Chapter 3

~Nyla~

I couldn't believe my ears. The alpha of silvercrest wanted me to be his mate. It felt like a dream and I pinched myself to know if this was real.

His eyes were still on me.

“Me?” I asked and pointed at myself.

“Yes.” I quickly gave him my hand and stood up next to him.

“This can't be happening.” Jenna shouted.

She stood up angrily and flipped the table. I stumbled backwards in fear as she advanced towards me.

Oswald pushed home behind him and used his body to shield me.

“Hold it, right there!” Oswald demanded.

Jenna stopped immediately. Fumes of anger was just rising from her face.

“This is unheard of.” Beta Artemis said, stepping forward.

“You are alpha and you cannot subject the rest of the pack to such doom. Your duty is to protect and carry every member of the pack along. How does marrying an omega fit into that plan?” He demanded.

“Because she's my mate.” Oswald declared.

My heart sank at those words.

Mate?

I was his mate.

How is that even possible? I was a worthless omega. Would the moon goddess play such a cruel joke and make me his mate?

“How?” I asked.

“You belong to me, I've seen it.” Oswald stated with conviction. Then he turned to his beta.

“The moon council wanted me to take a mate. I've done that. Prepare for the mating ceremony tomorrow evening.” Oswald announced.

“Alpha, you can't do that.” Artemis stared at me in disgust.

Jenna burst into tears. She buried her face in her hands and wept.

“After all I've done for you? Is this how you repay me? By choosing this worthless omega over me? Do you even know who I am? There's no one in this pack who comes close to my glory.” Jenna cried.

“That throne is mine.”

Oswald didn't validate her statements. He turned to me instead.

“I'll have the omegas take you to the palace so you can get ready for tomorrow.”

“We need to talk!” Artemis said. “The moon council has gathered and they'd like to have a word.”

Oswald gave me a nod and followed him out.

Lili quickly rushed to my side. She was staring at me in awe.

“What the hell just happened?” She asked.

I shook my head because I didn't have any explanation. Before she could say another word, Jenna stormed up to us and gave me a dirty slap on the face.

Lily gasped while I grabbed my face as pain exploded in every part of it.

“I warned you, didn't I? I'm going to make your life a living hell.” She barked. “You think you're ever going to take my place? You're not worth it.”

She immediately turned around and left. I just stared after her. Next thing, omegas surrounded me. Some were smiling while some were wearing unreadable expressions.

“We've been instructed to take you back to the palace and get you ready for the naming ceremony.” Sandra said.

I nodded and followed them out. Lily linked her arms with mine with smiles adorning her face.

“This is the best day of my life.” She whispered.

I smiled back but I still don't know how to feel.

The palace loomed ahead and I craned my neck all the way back to see it. It was the tallest building in the pack, but due to my social standing, I had never been able to enter it before. To be here, like this, now, it made my heart swell.

“I can't believe I'm standing in front of the palace.” I gushed.

“I can't believe you're going to be Luna.” Lily squealed. She was also looking at the giant palace with awe.

“And you're going to live here!”

“Oh, please. Stop dreaming.” Sandra snapped.

Lily eyed her in annoyance. She has always hated Sandra's guts and now that she was a full fledged omega, it annoyed her to see she was still looking down on us.

“You're just jealous because you're still stuck as an omega.” Lily fired.

Sandra rolled her eyes.

“Didn't you hear the alpha? He said Nyla is his mate which means he can't help his attraction to her. Why do you think the moon council took him to talk to him?” She quizzed.

“Since you seem to know so much, why don't you tell us?” Lily prompted.

“There's no way they'll let someone as useless as Nyla become Luna. Even though she's Oswald's mate. That's all. She will marry him, just like that. But I'm sure the council is telling him the benefits of having Jenna as Luna. So even though he mates with Miss Opportunist here, she will never be Luna.” She pointed at me while gloating.

“Sad, but true.” Janet said in agreement. “It would never work.”

Lily squeezed my hand in reassurance.

                             ~~~~~~~

The day rolled by slowly, soon, they were summoning me to come to the grounds for the mating ceremony.

Butterflies swarmed in my stomach. I felt my nerves racking up as anxiety took over my body.

“You'll be fine.” Lily said, trying to calm me down.

“You're ready now.” Sandra announced.

Surprisingly, she was excited to dress me up alongside others.

They walked me down the grounds till I met with Oswald who was already waiting.

“You look stunning.” He said with a smile.

Embarrassment tainted my cheeks at his compliment. We walked together to stand in front of the priestess.

“Are you both ready for the mating?” She asked in a serious tone.

Oswald nodded.

“While at it, perform the coronation ritual as well.” Oswald ordered.

“What do you mean?” Artemis asked immediately.

He was the ring bearer, so he was standing next to Oswald.

Oswald impaled him with a look that booked no argument.

“What I mean is that I'm crowning Nyla as my Luna.”

“We will never stand for that. We talked about this.” Artemis said in a pleading voice.

“Watch me.” Oswald growled.