The Alpha's Gaze

Luna stood before her bedroom mirror the next morning, barely recognizing the person staring back at her. Her violet eyes, once bright with innocence, now held a darkness that made even Silver pace restlessly within her mind. She'd spent the entire night planning, and today was the day she'd put her plan into motion.

Are you sure about this? Silver asked, though her wolf's tone suggested she was more excited than concerned.

"They betrayed us," Luna replied firmly, brushing her long black hair until it shone like silk. "Now we'll show them what a real Luna looks like."

She chose her outfit carefully - a deep purple dress that brought out her eyes and hugged her curves in ways she'd never dared before. Marcus had always liked her in soft pastels and flowing fabrics, saying they made her look sweet and innocent. Well, sweet and innocent had gotten her a broken heart and a shattered mate bond.

The pack house was buzzing with preparation for the Moon Festival. Wolves from allied packs would arrive throughout the day, and tonight's celebration would be the largest gathering of the year. Luna descended the stairs with newfound confidence, ignoring the whispers that followed her.

"Did you hear? Marcus and Aria..."

"Poor Luna, she must be devastated..."

"She looks different today, doesn't she?"

Luna held her head high, making her way to the kitchen where she knew Alpha Vincent always took his morning coffee alone. It was a sacred ritual that no one dared interrupt - which made it perfect for her purposes.

Vincent sat at the small breakfast nook, reading through pack reports while steam rose from his coffee mug. At thirty-eight, he was still in his prime - tall and powerfully built, with dark hair touched by distinguished silver at the temples. His golden eyes, so similar to Marcus's but holding depths of wisdom and pain his son lacked, lifted as she entered.

"Luna," he said, his deep voice carrying a note of surprise. "You're up early."

"I couldn't sleep, Alpha," Luna said softly, allowing a hint of vulnerability to creep into her voice. "May I... may I join you? I don't want to be alone right now."

Something flickered in Vincent's eyes - sympathy, perhaps, or something deeper. "Of course. Would you like some coffee?"

"Please." Luna sat down across from him, closer than pack protocol usually allowed. She noticed how his hand tightened slightly on his mug, how his wolf Storm seemed to stir beneath the surface.

As Vincent poured her coffee, Luna let her guard down just enough for him to sense her pain through the pack bonds. She saw his jaw clench, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

"I know what happened," he said quietly, setting the mug before her. "With Marcus and your sister."

Luna looked up at him with tears she didn't have to fake. "Then you know why I can't bear to be around them. They're probably together right now, planning their grand announcement for tonight."

"My son is a fool," Vincent said, and the growl in his voice made Silver purr with interest. "To break a mate bond for something as fleeting as attraction... He doesn't deserve you."

Their eyes met across the table, and Luna felt something unexpected - a genuine spark of connection. She'd always found Vincent intimidating from afar, but up close, she could see the loneliness in his eyes, the weight of raising a son alone after his mate abandoned them.

"Your mate left too, didn't she?" Luna asked softly. "Marcus told me once, but he never said why."

Vincent's expression darkened. "That's a story for another time. But yes, she left when Marcus was five. Said she couldn't handle the pressure of being an Alpha's mate." He laughed bitterly. "Funny how some people promise forever and then run when things get difficult."

"Is that why you never took a chosen mate?" Luna asked, genuinely curious now. "You could have had anyone in the pack. Any of the allied packs, really."

Vincent studied her for a long moment, and Luna felt like those golden eyes could see right through her plans to something deeper. "Perhaps I was waiting for the right person," he said finally. "Someone who wouldn't run when things got complicated."

Before Luna could respond, the kitchen door burst open. Marcus stood there, his face flushed with anger, Aria hovering behind him with a smug smile.

"What are you doing here with my father?" Marcus demanded, his golden eyes flashing between Luna and Vincent.

"Having coffee," Luna replied calmly, though Silver snarled at the sight of them. "Is that a crime now? Or did you claim ownership of the entire pack house along with my sister?"

