It was time.
With a surge of excitement and nervousness, Natalia fidgeted with the fabric of white dress as she made her way to the center of the hall where he stood in all his godly glory: Alpha Vitale Moretti. Her mate and the love of her life.Natalia blushed as his piercing gray orbs stared at her, beckoning her to him. She had dreamed of this moment, lived for this moment, ever since she was young.Natalia had endured the rejection, the ridicule, and the hostility of his pack members, who deemed her an unworthy outsider, hence unfit to be their Luna.She had proven her loyalty, her strength, her love for him, and became his beta despite being an outcast. And finally today, with this mating ceremony, they would finally seal their bond, and she became his mate and Luna, earning the acceptance and respect of his pack.Natalia suck in a deep breath, and hasten her steps to the alter, but the ever cuniving mother fate seems to have other plans for her in mind. Or perhaps, in this case, Olga.Natalia had barely taken two steps when she felt a sudden splash of liquid on her chest, eliciting a gasp from her lips as her her white dress was drenched in red wine.Blinking rapidly, she looked up, only to see a smirking waitress holding an empty tray, feigning shock and horror. It was Olga, her once childhood friend and an outcast just like her."Oops, sorry about that, I didn't see you coming." Olga said sarcastically as she dropped to her knees trembling, with laughter."It's okay." Natalia said after a deep breath. "Accidents happen." She forced a smile, trying to contain her the tears threatening to spill from her eyes."You're too kind, Natalia." Olga said as she got up, then whispered, "I hope you don't mind. It's not like you deserve to wear such a beautiful dress anyway. You're nothing but a pathetic beta who stole our alpha's heart. You don't belong here, Natalia. You and I both."Natalia felt tears sting her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She clenched her fists and tried to ignore the whispers and snickers of the crowd. She knew they were all watching, waiting for her to break down or lash out. To give them a reason to denounce her, but she wouldn't give them the satisfaction. She wouldn't let them ruin her special day."You're right, I don't mind," she said calmly to Olga's retreating figure. "Because I know that this dress doesn't make me who I am. I am more than what you see. I am Alpha Vitale's mate, and soon I will be his Luna. Your Luna. You can spill all the wine you want on me, but you can't change that fact. You can't change his feelings for me. And you can't change mine for him."With that, Natalia turned to Vitale who was staring at her with a mix of admiration and concern. His fist were clenched and he looked ready to storm over to her, to come to her aid, but he knew she wouldn't be happy if does. He respects her choice to handle it herself.She smiled reassuringly at him and said, "I'll be right back shortly, my love.""Take your time, angelo mio." He nodded.Natalia walked past Olga and headed to the bathroom to clean up, ignoring the stares and whispers of the crowd."Why does nothing ever goes my way?!" She cursed scrubbing the stain away, thinking about the reason she was only having her mate ball now despite finding her mate two years ago."I wonder if this is a sign from the moon goddess that Vitale and I aren't meant to be?" She mused bitterly. She wonder if this was a sign that she did not belong here, that she did not deserve Vitale or his love. She wondered if the pack would ever accept her or respect her. She wondered if she would ever be happy."Unless Olga is the moon goddess, I doubt that." Raven, her wolf, chimed in.Natalia wiped away a tear and snorted, as she tried to compose herself. She told herself that this was just a minor setback, that it did not matter what Olga or anyone else thought of her. All that mattered was Vitale and their bond, as long as he loved and accepted her, nothing else matters in the world.But deep down, she longed for a family, for acceptance, for happiness. And she hoped that tonight would be the start of it all.Natalia finished wiping off the wine and checked herself in the mirror. The stain was still visible, but not as bad as before."Had I knew this would happen, I would have brought a spare dress." She sighed, a knock on the door interrupting her right at that moment."Natalia? Are you okay?" It was Alpha Alessio, Vitale's fraternal twin brother and the second alpha of the pack.Natalia opened the door and saw him holding a black coat in his hands, worries etched on his face."Hey, Alessio," she said softly. "I'm fine, thank you.""Here, take this," He smiled and handed her the coat. "It'll cover up the stain."Natalia took it gratefully and wrapped it