Chapter 2

Elora

Dante yanks his hand away from mine, the shock on his face disappears, replaced by an even more terrifying look.

“Stay the hell away from me.”

I gasp, wondering if I heard him correctly. My wolf whimpers in pain at the subtle rejection of our mate and my eyes brim with tears but I stifle them.

I know he’s mad his birthright got stolen from him but we’re mates, that should mean something to him, I should mean something to him.

“I know you’re upset but we’re mates Dante, we—”

“We’re nothing,” he growls, “you’re my brother’s betrothed and Luna, nothing else.”

I clutch my chest from the sting my heart feels as he utters those words. It’s as if my heart shatters into a thousand pieces, each pulsing with wrecking agony.

Does the mate bond suddenly mean nothing to him?

Wasn’t he just telling me that the only woman he’ll ever claim is his mate? Did he change his mind because it turned out to be me?

I always thought he resented me because I was forced on him but what about now that we are mates, does he still harbor it?

I know things are complicated now with his dad’s decision but if anything, us being mates shows that we are meant to be and this may just be a test of our bond.

“Don’t say that,” I ignore my pain and pride and try to reach out to him, gently touching his triceps, the electric feeling coursing through me again. “You’re hurting, I know but together, we might be able to overcome this hurdle.”

He jerks his hand away roughly, the sneer on his face rapt and intense, “there is no w—” he sighs, “you know what? I’ll end this right now.”

He takes a step back, his cold and soulless eyes peering deep into my teary and pained ones.

I know what he’s about to do and the thought alone makes an audible whimper escape me.

“Don’t do this Dante,” the tears I’ve been trying so hard to hold back leak out of my eyes, “please give us a chance, we can talk to father together. I’m your mate, you said I’m the only one you’ll ever claim, were you lying?”

I remind him of his words, disregarding how shameful I feel begging a man who has never shown me any affection for a chance to be with him but the blank expression that remains plastered on his face makes me know it’s useless even before he opens his mouth.

“I, Dante Bellamy, Alpha Scion of the Nightshade pack reject you—”

“Dante!”

The door behind him flies open and a lady hugs him from behind, her sweet smell of lavender immediately fills the space.

Dante spins her to the front, the look of annoyance and irritation he had on his face barely seconds ago quickly morphs into a calm smile.

“Mira, didn’t you leave for your pack today?”

“I couldn’t stay another minute without my honey bun,” she giggles.

My stomach churns and my heart feels like it will stop beating from the unbearable ache that attacks it.

Who is the lady? Is Dante her honeybun?

My heart pangs with a sharp pain at the thought.

Did he lie to me? He had someone this entire time?

His whole attitude about the betrothal, the anger just now wanting to reject me, declaring me as Dominic’s betrothed and wife when he’s been the one in that position until a few minutes ago, was it all because of her?

“I knew I could smell you in the building,” Dominic’s voice makes me turn around and Mira skips past me, jumps on him and plants a sultry kiss on his lips, her soft moans of pleasure filling the air.

I look from them to Dante as the realisation hits me. Dominic is her honeybun, not Dante.

A sense of relief that I shouldn’t even feel floods me and Dante gives me one last unreadable look before he calmly walks out of the building, not saying a word to me.

I stay rooted to the spot, in pain and discomfort, confused and unsure of what to do.

The Alpha I am mated to doesn’t want me and the one I am now supposed to marry is kissing another woman right in front of me and he doesn’t seem to care either.

“Little nugget,” Dominic drags my attention back to them. Mira is holding him tightly, staring up at him in admiration. “This is Mira, my mate, daughter of Alpha Luca, Alpha of the Dark Storm pack. Mira, this is….” he trails, watching my eyes,“Elora, she’s Dante’s betrothed, she’ll be our Luna.”

“Oh hi!” Mira waves at me.

“Hi,” I reply in a wry tone, giving Dominic a bemused look.

How would Mira take it when Dominic finally tells her that plans have changed?

Does he even plan to tell her?

He doesn’t look so disturbed by the whole thing but I envy that he is protecting his mate by not telling her the truth while mine was ready to reject me just seconds after finding out we are mates.

Dominic whispers something to Mira and she plants another kiss on his lips before skipping off. I look away, ready to leave when Dominic reaches out and holds me.

“I know all of this is too much for you right now but I can’t let Mira know anything about what father said. At least not yet, promise me you won’t tell a soul.”

I look up at him, pain and bitterness searing my already broken heart. If only Dante cared a little for me like he does for her, maybe we’d be able to convince father to allow Dominic take Mira as his Luna.

As much as I care about being Luna, having been raised to be one all my life, I would gladly give it up to be with Dante. I’m sure now that we are mates, I might have a chance to finally win his heart.

“I have no one to tell,” I reply in a sad tone, my head bowing in defeat.

“Hey…” Dominic flicks my face up, a calm smile on his face, his voice steady and sure, “don’t worry, once father cools off, I’ll go to him and turn down the Alpha position. He’ll have no choice but to let Dante continue, unless he wants the alphaship to go to another family and we both know that’s not happening.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, don’t worry little nugget, all will be well, I know you’re very much in love with my thick headed brother and I love Mira too much to lose her for any reason, including becoming Alpha,” he smiles at me.

I’m unable to return his smile as much as I want to. Even if Dominic is able to wrestle father’s hand to change his mind, will Dante treat me any differently, he didn’t seem to care that we were mates just now.

“Elora, c’mon, loosen— Argh!!”

Dominic suddenly yells, grabs his head and crashes to his knees.

“What’s wrong?” My heart pounds with fear and I reach out to hold him when I’m blasted back by an invisible but strong and powerful aura that sends me clattering against the door.

I wince on impact, struggling to my knees and when I look back up at Dominic, a gargantuan pressure descends on my wolf and it’s immediately forced to submit and I bare my neck to him.

“The old man’s gone,” Dominic says in disbelief, looking at me with conflicted eyes, toning down the aura, “I just felt the Alpha mantle shift to me.”

My heart sinks, not just because the old Alpha is dead, but also because now that he is, his last wish will have to be fulfilled.

Dominic and I will have to become Alpha and Luna, there’s no way out of it now.