CHAPTER ONE

OLIVIA 

The air in the room was thick with tension. Luna Claire glared at me. Her features tightened in a frown and her eyes gleamed with disgust as they swept over me. I lowered my eyes to the ground, shifting uncomfortably. 

From the corner of my eyes I could see Lisa narrowing her eyes at me in annoyance alongside her friend, Bella, who was right beside her shooting me an icy glare. 

My eyes fell on Rowan, he was slouched on the couch next to his mother like he had not a care in the world. 

The news that I tried to seduce Rowan had reached the ears of the Luna. I knew that Bella or Lisa would report the matter to her but I really did not prepare to face her wrath.

Luna Claire sent for Rowan immediately. She, of course, wanted to hear from the horse's mouth.  

Her face widened in shock as Rowan answered in the affirmative at the subject of me being his fated mate. 

Luna Claire laid back on the couch and propped herself on one elbow. Her eyes narrowed at me for a brief moment and then closed tightly as she pondered on the situation. She knew I was faultless in this case. If I had a choice, I would rather not be fated to any member of this pack at all. 

I’ve had my own share of the mistreatments of unranked members by the ranked members of the pack. 

I wasn't born an omega. Some years back, I was the beta's cherished daughter, safe and protected. 

Life was good, until that dreaded day when our pack was attacked and father was killed. I was devastated, I remember running about wildly, looking for mom, but she was nowhere to be found. Eventually, she was declared missing. 

Since my parents were gone, I was catered for by the alpha who thought it necessary to repay my father's sacrifice for the pack. That was until the Alpha also died in another brutal attack a few months ago.

Then I had gone very fast from being an average wolf under the alpha's care to an omega with no family at all.

I wasn't expected to scrub and clean after the ranked members just like the other omegas but I've had to endure beatings and spiteful words often hurled at me. Unfortunately for me, I am being treated worse than some omegas as Luna Claire's dislike for me was glaring. Whatever the feud was between us, I was yet to understand. 

She didn't hide the fact that she hated me for some unknown reason nor did she leave any stone unturned when it came to meting out punishments to me. 

Luna Claire slowly straightened herself back up, and heaved a deep sigh. She had probably figured how best to go about the situation or even the worst punishment fit for me. 

I busied my mind, counting each passing second until Luna Claire began to speak. 

“Olivia,” she called, drawing my attention back to herself. My heart raced in panic. I dreaded what she was about to say even before she spoke. Whatever it was, I was sure it was no good. 

She hesitated for a brief moment before spilling her decision.

“You will be kept aside as his mistress.” She dropped the bombshell.

“What!” Lisa was shocked. Her eyes had grown wide as saucers. Lisa was not only the present beta’s older daughter, but she was Rowan's chosen mate, specially picked and favored by Luna Claire. In a couple of days, she would be mated to him and would officially become the Luna of the Cold Moon pack. 

“Lisa, as much as I do not want this, I need not remind you that Rowan needs his mate for his wolf to become stronger. Do I?” Luna Claire asked in an uptight frown, making Lisa swallow.  

Lisa shook her head severally, “Not at all, Luna.” she admitted. She could not afford to offend the Luna afterall. 

“This is solely for the benefit of the pack, Lisa. It would be better if you don't think too much about it.” She scolded. 

“You will be claimed and marked as his Luna.” She pointed at Lisa, pausing for a brief second to let her words sink in. Her eyes swept over everyone in the room finally settling on me. 

I tried to steady my breathing. Everyone in the room had their eyes on me now. I was able to handle their stares before now, but at the moment, I desperately wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. Maybe it would if I prayed hard enough. 

“Lisa here will attend to the pack duties as the Luna while you will be reserved to specially take care of his wolf.” She declared, completely ignoring the fact that I could have a different opinion about this. 

It did not matter to her that she was practically enforcing her decision on me not caring how I felt about this whole thing.

My eyes met with Rowan's. He shrugged lazily, a silent cue that he was unable to do anything about it. 

Just great.

I am expected to watch my fated mate claim and mark another wolf, while being kept aside as his mistress because as an alpha, his wolf ‘needs’ his mate to become stronger.

Was I really a terrible person in my past life to be presented with such a horrible fate in this present one? I wondered in my heart. 

“Are we clear on this?” Luna Claire asked, her gaze alternating between Lisa and I.  

A lump formed in my throat, making me swallow. “Yes, Luna.” I answered. I wasn't even given a choice in the first place. All I could do was hope that some magic would occur or some supernatural being would appear and rescue me from this horrible fate. 

“Yes please,” Lisa responded, her eyes gleaming with hatred at me. She was obviously displeased with Luna Claire’s decision. 

I barely managed to make my way out of her office, with my knees almost giving way underneath me as I walked. 

I managed to get to my room without aid, and as soon as I laid on my bed, the events of my last birthday, a day I was supposed to cherish but had turned into a nightmare, flashed through my mind. 

Flashback 

I had just turned eighteen. Although I had no family to celebrate with, I was hoping to make the best out of it. The excitement of meeting my mate as soon as possible overwhelmed me. He was the only hope I was holding unto.  

I sang as I tried on new outfits given to me by Lily, my only friend in the pack, for my birthday. I was checking out myself in the mirror and gushing over a beautiful red dress when I caught a whiff of this scrumptious scent of cinnamon and coconut. It appealed to me, growing stronger as it advanced towards me. 

Rowan had walked in on me while I changed my dress. My breath hitched in surprise, then it slowly dawned on me that he was the owner of the delicious scent clouding my senses.

“Mate!” He muttered almost in a whisper, confirming my suspicions. I froze to the spot for a moment in utter dismay.

Was this some sort of a joke or something? 

How could I be fated to a man who was already taken? Fated to no other than the future alpha for crying out loud. What wrong had I done to the moon goddess? I thought bitterly. 

His sudden charge toward me brought me back to the present. He grabbed me and pinned me to the wall. The feel of his breath on my neck emitted sparks that coursed through my whole body. My cheeks flushed as my body shuddered in delight at the contact. 

“You smell so delicious.” He growled in a husky voice. His head hung for a split second before it lowered, bringing his mouth to meet mine. 

“Rowan..” I called in fear for my life. I couldn't risk anyone seeing us in this position. 

“Please stop.” I begged.

The creak of the door sent me into a fit of panic with Bella peering into my room just at the time. 

“Rowan!” Bella gasped, Her gaze shifted to me in disdain. 

“Dammit!” He cursed as he dashed out after Bella who marched straight out of the room.

“I'm done for.” was all I could mutter as I sank down on my bed. 

End of flashback 

I let the tears freely run down my cheeks, I needed the release, I could no longer bottle up the pain I felt as Luna Claire's pronouncement had weakened me to my bones. My heart broke the more I thought about it. 

Everything I ever owned was always in one way or the other taken away from me.  

My parents were snatched from me by death.  

My position as the beta’s daughter was stripped off me. 

Now my fated mate was being mated to another.

No parents. 

No rank. 

No mate.