Margaux sat inside her private chambers, her expression solemn as she stared herself in the mirror. What stood before her was a fair beautiful face wearing an elegant dress not all women could wear. Just one look and people would immediately know her status. Yet, as it turned out, this kind of appearance wasn’t enough to convince Alpha Prince Kael to say yes to her wishes.
“His rejection,” she uttered as she traced her fingers to her smooth face down to her skin. “It’s actually expected.”
She had expected as much. Kael wasn’t like any other man, after all. What he sought wasn’t a beautiful face – it had always been more than that.
“You even forgot our past… I wonder how much you can remember and how much you have forgotten?” She sighed. “But it’s okay. I can make you remember everything. I’m not going anywhere until you remember me.”
A small, knowing smile appeared on her sweet lips. What would faze her when she had expected everything from the start?
Margaux wasn’t a fool nor was she innocent in the game of politics. In her pack, she had learned many things revolving around the status of her kind – how ranks differed, how certain bloods were superior to others, and most especially about mateship. A bond so special that even the systems of blood hierarchy sometimes couldn’t do anything but surrender.
“It’s fine if you reject me now,” Margaux said, staring at the mirror, a fierce determination deeply reflected in her eyes. “Prince Kael. You will be mine, sooner or later.”
The smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a determined light that reflected through her eyes.
Margaux was the daughter of a pack’s Alpha. She wasn’t going to stay defeated like this. In fact, nothing had even started yet.
“This is only the beginning,” Margaux whispered.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. The servant announced, “Princess Margaux, Sir Jiro is here.”
Margaux sighed, collected herself, and ordered, “Let him in.”
Jiro was one of her bodyguards, son of her father’s beta. Skilled in all areas, he was reliable and Margaux trusted him especially when it came to delivering messages to and from her pack.
“My mother wishes me back? What are you saying?” Margaux asked Jiro after he relayed the information he received from the Night Ridge Pack.
With an air of respect and deference, Jiro stood and informed, “Luna has fallen ill, Princess.”
Margaux narrowed her eyes before she faintly realized that was actually a code she and her mother had spoken about before.
They had come up with this code to avoid nosy people knowing the content.
Falling ill meant her mother, Luna Tania, wanted her to act fast – else, she would come to the West Wood Pack herself to push through with their plans.
Margaux clenched her hands. She didn’t want her mother to get involved. She was an adult and she could perfectly do this mission herself.
“Tell my mother I will return after the third full moon,” Margaux instructed before dismissing Jiro.
Before the third full moon, she had to change Kael’s mind and make him accept her as his mate.
***
Naya stood by the window of her quarters, gazing out at the garden. Darkness had enveloped the landscape, but the moonlight bathed the scene in a soft glow. The flowers, gently swaying in the cool night breeze, shimmered under the silvery light.
The air was crisp, carrying the faint, earthy scent of the garden mixed with the fragrance of blooming flowers.
The moon's soft light cast a gentle glow on her face, highlighting the conflicting emotions reflected in her eyes.
A mate bond was a sacred thing to all people. Naya might be who Kael chose right now as his mate but that wouldn’t last long. What she and Kael had was purely transactional. It was something that she had to break later.
Her main purpose was to use him to enter the Crimson Stone Pack after all. Her goal didn’t change, it was just that her strategy involved mate bonds and it was Naya’s first time to deal with such matters. She clearly didn’t expect it to be this complicated.
Alpha Prince Lorenzo was another person she could use but she was still uncertain what kind of role he would have in this game.
“Are you thinking about Lorenzo?”
Naya froze.
Trying to stay calm, she spun around, meeting Kael’s gaze.
Kael smirked. “You actually went to see my brother behind my back. Hm, do you plan to have an affair or something now?”
He casually walked to his desk, sat down, and put his feet on the table. Lazily as he did, he turned to Naya and gazed at her like she was a plaything.
Naya was silent.
“Aren’t you going to defend yourself at least?” Kael asked, raising his eyebrow and clicking his tongue.
The way he joked this time had some kind of irritation in it. Naya could sense it. However, Naya didn’t know what to do with this kind of situation. The last thing she needed was to be trapped in a feud between alpha brothers, potentially jeopardizing her escape from the pack.
She most certainly couldn’t let that happen.
Summoning her courage, Naya redirected the conversation with a clear intent. "The Blue Moon Hunt's prize. I want to claim it."
Kael regarded her silently, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Hmm?"
"I intend to use the prize offered by your pack's Alpha," Naya reiterated, holding his gaze.
For a moment, Kael remained contemplative. Then, unexpectedly, he burst into laughter. "You're quite something," he remarked, rising from his seat. Closing the distance between them, he stood mere inches away, his gaze penetrating.
Looking down, he looked straight into her eyes, as if trying to read her. “You want to visit that sanctuary?”
Naya blinked, feeling amused.
How did Kael know?
