
Jason was Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, one of the six ancient packs. With over five thousand members strong it was the largest pack in North America and one of the most prosperous. At thirty he had been running the pack for almost ten years making him one of the youngest as well. As with most alphas, Jason was tall and muscular without excess bulk.
He had dark brown hair. His chin was usually softened by a trim goatee but due to the tight travel schedule he had a bit more stumble as of late. There was very little his sharp, brown eyes missed. Others characterized him as a hard one but those who knew him knew he was quite amicable, witty and charming despite his growing despondency.
His wolf spirit had awakened early a testament to the sheer power contained within it. Lobo was a large brown, nearly black, wolf with burning amber eyes and stood almost a foot taller than other wolves, even other alphas including his own father. Lobo’s early emergence was part of the reason Jason assumed the mantle of leadership sooner than planned. His alpha aura was simply too powerful over-shadowing his father’s and funneling the pack’s loyalty away from his predecessor whose rule was waning.
Jason always knew he would be Alpha so he had no problem assuming the mantel. His one regret was not having his Luna at his side. As his father’s successor, normally Jason would have marked his Luna before leadership was passed but despite years of searching and traveling among his neighbors he had yet to scent the one fated to stand by his side.
After a werewolf’s wolf spirit awakened and once they experienced their first shift they were able to sense their fated mates. He had been promised he would know her immediately by her scent. It would be so intoxicating he would have difficulty focusing on anything else. Yet despite the fact his Beta and Gamma, even his sister, found their mates with relative ease Jason still searched for his.
To pass the time most wolves engaged in mating activity to take the edge off their pent-up drive. Jason; however, abstained from such frivolous activity. The last thing he wanted was to be covered in another she-wolf’s scent when he finally found his mate. He was determined she would be his first, only and last. Lobo was in complete agreement.
But after a decade of searching they were both were feeling the strain. A pack was meant to be led by a pair. An Alpha was the pack’s strength but a Luna was its heart. His pack desperately needed the heart they had been missing as much as he needed his Luna by his side. Tensions were ready to snap and discord wormed its way into the pack harmony. Jason was beginning to wonder how long it could maintain its tenuous balance.
Wanting to help his mother suggested a security tour. Rogue attacks were on the rise. It was a good time to tour the packs most affected and evaluate their security levels to determine if they were adequate. It was also good cover to extend the search for his Luna as he would be visiting packs he hadn’t been to before. That was the real reason for this trip but after a half dozen packs he was beginning to lose hope, especially after the last one.
Jason cringed at the memory of the alpha’s daughter in his bed covered in rose petals. Despite numerous complaints and even threats she continued to try and enter his bedroom. Lobo was ready to go on a killing spree so Jason cut his visit short.
“Cheer up, Jace,” Luke eyed him with concern. “Hey, lucky number seven. Right?”
“Right.” Jason sighed looking again at the dossier. “Looks like the alpha’s a little younger than me…and he’s mated.”
“Y-yeah…well, maybe not. If rumors are true they aren’t fated mates.”
“He took a chosen mate?”
Jason frowned. It was common knowledge a mated alpha was more powerful than an unmated one and a fated bond stronger than a chosen one. That was the reason why alphas went out of their way to locate their fated mates as it would guarantee them more influence and strength. There was no reason for a young alpha to resort to taking a chosen mate if his fated was not yet found. Was the Rimrock’s alpha just impatient or had he lost his mate in a rogue attack in which case the Goddess would certainly have granted a second chance mate?
There was no way the Alpha would have done the unthinkable and actually…rejected his mate. The Goddess was benevolent and caring but she never forgave anyone if they rejected their fated mate. While the rejected wolf would be given a second chance the one who rejected them would not. Their soul would be cursed never to know the serenity of finding their match. They would have no choice except to settle for a chosen mate which was cruel enough but when they died they would be cursed to wander the Moonlit territory alone…forever.
Lobo stirred, whining. His wolf was desperate to find its mate but not so desperate to resort to taking a chosen mate. No. Their fated mate was out there and when they found her she would be…perfect. Lobo settled in the back of his mind, comforted for the time being.
Jason turned his attention back to Rimrock’s dossier and tried to forget his anxiety but that was easier said than done. His apprehension remained as they entered the pack’s territory and arrived at the packhouse. With a sigh Jason opened the door and climbed out while Luke conferred with their escort emerging from two other vehicles and reminding them of proper visitor conduct.
Grabbing his jacket Jason breathed deep and suddenly froze as Lobo practically leapt to attention and surged to the forefront of Jason’s mind. It was a struggle to keep his wolf in check even as he breathed in the cool air again. There was no mistaking it: she’s here.
“Jace, what’s up?” Luke asked joining him. “Jay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“She’s here.”
“What? Who?”
“My mate.”
Luke blinked hardly willing to believe it, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s faint but it’s definitely her scent. She’s here.”
“I told you lucky number seven,” Luke grinned. Spying their approaching hosts he said, “But let’s keep it together for now.”
Jason growled. His dark eyes swirled amber as Lobo pressed closer wanting nothing more than to tear straight through the pack until he found his mate. He had waited long enough.
“Easy Jace,” Luke muttered feeling Jason’s aura washing over him. “Your mate is here, right? Well we’ll be going on a tour soon so it’ll be the perfect time to find her, right?”
“Right.” Jason breathed deep slowly regaining control.
Lobo whimpered, ‘Mate!’
‘I know. We’ll find her. We are not leaving without her.’
‘Yes! Find Mate!’ Lobo finally receded allowing him to withdraw his aura.
‘Patience, buddy. We’ll find her.’
* * *
Jason stepped out of the bathroom drying his hair before dressing. After a tedious tour of Rimrock’s packhouse and surrounding grounds he now had to sit through a welcome party with his hosts. Lobo impatiently prowled the back of his mind. They had picked up their mate’s scent just about everywhere but it was always faint and impossible to track.
His mate was like a ghost: everywhere and nowhere, except in the packhouse. Oddly enough her scent was everywhere except within it. It was strange. The packhouse was the one place most wolves spent the majority of their time, especially unmated ones. It was only through mingling and meeting others that one found their mate after all. Unless…
Had his mate given up on finding him? Or did she have a mate previously and lost him? Though he was somewhat disappointed he would not be her first, his heart also ached for her if she had gone through the pain of losing a mate. Lobo whimpered his sympathy. In either case they wouldn’t know the answer until they found her.
Dressing in a pair of simple slacks and a button-down shirt Jason was ready long before Luke arrived to collect him. Together they headed to the back patio where tables and decorative lights had been set up. Pack members manned grills and a steady stream of omega servers brought out salads and sides from the kitchen.
Every pack he visited insisted on these welcome parties hoping to impress him. This meant he sat through the same party seven times, only the faces changed. Still it was a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Jason saw several of his warriors mingling with the crowd. Aside from Luke, his escort was comprised of unmated wolves.
It was not only difficult for alphas to find their fated mates but also for warriors to find theirs. To help his warriors as much as possible he always traveled with unmated ones giving them the opportunity to search for their mates. Whenever his warriors found their mates he was both happy for them and jealous. But now, finally, he was close to finding his own mate.
Reaching the coolers Jason considered his options. There were bottles of water and a few sodas but most were beer. That fact alone wouldn’t bother him as werewolves’ superior recovery rate eliminated alcohol almost as soon as it was imbibed. However, werewolves had developed their own brews using small amounts of aconite, otherwise known as wolfsbane.
In large amounts the herb was deadly but in small doses in conjunction with alcohol it slowed their recovery rate and allowed them to get drunk. There were three different strengths to this special concoction determined by how much aconite was used. It was easy to tell the strength of the three brews based on the color of the label: blue for the weakest followed by amber and finally red for the strongest.
Looking in the coolers Jason was rather disappointed to see the majority were red-labeled with a few amber ones but no blue. Lobo growled as Jason grabbed an amber-labeled bottle. He supposed it wouldn’t look good for an alpha to walk around with a bottle of soda though he had no intention of drinking the beer in his hand. The red-labeled beer wasn’t even allowed in his own territory.
Greeting nervous pack members he made his way to his host who held one of the red-labeled bottles with two empty ones on the table in front of him. Jason was careful to keep his expression neutral. Lobo hated it when Jason imbibed aconite beer as it caused some pain to their wolf spirits and weakened their connection. Jason wondered if Alpha Graham could even feel his wolf anymore after three.
Luke joined Jason shooting him a glance seeing their host’s growing stock of empty bottles. No doubt the Beta was thinking the same thing he was. They didn’t have a problem with someone kicking back and relaxing but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a need for self-control.
“Alpha Jason,” Luna Kristie greeted sauntering toward him in a rather short skirt and a blouse so tight she was practically bursting out of it. She sidled close to him fondling his arm and making his skin crawl. “How do you like our little party?”
“It’s nice to see the whole pack together,” Jason agreed gritting his teeth trying to control Lobo who wanted nothing more than to rip out her throat as she stroked his arm.
“I’m sure it’s far below what you’re used to,” Luna Kristie smiled batting her eyes. “You’re from an ancient pack so this must be quaint.”
Jason’s brow furrowed trying to figure out if she was complimenting his pack or insulting her own. A pup brushed past them chasing her brother. He chuckled at the pups’ excitement. Tonight must feel like a festival.
Beside him Luna Kristie practically snarled, “Where is that useless, wolfless girl…these spawn are her responsibility.”
Jason frowned. A Luna was the heart and soul of her pack and the one who secured its future. As such lunas were particularly maternal treating all pups like their own. He recalled the rumors Luke mentioned during the drive. Though it was far from proof he found it hard to believe she was a true Luna.
“Finally!” Luna Kristie exclaimed moving away much to his relief.
Jason sighed as the night breeze cleared away her overwhelming perfume. A new scent reached him far more intoxicating than any artificial odor. It was a mix of sage and lilac and made Lobo practically roll onto his back.
‘Mate! Mate is here!’
Jason turned into the breeze and watched as a petite she-wolf stepped onto the patio. She was rather pale for a werewolf but her hair was a mane of rich, walnut brown. Her clothing was simple: turtleneck, denim jacket and jeans that hugged her small frame and teased him with what lay underneath. But it was her eyes that captivated him. Her gaze shimmered silver in the moonlight like captured slivers of the moon itself.
Jason broke into a sweat, his hands went clammy and his throat constricted at the vision in front of him. After a decade of searching he finally found her. And she was perfect. Lobo practically bounced off the walls of his mind. Their mate was here!
“Miss Phoebe!” an excited squeal erupted from the crowd as several pups emerged from the crowd.
They ran up his mate like moths drawn to a flame. A dazzling smile warmed her face as she knelt embracing the first little she-wolf who reached her. They rubbed noses in a familiar gesture usually reserved for mates or between mothers and their pups.
Another she-wolf approached carrying a two-year-old handing off the pup to Jason’s mate. She accepted the pup with open arms. The pup didn’t show the least amount of stress as its mother gave it to another. It was clear the pup was used to these handoffs and contentedly clung to his mate who tenderly nuzzled him.
Phoebe. Her name is Phoebe.
‘Yes! Phoebe!’ Lobo happily whined, eager to learn the name of her wolf.
“I thought I told you I didn’t want to see these heathens while we had guests,” Luna Kristie snapped as she neared Phoebe surrounded by pups.
Phoebe bowed her head, “Sorry Luna. It won’t happen again.”
“It better not. I won’t have our guests’ night ruined by these spawn.”
“Of course, Luna. Come along pups,” Phoebe herded the little ones inside the packhouse and out of view.
“Jace? You okay?”
Jason’s hair bristled as he tried to calm his wolf, ‘Easy.’
‘How dare she talk to Mate like that! I’ll rip her throat out!’ Lobo growled.
‘Easy, let’s be smart about this.’
Jason frowned. It wasn’t right for his mate to bow to any wolf, Luna or no. Kristie’s attitude had been rubbing him the wrong way since his arrival and now he had a hard time controlling his disgust. Jason never heard of a Luna who hated pups or treated them with such contempt, chosen or not.
As his mate disappeared inside, Jason struggled to suppress his urge to follow. He searched for her for so long he wanted to keep her within his sight at all times. But he was the guest of honor and could hardly leave without drawing notice. He had to handle this situation carefully. Alphas were very protective of their territory and there was protocol to follow for a wolf to transfer packs though no one would prevent an alpha from claiming his rightful mate.
‘Mate come home with us!’ Lobo growled.
“Jace! What’s wrong?” Luke’s voice finally cut in.
“My mate. That was her.”
“You mean the one who took the pups inside?”
“Phoebe. Her name is Phoebe.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Go inside and watch her for me, please.”
“Sure. Don’t worry. She’ll be safe.”
“Keep me updated. I want to know everything.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’ll be like you were there yourself.”
Jason suppressed a growl. He wanted nothing more than to be at her side but something told him not to reveal his hand too soon to his hosts. There was something off about them that went beyond simple, chosen mates.
“What was that about?” Jason casually asked as Kristie returned.
“Oh nothing. Just a little trouble with the staff,” she smiled.
“Staff?”
“Yeah, poor wolfless Phoebe. Minding those little heathens is all she is good for.”
Jason raised an eyebrow looking at Graham for insight as the latter downed the rest of his beer. With a belch Graham set down the now empty bottle with the others before demanding another from the nearest pack member. A new bottle soon replaced the last and he didn’t hesitate to drink deeply from it despite the fact his wolf had to be suffering. Jason warily eyed his hosts. Something was very, very wrong with these two.
* * *
While Jason was too prominent a figure to slip away Luke had no such issue quietly returning to the packhouse. Entering the dining hall the echoes of laughter directed him to a small room off from the kitchen.
This room, unlike the dining hall, was plastered with the children’s artwork and educational posters from their lessons. It made the room cozy unlike the sterile atmosphere of the larger room. The same sense of unease that made Jason wary of their hosts also piqued Luke’s mind. Packs thrived on their pups which were literally their future. It was unnatural to hide them away like some dirty secret. Not wanting to disturb the little group Luke stood near the door out of sight peeking around the corner to keep an eye on his pack’s Luna.
She was average height standing only a little over five feet but more concerning was the fact she seemed thin. Luke didn’t recall seeing her at lunch and now he wondered if she was getting proper meals. Wolves tended to have a higher metabolism than humans so it was important they consumed enough calories or else they would rapidly lose condition especially if they shifted often.
She also seemed paler than normal though she could also have a naturally lighter complexion. Luke knew wolves from certain parts of Europe and the east coast tended to be paler than those on the west. Her hair was a mane of rich chestnut with a healthy sheen and her smile was warm causing her eyes to shimmer from gray to silver. It could also be her wolf hovering close to the surface though he never heard of a wolf with silver eyes, most had brown or amber.
The pups quickly took their seats at a long table laden with colorful paper, glitter glue, markers, sequins, buttons and string. In front of the younger pups the paper had been cut into star shapes with rows of plastic bins full of different craft supplies so they could color and decorate their stars as they wished. The older pups were given plain, paper squares. Once they were seated Phoebe demonstrated how to fold the paper square into an origami star once they finished decorating it. The older pups colored their paper, folded it and, if they chose, Phoebe would spray the finished project with adhesive and they could sprinkle glitter over it for the final touch.
Attaching strings to the finished projects Phoebe climbed up on a step stool to hang the stars from the ceiling much to the pups’ delight. When they were done they cleaned up their project table before pushing it to the wall. Once it was out of the way Phoebe brought out her final surprise, a bucket. She placed a light in the bottom before setting it on the ground. Over the bucket she added a paper fire effectively making a faux campfire. The pups giggled gathering around it as if it was real holding branches with paper marshmallows and hotdogs on the end.
“Excuse us.”
Luke jerked back allowing the kitchen omegas to enter bearing plates laden with real hotdogs, salads, coleslaw and other goodies from dinner. The pups squealed delight using the ketchup, mustard, relish and other condiments on their hotdogs. Each was given a soda and they happily ate their dinner around the pretend campfire.
Luke’s stomach complained about its own empty state. He stepped into the kitchen and helped himself to the sides lining the center counter. Outside he knew there were barbeque ribs and steak along with burgers and hotdogs but he didn’t mind missing out as he watched over his future Luna keeping Jason informed about her activities.
Slowly he became aware he had an audience. Luke turned to see one of the cooks watching him closely. The she-wolf studying him was an omega but well within her prime giving her an aura of experience and elevating her status somewhat even toward a beta like him. Luke gave her a respectful nod.
She pressed her lips together before asking, “Just what do you want with her? She doesn’t like playing games especially the ones you want to play.”
Luke grimaced at her candor before turning his head to show his mark. He thought the gesture would be enough but she continued to study him unimpressed.
“I’m just confused,” Luke finally said. Maybe he could glean some much needed information, “why are the pups in here and not outside?”
“Because our Luna doesn’t like pups. She thinks they get in the way.”
“But pups are a pack’s future.”
“Not according to her.”
Luke frowned. Alpha Graham was still young by werewolf standards so there was no reason for him to feel rushed into securing a mate. He didn’t have to wait as long as Jason but certainly he could have given it a little time. Given the advantages of a fated mate not to mention the risks of taking a chosen one every alpha made an effort to find their destined mate.
“Phoebe takes care of those pups like she was their mother,” the omega continued. “She’s sweet and gentle so I won’t tolerate no playing around with her.”
“I promise you, I have no intentions of doing that.”
The cook watched him a moment longer before returning to her duties. Luke hesitated but slowly sidled back to the door as the pups finished their supper.
“Miss Phoebe! Tell us a story!”
“Yeah! Story time!”
Phoebe chuckled as she gently cleaned the two-year-old’s face, “And what kind of story would you like?”
“An adventure story!”
“A story about kids like us! Adults are boring.”
“A scary story!”
“Oh my, that’s a tall order,” Phoebe laughed. “Let’s see…how about Treasure Island? I haven’t told you that one yet, have I?”
“What’s it about?”
“Well it’s about a treasure hunt.”
The pups shared dubious looks.
“It has adventure on the high seas, about a young boy just your ages…and it has scary pirates!”
“Okay!”
Phoebe chuckled urging them to settle down. When all were comfortable she started, “Once upon a time in a small English town…”
* * *
Jason struggled to keep his revulsion in check as Graham continued to drink heavily. Kristie flashed him flirty smiles and tried to play footsie under the table. The only thing keeping his wolf under control was Luke’s running commentary of his mate’s activities. Jason could almost picture the scene as she and the pups crafted their stars then pretended to camp around their campfire. By the time she related the plot of Treasure Island Lobo was practically purring.
‘Mate is amazing!’
‘Agreed.’
Jason sighed looking out across the patio with a relaxed smile. Her scent still lingered in his nostrils. What he wouldn’t give to trade places with Luke to watch over her himself. A pressure on his leg caused his skin to prickle bringing him out of his revelry. His eyes shifted to his host where Kristie sat smirking. He could feel her trying to mindlink him but Jason shut her out changing position so he was out of her reach. Lobo stirred with a growl. How dare anyone interrupt their fantasies about their mate?
As the party wound down couples began to disperse. Jason assumed they were retrieving the pups to take them to bed. His suspicions were confirmed as Luke continued giving him updates. The last pups Phoebe escorted to their own room within the packhouse before she departed leaving through the back door and disappearing into the night.
Luke followed at a discrete distance tracking her to a cottage. Jason was on the edge of his seat as Luke described the single story structure surrounded by a cozy garden with the woods butted up against it. The windows were dark when she arrived and remained that way as she went directly to bed. Luke prowled the perimeter not picking up any strong scents but hers. It seemed she lived alone.
Jason frowned. Not that he minded the fact his mate was not surrounded by unmated males but it was unnatural for a she-wolf to live alone. She-wolves generally possessed more gregarious natures than their male counterparts and preferred to live in close proximity with one another.
In all likelihood the cottage was her parents’ home and where Phoebe grew up. The fact she was living alone meant they had already passed. Lobo whimpered in sympathy upset they hadn’t found their mate sooner and would have been there for her during what was certainly a trying time. But why would his mate continue to live alone so far from the others? Most in her situation would have moved into the packhouse to be closer to other she-wolves, their support and comfort.
“Looks like she’s gone to bed,” Luke commented. “What do you want to do?”
‘Go to Mate!’ Lobo immediately demanded.
He would give anything to follow through with his instinct but Jason hesitated. Waking her from slumber by suddenly appearing on her doorstep was sure to be confusing for her. No, he needed to talk to her. They needed time to get to know each other. But…
“I don’t like leaving her out there alone so far away from the pack.”
“Agreed,” Luke answered. His pack’s Luna needed to be protected at all times. It was an instinct he didn’t dare fight. “What about a guard?”
Jason hesitated. Aside from Luke the rest of his escort were unmated males a fact that made Lobo bristle. He didn’t doubt the loyalty of his warriors but he also couldn’t fight his instinct to protect his unmarked mate from interlopers.
“What about Cam?” Luke suggested knowing his thoughts.
Cam was a fierce warrior and a skilled fighter. He was also gay. Unmated or not, he would certainly be no threat to the bond slowly forming between Jason and his mate.
“Good. Have Cam meet you.”
“Should I tell him why he’ll be guarding a random she-wolf?”
“He’s smart. He’ll figure it out on his own. But yeah. Tell him to keep it to himself for now…At least until I can speak with her.”
“Got it.”
Jason escaped the party and Kristie’s amorous overtures as soon as he could, retreating to his room. Double locking his door he hopped in the shower to try to cool his eagerness to see his mate. His arms itched to hold her, caress her. He was dying to bury his nose in her neck and breathe her scent.
‘Mate!’ Lobo growled pacing in the back of his mind like a caged animal.
‘I know pal,’ Jason sighed. ‘I want to be with her just as much as you do but we have to be cautious. There’s something wrong with this pack.’
‘If that Luna touches us again we rip her throat out!’ Lobo snarled.
‘Strange Alpha Graham didn’t react at all,’ Jason suddenly realized something that had been bothering him the whole night.
A chosen bond wasn’t as strong as a fated one but it still connected one’s wolf spirit to another allowing them to communicate and sense each other. If one member of the pair betrayed the bond the other would certainly feel it. Though Kristie had only been flirting her mate should still have felt her intentions and yet Graham hadn’t even flinched despite the fact she was sitting next to him. Then again he had been drinking quite heavily so perhaps he couldn’t sense his wolf through the haze. Or was he drinking to deliberately suppress his wolf and dull the ache of his mate’s betrayal?
Jason couldn’t decide which scenario was more disturbing. In either case his instinct told him it wasn’t safe to announce his fated mate had been found, at least not until he had a chance to speak with her. The sooner they could leave and get his mate back to the safety of his own pack the better.
‘Yes! Take Mate home!’
‘We will. We are not leaving without her.’
Lobo growled assent. No matter what he had to convince Phoebe to leave with him. Nobody could stop him from claiming what was his. Stepping out of the shower Jason felt more exhausted than when he entered. Quickly drying himself he splayed out in the large bed. Sleep didn’t come easily.
His mate was etched in his mind and he saw her as soon as he closed his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to curl up with her in his arms, her warm scent wafting around him and filling his nose. Only with that image firmly in place did he finally manage to fall asleep.

------

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My parents are marrying me off to the cruelest, most vicious Alpha?! And to make matters worse, when I see him at our wedding, my wolf tells me he's our true mate!

"Do you, Alpha Demitri Varlos, accept Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, as your wife and mate, and therefore Luna of the Blood Moon Pack?" The Elder asked the man standing in front of me.

My breathing hitched to a stop.

"Alpha? Varlos? As in, the cold-blooded killer Alpha Varlos?" I asked my wolf Aya.

"I guess so. But his wolf told me..."

"I don't care about his wolf, Aya! This is a trap! They told me I just need to get married to an Omega! They are full of lies!" I was shaking as the reality of my situation started to sink in.

"I do," Alpha Demitri's deep voice rang.

I felt the mate bond intensify. I ground my teeth together and kept my eyes downcast, avoiding eye contact with Alpha Varlos.

"Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, do you accept Alpha Demitri Varlos of the Blood Moon Pack to be your husband and your mate, thereby accepting your title as his Luna?"

"I..." I don't want to go with him.
I have three choices now: Stay here and be a slave and get beaten, or go with the murdering Alpha, or go rogue and have nobody. Tears welled in my eyes at my situation.

"Please don't reject him. He will be nice and sweet, even though he seems terrifying now!" Aya whimpered.
I sneaked a peek at my mate. He's a giant, all muscle, with a hint of a tattoo peeking out from under his shirt collar on his neck. He's very good-looking despite his ugly reputation. Full lips under a straight, long nose, and his eyes. They were a warm honey gold with flecks of brown.
Those eyes gazed into mine, and then my mate smirked at me. My breath hitched, and immediately I felt captivated.

"Lily?" The Elder stepped forward.
Alpha Dimitri frowned, his honey gold eyes turning a few shades darker. Is he getting angry at me?
I heard my biggest bully, Evelyn, snicker behind me. Now I know why she was so smug earlier.
"Lily, say 'I do.' The Goddess has her special plan for us, trust me," Aya pleaded.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away from Alpha Varlos and down at my shoes.

"I do," I whispered.

The mate bond intensified again with my words. I blinked away unshed tears as I sealed my fate.
The Elder stepped back, giving me a look of something close to sympathy.

"It is my great joy to pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss—"

"That won't be necessary." Alpha Varlos cut across him. He turned to me. "Come."

---

"Hurry up, Slave! Goddess, you have nothing to work with anyway! Did you even bathe?!"

I rolled my eyes for what felt like the millionth time. Why Luna decided her spoiled, stuck up daughter, who also hated my guts, would be the perfect person to help me get ready for my wedding was beyond me. Although 'helping' was far reached. So far, she had pulled me out of bed by my hair, handled me into my creaky chair in front of my sorry excuse for a vanity, and screamed at me to get ready. Since then, she had done nothing but his not-so-little friend around on her phone and occasionally insult me.

"Yes, Evelyn." I clipped out. She snorted in response and went back to her phone.

I was nearly ready. My thick red hair was pulled up into a French twist, my veil tucked into it nicely. I had no makeup to speak of, so I had no choice but to go natural. It didn't bother me much, my skin was flawless in terms of acne. I would have liked something to try and conceal how sallow my cheeks were and the bags under my eyes though. I was extremely pale, due to a lack of food and nutrition, which made me look sickly. My full lips were dry and peeling slightly. I hadn't had a drink in over twenty-four hours, and how I wish I could say it was from nerves. Sadly, it wasn't. I had a straight, proud nose so I guess that was a plus. The only feature I really loved was my eyes. They were unbelievably green, like emeralds but... more. They almost shone with the depth of their colour.

My gaze swept down to my dress. It was gorgeous. The only thing I had ever received from the Alpha in the thirteen years I'd been at this pack.

Alpha Theo and his Luna, Tina of the Snow Moon Pack had "adopted" me when I was five years old. I have no recollection of my life or family from before. Many times I had tried to remember, but it was black, fuzzy. Eventually, I'd stopped trying. My first memory was thirteen years ago, entering Snow Moons borders and staggering around until I came across the packhouse.

Foolishly, I'd raided the kitchen as I had been starving, and the Luna had caught me redhanded. Terrified and alone, she had taken me in. Though I quickly found out she was not a Luna of mercy as I was made to clean, cook and serve the pack with harsh punishments if I strayed or argued or talked back.

Her daughter, Evelyn, was the same age as me, and just as cruel as her parents. Her main source of enjoyment was to torment me.

Once, when we were ten, I had spilled a glass of orange juice on the floor. Evelyn had walked right up to me and dumped the remaining glass over her head, immediately screaming for her parents, claiming I had thrown a glass at her and then dumped the juice on her when I missed. None of her friends had backed me up, and I'd spent three days in a cell in the basement with no food or water and merciless beatings from the Alpha and Luna both. I had no idea how I survived, and at the time, I wasn't overly happy that I did.

Over the years however, I'd simply learned to stay away from everyone as much as possible. When that wasn't possible, I just kept my eyes down and my mouth shut. The punishments happened less and less, but when they did happen, they were extreme. If Evelyn had a bad day at school, she would take it out on me. Sometimes her friends would join in, leaving me in whatever state when they were done. More often than not, I'd wished for death. Until I got my wolf, Aya.

It was thanks to her that I found my voice again; My will to fight back somewhat. She was strong, snarky, and my only friend. She was the only reason I'd managed to keep my sanity. I smiled to myself, remembering the night she finally came forward.



**FLASHBACK**

I was in the last room of the main floor, just finishing up mopping. Suddenly a voice had me screaming and dropping the mop, splashing water everywhere.

"Hey!"

"Who...who's there?" I asked nervously. I spun in a slow circle, looking for a sign of another person.

Laughter. "No need to be so jumpy. I won't hurt you, Lily."

I realized the voice was in my head. " You're my wolf!"

"Bingo!"

"Is that your name? Bingo?" I asked. Odd.

"What? No silly girl. My name is Aya, and it is so nice to finally be here with you."

"It's really nice to meet you too! I thought... I mean... I figured..." I trailed off helplessly.

"That you didn't have a wolf? I know."

"You do?"

She sighed. "I've always been here, Lily. I know those a******s told you that you 'couldn't possibly have a wolf' and all the other bull they've put you through. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you. But I'm here now, and you'll always have me to watch your back. fk this pack, and fk them for the hll they've put you through!"

I laughed, full of joy. I had a wolf! This was the best day of my life!

"Oh, Lily?"

"Yes, Aya?" I answered.

"Happy Birthday."

I grinned so much, that I didn't even mind I had to re-mop the floor.



** END FLASHBACK**

That was last month, my eighteenth birthday. I hadn't shifted yet, as wolves shift for the first time on the full moon after their eighteenth birthday. I couldn't wait to see what Aya looked like.

My reminiscing was interrupted by Evelyns high pitched voice.

"What t******k are you smiling about?"

Aya snarled in my head. I shook my head but declined to answer. Evelyn narrowed her eyes at me and stood up, moving towards me. She stood behind me with her hands on her hips, cocking her head to the side.

"You know, Slave, I think you could use a little color in your cheeks." She smiled wickedly.

I immediately sprang up and tried to dash to the door, but she was quick. Grabbing my arm, she spun me around and landed a vicious blow to my left cheek. While I was still stunned, she repeated the action to my right cheek.

Tears sprang to my eyes to accompany the stinging on my face. Aya roared in my head, momentarily deafening me while Evelyn laughed. I didn't even hear the insult she threw at me. Holding my cheeks, I turned swiftly for the door, exiting the room with Evelyn hot on my heels.

"You'll be back, you know." She said. "I know you think this marriage is your ticket out of here, but it's not. As soon as your groom realizes who my parents are marrying him off to, he'll throw you out faster than you can blink. I'll be surprised if he even goes through with the ceremony!" She hissed. Stepping in front of me, she grabbed my throat roughly.

"You will always be nothing but a slave!"

Evelyn released me, shoving me back a few feet. Without another glance, she marched down the hall and out of sight around the corner. I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths.

"She's wrong. Don't listen to her, Lily." My wolf tried to soothe me.

"She's right, though. I've always been a slave. Who could possibly want me? Look at me!"

"I am. You're stronger than you realize. You've been through so, so much, and you're still here. Still standing. Even if this guy throws you out, we won't come back here."

I blinked. " You'd go rogue?"

"I told you I'd always be here with you. Even if we had to be a rogue."

Tears welled up again, but this time from happiness.

" Wow. Thank you. I love you, Aya."

"I love you too, Lily. Now, let's go get married!" She cheered with mock enthusiasm. I laughed quietly.

Straightening my dress and my hair, I began walking down the hallway. With each step, nerves began to pool in my stomach.

See, the craziest thing about my situation was that I actually didn't know who I was marrying. This whole thing was arranged without my knowledge, at least, up until last week.

I'd been a server at the yearly Alphas Meeting, which was at Snow Moon this year. The next day, Alpha Theo and Luna Tina dragged me into the Alphas' office and told me I was getting married. They never said to whom, and they never gave me the option to say no. All they said was they were getting more for my hand in marriage than I was worth, and they were glad to be finally getting rid of me. I couldn't say I was unhappy about the prospect of leaving this pack, but I was scared of marrying an unknown man. I couldn't fathom why anyone would want me to be honest.

I assumed it was someone from an ally pack who wanted a slave. The more I'd thought about this, the more I believed it true. After all, Alpha Theo could pick any random girl to replace me.

Lost in my fears, I finally reached the grand double doors to the hall where the ceremony was taking place. Voices buzzed from inside. I felt like vomiting, but also something... else.

My head began to swim, and I was suddenly too hot. My heart rate was picking up quickly, and I felt lightheaded.

Was I about to pass out minutes before my wedding?

Chapter Two

Lily POV

As I took deep breaths as being coached by my wolf, Alpha Theo snuck up beside me. I had been so focused on my breathing I hadn\'t even heard him. He grabbed my arm roughly, pulling me to his side.

I flinched.

\"Stop fidgeting!\" He hissed.

\"What are you doing?\" I asked.

I felt so out of sorts, I didn\'t even stop to consider my words or the disrespectful tone in which I said them.

Alpha Theo narrowed his eyes at me. The hand at his side twitched like he wanted to strike me.

\"Since you have no father here, it is my...duty to walk you down the aisle and give you away. Don\'t misinterpret this though, I take absolutely no pleasure in touching you.\"

Uhm, what? Why did it sound like he was insinuating something?

\"You mean, you take no pleasure in touching me when it\'s not violent.\" I deadpanned.

Aya, who had been pacing in my head, stopped in her tracks. I could feel the shock coming from her. I was shocked too. I\'d never spoken to the Alpha like that before, with such confidence. Where the hll had that come from?

The Alpha seemed more shocked than either of us however. His face was comical. At least it was until his eyes turned black and a low growl came through his teeth.

shlt.

Before Alpha Theo could hit me, or worse, kill me on the spot, the doors in front of us began to open...

He released his hold on my arm instantly and I winced as the blood flow began again. He linked his arm with mine instead, turning me towards the hall.

I had no maid of honour, no bridesmaids. Not that anyone would have agreed if I had asked.

As we entered the hall, I was hit in the face with the most amazing scent. It was a mix of lavender and chocolate, with a hint of an almost musky, woodsy smell. It almost knocked me off my feet. It filled the hall and I found myself looking around, searching for the source. Aya was practically jumping in my head, wanting to come out.

\"Mate! MATE!\" She screamed.

What?!

\"Where?\" I asked.

I saw him then. My eyes zeroed in on the most amazingly breathtaking man I\'d ever witnessed.

He was taller than Alpha Theo, at least 6\'7, a giant, and all muscle. His tuxedo strained against his muscles in a way that had my mouth watering. I could see the hint of a tattoo peaking out front under the shirt collar on his neck. I was less than five feet away now, close enough to see his hair had a slight wave to it, and it was pitch black. My fingers itched to run through it. He had a chiseled jaw, with a five o\'clock shadow. Full lips under a straight, long nose, and his eyes. They gazed into mine and held me captive. They were a warm honey gold with flecks of brown.

I had forgotten where I was; the reason, the time, the place.

\"This is our mate?\" I asked Aya.

I couldn\'t quite believe someone so... he was my mate.

\"Yes!\" I could feel her connecting with our mate\'s wolf. She was purring with joy and happiness.

A loud throat clearing sounded next to me, and I unwillingly cast my gaze away from my mate in annoyance.

Alpha Theo was glaring at me, his arm still linked with mine. It was only then that I\'d realized we\'d come to a stop. The entire hall was buzzing with hushed whispers, everyone staring at me. I blushed slightly and looked down.

\"Alpha Theo.\" His voice was deep, husky. It sent a shiver down my spine. \"I\'ll take her from here.\"

My head shot up.

Wait... I was marrying him? My mate?

\"Who did you think? He\'s the only one up here other than the old guy!\" Snarked Aya.

Truthfully I hadn\'t even noticed anyone else, but she was right. Only the Elder who was blessing the marriage stood at the alter with my mate.

I glanced around him.

Didn\'t he have groomsmen? Friends? Family?

\"What are you waiting for?! Go!\" hissed Alpha Theo. He released my arm with a not too subtle shove.

A growl erupted from my mate\'s chest at the action, and I peeked up in time to see Alpha Theo\'s face go pale. He bowed his head in apology and went to take his seat next to his Luna.

I spotted Evelyn seated next to her mother, but I didn\'t understand her expression. Truthfully, the second I realized whom I was marrying, I could only imagine how jealous Evelyn would be. I mean, this man was a God! But she looked.... smug. She had a wicked little smile on her face, laughter in her eyes. Her expression had anxiety pooling in my stomach.

\"Ahem!\"

I jerked my attention back to the man in front of me. He was glaring at me now, annoyance clear on his face.

\"I\'d like to get started, if you\'re willing to pay attention now?\" He grumbled.

Without waiting for an answer, he signaled to the Elder to begin the ceremony.

\"Ladies and gentleman, it is my honor to be here at Snow Moon today to bless the union of these two Children of the Moon Goddess. Shall we?\"

He looked my mate. He nodded once.

The Elder looked to me with a soft smile, which I returned.

\"Do you Lily...\" He stumbled for a second and I blushed a deep red.
Traditionally, he would use my full name, but since I had no memory of my past, I didn\'t know my last name. Or even if I had a middle name. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mate raise his eyebrows in confusion.

The Elder cleared his throat and started again. \"Do you, Lily of the Snow Moon Pack, accept this marriage and my Blessing of it?\"

\"I do.\" I replied quietly.

\"And do you acknowledge and accept that henceforth, you will no longer be a member of the Snow Moon Pack?\"

\"Yes.\" I replied a little more eagerly.

\"Then as an Elder of the Werewolf Sitting Council, I hereby strip you of any ties to the Snow Moon Pack. Alpha Theo?\" The Elder gestured to my Alpha who stood up.

\"I accept.\" He said.

I felt a tearing through my chest and I gasped. Everyone in the hall save the Elder and my groom gasped and clutched their chests along with me. Losing a pack member was painful for everyone, but I took the pain with a smile, knowing I was officially no longer a member of this horrid pack. I felt an intense wave of freedom not to be tied to them anymore.

When everyone was quiet again, the Elder turned to my mate.

\"Do you, Alpha Demitri Varlos accept Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, as your wife and mate, and therefore Luna of the Blood Moon Pack?\"

My breathing hitched to a stop.

\"Alpha? Varlos? As in, the cold-blooded killer Alpha Varlos?\" I asked Aya.

\"I guess so. But his wolf...\"

\"I don\'t care about his wolf Aya! I can\'t accept this! He\'s a MURDERER!\"

I was shaking as the reality of my situation started to sink in. They were marrying me off to the cruelest, most viscous Alpha on this side of the world! And to make matters worse, he was my mate. What kind of sick sense of humor did the Moon Goddess have? I hadn\'t suffered enough, she thought she\'d toss me to the merciless Alpha?

\"I do.\"

I felt the mate bond intensify. I ground my teeth together, and kept my eyes downcast, avoiding eye contact with Alpha Varlos.

\"Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, do you accept Alpha Demitri Varlos of the Blood Moon Pack to be your husband and your mate, thereby accepting your title as his Luna?\"

\"I...\"

I didn\'t. I didn\'t want to go with him. These were my options then? Stay here and be a slave and get beat, go with the murdering Alpha who, or go rogue and have nobody. Tears welled in my eyes at my situation.

\"Please don\'t reject him.\" Aya whimpered.

\"Aya... we can\'t accept him. He\'s-\"

\"I know!\" She cut me off. \"But you need to remember that you wouldn\'t be the only one losing a mate!\" She snapped.

Closing my eyes, I sighed quietly.

When I opened them, I looked into my Alphas eyes. He was staring at me with such anger, I actually took a step back.

\"Please?\" Whispered Aya.

\"Lily?\" The Elder stepped forward.

I heard a snicker I\'d know anywhere behind me. Now I know why Evelyn was so smug earlier.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away from Alpha Varlos and down at my shoes.

\"I do.\" I whispered.

The mate bond intensified again with my words. I blinked away unshed tears as I sealed my fate. The Elder stepped back, giving me a short look of something close to sympathy.

\"It is my great joy to pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss-\"

\"That won\'t be necessary.\" Alpha Varlos cut across him. He turned to me. \"Come.\"

Dragging my feet, I turned to follow my new husband.

Chapter Three

Lily POV

Alpha Demitri Varlos strode down the platform, stopping briefly to shake my former Alphas hand. They exchanged no words, but it felt disrespectful to me, like a \"good doing business with you\" vibe. I wondered for the first time how much he had offered for me; It couldn\'t have been very much as I was nothing but a lowly slave for the pack. More than likely, they were probably just glad to be rid of me.

Keeping my eyes down and my feet shuffling forward, I felt bad for whoever they replaced me with in the future.

A deep sigh interrupted my thoughts, and I glanced up to see my mates annoyed face.

\"Can you move any faster? I\'d like to get home sometime today if that\'s okay with you.\" He snapped.

\"Sorry.\" I mumbled.

He rolled his eyes. \"Your things are packed and already loaded in the car. Let\'s go.\"

He reached for my arm, and I instinctively flinched back. It wasn\'t entirely his fault; I\'d been beaten since the age of five, fast movements tended to cause me to react like that. Whether he knew of how I was treated here or not though, he stopped reaching for me and dropped his hand to his side.

\"Can I... Should I change first?\" I asked him.

\"Why?\"

I blinked at him. \"Am I suppose to show up to your pack in a wedding dress?\"

\"Why does it matter?\"

It didn\'t really. I was stalling, not wanting to be in a close, personal space like a car with him.

\"Look, I\'ve come and got what I needed here. Now I\'m going home. If you\'re not in the car in two minutes, you can walk to Blood Moon.\" With that, he turned and walked away from me.

\"Wow. He\'s a real charmer.\"

\"I know he\'s a bit rough around the edges. But his wolf is really nice.\"

\"That\'s suppose to make me feel better?\"

\"Yes.\"

My turn to roll my eyes.

Dutifully, I followed my husband out of the packhouse to a waiting black SUV. He was already seated in the driver\'s seat, tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.

I climbed in somewhat awkwardly thanks to the skirt of my dress and shut my door. Glancing in the backseat, I saw a single suitcase. That would be my thing, as sad as that was. Clicking my seatbelt into place, I stared out the windshield. We weren\'t moving. Two minutes passed. Then three. And five minutes later, we still were parked in the drive of the packhouse. I broke the silence.

\"Aren\'t we leaving?\" I asked him.

\"Yes. As soon as these idiots get the rest of your stuff.\"

I looked at him quizzically. \"What?\"

He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, indicating my suitcase. I actually laughed.

\"That is the rest of my stuff.\"

Now it was his turn to look confused.

\"That is all you have?\"

\"Yeah.\"

\"Where are the rest of your clothes?\"

\"They\'re in there. I don\'t have much.\" I shrugged.

\"Much? You don\'t have anything.\" He barked.

I shrugged again. He continued to look at me with an undecipherable expression before his expression hardened again.

\"Whatever.\" He grumbled.

Finally, he started the car and put it in the drive.

Leaning back in my seat, I started out at the houses passing us by, giving way to more and more trees until we left Snow Moon behind completely.

Turning onto the highway, I let out a breath I didn\'t know I\'d been holding.

\"I can\'t believe it...\"

\"I know. We\'re actually out of Snow Moon. We don\'t ever have to go back Lily! We\'re free!\" Aya whooped in my head.

Free. Somehow this didn\'t feel like freedom. I\'d gone from being a slave to a Luna in less than a day to a man who might actually kill me as he\'d done so many others. Even as a slave, I\'d heard all the stories of Alpha Demitri Varlos. He was feared near and far for his ability to kill. He\'d wiped out entire packs. He had no mercy, no heart. He was actually known as The Heartless Alpha. And here I was, sitting in a car with him, accompanying him to his pack as his Luna and wife.

It felt surreal.

Should I speak to him; try to make conversation?

I floundered around in my head, searching for something to ask him that didn\'t involve his kill streak or how many people he had decapitated.

Hours passed. It was dark outside now, the trees a dark blur as we sped past.

Suddenly, it popped into my head, and out of my mouth before I could stop it.

\"Why didn\'t you kiss me?\" I blurted out.

Alpha Varlos glanced at me and then back to the road. Silence.

\"Alpha?\" I tried again. Nothing.

I\'d been so caught up in the shock before, I hadn\'t even minded that he didn\'t kiss me. But now, as my reality began to really set in, it seemed important to know why.

Was I that repulsive? Why did this matter so much to me anyway? He was a cold blooded murderer, I shouldn\'t even be thinking about kissing him. Stupid mate bond.

However, it seemed my mouth was not connected to my brain as I whispered, \"I\'m your mate...\"

\"Enough!\" He snapped loudly.

I flinched away from him, hurt.

Stupid, stupid mate bond.

I didn\'t speak a single word for the rest of the trip. My gaze traveled between the window and my shoes, I refused to look at him. An hour ago, he\'d told me we\'d crossed into his land, I\'d simply nodded. Was I being disrespectful? Probably. But he wasn\'t chatting me up either way, so I didn\'t care.

\"We\'re here.\"

He pulled up to a huge ten foot gate that looked to be made of iron. Two guards were stationed on our side, and two more just beyond. All four men were huge, but nowhere close to their Alpha. The closest guard gave a signal and the gates swung open. Despite my qualms about this situation, I was impressed as we drove further towards the packhouse. Most of the area was covered in trees, but I could spot houses in the dense forestry. Here and there, quaint cottages were dotted around with cute balconies and porch swings, gardens, stone walk paths. I even spotted a few garden gnomes. Not at all what I had been imagining when I learned who my husband-to-be was.

Fifteen minutes later, Alpha Varlos pulled up to what could only be the packhouse.

The driveway was a big semi-circle of stone bricks, with a water fountain stationed in the middle. Cars were parked in a line along the edge, Jeeps and SUVs. Taking a minute to admire the house itself, I was honestly awestruck. The packhouse was ginormous; at least five stories tall and just as wide. Lush flower beds lined the front, giving way to a beautifully green front lawn. Vines crawled up between the windows sprouting little buds. Morning glorys I thought. Lights were on in various windows of the house, casting a yellow glow. It felt.... homey.

\"Are you going to sit there and stare all night? I\'m tired.\" Grumbled my mate.

I shook my head, speedily opening my door and stepping out. I hadn\'t moved much over the course of the long car ride, and my legs were super stiff. I took a second to stretch them while still admiring the house. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the whole place was constructed of deep redwood. I bet it looked even better in the daylight.

\"Lily.\"

It took me a minute for him to catch my attention. Nobody used my name; I\'d always been called \'slave\' or \'mutt\', or other various derogatory terms.

\"Yes, I\'m coming. Just let me get my stu-\"

\"Don\'t bother.\"

\"But-\"

\"I\'ll get you some new clothes tomorrow. You can throw that suitcase out, and everything in it.\"

He began to walk to the house, but stopped when I opened the back door of the SUV. He sighed loudly, clearly irritated. Opening the suitcase, I dug through the \'clothes\' that had been packed, really they were just rags until I found my objective. Closing the door, I clutched my necklace and joined him.

\"What\'s that?\" He asked.

\"It\'s a necklace.\"

He raised an eyebrow.

\"It\'s... well... it\'s the only thing I have that\'s really mine. I don\'t remember who gave it to me, but I had it before I came to Snow Moon... so...\"

Why was I explaining this?

\"Okay.\" He turned on his heel and I followed him, mentally rolling my eyes. He really was an bottom.

He didn\'t hold the door for me, which I expected. Glancing around as I followed him through the door, I was again awestruck by how big this place was.

Paintings decorated the walls that I\'d have to inspect closer later. The floor was carpeted a deep purple, contrasting nicely with the wooden interior. Antique looking furniture was placed vicariously along the walls.

\"This way. This floor has the common room, the kitchen, game area, and a room we use for Alpha meetings. It also has the dining room for meals. Second floor belongs to my Gamma and his family. Third floor is for my Beta and his family. The fourth floor is for us, and the fifth floor is the library.\"

That was the most he\'d said to me since we\'d met. Wait... us?

\"Us?\" I squeaked.

Chapter Four

Lily POV

He stopped on the stairs and looked down at me. As if he wasn't tall enough, this was even more intimidating.

"Yes, us. You are my wife, and Luna of this pack."

"Uh..."

"Don't worry. You have your own room." Huh?

Before I could ask, he trotted up the stairs, me scrambling to keep up. I was feeling lightheaded and gasping for breath by the time we reached our floor. Years of being starved for long periods of time will do that to you I guess. I shuffled down the hall, nearly running into the back of him when he stopped abruptly in front of a door.

"This is your room. My room is across the hall." He pointed to a door adjacent to mine. "Clothes will arrive tomorrow for you."

Without another word, he opened his door and stepped inside, closing it on my shocked face. Numbly, I opened my own door and stepped inside. I don't know why I expected it to be small; old habits I guess. It was huge. The floor was plush, soft grey carpet. A king size bed was set against the wall, begging for a good nights sleep. Across from the bed was a old fashioned fireplace, already lit and filling the room with warmth and a soft glow; a neatly stacked pile of wood was placed to it's side. White curtains were drawn across glass doors that looked to open to a balcony. I assumed the door to my right was a bathroom, and the double wooden doors led to a closet. Again, not what I had imagined.

"But then we didn't imagine we'd have our own room, did we?" Aya grumbled.

"No. But it's better than sleeping with him, right?"

"Maybe. But what was the point of all this if we're not going to be together?"

I didn't have an answer to that. It did seem pointless. He acted as if a mate and Luna, let alone a wife, was the last thing he wanted.

"Maybe it's better this way? He is... him after all."

"I need to bond with my mate too Lily. What if he doesn't let us?" She whimpered.

"We live here Aya. Sooner or later, we'll meet his wolf."

"I guess."

It wasn't the same thing, I knew. Aya needed to make her own bond with the Alphas wolf. Play together, hunt together. The thought of her not being able to do those things made her extremely sad.

"He has a name you know." She said.

"It feels wierd calling him Demitri though. What if he doesn't like it? What if no one else calls him that?"

"You're overthinking things."

"I don't think so."

Yawning, I slipped off my shoes and made my way to the bed. A huge grin plastered my face as I lay down. I'd never slept in a real bed before. My sleeping arrangements at Snow Moon consisted of a couple dirty mattresses filled with holes on the floor. Comparatively, this was Heaven. Having nothing else to sleep in, I arranged the skirts of my dress under the covers and fell asleep in minutes.

**********************************************************************************************************

I woke up to someone nudging my shoulder. It couldn't have been Evelyn; she would have just yanked me out of bed. As I became more conscious, memories of the previous day came rushing back and I shot up so fast, whoever was sitting next to me yelped in surprise.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"

A girl stood at the edge of the bed, hands raised as if in surrender. She had medium length golden blond hair, a pale flawless complexion, and a body to die for. Her hourglass figure was the stuff of envy. What I noticed most were her eyes though. They were a similar shade to that of my husbands, perhaps a little darker. I blinked at her and noticed she actually did look quite a lot like Dimitri.

"Who are you?" I asked.

She smiled softly at me, extending her hand. "I'm Thara, Dimitris sister. He sent me up here to have a look at you. I didn't mean to wake you so suddenly."

I took her hand and shook once. "Look at me?"

"I'm a doctor at the pack hospital. Dimitri said you looked... a little unhealthy. Do you mind if I examine you?"

"Do I have a choice?"

She laughed. "No, not really. You are the Luna after all, we need you in tip top shape!"

"Uhm... okay, go ahead."

"I'm going to need you to change first. Clothes arrived for you this morning. I put some shorts and t-shirt in the bathroom for you."

"This morning? What time is it now?"

"Just a little after one."

Well shlt. I slept well over twelve hours. I couldn't complain though, I felt more rested than I had in years. I sat up and stretched, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and making my way to the bathroom. Shutting the door, I did my business while looking around. There was a stand in shower with what looked like three different heads for the water, and a separate white claw foot tub that I was definitely going to take advantage of later. The counter had one long sink with two faucets, a gigantic mirror and was polished to shine. The floor was black tile, also exceptionally shiny, with floral designed bath mats placed in front of the shower and tub. I stripped out of my dress and threw it in the wicker laundry basket near the door.

Taking a breath, I looked at my reflection in the mirror and gasped. Holy fk, no wonder Dimitri hadn't wanted to kiss me! Or touch me, or even be around me for that matter. Bright purple and black bruises patched my cheeks where Evelyn had slapped me. My lip was also busted, how had I not noticed that? My hair had fallen out of it's twist while I slept, and was now a tangled mess. My gaze travelled lower and I winced. Bruises dotted my skin in varying sizes from my shoulders down my torso, and my legs were no better. I could count my ribs and my collar bone jutted out sickeningly against my pale flesh.

I'd always had a large chest, regardless of my weight, but it looked odd and disfigured in contrast to every other part of me. There was absolutely no muscle on me, I was literally skin and bone. I was hideous. A quiet cry left my lips as I grabbed the clothes Thara had set for me and dressed quickly. Wiping my eyes, I opened the door and strode back into the room. Thara was arranging tools on the bed; a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff. Something that resembled a little hammer.

"If you could sit on the edge of the bed, I'll take your vitals." She said. I sat dutifully as she wrapped the cuff around my arm and looked at her watch, counting. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she jotted something in a little black notebook. Next, she listened to my breathing and tested my reflexes. Her expression became more and more concerned as she carried on with her exam.

"Luna, can you lie on the bed please?" She asked while writing in her book. I did as she asked and placed my hands on my stomach.

"You can call me Lily." I said. She glanced up and smiled.

"Lily it is." Setting her notebook aside. "I'm going to have to examine your middle... I need you to remove your shirt. It's not invasive, and it won't take long, I promise."

"Uhm... yeah, okay. Sure." I sat up and removed my shirt, lying back again. Tharas eyes widened as she stared at me. A small gasp left her lips before she shook it off and went to work. Poking and prodding with her fingers, she asked me if this and that area were tender, if it was sore. She gave me a hard look when I said no, so I relented a little and was honest. As she scribbled furiously in her little book, she asked me to turn onto my stomach. When I did, the sound of pen against paper stopped abruptly.

"My Goddess..."

I squeezed my eyes shut in shame and embarrassment. I knew what my back looked like. When Alpha Theo was in a particularly violent mood, he would use a silver knife on me. Only ever on my back though, as it was the easiest part of me to cover up. The skin was jagged with scars that would never fully heal. They ranged from below my shoulder blades down to the bottom of my spine all over.

"What... How did you get these?" Asked Thara. She ran her finger over a particularly deep scar.

"Silver." I mumbled.

"Silver what? A blade?"

I nodded mutely.

"Who did this to you? You couldn't have done this yourself. Who?" She demanded.

What was I suppose to say? I couldn't implicate Alpha Theo. I doubted Thara would believe me anyways.

"Who?" Thara more harshly.

"A member of Snow Moon." I said.

"Which member?"

I shook my head. She let out an exasperated sigh. I sat up and threw my shirt on quickly.

"Alright. You don't have to tell me. But I'm telling you now that Dimitri is going to want to know."

"Why? It's not like he cares anyways. Just another thing about me that's repulsive."

"What on Earth makes you think that?" She asked wide eyed.

Chapter Five

Dimitri POV

"How are we for patrols on the Eastern border?"

I was in my office with my Beta, Ben, and my Gamma, Luke. I needed some sort of distraction this morning. I'd sent Thara to look over Lily, for obvious reasons. The girl was covered head to toe in bruises and cuts. I needed some sort of plan to get her healthy again. A strong Luna made a strong Alpha, and she wasn't strong. At all.

"We have enough for the East, but we could reinforce the South. Rogues have been targeting along there more frequently." Said Ben.

"Alright. Get Ned on it ASAP." Ned was my head warrior, and Bens twin brother. Both had fought for the Beta title, but Ben won fair and square. Luke came from a long line of Gammas, so he was the obvious choice for the role. Ned was more than happy to take the lead as head warrior and train others into the best dayum group of fighters this side of the country.

"Will do Boss."

Before either of them could say anything else, the door slammed opened and Thara marched in, breathing hard with a destructive expression on her face.

"You and you. Out." She pointed to Ben and Luke, who raised their eyebrows at me. I nodded, so they left looking confused. I turned my chair towards Thara.

"Well?" I asked.

"Well?! Dimitri, that girl is covered in marks! And her back..." She gulped. "What t******k happened at that pack?!"

"Her back? What's wrong with her back?"

"It's mutilated! She wouldn't tell me who did it, only that it was caused by silver. It looks like someone cut her with a blade over and over and over..."

Thara sat heavily in one of the chairs across from my desk, tossing her little black notebook at me. I started flipping through the pages. Goddess. Lily wasn't just unhealthy, she was malnourished, dehydrated, severely underweight. Bruises covering most of her body, signs of physical and mental abuse...

I closed the book.

"What's the treatment?" I asked straightfaced.

"Food and water. Lots of it, often. But small meals first, I doubt her stomach can handle a hearty meal. I couldn't understand why her wolf wasn't healing the minor injuries. like the bruises. But she's so weak, so that means her wolf is too. With good care, and rest, her wolf should start to heal her again. But her back... it'll never heal properly." She shuddered.

I nodded slowly. "I'll have the cooks prepare something for her, at least six times a day for now."

"She thinks your repulsed by her." Thara said suddenly.

"What?"

"Excatly what I said. Dimitri, your her mate. And her husband. But, more importantly, her mate. The bond between you two will also help her heal."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't have time to wait hand and foot on her Thara."

She glared at me. "Are you even going to complete the mate bond?"

I shrugged. "Of course. When she's not so fragile."

"Physically? Or mentally?" She demanded.

"Physically, obviously."

"So, what? If she's not ready to complete the bond, you're going to force her?!"

I sighed. "I'm not having this conversation with you again Thara. You know-"

"Oh I know Dimitri! I know that you don't give a shlt about that girl upstairs! I know that you have this ridiculous notion that you didn't even have a mate! But here's what I know; I know that if you force Lily to complete the bond when she doesn't feel ready, she will never be the strong Luna you want her to be! She has been abused by someone, or multiple someones, probably for a very long time-"

"And I will find who is responsible Thara!" I growled.

She took a deep breath. After a brief silence, she turned on her heel and left, slamming the door on her way out. I sighed heavily. I was being a his not-so-little friend, but she didn't understand. She never had! She was right about one thing; at twenty three years old, I had given up a long time ago thinking I had a mate out there. I'd looked everywhere in this pack, looked at every unmated girl. I went to neighboring packs, and nothing. What are the chances I'd happen to find her at an Alpha meeting that I hadn't even wanted to attend?

Ben had basically dragged me to Snow Moon, the one pack we didn't really associate with because it's Alpha was beyond useless. I hadn't been there since I was a kid, with my father when he was Alpha. Alpha meetings were suppose to be about renewing allies, gaining new ones, and discussing potential threats. I hadn't even considered that I'd meet a girl with haunting green eyes and a wildflower citrusy scent who would turn out to be my mate. As soon as she'd entered the room, Ajax my wolf, had gone absolutely wild. It had taken almost all of my self-control to reign him in and keep him from marking her right there in the middle of the hall.

The same hall I'd married her in a week later. Admittedly, seeing her walk down the aisle in her long white dress, the way the skirts flowed around her as she moved... she looked beautiful. And awful. Red marks that would surely turn to bruises soon had covered her cheeks, and a thin line of blood was running from her busted lip. Already formed bruises had dotted her bare shoulders, and I assumed from that that the volume of her gown was purposefully made to hide the extent of her injuries and the state of her body. Now I know I had been right.

