ELISSE
The moment I stepped into the back garden of the mansion for the Moonlight Ball, I knew my mate was here. That scent … rich mocha laced with warm cedar and the faintest whisper of something darker. It made my wolf restless and wild in an instant. I hated that. 'He’s here, Elisse!' Sera’s voice burst into my head, brimming with excitement. She felt like she was going to tear her way out of my chest. This powerful, undeniable pull, I couldn’t control it. My body moved on its own, following the scent— And, then I saw him. My mate. The one I never expected. I had already reached twenty. I had been hoping to find my mate soon, if only so I could finally leave home. But, who would’ve guessed it would be him? Dario Dravenhall. Everyone knew who he was. The Alpha of the Nightsilver Pack, infamous for being ruthless and utterly heartless. And right now, he was holding the hand of another girl. My cousin, Selena. “Alpha Dravenhall, this is the first time you’ve attended an event here. Its such a pleasure to see you,” said my uncle, Henry Ravenshade, Alpha of the Wildbane Pack, the pack I belonged to. He shook Dario’s hand, smiling broadly, as if proud that his daughter was with such a man. "Its good to see you too, Alpha Ravenshade. I had no choice but to attend this ball before the elders start nagging me about how my age is catching up to me." Selena interrupted cheerfully, “Father, I’ve found my mate. He is my mate, Alpha Dario Dravenhall, and—” “LIAR!” The word tore out of me before I could stop it, Sera’s outrage driving me forward. They all turned, startled. I moved toward them with purpose, the wolf inside me roaring, my posture ready for a fight. “He’s my mate! Alpha Dario Dravenhall is my mate! I can feel it!” I declared, pointing straight at him. Even though I disliked him instantly, maybe because of that arrogant face, I couldnt resist the urge, the instinct to claim him as mine. “Elisse, stop embarrassing yourself. Alpha Dravenhall is already Selena’s mate,” Henry said, trying to keep his voice controlled, though I could feel the weight of his Alpha aura pressing against me. “I’m telling the truth! Alpha Dario Dravenhall is my mate!” I shot back, my eyes locked on Dario. He gave me only the faintest of smiles. I could tell he was thinking something, though I couldn’t guess what. “… Alpha, tell them!” Dario’s smoldering gaze locked onto me, and I knew he felt the same magnetic tension. Both of us barely restraining the hunger simmering beneath the surface. But, with a low, heavy voice, he said, “I don’t know what you mean, my mate is Selena Ravenshade.” “What did you just say?” I snapped. I wasn’t hurt— only furious. I could see the heat in his eyes for me, so why was he lying? “I’m about to have my mating night with the Alpha, so stop interrupting us,” Selena chimed in, looping her arm around my Alpha’s. Jealousy, disbelief, anger, all rushed through me like fire. How dared they turn their backs on me without so much as a word? “Hey! I’m not done talking to you!” I shouted after them. “Alpha! Why are you lying? You’re mine!” I hated sounding so desperate, but this was wrong. What was Dario trying to do, leaving me here like this? He had to know we were mates! ***ELISSEThe room was still dim when I stirred awake from my sleep. The heavy curtains blocked most of the morning light, leaving the chamber wrapped in quiet shadows. For a while, I just lay there, letting the silence sink in until the memories of last night returned like a flood.Hot, breathless, and overwhelming. My body still trembled whenever I thought about it. And gods, I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. That night was so intense and already, I was aching to tease Dario again.“Dario?” I whispered into the stillness, but he wasn’t there.His scent was everywhere— the sheets, the blanket, and lingering in the air. It wrapped around me like an invisible embrace.That was when I noticed a folded note resting on the nightstand. I reached for it, and my chest tightened as I read the handwriting:[Love, sorry I had to leave for a while. You can go ahead and have breakfast. Dolores will prepare whatever you want]I slipped back into my clothes and was about to head into the
