Rachel's POV
I had been greeted with a shocking and unexpected sight as soon as Cole had pulled up to the curb. In one jarring moment I had witnessed Alpha Damon and another woman locked in a deep kiss, and I had also realized that he was the source of the scent that had tickled my wolf and I even before we reached the gates to the Moon Stone mansion. So the man whose mate I was destined to be was already in love with another woman? Making me what, an intruder in their relationship? What a cruel joke the Fates and the Moon Goddess had decided to play on me, I had thought, shaking my head sadly. I could hardly believe that the Moon Goddess had made us mates, much less understand why she would pair me with someone so cruel. It was so unfair! "I have to get back home to our pack," Cole had informed me. "Now you take care of yourself and don't go stepping on tails that shouldn't be stepped on, okay?" I had nodded sadly in agreement and reached out to hug him briefly, wondering how long it would be before I saw him again. I had retrieved my backpack and travel bag from the backseat and stepped out of the car, resolving to focus on why I had come here and probably find a way to deal with my misguided mate later on. And then a pack member had ambled up to me, inquiring about who I was and why I was here. When he realized who I was, he seemed to start acting a bit nicer towards me and he had pointed me in the direction of his Alpha. Of course I'd already seen all that there was to see. If I wasn't sufficiently disappointed at the first instance, I was now completely appalled. I had stood there for what seemed like a long time, contemplating how to approach him. Would I tell him that I had been arranged to become his wife? I shook my head. Now that the thought had crossed my mind, my wolf and I both agreed that it was a stupid idea. Who in their right mind would do that? I wasn't oblivious of the fact that he was obviously interested in someone else. Now what would I do with such a situation? "First things first," my wolf, Kayla said to me. "Go and introduce yourself." Right, I reasoned. Finally I sidled up to him and cleared my throat for him to notice me. "Excuse me?" He whirled around to face me and stared at me as if I was a ghostly apparition. Then just as quickly, his face contorted into a deep frown and for a split second I thought he might snarl at me for having just interrupted what was happening between him and the other woman. "Who are you?" he said in a deep voice that sounded more like a growl to me. I was so intimidated and somewhat scared by his countenance that I blinked rapidly, trying to recollect my own name, while also trying to anticipate what other possible questions he might have for me and suitable answers for those questions. "I'm Rachel Meyers from the Dark Wood pack." I watched his eyes grow slightly wide with recognition. He grunted. "And what am I supposed to do with that information?" I sighed. "I assumed you would already know why I'm here." I saw a flash of anger in his eyes, his nostrils flaring. "So you think you can just come into my compound and speak to me in such a condescending manner?" His hot breath fanned my face and I took a fearful step back from him. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Oh hell! What did I say now that was so offensive? "I- I'm sorry," I stuttered. "I didn't mean to -" "What are you even doing here in my compound, anyway?" I swallowed, staring at him in fear with big, round eyes. "I- I thought that -" He smirked. "You thought that you could just come here and move your things into my mansion like you own it? You thought that just because both our fathers arranged for us to get married, I'm automatically supposed to welcome you into my home with open arms?" He shook his head. I stared at him, at a loss for words. Had I unknowingly done or said something to offend him? Why was he being so mean to me? We didn't even know each other. I looked briefly from him to the other woman standing behind him and then back to him. Why did she look so pleased to see him making me so uncomfortable with his hostile reception? "I'm sorry. I- I wasn't -" "Who let you in?" he asked me, scowling. "Um... Gabriel?" "Are you asking him or you're telling him?" the woman asked me, her arms folded across her chest. I glanced at her and bit down on the insides of my bottom lip, willing myself to not glare at her and cause more trouble for myself. "No," I replied. "He said his name was Gabriel." Alpha Damon stared over my shoulder into the distance as if he was considering something, then he finally waved the pack member named Gabriel over. I turned