MOIRA

The eerie scream was like lightning splitting an oak tree. Every movement in the hall stopped and even the music died down.

“Tamine!”

Tamine was the lycanic word for mate. Hundreds of wolves turned at once to see what the priestess was doing. I froze beside the long table I had been arranging. My hands still held a wine glass as I watched.

The Moon Goddess Ceremony happened only once every few years. Every wealthy unmated wolf in the kingdom gathered to witness it. See how I sneaked, ‘wealthy’ in there. And if by chance you aren’t wealthy then don’t be an omega but I happened to fail on being wealthy and pass on the omega front. So yeah, the ceremony wasn’t for people like me.

I was only there because omegas had to clean, serve, and stay invisible.

That had always been my life. The invisible worthless omega.

My focus returned back to the High Priestess. Prince Adan stood close to her. He was the heir to the Alpha King and the most important being in the realm.

Every unmated woman in the kingdom had dreamed of standing beside him especially tonight. I certainly hadn’t.

The High Priestess raised her hands toward the moonlight entering the hall through the glass ceiling.

“Moon Goddess,” she chanted. “Reveal the sacred bond. Tamine a aprecsuine ekus.”

The hall went silent. It was almost as if everyone present held their breath as they waiting for a miracle that looked like it wasn’t going to come.

I made a move to continue clearing the table when someone beside me gasped. A strange warmth circled my through my wrist with a faint blue glow.

I frowned. Well that’s odd. I wiped my hand on my apron, thinking I had spilled wine but the glow didn’t fade.

The glow intensified, pulsing like a heartbeat then a silver mark slowly appeared on my skin. As much as I tried not to freak out, my heart banged wickedly against my ribs and hot bile rose to my throat.

No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be a sick joke. A prank.

A second glow appeared across the hall on Prince Adan’s wrist. It seemed like everyone was looking at me and I could hear their whispers.

“An omega? Why does she have the scent of an Omega?”

“That can’t be right!”

“Impossible!”

All eyes in the hall turned toward me. My chest tightened as if someone had wrapped iron chains around my ribs.

I took a step back. Then another. Just a few more and I would turn the corner until I can run away through the back exit.

A sudden force grabbed my arm. Pain shot through my wrist as someone yanked me. I stumbled and nearly dropped the wine glass. Prince Adan dragged me across the marble floor. I hadn’t even seen him move.

My heart pounded violently in my chest.

He stopped in the center of the hall and raised my arm high enough for everyone to see the glowing mark. His grip hurt and I struggled to break free but he was too strong. He didn’t even flinch.

His eyes burned with fury as he turned to glare at me. “Explain this,” he demanded.

The High Priestess stepped forward, her face pale with confusion. “The Moon Goddess has spoken, Your Highness. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

“You’re telling me…” He looked down at me with open disgust. “…that this is my mate? This— thing?”

His words were cruel and full of so much hate. Heat rushed into my face. I prayed silently for the ground to swallow me.

The aristicrats looked at me with disgust. Their whispers were too loud for me to ignore.

“An omega Luna?”

“That’s humiliating.”

“The royal bloodline will be ruined.”

I forced myself to breathe through the lump in my throat. It was a struggle to hold back the tears. I can’t show weakness.

Adan suddenly jerked my arm closer and inspected the mark again. He touched it then growled angrily.

His eyes darkened. “No,” he said coldly. “I reject this.”

The High Priestess stepped forward sharply. “Your Highness, the sacred bond cannot be rejected—”

“I said no.” He said through gritted teeth. “I won’t entertain this fuckery.”

My wrist throbbed under his grip. I met his gaze for the first time and realized too late the mistake I was making. The hatred in his eyes froze my blood.

So this was the man fate had chosen for me. A man who looked at me like I was dirt. I couldn’t really blame him. We were from two different worlds and just as my mother used to say; water and oil could never mix even if you forced them into the same jar.

Adan suddenly released my arm. “This is a mistake,” he growled in a voice loud enough for the entire hall to hear. “The future Luna of this kingdom cannot be an omega servant.”

A soft voice interrupted. I recognized the voice immediately and knew things were about to get worse.

