52. At Caleb's Mansion.

Adrian’s POV

I didn’t even stop to breathe. Not once.

The moment I left my room, my mind was a chaotic storm of thoughts, and my wolf inside me was howling with frustration, confusion, and anger. The glowing mark on Lucy’s arm, the scent of her, the way she had taken control of me without my consent—it all replayed relentlessly in my mind.

I drove without direction at first, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles whitened, my breaths shallow and sharp. The city lights blurred past me as if the world itself refused to focus. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t process. The only thing I knew was that I needed Caleb.

I needed him to tell me it wasn’t real. That it wasn’t possible for Lucy to have—that mark. The mark of a Luna, glowing on her flesh as if fate itself had carved it there, yet my heart didn’t feel what it was supposed to feel. I didn’t love her. Not now, not ever. And yet… the act had bonded us.

The bond didn’t lie.

The bond couldn’t lie.

It was impossible.

Impossible.

I could feel the heat of the sun on my back through the windshield, yet it barely registered. The streets were empty at this hour, though I shouldn’t have been surprised. My thoughts consumed me entirely. I barely noticed when I pulled into Caleb’s driveway, ignoring the security, the tires crunching over gravel with more force than necessary.

I didn’t knock. I didn’t announce myself. I opened the door and walked straight into the mansion. Caleb’s place had always been a sanctuary, a place I could be myself without the expectations of the council or the weight of the pack pressing down on me. But today, even this place felt suffocating.

Caleb looked up immediately, his expression shifting from mild surprise to stark shock the moment he caught sight of me.

“Adrian?” His voice held an edge of caution I rarely heard. “What… what the hell happened to you? You look like—”

I cut him off, my voice tight, strained, almost a growl. “Caleb, I need to know something. I need you to understand exactly what’s happening. And I need you to tell me it’s not possible—because if it is, if it’s real… I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Caleb blinked, then sniffed the air around me sharply. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he muttered under his breath.

“Did you… mate with someone... Lucy??”

I froze mid-step. My jaw clenched, and I felt my wolf inside me growl, frustrated at being called out so bluntly.

“Yes,” I said quietly. “Yes, and it wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Caleb’s eyes widened. “What? Adrian… what do you mean ‘it wasn’t supposed to happen’?”

I took a seat heavily on one of the plush chairs, running my hands over my face. I could feel the heat rising in my chest, the chaos in my mind spiraling further. I needed to explain everything in precise detail, though I feared hearing Caleb’s judgment more than anything.

“It was Lucy,” I began, my voice low, steady but laced with frustration. “She… she forced herself on me.”

Caleb’s brows furrowed deeply, leaning forward slightly. “What do you mean, forced herself? Adrian, what—what the hell are you talking about?”

I exhaled sharply. “She used some… charm. Perfume. Something. I don’t know how it works, but my control—my will—it slipped. I… I didn’t want it, Caleb. I didn’t consent. But it happened. And now…” I paused, feeling the rage and helplessness coiling in my chest. “And now the tattoo—her arm—it’s glowing. She has the Luna mark.”

Caleb’s mouth fell open slightly. “What? The Luna mark?” His voice rose a little, disbelief clear. “No… that’s impossible. The mark only appears on the Luna! How—how did she—?”

I leaned back, my hands tightening against the armrests. “I don’t know. That’s what I’m telling you. I didn’t love her—still don’t. I don’t feel anything for her. And yet… the mark appeared. Caleb… this hasn’t happened in the history of alphas. A wolf can’t mate with someone they aren’t attracted to, and the Luna mark can’t exist without that bond. And it’s on her arm.”

Caleb ran a hand over his face, muttering under his breath, his usual calm composure shaken. “This… this doesn’t make sense. She isn’t your Luna. I know it. You’re the Alpha—your heart… it doesn’t belong to her. It can’t belong to her. And yet… that mark…”

“I know!” I slammed my palm on the chair’s arm. “I know it doesn’t make sense. That’s why I’m coming to you. I need answers. I need to know what the hell is going on. And if it’s true… if that mark is real, then this changes everything. It changes… everything.”

Caleb leaned back, his expression grim. “Alright. Calm down. Breathe. First, you need to understand… that mark is powerful. That mark doesn’t appear on someone unless… unless the Luna God or destiny—or whatever force controls this—deems it necessary. And right now… it’s on her. That means she is… the Luna. Somehow.”

I rubbed my eyes. “No. Caleb. She can’t be. It’s impossible. She isn’t my Luna. She’s not. I don’t love her. Nothing in me feels like I should love her.”

Caleb shook his head slowly. “Adrian… I understand you. I really do. You’ve never been a wolf to mate with someone without desire. Never. And yet… the mark is glowing. That’s not going away. That’s the universe telling you something—whether you like it or not. But more importantly… you need to figure out how it happened. The ritual. Your… lapse in control. Something unnatural happened here, and we need to talk to Matthew. He’ll know what’s going on.”

