Mara

I wake to the sound of tyres humming softly on the tarmac, the woodsy scent of Beta Preston’s cologne in my nose, and the more flowery lavender scent of a woman.

Frowning, I sit upright and look out of the windshield of the moving SUV. Ahead of us is a long, deserted road and the setting sun.

I have no idea where we are. Red Ridge must be far behind us. I’ve never seen anything so empty and desolate in all my life. The world here is flat, with nothing but the road and grasslands as far as the eye can see.

How long was I out?

“Hello lovely,” a chirpy voice says from the front seat. “Did yeh have a good sleep?”

I look over at the platinum blonde sitting in the passenger seat. She’s in her mid-twenties. Her make-up is heavy, and she’s dressed in a tight, red dress that leaves little to the imagination.

All I manage in way of an answer is a croak.

“Give her some water,” Beta Preston says, his voice deep and even.

He’s a handsome man, with salt and pepper hair, hazel eyes, and a beard that matches his hair. Everytime he smiles, two deep dimples appear in cheeks, and like all wolves of his station, he’s huge. The steering wheel looks like a toy in his hands.

“I’m Rhoda,” the woman says and leans back to hand me a bottle of water. “E’ryone jus’ calls me Roe.”

“I-” a frog catches in my throat and it takes several tries to clear it. “I’m Mara. Thank you,” I say and take the water.

“Nice ta meet, yeh, Mara.”

“Luna Mara,” Preston corrects her.

“I’m not a Luna,” I remind him.

He looks at me in the rearview mirror, his warm eyes catching mine. “You will be.”

I don’t answer him. I haven’t had much to say since I got married. Sometimes, it feels as if my brain is empty - like someone went in there with a brush and scrubbed out all my thoughts. Lucas didn’t allow me to talk to guests, and I could only leave our house with his permission.

He only ever let me see Haley, and she was allowed to visit me once a week. I used to think it was the one small kindness he allowed. Now I think it was so he could get information about me.

Not that she’d tell him anything he didn’t already know, other than the fact that I used birth control and that I hated him. He must have known, surely.

“Yeh’re lookin’ a bit rough there, Mara,” Rhoda says. “What happened to yeh?”

“Rhoda!” Preston scolds her. “That is none of your business.”

He’s right, but I answer her anyway. “My mate liked to take his frustrations out on me.”

“Ah yeah,” she sighs. “I had one of those too.”

I look down at my left hand resting on my lap. Someone took my rings off. I have nothing but the clothes on my back. They even took my purse with my cell phone in it. “They took everything,” I mutter, more to myself than the other two occupants in the car.

Rhoda glances at Preston who shakes his head, but she either doesn’t care or doesn’t see the warning. “Yeah, I’m sorry lovey. Them men are assholes.”

Warm tears spill down my cheeks. It’s the first time in two years that I’ve allowed myself to cry in front of others, but it’s too much to hold on to. “What will happen to me?”

“Look what you’ve done,” Preston says and flicks the indicator on.

It wasn’t Rhoda’s fault, but I don’t have the energy to stand up for her. The Beta pulls off the road, and shoves the gear into neutral before he awkwardly tries to turn in his seat. “Mara. You are going to a good place,” he says. “A better place.”

It’s the kind of thing people said to my mother when she lay on her deathbed. It stirs a restless fear in me that has been my ever-present companion since the day we buried her. “Am I going to die?” I ask.

“What? No!” Preston exclaims. “I’m just saying…Haven’s Crest is a good place full of good people.”

“And the Alpha?”

Preston and Rhoda exchange a glance that doesn’t put my mind at ease. “He’s okay,” Rhoda says at last. “He can be a lil…snippy, sometimes.”

“Snippy?” I ask.

“He has a temper,” Preston explains.

The fear in me grows, swallowing my insides like a big, black hole.

“Don’t worry,” Rhoda says quickly. “He don’t beat women or nothing like that.”

But he might beat his mate. Lucas doesn’t beat women either, yet he enjoyed using his fists on me.

Preston exchanges another one of those troubled glances with Rhoda. “You’ll be okay,” he says and straightens.

Was that supposed to be comforting? If anything, he just made me feel worse.

A few seconds later, we’re back on the road. A sense of impending doom settles over me like a heavy blanket. It’s so bad that I’m afraid to breathe.

This day has been too much to deal with. My whole world, fucked up as it might have been, came crashing down in less than ten minutes.

I lie back down and go to sleep.

When I wake again, it’s dark and the SUV is parked outside a small hotel. There are a few other cars in the parking lot, but otherwise the place is deserted. Preston is not in the car, but Rhoda is. “Do yeh feel better, sweetie?” she asks.

