Chapter 2

Before I could fully process his words, Alex swept me off my feet, a joyous laugh erupting from his chest as he spun me around. The cold air whipped past me, but all I felt was warmth.

"I want to take you home," he said.

Then, he abruptly stopped, a frown creasing his brow. "No, not yet. Violet, just wait a little longer! I need time to prepare for the marking ceremony. I'll give you the grandest claiming, so every wolf in the Shadowfang pack will know you belong to me, my Luna, body and soul!"

“What if I'm rejected as your mate by the goddess?” I asked.

“Violet,” he called out softly, “I know you doubt this but I feel the connection. I feel my inner wolf more whenever I'm with you.”

“Like right now?” I asked.

“Yes.”

It wasn't a secret that Alex had harbored feelings for me for a long time. He would seek me out in the quiet corners of the pack lands, his eyes always lingering on me with a warmth that made my own wolf stir. He'd offer me small, thoughtful gifts – a perfectly smooth stone he'd found by the river, a feather shed by a rare bird – tokens I always politely refused.

"Sorry, Alex," I'd say, trying to keep my tone gentle but firm. "I already have Camilo as my boyfriend. Please respect that,” I'd always say.

Yet, Alex was persistent, his wolfish nature seemingly incapable of backing down from what it desired.

"Is that so?" he'd always reply, "He's just your boyfriend, Violet. Bonds can be broken. Even if he marks you, you can still reject him. My wolf knows yours, Violet. Sooner or later, you'll be my Luna."

I never understood the confidence in his voice, the certainty that came from deep within him. And I, in my foolishness, had ignored the answers in my own heart, the undeniable pull I felt towards him despite myself. Alex didn't exactly have the cleanest slate within the pack. While other young wolves dedicated themselves to rigorous training, honing their fighting skills and minds, Alex preferred the thrill of the wild. Whispers often circulated, questioning his ability to lead. There were doubts whether he possessed the discipline and responsibility required of the next Alpha.

Rumors even came through the pack, suggesting that if the current Alpha, his father, grew too weary of Alex's recklessness, the mantle of leadership might fall on his more suitable younger brother.

I had heard these rumours and all these contributed to why I had to maintain my distance.

But now, as I looked at him, I realized something. While the rest of the pack saw a wild, untamed wolf, he was the only one who had truly seen me, who had believed in my innocence when everyone else had cast me aside.

Alex escorted me back towards our den that night. Before he left, he turned to face my parents, “Violet will be my mate," he stated, his voice a low growl that brooked no argument. "Lay a hand on her again, and you will discover the true extent of the Alpha's power."

My father, who had been holding a leather whip, froze under Alex's icy glare.

As Alex turned back to me, the harshness in his expression softened, replaced by a tender concern that made my heart ache. "Why didn't you tell them the truth, Violet?" he asked gently. "You were with me that night. There's no way you could have been the one taken. Don't worry, little wolf. I'll handle everything for you."

His words were clear of his intent to defend me. My father understood immediately.

The whip was dropped as if it had burned his hand. He even pulled up a rough-hewn stool and settled in.

“What happened that night?” He asked.

I hesitated for a minute not knowing where to begin or if I even had the strength to speak. Then I began to speak. I recounted the events after the pack gathering, the walk home with Hallie that had taken a terrifying turn. We had stumbled upon a wounded werewolf near the edge of our territory.

Hallie had bolted, disappearing into the shadows without a second glance, leaving me alone in the darkness. But something compelled me to stay. The instinct to help a fellow pack member, wouldn't let me abandon whoever lay injured. Gathering my courage, I approached cautiously, the low growl of the wounded wolf sending a jolt of fear through me.

Then, as I drew closer, the familiar scent of pine and something unique filled the air. It was Alex. He explained that a band of rogues had attempted to infiltrate our borders during the chaos of the gathering. He had fought them off but a traitor within our own pack had betrayed his position.

In the end, Alex had been injured, though he had managed to drive off most of the intruders. Some, however, had escaped into the night. Without hesitation, I had helped him to a secluded healer, a trusted member of our pack known for their discretion. As the healer tended to his wounds, Alex leaned heavily against my shoulder, his eyes closed, his breathing was shallow. In that moment, he was vulnerable, his most sensitive spots exposed, yet he had so much in me that warmed me from the inside out.

He clutched the hem of my tunic, his grip surprisingly strong, refusing to let go. Every time I shifted to fetch water or clean cloths, his eyes would snap open. Only with me by his side did he seem to find peace. I stayed with him until the first rays of dawn painted the sky. I knew then that this incident was sensitive. If the traitor learned of Alex's injury, the consequences could be severe. That was why I had kept silent, protecting him and, in turn, our pack.

