The Runaway Luna's Heartless Mate

Love Cameron: Smack! I groaned quietly as my stepmother paused for a moment, her hand poised to strike once more. This time, even before it could draw near, I cautiously edged away to avoid further blows. "Have you got a clue about your surroundings, Missy?" she shouted, glancing around at the pack members. She had seized their attention by raising her voice and behaving erratically. The black dress I had on last night appeared torn, and I was pretty sure a pair of my underwear was missing. Luckily, my dress still managed to cover my backside. My striking lake-green eyes stung as mascara had smudged into them. My fair skin felt rough after a few hours of sleeping in the cold. The fact that she found me before anyone else and was now the reason, why everyone was eyeing me with disdain, led me to believe that she wasn't genuinely concerned about my well-being. "I think I must have passed out," I fibbed. That was far from the truth. I had a wild night, and the worst part was waking up at the edge. Not the edge of our pack, but the edge of the lake that separated the human world from ours. "Get up!" Alice Cameron, my stepmother, a blonde with blue eyes and fair skin, yelled as she gripped my arm and forced me to stand. "Let me go. I can walk by myself," I shot back, shrugging myself free. "Love Cameron! You better not have lost your virginity," she wagged her finger in my face before calling an Uber. As she got preoccupied, I started recalling the events of last night that led me to end up at the border. I remembered heading to my job at Marvel's bar where I work as a bartender. It was my eighteenth birthday, and instead of finding a mate, I received a text from my stepsister telling me she had taken my boyfriend, the one I had hoped to form a mate bond with. Things took a downward spiral from there, and I began chatting with a handsome stranger who had sidled up to the counter. I remember him batting his long, thick eyelashes, gazing at me with those deep, striking green eyes, and flirting incessantly. "Where's your mind wandering?" Just as I was getting closer to what happened next, a forceful nudge at my elbow snapped me back to reality. I turned to Alice and rolled my eyes. I wished I could respond to her more assertively or mimic her gestures. I climbed into the Uber with her, and our journey back to what I typically referred to as a living nightmare began. "I'll have a more detailed talk with you once we're home," Alice hissed, dramatically producing a compact mirror from her purse and reapplying the glossy orange lip gloss that was already dripping down her chin. I was born as an omega, but tragedy struck from the moment I entered this world. My mother passed away during childbirth. One might assume that my father's callous treatment of me was due to my mother's tragic passing, but that wasn't the case. According to some neighbors, he was overjoyed because he was finally able to bring home his mistress, who had just given birth to a daughter with her ex-husband less than a week ago. It was chaotic. When Alice brought her daughter Livia into the picture, I was essentially pushed to the sidelines as my father was determined to win Alice's favor by doting on Livia. Despite being an omega, just like me, my father took a backseat, allowing Alice, a Gamma, to assume a dominant role. As soon as the cab came to a stop in front of our modest omega apartments, I hurriedly exited before Alice. Our neighbors had a knack for being nosy and siding with her, so I wanted to avoid any confrontations in front of them. The moment I stepped into the apartment, chaos ensued. My blonde stepsister was already waiting at the entrance, ready to take a jab at me. "Did you attempt to flee the werewolf territory?" she prattled on in her grating, high-pitched voice as she trailed me into my bedroom. I had no desire to engage in any conversation with them. My body was badly sore and I had kind of an idea something was not right between my legs. But the torment was far from over. "Young lady! What the f**k is that red thing on your thighs---," Alice sprinted to block my path before I could make it to my room. She let out a theatrical gasp and directed her gaze towards her daughter, who promptly stepped in front of me to see what had caught her attention. "She lost her virginity," Livia sounded rather happy. She knew this could get me into trouble, especially since my boyfriend had spent the night with her. "That's nobody's business," panic overtook me, and I attempted to push them aside, trying to navigate through them. But Alice stuck close, and the moment I stepped into my bedroom, she forcefully pushed her way in. "Huh! You better tell us who you lost your virginity to. I won't let your father or our family deal with this disgrace," she jabbed her finger in my face, seething with anger. "Who was it?" she hissed, showing a sense of urgency. "Listen, if you don't spill the beans right now, we'll be in