CHAPTER 2

Shivering, I still tried to cover my swelling cheeks. Everyone looked at the Alpha and his now supposed-to-be mate on the floor as he tended to her in front of the entire pack. 

I sucked in a breath before turning towards everyone, their eyes were all over them. A lump formed in my throat which I tried to swallow down, together with the tears that were threatening to fall.

No, it can’t just be like this. Why is he with her? He’s mine! I’m the one he loves!

My breath was getting ragged as I turned towards the pack warriors. “What are you guys doing? Pull the Alpha away from her!” I growled at nobody but everyone in the room. Everyone looked at me hesitantly before turning their eyes back to Alpha Logan and his mate, and yet no one dared to move.

They were too afraid to mess with the Alpha’s current state. He looks like he’s ready to rip everyone to shred once they get close enough.

“Can’t you see? He’s bewitched! This-this woman has done something to him!” I shouted once more, pointing at the girl in Logan’s arms, and still no one moved a muscle. 

My chest constricted at the sight of the crowd’s gaze slowly softening as they stated at the two of them. It was scary. It feels as though everything I have is slipping right through my fingers just from that sight. 

As if this was the beginning of something grand.

I look at Logan again, his back on me. He’s heaving up and down, covering the woman as though he’s holding the most precious thing he had in the world. He holds me like that in bed. 

I’m the one that should be in his arms! It’s always been that way! 

I wipe the tears threatening to slide down from the corner of my eyes and push the wave of hopelessness in the back of my mind before stepping closer to them. Logan turned to me with bloodshot eyes, growling like a threatened animal. 

“Logan . . .” His name didn’t come out of my mouth as determined as I wanted it to be. I want to be strong for us. I want to think that this is merely a challenge to test our love for each other. I want this to be just that and nothing more.

And yet, somewhere in me knows that this isn’t all about us anymore. This involves his destiny, where he should be as fated by the Goddess herself. 

And that destiny isn’t with me.

“Logan, please . . . please look at me.” I called out in a soft whimper. My wolf was hiding in the back of my mind and had already lost hope. All she’s doing is calling out to him, whimpering. 

I can hear my heart beating out of my chest, and a soft ringing of a hospital monitor’s dead line. 

With just this in mind, I gently touched his shoulders. Everyone was silent as they watched the entire thing unfold. The sun was finally down and the moon came out — a wicked sign of when matebonds are the strongest form of  love possible.

The girl in Logan’s arms — his mate, started stirring and furiously sweating, yet is still unconscious. Logan held her even more before his eyes tilted back and canines started to plunge out. 

My eyes instantly widened when I registered what was going to happen.

“No, no—No!” I panicked. I took hold of my hair, frustrated with my helplessness. Goosebumps rose in my skin as his canines were about to lower down the girl’s neck. 

This can’t be happening! He’s going to mark her!

“Logan, please!” I ran over to them, pulling my husband away by his shoulders. I was instantly lunged backwards as he shook me off of him.

“Ah!” I wince as I felt some of the flower vases from the decorations shattering, its shards penetrating through my skin. 

My mind wasn’t on the sharp wounds bleeding out, nor how my eyes were becoming blurry.  My gaze was on them. 

Please, no!

Logan lowered down his head and before I knew it, a scream came out of my lips as I closed my eyes. 

“Stop!” was the only thing that came out of my mouth before silence reigned.

The entire place rumbled and I slowly peaked at what was happening. The crowd had their eyes on me and Logan’s back straightened, his canines retreated back. 

He turned to me, those terrifying maroon orbs turned back to their peaceful teal color. Confused, he turned to my state before looking at everyone, and lastly, down to the woman on his arms. 

My eyes widened as I saw those orbs softened at the sight of the sleeping lady. A lump, once more, formed in my throat. I cleared my throat to get his attention. 

As though he realized he had more matters to attend to, he instantly broke his gaze towards his mate and turned to me. He gently pushed her away, nodding at Gamma George from the crowd to take care of the situation.

Poor Gamma, he’s newly-wed and yet is forced to hold another woman’s body other than his wife. Not to mention, how this commotion just ruined their wedding.

Logan took my face in his hands, turning it side to side as he examined my state. “Fuck, what have I done?” he murmured before pulling me up from the floor.

“Logan . . .” I called, my vision getting blurry from the blood loss. “Shit Morana, I’m-I’m so sorry!” he panicked, his eyes unsteady.

“Logan . . .” I tried to get his attention once again. “Something just struck in me with the moon and all and I was drawn to her like a madman—” 

That’s the matebond. 

“Logan!” I held his cheek with both hands and his stammering instantly ceased with my stern look. “I don’t need to hear that.” I muttered, looking away. The memories of everything that’s happened played back to me like a broken cassette tape.