But did I care about her? No. That may sound horrible, but Mates, Lunas especially, were potentially disasters waiting to happen. They served to make one stronger, that was all. When an Alpha lost his Luna, it was well known that he would never be the same. Most killed themselves just to escape the pain. When I had been younger, I'd idolized the idea of finding that one person, my other half, to love and love me back. But over the years, I learned that while a mate made you stronger, they could also be your downfall. This is why I would complete the bond with Lily, but she would never be my mate, the way mates usually worked.

There would be no intimacy, no real love. I didn't have time for love.

"Alpha?"

I raised my head to see Jennine standing in the doorway.

"Don't you dare." Ajax growled in my head.

Occassionaly, Jennine and I would fk. There were no feelings between us, she was simply really easy and a good stress relief. And I was pretty stressed right now.

"Shut up." I told Ajax and beckoned Jennine forward. She smiled and closed the door. The dress she was wearing left nothing to the imagination, but for some reason I wasn't aroused.

"I'm not doing this. We're not. We have a mate now."

"So? We haven't completed the bond."

"I don't care! I'm not going to let you hurt our mate by f*****g this bimbo!"

"You're so tense baby." Jennine had moved to stand behind me, moving her hands over my shoulders in what she classified as a massage; really, it felt like talons digging into my skin. Her touch made me uncomfortable, edgy in a way it never had before.

"I'm not in the mood for foreppplay." I grumbled.

She stepped in to the side, swiveling my chair to face her. In one quick motion, she had my pants un zipped and pulled down. Her nuts were practically hanging out of her dress as she leant forward. I had the urge to look away.

"That's fine. We can get straight to it. I'm always eager to please my Alpha." She purred. Had her voice always been that nasally? Goddess, it was annoying.

"Sure." I mumbled.

Down went my boxers, and embarrassment coloured my expression. I wasn't hard at all. I mean, at all. Jennine raised her eyebrows, clearly not expecting that. I didn't say a thing.

"Are you not excited to see me baby?" She asked.

"No." Ajax growled.

I was silent.

"Maybe this will get things going." Standing up, she reached back and I heard her zipper. The dress fell in a puddle around her feet and she smiled at me. Of course she wasn't wearing anything underneath. I looked back at her dispassionately. I should be rock hard right now, she had a great body. But my wolfs adamant unwillingness to betray our mate wouldn't allow me to appreciate it.

"It's not just me. You don't want to do this anymore than I do."

Didn't I? I sat there, not saying a word, and Jennine's smile faltered a bit. Little things I hadn't noticed before, right now really bugged me about her. Her eyes were too close together, and a boring dull shade of blue. Her hair was so fake blond, I was surprised it was still intact from all the bleaching. Her lips were thin and her nose was a little upturned. her body... yes attractive, but just... average too. These little things should be inconsequential, but they weren't. I wasn't shallow per se, but in my head, I saw a pair of bright green eyes and I heard Lily's laugh. Jennine was just an easy lay that had run its course.

Standing up, I fixed my clothes.

"What are you-"

"Sorry, this isn't going to happen. And it's probably best that it doesn't ever again." I said. Her jaw dropped.

"But... Dimitri-"

"Alpha! I am Alpha to you! Now, go." I walked over and opened the door, not even caring that if anyone walked passed they would see her n***d.

She huffed angrily and I rolled my eyes. Grabbing her clothes, she quickly slid into them and walked out. I slammed the door behind her.

"I hate you." I told Ajax.

"You would have hated yourself more."

If he was right, I didn't acknowledge it.



Chapter Six

Lily POV

 It had been one week since I was brought to Blood Moon. A whole week. Seven days, seven f*****g days, and Dimitri had not come to see me once; honestly, I was pissed off. Every morning, I would hear him leave his room. And every night, I heard him return. But not once did he check up on me.

I'd been getting six steady meals a day, mostly soups and breads. I was slowly beginning to eat more and more, actually feeling full without the accompanying nausea. That first day, Thara had found me in the bathroom clutching my stomach and being violently sick in the bathroom. She had warned me that eating too much too soon would do more harm than good, and to take it slow. Now I could handle some solid meats along with my meals, which I was more than happy about.

I'd also been sleeping. A lot. Thara's rules were sleep and rest so I, and Aya, could heal properly, and we were. Lately, the connection between my wolf and I had grown. She was much more apparent in my head, in a way I never knew she could be. The constant aching of my body had disappeared, and the bruises were all but gone. I was still too thin, but I had some colour in my cheeks now; I showered daily and felt just better than I ever had.

Physically at least. Thara had tried to convince me to see a therapist, but I refused; I didn't want to talk about my past. If I never had to go back to Snow Moon, I was happy. I could move on. Sure, I'd never forget, or forgive, but hashing it out with a stranger didn't seem likely to help. Talking to my mate might, but he was decidedly absent from my life. He was so close, yet couldn't be bothered with me. Each day that passed, I grew more angry. What was the point in bringing me here if he was going to act like I didn't exist? For the millionth time, I thought over my conversation with his sister.

**SEVEN DAYS AGO**

"What on Earth makes you think that?" Thara asked.

"Oh come on. He married me, wouldn't kiss me at the alter, dragged me back here and dumped me in a room by myself." I huffed.

She blinked. "He didn't kiss you?"

"He hasn't touch me at all!"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Luna-"

"Lily."

"Lily. Dimitri is... well... he's a hard one. He's one of the youngest Alphas in the world, he took over early when our father...died. You've heard all the stories about him, I'm sure. The Heartless Alpha." She scoffed. "Believe it or not, there was a time when Dimitri was a happy person. Smiling and laughing."

"Really? Did this Dimitri kill that one?" I asked sarcastically. Thara laughed.

"Some days it seems like it. I miss the old Dimitri, my happy brother. The one who wasn't cold and stubborn and..."

"A killer." I said.

Thara gave me a hard look. "Yes. He has killed people. A lot of people. But I can advocate that he has never killed anyone who didn't deserve worse than what he gave them. You shouldn't believe everything you hear. Give him a chance Lily."

**PRESENT**

 I sighed. How was I suppose to give him a chance if he never gave me the opportunity? And did I even want to? Maybe not all the stories were true, but even so. He sure as hell hadn't made a good first impression on me, and it wasn't getting any better as the time passed. I wasn't going to beg him for attention, if that's what he wanted. On the other hand, staying in this room was driving me stir crazy. My whole life, I'd been going going going, cleaning and cooking and doing work. Now I was holed up in a room in a bed in unfamiliar territory and admittedly, too nervous to leave said room. What is everyone was as unwelcoming as my mate?

"Thara is nice." Aya reminded me.

"True."

"Why don't we go exploring?"

"Outside?"

"YES!" She yipped.

Getting out of bed, I walked into my closet. It was bigger than my bathroom; the clothes Dimitri had got for me didn't even cover one third of it. Dressing in a pair of faded blue jeans a red tee, I grabbed a pair of hiking boots and threw them on before I left. I glanced at the door across from mine, catching a faint hint of Dimitris scent, allowing myself a second of appreciating it. Only a second, then I was headed off down the hall, down the stairs and out the front door.

"You didn't have an asthma attack that time!" Laughed Aya.

"Not funny. Wait till we have to go back up."

"Stop for a rest this time."

"Sounds like a plan."

I wandered aimlessly around the side of the packhouse, not wanting to venture too far yet. I wasn't up for meeting a lot of the pack yet, but I hoped a lot of them were like Thara There were a few people outside; a group of teenage boys near the edge of the forest throwing a football around, an elderly lady tending to the gardens, and a man who looked to be running laps. As I passed the gardener, she looked up and smiled brightly. I returned her smile and stopped to admire her work. A particular flower caught my eye.

"Excuse me Miss, but what kind of flower is that?" I asked pointing.

"Oh, that one is my favourite. It's called a Blue Stargazer Lily."

"It's beautiful." I said.

"It really is."

Standing up, she wiped dirt on her pants before offering me her hand.

"Names Greta. What's your name dear?"

I smiled wider. "Actually, Lily."

Greta laughed loudly. "Well, isn't that a coincidence!"

"Are you the official gardener here?" I asked.

"Oh, no. I actually work in the kitchens. This is just a hobby of mine. Helps out the folks who garden if I tend to them a little here and there."

"That's nice of you."

She shrugged. "Helping others is a privilege I find."

"I like her." Chirped Aya.

"Me too." I replied.

"I haven't seen you around before Lily. Did you just move to Blood Moon?" Asked Greta.

"Something like that. I...uhm.. I'm actually the Alphas mate."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! So you're our new Luna! Well, welcome to Blood Moon, and my apologies for not using your title!"

"It's fine, really, Greta. You can call me Lily."

Greta beamed at me. "My dear, no offense, but you are awfully skinny. What have we been feeding you? Not enough clearly."

I laughed. "Actually, the food here is fantastic. I was told to take it slow, not too much at a time."

Her eyes dawned with understanding.

"Ahh. Well, I'm on duty tonight for dinner. I'm going to make you something special, don't you worry, it will be plentiful, but not too much!"

"Wow. Thank you, but you don't have to go do extra work just for me."

She waved her hand. "It's no trouble, no trouble at all!"

"Oh, I can't wait!" Aya was practically dancing in my head.

"My wolf is very excited. I should go now, it was very nice to meet you. Let me know if you ever want help out here, I love flowers." I said.

"I will. It was so nice to finally meet you too dear."

I waved and continued walking, a small smile on my face. Five minutes out the door and I was already feeling a little more positive towards this pack. Making my way to the end of the house, I stopped to admire the lush forest surrounding it. Aya was going to have so much fun running here when we were able to shift.

"That's only three days away you know."

"I know." I said.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little maybe. Are you?"

"Yeah. Our mate should be with us the first time."

I frowned.

"Aya... I don't think we should expect him to be there with us."

"It'll be so much worse if he's not though. We need them." She whimpered.

I sighed. "I know."

I knew I had to talk to Dimitri about this. Females really got the shlt end of the stick. We had heats, pregnancy, labour, birth. As if that wasn't enough, our first shifts were also really hard on us. There were the lucky girls who found their mates before the first shift, and the males would help them through it. Just having physical contact with their mate was enough to ease the pain and make the process go more smoothly. I'd seen girls go through the first shift without a mate, and it wasn't something I had looked forward to. It seemed, however, that that would be the case for me whether I had a mate or not.

"Hey!"

...

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“You’re soaked, honey.” Calix voice was husky. “If you need to come, you have 3 mates who are more than capable of satisfying you.”

“Feel what you do to us sweetheart.” Alex boldly took my hands and put one on his mennber and the other on Felix’s.

“I'd never been with more than one person at once...” I had heard of girls with multiple mates passing out because their rgasms were so intense. I felt overwhelmed just thinking about it.

“We’ll be going easy on you babe.” said Felix with hungry eyes at my chest. “Gosh they are gorgeous. I can’t wait to taste them.”

I couldn’t help but let out a groan.

“I want... All of you. Now.” I opened my leegs wider and blurted out.

******

Tomorrow was my birthday, not that anyone cared or even remembered because it was also the birthday of the Thorn Triplets. The Thorn Triplets were the pride and joy of the Winter Moon Pack. They were the sons of Alpha Romeo Thorn. They were filthy rich, devilishly handsome and disgustingly arrogant. All the young she-wolves adored them wholeheartedly and stroked their egos on a daily basis. I was cursed to share a birthday and a home with them.

At the tender age of nine, my drug-addicted parents left the pack to go rogue and had not been seen or heard from since. They left no instructions regarding their wishes for me so I was taken into the pack house under the care of Alpha Romeo and his wife, Ronnie. As if I had not been devastated enough, I now had three twelve-year old tormenters. The identical triplet sons of the Alpha were, in order of birth, Alex, Felix and Calix. They despised me and ensured that I knew I was beneath them. My parents had incurred a huge debt due to their drug seeking habits which was paid off by the Alpha. Thus, I had to earn my keep and repay my debt by doing as many chores as possible while the triplets enjoyed an idyllic childhood in the very same house.

In some packs the new Alpha ascends at age eighteen when they first shift but in mine, the age for ascension was twenty one. Thus tomorrow, on November eleventh, the triplets would turn twenty-one and take over the pack while I would turn eighteen and experience my first shift. Eighteen was also the minimum age when werewolves found their fated mate but I did not care about that. All I wanted was to come of age so I could leave this behind.

At least, the pack house had beautiful scenery. We were close to the north pole so snow was an everyday affair though there was no sign of Santa Claus. I certainly did not expect any birthday presents this November or Christmas presents come December. The pack made it clear that I owed them money and they were subtracting everything they did not spend on me from the huge debt. They also subtracted my “wages” from the debt so I was never given any money. I was allowed food, clothes and shelter, the basics.

I slowly got out of bed. The sun was just peeking out from behind a snow-covered horizon. Everything glistened. I gazed out my window at the wintry terrain. I sighed. I had to start making breakfast for everyone. Despite the huge size of the pack house with its luxurious bedrooms and bathrooms, I was given a small empty storage room to stay in. I had a cot, a shelf of second-hand books and a single drawer full of second hand clothes. The other drawers contained extra cleaning supplies as I did the housekeeping work also.

I used the common room’s bathroom, showering quickly. I looked at myself in the mirror. My parents had name me Chasity but everyone in the pack called me Charity. This was started by the triplets as a joke and because they said it so often, even decent pack members thought it was my real name. I was so shy and scared as a child that I never bothered to correct them so it had stuck.

I detangled my waist-length dark blonde curls and put them up in a huge bun. Whenever I left them down the triplets would pull my hair ever since we were little. They had not grown out of this habit even in adulthood. I sighed. There were dark circles forming under my large brown eyes. My light brown skin looked sallow. I had been overworking myself or rather the Thorn family had been overworking me. They used to have a maid and a cook with me as the sole assistant of both, but they had fired them last month after numerous conflicts between them and the spoilt triplets. For the past month, I had been drowning in work while attending my final year of high school. I had seven more months of high school before I could leave this place. That was the deal. At eighteen and after high school, I got my freedom and whatever I had paid off by then would be the end of it. The current Alpha and Luna seemed to think they were being extremely generous.

The pack house had a really good heating system so despite the fact that outside looked like the frigid tundra, inside was pretty warm. I put on a long-sleeved white babydoll top that covered my behind as I was wearing just black leggings underneath. I started on breakfast. As it was the Triplets’ “birthday week” and they would soon be Alphas, everyday was a feast day. I made waffles, pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and sausages. I put the butter and maple syrup on the table. I made coffee. I quickly drank some sweet, milky coffee for some energy and started setting the table.

Luna Ronnie entered the dining room, eyeing me, scrutinising my handy-work. She was a tall woman with dark brown long straight hair, pale skin and green eyes.

“The table looks nice,” she said, a rare compliment. “But have you washed all the wares? Wash them all before you eat!”

Alpha Romeo sauntered in, kissing his Luna gently. He nodded in approval at the breakfast spread. I smiled feebly at him. I heard heavy footsteps on the stairs and I took a deep breath. The Triplet Terrors were coming. They towered over me at six feet and four inches each, exactly a foot taller than me. They resembled their father with their shoulder-length thick shiny black hair, chiseled faces, baby blue eyes, dimples and chin-clefts. As they were Alphas they were all broad-shouldered and muscled blessed with super speed and super strength even beyond what was considered extraordinary for a werewolf. They were perfectly identical and perfectly heinous or at least they were to me. Their deep voices boomed as they shouted excitedly, shoving each other playfully. They would be twenty-one tomorrow but they still acted like they were twelve.

Alex was the eldest and the most serious and severe. He would surely rule with an iron fist and a surly demeanour. Felix as the middle triplet loved being the centre of attention and was naturally filled with wise-cracks, jokes and quips. Classic middle child. The youngest, Calix, was the charmer, a professional sweet-talker and Mommy’s favourite. He almost treated me like I was human.

“Did you make all of this, Charity?” Asked Calix, immediately trying to pull my hair out of its bun. I nodded, dodging him, only to bump into Felix who smirked and slipped my hair tie off. My curls tumbled down all around me. Felix and Calix laughed.

“Stop!” I implored them, reaching for my only hair tie. Felix held it high above my head. He threw it to Alex who caught it and put it in his pocket. I tried to lunge towards Alex but Felix grabbed me. Felix and Alex started shoving me back and forth between them like I was a ball and they were playing catch.

“I give up! I give up!” I said while they snickered.

Calix said, “All right. Cut it out. Let her go wash the wares. Mom wants the place kept as clean as possible so there’ll be less to do tomorrow.”

The elder two relinquished me. I ran into the kitchen. My heart was racing. I started on the dishes. By the time I was done, the family of five hungry werewolves, four of them from Alpha stock, had devoured literally everything I made except for one pancake. The chairs were all empty. I went to get the last pancake but Felix snatched it up. He had zoomed in out of nowhere, fast as a cheetah and quiet as a mouse.

“I haven’t eaten anything,” I told him, my eyes wide.

“Good, you’re fat enough as it is,” he said, sneering. He ate the pancake in two bites.

I sighed. I refused to cry. I had not cried in front of them since the first year of torment when I was nine. My tenth birthday marked a very important vow I had made to myself after crying almost every single day at aged nine. The vow was that I would never let the Triplets make me cry ever again. I would be strong. I had kept that vow successfully for eight years come tomorrow. The comment stung though. The Triplets were widely regarded as the most handsome eligible bachelors in the Pack. They constantly attacked my weight. I was not overweight but I had a curvy hourglass figure. My waist was slender. I wore about a size 4 in clothes which was small enough in my opinion but all the Triplets had stick-thin size 0 girlfriends.

I had to take the bus to school. I had thrown on a man’s black coat over my white top and leggings, another hand-me-down. I managed to find another hair tie but this was truly the last one. The Pack high school was called Winter Moon High after the pack. Our pack colours, and therefore also the school colours, were white, blue and silver. The whole school was decorated with streamers and balloons in celebration of the new Alphas, the Triplets.

“You’re so lucky, Charity,” said Mina Toros, the most popular girl in my senior year. She tossed her long dark hair back and pursed her plump red lips in her locker’s inside mirror. She was wearing a pink skirt short enough to qualify as belt. Thank goodness she had opaque tights on underneath. She usually ignored me except for the occasional pronouncement of how “lucky” I was.

“The things I’d to those Triplets if I lived in that house,” Mina said, licking her lips.

“You’d have to drop out!” Squealed her best friend, the second most popular girl, Tina Gregory. “You’d get pregnant the first month there.”

Tina had flawless dark brown skin with curly hair. She was tall and waif-like and also wore a pink skirt short enough to be a belt with opaque tights. Mina and Tina usually matched as though they were twins. Mina cackled at Tina’s joke.

“You know, Charity,” said Mina suddenly. “You’re not totally hideous.”

Gee, thanks.

“Ok,” I said, clutching my books. The girls were blocking my locker which was sandwiched between their two lockers. Lucky me, indeed.

“Yeah,” agreed Tina. “Your hair is actually pretty. You’re like a biracial Goldie Locks.”

I smiled. That sounded like a real compliment.

“Thanks Tina!” I said.

“Ohhh! And those Triplets are the three bears!” Shrieked Mina. “If I were their Goldie Locks I’d make sure everything was just right, get it?”

“Or too big,” said Tina, giggling.

“That means one of the triplets has to be too small,” I said softly.

Being werewolves, Mina and Tina heard me and they burst out laughing. Wow. I was actually getting along with them for five minutes.

“That was a good one, Charity, surprising,” said Tina, looking at me like she was now seeing me for the first time.

“Yeah,” said Mina giving me the same strange appraising look. “You know, if you had the money, imagine how cute you could look.”

I fidgeted uncomfortably, suddenly hyperaware of the patches in my clothes. Mina and Tina strutted off and I hurriedly opened my locker and got out my Math book. Mr Johnson who coached football and taught Math looked like he should be an Alpha too. He was huge and really attractive for a teacher. He was married though to his mate, the Art teacher, Mrs Johnson. He handed out our graded tests while Tina and Mina made flirty faces at him. Those flirty faces were not doing them any good. I noticed they got an F and an F minus respectively. I did not know F minus existed before today. He smiled at me and winked. My heart skipped a beat. “A plus as usual Math champ,” he boomed. Mr Johnson was one of the few people in my life who was nice to me.

“Mina and Tina, see me after class,” Mr Johnson said.

After class, Ashton Peters, a tall buff redhead who played football and was well-liked in the pack, pretended to knock into my desk.The stack of papers on my desk went flying all over the room. Mr Johnson spotted it.

“Stay and help her pick those up, Aston, my boy,” boomed Mr Johnson.

“Aww, coach, I’ll be late for football practice,” he whined.

“And we’ll be late for cheerleading practice,” said Mina and Tina in unison, pouting.

“I’m the coach, Aston, go ahead and be late. I’ll explain to your cheerleading coach ok, girls,” said Mr Johnson.

Ashton grumbled. He glared at me as if this were my fault. He started picking up papers at werewolf speed which cause the ones I was picking up to fly around due to the displaced wind. I eavesdropped on the meeting with Mina and Tina.

“Mina, Tina, I’m giving you a homework assignment to make up those grades. If you don’t ace it there won’t be any cheerleading,” he said.

The girls gasped. He handed them a stack of papers each and told them they could work on it together and that he set the questions himself so they would not find the answers online. I snatched up the last few papers from the floor and took the stack Ashton was handing me without looking at me.

“Thanks,” I said softly to him.

He glanced down at me, surprised by my thanks. He looked a little guilty all of a sudden. Mr Johnson left the room, leaving Mina and Tina looking dejected. Ashton grabbed the hair tie from my hair just like Calix had this morning. My curls came tumbling down again. I shrieked. I was so fed up. Ashton laughed and ran away to football practice. There went my last hair tie and my birthday was tomorrow.

“Aren’t you going to cheerleading?” I asked the girls, actually feeling sorry for them as they had been sort of nice earlier.

“No,” said Mina.

“What’s the use. We’ll never ace this homework so we’ll fail the class and be banned from the squad anyway,” explained Tina.

I walked up to them and looked at the homework assignment. I snorted. I could get 100% in this in my sleep. I was suddenly struck by an idea.

“Remember how you girls said I had…potential,” I said, looking at them.

They shrugged.

“I’ll do the assignment and you copy it over in your handwritings and ace it ok,” I offered.

The girls squealed. They jumped up hugging each other and me.

“Wait!” Said Mina, raising her eyebrows.

“What’s the catch?” Asked Tina, narrowing her eyes.

“I’m turning eighteen tomorrow too,” I said.

They gasped.

“You have the same birthday as the triplets?” Mina asked.

“Wait that means everyone ignores your birthday like every single year,” said Tina.

It was my turn to shrug.

“And they will this year too but I at least wanna feel…special. I’m gonna shift for the first time at midnight and who knows…I might see my mate at the big party…not that I care…” I rambled.

“You wanna look hot! Is that it?” Mina said smirking.

“Yeah you want us to make you over?” Tina asked, smiling.

I nodded.

Chapter 2: Makeover!

I was supposed to go home immediately after school to help with the preparations for the huge birthday party tomorrow night for the Triplets but I had to do the assignment for the girls and they had to make me over. I knew I would pay for it later but whatever. The Thorns had hired a party planner. They should be okay for a few hours without their werewolf Cinderella.

I did the assignment for the girls literally in the car on the way to the mall. It was that easy. Math was my thing. I was a nerd in general and I was proud of this even though werewolves prized brawn and beauty over brains any day.

The girls were impressed. They quickly copied it over sitting in the freezing car parking lot with the heater turned up. Mina drove a sports car. I did not know what kind but I knew that Mina and Tina were almost as rich as the Alpha and his family. They dragged me into the mall, squealing excitedly as though I was doing them a favour even when it came to the makeover. I reminded them I had no money. They rolled their eyes and ignored me. I guessed I could consider the stuff they bought as part of the deal.

I tried on outfit after outfit. Mina and Tina rated each one and seemed to having a blast. This was actually kind of fun. They encouraged me to pick out a lot of miniskirts and mini dresses. They said I had “great legs” and “nice boobs” even though the Triplets called me fat. Honestly, the clothes they picked for me did look great. I had some trouble walking in heels but the girls made me practice in the store like it was a runway. They pretended to be on a catwalk too. They were so confident. I had to marvel at them. Next they showed me what makeup to wear and how to style my hair at Tina’s house. They did a test run. I looked in Tina’s floor-length mirror and my jaw dropped.

I had on high heeled black ankle boots with a mini pleated black skirt. I was wearing black stockings as it was cold out even for a werewolf. My long-sleeved white top had a sweetheart neckline that was really flattering. My hair was so shiny in loose bouncy curls down my back. My skin glowed and I had cat eyeliner and red lips that surprisingly suited me. I hugged Mina and Tina. Did I just make two friends?

They drove me to the pack house hoping to catch a glimpse of the triplets but they were not at home yet. Thank goodness! I started helping the party planner sort out all the decorations and the food. It was tomorrow night but there was a lot to do. I did my own homework in between all of this. I was a master multitasker. I heard three cars parking. It was the triplets. Alpha and Luna were out shopping for even more gifts despite the fact that I had already wrapped like a dozen gifts. The party planner was a bleached blonde in her thirties who was obsessed with the hunk-i-ness of the triplets. She seemed to dislike me even though I was the only one helping her. She had been over everyday this week and always tried to make me look bad in front of the triplets. I wanted to tell her that they already hated me so she could relax. Her name was Ronda Something. I kept forgetting her last name.

The triplets walked in. Each had their arm around a girl. They had different girlfriends every two months or so. It did not make sense learning the girls’ names. Also, the triplets were anxious to find their real mate. They were not sure if they had three separate mates or just one mate to share. Sounds crazy but when it came to identical multiples like twins and triplets, they usually shared a single mate since they had been one egg and one sperm that split to form the multiples. So theoretically identical twins and triplets were naturally occurring clones. Every girl wished she was their mate. That was so crazy to me. The triplets were handsome but they were awful and three mates sounded so complicated.

Ronda glared at their girlfriends, jealousy evident in her beady eyes. The girls did not stay long and when they left, Ronda told the triplets I had showed up really late to help her. I sighed. I had been under the table literally as I wrapped tiny presents for door prizes. All the pack members got to pick a mystery present from a huge box tomorrow.

I crawled out from under the table to make myself known before they had to look for me. Hiding from them would just set them off. The triplets stared at me, their eyes wide. They looked at each other. I remembered my makeover. I did not think they would notice or even care. Alex licked his lips, trailing his eyes from my head to my toes. I took a step back. Felix looked flabbergasted and Calix smirked at me.

“Leave it to us, Ronda,” said Felix, recovering his usual haughty sneer, “We’ll punish her.”

Ronda smiled maliciously at me. She was the most immature adult I had ever met including the triplets and that was saying something. The triplets had me backed against the kitchen island.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “I had to do some extra math for Mr Johnson.”

It was not a complete lie. The triplets knew Mr Johnson because they were his football stars back when they went to High school. They also knew I had won Math competitions before. They had really enjoyed making fun of me then.

“Ok,” said Felix simply. He took a step towards me. “What’s all of this?” He gestured to my outfit, makeup and hair.

“My eighteenth birthday is tomorrow too. I’m just trying out how I wanna look,” I said, looking down, waiting for them to insult me or call me fat.

“Do you have a boyfriend, is that it?” Asked Alex, anger rising in his voice.

Why did he even care?

“I’m too fat to get a boyfriend, remember?” I said, repeating one of their classic insults.

“Don’t play games with us,” said Felix softly. “Is all of this for your mate? Have you figured out who he is?”

“No!” I said. They were acting so strange like I had done something underhanded.

“You’ll only know for sure tomorrow. Your inner wolf will tell you who your mate is,” said Calix.

“I don’t want a mate,” I said honestly. I had never had a guy be nice to me and I could not picture it happening.

“Why the not?” Alex asked like I was crazy for saying that. The Triplets were eager to find their real mate. They talked about it every birthday. They would visit other packs hoping to get a whiff of their mate. They thought maybe their mate was younger than them. That would explain why they could not pick up her scent. Only mates who had come of age could be discovered.

“Because he’d just be mean to me and call me names and I get enough of that from you,” I snapped. I should not have snapped. I was a little frightened now. The triplets had not hit me since we were little. The last fight happened when I was eleven and they were fourteen. I had punched Calix, breaking his nose for calling me a “fat nasty ” with “dead druggie parents”. My parents whereabouts had never been confirmed and I always liked to think they were alive. After he had let out a blood-curdling scream and told his elder brothers about his nose, Alex slapped me and then Felix slapped me. Calix had been reluctant but they made him hit me. They dragged me out to the frozen river behind the pack house. There was a hole in it for fishing. I was small enough to dip in the hole. They had held me under the water until I blacked out. Their parents had been furious. I went to the hospital for hypothermia. I never knew what their punishments had been but after that we never got physical with each other, nothing more than a shove.

“Are you stupid?” Asked Alex.

I shrugged.

“No werewolf would insult his own mate or be mean to her,” said Felix, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t you know anything?” Added Calix.

“Ok, thanks, I get it now,” I said simply.

“You dressed up for us, didn’t you?” Said Felix smirking and rubbing his chin. The other two grinned. My heart leapt a little at the sight of their dimples. I shook my head. What was wrong with me? The triplets were monsters and good looks did not absolve them of that.

“Don’t make her admit it,” said Calix. “She’s embarrassed, Felix.”

“Admit it! You did this for us!” Felix exclaimed, grinning wickedly. He kept coming closer and my back was pressed against the kitchen island now.

Alex was quiet, smiling faintly and watching me closely. I just wanted them to go away. I was so frustrated with my whole life. There would not be a single present for me tomorrow. No one had counselled me about my shift at midnight and I was scared. I knew it would be painful and I did not need this from these three privileged assh0les who did not deserve the title of Alpha. They were physically Alphas but they had no integrity. They could not lead this pack. What a joke! I decided to play along.

“Yeah, ok,” I said softly, looking down to feign embarrassment and hugging myself tightly. “I dressed up for you. I asked two girls at school to help me. I really did have a math thing but I went to get dolled up after so that made me late as well. I’m sorry.”

I hid my face in my hands, stifling my laughter. They seemed to think I was crying.

“Hey, you know, we aren’t the stupid little boys we used to be when we would fight with you,” said Alex gently. “We’re taking over this pack tomorrow and as you’re part of this pack we just wanna know what’s going on with you that’s all.”

Huh?

“Don’t cry, stupid,” said Felix exasperadteay.

“Don’t insult her when you’re trying to cheer her up, stupid,” said Calix, turning on Felix. “Chasity,” said Calix, using my real name for the first time in nine years.

I dropped my hands. I was shocked. I just stared at him.

“You look pretty, ok” said Calix, winking.

My heart skipped a beat. He was bending down. His face was really close to me.

“Thanks for dressing up for us. I hope you wear an even shorter skirt tomorrow,” he said softly, smirking.

I rolled my eyes. Alex and Felix burst into laughter. I tried to brush past them but Felix grabbed my arms and put my back against the island again. My breath hitched in my throat.

“Did I say you could leave?” He asked, his nose brushing against my nose as he bent towards me. I squirmed in his arms.

“You need to have respect for your Alphas, Charity,” Alex said, using my awful nickname. The spell that Calix had cast on me was broken.

“Shoot you!” I screamed. “Let me go! Three Alpha males against one omega female is insane. You have no honour,” I cried, struggling against Felix. He released me.

“We were just playing with you Charity!” Said Felix “Good grief! Go! Run upstairs!”

I ran upstairs and to my room. I locked the door. I sat on my cot, hugging my knees to my chest. The Alpha and Luna came knocking on my door when darkness fell. I went out to them.

“We almost forgot, you have your first shift at midnight, same birthday as the triplets,” said Alpha Romeo rubbing the back of his neck.

I smiled. Were they going to counsel me or give me a gift?

“Yeah, so make sure and be out of the house at least by 11:45pm so you don’t break anything or make any mess when you shift,” said Luna Ronnie.

I nodded. I supposed that was one piece of advice. I left the house at half past eleven wearing my old clothes. I crunched through the snow. It was pitch-black. I sighed. I was nervous. I was scared of the pain. I wished my parents could be here. For the first nine years old my life, they had been in and out of rehabs. They were inconsistent but they actually seemed to love me a lot. They would always make my birthdays and holidays special no matter how high they were. They were deeply in love with each other as mates and back then I almost looked forward to having a mate of my own. It was almost midnight. I did not want to rip my clothes so I removed them and stood in the snow naked and barefoot my curls covering me to my waist. If I had not been a werewolf I would have frozen to death.

Midnight came and I felt my bones breaking.

Chapter 3: Shift and Sniff and Squirt

The pain shot through me. It was excruciating. I screamed. My bones lengthened and rearranged themselves. Sandy-coloured fur enveloped my form. My eyesight and hearing became so sharp. I stood on all fours. I howled. I was a wolf. I ran through the night, white snow beneath me and black sky above me. I practically flew. When I had tired of running. I made my way back to my clothes. They would probably so cold after lying in the snow. I focused on what I looked like human and my bones started breaking again. It was painful but not nearly as bad as the first time. I put on my clothes and headed inside. The triplets had gone out to ring in the first few minutes of their twenty-first birthday with some of their friends at a bar.

I passed by their rooms. The house had three floors. The Alpha and Luna slept on the top floor. The Triplets and I slept on the middle floor. I had a tiny converted storage room and each triplet had a master bedroom and bathroom. There was the most delicious smell coming from Calix’s room. I snuck in. He was the least scary of the triplets so I did not mind if he caught my scent when he came home and realised I had been in his home. His room literally smelled like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. I looked around. Maybe he had pot cookies or something. I did not find anything. Ugh. I had put my scent all over some of his stuff for nothing.

I walked out and caught another scrumptious scent. This one was coming from the middle master bedroom that belonged to Felix. I dared not go in there but I sniffed the doorway. The smell reminded me of sweet coconut shavings. There was a tropical edge to it. I breathed it in, wondering why I had never picked it up before. My heart started to race. I was afraid to go near Alex’s room but I had to know. If all three rooms suddenly smelled great to me then…

I refused to think about it. I walked over to Alex’s door. I picked up the scent. The strong smell of coffee and cocoa hit me. My mouth watered a little. Did Alex smell that good? The window blew open suddenly and all three scents wafted down the hallway. Their combined scents hit me and moisture pooled in my underwear. I was in big trouble. I went to my tiny room and locked the door. I tried to fall asleep but I kept tossing and turning. Those scents were plaguing me. Would they smell me when they returned home? Would I suddenly smell different now to them? I did not want to analyse it too much. Maybe my enhanced sense of smell was just picking up a lot that I had not noticed before. Maybe everyone smelled this good.

Third Person

Calix, Felix and Alex sauntered in the house at around three in the morning. It was Saturday. Later tonight, they had their official birthday party and alpha ceremony. Celebrating with their girlfriends and their “bros” from the town had left them exhausted and a little tipsy. It was difficult for werewolves to get drunk no matter how much alcohol they had but the triplets had really done their best. They said good night and happy birthday to each other and parted ways.

Calix stumbled into his room. A familiar scent greeted him but there was some unmistakable new element to it like a new ingredient enhancing an old favourite recipe of his. Someone had been in his room. A girl. She smelled like roses and honeysuckle. He shivered. That scent was driving him crazy. He could not sleep. It was all over everything. He felt as if he recognised the smell but he could not say exactly who it was. Surely he would have noticed and remembered someone who smelled this good.

He could not take it anymore when the sun came up. He banged on his brothers’ doors. They greeted him still half-asleep.

“What’s wrong, little bro?” Asked Alex, concern evident on his face.

“It better be good. It’s six o’ clock in the morning. We partied last night and we’re partying tonight,” said Felix, doing a little dance and yawning.

“Smell my room,” said Calix.

His brothers laughed. He walked away from them. They followed him.

“Enough !” Said Felix storming into Calix’s room. Felix stopped in his tracks. Alex entered and his eyes widened.

“Oh my God,” said Felix. “What is that?” The Alpha started sniffing about his brother’s room.

“Little Bro, who was in your room?” Asked Alex sharply.

“You’ve been with our mate!” Said Felix, growling. “You’re keeping her all to yourself.”

“No, I don’t know whose scent it is and it’s driving me crazy,” said Calix with tired eyes.

“Our mate’s been in this room,” said Felix gleefully. “She found us! Oh I can’t wait to get my hands on her.” Felix growled again.

“What about Sandra, Tonya and Avery?” Asked Calix, mentioning their current girlfriends.

“We’ve only been dating them like a couple weeks! They know they’re not our mates so it was a temporary thing! I’m gonna end it with Tonya over the phone,” said Felix dismissively.

“Yeah,” agreed Alex. “If we can find our mate in time for the party we don’t want the girls showing up and harassing her.”

“Yeah, they’d be jealous,” said Calix. “And there’s one of her and three of them so we better tell them before tonight.”

The brothers were in agreement, all sitting on Calix’s bed.

“Who would be in my room?” Calix wondered.

“There’s something familiar about the smell,” said Alex, smiling. “It kinda smells a little like…” Alex paused, frowning. He got up and ran down the hallway. He stood in front of the door to Chasity’s little makeshift room. The same smell hit him. It made him shiver. Honeysuckle and Roses. He sighed. He found her door unlocked and opened it eagerly to reveal an empty room with the cot in the corner made. His face fell.

It suddenly dawned on him just how small Chasity’s room was compared to the other bedrooms in the house. There were empty guest bedrooms bigger than this room. Why didn’t his parents give her one of those?

His brothers came up behind him. Felix looked dumbfounded. Calix walked into Chasity’s room and lay in her cot, hugging her pillow, deeply inhaling her scent.

“I’m gonna wait for her to come back, right here,” he said, curling up on her tiny cot. It was comically small for the six-foot-four Alpha.

“I wanna go get her right now,” said Felix, his eyes worried. “We have a lot of talking to do.”

“Relax, Felix,” said Alex. “Our mate already lives with us so we’re good,” said the eldest Alpha grinning.

“No, we’re not good you idiots!” Said Felix staring at them. “Our mate is Charity. Charity!”

“Don’t call her that!” Snarled Calix, his blue eyes turning black.

“Sorry! Sorry! Shit! It’s a bad habit. Chasity,” Felix said. Her real name felt good to say out loud.

“What’s your problem?” Asked Alex. He was looking through Chasity’s things, thinking of all the stuff he was going to buy her. She hardly had anything so she would be easy to surprise. It was her birthday too after all.

“We have to go to the mall as soon as it opens at ten,” he told his younger brothers. “It’s Chasity’s birthday too and I’m sure Mom and Dad didn’t get her anything.”

“Are you hearing yourself?” Asked Felix.

“Again! What is your problem?” Alex asked Felix. Calix opened his eyes to glare at Felix.

“Chasity is our mate! We had no idea because she was not of age until today!” Felix said, waving his arms around like a mad man.

Calix and Alex were not following.

“We’ve treated Chasity like shit! When she realises she’s our mate, she’s going to reject us!” Said Felix.

Calix shot up into a sitting position. “No, she’s not,” the youngest said. “No, she can’t. We’ve been waiting three years for our mate.”

“Chasity said she didn’t want a mate, remember?” Said Felix, spelling it out for them.

“Yeah,” said Alex. “But when the mate bond actually hits her, she’ll be putty in our hands.”

Calix beamed, grinning at Alex. “Yep,” Calix agreed.

Felix rolled his eyes. “Do you remember why Chasity did not want a mate? She said because he’d be mean to her like we were. Her mate is literally us.”

Calix and Alex were starting to look worried.

“She’s going to freak out!” Said Felix. “She’s going to try to leave. Remember, she’s been talking about turning eighteen, finishing high school and leaving!”

Alex smirked. “She has seven more months of high school. It’s November. We have until June or July with her to convince her otherwise.”

Felix calmed down a little, thinking it over.

Calix grinned wickedly, his dimples showing, mischief in his baby blue eyes, “Chasity might hate us now but by next summer we’ll be making her squirt.”

His elder brothers burst into laughter.

Chapter 4: Dangerously Cute

Chasity’s POV

I had to wake up at the crack of dawn as usual on the day of the party despite going to bed after midnight. I was so tired. I passed as far away from the Triplet’s rooms as I could so I would not have to smell those delicious scents. I had to keep away from them. I could not bear to look them in the eyes if just their smell was driving me wild now that I was eighteen. How could fate be so cruel? I wondered if they would be horrible abusive mates. I would not let it reach to that. I had never even had one boyfriend, now I had three mates. What would I be expected to do? How would I handle that? I felt overwhelmed just thinking about it. There was a heat in the lower part of my tummy when I thought about all three of them and me. They were all so big and with three of them I would not even know who was doing what to me. I bit my lip. I was getting hot again. I quickly pushed those dirty thoughts away.

Maybe they will reject me outright? I thought.

My heart threatened to cleave in two or maybe three when I thought about that. My inner wolf whimpered. I hushed her soothingly. My wolf kept pushing thoughts of the triplets into my mind as I worked on all the last minute party details. Felix would be the roughest. Calix would be the gentlest. I was not sure what Alex would be like. He would probably boss me around, telling me to have respect for him as his mate and Luna. A chill crept through me. Luna. The current Luna hated me. She would not want me as her successor. I did not think the current Alpha would care much. Around half past five in the morning, Ronda, the party planner showed up to help.

“Where are the birthday boys?” She said excitedly. I rolled my eyes. My inner wolf growled. She was possessive. I looked at Ronda’s micro mini skirt and tiny tube top. I was surprised she did not freeze to death on the way here. She was holding three identical baby blue gift bags.

“They’re asleep,” I said, frowning. “They usually don’t wake up until noon on weekends,”

“Oh,” she said. She looked crestfallen. She put a coat over her tiny outfit, probably to unveil it at noon. Around six o’clock, I heard heavy steps. It couldn’t be! The Triplets woke up early! I ran out of the house without thinking. I shifted. Ronda ran out after me, her eyes wide with shock. I went bounding through the snow. I had ripped my clothes shifting suddenly like that. I needed to clear my head and stay clear of the Triplets until I decided what to do.

Third Person

“This is stupid!” Said Calix. “I need my mate, right now. I want Chasity!”

He stormed out of her room and down the stairs with his brothers on his heels. He was surprised to find Ronda in the kitchen.

“Where’s Chasity?” Asked Calix, still sleep-deprived and grumpy.

“Hey, sleepy head! Good morning!” Cooed Ronda.

“Have you seen Chasity, Ronda?” Asked Alex.

“I have presents for the birthday boys!” She squealed.

“Is she here?” Felix asked, getting annoyed.

“Who?” Asked Ronda, handing each triplet a gift bag.

“Thanks, Ronda!” Said Alex. “Chasity! Where is she?”

Ronda frowned. “She shifted and went for a run,” Ronda said.

“Oh yeah!” Said Alex. “She can shift now,” he said, grinning. He was excited to see her wolf and go running through the snow with her.

“Ok,” said Ronda, rolling her eyes. “Since when do you guys care about Charity?”

Calix snarled. Alex glared at Ronda. Ronda was taken aback.

“It’s Chasity,” corrected Felix, though he was the one who originally gave her the nickname.

Chasity’s POV

I had been running for a few hours all around the pack lands. I started to tire out. I knew I would be in pain when I shifted back. My wolf was strong but my human form was weak. I had never been athletic. I could not shift back without going home because I did not have my clothes. I was stealthy on my way back to the pack house. I saw that one of the Triplet’s cars was gone. Hopefully they had all gone. I shifted back and snuck in a side door. I crept up the stairs as quickly as I could. I squealed when I reached my room. The door was closed and all three scents were incredibly strong. Were they in there? I peaked under the door. I sighed in relief and went in.

I put on my clothes. My clothes smelled like Alex. They had been here. All of them. Recently. Their scents were heavenly. Every single item of clothing and every book smelled like Alex. The bed smelled intensely like Calix. Felix’s scent was concentrated near the door. They knew. That’s the only thing that would have led them to my room. They enjoyed teasing me but in the last nine years they had never set foot in my room, not a single time.

I went back to the kitchen to find a seething party planner. Ronda was furious at me for taking off. The Triplets scents were here too. They probably had not noticed her skimpy outfit. I laughed to myself as I worked alongside her. I was incredibly jumpy, expecting the Triplets to return at any minute. I dared not ask Ronda where they had gone. The time passed by quickly. Before I knew it, it was four o’ clock. The party started at six in the evening and I needed enough time to get ready.

I was walking up the stairs when the Luna spotted me.

“Oh! Hey, I’m so sorry but one of the servers called in sick, so we’ll need you to help out with the serving? Ok?” She asked though it was not really a question. It was not like I could refuse. I did have one condition though.

“That’s fine but I’m not wearing a uniform,” I said, laughing.

She laughed too as if she had not even considered it but I bet she would have made me wear one if I had not brought it up first. Every pack member would be here soon. Thankfully, the pack house was huge with a sprawling living room. The DJ was setting up in there now. All the decorations were hung and the lights were dimmed. I wondered if I would have to watch the Triplets dance with their girlfriends. They would obviously be at the party. I sighed. I needed to stop feeling entitled to being with the Triplets. They were my mates but they hated me and I hated them.

I showered methodically. My muscles ached. I knew I would pay for that long run. My skin no longer looked sallow though. It was golden and had a healthy glow. My dark circles were still there though. My body needed some rest but I was always working or studying. I sighed. My hair looked shiny. I left it down. Mina and Tina seemed to think my dark blonde curls were my best feature. I put on the outfit they had picked out for me, a black sequin mini dress and high heels. I did my makeup the way they had taught me. I was pleasantly surprised with the result. I spritzed on some perfume and ran down the stairs.

People started arriving a bit early. I greeted them and took their coats. Everyone called me “Charity” genuinely thinking that was my name and it was too late to correct them. I would be leaving this place in a matter of months. My inner wolf growled at me. I sighed. I noticed Sandra, Tonya and Avery all arrived together, holding hands, looking disgruntled in their mini dresses. Their eyes were red. They approached me to talk for the first time ever.

“Hey…uh…Charity,” said Sandra, tossing her flaming red hair back.

“Hey girl!” Tonya said. She had long straight black hair and olive skin.

“Nice to see you again,” Avery said with a smile. She had shoulder-length blonde hair.

“Hey girls, welcome, please help yourselves, feel free,” I said, awkwardly motioning towards the refreshment tables.

“Have you seen the Triplets today?” Sandra asked, narrowing her green eyes at me.

“No,” I said honestly in the most innocent tone I could muster.

“Ok, well, here’s the thing…” Tonya paused exchanging glances with the other two.

“The guys broke up with us!” Blurted out Avery. The other two glared at her. “Well, it’s true,” she said to them.

My heart was pounding.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I said stiffly.

“They said they found their mate,” Sandra added tensely.

I felt lightheaded. I stumbled backwards a little but caught my balance, leaning against the wall.

“They brushed us off…they said we’d only been together six weeks,” Tonya said, folding her arms.

That was true. The longest relationships the Triplets had were all about two months so the girls were only missing out on two more weeks.

“So since you live here, we figured you’d know who she is,” said Avery. “Their mate.”

I braced myself against the wall. I felt nauseated. The Triplets had already ended their relationships…for me? They would have ended them anyway but I felt awful for the three girls. I bit my lip. Did that mean the Triplets wanted me? Like right away? They had wasted no time breaking up with their girlfriends. I did not answer the girls’ question.

“Please, excuse me, girls,” I said feebly. I went into the kitchen. What was I going to do when the Triplets arrived?

Third Person

The Triplets were late for their own party after spending so much time bickering at the mall over what to get Chasity. They ended up getting her a whole host of things and getting it wrapped and gift bagged at the mall. They loaded the stuff out of the car, greeting guests as they entered the pack house. They narrowly avoided a confrontation with their three ex-girlfriends. All three girls stormed out together hand in hand. At least they had each other. They showered and got dressed in a matter of minutes, all three in matching black blazers, black trousers and baby blue shirts.

“She’s not in her room,” said Calix anxiously.

“Of course, not,” said Felix. “Mom and Dad are making her help with the party”

“Ok, before we do anything else, we need to have a serious conversation with Chasity,” said Alex, the Alpha even among Alphas.

His younger brothers nodded.

Chasity’s POV

I stayed hidden in the kitchen until the Luna came in and found me doing nothing. She glared at me and handed me a tray of champagne glasses to serve so the current Alpha could make a toast to his sons before he officially handed over the position. My mates would be Alphas in a matter of minutes. I passed out the champagne. Everyone smiled. The pack members were in a great mood. I even got a few thank yous and a few compliments on my outfit. I was a really low ranking member of the pack but because I served the Alpha and his family everyone knew my name or at least they knew my cruel nickname.

I refilled the tray with more glasses and more champagne. I spotted the party planner in an even skimpier outfit than this morning if that were possible. I remembered the blue gift bags she had brought. I had not gotten my mates anything even though I helped put this party together. I had literally zero dollars and zero cents. I hope they understood that. Mina and Tina grinned at me. I hugged them. They actually seemed to like me now. Our hug elicited a few glares and disapproving looks from older pack members nearby. Mina and Tina were the daughters of rich pack members and some people considered me trash because my parents were addicts who borrowed a lot of money from the pack funds and pack members. I had been so little then. I felt it was unfair to blame me but I was the only one around to blame. I pushed those old memories away.

Mina and Tina said happy birthday to me. I was so happy, I got a little teary-eyed. They were the only ones who had remembered or said anything. They each handed me a sparkly pink gift bag. I was shocked. They had already bought me clothes as part of our deal.

“Girls! Thank you! I’m shocked!” I said, taking the bags.

“It’s nothing!” Said Mina.

“We dropped off our homework assignments during Saturday morning football practice cause we were so excited!” Said Tina.

“Just like you promised, we aced it! He corrected it right in front of us!” Added Mina.

I grinned. They flipped their hair in unison. They were wearing identical hot pink dresses.

The Luna caught me socialising and I quickly scampered off to get more champagne. I handed a glass to the Luna who smiled coldly. The Alpha took a glass and nodded at me. I almost dropped my tray when I turned around and saw the Triplets. They looked unbelievably handsome. My inner wolf was howling. Their scents were out of this world. They were staring at me. I could not read their expressions. I could not be with them but I could not be without them. I just hoped they would not reject me right away. It was my birthday too and I just wanted to enjoy it a little, without worrying too much.

I offered them the champagne glasses. Alex took the whole tray away from me to his mother’s chagrin. He handed the tray to an offended-looking Ronda. Calix grabbed my hand, causing tingles to shoot through my arm. Felix put his hands on either side of my waist from behind. My core started to moisten just from that. I bit my lip. Some pack members were regarding us with curiosity. Alex led us up the stairs with Calix pulling me by the hand and Felix gently pushing me forwards as he gripped my waist.

They took me to Calix’s room and shut the door, locking it. I quickly scurried away from them to the other side of the room, pressing my back against the wall. The spell of seeing my mates for the first time since I had come of age had broken now that we were alone and they were very real threats.

“Don’t be scared, Chasity,” pleaded Calix, his blue eyes widening with hurt due to me letting go of his hand. He was using my real name.

“We’re not gonna hurt you, Baby,” purred Felix, eyeing me intensely.

I was shocked at the pet name. The heat in my lower tummy was back.

“We need to talk,” said Alex sternly. “Ok, Chasity?”

At least they were being respectful for once and using my real name with the exception of Felix who seemed to think I was already his Baby.

The brothers sat on Calix’s bed on one side of the room. I sat in the chair by his desk with his computer. The chair had wheels. I spun on it a little. I had never been in any of their rooms at all before until early this morning when I inspected Calix’s room. The Triplets cleaned their own rooms. We had lived together but emotionally we were like strangers in a way. I knew the Triplets had to have normal personalities outside of bullying me because they were certainly admired by everyone else and I had seen them be good to others with my own eyes. It stung thinking that they had reserved their venom for just me. What had I done? Besides be born unfortunate? Just like that, I broke an eight year long promise to myself as the tears streamed down my face without warning.

Alex looked despondent.

“Shh, Baby, it’s ok,” said Felix softly, handing me a tissue.

Calix grabbed my hand again and pulled the chair, wheeling it over to them. I was within arms reach of all three of them now. My heart raced due to fear and my core moistened at the same time. My body was really confused when it came to them. I knew they could hear my heartbeat and smell my arousal.

“As you probably already know, Chasity,” Alex said gently, “you’re our mate. All three of us. Triplets tend to have just one mate because…”

“I know,” I said, annoyed. I was probably better at science than them. They were always treating me like I was stupid. Normally they would glare at me for interrupting them and even curse and complain but they just stared at me intently. “Because identical triplets are naturally occurring clones, one fertilised egg that split into three so one mate.”

“Exactly,” said Alex smiling. I dried my eyes and blew my nose.

“You smell so good, Baby,” said Felix. His eyes were black. He reached out and caressed my knee. I shivered.

“Easy, Felix!” Warned Alex, removing his brother’s hand from my knee. Alex sighed.

“We’re so so so sorry, Chasity,” murmured Alex. “The way we’ve treated you is disgusting. We won’t make any excuses for it. We don’t deserve you but we want you as our mate and Luna. We’re willing to spend the rest of our lives making everything up to you.”

I was shocked. I had always wanted an apology. Now I had one, I wasn’t sure if it would suffice.

“We’re so sorry, Chasity,” said Calix. “Please let us love you!”

I blushed. Calix was always so dramatic.

“We’re really sorry, Baby,” said Felix. I was pretty sure I would never hear my horrid nickname or my real name come out of him ever again. I was henceforth Baby as far as he was concerned. I giggled at that thought. That was the wrong move because it set Felix’s wolf off.

“Oh, you’re so cute!” Growled Felix just before he grabbed me."

"Chapter 5: Happy Birthday

Felix grabbed me before Alex could stop him. He pinned me to the wall. He pressed his nose against my neck, inhaling deeply. He bared his canines. He was going to mark me!

“Stop!” I squealed but Felix’s eyes were black. His wolf was in control. I was completely not ready for this. I was not even sure if I wanted to be with them.

In a flash, his brothers pulled him off of me. They pinned him to the other wall.

“Calm down!” Bellowed Alex in his Alpha voice making the whole room shake.

Felix took a few deep breaths. His eyes slowly turned blue. His brothers walked him back to the bed and they all sat down again.

“Oh my God,” he said, panting. “Chasity!” He said my name! “I’m so sorry, Baby.” We were back to Baby again.

“It’s…ok,” I said slowly. I laughed half-heartedly. “Actually that’s not the worst thing you’ve done to me by a long shot. That won’t even make the top ten.”

I laughed at my own feeble joke. The Triplets looked horrified and guilty.

“So after Felix has gone and ruined the scrap of a chance we had left…what do you say?” Said Calix.

That actually made me laugh. The brothers all smiled. I had seven more months until high school was over and I was still angry as with the Triplets but I was no fool. Rejecting them would mean I would have to move out. I had no idea what I wanted. My wolf craved them. She was filling my head with positions that I had not known were possible. I had never even been kissed. If I even decided to be with them, only one of them could be my first kiss. My eyes went instinctively to Calix. He grinned. The other two looked a little jealous, wondering why I was staring at just him all of a sudden.

“I don’t know what I want,” I told them honestly.

“That’s completely fine!” Said Calix.

“Take your time,” said Alex.

“All the time you need,” added Felix who had pinned me to a wall a few moments ago to try to forcibly mark me as his mate. Yeah, sure.

“Ok, that brings us to the second part of this discussion,” said Alex.

Huh?

“Happy birthday, Chasity!” Said the Triplets in unison.

I smiled. They pulled a lot of gifts out from under Calix’s bed. I squealed and then I felt guilty. I bit my lip and frowned.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Asked Felix quickly.

“I had thought about getting you something but I really couldn’t. I had literally no money,” I said apologetically, feeling ashamed.

Felix laughed. “Baby, we know you have no money. That’s ok.”

“You never let me forget it,” I muttered.

Felix frowned. They started prompting me to open my gifts. There were so many. It was so awkward for me. I had not gotten a single gift in nine years until today. Mina and Nina gave me gifts and now the Triplets had bought the whole mall. I wanted to open all my gifts later in the privacy of my room. I had already put the bags from Mina and Nina in there.

“Alex, Felix, Calix,” I said. They all reacted to their names. They all looked so gleeful.

“I want to open these later ok, when I’m thinking about stuff,” I said.

“We wanted to see your face…” pleaded Calix.

“It’s not about what we want,” interrupted Alex. I smiled.

“I’m just going to put the gifts in my room. Thank you so much!” I said.

I approached them shyly. We had never hugged before. Felix snatched me up first just as I expected. He squeezed me tightly, lifting my feet off the ground. I giggled. He let me down. Calix bent down to hug me gently, massaging my back soothingly with his hands. Alex lifted me by the waist and spun me around like I was a little princess. He put me gently on my feet. I started carrying an armful of gifts to my room.

“Wait!” They all said.

“You can’t stay in that room. It’s too small. We will organise the best guest room and turn it into your room,” Alex said.

This should have made me happy but it actually made me angry suddenly.

“So this room isn’t good enough for me now but it was good enough when you didn’t give a !” I snapped.

I immediately regretted saying that. I waited for the huge argument to start. They were quiet.

“If you’re not ready for your new room yet, that’s ok but I’m very uncomfortable with you staying there. It’s not even a bedroom and it’s a complete disgrace that my parents put you there,” said Alex.

We did not talk anymore as we moved the gifts to my room and went back down the stairs where everyone was still waiting impatiently for the birthday boys.

“Boys!” Said Luna Ronnie, narrowing her eyes. “Where have you been?” She seemed shocked to see me coming down the stairs with them.

“Do another lap to see if anyone needs more champagne,” she ordered me. Ronda handed me a fresh tray filled with glasses. The party planner had a smug look on her face.

Alex took the tray from me again and put it on the floor this time.

“Alex!” Said Ronnie to her eldest son.

“Let’s start the toast!” Said Alpha Romeo.

The Pack members cheered. Everyone gathered around the grand staircase and Alpha Romeo stood a few steps up so that everyone could see him. The Triplets pulled me with them to the same step as Alpha Romeo. The Luna who stood next to her husband was eyeing me suspiciously. I was pretty sure she was putting two and two together or in this case, one and three together. Alpha Romeo began his speech. It literally started with him meeting his mate, the Luna, their love, their wedding, honeymoon, childless years, having the triplets, their childhood, their teenage years and now their manhood and ascension to Alphas. It made literally no mention of me despite me being there for the past nine years since the triplets were twelve but the Alpha and Luna truly viewed me as a servant so I knew I should not expect to be mentioned. A lot of people kept glancing at me, wondering why I was there in the limelight. I tried to descend the stairs a few times but Alex kept grabbing my wrist. Felix put his hand absentmindedly on my behind. I stifled a gasp. He squeezed it and rubbed it gently. I started to cream my underwear. I glared at him and he blew me a kiss which many people noticed.

“I present to you, Alpha Alex, Alpha Felix and Alpha Calix Thorn, the Triplet Alphas,” boomed former Alpha Romeo using his Alpha voice for the last time.