my head to see Gabriel walking over to us and he finally came to a halt a few feet to my side. "Gabriel, take Miss Meyers to Francine's quarters," Alpha Damon ordered. "Oh, I thought she was staying in your mansion?" Alpha Damon frowned at him. "If she was going to be staying here at my mansion, I wouldn't be telling you to take her to Francine's quarters now, would I?" Gabriel shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, Alpha. I'll do that right away." Then to me he said, holding out a hand politely, "After you, Miss Meyers." "Excuse me," I said to both Alpha Damon and the woman, giving them a curt nod. Then I turned to leave with Gabriel. I didn't want to just turn around and walk away and have them accuse me of being rude or insolent. As I bent down to pick up my duffel bag, Gabriel stopped me saying, "Let me help you with those." I nodded, shrugging off my backpack, while he carried my duffel bag and took the backpack from me. I felt relieved not just because he was helping me with my things, but also because I was leaving the Alpha's and the other woman's unwelcoming presence. "It still doesn't sit well with me that she has to live in our estate," I heard the woman say, but I kept walking, biting my tongue to keep from saying something that I might regret. I knew that she was goading me, probably because she felt threatened by my presence here and what it meant. Well, where the hell did she expect me to stay? Out in the forest with rogues? "It doesn't matter because I'll never accept her as my mate," Alpha Damon said. "Then what's the point of any of this? Just tell her to go back to her pack. You're the Alpha and this is your life." What a bitch! Kayla huffed. A sigh escaped Alpha Damon's lips. "I can't go against my father like that." Their voices sounded kind of distant by now so when she muttered something, it was inaudible to me. Then I heard Alpha Damon's voice reassuring her, "... could ever replace you, much less a pathetic stranger from another pack." I scoffed, shaking my head in exasperation. So now they thought I was a pathetic stranger. Just what the hell kind of arrangement had I been forced into?Rachel's POV I was very pleased albeit surprised when Francine received us at the gates. For some reason, when Alpha Damon had mentioned that I would be staying at her quarters, it hadn't occured to me that she might have been the one he was talking about. The moon was now full and bright, casting a silver glow over the forest far behind us and illuminating Francine's motherly and buxom frame. "Francine!" I smiled at her. "This is Miss Francine Hayes," Gabriel told me. "Miss Francine, this is -" "Rachel!" She grinned and pulled me into a tight hug. Gabriel furrowed his brows, confused. "You two know each other?" I grinned, nodding. "We've met before." "It's good to see you again. What are you doing here so late? Is everything alright?" she asked me, concerned. "And what's with those bags you're carrying, Gabriel?" She inquired, leading us towards the front door. "Well, you're just in time for dinner." Her compound was quite spacious, with beautiful gardens and a swimming pool
Damon's POV I sat in my study, going over a file containing building plans and the proposed materials that would be needed for the construction of a new building that my team and I had gotten a contract for in Los Angeles. I was still trying to come up with an estimated budget for the project, when someone knocked on the door. Without bothering to inquire who it was, I asked them to come in. I raised my head up to see Caleb strolling in and taking a seat. I returned my focus to the file on my desk. "Hey man, what are you up to? Is that the Montana project?" he asked, pointing to the file. I nodded. "Yeah." "Oh, good. What did you think of the blueprint?" "The designs are great, but I think Sam could make a few adjustments to them. So I'm taking him along with me to LA tomorrow to go over the plans, and also because I'd like to be at the site and have a talk with Ken about the building materials. It'll help me better with making an estimation for the budget, since I'm still strug
Rachel's POV The following morning, I groggily got out of bed, took a shower and came downstairs to find that Nathan had left the house and that breakfast was ready. "He leaves early. Sometimes around six, sometimes around seven," Francine told me when I asked about Nathan's whereabouts. It was 9:33am and I felt bad that I had woken up late, plus I would've liked to go out with Nathan for a little bit of hunting. Taking a fancy to the pretty boy now, eh? Kayla teased me. Don't be absurd. I just don't want to laze around the house, that's all, I reasoned. "Why didn't anyone wake me?" I asked her, as I sat down to a breakfast of an egg and sausage sandwich and a cup of steaming coffee. "We didn't want to disturb you. We assumed that you must've had a long day yesterday. I mean, you got here around eight last night." Well, my encounter with Alpha Damon yesterday had been something, I thought. I sighed and nodded. "Thank you, Francine." Francine eyed me skeptically. "Eat up, oka
