Chapter 4: My Luna is someone else's mate
2031 Words
Chapter 4: My Luna is someone else's mate
(Aurora's POV)
"Yes, I agree to marry you." The words came out before I could overthink them further.
Markus's golden eyes widened slightly, betraying his surprise at my direct response. "Are you certain? This isn't a decision to be made lightly."
I straightened my spine, channeling every ounce of Alpha authority I possessed. "I am. Your proposal makes sense for both of us."
"Very well." He nodded, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Then let's make it official."
Marcus extended his hand across the space between us. I hesitated for just a moment before reaching out to take it. As our hands touched, something electric sparked between us.
Our wolves' energies clashed with unexpected intensity. Cora howled in my mind, reaching eagerly for Marcus's wolf Logan. The force of it made us both freeze.
"That was..." I pulled my hand back quickly, unsettled by the strong reaction.I didn't know what this force means.
"Interesting," Marcus finished, his golden eyes studying me with renewed intensity.
I tried to brush off the moment, focusing instead on practical matters. "So, about the engagement ceremony..."
"I'll handle everything," he assured me smoothly. "The ceremony will be held in three days at the Shadow Warriors' main hall."
My heart skipped. The same day Alex had planned for our engagement. The symmetry wasn't lost on me.
"Your sister Sarah should be informed first," Marcus continued. "She is acting as your guardian, correct?"
I winced, suddenly remembering. "Oh god, Sarah. She's going to kill me."
Since Alex had abandoned me at the bridal shop yesterday, I hadn't spoken to my sister at all. Knowing Sarah's protective nature, she must be worried sick.
"I should check my phone," I sprang up from my seat, mumbling, "Where's my bag? Oh no, I couldn't have left it on the dance floor, could I?"
"Are you looking for your bag?" Marcus stood up and took my bag out of the closet. "I put it away yesterday."
"Thank heavens, you are so thoughtful." His consideration surprised me, as he was completely different from the person I had heard about.
As I dug through it, something caught my eye - the wolf tail phone charm dangling from my phone. It was made from Alex's wolf fur, a matching set we'd created when we first awakened as mates.
Without hesitation, I yanked it off and threw it in the nearby trash bin. Marcus watched the action with raised eyebrows.
"Decisive," he commented. "Though I must say, those charms are quite popular among young wolves."
His lips curved into a teasing smile. "If you'd like, next time I transform, I'll let you pluck some fur from Logan's chest to make a new one."
I felt my face heat up. Everyone knew about Logan - the massive black wolf was legendary among all packs, earning him the title "Shadow King."
"I... that's not necessary," I stammered, quickly checking my phone to avoid his amused gaze.
My stomach dropped as I saw the notifications. Twenty-seven missed calls from Sarah. Five from Hazel. Dozens of text messages demanding to know where I was.
With trembling fingers, I called Sarah back. She answered on the first ring.
"Aurora." Her voice was eerily calm. "Please come home within the next half hour. We need to talk."
She hung up before I could explain anything. I stared at my phone in dismay."I'm done, every time Sarah's tone is very calm, it means, she's very angry."
"Family troubles?" Marcus asked, obviously noting my distress.
"My sister... she's always been protective," I explained. "She never approved of Alex. Said he wasn't worthy of being my mate."
"Smart woman," Marcus commented dryly. "Though I suppose her assessment came from actually knowing him, unlike those who only saw his carefully crafted public image."
His words hit home. How many times had Sarah warned me about Alex's selfishness? His inability to put anyone before himself?
"I was blind," I admitted quietly. "I kept making excuses for him, remembering the boy who protected me at the orphanage. But that boy grew into a man who would abandon his mate for another woman."
Marcus's expression hardened. "A man who would break a mate bond for someone else never deserved one in the first place."
His words carried a weight of truth that made my chest ache. Years of memories - of fighting for Alex, supporting him, loving him - suddenly felt hollow.
"Would you like me to drive you home?" Marcus offered, his voice gentler now. "We can discuss the engagement details with your sister together."
The offer surprised me. It was considerate in a way I hadn't expected from the notorious Shadow Warriors heir.
"Thank you," I accepted, gathering my things. "I think having you there might actually help."
As we walked to his car, the reality of what I'd just agreed to began sinking in. In three days, I would be engaged - not to my childhood sweetheart as planned, but to Marcus Black, the future Alpha King.
The thought should have terrified me. Instead, I felt strangely calm. Even Cora, who had been devastated by Alex's betrayal, seemed content with the decision.
It felt like I was floating in a dream, but the solid presence of Marcus beside me kept me grounded. This was real. This was happening.
"So, confused little wolf," Marcus said as he opened the car door for me, "ready to start our new life?"
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(Marcus's POV)
I leaned back in the plush leather seat of Daniel's private booth, the rhythmic thrum of the club's music pounding in the background.
Daniel Pierce, my oldest friend and the Alpha of the Crimson Moon Pack, was hosting one of his infamous parties, as he often did when he was bored.
"You're unusually quiet tonight," Daniel teased, leaning toward me with a smug smile on his face. His amber eyes gleamed mischievously under the flashing lights.