around herself. "Thank you so much, you're very kind.""It's nothing. I just want you to be happy." He shrugged, concealing his age long feelings for her since they were younger.He didn't mention that he was secretly jealous of his brother for having her as his mate.He didn't mention that he wished he could be more than just a friend to her.He knew it was hopeless and wrong. He knew it was best to keep it to himself.Thus he swallowed his words and escorted her back to the hall, where everyone was waiting for them. But as soon as they stepped back, a low growl rang from the center of the room.It was Vitale. And he looked furious. Possessive. Ready to commit murder.The sight of his mate in his brother's arms, wearing his coat snapped his final string, and erupted in a growl of fury, pushing his way through the crowd and reaching them in seconds.Vitale yanked Natalia out of Alessio's hold, snaking his arm around her waist possessively. This is so not how Natalia had envisioned the party to go.Glaring at his brother, Vitale gritted. "What the hell do you think you're doing?""I was just helping her out, bro. She had a little accident with the wine." Alessio said, raising his hands in surrender."Yeah, right. I know what you're up to, Alessio." Vitale snorted, then mind linked him. "You've always had a thing for her, don't you think I know that? But she's mine, so back off.""Come on, Vitale. Don't be ridiculous. You know I would never do anything to hurt you or her. I respect your bond. I respect your love. I'm happy for you both."Vitale didn't look convinced, his arms around Natalia tightening. "Well, you can show your respect by keeping your hands to yourself. We have a ceremony to finish."Natalia might be blind to Alessio's feelings for her, but V isn't. He turned to his and whispered in her ears, his voice softening as if he hasn't been the one ready to kill a second ago. "Are you ready, my love?""Yes, I am." Natalia flushed, then smiled at Alessio, "Thank you again, Alessio. You're a good friend.""Let's go, my love."The two walked to the center of the hall where the pack's elder, Anton, was waiting for them. They exchanged vows and rings and kissed, sealing their bond, blissfully unaware of storm heading their way.The first part of the ceremony was done, now left the second and last part. Natalia felt a surge of emotions as Vitale took her hand and led her out of the hall, where the pack had witness their mating ceremony. She felt joy, love, gratitude, but also fear, anxiety, and doubt. She had just pledged her life to the alpha of the Sanguinari wolf pack as his mate and Luna. She was happy to be his, but she was also terrified of disappointing him.Looking at his handsome face, his dark hair and grey eyes, his strong stubbled jaw his broad shoulders, it felt almost like a dream. He looked confident and proud, but also tender and protective. V smiled at her, squeezing her hand when he sensed her gaze, making her heart flutter. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I can’t wait to make you mine, my beautiful Luna.”Natalia blushed and lowered her eyes, feeling a wave of heat wash over her. She wanted him too, but she was also nervous. She had never been with a man before, let alone an alpha
Kat smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Perfect." She purred, applying some lipstick and adjusted her long silky blonde hair, feeling satisfied with her appearance. She turned to her waitress, Olga, who was standing behind her with a tablet in her hands.“So, Olga, how did it go?” Kat asked casually, as if she didn’t already know.Olga smiled eagerly and bowed her head. “Everything went perfectly, Miss Kat. The video of the.... incident has gone viral on social media. Everyone is talking about how her days were numbered the moment she dared to betray the Alpha." She tapped on the tablet and showed Kat the screen. It was a video of a man and a woman kissing passionately on a bed, their clothes scattered on the floor. The man's face was blurred, but the woman's face was crystal clear. You could recognize Natalia's wavy red hair and sharp green eyes at a glance. Her tanned skin coupled with her toned frame made her stand out among her peers.Kat had them filmed and photosho
Without the slightest clue of the storm heading her way, Natalia groaned as she finally opened her eyes, feeling a dull ache in her body. She blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling, then remembered the event last night. "Oh my god, I need to be Vitale to greet the pack!" She gasped, yet a sheepish grin marred her face as sat up abruptly. That was when she realize she was in a different room than their matrimonial room, the one she had entered with Vitale, her mate and Alpha.Natalia sucked in a deep breath, craving the scent of her mate, but she was met by an unfamiliar smell."What's going on?"Her hand automatically went to her neck, feeling the bite marks V had left on her skin. They had mated, finally. She had waited for so long for him to accept her as his Luna, his equal and partner. Although a little confused about the smell, Natalia smiled, feeling a surge of happiness and love.She got up from the bed, wrapped a sheet around her naked body and walked to the window, looking at the