Aria stepped forward, her blue eyes cold. "Don't be pathetic, Luna. Running to his daddy won't make Marcus come back to you."

"Who says I want him back?" Luna stood gracefully, moving closer to Vincent's chair. "Maybe I've realized I was settling for a boy when I could have had a man."

The silence that followed was deafening. Marcus's face went from red to white, his wolf Blaze pushing forward enough to make his eyes glow. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" Luna let her hand rest on the back of Vincent's chair, her fingers barely brushing his shoulder. She felt him tense, but he didn't move away. "You made your choice, Marcus. Now I'm making mine."

"Dad, tell her she's being ridiculous," Marcus said, but Vincent remained silent, his eyes never leaving Luna's face.

"Your father can speak for himself," Luna said sweetly. "He is the Alpha, after all. Or did you forget that in your rush to claim things that aren't yours?"

Vincent finally stood, his presence immediately commanding the room. Even Marcus took a step back. "Enough," he said quietly, but with absolute authority. "Marcus, you made your decision when you betrayed your mate bond. Luna is free to seek comfort wherever she chooses. And Aria," he turned those penetrating golden eyes on her, "you're a guest in this pack. Remember that."

"Dad!" Marcus protested, but Vincent cut him off with a look.

"The Moon Festival is tonight. Whatever announcements you planned to make, think carefully about them. The pack doesn't look kindly on those who break sacred bonds." He paused, then added, "Luna, would you accompany me on my morning rounds? I could use the company."

Luna's heart raced as she nodded. "I'd be honored, Alpha."

As they left the kitchen together, Luna could feel Marcus's furious gaze burning into her back. Aria whispered something to him, but Luna didn't care. The first phase of her plan was working perfectly.

What she didn't expect was how natural it felt walking beside Vincent, or how his presence seemed to calm the aching void where her mate bond used to be. As they walked through the pack grounds, greeting members preparing for the festival, she noticed things about him she'd never paid attention to before.

The way he knew every pack member by name, asking about their families and remembering small details about their lives. The way younger wolves looked at him with genuine respect rather than fear. The way his rare smiles transformed his face from handsome to breathtaking.

"You're different from what I expected," Luna admitted as they paused by the training grounds.

"How so?" Vincent asked, watching the young wolves practice their combat forms.

"Less intimidating. More... lonely."

Vincent turned to look at her, and for a moment, his mask slipped. "You see too much, little moon."

The nickname made her stomach flutter unexpectedly. "Little moon?"

"Your name. Luna means moon." He seemed to catch himself, straightening. "We should continue. There's much to do before tonight."

As they walked on, Luna caught a strange scent on the wind - something that didn't belong in pack territory. She was about to mention it when Beta James approached them, his brown eyes concerned.

"Alpha, we have a problem," he said urgently. "Rogues have been spotted at the eastern border. Three of them, but they're not attacking. They're... waiting."

Vincent frowned. "Waiting for what?"

"They won't say. They'll only speak to you." James glanced at Luna. "They mentioned something about the Moon Festival. And... about a warning."

Silver stirred uneasily in Luna's mind. *Something's not right about this.

Vincent touched Luna's arm gently. "Go back to the pack house. Stay with the others until I return."

"Be careful," Luna said without thinking, then blushed at the concern in her voice.

Vincent's expression softened slightly. "I always am, little moon."

As he left with James, Luna noticed movement from the corner of her eye. A piece of paper had been tucked under a nearby bench, fluttering in the breeze. She picked it up, her blood running cold as she read the message:

"Stop your games with the Alpha, or everyone will know the truth about why his mate really left. Some secrets are better left buried. A friend"

Luna crumpled the note, her mind racing. Who knew about her plan? And what truth about Vincent's mate were they talking about?

As she headed back to the pack house, she spotted Marcus watching her from his bedroom window, his expression unreadable. Beside him, Aria smiled that cold smile again, and Luna couldn't shake the feeling that her revenge plot had just become something far more dangerous.

The Moon Festival was only hours away, and suddenly, Luna wasn't sure if she was the hunter or the prey.