Chapter 3

The shift from Omega Daycare Worker to Alpha Jasper's forced Luna was horrid. Elegance training was off the rocker. There were so many stupid rules that apparently everyone would pay attention to. I've had my hands smacked with a ruler so many times that I'm surprised I'm not bleeding. My hands ached and shook when I placed things down now. I spilled a drop of tea and got smacked, AGAIN! A SINGLE DROP!

Either way, thankfully now I was allowed to take a break and sit out by the massive oak tree and sway in the wind. I reached up, gently touching my neck, where the silver collar used to be. There was a new collar there now, not a physical one of course, but a sign of ownership all the same. Jasper's marking and mating had been brutal. It was terrifying, and he was strong, so I had bled for a while despite not having my virginity anymore.

I sighed as I stood and stretched my legs. 'It's been a long while, Dahlia. Are you ready to run?' I smiled at her, letting her eagerly pull our shift and begin to race around the packlands. She was so happy, I could feel it. Neither of us particularly wanted Jasper, but his mate mark made us both much stronger since he was an alpha.

Speak of the Devil...

I slowly shifted back as Jasper approached. I didn't bother to hide my body, there was no use, I had learned that well at this point if the bruise on my wrist had any indication. "Alpha Jasper- Uh- My mate. What may I do for you?" I watched his eyes narrow at the correction, but he said nothing of it, "Your Luna ceremony is tomorrow as you know. I want you to smell freshly like me. Understood?" I nodded solemnly. He wanted me to have sex with him right before the ceremony so he could ward off any others.

'Not that they'd go after an already mated woman though' Dahlia growled in my mind. I hushed her quickly. I bowed to him, "I'd be honored to wear your scent while being presented as your Luna." I said it, and I didn't growl or flinch, but Goddess I hated it. Every last word. Every last second. "Oh, My mate?" I asked sheepishly.

'Here comes his first test as our mate' Dahlia said.

'He won't listen' I warned her, 'We must ask. If he is worthy of us he will at least consider'

'And if he doesn't?'

'Then he's a dick'

'Right. Of course. It totally wasn't our fault for getting our hopes up' "Yes?" I heard him say. I could feel his intrigue through the bond, which made sense, I've never asked anything of him. "I was wondering... if perhaps I could return to my duties at the pup school..." Seeing his eyes darken made me realize he didn't like that idea so I hung my head low, tucking my proverbial tail between my legs. "Nevermind..."

"You... may." I could hear how much that hurt him, a sense of deep seated love for my pups comes rushing back and it brings me to absolute tears. Before I know what I'm doing I lunged at him and hugged him tightly. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!" I sobbed into his shoulder, making him tense and look around rapidly in confusion. "I had not realized this meant so much to you." He tentatively pat my back, his face burning bright red. "Oh My mate it means everything to me!"

He cleared his throat and I backed off of him, "Sorry." I said quickly, but he shook his head. "If this means everything for you, then perhaps a kiss is in order?" All too suddenly reality came crashing back to me. This man was not a kind man who gives his Luna what she wants to make her happy.

This man is a snake in the grass who relies on both honey and vinegar to take anything and everything he wants. Right now he wants me, and vinegar has yet to work... of course. Well... I have my pups back, and that's all that matters, so I practically throw myself at him, shoving our lips together and pushing my feelings of gratitude into the bond. I was letting him know how much this meant to me. I let Rerin, his wolf, purr in my head as long as he wanted to before finally pulling away.

"Was that too much?" When I looked up Jasper is positively stunned and I can hear Rerin chuckling at his human. "No..." He finally says, "No it was just enough. You- you know what, forget wearing my scent tomorrow, just... just keep kissing me like that." And just like that I found Alpha Jasper's greatest weakness. Oh boy did I plan to exploit it.

The Luna ceremony came and went. I bled into a cup and the pack members pledged themselves to me as they drank from it. I remember the most painful part being the look in Donovan's eyes as he drank. The guilt I saw in him, and felt, once our pack bond was in place... Oh goddess it was horrible. Absolutely heartwrenching.

His eyes remained on my neck the entire night even as I led Jasper around the dance floor. I've discovered that 'affectionately' calling him, Jasp, in front of the pack earned little favors from him, like a moment alone from everyone, a little extra snack maybe, or even a foot rub. He was surprisingly good at that I had to admit. I purred in delight every time, unfortunately for me my purrs of delight seemed to make his belt magically unbuckle every time. I often allowed this to happen, after all, we were mates and we made a deal.

I may not love him or even like him. But my little one is everything to me. A little pain from some rough sex is nothing. It actually hardly even hurt anymore. I was pleasantly surprised when he slammed into me one night with the force of a fucking tsunami, and I felt nothing but overwhelming pleasure. Call it Stockholm Syndrome, or call it the mate bond, maybe call it the full moon, which was up at the time, but I call it a small win in this catastrophic life of mine.

I can't have my preferred mate. I can't love the mate I do have. I have a pup on the way who won't be loved by their father figure. But hey, the sex is good.