ELISSEI used to know nothing about the territories of other packs. I was only the weakest wolf, one who was never even acknowledged.The moment I stepped foot into the Dravenhall residence, I realized this man—my mate, my husband—was not only the leader of the oldest pack in this region, but a man whose line had always held power and wealth.His home was nothing short of a palace. It rose at the heart of the city, yet its vast grounds stretched so wide it felt as though a small forest circled it.I was bound in the ritual of marriage right there, in the courtyard of Dravenhall. Yes, beneath the glow of the full moon, under the silent gaze of the Moon Goddess.I still could not believe I was wrapped in a white gown that shimmered and danced softly with the night wind.Of course, I was happy. Sera, my wolf, was far more ecstatic than I was—almost deliriously so. She never stopped howling inside me whenever Dario drew near.Like now. He stood across from me, his presence commanding, as
DARIOIt was them.Alpha Ravenshade and his son stormed in, faces twisted with rage.“What the hell are you doing to my men? Speak!” the old bastard barked again.I pulled Elisse closer, arms like iron wrapping around her trembling body. “You tell me what the fuck you did to Elisse."“She attacked my daughter! Knocked her out cold! We were setting up a trial." That old man growled, his voice thick with anger.“So you lock her up in a room with two assholes? Is that how you treat women in your pack?”“Doesn’t matter. She tried to steal you from my daughter, Alpha Dravenhall. Bitches like her deserve to be broken.”The words lit a fire in me, a brutal storm of fury. My claws itched to tear through skin and muscle. I forced the beast down, keeping my voice razor sharp.“You’re lucky I don’t rip your entire pathetic pack to pieces right here,” I warned, each word a threat."What did you say?"“Pathetic pack.”His eyes seethed with fury, but he knew better than to oppose me.I said, “Eliss
DARIOI could feel it clawing at my mind. Sharp, burning pain that wouldn’t let up, like molten iron scraping through my skull.Elisse. Fuck, why the hell did I already feel like I couldn’t leave her side for more than thirty minutes? My chest tightened at the thought, a tether pulling me back no matter how far I tried to run.Something was rotting inside that mansion.'Let’s get back,' Kaylo, my wolf, snarled in my head, restless, demanding control.Running beside me, Johnny’s voice cut through the tension. “Alpha, what’s wrong? You look like you’re somewhere else.”I stopped, glancing around the dark forest. The moon hung low and bright, but I didn’t need the light to know something was off.“Lead the others to scout the area,” I told Johnny, “I’m heading back to the mansion.”“For what?”"I just need to." My voice was rough, almost alien to my own ears.Johnny hesitated, then nodded. I tore back toward the mansion, Kaylo’s growl rising to a roar in my skull. I let him take over, j
ELISSEAlaric stepped closer, gripping my chin firmly and forcing me to meet his gaze.He said, “it’s suspicious that the alpha’s scent clings to you. Are you really that desperate to steal my sister’s mate?”“What? No! That’s not true!” I denied his accusation.“Tricks like this have been used for years, Elisse. Trying to take someone else’s mate by offering yourself. I never thought you were this low. Don’t expect a light punishment, this is disgraceful.”"He's my mate not Selena's."“You really are just like your late mother, a damn whore. We barely tolerate a whore’s daughter in this pack. If we were truly merciless, you’d have been wiped out long ago.”“Don’t you dare bring my mother into this.”“Oh, why not? She stole my uncle from his true mate, and now look at you ... doing the exact same thing to my sister.”“My mother didn’t choose that! Fate binds mates, given by the Moon Goddess herself!”He laughed coldly, eyes full of contempt. “Fate, huh? And I suppose fate can be twist
ELISSE“Uncle, please, just hear me out. Selena didn’t faint because of me, it was Alpha Dravenhall who did this. He said he had his reasons.” I tried to make him understand what had really happened.But, he snapped, “SHUT UP!”He stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he checked Selena. His gaze filled with menace at me. “You’re lucky you’re family. If you weren’t, I’d tear your throat out without a second thought.”“But—”“No buts! We’re holding a trial, right now. Just because I say you’re lucky doesn’t mean your punishment will be light.”“—It wasn’t me!” I insisted.He ignored me and lifted Selena into his arms, then stared back at me coldly. “Jealous girl. You dare hurt your own cousin because you envy her? You’ve fallen so far, this is nothing but shameful.”I opened my mouth to explain, but his fury was like a wall I couldn’t break through. Any word from me would just make things worse.Before I could say another word, his son appeared. Alaric, the Alpha Heir. He was my age and