Chapter One

Chapter One

**ANORA**

It was the blandest shade of beige. My mating dress, with ruffles that looked like that of a court jester, and a tulle skirt which reached the wooden floors. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, letting out a deep sigh as I definitely didn’t like what I saw.

An unhappy bride. An unhappy mate.

My mating ritual to Alpha Zayn was tonight. He was handsome, well above my age, the other women in the pack would grovel at their feet just to be with him and yet he chose me as his bride. Father took it at the first chance he got, after all no one was perfect for his Luna of a daughter except the strongest one in the pack.

There was no bond between the Alpha and I. It wasn’t peculiar for two poeple in the pack to marry without having a bond. Mating bonds barely happened between two werewolves, and to continue the line arranged marriages are formed—Mating bond or not.

I never wanted to get married, neither did I want a mate but I had no choice. The moment Zayn asked for my hands in marriage father was ecstatic, he threw a huge party just at the announcement of our engagement. An engagement I definitely didn’t want.

“I don’t want this.” I said to him.

“You’ll learn to love the Alpha.” Father responded back, “It’s important you do, for the sake of the pqck.”

Now here I am, adorned in the most hideous of dresses and getting ready for my mating ritual with a husband I didn’t want. My ears pronged as I heard footsteps from outside the door, I turned around to see my father standing by the doorway.

I forced a smile.

“You look beautiful Anora.” He said as he walked in, then he placed a hand on my cheek, “My own daughter, my Luna, getting married to the one she loves…the alpha of the pack.”

‘The one she loves’….i almost snorted at the ludicrous assumption.

I never loved Alpha Zayn, I barely spoke to him even as I found him nothing but boastful. Sure he was handsome, he was every pack lass’s dream man but he definitely wasn’t mine. Father just made a decision in my stead and deluded himself into thinking I loved Zayn.

“Thanks father.” I managed to murmur.

I was doing for the pack. It was my duty as a member to continue the line, despite being forced to marry who I didn’t want.

“The ceremony would begin in a few hours.” He said, pressing a kiss to my forehead, “I’m so proud of you Anora.”

I watched him leave a second later, my eyes brimming with tears as I looked at my reflection once more. In a few hours I would be the Alpha’s mate, the Alpha’s wife.

I wanted to run away.

_____~_____~_____~_____~

The Solstice Moon. The night of my mating ritual. Hours later after twilight I stood in front of the temple, right on the outskirts of the town and uphill, where everyone was gathered to witness the wonderful ceremony. The Aloha of the New Moon Pack was getting married to Anora Maddox, a Luna.

I could sense the sneers, the evil eyes, the glares from the other young women in the pack who wanted him for their selves. I was glad to trade places with them if need be, disgrace was a much better fate than whatever I was being roped into.

I gulped hard as I stared into the eyes of my soon to be mate/husband—Zayn. He was smiling down at me.

“I’ve waited a long time to make you mine Anora.”

Strange. I had no memories of our childhood together like father claimed. He said we were inseparable, like twins from the same womb and yet I felt no connection towards him. I never liked him, enjoyed his company which father forced upon me, his very presence even made me feel off.

Yet here I still was, about to be married to him by the high priest.

Zayn held onto my hands as the priest came out from the temple. I managed to force a smile as we were both handed the wooden bowl which had water in it.

“From my blood to yours.” Zayn muttered as he took the knife handed to him by the priest , then he cut the tip of his finger and I watched as droplets of his blood went into the water.

I gave father one last look, a sign that I didn’t want to do this, a sign which he read perfectly and yet he smiled at me with a nod. He wanted me to keep on going.

I gulped hard, taking the knife and let out a soft wince as I pricked my finger with it instwad, seeing as my blood went into the bowl of water I managed to murmur, “From my blood to yours.”

The crowd cheered in support as we exchanged bowls. The moment we both drank my fate was sealed to his permanently, I was his wife—-his mate.

“You may now drink and be bonded for eternity to come.” The priest beckoned.

I hesitated for just a second, looking down at tue maroon colored water before I raised it to my lips and then I heard it.

A howl.

A very loud howl.

Darkness followed, enveloping every nook and cranny of the temple, and its surroundings. I could sense the fear gripping everyone as this force was out of nowhere.

I turned around sharply, same as the rest of the townsfolk towards the direction of the sound. Then my eyes widened at the sight of a werewolf, a white wolf.

Impossible. I gasped loudly as my eyes glared at the being whom had just arrived at the ceremony. It’s eyes, a beautiful shade of blue. It’s mane, it’s fur, as white as the solstice moon itself. This wasn’t no ordinary werewolf.

I looked at father whose eyes reeked nothing short of panic, he turned to glare at me and yelled, “Drink up Anora!! Drink and be mated to the Alpha before he gets here!!”

He??

Who was he??

Was he talking about the creature that stood before everyone? I couldn’t tell.

Zayn stepped right in front of me, in a protective stance. I saw his claws sprouting out as he confronted the creature, “What are you?! Who are you and what do you want?!!”

There was no answer, instead it transformed. My eyes widened at the spectacularly frightening sight, bones retracting, the white fur dissipating back into its pores only to reveal….to reveal…to reveal…

A beautiful man.

Naked in all his glory.

I let out another gasp.

Father screeched this time, “Drink the Alpha’s blood Anora!!”

I couldn’t move, not with him walking towards the front of the temple. It was like a magnet, whatever I was feeling, wanting to pull me towards him.

“Who are you?!” Zayn yelled once more, beckoning me to come behind him but I couldn’t move. My legs wanted to, but they just couldn’t. I was frozen.

The man, the creature, whatever he was, still with the most beautiful blue eyes I’d ever seen looked at me, and then at the Alpha,

“I’m here to claim what’s mine.” He said, “I’m here to claim my mate.”