"Where's that legendary charm of yours, Marcus? This party is practically crawling with Luna hopefuls."
I forced a small smile, raising my glass in his direction. "Not every night has to be about mingling, Daniel."
He scoffed, throwing an arm around my shoulder in his overly familiar way. "It's always about mingling when you're cursed with the title of Alpha King heir. One of these ladies could finally break that ridiculous prophecy of yours."
I didn't bother replying. As much as I valued Daniel's friendship, he had no idea how exhausting that prophecy had become.
A lifetime of whispers questioning my future, doubting my strength as a leader—because I was doomed never to find my mate. It was a shadow that loomed over every choice I made.
"You're impossible," Daniel muttered, pulling back and gesturing at the sea of wolves grinding on the dance floor below. He smirked. "But if you change your mind, I'll keep you informed of any worthy candidates."
I shook my head and returned to my drink, swirling the amber liquid in the glass. My tolerance for small talk and shallow advances was wearing thin.
Until it happened.
A scent hit me like a punch to the chest, shattering my quiet contemplation.
Roses. Honey. Sweet, warm, and unmistakable. The kind of scent every wolf dreamed of finding because it only meant one thing.
My heart lurched, and Logan, my wolf, howled within me so loudly I thought he'd take over. He roared, "Mate!"
My grip tightened around the glass so hard I thought it might shatter. For a moment, I felt an overwhelming rush of joy. Had the prophecy finally been broken? Was she truly here?
I stood without thinking, the ferocity of the bond pulling me like an invisible thread. The earthy undertones of her scent were unmistakable now, even amidst the club's overpowering mix of sweat and alcohol.
Daniel frowned. "Where are you going?"
I didn't answer, barely paying him a glance as I pushed past the crowd and out into the dimly lit hallway. The scent grew stronger with each step, guiding me like a beacon.
And then, I saw her.
Aurora.
The blood drained from my face as reality crashed over me like ice water.
I had admired her from afar years ago when she'd returned to the Silver Moon Pack. Her poised strength had caught my attention then, but knowing who she was—Alex's mate—had been enough to keep me away.
Now she stood there, her violet eyes glassy with tears, stumbling toward me like she'd had too much to drink.
"Alex?" she murmured, her voice tinged with heartbreak. "You came back..."
The words gutted me, even though they weren’t for me.
My hands clenched at my sides. So this was it. The prophecy was true. She was destined for someone else, no matter how much Logan and I ached for her now.
But before I could back away, she was in my arms.
I froze, every fiber of my being torn between longing and disbelief. Her scent enveloped me, intoxicating in ways I hadn't known possible. Even Logan quieted, stunned by the intensity of the bond.
"Aurora, I—" I tried, but her fingers gripped my shirt tightly, silencing me.
Then, without warning, she kissed me.
Her lips brushed against mine, soft yet desperate, and I felt my carefully constructed control unraveling.
Heat coursed through me, and for just a moment, I gave in. My arms instinctively circled her waist, pulling her closer.
But reality returned like a slap to the face.
This wasn't right. She didn’t even know it was me. To her, I was Alex.
I pulled away abruptly, breaking the kiss even as Logan snarled in protest. "Aurora, you—"
She stumbled again, clearly drunk, and I caught her before she could hit the ground. Her head rested against my chest, and the sound of her quiet sobs tore at me.
"Please... don't leave me," she whispered as she clung to me, her voice cracking. "Not again..."
I closed my eyes, battling the war raging within me. Her broken plea, her closeness—it would have been so easy to lose myself completely.
Carefully lifting her into my arms, I carried her down the hallway and into the private room Daniel had reserved for me.
I laid her gently on the sofa, my heart heavy with emotion as she curled into the blanket I'd draped over her.
I stood there for a long time, watching her sleep. Her guard was down for the first time, and the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide was written all over her peaceful face.
Between fitful murmurs, she said his name again. "Alex..."
Logan growled low in my mind. "He's unworthy. She's ours to protect now."
But could I? She wasn’t just any wolf. She was the heir to the Silver Moon Pack. She was Alex’s mate—or had been.
Still, I couldn’t deny the truth. She was my mate. The one person in the world I was destined for. And I could already feel Logan refusing to let her go, no matter how wrong this situation seemed.
When dawn broke, I made her a fresh cup of hangover tea, reheating it multiple times as I watched her stir. The sudden rush of hope I felt when she proposed to me again mirrored Logan’s triumphant howl.
But Daniel’s voice nagged at the back of my mind. “Don’t be too eager,” he had warned me before. “Sometimes you have to make them want it.”
Taking his advice, I tried playing it cool, masking the truth of how badly I wanted her to stay.
But as soon as she placed her hand on the doorknob, intent on walking away, Logan clawed at me furiously. The panic in his growls mirrored my frustration.
I acted without thinking, stopping her just in time. I couldn’t let her go. Not now, not ever.
“Aurora,” I said, my voice softer this time. “Wait.”
When she turned to face me, I knew my decision was made.
"I won't lose her," Logan rumbled in my soul, and this time, I agreed wholeheartedly.
- Writer