“Your Highness.” Sarah stepped forward gracefully.

My sister looked stunning in her crimson gown. Her golden hair shone under the chandelier’s light. She had always been beautiful and admired by everyone. She was everything I wasn’t.

“You shouldn’t upset yourself,” she said softly. “I’m sure poor Moira never intended for this to happen.”

Adan glanced at her then his face softened. His anger burned away like a dying flame. It didn’t surprise me. Everyone knew he had been in love with her for years.

Sarah turned to me with a sympathetic smile that was fake enough to make a child cry.

“Moira,” she said gently. “You must be as shocked as everyone else.”

I forced a small nod. I reminded myself this was all an act to Sarah. You’re enjoying this, sister.

Then Adan spoke again but softer. “This bond will not happen.”

The High Priestess looked horrified. “Your Highness—”

“I will not marry her.”

His words filled me with relief. It was a good thing knowing he didn’t want me. I didn’t want him either. But fate didn’t care about what we wanted.

The elders began arguing immediately. “The bond is sacred!”

“The Moon Goddess cannot be defied!”

Adan’s expression hardened. “If the bond cannot be broken…”

The hall became quiet suddenly as everyone waited for his verdict.

“…then she will marry someone else.”

Confused whispers and gasps echoed through the crowd. My heart skipped a beat. Adan turned toward the upper balcony. I followed his gaze just as everyone else in the hall.

A man stood there barely visible in the shadows. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and stayed still almost like he was frozen in time. He oozed an overwhelming aura even from across the hall his presence pushed into the room like a storm waiting to break. Then he took a step forward.

Alpha Jamie Draven.

Everyone gasped. Alpha Jamie Draven was Adan’s uncle. He was also the most feared Alpha in the kingdom. Stories about him filled every pack territory and I had even heard a few from gossips in the kitchen.

They said enemies disappeared when he arrived. They said he was ruthless enough to make the devil nervous. They said he yanked out his heart with his bare hands and kept it in a box that’s why his aura is so dark and powerful

Adan pointed toward him. “Let my uncle take her.”

The hall became silent. My breath caught in my throat and my lung felt heavy. Surely he was joking.

But Adan’s face held no humor only cold determination. He had the ‘I’m not fucking around’ look down to the furrow of his eyebrows.

Alpha Jamie stepped forward into the moonlight. His dark eyes scanned the crowd in one swift look then they landed on me. For a moment, the entire world seemed to stop. I wasn’t sure if I was still breathing. My brain froze.

His eyes felt like they could see straight through my bones. A strange chill crawled down my spine.

Jamie looked at Adan then back at me. His expression didn’t change.

My heart pounded harder. What was he thinking? He looks like he can destroy me without breaking a sweat. There’s no way he accepts this ridiculous offer.

“You’re offering me your rejected mate?” Jamie asked in a voice that went under my skin.

Adan didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I don’t need her.”

Jamie’s eyes returned to me again. I fought the urge to shrink under it.

My thoughts raced. Please say no. Please say no. Please— It can only be no.

His amber-gray eyes darkened slightly then his lips curved into an unreadable smile.

“I accept.”

MOIRA

Everyone went haywire the moment Alpha Jamie accepted. They all had something to say as I stood frozen in the center of the chaos.

My wrist still burned where the mark glowed. I tried to convince myself none of this was real. It couldn’t be real. One moment I was clearing tables and the next I was mated to the most important man in the pack and bound to marry the most feared man in the continent.

Alpha Jamie stepped down from the balcony. He moved through the crowd with the calm certainty of a predator that knew nothing could stop him.

People parted instantly to let him pass. No one dared block his path not even the royal guards. Men twice his size edged away to let him pass.

I swallowed.

Prince Adan watched his uncle approach with a smug look. His arms were crossed as if he had just solved a simple inconvenience; handing my life over to a literal demon king.

Jamie stopped a few steps away from us. He looked even more intimidating up close.

He didn’t look angry and that made him more terrifying. His eyes settled on me again. I resisted the urge to step back.

Don’t show fear. Don’t show weakness. My mind repeated the command even as my heart pounded painfully in my chest.

