Chapter Four: My Mate

ZOVADA

The kettle screeched and yanked me out of the oversized tome I’d be lost in. I regained my breath, rubbed my temples and climbed to my feet. Legs stiff, I nearly collapsed from having been stuck in the same position for so long. 

With a chuckle and shake of my head I caught myself. Take better care of yourself, Zovada, or no one else will.

Once I arrived at the teapot, I prepared the chamomile and mint tea with perfect ease. A splash of elderberry spritz I’d created myself to help with the immune system, stress, and calming, a splash of honey for the taste. The combination was one of my favorites I’d been testing for a while before I presented it to Luna Claudia. Today was finally the day.

My gaze drifted around the room, my office could’ve been it’s own apothecary or library in its own right. Ancient tomes and research piled on, plants grown everywhere, charts and alchemy stations. Bright setting sun spilled in through the giant diamond glass windows. Propped open for fresh air amongst the leather scent of the books, papers and ink. 

The Alpha family cars pulled up to the front entrance, and the door opened, Simon stepped out to help Regina out of the car. She immediately looked up at me with her smug smirk, before she faked a misstep and Simon caught her. He pulled her close to his chest, stared into her bright blue eyes. The two of them looked like an innocent couple. Two puzzle pieces that just fit together as the sun shone through their blonde hair and made their blue eyes twinkle. Two halves of one whole. My heart thundered in my chest, am I truly an outsider here?

I sipped my tea and looked at the display. Lisa stepped out with her daughter and smiled brightly at the two of them as they chuckled at some inside joke I would never hear. My fingers tightened around the tea cup as Alpha Richard greeted them, welcomed them home. Regina’s words from earlier in my mind once more. “You’ll never have the pack. More importantly, you’ll never have Simon. Luna eyes or not, all you’ll ever be, is a Wolfless orphan.”

They looked like a happy little family. But, I knew it was all wrong. Lisa was not the Luna, and their daughter Charity, was not Alpha's little princess. No matter how hard they pretended to be. 

“I will make you better Luna Claudia. You will sit on your throne once more and correct this injustice. If it’s the last thing I do.” 

Suddenly bolstered with confidence, anger, and determination, I stomped away from the window and returned to my research. I crafted formulas, data, and potential combinations with the ingredients of the tea I’d made. A while later the door to my study opened and Simon’s bergamot scent infiltrated the room, my entire body set on edge, nausea rolled as his scent was mixed with Regina’s. 

“Hey Zov. There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” He said softly.

I raised a brow and looked at him. His clothes were disheveled, eyes were tired, and he carried a to-go box in his hand. “Must not have looked very hard? I can count on one hand how many places I frequent. Can you?”

“Don’t be like that.” 

I sighed and took a sip of tea before I went back to the latest wolfsbane research I was reading. “Well you found me, now you can go back to doing whatever it is you were doing.”

He sighed and placed the box on my desk, along with a bag from some fancy logo on it. “I missed you today.”

So that’s why they’ve been gone for so long. Lunch, Dinner, shopping, and whatever else. 

“Interesting.” I replied and picked up my phone, scrolled over to missed calls and texts. “Not one time did you, my Mate. Try to contact me today, even though you missed me.” 

“Zov, I–”

The door was pushed open and Regina walked in like she owned the place. “See Si? I told you she was fine and too busy to come. No hard feelings right Zov? Can we go to the bonfire now?” 

I chuckled and climbed to my feet. “Well, well, well. More plans then?” 

“Zov, it’s not what it sounds like. I was actually coming here to invite you.”

“Oh. I see.” I crossed my arms. 

At that moment, Gamma Didi poked her head into the office. “Hey my Luna, dad wanted me to tell you that the Alpha requested you go to the Medical Wing first and then he will meet with you. He wants you to lay eyes on Luna Claudia first instead. We tried to tell him that you actually like to visit, but he didn’t want to listen. Oh? I am sorry, am I interrupting something?” Didi smirked as he leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. Her protective Gamma aura filled the room in challenge.  

