Chapter 4

~ Maya ~

"Am I moving to Derek's wing after the ceremony?" I ask, remembering that I need to pack.

I've wasted so much time on the drama, and now I have to finish a dozen things at once: pack my life away, clear my mind, and somehow prepare for a mating ceremony.

My dad raises an eyebrow, looking at me utterly puzzled. "Maya, you are mating Alpha Harvey. Naturally, you will be moving to his quarters after the ceremony."

I stare at my dad without blinking. Have I misheard him? No, he clearly said "Harvey." Is this a joke? My retired Gamma father is a ruthless man who doesn't pull pranks, but my brain still can't process his words.

"Dad, you're joking, right?"

He shakes his head. In his gaze, I don't find even a trace of amusement. He is dead serious.

I feel the blood drain from my face—I must be white as a primed canvas. I freeze, too stunned to react. My hands won't hold still as I take a step back. It can't be Harvey. I can't mate Harvey. He's the Alpha of our pack, the older brother of my fiancé, and the wolf who claims I drugged him just to become Luna. The man absolutely despises me. No, there has to be another way. I can't let this happen.

"We can't mate," I mutter, my voice shaking. "We barely know each other. We've never spoken more than polite greetings. It must be a mistake… I won't mate him."

"Not knowing him well didn't stop you from climbing into his bed," my father counters, his voice flat. "It's time to bear the consequences of your actions, Maya. You wanted to be a Luna. Now you will become one."

A sharp, humorless laugh escapes my throat at the sheer absurdity of my situation. Just hours ago, I thought I was simply disgraced—that I'd lost my fiancé, my dignity, and the trust of my family. But now, I'm about to lose my freedom, too. I'm not stupid. Harvey clearly wants this arrangement to shield himself from the wrath of the High Council, not out of the goodness of his heart.

Tears fill my eyes. I fist my hands into my dad's shirt, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Surely, I'm his daughter. Surely, he isn't this cruel. He wouldn't force me to tie myself to a tyrant.

"Dad, please, cancel the mating. I never wanted to cross paths with Alpha Harvey. Someone drugged both of us—it was a setup. He hates me, and I don't like him either. If Derek doesn't want me anymore, I'd rather be banished. I will leave for good and never bother anyone again."

My dad simply removes my hands from his shirt in one swift, unyielding motion. He narrows his eyes, looking thoroughly annoyed.

"Maya, you should be thanking the Alpha for saving you from public disgrace, not sobbing. Many she-wolves would kill to be in your shoes right now—to be mated to one of the most powerful Alphas alive. Stop being ungrateful."

My tears dry instantly as something hot and red floods up my neck, fast as spilled paint.

"Grateful? For becoming a scapegoat?" I snap, my jaw tightening. "He isn't taking responsibility for defiling me; he's just trying to save his own ass. I. Am. Not. Going. To. Mate. Him."

"Watch your language, young lady," my father growls, his aura flaring slightly. "It is our pack Alpha you are speaking about. If you don't care about your own dignity and future, think about your family. The moment you are banished, the Alpha will strip Nico of his Gamma title. Have you forgotten how hard Nico worked to take over that position after I retired? And what about Stacey? Do you think any respectable wolf will want to mate her when she comes of age after her older sister's downfall? You will taint our family name forever."

My chest tightens like a vise, and bitter bile rises in my throat. I would choose exile a thousand times over staying with the arrogant asshole who tossed money at my feet this morning. I'd rather be forever alone than tied to him. I bite my lip hard, tasting the metallic tang of blood as it floods my mouth.

But Nico… Stacey… I can't ruin their futures. Nico worked himself to the bone to get his position. He trained day and night to be chosen, to match my father's strength. How can I simply destroy all he worked so hard for? And Stacey… my little firecracker. She is so sweet, so innocent, and deserves the best. I can't be the reason she's branded a failure just because of me.

I close my eyes for a single, agonizing second. It's hard—unbearably hard—but I have no other choice. I have to sacrifice myself for the people I love. I open my eyes, my expression quiet and composed as I nod to my father.

"I will mate Alpha Harvey."

He lets out a long exhale of relief. "Good. I'll send the Omegas to help you pack." With that, he disappears behind the door. This time, he doesn't lock it.

