Chapter 3 - Sunshine

If looks could actually kill, I'd have been ash the second the Alpha walked through the meeting door without me. No one said a word, but I felt their judgment like a physical blow.

"Get up!" Seraphina snapped. She was Alpha Xander's only sister and his most trusted bloodline. She hated me and her voice dripped with it. I tried to stand, but a jolt of pain shot through me as the glass digging into my skin screamed in protest.

I gasped, biting back a cry, and watched her stalk towards me. I braced myself for another shove, but instead, she surprisingly reached out a steady hand pulling me to my feet. She guided me out of the meeting room, my eyes darting around the silent, packed space, feeling the weight of the pack's anger pressing down on me.

Seraphina led me to a room that stole my breath – the kind of place I'd only dreamed of. She gently sat me on the edge of a soft, inviting bed. "This is your room. Stay here while I get the first aid kit," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. She was back in seconds with a small white box in her hands. She opened it, revealing bandages and antiseptic. She poured alcohol on my cuts, and I hissed, trying not to scream.

I could feel Seraphina's impatience simmering. "What's your name?" she asked, finally looking at me like I was a person.

I looked up, meeting her sharp, brown eyes. She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that demanded attention, but her gaze warned not to mess with her.

"Sun... Sunshine Thorne!" I stammered, trying to look away.

"Oh, the Thorne family? I see!" she replied, her tone strange, like my last name meant something.

Or was she just mocking me?

"I'm going to be nice. I mean, I 'have' been nice, haven't I? I'm willing to change your life, give you everything you've ever wanted, darling. I can even make you the most respected Omega in the pack," Seraphina said, and a tiny spark of hope entered in my chest. I'd never imagined that could be possible. A warmth started to spread through me, but it died as quickly as it came. "But..."

That one word sent a shiver down my spine. There was always a catch. "W...which is?" I whispered.

"Reject the mate bond!" she spat, all the warmth gone from her voice.

Reject the mate bond?

As in, reject Alpha Xander?

I stared at her, stunned. "But you know I'll die if I try to do that myself. Only the Alpha can reject me. If I try, I won't live to see tomorrow," I blurted out, my voice shaking.

Slap!!!

My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning. I looked up at her, tears welling in my eyes. "I hate to repeat myself," she said, her voice dangerously soft. "Would you rather I just end you now to save my brother from a pest like you? Don't forget, we already had someone in mind for him before your pathetic ass stumbled in. I can't disappoint her for a stinky little thing like you," Seraphina hissed, her words like poison.

I sat up straighter, fear gripping me as her eyes grew colder. "Seraphina..."

Knock! Knock! "The Alpha wishes to meet his new mate," a guard announced from the doorway, his voice stiff.

We both turned. Seraphina's face changed instantly, softening into a mask of calm. She quickly pushed me towards the bathroom, her movements fast and efficient. In less than twenty minutes, I looked brand new, my true beauty brought out by her expert touch – though I saw the resentful glances she threw my way as she cleaned me up. Then, she led me to the Alpha's chambers.

At the door, she whispered, her eyes burning into mine, "Remember my request."

I looked at her one last time, my heart pounding, before stepping inside.

"You are Sunshine?" he asked the moment he saw me, his voice a low rumble that made me shiver. I nodded, unable to meet his intense gaze.

"Come here, Sunshine!" he commanded, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Hesitantly, I walked towards him. He pulled me close, against his hard chest. He traced his sharp claws lightly around my face, a predatory smirk on his lips. "Do you want a taste of me yet?" he whispered in my ear.

I shook my head, my body trembling with a fear that was worse than death. Alpha Xander was a force of nature, a dangerous predator, and I was just scared prey.

I'd heard stories about him, stories too awful to repeat, even in my head.

"I don't want my Luna to be scared of me," he continued, his voice softening a little. "I want my Luna by my side, ruling with me, not hiding in fear."

"It's my duty to honor you... I..." I stammered, not knowing what to say.

"I think I like you, Sunshine. Let's see how this goes," he muttered, his eyes searching mine.

The Alpha likes me?

I felt like I was in a nightmare. "Come closer," he murmured again, and I obeyed, feeling a little less terrified this time. His fingers caressed my neck so gently that I felt something stir deep inside me, a primal response that threatened to ignite my dormant heat.

Then, a sharp knock echoed through the room, shattering the fragile moment.

He stopped, his eyes narrowing, and looked towards the door. As if connected by an invisible thread, he glanced back at me, his expression unreadable. "Duty calls!" he said, a hint of regret in his voice. He turned and walked to the door, leaving me staring at his broad back as he opened it and stepped out.

I slowly walked to the doorway and peeked out. He was still there, talking quietly with Lysander. "Alpha, the other packs are threatening to break their alliances," Lysander was saying, his voice urgent. "They're afraid that having a weak Luna could hurt their own standing."

Alpha Xander growled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through the air. "She is my mate. How can I just let her go because they don't approve? I thought you all were sick of the player in me, the one who only cared about power and alliances." He sounded genuinely frustrated and angry.

"Alpha, it's not that simple. I mean, look at her. She's…disgusting…"

"Lysander!!!" Xander roared, his voice full of fury. I could feel the tension radiating from behind the door, and I instinctively retreated, running back to his bed and waiting anxiously for his return.

It wasn't even morning yet, and everything was spinning out of control, threatening to destroy me, Xander, and the entire pack.

Suddenly, I felt a pang of understanding for Seraphina's desperate plea.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, startling me.

I hadn't realized he was back. I flinched, my body recoiling at his sudden presence. "I'm sorry, Alpha..."

"Call me by my name, or just call me mate," he corrected, his voice firm but not unkind.

"X...Xander, I don't think we should do this," I blurted out, my voice shaking with fear and desperation. "I grew up knowing I didn't matter. Please, for the sake of this pack, let me have some peace. I know I'm drawn to you, you are my mate, but if no one agrees with this, I'm okay with you rejecting me."

He gave me a light tap on the head, but even the gentle touch sent a sharp jolt of pain through me. I instinctively cradled my head and looked up at him with a frown. "Let me worry about the pack," he warned, his voice possessive, and I nodded, knowing I'd gone too far.

Did that mean I would really become his Luna?

The Alpha had a lot to deal with that night, so I eventually left him to his duties and went back to my new, royal room. As I reached my door, I was shoved inside, the force sending me stumbling. Before I could catch myself, someone slammed the door shut, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. I regained my footing and looked up, my heart pounding.

Stunned, I couldn't believe his audacity was growing with each passing moment. "Lysander, are you crazy?" I lashed out, my voice trembling with anger and fear.

"You dare speak to me like that?" he sneered, his eyes blazing with a chilling intensity as he tried to intimidate me.

My blood boiled with anger and resentment. "You are just as unfortunate as you think I am, Lysander," I retorted, my voice gaining strength. "It's high time you stop testing my patience, or else…"

"Or else what? You'll never be a Luna!" He spat.