Rachel's POV As Beta Caleb and I sat at the dining table drinking coffee, he handed me a note, informing me that it was from Alpha Damon. I wondered if it was a rejection letter. Did Alpha Damon loathe me that much that he didn't want to reject me to my face, and he had to tell me in a note which he sent his beta to deliver to me? Well, unfortunately, and much to my displeasure, the note read: My Beta, Caleb will take you shopping for a wedding dress and anything else that you might need. Don't worry about the cost, just select something suitable for the occasion. And that was the end of it. He hadn't even bothered to sign the note, but that wasn't really important to me right now. This guy was serious. He was already making wedding plans and I wasn't even thinking that far yet. I mean, I knew it would happen eventually, but I wasn't expecting that it would be so soon. But why? I wondered. I didn't like him or want to be with him, and he sure as hell didn't like me or want to be w
Rachel's POV In Beta Caleb's car, I sat in the front seat, while Francine was in the backseat. He turned on the radio and tuned it to a channel where a classical rock song was playing. You couldn't really tell if he knew the song that was playing or not, because he didn't hum or sing along, he just tapped his fingers occasionally on the steering wheel while he drove. All the windows were rolled down, filling the car with a natural cool breeze. I had thought that all the windows would be completely rolled up. Maybe he just didn't want to attract any special attention from humans once we entered into town. I knew next to nothing about the kind of person Beta Caleb was, so I could only assume these things. Francine was staring out the window, a pleased look plastered on her face. She was either enjoying the music or the breeze. Maybe both. Whatever the case, Francine seemed like she was always happy or in a good mood and I wished I could have some of that cheer in my life right now
Damon's POV The moment I stepped into my office, I could feel the tension lingering in the air. It had been a long morning filled with tedious pack matters, and I was already running low on patience. Yet, I barely had a moment to settle into my chair before my Beta, Caleb walked in, uninvited. "She's choosing the dress," he said without preamble, dropping into the seat across from my desk. I leaned back, rubbing my temples. "And?" Caleb tilted his head slightly, studying me like he was amused. "And I don't think she's going with your idea of 'small and simple.' " I let out a slow exhale. "Why do I have a feeling this is your way of telling me she's deliberately ignoring what I asked for?" He smirked. "Because she is." Of course, she was. I had anticipated some form of defiance, but I hadn't expected it to start with something as trivial as a dress. It was irritating, but not surprising. "Do I even want to know what she picked?" I asked, already certain I wouldn't like the
Rachel's POV The dress was heavy. Not just in weight, but in meaning. I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the fitting room, my fingers trailing over the intricate embroidery on the bodice. It was nothing like the simple, understated dress Alpha Damon had probably expected me to choose. This dress had presence. It had a voice. And so did I. "That's the one," Francine said confidently from behind me. I turned to look at her reflection in the mirror. "You think so?" "I know so." She grinned. "I saw the look on your face when you put it on. That's how you know." I pressed my lips together. She wasn't wrong. The moment I had slipped into the dress, I had felt something settle inside me. A decision. A quiet kind of defiance. Was it petty? Maybe. But in a life where I had little control, this - this was mine. The store manager clapped her hands together, her professional smile returning in full force now that a decision had been made. "Wonderful choice, M