No. Not at all. “Sure,” I say and rub my hand over my throat.

Rhoda’s eyes fall on my throat and she lets out a soft, tsk, sound. “Why are yeh not ‘ealing?”

“He beats me too much.”

“My mate…he used ta go in with his fists too.”

“Where is he now?”

“Dead. I killed ‘im.”

“That was brave,” I say. “I wish I was that brave.”

“You are very young, lovey,” she says with a grimace. “I din’t find my bravery ‘til I was much older.”

I snort softly. “You are what? Four years older than me?”

“I’m thirty-five, schnookums.”

I like her. There’s an honesty about her in the way she speaks, and she doesn’t seem to care what people think of her. “What do you do for the pack?”

“We’re not really a pack. Yeh’ll see when we get there.”

“What does that mean?” I ask.

Rhoda opens her mouth to answer me, but before she can, Preston is back and leaning into the car. “You are in room ten. Eat. Sleep. We leave at dawn.”

Mara

I stare in wonder at the winding road ahead of us. It disappears around several bends, leading all the way to the top of the mountain, and the town of Haven’s Crest.

Who the hell builds an entire town on the top of a mountain?

We crawl up the road. There’s literally nothing between us and a sheer drop into the canyon below, but it’s idyllic, with the green mountain rising up against the bright blue sky. Cotton candy clouds drift in the azure heavens.

As we round one of the many dangerous bends, a waterfall comes into view. Rainbows dance in the misty water that vanishes into the pond below. “Wow,” I gasp.

“Pretty, ain’t it?” Rhoda says with a soft laugh.

I can’t tear my eyes away from the beautiful scenery. It’s like a postcard sent from some exotic place I never knew existed. Far below and in the distance, a blue lake glimmers in the bright sun.

At long last, we reach the top. A massive white and black sign welcomes us to *Haven’s Crest - A home for every soul.*

I smile wryly. How deceptively cute. I bet not everyone’s welcome here.

When Preston pulls up to the first stop sign, I understand why they built the town here. The view is spectacular, the heavens lie wide open above us, and below us the peaks and valleys stretch out for miles around.

The Alpha’s compound is built right on the edge of a cliff. From here, I can just make out the roof peaking out above the trees. I don’t see any fences, walls or guards. Everything blends in perfectly with nature.

“No security?” I ask as Preston drives up to the front door of a truly impressive mansion built entirely from wood and stone.

“We have warriors patrolling,” he says. “At night the vampires take care of security.”

My stomach flips over. “Vampires?”

“Hm. We have all sorts here,” Preston answers. “Did you not see the sign?”

“I thought it was just for show.”

“No,” the Beta says. “In the summers, humans like to vacation here. It’s how we make our money.”

“Do they know what this place is?”

Rhoda cackles loudly. “The tourists don’t.”

But the regular residents do. Vampires need to feed, and werewolf blood is toxic to them. Where I’m from, we despise vampires and hunt them with impunity.

The moment we stop, the front door opens and a man dressed in comfortable linen trousers and a white shirt exits the palatial mansion. “That’s Chad,” Rhoda helpfully points out. “The butler.”

My father’s butlers wore grey pinstripe suits.

Lucas wouldn’t allow me to have any help. According to him, the only thing I was good for was to cook, clean, and breed. I learned how to do the first two, but I refused to breed with him.

The butler opens my door first and steps aside so I can get out. “Luna,” he says. “Welcome to Haven’s Crest.”

Everyone’s so nice. A little too nice. I don’t trust it.

“Thu- thank you, I guess.”

He just smiles. “Did you bring any luggage?”

I shake my head. My father really let me come here with nothing more than the clothes on my back. Last night, I had to borrow a t-shirt from Rhoda, and this morning I had no other choice but to dress in the same clothes I wore yesterday. A light green maxi dress with long sleeves and a high neck - chosen because it hides most of my bruises.

“That’s all right,” the butler says. “We have several lovely boutiques here in town that should be to your liking.”

I bite into my lower lip and swallow the tears that threaten to overwhelm me. I don’t have money. It was bad enough that I had to beg Lucas to give me money for new underwear, I don’t have it in me to ask my new mate for the same.

“This way, madam,” he says and sweeps his arm in the direction of the big, oak door.

It’s surprisingly warm here. I thought it would be cold, being in the mountains and all, but the weather feels more tropical than anything else. The humidity is almost stifling, and the breeze that lifts my skirt away is scorching hot.

I’m relieved when we enter the air-conditioned mansion. “Please wait here,” Chad says when we’re in the vast, open foyer. “Alpha Johnathan will be right with you.”