It was a dull day in February, 20x4. The sky was gray and the air was cold. The large pack was busy with people rushing to their jobs, their homes, their lives.But not him. He had nothing to rush to. He had everything he wanted and more. He was an Alpha, one of the most powerful and influential in the country. He owned a successful company, a luxurious penthouse, a fleet of cars, and a pack of loyal followers. He had money, power, and respect.But he was bored.Sitting in his spacious office, he stared at the wall of windows that overlooked the forest. He had no meetings, no calls, no emails to attend to. He had delegated most of his work to his trusted subordinates, leaving him with nothing but time.Time to play his mind games.He loved playing mind games. He loved manipulating people, making them do what he wanted, making them owe him favors, making them fear him or admire him or desire him. He loved expanding his network of connections, finding new allies and enemies, new opportu
And she knew just the person.Natalia stomped out of the school and flagged down a cab, heading straight to the outskirts of the town to a small farm. It was run by a man named Jake, who used it as his base to carry out his secret agency, running a small but efficient spy network. Jake was a human, but he knew about the existence of werewolves and other supernatural beings. He had contacts and clients from all walks of life. He was famous for being discreet, professional, and expensive.But Natalia didn't care about the cost. She was willing to pay anything to save her kids."Lemonade Juice." She said after knocking at the door. That was the secret code. An old woman opened the door and nodded her head with a knowing smile as led Natalia to an underground tunnel where she met Jake at his office."What brings you here?" Jake, a masked man sitting in the shadows grunted, scratching his scruff.Natalia show him a picture of Vitale and explained her situation, all the while, Jake listene
A sleek black car swiveled to a stop in front of a gigantic baroque building that serves as the pack house. Kat came down from the car, slamming the door close and walked briskly towards the entrance. She had spent the last two days at the orphanage near the pack’s border, pretending to care for the children there. Most of them were omegas, and she raised them to serve her purpose. But now only two remain, not enough for the operation she had in mind. She entered the pack house and was about to climb the stairs to Vitale's office when she bumped into someone.“Watch where you’re going, you clumsy cow!” Kat snapped, catching herself as she stumbled back, glaring at the person who had dared to touch her. It was Gia, the pack nurse and Natalia’s wet nurse. “I’m sorry, Luna. I didn’t see you. I was on my way to check on one of the warriors who collapsed during patrol.” Gia apologized, bowing her head.“Don’t give me that excuse. You did it on purpose, didn’t you? You want to disrespect
But the run didn't help. Vitale felt as restless and unhappy as before, if not more. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong, that something was missing in his life. He wondered if he would ever find the happiness he craved, the happiness he deserved.He returned to the pack house, hoping to find some comfort in Kat's arms. He wanted to forget his worries and doubts, and just lose himself in her love. He wanted to believe that she was his true mate, his soulmate, his everything.But as soon as he entered the pack house, he sensed something was off. He saw his pack members looking at him with strange expressions, some of them pitying, some of them curious, some of them fearful, just like five years ago. He felt their eyes on him, and he didn't like it.He walked past them, ignoring their whispers and stares. He headed to his room, maybe taking a nap might help. But before he could reach the stairs, he was stopped by one of his warriors."Alpha, we have a.... situatio
