mating in the enemies territory

He came outside to meet me while I was clearing the bushes, a toothpick always in his mouth. Except this time, he was dressed officially. His suit hugged his body perfectly. His curved facial features gave him a dangerous look.

Two other men walked beside him, all looking ferocious. I tried keeping myself busy, slashing through the grass, but I wasn't used to this, so I struggled.

"Miss, what's your name?" he asked, the toothpick dancing between his lips.

"Nina," I said, my hair falling over my eyes.

"Fill her in," Rage said, and one of the men walked toward me. I didn't know him, but from his commanding presence, I could tell he was the Beta of the pack.

"Are you really sure you want to be free from the Bloodfang pack?" he asked. I nodded, a smirk of anticipation playing on my lips.

"You're willing to do anything?" he asked again. I nodded.

"Great," he said.

"Alpha, she has agreed to continue with the mating," he whispered. I was baffled.

"Good," Rage said casually, like it meant nothing. Who was I mating with? Was it him? Or had he sold me out again like last time?

"We leave for the pack tonight, and you'll have to mate with Lucious," he added casually. My heart dropped.

"I would rather have my neck cut with a razor than marry Lucious," I said in fury. He felt it, and he knew.

"Slow down, missy. You won't actually mate with him. You're our bait. When their guard is down, we attack," he said. But being used as bait didn’t sound like a good excuse.

"I’m not sure about that," I said.

"Do you have a better idea?" He leaned forward, his breath warming the air. I looked away from his intense gaze and nodded.

"Good. Before they follow your scent, we attack first. Tonight, we'll use the full moon to our advantage," he said, walking away with his men following.

"Don't just stand there. Finish your work," he called, and I turned to continue slashing like he wasn’t there watching me.

"My maids will dress you up. We’re going to a mating ceremony, not a bike competition," he added. It sounded ironic to me.

He left with his men, leaving me with two options: flee from him or trust him with something that could trigger me and stay. But no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I found myself bowing to his will. I remained and slashed the grass.

"Leave that, dear. We have to get you ready," a kind woman said from behind me. I didn’t know her, but she looked gentle, so I followed her.

She opened a grand bedroom dressing room for me. I walked in, amazed. Even though I was a princess, I had never been treated better than a slave or servant.

She clapped her hands, and maids walked in with a trolley full of elegant dresses, makeup, and jewelry. My memory shifted to the night they brought me out to pick a mate. Same treatment, but different intentions.

Evening arrived. All glammed up, they came to pick me. Unwilling but with no choice, I walked out to the luxury car parked outside. My bike stood beside it. I walked toward the bike, but he rolled down his window.

"Follow them. My men and I are behind you," he said softly before rolling the glass back up.

I took my bike and followed my instincts back home, driving with frustration and hope. How would my mom be? Was she even alive? I kept asking myself, but no answer came.

I arrived at the borders, but the reception was brutal. Lucious’s men surrounded me. I got down peacefully, but they slapped me anyway. I walked forward slowly, searching for any trace of Rage.

"Look who's back?" Lucious sneered, his cigar releasing more smoke than his soul carried humanity.

"I realized I had no way out of this but to mate you," I said calmly.

"Where's my mom?" I asked.

"You'll see her after the mating ceremony. This time, there's no way for you to escape," he said, and his men grabbed me.

They tied me to a tree with tight rope. Kade came out and sat on his throne, watching my every move.

"Did you search for her?" Kade asked.

"No need. She walked back to us, Father," Lucious replied.

Kade couldn't hold back. His hands, fueled with anger, slapped Lucious hard. Lucious groaned in pain. It satisfied my soul.

"Round up the place. Let the mating start," he commanded. No elders, no witnesses—just them. I was about to be mated, and still no sign of Rage.

I should have known better. A man who once tried to auction me couldn’t be trusted. I was a fool.

Lucious approached, teasing my face with a knife. I couldn’t hold my disgust. I spat on his face. He slapped me. Kade didn’t seem to care.

"Do you, Nina, take Lucious to be your mate?" Kade asked. I said nothing.

"Do you, Lucious, take Nina to be your mate?" he asked again.

"I do," a voice answered. Rage stepped out of the shadows. They tried to react, but they were surrounded.

"You see, Kade, she can't mate with your son because she's my mate," Rage said.

He knew all along.

Kade tried to fight, but a silver knife to his head and Lucious’s side paralyzed them. They just stared at Rage, who was playing with his toothpick.

"We came here because it’s obviously bad to have a mating with no elders. Don’t you think, Kade?" Rage said, walking over to release me. My wrists were raw and itching.

"This is no way to treat my mate. You should have known better," he added.

"What do you want, Rage?" Kade asked. They knew each other.

"Good question. We need you to oversee the mating ceremony," Rage said with a smile, eyes never leaving Kade. Lucious burned with anger, but this wasn’t his night. It was mine.

"Do you, Princess Nina, take Rage to be your mate?" Kade asked. Rage’s eyes burned into mine. I was uncovered, yet he didn’t say a word—he just smiled.

"Yes," I said, his eyes still on me.

"Do you, Rage, take Nina to be your mate?" Kade asked again. Rage nodded.

He didn’t say anything. Just turned and walked away. I slowly followed.

"Rage!" Kade yelled.

Rage stopped but didn’t look back.

"Always watch your back!" Kade barked.

Rage smiled. "Bring it on, weak one," he said and walked away. He was fast, but I kept up. The flame inside me dimmed, as if it knew the mating was complete.

How do I tell him my mother is still held hostage?

How can I be his Luna… when my blood is responsible for destroying everything he loved?