Damon's POV I walked away before I said something I'd regret. Rachel had returned with a dress, and I could already tell she'd chosen something that didn't fit my definition of small and simple, never mind that Caleb had already told me about it. It shouldn't have mattered. A wedding was a formality - an obligation. I didn't care about flowers, colors, or dresses. But I did care about control. And Rachel? She was pushing back. I clenched my jaw as I strode through the packhouse, my fingers twitching with restless energy. A part of me almost respected her defiance. Most people bent easily under my authority. Rachel wasn't foolish enough to challenge me outright, but she still found ways to rebel in small, calculated moves. It was a test. She was testing the limits of what she could get away with. The halls of the pack house were quiet, save for the distant murmurs of warriors finishing their evening shifts. A few pack members acknowledged me with brief nods before h
Damon's POV Sleep never came. I sat at my desk, fingers steepled as I stared at the security report Caleb had delivered. The words blurred together, but the message was clear - our men had spotted faint tracks along the northern border. No confirmed sighting, but enough to suggest movement. Enough to suggest Vaughn's men had been there. My jaw clenched. That rogue's words from the day of the wedding echoed in my mind. Vaughn knows about your little arrangement, Alpha. Of course he did. A sharp knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Come in," I called. Caleb stepped inside, his expression as grim as ever. "He's not talking." I didn't need to ask who. The rogue we captured had been locked up for over a day now, yet he refused to say anything more than that cryptic warning. I pushed back from my desk and stood. "Then we'll make him talk." The scent of damp stone and sweat filled the underground cells beneath the packhouse. The rogue sat on a cot inside his c
Rachel's POV The laughter and chatter around me felt distant, as if I were watching the celebration through a thick layer of glass. The toasts had begun, voices rising in cheer as people lifted their glasses in honor of a union that didn't feel real to me. I barely registered what was being said. Words about alliances, about strength and prosperity for the Moon Stone Pack. Beta Caleb spoke first, his usual sharp demeanor softened just enough for this public display. My father followed, his words clipped and measured - proud of the deal he had struck, rather than the daughter he had just married off. Cole's toast was the only one that made my throat tighten. His words were short, but laced with a quiet, unwavering support only a brother could give. "To my sister, who always finds a way to survive. May she do more than that here - may she find a way to live." A strange hush settled after his words, but only for a beat before the next person stood to speak. I exhaled,
Damon's POV The ceremony was over. Rachel stood at my side, her face unreadable as the final guests filed out of the hall. The moment we had exchanged vows played in my mind on a loop, but I shoved the thoughts aside. It was done. The alliance was sealed. I should have felt a sense of accomplishment. Relief, even. Instead, there was something gnawing at me - something I couldn't quite name. Then, I felt it before I saw her. Maya. She was a storm brewing just beyond my line of sight. I turned my head slightly, just in time to see her approaching with sharp, determined steps. "You actually did it," she hissed under her breath. "You married her." I clenched my jaw. "Now's not the time, Maya." Her blue eyes burned with fury. "When exactly is the time, Damon? When will you stop pretending that this -" she gestured vaguely toward Rachel, who was distracted by a conversation with Francine, "- means nothing to you?" "It does mean nothing," I said coldly. "It was necessary.
Rachel's POV The ceremony was over. I had expected to feel something - anything - when the vows were spoken, when the bond was sealed in the eyes of the pack. But instead, I felt... nothing. No relief. No anger. No sense of finality. Just an odd hollowness that settled deep in my chest, like I had been walking toward the edge of a cliff for so long, only to realize there was no drop at all - just more ground stretching endlessly ahead. The reception was in full swing, though it hardly felt like a celebration to me. Pack members mingled, laughing, drinking, toasting to the union of their Alpha and his Luna. They were celebrating for their own reasons - security, alliances, stability - not because they believed this marriage had any love to offer. The whispers had started as soon as the ceremony ended. I had caught bits and pieces of them as I walked through the crowd. "She looked beautiful, but did you see how he barely even looked at her?" "He kept the vows so brief...
