: hate

The room was dark, a dim light casting a soft glow. The scent of sandalwood mixed with something else, something I couldn't place my finger on, filled the air. It was sweet and masculine, addictive.

“Natalia," Cassian spoke, his hard gaze fixed on me. "We can both agree this is an unfortunate situation."

I scoffed, glaring daggers at him.

"But like I said, I'll be honouring the moon goddess. So you have no choice but to comply." He continued.

"Is that what you called me here for? To state the obvious?" I folded my arms as if preparing for battle.

His jaw clenched. "I called you here to make something clear."

I tilted my head. “Go on, Alpha," I emphasised on the alpha, venom laced in my voice.

"I'm not asking for your love or forgiveness. All you have to do is stand by my side, united."

I scoffed again and turned my back to him, heading for the door.

"Yeah, whatever," I opened the door and in a flash, he shut it before I got the chance to step out. I gasped in surprise. His front was flush against my back, I could feel the hard planes of his chest pressing against me, sparks flying everywhere.

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice was a raspy whisper, sending chills down my spine. My heart rate increased. I hated this proximity, hated the things it did to my body. "I haven't excused you. Yet."

His breath fanned against my hot skin.

"Get away from me," I demanded weakly, frustrated by how breathy it sounded.

Cassian didn't move. If anything, he leaned in closer, his body heat wrapping around me like a net I couldn't untangle myself from. His scent engulfed me, driving me mad with anger and something else, something I refused to admit to myself.

"I think we both know you don't mean that," he murmured against the shell of my ear, his voice thick, low, confident.

I swallowed hard, my fingers twitching at my sides. "You're wrong," I whispered, though the conviction I meant to lace into those words faltered. My body was failing me and he knew it.

His nose brushed lightly against my neck. I shivered. Damn him. "Am I?" he asked.

I spun around so fast we were almost nose to nose. "Yes," I snapped, forcing the tremble from my lips. "You are. I hate you, Cassian. I've hated you since you made high school a warzone for me. You think one look, one bond, one title is going to change that?" I leaned on the door, staring at him, hatred blazing in my eyes.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, matter of fact, I don’t care if you do. But don't stand here and lie to yourself, don’t try to deny it, this attraction between us,” I stared at him, breath shallow, throat dry. Every nerve in my body screamed to move, to push him away, to run. But I didn't. I couldn't.

Because damn it, he was right.

The mate bond pulsed like a second heartbeat. Even now, with all the history between us, all the bitterness, I felt the invisible string tying me to him pull tighter.

"I hate you," I repeated, barely above a whisper.

"I know," he said.

And then, the bastard smiled. Just a little.

“It doesn’t matter. All you have to do is be a good little Luna, a Luna the pack would love. A Luna my father would love.”

“So that’s it then. I’m just a political trophy, a little thing to hang on your arm and smile sweetly,”

He held my gaze

“Exactly,” his eyes lowered to my lips “you’re a smart girl,” his tone was condescending.

I shoved him hard in the chest, and this time he let me go. He stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender, but his eyes never left mine.

"I’m not an object,” I snapped. “I'm not your puppet. I won’t be your trophy wife,”

“Who said anything about a wife?” he quirked up a brow. Anger blazed beneath my skin.

“You know what I mean !”

“Don’t get so riled up.” He reprimanded, his eyes dancing with amusement “I do know what you mean, Talia. Don’t get ahead of yourself. I crowned you the Luna doesn’t mean we’re married. You’re not my wife,”

“And I don’t want to be !” My frustration was evident in my voice. “I don’t want to be your wife or Luna. I h…”

“I hate you,” he interrupted, folding his arms. “You’ve repeated that line over a thousand times this night. It’s getting old.”

I stared at him in disbelief, frustration and anger right beneath my skin, making me feel like I was going to explode. I opened my mouth and shut it, unable to come up with something. I scoffed and stormed out of the room, shutting the door loudly.

I hated him. I hated him so much.

: clout

I woke up with a groan. My eyes felt heavy and my body ached. The ball last night had weighed me down more than expected.