I buried my face in my hands, breathing raggedly. “Matthew… yes. I know. I know he’ll have answers, but… this shouldn’t have happened. This isn’t… normal. I should be free of this. I should… not be bonded. I don’t feel… I don’t feel anything for her.”

Caleb’s expression softened slightly. He leaned forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know, man. I get it. I know this feels like betrayal of yourself. But listen to me… we’ll get answers. And I promise, we’ll find a way to understand what she did, why the mark appeared, and how it happened. But right now… you need to calm down. You’re spiraling, and you’re not thinking straight.”

I lifted my head and looked at him, frustration and despair warring in my eyes. “And if Matthew confirms what I fear… what if the mark is permanent? What if she really is the Luna now?”

Caleb let out a sigh, running his hand through his hair. “Then… then we deal with it. We face it. You don’t have to feel anything for her to understand that this is bigger than you, bigger than me, bigger than anyone. The council, the rituals… all of it points to this. But Adrian… right now, you’re not thinking clearly. Your wolf is in turmoil, your mind is racing, and your heart is… confused. Let’s focus on one thing at a time. We’ll see Matthew. He’ll explain the ritual, the mark, everything. And we’ll go from there.”

I slumped back in the chair, staring at the floor. My wolf growled low inside me, restless, hungry, confused. I had never felt so powerless.

She—Lucy—had manipulated me. Or maybe… not even manipulated. Maybe destiny had done it for her.

I clenched my fists. “Caleb… she shouldn’t have been able to do that. She can’t… she’s not my Luna. This isn’t supposed to happen!”

Caleb shook his head, his tone stern but calm. “I know it feels wrong. And yes, she’s not your Luna. But that doesn’t matter right now. The ritual, the perfume, whatever she used—it’s powerful, unnatural, and dangerous. And right now… you need to focus on controlling yourself, not letting your emotions get the better of you. You need to survive this. And trust me… Matthew will know what to do next.”

I breathed heavily, my wolf pacing within me. I wanted to scream. I wanted to tear the world apart. I wanted… to find her. To demand answers. To make sense of the impossible.

Caleb’s calm presence was the only thing keeping me tethered.

---

Caleb’s POV

When Adrian arrived, I smelled immediately that something had gone very wrong. His scent was off—agitated, confused, panicked, and layered with that unmistakable pheromone of a wolf who had just been forced into mating. My eyes narrowed as I watched him storm into the room, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

I knew instantly. I didn’t need to hear him yet. But I waited, letting him pace.

Finally, he collapsed into the chair and told me everything. And I mean everything—how Lucy had forced herself on him, the perfume, the mark glowing on her arm, the unnatural control he’d lost, the fact that he didn’t feel anything. I listened silently, absorbing every word.

My first reaction was disbelief. Then… shock. Then, finally, concern.

“This… this isn’t just a problem, Adrian. This isn’t like the usual teenage wolf trouble,” I muttered. “The mark… it can’t exist unless it’s tied to the Luna. She’s the Luna now. Somehow. Somehow, the ritual, whatever she did, she’s become bonded to you. This is… unprecedented.”

Adrian’s hands trembled as he ran them through his hair. “I don’t feel anything for her, Caleb. Nothing. I’ve never—never—felt anything for her. This shouldn’t happen. This hasn’t happened in history. Alphas don’t mate with someone they have no desire for. And now… the bond exists. And the mark exists. And I don’t…” He stopped, his voice thick with despair. “…I don’t even know what to do.”

I leaned back, letting him vent. He needed to speak. He needed to release this storm. I could feel his wolf churning inside, confused, hungry, angry. I understood him. I didn’t envy him. But I also knew what had to be done.

“You’re spiraling, Adrian. Right now, you need calm. You need strategy,” I said firmly. “First, we see Matthew. He’ll know exactly what this ritual was, how it worked, and what to do next. Don’t act rashly. You don’t even know what powers or consequences are attached to that mark yet.”

He nodded slowly, still staring at the floor. His wolf was restless, but I could feel him trying to control it. “I… I just can’t believe this. I can’t believe she did this. How could she? How could someone… just—” He ran his hands down his face. “I don’t understand. I can’t understand it.”

I nodded slowly. “I get it, man. I do. But that doesn’t change what’s happened. You didn’t choose this. She didn’t choose you. And yet… here we are. Now we need to focus on the next step. Matthew will explain the rest. And we’ll figure out how to undo this—or at least manage it. But for now… calm yourself.”

I watched him breathe, tense, shaking, but slowly his posture relaxed slightly. He wasn’t calm. Not by a long shot. But he was functional enough to take the next steps. And that was enough—for now.