Chapter One

Rae stared at her reflection in the mirror. 

It pleased her immensely. She pursed her lips to apply lipstick. It was a bright red like the color of her hair. She also made sure that it matched her dress. Her evening had to be perfect and she was going to make sure it ran smoothly. It was her last evening as a single female. She was going to mate with Alpha Negan of StonePaw the next day and her heart hammered relentlessly against her chest whenever she thought about him and their union. 

They had been engaged for five years. She was sixteen at the time. She will never forget the day he showed up at their door barring gifts for them all. She watched from the staircase as he spoke to her father about wanting a mate and what an honor it would be if their packs could be joined. Her sister was away at the time and so she knew she would be called down. She knew it deep in her heart. She ran up to her room quickly and put on her best dress. It was also red and she loved how powerful she felt in it. Perhaps invincible was a better word. 

She had been right. Her mother called her down and she looked pleased as she took in her appearance. She followed her mother down the stairs and they all stood. Her father, her uncle, her oldest cousin, and Alpha Negan. His eyes drank her in and her cheeks flamed. He extended his hand and she took it. She introduced herself confidently. Her voice never quivered even though she was crumbling on the inside. His hands were warm and soft. He squeezed her hand before he let it go. She felt his touch for days after that. She brought her hand up to her face and could've sworn she smelled him on it. 

By the end of that night, they were engaged. 

Her entire family was proud of her. When Alpha Negan left after dinner, she was showered with compliments and small gifts. He was from a powerful pack—her father knew his father well—and mating into his pack would be a great accomplishment. 

A knock on her door interrupted her train of thought. She looked over her shoulder, annoyed. It was Tessa, their housemaid. She said, "Sorry for disturbing you, lady. The Alpha and Luna have summoned you."

Rae waved a hand dismissively and Tessa shuffled out of her room. She didn't know what they wanted but it would have to wait. She had to look perfect for the dinner, her last dinner as the daughter of an Alpha. From tomorrow onward, she would be a Luna. The Luna of StonePaw. The title made her skin break out in goose bumps. 

After she applied her lipstick, she stood in front of the mirror and twirled. She looked stunning and she knew it. She put on her favorite heels and run a finger through her hair. She had managed to tame the unruly curls and it filled her with pride. 

She looked like a Luna. 

She left her bedroom and descended the staircase carefully. She didn't want to trip and risk tearing her dress. It simply wouldn't do. She knew her parents were in their office and so she walked in that direction. The living room was empty but she was pleased to see that the table was already set. The dinner would start in an hour. 

Rae neared the door. She heard arguing and it made her frown. Why were they arguing when Negan would arrive at any moment? What were they thinking. As she placed her hand over the door handle, she heard, "...if Negan didn't tell her anything then how are we supposed to—" 

She pushed the door open.

Her father stood behind his mahogany desk. His hands were on the table and his face was red, perhaps redder than her dress. Her mother had her arms folded across her chest and Kara, her sister, was seated on their father's armchair. They all looked at her and fell silent.

"What's the matter?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

Nobody answered her for a moment. She stared at all their faces but they gave nothing away. She cleared her throat and said, "I heard you mention Negan's name. Is something wrong? Is he not coming?"

"No," her father said, shifting and tightening his tie. "Nothing of that sort. It was a small discussion, nothing major."

"What, you can't tell me what it is about?"

"Rae," her mother said in exasperation. "Stop being difficult."

A tense silence fell upon them. Rae wasn't convinced but at the same time, she didn't want to spend time trying to convince them to tell her something that would most probably bore her. If they didn't want to share their secrets with her, it was perfectly alright. She would leave tomorrow and they wouldn't see her so frequently again. It would be their loss.

"Alright," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Did he send word? Do you know when he will be arriving?"

"Shortly," her father said, squinting his eyes. "I'm sure that he will be here soon."

"Good," she said and shot a glance at Kara, who hadn't said a word since she stepped into the office. Something about her had changed and unfortunately, Rae couldn't pinpoint exactly when the change had occurred. She wasn't paying enough attention. But for the past couple of weeks, Kara wouldn't talk to her unless she talked to her first and she was distant overall. They had never been too close because her duties as the eldest sister wouldn't allow it, but they were cordial toward each other. They shared some secrets.

The air around them thickened and Rae decided that it would be best for her to leave. It was clear that she had interrupted something and that everyone was silent because she was in the room. So she turned on her heel and left.

She wouldn't let them spoil her mood. Negan would arrive and she wanted to meet him at the door with a smile. She hadn't seen him in two months—he had been away for business in the south of the country. It was something Alphas normally did and so she would have to get used to it. It didn't bother her. She was alright with not seeing him, it made the heart grow fonder. She wished that they had spent more time together before their mating to get closer than they were but they had plenty of time to do that, she figured. More than enough time. 

She shouldn't be in a hurry. 

Rae walked into the kitchen and delicious aromas wafted up her nose. The food was almost ready and everything seemed to be going as planned. She tried some of the beef and it melted in her mouth. The salads were colorful and the dressings were tangy and just right. The desserts were cooling in the fridge and they also looked delicious. 

"Have you made the raspberry mousse?" she asked as she closed the fridge. "It's Alpha Negan's favorite." 

"Yes, miss," the cook answered. "The Luna gave the instructions to prepare it in the morning." 

She nodded and went on inspecting everything. When Tessa cleared her throat and announced herself, she knew it in her heart that Negan had arrived. She felt his strong presence somehow. She thanked her for the information and took a deep breath in the kitchen before emerging. 

Her parents and Kara were already in the living room with him. It vexed her that Tessa would call them first and not her, his future mate. Again, she told herself that the evening would be the last she would spend as a BloodMoon, so nothing insignificant should matter to her. 

Negan eyed her over her father's shoulder and she froze. His beard was thicker—he hadn't shaved it—and his brows drew together. She blushed as she did all those years ago. Her family turned to look at her and her body flushed with the attention. Her father cleared her throat and said, "Come, Rae." 

She finally mustered the courage to move. She walked right up to him. His eyes never left her face. She bowed a little and said, "Alpha Negan."

He took her hand and kissed it. Her face was as red as a cherry tomato. Her parents were oddly quiet but she tried not to pay too much attention to it. What mattered was that her betrothed had arrived and the sight of her pleased him as it did all those years ago. She asked him, "How was your trip?" 

"Quite good," he said. "Productive."

"Alpha Negan was kind enough to bring us gifts," her father said. "They're in my office. I'll distribute them after dinner."

They moved toward the dinner table and she was seated across from him. It was part of their tradition. She sat beside her mother and he beside her father. Kara was next to her. Dinner was served and Rae discovered that she was far too anxious to be hungry. The sight of him had satiated her. She felt like she could go on without drinking or eating for days. 

He looked up from his plate and smiled at her warmly.

Her heart fluttered in her chest.