Preston and Chad disappear deeper into the mansion, and I take the time to look around.

Everything is rustic and beautiful. The furniture is handcrafted from reclaimed wood with leather upholstery. The gleaming hardwood floors give the place a warm, homey feel.

The decor is minimalist, screaming of understated wealth. There are a few art pieces, hand carved from wood and stone, depicting various animals. On either side of the foyer are a pair of staircases leading to the upper floors.

I’m drawn to a particularly magnificent sculpture of an African elephant. Carved entirely from some kind of black stone, it’s a lifesize piece with intricate details. I run my hand over the smooth stone, marvelling at the little details the artist included. The wrinkles of the animal's skin, the almost sad eyes and big ears that seem to move in the shadows.

“Mara,” a velvety smooth voice says right behind me, pulling me from my thoughts.

I freeze. I can tell by the aura that rolls over me that it’s an Alpha who just entered the room.

My new mate.

Slowly, I turn to face him.

My mouth dries up and my heart does a silly little flip-flop in my chest. The physical attraction is immediate and visceral, almost forcing me to my knees.

The man is huge. Taller than Preston by at least a head, broad shouldered, with dark brown hair, and onyx eyes that I can drown in. He’s as perfect as the sculptures. As if an artist cut him from marble, making sure to capture every immaculate detail - from his perfectly straight nose, to his high cheekbones, full lips, and square jaw.

Like the butler, the Alpha is dressed comfortably, wearing only a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He didn’t even bother to put on shoes. His hair is a little too long and messy. The stubble around his jaw is at least two days old.

He drops his chin and looks at me through a fringe of hair that flops over his forehead. “Can you speak?” he asks.

“Yu- yes, Alpha. Sorry. I- it’s nice to meet you.”

He gives me a lopsided grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “This way,” he says and points at a door on the other side of the foyer.

On shaky legs, I follow him through the mansion, trying to take it all in. Living like this might not be too bad. Maybe I’ll be lucky this time. Perhaps, my new mate won't beat me that much, and hopefully, he’ll allow me some measure of freedom.

Johnathan pushes a door open and stands aside so I can enter his office first. This room, like everything else I’ve seen so far, is minimally decorated with only the finest handmade furniture.

One wall of his office is just a big window. It looks out over the stream that leads to the waterfall, and shows off the amazing palette of colourful plants and trees. There is no garden. Nature itself is his garden.

“Sit,” the Alpha says curtly and walks past me to take a seat behind his desk.

Before I can even sit down, there’s a knock on the door, and Chad enters with a tray of sparkling drinks. He puts it on Johnathan’s desk, and as quietly as he entered he leaves again, closing the door behind him.

Johnathan hands one of the glasses to me. “Drink it,” he orders. “You’ll feel better.”

The flavoured water is refreshing and tastes mildly like peaches and strawberries.

“So,” the Alpha says after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. “You must be wondering what this is all about?”

Mara

“Your father asked me to take you off his hands,” Johnathan says in a straightforward, almost bored voice. “Actually, he put you on the open market. There was a fierce bidding war for you.”

My eyes almost bulge out of my skull and fresh tears burn my throat. How could my father do that to me?

He did not put me on that market to sell me to an Alpha. It’s a slave market where wolves sell their used up wives or unwanted daughters. Most end up as breeders or prostitutes in the wolf pleasure houses.

“Everyone thought you came with an inheritance and that you were worth the investment,” Johnathan goes on.

I have no idea how much he paid for me, but my father would not have settled for anything less than the compensation Kysan and Lucas demanded. “My father disowned me,” I whisper. “You won’t get your money back.”

“I know. Preston told me.” His eyes slide over my ravaged face. “That is not why I bought you. You do not need to fear me,” he says and leans over to take one of the drinks. “I don’t believe in hitting women…well, unless I have to.”

My stomach turns cold. I’m suddenly and starkly reminded of my place in this world. I’m still just an Omega, sold like a lame horse on auction, only good to be dog food. “Forgive me, Alpha,” I say softly. “If you can tell me your rules so I don’t transgress…”

For a moment, Johnathan just stares at me. “Rules?”

I nod. “For me. I…I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“You mean you don’t want to get beaten?”

“Yes.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he says, but doesn’t elaborate. “I will not beat you.”

“Okay,” I whisper and sip my drink.

He has a strange manner about him. He’s direct, almost detached, and doesn’t appear to be in the least bit interested in me.

“I have no rules for you specifically. All I ask is that you carry yourself with the dignity of a Luna. Your father told me that he sent you to finishing school for Luna training?”

“Yes, Alpha.”

