My Forbidden Mate

*Eleanor*

"I can't take this anymore, God!" Delilah's voice rang out, it was so loud, as she stormed into my office. She slammed her hand on the table, the sound was so sharp and loud. I  dropped the pen I was holding and rushed to her side. Her body was practically vibrating with anger, her fists clenched so tightly I could see her knuckles turning white.

“What happened this time, Lil sis?” I asked. I could tell by the way she was trembling that this wasn’t just another small frustration. Something had made her angry again, and I could already guess who it was.

"That motherfucker, who the hell does he think he is?" Delilah spat, her eyes were full of fires. I didn’t need her to say his name. I knew exactly who she was talking about—Nickolas, the ruthless Russian Alpha from the Shadowood Pack, the man she was supposed to marry in two weeks. The man who had never shown her the slightest bit of interest.

My heart ached for her as I watched her boil over. I’d seen her go through so much for this arranged marriage, but Nickolas? He was a mystery—a stone wall that never budged. It frustrated Delilah to no end, and it was breaking her down in ways I couldn’t even fully understand.

"I'm going to be his Luna in two weeks, and that bastard hasn’t even tried to meet me!" Her voice cracked, she was really in pain. "I mean, Eleanor, does it even make sense to you? Why can't he make time to meet the woman he's supposed to marry? Maybe I should just pull out of this whole damn thing."

I bit my lip. I knew Delilah. I knew how much she was hurting, and I knew exactly how little Nickolas cared. Even if Delilah pulled out, it wouldn’t faze him. He wasn’t like the   other men who ran after her, who admired her beauty and strength. Nickolas was different from every other man. He was cold. Distant. And this marriage? He doesn't seem interested in Delilah like every other man always did.

No one had truly met Nickolas, but his name had already spread like wildfire through the pack. The rumors, the whispers—everyone had heard about the mysterious Russian Alpha, but no one knew the truth about him. Jess and I, however, weren’t content with rumors. Without the pack’s knowledge, we’d made it our mission to dig into his past, to uncover whatever secrets we could. We bribed members of the council, used connections, but when it came to Nickolas, we found nothing. It was as if he didn’t exist. The only thing we knew for sure was that Russians were notoriously ruthless, and no one dared to cross them.

I watched my sister, my heart aching for her and I had no idea how to help her. I stood up from my desk, walking over to her, unsure of what to say.

“You can’t pull out now,” I said softly. “I think maybe you should be a little understanding. Who knows? He might really be busy.”

Delilah’s response was immediate, her hand swatting mine away as she stepped back. “Busy for this?” she gestured wildly at her body, her curves accentuated by the fitted dress she wore.

I understood exactly what she was getting at. Delilah was beautiful—there was no denying it. Her body was the kind that turned heads wherever she went, the kind of beauty that made men fall at her feet and she always wore clothes that hugged her natural curves, showing off her big hips and shapely backside, and it was hard to deny the power she had over men. But that wasn’t the problem here. Delilah wasn’t used to chasing men. Men chased her. But Nickolas? He didn’t chase. He was a mystery, and that made him even more infuriating.

“Nickolas is the Alpha of the most powerful pack in Russia,” I said slowly. “They’re famous for their ruthlessness. He’s every woman’s dream, Deli. You think you can just attract him with your looks? He’s probably met women with more curves and beauty than you could imagine. This isn’t about your body. It’s about him—his power, his control.”

I knew Delilah very well, she wasn’t someone that can just back down. I could see the fire in her. She was a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, and Nickolas was no different.

“He may have many women under his feet,” she said, “but trust me, no one has the true power to hold an Alpha like I do. As a she-wolf Alpha, my strength surpasses all others. Nickolas knows that. He knows our bond will be unbreakable.”

She was confident, and I couldn’t deny that she had the strength of a true Alpha. If anyone could get through to Nickolas, it would be her.

My phone suddenly rang. I glanced at the screen, I already knew who it was. It was my father.

“Father is calling me,” I said. "You know how he is. Don’t dare breathe until he hangs up.". She was already fuming, and the last thing I needed was her causing a scene while my father was on the line.

Delilah in return gave me a sharp nod. She knew better what I was referring to.

I answered the call. "Hello, Father."

"Eleanor," his voice was cold and commanding as ever. "Nickolas’s family called. They’re coming tomorrow. Take your sister shopping and pick out a nice dress for her. No revealing dress, do you understand? You will be taking over the pack after your sister’s wedding, and I want you to start preparing for that now."

The call ended just as abruptly as it had started. I didn’t even have time to respond before the line went dead. It has always been like this.

I stood there for a moment. I knew Delilah’s wedding wasn’t just some family event—it was a political maneuver. And for me, it will be the beginning of my own future as the pack’s leader.

I turned to Delilah, who was still seething on the couch.  I knew what she was really thinking now.

"I think the Moon Goddess has listened to your plea," I said, trying to break through her anger. "You’re meeting Nickola's tomorrow. Dad just Informed me."

Delilah blinked in surprise. "Tomorrow?" she repeated, her voice a mix of disbelief and something else excitement, maybe? "I’m actually going to meet him?"