Damon's POV The hall was already filling with guests by the time Caleb and I arrived. My father stood near the front, speaking in hushed tones with a few high ranking members of the pack. As soon as he spotted me, his gaze swept over me in silent scrutiny before giving a curt nod, satisfied that I had made it on time. I straightened my suit jacket, rolling my shoulders. Everything about this event felt suffocating - the sheer number of people, the weight of expectation pressing down on me, and the knowledge that within the next hour, I would be bound to Rachel in a way that couldn't be undone. Caleb, standing beside me, exhaled. "We made it." "Barely." My eyes flicked across the hall. Faces blurred together, none of them particularly interesting - except for one. Maya. She stood near the middle of the hall, her back stiff, her hands clenched at her sides. She wasn't even trying to conceal her fury. When our eyes met, hers darkened with resentment. If she thought I was goi
Damon's POV Caleb and I moved swiftly through the hallways of the packhouse, urgency pressing down on us. The wedding was starting soon, but this couldn't wait. The rogue they had captured claimed to have a message from Vaughn, and whether it was a trap or not, I needed to hear what he had to say. We crossed the courtyard, stepping into the fading light of dusk as we made our way toward the pack's holding cells. The timing was terrible. Guests were arriving, the ceremony was being finalized, and I should have been inside, preparing to take my vows. Instead, I was heading to interrogate a rogue. "This could be another one of Vaughn's games," Caleb muttered beside me. "Maybe," I agreed. "But if there's even the slightest chance that he actually sent a message, I want to know what it is." We reached the underground cells, where two guards stood stationed outside the heavy iron door. They straightened at my approach. "Has he said anything yet?" I asked. One of them shook
Rachel's POV The estate was a flurry of activity as the final wedding preparations fell into place. I stood near the window of my temporary room in the pack house, watching as cars arrived one after another, filling the circular driveway below. Guests - some high ranking wolves from neighboring packs, others influential figures from Arkwood Valley - stepped out, dressed in their finest. It was happening. The wedding was actually happening. Francine had already helped me get ready earlier, her excitement in stark contrast to my own lack of enthusiasm. I had let her fuss over my hair and adjust the final details of my gown, but my mind had been elsewhere. Now, standing alone and watching the guests arrive, I finally had a moment to breathe - to process what all of this really meant. Damon and I were being bound together for reasons neither of us had chosen. My father had forced me into this arrangement for our family's survival, while Damon's father had done the same to secu
Rachel's POV The mirror in front of me reflected a woman I barely recognized. My hair was pinned into an elegant updo, delicate pearl pins securing the strands in place. The wedding dress - the one I had stubbornly chosen despite Damon's preference for something simpler - fit perfectly now after final alterations. It was beautiful, undeniably so. And yet, I felt like I was staring at a stranger. I reached out, my fingers ghosting over the lace on my sleeves, tracing the intricate embroidery that must have taken weeks to sew. It was a dress designed for a Luna, for a woman stepping into a role of honor and duty. But that wasn't why I had chosen it. I had picked it because it was mine. Not Damon's choice. Not his father's. Not his pack's. Mine. And maybe that was the only power I still had in all of this. Francine bustled around me, adjusting the lace before stepping back to assess her work with a pleased smile. "You look stunning, Rachel," she said warmly. I f
Damon's POV I should have felt satisfied. Everything was moving according to plan. The wedding was set. Security was handled. In just two days, Rachel would officially be my Luna. And yet, as I sat in my office, staring at the finalized arrangements spread across my desk, an unfamiliar sensation gnawed at me. Unease. I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. This was what needed to be done. It was what was best for the pack, for stability. Rachel had proven herself capable, and even if she hasn't been my choice, she was learning to adapt. Learning to survive. And that, I could respect. But that was just it - she wasn't my choice. And the longer I thought about it, the more I realized that something about that bothered me in a way it hadn't before. I ran a hand down my face, my jaw tightening. Why now? Why, after everything, did this feel... wrong? The logical part of me argued that this was simply a matter of control. The decision had been made for me - b