**In the Norfield Packs**
Charlotte Mateo, age 22, waited for her husband, the Alpha of the pack, to return home, but she hadn’t seen him.
She knew he had been avoiding her lately, but as the Luna of the pack, she didn’t want to leave him or end their loveless marriage. She had been his wife for four years, and her father was the Beta of the pack. To seal their friendship, their families had arranged for Teddy to marry her.
Charlotte had just turned 18 when she got betrothed to Teddy Hudson. Teddy was the second son of the Hudson family, and since his elder brother had been abroad for years, showing no interest in ruling the pack, Alpha Lucas Hudson decided to hand over the affairs of the pack to Teddy, hoping he would take care of it and help protect their packs from the ongoing rogue attacks.
Alpha Lucas Hudson was still alive, though aged. He had two sons and a daughter: Jack and Teddy.
Jack was the rightful heir to rule the Norfield Packs, but ever since he left the pack house at the age of 18 a decade ago, Alpha Lucas felt it better to hand over the pack’s affairs to his second son, Teddy, who had been around.
To take over the pack affairs, Alpha Lucas gave Charlotte Mateo to Teddy as his wife and Luna, to assist him in ruling the pack house. However, Teddy didn’t like Charlotte.
Since their wedding four years ago, Teddy hadn’t touched her or mated with her to seal their marriage.
"Oh! For a week now, Teddy hasn't been home. Should I call his father and report him? What kind of husband is he?" Charlotte pondered while enduring Teddy's ruthless nature. He beat her at home, rejected her food, and avoided their master bedroom. She had been suffering in silence because her father told her not to leave Teddy.
Charlotte bore facial scars that would later heal, but Teddy still didn’t like her. He often pretended in front of others to be a sweet, doting husband, especially during pack functions. But once they were home, his beastly and animalistic nature took control.
Charlotte was wearing a pink nightdress. It was their wedding anniversary, and she hoped to look sweet for Teddy. Maybe, just maybe, he would finally touch her and consummate their marriage.
Charlotte knew she was not Teddy's true mate. Most female werewolves in the Norfield Packs found their mates when they turned 18, but Charlotte was now 22 and had not yet found hers. She wasn't wolfless; on the night she turned 18, four years ago, it was the same night her father gave her to Teddy as his wife.
"Alpha, here is my daughter, Charlotte. I give her to your son, Teddy Hudson, as his wife, mate, and the chosen Luna of the Norfield Pack," her father said in front of Alpha Lucas and his family.
Charlotte loved Teddy; he was handsome, masculine, strong, and a skilled warrior of the Norfield Packs. He had single-handedly defeated battalions of rogues that attacked their packs four years ago. Even now, Teddy was a tough man. He was only 22 years old then, four years ago, when his father gave Charlotte to him.
"Charlotte, do you accept Teddy Hudson as your husband and chosen mate? To love and cherish until death separates you both?" Charlotte remembered the night she was given to Teddy Hudson.
Teddy had an aloof expression; he wasn’t pleased with her. Charlotte had dark skin, something Teddy didn't like, but he kept silent as he wanted to take over the pack.
Teddy did everything his father wanted him to do to take over the Norfield Packs, and he had to suppress his irritation and accept Charlotte as his wife, even though she was young and looked at him with admiration. Teddy could see that Charlotte wanted to marry him, but he already had a mate, and he had to let her go for Charlotte’s sake and to secure the Alpha position of the Norfield Packs.
"Yes, Alpha. I accept Teddy Hudson as my husband. To love and cherish until death do us part," Charlotte said to Alpha Lucas, who sat on the throne, and the whole family clapped happily for her. Alpha Lucas then turned to face Teddy.
"Teddy, do you accept Charlotte Mateo as your mate, chosen Luna, and to assist you in ruling over the Norfield Packs in your elder brother's absence until he returns?" Alpha Lucas asked, but Teddy replied, "Dad, I will only accept Charlotte as my Luna on the condition that I will still be the Alpha of this pack, even when Jack returns."
Alpha Lucas nodded and replied bitterly, "Yes, Teddy. You have my word. So long as you accept Charlotte and treat her right, you shall remain the ruling Alpha of Norfield Packs from today henceforth. So, do you accept to marry Charlotte?"
With his green glowing eyes, Teddy replied, "Yes, I do."
Charlotte wiped the tears away from her eyes as she remembered the night she was given to Teddy Hudson. Teddy was now 26 years old, and Charlotte didn’t know much about him. He kept her in the dark about his business, hangouts, and friends. She was only his wife and the current Luna of the Norfield Packs in name. It worried her so much that she would continue to live in a loveless marriage. To brace herself, she remembered that Teddy had warned her not to contact him on the phone but to wait for his arrival. Charlotte decided to contact Teddy's Beta, Caleb Brown, to find out Teddy's whereabouts.
It was Friday night, and Charlotte was worried as the time in her room was past 11 PM. "Hello, Caleb," she spoke in a nervous tone.
"Good evening, Luna Charlotte. Why are you calling me at this late hour? Do you want to implicate me and have me banished from our pack? You know how possessive Teddy is regarding you. Please refrain from calling me at this hour, unless you want me to reject your calls and send them straight to voicemail," Caleb said. Charlotte apologized to him, "Please, I’m sorry. It’s just that Teddy hasn’t returned home since last Monday when he left the house. Do you know of his whereabouts?"
There was silence on the line for a while, and then Caleb replied, "Alpha Teddy will be home today. He went for a business meeting with the neighboring pack, but he will be home tonight. Take care, Luna."
Charlotte sighed as the phone call ended. Just then, she heard the doorbell ring and realized she had heard the sound of a car arriving earlier.
When Charlotte rushed to unlock the door, she found Teddy back with a woman in his arms.