Chapter 1

Elora

The air feels just the same returning back home but I know one thing for certain, my life will never remain the same. For the past 3 years, I’ve been at the Luna Academy, training to become the Luna of the Nightshade pack.

Most Lunas only go to the academy after they are found and claimed by their Alpha mate but I was 16 when I left home because even before I was born, I was already betrothed to Dante, the first son of Alpha Jeremy, Alpha of the Nightshade pack.

“Stop here,” I beckon the driver taking me to the Alpha mansion.

“We’re not at the mansion yet ma’am.”

“Just stop.”

It’s dusk, Dante will be doing his solo training at the training ground by now and he’s the one I want to see first. I’ve missed him so much.

Even if I wasn’t betrothed to him, I would still be in love with him. He is beyond perfect in every way and I’m so freaking glad that he’s all mine to keep.

The butterflies in my tummy rejoice in anticipation of setting my eyes on him again and my heart races hard as I push the door to the training ground open and there he stands, half naked and sweating, the beads of sweat running from his broad chest down to his delicious abs make me gulp in absolute awe until his voice snaps me out of my reverie.

“What are you doing here?” He asks coldly, the unamused look in his eyes puncturing a hole in my heart.

Is he not happy to see me? It’s been two whole years since we’ve seen each other.

“I…um— I was— I actually just got back and I thought I’d check in on you before going to the mansion,” I reply wryly, the bubble of excitement I had coming here to see him suddenly taking a huge punch.

“Why?” He asks, giving me a look of disbelief as he throws his shirt on.

“Are you not happy to see me?” I bite my lower lip, fighting hard to push away the pain his attitude is clawing my heart with, moving closer to him. The smell of his sweat and his dry earth smell intoxicates me and surprisingly, my wolf.

She likes him and this is the first time he’ll be meeting me with a wolf.

“Listen Elora,” he closes the distance between us, the close proximity of our bodies and those sexy grey eyes staring into mine makes me weak in the knees.

I stare at his plump and kissable lips eagerly, like the words about to come out of them will determine my life or death.

“When are you going to snap out of this delusion? I don’t care what father says or what you think, I will only ever claim one woman and belong to her and that is my mate— which you are not.”

I stay rooted to the spot, my heart clenching with pain from his dismissive and hurtful words. I already made up my mind to reject my mate, whoever they are for him, why can’t he do the same for me?

I fight back my tears and a bitter smile splays my quivering lips. “Your mate, have you found her?” I mutter, my heart drumming in painful anticipation for the worst.

“That’s not for you to know but know this. Once the old man dies and I become Alpha, I’m calling off this charade,” he replies in annoyance and brushes past me, storming out of the facility.

I watch as he slams the door, confused, hurt and unsure of what to do. This whole infatuation with him started when I was 5 and was being bullied for being the daughter of a Rogue wolf but he stepped in and put my bullies in their place. Ever since that day, my heart has been tied to his but it’s obviously been a one sided attachment.

—

“Look who’s back, our little nugget,” Dominic, Dante’s twin and younger brother grabs me in a manly hug when I enter the mansion, suspending my feet off the floor.

They are identical twins but you can tell them apart from their smell and also Dominic carries a braid while Dante wears a low buzz cut.

“You should stop calling me that,” I chuckle, freeing myself from his hold, “I’m going to be your Luna.”

Dominic scoffs and ruffles my hair, “little nugget Luna. Come, father has been expecting you.”

I wouldn’t say Dominic and I are very close but he treats me well and sometimes behaves like an annoying older brother. I can say though that I am closer to him than I am to Dante who does nothing but push me away no matter how much I try to get close to him.

He sees me like a burden thrown on him by our parents where I see it as fate putting us together.

We enter the old Alpha’s room and I can’t believe my eyes. I knew he was ill but not to the extent of him being just skin and bones.

I rush to his side immediately, feeling so much pity for him. I look back at Dominic. “What happened, no one told me it was this bad.”

“My dear,” Alpha Jeremy’s weak voice brings my gaze back to him. “It was my decision not to tell you. I didn’t want your training interrupted.”

“Father…” tears spill out of my eyes. What use is the training if he won’t even get to see me be Luna?

Dante steps into the room and I look away from him quickly, feeling anger in my heart. This was what he meant by ‘when the old man dies.’

Alpha Jeremy coughs, “now that you are all here, there is something I must do before I join my fathers,” he coughs again and I cradle his head, sitting and placing it on my thighs.

He continues. “Elora, I know I promised your late father that you will marry my first son who becomes Alpha and become the Luna of this pack but my first son will no longer be Alpha—”

“What?!” Dante interrupts him, clearly shocked out of his wits.

Dominic looks at me and then at his father, his face a perfect mix of shock and confusion.

“Dominic, you are my chosen heir and will be Alpha after my demise and you MUST take Elora as your Luna.”

“Father, you can’t do this. Being Alpha is my birthright!” Dante yells, clenches his fist and groans, “is this because of mother, you still haven’t forgiven me?”

Alpha Jeremy looks away from him and closes his eyes. “The elders are aware of my decision. Now leave, all of you. I want to be alone.”

“Fuck this!” Dante storms out of the room and I instinctively run after him, confused myself but I feel so much for him. He’s been training to be Alpha all his life and what happened to their mother wasn’t entirely his fault.

“Dominic, wait,” I call out but he’s walking so fast and with so much rage that I have to run to catch up with him.

“Fuck off Elora!”

He doesn’t stop and neither do I.

“Just wait,” I reach him and place my hand on his shoulder to stop him and he grabs my hand to yank it off him when delicious electric sparks suddenly dance through me as our skins come in contact and I freeze.

His eyes snap to mine, wide with shock and before I can make sense of anything going on, my wolf rushes to the forefront of my mind and we both utter the sacred words in unison.

“Mate.”