"What a terrible nightmare," I chuckled to myself, remembering the events that transpired. “Imagine being mated to..." The words dried down on my tongue when I spotted the green ball dress I'd worn the night before. It, in fact, wasn't a nightmare; I was really mated to Cassian. I laid down on my back, staring up at the ceiling. Cassian.

"Talia?" My sister's voice called out from outside the room. I ignored her, hoping she'd go away. "I know you're up."

I shut my eyes and turned to my side, the moment she twisted the door knob. I heard footsteps and then, blinding lights. She opened the curtains, the morning sun spilling in like poison, hurting my eyes. I groaned. She took the covers off me.

"Come onnnn," she grabbed my shoulders, dragging me up to a sitting position while I grumbled underneath my breath. “It’s the day after your official Luna coronation."

"There's no such thing as a Luna coronation," I countered, finally sitting up. She settled beside me, her eyes wide with mirth.

“Well, you know what I mean."

Why was she always so cheerful ? Tasha and I were twins, but we were what you'd call polar opposites. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, taking after our father, while I had ginger hair and green eyes, like our serpent of a mother. She was cheerful and social, while I was the gloomy outcast.

"I saw an announcement on I*******m," she continued. “There’s going to be another ball where you'd be announced as Cass... Alpha Cassian’s," she corrected herself, "partner."

"What ?"

"Yep. The ball last night was strictly for pack members. Now he has to be officially announced to the world as the new CEO and you his bride."

"I'm not his bride," I corrected.

“Sure," she rolled her eyes, picking up her phone.

I forgot about that. The humans were oblivious to the world of wolves so it's only natural that they announce me as a bride. In other words, another party is going to be held and I'll have to be around him again, smiling. I sighed, dreading the thought.

"Now that you're the Luna, we'll need to prepare you f..."

The doorbell went off, interrupting her. We exchanged a confused look. Our mother wasn't home, she worked at the pack hospital. We weren't expecting any guests so who could be at the door ?

"I'll go get it" Tasha offered. I nodded, following after her to see who it was. The door opened to reveal Amanda, a girl from my childhood.

"Hiii" she brushed past Tasha, barging into the house and throwing her arms around me" I frowned at Tasha in confusion. She shrugged.

"Talia" she pulled back, holding my hands tightly. "It's so nice to see you again"

"Um ... sure" I eyed her cautiously.

Amanda. I didn't particularly like her or dislike her. She was just a girl in the background, a girl I never spoke to. It was a surprise she was here, hugging me and acting like we were old friends.

"Luna"

I looked behind Amanda and noticed an elderly woman bowing, a fruit basket in one hand.

It clicked. Amanda was here for clout. I pulled my hands away, taking a step back. I pinned her with a hard stare.

"Amanda" my voice was cold, disappointment evident in my eyes "what are you doing here?"

"I came to pay my respects Talia, and to welcome you back" she smiled.

"Luna" I corrected "you've paid your respect, you can leave now"

She looked shocked, her mouth opening and closing. She averted her gaze to the ground, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She turned around and stormed off, the elderly woman following behind her but not before dropping the fruit basket at the entrance. Tasha shut the door behind them, her eyes wide with amusement.

"That wasn't so nice" she reprimanded, picking up the fruit basket.

"She deserved it" I followed her to the kitchen where she set the basket on the counter.

"You're the Luna now. You need to learn how to handle things politically"

"I don't want to handle things politically." I sighed "I don't want to deal with them." I casted my gaze to the ground "I just want to go home"

"You are home"

I shook my head, playing with my fingers. I felt my eyes sting with tears.

"This isn't home"

"Then where is home?"

I said nothing. I didn't have an answer for her. I couldn't say America was my home. I went there for college and that's it. I didn't make any real connections in the four years I spent there. I couldn't consider here, Italy my home either. It held too many bad memories.

So where was home ?

The door bell rang. Tasha and I froze.

"If that's Amanda again…”

The door bell went off again. I stormed out of the kitchen, heading towards the front door, angered by the intrusion. The door bell went off again. I opened it, glaring daggers at the figure I didn’t expect to see.

Cassian.

Of course. Because hell couldn't let me breathe for a full hour.