The Pack members cheered. Their screams were deafening. Many girls shrieked and squealed over the Triplet Alphas. The Alpha Triplets went around the room to be congratulated by important pack members. They dragged me with them. No one asked about me but everyone’s eyes darted to me. Finally the Luna could take it no more. She marched her sons, me and the former alpha into the kitchen. The party planner nosily followed us.

“Since when are you three so close with Charity?” Asked the Luna.

“It’s Chasity, Mom,” said Felix.

“Sorry,” said the Luna. People truly thought my name was Charity so I never held it against them.

“She’s our mate,” said Alex, getting straight to the point. There was utter silence.

“And you’ve accepted her as your mate?” Said Romeo.

I felt a little offended. “Of course,” said Calix. “We want her more than anything.”

My cheeks burned. Felix started massaging my butt again.

“And has she accepted?” Asked the Luna.

There was more silence.

“I want to finish high school while I think about it,” I said.

The Luna laughed. “She wants to live here for as long as possible before she rejects you the day after she graduates high school and then goes off to search for her gambling drug-addicted parents.”

“Mom!” Said Calix, the Luna’s favourite.

She stared at him. “Honey! I…”

“Chasity has not been treated well here and you know it!” Said Calix.

The Luna sighed.

“She’s our mate and things around here will reflect that,” said Alex firmly.

The eavesdropping party planner was looking at me with so much envy I actually feared for my life a little.

“She hates you three you know,” said Ronda the party planner. “She thinks you’re all arrogant overrated snobs.”

I paled. I looked at the Triplets, half-expecting them to turn on me. Calix had not even been listening to her. He was still pleading with his Mother with his eyes. Alex was looking at the big birthday cake and Felix was still massaging my behind and looking at me, smirking. Felix was definitely going to try to sneak into my room tonight. I felt really warm thinking about it.

“They’re old enough to decide,” said Romeo.

“Let’s cut the cake with Chasity,” said Alex.

Ronda wheeled the huge cake out to the guests. Everyone began singing happy birthday and snapping pictures. I knew people wanted me out of the shot. They wanted pictures of the identical triplet alphas and birthday boys but the guys would not let me go. Calix grabbed one wrist and Alex grabbed the other. Felix was standing behind me, squeezing my waist. This was the first time all three of the Triplets had their hands on me and I felt like fainting. I was so overwhelmed. What was I going to do when they all really got their hands on me? I had thought I did not have to worry about that anytime soon but looking back on it, I should’ve worried more because all three brothers snuck me into one of their rooms that very night."

...

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My parents are marrying me off to the cruelest, most vicious Alpha?! And to make matters worse, when I see him at our wedding, my wolf tells me he's our true mate!

"Do you, Alpha Demitri Varlos, accept Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, as your wife and mate, and therefore Luna of the Blood Moon Pack?" The Elder asked the man standing in front of me.

My breathing hitched to a stop.

"Alpha? Varlos? As in, the cold-blooded killer Alpha Varlos?" I asked my wolf Aya.

"I guess so. But his wolf told me..."

"I don't care about his wolf, Aya! This is a trap! They told me I just need to get married to an Omega! They are full of lies!" I was shaking as the reality of my situation started to sink in.

"I do," Alpha Demitri's deep voice rang.

I felt the mate bond intensify. I ground my teeth together and kept my eyes downcast, avoiding eye contact with Alpha Varlos.

"Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, do you accept Alpha Demitri Varlos of the Blood Moon Pack to be your husband and your mate, thereby accepting your title as his Luna?"

"I..." I don't want to go with him.
I have three choices now: Stay here and be a slave and get beaten, or go with the murdering Alpha, or go rogue and have nobody. Tears welled in my eyes at my situation.

"Please don't reject him. He will be nice and sweet, even though he seems terrifying now!" Aya whimpered.
I sneaked a peek at my mate. He's a giant, all muscle, with a hint of a tattoo peeking out from under his shirt collar on his neck. He's very good-looking despite his ugly reputation. Full lips under a straight, long nose, and his eyes. They were a warm honey gold with flecks of brown.
Those eyes gazed into mine, and then my mate smirked at me. My breath hitched, and immediately I felt captivated.

"Lily?" The Elder stepped forward.
Alpha Dimitri frowned, his honey gold eyes turning a few shades darker. Is he getting angry at me?
I heard my biggest bully, Evelyn, snicker behind me. Now I know why she was so smug earlier.
"Lily, say 'I do.' The Goddess has her special plan for us, trust me," Aya pleaded.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away from Alpha Varlos and down at my shoes.

"I do," I whispered.

The mate bond intensified again with my words. I blinked away unshed tears as I sealed my fate.
The Elder stepped back, giving me a look of something close to sympathy.

"It is my great joy to pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss—"

"That won't be necessary." Alpha Varlos cut across him. He turned to me. "Come."

---

"Hurry up, Slave! Goddess, you have nothing to work with anyway! Did you even bathe?!"

I rolled my eyes for what felt like the millionth time. Why Luna decided her spoiled, stuck up daughter, who also hated my guts, would be the perfect person to help me get ready for my wedding was beyond me. Although 'helping' was far reached. So far, she had pulled me out of bed by my hair, handled me into my creaky chair in front of my sorry excuse for a vanity, and screamed at me to get ready. Since then, she had done nothing but his not-so-little friend around on her phone and occasionally insult me.

"Yes, Evelyn." I clipped out. She snorted in response and went back to her phone.

I was nearly ready. My thick red hair was pulled up into a French twist, my veil tucked into it nicely. I had no makeup to speak of, so I had no choice but to go natural. It didn't bother me much, my skin was flawless in terms of acne. I would have liked something to try and conceal how sallow my cheeks were and the bags under my eyes though. I was extremely pale, due to a lack of food and nutrition, which made me look sickly. My full lips were dry and peeling slightly. I hadn't had a drink in over twenty-four hours, and how I wish I could say it was from nerves. Sadly, it wasn't. I had a straight, proud nose so I guess that was a plus. The only feature I really loved was my eyes. They were unbelievably green, like emeralds but... more. They almost shone with the depth of their colour.

My gaze swept down to my dress. It was gorgeous. The only thing I had ever received from the Alpha in the thirteen years I'd been at this pack.

Alpha Theo and his Luna, Tina of the Snow Moon Pack had "adopted" me when I was five years old. I have no recollection of my life or family from before. Many times I had tried to remember, but it was black, fuzzy. Eventually, I'd stopped trying. My first memory was thirteen years ago, entering Snow Moons borders and staggering around until I came across the packhouse.

Foolishly, I'd raided the kitchen as I had been starving, and the Luna had caught me redhanded. Terrified and alone, she had taken me in. Though I quickly found out she was not a Luna of mercy as I was made to clean, cook and serve the pack with harsh punishments if I strayed or argued or talked back.

Her daughter, Evelyn, was the same age as me, and just as cruel as her parents. Her main source of enjoyment was to torment me.

Once, when we were ten, I had spilled a glass of orange juice on the floor. Evelyn had walked right up to me and dumped the remaining glass over her head, immediately screaming for her parents, claiming I had thrown a glass at her and then dumped the juice on her when I missed. None of her friends had backed me up, and I'd spent three days in a cell in the basement with no food or water and merciless beatings from the Alpha and Luna both. I had no idea how I survived, and at the time, I wasn't overly happy that I did.

Over the years however, I'd simply learned to stay away from everyone as much as possible. When that wasn't possible, I just kept my eyes down and my mouth shut. The punishments happened less and less, but when they did happen, they were extreme. If Evelyn had a bad day at school, she would take it out on me. Sometimes her friends would join in, leaving me in whatever state when they were done. More often than not, I'd wished for death. Until I got my wolf, Aya.

It was thanks to her that I found my voice again; My will to fight back somewhat. She was strong, snarky, and my only friend. She was the only reason I'd managed to keep my sanity. I smiled to myself, remembering the night she finally came forward.



**FLASHBACK**

I was in the last room of the main floor, just finishing up mopping. Suddenly a voice had me screaming and dropping the mop, splashing water everywhere.

"Hey!"

"Who...who's there?" I asked nervously. I spun in a slow circle, looking for a sign of another person.

Laughter. "No need to be so jumpy. I won't hurt you, Lily."

I realized the voice was in my head. " You're my wolf!"

"Bingo!"

"Is that your name? Bingo?" I asked. Odd.

"What? No silly girl. My name is Aya, and it is so nice to finally be here with you."

"It's really nice to meet you too! I thought... I mean... I figured..." I trailed off helplessly.

"That you didn't have a wolf? I know."

"You do?"

She sighed. "I've always been here, Lily. I know those a******s told you that you 'couldn't possibly have a wolf' and all the other bull they've put you through. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you. But I'm here now, and you'll always have me to watch your back. fk this pack, and fk them for the hll they've put you through!"

I laughed, full of joy. I had a wolf! This was the best day of my life!

"Oh, Lily?"

"Yes, Aya?" I answered.

"Happy Birthday."

I grinned so much, that I didn't even mind I had to re-mop the floor.



** END FLASHBACK**

That was last month, my eighteenth birthday. I hadn't shifted yet, as wolves shift for the first time on the full moon after their eighteenth birthday. I couldn't wait to see what Aya looked like.

My reminiscing was interrupted by Evelyns high pitched voice.

"What t******k are you smiling about?"

Aya snarled in my head. I shook my head but declined to answer. Evelyn narrowed her eyes at me and stood up, moving towards me. She stood behind me with her hands on her hips, cocking her head to the side.

"You know, Slave, I think you could use a little color in your cheeks." She smiled wickedly.

I immediately sprang up and tried to dash to the door, but she was quick. Grabbing my arm, she spun me around and landed a vicious blow to my left cheek. While I was still stunned, she repeated the action to my right cheek.

Tears sprang to my eyes to accompany the stinging on my face. Aya roared in my head, momentarily deafening me while Evelyn laughed. I didn't even hear the insult she threw at me. Holding my cheeks, I turned swiftly for the door, exiting the room with Evelyn hot on my heels.

"You'll be back, you know." She said. "I know you think this marriage is your ticket out of here, but it's not. As soon as your groom realizes who my parents are marrying him off to, he'll throw you out faster than you can blink. I'll be surprised if he even goes through with the ceremony!" She hissed. Stepping in front of me, she grabbed my throat roughly.

"You will always be nothing but a slave!"

Evelyn released me, shoving me back a few feet. Without another glance, she marched down the hall and out of sight around the corner. I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths.

"She's wrong. Don't listen to her, Lily." My wolf tried to soothe me.

"She's right, though. I've always been a slave. Who could possibly want me? Look at me!"

"I am. You're stronger than you realize. You've been through so, so much, and you're still here. Still standing. Even if this guy throws you out, we won't come back here."

I blinked. " You'd go rogue?"

"I told you I'd always be here with you. Even if we had to be a rogue."

Tears welled up again, but this time from happiness.

" Wow. Thank you. I love you, Aya."

"I love you too, Lily. Now, let's go get married!" She cheered with mock enthusiasm. I laughed quietly.

Straightening my dress and my hair, I began walking down the hallway. With each step, nerves began to pool in my stomach.

See, the craziest thing about my situation was that I actually didn't know who I was marrying. This whole thing was arranged without my knowledge, at least, up until last week.

I'd been a server at the yearly Alphas Meeting, which was at Snow Moon this year. The next day, Alpha Theo and Luna Tina dragged me into the Alphas' office and told me I was getting married. They never said to whom, and they never gave me the option to say no. All they said was they were getting more for my hand in marriage than I was worth, and they were glad to be finally getting rid of me. I couldn't say I was unhappy about the prospect of leaving this pack, but I was scared of marrying an unknown man. I couldn't fathom why anyone would want me to be honest.

I assumed it was someone from an ally pack who wanted a slave. The more I'd thought about this, the more I believed it true. After all, Alpha Theo could pick any random girl to replace me.

Lost in my fears, I finally reached the grand double doors to the hall where the ceremony was taking place. Voices buzzed from inside. I felt like vomiting, but also something... else.

My head began to swim, and I was suddenly too hot. My heart rate was picking up quickly, and I felt lightheaded.

Was I about to pass out minutes before my wedding?

Chapter Two

Lily POV

As I took deep breaths as being coached by my wolf, Alpha Theo snuck up beside me. I had been so focused on my breathing I hadn\'t even heard him. He grabbed my arm roughly, pulling me to his side.

I flinched.

\"Stop fidgeting!\" He hissed.

\"What are you doing?\" I asked.

I felt so out of sorts, I didn\'t even stop to consider my words or the disrespectful tone in which I said them.

Alpha Theo narrowed his eyes at me. The hand at his side twitched like he wanted to strike me.

\"Since you have no father here, it is my...duty to walk you down the aisle and give you away. Don\'t misinterpret this though, I take absolutely no pleasure in touching you.\"

Uhm, what? Why did it sound like he was insinuating something?

\"You mean, you take no pleasure in touching me when it\'s not violent.\" I deadpanned.

Aya, who had been pacing in my head, stopped in her tracks. I could feel the shock coming from her. I was shocked too. I\'d never spoken to the Alpha like that before, with such confidence. Where the hll had that come from?

The Alpha seemed more shocked than either of us however. His face was comical. At least it was until his eyes turned black and a low growl came through his teeth.

shlt.

Before Alpha Theo could hit me, or worse, kill me on the spot, the doors in front of us began to open...

He released his hold on my arm instantly and I winced as the blood flow began again. He linked his arm with mine instead, turning me towards the hall.

I had no maid of honour, no bridesmaids. Not that anyone would have agreed if I had asked.

As we entered the hall, I was hit in the face with the most amazing scent. It was a mix of lavender and chocolate, with a hint of an almost musky, woodsy smell. It almost knocked me off my feet. It filled the hall and I found myself looking around, searching for the source. Aya was practically jumping in my head, wanting to come out.

\"Mate! MATE!\" She screamed.

What?!

\"Where?\" I asked.

I saw him then. My eyes zeroed in on the most amazingly breathtaking man I\'d ever witnessed.

He was taller than Alpha Theo, at least 6\'7, a giant, and all muscle. His tuxedo strained against his muscles in a way that had my mouth watering. I could see the hint of a tattoo peaking out front under the shirt collar on his neck. I was less than five feet away now, close enough to see his hair had a slight wave to it, and it was pitch black. My fingers itched to run through it. He had a chiseled jaw, with a five o\'clock shadow. Full lips under a straight, long nose, and his eyes. They gazed into mine and held me captive. They were a warm honey gold with flecks of brown.

I had forgotten where I was; the reason, the time, the place.

\"This is our mate?\" I asked Aya.

I couldn\'t quite believe someone so... he was my mate.

\"Yes!\" I could feel her connecting with our mate\'s wolf. She was purring with joy and happiness.

A loud throat clearing sounded next to me, and I unwillingly cast my gaze away from my mate in annoyance.

Alpha Theo was glaring at me, his arm still linked with mine. It was only then that I\'d realized we\'d come to a stop. The entire hall was buzzing with hushed whispers, everyone staring at me. I blushed slightly and looked down.

\"Alpha Theo.\" His voice was deep, husky. It sent a shiver down my spine. \"I\'ll take her from here.\"

My head shot up.

Wait... I was marrying him? My mate?

\"Who did you think? He\'s the only one up here other than the old guy!\" Snarked Aya.

Truthfully I hadn\'t even noticed anyone else, but she was right. Only the Elder who was blessing the marriage stood at the alter with my mate.

I glanced around him.

Didn\'t he have groomsmen? Friends? Family?

\"What are you waiting for?! Go!\" hissed Alpha Theo. He released my arm with a not too subtle shove.

A growl erupted from my mate\'s chest at the action, and I peeked up in time to see Alpha Theo\'s face go pale. He bowed his head in apology and went to take his seat next to his Luna.

I spotted Evelyn seated next to her mother, but I didn\'t understand her expression. Truthfully, the second I realized whom I was marrying, I could only imagine how jealous Evelyn would be. I mean, this man was a God! But she looked.... smug. She had a wicked little smile on her face, laughter in her eyes. Her expression had anxiety pooling in my stomach.

\"Ahem!\"

I jerked my attention back to the man in front of me. He was glaring at me now, annoyance clear on his face.

\"I\'d like to get started, if you\'re willing to pay attention now?\" He grumbled.

Without waiting for an answer, he signaled to the Elder to begin the ceremony.

\"Ladies and gentleman, it is my honor to be here at Snow Moon today to bless the union of these two Children of the Moon Goddess. Shall we?\"

He looked my mate. He nodded once.

The Elder looked to me with a soft smile, which I returned.

\"Do you Lily...\" He stumbled for a second and I blushed a deep red.
Traditionally, he would use my full name, but since I had no memory of my past, I didn\'t know my last name. Or even if I had a middle name. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mate raise his eyebrows in confusion.

The Elder cleared his throat and started again. \"Do you, Lily of the Snow Moon Pack, accept this marriage and my Blessing of it?\"

\"I do.\" I replied quietly.

\"And do you acknowledge and accept that henceforth, you will no longer be a member of the Snow Moon Pack?\"

\"Yes.\" I replied a little more eagerly.

\"Then as an Elder of the Werewolf Sitting Council, I hereby strip you of any ties to the Snow Moon Pack. Alpha Theo?\" The Elder gestured to my Alpha who stood up.

\"I accept.\" He said.

I felt a tearing through my chest and I gasped. Everyone in the hall save the Elder and my groom gasped and clutched their chests along with me. Losing a pack member was painful for everyone, but I took the pain with a smile, knowing I was officially no longer a member of this horrid pack. I felt an intense wave of freedom not to be tied to them anymore.

When everyone was quiet again, the Elder turned to my mate.

\"Do you, Alpha Demitri Varlos accept Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, as your wife and mate, and therefore Luna of the Blood Moon Pack?\"

My breathing hitched to a stop.

\"Alpha? Varlos? As in, the cold-blooded killer Alpha Varlos?\" I asked Aya.

\"I guess so. But his wolf...\"

\"I don\'t care about his wolf Aya! I can\'t accept this! He\'s a MURDERER!\"

I was shaking as the reality of my situation started to sink in. They were marrying me off to the cruelest, most viscous Alpha on this side of the world! And to make matters worse, he was my mate. What kind of sick sense of humor did the Moon Goddess have? I hadn\'t suffered enough, she thought she\'d toss me to the merciless Alpha?

\"I do.\"

I felt the mate bond intensify. I ground my teeth together, and kept my eyes downcast, avoiding eye contact with Alpha Varlos.

\"Lily, former member of the Snow Moon Pack, do you accept Alpha Demitri Varlos of the Blood Moon Pack to be your husband and your mate, thereby accepting your title as his Luna?\"

\"I...\"

I didn\'t. I didn\'t want to go with him. These were my options then? Stay here and be a slave and get beat, go with the murdering Alpha who, or go rogue and have nobody. Tears welled in my eyes at my situation.

\"Please don\'t reject him.\" Aya whimpered.

\"Aya... we can\'t accept him. He\'s-\"

\"I know!\" She cut me off. \"But you need to remember that you wouldn\'t be the only one losing a mate!\" She snapped.

Closing my eyes, I sighed quietly.

When I opened them, I looked into my Alphas eyes. He was staring at me with such anger, I actually took a step back.

\"Please?\" Whispered Aya.

\"Lily?\" The Elder stepped forward.

I heard a snicker I\'d know anywhere behind me. Now I know why Evelyn was so smug earlier.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away from Alpha Varlos and down at my shoes.

\"I do.\" I whispered.

The mate bond intensified again with my words. I blinked away unshed tears as I sealed my fate. The Elder stepped back, giving me a short look of something close to sympathy.

\"It is my great joy to pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss-\"

\"That won\'t be necessary.\" Alpha Varlos cut across him. He turned to me. \"Come.\"

Dragging my feet, I turned to follow my new husband.

Chapter Three

Lily POV

Alpha Demitri Varlos strode down the platform, stopping briefly to shake my former Alphas hand. They exchanged no words, but it felt disrespectful to me, like a \"good doing business with you\" vibe. I wondered for the first time how much he had offered for me; It couldn\'t have been very much as I was nothing but a lowly slave for the pack. More than likely, they were probably just glad to be rid of me.

Keeping my eyes down and my feet shuffling forward, I felt bad for whoever they replaced me with in the future.

A deep sigh interrupted my thoughts, and I glanced up to see my mates annoyed face.

\"Can you move any faster? I\'d like to get home sometime today if that\'s okay with you.\" He snapped.

\"Sorry.\" I mumbled.

He rolled his eyes. \"Your things are packed and already loaded in the car. Let\'s go.\"

He reached for my arm, and I instinctively flinched back. It wasn\'t entirely his fault; I\'d been beaten since the age of five, fast movements tended to cause me to react like that. Whether he knew of how I was treated here or not though, he stopped reaching for me and dropped his hand to his side.

\"Can I... Should I change first?\" I asked him.

\"Why?\"

I blinked at him. \"Am I suppose to show up to your pack in a wedding dress?\"

\"Why does it matter?\"

It didn\'t really. I was stalling, not wanting to be in a close, personal space like a car with him.

\"Look, I\'ve come and got what I needed here. Now I\'m going home. If you\'re not in the car in two minutes, you can walk to Blood Moon.\" With that, he turned and walked away from me.

\"Wow. He\'s a real charmer.\"

\"I know he\'s a bit rough around the edges. But his wolf is really nice.\"

\"That\'s suppose to make me feel better?\"

\"Yes.\"

My turn to roll my eyes.

Dutifully, I followed my husband out of the packhouse to a waiting black SUV. He was already seated in the driver\'s seat, tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.

I climbed in somewhat awkwardly thanks to the skirt of my dress and shut my door. Glancing in the backseat, I saw a single suitcase. That would be my thing, as sad as that was. Clicking my seatbelt into place, I stared out the windshield. We weren\'t moving. Two minutes passed. Then three. And five minutes later, we still were parked in the drive of the packhouse. I broke the silence.

\"Aren\'t we leaving?\" I asked him.

\"Yes. As soon as these idiots get the rest of your stuff.\"

I looked at him quizzically. \"What?\"

He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, indicating my suitcase. I actually laughed.

\"That is the rest of my stuff.\"

Now it was his turn to look confused.

\"That is all you have?\"

\"Yeah.\"

\"Where are the rest of your clothes?\"

\"They\'re in there. I don\'t have much.\" I shrugged.

\"Much? You don\'t have anything.\" He barked.

I shrugged again. He continued to look at me with an undecipherable expression before his expression hardened again.

\"Whatever.\" He grumbled.

Finally, he started the car and put it in the drive.

Leaning back in my seat, I started out at the houses passing us by, giving way to more and more trees until we left Snow Moon behind completely.

Turning onto the highway, I let out a breath I didn\'t know I\'d been holding.

\"I can\'t believe it...\"

\"I know. We\'re actually out of Snow Moon. We don\'t ever have to go back Lily! We\'re free!\" Aya whooped in my head.

Free. Somehow this didn\'t feel like freedom. I\'d gone from being a slave to a Luna in less than a day to a man who might actually kill me as he\'d done so many others. Even as a slave, I\'d heard all the stories of Alpha Demitri Varlos. He was feared near and far for his ability to kill. He\'d wiped out entire packs. He had no mercy, no heart. He was actually known as The Heartless Alpha. And here I was, sitting in a car with him, accompanying him to his pack as his Luna and wife.

It felt surreal.

Should I speak to him; try to make conversation?

I floundered around in my head, searching for something to ask him that didn\'t involve his kill streak or how many people he had decapitated.

Hours passed. It was dark outside now, the trees a dark blur as we sped past.

Suddenly, it popped into my head, and out of my mouth before I could stop it.

\"Why didn\'t you kiss me?\" I blurted out.

Alpha Varlos glanced at me and then back to the road. Silence.

\"Alpha?\" I tried again. Nothing.

I\'d been so caught up in the shock before, I hadn\'t even minded that he didn\'t kiss me. But now, as my reality began to really set in, it seemed important to know why.

Was I that repulsive? Why did this matter so much to me anyway? He was a cold blooded murderer, I shouldn\'t even be thinking about kissing him. Stupid mate bond.

However, it seemed my mouth was not connected to my brain as I whispered, \"I\'m your mate...\"

\"Enough!\" He snapped loudly.

I flinched away from him, hurt.

Stupid, stupid mate bond.

I didn\'t speak a single word for the rest of the trip. My gaze traveled between the window and my shoes, I refused to look at him. An hour ago, he\'d told me we\'d crossed into his land, I\'d simply nodded. Was I being disrespectful? Probably. But he wasn\'t chatting me up either way, so I didn\'t care.

\"We\'re here.\"

He pulled up to a huge ten foot gate that looked to be made of iron. Two guards were stationed on our side, and two more just beyond. All four men were huge, but nowhere close to their Alpha. The closest guard gave a signal and the gates swung open. Despite my qualms about this situation, I was impressed as we drove further towards the packhouse. Most of the area was covered in trees, but I could spot houses in the dense forestry. Here and there, quaint cottages were dotted around with cute balconies and porch swings, gardens, stone walk paths. I even spotted a few garden gnomes. Not at all what I had been imagining when I learned who my husband-to-be was.

Fifteen minutes later, Alpha Varlos pulled up to what could only be the packhouse.

The driveway was a big semi-circle of stone bricks, with a water fountain stationed in the middle. Cars were parked in a line along the edge, Jeeps and SUVs. Taking a minute to admire the house itself, I was honestly awestruck. The packhouse was ginormous; at least five stories tall and just as wide. Lush flower beds lined the front, giving way to a beautifully green front lawn. Vines crawled up between the windows sprouting little buds. Morning glorys I thought. Lights were on in various windows of the house, casting a yellow glow. It felt.... homey.

\"Are you going to sit there and stare all night? I\'m tired.\" Grumbled my mate.

I shook my head, speedily opening my door and stepping out. I hadn\'t moved much over the course of the long car ride, and my legs were super stiff. I took a second to stretch them while still admiring the house. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the whole place was constructed of deep redwood. I bet it looked even better in the daylight.

\"Lily.\"

It took me a minute for him to catch my attention. Nobody used my name; I\'d always been called \'slave\' or \'mutt\', or other various derogatory terms.

\"Yes, I\'m coming. Just let me get my stu-\"

\"Don\'t bother.\"

\"But-\"

\"I\'ll get you some new clothes tomorrow. You can throw that suitcase out, and everything in it.\"

He began to walk to the house, but stopped when I opened the back door of the SUV. He sighed loudly, clearly irritated. Opening the suitcase, I dug through the \'clothes\' that had been packed, really they were just rags until I found my objective. Closing the door, I clutched my necklace and joined him.

\"What\'s that?\" He asked.

\"It\'s a necklace.\"

He raised an eyebrow.

\"It\'s... well... it\'s the only thing I have that\'s really mine. I don\'t remember who gave it to me, but I had it before I came to Snow Moon... so...\"

Why was I explaining this?

\"Okay.\" He turned on his heel and I followed him, mentally rolling my eyes. He really was an bottom.

He didn\'t hold the door for me, which I expected. Glancing around as I followed him through the door, I was again awestruck by how big this place was.

Paintings decorated the walls that I\'d have to inspect closer later. The floor was carpeted a deep purple, contrasting nicely with the wooden interior. Antique looking furniture was placed vicariously along the walls.

\"This way. This floor has the common room, the kitchen, game area, and a room we use for Alpha meetings. It also has the dining room for meals. Second floor belongs to my Gamma and his family. Third floor is for my Beta and his family. The fourth floor is for us, and the fifth floor is the library.\"

That was the most he\'d said to me since we\'d met. Wait... us?

\"Us?\" I squeaked.

Chapter Four

Lily POV

He stopped on the stairs and looked down at me. As if he wasn't tall enough, this was even more intimidating.

"Yes, us. You are my wife, and Luna of this pack."

"Uh..."

"Don't worry. You have your own room." Huh?

Before I could ask, he trotted up the stairs, me scrambling to keep up. I was feeling lightheaded and gasping for breath by the time we reached our floor. Years of being starved for long periods of time will do that to you I guess. I shuffled down the hall, nearly running into the back of him when he stopped abruptly in front of a door.

"This is your room. My room is across the hall." He pointed to a door adjacent to mine. "Clothes will arrive tomorrow for you."

Without another word, he opened his door and stepped inside, closing it on my shocked face. Numbly, I opened my own door and stepped inside. I don't know why I expected it to be small; old habits I guess. It was huge. The floor was plush, soft grey carpet. A king size bed was set against the wall, begging for a good nights sleep. Across from the bed was a old fashioned fireplace, already lit and filling the room with warmth and a soft glow; a neatly stacked pile of wood was placed to it's side. White curtains were drawn across glass doors that looked to open to a balcony. I assumed the door to my right was a bathroom, and the double wooden doors led to a closet. Again, not what I had imagined.

"But then we didn't imagine we'd have our own room, did we?" Aya grumbled.

"No. But it's better than sleeping with him, right?"

"Maybe. But what was the point of all this if we're not going to be together?"

I didn't have an answer to that. It did seem pointless. He acted as if a mate and Luna, let alone a wife, was the last thing he wanted.

"Maybe it's better this way? He is... him after all."

"I need to bond with my mate too Lily. What if he doesn't let us?" She whimpered.

"We live here Aya. Sooner or later, we'll meet his wolf."

"I guess."

It wasn't the same thing, I knew. Aya needed to make her own bond with the Alphas wolf. Play together, hunt together. The thought of her not being able to do those things made her extremely sad.

"He has a name you know." She said.

"It feels wierd calling him Demitri though. What if he doesn't like it? What if no one else calls him that?"

"You're overthinking things."

"I don't think so."

Yawning, I slipped off my shoes and made my way to the bed. A huge grin plastered my face as I lay down. I'd never slept in a real bed before. My sleeping arrangements at Snow Moon consisted of a couple dirty mattresses filled with holes on the floor. Comparatively, this was Heaven. Having nothing else to sleep in, I arranged the skirts of my dress under the covers and fell asleep in minutes.

**********************************************************************************************************

I woke up to someone nudging my shoulder. It couldn't have been Evelyn; she would have just yanked me out of bed. As I became more conscious, memories of the previous day came rushing back and I shot up so fast, whoever was sitting next to me yelped in surprise.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"

A girl stood at the edge of the bed, hands raised as if in surrender. She had medium length golden blond hair, a pale flawless complexion, and a body to die for. Her hourglass figure was the stuff of envy. What I noticed most were her eyes though. They were a similar shade to that of my husbands, perhaps a little darker. I blinked at her and noticed she actually did look quite a lot like Dimitri.

"Who are you?" I asked.

She smiled softly at me, extending her hand. "I'm Thara, Dimitris sister. He sent me up here to have a look at you. I didn't mean to wake you so suddenly."

I took her hand and shook once. "Look at me?"

"I'm a doctor at the pack hospital. Dimitri said you looked... a little unhealthy. Do you mind if I examine you?"

"Do I have a choice?"

She laughed. "No, not really. You are the Luna after all, we need you in tip top shape!"

"Uhm... okay, go ahead."

"I'm going to need you to change first. Clothes arrived for you this morning. I put some shorts and t-shirt in the bathroom for you."

"This morning? What time is it now?"

"Just a little after one."

Well shlt. I slept well over twelve hours. I couldn't complain though, I felt more rested than I had in years. I sat up and stretched, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and making my way to the bathroom. Shutting the door, I did my business while looking around. There was a stand in shower with what looked like three different heads for the water, and a separate white claw foot tub that I was definitely going to take advantage of later. The counter had one long sink with two faucets, a gigantic mirror and was polished to shine. The floor was black tile, also exceptionally shiny, with floral designed bath mats placed in front of the shower and tub. I stripped out of my dress and threw it in the wicker laundry basket near the door.

Taking a breath, I looked at my reflection in the mirror and gasped. Holy fk, no wonder Dimitri hadn't wanted to kiss me! Or touch me, or even be around me for that matter. Bright purple and black bruises patched my cheeks where Evelyn had slapped me. My lip was also busted, how had I not noticed that? My hair had fallen out of it's twist while I slept, and was now a tangled mess. My gaze travelled lower and I winced. Bruises dotted my skin in varying sizes from my shoulders down my torso, and my legs were no better. I could count my ribs and my collar bone jutted out sickeningly against my pale flesh.

I'd always had a large chest, regardless of my weight, but it looked odd and disfigured in contrast to every other part of me. There was absolutely no muscle on me, I was literally skin and bone. I was hideous. A quiet cry left my lips as I grabbed the clothes Thara had set for me and dressed quickly. Wiping my eyes, I opened the door and strode back into the room. Thara was arranging tools on the bed; a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff. Something that resembled a little hammer.

"If you could sit on the edge of the bed, I'll take your vitals." She said. I sat dutifully as she wrapped the cuff around my arm and looked at her watch, counting. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she jotted something in a little black notebook. Next, she listened to my breathing and tested my reflexes. Her expression became more and more concerned as she carried on with her exam.

"Luna, can you lie on the bed please?" She asked while writing in her book. I did as she asked and placed my hands on my stomach.

"You can call me Lily." I said. She glanced up and smiled.

"Lily it is." Setting her notebook aside. "I'm going to have to examine your middle... I need you to remove your shirt. It's not invasive, and it won't take long, I promise."

"Uhm... yeah, okay. Sure." I sat up and removed my shirt, lying back again. Tharas eyes widened as she stared at me. A small gasp left her lips before she shook it off and went to work. Poking and prodding with her fingers, she asked me if this and that area were tender, if it was sore. She gave me a hard look when I said no, so I relented a little and was honest. As she scribbled furiously in her little book, she asked me to turn onto my stomach. When I did, the sound of pen against paper stopped abruptly.

"My Goddess..."

I squeezed my eyes shut in shame and embarrassment. I knew what my back looked like. When Alpha Theo was in a particularly violent mood, he would use a silver knife on me. Only ever on my back though, as it was the easiest part of me to cover up. The skin was jagged with scars that would never fully heal. They ranged from below my shoulder blades down to the bottom of my spine all over.

"What... How did you get these?" Asked Thara. She ran her finger over a particularly deep scar.

"Silver." I mumbled.

"Silver what? A blade?"

I nodded mutely.

"Who did this to you? You couldn't have done this yourself. Who?" She demanded.

What was I suppose to say? I couldn't implicate Alpha Theo. I doubted Thara would believe me anyways.

"Who?" Thara more harshly.

"A member of Snow Moon." I said.

"Which member?"

I shook my head. She let out an exasperated sigh. I sat up and threw my shirt on quickly.

"Alright. You don't have to tell me. But I'm telling you now that Dimitri is going to want to know."

"Why? It's not like he cares anyways. Just another thing about me that's repulsive."

"What on Earth makes you think that?" She asked wide eyed.

Chapter Five

Dimitri POV

"How are we for patrols on the Eastern border?"

I was in my office with my Beta, Ben, and my Gamma, Luke. I needed some sort of distraction this morning. I'd sent Thara to look over Lily, for obvious reasons. The girl was covered head to toe in bruises and cuts. I needed some sort of plan to get her healthy again. A strong Luna made a strong Alpha, and she wasn't strong. At all.

"We have enough for the East, but we could reinforce the South. Rogues have been targeting along there more frequently." Said Ben.

"Alright. Get Ned on it ASAP." Ned was my head warrior, and Bens twin brother. Both had fought for the Beta title, but Ben won fair and square. Luke came from a long line of Gammas, so he was the obvious choice for the role. Ned was more than happy to take the lead as head warrior and train others into the best dayum group of fighters this side of the country.

"Will do Boss."

Before either of them could say anything else, the door slammed opened and Thara marched in, breathing hard with a destructive expression on her face.

"You and you. Out." She pointed to Ben and Luke, who raised their eyebrows at me. I nodded, so they left looking confused. I turned my chair towards Thara.

"Well?" I asked.

"Well?! Dimitri, that girl is covered in marks! And her back..." She gulped. "What t******k happened at that pack?!"

"Her back? What's wrong with her back?"

"It's mutilated! She wouldn't tell me who did it, only that it was caused by silver. It looks like someone cut her with a blade over and over and over..."

Thara sat heavily in one of the chairs across from my desk, tossing her little black notebook at me. I started flipping through the pages. Goddess. Lily wasn't just unhealthy, she was malnourished, dehydrated, severely underweight. Bruises covering most of her body, signs of physical and mental abuse...

I closed the book.

"What's the treatment?" I asked straightfaced.

"Food and water. Lots of it, often. But small meals first, I doubt her stomach can handle a hearty meal. I couldn't understand why her wolf wasn't healing the minor injuries. like the bruises. But she's so weak, so that means her wolf is too. With good care, and rest, her wolf should start to heal her again. But her back... it'll never heal properly." She shuddered.

I nodded slowly. "I'll have the cooks prepare something for her, at least six times a day for now."

"She thinks your repulsed by her." Thara said suddenly.

"What?"

"Excatly what I said. Dimitri, your her mate. And her husband. But, more importantly, her mate. The bond between you two will also help her heal."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't have time to wait hand and foot on her Thara."

She glared at me. "Are you even going to complete the mate bond?"

I shrugged. "Of course. When she's not so fragile."

"Physically? Or mentally?" She demanded.

"Physically, obviously."

"So, what? If she's not ready to complete the bond, you're going to force her?!"

I sighed. "I'm not having this conversation with you again Thara. You know-"

"Oh I know Dimitri! I know that you don't give a shlt about that girl upstairs! I know that you have this ridiculous notion that you didn't even have a mate! But here's what I know; I know that if you force Lily to complete the bond when she doesn't feel ready, she will never be the strong Luna you want her to be! She has been abused by someone, or multiple someones, probably for a very long time-"

"And I will find who is responsible Thara!" I growled.

She took a deep breath. After a brief silence, she turned on her heel and left, slamming the door on her way out. I sighed heavily. I was being a his not-so-little friend, but she didn't understand. She never had! She was right about one thing; at twenty three years old, I had given up a long time ago thinking I had a mate out there. I'd looked everywhere in this pack, looked at every unmated girl. I went to neighboring packs, and nothing. What are the chances I'd happen to find her at an Alpha meeting that I hadn't even wanted to attend?

Ben had basically dragged me to Snow Moon, the one pack we didn't really associate with because it's Alpha was beyond useless. I hadn't been there since I was a kid, with my father when he was Alpha. Alpha meetings were suppose to be about renewing allies, gaining new ones, and discussing potential threats. I hadn't even considered that I'd meet a girl with haunting green eyes and a wildflower citrusy scent who would turn out to be my mate. As soon as she'd entered the room, Ajax my wolf, had gone absolutely wild. It had taken almost all of my self-control to reign him in and keep him from marking her right there in the middle of the hall.

The same hall I'd married her in a week later. Admittedly, seeing her walk down the aisle in her long white dress, the way the skirts flowed around her as she moved... she looked beautiful. And awful. Red marks that would surely turn to bruises soon had covered her cheeks, and a thin line of blood was running from her busted lip. Already formed bruises had dotted her bare shoulders, and I assumed from that that the volume of her gown was purposefully made to hide the extent of her injuries and the state of her body. Now I know I had been right.

But did I care about her? No. That may sound horrible, but Mates, Lunas especially, were potentially disasters waiting to happen. They served to make one stronger, that was all. When an Alpha lost his Luna, it was well known that he would never be the same. Most killed themselves just to escape the pain. When I had been younger, I'd idolized the idea of finding that one person, my other half, to love and love me back. But over the years, I learned that while a mate made you stronger, they could also be your downfall. This is why I would complete the bond with Lily, but she would never be my mate, the way mates usually worked.

There would be no intimacy, no real love. I didn't have time for love.

"Alpha?"

I raised my head to see Jennine standing in the doorway.

"Don't you dare." Ajax growled in my head.

Occassionaly, Jennine and I would fk. There were no feelings between us, she was simply really easy and a good stress relief. And I was pretty stressed right now.

"Shut up." I told Ajax and beckoned Jennine forward. She smiled and closed the door. The dress she was wearing left nothing to the imagination, but for some reason I wasn't aroused.

"I'm not doing this. We're not. We have a mate now."

"So? We haven't completed the bond."

"I don't care! I'm not going to let you hurt our mate by f*****g this bimbo!"

"You're so tense baby." Jennine had moved to stand behind me, moving her hands over my shoulders in what she classified as a massage; really, it felt like talons digging into my skin. Her touch made me uncomfortable, edgy in a way it never had before.

"I'm not in the mood for foreppplay." I grumbled.

She stepped in to the side, swiveling my chair to face her. In one quick motion, she had my pants un zipped and pulled down. Her nuts were practically hanging out of her dress as she leant forward. I had the urge to look away.

"That's fine. We can get straight to it. I'm always eager to please my Alpha." She purred. Had her voice always been that nasally? Goddess, it was annoying.

"Sure." I mumbled.

Down went my boxers, and embarrassment coloured my expression. I wasn't hard at all. I mean, at all. Jennine raised her eyebrows, clearly not expecting that. I didn't say a thing.

"Are you not excited to see me baby?" She asked.

"No." Ajax growled.

I was silent.

"Maybe this will get things going." Standing up, she reached back and I heard her zipper. The dress fell in a puddle around her feet and she smiled at me. Of course she wasn't wearing anything underneath. I looked back at her dispassionately. I should be rock hard right now, she had a great body. But my wolfs adamant unwillingness to betray our mate wouldn't allow me to appreciate it.

"It's not just me. You don't want to do this anymore than I do."

Didn't I? I sat there, not saying a word, and Jennine's smile faltered a bit. Little things I hadn't noticed before, right now really bugged me about her. Her eyes were too close together, and a boring dull shade of blue. Her hair was so fake blond, I was surprised it was still intact from all the bleaching. Her lips were thin and her nose was a little upturned. her body... yes attractive, but just... average too. These little things should be inconsequential, but they weren't. I wasn't shallow per se, but in my head, I saw a pair of bright green eyes and I heard Lily's laugh. Jennine was just an easy lay that had run its course.

Standing up, I fixed my clothes.

"What are you-"

"Sorry, this isn't going to happen. And it's probably best that it doesn't ever again." I said. Her jaw dropped.

"But... Dimitri-"

"Alpha! I am Alpha to you! Now, go." I walked over and opened the door, not even caring that if anyone walked passed they would see her n***d.

She huffed angrily and I rolled my eyes. Grabbing her clothes, she quickly slid into them and walked out. I slammed the door behind her.

"I hate you." I told Ajax.

"You would have hated yourself more."

If he was right, I didn't acknowledge it.



Chapter Six

Lily POV

 It had been one week since I was brought to Blood Moon. A whole week. Seven days, seven f*****g days, and Dimitri had not come to see me once; honestly, I was pissed off. Every morning, I would hear him leave his room. And every night, I heard him return. But not once did he check up on me.

I'd been getting six steady meals a day, mostly soups and breads. I was slowly beginning to eat more and more, actually feeling full without the accompanying nausea. That first day, Thara had found me in the bathroom clutching my stomach and being violently sick in the bathroom. She had warned me that eating too much too soon would do more harm than good, and to take it slow. Now I could handle some solid meats along with my meals, which I was more than happy about.

I'd also been sleeping. A lot. Thara's rules were sleep and rest so I, and Aya, could heal properly, and we were. Lately, the connection between my wolf and I had grown. She was much more apparent in my head, in a way I never knew she could be. The constant aching of my body had disappeared, and the bruises were all but gone. I was still too thin, but I had some colour in my cheeks now; I showered daily and felt just better than I ever had.

Physically at least. Thara had tried to convince me to see a therapist, but I refused; I didn't want to talk about my past. If I never had to go back to Snow Moon, I was happy. I could move on. Sure, I'd never forget, or forgive, but hashing it out with a stranger didn't seem likely to help. Talking to my mate might, but he was decidedly absent from my life. He was so close, yet couldn't be bothered with me. Each day that passed, I grew more angry. What was the point in bringing me here if he was going to act like I didn't exist? For the millionth time, I thought over my conversation with his sister.

**SEVEN DAYS AGO**

"What on Earth makes you think that?" Thara asked.

"Oh come on. He married me, wouldn't kiss me at the alter, dragged me back here and dumped me in a room by myself." I huffed.

She blinked. "He didn't kiss you?"

"He hasn't touch me at all!"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Luna-"

"Lily."

"Lily. Dimitri is... well... he's a hard one. He's one of the youngest Alphas in the world, he took over early when our father...died. You've heard all the stories about him, I'm sure. The Heartless Alpha." She scoffed. "Believe it or not, there was a time when Dimitri was a happy person. Smiling and laughing."

"Really? Did this Dimitri kill that one?" I asked sarcastically. Thara laughed.

"Some days it seems like it. I miss the old Dimitri, my happy brother. The one who wasn't cold and stubborn and..."

"A killer." I said.

Thara gave me a hard look. "Yes. He has killed people. A lot of people. But I can advocate that he has never killed anyone who didn't deserve worse than what he gave them. You shouldn't believe everything you hear. Give him a chance Lily."

**PRESENT**

 I sighed. How was I suppose to give him a chance if he never gave me the opportunity? And did I even want to? Maybe not all the stories were true, but even so. He sure as hell hadn't made a good first impression on me, and it wasn't getting any better as the time passed. I wasn't going to beg him for attention, if that's what he wanted. On the other hand, staying in this room was driving me stir crazy. My whole life, I'd been going going going, cleaning and cooking and doing work. Now I was holed up in a room in a bed in unfamiliar territory and admittedly, too nervous to leave said room. What is everyone was as unwelcoming as my mate?

"Thara is nice." Aya reminded me.

"True."

"Why don't we go exploring?"

"Outside?"

"YES!" She yipped.

Getting out of bed, I walked into my closet. It was bigger than my bathroom; the clothes Dimitri had got for me didn't even cover one third of it. Dressing in a pair of faded blue jeans a red tee, I grabbed a pair of hiking boots and threw them on before I left. I glanced at the door across from mine, catching a faint hint of Dimitris scent, allowing myself a second of appreciating it. Only a second, then I was headed off down the hall, down the stairs and out the front door.

"You didn't have an asthma attack that time!" Laughed Aya.

"Not funny. Wait till we have to go back up."

"Stop for a rest this time."

"Sounds like a plan."

I wandered aimlessly around the side of the packhouse, not wanting to venture too far yet. I wasn't up for meeting a lot of the pack yet, but I hoped a lot of them were like Thara There were a few people outside; a group of teenage boys near the edge of the forest throwing a football around, an elderly lady tending to the gardens, and a man who looked to be running laps. As I passed the gardener, she looked up and smiled brightly. I returned her smile and stopped to admire her work. A particular flower caught my eye.

"Excuse me Miss, but what kind of flower is that?" I asked pointing.

"Oh, that one is my favourite. It's called a Blue Stargazer Lily."

"It's beautiful." I said.

"It really is."

Standing up, she wiped dirt on her pants before offering me her hand.

"Names Greta. What's your name dear?"

I smiled wider. "Actually, Lily."

Greta laughed loudly. "Well, isn't that a coincidence!"

"Are you the official gardener here?" I asked.

"Oh, no. I actually work in the kitchens. This is just a hobby of mine. Helps out the folks who garden if I tend to them a little here and there."

"That's nice of you."

She shrugged. "Helping others is a privilege I find."

"I like her." Chirped Aya.

"Me too." I replied.

"I haven't seen you around before Lily. Did you just move to Blood Moon?" Asked Greta.

"Something like that. I...uhm.. I'm actually the Alphas mate."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! So you're our new Luna! Well, welcome to Blood Moon, and my apologies for not using your title!"

"It's fine, really, Greta. You can call me Lily."

Greta beamed at me. "My dear, no offense, but you are awfully skinny. What have we been feeding you? Not enough clearly."

I laughed. "Actually, the food here is fantastic. I was told to take it slow, not too much at a time."

Her eyes dawned with understanding.

"Ahh. Well, I'm on duty tonight for dinner. I'm going to make you something special, don't you worry, it will be plentiful, but not too much!"

"Wow. Thank you, but you don't have to go do extra work just for me."

She waved her hand. "It's no trouble, no trouble at all!"

"Oh, I can't wait!" Aya was practically dancing in my head.

"My wolf is very excited. I should go now, it was very nice to meet you. Let me know if you ever want help out here, I love flowers." I said.

"I will. It was so nice to finally meet you too dear."

I waved and continued walking, a small smile on my face. Five minutes out the door and I was already feeling a little more positive towards this pack. Making my way to the end of the house, I stopped to admire the lush forest surrounding it. Aya was going to have so much fun running here when we were able to shift.

"That's only three days away you know."

"I know." I said.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little maybe. Are you?"

"Yeah. Our mate should be with us the first time."

I frowned.

"Aya... I don't think we should expect him to be there with us."

"It'll be so much worse if he's not though. We need them." She whimpered.

I sighed. "I know."

I knew I had to talk to Dimitri about this. Females really got the shlt end of the stick. We had heats, pregnancy, labour, birth. As if that wasn't enough, our first shifts were also really hard on us. There were the lucky girls who found their mates before the first shift, and the males would help them through it. Just having physical contact with their mate was enough to ease the pain and make the process go more smoothly. I'd seen girls go through the first shift without a mate, and it wasn't something I had looked forward to. It seemed, however, that that would be the case for me whether I had a mate or not.

"Hey!"

...

Open the app and continue reading the rest of the story . 👉(It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app)

"CONGRATULATIONS, Jay-la ," my wolf Kora roared "You're carrying our little Alpha in there."
My heartbeat almost stopped when I process the news...I'm pregnant! Oh no, it's impossible.
"Kora, he has found his fated mate gifted to him by the moon goddess. I wasn't the one."
‘"I'm sorry about that, "Kora howled in pain, my tears burned, even more, and my heart ached so much I didn’t know if I could endure it. A baby. His baby. And he had just tossed her away like garbage and forbidden her to return.
The pain in my heart felt so strong, but we had to endure it and survive it for our pup.
I’d left the pack and decided never to come back. Never let him know about my pregnancy.

---

“I just need 2 minutes of your time.” Jay-la pleaded with the future Alpha of her pack, Alpha Nathan, of the Blood Moon Pack. She had a hand on his arm, He was frowning down at that hand, then those deep dark blue eyes she had once drowned in glared at her, at her touch in a deep disapproving manner.

They had been lovers casually for just over a year now, but it was all over now. He had found his fated mate gifted to him by the moon goddess herself, and just like that, he no longer had even a minute to spare for her.

Jay-la had loved him with all she had, her whole heart, even though she had known that this day would come, she had always kept the relationship with him light, playful and fun, so he would never know she was in love with him, he was not her fated mate nor she his. She just wanted to wish him well and let him know that she was going to leave and finish her law degree on campus full time, that she would be interning on her breaks and so wouldn’t be coming home for the next 2 years at least.

Jay-la just couldn’t watch him with his fated mate, watch how happy they would be, how in love, see them around making out and getting all hot and heavy, when it used to be her and him, it would just cause her too much heartache. She would never tell him that though.

As she stood there clinging to his arm pleading for just 2 minutes of his time, she was trying to smile up at him brightly like she always did, his fated mate Sophia walked into the room, glared at Jay-la and the way she was holding onto him. Sophia did not care about the fact that Nathan and Jay-la had been friends since childhood, for 20 years they had known each other, a fun friendship that she cherished.

Sophia’s wolf snarled at the sight before her and Sophia yelled “get your filthy dirty paws off of my mate.” she had stalked over and yanked Jay-la’s hand off of his arm, and yanked her away from Nathan, her other hand had stuck her, slapping her face so hard that Jay-la staggered a step backwards, her hand touching her now stinging cheek.

Kora, Jay-la’s wolf roared with rage inside of her mind, at the hurt and pain, the sheer viciousness of the sudden attack, Kora had raced forward ripping to the surface before Jay-la could stop her and with claws pushing out of her fingertips stuck Sophia, right back, a full slap to her own face, all claws out, tearing through the skin on the future Luna’s face, leaving 3 bloody scratches down her face, the blood dripping off her onto her clothes.

Sophia had screamed in pain from the attack on her own face, clutching at her face with both hands, her eyes turned to her mate as tears spilled down her bloody face. Jay-la knew she would heal and quickly, she had a wolf.

Nathan’s blue eyes had widened at the sight of his mate’s injury. He reached out for his mate and cradled her in his arms, holding her to his chest to comfort her. His blue eyes turned on Jay-la, they were so filled with rage, his wolf right there with him. He roared in anger at the pain inflicted on his mate by her: “Leave this pack. Don’t you ever come back.”

Jay-la stared at him horrified by his words, tears brimming in her green eyes, it was treason to attack the Luna or Alpha or even the future Luna or Alpha of your pack and her wolf had just done that, attacked the future Luna with claws out. She turned and hurried out of his office. If she stayed a minute longer she would only incur further punishment or perhaps death.

Kora whined in distress and pain at leaving him, leaving their home, leaving their family. She knew, as did Jay-la, they would never be allowed to come home again. If he had been the actual Alpha, she would have just been banished and marked as a rogue with no where to go.

Jay-la’s steps quickened as she headed out the packhouse front door, till she was running with tears streaming down her face, she headed for her car. She didn’t dare stay a minute longer. What if he changed his mind, what if his mate changed his mind on her punishment, and wanted her beaten and imprisoned or dead.

There was no time to say goodbye to her family, her mum, dad or her older brother. She just ran tears streaming and headed for her car. She heard the future Beta of the pack Jackson call out after her “Jay-la what’s wrong?” There was concern in his voice, but she didn’t stop to tell him, just got in the car and drove away as fast as she could to get off pack territory, before worse was to come.

At least he hadn’t had the power to demote her to a worthless rogue on the spot. Her only blessing at the time. It could still happen though. His father, Alpha Blaine, would choose whether or not that was still to come, he would hear Sophia and Nathan’s side of the story and judge her from it.

‘Why?’ Jay-la asked her wolf Kora, sobs wracking her as she drove away back to the university she had spent the past 2 years studying at. Lucky for her, she lived on campus and had a dorm to retreat to, somewhere to go. Now she couldn’t return to her pack.

‘Protect Pup.’ Kora howled in pain, Jay-la’s tears burned even more, her heart ached so much she didn’t know if she could endure it. A baby. His baby. And he had just tossed her away like garbage and forbidden her to return. The pain in her chest and inside of Kora felt as though it was ripping them apart, but they had to endure it, survive it for their pup.

The Defiant Mate

Jay-la’s POV

She stared at the letter in her hand, her hand was shaking so badly as she looked down at it, it had been 6 long years since she had fled the Blood Moon Pack and now here she stood looking at an envelope with her pack's seal on it.

His seal.

She lifted her eyes from the envelope to the beautiful boy playing with his sisters on the floor of the living room of her apartment. This is not happening. It can’t be.

They had somehow survived and moved on with their lives, were living peacefully well away from the pack. She had never returned, just like he’d told her. To this day, she was still somehow a member of the Blood Moon Pack. By the grace of the goddess Alpha Blaine had never severed her from the pack, she was still tied to it in some small way.

Her 3 children were playing and rough housing with each other. Jay-la had just gotten home from the law firm Stanton & Co, where she worked, in the human world, as far away from wolfen society as she could get. Had stayed away even when she had desperately needed her family, learned to live alone, how to be strong for her children, made friends in the human world, created a somewhat human family attachment to help ease her pain and loneliness.

Her son, so handsome and strong willed, filled with determination and courage. Just like his father, had blonde tussled hair and naturally tanned skin, he was so beautiful and full of life. He looked up at her with his brilliant green eyes, her eyes, it was the only thing he had gotten from her, everything else was from his father, a man who hated her.

The girls also had blonde hair and green eyes, she’d let their hair grow long, it was wavy like hers but not dark brown like hers, their temperament was much softer than her son, he was bigger and stronger and was their protector at all times, though he was only born 3 minutes earlier, little Nate was a good 2 inches taller than his identical twin sisters Lilly and Rosalie, most people thought he was their older brother about a year apart and Jay-la did not disillusion them.

She stepped into her kitchen, leaving them to play as they were, her eyes turning to the envelope in her hand, Kora too, was quiet in her mind, not certain what was about to happen to them or their lives. She could feel concern ebbing off of Kora, it was filtering down into her too.

She opened the letter and read it:

‘Jay-la Freeman,

You have been officially recalled back to Blood Moon Pack.

You will respond to this letter within 7 days and let it be known the day of your return.

Alpha Nathan – Blood Moon Pack’

How he had found her she did not know, but she was not going back. Taking a match she lit the gas stove and set the letter and its envelope on fire and watched it burn to ash. Defying him was not something that she should do, but she could not go back, not ever.

Turning to her mobile phone, Jay-la started looking at listings for a new place to live, she had to move and quickly.

It took 4 days to find a place that was available right away. It was not close to her office though, she now had a commute. Jay-la paid out the lease on this current apartment, as she was breaking it, and moved her and her children as fast as she could, leaving her lovely beach front apartment for one further in the city, it was larger and the price was the same, it had more room for the kids to play. It had a door man and night security, so at least she wasn’t about to be surprised or ambushed.

Jay-la moved the children to a new school as well. She had never truly hidden herself, just stayed away at all cost. Even Kora had to suffer, never truly getting the freedom she so desired, hardly ever got the chance to run free. Living in this human city took a toll on her. It was like being punished every day for one tiny crime.

1 mistake to protect her unborn pup’s and they had suffered for it. That suffering had made them both stronger willed, and no more did they let their heart decide anything, only logic and reality of a situation weighed in. No wolves were allowed in their world either, not anymore.

Stanton & Co Law Firm had been home to them since passing the Bar Exam. She had Lauren and Tony, her most trusted human friends, Lauren had delivered her pups, their unexpected arrival during a lunch meeting with Tony, whose wife had been visiting. She was a Doctor, thank goodness, all 3 of them had been birthed in his office at the university. She recalled crying after they had come, having no help to raise them. She told Tony and Lauren she had no family and their father didn’t care, which was true. They had taken pity on her, a 20-year-old with triplets and no family to help her out.

They had been there for her, so much so she now looked at them as her surrogate family, a second mum and dad, not that she actually called them that.

No one knew what she was, who her children’s father was, those things were still a secret she would take to her grave, humans had no idea about wolfen society and she was not allowed to let them in on the knowledge either. Wolfen society law.

The next official letter arrived at her residence 10 days after she moved. A shiver ran through her, moving had not worked. She returned it to sender, ‘not at this address’ and prayed to the goddess that would be the end of it.

2 weeks later another letter came. Again she returned it to sender, unopened and with the same message ‘not at this address’ In the human world this would have been enough for them to get the message that the person they were looking for did not live at the address they had. Again she prayed to the goddess that let this be the end of it, she couldn’t go back. She could never return, he had ordered her as much.
chapter 2

Nathan POV

In his hand was the second returned official letter he had sent to bring her back to the pack. The first had not been returned, he knew she would have opened it, curiosity would have gotten the better of her, if she had not felt the responsibility to answer her Alpha’s letter.

Nathan knew that they had not parted on good terms but it was time that Jay-la returned home. He had seen her on TV by mere chance, standing outside the front of a court house speaking to the press about the case she had just won for a client she was representing in a high profile divorce case.

6 long years had passed and she seemed bright, strong and filled with confidence, she had looked amazing dressed to kill in that dark blue skirt that was tight all the way down to her knees and a soft cream blouse which had clung to her body in the breeze, her bright green eyes had seemed so full of life, her comments to the press were straight to the point, no non-sense and she didn’t answer anything torrid or gossipy.

Life away from the pack seemed to suit her. His chest had ached a little, knowing he was the reason why she was out there and not here.

