Chosen Doesn't Mean Willing

Kalani POV

I stop at the top of the stairs preparing myself for waits for me at the bottom. My heart pounds faster in my chest with each step as their scents only grow stronger the closer I get the bottom of the steps. Nobody ever talks about this part. Everybody talks about finding your mate like fireworks and destiny and happy endings. Nobody talks about what happens when your body recognizes someone before your brain wants to. Astra howls in delight in my head.

“Mates, Mates, Mates” she yips.

“I get it you horny wolf, or did you forget they killed their first mate?” I snap at her.

“But they are ours now” she says.

Ours. Like that means something. Like people die every day by the hands of people that were supposed to love them.

When I reach the bottom step I slowly make my way towards the source of the scents and moon goddess help me.

“Mate” all three of us say in unison.

Of all the wolves in the world.

It had to be them.

Not a teacher.

Not a doctor.

Not some random warrior from another pack.

The cursed Alpha twins.

The men every parent warned their daughters about.

My fathers claps his hands in excitement.

“Oh this is perfect, my daughter will make an amazing Luna” He says and my eyes snap to him.

That’s it? No hesitation, no concern just Luna.

“I will give you three a moment” he says before kissing my forehead and walking out.

They both stare at me and goddess they look like Selene carved them personally. They are both at least 6’3 built like gods. One has grey eyes and one has green. They both have short curly hair, tattoos on every inch of their bodies that I can see.

Great. Of course the moon goddess would make my executioners attractive.

The one with green eyes, eyes flick to my busted lip and steps to walk towards me and grey eyes puts his hand out to stop him.

Neither makes a move toward me and I raise a brow at them.

“Are you ready to go?” Grey eyes says.

Go? Not hello. Not are you okay. Not I know this is a lot.

“Go?, I don’t remember agreeing to leave” I reply.

“Why would you stay?” he asks.

His face doesn’t even change when he says it. Like he genuinely doesn’t even understand the question he's asking.

“Because I have a life, things I want to do, things I am doing” I snap.

“but you’re our mate” he retorts as if he needed to remind me of what’s at stake.

“Yeah mate not property, besides it doesn’t really seem like you two want a mate” I say glaring at him.

“We want you” green eyes says softly and my eyes flick to him.

The storm behind his eyes stops me cold for a second.

That doesn’t sound like a man that wants a mate. That sounds like a man trying to convince himself he does.

“What we want doesn’t matter when you are ours” he says calmly.

“It does if I’m being forced to leave my home to go with you” I say more annoyed now.

He smirks like actually fucking smirks.

“You think you have a choice?” He asks.

He shakes his head.

“You don’t” he says half smirk still on his face.

And there it is. The thing nobody says out loud when mates are involved. Choice only matters when everybody likes the outcome.

I step closer to him close enough that I can feel the heat coming off his body.

“Is your wolf howling in your head the same way mines is being this close to you?” I ask.

For a moment there’s a flicker of something before it’s gone.

“My wolf isn’t in control I am” he says.

Control. Interesting.

I nod my head.

“Oh you must be the controlling one” I say and take a step back and move to the other one.

“which makes you the one with the feral wolf” I say.

He visibly stiffens like he’s afraid to move around me. Afraid I’ll break if he gets too close.

That catches me off guard because monsters usually don’t look scared.

“Touch his cheek” Astra whispers.

I step closer and bring my hand to his cheek and he leans into it.

His wolf surges forward before his entire body relaxes under my touch.

My breath catches.

That wasn’t attraction. That looked like relief. Like he finally stopped holding their breath.

“I’ve never seen two Alpha wolves have an entire room separating them from their mates and you want me to come with you?” I question.

“it’s not really up for debate” grey eyes says.

“I don’t even know your names” I spit out.

He chuckles darkly like my panic amuses him.

“I’m Vegas and that is Virgo” Vegas says.

“what is yours?” Virgo asks

“Kalani” I say locking eyes with him.

“Kalani” he repeats as if saying it will make me real.

And suddenly I understand something I wish I didn’t. They weren’t expecting me either.

“I’m not going anywhere” I say standing my ground.

Vegas closes the distance between us and bends down to whisper in my ear.

My breath catches as his scent wraps around me.

“You really think you have a choice, it’s quite adorable” he whispers into my ear and my entire body shivers and I know he noticed because he chuckles before taking a step back.

I hate that he noticed. I hate more that my body reacted at all.

Like fate itself called him into the room my father walks in.

”Lani the Omegas are bringing your stuff down, everything else will be sent to The Shadow Pack before the week is up” he says.

I spin on my heel.

“Wait what?, do I not get a say in this?”.

He gives me a look before he links me.

“Lani they asked for their mate I agreed before I knew it was you, we can’t afford to upset them” He says.

And just like that I stop feeling chosen and start feeling traded.“Lani they asked for their mate. I agreed before I knew it was you, we can’t afford to upset them” He says.

For a second I just stare at him.

Not because I don’t understand what he said.

Because I do.

Perfectly.

If it had been another girl he would have sent her too.

The realization settles heavy in my chest.

The Alpha answered before the father could.

And just like that I stop feeling chosen and start feeling traded.

“Fine” I say out loud.

“Glad to know how you and mom really feel about me, considering your so willing to send me to my death” I snap and the moment I see their faces I instantly wish the words didn't leave my mouth.

I don’t apologize for it and I storm out of the room and out of the pack house.

I run straight into Adonis who is waiting for me.

The second he sees my face he holds his arms open.

As soon as I step into his embrace I break down.

“How can they just send me with them?” I ask.

“Did they not hear what they did to their first mate?, do they not care about me?” I ask.

He smiles.

“of course they do I guess they figured you could handle yourself” he says.

That’s the problem with being strong. People start assuming you can survive things they’d never ask anyone else to.

“Yeah right up until I’m dead” I say.

“you will be fine Lani” he says.

“Tell that to mate number 1” I say as my parents and my mates from hell come out of the pack house.

Before they can say anything Tatiana comes rushing out of the house.

She flies into my arms.

Unlike everyone else, she doesn't ask about the mate bond.

Doesn't ask if they're handsome.

Doesn't ask if I'm excited.

She just hugs me.

Like she already knows I'm not okay.

“You were going to leave without saying bye bitch” She snarls.

“No I would never” I say feigning hurt.

She hugs me tightly.

“I will miss you so much, call me everyday” she says.

I gasp an idea suddenly popping in my head.

“You should come with me?” I ask.

and she looks back at Vegas and Virgo.

“Are you sure that is a good idea?” she asks.

“Look if they want me to go, than they don’t have a choice” I say grabbing her hand.

“My best friend is coming with me and I don’t really care how you feel. If I have to go then she comes too” I say to Vegas before walking to go in the house.

He grabs my arms before I can walk past him,

“You have 10 minutes” he says fingers tightening slightly.

I snatch my arm free from his grasp and walk into the pack house.

If he thinks he can just make decisions for me, he will learn just how wrong he actually is.

Because if there is one thing stronger than a mate bond— it’s me deciding somebody doesn’t get to control my life.

I refuse to be controlled and held captive by my own fucking mate.