Pine Groves

The scent of pine and damp earth clung to the air as the full moon created long shadows across the Ancient Clearing. Tonight, was supposed to be our marking ceremony, a sacred ritual binding Alpha Anderson and his chosen Luna before the eyes of the Frostmoon Pack. “My heart,” his gaze locked on Leah, who stood under the moonlight “has always belonged to another. My first love, the one whose spirit has been weakened by the venom of wolfsbane, is my Luna.” He drew Leah closer, his hand possessively circling her waist. Under the watchful gaze of the moon, he smiled. “Our traditions are clear,” he continued, “Only the woman who stands with me at this altar, witnessed by all, shall be my Luna. Though I had always thought that Irene was my mate which I mistakenly marked a time ago. But thanks to the goddess for making me see clearly before it was too late.” They exchanged vows beneath the trees, witnessed by the werewolves and the Moon Goddess. The silver crowns were placed, the ceremonial kiss sealed their bond. I stood hidden in the shadows of the surrounding forest. For twelve years, from the moment my wolf recognized his at eighteen until my thirtieth moon cycle, my love for Anderson had never changed. But his heart, it was clear, belonged to Leah. If that was the truth, then I would release him. He had never truly seen me, never truly cared. Yet, the act of my departure seemed to unravel him in ways I couldn’t understand.

Aurora Chandrakant is the daughter of Kaven head of the royal pack warriors. When her and her twin brother were 12 years old, they both began their training with their father. All her life her dad shows her nothing but attention and love but for some reason as years goes by that her mother becomes colder to her. Every night she will have the same dream about a baby being left at the door but not only she can’t recognize anyone face, but there is no one she can ask about this dream. Prince Alexander Heinrich is the next in line for being King of the West side packs. His father is always hard on him to be the King that he is now with the packs. He’s cruel and abusive to Alexander. The packs in their kingdom don’t really care for his way of taking care of them. They meet on her first day of training with her father. The first moment Alexander see Aurora he had a feeling that she could be his mate but when she first shifts that he will be positive. Alexander tells his father of her and setting up the Luna ceremony from them to mark each other letting the pack know of her being their Luna but his father refuses it. He doesn’t care that Aurora is to his opinion a lower ranking wolf and wants Alexander to choose a female of higher ranking to be his Luna. Like Kimberly Stone daughter of the Alpha of the Black pine pack. Now Alexander must choose between his true mate or being with someone he can’t even stand to be around, but his father forces his decision to whom he will be with.

I stood in the shadows, the scent of pine and frost heavy in the air, watching my mate, Ethan, smile—truly smile—for the first time in years. But not at me. At her. My cousin, Isla. His first love. She sat beside him, warm and glowing, with our pups, Lucas and Mia, curled up against her like she was their real mother. They were laughing, sharing bites of ice-cream cake, the kind Lucas once said made his stomach hurt. I was never meant to be here. I wasn't his choice. He didn't fall in love with me—he was assigned to me. To him, our bond was never about love. It was a political arrangement—an alliance between two packs: his power, my father’s ambition. A tie forged not by hearts, but by bloodlines and borders. He never touched me unless required. He never looked at me like I was his Luna. In that moment, as their laughter echoed under the full moon, I felt the mate bond falter—thin, fading, like breath in winter. And I knew. I had played my part long enough. So I turned away. It was time to severe the bond that was never truly mine. But when he sensed I was really leaving, when the tether between us began to snap, he broke. Dropped to his knees, clutching the pups like lifelines, his voice raw. "Please," he whispered, "don't leave me." Even the pups cried, reaching for me with shaking hands. "Mom, we’re sorry… We didn't mean it. Please don't go."

“If you want me to keep your secret, you have to do one thing for me in exchange,” he said, his lips curled up slightly. “What thing?” Aurora narrowed her eyes, alarmed at the direction of the conversation. “Never never share the same bed with my brother,” he demanded, his alpha dominance rolling off him in waves, making her want to bare her neck for submission. But Aurora straightened her back and challenged him head-on. “Why? I’m his wife,” Aurora stated with a neutral expression on her face. She and her husband were a fake couple, but he didn’t have to know that. The fewer people who knew, the more favorable the situation was to her. “I’m supposed to…” “You are mine!” he released a deep guttural growl. The possessiveness shown in his words and eyes made Aurora both startled and baffled. He stalked to her in calculated steps, his eyes glinting with a deep well of want and desire under the moonlight. Aurora started to retreat cautiously until her back hit a hard wall. In a flash, he was in front of her, his arms resting on the wall beside her head, caging her. He was so close to her. Too close. His lips almost touched hers. A smell mixed of rain and pine forests invaded her nose, making her dizzy. Her wolf perked up. Aurora quickly cleared her senses. “I’m nobody’s woman,” she declared, locking eyes with him. But she quickly regretted it because who wouldn’t lose herself in a pair of deep blue ocean-like eyes on a face carved out by the Moon Goddess herself? “Want a bet?” he smirked, “One day you will be mine.” The audacity of him!

My mate, Andrew Claude, is the Alpha of the Celestial Pack, the sworn rival of my father’s Venus Pack. For three years, we have hidden our bond, knowing that our union could either bring peace between the packs or ignite war. On Lunar Year's Eve, beneath the full moon’s silver glow, we stand on the castle terrace, whispering promises of our future. Tonight, we finally agree to perform our bonding ritual, sealing our fates before revealing our love to our parents. My wolf stirs in anticipation, her instincts urging me toward him. But then, Andrew leaps down into the grand fire-dance festival, his powerful wolf form shifting mid-air before landing in a flourish. The scent of burning pine and roasted venison fills the air, warriors howling in celebration. The pack’s bonfire crackles with enchanted flames, casting shadows of prowling wolves against the towering stone walls. I watch from above, heart pounding with joy—until my smile fades. In the heart of the revelry, Carol Sinclair, an Omega maid, clutches a bundle of enchanted fireworks. Andrew strides to her, a warm, easy grin on his face. With a flick of his fingers, golden flames dance from his palms, sparking the firework in her hands. "A little fire magic to help you, Carol," he chuckles. She gasps in admiration, giggling as the firework ignites—only for it to spiral out of control. It veers wildly, the enchanted embers lashing through the air. Searing pain blooms across my arm. The stench of burning flesh fills my nose. I barely react before Carol bursts into tears and flees into the crowd. Before I can speak, Andrew turns on me, his golden eyes flashing with rage. The onlookers fall silent, ears twitching to catch their Alpha’s words. “Did you bully her, Bella?” His growl rumbles deep in his chest. “Just because you’re an Alpha’s heir doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want!” The warriors glance at each other, their tails stiff with tension. I stagger back, stunned. He doesn’t even ask if I’m hurt.