Jamie studied me for several long seconds then he looked at Adan.

“This is your last chance to change your mind, nephew.”

“Nah. You can have her.” Adan grinned like he just gave away a broken toy. “You heard the elders. The bond cannot be broken. But there’s no rule that says I must marry her.”

Jamie stepped closer to me, making my body tense unconsciously. He was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

I refused to look away. His eyes swept over my face, my clothes, the mark on my wrist. It felt like he was assessing me. Like I was some object he had just purchased.

I clenched my hands into fists. Say something, dammit.

The High Priestess stepped forward with a wary look on her face. “If you’re both going ahead with this madness then the marriage must take place immediately to stabilize the bond. Tonight!”

A strange buzzing filled my ears. Marriage. Tonight. Just like that. No one asked me what I wanted. I don’t even get a say in my life anymore.

Jamie took a step then said, “Let’s go,” without turning around.

My brain froze for a second then I started moving after him. Sarah was smiling and she had a look that said she was glad to get rid of me. They were all glad to get rid of me.

The High Priestess cleared her throat. “The marriage will occur before midnight, Alpha Draven.”

He showed no sign to indicate he heard her as he kept walking towards the gate. We exited the palace and stepped into the cold night. A black escalade waited at the gate. The driver got out and opened the door.

He waited for me to enter first before getting in. It was almost as if he didn’t want our bodies touching. He made no sound as the car roared and we left the pack house.

We sat in silence for a very long time. I wanted to scream but my mouth opened and closed soundlessly. The silence stretched longer than it should.

I forced myself to sit up straight. If this man was going to become my husband tonight, I refused to cower in front of him.

Finally, he spoke. “Relax.”

His voice sounded calmer than I expected. I blinked.

“Huh?”

He didn’t repeat himself which was what I expected. It was like he had a word count limiter in his head prohibiting him from using words like a normal person should.

Another silence followed. Then he leaned forward slightly. His amber-gray eyes studied my face again.

“You didn’t beg.”

The observation caught me off guard. “What?”

“Most people beg when they’re handed to me like this.”

“I don’t beg.”

Something flickered in his eyes but it was gone as quickly as it came. Was it interest or amusement? I couldn’t tell.

My heart still hadn’t slowed. The thought I was going to be married to him before midnight was still a hard pill to swallow.

After a moment, I asked the question that had been circling my mind.

“Why did you accept?”

Alpha Draven didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at my wrist again. Then he leaned back in his seat.

“Don’t worry about it.”

That wasn’t reassuring. Suddenly the car slowed to a stop. I frowned, trying to look outside the window.

“We’re already there?”

“No.”

Jamie’s eyes shifted toward the window and his body got tense. His expression hardened and something dangerous flashed in his eyes.

My heart did a marathon. “What is it?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he opened the door and jumped out in one swift movement. Cold breeze rushed inside chilling my toes.

Then I heard the sounds. Low growls. They sounded deep almost guttural like they were resonating from the depth of an abyss.

Multiple wolves.

They were circling the car. Jamie stood in the cold like a predator waiting for his prey to make that fatal step. His voice turned deadly calm.

“You picked the wrong day to ambush my car.”

He vanished in one swift motion. I wanted to go after him just so I could have a glimpse of the legendary monster in action but my legs betrayed me. The closest I’d ever come to witnessing something gruesome was when I tried to kill a roach on the kitchen counter and in my defense, the friggin thing had wings which made it even more scary.

“Alpha Draven?” I called out in a voice that got lost in the wind.

I slid closer to the open door and got hit with teeth-rattling cold. The driver watched my supposed bravado from his dashboard mirror.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

He was right but I knew I had to prove him wrong. The first scream tore through the night like it had escaped from a nightmare. I could smell fear in the air as real as the cold air I was breathing in.

Without thinking, I jumped down and tried to scan the darkness. I caught sight of movements but the darkness acted like a sheet.

I couldn’t see him but I could sense his aura. It was as if he was everywhere all at once. The screams increased all around me and reality suddenly hit me for the first time. This was the man I was meant to get married to before midnight. A living nightmare.