And Hallie, left alone and vulnerable, had unfortunately crossed paths with the fleeing rogues. Enraged by their injuries and fueled by a cruel opportunism when they sensed her Omega status, they had kidnapped and tormented her. I laid bare the entire truth to my father. Then, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Before you raised your hand to strike me, I tried to explain, but you refused to listen. How could you so readily believe Camilo over your own daughter?"

The hurt and betrayal I felt were a raw ache in my heart. "If someone didn't know better, they might think you found me abandoned on the outskirts and that Camilo is your true son."

My sharp words finally pierced through his anger. He stood speechless for a moment.

“Violet, I apologize for not believing you. But I promise you from now on, I'd take your words. I'll let you get some rest,” he finally mumbled.

The trust was a fragile thing, but it was a start. Once my wolf had begun to mend my bruised body, the physical pain subsiding enough for me to think clearly, I knew I had to end things with Camilo. However, Camilo wasn't at his den. Instead, I encountered Hallie just outside. Her face flushed with an almost manic glee as she proudly displayed an array of expensive trinkets – intricately carved bone necklaces, shimmering feathers, polished stones – gifts that were undoubtedly from him.

"Maybe these treasures were meant for you, Violet," she said, her voice dripping with a smug satisfaction that made my wolf bristle, "but sadly, they've ended up with me. I used to envy you for having such a great Beta like Camilo as your mate. Now, I suppose it's your turn to envy me. My wish to the Moon Goddess at the pack gathering really came true, didn't it?" Her words were like tiny barbs, each one digging under my skin.

I wasn't sure what had triggered this sudden shift in her demeanor, this almost cruel triumph. Perhaps the trauma of her abduction had twisted something inside her. I reached out, intending to offer some comfort, to take her hand.

"Hallie, you need to calm down," I said gently, my voice laced with concern. "Mates aren't something you can just wish for. It's a bond that needs to be nurtured, a choice made with care, not left to the whims of fate."

Trying to diffuse the tense atmosphere, I gestured to the small pouch of newly acquired jewelry I carried. "Here, I just received some new pieces. Why don't you pick one?"

Before I could finish the offer, her smile vanished, replaced by a hard, accusatory glare.

"Stop pretending to be so kind, Violet," she snapped, her voice sharp and brittle. "Are you feeling sorry for me because I was kidnapped by those rogues? Well, don't. It didn't affect me. You see, I already mated with Camilo at the Hunting Festival. That was my first time."

She grinned, a cold, unsettling expression that sent a shiver down my spine. "He got a small cut from a Lustbloom, and all it took was a little… push from me. The next thing I knew, his lips were on my chest."

She tilted her head, her eyes glittering with a malicious intent as she watched for my reaction. "He promised to take responsibility, of course. Otherwise, do you really think he just 'forgot' to mark you? He never wanted to in the first place."

Her words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the air from my lungs. The Hunting Festival. It had taken place over seven months ago. Camilo and I had planned to hunt together, a symbolic act of our growing bond, but we had been separated not long after the hunt began.

At the time, I had dismissed it as an unfortunate accident. But later, when I finally found them again, I had seen Camilo and Hallie together, deep within the shadowed woods. They were both flushed, breathless, their clothes disheveled. Camilo had been carrying Hallie in his arms, as tenderly as a groom carries his bride, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. They had looked… inseparable.

I had caught a strange, musky scent in the air, something unfamiliar, but it had been masked by the overpowering fragrance of a nearby patch of Moonpetal blossoms. Just as I had tried to identify it, Camilo had cleared his throat, his explanation smooth and practiced.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Violet," he had said, his gaze a little too intense. "Hallie twisted her ankle while running, so I was just helping her back."

Something had felt subtly wrong, a discordant note in his tone, but I had trusted him. I had loved him. I had accepted his explanation without question. Only now, standing here listening to Hallie's cruel confession, did the pieces click into place with sickening clarity.

They had mated that day, under the intoxicating influence of the Lustbloom, and they had both lied to me, weaving a web of deceit that had held me captive for months. Just then, the door to Camilo's den creaked open, and he stepped out, his eyes widening as he spotted me. A practiced smile spread across his face. "Violet! What brings you here?"

He moved towards me, his arms outstretched for a hug. "I haven't seen you in days. I missed you!"

As I stared into his seemingly affectionate gaze, a wave of nausea churned in my stomach. The urge to recoil, to turn away and vomit, was almost unbearable. The scent of him, once comforting and familiar, now felt cloying and repulsive.