Chapter 3

CALLA

“Wait,” I staggered to my feet with my fingers grasping the cup.  She was gone in a blink, her footsteps echoing in the hallway until it vanished.

I tried to go after her, but the corridor was divided into four. No way I was going to know what path she took. 

The cup in my hand was light, but something was inside. The lid was tight, like it’d  never been opened before. 

“What the hell?” 

Footsteps echoed from the path which she ran into me from, drawing my attention there. A few men were hurrying down, but they halted the moment they saw me. 

“Why did you run off?” One of them asked, panting heavily. 

“What?” I asked. 

“The moon is almost out. You must be in his quarters and the union must be made under the moon,” the second moved and urged me to walk. 

“Wait…there’s been a mistake somewhere. I’m Calla, from the Ashgrove pack. One of the students who just moved in tonight from the academy.  A girl ran into me and left this with me…I don’t know anything about a…”

“Miss…please, move. We wouldn’t want to force the alpha’s bride to be,” he said, resting a hand on my lower back and giving me a gentle push. 

“The Alpha’s bride? Excuse me, you’re mistaken. I’m just a student,” 

The last man didn’t let me finish my statement. He grabbed my arm immediately and dragged me along. “The moon is almost out. We can’t keep debating over this. You were given the golden cup earlier today when you came veiled to the alpha’s chambers. You were asked to return tonight for the union, so why the sudden change of mind?” 

“You’re mistaken. I’m not her.” I pleaded. 

My voice however, was nothing compared to the duty. They dragged me down the corridor until I was standing before a large oak door, several meters taller than us. 

“Breath,” the first man…the gentle one, muttered. 

“I can’t,” I responded. My chest rose and fell like I was being rammed with a sledge hammer. He placed a hand on my back and leaned closer to my ear. 

“Yes, you can. You’re about to be the bride of Alpha Garrick. So breath, and prepare to face everyone,”

“This is a mistaken identity. There’s been a mistake somewhere,” I mumbled, holding up my tears. 

“I know,” he answered, voice lower than the usual whisper. 

I stopped sulking for a minute to look at him. 

“Then why are you letting it happen?”

He stared at me without an answer, but his eyes betrayed him.  “Our heads are on the line,” he blurted. 

“You aided her escape,” I said, speaking from what I grasped from his guilty expression. “You helped the actual bride of the Alpha escape. Why?” 

The man stood upright and adjusted his clothes like he didn’t hear what I just said. That confirmed my suspicions. I sighed, already feeling the warmth of doom as the other man knocked. 

“Because you love her? Or she’s your mate?” I asked again. 

He didn’t spare me a look. There was nothing more left to say or do, because the oak door creaked open, and I was led into the room filled with elderly women and men standing as witnesses to my union with a man who killed my mother. 

The men who came to get me from the hallway left my side and joined the witnesses, and I was left alone in the center of the room, staring at Alpha Garrick. 

Garrick looked exactly like the stories said.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark hair with streaks of silver that fell over his shoulder. His eyes, the color of silver. His steps were slow but heavy, each one echoing through the hall. The air felt tight, almost too heavy to breathe. I couldn’t look away from him. He looked powerful… and dangerous.

The priest stepped closer and took the golden cup from my shaking hands. He opened it, and a small ring rolled out, shining under the torchlight. My chest tightened.

He asked, “What’s your name?” 

I answered, “Calla,” 

“Give me your hand,” the priest said.

I couldn’t move. My mind was spinning. This had to be a dream or a nightmare. Still, my hand lifted on its own. He waited a few seconds until the rays of the moon seeped into the room through the window. The ring slid onto my finger before I could stop it.

Everything fell silent for a second, then every person dropped to their knees. I watched as each of them bent a knee and buried their head on their knee.

“All hail Alpha Garrick,” they chorused. “All hail Luna Calla.”

My heart stopped. Luna?

*********

Everyone left the room, except the owner of course. 

Alpha Garrick’s back covered most of the light seeping into the room as he stood by the window, staring into the night. We didn’t say a word to each other until the last person shut the door. 

“I…”

“You…”

We chorused simultaneously. 

“Go ahead,” he told me with a calm voice. 

“No, you’re the alpha. I’ll speak after you,” I declined. 

“And you’re my Luna. The Luna of this pack now,” he pointed out and turned to face me. “Although something tells me you are not who I think you are,” 

My heart leaped into my stomach. What if he finds out that I am the  wrong bride?

What if he locks me up for deceit?

So many what ifs, thrilling through my thoughts as he walked closer. 

“Calla, right?” 

“Yes,” 

He stopped a foot away from me and rested his palm on my shoulder, the exact spot where his son had placed his. 

“Beautiful name. How did you find yourself in my pack?” 

“I was…” I paused, considering my next sentence. The wrong words would determine if I would be locked up or killed…or allowed to walk away. 

“Don’t worry,” he cut in. “I know you’re not the girl from earlier this morning. Your scent is way stronger, and thicker than hers,” 

I swallowed hard after his revelation. He knew, which left me feeling a little relieved because I could now speak my truth. 

“I was assigned to your pack from Lunaris city to train,” 

“So I’m married to an assignee. An amateur,” he commented with a grin. “Interesting,” 

“Am I…in trouble?” 

“No, of course not. At least not with me. But I imagine what the council would do when they find out their Luna is an amateur,”

“I didn’t ask for this,”

“I know you didn’t. But you have to live it. As much as I hate to admit, I think I prefer you to her….the first girl. She was challenging, almost a threat to me. But you’re…” he traced a finger up my cheek, down my neck, and stopped at my chin. “You’re calm. Soft. Almost perfect,”

For unknown reasons, I didn’t move. Maybe for fear of what he’d do to me. His finger held my chin up for a moment, his eyes boring deep into mine until someone knocked. 

“We will get to know each other better, Calla of Lunaris,” 

The door opened and the same ‘gentle man’ from earlier walked in. He bowed before relaying his message. 

“Alpha Garrick, the council is ready for you,” 

Garrick glanced at me one final time with a smile before leaving the room. After the door was shut, I hurried to the window to suck in air. 

I stood by the window, trying to catch my breath, wondering how everything had changed so fast. One moment I was a student; now I was Luna. My head spun with disbelief.

The door creaked open again. A deep, familiar voice filled the silence.

“I heard my father has a new wife.”

I turned, and my stomach dropped. it was him. The heir I’d met earlier. His smirk vanished the moment our eyes met.

“You…again. The student assignee. What are you doing in my father’s room?” he demanded.

My throat tightened, but I forced the words out.

“I’m your  new Luna.”

**********