"I heard you talking in your sleep," Kael revealed, a smirk playing on his lips. His finger traced lightly from Naya's cheek down to her neck, a chill running down her spine at his touch. His forest-green eyes gleamed with a calculated intensity as he added in a husky tone, "You have intriguing dreams."
Naya’s heart began to race. What else did Kael know?
Before she could ponder further, Kael withdrew his hand, leaving Naya oddly bereft of his touch yet strangely unsettled.
Turning away, he spoke casually over his shoulder, "No need to speak to the Alpha yourself. I've already arranged it. Go to sleep. We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning."
Naya stood in silence, different emotions swirling within her. Relief washed over her, knowing she wouldn't have to confront Alpha Jake directly. Yet, alongside that relief, a perplexing unease settled in.
How had Kael figured out her intentions before she had a chance to voice them?
Just what exactly had she revealed in her sleep, and just how much did Kael truly know about her?
***
West Wood Pack Eastern Border.
General Gregor marched briskly to the tower where Alpha Prince Zeke awaited him. The eldest prince wore a look of deep concentration as he scrutinized the map spread before him. This was no ordinary map; it detailed the intricate terrain of their pack grounds, meticulously updated to reflect every land and water body within their vast territory.
In the dim light of the tower, Zeke’s focused demeanor was highlighted, his sharp eyes tracing the lines and markings that represented their dominion. Among his brothers, Alpha Prince Zeke was renowned for his dedication and sense of responsibility. While Alpha Princes Lorenzo and Kael typically patrolled the borders, it was Zeke who shouldered the weightier responsibilities—launching invasions against rogue camps, orchestrating hunts before winter, and now, addressing the looming threat of drought.
“Alpha Prince, these are the reports for today,” General Gregor announced, handing over the documents with a respectful nod. The general, like all members of the West Wood Pack, held Zeke in high esteem, recognizing his reliability and leadership.
Zeke pulled his gaze from the map, his expression unwavering. “Did you encounter any trouble? Rogues?”
“Fortunately, no rogues were spotted today, but to be safe, I’ve dispatched six scouts to monitor the surrounding areas. We’ll be alerted if there’s any sign of trouble,” Gregor replied, his voice steady with assurance.
Zeke nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the general's diligence. He rolled up the map and placed it in a large pouch. “I’ll be in my quarters. Call me if anything arises.”
With a salute, General Gregor watched as Zeke left for his chambers. Once inside, Zeke swiftly changed his clothes, signaling to his assistant with a subtle gesture. They donned different attire and quietly slipped out of the tower.
Zeke joined a delivery carriage set to depart for its weekly exchange with a neighboring pack. The driver, upon recognizing him, nearly fainted from shock. However, Zeke’s movements were quick and precise. Before the driver could react, Zeke knocked him unconscious, ensuring his secrecy.
Taking the reins, Zeke drove the carriage beyond the pack’s territory. The forest grew denser, shadows dancing in the moonlight as he approached a secluded cabin. He halted the carriage and dismounted, his senses alert to the stillness of the surroundings.
Inside the cabin, a woman of delicate beauty lay on a large couch, her eyes closed, long eyelashes casting shadows on her smooth, pale skin. Zeke stood for a moment, entranced by her serene presence, before bending down to meet her gaze as she began to stir.
“Zeke...?” she murmured, slowly waking.
Zeke took her hand, his grip gentle yet firm. “I’m here,” he whispered.
The woman’s eyes quickly lit up at the sound. Seeing Zeke, her eyes softened, and she couldn’t help but wrap her arms around him. Likewise, Zeke’s broad arms quickly went around her, securing her in his embrace. For a moment, everything around them fell in a blur, the way they touched each other the most and only important thing in their senses.
After a while, she slowly pulled away, hands on his chest as if to push him away. “No, we must not do this,” she uttered softly. “You and I… It’s forbidden. We can't... This can’t continue, Zeke...”
Pain flickered in Zeke’s always-stern eyes. He wanted to protest, to tell her that they could defy fate, but her gentle push silenced him. He could only manage to utter her name, a name that felt both sacred and fragile on his lips. “Alicia.”
She shook her head, her eyes mirroring the emotion in Zeke’s own, “Don’t… If you call me that, how can I forget my position as Luna?”
Zeke fell silent. Indeed, this woman was a person named Alicia. Beautiful with a heart of gold as she may be, she was already bonded with someone else. In fact, she was mated to her pack’s highest authority – the Alpha himself.
She was Luna Alicia, the wife of Alpha Victor of the Crimson Stone Pack.
And she was Zeke’s fated mate.
A tear rolled down Alicia’s cheek as she reached up, her fingers tracing the rugged lines of Zeke’s face while gazing tenderly into his eyes.
He gazed back, his stern and pained expression softening with unspoken emotion.
No words were exchanged as only by seeing the depths of their souls, laying themselves bare in front of each other, was enough to make them understand what their hearts wanted to say.
Caressing Alicia’s cheek, Zeke wiped her tears as he then broke their distance, his lips finding hers in a deep, passionate kiss.
This woman is his mate, so how could he let her go easily?