He and Havoc, his wolf, had watched her with great interest. She had always wanted to be a lawyer. Work in the packs legal department, not much cause for divorce lawyers with in wolfen society, but contract law was rife and if he remembered correctly that was what she was specialising in, while studying. They had watched from the lounge in the common room, his Beta – Jackson, Gamma – Stephen and Delta – Ethan had all also seen her on the TV that night, as all 4 of them had been having a drink and hunting for a movie to watch to wind down after a long day, Jackson had been in-charge of the remote and was flicking through the channels where her beautiful face had popped up on the screen, her name and law firm were rolling across the bottom of the screen it was a recap of the news of the day in the human world.

None of them had seen her since that day, the day he had forced her to leave. She had left and never come back, just as he had ordered her to. Looking at her beautiful face, she had grown into a very beautiful young woman, just 26 now. Listening to her voice he had felt a pang of regret and now realised he missed his long-time friend, they’d grown up together, trained together and been lovers once. Now there was nothing and she was gone.

‘Bring her home’ havoc had growled at him, and had been relentless in the days that followed to bring her home, just wouldn’t shut up about it and so he had agreed with his wolf, and made the decision that it was time to bring her home to the pack where she belonged. So he had sent the first official letter to her after Jackson had tracked her down. It hadn’t been that hard, less than a day, clearly she wasn’t hiding just staying away.

Now he sat in his office over a month later annoyed and verging on angry. She had ignored the first letter, or so he thought, there was a possibility she had not gotten it, but he didn’t think that was it, Jackson would not have made a mistake, they had all grown up together and she had been just as good a friend with him as she had been with Nathan.

Actually, Jackson had been really pissed off about her sudden leaving by Nathan’s order.

That day, Nathan had been angered and so had Havoc and they had responded without much thought. That fateful day he’d sent her away, acted solely on instinct, but had not given it much thought since that day either. Not til he had seen her on the TV.

Sophia had been really pissed off that she had not been stripped of rank and turned from the pack by his father Alpha Blaine, at the time. She had demanded that Jay-la be made a rogue for the insult, but his father had simply stated ‘No, its inappropriate under the circumstances.’ those circumstances being he knew that Jay-la and Nathan had been sleeping together for just over a year, and he felt there was more to it, that Sophia had probably over reacted.

Due to the move she had made that week the letter should have arrived, it was possible that she hadn’t received it, but there was also the possibility that she had read it and ignored it, moved to avoid him.

Turning the letter over in his hand he looked at his Beta “So this is how she’s going to play is it.”

“You did order her to leave and never come back” Jackson replied simply, “if she didn’t get the first letter and returned the other 2 perhaps she doesn’t know the content.” he was leaning casually against the wall, He appeared board.

Nathan returned his attention to the envelope and stared at it for a long time trying to decide a course of action. He nodded to himself after several minutes of contemplation, “Alright, let's make it really official. Something she can’t just ignore without the threat of retrieval.” His eyes moved to his Beta.

Jackson sighed heavily and turned those grey eyes on him, a frown on his face “you sure boss...you want to do that?”

“ Yes” Nathan replied firmly. “send it to her law firm, and make it to be signed for, so we know she got it.” His mouth quirked in a smug smile, ‘Lets see you ignore me now little wolf’ he thought ‘I can play as well as you can, only you can’t ignore me. I am your Alpha and you will do as I command’

the official letter

Jay-la POV

Eric Stanton, the CEO of Stanton & Co Law Firm, stood in front of her desk, tapping a black envelope in one hand while he waited patiently for her to end the call she was on. He would not rush her, it was one of her clients.

The minute she hung up the phone he stated “How is it you know the Browning Corporation? and why is it you have not brought them in as a client?” He sounded a little annoyed with her, probably ticked off she had not mentioned her affiliation with the company he was talking about.

But all she could feel the minute he mentioned the Browning Corporation was how hard her heart was hammering inside her chest. Her eyes moved to the Black envelope in his hand. She could see the white lettering on it. It couldn’t be. ‘No’ Kora echoed her thoughts.

Those envelopes were reserved for serious offences against the pack. It's an official notification.

Eric had absolutely no idea what he had in his hands. All he knew was that on the back was the official human world pack company seal. To him it was just a multi million dollar corporation, one of whom was writing to one of his lawyers by name.

“How did you get that?” she asked, trying not to show Eric how nervous she actually was.

“The head of the mail room had to sign for it. He alerted me to the corporation it came from.” he shrugged “standard policy”

Jay-la stood up to take it from him, but he stopped her "Again, How do you know this corporation? Are they trying to head hunt you?” he frowned down at her.

“No they are not.” Jay-la shook her head “ Please may I have it.”

“Explain yourself first.” Eric stated in a flat, no-non-sense tone.

“Fine…, I grew up within the Browning Corporation. My family still works for them. I however was tossed out at 20” she said trying to ignore the ache that suddenly hit her chest. She always missed home.

Eric stared at her. His light grey eyes focused solely on her green ones quite intently. She could tell that he was trying to decide if she was speaking the truth. He was again tapping the envelope in his hand. Then he simply tore it open right before her eyes, Clearly having decided not to believe her.

Jay-la prayed to the goddess that it was not worded in Wolfen. That the Alpha had thought things through and figured that this letter might end up in the hands of a human.

Her whole body froze as he read the letter out aloud.

‘Jay-la Freeman,

You have 3 days to respond to this letter.

You will return to Browning Corporation within 7 days

Or I will have you brought in

Nathan Browning, CEO Browning Corporation’

Eric up ended the envelope and Jay-la saw a long glass vial with a cork stopper fall into his hand, inside the vial was a single purple wolfs-bane flower. It meant nothing to Eric. He held it up and turned it over and around, trying to make sense of it, frowning at it the whole time.

Jay-la’s heart however, sank. This letter was a threat that the new Alpha, her once long-time childhood friend and lover, would use brute force, by any means necessary to bring her in if she did not comply with his request.

What he even wanted of her she had no idea. The original letter had no topic, just a demand to come home more or less. Not that she wanted that. She had left at his order and she did not wish to return. The Luna already hated her – perhaps he had just taken over as Alpha, now Sophia and he could finally punish her and officially turn her rogue. Was he so cruel that he wanted to do it in person? His Luna probably still harboured a grudge and he would do anything for her. They probably wanted to see her in pain as she was severed from the pack.

Jay-la plucked the letter from Eric’s hand and the glass vial as well, and read it for herself. Kora whined at her also now worried that if they did go back they could not take the triplets with them, they would have to find someone to watch them and then hope and pray to the goddess that banishment to a rogue status was all this was about, and once it was done she could leave and return to her life here in the human world.

The other thoughts going through her mind were killing her. What if the Luna wanted to torture her, imprison her or worse kill her, leaving her children as orphans in the human world, fear was creeping inside of her, but she had to push it down.

No, she could leave them with Tony and Lauren even though they have no knowledge of Wolfen Society and if the worst happens she knew they would take them in and raise them. Their first shift would terrify both them and the children probably, but what else could she do. She could not leave them to her real parents. The Luna would surely kill them the minute she figured out they were the Alpha’s children. She wouldn’t want any competition for the heir to the pack raring up from out of no where, and if they were given to her parents it wouldn’t take long for Alpha Nathan to scent out his own flesh and blood, his wolf would smell them the minute they hit pack territory. His Luna would be out to get rid of them at her earliest convenience,

Eric drew her attention back to the present by tapping her on the shoulder. “What is that all about?”

“I don’t know.” Jay-la shrugged in all honesty. “I’ve been gone 6 years Eric. You hired me right out of University. Have I not been here the whole time?”

“Hmm,” he nodded. “I don’t want to lose you Jay-la, Why don’t you call the office number, it’s right there on the bottom, you can try to bring them in as a client.”

Ha, that is never going to happen, she thought to herself, you my dear Eric have no idea who he really is, or what he can do, and you don’t want to either. “I doubt I would be able to. To be completely honest with you, the man hates me.”

“So why the demand for you to return?”

“perhaps…” she seriously thought about it. Other than punishment for attacking his Luna, only one other thing stood out to her. The pack had paid for her law degree, she was supposed to return and work in the packs legal department, be a productive member of their society, which she had not done. At his order. “I guess I own them law school fees. The Browning Corporation paid my tuition, and I was supposed to work for them right out of university, but seeing as I was tossed away 2 years into the degree and told never to go back, I never did.”

“And they still paid your tuition?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Yes, the CEO at the time was Blaine Browning, I guess he did. His son Nathan is now the CEO and he was the one who tossed me out. Perhaps Blaine thought I would return or something.”

Eric nodded “Do you have the money to pay it back?”

Jay-la sighed “not all of it, but about half I guess.” if it was just a case of we want our money back, she could give them half and then organise a payment plan, she could draw up the contract herself and make sure it was to her benefit and add and iron clad clause that he leave her alone forever afterwards. Even put in a clause that the minute the debt was paid she would find another pack to take her in, solving the issue of attachment to them as well.

The real question was, could she do all of this without involving her children, or having him find out about them, he wouldn’t think they were his, or at least she doubted it; not unless he laid eyes on them, and could she find a pack that wouldn’t use them as leverage if they found out whose children they actually were, to many what if’s at this point.

“I could write you a contract and give you the rest. You can pay it back later, Jay-la. Would that be an option for you?”

Jay-la smiled at him, she knew why he was offering, the last divorce case she had worked on and won had just brought the company a whopping 5 million dollars of profit. The client had been so happy he had even referred his sister for her prenup before she was to get married next year. Jay-la was currently Gold to this law firm, she was bringing in the dollars. She was professional, methodical and always read the fine print, she never laxed in her duties and she knew how to play hardball. What she couldn’t win she would take to mediation and work out compromises that suited everyone, regardless of how long that took. She never gave up, a dog with a bone she’d once been described as, ha they had no idea how true it was.

“No, its fine Eric, once the settlement from my last case is in and you pay me, I’ll have the rest of it.”

He nodded, seemingly pleased “I’ll get that to you A.S.A.P then.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Jay-la said in all honesty, and watched him leave her office finally.

She sagged into her leather chair behind her desk, thankful for the plushness, glad she had shelled out $2500 for it, she put her head down on the desk and muttered “3 days” she could run. Three days was plenty of time to sever the connection on her end from her pack and run away. ‘ The minute we do, he will know we’re running’. Kora piped up ‘it’ll anger him even more’.

‘I know that Kora, but there is a chance he just won’t care right. What else can we do?’

Kora huffed, she too, it seemed needed time to think it through. Surely between the two of them they could come up with a plan.

Or they had 3 days to come up with the courage to make a phone call that she never wanted to make, to hear his voice, so filled with anger and hatred for the woman who dared cause harm to his Mate and now Luna.

There would be no softness, no playfulness, no undertones of the past, where he’d once teased and seduced her with his soft sexy voice during their nights of pleasure, nights she longed to forget, but somehow still haunted her dreams, nights that were burnt into her very soul, so much so that she and Kora were still plagued with dreams of him on occasion, usually with the full moon.

Though she and Kora had learned to let go of him, they would both forever be bound to him by the pups they shared. Pups he had no knowledge of, pups she wanted to keep hidden, they were all she and Kora had left of their old life.

Tim was no match in bed compared to her Alpha, but how could he be? He was human after all, she sighed and closed her eyes...3 days…
Chapter 4

Nathan POV

The woman was completely infuriating. Today was the deadline, the 3rd day since her company had signed for the letter. Why had she not called? Was she so stubid that she thought he wouldn’t follow through? It was getting late. He knew there was a time zone difference of 3 hours, so he had to give her till 5pm her time, which was 8pm his time, he looked at his watch. It was a quarter to 8 now. She wasn’t going to call, she was going to force his hand.

Jackson was leaning casually on the wall next to his desk, his regular haunt, and was watching him pace back and forth behind his desk “She’ll call” he stated simply, seemingly knowing what he was thinking. “Its Jay-la,”

“Time’s running out”. He snapped. If she didn’t call, he would have to follow through even if he didn’t want to. Havoc was annoyed with him because of the official order and the threat it contained, and was currently not speaking with him over it. His wolf had seemed to have changed lately.

His irritation at her lack of response was driving anger into him by the minute. Havoc, though not speaking to him, was prowling around inside his mind. Nathan didn’t believe she was going to call, she had a new life away from the pack, away from them, away from him. If he was totally honest with himself, he had half expected her to sever ties with the pack from her end and run, making him physically hunt her down. Which he would have, Havoc did love a good hunt and she was something he had enjoyed chasing once upon a time. Yet she hadn’t done so. Didn’t mean that she wouldn’t in the next 10 minutes.

The door to his office opened and, in strolled his father Blaine, he looked at Nathan pacing around, at Jackson watching him, felt the atmosphere in the room and sighed “what’s going on, son?”

“Jay-la, I gave her 3 days to contact and 7 days to come in.” he snapped, not really wanting to explain himself, he no longer had too, he’d been the Alpha for the past 2 years now. It was more of a courtesy comment out of respect for him being his father and former Alpha.

“You didn’t send the black envelope, did you son?” Blaine sounded annoyed with him.

“Yes” was all he said. He watched as his father’s blue eyes turned to focus on Jackson, his Beta, for confirmation, as though he thought his son was lying to him. When Jackson nodded his head, anger rolled off the former Alpha.

“Why on this goddess-gifted earth we’re standing on, would you do that?” both his hand were in his hair pulling at it in what appeared to be utter frustration.

Now he felt like he had to explain “She wouldn’t come home, when I requested politely. Rejected all requests...Bloody 3 of them she ignored. HOW DARE SHE!” he yelled the last part. He couldn’t help himself. He was the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, and she was still a member of this pack, his pack and therefore his to command and order as he saw fit and she dared to ignore him. Actually, she actively defied him, when he had reached out an olive branch and told her to come home.

His fists balled and he slammed one down on the corner of his desk to let out his frustration at her damed defiance. She would never have even thought of so much as saying no to him, once upon a time, it had always been yes, to anything he had asked her to do, along with a sweet smile and a playful wink.

But not now, it seemed. She has changed over the years. He was ready to explode his rage into the room. It wouldn’t take much glancing at his watch 2 minutes.

Jackson’s phone rang while Nathan was glaring at his office phone. Ring dayum it he willed it. The sound of Jackson’s phone was what pushed him over the edge. How dare anyone interrupt him during this time! He heard Jackson answer his phone in that lazy, laid back tone that he hated so much, “Hello, Beta Jackson speaking.”

His anger ripped out of him and he yelled “Send the worst of the worst and drag her bottom home.” both his fists hit his desk, he heard it crack, didn’t care.

Jackson stopped talking and stared right at him. He could feel his father's eyes on him as well. Jackson’s eyes returned to his phone and he shook his head and sighed heavily “Well Alpha, that went well.” Then his hard grey eyes were staring at him, practically staring him down. If he was spoiling for a fight. He could have one, the look was dayum near a challenge. His next words shocked him “that was Jay-la, she heard what you said, and has hung up. All I got was a gasp filled with fear.”

Now it was Nathan’s turn to run his hands through his hair and pull at it in frustration, and it dawned on him he was just like his father in so many ways. He closed his eyes. “Call her back, right now.” he demanded, trying not to kick the nearest thing to him.

Havoc was fuming inside him, ‘Look what you did now.’

‘I know’ Nathan muttered back to his wolf ‘I’ll fix it’.

‘you’d better’ came an angry snarl

Nathan stood watching as Jackson hit the number to call her back. Only to realise on the phone it actually stated Jay-la, that bast3rd had her number all this time. Oh he was going to get punched in the face after this was over. They could have called her and he wouldn’t have exploded and said what he had said.

Why did she have to wait so long, to the very last minute of the deadline? He was not exactly known for his patience nowadays. His father was still in the room also waiting for the outcome. He noted, though he seemed more curious about his son's reaction to the situation than he should be, he was standing by the door looking right at Nathan with a raised eyebrow and open curiosity on his face. He glared at his father and snapped “What?”

“Son you seem awfully upset about 1 little she-wolf! That you ordered away years ago...What’s going on exactly? Why are you insisting on bringing her back now? All of a sudden.”

That is my business, Nathan thought. He could do as he pleased, but he also knew that his father would push the subject harder and harder till he got an answer. He was the former Alpha and had the right to ask the question and receive and answer, he still had rights to know what was going on, he was still the Alpha in-charge when Nathan was away from the pack for business or Alpha Council or when he was off assisting an allied pack who was under attack and requesting assistance.

Nathan turned his attention back to his Beta. “ She didn’t pick up”. He was already trying again, knew better than to just call once. “ That’s odd, the line can’t be connected now” he stated, frowning down at his phone.

“just bloody great.” Nathan snapped, his anger backing up again, only this time he was angry with himself. He knew that he was responsible for her not picking up. She had heard him yell and reacted on instinct ‘probably going to run’. Havoc sounded flat out annoyed with him. Nathan agreed with his wolf.

“Jackson, make arrangements. Who do you know out there?”

“A couple of wolves, though retrieval is not really their thing, but money that will work for them.”

“Do it, she’s going to run.” Nathan nodded “Quickly.”

His father sighed heavily at him, gaining his attention. “I’d go yourself son, it would be better that way.”

“She’ll be long gone before me or any of my men can get there.” and he knew it to be true, they’d have to fly out and even with their private pack plane it would still take too long.

“Hmm, still…” his father seemed oddly calm for the situation at hand.

Nathan didn’t think much of it, dismissed it altogether. Who knew what his father thought on any given day. Retirement had changed him. He appeared more laid back nowadays. His reactions were more thoughtful on everything. When Nathan had questioned him about it a year ago, Blaine had shrugged and told him ‘you have to deal with all the stress now son, I get to spend time with my Mate. A lot of time.’ and he’d grinned like a school boy ‘if you know what I mean,’

Nathan had understood his meaning alright, the whole pack understood, his parents now not in charge all the time, seemed to have taken more interest in mating than anything else, anywhere and everywhere, for that matter, Half the pack had seen them and their wolves mating out in the woods in their wolf form and human, it had become a common occurrence especially on the full moon nights.

He watched as his father strolled out of his office “I wonder where my pretty is right now” he murmured to himself and was off to find her, Nathan prayed she was in their room and he wasn’t going to have to walk in on them somewhere in the pack house, he shook his head they seemed to have turned back time to when they were horny teenagers.

chapter 5

Jay-la POV

It had taken all her courage to call, she had already decided to call Beta Jackson’s number, not the packhouse number, she just couldn’t b**e talking to him at this point. It had been 6 long years and she still could see in her mind's eye, the anger in his eyes, feel the order he’d driven into her, pain tinged her chest and she rubbed it absently trying to make it go away.

She had spent the day staring at the number, it was almost 5pm. The deadline was approaching. Tony and Lauren had agreed to take the triplets for a few days while she went away on a business trip ‘thank the goddess for them,’ she sent a blessing to the goddess for them. They may be human but they were a goddess sent gift to her as far as she was concerned.

Sitting in her office chair, she dialled Jackson’s number from the bottom of the letter, Jackson’s smooth soft voice practically purred down the line at her, calm and collected, not a care in the world it seemed. She knew differently having grown up with him. That was just how he portrayed himself.

The anger and rage she heard from Alpha Nathan as he yelled out an order, she had never thought he would ever be capable of directing towards her ‘Send the worst of the worst’ fear had streaked through her right to the core of her being. Kora whimpered at this too, a fearful gasp escaped her lips and she disconnected the line instantly. Stared down at her mobile phone in horror as every fibre in her body screamed at her to run and run now and never look back. Kora did not argue with her at all.

He was still so angry with her, so much anger that it felt more like he completely and utterly hated her, how could he after their life-long friendship and love affair, could he just ignore 20 years of friendship and turn on her so easily.

Just 1 slap and that was it. Everything they’d shared gone just like that. For him, only his Luna mattered to him. Not his friendships, not the one with her anyway.

She stared at her phone as it rang. She saw the number knew it was Jackson and hit the reject call button. She stood and balled her fists, she was nothing to him after everything, just nothing. Jay-la slammed her fist down onto the phone with all her wolf strength, the phone shattered and shards went flying everywhere. ‘time to go’ she muttered more to herself than anything. She picked up her brief case and headed home.

She would tell her pups they were going on vacation and get on the first flight out of the country. They all had passports, had been overseas a few times on vacation, Singapore was nice and hardly ever saw wolves there. That could be an option. She would have to find a place that was more suited to Kora. She had suffered a lot not being able to shift so much due to living in the city all the time and staying away from anything Wolfen Society and rogue territory was out of the question to run in. That was too dangerous, no matter how fast Kora was, it was not a risk either of them were willing to take up, as it could leave they pups as orphans in the human world.

It was a long drive home from the office, over an hour now, that she had moved further away. The commute meant dealing with peak hour traffic. The only thing in her favour right this minute was that she was on the other side of the country from him, her Alpha. So it would give her time to pack and get away, at least 10 to 12 hours, he’d have to book his men on a flight and organise transport.

Jay-la would be long gone by then, this was it, no going back now. She would have to completely sever ties with the pack this time, but she would wait to do it until they were at the airport, too many scents for him to track at an airport and once she went rogue, he would no longer be able to track that particular scent that belonged to his pack, a scent that even now he could use to track her.

‘it’s going to hurt us’

‘I know, but what else can we do...the worst of the worst Kora, that means the men coming, whoever he sends can do whatever they want to us with no repercussions.’

she felt Kora shudder with disgust herself ‘I’ll kill any one that thinks they can touch us jay-la.’

‘I know we’ll try, but…’ they both knew they would be out numbered most likely, and though she had trained all her life and still did once a week, the men that would be coming would likely be twice her size and train every day. They would have a sick s******c side where pain was what they enjoyed inflicting, her fighting back would only incite them even more.

Jay-la parked her car outside the front of the building instead of in the secure car park. She was only going to be home long enough to pack each of them a suitcase and grab their passports, an hour tops, hopefully even less than that.

She got out of the car, lost in her thoughts of getting away and where to go, once she was a rogue there was no turning back, so choosing a place that had no wolves was probably a good idea, so a country that had no natural wolf population would be best. Other shifters wouldn’t bother her as long as she was of no threat to them.

Somewhere out of the way, somewhere small, somewhere with a nice forest for Kora and her children when they grew up and could shift and run freely, she could use her degree to get a job. Contract law was always in demand if she couldn’t pick up divorce law, and seeing as she spoke 3 languages, any of those countries would be good. So, even if not Law, she could go for a translator job with any corporation. That would be an advantage.

The cloth that covered her mouth as suddenly as the fierce grip around her waist as she was yanked backwards against a hard body startled her, so in her thoughts was she that she hadn’t seen, heard or smelled anything out of the ordinary. The sharp intake of her breath when she’d been startled meant the chloroform had been in haled deeply, making her fuzzy around the edges of her vision. Kora snarled instantly in her mind and as her claws were ripping from Jay-la’s finger tips ready to fight, there was a sharp sting to the left side of her neck and burning like fire started flooding through her into her veins, “ No” she tried to scream, but already the darkness was rushing at her, enveloping her. Her worst fear now coming true, her last thought before the darkness claimed her completely ‘my babies, I’m sorry.’

…

Her eyes were still heavy, she was so tired, and trying to open her eyes felt like the hardest thing in the world to do. It took several minutes before she could hold them open and focus on her surroundings. She appeared to be lying down on her right side, barely able to move, she could feel her arms bound behind her, ‘Kora’ she tried reaching for her wolf, got nothing, couldn’t feel her at all, couldn’t even sense her the tiniest bit.

drvgged with wolfs-bane, no access to her wolf and the burning sensation coming from her wrists meant silver cuffs, she was now as helpless as a human. There was no help for her at this point in time. She took a deep breath, tried to take in the situation. She was lying on what appeared to be the floor of a moving van, she was still wearing her clothes and there was no pain between her legs to say she had been assaulted while unconscious. Thank the goddess for that, not that she wanted to be awake for it. But how long she had been out, a few hours, the night, 24hours or more, she had no idea.

The triplets had been with their nanny. How long would she wait to call the police and report her missing? Would she stay with the children the whole time or leave them? To many what if’s. Don’t think about it, Suzzy is a great nanny. We pay her well, treat her with respect and she loves the triplets, she’ll stay with them. Jay-la told herself to try and keep herself calm. She had to remain calm. It was a must to survive and find an opportunity to get away.

It was the middle of the week, if she didn't come home and then didn't show up for work, someone would call the police and report her missing. The human police might not have much influence in the Wolfen Society, but wolves still had to placate them occasionally.

A foot touched her chest and pushed her onto her back. “Ah you’re awake I see” a gravelly male voice said to her, amusement lacing every word “What did you do, I wonder,” he chuckled at her.

Jay-la stared up at him, it was dark inside the van but she had no idea if it was dark outside or if the van was designed this way so no one could see in. She was only wearing a skirt and blouse, nothing that this wolf would have trouble removing to have his way with her. Her only defence now was her brains and her stiletto’s.

“ Please” she whispered, “I have children”. She was hoping to appeal to his family nature. Wolves were naturally paternal creatures, their mates and offspring meant everything to them, they would die without a thought to protect them. “3 children, please let me go.”

He frowned down at her for a full minute, then shrugged “sorry, paid already”. His voice sounded devoid of emotion all of a sudden, as though he had to cut himself off from his emotions to ignore her pleas.

“ They’re just 5, and no dad.” she pleaded with him,

Again. He frowned, and his eyes were just staring down at her. He was troubled and she knew it, it was working, then he shrugged “not my problem lady.” though he had appeared to be concerned maybe he just wasn’t or the money was too good to pass up.

Jay-la struggled to a sitting position. He just watched her wearily, she appeared of no real threat, still no wolf and for how long she had no idea, bound with silver handcuffs meant till they took them off probably, so until she reached her destination in all likelihood. She may look helpless, and have no wolf, but her father was a high-ranking worrier and he had trained her since she was 5 years old, always worried that his precious princess would come to harm, and he had wanted to make sure she could defend herself, trained her everyday without wolf, till Kora had come out at 16, so if this man wanted a fight she was going to give him one.

This was the day her dad had warned her about, the day he had drilled her for. She would do what her father taught her to do, fight and never give up, ignore the pain best you can and fight with every tool you have, whether it be whit, charm, seduction or even a tiny sliver of wood, anything at all, just got to throw them off guard, to get the advantage.

The van started to slow down, the man glanced away from her and she took the opportunity to push herself up onto her knees and then force herself to her feet using the van wall for balance and assistance. When he looked back at her, Jay-la shoved herself off the wall with one foot and slammed her body into his, catching him off guard completely, just like father taught her. She heard his head hit the other wall of the van with a crack so loud she had probably caused him a concussion, a growl elicited from his wolf as she struggled to pull herself back onto her feet away from him, but she lost her balance and fell backwards.

He was up quick and yelling “What the fk” as he reached for her, she kicked him hard with both feet and felt one of her stiletto’s heels sink into his flesh with a sickening suking sound, right into his abdomen. Her foot was suddenly wet with warm liquid, his blood was running down her foot from the wound she’d inflicted on him. The scream of pain that came from him told her it had dug deep. Thank the goddess, she wore 4 inch heels all the time.

Her foot and heel of her shoe were yanked from his body, the blood was running freely from his shirt, the van came to a sudden stop as he was trying to reach out and grab her again, but the sudden stopping made him fall. Jay-la pulled up a knee to protect herself from his weight as he fell on top of her. She gasped he was heavy, the man pushed himself up, cursing “bimbo, look what you did to me.” he snarled at her, grabbing her with his Wolfen strength with both hands around her waist and yanked her up off the floor.

“What the hll happened?” another man's voice came from the front of the van.

“Bloody she-wolf attack me.” he snapped, pain in his voice as he turned her around away from him, not wanting to risk another attack. Jay-la could feel that her blouse was also now wet with his blood, there was an uncomfortable stickiness on the heel of her right foot and down into the ball of her foot as the blood pooled in her shoe. She could smell it too now that she was held tightly against him, the back of her blouse was becoming wet with his blood, his wound had yet to heal, though she doubted it would be too long before his wolf started to heal him.

He had a tight grip on her now, more weary of her now than before. The door to the side of the van opened and another man appeared before her, tall and lean, all muscle. He was wearing non-descript clothing, blue jeans and a plain blue tee-shirt, his dark brown eyes took in the scene, his wolf at the forefront ready to assist too, she could see the slight green glow behind the brown of his eyes, it was ready to take control if she was too much of a handful.

Jay-la wasn’t all that big, 5foot 7, small of frame but fit, and right now probably looked small and fragile, useless to him. She watched him, carefully trying to assess how much trouble she was in, but trying to look defenceless and helpless at the same time. His wolf must not have thought much of her as it retreated, leaving his human counterpart to deal with her, a smile on his face “come here pretty one. We’re almost at your destination. Be good now.”

Jay-la pushed herself back against the wolf, already holding onto her as though she didn’t want him touching her. Shaking her head, “Don’t touch me” she hissed, bracing herself to attack him.

“Come now, you’re too pretty to mess up.” he leaned into the van to grab her.

Jay-la snapped her right foot up and out at him. He didn’t expect it and the heel of her stiletto landed as she had expected it too, sinking deep into his neck, his eyes went wide in shock and he pulled himself away from her, the heel coming free, he clutched at his neck as the blood started to pour out of him, his life was ebbing away from him, she had not missed her mark, the heel of her stiletto had sliced right through his carotid artery, nothing could save him now bar a goddess gifted miracle.

The man holding onto her swore so violently in her ear that the loudness actually hurt her ears. She was suddenly and abruptly shoved out of the van with no regard for the fact that she could not help herself or stop her fall, couldn’t even brace herself for impact. She hit the gravel road outside the van face first and all she could do was turn her face to the side, the gravel road ripped into her face tearing at the skin all the way from her temple to her chin, the pain was excruciating. She felt more pain ripping through her shoulder and hip, her chest was screaming as she felt her body slide along the gravel, tears were spilling from her eyes from the pain, she could barely draw breath from the sudden impact on the ground, she lay there helpless and in too much pain to move to try and get away.

Not that she had the time, she felt herself get pulled up by her hair, off the ground, a scream ripped from her as she thought she was about to be scalped, then her whole body was slammed up against the outside of the van and two hands were around her neck and squeezing, the life out of her, A third man had appeared and was trying to kill her, her feet were off the ground with the force he was shoving her up and strangling her, she tried to kick him but he was to close to do any damage.

“That’s my brother you bimbo, I’ll kill you.” he screamed at her, spittle spraying all over her face.

Jay-la had nothing to defend herself, still had her hands bound by silver cuffs behind her, he was using his body to block her kicking, her lack of oxygen was quickly sapping her of strength. She had had the wind knocked out of her upon hitting the ground and now she couldn’t draw breath at all as this man was killing her, strangling her to death.

Then the man was suddenly gone from her, her body dropped to the ground, she was unable to support herself, and her knees buckled under her own weight as she landed on the ground. A fight had started not far away. She could hear it, desperate to draw breath, darkness tinging her vision again, she struggled to stay awake, to push herself up on to her feet, her lungs burned, her entire body ached and pain filled her every move.

Her eyes moved sluggishly to the fighting men, one seemed vaguely familiar to her. She could hear yelling “I told you, no harm to her.”

“My brother is dead, she killed him” the other was yelling back.

Jay-la turned her head as she leaned on the van, finally drawing breath into her lungs properly, the man on the ground was indeed dead, and the one from inside the back of the van with her was sitting cradling his lifeless body, she didn’t really care, those bast3rds had drvgged her, taken her against her will, leaving her precious babies alone and unprotected. Dragging another breath into her lungs, Jay-la took the opportunity, while everyone was distracted to turn and run from everyone, down the road away from the van, away from the wolves.

Surely she could flag down a passing car. In her state someone would stop and help her, covered in blood, multiple injuries and bound. No human would not stop and help a female in such a bloody and dishevelled state.

It was only a few minutes before she was smashed into the ground yet again, pain upon pain, as she took more injuries to her already damaged skin. Her knees had taken some of this fall. She could feel pain coursing through them. 2 wolves pulled her up off the ground onto her feet and started pulling her back the way she had come. She tried to kick out at them but was in too much pain.

They were also bigger and stronger and just kept moving forward, her eyes lifted to the road ahead and fear embedded into her every fibre, she was home, she could see past the van to the big black gates that indicated the front entrance to Blood Moon Pack. The van had stopped a good 300 meters away due to her sudden fighting in the back. The left side of the gate was open, the right still closed, but she could easily recognise the red circle on the closed half of the gate which represented the Blood Moon. What the pack was named after.

Her struggles renewed but were to no avail, as they just gripped and arm each, tighter and tighter and marched her up the road toward the half-open gate and the waiting car she could now see on the other side of the gate. The back door was open and waiting for her.

She noted that the sounds of fighting had stopped, back by the van that had brought her here, tears were still spilling from her eyes, the pain was too much, and then there was her fear of being home, fear of what was to come, if this was just the beginning of it. She didn’t want to think about more pain that was due to her or how it was to be dealt out or by whom. A sob escaped her, she knew who it would be and her heart burned with pain at the thought of it.

Would she ever see her children again?

A hand fell on her left elbow and the 2 men holding her let go instantly. “Nice to see you again, Jay-la” she heard Beta Jackson’s voice wash over her in a soft gentle tone. “I’ll take her from her boys.” He then walked her up the road towards the gate and waiting car, she did not fight him, he had once been one of her closest friends, not anymore. But she could not fight him, there was only 1 or 2 people in the Blood Moon Pack that could take him down one on one and she was not one of them.

Her whole face hurt, her knees were on the verge of buckling under her from the pain, but on she walked, she was covered in wounds, and she did not have Kora to heal her or help ease her pain, she had to simply endure it for as long as they saw fit.

He was staring down at her, she could feel his eyes on her, she kept her eyes lowered to the ground, what could she say to this man to make him let her go and betray his Alpha, his best friend, nothing and she knew it, so she said nothing, just let those silent tears fall down her bloody and ruined face, she must look utterly miserable, which was exactly how she felt too.

She heard him sigh as they got to the car. He put her inside and slid in next to her, then ordered the driver to go straight to the pack house.

Her fate was now sealed, she could only pray to the goddess to protect her babies from harm. She sent up the prayer with all the love she had for her babies.

(It will automatically jump to the book)

"Have you ffffked her?" I asked my husband of 6 years who had just found his mate.
"No!" He yelled, as if insulted.
"Then reject her," I said with dead coldness.
"Ri, it will weaken my wolf...", he started the same song again and I wanted to laugh.
"You promised to reject your fated mate once you found her, Bray," I reminded my husband who had begged me to marry him. "That was why I agreed to marry you and brought my pack to merge with yours."
His lips twitched slightly. Sighing, he turned to his mate and spoke to her softly, "I am sorry. I'll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise."
"I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject...", he started to say in a firm voice, when the omega fell to her knees, bursting into tears.
"Please, no!" she whimpered, "I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I'll do anything!"
Bray froze. He turned to face me again. I could see pain in his eyes - he couldn't bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his.
"She is staying! We'll find a way around everything!" Bray said, clenching his fists.
And this was the moment when I realized that everything was lost.

...

Riannon stood there not quite believing her eyes. Her husband of six years had his arm wrapped around a petite girl in the middle of their pack house. The cute ginger head peeked at her discretely and Ria could swear that she saw a smirk for half of a second.

“Ri, dear,” Brayden, her legal husband, chosen mate and the Alpha of their pack addressed her in a way he always did when they were alone, “I need to confess… I have found my true mate. Her name is Roxanne.”

The silence in the room was deadly from the moment the two of them walked in, holding hands. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes were on the three of them. The Alpha, the Luna and the Alpha’s mate.

Ria couldn’t force herself to say anything, so Brayden took the lead.

“Listen, I know that we are chosen mates and you will always be my Luna, I assure you of that. But since my wolf saw Roxy, he is going nuts. It would be bad for the pack if I rejected her now. He wouldn’t be able to deal with it. And it will weaken us.”

There it was - the excuse!

The two of them were school sweethearts, the perfect couple. Rhiannon was a daughter and the heiress of a powerful Alpha from a very strong pack. Brayden was her father’s best friend’s son and the future Alpha of his own pack. Since they started dating when she was just 15 and he was 16, everybody couldn’t stop buzzing that they were true mates. They were always the IT couple and everyone envied their love. Besides, as a daughter of any alpha, Ria was educated to become a Luna one day. And not just any Luna. The perfect one. She spent all her free time studying what she would have to do for the rest of her life. And she mastered every single thing to perfection. So that when she was 18 and ready to marry Bray, she would be prepared.

But Bray’s 18th birthday was before hers. She trembled to meet him on that day, longing to hear the one and only most significant word of both of their lives - mate.

He got to her pack early that day and she ran down the stairs to greet him. But as she ran, both their smiles faded a bit. She couldn’t feel anything, but he already knew.

“We are not mates, aren’t we?” she asked, tears trickling down her chin.

“Not the fated ones,” Brayden sighed heavily and locked her in his arms, his lips touching her hair. They stood like this for quite some time, waiting for the disappointment to wash away. And when they were ready, Bray took her face into his hands and said, “It doesn’t matter, Ri! I choose you! I will always choose you! No matter what, no one can break the love between us. You will be my mate, my chosen mate! My one and only!”

It did help that their families practically planned the whole wedding at this point. Her father had no son anymore since Riannon’s older brother died young trying to save their little twin sisters from the rogues. All of them died as a result and Ria was the only one left. So, there was a pressing matter of who would be inheriting the pack. And Bray seemed like the obvious choice. The two of them loved each other and no family members were against the merger of the two strong packs.

A contract was drawn but Bray suggested waiting until Riannon was 19. He told her that he had made his choice but wanted her to try and find her mate before she made hers. They were visiting other packs for the whole year before her next birthday. And then got married one month later, since no mates were found but their feelings were only getting stronger.

They became the power couple of the werewolf world and merged both their packs into one, year by year, working to make it stronger. And now, at twenty-five, Ria was a renowned Luna whom everyone loved and admired.

Riannon traced her gaze around the room and saw the shocked faces of her packmates. Yet she couldn’t help but notice that not everyone seemed startled by the recent events. Her husband’s Beta was watching quietly from the distance, his hands crossed on his chest. But absolutely no surprise in his eyes.

However, the most stunned among them all was still Riannon herself. Although not for the reasons that they all assumed.

Her fingers were trembling and lips twitching slightly as she looked at her husband and his true mate with wide eyes.

“No,” she muttered, “It couldn’t be!”

Why would the Moon Goddess return her to that exact moment in time when all her life was turned upside down, leading to her demise?

What was going on? For her it was one year ago. And just seconds ago, Ria was crawling on the ground in the woods, fighting for her life as two creatures followed her closely. The wolf found her first, digging his sharp canines into her flesh and making her wince in pain.

She was a strong wolf herself, but unfortunately, someone drugged her with aconite, making her weak, unable to shift and practically paralysed.

The wolf growled as he ripped a part of her thigh off and, for the first time during this attack, Riannon screamed loudly.

“You can shout all you want,” the girl who stepped forward said, “No one is going to hear you here. Especially now.”

Ria recognised that voice at once. Her tormentor was none other than her husband’s true mate, Roxanne.

“You?!” Ria panted, trying to sit up, “Why are you doing it? You already took everything from me! My husband, my position as Luna, my pack…”

The wolf growled at her and she tried to recognize him, but it was too dark and she was too weak. The only thing that she knew was that the werewolf was brown. Yet there were many brown wolves in the world, so it did not help.

“I have my reasons,” Roxy smirked, rubbing her round belly, “And I don’t have to explain them to you. Not anymore. Your time has passed. You are done, Riannon.”

“They will find everything out!” the ex-Luna pleaded, “You will not get away with it!”

Resounding laughter was her answer as Roxy kneeled next to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, “Dear, Riannon, don’t you get it? I already did!”

She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground and ordered the wolf, “Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.”

Her arms and her legs were not listening anymore as Riannon watched Roxy walk away leisurely. As if she did not just order her murder.

A tear trickled down Ria's cheek as the wolf had a moment of hesitation.

She did not deserve it!

It was not fair!

If she had another chance, she would do everything differently.

“I am waiting!” Roxanne’s sweet voice broke her train of thought as the wolf jumped over her and ended her life in seconds.

Riannon gasped as she suddenly found herself in the reception room of her house. Something was off because all the old furniture that she loved so much was in place. She couldn’t understand what was going on until Bran walked in with Roxy in his arms and she recognized the day as exactly one year ago.

“The Moon Goddess has some sick sense of humour!” Ria thought to herself, “Out of all of the moments of my life, she brought me back into this most miserable and unpleasant one. What is up with that?!”

Luckily, she was always reserved and knew how to hide her feelings pretty well. So, she just lifted her chin up and met her husband’s gaze.

“I understand that this is very sudden,” Bray tried to sound considerate and she barely managed to hold back a scoff. Sudden? He had no idea!

“I know our agreement, but my wolf is going nuts. You are not only my Luna, but also my best friend, who always understands me. And I know that you always want what’s best for the pack. Roxanne is an omega and an orphan in her pack… Ri, it was horrible how she was treated there! They abused her and treated the girl like a slave! I couldn’t leave her there. It would be horrible and my wolf would never forgive me. I just need her presence here. That's all.”

He finally let go of Roxanne, leaving the redhead alone and went to his wife, taking her hands in his.

“Let her stay in the pack for the sake of it. My wolf is stronger next to her, the rejection would kill him. And we can give Roxy a peaceful life here. She will…”

“No,” the answer sounded calm yet loud enough for everyone to hear...

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Hello, this is my first published book on Dreame and I am very excited to start this journey. I promise you a bumpy ride with loads of twists and turns. Don't be shy and leave me a comment. I also have a group called Marissa Gilbert's Reading Circle where readers discuss chapters, characters and share visuals.

Right now the book is taking part in the Dreame Ace Book Contest. Please, consider giving it your vote by clicking on a gift box or finding the book on the ranking page.

Chapter 2. Rejection

They all stared at her in shock. Bray’s eyes were as wide as two saucers.

“Ri, my wolf…”, he started the same song again and she wanted to laugh. She had already heard it all back in her previous life. He was bringing up his wolf every time he wanted to spend time with Roxy. He never rejected her like they agreed and very soon she became his mistress.

Riannon tried to close her eyes even though it was extremely painful for her. But she was the one who truly cared about the pack and tried to drown herself in work. This was her other mistake. But since she got a second chance, she was not going to repeat it. She was going to get rid of Roxy here and now. Before it was too late.

Back then, Bray told her that it was her choice, and she chose wrong. Letting Roxanne stay for the sake of the pack was a big mistake. People died because of that and not only her. Ria’s eyes met with her best friend Maya’s and tears almost rolled in her eyes. Maya was one of those killed in Roxy’s schemes. She had her doubts before, but now she knew for sure. She was going to get rid of this evil once and for all.

“I said no,” she repeated herself and looked back at her husband with coldness, “We talked about this before and came to an agreement. We’ll find a good pack for her, who will take care of her. But she will not stay here. You need to reject her just as we agreed.”

One question that was bothering her was why Bran chose to have this conversation in public. But it wasn’t the time to think about it. Now she had more pressing matters.

“Riannon,” Bray suddenly got serious, stepping in front of Roxanne, who was hiding behind him and shaking like a leaf in the wind, “Think about this. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. I am the Alpha of our pack and my wolf is going crazy for his mate. We can’t risk…”

“Brayden,” she addressed him calmly, “Our pack is one of the strongest in the country. We are not at war with anyone. And you are a strong Alpha. I believe in you, I always did. You know that. I am sure that rejecting your true mate would not be easy, but we will get through it. As a family that we are.”

“I just want what’s best for the pack,” Bray mumbled, not sounding so sure anymore and Ria felt a prick of hope.

“If you want what’s best for the pack, do it now,” she said, “The longer you put it off, the harder it would get. And if she is anything, she is your weakness. You already go back on your word and this is day one.”

His lips twitched slightly, and Ria knew what it meant. Her victory was close. She almost got rid of this redhead monster.

Sighing, Bray turned to Roxanne and spoke to her softly, “I am sorry. I’ll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise…”

Ria did not notice how hard she clenched the fabric of her dress. Was it always this easy? Could she stop all the disasters that happened to her if she simply said no at once?

“I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject…”, her husband started to say in a firm voice, when the omega in front of him fell to her knees, bursting into tears.

“Please, no!” she whimpered, “I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I’ll do anything!”

Bray froze. He couldn’t bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his. And this was the moment when Riannon realised that everything was lost. He turned to face her again and she held his gaze with pride.

“Please, Alpha!” Roxy started to sob and Ria had to give it to her. If she didn’t know who was before her, she would have bought it too. “I will be your slave! I can clean and I can cook! I can do anything! Just, please, spare me! Don’t do this! I will serve your Luna!”

A wave of electric shock went through Ria at the mention of her. She looked at her rival and met a gaze full of well-hidden hatred.

“Please, my Luna!” the girl kept begging still kneeling, “My fate is in your hands! Please, don’t kill me! Please, spare me! I will be your slave forever. Don’t kill me!”

No one spoke a word and the only sounds in the room were the pitiful sobs and sniffs of Roxanne.

“Sweet girl,” Riannon decided to try one last time, “There is no need for all that. You will be well taken care of, but just not here.”

“Please, my Luna!” Roxy crawled to her way faster than Ria managed to dodge her and grasped her dress, “The rejection will kill me! Please, spare me!”

“I…”, Ria wanted to say something but a loud growl made her stop.

“Enough!” Brayden roared, looking at her with his eyes shining red, meaning that his wolf was at the surface.

“Calm down,” his Luna said firmly but yet another growl emerged from him as he was furious.

“I said enough!” Brayden appeared next to Roxanne in no time and scooped her in his arms, “She is staying! We’ll find a way around everything!”

He walked firmly towards the huge staircase, taking his mate upstairs to one of the guestrooms. Ria knew very well which room it would be – the one in the far corner of the mansion, where her husband would practically move in no time. Roxanne’s head was tucked into Brayden’s neck and Riannon was sure that it was not a coincidence that she was now breathing into his collarbone, right where a mark should go.

Automatically, she touched the mark he gave her when she was nineteen and caught the omega’s gaze on herself. Roxanne was watching. And Ria knew that today she lost just like the last time.

Nothing changed. Her words and actions on that day played absolutely no part in what happened. It was like a very bad movie on repeat…

“Ri!” Maya came up to her when their Alpha was gone, “Are you okay?”

Riannon looked at her best friend, the one that she lost. Not thinking twice, she threw herself in Maya’s arms. After the death of her parents, this was the only person, apart from Brayden, whom she could trust with everything.

“There, there,” she patted her long platinum blonde hair, “It’s going to be all right. He will reconsider, I am sure.”

Only now did Ria realise how everything looked like to the people around her and distanced herself at once. She already lost her husband, there was no need to lose her face too.

“I am fine,” she said and caught the Beta’s gaze on her.

Ash nodded and gave her a soft sympathetic smile, before shouting loudly, “I feel like everyone forgot what they were supposed to be doing! The work is waiting!”

“Let’s go to your room,” Maya suggested, “We’ll talk about everything there.”

No, Ria did not need this conversation. She remembered it very well. Because they already had it.

What she really needed now was some time alone. Because she needed to process things and to come up with a new plan.

She couldn’t save her marriage, but she could still save Maya, other people who died with Roxy’s help, her pack and her own life.

“I just can’t right now,” she smiled at her friend, squeezing her hands, still not quite believing that she was here, “Let’s talk another time. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Work?” Maya’s eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Ria fixed the creases on her dress, “Now that our Alpha is… busy, I have to step in. The pack comes first.”

She gave her friend another warm smile and added, “Everything is going to be all right, Maya. We are going to be fine. All of us.”

Riannon locked the door of her Luna office and tried to control her ragged breathing. Too much! Everything was too much for her. She needed to clear her head and think of everything. She needed a plan. And a good one. She had to save everyone, herself included.

But the office was too stuffy. And she needed to breathe!

Only one thing could help her and it was shifting into her wolf.

Riannon went into the woods that were surrounding their pack and stripped, preparing to change her form.

But nothing happened.

"Onyx, are you there?" she spoke to her wolf for the first time since her sudden rebirth less than an hour before but did not get a reply. It was alarming. Onyx was there her whole life.

"Onyx!" Ria called for her second half but was met with silence. Angry, she ran as fast as she could using her human legs. She was still super fast and strong, which could only mean that her wolf was somewhere there. She was not weak. But what was wrong?

Chapter 3. The Call

CHAPTER 3

The Call

It did not take her long to get to her most favourite place in the world – the Silver Mirror Lake. This was the only place where Riannon could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse and close to the borders of the pack. But it was safe since they did not have any rogue attacks in that area. Just one pack away from here was the Lycans territory and it was rumoured that the Alpha King residence was also somewhere close. No one was foolish enough to enter these lands and check though.

So, Ria did not think twice when she stopped by the ledge of the lake, naked, and jumped into the water. It was cold but at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to calm herself down.

She let herself embrace the dark night when only the full moon shone upon her, making crystals of water sparkle on her skin when she felt someone’s presence. It was powerful and dominating, yet did not belong to her husband and made her alert at once.

Pretending that nothing happened, Ria carefully looked around and her eyes caught a figure of a huge wolf at a hill on the other side of the lake. He was dark, probably black. And his eyes were shining golden.

It was a bad sign. Very bad.

Riannon decided not to risk it and went underwater, getting to the shore as soon as she could and running for her life. Only a loud howl followed her.

She was back in the safe territory in no time. Luckily, her clothes were right where she left them. She pulled her dress on and tried to do the zipper at the back but her fingers were not reaching it.

“Let me help,” two hands touched her back and Beta Asher helped her with her little problem. Ria wondered if he had been there the whole time. But it did not matter in the long run. Werewolves were used to naked bodies. It wouldn’t be the first time he saw her without clothes. It wouldn’t be the last… probably.

“What are you doing here?” she asked the man, turning to face him.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said with an unreadable expression on his face, “Found your clothes and understood that you were on a run. But why didn’t you shift?”

“I did,” she lied without blinking. If anyone knew that she couldn’t shift, then her fate would be decided even sooner. She couldn’t afford that. Ria knew that she needed time. “But that’s not important,” she decided to change the subject quickly, “There was an intruder at the Silver Lake. Send wolves to check it out.”

“Of course, Luna,” he said and his eyes lost focus for a second as he was giving orders via the mind link.

Riannon decided not to wait for him and walked slowly into the house. But Ash caught up with her quickly and opened the door to the mansion for her.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said to her all of a sudden and she stopped. Back in the day, he used to say it to her all the time. Yet when decisions had to be made, he always took her husband’s side. It was one of the betrayals that hurt the most because she was sure that her relationship with the Beta was good prior to all that. Yet he didn’t even object when they stripped her of her title… There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him but she couldn’t.

So, she just placed her delicate hand on his broad shoulder and looked him in the eye, smiling sadly, “You knew, didn’t you?”

His expression changed as if a flash of lightning hit him and his lips parted slightly.

“Yes, Luna,” he confessed, darting his eyes to the ground.

“It’s okay,” she patted him, “I understand. You can’t go against your Alpha’s command.”

“If I could…” he started to speak but she placed her finger to his mouth making a shushing sound.

“Doesn’t matter,” she shrugged her shoulders, “At least I will always have your support, Ash. Right?”

“Always, Luna,” his breathing became heavy and Ria tilted her head, watching him. This was an interesting development. Why was he reacting like that?

“Then, of course, I’ll be fine,” she chuckled and went inside. She had to think of what to do next.

Ria locked herself in her bedroom. She knew that Brayden would not be coming back tonight to share the bed with her. As far as she remembered, he hadn't been sleeping with Roxy at that point yet and spent the whole night in his private office drinking and thinking of life. In the morning, he would bring her flowers and gifts… and an apology even. But Roxy would still stay.

After a long and relaxing bath, Ria went to her desk and got her old journal. She hadn’t been using it for many years, but it was dear to her heart. And it was just the right place to write down every single event that was important and that was going to happen within the year leading to her death.

She tried to remember everything while she still could.

And she knew very well what she was going to do with this information. The game was on.

The plan was simple, really. Since she couldn’t change the main event and get rid of Roxy, she had to leave. But she couldn’t leave without her pack and without making sure that all her dear friends were alive and well. Not to mention, that it was particularly important to try and show Brayden and the rest Roxanne’s true face. Everybody around thought that she was an angel while, in fact, she was the devil. Ria was afraid to even think what would happen if Roxy became the Luna for real, because she for sure wouldn’t have the pack’s interests at heart.

And although Ria’s own heart craved revenge, she didn’t want her life's work to be ruined. Plus, she didn’t have it in her heart to hate everyone. She saved it for just a selected few. The ones who betrayed her trust and led to her demise, the ones who promised her respect and protection but gave her humiliation and suffering. Yes, those were the ones she was going to concentrate on.

The door suddenly opened, and Brayden walked in, making her close the journal with the list of events and names rapidly and hide it back in the drawer. Luckily, he didn’t pay attention to that.

Guilt was all over his face and Ria wanted to roll her eyes, but held herself back. She couldn’t give herself away. This event did not happen prior. In her past life, he didn’t visit her that night. This was new and she had to be cautious.

“Ri,” he walked further into the room, “Ash informed me that you encountered an intruder. Are you okay?”

This was funny. She was sitting there, clearly looking well and in one piece. Who was he kidding? Was it guilt because she put up a fight and he still chose his mate?

“It was unpleasant,” Riannon shrugged her shoulders and stood up. If he decided to ignore the big pink elephant in the room, she could do the same. In the end, it was for the best. Their past conversations about Roxy never ended well. He would never believe what a monster his mate was. So, the less Riannon talked about her, the better.

“And also disappointing”, she went to the window to hide her facial expression.

“How so?” Brayden caught the bait.

“We are one of the strongest packs and some wolf is just wandering on our territory, spying on your Luna who is swimming naked in the lake…”

“He what?” Brayden growled possessively. Back in the day, it would drive her crazy in the best sense of the word. But right now… she was annoyed. He just claimed another woman in front of so many people. He had no right to growl like that in her presence anymore. She didn’t put it into words, of course.

“You heard me,” she said, “And instead of looking for that wolf the Alpha is doing goddess knows what. No offence, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier today. Your mate already distracted you from what was important.”

It was a low blow. But she needed him to be busy with something else right now. In the past, the closer he got to Roxy, the more power and supporters she received. And the worse it got for Riannon and her close people. If she could postpone the wheel of events for at least one day, she would do it.

“You are angry,” he sighed, “I understand, of course. I broke my promise to you. I…”

“Let’s not speak of it,” she stopped him, “It is what it is.”

“Ri, baby,” he nibbled on her neck, right where he marked her years ago, bonding their two wolves forever, acknowledging her as his chosen mate. “I hurt you and I will do anything to fix that.”

Not everything. She knew that too well.

“Only you can be my Luna, you know that, right?” he started peppering her neck with kisses, trying to unzip her dress at the same time.

This was… odd. She hadn’t slept with him for a while. Their paths went in different directions more than half a year ago in her past life. She was his abandoned and rejected wife…

Ria clenched her fists and then turned to face him.

“No!” she made him stop, “Not today.” Or ever. He had his last chance and he blew it. She did not want him anymore. If her wolf Onyx was here now, she would be howling from pain as she was attached to Brayden’s wolf Ragnar. But she didn’t feel Onyx now. She wasn’t under her influence. And she was furious.

She did not show it though. Her mom trained her well to conceal emotions. Finally, it was useful.

“Ri?” Brayden looked at her in shock. Before this day they were happy together. Which reminded Ria that he probably found Roxy earlier and was lying to her for the past few days. Or maybe weeks. “Honey, don’t do this. I love you and we are family. We will always be family.”

“Believe it or not, but I am not feeling well after everything that happened today,” she looked him in the eye, “But it will make me happy if you bring me the intruder’s head.”

He nodded quietly, “Anything for you, Ri.”

Her husband brushed her cheek and she tolerated that. Even forced a smile for the sake of the show.

“You’ll have his head in the morning!” he promised before leaving her alone.

Maya tried to reach her mentally but Riannon just asked her to wait until the morning.

After a mostly sleepless night, she knew what she had to do and she also knew her first step.

In her office, she dialled the number that none other werewolves would risk dialling. But she was left with no choice.

“Hello, Beta Reid speaking,” the annoyed male voice sounded on the other end and Riannon gulped before speaking.

“Hello, Beta. This is Luna Riannon Thorn. Nee Michaels.”

It didn’t ring a bell to him.

“And?” he seemed bored.

“Seven years ago I saved your nephew during a rogue attack in one of the boarding schools. Back then you gave me this number and told me that you owe me one.”

The lycan paused before answering her.

“And I guess you are calling to collect?” he chuckled, “And here I thought that there were selfless people in this world…”

“I wouldn’t ask if lives did not depend on it,” she interrupted him. Lycans were hard to get in touch with. They did not mingle with regular werewolves with rare exceptions. But sometimes they attended elite boarding schools for shifters. That’s when Ria’s luck was on her side.

“Fine,” the man agreed, “What do you want then?”

“I need to speak to the Lycan Alpha King,” Riannon said firmly.

Chapter 4. Royal Confrontation

“Bold, aren’t we?” the Beta chuckled and Ria didn’t know what to think. “Do you think that the King will do whatever I tell him?”

“I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,” she bit her lip. She was walking on thin ice here and was aware of that.

But she had no choice either.

“Fine,” the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was doing, “Crystle, dear, that’s enough of sucking. I need to go.”

Then he groaned again and Riannon’s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?!

There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, “See you tonight, Beta.” And then sounds of steps.

“Just so that you know,” the Beta spoke again, “I am sacrificing a lot right now to pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.”

“Of course,” Ria cleared her throat, “I appreciate your… sacrifice.”

He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door.

“Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,” the sounds were muffled but she could still understand everything.

“Not interested,” the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She thought if the king was… busy as well. He sure wouldn’t sacrifice his pleasure time for her.

“I am not trying to set you up with anyone,” the Beta burst out laughing, “It’s just some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?”

“Not interested,” was the reply and Ria’s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best chance… In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in their lands too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stopped coming through, meaning that he probably blocked her.

“Give her 5 minutes,” from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his king’s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she heard a resounding metallic voice.

“Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,” the man said and she sucked in a breath. He didn’t even use his title. Was that really the Lycan King?

“Hello, your majesty,” she decided to address him formally anyway, “ My name is Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5 minutes with him.

“I need your help,” she breathed out, “My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn and we are planning to divorce in the nearby future.”

“Fascinating,” the man said without any emotions in his voice, “ But what does it have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.”

“I know, Alpha,” she agreed and heard him growl slightly, “That’s not the part that I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married, we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your word will be the last at the Alpha Council. They wouldn't be able to decline.”

“Hmm,” he sounded amused, “And you think that the case would go that far? You do know that the Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will support you?”

“They will if they know that you are on my side,” Riannon felt braver now, “But also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then maybe everything is awesome and you don’t need my help at all?” He chucked.

“I do, your majesty,” she assured him, “I really do. And I would really appreciate it.”

“This is a complex matter,” he said after a short pause, “Not something I would decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn’t sound serious enough to bother.”

Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?!

