The Tomboy Luna

 I jolt awake at the sound of my Wolf, Nara’s voice in my head. She sounds excited, but cautious as she makes her proclamation,"We are close to finding our mate again. I feel it.” 

The thought terrifies me. There is nothing I want less in this world than to find my mate.

This is the third time I have felt this pull. The last two times the Moon Goddess mated me I was rejected. Both men preferred my beautiful twin sister Bianca, over me.

Although we look similar, Bianca has always had a brighter smile, shinier hair, and clearer eyes. She has never felt like an outsider, conforming to societies standards effortlessly. She is charming, social, and easily accepted by all.

I could not be more different. Fitting in and looking beautiful have never been much of a priority for me. I prefer battle and have always seemed as strange and out of place as a result.

My lack of conformity resulted in both of my former Mates rejecting me and in favor of becoming Bianca’s playthings. They left me alone, unwanted, and unloveable.

The Moon Goddess only allows three chances to Mate. If I am rejected again, I will lose my Wolf. Will my new mate reject me like the others?

I feel pressure in my chest and Nara’s voice echoes in my mind. ‘I feel it. This is different.’

I sigh and slowly push myself up from the bed. I’m running late, so I make quick work of throwing on my guard uniform, and then I put my long auburn hair into a bun before heading downstairs to grab a quick breakfast.

I have wanted to be a warrior for as long as I can remember. Now that I was accepted as a trainee in the Royal Guard my dreams are finally coming true.

Even if Nara is right and my new mate is different, I do not welcome him. Being with him would destroy everything I have worked for.

Unmated females are allowed to work, but once they have found their Mates they are expected to quit in order to tend to their homes. I will not let that happen to me.

Females are usually prohibited from joining the guard, but once they saw my strength, they could not deny me. I will not give that up.

My mother died giving birth to me, causing a rift in my family too large to mend. I need to prove that I am worth something. I need to prove that my birth was not a mistake.

 When I reach the kitchen, I am dismayed to see Bianca standing in front of the fridge. “Shouldn’t you be off cosplaying as a man?”

“Bianca, I don’t have time for this.” I stand my ground but can’t help but feel insecure as her grin widens.

“What? Did you want to get in here?” she asks, gesturing toward the fridge. “Maybe you should skip it. You’re starting to bulk up, sis,” she says, pointing to my arms. “You wouldn’t want a potential Mate to find you masculine, and that uniform is not doing you any favors.”

I roll my eyes, trying not to think about that invisible pull. Maybe she’s right. I’m strong, but the curves of my body haven’t softened with training.

It doesn’t matter. I will not Mate again. I will ignore the pull and reach my goals.

“You know, Bianca, you really need to let go of this notion that your vanity is my problem,” I huff as I push her aside and grab a yogurt from the fridge, trying not to show how her comments got to me. I will not show weakness.

Bianca comes close and whispers “I don’t know, sis, I feel like my beauty has definitely been a problem for you before. Having you as my twin is embarrassing.” she says before winking and walking toward the front door.

My chest tightens as I accept the truth of her words. This was nothing new, Bianca had always been prettier and more social.

“I don’t know why your failed Mates even bothered, since everyone knows I’m going to end up with Prince Kaine. Maybe they were just looking for an excuse not to end up with you,” she laughs and saunters out the door, swinging her hips, on her way to meet up with her friends.

Prince Kaine is the oldest and fiercest of the Alpha King’s sons, and Bianca has had her sights set on him for as long as I can remember. She has managed to befriend Prince Kaine’s sister Lila, but as far as I know, she’s never even been invited to an event.

I take a deep breath, grounding myself as I think about the day ahead. It won’t be easy, but I refuse to find my Mate.

When I arrive at the training grounds, most of the members of my training class are already starting to warm up. As I walk up, every eye turns to me a mix of both curiosity and disrespect. As the only female admitted to the Royal guard I have a target on my back, with many of the other trainees gunning for my back.

My patrol assignment is on the opposite side of the grounds, between the palace and a few older buildings that look like they haven’t been used in years. I head off in that direction with an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Without the distraction of training, the force of that invisible pull hits me with a new intensity.

I do my best to stay on task, but the draw of my Mate is bringing Nara to the surface. The hair on my arms stands up and my vision blurs, as I fight to keep myself in control.

No!

“Our Mate.”

No!

The feeling washing over me is different from the pull I felt when I met my other Mates, stronger, and I find myself unable to resist as I wander closer to the palace.

I barely notice where I’m headed as the pull continues to urge me forward. I pass through a door and down a long winding staircase and into what appears to be a basement. Before I can find my bearings, a dark figure moves in the shadows.

“Mate.”

My senses are overwhelmed as the Mate bond snaps into place, and I find myself flinging myself into the arms of this strange man. Nara hums as he bends down and captures my lips in a wild, unrestrained kiss.

My earlier resolve melts away as I lean into the kiss, my body on fire. His hands slide down to cup my ass, and my need grows as I feel his rough hands massage what’s his.

My Mate pulls back, and I use the opportunity to take in his sturdy frame and powerful arms, although I can still barely make out his face in the dark room. My examination only lasts a second before he spins me around, cupping my round breasts through my shirt.

”I…” My breath comes out as a gasp, but I try to clear my head. I cannot Mate again. My resolve falters as he continues his onslaught and I find myself welcoming him eagerly.

 Everything about him was made for me from his strong arms to his scent, musk, pine, and leather. I allow myself to be taken as my feelings continue to overwhelm me.

“Mine,” he rasps out just before he bites down, marking me as his. I cry out as waves of ecstasy crash over me, and my Mate continues his onslaught, taking me higher and higher until suddenly it is over, leaving me with a sense of loss.

I turn to finally, really look at the man whose Mate call was strong enough to possess me. As I look at his face I am horrified by what I find. There is not a person in the kingdom who does not know this face. I have just mated Prince Kaine, the man Bianca has sworn to marry.