Chapter 1

Mia:

****TWO WEEKS AGO****

“Scrub the floor clean! I must not see a single dirt when I'm back” Luna Lilian, my step mother commanded before stepping out.

As an Alpha's daughter, my situation was worse than that of an omega.

I bent over, scrubbing the floor when Teresa appeared with her friends. She snickered and threw the cup of coffee she was holding on the floor, spilling some of the content on the ground.

I was twenty while Teresa and her twin brother, my step siblings were seventeen but they never treated me like their older sister.

Despite all this, I had an outstanding academic record that got me into college early. I was already done with college because I had a faster education than my siblings. That alone drove them mad.

“Oops! I didn't see you there” her voice, noticeably laced with mockery.

I could only glare.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” She kicked me in the stomach and I fell over, my clothes were soaked. Her friends burst into laughter.

Fucking spoilt brats.

My father was originally mated to my mother but she died when I was three. As an Alpha, he was not allowed to be without a Luna, so he married Lilian, who was a beta at that time and since then, my life has been hell.

There was only one thing I wanted; Find my mate as soon as possible and leave this pathetic behind.

The moon goddess finally granted my wish.

It was a peaceful evening in the middle of August. The mother-daughter duo had gone for a party and I was having a much needed break when a letter arrived for my father, Alpha Noah, Alpha of the Night shade pack.

That day, he had arrived earlier than usual. I entered his study and handed him the sealed letter.

Curious, he opened it and the longer he read it, the more his face turned grim. His jaw visibly clenched and he let out a low, deep growl.

A chill ran down my spine so I turned around and tiptoed out, careful not to disturb him.

I was curious what made him so angry.

The next morning, during breakfast, he cleared his throat and spoke to me.

“Get ready. The Red moon pack is hosting a takeover party this evening. You are coming with me”

Teresa perked up, excited. “Red moon pack?! We are really going there?”

He turned to her, his expression as cold as ice. “You will stay back. It's just me and Mia” he replied firmly.

Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. Luna Lilian and her daughter secretly glared at me, green with envy.

“Did you hear me?” He said to me and I nodded in response.

“Yes, Alpha”

Whenever he attended a party, he only ever took Luna Lilian along and no one else. I wondered why it was different this time.

I searched through my closet and there wasn't even one dress that was good enough to wear.

All the clothes I ever had were Teresa's hand-me-downs and they were all worn out and damaged.

I bit my lower lip so hard that it drew blood.

I suddenly heard a knock on my door. It was one of the maids, carrying a big box.

“Alpha Noah asked me to give it to you”

It contained a green evening gown with a matching pair of shoes.

By the time I had finished, my father was already waiting by the car and the moment he saw me, I could have sworn I saw a look of appreciation flash in his eyes.

Red moon pack, one of the most powerful packs in the world, feared and respected by many.

Located on a large island, off the northwestern coast of mainland America, deep inside the forest of Alaska.

It was one of the longest standing packs with deep-seated culture. They had a lot of pack members and controlled several successful and lucrative businesses. Some other packs would kill to conduct business with them.

The Night shade pack could not compare to them.

They were a storm while we were just a ripple.

The party had already started by the time we arrived.

Still in the dark as to why I was brought here, I sat quietly in a corner, looking around like a timid little cat while my father socialized, when I suddenly heard a voice in my head. One I haven't heard in a long time.

“Mate!”

It was Nora, my wolf. She had been silent for so long. She probably didn't feel the need to appear.

“What?”

My mate was here?

The scent of musk and cedarwood suddenly filled my nostrils.

My legs moved on their own, drawn to the scent, like moths to flame.

I maneuvered my way through the crowd,

following the scent and I ended up in a garden.

The scent had gotten stronger which meant the source was here.

I was about to leave when I saw someone's silhouette.

I tried to move silently but the moment I took one step, he turned in my direction. I was met with the most mesmerizing blue eyes.

I stopped dead in my tracks and all I could do was stare at the Greek god standing a few feet away from me.

Lodged between his index and middle finger was a lit cigarette and Goodess, blowing out smoke rings while he kept his eyes locked on mine, had to be the sexiest thing I had ever seen.

Despite the chilly night breeze, my whole body was on fire. My face completely flushed and my stomach quivered.

“Mate!” Nora repeated happily and it brought me out of my reverie.

Wait, what?!

This well-built, smoldering blue-eyed stranger was my mate?

No way.

My attention was once again drawn to him when he began to walk towards me.

I stood rooted to a spot.

These fucking legs wouldn't just move when you need them to.

Unable to meet his eyes, I stared at the grass beneath me, wondering what he was going to say but to my surprise, he sidestepped me and walked away without so much as a word.

I stared at his retreating back, astonished.

Did he not sense the mate bond?

I could not leave without getting answers.

“Excuse me, can you wait up?” I shouted, running after him but he didn't turn back.

Not even once.

No matter how fast I ran , I could not keep up with his pace so I gave up, panting.

I sat down to catch my breath before proceeding to the hall where my father was waiting.

“I have been looking all over for you. Where have you been?”

“Uh…I went to get some fresh air”

The Red Moon pack's Alpha Mateo, mounted the stage, his voice boomed over the loudspeakers, interrupting our conversation.

He was a tall man in his mid sixties. One look at him and you could tell he was breath-takingly attractive in his prime.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone for joining me as I hand over this position to my eldest son, Lukas. From today onwards, I'm no longer the Red Moon pack's Alpha” he concluded his speech and invited his son up the stage.

I froze when I saw the man I had just met a few minutes ago walk up the stage.

My eyes were glued to him but I could not hear a word he said. The rousing applause that indicated the end of his speech snapped me out of it.

He stepped down from the stage and headed to his parent’s table.

“Follow me” my father instructed.

We arrived at Alpha Lukas’ table, my eyes on the ground. My father shook hands with him and congratulated him.

I drew invisible circles with my legs, biting my lips nervously.

“This is my daughter, Mia” he tapped me. “Say hello”

I looked up to see Lukas staring at me. I quickly looked away, forcing a smile as I greeted his parents.

“She's so lovely, just as I expected” Alpha Mateo said, smiling.

He glanced at his son, then at me.

“I'm guessing you haven't met each other. Lukas, meet your fiancée.

My eyes widened,

“What?!”