“R-right, of course, Morana. Of course, my love.” He forced a smile, the panic still behind his voice. I pursed my lips together before giving him a light smile.

“Now pull me up, the wounds from all these glass shards aren’t going to heal themselves.” I mumbled before wrapping my arms around his neck.

His eyes widened once more before nodding and pulling me up from the littered ground. He turned towards the crowd, still in both shock and somewhat awe at the drama that just finished right before their eyes.

I was carried bridal style and I turn my head towards Logan’s check, afraid to meet the gaze of the people that just witnessed the most pathetic side of their Luna.

“Everyone, return to your quarters. The reception is canceled.” Logan announced. Everyone instantly grunted and whispered upon themselves about how this was all ruined by me. 

I know.

I shouldn’t have interfered with what the Goddess wanted. How could I, a mere mortal, decide who should be paired, and who shouldn’t?

I inhaled Logan’s scent, the musky after rain that he always carries with him. The scent of woods from his usual run in the forest. But that’s not all of it.

Unlike usual, it carried another scent with it. A feminine one. A sign that I wouldn’t be the only one he’s going to carry like this in the future.

I shake the thoughts off of my head, relaxing at the idea that at least today. Just at least, he’s with me.

“Alpha,”Logan turned to Gamma George who’s carrying the girl in his arms. I study her features. 

Red curly hair that still, despite the darkness of the night, seems to be glowing. Eyes closed as sweat dripped down her temples, her skin was pale, not from the fact that she’s unconscious, but it looks naturally pale. 

Like that of Snow White. 

If so, what does that make me now that she’s bound to somehow be in my place soon? 

The Evil Queen? The Evil Luna? So envious of the girl deemed to be the fairest of them all?

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt something rumbling in Logan’s chest, almost as if he was suppressing an angry growl. I look between them and my eyes widened as to where my husband’s eyes were wandering. 

He was glaring at George’s hands sticking onto the girl. 

“Put her in an empty room.” Logan commanded. George glanced at me in respect before nodding and walking off with the unconscious girl in his arms.

I closed my eyes, waiting for Logan to walk away when I felt no movement at all. I peek at him to see his gaze still fixed on the two. I swallow the heaviness rising in me.

He has that look again. It wasn’t as aggressive like earlier, but it carries something else in it. That longing gaze he has on her tells me that I will never be able to escape the feeling of being an outsider in a love story that was never meant for me.

“Logan?” I called. He looked down on me as though forgetting he still had another woman to worry about. He flashed a light smile before we both got into the car and headed back to the pack house.

“You know I forgive you, even though I may have a temporary ‘smack mark’ to remind us of this situation, right?” I chuckle, trying to make the tension between us die down.

I’m on the bed as Logan rummages through the drawers for the medical kit, his back on me. “I hurt you, Morana. That’s unforgivable.” he turned to me, eyes full of guilt. 

He sat on a stool as he slowly tapped the cotton to absorb the blood dripping down my skin.

“But you’re already doing your best to fix it, and that’s what matters.” I smile at him despite the roughed up state I’m in. Logan sighed and focused on what he was doing.

I know this was far off the hook. I didn’t just get hurt in our usual training nor was it some funny prank. He actually intended to hurt me this time, and he’s right, that should be unforgivable. 

However, with this matebond lingering between us and the fact that his mate is just around the corner. I can’t afford any fights between us. 

We have to be steady. I have to be a lot more steady, now that a new problem has occured . 

“She’s my mate.” he mumbled after a long moment of silence. I look at him, too speechless of the fact that he touched the subject I’ve been trying to avoid. 

“I know.” I muttered, the light hearted expression from earlier all gone. How could I not know after he growled it out to the crowd earlier.

We stared at each other before I avoided his hesitant eyes. “What are you going to do now that she’s here?” I asked, biting off my tongue from continuing my sentence with a “—just reject her.” 

Logan didn’t reply and I turned to him, his eyes telling me all the answers I needed.

“Logan, we chose this bond—3 years ago.” I muttered, breaking his silence. I took his face in my hand to keep his eyes on me. “If you’re going to break this, then I’ll leave.” Tears were threatening to fall and I didn’t try to stop them.

“No, no. You’re the only one I love. I-I can’t afford to lose you, Morana.” He pulled me to him, breathing in my scent. I close my eyes, chest still heavy.

“Of course. I’m not going to leave you either.” I mutter.

Ha, who am I kidding. How can I compete with a bond written in the stars? No matter what I do, I’ll always be his second-best.

“Alpha!” a knock on the door broke up apart. Beta Vincent entered, panting with a panicking look lingering on his face.

“Your mate—” my eyes widened at the mention of her.

“Your mate’s father is here. He says that if you do not marry his daughter,” I look up at Logan who’s staring at him with both worry and anticipation.

“—war would break out.” 

What?!