FATE’S CRUEL JOKE

CAELUM’S POV

For the past two months, I had tried to get her out of my mind on several occasions, but I haven't been able to, no matter how hard I tried.

Now the blood moon ceremony is in one week's time.

Isolde Vane, my finance, had moved in from her pack, Crystalmere. She slept beside me at night and warmed my bed but even when I was with her, all I could think about was the maid servant and that night.

To be honest, I've never had anything like it since that night. Her skin was so soft, she smelled like cherries and flowers and her pussy, oh goodness, her pussy was so sweet and tight.

And I tried. I tried searching for a taste of her, but I couldn't find it in any other woman.

One evening, I was lost in thought when my Beta walked in.

“Alpha,” he said, bowing his head slightly.

“Isaac,” I replied. “What brings you?”

“Word from the lycan king my lord,” Isaac replied, going straight to the point. That was why I loved him. He was always official and efficient.

“What word?” I asked, frowning my face.

“He has requested his debt. The one we owe to his kingdom three decades ago. He sent a formal notice this morning that his debt must be called in before the next full moon or else we should prepare for war.”

I buried my head in my hands. Of course his debt. The Ironblood Pack has owed a war debt to the Lycan Kingdom for the last three generations and I know exactly what we owed him. A she-wolf which would be offered as a gift to the Lycan Court. She would become owned by the king and would be used for his pleasure anytime he pleased.

I looked up at my beta who was standing still, waiting for my instructions. “You can leave, I'll handle it.”

He nodded and turned to leave but a thought came to my mind and I stopped him. “Isaac?”

He turned, “Alpha.”

“I need you to make an inquiry. Find out everything about the maid who lives in room C6 in the servant quarters. Especially her name.”

He furrowed his eyebrows looking at me accusingly but I shot him a glare which made him shut up and nod.

“Yes my lord.”

That evening, his report was kept on my table. She was an orphan with no known family members, taken care of since she was an infant by a midwife who died when she was thirteen. The midwife registered her as an omega servant just before she died, and since thirteen, she had worked in the pack house as a maid.

Her name struck something inside me. Seraphina Vale. It didn't sound like a servant at all. It was quiet, but it sounded powerful. It sounded like royalty.

I sat with that information for a long time, thinking of what to do with this girl that had plucked sleep out of my eyes.

Then it stuck me.

The tribute. Yes, I could use her as a tribute to the lycan king. It would be painful losing her, but it was necessary.

I have a kingdom to rule and a fiance which would rule beside me as Luna. I couldn't afford to get distracted now, especially not with a maid that I had a forbidden affection for.

***

The day of the Blood Moon Ceremony came in the blink of an eye. It was the custom of our pack that I would be the last person to enter the hall since I was the alpha of our people but I was dressed early.

Isolde walked in still in her night robe. “My love, you're dressed early.” She said softly, placing a kiss on my cheek.

I nodded, kissing her on her forehead before returning to what I was doing. Pacing.

“You are pacing,” my fiance complained, folding her arms. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong,” I lied. “Go get dressed, I'll call you up anytime now.”

She nodded and went to wash herself. The decision to sell Seraphina off plagued my mind. My wolf was restless. He screamed that it was a bad idea, that I was losing something precious if I let her go.

I argued that she was just a distraction, that selling her off is necessary if I have to rule efficiently and I screamed at him to focus and forget about her. She was a one time thing and that's all she would ever be.

After what felt like ages, someone finally knocked on my door.

“It is time my lord.”

I nodded. “Go and get my Luna ready.”

I drew a deep breath and walked out the door. From the entrance, I could already see her standing at the pack with the other omegas. The hall had been full and packed to the brim but the only one I could see was her. Seraphina.

Immediately I stepped out and stood on the raised platform. Something unexpected happened.

Something sharp and hot tore out of me, visible for all to see. It swept through the crowd till it found Seraphina and rested on her. It was the mate bond.

The hall gasped. I froze.

Nemesis was a bloody bastard, because tell me why the one person I wanted gone was the only person in the whole wild world that the moon goddess deemed fit to make my mate.

I knew I had to act fast.

“I reject you!” I spat coldly for everyone to hear.

Her breath cut, like she was trying to process what I just said.

“YOU. WILL. NOT. BE. MY. MATE.” I said, making it very clear. “I have a chosen mate and a Luna, Luna Isolde Vane, a highborn daughter of the Crystalmere Pack. Her alliance would be very crucial to the Ironblood Pack and her bloodline would strengthen the ruling line for generations to come. Cheers to my chosen Luna.”

The crowd burst into applause as Isolde stepped forward in her silver silk and took her place beside me.

The applause doubled even more as we stood together. Two powerful bloodlines, rulling side by side. A perfect fit.

But I couldn't help seeing Seraphina fall to the ground in pain and agony, writhing like something crucial was torn away from her. Maybe it was, or maybe it wasn't but I didn't care.

“That’s a big lie,” my wolf snapped inside me. “You care, you're just pretending not to. But soon, you would understand what you've just thrown away.”

That sounded like a warning and a threat at the same time but I chose to ignore it. Seraphina would be gone by the end of the day and nothing, or no one would be able to stop it.