“But…”

“There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your husband. You didn’t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it’s too late,” the Alpha King seemed bored, “He will still owe you generous alimony according to our laws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that’s what bothers you…”

“It’s not about that!” She gritted her teeth, “I can’t leave my people with them!”

“Them?” The king scoffed, “So, this is the problem. He found another and you are bitter about it?”

This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who were considered her friends.

“I am not bitter!” She spat, “I am furious. Because only now do I see how many flaws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a male doesn’t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but when it comes to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha’s job for years by my husband’s side and I’ve done it flawlessly. But all you see is a wounded woman who can’t get over her husband’s betrayal. And you know what, it hurts like but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next move. You don’t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a disappointing introduction to my king!”

She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall into several pieces.

What a joke!

Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta’s phone. What the was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up?

“O-kay,” Reid carefully took his cell back, “I see that went well.”

“Remind me again who was it?” Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick brows.

“What?” Reid let out a nervous laugh, “Before I tell you… Are you going to kill her or…”

“REID!” Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard him well.

“Fine!” the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, “She is the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

Silver River… not far from Silver Lake.

“What else?” the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently.

“Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.”

“You said that you owed her,” Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, “How so? Is she one of your many whores?”

“Of course not!” the Beta sounded offended, “She… she saved Kyle seven years ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event there. She wasn’t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the role.”

“She saved him?” Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she didn’t come on time…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” the king groaned.

“There was no time!” Reid shook his shoulders, “And how could I know that you would be such a d*ck to her?!”

“Is there a good time to be a d*ck?” the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more.

“Find out where I can meet her,” Gideon cut him off, “I am intrigued. She does seem… feisty.”

“Just the way you hate them,” Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha’s glare, he wiped the smile off his face, “I’ll go… get to work.”

Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this woman… she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was amusing indeed.

And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case.

So be it.

Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She didn’t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to face once she went downstairs.

But she almost bumped into Maya at the door.

“Ria,” her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that the latter was nervous, “How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?”

Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything.

“Maybe another time,” she said, taking Maya’s hand and still not believing that she was alive, “Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?”

“Always,” Maya’s eyes glistened with tears.

The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention.

“Luna!” she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her succeed, “P-please, forgive my rudeness! I know my place!”

Here we go again…

Chapter 5. The Beta Female Best Friend

Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance.

Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen.

Well, Riannon wasn't going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher - Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything.

Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work.

So, she was going to try something else.

“I am so sorry, Luna,” Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya.

“Roxy,” Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, “I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.”

She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people's hearts. Over time, a lot of them stood on her side because she was, after all, their Alpha’s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn’t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection.

Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria’s arms again.

“Thank you!” she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn't close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now. Meanwhile Roxy went on, “I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is…I’ll be your personal maid if I have to.”

At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back a laugh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to become a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now.

Get used to that, my love.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Roxy!” Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. “You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work according to your abilities. And if they aren’t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.”

The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise?

“I am the luckiest girl alive,” she smiled innocently, flapping her eyelashes,“No wonder my mate… I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.”

“Oh, you will have to tell me later!” Ria giggled and pushed Roxy back to the chair she was sitting at prior. Luckily, she didn’t risk taking the Luna’s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria didn’t have to deal with it today.

“I will be happy to!” Roxane shook her red locks and the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing fell off her shoulder “accidentally”, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The mate bond was already working. And their time was slipping away.

“By the way,” Riannon took a sip of her coffee and it seemed more bitter than usual, “We need to assign a budget for Roxanne.”

Once again, the whole room went quiet.

“Are you sure, Luna?” Beta Asher spoke, “She is just an omega and…”

“She is not a simple omega,” Riannon raised her chin high and put a perfect smile on her face, “She is our Alpha’s mate. He did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it’s time to throw away the worn-out t-shirts and jeans.”

“That’s very kind of you, Luna,” Maya couldn’t stay silent anymore, “Some would even say too kind. I mean, considering…”

“I do what I can,” Ria sent her best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, “And let’s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don’t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish her no harm and will have zero tolerance to the ones who try to do it.”

And with that, she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching glances of her pack mates on her.

There they were. The looks they used to give to Roxy. Now they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this time there was more respect than pity.

Back in the day, Ria did all the same things. But her mistake was not to announce it in front of everyone. And in the end, Roxy played them and made them believe that Ria mistreated her where she could.

She caught Brayden’s gaze on her and sent a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this was good.

Right after the breakfast Maya pulled her into the Luna office and made sure to lock the door properly. The room had sound isolation and they could talk in private without the fear of being overheard.

“What the are you doing?” she hissed at her friend, “You are welcoming his mate?! You should have insisted again and again on him rejecting her!”

“Oh, M,” Ria couldn’t help herself and hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of almonds and this made her broken heart warm again.

“Stupid perfect Luna! You can’t be this kind!” Maya almost sobbed, “You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess’s sake! What was he thinking?!”

“I know,” Ria sighed, stepping away, “But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the mate bond. That battle was lost the moment he met her and didn’t reject her.”

“You are so calm about it! I can’t believe this!” the girl shook her head, clear signs of worry on her face.

Ria contemplated for a few seconds but deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust this secret to anyone, it would be her best friend since childhood.

“I need to tell you something,” Riannon took Maya’s hands and led her to the armchair, sitting on the verge of her desk. “But I will need you to be open-minded about what I am about to say.”

She spoke and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya’s own death. There was no need for that. She knew that the small fragments she was ready to share now would be enough for her.

When she was done, Maya looked at her with red eyes, “It’s…”

“Unbelievable, I know,” Riannon sighed.

“Horrible!” her friend took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, “Ria! That’s awful! What you had to go through…”

“Wait, you meant you have no doubts in what I said now?” the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her bestie.

“You wouldn’t joke about it at a moment like that,” Maya leaned back on her chair, “And as far as I know, you were madly in love with Brayden just yesterday. But now… You are so calm that it’s frightening. So this explains a lot. You don't get over love like that in one day.”

That was true. Riannon did not know for sure if all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn't the same girl from before. She was twenty-five but it felt as if she lived much longer now. Suffering and broken heart could do that to people.

“And it doesn’t bother you how crazy that sounds?” Ria decided to make sure they were on the same page.

“I believe in the Moon Goddess,” Maya shook her shoulders, “She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that… Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death for you! Anyone but you!”

“I missed you so much,” Ria couldn’t help herself and gave Maya another hug. She went quiet for a bit and I gave herself a promise that whatever happened, she would at least save her best friend. She was not going to lose her again.

“So, what’s the plan?” Maya went into the battle mode fast. She was one of those underappreciated wolves. They called her Luna’s assistant and both of them hated that. She had pure Beta blood and could take down an Alpha if she tried hard. Maybe not any Alpha but definitely most of them. They thought too much of themselves and always underestimated pretty girls.

“The plan is to divorce and take our pack back,” Ria smiled, knowing that she had a great ally on her side now, “The Pearl Moon.”

“Is this even possible?” Maya whistled, “I mean, if you quickly get pregnant with Brayden’s baby and then we kill him, we could get this all…”

“No, thank you,” Ria first with laughter, “Goddess you are so bloodthirsty!”

“My hands are just itching to cut his di…”

“I got you!” the Luna covered her face with her hands, trying to suppress another outburst of giggles.

“You know what, I have an idea!” Maya said all of a sudden, “How about we ask lycans for help?! This may actually…”

“Been there, done that. Their king is an a$shole,” Ria rolled her eyes.
“You what?!” her friend’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“I had one lycan who owed me and asked him to arrange a conversation with his king. But you have no idea how arrogant he is!” Ria explained.

“Worse than Brayden?” Maya chuckled.

“Worse than Brayden,” Ria confirmed.

“Okay then, what’s next?” the Beta female never gave up and this was one of the very many reasons they became friends in the first place.

“Simple, really. I need to get the support of as many Alphas as I can,” Riannon exhaled loudly, “So that when the divorce comes into force, they give me their votes when I raise the matter in the Alpha Counicl. And I will.”

“How many do you think will support you?” Maya asked bluntly, getting her cell our of her pocket, "Count on the alphas where mu cousins are Betas. I'll take care of them."

“Not sure yet, but I know where to strike first,” Ria tapped her fingers over the cold wood of her desk, waiting for Maya to tear her eyes off the phone and spare her a look.

“Do tell!” the girl seemed genuinely interested.

“The most important event of the year that is just around the corner,” Riannon smirked, "The annual Alpha ball"

Chapter 6. Dress to Impress

“Ri,” Brayden’s head popped out of the door of Riannon’s office right when she was finishing discussing the pack’s primary school budget with the headmistress, “Do you have a sec?”

“Yes, we are done here,” Ria handed the papers to the woman in front of her and the latter gave her a sympathetic smile. The Luna remembered very well that she was the one who stood by her by the very end. That was one of the reasons she managed to squeeze in a little extra cash for the school.

“Luna, Alpha,” the headmistress bowed her head and left, leaving the husband and the wife alone for the first time in a while. For the last few days, Riannon tried to avoid Brayden at all costs. She remembered too well that their every meeting in the past life was ending badly during those days. Back then she tried to keep her dignity and not approach him first. They had meals together with pack members as always. And work meetings with Beta, Gamma and so on. But other than that, every time Bray wanted to talk to her, Riannon was finding a perfect excuse to escape. There was no point in talking to him since nothing could be changed. She debated telling him the truth about her rebirth but swept that idea under the rug. He could decide that she was crazy and use that during their divorce when she planned to get her pack back.

The silence was getting awkward.

“Long time no see,” he came closer and she remained behind her desk to make it harder for him to approach her.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Ria threw herself back in her chair, “Is it about the Alpha Ball?”

“Did you get my flowers?” he asked.

The flowers kept coming. He was probably still feeling guilty.

“Yes, they are lovely,” she forced a smile, “Thank you. So, did you come to speak about the Alpha Ball?”

They already had this conversation. He caught her in her office and broke her heart.

“Yes,” Brayed pulled the collar of his shirt to make it easier to breathe while Ria watched him with an indifferent expression that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “It’s about Roxy… I mean Roxanne.”

“What about her?” she pretended not to know what it was about.

“Listen,” he sighed and averted her gaze, “I kind of promised her that I would take her to the ball as my partner.”

“Oh, really?” Riannon tilted her head, “I wonder when and how that happened?”

“It’s… a long story,” he cleared his throat, “Please, understand. My wolf is dying when she is unhappy. And she has never been to a ball like that.”

“Oh, my,” Ria gasped and shook her head, “Should I maybe take Enzo with me? He hasn’t seen an event like that either. And neither did Cole.”

She mentioned the hottest single warriors of the pack on purpose. And heard a growl emerge from her husband’s chest. That served him right.

“What is it with you lately, Ri?” he looked at her in disbelief, “My Luna will not be going with someone else!”

“But it’s okay if my Alpha goes with someone else? How is that fair?” she shot her brow up, challenging him. And Brayden hated challenge.

“Maybe you should sit this one out then!” he snarled at her and for the first time, she started to get worried here. She needed that ball. She needed it badly.

“No, thanks,” the Luna crossed her hands on her chest, “I got my own personal invitation. Besides, it’s important to mingle with other Lunas for the sake of our pack. We still need to organise student and warrior exchanges and a couple of mating events for over 18s. Or do you expect Roxy to be able to deal with it instead of enjoying her first big ball? What kind of Cinderella she would be then if she would have to work again?!”

He exhaled through his nostrils and she knew that she managed to win.

“Fine,” he grunted standing up, “But you will go with Ash then. He is going anyway since he is the pack’s Beta.”

“Now you are sucking the fun out of his life too?” Ria chuckled, “I am sure he had a girl to take there and impress.”

“He already agreed to be you plus one,” Brayden informed her, “He’ll protect you there too.”

“How thoughtful,” she decided just to go with it. Getting rid of Ash would be easy anyway. He would see some Alpha’s daughter and off he would go.

Brayden prepared to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at her again

“Ri,” he looked her in the eye, “It’s just a transition period. We will get through this and everything will be fine.”

Lies.

“I will never take another Luna except for you.”

Lies.

“I still love you, it’s just that she had such a hard life and I am not a monster. She is just a sweet girl, she will never take your place.”

Lies, lies, lies.

“Thank you for telling me that,” she nodded, “I needed to hear that, Bray.”

She even forced a smile.

“Look, when the ball is over, let’s take a day off. Just you and me. What do you think?” he suggested all of a sudden and now she looked at him in surprise. This was new. It didn’t happen in the past.

“We’ll have to see our schedules for that,” she stretched her lips further, “But it’s a nice idea.”

“Then I’ll see you around?” he suddenly looked relieved as if he got rid of some kind of trouble here.

“I am your wife, am I not?” she chuckled and his smile faded.

He left and Ria’s phone buzzed with a notification that the dresses should have already arrived.

She paused just for a second. It worried her that he offered that day off thing. Was it a good sign or a bad? She wanted to change the events that caused so many disasters but this exact one wasn’t in her plans.

In the end, she was late for the fitting and entered the room full of the most important females of the pack. Maya was there along with their friends Tatiana and Aria. They greeted her in their usual friendly way. On the other side of the room sat Harper and her minions.

Harper was Brayden’s sister. And for some reason, she never liked Riannon too much since they were younger. She was one of the first to openly support Roxy. She was the one who opened the door for others who didn’t know what to do and actually promoted the evil redhead monster.

“Bring in the dresses,” Ria commanded firmly. She wanted to be done here quick.

It was a tradition of their pack that outfits for the ladies invited to the Alpha ball were chosen together and paid for by the pack. After all, they all were representing the Silver River pack and it was important to let others see how well they were doing.

A few omegas rolled in clothing racks with the most beautiful evening dresses from the top designers. Luna always was the first one to choose and then they went according to their ranks. The rest of the clothes was sent back.

Riannon knew very well which dress she was going to pick but still pretended to look at them all to avoid suspicion.

“How about that emerald one?” Harper suggested the colour that would never suit Riannon blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Do you like it?” she got the hanger and placed it to her chest with a smile, “It’s Zac Posen.”

“Beautiful!” her sister-in-law sneered.

“Then I will leave it for you,” Ria returned the facial expression and kept going. Soon she reached it. She remembered that dress well. Peach and shiny, with loads of rhinestones on the top.

She was choosing long enough and she took that one, moving to the mirror.

Any second now…

The door opened and Roxy barged in, gasping, “Oh, my goddess! Luna! I am so sorry! I’ll just go away not to ruin your mood.”

She was already doing it. Implying that just a sight of her was affecting Riannon.

And it was. But it was mean to bring this up.

“Stay,” Ria smiled gently and noticed how everyone was watching the two of them, “You are going to the ball too and you need an outfit.”

“I already got one,” Roxanne mumbled, “From all the money that you gave me. I got it in H&M.”

One of Harper’s minions snorted.

“This will not do,” Riannon turned and sighed, “You need a dress good enough for your new status.”

“And what is that?” Harper couldn’t help but ask the provocative question.

“Member of the Silver River pack,” Ria replied without any hesitation, “Look around. What do you like?”

A little sob emerged. And then a sniffle. Everybody turned to see the crying Roxy.

“This is so sweet!” she whined, “You are such a great Luna to take care of someone like me. I never had such a beautiful dress in my life!”

She pointed to the one that Riannon was holding.

“I thought I’d never…have… an opportunity.”

She burst out crying and Ria did her best not to roll her eyes.

“You can have it,” she stretched her hands with the garment towards the omega and pretty much everybody in the room was in shock.

“But Luna!” Aria gasped, “You need to be the first.”

“That’s fine,” Riannon shook her shoulders, “I saw a red one that I like too back there. Roxy can have that one since it’s the one that made you cry like that.”

Roxanne seemed a bit startled and Luna came closer, pushing the tasteless peach dress that was good enough for a middle school prom in some village.

“No, really,” Ria smirked, “I want you to have it.”

Their eyes met and Roxy gaped, realising that she had just been tricked.

“Now go to your room and try it on. It will look beautiful on you.” Or hideous.

As soon as Roxy left, Ria quickly went back to the rack and grabbed the first red dress she saw.

“I like this one,” she went out of the room as quickly as she could, followed by Maya, “Choose what you like, ladies.”

They came straight to Maya’s bedroom and as soon as they closed the door, they started laughing hysterically.

“Oh, my goddess!” Maya chuckled, “This was fun!”

“Indeed,” the Luna agreed, throwing away the red piece of fabric she had. Because the real dress that she was going to wear to the ball was right here. It was the most beautiful dress she had laid her eyes on. It was a stunning wine red off-shoulder gown made of silk chiffon, draped beautifully around the breast and down to the waist, creating a geometrical pattern and, but flowing freely to the ground.

It was a gown fit for a queen. And in the past life, Ria didn’t even order it for viewing as it was way out of her budget. But this time around she saw it again and thought to herself – just why the not?!

The last time she went to the Alpha Ball, it was the most awful experience for her. Roxanne was wearing a beautiful white dress and looking like the little innocent omega she loved to pretend, gaining everybody’s sympathy.

At the same time, Riannon gained pity from the Alphas and was mocked by some of the Lunas who never liked her. It was humiliating as it was to come as the third wheel for her husband and his mate. But on top of that, Brayden spent the whole evening by Roxy’s side. Ria was in a sour mood the whole time although she still managed to negotiate a few things.

This time, she knew what to expect and was ready. This time, she was going there to work.

“Do I look nice?” Maya grinned as she stepped out of the bathroom in a royal blue tight gown.

“You took one too, I see,” Riannon giggled as her friend twirled in front of her.

Today was a success thanks to Maya. She was the one who received all the dresses before the pack omegas got them and brought the one Ria wanted to her room without anyone seeing it.

“Of course,” she placed her hands onto her hips, “We are leaving this pack, so I am not going to save them money.”

“Just don’t shout about it around the mansion, okay?” Ria rolled her eyes, “It’s a secret after all. But you do look nice.”

“Thanks!” Maya seemed to agree, “Shame I am not going with you. But there is always next time, right?”

“When I am the Alpha and you are my Beta, you will attend it every year,” Luna winked at her.

***

In the evening, Ria finished her makeup and hair and walked out to the main part of her bedroom to find a blue box on the little table together with a new bouquet. She opened it and saw a luxurious and probably crazy expensive diamond necklace together with a simple card with one word only on it. Sorry.

“Huh,” she bit her lip, remembering that last time Brayden gave it to Roxy. And he got her some ruby earrings which she never wore. That changed too.

However, now wasn’t the time to think about all that.

She put the necklace on since it was finishing her look just perfect and left for the ball.

She was walking down the stairs, the skirt of her dress flowing beautifully as she looked at it. Most of her hair was up, with a few curly locks falling down her bare shoulders.

“You look beautiful tonight,” a male voice made her flinch.

...

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"Have you ffffked her?" I asked my husband of 6 years who had just found his mate.
"No!" He yelled, as if insulted.
"Then reject her," I said with dead coldness.
"Ri, it will weaken my wolf...", he started the same song again and I wanted to laugh.
"You promised to reject your fated mate once you found her, Bray," I reminded my husband who had begged me to marry him. "That was why I agreed to marry you and brought my pack to merge with yours."
His lips twitched slightly. Sighing, he turned to his mate and spoke to her softly, "I am sorry. I'll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise."
"I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject...", he started to say in a firm voice, when the omega fell to her knees, bursting into tears.
"Please, no!" she whimpered, "I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I'll do anything!"
Bray froze. He turned to face me again. I could see pain in his eyes - he couldn't bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his.
"She is staying! We'll find a way around everything!" Bray said, clenching his fists.
And this was the moment when I realized that everything was lost.

...

Riannon stood there not quite believing her eyes. Her husband of six years had his arm wrapped around a petite girl in the middle of their pack house. The cute ginger head peeked at her discretely and Ria could swear that she saw a smirk for half of a second.

“Ri, dear,” Brayden, her legal husband, chosen mate and the Alpha of their pack addressed her in a way he always did when they were alone, “I need to confess… I have found my true mate. Her name is Roxanne.”

The silence in the room was deadly from the moment the two of them walked in, holding hands. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes were on the three of them. The Alpha, the Luna and the Alpha’s mate.

Ria couldn’t force herself to say anything, so Brayden took the lead.

“Listen, I know that we are chosen mates and you will always be my Luna, I assure you of that. But since my wolf saw Roxy, he is going nuts. It would be bad for the pack if I rejected her now. He wouldn’t be able to deal with it. And it will weaken us.”

There it was - the excuse!

The two of them were school sweethearts, the perfect couple. Rhiannon was a daughter and the heiress of a powerful Alpha from a very strong pack. Brayden was her father’s best friend’s son and the future Alpha of his own pack. Since they started dating when she was just 15 and he was 16, everybody couldn’t stop buzzing that they were true mates. They were always the IT couple and everyone envied their love. Besides, as a daughter of any alpha, Ria was educated to become a Luna one day. And not just any Luna. The perfect one. She spent all her free time studying what she would have to do for the rest of her life. And she mastered every single thing to perfection. So that when she was 18 and ready to marry Bray, she would be prepared.

But Bray’s 18th birthday was before hers. She trembled to meet him on that day, longing to hear the one and only most significant word of both of their lives - mate.

He got to her pack early that day and she ran down the stairs to greet him. But as she ran, both their smiles faded a bit. She couldn’t feel anything, but he already knew.

“We are not mates, aren’t we?” she asked, tears trickling down her chin.

“Not the fated ones,” Brayden sighed heavily and locked her in his arms, his lips touching her hair. They stood like this for quite some time, waiting for the disappointment to wash away. And when they were ready, Bray took her face into his hands and said, “It doesn’t matter, Ri! I choose you! I will always choose you! No matter what, no one can break the love between us. You will be my mate, my chosen mate! My one and only!”

It did help that their families practically planned the whole wedding at this point. Her father had no son anymore since Riannon’s older brother died young trying to save their little twin sisters from the rogues. All of them died as a result and Ria was the only one left. So, there was a pressing matter of who would be inheriting the pack. And Bray seemed like the obvious choice. The two of them loved each other and no family members were against the merger of the two strong packs.

A contract was drawn but Bray suggested waiting until Riannon was 19. He told her that he had made his choice but wanted her to try and find her mate before she made hers. They were visiting other packs for the whole year before her next birthday. And then got married one month later, since no mates were found but their feelings were only getting stronger.

They became the power couple of the werewolf world and merged both their packs into one, year by year, working to make it stronger. And now, at twenty-five, Ria was a renowned Luna whom everyone loved and admired.

Riannon traced her gaze around the room and saw the shocked faces of her packmates. Yet she couldn’t help but notice that not everyone seemed startled by the recent events. Her husband’s Beta was watching quietly from the distance, his hands crossed on his chest. But absolutely no surprise in his eyes.

However, the most stunned among them all was still Riannon herself. Although not for the reasons that they all assumed.

Her fingers were trembling and lips twitching slightly as she looked at her husband and his true mate with wide eyes.

“No,” she muttered, “It couldn’t be!”

Why would the Moon Goddess return her to that exact moment in time when all her life was turned upside down, leading to her demise?

What was going on? For her it was one year ago. And just seconds ago, Ria was crawling on the ground in the woods, fighting for her life as two creatures followed her closely. The wolf found her first, digging his sharp canines into her flesh and making her wince in pain.

She was a strong wolf herself, but unfortunately, someone drugged her with aconite, making her weak, unable to shift and practically paralysed.

The wolf growled as he ripped a part of her thigh off and, for the first time during this attack, Riannon screamed loudly.

“You can shout all you want,” the girl who stepped forward said, “No one is going to hear you here. Especially now.”

Ria recognised that voice at once. Her tormentor was none other than her husband’s true mate, Roxanne.

“You?!” Ria panted, trying to sit up, “Why are you doing it? You already took everything from me! My husband, my position as Luna, my pack…”

The wolf growled at her and she tried to recognize him, but it was too dark and she was too weak. The only thing that she knew was that the werewolf was brown. Yet there were many brown wolves in the world, so it did not help.

“I have my reasons,” Roxy smirked, rubbing her round belly, “And I don’t have to explain them to you. Not anymore. Your time has passed. You are done, Riannon.”

“They will find everything out!” the ex-Luna pleaded, “You will not get away with it!”

Resounding laughter was her answer as Roxy kneeled next to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, “Dear, Riannon, don’t you get it? I already did!”

She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground and ordered the wolf, “Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.”

Her arms and her legs were not listening anymore as Riannon watched Roxy walk away leisurely. As if she did not just order her murder.

A tear trickled down Ria's cheek as the wolf had a moment of hesitation.

She did not deserve it!

It was not fair!

If she had another chance, she would do everything differently.

“I am waiting!” Roxanne’s sweet voice broke her train of thought as the wolf jumped over her and ended her life in seconds.

Riannon gasped as she suddenly found herself in the reception room of her house. Something was off because all the old furniture that she loved so much was in place. She couldn’t understand what was going on until Bran walked in with Roxy in his arms and she recognized the day as exactly one year ago.

“The Moon Goddess has some sick sense of humour!” Ria thought to herself, “Out of all of the moments of my life, she brought me back into this most miserable and unpleasant one. What is up with that?!”

Luckily, she was always reserved and knew how to hide her feelings pretty well. So, she just lifted her chin up and met her husband’s gaze.

“I understand that this is very sudden,” Bray tried to sound considerate and she barely managed to hold back a scoff. Sudden? He had no idea!

“I know our agreement, but my wolf is going nuts. You are not only my Luna, but also my best friend, who always understands me. And I know that you always want what’s best for the pack. Roxanne is an omega and an orphan in her pack… Ri, it was horrible how she was treated there! They abused her and treated the girl like a slave! I couldn’t leave her there. It would be horrible and my wolf would never forgive me. I just need her presence here. That's all.”

He finally let go of Roxanne, leaving the redhead alone and went to his wife, taking her hands in his.

“Let her stay in the pack for the sake of it. My wolf is stronger next to her, the rejection would kill him. And we can give Roxy a peaceful life here. She will…”

“No,” the answer sounded calm yet loud enough for everyone to hear...

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Hello, this is my first published book on Dreame and I am very excited to start this journey. I promise you a bumpy ride with loads of twists and turns. Don't be shy and leave me a comment. I also have a group called Marissa Gilbert's Reading Circle where readers discuss chapters, characters and share visuals.

Right now the book is taking part in the Dreame Ace Book Contest. Please, consider giving it your vote by clicking on a gift box or finding the book on the ranking page.

Chapter 2. Rejection

They all stared at her in shock. Bray’s eyes were as wide as two saucers.

“Ri, my wolf…”, he started the same song again and she wanted to laugh. She had already heard it all back in her previous life. He was bringing up his wolf every time he wanted to spend time with Roxy. He never rejected her like they agreed and very soon she became his mistress.

Riannon tried to close her eyes even though it was extremely painful for her. But she was the one who truly cared about the pack and tried to drown herself in work. This was her other mistake. But since she got a second chance, she was not going to repeat it. She was going to get rid of Roxy here and now. Before it was too late.

Back then, Bray told her that it was her choice, and she chose wrong. Letting Roxanne stay for the sake of the pack was a big mistake. People died because of that and not only her. Ria’s eyes met with her best friend Maya’s and tears almost rolled in her eyes. Maya was one of those killed in Roxy’s schemes. She had her doubts before, but now she knew for sure. She was going to get rid of this evil once and for all.

“I said no,” she repeated herself and looked back at her husband with coldness, “We talked about this before and came to an agreement. We’ll find a good pack for her, who will take care of her. But she will not stay here. You need to reject her just as we agreed.”

One question that was bothering her was why Bran chose to have this conversation in public. But it wasn’t the time to think about it. Now she had more pressing matters.

“Riannon,” Bray suddenly got serious, stepping in front of Roxanne, who was hiding behind him and shaking like a leaf in the wind, “Think about this. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. I am the Alpha of our pack and my wolf is going crazy for his mate. We can’t risk…”

“Brayden,” she addressed him calmly, “Our pack is one of the strongest in the country. We are not at war with anyone. And you are a strong Alpha. I believe in you, I always did. You know that. I am sure that rejecting your true mate would not be easy, but we will get through it. As a family that we are.”

“I just want what’s best for the pack,” Bray mumbled, not sounding so sure anymore and Ria felt a prick of hope.

“If you want what’s best for the pack, do it now,” she said, “The longer you put it off, the harder it would get. And if she is anything, she is your weakness. You already go back on your word and this is day one.”

His lips twitched slightly, and Ria knew what it meant. Her victory was close. She almost got rid of this redhead monster.

Sighing, Bray turned to Roxanne and spoke to her softly, “I am sorry. I’ll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise…”

Ria did not notice how hard she clenched the fabric of her dress. Was it always this easy? Could she stop all the disasters that happened to her if she simply said no at once?

“I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject…”, her husband started to say in a firm voice, when the omega in front of him fell to her knees, bursting into tears.

“Please, no!” she whimpered, “I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I’ll do anything!”

Bray froze. He couldn’t bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his. And this was the moment when Riannon realised that everything was lost. He turned to face her again and she held his gaze with pride.

“Please, Alpha!” Roxy started to sob and Ria had to give it to her. If she didn’t know who was before her, she would have bought it too. “I will be your slave! I can clean and I can cook! I can do anything! Just, please, spare me! Don’t do this! I will serve your Luna!”

A wave of electric shock went through Ria at the mention of her. She looked at her rival and met a gaze full of well-hidden hatred.

“Please, my Luna!” the girl kept begging still kneeling, “My fate is in your hands! Please, don’t kill me! Please, spare me! I will be your slave forever. Don’t kill me!”

No one spoke a word and the only sounds in the room were the pitiful sobs and sniffs of Roxanne.

“Sweet girl,” Riannon decided to try one last time, “There is no need for all that. You will be well taken care of, but just not here.”

“Please, my Luna!” Roxy crawled to her way faster than Ria managed to dodge her and grasped her dress, “The rejection will kill me! Please, spare me!”

“I…”, Ria wanted to say something but a loud growl made her stop.

“Enough!” Brayden roared, looking at her with his eyes shining red, meaning that his wolf was at the surface.

“Calm down,” his Luna said firmly but yet another growl emerged from him as he was furious.

“I said enough!” Brayden appeared next to Roxanne in no time and scooped her in his arms, “She is staying! We’ll find a way around everything!”

He walked firmly towards the huge staircase, taking his mate upstairs to one of the guestrooms. Ria knew very well which room it would be – the one in the far corner of the mansion, where her husband would practically move in no time. Roxanne’s head was tucked into Brayden’s neck and Riannon was sure that it was not a coincidence that she was now breathing into his collarbone, right where a mark should go.

Automatically, she touched the mark he gave her when she was nineteen and caught the omega’s gaze on herself. Roxanne was watching. And Ria knew that today she lost just like the last time.

Nothing changed. Her words and actions on that day played absolutely no part in what happened. It was like a very bad movie on repeat…

“Ri!” Maya came up to her when their Alpha was gone, “Are you okay?”

Riannon looked at her best friend, the one that she lost. Not thinking twice, she threw herself in Maya’s arms. After the death of her parents, this was the only person, apart from Brayden, whom she could trust with everything.

“There, there,” she patted her long platinum blonde hair, “It’s going to be all right. He will reconsider, I am sure.”

Only now did Ria realise how everything looked like to the people around her and distanced herself at once. She already lost her husband, there was no need to lose her face too.

“I am fine,” she said and caught the Beta’s gaze on her.

Ash nodded and gave her a soft sympathetic smile, before shouting loudly, “I feel like everyone forgot what they were supposed to be doing! The work is waiting!”

“Let’s go to your room,” Maya suggested, “We’ll talk about everything there.”

No, Ria did not need this conversation. She remembered it very well. Because they already had it.

What she really needed now was some time alone. Because she needed to process things and to come up with a new plan.

She couldn’t save her marriage, but she could still save Maya, other people who died with Roxy’s help, her pack and her own life.

“I just can’t right now,” she smiled at her friend, squeezing her hands, still not quite believing that she was here, “Let’s talk another time. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Work?” Maya’s eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Ria fixed the creases on her dress, “Now that our Alpha is… busy, I have to step in. The pack comes first.”

She gave her friend another warm smile and added, “Everything is going to be all right, Maya. We are going to be fine. All of us.”

Riannon locked the door of her Luna office and tried to control her ragged breathing. Too much! Everything was too much for her. She needed to clear her head and think of everything. She needed a plan. And a good one. She had to save everyone, herself included.

But the office was too stuffy. And she needed to breathe!

Only one thing could help her and it was shifting into her wolf.

Riannon went into the woods that were surrounding their pack and stripped, preparing to change her form.

But nothing happened.

"Onyx, are you there?" she spoke to her wolf for the first time since her sudden rebirth less than an hour before but did not get a reply. It was alarming. Onyx was there her whole life.

"Onyx!" Ria called for her second half but was met with silence. Angry, she ran as fast as she could using her human legs. She was still super fast and strong, which could only mean that her wolf was somewhere there. She was not weak. But what was wrong?

Chapter 3. The Call

CHAPTER 3

The Call

It did not take her long to get to her most favourite place in the world – the Silver Mirror Lake. This was the only place where Riannon could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse and close to the borders of the pack. But it was safe since they did not have any rogue attacks in that area. Just one pack away from here was the Lycans territory and it was rumoured that the Alpha King residence was also somewhere close. No one was foolish enough to enter these lands and check though.

So, Ria did not think twice when she stopped by the ledge of the lake, naked, and jumped into the water. It was cold but at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to calm herself down.

She let herself embrace the dark night when only the full moon shone upon her, making crystals of water sparkle on her skin when she felt someone’s presence. It was powerful and dominating, yet did not belong to her husband and made her alert at once.

Pretending that nothing happened, Ria carefully looked around and her eyes caught a figure of a huge wolf at a hill on the other side of the lake. He was dark, probably black. And his eyes were shining golden.

It was a bad sign. Very bad.

Riannon decided not to risk it and went underwater, getting to the shore as soon as she could and running for her life. Only a loud howl followed her.

She was back in the safe territory in no time. Luckily, her clothes were right where she left them. She pulled her dress on and tried to do the zipper at the back but her fingers were not reaching it.

“Let me help,” two hands touched her back and Beta Asher helped her with her little problem. Ria wondered if he had been there the whole time. But it did not matter in the long run. Werewolves were used to naked bodies. It wouldn’t be the first time he saw her without clothes. It wouldn’t be the last… probably.

“What are you doing here?” she asked the man, turning to face him.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said with an unreadable expression on his face, “Found your clothes and understood that you were on a run. But why didn’t you shift?”

“I did,” she lied without blinking. If anyone knew that she couldn’t shift, then her fate would be decided even sooner. She couldn’t afford that. Ria knew that she needed time. “But that’s not important,” she decided to change the subject quickly, “There was an intruder at the Silver Lake. Send wolves to check it out.”

“Of course, Luna,” he said and his eyes lost focus for a second as he was giving orders via the mind link.

Riannon decided not to wait for him and walked slowly into the house. But Ash caught up with her quickly and opened the door to the mansion for her.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said to her all of a sudden and she stopped. Back in the day, he used to say it to her all the time. Yet when decisions had to be made, he always took her husband’s side. It was one of the betrayals that hurt the most because she was sure that her relationship with the Beta was good prior to all that. Yet he didn’t even object when they stripped her of her title… There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him but she couldn’t.

So, she just placed her delicate hand on his broad shoulder and looked him in the eye, smiling sadly, “You knew, didn’t you?”

His expression changed as if a flash of lightning hit him and his lips parted slightly.

“Yes, Luna,” he confessed, darting his eyes to the ground.

“It’s okay,” she patted him, “I understand. You can’t go against your Alpha’s command.”

“If I could…” he started to speak but she placed her finger to his mouth making a shushing sound.

“Doesn’t matter,” she shrugged her shoulders, “At least I will always have your support, Ash. Right?”

“Always, Luna,” his breathing became heavy and Ria tilted her head, watching him. This was an interesting development. Why was he reacting like that?

“Then, of course, I’ll be fine,” she chuckled and went inside. She had to think of what to do next.

Ria locked herself in her bedroom. She knew that Brayden would not be coming back tonight to share the bed with her. As far as she remembered, he hadn't been sleeping with Roxy at that point yet and spent the whole night in his private office drinking and thinking of life. In the morning, he would bring her flowers and gifts… and an apology even. But Roxy would still stay.

After a long and relaxing bath, Ria went to her desk and got her old journal. She hadn’t been using it for many years, but it was dear to her heart. And it was just the right place to write down every single event that was important and that was going to happen within the year leading to her death.

She tried to remember everything while she still could.

And she knew very well what she was going to do with this information. The game was on.

The plan was simple, really. Since she couldn’t change the main event and get rid of Roxy, she had to leave. But she couldn’t leave without her pack and without making sure that all her dear friends were alive and well. Not to mention, that it was particularly important to try and show Brayden and the rest Roxanne’s true face. Everybody around thought that she was an angel while, in fact, she was the devil. Ria was afraid to even think what would happen if Roxy became the Luna for real, because she for sure wouldn’t have the pack’s interests at heart.

And although Ria’s own heart craved revenge, she didn’t want her life's work to be ruined. Plus, she didn’t have it in her heart to hate everyone. She saved it for just a selected few. The ones who betrayed her trust and led to her demise, the ones who promised her respect and protection but gave her humiliation and suffering. Yes, those were the ones she was going to concentrate on.

The door suddenly opened, and Brayden walked in, making her close the journal with the list of events and names rapidly and hide it back in the drawer. Luckily, he didn’t pay attention to that.

Guilt was all over his face and Ria wanted to roll her eyes, but held herself back. She couldn’t give herself away. This event did not happen prior. In her past life, he didn’t visit her that night. This was new and she had to be cautious.

“Ri,” he walked further into the room, “Ash informed me that you encountered an intruder. Are you okay?”

This was funny. She was sitting there, clearly looking well and in one piece. Who was he kidding? Was it guilt because she put up a fight and he still chose his mate?

“It was unpleasant,” Riannon shrugged her shoulders and stood up. If he decided to ignore the big pink elephant in the room, she could do the same. In the end, it was for the best. Their past conversations about Roxy never ended well. He would never believe what a monster his mate was. So, the less Riannon talked about her, the better.

“And also disappointing”, she went to the window to hide her facial expression.

“How so?” Brayden caught the bait.

“We are one of the strongest packs and some wolf is just wandering on our territory, spying on your Luna who is swimming naked in the lake…”

“He what?” Brayden growled possessively. Back in the day, it would drive her crazy in the best sense of the word. But right now… she was annoyed. He just claimed another woman in front of so many people. He had no right to growl like that in her presence anymore. She didn’t put it into words, of course.

“You heard me,” she said, “And instead of looking for that wolf the Alpha is doing goddess knows what. No offence, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier today. Your mate already distracted you from what was important.”

It was a low blow. But she needed him to be busy with something else right now. In the past, the closer he got to Roxy, the more power and supporters she received. And the worse it got for Riannon and her close people. If she could postpone the wheel of events for at least one day, she would do it.

“You are angry,” he sighed, “I understand, of course. I broke my promise to you. I…”

“Let’s not speak of it,” she stopped him, “It is what it is.”

“Ri, baby,” he nibbled on her neck, right where he marked her years ago, bonding their two wolves forever, acknowledging her as his chosen mate. “I hurt you and I will do anything to fix that.”

Not everything. She knew that too well.

“Only you can be my Luna, you know that, right?” he started peppering her neck with kisses, trying to unzip her dress at the same time.

This was… odd. She hadn’t slept with him for a while. Their paths went in different directions more than half a year ago in her past life. She was his abandoned and rejected wife…

Ria clenched her fists and then turned to face him.

“No!” she made him stop, “Not today.” Or ever. He had his last chance and he blew it. She did not want him anymore. If her wolf Onyx was here now, she would be howling from pain as she was attached to Brayden’s wolf Ragnar. But she didn’t feel Onyx now. She wasn’t under her influence. And she was furious.

She did not show it though. Her mom trained her well to conceal emotions. Finally, it was useful.

“Ri?” Brayden looked at her in shock. Before this day they were happy together. Which reminded Ria that he probably found Roxy earlier and was lying to her for the past few days. Or maybe weeks. “Honey, don’t do this. I love you and we are family. We will always be family.”

“Believe it or not, but I am not feeling well after everything that happened today,” she looked him in the eye, “But it will make me happy if you bring me the intruder’s head.”

He nodded quietly, “Anything for you, Ri.”

Her husband brushed her cheek and she tolerated that. Even forced a smile for the sake of the show.

“You’ll have his head in the morning!” he promised before leaving her alone.

Maya tried to reach her mentally but Riannon just asked her to wait until the morning.

After a mostly sleepless night, she knew what she had to do and she also knew her first step.

In her office, she dialled the number that none other werewolves would risk dialling. But she was left with no choice.

“Hello, Beta Reid speaking,” the annoyed male voice sounded on the other end and Riannon gulped before speaking.

“Hello, Beta. This is Luna Riannon Thorn. Nee Michaels.”

It didn’t ring a bell to him.

“And?” he seemed bored.

“Seven years ago I saved your nephew during a rogue attack in one of the boarding schools. Back then you gave me this number and told me that you owe me one.”

The lycan paused before answering her.

“And I guess you are calling to collect?” he chuckled, “And here I thought that there were selfless people in this world…”

“I wouldn’t ask if lives did not depend on it,” she interrupted him. Lycans were hard to get in touch with. They did not mingle with regular werewolves with rare exceptions. But sometimes they attended elite boarding schools for shifters. That’s when Ria’s luck was on her side.

“Fine,” the man agreed, “What do you want then?”

“I need to speak to the Lycan Alpha King,” Riannon said firmly.

Chapter 4. Royal Confrontation

“Bold, aren’t we?” the Beta chuckled and Ria didn’t know what to think. “Do you think that the King will do whatever I tell him?”

“I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,” she bit her lip. She was walking on thin ice here and was aware of that.

But she had no choice either.

“Fine,” the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was doing, “Crystle, dear, that’s enough of sucking. I need to go.”

Then he groaned again and Riannon’s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?!

There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, “See you tonight, Beta.” And then sounds of steps.

“Just so that you know,” the Beta spoke again, “I am sacrificing a lot right now to pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.”

“Of course,” Ria cleared her throat, “I appreciate your… sacrifice.”

He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door.

“Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,” the sounds were muffled but she could still understand everything.

“Not interested,” the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She thought if the king was… busy as well. He sure wouldn’t sacrifice his pleasure time for her.

“I am not trying to set you up with anyone,” the Beta burst out laughing, “It’s just some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?”

“Not interested,” was the reply and Ria’s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best chance… In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in their lands too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stopped coming through, meaning that he probably blocked her.

“Give her 5 minutes,” from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his king’s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she heard a resounding metallic voice.

“Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,” the man said and she sucked in a breath. He didn’t even use his title. Was that really the Lycan King?

“Hello, your majesty,” she decided to address him formally anyway, “ My name is Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5 minutes with him.

“I need your help,” she breathed out, “My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn and we are planning to divorce in the nearby future.”

“Fascinating,” the man said without any emotions in his voice, “ But what does it have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.”

“I know, Alpha,” she agreed and heard him growl slightly, “That’s not the part that I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married, we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your word will be the last at the Alpha Council. They wouldn't be able to decline.”

“Hmm,” he sounded amused, “And you think that the case would go that far? You do know that the Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will support you?”

“They will if they know that you are on my side,” Riannon felt braver now, “But also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then maybe everything is awesome and you don’t need my help at all?” He chucked.

“I do, your majesty,” she assured him, “I really do. And I would really appreciate it.”

“This is a complex matter,” he said after a short pause, “Not something I would decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn’t sound serious enough to bother.”

Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?!

“But…”

“There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your husband. You didn’t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it’s too late,” the Alpha King seemed bored, “He will still owe you generous alimony according to our laws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that’s what bothers you…”

“It’s not about that!” She gritted her teeth, “I can’t leave my people with them!”

“Them?” The king scoffed, “So, this is the problem. He found another and you are bitter about it?”

This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who were considered her friends.

“I am not bitter!” She spat, “I am furious. Because only now do I see how many flaws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a male doesn’t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but when it comes to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha’s job for years by my husband’s side and I’ve done it flawlessly. But all you see is a wounded woman who can’t get over her husband’s betrayal. And you know what, it hurts like but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next move. You don’t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a disappointing introduction to my king!”

She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall into several pieces.

What a joke!

Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta’s phone. What the was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up?

“O-kay,” Reid carefully took his cell back, “I see that went well.”

“Remind me again who was it?” Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick brows.

“What?” Reid let out a nervous laugh, “Before I tell you… Are you going to kill her or…”

“REID!” Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard him well.

“Fine!” the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, “She is the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

Silver River… not far from Silver Lake.

“What else?” the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently.

“Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.”

“You said that you owed her,” Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, “How so? Is she one of your many whores?”

“Of course not!” the Beta sounded offended, “She… she saved Kyle seven years ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event there. She wasn’t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the role.”

“She saved him?” Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she didn’t come on time…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” the king groaned.

“There was no time!” Reid shook his shoulders, “And how could I know that you would be such a d*ck to her?!”

“Is there a good time to be a d*ck?” the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more.

“Find out where I can meet her,” Gideon cut him off, “I am intrigued. She does seem… feisty.”

“Just the way you hate them,” Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha’s glare, he wiped the smile off his face, “I’ll go… get to work.”

Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this woman… she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was amusing indeed.

And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case.

So be it.

Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She didn’t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to face once she went downstairs.

But she almost bumped into Maya at the door.

“Ria,” her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that the latter was nervous, “How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?”

Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything.

“Maybe another time,” she said, taking Maya’s hand and still not believing that she was alive, “Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?”

“Always,” Maya’s eyes glistened with tears.

The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention.

“Luna!” she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her succeed, “P-please, forgive my rudeness! I know my place!”

Here we go again…

Chapter 5. The Beta Female Best Friend

Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance.

Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen.

Well, Riannon wasn't going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher - Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything.

Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work.

So, she was going to try something else.

“I am so sorry, Luna,” Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya.

“Roxy,” Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, “I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.”

She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people's hearts. Over time, a lot of them stood on her side because she was, after all, their Alpha’s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn’t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection.

Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria’s arms again.

“Thank you!” she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn't close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now. Meanwhile Roxy went on, “I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is…I’ll be your personal maid if I have to.”

At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back a laugh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to become a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now.

Get used to that, my love.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Roxy!” Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. “You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work according to your abilities. And if they aren’t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.”

The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise?

“I am the luckiest girl alive,” she smiled innocently, flapping her eyelashes,“No wonder my mate… I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.”

“Oh, you will have to tell me later!” Ria giggled and pushed Roxy back to the chair she was sitting at prior. Luckily, she didn’t risk taking the Luna’s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria didn’t have to deal with it today.

“I will be happy to!” Roxane shook her red locks and the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing fell off her shoulder “accidentally”, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The mate bond was already working. And their time was slipping away.

“By the way,” Riannon took a sip of her coffee and it seemed more bitter than usual, “We need to assign a budget for Roxanne.”

Once again, the whole room went quiet.

“Are you sure, Luna?” Beta Asher spoke, “She is just an omega and…”

“She is not a simple omega,” Riannon raised her chin high and put a perfect smile on her face, “She is our Alpha’s mate. He did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it’s time to throw away the worn-out t-shirts and jeans.”

“That’s very kind of you, Luna,” Maya couldn’t stay silent anymore, “Some would even say too kind. I mean, considering…”

“I do what I can,” Ria sent her best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, “And let’s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don’t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish her no harm and will have zero tolerance to the ones who try to do it.”

And with that, she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching glances of her pack mates on her.

There they were. The looks they used to give to Roxy. Now they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this time there was more respect than pity.

Back in the day, Ria did all the same things. But her mistake was not to announce it in front of everyone. And in the end, Roxy played them and made them believe that Ria mistreated her where she could.

She caught Brayden’s gaze on her and sent a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this was good.

Right after the breakfast Maya pulled her into the Luna office and made sure to lock the door properly. The room had sound isolation and they could talk in private without the fear of being overheard.

“What the are you doing?” she hissed at her friend, “You are welcoming his mate?! You should have insisted again and again on him rejecting her!”

“Oh, M,” Ria couldn’t help herself and hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of almonds and this made her broken heart warm again.

“Stupid perfect Luna! You can’t be this kind!” Maya almost sobbed, “You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess’s sake! What was he thinking?!”

“I know,” Ria sighed, stepping away, “But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the mate bond. That battle was lost the moment he met her and didn’t reject her.”

“You are so calm about it! I can’t believe this!” the girl shook her head, clear signs of worry on her face.

Ria contemplated for a few seconds but deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust this secret to anyone, it would be her best friend since childhood.

“I need to tell you something,” Riannon took Maya’s hands and led her to the armchair, sitting on the verge of her desk. “But I will need you to be open-minded about what I am about to say.”

She spoke and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya’s own death. There was no need for that. She knew that the small fragments she was ready to share now would be enough for her.

When she was done, Maya looked at her with red eyes, “It’s…”

“Unbelievable, I know,” Riannon sighed.

“Horrible!” her friend took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, “Ria! That’s awful! What you had to go through…”

“Wait, you meant you have no doubts in what I said now?” the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her bestie.

“You wouldn’t joke about it at a moment like that,” Maya leaned back on her chair, “And as far as I know, you were madly in love with Brayden just yesterday. But now… You are so calm that it’s frightening. So this explains a lot. You don't get over love like that in one day.”

That was true. Riannon did not know for sure if all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn't the same girl from before. She was twenty-five but it felt as if she lived much longer now. Suffering and broken heart could do that to people.

“And it doesn’t bother you how crazy that sounds?” Ria decided to make sure they were on the same page.

“I believe in the Moon Goddess,” Maya shook her shoulders, “She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that… Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death for you! Anyone but you!”

“I missed you so much,” Ria couldn’t help herself and gave Maya another hug. She went quiet for a bit and I gave herself a promise that whatever happened, she would at least save her best friend. She was not going to lose her again.

“So, what’s the plan?” Maya went into the battle mode fast. She was one of those underappreciated wolves. They called her Luna’s assistant and both of them hated that. She had pure Beta blood and could take down an Alpha if she tried hard. Maybe not any Alpha but definitely most of them. They thought too much of themselves and always underestimated pretty girls.

“The plan is to divorce and take our pack back,” Ria smiled, knowing that she had a great ally on her side now, “The Pearl Moon.”

“Is this even possible?” Maya whistled, “I mean, if you quickly get pregnant with Brayden’s baby and then we kill him, we could get this all…”

“No, thank you,” Ria first with laughter, “Goddess you are so bloodthirsty!”

“My hands are just itching to cut his di…”

“I got you!” the Luna covered her face with her hands, trying to suppress another outburst of giggles.

“You know what, I have an idea!” Maya said all of a sudden, “How about we ask lycans for help?! This may actually…”

“Been there, done that. Their king is an a$shole,” Ria rolled her eyes.
“You what?!” her friend’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“I had one lycan who owed me and asked him to arrange a conversation with his king. But you have no idea how arrogant he is!” Ria explained.

“Worse than Brayden?” Maya chuckled.

“Worse than Brayden,” Ria confirmed.

“Okay then, what’s next?” the Beta female never gave up and this was one of the very many reasons they became friends in the first place.

“Simple, really. I need to get the support of as many Alphas as I can,” Riannon exhaled loudly, “So that when the divorce comes into force, they give me their votes when I raise the matter in the Alpha Counicl. And I will.”

“How many do you think will support you?” Maya asked bluntly, getting her cell our of her pocket, "Count on the alphas where mu cousins are Betas. I'll take care of them."

“Not sure yet, but I know where to strike first,” Ria tapped her fingers over the cold wood of her desk, waiting for Maya to tear her eyes off the phone and spare her a look.

“Do tell!” the girl seemed genuinely interested.

“The most important event of the year that is just around the corner,” Riannon smirked, "The annual Alpha ball"

Chapter 6. Dress to Impress

“Ri,” Brayden’s head popped out of the door of Riannon’s office right when she was finishing discussing the pack’s primary school budget with the headmistress, “Do you have a sec?”

“Yes, we are done here,” Ria handed the papers to the woman in front of her and the latter gave her a sympathetic smile. The Luna remembered very well that she was the one who stood by her by the very end. That was one of the reasons she managed to squeeze in a little extra cash for the school.

“Luna, Alpha,” the headmistress bowed her head and left, leaving the husband and the wife alone for the first time in a while. For the last few days, Riannon tried to avoid Brayden at all costs. She remembered too well that their every meeting in the past life was ending badly during those days. Back then she tried to keep her dignity and not approach him first. They had meals together with pack members as always. And work meetings with Beta, Gamma and so on. But other than that, every time Bray wanted to talk to her, Riannon was finding a perfect excuse to escape. There was no point in talking to him since nothing could be changed. She debated telling him the truth about her rebirth but swept that idea under the rug. He could decide that she was crazy and use that during their divorce when she planned to get her pack back.

The silence was getting awkward.

“Long time no see,” he came closer and she remained behind her desk to make it harder for him to approach her.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Ria threw herself back in her chair, “Is it about the Alpha Ball?”

“Did you get my flowers?” he asked.

The flowers kept coming. He was probably still feeling guilty.

“Yes, they are lovely,” she forced a smile, “Thank you. So, did you come to speak about the Alpha Ball?”

They already had this conversation. He caught her in her office and broke her heart.

“Yes,” Brayed pulled the collar of his shirt to make it easier to breathe while Ria watched him with an indifferent expression that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “It’s about Roxy… I mean Roxanne.”

“What about her?” she pretended not to know what it was about.

“Listen,” he sighed and averted her gaze, “I kind of promised her that I would take her to the ball as my partner.”

“Oh, really?” Riannon tilted her head, “I wonder when and how that happened?”

“It’s… a long story,” he cleared his throat, “Please, understand. My wolf is dying when she is unhappy. And she has never been to a ball like that.”

“Oh, my,” Ria gasped and shook her head, “Should I maybe take Enzo with me? He hasn’t seen an event like that either. And neither did Cole.”

She mentioned the hottest single warriors of the pack on purpose. And heard a growl emerge from her husband’s chest. That served him right.

“What is it with you lately, Ri?” he looked at her in disbelief, “My Luna will not be going with someone else!”

“But it’s okay if my Alpha goes with someone else? How is that fair?” she shot her brow up, challenging him. And Brayden hated challenge.

“Maybe you should sit this one out then!” he snarled at her and for the first time, she started to get worried here. She needed that ball. She needed it badly.

“No, thanks,” the Luna crossed her hands on her chest, “I got my own personal invitation. Besides, it’s important to mingle with other Lunas for the sake of our pack. We still need to organise student and warrior exchanges and a couple of mating events for over 18s. Or do you expect Roxy to be able to deal with it instead of enjoying her first big ball? What kind of Cinderella she would be then if she would have to work again?!”

He exhaled through his nostrils and she knew that she managed to win.

“Fine,” he grunted standing up, “But you will go with Ash then. He is going anyway since he is the pack’s Beta.”

“Now you are sucking the fun out of his life too?” Ria chuckled, “I am sure he had a girl to take there and impress.”

“He already agreed to be you plus one,” Brayden informed her, “He’ll protect you there too.”

“How thoughtful,” she decided just to go with it. Getting rid of Ash would be easy anyway. He would see some Alpha’s daughter and off he would go.

Brayden prepared to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at her again

“Ri,” he looked her in the eye, “It’s just a transition period. We will get through this and everything will be fine.”

Lies.

“I will never take another Luna except for you.”

Lies.

“I still love you, it’s just that she had such a hard life and I am not a monster. She is just a sweet girl, she will never take your place.”

Lies, lies, lies.

“Thank you for telling me that,” she nodded, “I needed to hear that, Bray.”

She even forced a smile.

“Look, when the ball is over, let’s take a day off. Just you and me. What do you think?” he suggested all of a sudden and now she looked at him in surprise. This was new. It didn’t happen in the past.

“We’ll have to see our schedules for that,” she stretched her lips further, “But it’s a nice idea.”

“Then I’ll see you around?” he suddenly looked relieved as if he got rid of some kind of trouble here.

“I am your wife, am I not?” she chuckled and his smile faded.

He left and Ria’s phone buzzed with a notification that the dresses should have already arrived.

She paused just for a second. It worried her that he offered that day off thing. Was it a good sign or a bad? She wanted to change the events that caused so many disasters but this exact one wasn’t in her plans.

In the end, she was late for the fitting and entered the room full of the most important females of the pack. Maya was there along with their friends Tatiana and Aria. They greeted her in their usual friendly way. On the other side of the room sat Harper and her minions.

Harper was Brayden’s sister. And for some reason, she never liked Riannon too much since they were younger. She was one of the first to openly support Roxy. She was the one who opened the door for others who didn’t know what to do and actually promoted the evil redhead monster.

“Bring in the dresses,” Ria commanded firmly. She wanted to be done here quick.

It was a tradition of their pack that outfits for the ladies invited to the Alpha ball were chosen together and paid for by the pack. After all, they all were representing the Silver River pack and it was important to let others see how well they were doing.

A few omegas rolled in clothing racks with the most beautiful evening dresses from the top designers. Luna always was the first one to choose and then they went according to their ranks. The rest of the clothes was sent back.

Riannon knew very well which dress she was going to pick but still pretended to look at them all to avoid suspicion.

“How about that emerald one?” Harper suggested the colour that would never suit Riannon blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Do you like it?” she got the hanger and placed it to her chest with a smile, “It’s Zac Posen.”

“Beautiful!” her sister-in-law sneered.

“Then I will leave it for you,” Ria returned the facial expression and kept going. Soon she reached it. She remembered that dress well. Peach and shiny, with loads of rhinestones on the top.

She was choosing long enough and she took that one, moving to the mirror.

Any second now…

The door opened and Roxy barged in, gasping, “Oh, my goddess! Luna! I am so sorry! I’ll just go away not to ruin your mood.”

She was already doing it. Implying that just a sight of her was affecting Riannon.

And it was. But it was mean to bring this up.

“Stay,” Ria smiled gently and noticed how everyone was watching the two of them, “You are going to the ball too and you need an outfit.”

“I already got one,” Roxanne mumbled, “From all the money that you gave me. I got it in H&M.”

One of Harper’s minions snorted.

“This will not do,” Riannon turned and sighed, “You need a dress good enough for your new status.”

“And what is that?” Harper couldn’t help but ask the provocative question.

“Member of the Silver River pack,” Ria replied without any hesitation, “Look around. What do you like?”

A little sob emerged. And then a sniffle. Everybody turned to see the crying Roxy.

“This is so sweet!” she whined, “You are such a great Luna to take care of someone like me. I never had such a beautiful dress in my life!”

She pointed to the one that Riannon was holding.

“I thought I’d never…have… an opportunity.”

She burst out crying and Ria did her best not to roll her eyes.

“You can have it,” she stretched her hands with the garment towards the omega and pretty much everybody in the room was in shock.

“But Luna!” Aria gasped, “You need to be the first.”

“That’s fine,” Riannon shook her shoulders, “I saw a red one that I like too back there. Roxy can have that one since it’s the one that made you cry like that.”

Roxanne seemed a bit startled and Luna came closer, pushing the tasteless peach dress that was good enough for a middle school prom in some village.

“No, really,” Ria smirked, “I want you to have it.”

Their eyes met and Roxy gaped, realising that she had just been tricked.

“Now go to your room and try it on. It will look beautiful on you.” Or hideous.

