Chapter 1 BOOK ONE: Chapter 0001
•CASSANDRA•
“Luna, you’ve done a wonderful job,” Kira swooned as she tasted my cake. “I’ve never tasted such a delicious cake as yours before. Now I believe you when you said your mother taught you everything in the kitchen.”
I chuckled softly, placing the kitchen gloves on the counter. It was Mason’s birthday, and I wanted it to be extra special with a homemade cake.
He’d always loved my home-cooked meals and baking. He said it was one of the things that made him happy to call me his Luna.
“Thank you, Kira. My mother made sure I knew how to cook and bake before I got married. Hopefully, the Alpha will love the cake.” I looked at it with pride and joy, hoping that Mason would love it.
“Alpha Mason will definitely love the cake,” she answered. “He’s the luckiest man in the world, and today he will see that.”
I rolled my eyes and chuckled as she helped me clean the kitchen. There was flour everywhere and dirty dishes.
When we were done, I went to check on the decor on the backyard porch and found out everything was in order. The only thing left was Mason.
“Your dress is ready, Luna,” Kira informed me while I was ensuring everything was in order.
I didn’t want any mix-ups or mistakes that would ruin Mason’s day. It was the only day I’d be able to show him how much I loved and wanted things to be normal between us again.
“Oh, thank you, Kira. I’m also done with the decorations,” I answered, smiling. “Have our guests arrived?”
“The Elders and the Beta are already in the living room, and the Delta and Gamma are still on their way. The other pack members are outside the pack house.”
“That’s good. I’ll get ready.” I tapped her on the shoulder before I went to my room upstairs to get ready.
I looked at myself in the mirror, imagining how blown away by the dress Mason would be when he saw me.
But when I walked down to the living room, there was no one, even on the backyard porch.
My heart dropped as I wondered where everyone could be. But when I walked out the door, I saw everyone gathering at the pack’s courtyard, and someone was singing for Mason.
‘That voice—’ Lyra whispered in my mind. ‘It sounds familiar.’
“Happy birthday, Mason. I hope you loved the song,” the woman said at the end of her song, and people clapped their hands, cheering.
“My goodness, Nadia—” Mason finally said her name. “That was a lovely song. I don’t know anyone who sings as beautifully as you do. You are truly a gift.”
Nadia was the Beta’s daughter and his only child. It was just the two of them after his wife died a few years ago.
She was the one who had told me the story about how she became a medic. Her mother fell ill, and when they failed to get her healed, she became a medic, even though it meant she had to study it because she wasn’t born a healer.
Shortly after her mother’s death, she studied medicine and worked in the medical department.
I loved her and considered her a friend. I never thought that she would do something... No.
She wouldn’t do that to me, would she? I tried to convince myself when I looked at them, thinking she wouldn’t be the reason Mason was pulling away from me.
“Oh, you flatter me, Alpha,” she answered, standing beside him as if I weren’t there, as his Luna. “You are a gift to the pack, and we appreciate you for everything you’ve done for us. We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you.”
I watched as they shared an intimate look, as if they knew each other in ways I didn’t know.
People murmured when they saw me, and I knew what they thought.
“The Alpha and Nadia have been close lately. I wonder how the Luna feels seeing them,” someone murmured in the crowd.
“I feel bad for her,” another answered.
“Poor Luna. She’s being replaced.”
Mason went down from the podium, and Nadia sang another song before an elder came and took the microphone from her to wish the Alpha a happy birthday.
When I saw Mason was finally alone, I walked up to him and tucked my hand into his arm.
“Happy birthday, darling,” I whispered as I leaned toward him. “I’ve prepared a family lunch and your favorite dessert. Would you like to go with me after the meeting?”
Instead of a smile and appreciative words, he slid my hand away from his arm and frowned. “Can’t you see the pack is already doing something for me? Don’t you want me to spend it with them since they are family as well?”
My heart skipped a beat at his words. “Mason, we haven’t had dinner together as a family with our child for a long time. Why do you want to take this opportunity from us to reconnect?”
“This is not the time and place for this conversation, Sandra,” he answered, leaning back.
“Besides, you know how demanding my job as the Alpha is. I live to protect our pack.”
“I—”
“Oh, Luna!” Nadia’s voice cut through our conversation as she leaned toward us. “Please forgive my manners for not acknowledging you. I didn’t see you,” she added, smiling as she looked at me and at Mason.
Mason’s hard face softened when he saw her. It was as if she had lifted something heavy off his shoulders.
“That’s okay, Nadia,” I answered, smiling. “That was a lovely song, by the way. You have a talent for singing.”
“You flatter me, Luna. Thank you,” she blushed, her eyes locking with Mason’s, and I felt my stomach drop.
It was as if I weren’t standing there, watching them exchange looks that told me more than I needed to know.
“The Luna has prepared a family lunch in the pack house. You should join us, Nadia, for saving our hunters from the rogue attack that occurred near the eastern border,” Mason stated, looking at her.
“Of course, I’d love that,” she answered, smiling as she looked at Mason and then at me.
People left the courtyard one after the other, including Mason and Nadia, muttering and laughing about something I couldn’t hear.
My heartbeat was loud in my ears as I stood in the courtyard alone, feeling as if my position in the pack and in Mason’s life was only a title.