The sun was setting over the forest, casting a golden glow on the trees and the grass. The pack territory was peaceful and quiet, except for the occasional howl of a wolf."Move it!" Olga barked at the wolves in charge of cooking dinner tonight. Standing at a meager height of 5'2, she enjoyed tormenting the lower-ranked wolves. She relished in the sight of them cowering and begging for mercy, showing off her power as the Beta's mate. Her heart shaped face stretched into a wicked grin as she stepped on a young female wolf pinning her in place, placing her entire weight on her left foot. Gone were the days when she was a lowly omega cowering in the shadows.But then, something caught her eye. A group of pack warriors dragged a limp body into the pack house. The body was covered in dirt, barely recognizable as a wolf. But Olga squinted and gasped when she recognized the wolf. It was Natalia, the former Luna and the Alpha's true mate.Olga felt a surge of fear and confusion. How could Na
Kat grinned as she looked over her shoulder at the line of omegas trailing behind her, their heads lowered submissively. Ten omegas to bring back to the pack, more than she had hoped for. She would have more than enough to pay Maddox and even request more drugs if the need arises. The forest was quiet as they made their way through the dense trees, the only sounds being the crunch of leaves under their feet and the occasional bird call overhead. Kat's ears swiveled, alert for any signs of danger, but all seemed peaceful.Too peaceful, she realized with a start. The woods were never this quiet unless..."Ambush!" Kat yelled, whirling around, but it was too late. The enemy warriors dropped down from the trees, landing lightly on their feet to surround Kat's small group. She counted at least twelve of them, all heavily armed and staring at her with hatred in their eyes."Well, well," one of them drawled, flipping a knife casually in his hand. "Look what we have here. Poaching our omegas
Vitale crept through the dense forest, ears pricked and senses on high alert. He did not know if this mysterious lead would yield answers or simply danger, but he was prepared either way.Behind him, his four most trusted guards kept pace, watchful for any signs of deception. But the path ahead remained undisturbed. Perhaps this would be nothing but a fruitless detour. Yet something deep within compelled Vitale onward. He had to know if truth awaited at the end of this trail.As the trees thinned ahead, the brush giving way to a rocky clearing, Vitale felt the fine hairs on his neck stand on end. He slowed, holding up a hand to halt his guards. The space appeared empty, but his instincts screamed that eyes were watching them even now. It was an ideal spot for an ambush.Vitale turned sharply to retreat back under the trees' protective cover. But too late. The faint hiss reached his ears seconds before the canisters hit the ground around them, spewing forth cloying white smoke. Vitale
Leo strode purposefully through the dense forest outside the Sanguinari wolf pack's borders, Vincent trailing at his back. The flickering leaves and branches prevent the rays from reaching the forest grounds . But Leo did not slow. He had tread this path enough times lately to know its twists and turns by heart.At the final iron-barred door, Leo cleared his throat. "Remind me again why we waste our time down here with this mad doctor and his monsters?"Vincent glanced back, lips quirking wryly. "Come now, Alpha. Where's your curiosity? Maddox is clearly on the brink of a breakthrough with his experiments on the wolves. One that could aid our pack greatly.""Or doom us all," Leo muttered under his breath. But he stood guard obediently as Vincent unlocked the door and entered the sprawling laboratory beyond. As always, the cavernous room unsettled Vincent on some primal level. Cages and glass cells lined the walls, housing Maddox's less than willing test subjects in various states of
Vitale paced restlessly around the makeshift camp, his mind churning with questions. It had been two days since discovering the ominous clues at the abandoned office site, but they were no closer to uncovering the truth. Marco had extracted some data from the cryptic flashdrive, but it was all heavily encrypted. He was still working to break through the protections and access the files. In the meantime, Vitale had dispatched trusted allies to dig deeper into the shadowy rental company's records and affiliations. But so far, they had turned up nothing useful.Whoever was behind this had covered their tracks exceptionally well. But Vitale knew there had to be some thread they could follow, some mistake the culprits had made. And he had no intention of leaving until he found it. For now, the team remained camped a cautious distance from the derelict office park, maintaining a discreet watch over the site. The shred of clothing with Natalia's scent tied her to this place somehow, Vitale