I turned around to retreat but gasped and took a step back. Alpha Draven stood there with his eyes darkened like a demon just escaped the depths of hell. His claws retreated slowly until they were hands once again. He was flawless like he had just taken a walk in the cold not slaughtered a group of thugs.

His mouth opened and the word that came out was a whisper in a voice that wasn’t his. It was the only lycanic word I knew.

“Tamine.”

MOIRA

“Huh?” I blinked, unsure I heard correctly.

His eyes returned back to amber-gray. He flexed his jaw then pointed to the open door. “Get in.”

I wanted to protest and ask why he called me mate but instead I got in like I was asked to.

Alpha Draven didn’t have a single scratch on him. He hadn’t even shifted. His coat moved slightly in the night breeze as if nothing unusual had happened. A wounded wolf whimpered trying to crawl away not far from where I once stood.

Alpha Draven grabbed him by his neck and lifted him like he weighed nothing.

“Who sent you?”

The wolf didn’t answer. Jamie’s grip tightened. The wolf cried out in pain.

“Who,” Jamie repeated calmly, “sent you?”

Still nothing. The wolf just cried and shut his eyes tight as if he had resigned himself to his fate. For a moment I thought he might kill him. Instead, Alpha Draven dropped the man.

“Run,” he said coldly.

The wolf didn’t hesitate. He scrambled to his feet and disappeared into the trees.

Alpha Draven got inside and said, “Drive.” He paused for a moment then added. “They were amateurs.”

He sounded like this was a regular occurrence. Almost like it was the same as changing a tire. Great. I’m getting married to a man who attracts assassins.

My mind raced at the thought. If the attackers came for me alone then I’d be dead already. I glanced up at Jamie. He looked perfectly calm again as if breaking bones in the forest had been nothing more than an inconvenience.

We arrived at his territory shortly before midnight. The northern pack lands looked colder than the royal capital but it was bigger and better.

The stone fortress that served as Alpha Draven’s residence rose from the mountainside like it was carved from shadow. Torches burned along the walls giving the place a medieval look.

Warriors stood guard at every entrance armed with the latest tech. Their eyes followed me the moment I stepped out of the car.

The whispers started instantly.

“That’s her?”

“The omega?”

“The prince’s rejected mate?”

I straightened my shoulders and ignored them. Let them stare and gossip all they want. I had spent my entire life being looked down on so this, this wasn’t new.

Alpha Draven walked beside me through the fortress gates. His presence alone kept the crowd from getting too close. Several elders approached the moment we entered the main hall.

One of them bowed slightly. “Alpha. Everything is prepared.”

Jamie nodded once. My stomach twisted again. I knew he was referring to the wedding but I tried not to show I was panicking the fuck out.

I followed them into a smaller ceremonial chamber. The room smelled like burning sage and moonflower oil. The High Priestess stood beside a stone altar.

She looked older than the one at the palace, but her eyes were just as sharp. It was almost like it was the same woman but he had aged a few years in the amount of time it had taken us to make the drive.

Her eyes settled on me. Her eyes were unreadable and her expression blank. “Come forward.”

I did. Alpha Draven stepped beside me. The air around him felt heavy and thick.

The priestess raised her hands.

“The Moon Goddess has already marked the bond,” she said. “Tonight we stabilize it through union.”

My heart raced.

She gestured toward our wrists. “Join hands.”

I hesitated but Alpha Draven didn’t. His large hand covered mine. The contact sent an unfamiliar heat through my skin. I stiffened immediately as my body responded in ways I didn’t expect.

My wolf stayed silent which wasn’t shocking given I’d never heard her before. I just thought it would be something to make an appearance during what could arguably be the biggest night in my life.

The priestess began chanting in lycanic but the dialect was ancient. The silver mark on my wrist began to glow brighter.

Alpha Draven’s eyes shifted to my arm. He tightened his grip on my hand. The warmth intensified until a strange pressure filled my chest.

It wasn’t pain I was feeling but it wasn’t pleasant either. My thoughts went haywire like they had been dropped in a powerful blender.

