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Chapter 1

Sera

"Don’t stop," I heard a faint voice from afar.

I drew closer, and a soft groan escaped my boyfriend Gilbert’s mouth, I came here searching for him, he said he would be at the festival but I couldn’t find him anywhere. What I thought was urgent now I find him with another familiar figure, my sister Gina.

My jaw dropped, and I covered my hands around my mouth.

Gilbert, my mate of four years was right there in the woods wrapped around my sister doing the unthinkable.

“What in the actual fuck Gil?”

I wanted to scream out at the top of my voice but my mouth betrayed me.

My breath hitched as I froze for a few minutes, then I pushed through the branches, the sacred grove’s moonflowers brushing my arms. I shouldn’t be here in the first place.

No one was supposed to come this far during the Moonfire Festival.

But Gilbert requested for me here just an hour ago but here I come to find him with my sister.

The second I saw their bodies moving, his hand tangled the back of her hair as she arched her back, breathe left my lungs. The soft grunts, the sticky, desperate rhythm of it, her giggle.

"Don’t you think if you keep up like this someone will hear us?” Gina asks with a low tone.

“Someone like?” Gilbert asks mockingly.

“Anyone, your girlfriend.”

I swallow hard.

"She cries over everything." Gilbert chuckled. "She is too soft for me, that’s why I like you, you are different."

“She is just a flinch, can we forget about her now?”

What? Just a flinch? Is that how low I have become in his eyes?

I gasped trying to take in air and I think they heard me as their eyes darted towards my direction.

His words pierced right through my heart like a dagger. Just like in the movies but this time it isn’t, it was real.

I don’t know which one broke my heart more, Gilbert cheating or cheating with my sister or I was just a flinch to him? All this time?

“Really I am just a flinch?” I yelled at the top of my voice, as I clenched my fist.

“Sera please….calm down, I can explain.” He plea.

“Explain what exactly?” I shot back.

My feet on impulse backed away bolting back to the moon fire festival, but I tripped over something, a fallen branch or some roots.

I gasped in pain as my head hit a trunk in the process it hurt but I had no time to process the pain, I couldn’t hold it as I tried to get up the floor. I just pray I don’t get a concussion.

“Sera,” Gilbert calls out but I don’t respond as I am already in motion.

I hastily scramble up ignoring the pain. My dress got stuck to a branch.

Fuck.

I ignore as run, shredding a piece of my ceremonial dress. I try not to look back.

“It’s not what it looks like Sera.” His voice faded as I spun.

I just ran through the crowd, the confused stares of my packmates make me uncomfortable but I really don’t care.

 “Sera?” someone called.

“What’s wrong?” But I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t. The shame burned hotter than any fire the Moon goddess could summon. My lungs screamed as I bolted toward the mountain trails, higher and higher until the lights of the festival dimmed behind me.

The pain of betrayal coupled with mockery really stings.

I don’t know how long I ran. My legs gave out near a rock ledge, and I collapsed, the cold stone biting through my knees. I should’ve screamed. I wanted to. Instead, I pressed my fist to my mouth and shook in silence.

That’s when I heard whispers.

Below, a flicker of torchlight. A group of cloaked handmaidens, laughed softly as they passed beneath me.

"The Moon Offering is late,” one murmured. “He won’t like that.”

“Alpha Aldric never does.” Another said.

“She’s lucky. No one’s ever allowed into the Offering chamber without the Priestess’s blessing.” She paused then continued. “And no one ever talks about what happens inside.”

The air stilled. My heartbeat slowed, offering. Sacred night. Secrets. This was the ritual no one dared speak of.

An unwanted thought crept in. Why not go? If Gilbert could betray me like that then I could do the same to him in the most dramatic way and we will see who is too soft now.

I don’t remember making the decision but the next moment, I was down the slope, my heart hammering hard against my ribs.

One of the cloaks was discarded on a rock, still warm so I took it.

The chambers smelled of smoke and cedarwood, it was dark and quiet.

I pressed deeper inside, my body shivering as the heavy doors shut behind me. The scorch of candlelights left shadows. My heart pounded heavily with each step as it grew louder and louder.

Alpha Aldric stood by the window, bare-chested beneath a long robe, moonlight painting his scars in silver with a bottle of alcohol in his hands. He didn’t turn.

“I said no more delays,” he growled.

I didn’t speak. I couldn’t.

He turned slowly before stopping when we locked his gaze.

It was dark but we stared at each other. His eyes were pale gray.

“You’re not the Offering.” He bare his teeth.

I stayed still, not sure what to say or do as my voice trembled.

“No. I’m not.”

His jaw clenched. Power pulsed off him like a storm.

“Who are you?”

Still not sure how to respond but I thank the moon goddess a thousand times as he didn’t recognize me in the dark. Maybe he is partially drunk.

I pulled the hood back slowly.

“Just someone in the right place at the right time, as I can see my Alpha is stressed out.”

A pause. Then another. Then… he exhaled, long and slow.

“You have balls, and I like that.”

I stepped closer. “Someone that has balls and is willing to do whatsoever.”

Another pause.

Something in his face flickered like I just hit a nerve or something.

“Willing to do whatsoever?” he murmured.

I nodded. The image of Gilbert and Gina in my head gave me the strength and boldness I thought I never had.

I dropped the cloak and moved closer, slowly taking off my dress in the sexiest way possible, and the cat working to his sight.

I made trailed his tattoos. I stopped breathing when his fingers curved around my breasts slowly before he pushed me to the bed whispering to my ear. "Don't tell a soul about this."

****

A sharp bang on the door woke me up the next morning as I forced myself from the Alpha’s tight grip. Cutting my utopia short.

“Get your filthy ass out here, Sera!” Gilbert yelled from outside.

I barely had time to cover myself before the door burst open and the boy who once called me mate stormed into the Alpha’s chamber.

“You little slut, I know you are in there.”

Heat thudded violently in each part of my body instantly, how did he know I was there?