CHAPTER 1

Ash POV

I wrap my hands around Conall’s neck, I love him so much. I don’t know what I would have done without him here with me right now. He is my love, my mate and at this moment all I have in the world.

“Babe,” he cries. “You have to let me go.”

“I know, I know,” I whisper into his neck breathing in his scent. “Just give me a moment.” Normally, I am shy towards him but knowing death twice is more than enough to let me appreciate this moment.

He pulls back and I let him go this time, he dips his head downwards and I close my eyes in anticipation but he kisses me on the cheek instead. I open my eyes and try to hide my disappointment.

As he leaves the room, I grab his hand. He turns to look at me with his forehead furrowed and his bushy brows high up. It takes a lot for me not to giggle.

“What?” He asks softly, I can hear his worry.

“Let me do the ritual first. As our new Alpha let me swear my allegiance to you.” This is bold coming from me and by the look on Conall’s face, I am not the only one who is shocked by my words.

He smiles faintly, there is a sad look in his eyes. “No, not yet. I want you to do it in bed with me tonight.”

I blush profusely, I have a surprise for him tonight. I am finally going to give all of myself to him, let him mark me and I will do the same. I know it is a little too soon but he is all I have left. My heart squeezes as I think about my brother. His death is one thing I never saw coming.

“I can’t wait,” I whisper back with my head bent low. I bite the side of my lip and slowly let go of his hand.

He crushes me into his arms and buries his head in my hair as I sob into his chest. “I made a promise to your brother, my best friend. I intend to keep it. I love you, Ashton, and I always will.”

I sniffle and pull back, it takes a lot to look him in the face. I smile briefly, my eyes glistening with tears, I can feel them threatening to drop. “Go, the pack needs their new Alpha.”

Conall nods and stares at me before turning his back on me and leaving the room. I sit on the bed as the door closes. I am drained mentally and physically. These past few days were nothing short of hell on earth. A horrible time for me, it threw me back to almost five years ago when I lost my parents and half of myself.

The fact that I found Conall is a miracle that I will ever be grateful to the moon goddess for. I can’t ask for a better mate, one who still accepts me even though I lost something vital as a werewolf. Almost five years ago when my parents died, I lost my newly acquired wolf.

I am over seventeen years old and she isn't back. Wolfless but my mate found me and now I can’t imagine life without him. In my time of need, he did nothing but comfort me and I will always be grateful to him for that.

I wear my platforms and I push myself to my feet. I walk to my dressing table and let my auburn hair down, I adjust the blunt bangs and apply lipstick, it matches my hair. My signature eyeliner is already in place. I give myself one last look before I slowly make my way towards the door. I open it and immediately notice how empty the hallway is and the silence.

“Where are you?” I hear Conall’s voice in my head. 

“I will be right there.” I mindlink back to him as I rush out of the room.

I skip out of the room, down the hallway, briskly walking to where the faint noise was coming from. I know where the pack meeting ground is so even without the noise, finding my way isn't hard.

I head downstairs, taking two steps at a time. I get to the second floor in no time but I need to get to the ground floor, two more sets of stairs to go. I pause as I get to the end of the stairs. There was one more before I will get to the Foyer but if I step out now, everyone already in the Foyer will stare at me.

I brace myself for their gazes, I am used to this. I am wearing a black dress, it is a special occasion, a little sad but it is still special. The dress was a gift from my brother, we went shopping and I stared a little too long at the dress and he got it for me.

Dresses aren’t my style but it is black and it stops mid-thigh. I wear fishnets with it along with my platforms. My hair length is slightly below my shoulders. I know I look great. I take a deep breath and walk forward.

I keep a straight face as I stare down at the rest of the pack. I am standing at the top of the stairs looking down at the foyer. Their gazes make me uncomfortable but I chuck it up. I always keep to myself and have no friends among them, I know they consider me snobbish but I really just have nothing to say. However, I can’t help but think there is something odd about their stares, almost like they know something I don’t.

“Took you long enough,” I hear Conall's voice say. 

I wave the nasty thoughts away and turn my head in the direction of his voice, I am probably overthinking as usual. I turn to find him staring at me and I smile. I am so distracted by the different scents and their stares that I did not notice his presence. “I am sorry.” I apologize, pouting a little.

Conall scoffs, “Join them.”

I am a little taken aback by this attitude but it is understandable. I am late. I make my way down the nearest stairway. There are two stairways side by side both of them leading to the same place and Conall stands in the middle to address us.

It is hard to come down the stairs with all eyes on me but I manage without falling, thankfully. I join the crowd, I stand a little to the corner, hugging myself. I can still feel their gazes on my back but I am Luna now. I smirk to myself, they can’t be outrightly disrespectful to me.

I look up with nothing but pride on my face. I miss my brother so much I could cry but there is no denying that today is a good day for all of us but most especially for me.

Conall clears his throat before speaking. 

This is the first pack meeting in honor of his status as the new Alpha of the Grand Crescent Pack. After my brother’s sudden death there is no question as to who is best to lead us. As the head, Beta Conall proved himself severally that he is more than capable of protecting the pack.

It is both a joyous day and a sad day for me. My brother is gone but here is Conall making me proud as always. I sniffle and bring my hands close to my chest, I am close to tears but they are the good kind of tears. One will think I have no more tears to shed after crying for a full week. 

“Thank you all for gathering here today,” He says and the crowd responds.

"I have an announcement to make," he yells and the noise quietens down immediately. He turned to look at me with a straight face and I blush. Everyone knows we are mates and not just any mates, fated mates.

I try to hold his gaze but it is pretty hard. I bring my head down and almost immediately the words "I, Conall Felan reject you, Ashton Rand as my mate!" ring through the room.

My eyes nearly pop out of my sockets at the unbelievable words. I jerk my head up. "What!?" I yell. "Is this a joke?" I cry, my tears of joy are quickly turning to sorrow.

Conall isn’t only rejecting me, he is also humiliating me in front of the entire pack. I can’t begin to guess where this is coming from, we are fine. I spent the entire night with him, he was in my room this morning. This is definitely a prank.

“No, it is not Ashton. You no longer have any ties to this pack and as the Alpha of the Grand Crescent pack, I decree that you are no longer a member of this pack and this decree is effective immediately. You are to leave immediately.”