As soon as Roxy left, Ria quickly went back to the rack and grabbed the first red dress she saw.

“I like this one,” she went out of the room as quickly as she could, followed by Maya, “Choose what you like, ladies.”

They came straight to Maya’s bedroom and as soon as they closed the door, they started laughing hysterically.

“Oh, my goddess!” Maya chuckled, “This was fun!”

“Indeed,” the Luna agreed, throwing away the red piece of fabric she had. Because the real dress that she was going to wear to the ball was right here. It was the most beautiful dress she had laid her eyes on. It was a stunning wine red off-shoulder gown made of silk chiffon, draped beautifully around the breast and down to the waist, creating a geometrical pattern and, but flowing freely to the ground.

It was a gown fit for a queen. And in the past life, Ria didn’t even order it for viewing as it was way out of her budget. But this time around she saw it again and thought to herself – just why the not?!

The last time she went to the Alpha Ball, it was the most awful experience for her. Roxanne was wearing a beautiful white dress and looking like the little innocent omega she loved to pretend, gaining everybody’s sympathy.

At the same time, Riannon gained pity from the Alphas and was mocked by some of the Lunas who never liked her. It was humiliating as it was to come as the third wheel for her husband and his mate. But on top of that, Brayden spent the whole evening by Roxy’s side. Ria was in a sour mood the whole time although she still managed to negotiate a few things.

This time, she knew what to expect and was ready. This time, she was going there to work.

“Do I look nice?” Maya grinned as she stepped out of the bathroom in a royal blue tight gown.

“You took one too, I see,” Riannon giggled as her friend twirled in front of her.

Today was a success thanks to Maya. She was the one who received all the dresses before the pack omegas got them and brought the one Ria wanted to her room without anyone seeing it.

“Of course,” she placed her hands onto her hips, “We are leaving this pack, so I am not going to save them money.”

“Just don’t shout about it around the mansion, okay?” Ria rolled her eyes, “It’s a secret after all. But you do look nice.”

“Thanks!” Maya seemed to agree, “Shame I am not going with you. But there is always next time, right?”

“When I am the Alpha and you are my Beta, you will attend it every year,” Luna winked at her.

***

In the evening, Ria finished her makeup and hair and walked out to the main part of her bedroom to find a blue box on the little table together with a new bouquet. She opened it and saw a luxurious and probably crazy expensive diamond necklace together with a simple card with one word only on it. Sorry.

“Huh,” she bit her lip, remembering that last time Brayden gave it to Roxy. And he got her some ruby earrings which she never wore. That changed too.

However, now wasn’t the time to think about all that.

She put the necklace on since it was finishing her look just perfect and left for the ball.

She was walking down the stairs, the skirt of her dress flowing beautifully as she looked at it. Most of her hair was up, with a few curly locks falling down her bare shoulders.

“You look beautiful tonight,” a male voice made her flinch.

...

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"CONGRATULATIONS, Jay-la ," my wolf Kora roared "You're carrying our little Alpha in there."
My heartbeat almost stopped when I process the news...I'm pregnant! Oh no, it's impossible.
"Kora, he has found his fated mate gifted to him by the moon goddess. I wasn't the one."
‘"I'm sorry about that, "Kora howled in pain, my tears burned, even more, and my heart ached so much I didn’t know if I could endure it. A baby. His baby. And he had just tossed her away like garbage and forbidden her to return.
The pain in my heart felt so strong, but we had to endure it and survive it for our pup.
I’d left the pack and decided never to come back. Never let him know about my pregnancy.

---

“I just need 2 minutes of your time.” Jay-la pleaded with the future Alpha of her pack, Alpha Nathan, of the Blood Moon Pack. She had a hand on his arm, He was frowning down at that hand, then those deep dark blue eyes she had once drowned in glared at her, at her touch in a deep disapproving manner.

They had been lovers casually for just over a year now, but it was all over now. He had found his fated mate gifted to him by the moon goddess herself, and just like that, he no longer had even a minute to spare for her.

Jay-la had loved him with all she had, her whole heart, even though she had known that this day would come, she had always kept the relationship with him light, playful and fun, so he would never know she was in love with him, he was not her fated mate nor she his. She just wanted to wish him well and let him know that she was going to leave and finish her law degree on campus full time, that she would be interning on her breaks and so wouldn’t be coming home for the next 2 years at least.

Jay-la just couldn’t watch him with his fated mate, watch how happy they would be, how in love, see them around making out and getting all hot and heavy, when it used to be her and him, it would just cause her too much heartache. She would never tell him that though.

As she stood there clinging to his arm pleading for just 2 minutes of his time, she was trying to smile up at him brightly like she always did, his fated mate Sophia walked into the room, glared at Jay-la and the way she was holding onto him. Sophia did not care about the fact that Nathan and Jay-la had been friends since childhood, for 20 years they had known each other, a fun friendship that she cherished.

Sophia’s wolf snarled at the sight before her and Sophia yelled “get your filthy dirty paws off of my mate.” she had stalked over and yanked Jay-la’s hand off of his arm, and yanked her away from Nathan, her other hand had stuck her, slapping her face so hard that Jay-la staggered a step backwards, her hand touching her now stinging cheek.

Kora, Jay-la’s wolf roared with rage inside of her mind, at the hurt and pain, the sheer viciousness of the sudden attack, Kora had raced forward ripping to the surface before Jay-la could stop her and with claws pushing out of her fingertips stuck Sophia, right back, a full slap to her own face, all claws out, tearing through the skin on the future Luna’s face, leaving 3 bloody scratches down her face, the blood dripping off her onto her clothes.

Sophia had screamed in pain from the attack on her own face, clutching at her face with both hands, her eyes turned to her mate as tears spilled down her bloody face. Jay-la knew she would heal and quickly, she had a wolf.

Nathan’s blue eyes had widened at the sight of his mate’s injury. He reached out for his mate and cradled her in his arms, holding her to his chest to comfort her. His blue eyes turned on Jay-la, they were so filled with rage, his wolf right there with him. He roared in anger at the pain inflicted on his mate by her: “Leave this pack. Don’t you ever come back.”

Jay-la stared at him horrified by his words, tears brimming in her green eyes, it was treason to attack the Luna or Alpha or even the future Luna or Alpha of your pack and her wolf had just done that, attacked the future Luna with claws out. She turned and hurried out of his office. If she stayed a minute longer she would only incur further punishment or perhaps death.

Kora whined in distress and pain at leaving him, leaving their home, leaving their family. She knew, as did Jay-la, they would never be allowed to come home again. If he had been the actual Alpha, she would have just been banished and marked as a rogue with no where to go.

Jay-la’s steps quickened as she headed out the packhouse front door, till she was running with tears streaming down her face, she headed for her car. She didn’t dare stay a minute longer. What if he changed his mind, what if his mate changed his mind on her punishment, and wanted her beaten and imprisoned or dead.

There was no time to say goodbye to her family, her mum, dad or her older brother. She just ran tears streaming and headed for her car. She heard the future Beta of the pack Jackson call out after her “Jay-la what’s wrong?” There was concern in his voice, but she didn’t stop to tell him, just got in the car and drove away as fast as she could to get off pack territory, before worse was to come.

At least he hadn’t had the power to demote her to a worthless rogue on the spot. Her only blessing at the time. It could still happen though. His father, Alpha Blaine, would choose whether or not that was still to come, he would hear Sophia and Nathan’s side of the story and judge her from it.

‘Why?’ Jay-la asked her wolf Kora, sobs wracking her as she drove away back to the university she had spent the past 2 years studying at. Lucky for her, she lived on campus and had a dorm to retreat to, somewhere to go. Now she couldn’t return to her pack.

‘Protect Pup.’ Kora howled in pain, Jay-la’s tears burned even more, her heart ached so much she didn’t know if she could endure it. A baby. His baby. And he had just tossed her away like garbage and forbidden her to return. The pain in her chest and inside of Kora felt as though it was ripping them apart, but they had to endure it, survive it for their pup.

The Defiant Mate

Jay-la’s POV

She stared at the letter in her hand, her hand was shaking so badly as she looked down at it, it had been 6 long years since she had fled the Blood Moon Pack and now here she stood looking at an envelope with her pack's seal on it.

His seal.

She lifted her eyes from the envelope to the beautiful boy playing with his sisters on the floor of the living room of her apartment. This is not happening. It can’t be.

They had somehow survived and moved on with their lives, were living peacefully well away from the pack. She had never returned, just like he’d told her. To this day, she was still somehow a member of the Blood Moon Pack. By the grace of the goddess Alpha Blaine had never severed her from the pack, she was still tied to it in some small way.

Her 3 children were playing and rough housing with each other. Jay-la had just gotten home from the law firm Stanton & Co, where she worked, in the human world, as far away from wolfen society as she could get. Had stayed away even when she had desperately needed her family, learned to live alone, how to be strong for her children, made friends in the human world, created a somewhat human family attachment to help ease her pain and loneliness.

Her son, so handsome and strong willed, filled with determination and courage. Just like his father, had blonde tussled hair and naturally tanned skin, he was so beautiful and full of life. He looked up at her with his brilliant green eyes, her eyes, it was the only thing he had gotten from her, everything else was from his father, a man who hated her.

The girls also had blonde hair and green eyes, she’d let their hair grow long, it was wavy like hers but not dark brown like hers, their temperament was much softer than her son, he was bigger and stronger and was their protector at all times, though he was only born 3 minutes earlier, little Nate was a good 2 inches taller than his identical twin sisters Lilly and Rosalie, most people thought he was their older brother about a year apart and Jay-la did not disillusion them.

She stepped into her kitchen, leaving them to play as they were, her eyes turning to the envelope in her hand, Kora too, was quiet in her mind, not certain what was about to happen to them or their lives. She could feel concern ebbing off of Kora, it was filtering down into her too.

She opened the letter and read it:

‘Jay-la Freeman,

You have been officially recalled back to Blood Moon Pack.

You will respond to this letter within 7 days and let it be known the day of your return.

Alpha Nathan – Blood Moon Pack’

How he had found her she did not know, but she was not going back. Taking a match she lit the gas stove and set the letter and its envelope on fire and watched it burn to ash. Defying him was not something that she should do, but she could not go back, not ever.

Turning to her mobile phone, Jay-la started looking at listings for a new place to live, she had to move and quickly.

It took 4 days to find a place that was available right away. It was not close to her office though, she now had a commute. Jay-la paid out the lease on this current apartment, as she was breaking it, and moved her and her children as fast as she could, leaving her lovely beach front apartment for one further in the city, it was larger and the price was the same, it had more room for the kids to play. It had a door man and night security, so at least she wasn’t about to be surprised or ambushed.

Jay-la moved the children to a new school as well. She had never truly hidden herself, just stayed away at all cost. Even Kora had to suffer, never truly getting the freedom she so desired, hardly ever got the chance to run free. Living in this human city took a toll on her. It was like being punished every day for one tiny crime.

1 mistake to protect her unborn pup’s and they had suffered for it. That suffering had made them both stronger willed, and no more did they let their heart decide anything, only logic and reality of a situation weighed in. No wolves were allowed in their world either, not anymore.

Stanton & Co Law Firm had been home to them since passing the Bar Exam. She had Lauren and Tony, her most trusted human friends, Lauren had delivered her pups, their unexpected arrival during a lunch meeting with Tony, whose wife had been visiting. She was a Doctor, thank goodness, all 3 of them had been birthed in his office at the university. She recalled crying after they had come, having no help to raise them. She told Tony and Lauren she had no family and their father didn’t care, which was true. They had taken pity on her, a 20-year-old with triplets and no family to help her out.

They had been there for her, so much so she now looked at them as her surrogate family, a second mum and dad, not that she actually called them that.

No one knew what she was, who her children’s father was, those things were still a secret she would take to her grave, humans had no idea about wolfen society and she was not allowed to let them in on the knowledge either. Wolfen society law.

The next official letter arrived at her residence 10 days after she moved. A shiver ran through her, moving had not worked. She returned it to sender, ‘not at this address’ and prayed to the goddess that would be the end of it.

2 weeks later another letter came. Again she returned it to sender, unopened and with the same message ‘not at this address’ In the human world this would have been enough for them to get the message that the person they were looking for did not live at the address they had. Again she prayed to the goddess that let this be the end of it, she couldn’t go back. She could never return, he had ordered her as much.
chapter 2

Nathan POV

In his hand was the second returned official letter he had sent to bring her back to the pack. The first had not been returned, he knew she would have opened it, curiosity would have gotten the better of her, if she had not felt the responsibility to answer her Alpha’s letter.

Nathan knew that they had not parted on good terms but it was time that Jay-la returned home. He had seen her on TV by mere chance, standing outside the front of a court house speaking to the press about the case she had just won for a client she was representing in a high profile divorce case.

6 long years had passed and she seemed bright, strong and filled with confidence, she had looked amazing dressed to kill in that dark blue skirt that was tight all the way down to her knees and a soft cream blouse which had clung to her body in the breeze, her bright green eyes had seemed so full of life, her comments to the press were straight to the point, no non-sense and she didn’t answer anything torrid or gossipy.

Life away from the pack seemed to suit her. His chest had ached a little, knowing he was the reason why she was out there and not here.

He and Havoc, his wolf, had watched her with great interest. She had always wanted to be a lawyer. Work in the packs legal department, not much cause for divorce lawyers with in wolfen society, but contract law was rife and if he remembered correctly that was what she was specialising in, while studying. They had watched from the lounge in the common room, his Beta – Jackson, Gamma – Stephen and Delta – Ethan had all also seen her on the TV that night, as all 4 of them had been having a drink and hunting for a movie to watch to wind down after a long day, Jackson had been in-charge of the remote and was flicking through the channels where her beautiful face had popped up on the screen, her name and law firm were rolling across the bottom of the screen it was a recap of the news of the day in the human world.

None of them had seen her since that day, the day he had forced her to leave. She had left and never come back, just as he had ordered her to. Looking at her beautiful face, she had grown into a very beautiful young woman, just 26 now. Listening to her voice he had felt a pang of regret and now realised he missed his long-time friend, they’d grown up together, trained together and been lovers once. Now there was nothing and she was gone.

‘Bring her home’ havoc had growled at him, and had been relentless in the days that followed to bring her home, just wouldn’t shut up about it and so he had agreed with his wolf, and made the decision that it was time to bring her home to the pack where she belonged. So he had sent the first official letter to her after Jackson had tracked her down. It hadn’t been that hard, less than a day, clearly she wasn’t hiding just staying away.

Now he sat in his office over a month later annoyed and verging on angry. She had ignored the first letter, or so he thought, there was a possibility she had not gotten it, but he didn’t think that was it, Jackson would not have made a mistake, they had all grown up together and she had been just as good a friend with him as she had been with Nathan.

Actually, Jackson had been really pissed off about her sudden leaving by Nathan’s order.

That day, Nathan had been angered and so had Havoc and they had responded without much thought. That fateful day he’d sent her away, acted solely on instinct, but had not given it much thought since that day either. Not til he had seen her on the TV.

Sophia had been really pissed off that she had not been stripped of rank and turned from the pack by his father Alpha Blaine, at the time. She had demanded that Jay-la be made a rogue for the insult, but his father had simply stated ‘No, its inappropriate under the circumstances.’ those circumstances being he knew that Jay-la and Nathan had been sleeping together for just over a year, and he felt there was more to it, that Sophia had probably over reacted.

Due to the move she had made that week the letter should have arrived, it was possible that she hadn’t received it, but there was also the possibility that she had read it and ignored it, moved to avoid him.

Turning the letter over in his hand he looked at his Beta “So this is how she’s going to play is it.”

“You did order her to leave and never come back” Jackson replied simply, “if she didn’t get the first letter and returned the other 2 perhaps she doesn’t know the content.” he was leaning casually against the wall, He appeared board.

Nathan returned his attention to the envelope and stared at it for a long time trying to decide a course of action. He nodded to himself after several minutes of contemplation, “Alright, let's make it really official. Something she can’t just ignore without the threat of retrieval.” His eyes moved to his Beta.

Jackson sighed heavily and turned those grey eyes on him, a frown on his face “you sure boss...you want to do that?”

“ Yes” Nathan replied firmly. “send it to her law firm, and make it to be signed for, so we know she got it.” His mouth quirked in a smug smile, ‘Lets see you ignore me now little wolf’ he thought ‘I can play as well as you can, only you can’t ignore me. I am your Alpha and you will do as I command’

the official letter

Jay-la POV

Eric Stanton, the CEO of Stanton & Co Law Firm, stood in front of her desk, tapping a black envelope in one hand while he waited patiently for her to end the call she was on. He would not rush her, it was one of her clients.

The minute she hung up the phone he stated “How is it you know the Browning Corporation? and why is it you have not brought them in as a client?” He sounded a little annoyed with her, probably ticked off she had not mentioned her affiliation with the company he was talking about.

But all she could feel the minute he mentioned the Browning Corporation was how hard her heart was hammering inside her chest. Her eyes moved to the Black envelope in his hand. She could see the white lettering on it. It couldn’t be. ‘No’ Kora echoed her thoughts.

Those envelopes were reserved for serious offences against the pack. It's an official notification.

Eric had absolutely no idea what he had in his hands. All he knew was that on the back was the official human world pack company seal. To him it was just a multi million dollar corporation, one of whom was writing to one of his lawyers by name.

“How did you get that?” she asked, trying not to show Eric how nervous she actually was.

“The head of the mail room had to sign for it. He alerted me to the corporation it came from.” he shrugged “standard policy”

Jay-la stood up to take it from him, but he stopped her "Again, How do you know this corporation? Are they trying to head hunt you?” he frowned down at her.

“No they are not.” Jay-la shook her head “ Please may I have it.”

“Explain yourself first.” Eric stated in a flat, no-non-sense tone.

“Fine…, I grew up within the Browning Corporation. My family still works for them. I however was tossed out at 20” she said trying to ignore the ache that suddenly hit her chest. She always missed home.

Eric stared at her. His light grey eyes focused solely on her green ones quite intently. She could tell that he was trying to decide if she was speaking the truth. He was again tapping the envelope in his hand. Then he simply tore it open right before her eyes, Clearly having decided not to believe her.

Jay-la prayed to the goddess that it was not worded in Wolfen. That the Alpha had thought things through and figured that this letter might end up in the hands of a human.

Her whole body froze as he read the letter out aloud.

‘Jay-la Freeman,

You have 3 days to respond to this letter.

You will return to Browning Corporation within 7 days

Or I will have you brought in

Nathan Browning, CEO Browning Corporation’

Eric up ended the envelope and Jay-la saw a long glass vial with a cork stopper fall into his hand, inside the vial was a single purple wolfs-bane flower. It meant nothing to Eric. He held it up and turned it over and around, trying to make sense of it, frowning at it the whole time.

Jay-la’s heart however, sank. This letter was a threat that the new Alpha, her once long-time childhood friend and lover, would use brute force, by any means necessary to bring her in if she did not comply with his request.

What he even wanted of her she had no idea. The original letter had no topic, just a demand to come home more or less. Not that she wanted that. She had left at his order and she did not wish to return. The Luna already hated her – perhaps he had just taken over as Alpha, now Sophia and he could finally punish her and officially turn her rogue. Was he so cruel that he wanted to do it in person? His Luna probably still harboured a grudge and he would do anything for her. They probably wanted to see her in pain as she was severed from the pack.

Jay-la plucked the letter from Eric’s hand and the glass vial as well, and read it for herself. Kora whined at her also now worried that if they did go back they could not take the triplets with them, they would have to find someone to watch them and then hope and pray to the goddess that banishment to a rogue status was all this was about, and once it was done she could leave and return to her life here in the human world.

The other thoughts going through her mind were killing her. What if the Luna wanted to torture her, imprison her or worse kill her, leaving her children as orphans in the human world, fear was creeping inside of her, but she had to push it down.

No, she could leave them with Tony and Lauren even though they have no knowledge of Wolfen Society and if the worst happens she knew they would take them in and raise them. Their first shift would terrify both them and the children probably, but what else could she do. She could not leave them to her real parents. The Luna would surely kill them the minute she figured out they were the Alpha’s children. She wouldn’t want any competition for the heir to the pack raring up from out of no where, and if they were given to her parents it wouldn’t take long for Alpha Nathan to scent out his own flesh and blood, his wolf would smell them the minute they hit pack territory. His Luna would be out to get rid of them at her earliest convenience,

Eric drew her attention back to the present by tapping her on the shoulder. “What is that all about?”

“I don’t know.” Jay-la shrugged in all honesty. “I’ve been gone 6 years Eric. You hired me right out of University. Have I not been here the whole time?”

“Hmm,” he nodded. “I don’t want to lose you Jay-la, Why don’t you call the office number, it’s right there on the bottom, you can try to bring them in as a client.”

Ha, that is never going to happen, she thought to herself, you my dear Eric have no idea who he really is, or what he can do, and you don’t want to either. “I doubt I would be able to. To be completely honest with you, the man hates me.”

“So why the demand for you to return?”

“perhaps…” she seriously thought about it. Other than punishment for attacking his Luna, only one other thing stood out to her. The pack had paid for her law degree, she was supposed to return and work in the packs legal department, be a productive member of their society, which she had not done. At his order. “I guess I own them law school fees. The Browning Corporation paid my tuition, and I was supposed to work for them right out of university, but seeing as I was tossed away 2 years into the degree and told never to go back, I never did.”

“And they still paid your tuition?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Yes, the CEO at the time was Blaine Browning, I guess he did. His son Nathan is now the CEO and he was the one who tossed me out. Perhaps Blaine thought I would return or something.”

Eric nodded “Do you have the money to pay it back?”

Jay-la sighed “not all of it, but about half I guess.” if it was just a case of we want our money back, she could give them half and then organise a payment plan, she could draw up the contract herself and make sure it was to her benefit and add and iron clad clause that he leave her alone forever afterwards. Even put in a clause that the minute the debt was paid she would find another pack to take her in, solving the issue of attachment to them as well.

The real question was, could she do all of this without involving her children, or having him find out about them, he wouldn’t think they were his, or at least she doubted it; not unless he laid eyes on them, and could she find a pack that wouldn’t use them as leverage if they found out whose children they actually were, to many what if’s at this point.

“I could write you a contract and give you the rest. You can pay it back later, Jay-la. Would that be an option for you?”

Jay-la smiled at him, she knew why he was offering, the last divorce case she had worked on and won had just brought the company a whopping 5 million dollars of profit. The client had been so happy he had even referred his sister for her prenup before she was to get married next year. Jay-la was currently Gold to this law firm, she was bringing in the dollars. She was professional, methodical and always read the fine print, she never laxed in her duties and she knew how to play hardball. What she couldn’t win she would take to mediation and work out compromises that suited everyone, regardless of how long that took. She never gave up, a dog with a bone she’d once been described as, ha they had no idea how true it was.

“No, its fine Eric, once the settlement from my last case is in and you pay me, I’ll have the rest of it.”

He nodded, seemingly pleased “I’ll get that to you A.S.A.P then.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Jay-la said in all honesty, and watched him leave her office finally.

She sagged into her leather chair behind her desk, thankful for the plushness, glad she had shelled out $2500 for it, she put her head down on the desk and muttered “3 days” she could run. Three days was plenty of time to sever the connection on her end from her pack and run away. ‘ The minute we do, he will know we’re running’. Kora piped up ‘it’ll anger him even more’.

‘I know that Kora, but there is a chance he just won’t care right. What else can we do?’

Kora huffed, she too, it seemed needed time to think it through. Surely between the two of them they could come up with a plan.

Or they had 3 days to come up with the courage to make a phone call that she never wanted to make, to hear his voice, so filled with anger and hatred for the woman who dared cause harm to his Mate and now Luna.

There would be no softness, no playfulness, no undertones of the past, where he’d once teased and seduced her with his soft sexy voice during their nights of pleasure, nights she longed to forget, but somehow still haunted her dreams, nights that were burnt into her very soul, so much so that she and Kora were still plagued with dreams of him on occasion, usually with the full moon.

Though she and Kora had learned to let go of him, they would both forever be bound to him by the pups they shared. Pups he had no knowledge of, pups she wanted to keep hidden, they were all she and Kora had left of their old life.

Tim was no match in bed compared to her Alpha, but how could he be? He was human after all, she sighed and closed her eyes...3 days…
Chapter 4

Nathan POV

The woman was completely infuriating. Today was the deadline, the 3rd day since her company had signed for the letter. Why had she not called? Was she so stubid that she thought he wouldn’t follow through? It was getting late. He knew there was a time zone difference of 3 hours, so he had to give her till 5pm her time, which was 8pm his time, he looked at his watch. It was a quarter to 8 now. She wasn’t going to call, she was going to force his hand.

Jackson was leaning casually on the wall next to his desk, his regular haunt, and was watching him pace back and forth behind his desk “She’ll call” he stated simply, seemingly knowing what he was thinking. “Its Jay-la,”

“Time’s running out”. He snapped. If she didn’t call, he would have to follow through even if he didn’t want to. Havoc was annoyed with him because of the official order and the threat it contained, and was currently not speaking with him over it. His wolf had seemed to have changed lately.

His irritation at her lack of response was driving anger into him by the minute. Havoc, though not speaking to him, was prowling around inside his mind. Nathan didn’t believe she was going to call, she had a new life away from the pack, away from them, away from him. If he was totally honest with himself, he had half expected her to sever ties with the pack from her end and run, making him physically hunt her down. Which he would have, Havoc did love a good hunt and she was something he had enjoyed chasing once upon a time. Yet she hadn’t done so. Didn’t mean that she wouldn’t in the next 10 minutes.

The door to his office opened and, in strolled his father Blaine, he looked at Nathan pacing around, at Jackson watching him, felt the atmosphere in the room and sighed “what’s going on, son?”

“Jay-la, I gave her 3 days to contact and 7 days to come in.” he snapped, not really wanting to explain himself, he no longer had too, he’d been the Alpha for the past 2 years now. It was more of a courtesy comment out of respect for him being his father and former Alpha.

“You didn’t send the black envelope, did you son?” Blaine sounded annoyed with him.

“Yes” was all he said. He watched as his father’s blue eyes turned to focus on Jackson, his Beta, for confirmation, as though he thought his son was lying to him. When Jackson nodded his head, anger rolled off the former Alpha.

“Why on this goddess-gifted earth we’re standing on, would you do that?” both his hand were in his hair pulling at it in what appeared to be utter frustration.

Now he felt like he had to explain “She wouldn’t come home, when I requested politely. Rejected all requests...Bloody 3 of them she ignored. HOW DARE SHE!” he yelled the last part. He couldn’t help himself. He was the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, and she was still a member of this pack, his pack and therefore his to command and order as he saw fit and she dared to ignore him. Actually, she actively defied him, when he had reached out an olive branch and told her to come home.

His fists balled and he slammed one down on the corner of his desk to let out his frustration at her damed defiance. She would never have even thought of so much as saying no to him, once upon a time, it had always been yes, to anything he had asked her to do, along with a sweet smile and a playful wink.

But not now, it seemed. She has changed over the years. He was ready to explode his rage into the room. It wouldn’t take much glancing at his watch 2 minutes.

Jackson’s phone rang while Nathan was glaring at his office phone. Ring dayum it he willed it. The sound of Jackson’s phone was what pushed him over the edge. How dare anyone interrupt him during this time! He heard Jackson answer his phone in that lazy, laid back tone that he hated so much, “Hello, Beta Jackson speaking.”

His anger ripped out of him and he yelled “Send the worst of the worst and drag her bottom home.” both his fists hit his desk, he heard it crack, didn’t care.

Jackson stopped talking and stared right at him. He could feel his father's eyes on him as well. Jackson’s eyes returned to his phone and he shook his head and sighed heavily “Well Alpha, that went well.” Then his hard grey eyes were staring at him, practically staring him down. If he was spoiling for a fight. He could have one, the look was dayum near a challenge. His next words shocked him “that was Jay-la, she heard what you said, and has hung up. All I got was a gasp filled with fear.”

Now it was Nathan’s turn to run his hands through his hair and pull at it in frustration, and it dawned on him he was just like his father in so many ways. He closed his eyes. “Call her back, right now.” he demanded, trying not to kick the nearest thing to him.

Havoc was fuming inside him, ‘Look what you did now.’

‘I know’ Nathan muttered back to his wolf ‘I’ll fix it’.

‘you’d better’ came an angry snarl

Nathan stood watching as Jackson hit the number to call her back. Only to realise on the phone it actually stated Jay-la, that bast3rd had her number all this time. Oh he was going to get punched in the face after this was over. They could have called her and he wouldn’t have exploded and said what he had said.

Why did she have to wait so long, to the very last minute of the deadline? He was not exactly known for his patience nowadays. His father was still in the room also waiting for the outcome. He noted, though he seemed more curious about his son's reaction to the situation than he should be, he was standing by the door looking right at Nathan with a raised eyebrow and open curiosity on his face. He glared at his father and snapped “What?”

“Son you seem awfully upset about 1 little she-wolf! That you ordered away years ago...What’s going on exactly? Why are you insisting on bringing her back now? All of a sudden.”

That is my business, Nathan thought. He could do as he pleased, but he also knew that his father would push the subject harder and harder till he got an answer. He was the former Alpha and had the right to ask the question and receive and answer, he still had rights to know what was going on, he was still the Alpha in-charge when Nathan was away from the pack for business or Alpha Council or when he was off assisting an allied pack who was under attack and requesting assistance.

Nathan turned his attention back to his Beta. “ She didn’t pick up”. He was already trying again, knew better than to just call once. “ That’s odd, the line can’t be connected now” he stated, frowning down at his phone.

“just bloody great.” Nathan snapped, his anger backing up again, only this time he was angry with himself. He knew that he was responsible for her not picking up. She had heard him yell and reacted on instinct ‘probably going to run’. Havoc sounded flat out annoyed with him. Nathan agreed with his wolf.

“Jackson, make arrangements. Who do you know out there?”

“A couple of wolves, though retrieval is not really their thing, but money that will work for them.”

“Do it, she’s going to run.” Nathan nodded “Quickly.”

His father sighed heavily at him, gaining his attention. “I’d go yourself son, it would be better that way.”

“She’ll be long gone before me or any of my men can get there.” and he knew it to be true, they’d have to fly out and even with their private pack plane it would still take too long.

“Hmm, still…” his father seemed oddly calm for the situation at hand.

Nathan didn’t think much of it, dismissed it altogether. Who knew what his father thought on any given day. Retirement had changed him. He appeared more laid back nowadays. His reactions were more thoughtful on everything. When Nathan had questioned him about it a year ago, Blaine had shrugged and told him ‘you have to deal with all the stress now son, I get to spend time with my Mate. A lot of time.’ and he’d grinned like a school boy ‘if you know what I mean,’

Nathan had understood his meaning alright, the whole pack understood, his parents now not in charge all the time, seemed to have taken more interest in mating than anything else, anywhere and everywhere, for that matter, Half the pack had seen them and their wolves mating out in the woods in their wolf form and human, it had become a common occurrence especially on the full moon nights.

He watched as his father strolled out of his office “I wonder where my pretty is right now” he murmured to himself and was off to find her, Nathan prayed she was in their room and he wasn’t going to have to walk in on them somewhere in the pack house, he shook his head they seemed to have turned back time to when they were horny teenagers.

chapter 5

Jay-la POV

It had taken all her courage to call, she had already decided to call Beta Jackson’s number, not the packhouse number, she just couldn’t b**e talking to him at this point. It had been 6 long years and she still could see in her mind's eye, the anger in his eyes, feel the order he’d driven into her, pain tinged her chest and she rubbed it absently trying to make it go away.

She had spent the day staring at the number, it was almost 5pm. The deadline was approaching. Tony and Lauren had agreed to take the triplets for a few days while she went away on a business trip ‘thank the goddess for them,’ she sent a blessing to the goddess for them. They may be human but they were a goddess sent gift to her as far as she was concerned.

Sitting in her office chair, she dialled Jackson’s number from the bottom of the letter, Jackson’s smooth soft voice practically purred down the line at her, calm and collected, not a care in the world it seemed. She knew differently having grown up with him. That was just how he portrayed himself.

The anger and rage she heard from Alpha Nathan as he yelled out an order, she had never thought he would ever be capable of directing towards her ‘Send the worst of the worst’ fear had streaked through her right to the core of her being. Kora whimpered at this too, a fearful gasp escaped her lips and she disconnected the line instantly. Stared down at her mobile phone in horror as every fibre in her body screamed at her to run and run now and never look back. Kora did not argue with her at all.

He was still so angry with her, so much anger that it felt more like he completely and utterly hated her, how could he after their life-long friendship and love affair, could he just ignore 20 years of friendship and turn on her so easily.

Just 1 slap and that was it. Everything they’d shared gone just like that. For him, only his Luna mattered to him. Not his friendships, not the one with her anyway.

She stared at her phone as it rang. She saw the number knew it was Jackson and hit the reject call button. She stood and balled her fists, she was nothing to him after everything, just nothing. Jay-la slammed her fist down onto the phone with all her wolf strength, the phone shattered and shards went flying everywhere. ‘time to go’ she muttered more to herself than anything. She picked up her brief case and headed home.

She would tell her pups they were going on vacation and get on the first flight out of the country. They all had passports, had been overseas a few times on vacation, Singapore was nice and hardly ever saw wolves there. That could be an option. She would have to find a place that was more suited to Kora. She had suffered a lot not being able to shift so much due to living in the city all the time and staying away from anything Wolfen Society and rogue territory was out of the question to run in. That was too dangerous, no matter how fast Kora was, it was not a risk either of them were willing to take up, as it could leave they pups as orphans in the human world.

It was a long drive home from the office, over an hour now, that she had moved further away. The commute meant dealing with peak hour traffic. The only thing in her favour right this minute was that she was on the other side of the country from him, her Alpha. So it would give her time to pack and get away, at least 10 to 12 hours, he’d have to book his men on a flight and organise transport.

Jay-la would be long gone by then, this was it, no going back now. She would have to completely sever ties with the pack this time, but she would wait to do it until they were at the airport, too many scents for him to track at an airport and once she went rogue, he would no longer be able to track that particular scent that belonged to his pack, a scent that even now he could use to track her.

‘it’s going to hurt us’

‘I know, but what else can we do...the worst of the worst Kora, that means the men coming, whoever he sends can do whatever they want to us with no repercussions.’

she felt Kora shudder with disgust herself ‘I’ll kill any one that thinks they can touch us jay-la.’

‘I know we’ll try, but…’ they both knew they would be out numbered most likely, and though she had trained all her life and still did once a week, the men that would be coming would likely be twice her size and train every day. They would have a sick s******c side where pain was what they enjoyed inflicting, her fighting back would only incite them even more.

Jay-la parked her car outside the front of the building instead of in the secure car park. She was only going to be home long enough to pack each of them a suitcase and grab their passports, an hour tops, hopefully even less than that.

She got out of the car, lost in her thoughts of getting away and where to go, once she was a rogue there was no turning back, so choosing a place that had no wolves was probably a good idea, so a country that had no natural wolf population would be best. Other shifters wouldn’t bother her as long as she was of no threat to them.

Somewhere out of the way, somewhere small, somewhere with a nice forest for Kora and her children when they grew up and could shift and run freely, she could use her degree to get a job. Contract law was always in demand if she couldn’t pick up divorce law, and seeing as she spoke 3 languages, any of those countries would be good. So, even if not Law, she could go for a translator job with any corporation. That would be an advantage.

The cloth that covered her mouth as suddenly as the fierce grip around her waist as she was yanked backwards against a hard body startled her, so in her thoughts was she that she hadn’t seen, heard or smelled anything out of the ordinary. The sharp intake of her breath when she’d been startled meant the chloroform had been in haled deeply, making her fuzzy around the edges of her vision. Kora snarled instantly in her mind and as her claws were ripping from Jay-la’s finger tips ready to fight, there was a sharp sting to the left side of her neck and burning like fire started flooding through her into her veins, “ No” she tried to scream, but already the darkness was rushing at her, enveloping her. Her worst fear now coming true, her last thought before the darkness claimed her completely ‘my babies, I’m sorry.’

…

Her eyes were still heavy, she was so tired, and trying to open her eyes felt like the hardest thing in the world to do. It took several minutes before she could hold them open and focus on her surroundings. She appeared to be lying down on her right side, barely able to move, she could feel her arms bound behind her, ‘Kora’ she tried reaching for her wolf, got nothing, couldn’t feel her at all, couldn’t even sense her the tiniest bit.

drvgged with wolfs-bane, no access to her wolf and the burning sensation coming from her wrists meant silver cuffs, she was now as helpless as a human. There was no help for her at this point in time. She took a deep breath, tried to take in the situation. She was lying on what appeared to be the floor of a moving van, she was still wearing her clothes and there was no pain between her legs to say she had been assaulted while unconscious. Thank the goddess for that, not that she wanted to be awake for it. But how long she had been out, a few hours, the night, 24hours or more, she had no idea.

The triplets had been with their nanny. How long would she wait to call the police and report her missing? Would she stay with the children the whole time or leave them? To many what if’s. Don’t think about it, Suzzy is a great nanny. We pay her well, treat her with respect and she loves the triplets, she’ll stay with them. Jay-la told herself to try and keep herself calm. She had to remain calm. It was a must to survive and find an opportunity to get away.

It was the middle of the week, if she didn't come home and then didn't show up for work, someone would call the police and report her missing. The human police might not have much influence in the Wolfen Society, but wolves still had to placate them occasionally.

A foot touched her chest and pushed her onto her back. “Ah you’re awake I see” a gravelly male voice said to her, amusement lacing every word “What did you do, I wonder,” he chuckled at her.

Jay-la stared up at him, it was dark inside the van but she had no idea if it was dark outside or if the van was designed this way so no one could see in. She was only wearing a skirt and blouse, nothing that this wolf would have trouble removing to have his way with her. Her only defence now was her brains and her stiletto’s.

“ Please” she whispered, “I have children”. She was hoping to appeal to his family nature. Wolves were naturally paternal creatures, their mates and offspring meant everything to them, they would die without a thought to protect them. “3 children, please let me go.”

He frowned down at her for a full minute, then shrugged “sorry, paid already”. His voice sounded devoid of emotion all of a sudden, as though he had to cut himself off from his emotions to ignore her pleas.

“ They’re just 5, and no dad.” she pleaded with him,

Again. He frowned, and his eyes were just staring down at her. He was troubled and she knew it, it was working, then he shrugged “not my problem lady.” though he had appeared to be concerned maybe he just wasn’t or the money was too good to pass up.

Jay-la struggled to a sitting position. He just watched her wearily, she appeared of no real threat, still no wolf and for how long she had no idea, bound with silver handcuffs meant till they took them off probably, so until she reached her destination in all likelihood. She may look helpless, and have no wolf, but her father was a high-ranking worrier and he had trained her since she was 5 years old, always worried that his precious princess would come to harm, and he had wanted to make sure she could defend herself, trained her everyday without wolf, till Kora had come out at 16, so if this man wanted a fight she was going to give him one.

This was the day her dad had warned her about, the day he had drilled her for. She would do what her father taught her to do, fight and never give up, ignore the pain best you can and fight with every tool you have, whether it be whit, charm, seduction or even a tiny sliver of wood, anything at all, just got to throw them off guard, to get the advantage.

The van started to slow down, the man glanced away from her and she took the opportunity to push herself up onto her knees and then force herself to her feet using the van wall for balance and assistance. When he looked back at her, Jay-la shoved herself off the wall with one foot and slammed her body into his, catching him off guard completely, just like father taught her. She heard his head hit the other wall of the van with a crack so loud she had probably caused him a concussion, a growl elicited from his wolf as she struggled to pull herself back onto her feet away from him, but she lost her balance and fell backwards.

He was up quick and yelling “What the fk” as he reached for her, she kicked him hard with both feet and felt one of her stiletto’s heels sink into his flesh with a sickening suking sound, right into his abdomen. Her foot was suddenly wet with warm liquid, his blood was running down her foot from the wound she’d inflicted on him. The scream of pain that came from him told her it had dug deep. Thank the goddess, she wore 4 inch heels all the time.

Her foot and heel of her shoe were yanked from his body, the blood was running freely from his shirt, the van came to a sudden stop as he was trying to reach out and grab her again, but the sudden stopping made him fall. Jay-la pulled up a knee to protect herself from his weight as he fell on top of her. She gasped he was heavy, the man pushed himself up, cursing “bimbo, look what you did to me.” he snarled at her, grabbing her with his Wolfen strength with both hands around her waist and yanked her up off the floor.

“What the hll happened?” another man's voice came from the front of the van.

“Bloody she-wolf attack me.” he snapped, pain in his voice as he turned her around away from him, not wanting to risk another attack. Jay-la could feel that her blouse was also now wet with his blood, there was an uncomfortable stickiness on the heel of her right foot and down into the ball of her foot as the blood pooled in her shoe. She could smell it too now that she was held tightly against him, the back of her blouse was becoming wet with his blood, his wound had yet to heal, though she doubted it would be too long before his wolf started to heal him.

He had a tight grip on her now, more weary of her now than before. The door to the side of the van opened and another man appeared before her, tall and lean, all muscle. He was wearing non-descript clothing, blue jeans and a plain blue tee-shirt, his dark brown eyes took in the scene, his wolf at the forefront ready to assist too, she could see the slight green glow behind the brown of his eyes, it was ready to take control if she was too much of a handful.

Jay-la wasn’t all that big, 5foot 7, small of frame but fit, and right now probably looked small and fragile, useless to him. She watched him, carefully trying to assess how much trouble she was in, but trying to look defenceless and helpless at the same time. His wolf must not have thought much of her as it retreated, leaving his human counterpart to deal with her, a smile on his face “come here pretty one. We’re almost at your destination. Be good now.”

Jay-la pushed herself back against the wolf, already holding onto her as though she didn’t want him touching her. Shaking her head, “Don’t touch me” she hissed, bracing herself to attack him.

“Come now, you’re too pretty to mess up.” he leaned into the van to grab her.

Jay-la snapped her right foot up and out at him. He didn’t expect it and the heel of her stiletto landed as she had expected it too, sinking deep into his neck, his eyes went wide in shock and he pulled himself away from her, the heel coming free, he clutched at his neck as the blood started to pour out of him, his life was ebbing away from him, she had not missed her mark, the heel of her stiletto had sliced right through his carotid artery, nothing could save him now bar a goddess gifted miracle.

The man holding onto her swore so violently in her ear that the loudness actually hurt her ears. She was suddenly and abruptly shoved out of the van with no regard for the fact that she could not help herself or stop her fall, couldn’t even brace herself for impact. She hit the gravel road outside the van face first and all she could do was turn her face to the side, the gravel road ripped into her face tearing at the skin all the way from her temple to her chin, the pain was excruciating. She felt more pain ripping through her shoulder and hip, her chest was screaming as she felt her body slide along the gravel, tears were spilling from her eyes from the pain, she could barely draw breath from the sudden impact on the ground, she lay there helpless and in too much pain to move to try and get away.

Not that she had the time, she felt herself get pulled up by her hair, off the ground, a scream ripped from her as she thought she was about to be scalped, then her whole body was slammed up against the outside of the van and two hands were around her neck and squeezing, the life out of her, A third man had appeared and was trying to kill her, her feet were off the ground with the force he was shoving her up and strangling her, she tried to kick him but he was to close to do any damage.

“That’s my brother you bimbo, I’ll kill you.” he screamed at her, spittle spraying all over her face.

Jay-la had nothing to defend herself, still had her hands bound by silver cuffs behind her, he was using his body to block her kicking, her lack of oxygen was quickly sapping her of strength. She had had the wind knocked out of her upon hitting the ground and now she couldn’t draw breath at all as this man was killing her, strangling her to death.

Then the man was suddenly gone from her, her body dropped to the ground, she was unable to support herself, and her knees buckled under her own weight as she landed on the ground. A fight had started not far away. She could hear it, desperate to draw breath, darkness tinging her vision again, she struggled to stay awake, to push herself up on to her feet, her lungs burned, her entire body ached and pain filled her every move.

Her eyes moved sluggishly to the fighting men, one seemed vaguely familiar to her. She could hear yelling “I told you, no harm to her.”

“My brother is dead, she killed him” the other was yelling back.

Jay-la turned her head as she leaned on the van, finally drawing breath into her lungs properly, the man on the ground was indeed dead, and the one from inside the back of the van with her was sitting cradling his lifeless body, she didn’t really care, those bast3rds had drvgged her, taken her against her will, leaving her precious babies alone and unprotected. Dragging another breath into her lungs, Jay-la took the opportunity, while everyone was distracted to turn and run from everyone, down the road away from the van, away from the wolves.

Surely she could flag down a passing car. In her state someone would stop and help her, covered in blood, multiple injuries and bound. No human would not stop and help a female in such a bloody and dishevelled state.

It was only a few minutes before she was smashed into the ground yet again, pain upon pain, as she took more injuries to her already damaged skin. Her knees had taken some of this fall. She could feel pain coursing through them. 2 wolves pulled her up off the ground onto her feet and started pulling her back the way she had come. She tried to kick out at them but was in too much pain.

They were also bigger and stronger and just kept moving forward, her eyes lifted to the road ahead and fear embedded into her every fibre, she was home, she could see past the van to the big black gates that indicated the front entrance to Blood Moon Pack. The van had stopped a good 300 meters away due to her sudden fighting in the back. The left side of the gate was open, the right still closed, but she could easily recognise the red circle on the closed half of the gate which represented the Blood Moon. What the pack was named after.

Her struggles renewed but were to no avail, as they just gripped and arm each, tighter and tighter and marched her up the road toward the half-open gate and the waiting car she could now see on the other side of the gate. The back door was open and waiting for her.

She noted that the sounds of fighting had stopped, back by the van that had brought her here, tears were still spilling from her eyes, the pain was too much, and then there was her fear of being home, fear of what was to come, if this was just the beginning of it. She didn’t want to think about more pain that was due to her or how it was to be dealt out or by whom. A sob escaped her, she knew who it would be and her heart burned with pain at the thought of it.

Would she ever see her children again?

A hand fell on her left elbow and the 2 men holding her let go instantly. “Nice to see you again, Jay-la” she heard Beta Jackson’s voice wash over her in a soft gentle tone. “I’ll take her from her boys.” He then walked her up the road towards the gate and waiting car, she did not fight him, he had once been one of her closest friends, not anymore. But she could not fight him, there was only 1 or 2 people in the Blood Moon Pack that could take him down one on one and she was not one of them.

Her whole face hurt, her knees were on the verge of buckling under her from the pain, but on she walked, she was covered in wounds, and she did not have Kora to heal her or help ease her pain, she had to simply endure it for as long as they saw fit.

He was staring down at her, she could feel his eyes on her, she kept her eyes lowered to the ground, what could she say to this man to make him let her go and betray his Alpha, his best friend, nothing and she knew it, so she said nothing, just let those silent tears fall down her bloody and ruined face, she must look utterly miserable, which was exactly how she felt too.

She heard him sigh as they got to the car. He put her inside and slid in next to her, then ordered the driver to go straight to the pack house.

Her fate was now sealed, she could only pray to the goddess to protect her babies from harm. She sent up the prayer with all the love she had for her babies.

(It will automatically jump to the book)

"Have you ffffked her?" I asked my husband of 6 years who had just found his mate.
"No!" He yelled, as if insulted.
"Then reject her," I said with dead coldness.
"Ri, it will weaken my wolf...", he started the same song again and I wanted to laugh.
"You promised to reject your fated mate once you found her, Bray," I reminded my husband who had begged me to marry him. "That was why I agreed to marry you and brought my pack to merge with yours."
His lips twitched slightly. Sighing, he turned to his mate and spoke to her softly, "I am sorry. I'll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise."
"I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject...", he started to say in a firm voice, when the omega fell to her knees, bursting into tears.
"Please, no!" she whimpered, "I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I'll do anything!"
Bray froze. He turned to face me again. I could see pain in his eyes - he couldn't bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his.
"She is staying! We'll find a way around everything!" Bray said, clenching his fists.
And this was the moment when I realized that everything was lost.

...

Riannon stood there not quite believing her eyes. Her husband of six years had his arm wrapped around a petite girl in the middle of their pack house. The cute ginger head peeked at her discretely and Ria could swear that she saw a smirk for half of a second.

“Ri, dear,” Brayden, her legal husband, chosen mate and the Alpha of their pack addressed her in a way he always did when they were alone, “I need to confess… I have found my true mate. Her name is Roxanne.”

The silence in the room was deadly from the moment the two of them walked in, holding hands. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes were on the three of them. The Alpha, the Luna and the Alpha’s mate.

Ria couldn’t force herself to say anything, so Brayden took the lead.

“Listen, I know that we are chosen mates and you will always be my Luna, I assure you of that. But since my wolf saw Roxy, he is going nuts. It would be bad for the pack if I rejected her now. He wouldn’t be able to deal with it. And it will weaken us.”

There it was - the excuse!

The two of them were school sweethearts, the perfect couple. Rhiannon was a daughter and the heiress of a powerful Alpha from a very strong pack. Brayden was her father’s best friend’s son and the future Alpha of his own pack. Since they started dating when she was just 15 and he was 16, everybody couldn’t stop buzzing that they were true mates. They were always the IT couple and everyone envied their love. Besides, as a daughter of any alpha, Ria was educated to become a Luna one day. And not just any Luna. The perfect one. She spent all her free time studying what she would have to do for the rest of her life. And she mastered every single thing to perfection. So that when she was 18 and ready to marry Bray, she would be prepared.

But Bray’s 18th birthday was before hers. She trembled to meet him on that day, longing to hear the one and only most significant word of both of their lives - mate.

He got to her pack early that day and she ran down the stairs to greet him. But as she ran, both their smiles faded a bit. She couldn’t feel anything, but he already knew.

“We are not mates, aren’t we?” she asked, tears trickling down her chin.

“Not the fated ones,” Brayden sighed heavily and locked her in his arms, his lips touching her hair. They stood like this for quite some time, waiting for the disappointment to wash away. And when they were ready, Bray took her face into his hands and said, “It doesn’t matter, Ri! I choose you! I will always choose you! No matter what, no one can break the love between us. You will be my mate, my chosen mate! My one and only!”

It did help that their families practically planned the whole wedding at this point. Her father had no son anymore since Riannon’s older brother died young trying to save their little twin sisters from the rogues. All of them died as a result and Ria was the only one left. So, there was a pressing matter of who would be inheriting the pack. And Bray seemed like the obvious choice. The two of them loved each other and no family members were against the merger of the two strong packs.

A contract was drawn but Bray suggested waiting until Riannon was 19. He told her that he had made his choice but wanted her to try and find her mate before she made hers. They were visiting other packs for the whole year before her next birthday. And then got married one month later, since no mates were found but their feelings were only getting stronger.

They became the power couple of the werewolf world and merged both their packs into one, year by year, working to make it stronger. And now, at twenty-five, Ria was a renowned Luna whom everyone loved and admired.

Riannon traced her gaze around the room and saw the shocked faces of her packmates. Yet she couldn’t help but notice that not everyone seemed startled by the recent events. Her husband’s Beta was watching quietly from the distance, his hands crossed on his chest. But absolutely no surprise in his eyes.

However, the most stunned among them all was still Riannon herself. Although not for the reasons that they all assumed.

Her fingers were trembling and lips twitching slightly as she looked at her husband and his true mate with wide eyes.

“No,” she muttered, “It couldn’t be!”

Why would the Moon Goddess return her to that exact moment in time when all her life was turned upside down, leading to her demise?

What was going on? For her it was one year ago. And just seconds ago, Ria was crawling on the ground in the woods, fighting for her life as two creatures followed her closely. The wolf found her first, digging his sharp canines into her flesh and making her wince in pain.

She was a strong wolf herself, but unfortunately, someone drugged her with aconite, making her weak, unable to shift and practically paralysed.

The wolf growled as he ripped a part of her thigh off and, for the first time during this attack, Riannon screamed loudly.

“You can shout all you want,” the girl who stepped forward said, “No one is going to hear you here. Especially now.”

Ria recognised that voice at once. Her tormentor was none other than her husband’s true mate, Roxanne.

“You?!” Ria panted, trying to sit up, “Why are you doing it? You already took everything from me! My husband, my position as Luna, my pack…”

The wolf growled at her and she tried to recognize him, but it was too dark and she was too weak. The only thing that she knew was that the werewolf was brown. Yet there were many brown wolves in the world, so it did not help.

“I have my reasons,” Roxy smirked, rubbing her round belly, “And I don’t have to explain them to you. Not anymore. Your time has passed. You are done, Riannon.”

“They will find everything out!” the ex-Luna pleaded, “You will not get away with it!”

Resounding laughter was her answer as Roxy kneeled next to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, “Dear, Riannon, don’t you get it? I already did!”

She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground and ordered the wolf, “Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.”

Her arms and her legs were not listening anymore as Riannon watched Roxy walk away leisurely. As if she did not just order her murder.

A tear trickled down Ria's cheek as the wolf had a moment of hesitation.

She did not deserve it!

It was not fair!

If she had another chance, she would do everything differently.

“I am waiting!” Roxanne’s sweet voice broke her train of thought as the wolf jumped over her and ended her life in seconds.

Riannon gasped as she suddenly found herself in the reception room of her house. Something was off because all the old furniture that she loved so much was in place. She couldn’t understand what was going on until Bran walked in with Roxy in his arms and she recognized the day as exactly one year ago.

“The Moon Goddess has some sick sense of humour!” Ria thought to herself, “Out of all of the moments of my life, she brought me back into this most miserable and unpleasant one. What is up with that?!”

Luckily, she was always reserved and knew how to hide her feelings pretty well. So, she just lifted her chin up and met her husband’s gaze.

“I understand that this is very sudden,” Bray tried to sound considerate and she barely managed to hold back a scoff. Sudden? He had no idea!

“I know our agreement, but my wolf is going nuts. You are not only my Luna, but also my best friend, who always understands me. And I know that you always want what’s best for the pack. Roxanne is an omega and an orphan in her pack… Ri, it was horrible how she was treated there! They abused her and treated the girl like a slave! I couldn’t leave her there. It would be horrible and my wolf would never forgive me. I just need her presence here. That's all.”

He finally let go of Roxanne, leaving the redhead alone and went to his wife, taking her hands in his.

“Let her stay in the pack for the sake of it. My wolf is stronger next to her, the rejection would kill him. And we can give Roxy a peaceful life here. She will…”

“No,” the answer sounded calm yet loud enough for everyone to hear...

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Hello, this is my first published book on Dreame and I am very excited to start this journey. I promise you a bumpy ride with loads of twists and turns. Don't be shy and leave me a comment. I also have a group called Marissa Gilbert's Reading Circle where readers discuss chapters, characters and share visuals.

Right now the book is taking part in the Dreame Ace Book Contest. Please, consider giving it your vote by clicking on a gift box or finding the book on the ranking page.

Chapter 2. Rejection

They all stared at her in shock. Bray’s eyes were as wide as two saucers.

“Ri, my wolf…”, he started the same song again and she wanted to laugh. She had already heard it all back in her previous life. He was bringing up his wolf every time he wanted to spend time with Roxy. He never rejected her like they agreed and very soon she became his mistress.

Riannon tried to close her eyes even though it was extremely painful for her. But she was the one who truly cared about the pack and tried to drown herself in work. This was her other mistake. But since she got a second chance, she was not going to repeat it. She was going to get rid of Roxy here and now. Before it was too late.

Back then, Bray told her that it was her choice, and she chose wrong. Letting Roxanne stay for the sake of the pack was a big mistake. People died because of that and not only her. Ria’s eyes met with her best friend Maya’s and tears almost rolled in her eyes. Maya was one of those killed in Roxy’s schemes. She had her doubts before, but now she knew for sure. She was going to get rid of this evil once and for all.

“I said no,” she repeated herself and looked back at her husband with coldness, “We talked about this before and came to an agreement. We’ll find a good pack for her, who will take care of her. But she will not stay here. You need to reject her just as we agreed.”

One question that was bothering her was why Bran chose to have this conversation in public. But it wasn’t the time to think about it. Now she had more pressing matters.

“Riannon,” Bray suddenly got serious, stepping in front of Roxanne, who was hiding behind him and shaking like a leaf in the wind, “Think about this. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. I am the Alpha of our pack and my wolf is going crazy for his mate. We can’t risk…”

“Brayden,” she addressed him calmly, “Our pack is one of the strongest in the country. We are not at war with anyone. And you are a strong Alpha. I believe in you, I always did. You know that. I am sure that rejecting your true mate would not be easy, but we will get through it. As a family that we are.”

“I just want what’s best for the pack,” Bray mumbled, not sounding so sure anymore and Ria felt a prick of hope.

“If you want what’s best for the pack, do it now,” she said, “The longer you put it off, the harder it would get. And if she is anything, she is your weakness. You already go back on your word and this is day one.”

His lips twitched slightly, and Ria knew what it meant. Her victory was close. She almost got rid of this redhead monster.

Sighing, Bray turned to Roxanne and spoke to her softly, “I am sorry. I’ll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise…”

Ria did not notice how hard she clenched the fabric of her dress. Was it always this easy? Could she stop all the disasters that happened to her if she simply said no at once?

“I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject…”, her husband started to say in a firm voice, when the omega in front of him fell to her knees, bursting into tears.

“Please, no!” she whimpered, “I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I’ll do anything!”

Bray froze. He couldn’t bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his. And this was the moment when Riannon realised that everything was lost. He turned to face her again and she held his gaze with pride.

“Please, Alpha!” Roxy started to sob and Ria had to give it to her. If she didn’t know who was before her, she would have bought it too. “I will be your slave! I can clean and I can cook! I can do anything! Just, please, spare me! Don’t do this! I will serve your Luna!”

A wave of electric shock went through Ria at the mention of her. She looked at her rival and met a gaze full of well-hidden hatred.

“Please, my Luna!” the girl kept begging still kneeling, “My fate is in your hands! Please, don’t kill me! Please, spare me! I will be your slave forever. Don’t kill me!”

No one spoke a word and the only sounds in the room were the pitiful sobs and sniffs of Roxanne.

“Sweet girl,” Riannon decided to try one last time, “There is no need for all that. You will be well taken care of, but just not here.”

“Please, my Luna!” Roxy crawled to her way faster than Ria managed to dodge her and grasped her dress, “The rejection will kill me! Please, spare me!”

“I…”, Ria wanted to say something but a loud growl made her stop.

“Enough!” Brayden roared, looking at her with his eyes shining red, meaning that his wolf was at the surface.

“Calm down,” his Luna said firmly but yet another growl emerged from him as he was furious.

“I said enough!” Brayden appeared next to Roxanne in no time and scooped her in his arms, “She is staying! We’ll find a way around everything!”

He walked firmly towards the huge staircase, taking his mate upstairs to one of the guestrooms. Ria knew very well which room it would be – the one in the far corner of the mansion, where her husband would practically move in no time. Roxanne’s head was tucked into Brayden’s neck and Riannon was sure that it was not a coincidence that she was now breathing into his collarbone, right where a mark should go.

Automatically, she touched the mark he gave her when she was nineteen and caught the omega’s gaze on herself. Roxanne was watching. And Ria knew that today she lost just like the last time.

Nothing changed. Her words and actions on that day played absolutely no part in what happened. It was like a very bad movie on repeat…

“Ri!” Maya came up to her when their Alpha was gone, “Are you okay?”