It says a lot about my life that I now look back on my time at the finishing school as one of the best years of my life.

I was the only Omega there, but I held my head down and did my lessons. The other girls at the school were all Alphas’ daughters and loved to taunt me, but at least they were never violent.

Upon my return, and on my nineteenth birthday two days later, I married Lucas in a lavish ceremony. I can’t remember my life before him, and I can’t imagine this new life after him.

“You can come and go as you please. Haven’s Crest is safe. No one here will touch you.”

“Thank you, Alpha. What…my household duties? What are they?”

“Johnathan,” he says. “You are to be my mate, not my servant. I have a full staff.”

He makes me nervous. He has a dark, dangerous aura, yet there’s something about him that I find at once alluring and utterly terrifying.

“I bought you because my pack needs a Luna. Your only duty will be to the pack and to serve them faithfully as such.”

Rhoda said that this was not a pack. And if it’s not a pack, why would they need a Luna?

“The wolves living here are all rogues,” Johnathan says, and answers my unasked question. “Me included. My plan is to form an official pack. I already registered with the council, but they will not recognise us until I have a Luna.”

I don’t talk. I don’t know what to say. Years of silence and obedience have turned me into a mindless, barely functioning, she-wolf. I feel like a moron, but my tongue refuses to move, and my mouth won’t form words.

“I’m given to understand that you are unable to bear children?” Johnathan asks.

I quickly shake my head. “I- no, I might be…I used contraception. I did not want to have Lucas’s children.”

A lazy smile ripples across Johnathan’s mouth. “Clever.”

I don’t think so, but I’m not going to contradict him. Johnathan keeps up a good front, but he exudes danger. The kind that can consume a person if they’re not careful, and I haven’t forgotten Preston’s warning that the Alpha has a temper.

“It doesn’t matter to me. I already have a son,” he informs me.

“Oh. How old is he?” I ask.

“Five. His mother abandoned him right after he was born.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not,” he says without elaborating, but his chest puffs up with pride when he talks about his child. “His name is Gregory. He is the reason I want to turn Haven’s Crest into a proper pack. I want to leave him a legacy.”

I smile. This is the first time Johnathan has shown any real emotion. He clearly loves his son.

“Do you have any questions?”

“No, Al- Johnathan.”

He opens his desk drawer and removes a thick envelope. “Your documentation is in here. Your father gave it to Preston. There’s also a bank card with a pin. You will need clothes and such.”

A bank card?

He takes another, bigger envelope out. “Your divorce papers. Lucas asked that you sign them within the week and courier it to him.”

I stare at the thick brown envelope in Johnathan’s hand. “Do you have a pen?”

He nods and reaches into his drawer to produce a pen. I pull the documents out of the envelope and start to sign them. “You should probably read those first,” he says, interrupting me.

I look up from the paperwork. “Why?”

“Your divorce is for the human authorities,” Johnathan says and without asking takes the stack of papers from me. “According to their laws, you’ll be entitled to some form of alimony.”

“I don’t want it,” I say. “I don’t want anything from them.”

The Alpha doesn’t answer me. His eyes are flying over the typed pages. When he reaches the third page, he stops “Yes, see…this is what I mean. If you sign these papers, even the house your father bought for you will be transferred into his name.”

“He can have it.”

Johnathan looks up from the paperwork. “Man, he really beat all the fight right out of you, didn’t he?”

Shame starts to eat away at my guts like a hungry caterpillar. That’s the worst of it, I think. The humiliation. The burning, unspeakable shame of it all.

And Haley. My confidant. My friend. I swallow past the tears. I will not cry for them. I won’t.

“Your house is on human territory,” Johnathan goes on. “It does not fall under pack law. He can’t legally take it. That’s why he wants you to transfer it into his name.”

“Why does it matter?” I ask in a husky voice. “I won’t be going back there.”

“You’re not signing this,” the Alpha says, his voice taking on a dark, dangerous edge that scares me half to death.

“I- I have to.”

“No. My attorneys will fight this for you. You deserve that house, Mara. You can sell it, but you are not giving it to that…arrogant asshole.”

My eyes widen a little at his anger. Why does he care? He doesn’t even know me. I’m part of a business transaction and a necessary evil to get his pack recognised by the wolf council.

“Leave it with me,” Johnathan says and presses a button on his desk.

Within seconds, Chad walks through the door. “Alpha?” he asks.

“Show Miss Smith to her room,” he says. “Then arrange for a driver to take her into town.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Chad says. His voice is filled with adoration.

When I don’t immediately get up, Johnathan gives me a disapproving look. “That’s your cue to leave, Mara.”