Regina picked up the challenge in her tone and immediately declined it. “I am going to go get ready for the bonfire. Don’t be upset Zov, we know how…reliable and useful you are to the pack. We appreciate your sacrifice.”

I smirked. “Well, I am sure my pack does Regina. I don’t even know your pack. But thanks for the fake support. I always love to see it.” 

Regina’s eyes narrowed and she stepped forward but Didi’s aura pulsed. Regina offered a disgustingly sweet smile and bowed her head at Simon before she left. 

Once she was gone Simon turned on me. “What was that all about? Regina is just trying to be nice. And you Didi are supposed to be a Gamma. Why are you getting involved in a weird cat fight?” 

Didi laughed. “I protect my future Luna. Maybe, if my future Alpha would put Regina in her place. No one else would have to do it.” 

“Watch your mouth Gamma, I am your future Alpha.” 

“Aw. So cute. Never forget that the Gammas belong to Lunas not Alphas.” She flipped her hair and walked out before she turned and looked at him once more, “Also. Respect is earned. Become someone worth respecting and maybe our interactions would be different.”  

I smirked and gathered my books and notes into a satchel. For the first time in my entire life, I felt protected, supported. As I walked past him, Simon grabbed my arm. “Zovada, what the hell is going on? I am your Mate.” 

“Are you? I am not the one who keeps forgetting that.” 

“What are you talking about? Of course I haven’t forgotten.” 

I rolled my eyes and yanked my arm out of his hold and stepped into his face. “Yet you refuse to mark me, despite the fact that Oliver desperately wants you to. You run around all day with another Shewolf. Let her treat me, your Mate, however she wants to. She runs around our packhouse giving orders to our Omegas like she owns the place. She sticks to your bastard sister and father’s mistress like glue. Sits in my chair at dinners.” Disgust transforms my face as I continue. “Just because I don’t have a wolf, doesn’t mean I can’t scent her all over you. Feel her when she crosses every mate boundary. Even without the mindlink, I can tell exactly what she is thinking. You are either willfully ignorant, or completely oblivious, I don’t know which one is worse at this point. Whichever it is, the bond is frayed.” 

I pushed him away from me and turned toward the door. 

“Zovada wait, I’m…sorry, I didn’t know this was–”

My hand on the knob I turned and looked at him. “Sorry? You know what I have been doing all day? What I do every single day? When I am not making sure our Omegas are being treated with dignity, I am following orders from the Alpha. When I am not doing that? I am running your Billion dollar company. When I am not doing that? I am doing the work of the Luna and caring for that pack, do you have any idea how much work that is? When I am not doing that? I am taking care of you and doing whatever you, My Mate needs. When I am not doing that? I am training to become the strongest I can since I can’t shift. When I am not doing that? I am searching for a cure for your Mother. Let me say that again. While you were out hanging out with your Shewolf bestie and fake family, I was sitting here for hours buried in research trying to save the life of your real mother! Your father might have taken a mistress but have you looked at him lately? He seems pretty exhausted for an Alpha. Furthermore, when was the last time you even thought about your Mother? Visited her? I visit her every single day.” 

“I–” His phone rang before he could respond. When he pulled it out, I could see it was Regina calling. I shook my head. “Better get that. She probably needs you to fix her zipper or something.”

I turned and walked out the door, he chased after me. “Zov, wait. Please, I don’t want to end on a bad note tonight. I want to–”

“Want to what?” 

“How can I fix this? There is nothing going on between Regina and I, there never has been and never will be! I don’t want you to be angry with me. I don’t want you to think–” 

He reached for me, and I knew it was his attempt to use his calming mate aura and soothe me like usual so I sidestepped. “I am not angry Simon. Just disappointed. She is about to call again.” 

Like clockwork his phone rang. 

“Now if you’ll excuse me Simon. I have real work to do.” I walked away and didn’t stop even when he called for me. 

Simon and I can work out our issues later. Luna Claudia is my priority right now. 

For some reason, as I made my way back to the room to freshen up before I saw Claudia, something like urgency settled in the pit of my stomach. 

Everything is about to change. But how? What?