Riannon looked at her best friend, the one that she lost. Not thinking twice, she threw herself in Maya’s arms. After the death of her parents, this was the only person, apart from Brayden, whom she could trust with everything.

“There, there,” she patted her long platinum blonde hair, “It’s going to be all right. He will reconsider, I am sure.”

Only now did Ria realise how everything looked like to the people around her and distanced herself at once. She already lost her husband, there was no need to lose her face too.

“I am fine,” she said and caught the Beta’s gaze on her.

Ash nodded and gave her a soft sympathetic smile, before shouting loudly, “I feel like everyone forgot what they were supposed to be doing! The work is waiting!”

“Let’s go to your room,” Maya suggested, “We’ll talk about everything there.”

No, Ria did not need this conversation. She remembered it very well. Because they already had it.

What she really needed now was some time alone. Because she needed to process things and to come up with a new plan.

She couldn’t save her marriage, but she could still save Maya, other people who died with Roxy’s help, her pack and her own life.

“I just can’t right now,” she smiled at her friend, squeezing her hands, still not quite believing that she was here, “Let’s talk another time. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Work?” Maya’s eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Ria fixed the creases on her dress, “Now that our Alpha is… busy, I have to step in. The pack comes first.”

She gave her friend another warm smile and added, “Everything is going to be all right, Maya. We are going to be fine. All of us.”

Riannon locked the door of her Luna office and tried to control her ragged breathing. Too much! Everything was too much for her. She needed to clear her head and think of everything. She needed a plan. And a good one. She had to save everyone, herself included.

But the office was too stuffy. And she needed to breathe!

Only one thing could help her and it was shifting into her wolf.

Riannon went into the woods that were surrounding their pack and stripped, preparing to change her form.

But nothing happened.

"Onyx, are you there?" she spoke to her wolf for the first time since her sudden rebirth less than an hour before but did not get a reply. It was alarming. Onyx was there her whole life.

"Onyx!" Ria called for her second half but was met with silence. Angry, she ran as fast as she could using her human legs. She was still super fast and strong, which could only mean that her wolf was somewhere there. She was not weak. But what was wrong?

Chapter 3. The Call

CHAPTER 3

The Call

It did not take her long to get to her most favourite place in the world – the Silver Mirror Lake. This was the only place where Riannon could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse and close to the borders of the pack. But it was safe since they did not have any rogue attacks in that area. Just one pack away from here was the Lycans territory and it was rumoured that the Alpha King residence was also somewhere close. No one was foolish enough to enter these lands and check though.

So, Ria did not think twice when she stopped by the ledge of the lake, naked, and jumped into the water. It was cold but at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to calm herself down.

She let herself embrace the dark night when only the full moon shone upon her, making crystals of water sparkle on her skin when she felt someone’s presence. It was powerful and dominating, yet did not belong to her husband and made her alert at once.

Pretending that nothing happened, Ria carefully looked around and her eyes caught a figure of a huge wolf at a hill on the other side of the lake. He was dark, probably black. And his eyes were shining golden.

It was a bad sign. Very bad.

Riannon decided not to risk it and went underwater, getting to the shore as soon as she could and running for her life. Only a loud howl followed her.

She was back in the safe territory in no time. Luckily, her clothes were right where she left them. She pulled her dress on and tried to do the zipper at the back but her fingers were not reaching it.

“Let me help,” two hands touched her back and Beta Asher helped her with her little problem. Ria wondered if he had been there the whole time. But it did not matter in the long run. Werewolves were used to naked bodies. It wouldn’t be the first time he saw her without clothes. It wouldn’t be the last… probably.

“What are you doing here?” she asked the man, turning to face him.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said with an unreadable expression on his face, “Found your clothes and understood that you were on a run. But why didn’t you shift?”

“I did,” she lied without blinking. If anyone knew that she couldn’t shift, then her fate would be decided even sooner. She couldn’t afford that. Ria knew that she needed time. “But that’s not important,” she decided to change the subject quickly, “There was an intruder at the Silver Lake. Send wolves to check it out.”

“Of course, Luna,” he said and his eyes lost focus for a second as he was giving orders via the mind link.

Riannon decided not to wait for him and walked slowly into the house. But Ash caught up with her quickly and opened the door to the mansion for her.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said to her all of a sudden and she stopped. Back in the day, he used to say it to her all the time. Yet when decisions had to be made, he always took her husband’s side. It was one of the betrayals that hurt the most because she was sure that her relationship with the Beta was good prior to all that. Yet he didn’t even object when they stripped her of her title… There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him but she couldn’t.

So, she just placed her delicate hand on his broad shoulder and looked him in the eye, smiling sadly, “You knew, didn’t you?”

His expression changed as if a flash of lightning hit him and his lips parted slightly.

“Yes, Luna,” he confessed, darting his eyes to the ground.

“It’s okay,” she patted him, “I understand. You can’t go against your Alpha’s command.”

“If I could…” he started to speak but she placed her finger to his mouth making a shushing sound.

“Doesn’t matter,” she shrugged her shoulders, “At least I will always have your support, Ash. Right?”

“Always, Luna,” his breathing became heavy and Ria tilted her head, watching him. This was an interesting development. Why was he reacting like that?

“Then, of course, I’ll be fine,” she chuckled and went inside. She had to think of what to do next.

Ria locked herself in her bedroom. She knew that Brayden would not be coming back tonight to share the bed with her. As far as she remembered, he hadn't been sleeping with Roxy at that point yet and spent the whole night in his private office drinking and thinking of life. In the morning, he would bring her flowers and gifts… and an apology even. But Roxy would still stay.

After a long and relaxing bath, Ria went to her desk and got her old journal. She hadn’t been using it for many years, but it was dear to her heart. And it was just the right place to write down every single event that was important and that was going to happen within the year leading to her death.

She tried to remember everything while she still could.

And she knew very well what she was going to do with this information. The game was on.

The plan was simple, really. Since she couldn’t change the main event and get rid of Roxy, she had to leave. But she couldn’t leave without her pack and without making sure that all her dear friends were alive and well. Not to mention, that it was particularly important to try and show Brayden and the rest Roxanne’s true face. Everybody around thought that she was an angel while, in fact, she was the devil. Ria was afraid to even think what would happen if Roxy became the Luna for real, because she for sure wouldn’t have the pack’s interests at heart.

And although Ria’s own heart craved revenge, she didn’t want her life's work to be ruined. Plus, she didn’t have it in her heart to hate everyone. She saved it for just a selected few. The ones who betrayed her trust and led to her demise, the ones who promised her respect and protection but gave her humiliation and suffering. Yes, those were the ones she was going to concentrate on.

The door suddenly opened, and Brayden walked in, making her close the journal with the list of events and names rapidly and hide it back in the drawer. Luckily, he didn’t pay attention to that.

Guilt was all over his face and Ria wanted to roll her eyes, but held herself back. She couldn’t give herself away. This event did not happen prior. In her past life, he didn’t visit her that night. This was new and she had to be cautious.

“Ri,” he walked further into the room, “Ash informed me that you encountered an intruder. Are you okay?”

This was funny. She was sitting there, clearly looking well and in one piece. Who was he kidding? Was it guilt because she put up a fight and he still chose his mate?

“It was unpleasant,” Riannon shrugged her shoulders and stood up. If he decided to ignore the big pink elephant in the room, she could do the same. In the end, it was for the best. Their past conversations about Roxy never ended well. He would never believe what a monster his mate was. So, the less Riannon talked about her, the better.

“And also disappointing”, she went to the window to hide her facial expression.

“How so?” Brayden caught the bait.

“We are one of the strongest packs and some wolf is just wandering on our territory, spying on your Luna who is swimming naked in the lake…”

“He what?” Brayden growled possessively. Back in the day, it would drive her crazy in the best sense of the word. But right now… she was annoyed. He just claimed another woman in front of so many people. He had no right to growl like that in her presence anymore. She didn’t put it into words, of course.

“You heard me,” she said, “And instead of looking for that wolf the Alpha is doing goddess knows what. No offence, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier today. Your mate already distracted you from what was important.”

It was a low blow. But she needed him to be busy with something else right now. In the past, the closer he got to Roxy, the more power and supporters she received. And the worse it got for Riannon and her close people. If she could postpone the wheel of events for at least one day, she would do it.

“You are angry,” he sighed, “I understand, of course. I broke my promise to you. I…”

“Let’s not speak of it,” she stopped him, “It is what it is.”

“Ri, baby,” he nibbled on her neck, right where he marked her years ago, bonding their two wolves forever, acknowledging her as his chosen mate. “I hurt you and I will do anything to fix that.”

Not everything. She knew that too well.

“Only you can be my Luna, you know that, right?” he started peppering her neck with kisses, trying to unzip her dress at the same time.

This was… odd. She hadn’t slept with him for a while. Their paths went in different directions more than half a year ago in her past life. She was his abandoned and rejected wife…

Ria clenched her fists and then turned to face him.

“No!” she made him stop, “Not today.” Or ever. He had his last chance and he blew it. She did not want him anymore. If her wolf Onyx was here now, she would be howling from pain as she was attached to Brayden’s wolf Ragnar. But she didn’t feel Onyx now. She wasn’t under her influence. And she was furious.

She did not show it though. Her mom trained her well to conceal emotions. Finally, it was useful.

“Ri?” Brayden looked at her in shock. Before this day they were happy together. Which reminded Ria that he probably found Roxy earlier and was lying to her for the past few days. Or maybe weeks. “Honey, don’t do this. I love you and we are family. We will always be family.”

“Believe it or not, but I am not feeling well after everything that happened today,” she looked him in the eye, “But it will make me happy if you bring me the intruder’s head.”

He nodded quietly, “Anything for you, Ri.”

Her husband brushed her cheek and she tolerated that. Even forced a smile for the sake of the show.

“You’ll have his head in the morning!” he promised before leaving her alone.

Maya tried to reach her mentally but Riannon just asked her to wait until the morning.

After a mostly sleepless night, she knew what she had to do and she also knew her first step.

In her office, she dialled the number that none other werewolves would risk dialling. But she was left with no choice.

“Hello, Beta Reid speaking,” the annoyed male voice sounded on the other end and Riannon gulped before speaking.

“Hello, Beta. This is Luna Riannon Thorn. Nee Michaels.”

It didn’t ring a bell to him.

“And?” he seemed bored.

“Seven years ago I saved your nephew during a rogue attack in one of the boarding schools. Back then you gave me this number and told me that you owe me one.”

The lycan paused before answering her.

“And I guess you are calling to collect?” he chuckled, “And here I thought that there were selfless people in this world…”

“I wouldn’t ask if lives did not depend on it,” she interrupted him. Lycans were hard to get in touch with. They did not mingle with regular werewolves with rare exceptions. But sometimes they attended elite boarding schools for shifters. That’s when Ria’s luck was on her side.

“Fine,” the man agreed, “What do you want then?”

“I need to speak to the Lycan Alpha King,” Riannon said firmly.

Chapter 4. Royal Confrontation

“Bold, aren’t we?” the Beta chuckled and Ria didn’t know what to think. “Do you think that the King will do whatever I tell him?”

“I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,” she bit her lip. She was walking on thin ice here and was aware of that.

But she had no choice either.

“Fine,” the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was doing, “Crystle, dear, that’s enough of sucking. I need to go.”

Then he groaned again and Riannon’s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?!

There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, “See you tonight, Beta.” And then sounds of steps.

“Just so that you know,” the Beta spoke again, “I am sacrificing a lot right now to pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.”

“Of course,” Ria cleared her throat, “I appreciate your… sacrifice.”

He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door.

“Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,” the sounds were muffled but she could still understand everything.

“Not interested,” the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She thought if the king was… busy as well. He sure wouldn’t sacrifice his pleasure time for her.

“I am not trying to set you up with anyone,” the Beta burst out laughing, “It’s just some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?”

“Not interested,” was the reply and Ria’s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best chance… In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in their lands too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stopped coming through, meaning that he probably blocked her.

“Give her 5 minutes,” from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his king’s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she heard a resounding metallic voice.

“Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,” the man said and she sucked in a breath. He didn’t even use his title. Was that really the Lycan King?

“Hello, your majesty,” she decided to address him formally anyway, “ My name is Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5 minutes with him.

“I need your help,” she breathed out, “My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn and we are planning to divorce in the nearby future.”

“Fascinating,” the man said without any emotions in his voice, “ But what does it have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.”

“I know, Alpha,” she agreed and heard him growl slightly, “That’s not the part that I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married, we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your word will be the last at the Alpha Council. They wouldn't be able to decline.”

“Hmm,” he sounded amused, “And you think that the case would go that far? You do know that the Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will support you?”

“They will if they know that you are on my side,” Riannon felt braver now, “But also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then maybe everything is awesome and you don’t need my help at all?” He chucked.

“I do, your majesty,” she assured him, “I really do. And I would really appreciate it.”

“This is a complex matter,” he said after a short pause, “Not something I would decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn’t sound serious enough to bother.”

Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?!

“But…”

“There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your husband. You didn’t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it’s too late,” the Alpha King seemed bored, “He will still owe you generous alimony according to our laws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that’s what bothers you…”

“It’s not about that!” She gritted her teeth, “I can’t leave my people with them!”

“Them?” The king scoffed, “So, this is the problem. He found another and you are bitter about it?”

This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who were considered her friends.

“I am not bitter!” She spat, “I am furious. Because only now do I see how many flaws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a male doesn’t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but when it comes to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha’s job for years by my husband’s side and I’ve done it flawlessly. But all you see is a wounded woman who can’t get over her husband’s betrayal. And you know what, it hurts like but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next move. You don’t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a disappointing introduction to my king!”

She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall into several pieces.

What a joke!

Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta’s phone. What the was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up?

“O-kay,” Reid carefully took his cell back, “I see that went well.”

“Remind me again who was it?” Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick brows.

“What?” Reid let out a nervous laugh, “Before I tell you… Are you going to kill her or…”

“REID!” Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard him well.

“Fine!” the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, “She is the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

Silver River… not far from Silver Lake.

“What else?” the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently.

“Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.”

“You said that you owed her,” Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, “How so? Is she one of your many whores?”

“Of course not!” the Beta sounded offended, “She… she saved Kyle seven years ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event there. She wasn’t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the role.”

“She saved him?” Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she didn’t come on time…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” the king groaned.

“There was no time!” Reid shook his shoulders, “And how could I know that you would be such a d*ck to her?!”

“Is there a good time to be a d*ck?” the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more.

“Find out where I can meet her,” Gideon cut him off, “I am intrigued. She does seem… feisty.”

“Just the way you hate them,” Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha’s glare, he wiped the smile off his face, “I’ll go… get to work.”

Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this woman… she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was amusing indeed.

And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case.

So be it.

Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She didn’t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to face once she went downstairs.

But she almost bumped into Maya at the door.

“Ria,” her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that the latter was nervous, “How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?”

Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything.

“Maybe another time,” she said, taking Maya’s hand and still not believing that she was alive, “Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?”

“Always,” Maya’s eyes glistened with tears.

The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention.

“Luna!” she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her succeed, “P-please, forgive my rudeness! I know my place!”

Here we go again…

Chapter 5. The Beta Female Best Friend

Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance.

Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen.

Well, Riannon wasn't going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher - Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything.

Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work.

So, she was going to try something else.

“I am so sorry, Luna,” Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya.

“Roxy,” Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, “I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.”

She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people's hearts. Over time, a lot of them stood on her side because she was, after all, their Alpha’s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn’t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection.

Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria’s arms again.

“Thank you!” she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn't close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now. Meanwhile Roxy went on, “I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is…I’ll be your personal maid if I have to.”

At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back a laugh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to become a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now.

Get used to that, my love.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Roxy!” Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. “You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work according to your abilities. And if they aren’t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.”

The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise?

“I am the luckiest girl alive,” she smiled innocently, flapping her eyelashes,“No wonder my mate… I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.”

“Oh, you will have to tell me later!” Ria giggled and pushed Roxy back to the chair she was sitting at prior. Luckily, she didn’t risk taking the Luna’s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria didn’t have to deal with it today.

“I will be happy to!” Roxane shook her red locks and the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing fell off her shoulder “accidentally”, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The mate bond was already working. And their time was slipping away.

“By the way,” Riannon took a sip of her coffee and it seemed more bitter than usual, “We need to assign a budget for Roxanne.”

Once again, the whole room went quiet.

“Are you sure, Luna?” Beta Asher spoke, “She is just an omega and…”

“She is not a simple omega,” Riannon raised her chin high and put a perfect smile on her face, “She is our Alpha’s mate. He did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it’s time to throw away the worn-out t-shirts and jeans.”

“That’s very kind of you, Luna,” Maya couldn’t stay silent anymore, “Some would even say too kind. I mean, considering…”

“I do what I can,” Ria sent her best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, “And let’s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don’t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish her no harm and will have zero tolerance to the ones who try to do it.”

And with that, she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching glances of her pack mates on her.

There they were. The looks they used to give to Roxy. Now they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this time there was more respect than pity.

Back in the day, Ria did all the same things. But her mistake was not to announce it in front of everyone. And in the end, Roxy played them and made them believe that Ria mistreated her where she could.

She caught Brayden’s gaze on her and sent a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this was good.

Right after the breakfast Maya pulled her into the Luna office and made sure to lock the door properly. The room had sound isolation and they could talk in private without the fear of being overheard.

“What the are you doing?” she hissed at her friend, “You are welcoming his mate?! You should have insisted again and again on him rejecting her!”

“Oh, M,” Ria couldn’t help herself and hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of almonds and this made her broken heart warm again.

“Stupid perfect Luna! You can’t be this kind!” Maya almost sobbed, “You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess’s sake! What was he thinking?!”

“I know,” Ria sighed, stepping away, “But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the mate bond. That battle was lost the moment he met her and didn’t reject her.”

“You are so calm about it! I can’t believe this!” the girl shook her head, clear signs of worry on her face.

Ria contemplated for a few seconds but deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust this secret to anyone, it would be her best friend since childhood.

“I need to tell you something,” Riannon took Maya’s hands and led her to the armchair, sitting on the verge of her desk. “But I will need you to be open-minded about what I am about to say.”

She spoke and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya’s own death. There was no need for that. She knew that the small fragments she was ready to share now would be enough for her.

When she was done, Maya looked at her with red eyes, “It’s…”

“Unbelievable, I know,” Riannon sighed.

“Horrible!” her friend took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, “Ria! That’s awful! What you had to go through…”

“Wait, you meant you have no doubts in what I said now?” the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her bestie.

“You wouldn’t joke about it at a moment like that,” Maya leaned back on her chair, “And as far as I know, you were madly in love with Brayden just yesterday. But now… You are so calm that it’s frightening. So this explains a lot. You don't get over love like that in one day.”

That was true. Riannon did not know for sure if all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn't the same girl from before. She was twenty-five but it felt as if she lived much longer now. Suffering and broken heart could do that to people.

“And it doesn’t bother you how crazy that sounds?” Ria decided to make sure they were on the same page.

“I believe in the Moon Goddess,” Maya shook her shoulders, “She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that… Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death for you! Anyone but you!”

“I missed you so much,” Ria couldn’t help herself and gave Maya another hug. She went quiet for a bit and I gave herself a promise that whatever happened, she would at least save her best friend. She was not going to lose her again.

“So, what’s the plan?” Maya went into the battle mode fast. She was one of those underappreciated wolves. They called her Luna’s assistant and both of them hated that. She had pure Beta blood and could take down an Alpha if she tried hard. Maybe not any Alpha but definitely most of them. They thought too much of themselves and always underestimated pretty girls.

“The plan is to divorce and take our pack back,” Ria smiled, knowing that she had a great ally on her side now, “The Pearl Moon.”

“Is this even possible?” Maya whistled, “I mean, if you quickly get pregnant with Brayden’s baby and then we kill him, we could get this all…”

“No, thank you,” Ria first with laughter, “Goddess you are so bloodthirsty!”

“My hands are just itching to cut his di…”

“I got you!” the Luna covered her face with her hands, trying to suppress another outburst of giggles.

“You know what, I have an idea!” Maya said all of a sudden, “How about we ask lycans for help?! This may actually…”

“Been there, done that. Their king is an a$shole,” Ria rolled her eyes.
“You what?!” her friend’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“I had one lycan who owed me and asked him to arrange a conversation with his king. But you have no idea how arrogant he is!” Ria explained.

“Worse than Brayden?” Maya chuckled.

“Worse than Brayden,” Ria confirmed.

“Okay then, what’s next?” the Beta female never gave up and this was one of the very many reasons they became friends in the first place.

“Simple, really. I need to get the support of as many Alphas as I can,” Riannon exhaled loudly, “So that when the divorce comes into force, they give me their votes when I raise the matter in the Alpha Counicl. And I will.”

“How many do you think will support you?” Maya asked bluntly, getting her cell our of her pocket, "Count on the alphas where mu cousins are Betas. I'll take care of them."

“Not sure yet, but I know where to strike first,” Ria tapped her fingers over the cold wood of her desk, waiting for Maya to tear her eyes off the phone and spare her a look.

“Do tell!” the girl seemed genuinely interested.

“The most important event of the year that is just around the corner,” Riannon smirked, "The annual Alpha ball"

Chapter 6. Dress to Impress

“Ri,” Brayden’s head popped out of the door of Riannon’s office right when she was finishing discussing the pack’s primary school budget with the headmistress, “Do you have a sec?”

“Yes, we are done here,” Ria handed the papers to the woman in front of her and the latter gave her a sympathetic smile. The Luna remembered very well that she was the one who stood by her by the very end. That was one of the reasons she managed to squeeze in a little extra cash for the school.

“Luna, Alpha,” the headmistress bowed her head and left, leaving the husband and the wife alone for the first time in a while. For the last few days, Riannon tried to avoid Brayden at all costs. She remembered too well that their every meeting in the past life was ending badly during those days. Back then she tried to keep her dignity and not approach him first. They had meals together with pack members as always. And work meetings with Beta, Gamma and so on. But other than that, every time Bray wanted to talk to her, Riannon was finding a perfect excuse to escape. There was no point in talking to him since nothing could be changed. She debated telling him the truth about her rebirth but swept that idea under the rug. He could decide that she was crazy and use that during their divorce when she planned to get her pack back.

The silence was getting awkward.

“Long time no see,” he came closer and she remained behind her desk to make it harder for him to approach her.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Ria threw herself back in her chair, “Is it about the Alpha Ball?”

“Did you get my flowers?” he asked.

The flowers kept coming. He was probably still feeling guilty.

“Yes, they are lovely,” she forced a smile, “Thank you. So, did you come to speak about the Alpha Ball?”

They already had this conversation. He caught her in her office and broke her heart.

“Yes,” Brayed pulled the collar of his shirt to make it easier to breathe while Ria watched him with an indifferent expression that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “It’s about Roxy… I mean Roxanne.”

“What about her?” she pretended not to know what it was about.

“Listen,” he sighed and averted her gaze, “I kind of promised her that I would take her to the ball as my partner.”

“Oh, really?” Riannon tilted her head, “I wonder when and how that happened?”

“It’s… a long story,” he cleared his throat, “Please, understand. My wolf is dying when she is unhappy. And she has never been to a ball like that.”

“Oh, my,” Ria gasped and shook her head, “Should I maybe take Enzo with me? He hasn’t seen an event like that either. And neither did Cole.”

She mentioned the hottest single warriors of the pack on purpose. And heard a growl emerge from her husband’s chest. That served him right.

“What is it with you lately, Ri?” he looked at her in disbelief, “My Luna will not be going with someone else!”

“But it’s okay if my Alpha goes with someone else? How is that fair?” she shot her brow up, challenging him. And Brayden hated challenge.

“Maybe you should sit this one out then!” he snarled at her and for the first time, she started to get worried here. She needed that ball. She needed it badly.

“No, thanks,” the Luna crossed her hands on her chest, “I got my own personal invitation. Besides, it’s important to mingle with other Lunas for the sake of our pack. We still need to organise student and warrior exchanges and a couple of mating events for over 18s. Or do you expect Roxy to be able to deal with it instead of enjoying her first big ball? What kind of Cinderella she would be then if she would have to work again?!”

He exhaled through his nostrils and she knew that she managed to win.

“Fine,” he grunted standing up, “But you will go with Ash then. He is going anyway since he is the pack’s Beta.”

“Now you are sucking the fun out of his life too?” Ria chuckled, “I am sure he had a girl to take there and impress.”

“He already agreed to be you plus one,” Brayden informed her, “He’ll protect you there too.”

“How thoughtful,” she decided just to go with it. Getting rid of Ash would be easy anyway. He would see some Alpha’s daughter and off he would go.

Brayden prepared to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at her again

“Ri,” he looked her in the eye, “It’s just a transition period. We will get through this and everything will be fine.”

Lies.

“I will never take another Luna except for you.”

Lies.

“I still love you, it’s just that she had such a hard life and I am not a monster. She is just a sweet girl, she will never take your place.”

Lies, lies, lies.

“Thank you for telling me that,” she nodded, “I needed to hear that, Bray.”

She even forced a smile.

“Look, when the ball is over, let’s take a day off. Just you and me. What do you think?” he suggested all of a sudden and now she looked at him in surprise. This was new. It didn’t happen in the past.

“We’ll have to see our schedules for that,” she stretched her lips further, “But it’s a nice idea.”

“Then I’ll see you around?” he suddenly looked relieved as if he got rid of some kind of trouble here.

“I am your wife, am I not?” she chuckled and his smile faded.

He left and Ria’s phone buzzed with a notification that the dresses should have already arrived.

She paused just for a second. It worried her that he offered that day off thing. Was it a good sign or a bad? She wanted to change the events that caused so many disasters but this exact one wasn’t in her plans.

In the end, she was late for the fitting and entered the room full of the most important females of the pack. Maya was there along with their friends Tatiana and Aria. They greeted her in their usual friendly way. On the other side of the room sat Harper and her minions.

Harper was Brayden’s sister. And for some reason, she never liked Riannon too much since they were younger. She was one of the first to openly support Roxy. She was the one who opened the door for others who didn’t know what to do and actually promoted the evil redhead monster.

“Bring in the dresses,” Ria commanded firmly. She wanted to be done here quick.

It was a tradition of their pack that outfits for the ladies invited to the Alpha ball were chosen together and paid for by the pack. After all, they all were representing the Silver River pack and it was important to let others see how well they were doing.

A few omegas rolled in clothing racks with the most beautiful evening dresses from the top designers. Luna always was the first one to choose and then they went according to their ranks. The rest of the clothes was sent back.

Riannon knew very well which dress she was going to pick but still pretended to look at them all to avoid suspicion.

“How about that emerald one?” Harper suggested the colour that would never suit Riannon blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Do you like it?” she got the hanger and placed it to her chest with a smile, “It’s Zac Posen.”

“Beautiful!” her sister-in-law sneered.

“Then I will leave it for you,” Ria returned the facial expression and kept going. Soon she reached it. She remembered that dress well. Peach and shiny, with loads of rhinestones on the top.

She was choosing long enough and she took that one, moving to the mirror.

Any second now…

The door opened and Roxy barged in, gasping, “Oh, my goddess! Luna! I am so sorry! I’ll just go away not to ruin your mood.”

She was already doing it. Implying that just a sight of her was affecting Riannon.

And it was. But it was mean to bring this up.

“Stay,” Ria smiled gently and noticed how everyone was watching the two of them, “You are going to the ball too and you need an outfit.”

“I already got one,” Roxanne mumbled, “From all the money that you gave me. I got it in H&M.”

One of Harper’s minions snorted.

“This will not do,” Riannon turned and sighed, “You need a dress good enough for your new status.”

“And what is that?” Harper couldn’t help but ask the provocative question.

“Member of the Silver River pack,” Ria replied without any hesitation, “Look around. What do you like?”

A little sob emerged. And then a sniffle. Everybody turned to see the crying Roxy.

“This is so sweet!” she whined, “You are such a great Luna to take care of someone like me. I never had such a beautiful dress in my life!”

She pointed to the one that Riannon was holding.

“I thought I’d never…have… an opportunity.”

She burst out crying and Ria did her best not to roll her eyes.

“You can have it,” she stretched her hands with the garment towards the omega and pretty much everybody in the room was in shock.

“But Luna!” Aria gasped, “You need to be the first.”

“That’s fine,” Riannon shook her shoulders, “I saw a red one that I like too back there. Roxy can have that one since it’s the one that made you cry like that.”

Roxanne seemed a bit startled and Luna came closer, pushing the tasteless peach dress that was good enough for a middle school prom in some village.

“No, really,” Ria smirked, “I want you to have it.”

Their eyes met and Roxy gaped, realising that she had just been tricked.

“Now go to your room and try it on. It will look beautiful on you.” Or hideous.

As soon as Roxy left, Ria quickly went back to the rack and grabbed the first red dress she saw.

“I like this one,” she went out of the room as quickly as she could, followed by Maya, “Choose what you like, ladies.”

They came straight to Maya’s bedroom and as soon as they closed the door, they started laughing hysterically.

“Oh, my goddess!” Maya chuckled, “This was fun!”

“Indeed,” the Luna agreed, throwing away the red piece of fabric she had. Because the real dress that she was going to wear to the ball was right here. It was the most beautiful dress she had laid her eyes on. It was a stunning wine red off-shoulder gown made of silk chiffon, draped beautifully around the breast and down to the waist, creating a geometrical pattern and, but flowing freely to the ground.

It was a gown fit for a queen. And in the past life, Ria didn’t even order it for viewing as it was way out of her budget. But this time around she saw it again and thought to herself – just why the not?!

The last time she went to the Alpha Ball, it was the most awful experience for her. Roxanne was wearing a beautiful white dress and looking like the little innocent omega she loved to pretend, gaining everybody’s sympathy.

At the same time, Riannon gained pity from the Alphas and was mocked by some of the Lunas who never liked her. It was humiliating as it was to come as the third wheel for her husband and his mate. But on top of that, Brayden spent the whole evening by Roxy’s side. Ria was in a sour mood the whole time although she still managed to negotiate a few things.

This time, she knew what to expect and was ready. This time, she was going there to work.

“Do I look nice?” Maya grinned as she stepped out of the bathroom in a royal blue tight gown.

“You took one too, I see,” Riannon giggled as her friend twirled in front of her.

Today was a success thanks to Maya. She was the one who received all the dresses before the pack omegas got them and brought the one Ria wanted to her room without anyone seeing it.

“Of course,” she placed her hands onto her hips, “We are leaving this pack, so I am not going to save them money.”

“Just don’t shout about it around the mansion, okay?” Ria rolled her eyes, “It’s a secret after all. But you do look nice.”

“Thanks!” Maya seemed to agree, “Shame I am not going with you. But there is always next time, right?”

“When I am the Alpha and you are my Beta, you will attend it every year,” Luna winked at her.

***

In the evening, Ria finished her makeup and hair and walked out to the main part of her bedroom to find a blue box on the little table together with a new bouquet. She opened it and saw a luxurious and probably crazy expensive diamond necklace together with a simple card with one word only on it. Sorry.

“Huh,” she bit her lip, remembering that last time Brayden gave it to Roxy. And he got her some ruby earrings which she never wore. That changed too.

However, now wasn’t the time to think about all that.

She put the necklace on since it was finishing her look just perfect and left for the ball.

She was walking down the stairs, the skirt of her dress flowing beautifully as she looked at it. Most of her hair was up, with a few curly locks falling down her bare shoulders.

“You look beautiful tonight,” a male voice made her flinch.

...

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"Have you ffffked her?" I asked my husband of 6 years who had just found his mate.
"No!" He yelled, as if insulted.
"Then reject her," I said with dead coldness.
"Ri, it will weaken my wolf...", he started the same song again and I wanted to laugh.
"You promised to reject your fated mate once you found her, Bray," I reminded my husband who had begged me to marry him. "That was why I agreed to marry you and brought my pack to merge with yours."
His lips twitched slightly. Sighing, he turned to his mate and spoke to her softly, "I am sorry. I'll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise."
"I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject...", he started to say in a firm voice, when the omega fell to her knees, bursting into tears.
"Please, no!" she whimpered, "I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I'll do anything!"
Bray froze. He turned to face me again. I could see pain in his eyes - he couldn't bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his.
"She is staying! We'll find a way around everything!" Bray said, clenching his fists.
And this was the moment when I realized that everything was lost.

...

Riannon stood there not quite believing her eyes. Her husband of six years had his arm wrapped around a petite girl in the middle of their pack house. The cute ginger head peeked at her discretely and Ria could swear that she saw a smirk for half of a second.

“Ri, dear,” Brayden, her legal husband, chosen mate and the Alpha of their pack addressed her in a way he always did when they were alone, “I need to confess… I have found my true mate. Her name is Roxanne.”

The silence in the room was deadly from the moment the two of them walked in, holding hands. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes were on the three of them. The Alpha, the Luna and the Alpha’s mate.

Ria couldn’t force herself to say anything, so Brayden took the lead.

“Listen, I know that we are chosen mates and you will always be my Luna, I assure you of that. But since my wolf saw Roxy, he is going nuts. It would be bad for the pack if I rejected her now. He wouldn’t be able to deal with it. And it will weaken us.”

There it was - the excuse!

The two of them were school sweethearts, the perfect couple. Rhiannon was a daughter and the heiress of a powerful Alpha from a very strong pack. Brayden was her father’s best friend’s son and the future Alpha of his own pack. Since they started dating when she was just 15 and he was 16, everybody couldn’t stop buzzing that they were true mates. They were always the IT couple and everyone envied their love. Besides, as a daughter of any alpha, Ria was educated to become a Luna one day. And not just any Luna. The perfect one. She spent all her free time studying what she would have to do for the rest of her life. And she mastered every single thing to perfection. So that when she was 18 and ready to marry Bray, she would be prepared.

But Bray’s 18th birthday was before hers. She trembled to meet him on that day, longing to hear the one and only most significant word of both of their lives - mate.

He got to her pack early that day and she ran down the stairs to greet him. But as she ran, both their smiles faded a bit. She couldn’t feel anything, but he already knew.

“We are not mates, aren’t we?” she asked, tears trickling down her chin.

“Not the fated ones,” Brayden sighed heavily and locked her in his arms, his lips touching her hair. They stood like this for quite some time, waiting for the disappointment to wash away. And when they were ready, Bray took her face into his hands and said, “It doesn’t matter, Ri! I choose you! I will always choose you! No matter what, no one can break the love between us. You will be my mate, my chosen mate! My one and only!”

It did help that their families practically planned the whole wedding at this point. Her father had no son anymore since Riannon’s older brother died young trying to save their little twin sisters from the rogues. All of them died as a result and Ria was the only one left. So, there was a pressing matter of who would be inheriting the pack. And Bray seemed like the obvious choice. The two of them loved each other and no family members were against the merger of the two strong packs.

A contract was drawn but Bray suggested waiting until Riannon was 19. He told her that he had made his choice but wanted her to try and find her mate before she made hers. They were visiting other packs for the whole year before her next birthday. And then got married one month later, since no mates were found but their feelings were only getting stronger.

They became the power couple of the werewolf world and merged both their packs into one, year by year, working to make it stronger. And now, at twenty-five, Ria was a renowned Luna whom everyone loved and admired.

Riannon traced her gaze around the room and saw the shocked faces of her packmates. Yet she couldn’t help but notice that not everyone seemed startled by the recent events. Her husband’s Beta was watching quietly from the distance, his hands crossed on his chest. But absolutely no surprise in his eyes.

However, the most stunned among them all was still Riannon herself. Although not for the reasons that they all assumed.

Her fingers were trembling and lips twitching slightly as she looked at her husband and his true mate with wide eyes.

“No,” she muttered, “It couldn’t be!”

Why would the Moon Goddess return her to that exact moment in time when all her life was turned upside down, leading to her demise?

What was going on? For her it was one year ago. And just seconds ago, Ria was crawling on the ground in the woods, fighting for her life as two creatures followed her closely. The wolf found her first, digging his sharp canines into her flesh and making her wince in pain.

She was a strong wolf herself, but unfortunately, someone drugged her with aconite, making her weak, unable to shift and practically paralysed.

The wolf growled as he ripped a part of her thigh off and, for the first time during this attack, Riannon screamed loudly.

“You can shout all you want,” the girl who stepped forward said, “No one is going to hear you here. Especially now.”

Ria recognised that voice at once. Her tormentor was none other than her husband’s true mate, Roxanne.

“You?!” Ria panted, trying to sit up, “Why are you doing it? You already took everything from me! My husband, my position as Luna, my pack…”

The wolf growled at her and she tried to recognize him, but it was too dark and she was too weak. The only thing that she knew was that the werewolf was brown. Yet there were many brown wolves in the world, so it did not help.

“I have my reasons,” Roxy smirked, rubbing her round belly, “And I don’t have to explain them to you. Not anymore. Your time has passed. You are done, Riannon.”

“They will find everything out!” the ex-Luna pleaded, “You will not get away with it!”

Resounding laughter was her answer as Roxy kneeled next to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, “Dear, Riannon, don’t you get it? I already did!”

She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground and ordered the wolf, “Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.”

Her arms and her legs were not listening anymore as Riannon watched Roxy walk away leisurely. As if she did not just order her murder.

A tear trickled down Ria's cheek as the wolf had a moment of hesitation.

She did not deserve it!

It was not fair!

If she had another chance, she would do everything differently.

“I am waiting!” Roxanne’s sweet voice broke her train of thought as the wolf jumped over her and ended her life in seconds.

Riannon gasped as she suddenly found herself in the reception room of her house. Something was off because all the old furniture that she loved so much was in place. She couldn’t understand what was going on until Bran walked in with Roxy in his arms and she recognized the day as exactly one year ago.

“The Moon Goddess has some sick sense of humour!” Ria thought to herself, “Out of all of the moments of my life, she brought me back into this most miserable and unpleasant one. What is up with that?!”

Luckily, she was always reserved and knew how to hide her feelings pretty well. So, she just lifted her chin up and met her husband’s gaze.

“I understand that this is very sudden,” Bray tried to sound considerate and she barely managed to hold back a scoff. Sudden? He had no idea!

“I know our agreement, but my wolf is going nuts. You are not only my Luna, but also my best friend, who always understands me. And I know that you always want what’s best for the pack. Roxanne is an omega and an orphan in her pack… Ri, it was horrible how she was treated there! They abused her and treated the girl like a slave! I couldn’t leave her there. It would be horrible and my wolf would never forgive me. I just need her presence here. That's all.”

He finally let go of Roxanne, leaving the redhead alone and went to his wife, taking her hands in his.

“Let her stay in the pack for the sake of it. My wolf is stronger next to her, the rejection would kill him. And we can give Roxy a peaceful life here. She will…”

“No,” the answer sounded calm yet loud enough for everyone to hear...

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Hello, this is my first published book on Dreame and I am very excited to start this journey. I promise you a bumpy ride with loads of twists and turns. Don't be shy and leave me a comment. I also have a group called Marissa Gilbert's Reading Circle where readers discuss chapters, characters and share visuals.

Right now the book is taking part in the Dreame Ace Book Contest. Please, consider giving it your vote by clicking on a gift box or finding the book on the ranking page.

Chapter 2. Rejection

They all stared at her in shock. Bray’s eyes were as wide as two saucers.

“Ri, my wolf…”, he started the same song again and she wanted to laugh. She had already heard it all back in her previous life. He was bringing up his wolf every time he wanted to spend time with Roxy. He never rejected her like they agreed and very soon she became his mistress.

Riannon tried to close her eyes even though it was extremely painful for her. But she was the one who truly cared about the pack and tried to drown herself in work. This was her other mistake. But since she got a second chance, she was not going to repeat it. She was going to get rid of Roxy here and now. Before it was too late.

Back then, Bray told her that it was her choice, and she chose wrong. Letting Roxanne stay for the sake of the pack was a big mistake. People died because of that and not only her. Ria’s eyes met with her best friend Maya’s and tears almost rolled in her eyes. Maya was one of those killed in Roxy’s schemes. She had her doubts before, but now she knew for sure. She was going to get rid of this evil once and for all.

“I said no,” she repeated herself and looked back at her husband with coldness, “We talked about this before and came to an agreement. We’ll find a good pack for her, who will take care of her. But she will not stay here. You need to reject her just as we agreed.”

One question that was bothering her was why Bran chose to have this conversation in public. But it wasn’t the time to think about it. Now she had more pressing matters.

“Riannon,” Bray suddenly got serious, stepping in front of Roxanne, who was hiding behind him and shaking like a leaf in the wind, “Think about this. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. I am the Alpha of our pack and my wolf is going crazy for his mate. We can’t risk…”

“Brayden,” she addressed him calmly, “Our pack is one of the strongest in the country. We are not at war with anyone. And you are a strong Alpha. I believe in you, I always did. You know that. I am sure that rejecting your true mate would not be easy, but we will get through it. As a family that we are.”

“I just want what’s best for the pack,” Bray mumbled, not sounding so sure anymore and Ria felt a prick of hope.

“If you want what’s best for the pack, do it now,” she said, “The longer you put it off, the harder it would get. And if she is anything, she is your weakness. You already go back on your word and this is day one.”

His lips twitched slightly, and Ria knew what it meant. Her victory was close. She almost got rid of this redhead monster.

Sighing, Bray turned to Roxanne and spoke to her softly, “I am sorry. I’ll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise…”

Ria did not notice how hard she clenched the fabric of her dress. Was it always this easy? Could she stop all the disasters that happened to her if she simply said no at once?

“I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject…”, her husband started to say in a firm voice, when the omega in front of him fell to her knees, bursting into tears.

“Please, no!” she whimpered, “I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I’ll do anything!”

Bray froze. He couldn’t bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his. And this was the moment when Riannon realised that everything was lost. He turned to face her again and she held his gaze with pride.

“Please, Alpha!” Roxy started to sob and Ria had to give it to her. If she didn’t know who was before her, she would have bought it too. “I will be your slave! I can clean and I can cook! I can do anything! Just, please, spare me! Don’t do this! I will serve your Luna!”

A wave of electric shock went through Ria at the mention of her. She looked at her rival and met a gaze full of well-hidden hatred.

“Please, my Luna!” the girl kept begging still kneeling, “My fate is in your hands! Please, don’t kill me! Please, spare me! I will be your slave forever. Don’t kill me!”

No one spoke a word and the only sounds in the room were the pitiful sobs and sniffs of Roxanne.

“Sweet girl,” Riannon decided to try one last time, “There is no need for all that. You will be well taken care of, but just not here.”

“Please, my Luna!” Roxy crawled to her way faster than Ria managed to dodge her and grasped her dress, “The rejection will kill me! Please, spare me!”

“I…”, Ria wanted to say something but a loud growl made her stop.

“Enough!” Brayden roared, looking at her with his eyes shining red, meaning that his wolf was at the surface.

“Calm down,” his Luna said firmly but yet another growl emerged from him as he was furious.

“I said enough!” Brayden appeared next to Roxanne in no time and scooped her in his arms, “She is staying! We’ll find a way around everything!”

He walked firmly towards the huge staircase, taking his mate upstairs to one of the guestrooms. Ria knew very well which room it would be – the one in the far corner of the mansion, where her husband would practically move in no time. Roxanne’s head was tucked into Brayden’s neck and Riannon was sure that it was not a coincidence that she was now breathing into his collarbone, right where a mark should go.

Automatically, she touched the mark he gave her when she was nineteen and caught the omega’s gaze on herself. Roxanne was watching. And Ria knew that today she lost just like the last time.

Nothing changed. Her words and actions on that day played absolutely no part in what happened. It was like a very bad movie on repeat…

“Ri!” Maya came up to her when their Alpha was gone, “Are you okay?”

Riannon looked at her best friend, the one that she lost. Not thinking twice, she threw herself in Maya’s arms. After the death of her parents, this was the only person, apart from Brayden, whom she could trust with everything.

“There, there,” she patted her long platinum blonde hair, “It’s going to be all right. He will reconsider, I am sure.”

Only now did Ria realise how everything looked like to the people around her and distanced herself at once. She already lost her husband, there was no need to lose her face too.

“I am fine,” she said and caught the Beta’s gaze on her.

Ash nodded and gave her a soft sympathetic smile, before shouting loudly, “I feel like everyone forgot what they were supposed to be doing! The work is waiting!”

“Let’s go to your room,” Maya suggested, “We’ll talk about everything there.”

No, Ria did not need this conversation. She remembered it very well. Because they already had it.

What she really needed now was some time alone. Because she needed to process things and to come up with a new plan.

She couldn’t save her marriage, but she could still save Maya, other people who died with Roxy’s help, her pack and her own life.

“I just can’t right now,” she smiled at her friend, squeezing her hands, still not quite believing that she was here, “Let’s talk another time. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Work?” Maya’s eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Ria fixed the creases on her dress, “Now that our Alpha is… busy, I have to step in. The pack comes first.”

She gave her friend another warm smile and added, “Everything is going to be all right, Maya. We are going to be fine. All of us.”

Riannon locked the door of her Luna office and tried to control her ragged breathing. Too much! Everything was too much for her. She needed to clear her head and think of everything. She needed a plan. And a good one. She had to save everyone, herself included.

But the office was too stuffy. And she needed to breathe!

Only one thing could help her and it was shifting into her wolf.

Riannon went into the woods that were surrounding their pack and stripped, preparing to change her form.

But nothing happened.

"Onyx, are you there?" she spoke to her wolf for the first time since her sudden rebirth less than an hour before but did not get a reply. It was alarming. Onyx was there her whole life.

"Onyx!" Ria called for her second half but was met with silence. Angry, she ran as fast as she could using her human legs. She was still super fast and strong, which could only mean that her wolf was somewhere there. She was not weak. But what was wrong?

Chapter 3. The Call

CHAPTER 3

The Call

It did not take her long to get to her most favourite place in the world – the Silver Mirror Lake. This was the only place where Riannon could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse and close to the borders of the pack. But it was safe since they did not have any rogue attacks in that area. Just one pack away from here was the Lycans territory and it was rumoured that the Alpha King residence was also somewhere close. No one was foolish enough to enter these lands and check though.

So, Ria did not think twice when she stopped by the ledge of the lake, naked, and jumped into the water. It was cold but at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to calm herself down.

She let herself embrace the dark night when only the full moon shone upon her, making crystals of water sparkle on her skin when she felt someone’s presence. It was powerful and dominating, yet did not belong to her husband and made her alert at once.

Pretending that nothing happened, Ria carefully looked around and her eyes caught a figure of a huge wolf at a hill on the other side of the lake. He was dark, probably black. And his eyes were shining golden.

It was a bad sign. Very bad.

Riannon decided not to risk it and went underwater, getting to the shore as soon as she could and running for her life. Only a loud howl followed her.

She was back in the safe territory in no time. Luckily, her clothes were right where she left them. She pulled her dress on and tried to do the zipper at the back but her fingers were not reaching it.

“Let me help,” two hands touched her back and Beta Asher helped her with her little problem. Ria wondered if he had been there the whole time. But it did not matter in the long run. Werewolves were used to naked bodies. It wouldn’t be the first time he saw her without clothes. It wouldn’t be the last… probably.

“What are you doing here?” she asked the man, turning to face him.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said with an unreadable expression on his face, “Found your clothes and understood that you were on a run. But why didn’t you shift?”

“I did,” she lied without blinking. If anyone knew that she couldn’t shift, then her fate would be decided even sooner. She couldn’t afford that. Ria knew that she needed time. “But that’s not important,” she decided to change the subject quickly, “There was an intruder at the Silver Lake. Send wolves to check it out.”

“Of course, Luna,” he said and his eyes lost focus for a second as he was giving orders via the mind link.

Riannon decided not to wait for him and walked slowly into the house. But Ash caught up with her quickly and opened the door to the mansion for her.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said to her all of a sudden and she stopped. Back in the day, he used to say it to her all the time. Yet when decisions had to be made, he always took her husband’s side. It was one of the betrayals that hurt the most because she was sure that her relationship with the Beta was good prior to all that. Yet he didn’t even object when they stripped her of her title… There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him but she couldn’t.

So, she just placed her delicate hand on his broad shoulder and looked him in the eye, smiling sadly, “You knew, didn’t you?”

His expression changed as if a flash of lightning hit him and his lips parted slightly.

“Yes, Luna,” he confessed, darting his eyes to the ground.

“It’s okay,” she patted him, “I understand. You can’t go against your Alpha’s command.”

“If I could…” he started to speak but she placed her finger to his mouth making a shushing sound.

“Doesn’t matter,” she shrugged her shoulders, “At least I will always have your support, Ash. Right?”

“Always, Luna,” his breathing became heavy and Ria tilted her head, watching him. This was an interesting development. Why was he reacting like that?

“Then, of course, I’ll be fine,” she chuckled and went inside. She had to think of what to do next.

Ria locked herself in her bedroom. She knew that Brayden would not be coming back tonight to share the bed with her. As far as she remembered, he hadn't been sleeping with Roxy at that point yet and spent the whole night in his private office drinking and thinking of life. In the morning, he would bring her flowers and gifts… and an apology even. But Roxy would still stay.

After a long and relaxing bath, Ria went to her desk and got her old journal. She hadn’t been using it for many years, but it was dear to her heart. And it was just the right place to write down every single event that was important and that was going to happen within the year leading to her death.

She tried to remember everything while she still could.

And she knew very well what she was going to do with this information. The game was on.

The plan was simple, really. Since she couldn’t change the main event and get rid of Roxy, she had to leave. But she couldn’t leave without her pack and without making sure that all her dear friends were alive and well. Not to mention, that it was particularly important to try and show Brayden and the rest Roxanne’s true face. Everybody around thought that she was an angel while, in fact, she was the devil. Ria was afraid to even think what would happen if Roxy became the Luna for real, because she for sure wouldn’t have the pack’s interests at heart.

And although Ria’s own heart craved revenge, she didn’t want her life's work to be ruined. Plus, she didn’t have it in her heart to hate everyone. She saved it for just a selected few. The ones who betrayed her trust and led to her demise, the ones who promised her respect and protection but gave her humiliation and suffering. Yes, those were the ones she was going to concentrate on.

The door suddenly opened, and Brayden walked in, making her close the journal with the list of events and names rapidly and hide it back in the drawer. Luckily, he didn’t pay attention to that.

Guilt was all over his face and Ria wanted to roll her eyes, but held herself back. She couldn’t give herself away. This event did not happen prior. In her past life, he didn’t visit her that night. This was new and she had to be cautious.

“Ri,” he walked further into the room, “Ash informed me that you encountered an intruder. Are you okay?”

This was funny. She was sitting there, clearly looking well and in one piece. Who was he kidding? Was it guilt because she put up a fight and he still chose his mate?

“It was unpleasant,” Riannon shrugged her shoulders and stood up. If he decided to ignore the big pink elephant in the room, she could do the same. In the end, it was for the best. Their past conversations about Roxy never ended well. He would never believe what a monster his mate was. So, the less Riannon talked about her, the better.

“And also disappointing”, she went to the window to hide her facial expression.

“How so?” Brayden caught the bait.

“We are one of the strongest packs and some wolf is just wandering on our territory, spying on your Luna who is swimming naked in the lake…”

“He what?” Brayden growled possessively. Back in the day, it would drive her crazy in the best sense of the word. But right now… she was annoyed. He just claimed another woman in front of so many people. He had no right to growl like that in her presence anymore. She didn’t put it into words, of course.

“You heard me,” she said, “And instead of looking for that wolf the Alpha is doing goddess knows what. No offence, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier today. Your mate already distracted you from what was important.”

It was a low blow. But she needed him to be busy with something else right now. In the past, the closer he got to Roxy, the more power and supporters she received. And the worse it got for Riannon and her close people. If she could postpone the wheel of events for at least one day, she would do it.

“You are angry,” he sighed, “I understand, of course. I broke my promise to you. I…”

“Let’s not speak of it,” she stopped him, “It is what it is.”

“Ri, baby,” he nibbled on her neck, right where he marked her years ago, bonding their two wolves forever, acknowledging her as his chosen mate. “I hurt you and I will do anything to fix that.”

Not everything. She knew that too well.

“Only you can be my Luna, you know that, right?” he started peppering her neck with kisses, trying to unzip her dress at the same time.

This was… odd. She hadn’t slept with him for a while. Their paths went in different directions more than half a year ago in her past life. She was his abandoned and rejected wife…

Ria clenched her fists and then turned to face him.

“No!” she made him stop, “Not today.” Or ever. He had his last chance and he blew it. She did not want him anymore. If her wolf Onyx was here now, she would be howling from pain as she was attached to Brayden’s wolf Ragnar. But she didn’t feel Onyx now. She wasn’t under her influence. And she was furious.

She did not show it though. Her mom trained her well to conceal emotions. Finally, it was useful.

“Ri?” Brayden looked at her in shock. Before this day they were happy together. Which reminded Ria that he probably found Roxy earlier and was lying to her for the past few days. Or maybe weeks. “Honey, don’t do this. I love you and we are family. We will always be family.”

“Believe it or not, but I am not feeling well after everything that happened today,” she looked him in the eye, “But it will make me happy if you bring me the intruder’s head.”

He nodded quietly, “Anything for you, Ri.”

Her husband brushed her cheek and she tolerated that. Even forced a smile for the sake of the show.

“You’ll have his head in the morning!” he promised before leaving her alone.

Maya tried to reach her mentally but Riannon just asked her to wait until the morning.

After a mostly sleepless night, she knew what she had to do and she also knew her first step.

In her office, she dialled the number that none other werewolves would risk dialling. But she was left with no choice.

“Hello, Beta Reid speaking,” the annoyed male voice sounded on the other end and Riannon gulped before speaking.

“Hello, Beta. This is Luna Riannon Thorn. Nee Michaels.”

It didn’t ring a bell to him.

“And?” he seemed bored.

“Seven years ago I saved your nephew during a rogue attack in one of the boarding schools. Back then you gave me this number and told me that you owe me one.”

The lycan paused before answering her.

“And I guess you are calling to collect?” he chuckled, “And here I thought that there were selfless people in this world…”

“I wouldn’t ask if lives did not depend on it,” she interrupted him. Lycans were hard to get in touch with. They did not mingle with regular werewolves with rare exceptions. But sometimes they attended elite boarding schools for shifters. That’s when Ria’s luck was on her side.

“Fine,” the man agreed, “What do you want then?”

“I need to speak to the Lycan Alpha King,” Riannon said firmly.

Chapter 4. Royal Confrontation

“Bold, aren’t we?” the Beta chuckled and Ria didn’t know what to think. “Do you think that the King will do whatever I tell him?”

“I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,” she bit her lip. She was walking on thin ice here and was aware of that.

But she had no choice either.

“Fine,” the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was doing, “Crystle, dear, that’s enough of sucking. I need to go.”

Then he groaned again and Riannon’s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?!

There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, “See you tonight, Beta.” And then sounds of steps.

“Just so that you know,” the Beta spoke again, “I am sacrificing a lot right now to pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.”

“Of course,” Ria cleared her throat, “I appreciate your… sacrifice.”

He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door.

“Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,” the sounds were muffled but she could still understand everything.

“Not interested,” the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She thought if the king was… busy as well. He sure wouldn’t sacrifice his pleasure time for her.

“I am not trying to set you up with anyone,” the Beta burst out laughing, “It’s just some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?”

“Not interested,” was the reply and Ria’s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best chance… In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in their lands too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stopped coming through, meaning that he probably blocked her.

“Give her 5 minutes,” from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his king’s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she heard a resounding metallic voice.

“Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,” the man said and she sucked in a breath. He didn’t even use his title. Was that really the Lycan King?

“Hello, your majesty,” she decided to address him formally anyway, “ My name is Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5 minutes with him.

“I need your help,” she breathed out, “My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn and we are planning to divorce in the nearby future.”

“Fascinating,” the man said without any emotions in his voice, “ But what does it have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.”

“I know, Alpha,” she agreed and heard him growl slightly, “That’s not the part that I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married, we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your word will be the last at the Alpha Council. They wouldn't be able to decline.”

“Hmm,” he sounded amused, “And you think that the case would go that far? You do know that the Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will support you?”

“They will if they know that you are on my side,” Riannon felt braver now, “But also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then maybe everything is awesome and you don’t need my help at all?” He chucked.

“I do, your majesty,” she assured him, “I really do. And I would really appreciate it.”

“This is a complex matter,” he said after a short pause, “Not something I would decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn’t sound serious enough to bother.”

Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?!

“But…”

“There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your husband. You didn’t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it’s too late,” the Alpha King seemed bored, “He will still owe you generous alimony according to our laws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that’s what bothers you…”

“It’s not about that!” She gritted her teeth, “I can’t leave my people with them!”

“Them?” The king scoffed, “So, this is the problem. He found another and you are bitter about it?”

This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who were considered her friends.

“I am not bitter!” She spat, “I am furious. Because only now do I see how many flaws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a male doesn’t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but when it comes to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha’s job for years by my husband’s side and I’ve done it flawlessly. But all you see is a wounded woman who can’t get over her husband’s betrayal. And you know what, it hurts like but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next move. You don’t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a disappointing introduction to my king!”

She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall into several pieces.

What a joke!

Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta’s phone. What the was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up?

“O-kay,” Reid carefully took his cell back, “I see that went well.”

“Remind me again who was it?” Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick brows.

“What?” Reid let out a nervous laugh, “Before I tell you… Are you going to kill her or…”

“REID!” Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard him well.

“Fine!” the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, “She is the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

Silver River… not far from Silver Lake.

“What else?” the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently.

“Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.”

“You said that you owed her,” Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, “How so? Is she one of your many whores?”

“Of course not!” the Beta sounded offended, “She… she saved Kyle seven years ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event there. She wasn’t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the role.”

“She saved him?” Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she didn’t come on time…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” the king groaned.

“There was no time!” Reid shook his shoulders, “And how could I know that you would be such a d*ck to her?!”

“Is there a good time to be a d*ck?” the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more.

“Find out where I can meet her,” Gideon cut him off, “I am intrigued. She does seem… feisty.”

“Just the way you hate them,” Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha’s glare, he wiped the smile off his face, “I’ll go… get to work.”

Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this woman… she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was amusing indeed.

And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case.

So be it.

Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She didn’t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to face once she went downstairs.

But she almost bumped into Maya at the door.

“Ria,” her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that the latter was nervous, “How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?”

Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything.

“Maybe another time,” she said, taking Maya’s hand and still not believing that she was alive, “Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?”

“Always,” Maya’s eyes glistened with tears.

The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention.

“Luna!” she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her succeed, “P-please, forgive my rudeness! I know my place!”

Here we go again…

Chapter 5. The Beta Female Best Friend

Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance.

Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen.

Well, Riannon wasn't going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher - Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything.

Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work.

So, she was going to try something else.

“I am so sorry, Luna,” Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya.

“Roxy,” Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, “I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.”

She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people's hearts. Over time, a lot of them stood on her side because she was, after all, their Alpha’s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn’t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection.

Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria’s arms again.

“Thank you!” she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn't close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now. Meanwhile Roxy went on, “I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is…I’ll be your personal maid if I have to.”

At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back a laugh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to become a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now.

Get used to that, my love.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Roxy!” Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. “You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work according to your abilities. And if they aren’t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.”

The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise?

“I am the luckiest girl alive,” she smiled innocently, flapping her eyelashes,“No wonder my mate… I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.”