Pale dawn light filtered weakly through the dense forest surrounding the sprawling Krovavyy Krest pack grounds. Nestled deep within the remote Siberian wilderness, it was the largest and most formidable werewolf clan in Russia.In the training grounds, Alessio crouched across from Vincent, eyes narrowed in concentration. His muscles coiled tightly as he watched his mentor circle slowly. Vincent's scarred face gave nothing away, completely unreadable. They had been sparring since dawn, neither gaining advantage over the other for more than a moment. But Alessio could feel his strength starting to flag. The grueling daily training here at the Krovavyy Krest pack sanctuary was taking its toll.Vincent lunged without warning, aiming a vicious kick at Alessio's midsection. With reflexes honed over weeks of practice, Alessio spun away, using his opponent's momentum against him to flip Vincent over onto his back.Before he could press his counterattack, Vincent had rolled swiftly back to hi
Dawn's first light filtered weakly through the dense forest canopy as Natalia and Olga set out on patrol together. Since extending her offer of friendship, Olga had made a point of volunteering for duties alongside Natalia as often as possible. To Natalia, the she-wolf's presence now felt less like camaraderie and more like the smothering watch of a prison guard. "What a lovely morning!" Olga exclaimed, breaking the tense silence between them. "Don't you just adore the springtime, Natalia? Everything feels so alive and renewed.""I suppose so," Natalia replied halfheartedly, scanning their surroundings. She was anxious to finish this patrol and pursue a new anonymous tip regarding the omegas' whereabouts. The scrap of paper had contained only an address and dire warning - "Cabin east of canyon, leave now. Evidence inside."Natalia wasn't foolish enough to fully trust such a conveniently timed message. More likely it was a trap set by the kidnappers to lure her out alone where she wou
Natalia sank into the steaming water of the women's bath with a contented sigh, letting the heat relax her sore muscles. It had been an exhausting day of leading martial training for the pack's youth. As much as she loved passing on her skills, keeping up with the pups' boundless energy left her drained. She leaned back and closed her eyes, appreciating this chance to unwind in solitude.Her blissful soak was interrupted by the creak of the door and murmured voices. Natalia opened her eyes to see Olga entering with two other pack women, laughing brightly at something one said. Natalia suppressed a frown. Since the trial two weeks ago, Olga had been nothing but a nuisance, following Natalia around and ALWAYS showing up wherever she happened to be. Natalia did her best to remain civil, but Olga's overly familiar attitude grated on her.Oblivious to her irritation, Olga waved cheerfully. "Natalia! What a happy coincidence running into you here." The other women greeted Natalia politely
Kat met her squad of hand-picked warriors just outside her territory's border as the moon rose high overhead. Only her most savage and unquestioningly loyal fighters had been recruited for this distasteful but necessary task. They stood restlessly in the shadows of the trees, awaiting her signal.Kat stepped into their midst, her expression grim. "You know our purpose. This is not a sanctioned raid, so speak of it to no one upon our return." Her eyes glinted dangerously in the moonlight. "Am I clear?"The warriors rumbled their assent. They cared not about the whys, only the promise of a good fight their Alpha provided. Kat curled her lip slightly. Foolish brutes. But they would serve her aims well enough tonight. "Then let's be off. We've a two day's hard journey ahead." She inclined her head toward the border. "Time and secrecy are of the essence." Without another word, she leaped forward, shifting mid-air into her wolf form. Powerful limbs ate up the distance as she surged into t
Kat stalked through the dense forest, anger simmering in her veins. Those useless idiots had failed to kill Natalia, again. Just how long would it take to wipe out a single wolf?A twig snapped, jerking Kat from her brooding. She whirled, a snarl on her lips, only to find herself seized from behind by multiple assailants. She thrashed and bit down hard, tasting blood, but their grip was like iron. Within moments they had dragged her past the border markers and dropped her roughly at the feet of a smirking figure leaning against a tree. Kat leaped up and shifted into an attack crouch, lips curled back to expose her fangs. But she faltered at the sight of the man casually cleaning blood from beneath his nails with a knife. Dr. Maddox."Now now, that's no way to greet an old friend," the rogue scientist purred, poisonous gaze locking onto hers. "But given how you've ignored my messages of late, I thought an...intervention...was required."Kat forced her wolf down, though her muscles rem