ALPHA RYDER'S LUNA

MAYA'S POV

"Do you know that Caleb will be choosing his mate and our next Luna today at the party? He's planning on marking her in front of everyone," Elena, my sister, said excitedly, her voice filled with anxiety as we rode in the car to the party.

I gave a quick smile, knowing fully well I was the one she was anticipating to know. It had been a few months now since I found out Caleb, our pack's alpha, was my mate, and of course, Caleb himself knew, and so did my best friend, Layla.

I reached to my stomach, recounting how I met Caleb and how we made the baby that was now growing inside of me. I could vividly remember the day he walked up to me in the gardens, the beginning of our love story.

FLASHBACK

I had just clocked 20 years when I began to feel so drawn to Caleb. Even now, as I stood in a crowd of werewolves celebrating the festival of the moon goddess, I could easily pick up his alluring scent that was beginning to drive me crazy, and at different times, I had seen him steal glances at me. I guess he knew; he must have known for years that we were mates. Yes, for years. Caleb was 24 years old, a cheering 4 years older than I was.

I calmly set my eyes on Caleb's amid the crowd, but as soon as they did, I averted my gaze, shy and embarrassed that I had been caught staring. I stood and began to make my way out of the hall where the party was being held.

Within a few seconds, I found my way out and began to walk towards the garden behind the building we were at; the full moon lit my path as I walked in the night's darkness.

The garden had a nice view to it; the planted flowers were in full bloom, reminding me of how I had just bloomed. Sighting a long seat in the middle of the garden, I walked towards it, then allowed the events of the last few days to replay in my mind.

It's a great thing. I now had a mate, and by the looks of things, he must like me, since he couldn't seem to get his eyes off me. I smiled. I was lost in my thoughts, but the sound of a twig snapping brought me back to reality. I looked around sharply; there was no one, but I knew someone was there. He was here; I could sniff him.

"Now I know you are as intelligent as I thought," he said, stepping out of the shadow from behind a tree.

"'Maya, right?" He asked as he sat beside me.

I nodded affirmatively, as I couldn't seem to be able to form words; the devastatingly handsome alpha beside me had that kind of effect on everyone.

"No one could have thought an omega would be so smart." He commented, "I could feel the disgust in his tone when he mentioned the word 'omega,'" but maybe I just decided to blind myself to the fact.

So instead of saying anything, I blushed hard; the thought of the alpha being mine was one that made me feel above the moon.

I timidly bowed my head, unable to directly look him in the eye.

"Are you always this bashful?" He asked.

"N-no," I uttered.

"It's alright, you're agile; it's okay to be bashful," he said, giving me a reassuring smile that made my heart jump more rather than putting it at ease, which was what Alpha Caleb intended.

He placed a hand on my fingers, making me realize I had been trembling. His touch sent shivers, as though my body had been struck by lightning. I felt something so good in me, something deeper than just catching his scent. My weak wolf wanted to jump into his arms, but I had to behave. I wasn't his yet; for all I know, he could reject me, and there's nothing I can do. Rumor had it that he had a mate who he'd rejected in the past, so I decided not to get ahead of myself.

"It seems we are mates," I said, averted, not meeting his gaze.

"Definitely, yes we are," he said in the calmest tone, then pulled me in for a kiss, my first kiss.

Alpha Caleb gently landed his lips on mine before allowing his tongue to find its way into my mouth. The kiss slowly ended, and he hugged me tightly like his life depended on it.

"I wish for you, Maya," he said, then groaned softly. And I wanted him too.

"Come with me," he said, although it sounded more like an order, and without thinking twice, I followed him.

Without hesitation, we made our way back to the huge hotel building, but this time around, not to the hall where the moon goddess' festival was being held. Alpha Caleb led the way to a hotel room, and while the whole of my morals screamed not to follow, my wolf kept saying to follow, and so I did.

All the rooms were large and beautiful, but I didn't take in many details, as Alpha Caleb surprisingly leaned on me and we began to kiss passionately. Soon after, clothes began to fly up and down, and he was inside of me. The first thrust was painful, as it was my first time, tight, and painfully soothing my urge, but the subsequent thrust was a mixture of bittersweet pleasure.

I could not get enough of him, and neither could he get enough of me. Alpha Caleb fucked me in different styles that night; we didn't stop till it was around 6 am.

"I'd like to ask you," I said in a low tone, "when will you mark me?" I had asked after the long night.

He giggles softly before he responds, "After I am crowned Alpha king in one and a half months, at my coronation party, but we should keep this a secret; I fear you might be harmed before then," he replies amidst dozing off.

And just like a novice, I believed him. The happiness I felt that night was everything I needed to wait for one and a half months, and within those months, I had met Alpha Caleb on different occasions, and we had been intimate each time. It was beyond expectations.

***END OF FLASHBACK***

Finally today, I was going to be announced as his mate and Luna of Nightshade Pack. Our car came to a halt in front of the palace of Nightshade.

Elena and I came down and then started making our way inside. We were side by side when we heard loud cheering coming from the crowd; a waiter passed by with drinks when Sheila stopped her and asked,

"What's happening?"

"Alpha Caleb marked Lady Layla as his mate," the waitress replied.

There and then, my world came crashing down before me. I was pregnant and obviously now rejected for no reason by my mate, who didn't only reject me but also marked my best friend, Layla, as his mate and Luna.