“Oh, you will have to tell me later!” Ria giggled and pushed Roxy back to the chair she was sitting at prior. Luckily, she didn’t risk taking the Luna’s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria didn’t have to deal with it today.

“I will be happy to!” Roxane shook her red locks and the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing fell off her shoulder “accidentally”, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The mate bond was already working. And their time was slipping away.

“By the way,” Riannon took a sip of her coffee and it seemed more bitter than usual, “We need to assign a budget for Roxanne.”

Once again, the whole room went quiet.

“Are you sure, Luna?” Beta Asher spoke, “She is just an omega and…”

“She is not a simple omega,” Riannon raised her chin high and put a perfect smile on her face, “She is our Alpha’s mate. He did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it’s time to throw away the worn-out t-shirts and jeans.”

“That’s very kind of you, Luna,” Maya couldn’t stay silent anymore, “Some would even say too kind. I mean, considering…”

“I do what I can,” Ria sent her best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, “And let’s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don’t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish her no harm and will have zero tolerance to the ones who try to do it.”

And with that, she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching glances of her pack mates on her.

There they were. The looks they used to give to Roxy. Now they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this time there was more respect than pity.

Back in the day, Ria did all the same things. But her mistake was not to announce it in front of everyone. And in the end, Roxy played them and made them believe that Ria mistreated her where she could.

She caught Brayden’s gaze on her and sent a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this was good.

Right after the breakfast Maya pulled her into the Luna office and made sure to lock the door properly. The room had sound isolation and they could talk in private without the fear of being overheard.

“What the are you doing?” she hissed at her friend, “You are welcoming his mate?! You should have insisted again and again on him rejecting her!”

“Oh, M,” Ria couldn’t help herself and hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of almonds and this made her broken heart warm again.

“Stupid perfect Luna! You can’t be this kind!” Maya almost sobbed, “You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess’s sake! What was he thinking?!”

“I know,” Ria sighed, stepping away, “But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the mate bond. That battle was lost the moment he met her and didn’t reject her.”

“You are so calm about it! I can’t believe this!” the girl shook her head, clear signs of worry on her face.

Ria contemplated for a few seconds but deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust this secret to anyone, it would be her best friend since childhood.

“I need to tell you something,” Riannon took Maya’s hands and led her to the armchair, sitting on the verge of her desk. “But I will need you to be open-minded about what I am about to say.”

She spoke and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya’s own death. There was no need for that. She knew that the small fragments she was ready to share now would be enough for her.

When she was done, Maya looked at her with red eyes, “It’s…”

“Unbelievable, I know,” Riannon sighed.

“Horrible!” her friend took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, “Ria! That’s awful! What you had to go through…”

“Wait, you meant you have no doubts in what I said now?” the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her bestie.

“You wouldn’t joke about it at a moment like that,” Maya leaned back on her chair, “And as far as I know, you were madly in love with Brayden just yesterday. But now… You are so calm that it’s frightening. So this explains a lot. You don't get over love like that in one day.”

That was true. Riannon did not know for sure if all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn't the same girl from before. She was twenty-five but it felt as if she lived much longer now. Suffering and broken heart could do that to people.

“And it doesn’t bother you how crazy that sounds?” Ria decided to make sure they were on the same page.

“I believe in the Moon Goddess,” Maya shook her shoulders, “She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that… Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death for you! Anyone but you!”

“I missed you so much,” Ria couldn’t help herself and gave Maya another hug. She went quiet for a bit and I gave herself a promise that whatever happened, she would at least save her best friend. She was not going to lose her again.

“So, what’s the plan?” Maya went into the battle mode fast. She was one of those underappreciated wolves. They called her Luna’s assistant and both of them hated that. She had pure Beta blood and could take down an Alpha if she tried hard. Maybe not any Alpha but definitely most of them. They thought too much of themselves and always underestimated pretty girls.

“The plan is to divorce and take our pack back,” Ria smiled, knowing that she had a great ally on her side now, “The Pearl Moon.”

“Is this even possible?” Maya whistled, “I mean, if you quickly get pregnant with Brayden’s baby and then we kill him, we could get this all…”

“No, thank you,” Ria first with laughter, “Goddess you are so bloodthirsty!”

“My hands are just itching to cut his di…”

“I got you!” the Luna covered her face with her hands, trying to suppress another outburst of giggles.

“You know what, I have an idea!” Maya said all of a sudden, “How about we ask lycans for help?! This may actually…”

“Been there, done that. Their king is an a$shole,” Ria rolled her eyes.
“You what?!” her friend’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“I had one lycan who owed me and asked him to arrange a conversation with his king. But you have no idea how arrogant he is!” Ria explained.

“Worse than Brayden?” Maya chuckled.

“Worse than Brayden,” Ria confirmed.

“Okay then, what’s next?” the Beta female never gave up and this was one of the very many reasons they became friends in the first place.

“Simple, really. I need to get the support of as many Alphas as I can,” Riannon exhaled loudly, “So that when the divorce comes into force, they give me their votes when I raise the matter in the Alpha Counicl. And I will.”

“How many do you think will support you?” Maya asked bluntly, getting her cell our of her pocket, "Count on the alphas where mu cousins are Betas. I'll take care of them."

“Not sure yet, but I know where to strike first,” Ria tapped her fingers over the cold wood of her desk, waiting for Maya to tear her eyes off the phone and spare her a look.

“Do tell!” the girl seemed genuinely interested.

“The most important event of the year that is just around the corner,” Riannon smirked, "The annual Alpha ball"

Chapter 6. Dress to Impress

“Ri,” Brayden’s head popped out of the door of Riannon’s office right when she was finishing discussing the pack’s primary school budget with the headmistress, “Do you have a sec?”

“Yes, we are done here,” Ria handed the papers to the woman in front of her and the latter gave her a sympathetic smile. The Luna remembered very well that she was the one who stood by her by the very end. That was one of the reasons she managed to squeeze in a little extra cash for the school.

“Luna, Alpha,” the headmistress bowed her head and left, leaving the husband and the wife alone for the first time in a while. For the last few days, Riannon tried to avoid Brayden at all costs. She remembered too well that their every meeting in the past life was ending badly during those days. Back then she tried to keep her dignity and not approach him first. They had meals together with pack members as always. And work meetings with Beta, Gamma and so on. But other than that, every time Bray wanted to talk to her, Riannon was finding a perfect excuse to escape. There was no point in talking to him since nothing could be changed. She debated telling him the truth about her rebirth but swept that idea under the rug. He could decide that she was crazy and use that during their divorce when she planned to get her pack back.

The silence was getting awkward.

“Long time no see,” he came closer and she remained behind her desk to make it harder for him to approach her.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Ria threw herself back in her chair, “Is it about the Alpha Ball?”

“Did you get my flowers?” he asked.

The flowers kept coming. He was probably still feeling guilty.

“Yes, they are lovely,” she forced a smile, “Thank you. So, did you come to speak about the Alpha Ball?”

They already had this conversation. He caught her in her office and broke her heart.

“Yes,” Brayed pulled the collar of his shirt to make it easier to breathe while Ria watched him with an indifferent expression that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “It’s about Roxy… I mean Roxanne.”

“What about her?” she pretended not to know what it was about.

“Listen,” he sighed and averted her gaze, “I kind of promised her that I would take her to the ball as my partner.”

“Oh, really?” Riannon tilted her head, “I wonder when and how that happened?”

“It’s… a long story,” he cleared his throat, “Please, understand. My wolf is dying when she is unhappy. And she has never been to a ball like that.”

“Oh, my,” Ria gasped and shook her head, “Should I maybe take Enzo with me? He hasn’t seen an event like that either. And neither did Cole.”

She mentioned the hottest single warriors of the pack on purpose. And heard a growl emerge from her husband’s chest. That served him right.

“What is it with you lately, Ri?” he looked at her in disbelief, “My Luna will not be going with someone else!”

“But it’s okay if my Alpha goes with someone else? How is that fair?” she shot her brow up, challenging him. And Brayden hated challenge.

“Maybe you should sit this one out then!” he snarled at her and for the first time, she started to get worried here. She needed that ball. She needed it badly.

“No, thanks,” the Luna crossed her hands on her chest, “I got my own personal invitation. Besides, it’s important to mingle with other Lunas for the sake of our pack. We still need to organise student and warrior exchanges and a couple of mating events for over 18s. Or do you expect Roxy to be able to deal with it instead of enjoying her first big ball? What kind of Cinderella she would be then if she would have to work again?!”

He exhaled through his nostrils and she knew that she managed to win.

“Fine,” he grunted standing up, “But you will go with Ash then. He is going anyway since he is the pack’s Beta.”

“Now you are sucking the fun out of his life too?” Ria chuckled, “I am sure he had a girl to take there and impress.”

“He already agreed to be you plus one,” Brayden informed her, “He’ll protect you there too.”

“How thoughtful,” she decided just to go with it. Getting rid of Ash would be easy anyway. He would see some Alpha’s daughter and off he would go.

Brayden prepared to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at her again

“Ri,” he looked her in the eye, “It’s just a transition period. We will get through this and everything will be fine.”

Lies.

“I will never take another Luna except for you.”

Lies.

“I still love you, it’s just that she had such a hard life and I am not a monster. She is just a sweet girl, she will never take your place.”

Lies, lies, lies.

“Thank you for telling me that,” she nodded, “I needed to hear that, Bray.”

She even forced a smile.

“Look, when the ball is over, let’s take a day off. Just you and me. What do you think?” he suggested all of a sudden and now she looked at him in surprise. This was new. It didn’t happen in the past.

“We’ll have to see our schedules for that,” she stretched her lips further, “But it’s a nice idea.”

“Then I’ll see you around?” he suddenly looked relieved as if he got rid of some kind of trouble here.

“I am your wife, am I not?” she chuckled and his smile faded.

He left and Ria’s phone buzzed with a notification that the dresses should have already arrived.

She paused just for a second. It worried her that he offered that day off thing. Was it a good sign or a bad? She wanted to change the events that caused so many disasters but this exact one wasn’t in her plans.

In the end, she was late for the fitting and entered the room full of the most important females of the pack. Maya was there along with their friends Tatiana and Aria. They greeted her in their usual friendly way. On the other side of the room sat Harper and her minions.

Harper was Brayden’s sister. And for some reason, she never liked Riannon too much since they were younger. She was one of the first to openly support Roxy. She was the one who opened the door for others who didn’t know what to do and actually promoted the evil redhead monster.

“Bring in the dresses,” Ria commanded firmly. She wanted to be done here quick.

It was a tradition of their pack that outfits for the ladies invited to the Alpha ball were chosen together and paid for by the pack. After all, they all were representing the Silver River pack and it was important to let others see how well they were doing.

A few omegas rolled in clothing racks with the most beautiful evening dresses from the top designers. Luna always was the first one to choose and then they went according to their ranks. The rest of the clothes was sent back.

Riannon knew very well which dress she was going to pick but still pretended to look at them all to avoid suspicion.

“How about that emerald one?” Harper suggested the colour that would never suit Riannon blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Do you like it?” she got the hanger and placed it to her chest with a smile, “It’s Zac Posen.”

“Beautiful!” her sister-in-law sneered.

“Then I will leave it for you,” Ria returned the facial expression and kept going. Soon she reached it. She remembered that dress well. Peach and shiny, with loads of rhinestones on the top.

She was choosing long enough and she took that one, moving to the mirror.

Any second now…

The door opened and Roxy barged in, gasping, “Oh, my goddess! Luna! I am so sorry! I’ll just go away not to ruin your mood.”

She was already doing it. Implying that just a sight of her was affecting Riannon.

And it was. But it was mean to bring this up.

“Stay,” Ria smiled gently and noticed how everyone was watching the two of them, “You are going to the ball too and you need an outfit.”

“I already got one,” Roxanne mumbled, “From all the money that you gave me. I got it in H&M.”

One of Harper’s minions snorted.

“This will not do,” Riannon turned and sighed, “You need a dress good enough for your new status.”

“And what is that?” Harper couldn’t help but ask the provocative question.

“Member of the Silver River pack,” Ria replied without any hesitation, “Look around. What do you like?”

A little sob emerged. And then a sniffle. Everybody turned to see the crying Roxy.

“This is so sweet!” she whined, “You are such a great Luna to take care of someone like me. I never had such a beautiful dress in my life!”

She pointed to the one that Riannon was holding.

“I thought I’d never…have… an opportunity.”

She burst out crying and Ria did her best not to roll her eyes.

“You can have it,” she stretched her hands with the garment towards the omega and pretty much everybody in the room was in shock.

“But Luna!” Aria gasped, “You need to be the first.”

“That’s fine,” Riannon shook her shoulders, “I saw a red one that I like too back there. Roxy can have that one since it’s the one that made you cry like that.”

Roxanne seemed a bit startled and Luna came closer, pushing the tasteless peach dress that was good enough for a middle school prom in some village.

“No, really,” Ria smirked, “I want you to have it.”

Their eyes met and Roxy gaped, realising that she had just been tricked.

“Now go to your room and try it on. It will look beautiful on you.” Or hideous.

As soon as Roxy left, Ria quickly went back to the rack and grabbed the first red dress she saw.

“I like this one,” she went out of the room as quickly as she could, followed by Maya, “Choose what you like, ladies.”

They came straight to Maya’s bedroom and as soon as they closed the door, they started laughing hysterically.

“Oh, my goddess!” Maya chuckled, “This was fun!”

“Indeed,” the Luna agreed, throwing away the red piece of fabric she had. Because the real dress that she was going to wear to the ball was right here. It was the most beautiful dress she had laid her eyes on. It was a stunning wine red off-shoulder gown made of silk chiffon, draped beautifully around the breast and down to the waist, creating a geometrical pattern and, but flowing freely to the ground.

It was a gown fit for a queen. And in the past life, Ria didn’t even order it for viewing as it was way out of her budget. But this time around she saw it again and thought to herself – just why the not?!

The last time she went to the Alpha Ball, it was the most awful experience for her. Roxanne was wearing a beautiful white dress and looking like the little innocent omega she loved to pretend, gaining everybody’s sympathy.

At the same time, Riannon gained pity from the Alphas and was mocked by some of the Lunas who never liked her. It was humiliating as it was to come as the third wheel for her husband and his mate. But on top of that, Brayden spent the whole evening by Roxy’s side. Ria was in a sour mood the whole time although she still managed to negotiate a few things.

This time, she knew what to expect and was ready. This time, she was going there to work.

“Do I look nice?” Maya grinned as she stepped out of the bathroom in a royal blue tight gown.

“You took one too, I see,” Riannon giggled as her friend twirled in front of her.

Today was a success thanks to Maya. She was the one who received all the dresses before the pack omegas got them and brought the one Ria wanted to her room without anyone seeing it.

“Of course,” she placed her hands onto her hips, “We are leaving this pack, so I am not going to save them money.”

“Just don’t shout about it around the mansion, okay?” Ria rolled her eyes, “It’s a secret after all. But you do look nice.”

“Thanks!” Maya seemed to agree, “Shame I am not going with you. But there is always next time, right?”

“When I am the Alpha and you are my Beta, you will attend it every year,” Luna winked at her.

***

In the evening, Ria finished her makeup and hair and walked out to the main part of her bedroom to find a blue box on the little table together with a new bouquet. She opened it and saw a luxurious and probably crazy expensive diamond necklace together with a simple card with one word only on it. Sorry.

“Huh,” she bit her lip, remembering that last time Brayden gave it to Roxy. And he got her some ruby earrings which she never wore. That changed too.

However, now wasn’t the time to think about all that.

She put the necklace on since it was finishing her look just perfect and left for the ball.

She was walking down the stairs, the skirt of her dress flowing beautifully as she looked at it. Most of her hair was up, with a few curly locks falling down her bare shoulders.

“You look beautiful tonight,” a male voice made her flinch.

...

Open the app and continue reading the rest of the story . 👉
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"Have you ffffked her?" I asked my husband of 6 years who had just found his mate.
"No!" He yelled, as if insulted.
"Then reject her," I said with dead coldness.
"Ri, it will weaken my wolf...", he started the same song again and I wanted to laugh.
"You promised to reject your fated mate once you found her, Bray," I reminded my husband who had begged me to marry him. "That was why I agreed to marry you and brought my pack to merge with yours."
His lips twitched slightly. Sighing, he turned to his mate and spoke to her softly, "I am sorry. I'll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise."
"I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject...", he started to say in a firm voice, when the omega fell to her knees, bursting into tears.
"Please, no!" she whimpered, "I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I'll do anything!"
Bray froze. He turned to face me again. I could see pain in his eyes - he couldn't bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his.
"She is staying! We'll find a way around everything!" Bray said, clenching his fists.
And this was the moment when I realized that everything was lost.

...

Riannon stood there not quite believing her eyes. Her husband of six years had his arm wrapped around a petite girl in the middle of their pack house. The cute ginger head peeked at her discretely and Ria could swear that she saw a smirk for half of a second.

“Ri, dear,” Brayden, her legal husband, chosen mate and the Alpha of their pack addressed her in a way he always did when they were alone, “I need to confess… I have found my true mate. Her name is Roxanne.”

The silence in the room was deadly from the moment the two of them walked in, holding hands. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes were on the three of them. The Alpha, the Luna and the Alpha’s mate.

Ria couldn’t force herself to say anything, so Brayden took the lead.

“Listen, I know that we are chosen mates and you will always be my Luna, I assure you of that. But since my wolf saw Roxy, he is going nuts. It would be bad for the pack if I rejected her now. He wouldn’t be able to deal with it. And it will weaken us.”

There it was - the excuse!

The two of them were school sweethearts, the perfect couple. Rhiannon was a daughter and the heiress of a powerful Alpha from a very strong pack. Brayden was her father’s best friend’s son and the future Alpha of his own pack. Since they started dating when she was just 15 and he was 16, everybody couldn’t stop buzzing that they were true mates. They were always the IT couple and everyone envied their love. Besides, as a daughter of any alpha, Ria was educated to become a Luna one day. And not just any Luna. The perfect one. She spent all her free time studying what she would have to do for the rest of her life. And she mastered every single thing to perfection. So that when she was 18 and ready to marry Bray, she would be prepared.

But Bray’s 18th birthday was before hers. She trembled to meet him on that day, longing to hear the one and only most significant word of both of their lives - mate.

He got to her pack early that day and she ran down the stairs to greet him. But as she ran, both their smiles faded a bit. She couldn’t feel anything, but he already knew.

“We are not mates, aren’t we?” she asked, tears trickling down her chin.

“Not the fated ones,” Brayden sighed heavily and locked her in his arms, his lips touching her hair. They stood like this for quite some time, waiting for the disappointment to wash away. And when they were ready, Bray took her face into his hands and said, “It doesn’t matter, Ri! I choose you! I will always choose you! No matter what, no one can break the love between us. You will be my mate, my chosen mate! My one and only!”

It did help that their families practically planned the whole wedding at this point. Her father had no son anymore since Riannon’s older brother died young trying to save their little twin sisters from the rogues. All of them died as a result and Ria was the only one left. So, there was a pressing matter of who would be inheriting the pack. And Bray seemed like the obvious choice. The two of them loved each other and no family members were against the merger of the two strong packs.

A contract was drawn but Bray suggested waiting until Riannon was 19. He told her that he had made his choice but wanted her to try and find her mate before she made hers. They were visiting other packs for the whole year before her next birthday. And then got married one month later, since no mates were found but their feelings were only getting stronger.

They became the power couple of the werewolf world and merged both their packs into one, year by year, working to make it stronger. And now, at twenty-five, Ria was a renowned Luna whom everyone loved and admired.

Riannon traced her gaze around the room and saw the shocked faces of her packmates. Yet she couldn’t help but notice that not everyone seemed startled by the recent events. Her husband’s Beta was watching quietly from the distance, his hands crossed on his chest. But absolutely no surprise in his eyes.

However, the most stunned among them all was still Riannon herself. Although not for the reasons that they all assumed.

Her fingers were trembling and lips twitching slightly as she looked at her husband and his true mate with wide eyes.

“No,” she muttered, “It couldn’t be!”

Why would the Moon Goddess return her to that exact moment in time when all her life was turned upside down, leading to her demise?

What was going on? For her it was one year ago. And just seconds ago, Ria was crawling on the ground in the woods, fighting for her life as two creatures followed her closely. The wolf found her first, digging his sharp canines into her flesh and making her wince in pain.

She was a strong wolf herself, but unfortunately, someone drugged her with aconite, making her weak, unable to shift and practically paralysed.

The wolf growled as he ripped a part of her thigh off and, for the first time during this attack, Riannon screamed loudly.

“You can shout all you want,” the girl who stepped forward said, “No one is going to hear you here. Especially now.”

Ria recognised that voice at once. Her tormentor was none other than her husband’s true mate, Roxanne.

“You?!” Ria panted, trying to sit up, “Why are you doing it? You already took everything from me! My husband, my position as Luna, my pack…”

The wolf growled at her and she tried to recognize him, but it was too dark and she was too weak. The only thing that she knew was that the werewolf was brown. Yet there were many brown wolves in the world, so it did not help.

“I have my reasons,” Roxy smirked, rubbing her round belly, “And I don’t have to explain them to you. Not anymore. Your time has passed. You are done, Riannon.”

“They will find everything out!” the ex-Luna pleaded, “You will not get away with it!”

Resounding laughter was her answer as Roxy kneeled next to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, “Dear, Riannon, don’t you get it? I already did!”

She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground and ordered the wolf, “Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.”

Her arms and her legs were not listening anymore as Riannon watched Roxy walk away leisurely. As if she did not just order her murder.

A tear trickled down Ria's cheek as the wolf had a moment of hesitation.

She did not deserve it!

It was not fair!

If she had another chance, she would do everything differently.

“I am waiting!” Roxanne’s sweet voice broke her train of thought as the wolf jumped over her and ended her life in seconds.

Riannon gasped as she suddenly found herself in the reception room of her house. Something was off because all the old furniture that she loved so much was in place. She couldn’t understand what was going on until Bran walked in with Roxy in his arms and she recognized the day as exactly one year ago.

“The Moon Goddess has some sick sense of humour!” Ria thought to herself, “Out of all of the moments of my life, she brought me back into this most miserable and unpleasant one. What is up with that?!”

Luckily, she was always reserved and knew how to hide her feelings pretty well. So, she just lifted her chin up and met her husband’s gaze.

“I understand that this is very sudden,” Bray tried to sound considerate and she barely managed to hold back a scoff. Sudden? He had no idea!

“I know our agreement, but my wolf is going nuts. You are not only my Luna, but also my best friend, who always understands me. And I know that you always want what’s best for the pack. Roxanne is an omega and an orphan in her pack… Ri, it was horrible how she was treated there! They abused her and treated the girl like a slave! I couldn’t leave her there. It would be horrible and my wolf would never forgive me. I just need her presence here. That's all.”

He finally let go of Roxanne, leaving the redhead alone and went to his wife, taking her hands in his.

“Let her stay in the pack for the sake of it. My wolf is stronger next to her, the rejection would kill him. And we can give Roxy a peaceful life here. She will…”

“No,” the answer sounded calm yet loud enough for everyone to hear...

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Hello, this is my first published book on Dreame and I am very excited to start this journey. I promise you a bumpy ride with loads of twists and turns. Don't be shy and leave me a comment. I also have a group called Marissa Gilbert's Reading Circle where readers discuss chapters, characters and share visuals.

Right now the book is taking part in the Dreame Ace Book Contest. Please, consider giving it your vote by clicking on a gift box or finding the book on the ranking page.

Chapter 2. Rejection

They all stared at her in shock. Bray’s eyes were as wide as two saucers.

“Ri, my wolf…”, he started the same song again and she wanted to laugh. She had already heard it all back in her previous life. He was bringing up his wolf every time he wanted to spend time with Roxy. He never rejected her like they agreed and very soon she became his mistress.

Riannon tried to close her eyes even though it was extremely painful for her. But she was the one who truly cared about the pack and tried to drown herself in work. This was her other mistake. But since she got a second chance, she was not going to repeat it. She was going to get rid of Roxy here and now. Before it was too late.

Back then, Bray told her that it was her choice, and she chose wrong. Letting Roxanne stay for the sake of the pack was a big mistake. People died because of that and not only her. Ria’s eyes met with her best friend Maya’s and tears almost rolled in her eyes. Maya was one of those killed in Roxy’s schemes. She had her doubts before, but now she knew for sure. She was going to get rid of this evil once and for all.

“I said no,” she repeated herself and looked back at her husband with coldness, “We talked about this before and came to an agreement. We’ll find a good pack for her, who will take care of her. But she will not stay here. You need to reject her just as we agreed.”

One question that was bothering her was why Bran chose to have this conversation in public. But it wasn’t the time to think about it. Now she had more pressing matters.

“Riannon,” Bray suddenly got serious, stepping in front of Roxanne, who was hiding behind him and shaking like a leaf in the wind, “Think about this. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. I am the Alpha of our pack and my wolf is going crazy for his mate. We can’t risk…”

“Brayden,” she addressed him calmly, “Our pack is one of the strongest in the country. We are not at war with anyone. And you are a strong Alpha. I believe in you, I always did. You know that. I am sure that rejecting your true mate would not be easy, but we will get through it. As a family that we are.”

“I just want what’s best for the pack,” Bray mumbled, not sounding so sure anymore and Ria felt a prick of hope.

“If you want what’s best for the pack, do it now,” she said, “The longer you put it off, the harder it would get. And if she is anything, she is your weakness. You already go back on your word and this is day one.”

His lips twitched slightly, and Ria knew what it meant. Her victory was close. She almost got rid of this redhead monster.

Sighing, Bray turned to Roxanne and spoke to her softly, “I am sorry. I’ll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise…”

Ria did not notice how hard she clenched the fabric of her dress. Was it always this easy? Could she stop all the disasters that happened to her if she simply said no at once?

“I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject…”, her husband started to say in a firm voice, when the omega in front of him fell to her knees, bursting into tears.

“Please, no!” she whimpered, “I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I’ll do anything!”

Bray froze. He couldn’t bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his. And this was the moment when Riannon realised that everything was lost. He turned to face her again and she held his gaze with pride.

“Please, Alpha!” Roxy started to sob and Ria had to give it to her. If she didn’t know who was before her, she would have bought it too. “I will be your slave! I can clean and I can cook! I can do anything! Just, please, spare me! Don’t do this! I will serve your Luna!”

A wave of electric shock went through Ria at the mention of her. She looked at her rival and met a gaze full of well-hidden hatred.

“Please, my Luna!” the girl kept begging still kneeling, “My fate is in your hands! Please, don’t kill me! Please, spare me! I will be your slave forever. Don’t kill me!”

No one spoke a word and the only sounds in the room were the pitiful sobs and sniffs of Roxanne.

“Sweet girl,” Riannon decided to try one last time, “There is no need for all that. You will be well taken care of, but just not here.”

“Please, my Luna!” Roxy crawled to her way faster than Ria managed to dodge her and grasped her dress, “The rejection will kill me! Please, spare me!”

“I…”, Ria wanted to say something but a loud growl made her stop.

“Enough!” Brayden roared, looking at her with his eyes shining red, meaning that his wolf was at the surface.

“Calm down,” his Luna said firmly but yet another growl emerged from him as he was furious.

“I said enough!” Brayden appeared next to Roxanne in no time and scooped her in his arms, “She is staying! We’ll find a way around everything!”

He walked firmly towards the huge staircase, taking his mate upstairs to one of the guestrooms. Ria knew very well which room it would be – the one in the far corner of the mansion, where her husband would practically move in no time. Roxanne’s head was tucked into Brayden’s neck and Riannon was sure that it was not a coincidence that she was now breathing into his collarbone, right where a mark should go.

Automatically, she touched the mark he gave her when she was nineteen and caught the omega’s gaze on herself. Roxanne was watching. And Ria knew that today she lost just like the last time.

Nothing changed. Her words and actions on that day played absolutely no part in what happened. It was like a very bad movie on repeat…

“Ri!” Maya came up to her when their Alpha was gone, “Are you okay?”

Riannon looked at her best friend, the one that she lost. Not thinking twice, she threw herself in Maya’s arms. After the death of her parents, this was the only person, apart from Brayden, whom she could trust with everything.

“There, there,” she patted her long platinum blonde hair, “It’s going to be all right. He will reconsider, I am sure.”

Only now did Ria realise how everything looked like to the people around her and distanced herself at once. She already lost her husband, there was no need to lose her face too.

“I am fine,” she said and caught the Beta’s gaze on her.

Ash nodded and gave her a soft sympathetic smile, before shouting loudly, “I feel like everyone forgot what they were supposed to be doing! The work is waiting!”

“Let’s go to your room,” Maya suggested, “We’ll talk about everything there.”

No, Ria did not need this conversation. She remembered it very well. Because they already had it.

What she really needed now was some time alone. Because she needed to process things and to come up with a new plan.

She couldn’t save her marriage, but she could still save Maya, other people who died with Roxy’s help, her pack and her own life.

“I just can’t right now,” she smiled at her friend, squeezing her hands, still not quite believing that she was here, “Let’s talk another time. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Work?” Maya’s eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Ria fixed the creases on her dress, “Now that our Alpha is… busy, I have to step in. The pack comes first.”

She gave her friend another warm smile and added, “Everything is going to be all right, Maya. We are going to be fine. All of us.”

Riannon locked the door of her Luna office and tried to control her ragged breathing. Too much! Everything was too much for her. She needed to clear her head and think of everything. She needed a plan. And a good one. She had to save everyone, herself included.

But the office was too stuffy. And she needed to breathe!

Only one thing could help her and it was shifting into her wolf.

Riannon went into the woods that were surrounding their pack and stripped, preparing to change her form.

But nothing happened.

"Onyx, are you there?" she spoke to her wolf for the first time since her sudden rebirth less than an hour before but did not get a reply. It was alarming. Onyx was there her whole life.

"Onyx!" Ria called for her second half but was met with silence. Angry, she ran as fast as she could using her human legs. She was still super fast and strong, which could only mean that her wolf was somewhere there. She was not weak. But what was wrong?

Chapter 3. The Call

CHAPTER 3

The Call

It did not take her long to get to her most favourite place in the world – the Silver Mirror Lake. This was the only place where Riannon could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse and close to the borders of the pack. But it was safe since they did not have any rogue attacks in that area. Just one pack away from here was the Lycans territory and it was rumoured that the Alpha King residence was also somewhere close. No one was foolish enough to enter these lands and check though.

So, Ria did not think twice when she stopped by the ledge of the lake, naked, and jumped into the water. It was cold but at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to calm herself down.

She let herself embrace the dark night when only the full moon shone upon her, making crystals of water sparkle on her skin when she felt someone’s presence. It was powerful and dominating, yet did not belong to her husband and made her alert at once.

Pretending that nothing happened, Ria carefully looked around and her eyes caught a figure of a huge wolf at a hill on the other side of the lake. He was dark, probably black. And his eyes were shining golden.

It was a bad sign. Very bad.

Riannon decided not to risk it and went underwater, getting to the shore as soon as she could and running for her life. Only a loud howl followed her.

She was back in the safe territory in no time. Luckily, her clothes were right where she left them. She pulled her dress on and tried to do the zipper at the back but her fingers were not reaching it.

“Let me help,” two hands touched her back and Beta Asher helped her with her little problem. Ria wondered if he had been there the whole time. But it did not matter in the long run. Werewolves were used to naked bodies. It wouldn’t be the first time he saw her without clothes. It wouldn’t be the last… probably.

“What are you doing here?” she asked the man, turning to face him.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said with an unreadable expression on his face, “Found your clothes and understood that you were on a run. But why didn’t you shift?”

“I did,” she lied without blinking. If anyone knew that she couldn’t shift, then her fate would be decided even sooner. She couldn’t afford that. Ria knew that she needed time. “But that’s not important,” she decided to change the subject quickly, “There was an intruder at the Silver Lake. Send wolves to check it out.”

“Of course, Luna,” he said and his eyes lost focus for a second as he was giving orders via the mind link.

Riannon decided not to wait for him and walked slowly into the house. But Ash caught up with her quickly and opened the door to the mansion for her.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said to her all of a sudden and she stopped. Back in the day, he used to say it to her all the time. Yet when decisions had to be made, he always took her husband’s side. It was one of the betrayals that hurt the most because she was sure that her relationship with the Beta was good prior to all that. Yet he didn’t even object when they stripped her of her title… There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him but she couldn’t.

So, she just placed her delicate hand on his broad shoulder and looked him in the eye, smiling sadly, “You knew, didn’t you?”

His expression changed as if a flash of lightning hit him and his lips parted slightly.

“Yes, Luna,” he confessed, darting his eyes to the ground.

“It’s okay,” she patted him, “I understand. You can’t go against your Alpha’s command.”

“If I could…” he started to speak but she placed her finger to his mouth making a shushing sound.

“Doesn’t matter,” she shrugged her shoulders, “At least I will always have your support, Ash. Right?”

“Always, Luna,” his breathing became heavy and Ria tilted her head, watching him. This was an interesting development. Why was he reacting like that?

“Then, of course, I’ll be fine,” she chuckled and went inside. She had to think of what to do next.

Ria locked herself in her bedroom. She knew that Brayden would not be coming back tonight to share the bed with her. As far as she remembered, he hadn't been sleeping with Roxy at that point yet and spent the whole night in his private office drinking and thinking of life. In the morning, he would bring her flowers and gifts… and an apology even. But Roxy would still stay.

After a long and relaxing bath, Ria went to her desk and got her old journal. She hadn’t been using it for many years, but it was dear to her heart. And it was just the right place to write down every single event that was important and that was going to happen within the year leading to her death.

She tried to remember everything while she still could.

And she knew very well what she was going to do with this information. The game was on.

The plan was simple, really. Since she couldn’t change the main event and get rid of Roxy, she had to leave. But she couldn’t leave without her pack and without making sure that all her dear friends were alive and well. Not to mention, that it was particularly important to try and show Brayden and the rest Roxanne’s true face. Everybody around thought that she was an angel while, in fact, she was the devil. Ria was afraid to even think what would happen if Roxy became the Luna for real, because she for sure wouldn’t have the pack’s interests at heart.

And although Ria’s own heart craved revenge, she didn’t want her life's work to be ruined. Plus, she didn’t have it in her heart to hate everyone. She saved it for just a selected few. The ones who betrayed her trust and led to her demise, the ones who promised her respect and protection but gave her humiliation and suffering. Yes, those were the ones she was going to concentrate on.

The door suddenly opened, and Brayden walked in, making her close the journal with the list of events and names rapidly and hide it back in the drawer. Luckily, he didn’t pay attention to that.

Guilt was all over his face and Ria wanted to roll her eyes, but held herself back. She couldn’t give herself away. This event did not happen prior. In her past life, he didn’t visit her that night. This was new and she had to be cautious.

“Ri,” he walked further into the room, “Ash informed me that you encountered an intruder. Are you okay?”

This was funny. She was sitting there, clearly looking well and in one piece. Who was he kidding? Was it guilt because she put up a fight and he still chose his mate?

“It was unpleasant,” Riannon shrugged her shoulders and stood up. If he decided to ignore the big pink elephant in the room, she could do the same. In the end, it was for the best. Their past conversations about Roxy never ended well. He would never believe what a monster his mate was. So, the less Riannon talked about her, the better.

“And also disappointing”, she went to the window to hide her facial expression.

“How so?” Brayden caught the bait.

“We are one of the strongest packs and some wolf is just wandering on our territory, spying on your Luna who is swimming naked in the lake…”

“He what?” Brayden growled possessively. Back in the day, it would drive her crazy in the best sense of the word. But right now… she was annoyed. He just claimed another woman in front of so many people. He had no right to growl like that in her presence anymore. She didn’t put it into words, of course.

“You heard me,” she said, “And instead of looking for that wolf the Alpha is doing goddess knows what. No offence, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier today. Your mate already distracted you from what was important.”

It was a low blow. But she needed him to be busy with something else right now. In the past, the closer he got to Roxy, the more power and supporters she received. And the worse it got for Riannon and her close people. If she could postpone the wheel of events for at least one day, she would do it.

“You are angry,” he sighed, “I understand, of course. I broke my promise to you. I…”

“Let’s not speak of it,” she stopped him, “It is what it is.”

“Ri, baby,” he nibbled on her neck, right where he marked her years ago, bonding their two wolves forever, acknowledging her as his chosen mate. “I hurt you and I will do anything to fix that.”

Not everything. She knew that too well.

“Only you can be my Luna, you know that, right?” he started peppering her neck with kisses, trying to unzip her dress at the same time.

This was… odd. She hadn’t slept with him for a while. Their paths went in different directions more than half a year ago in her past life. She was his abandoned and rejected wife…

Ria clenched her fists and then turned to face him.

“No!” she made him stop, “Not today.” Or ever. He had his last chance and he blew it. She did not want him anymore. If her wolf Onyx was here now, she would be howling from pain as she was attached to Brayden’s wolf Ragnar. But she didn’t feel Onyx now. She wasn’t under her influence. And she was furious.

She did not show it though. Her mom trained her well to conceal emotions. Finally, it was useful.

“Ri?” Brayden looked at her in shock. Before this day they were happy together. Which reminded Ria that he probably found Roxy earlier and was lying to her for the past few days. Or maybe weeks. “Honey, don’t do this. I love you and we are family. We will always be family.”

“Believe it or not, but I am not feeling well after everything that happened today,” she looked him in the eye, “But it will make me happy if you bring me the intruder’s head.”

He nodded quietly, “Anything for you, Ri.”

Her husband brushed her cheek and she tolerated that. Even forced a smile for the sake of the show.

“You’ll have his head in the morning!” he promised before leaving her alone.

Maya tried to reach her mentally but Riannon just asked her to wait until the morning.

After a mostly sleepless night, she knew what she had to do and she also knew her first step.

In her office, she dialled the number that none other werewolves would risk dialling. But she was left with no choice.

“Hello, Beta Reid speaking,” the annoyed male voice sounded on the other end and Riannon gulped before speaking.

“Hello, Beta. This is Luna Riannon Thorn. Nee Michaels.”

It didn’t ring a bell to him.

“And?” he seemed bored.

“Seven years ago I saved your nephew during a rogue attack in one of the boarding schools. Back then you gave me this number and told me that you owe me one.”

The lycan paused before answering her.

“And I guess you are calling to collect?” he chuckled, “And here I thought that there were selfless people in this world…”

“I wouldn’t ask if lives did not depend on it,” she interrupted him. Lycans were hard to get in touch with. They did not mingle with regular werewolves with rare exceptions. But sometimes they attended elite boarding schools for shifters. That’s when Ria’s luck was on her side.

“Fine,” the man agreed, “What do you want then?”

“I need to speak to the Lycan Alpha King,” Riannon said firmly.

Chapter 4. Royal Confrontation

“Bold, aren’t we?” the Beta chuckled and Ria didn’t know what to think. “Do you think that the King will do whatever I tell him?”

“I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,” she bit her lip. She was walking on thin ice here and was aware of that.

But she had no choice either.

“Fine,” the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was doing, “Crystle, dear, that’s enough of sucking. I need to go.”

Then he groaned again and Riannon’s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?!

There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, “See you tonight, Beta.” And then sounds of steps.

“Just so that you know,” the Beta spoke again, “I am sacrificing a lot right now to pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.”

“Of course,” Ria cleared her throat, “I appreciate your… sacrifice.”

He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door.

“Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,” the sounds were muffled but she could still understand everything.

“Not interested,” the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She thought if the king was… busy as well. He sure wouldn’t sacrifice his pleasure time for her.

“I am not trying to set you up with anyone,” the Beta burst out laughing, “It’s just some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?”

“Not interested,” was the reply and Ria’s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best chance… In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in their lands too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stopped coming through, meaning that he probably blocked her.

“Give her 5 minutes,” from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his king’s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she heard a resounding metallic voice.

“Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,” the man said and she sucked in a breath. He didn’t even use his title. Was that really the Lycan King?

“Hello, your majesty,” she decided to address him formally anyway, “ My name is Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5 minutes with him.

“I need your help,” she breathed out, “My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn and we are planning to divorce in the nearby future.”

“Fascinating,” the man said without any emotions in his voice, “ But what does it have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.”

“I know, Alpha,” she agreed and heard him growl slightly, “That’s not the part that I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married, we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your word will be the last at the Alpha Council. They wouldn't be able to decline.”

“Hmm,” he sounded amused, “And you think that the case would go that far? You do know that the Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will support you?”

“They will if they know that you are on my side,” Riannon felt braver now, “But also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then maybe everything is awesome and you don’t need my help at all?” He chucked.

“I do, your majesty,” she assured him, “I really do. And I would really appreciate it.”

“This is a complex matter,” he said after a short pause, “Not something I would decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn’t sound serious enough to bother.”

Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?!

“But…”

“There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your husband. You didn’t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it’s too late,” the Alpha King seemed bored, “He will still owe you generous alimony according to our laws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that’s what bothers you…”

“It’s not about that!” She gritted her teeth, “I can’t leave my people with them!”

“Them?” The king scoffed, “So, this is the problem. He found another and you are bitter about it?”

This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who were considered her friends.

“I am not bitter!” She spat, “I am furious. Because only now do I see how many flaws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a male doesn’t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but when it comes to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha’s job for years by my husband’s side and I’ve done it flawlessly. But all you see is a wounded woman who can’t get over her husband’s betrayal. And you know what, it hurts like but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next move. You don’t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a disappointing introduction to my king!”

She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall into several pieces.

What a joke!

Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta’s phone. What the was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up?

“O-kay,” Reid carefully took his cell back, “I see that went well.”

“Remind me again who was it?” Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick brows.

“What?” Reid let out a nervous laugh, “Before I tell you… Are you going to kill her or…”

“REID!” Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard him well.

“Fine!” the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, “She is the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

Silver River… not far from Silver Lake.

“What else?” the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently.

“Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.”

“You said that you owed her,” Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, “How so? Is she one of your many whores?”

“Of course not!” the Beta sounded offended, “She… she saved Kyle seven years ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event there. She wasn’t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the role.”

“She saved him?” Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she didn’t come on time…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” the king groaned.

“There was no time!” Reid shook his shoulders, “And how could I know that you would be such a d*ck to her?!”

“Is there a good time to be a d*ck?” the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more.

“Find out where I can meet her,” Gideon cut him off, “I am intrigued. She does seem… feisty.”

“Just the way you hate them,” Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha’s glare, he wiped the smile off his face, “I’ll go… get to work.”

Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this woman… she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was amusing indeed.

And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case.

So be it.

Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She didn’t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to face once she went downstairs.

But she almost bumped into Maya at the door.

“Ria,” her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that the latter was nervous, “How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?”

Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything.

“Maybe another time,” she said, taking Maya’s hand and still not believing that she was alive, “Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?”

“Always,” Maya’s eyes glistened with tears.

The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention.

“Luna!” she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her succeed, “P-please, forgive my rudeness! I know my place!”

Here we go again…

Chapter 5. The Beta Female Best Friend

Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance.

Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen.

Well, Riannon wasn't going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher - Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything.

Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work.

So, she was going to try something else.

“I am so sorry, Luna,” Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya.

“Roxy,” Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, “I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.”

She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people's hearts. Over time, a lot of them stood on her side because she was, after all, their Alpha’s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn’t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection.

Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria’s arms again.

“Thank you!” she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn't close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now. Meanwhile Roxy went on, “I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is…I’ll be your personal maid if I have to.”

At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back a laugh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to become a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now.

Get used to that, my love.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Roxy!” Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. “You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work according to your abilities. And if they aren’t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.”

The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise?

“I am the luckiest girl alive,” she smiled innocently, flapping her eyelashes,“No wonder my mate… I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.”

“Oh, you will have to tell me later!” Ria giggled and pushed Roxy back to the chair she was sitting at prior. Luckily, she didn’t risk taking the Luna’s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria didn’t have to deal with it today.

“I will be happy to!” Roxane shook her red locks and the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing fell off her shoulder “accidentally”, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The mate bond was already working. And their time was slipping away.

“By the way,” Riannon took a sip of her coffee and it seemed more bitter than usual, “We need to assign a budget for Roxanne.”

Once again, the whole room went quiet.

“Are you sure, Luna?” Beta Asher spoke, “She is just an omega and…”

“She is not a simple omega,” Riannon raised her chin high and put a perfect smile on her face, “She is our Alpha’s mate. He did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it’s time to throw away the worn-out t-shirts and jeans.”

“That’s very kind of you, Luna,” Maya couldn’t stay silent anymore, “Some would even say too kind. I mean, considering…”

“I do what I can,” Ria sent her best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, “And let’s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don’t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish her no harm and will have zero tolerance to the ones who try to do it.”

And with that, she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching glances of her pack mates on her.

There they were. The looks they used to give to Roxy. Now they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this time there was more respect than pity.

Back in the day, Ria did all the same things. But her mistake was not to announce it in front of everyone. And in the end, Roxy played them and made them believe that Ria mistreated her where she could.

She caught Brayden’s gaze on her and sent a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this was good.

Right after the breakfast Maya pulled her into the Luna office and made sure to lock the door properly. The room had sound isolation and they could talk in private without the fear of being overheard.

“What the are you doing?” she hissed at her friend, “You are welcoming his mate?! You should have insisted again and again on him rejecting her!”

“Oh, M,” Ria couldn’t help herself and hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of almonds and this made her broken heart warm again.

“Stupid perfect Luna! You can’t be this kind!” Maya almost sobbed, “You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess’s sake! What was he thinking?!”

“I know,” Ria sighed, stepping away, “But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the mate bond. That battle was lost the moment he met her and didn’t reject her.”

“You are so calm about it! I can’t believe this!” the girl shook her head, clear signs of worry on her face.

Ria contemplated for a few seconds but deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust this secret to anyone, it would be her best friend since childhood.

“I need to tell you something,” Riannon took Maya’s hands and led her to the armchair, sitting on the verge of her desk. “But I will need you to be open-minded about what I am about to say.”

She spoke and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya’s own death. There was no need for that. She knew that the small fragments she was ready to share now would be enough for her.

When she was done, Maya looked at her with red eyes, “It’s…”

“Unbelievable, I know,” Riannon sighed.

“Horrible!” her friend took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, “Ria! That’s awful! What you had to go through…”

“Wait, you meant you have no doubts in what I said now?” the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her bestie.

“You wouldn’t joke about it at a moment like that,” Maya leaned back on her chair, “And as far as I know, you were madly in love with Brayden just yesterday. But now… You are so calm that it’s frightening. So this explains a lot. You don't get over love like that in one day.”

That was true. Riannon did not know for sure if all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn't the same girl from before. She was twenty-five but it felt as if she lived much longer now. Suffering and broken heart could do that to people.

“And it doesn’t bother you how crazy that sounds?” Ria decided to make sure they were on the same page.

“I believe in the Moon Goddess,” Maya shook her shoulders, “She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that… Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death for you! Anyone but you!”

“I missed you so much,” Ria couldn’t help herself and gave Maya another hug. She went quiet for a bit and I gave herself a promise that whatever happened, she would at least save her best friend. She was not going to lose her again.

“So, what’s the plan?” Maya went into the battle mode fast. She was one of those underappreciated wolves. They called her Luna’s assistant and both of them hated that. She had pure Beta blood and could take down an Alpha if she tried hard. Maybe not any Alpha but definitely most of them. They thought too much of themselves and always underestimated pretty girls.

“The plan is to divorce and take our pack back,” Ria smiled, knowing that she had a great ally on her side now, “The Pearl Moon.”

“Is this even possible?” Maya whistled, “I mean, if you quickly get pregnant with Brayden’s baby and then we kill him, we could get this all…”

“No, thank you,” Ria first with laughter, “Goddess you are so bloodthirsty!”

“My hands are just itching to cut his di…”

“I got you!” the Luna covered her face with her hands, trying to suppress another outburst of giggles.

“You know what, I have an idea!” Maya said all of a sudden, “How about we ask lycans for help?! This may actually…”

“Been there, done that. Their king is an a$shole,” Ria rolled her eyes.
“You what?!” her friend’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“I had one lycan who owed me and asked him to arrange a conversation with his king. But you have no idea how arrogant he is!” Ria explained.

“Worse than Brayden?” Maya chuckled.

“Worse than Brayden,” Ria confirmed.

“Okay then, what’s next?” the Beta female never gave up and this was one of the very many reasons they became friends in the first place.

“Simple, really. I need to get the support of as many Alphas as I can,” Riannon exhaled loudly, “So that when the divorce comes into force, they give me their votes when I raise the matter in the Alpha Counicl. And I will.”

“How many do you think will support you?” Maya asked bluntly, getting her cell our of her pocket, "Count on the alphas where mu cousins are Betas. I'll take care of them."

“Not sure yet, but I know where to strike first,” Ria tapped her fingers over the cold wood of her desk, waiting for Maya to tear her eyes off the phone and spare her a look.

“Do tell!” the girl seemed genuinely interested.

“The most important event of the year that is just around the corner,” Riannon smirked, "The annual Alpha ball"

Chapter 6. Dress to Impress

“Ri,” Brayden’s head popped out of the door of Riannon’s office right when she was finishing discussing the pack’s primary school budget with the headmistress, “Do you have a sec?”

“Yes, we are done here,” Ria handed the papers to the woman in front of her and the latter gave her a sympathetic smile. The Luna remembered very well that she was the one who stood by her by the very end. That was one of the reasons she managed to squeeze in a little extra cash for the school.

“Luna, Alpha,” the headmistress bowed her head and left, leaving the husband and the wife alone for the first time in a while. For the last few days, Riannon tried to avoid Brayden at all costs. She remembered too well that their every meeting in the past life was ending badly during those days. Back then she tried to keep her dignity and not approach him first. They had meals together with pack members as always. And work meetings with Beta, Gamma and so on. But other than that, every time Bray wanted to talk to her, Riannon was finding a perfect excuse to escape. There was no point in talking to him since nothing could be changed. She debated telling him the truth about her rebirth but swept that idea under the rug. He could decide that she was crazy and use that during their divorce when she planned to get her pack back.

The silence was getting awkward.

“Long time no see,” he came closer and she remained behind her desk to make it harder for him to approach her.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Ria threw herself back in her chair, “Is it about the Alpha Ball?”

“Did you get my flowers?” he asked.

The flowers kept coming. He was probably still feeling guilty.

“Yes, they are lovely,” she forced a smile, “Thank you. So, did you come to speak about the Alpha Ball?”

They already had this conversation. He caught her in her office and broke her heart.

“Yes,” Brayed pulled the collar of his shirt to make it easier to breathe while Ria watched him with an indifferent expression that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “It’s about Roxy… I mean Roxanne.”

“What about her?” she pretended not to know what it was about.

“Listen,” he sighed and averted her gaze, “I kind of promised her that I would take her to the ball as my partner.”

“Oh, really?” Riannon tilted her head, “I wonder when and how that happened?”

“It’s… a long story,” he cleared his throat, “Please, understand. My wolf is dying when she is unhappy. And she has never been to a ball like that.”

“Oh, my,” Ria gasped and shook her head, “Should I maybe take Enzo with me? He hasn’t seen an event like that either. And neither did Cole.”

She mentioned the hottest single warriors of the pack on purpose. And heard a growl emerge from her husband’s chest. That served him right.

“What is it with you lately, Ri?” he looked at her in disbelief, “My Luna will not be going with someone else!”

“But it’s okay if my Alpha goes with someone else? How is that fair?” she shot her brow up, challenging him. And Brayden hated challenge.

“Maybe you should sit this one out then!” he snarled at her and for the first time, she started to get worried here. She needed that ball. She needed it badly.

“No, thanks,” the Luna crossed her hands on her chest, “I got my own personal invitation. Besides, it’s important to mingle with other Lunas for the sake of our pack. We still need to organise student and warrior exchanges and a couple of mating events for over 18s. Or do you expect Roxy to be able to deal with it instead of enjoying her first big ball? What kind of Cinderella she would be then if she would have to work again?!”

He exhaled through his nostrils and she knew that she managed to win.

“Fine,” he grunted standing up, “But you will go with Ash then. He is going anyway since he is the pack’s Beta.”

“Now you are sucking the fun out of his life too?” Ria chuckled, “I am sure he had a girl to take there and impress.”

“He already agreed to be you plus one,” Brayden informed her, “He’ll protect you there too.”

“How thoughtful,” she decided just to go with it. Getting rid of Ash would be easy anyway. He would see some Alpha’s daughter and off he would go.

Brayden prepared to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at her again

“Ri,” he looked her in the eye, “It’s just a transition period. We will get through this and everything will be fine.”

Lies.

“I will never take another Luna except for you.”

Lies.

“I still love you, it’s just that she had such a hard life and I am not a monster. She is just a sweet girl, she will never take your place.”

Lies, lies, lies.

“Thank you for telling me that,” she nodded, “I needed to hear that, Bray.”

She even forced a smile.

“Look, when the ball is over, let’s take a day off. Just you and me. What do you think?” he suggested all of a sudden and now she looked at him in surprise. This was new. It didn’t happen in the past.

“We’ll have to see our schedules for that,” she stretched her lips further, “But it’s a nice idea.”

“Then I’ll see you around?” he suddenly looked relieved as if he got rid of some kind of trouble here.

“I am your wife, am I not?” she chuckled and his smile faded.

He left and Ria’s phone buzzed with a notification that the dresses should have already arrived.

She paused just for a second. It worried her that he offered that day off thing. Was it a good sign or a bad? She wanted to change the events that caused so many disasters but this exact one wasn’t in her plans.

In the end, she was late for the fitting and entered the room full of the most important females of the pack. Maya was there along with their friends Tatiana and Aria. They greeted her in their usual friendly way. On the other side of the room sat Harper and her minions.

Harper was Brayden’s sister. And for some reason, she never liked Riannon too much since they were younger. She was one of the first to openly support Roxy. She was the one who opened the door for others who didn’t know what to do and actually promoted the evil redhead monster.

“Bring in the dresses,” Ria commanded firmly. She wanted to be done here quick.

It was a tradition of their pack that outfits for the ladies invited to the Alpha ball were chosen together and paid for by the pack. After all, they all were representing the Silver River pack and it was important to let others see how well they were doing.

A few omegas rolled in clothing racks with the most beautiful evening dresses from the top designers. Luna always was the first one to choose and then they went according to their ranks. The rest of the clothes was sent back.

Riannon knew very well which dress she was going to pick but still pretended to look at them all to avoid suspicion.

“How about that emerald one?” Harper suggested the colour that would never suit Riannon blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Do you like it?” she got the hanger and placed it to her chest with a smile, “It’s Zac Posen.”

“Beautiful!” her sister-in-law sneered.

“Then I will leave it for you,” Ria returned the facial expression and kept going. Soon she reached it. She remembered that dress well. Peach and shiny, with loads of rhinestones on the top.

She was choosing long enough and she took that one, moving to the mirror.

Any second now…

The door opened and Roxy barged in, gasping, “Oh, my goddess! Luna! I am so sorry! I’ll just go away not to ruin your mood.”

She was already doing it. Implying that just a sight of her was affecting Riannon.

And it was. But it was mean to bring this up.

“Stay,” Ria smiled gently and noticed how everyone was watching the two of them, “You are going to the ball too and you need an outfit.”

“I already got one,” Roxanne mumbled, “From all the money that you gave me. I got it in H&M.”

One of Harper’s minions snorted.

“This will not do,” Riannon turned and sighed, “You need a dress good enough for your new status.”

“And what is that?” Harper couldn’t help but ask the provocative question.

“Member of the Silver River pack,” Ria replied without any hesitation, “Look around. What do you like?”

A little sob emerged. And then a sniffle. Everybody turned to see the crying Roxy.

“This is so sweet!” she whined, “You are such a great Luna to take care of someone like me. I never had such a beautiful dress in my life!”

She pointed to the one that Riannon was holding.

“I thought I’d never…have… an opportunity.”

She burst out crying and Ria did her best not to roll her eyes.

“You can have it,” she stretched her hands with the garment towards the omega and pretty much everybody in the room was in shock.

“But Luna!” Aria gasped, “You need to be the first.”

“That’s fine,” Riannon shook her shoulders, “I saw a red one that I like too back there. Roxy can have that one since it’s the one that made you cry like that.”

Roxanne seemed a bit startled and Luna came closer, pushing the tasteless peach dress that was good enough for a middle school prom in some village.

“No, really,” Ria smirked, “I want you to have it.”

Their eyes met and Roxy gaped, realising that she had just been tricked.

“Now go to your room and try it on. It will look beautiful on you.” Or hideous.

As soon as Roxy left, Ria quickly went back to the rack and grabbed the first red dress she saw.

“I like this one,” she went out of the room as quickly as she could, followed by Maya, “Choose what you like, ladies.”

They came straight to Maya’s bedroom and as soon as they closed the door, they started laughing hysterically.

“Oh, my goddess!” Maya chuckled, “This was fun!”

“Indeed,” the Luna agreed, throwing away the red piece of fabric she had. Because the real dress that she was going to wear to the ball was right here. It was the most beautiful dress she had laid her eyes on. It was a stunning wine red off-shoulder gown made of silk chiffon, draped beautifully around the breast and down to the waist, creating a geometrical pattern and, but flowing freely to the ground.

It was a gown fit for a queen. And in the past life, Ria didn’t even order it for viewing as it was way out of her budget. But this time around she saw it again and thought to herself – just why the not?!

The last time she went to the Alpha Ball, it was the most awful experience for her. Roxanne was wearing a beautiful white dress and looking like the little innocent omega she loved to pretend, gaining everybody’s sympathy.

At the same time, Riannon gained pity from the Alphas and was mocked by some of the Lunas who never liked her. It was humiliating as it was to come as the third wheel for her husband and his mate. But on top of that, Brayden spent the whole evening by Roxy’s side. Ria was in a sour mood the whole time although she still managed to negotiate a few things.

This time, she knew what to expect and was ready. This time, she was going there to work.

“Do I look nice?” Maya grinned as she stepped out of the bathroom in a royal blue tight gown.

“You took one too, I see,” Riannon giggled as her friend twirled in front of her.

Today was a success thanks to Maya. She was the one who received all the dresses before the pack omegas got them and brought the one Ria wanted to her room without anyone seeing it.

“Of course,” she placed her hands onto her hips, “We are leaving this pack, so I am not going to save them money.”

“Just don’t shout about it around the mansion, okay?” Ria rolled her eyes, “It’s a secret after all. But you do look nice.”

“Thanks!” Maya seemed to agree, “Shame I am not going with you. But there is always next time, right?”

“When I am the Alpha and you are my Beta, you will attend it every year,” Luna winked at her.

***

In the evening, Ria finished her makeup and hair and walked out to the main part of her bedroom to find a blue box on the little table together with a new bouquet. She opened it and saw a luxurious and probably crazy expensive diamond necklace together with a simple card with one word only on it. Sorry.

“Huh,” she bit her lip, remembering that last time Brayden gave it to Roxy. And he got her some ruby earrings which she never wore. That changed too.

However, now wasn’t the time to think about all that.

She put the necklace on since it was finishing her look just perfect and left for the ball.

She was walking down the stairs, the skirt of her dress flowing beautifully as she looked at it. Most of her hair was up, with a few curly locks falling down her bare shoulders.

“You look beautiful tonight,” a male voice made her flinch.

...

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