The grand ballroom of the Blood Moon pack house was filled with conversation and laughter, the soft clinking of glasses adding to the merry atmosphere. Chandeliers cast a warm glow over the refined gathering where pack members and guests of honor mingled with their finest. This evening was special—a formal gathering that Jackson had put together out of necessity. These included Alpha Alexander Kane, leader of the Nightwind pack, who had been invited more out of politeness than any wish for his company.
Jackson himself sat near the head table, eyes scanning the crowd with sharp, telling glints of cold indifference. There was tension in the air, with all the merriment, and heads turned as Alexander entered the room. Tall, dangerous in the aura of authority that seemed to surround him, his sharp features framed by short dark hair and piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through everything. The room quieted as Alexander moved through the crowd, his every step echoing power. Jackson scowled. "What does he want?" he muttered to Beta Luke, who stood beside him. "He's Alpha of the biggest pack now," Luke said quietly. "It's a sign of respect to him for coming here. It means Nightwind recognizes us." "Respect?" Snorted Jackson. "I highly doubt it." But even amidst the pleasantries, he just couldn't shake the nagging feeling Alexander's presence had more to do with something or someone else. It was almost as if Alexander scanned the masses for the merest glimpse of that one person. The night wore on, Alexander steadily gravitating in Jackson's direction until he finally turned up at his table. Even if his expression remained masklike, his presence was most definitely not to be ignored. Jackson straightened at the meeting of the two Alphas. "Good evening, Jackson," Alexander greeted him with a slight nod; his voice was neutral, but the underlying tension in his words could hardly be missed. Jackson nodded in turn, his smile strained. "Alexander. You made it." "I did." Alexander looked around the room briefly before resting his eyes once more on Jackson. "Though I notice you didn't come with your mate." The mention of mates made Jackson tense, his jaw clenching. It was no secret that his Luna, Tiffany, had been by his side all evening, but their relationship was anything but real. Jackson detested the concept of destined mates-achingly so, his d mate being one he could never acknowledge. "I'm waiting for the right moment," Jackson said suavely, though his tone was less than convincing. "What about you? Why didn't you bring your mate along?" Alexander's green eyes dulled a moment; Jackson seemed to catch something in the other Alpha's gaze that was raw, savage, and deadly. Alexander's voice came low, smooth, with an edge. "My mate is here," Alexander said, and his words hung in the air like a shotgun Jackson blinked. "What do you mean?" Alexander didn't waste any more time. "My mate is here, in Blood Moon's pack." A cold silence settled in as Jackson stared at him, his brain trying to comprehend the words he had heard. It felt like a blow to the gut, which pushed the air out of his body. His head was racing as he started thinking about the consequences of this situation. Tiffany had sat next to Jackson the entire time and suddenly perked up at Alexander's mate's mention. Her sharp eyes darted between the two Alphas, then she let out a soft laugh, her voice full of smug amusement. "Your mate?" she repeated, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Surely you're mistaken. There's no one here who could be worthy of being your mate." Alexander didn't bat an eye. "I am not mistaken." The fists clenched at Jackson's sides as a knot twisted in the pit of his stomach. "Who is it, then?" he asked in a low strained tone. Alexander's head turned slightly, his eyes scanning the crowd until they finally came to rest on a figure across the room. The figure of a young woman, standing near the back, almost unseen amongst the grandeur of the evening. Her long, dark hair flowed loosely around her shoulders, and even though her dress was simple, something about her air of quiet strength refused to be ignored. Selene. Jackson's blood ran cold. "It's Selene," Alexander said, his voice firm, but the undertone was unmistakable that she was his to protect. "Selene is my mate." The world seemed to screech to a halt as Jackson's mind raced to catch up with the bombshell Alexander had just laid at his feet. He could feel the blood draining from his face, his heart constricting painfully in his chest. Selene. His mate. The girl he had rejected, humiliated, and treated like dirt for years. How could she possibly be Alexander Kane's fated mate? Tiffany snorted louder, flashing her eyes in annoyance. "That thing?" she spat, her voice dripping with derision. "You must be joking. She is weak and a maid and hardly takes care of herself. There is just no way any Selene could be your mate." Alexander's eyes slit perilously at Tiffany's words, but he said nothing to her. He merely turned back to Jackson and cocked an unspoken challenge in his eyes. "I'm taking her with me," Alexander finally said with finality laced in his tone. A surge of fury rose in his body. He clenched his fists tighter and strained; his body shook from the inside out because he held his anger inside. How was this even possible? How could the Moon Goddess play such a cruel trick on him? He had refused Selene-made it crystal clear he wanted nothing to do with her. And now, she was going to be taken away by one of the most powerful Alphas in the world. "No," Jackson growled low and dangerous. "You can't just take her." Alexander's eyes flashed with a warning. "She's my mate, Jackson. You rejected her. You have no claim to her anymore." Anger simmered below the surface of Jackson's skin, ready to spill over. He had never wanted Selene as his mate and had always treated her as nothing more than a weak orphan, a drain on his pack. But the thought of Alexander claiming her, Selene being taken from him, something dark and possessive stirred inside him. The tension was palpable, and she knew she had to intervene sooner rather than later. "Selene can't be your mate!" she snarled, breathing quickly. "She's nothing! She is weak and pathetic and doesn't even have a proper place in the pack. You deserve better, Alpha Alexander." Alexander's gaze sliced to Tiffany as he spoke in a low tone that was heavy with weight, making Tiffany take half a step back. "My mate is chosen by the Moon Goddess," he said. "Not by you." The tension was palpable between the two Alphas, the air thick with the unspoken threat of violence. Jackson's wolf growled inside his gut, the urge to fight for dominance surging through his veins. Yet a small part buried deep beneath anger and arrogance knew Alexander was right. He had rejected Selene and denied her as his mate. He had no right to stop Alexander from taking her now. And yet, the thought of losing her and never seeing her again nagged at him in ways he couldn't explain. "You can't do this," Jackson muttered, his voice barely audible, though he wasn't sure if he was talking to Alexander or himself. "I can," Alexander replied, his voice as cold as steel. "And I will." With that, Alexander turned on his heel and began to walk with purpose unyieldingly towards Selene. Jackson watched, frozen, as Alexander approached her. All this time, Selene had been standing at the back of the room, unruffled by the chaos going on around her. She looked up in surprise as Alexander came to a stop in front of her. "Selene," he said slowly, his tone full of tenderness that seemed to catch her off guard. "Come with me." Selene's eyes blinked once, twice, as her heart raced at the looming Alpha before her. She knew of Alexander Kane, fearless leader of the Nightwind pack, but she never thought she'd ever see him- let alone have him talk to her in this manner. Her brain stuttered over what was happening right now. "Come with you?" she repeated, her voice quivering very slightly. Alexander nodded, his eyes steady and unwavering. "You're my mate, Selene. And I'm taking you with me." Selene's heart stopped, her breath catching in her throat. His mate? She plunged into Alexander's gaze, searching for even a trickling drop of deceit, but all she saw was honesty. And something else-something fierce and protective, like he would stop at nothing to keep her safe. But how could that be? How could she, the lowliest of maids, an orphan, be destined for one as powerful as Alexander Kane? Behind them, a growl rumbled from Jackson, but Alexander didn't falter. His hand extended to Selene, his face softening just a fraction. "Come," he coaxed. "You don't belong here anymore." With a deep breath, she reached out and took his hand Where do you think you're going, Selene? Came a voice from behind. Selene and Alexander turn to see who's voice is that.