Why does this feel strange? I wondered, trying to count my breath. The chanting grew louder. The priestess suddenly pressed our wrists together. Bright silver light burst between us.

I gasped. The sensation shot through my body like lightning. Alpha Draven’s grip tightened instantly and then the light vanished.

The priestess lowered her hands. “It is done.”

That’s it? Just like that. I was expecting a big flare at the end or something.

Slowly it occurred to me I was now married. My life had changed forever in less than ten minutes. Alpha Draven released my hand slowly. I stepped back instinctively. Distance felt safer.

The priestess studied us for a moment. “The bond is stabilized,” she said. “But it may take time to fully settle. You can’t be apart or it will cause both of you escruciating pain.”

Alpha Draven nodded once then he turned toward the door. “Come.”

I blinked. “Where?”

“Our chambers.”

My stomach did a flip. I almost forgot I was married now and married couples shared a room. The realization made my pulse quicken again.

I followed him through several corridors inside the fortress. The castle felt enormous and strangely quiet which was different from Alpha Adan’s pack house with its everyday parties and noises you can hear a mile away.

We stopped outside a large wooden door. Jamie opened it. The room inside was bigger than my entire living quarters back at Alpha Adan’s pack.

I stopped in the doorway. Jamie stepped inside and noticed I hadn’t moved.

“You’re standing in the hall.”

I crossed my arms. “I noticed.”

He waited but I didn’t move. Finally he sighed. “You think I’m going to attack you?”

“I think you’re a stranger who just married me tonight.”

His expression didn’t change. “You’re free to sleep on the floor if you want.”

“Ouch.” I sucked in air through my teeth. “That’s not very gentlemanly.”

“I’ never said I was a gentleman.”

Before I could respond he had taken off his shirt and was preparing to get some sleep. He didn’t care or stop to look at me once. I walked to the large armchair near the fire.

“You’re serious?”

He didn’t respond as he got into bed and turned around. Fuck!! He doesn’t even care. I didn’t like that we were too close and I felt like running outside last minute.

After what felt like eternity, I walked toward the bed and sat on the edge of it. The mattress dipped under my weight. Alpha Draven was quiet and I believed he was sleeping.

Then something strange happened. The silver mark on my wrist suddenly burned. I inhaled sharply trying not to panic.

“What was that?” Alpha Draven sat upright. His eyes dropped to my wrist.

“It’s nothing.” I lied.

Then the heat intensified. My chest tightened as I took in deep breaths. My breathing was uneven.

“Nobody said this would be torture.” I scoffed.

Alpha Draven sighed. He got out of bed and walked toward me quickly. My instincts screamed to move away. But the burning sensation worsened when he stepped back.

My body leaned forward involuntarily. Why the fuck does it feel worse when he’s far away? Alpha Draven stopped directly in front of me. The moment he did, the burning eased a bit.

I frowned. “Don’t tell me—”

“The bond requires proximity,” he said.

I stared at him. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

He took a few steps backwards and the mark pulsed again. Pain shot through my wrist making me wince. I grabbed it instinctively.

“Fine,” I muttered. “Stand there then.”

Alpha Draven shook his head. “That won’t solve it.”

Before I could ask what he meant, the pain came back sharp like a pulse in my veins.

I lost my balance and my body moved forward straight into him. His arms caught me in what I could only assume was an unconscious act.

My hands pressed against his hard chest. It felt warm and solid. I noticed the burning in my wrist faded completely.

Neither of us moved. Then Alpha Draven spoke quietly. “There’s something strange about this bond.”

My stomach twisted. “Strange how?”

His amber-gray eyes locked onto mine. “My wolf thinks you belong to me.”

“That’s because we’re married.”

“No.” He shook his head slowly. “That’s not what I meant.”

Before I could respond, a violent knocking shook the door. A guard’s voice shouted from outside.

“Alpha! The crown prince has arrived! He wants an audience with you immediately.”

My blood turned cold. Alpha Adan? Here? What could he possibly want?

Jamie’s eyes hardened instantly. He stretched to get his shirt and put it on in one movement. Then the guard added something that made my heart stop completely.

“He brought soldiers.”