Minutes later, a few Omegas arrive and begin efficiently packing my suitcases. My entire life is quickly tossed into cardboard boxes and designer bags, all to ship me off to a place where I don't belong and am not wanted.

I stare at the empty closet, wanting nothing more than to break down and cry, but even the tears refuse to come. It's pathetic. Just a few days ago, I knew I'd be packing to move to the Alpha mansion, and the thought filled me with pure joy. But now… it's the exact same mansion, just different quarters. A distance of only a few meters, yet it turns my whole life upside down.

How am I supposed to look into Derek's eyes while living under the same roof, just sleeping in his brother's bed? How am I even supposed to stand next to Harvey? Just picturing his face does something ugly to me—my whole body goes tight and wrong, like a drawing where every proportion is off. I'm usually a patient, calm person, but that man undoes all of it. I want to claw his arrogant face off.

Well, I couldn't even claw him if I tried—I don't have a wolf.

My gaze drifts to my mating gown hanging on the door. The pristine white dress I spent weeks hunting for. I wanted to look absolutely perfect for Derek; now, it just hangs there, mocking me as a pathetic reminder of everything I've lost.

In a last desperate attempt to clear the air, I grab my phone and try to call Derek. He doesn't pick up. I dial Lola. No answer from her either, though a short text message pops up on my screen a few seconds later:

"Babes, I am sorry, quite busy right now. See you tomorrow at the ceremony. Can't believe my dear cousin is going to be our Luna! XoXo."

For Lola, everything is always a game. She's bubbly, always laughing, and never takes anything to heart. Derek, Lola, and I have been inseparable since childhood, but it looks like our paths are officially splitting.

I try to call someone else—anyone close to me—just to distract myself and push the dark thoughts away. But the more numbers I dial, the more deafening the silence becomes. All of my friends go completely radio silent. I sigh deeply. No one wants their name linked to a disgrace, so from this moment onward, I know I'll be walking this path entirely on my own.

The next day passes in a frantic, exhausting blur. I haven't slept a single wink, but at the first ray of sunlight, a whole crew of professionals barges into my room to doll me up.

Stacey runs around the room, beaming with pure joy. To her eight-year-old mind, her big sister is marrying the Alpha, and it’s a fairy tale dream come true—like he’s some sort of prince on a white horse. I force a smile and let her have it; there’s no reason to burst her happy little bubble. My mother fusses around me too, nervously fixing my hair and adjusting my makeup even though the stylists have already done a flawless job.

Checking my reflection in the full-length mirror, I have to admit I look stunning. But who cares? I’m nothing more than a political pawn, dressed up for the occasion.

Before we leave for the wedding cars, Nico stops me in the hallway.

"Maya, if he ever treats you badly, I'm right here," he says, squeezing my hand tightly in reassurance. "Alpha or not—I will break his neck."

Nico's touch is warm, and that warmth filters straight into my chest. Even if he doesn't entirely believe my innocence, he still cares, and right now, that's enough.

"Don't worry, big brother," I reply softly, kissing his cheek before climbing into the back of the limousine.

My mate-to-be hasn’t even bothered to come and pick me up. It doesn’t hurt; it’s entirely expected. The only thing that truly confuses me is how he broke things off with Georgina. They’ve been betrothed since they were pups and are supposedly crazy about each other. Why would he agree to mate me? I know he wants to save face and keep his Alpha seat, but to sacrifice his true love for it? I snort quietly to myself. He’s even colder than I originally thought. Stacey called him a prince on a white horse. In my version of the fairy tale, he’s far more horse than prince—a stubborn, arrogant gelding.

The ride to the venue passes in a complete daze. I listen and nod like a portrait someone else is painting, but I can't recall a single word spoken to me. And now, I'm standing on my dad's arm right outside the heavy doors of the pack ballroom.

My legs have stopped believing they're mine, and I'm entirely convinced I'm about to collapse, but my dad's tight grip keeps me upright. The doors are still closed. I still have time to change my mind, and every survival instinct in my body is screaming at me to run.

The heavy wood slowly begins to creak open, and the rhythm of my heart falters. I still have a chance to turn on my heel, flee, and forget about this sham of a mating. I can escape my nightmare—until my foot steps onto the red ceremonial carpet.