Rose's POVAs soon as those words left his lips, the lights were turned on and I came face to face with my mate. Last time in this hall, I stumbled back because my boyfriend got mated to another lady but today I stumbled back because I saw the guy I bluntly turned down in the club in what seemed to be a polite but rude manner. "Bloody hell! What the fuck?” I cursed inside me and Eve opened her mouth in awe. It was a shock to us both.My mate, Luke, stood there with a casual expression on his face. He was not as surprised as I was. For a moment, we both stood there in silence, staring at each other.I couldn't believe it. Out of all the people in the world, my mate was the guy I had rejected in the club. How could fate be so cruel? I felt like running away and hiding somewhere, but I knew that was not an option. I had to face the reality and deal with it. But wait, could he have known about the mate bond in the club too?I stood there staring at him until I felt a push from the back a

Rose's POV We were all in shock by Luke's demands. My father cleared his throat and spoke up. "Luke, I understand your concern, but a fast wedding is not something we can agree to without careful consideration. A wedding is a significant event in our pack, and we cannot simply rush into it without proper planning and preparation."My mother nodded in agreement. "Besides, we haven't even discussed the logistics of it all. We need to ensure that we have enough food, flowers, and decorations for the ceremony."Alpha Luke looked slightly taken aback by my parents' objections. "I understand your concerns, but we don't have much time. The safety of our pack is at stake, and I don't want to wait any longer than necessary to make you my mate." He said, staring at me.I could sense the tension rising in the room, and I knew that I had to speak up. "Alpha Luke, I appreciate your concern for our pack, but I also understand my parents' reservations. A wedding is a significant event, and it deserv

Rose's Pov As I got closer, I realized that it was Hottie after all but he was drunk and couldn't fully recognize me but he stared. I couldn't stop my legs from walking toward him and when I was a few feet away, someone tapped my shoulder and I turned back to look at her.It was Sienna, my cousin, and best friend. She smiled at me as I approached, and I let out a sigh of relief."Hey, Rose. I was just on my way to meet you at your place to check if you were asleep before going home," Sienna said, gesturing to the empty stool next to her. "What are you doing here?"I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should tell her about my conflicting feelings for Alpha Luke and Hottie. But something in her expression made me not mention the situation, and I finally spoke up, saying something else. "I needed some time to think, and I guess I ended up here subconsciously," I admitted, not saying the full truth.Sienna nodded sympathetically, her eyes full of understanding. "It's okay. I'm here for

Rose's PovI quickly pulled my hands out of my body and sat up, grabbing a nearby pillow to cover my body. I took off the wet shorts and dropped them in the laundry basket before taking a new pair.I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself as I walked to the door."Coming," I called out, my voice a little shaky from my interrupted pleasure.I unlocked the door and opened it, revealing a slightly flustered Sienna standing outside. "What's up?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.Sienna's eyes flickered down to the pillow I was clutching before she cleared her throat and said, "Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to check if you're okay. You left the bar without saying goodbye and it made me worried. I decided to come check up on you to see if you're fine."I sighed and rolled my eyes, feeling a little guilty for my initial irritation. Sienna was just trying to look out for me, even if her timing was terrible. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed some alone time. Thank you," I said, forcin

Rose's POV "I'll be fine, Mom," I reassured her. I hugged my mother goodbye and made my way to the car, feeling anxious and unsure about what the future held. The drive to the lake was a long one, and my mind was racing the entire time. I couldn't help but think about the last time I had been to this place with Brandon. We had been so in love back then, but things had changed so quickly.The drive to the lake felt longer than usual. My mind was racing with thoughts of what Brandon could want to talk about. Was he going to apologize for how he treated me in the past? Was he going to try and win me back? I didn't know what to expect.When I arrived at the lake, I parked my car and got out, feeling the familiar crunch of leaves beneath my feet. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow across the water, and the air was crisp and cool.I sat down on a nearby bench and waited for Brandon, my heart racing with anticipation. As the minutes ticked by, I grew more and more impatient. Where w