Mated

Cassie's POV

As I strolled down the aisle, casually filling my shopping cart, my mind buzzed with satisfaction. Yes, I did it. Finally made Talon mine. I knew Talon never wanted marriage and didn't believe in mate or love, but none of that mattered. I had everything under control. Elder Craig's incessant nagging and the rumours circulating online—all of it, my handiwork. Talon had no idea.

In some weeks, I would become Luna—the one thing I'd desired for years. Yes, power. Control. I was born to rule. No one deserved the title of Luna of the Lunar Strike Pack other than me. Being Luna wasn't just a position; it was my identity. Soon, everything I'd dreamed of would become reality.

My joy was barely contained when Talon proposed the contract. Who cares about love when power was all I wanted? The kind of power that answers to no one. A power above the law.

My excitement buzzed as I tossed groceries into my cart, each movement more confident, more triumphant. Then a scent hit me—warm Amber and Musk, rich and captivating. I had never smelt anything that incredible in my entire life. My steps faltered, and I gripped the handle of the cart, heart pounding.

My wolf surged within me. Mate.

The scent moved, and before I could stop myself, I found myself moving through the store, following it. My eyes landed on a young man coming towards me, tall, with piercing grey eyes that locked into mine. He was handsome and rugged, his gaze intense, as if he could see straight into my soul. And he was as stunned as I was.

"Hey," he greeted, his voice deep and melodious, sending shivers down my spine. My mouth fell open, but no words came.

"He..llo," I managed, a stammer betraying my usual poise.

"It seems... we're mates," he said, his gaze never leaving me, studying me, like he was searching for answers.

I forced a smile, swallowing the confusion and turmoil building in my chest. "Yeah....it seems so."

"Can you spare a few minutes?" He asked, his voice warm but edged with something deeper, something that tugged at my wolf.

Panic surged through me. I don't need this; I don't want this, I thought. I had plans. I was about to become Luna, and nothing—not even a fated mate—would derail that. I steadied myself and took a step back.

"No, I'm, I'm...sorry." Without another word, I turned on my heels, walking back to my cart with a shaky composure. I hurried through checkout, keeping my eyes straight ahead, every nerve buzzing with restraint. As I slid into the backseat of my car, a sense of relief washed over me.

"I hope I don't see him again," I muttered, trying to steady my breathing. But a voice in my mind, one I couldn't silence, whispered otherwise.

Kelsey's POV

Three years. Three years since everything fell apart. Since my family had fallen brutally from grace, left in shambles. Three years of hiding in the shadows, biding my time as Talon Rashford thrived, while I barely scraped by.

The bastard Alpha — Talon Rashford. He had taken everything—our home, our pride, our power—and he dared to keep my father, his former Beta, chained in a dungeon like an animal. For three years, my father had seen neither sunlight nor freedom. His wolf hadn't run free. Talon had torn apart everything we loved.

I fought back tears as memories surged—the day everything changed, the day I lost my place to that bastard, Talon Rashford.

Kelsey Wilson, that's me. I'm Alpha Sam's first son. My father was a loyal Beta to Talon's father, a man of unwavering integrity who loved and dedicated his life to serving and protecting the lunar strike pack. But in the end, his loyalty led to his ruin.

It all began when my father, out of duty and love for the pack, committed what Talon tagged "betrayal." He chose to defend the pack rather than his Alpha, which was the right choice. But Talon failed to see it that way, and when the time came, he made us pay for it.

I had been away in the north, fighting along with my brother, Lycus. We won, but we suffered a brutal blow, leaving us with few warriors, most either dead or too wounded. Just as we neared home, exhausted and barely holding together, I sensed something was wrong. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and distant sounds hinted at chaos. I ordered some men to check the palace ground. They returned with the news that shattered my life. Talon and Alpha Blackstone had seized control.

Shock froze me on the spot. Talon? I had believed him dead. How did he survive? The news hit me like a punch to the gut, and I sank onto a rock nearby, feeling the weight of loss like a vice around my chest. Attacking would have been suicide in our state; we were weakened and broken from the battle, so we turned away, retreating to the countryside to hide among humans and wait for our chance to strike.

Three years passed, and Talon's shadow loomed over us. He was careful, always searching, but I'd learnt how to stay hidden. Every plan I devised, every attempt to breach lunarstrike security was met with total failure. Talon's grip on the pack was strong, his defences impenetrable. Yet, I refused to give up. No, my revenge was only just beginning.

A news notification chimed on my phone, pulling me away from my thoughts. I glanced down, my heart sinking as I read the headline—Talon, engaged. And not just to anyone, but to some woman flaunting her beauty and new found status on every media outlet. My fists clenched, the image of them together fanning the flames of anger.

This isn't over, I thought, bitterness thick on my tongue. He wasn't supposed to be happy. He was supposed to suffer, to lose everything the same way I had. But no, everything seems to be going smoothly for him while I remained in this miserable existence.

I barely noticed when I arrived at the store, going through shopping, my mind still brooding over the injustice of it all. Then, a scent drifted through the aisle—something sweet, comforting, and refreshing—almond and cedarwood. It wrapped around me, drawing me toward it like a moth to flame.

I turned, and there she was. Talon's fiancée. My mate.

Shock rooted me to the spot, my gaze fixed on her as she picked up a perfume box from the shelf. She looked at me, equally stunned, her eyes widening. Up close, she was even more beautiful than the pictures, her scent intoxicating, and her eyes a strange mix of vulnerability and defiance.

"Hey," I forced out, schooling my features to hide the rush of emotions. "Can I have a moment of your time?"

But her gaze hardened, and without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there. Of course, who wouldn’t turn down such an offer? She was about to become a Luna, and no one would want anything to do with a nameless stranger like me.

Just as she drove away, I stood by the entrance, my lips curling into an evil smirk. Perfect. If she thought she could ignore me and brush me off like some insignificant person, she was mistaken. She was meant to be mine, and soon she'd seen just how much her world was about to unravel. This wasn't just fate's twist; it was an opportunity.

The moon Goddess had finally aligned for me, and I would turn this to my advantage. After all, what better revenge than to tear apart Talon's life from the inside out, starting with his soon-to-be Luna?