deep trouble later. Tell me you slept with your mate, and he'll be coming over to--" Her yammering abruptly ceased when her eyes fell on my neck. I took a step back and gently touched the spot she was fixated on. "Is that a mark?" she rushed at me, swiftly grabbing my chin and turning my face to the other side to inspect it. A mark? I had been marked last night? "Oh, Love Cameron! You're in big trouble," she shouted at me before shoving me and then opening the room's door to leave. "You have five minutes to come out and tell us his name. It better be your mate." She slammed the door shut, leaving me completely bewildered. My first priority was to freshen up. I didn't want to face my father looking like a mess. As I stepped into the shower, I began recalling the events of the previous night. The handsome man had claimed to feel the mate bond with me. He had even left a $50,000 tip before we engaged in a passionate encounter in one of the side rooms. He was my mate! I changed into a pair of blue jeans and a black top before heading out to face my so-called family. They were gathered around the small dining table, their hands resting on their foreheads as if someone had just passed away. The only one who didn't hide her true emotions was Livia, who wore a peculiarly content smile. I was certain she had already pictured me on public trial. "Dad!" I cleared my throat, calling out to him to get his attention, and unintentionally drawing everyone's eyes. He was the only one I needed to talk to. I didn't consider Alice and Livia as my family. "Ah, here comes your daughter who doesn't have a fated mate but lost her virginity to soemone," Alice exclaimed, folding her arms arrogantly and crossing one leg over the other. "Daughter! Is that what I'm hearing?" my dad looked older than his age, drained of energy and quite submissive to Alice. There were moments when he attempted to be kind to me, only to be shut down by Alice within minutes. "Dad! I've met my mate," I announced with a touch of joy. The happiness vanished from Livia's face, and Alice didn't seem particularly pleased either. I suspected all her concern about her reputation was just an act. She wouldn't be affected if I were caught breaking pack laws. Livia had rejected her fated mate after dating him for a few days because he was merely an omega. She aimed for a higher status, which led her to pursue my gamma boyfriend, who I now realized wasn't even my true mate. "It was some wealthy guy. He tipped me $50,000," I said, not particularly excited about it, but I knew it would shut up the two unpleasant women in the living room. Livia rested her hand on her mother's shoulder, who clenched her jaw in response to the news. "That much money? Where is it? Why haven't you given it to us yet?" Alice jumped to her feet and approached me, attempting to grab my arms to inspect my hands. "I guess... I dropped it when I dozed off near the border," I added, still trying to figure out why on earth I had been near the border in the first place. "Wait! My daughter has found a mate. He must be of a higher rank," my dad smiled briefly, but it quickly faded when he received a harsh glare from Alice. It was clear that my dad regretted choosing this woman over my mother, and I had picked up on this over time. When he was younger, he had despised the idea that my mother was an omega, and her wolf never awakened, just like mine. So, when he met Alice, he had been overjoyed. I suppose he eventually realized that rank didn't matter, especially after she began to dominate him to the point where she wouldn't even allow him to speak to me. "He is. He's definitely a higher rank werewolf," the words that left my lips shifted the expressions on Alice and Livia's faces. They clearly hadn't wanted such a mate for me. "There is no way," Alice uttered under her breath. "Alright then, I'll meet him again and bring him over to meet you guys. As for you, you can go ahead and keep my gamma boyfriend," I added with a hint of sarcasm as I walked back to my room after taking a jab at Livia. I knew they'd be seething with jealousy, as my ex wasn't even a royal gama. But there were still many concerns on my mind. I had no idea who this handsome stranger was, and I distinctly recalled him referring to himself as the king of the werewolves. I couldn't be certain if anything he said was true, especially considering that even the tip he gave me had gone missing. I had another secret that I was afraid of my family telling the council. I hadn't shifted all this time and had not heard from my wolf. "Did he lie about the mate bond just to be with me and then abandon me at the border?" As if my concerns weren't already overwhelming, another significant piece of information suddenly struck me. "Oh! We didn't use any protection," I muttered, covering my mouth with my hands. With my head pounding, I stared into space, realizing that if I didn't find him, I would end up in a far bigger mess than I had ever imagined.