f*******n by the Alpha

Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

The scent of pine and freshly turned earth fills my lungs as I take a seat on the worn bench beside Lucas, under the sprawling branches of our meeting tree. Daisy flutters down next to me like a bright cardinal, her red hair catching the sunlight in fiery strands.

"Spill it, Isla. We've been waiting all morning," Daisy practically bounces with anticipation, her green eyes sparkling with unspoken excitement. My two friends have been gone the last few days, part of a hunting party, and they have yet to hear the news.

I draw in a deep breath, feeling the weight of the revelation I'm about to disclose. Lucas leans forward, his expression serious, a stark contrast to Daisy's eagerness. He senses the gravity before the words even tumble out.

"Mark... he chose me," I confess, letting the bomb drop into the circle of us three. "I'm to be his Luna."

Daisy gasps, hands flying to cover her mouth, while Lucas remains stoically silent but his eyes betray a flicker of concern. The reality of becoming the alpha's mate has yet to fully sink in for me, yet here I am, watching my friends digest the news.

"Wow, Isla, that's incredible!" Daisy finally bursts out, her cheerfulness unable to be contained. "You'll make an amazing Luna!"

"Thanks, Daisy," I reply, though my smile doesn't quite reach my eyes. Lucas's gaze bores into me, full of unspoken words.

"Are you happy about this?" he asks bluntly, cutting through Daisy's effervescence like a knife.

Before I can muster a response, Gem strides over from across the clearing, her presence like a sudden shadow casting over us. Her brown eyes lock onto mine, hard and glinting like flint.

"Congratulations, Isla," she says, though her tone is anything but congratulatory. "I suppose being pretty really does get you everywhere, even if it's straight into the Alpha's favor."

Her words sting more than they should, and I feel my defenses flare up. But before I can counter, Lucas's voice rises, calm yet firm.

"Being Luna is not about looks, Gem. It's about strength and unity. Qualities Isla has in abundance."

Gem's lips twist into a sneer, clearly unconvinced. "We'll see how well her 'qualities' serve her when it's time to lead. Being Mark's pretty little bride won't be enough then."

Daisy's hand finds mine, squeezing tight, as if to remind me I'm not alone in this. But Gem’s words echo inside me, feeding doubts that have already begun to sprout.

"Let's hope for the pack's sake you're wrong," I manage to say, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Gem huffs, tossing her brown hair over her shoulder as she stalks away, leaving a silence filled with unsaid thoughts and simmering tension. Daisy breaks it first, leaning into me with a supportive nudge.

"Don't listen to her, Isla. You’re going to be great."

Lucas nods, though his eyes are still clouded with worry. I try to absorb their confidence, to let it bolster my own. But as their words fade into the rustling leaves around us, Gem’s bitter jealousy lingers, a reminder that not everyone in the Pine Pack will be ready to accept me as their Luna.

***

I weave through the trees, my heart pounding in a rhythm that matches the thrum of life around me. The forest breathes with me, whispers of leaves and distant calls of night creatures acting as a backdrop to the turmoil twisting inside. I can't shake Gem's words, or the doubt they've seeded.

"Hey," Lucas calls out from behind. He catches up easily, his athletic frame moving with the grace only a shifter possesses. "You're going to wear a path in the forest if you keep pacing like that."

"Maybe that's what I need," I reply, trying for lightness and missing by a mile. "A path that leads somewhere... certain."

Lucas falls into step beside me, his presence a silent support. I glance at him, grateful, but it’s not enough to ease the weight in my chest. "What if Gem is right? What if Mark only chose me because—" My voice falters, the words feel like admitting defeat.

"Because you're beautiful?" Lucas finishes for me, a brow raised. "That's not all you are, Isla, and you know it."

"Sometimes, I'm not so sure." I stop abruptly, staring at the moon peeking through the silhouette of towering pines. It's full and bright, casting a silver glow that seems to spotlight my fears. "When Mark looks at me, there's this... appraisal, like he's judging a prize heifer rather than seeing me."

"Mark's a tough read," Lucas admits, and there's a hint of frustration in his voice that tells me he's wrestled with understanding our Alpha too. "But trust me, he sees more than just a pretty face. He sees your determination, your kindness—"

"Qualities that don't matter if I can't fill the role of Luna," I interrupt, the words bitter on my tongue.

"Isn't that for you to decide?" His question hangs between us, a challenge I'm not sure I'm ready to accept.

"Maybe." I sigh, resuming my walking, needing the action, the forward motion, to counter the stagnation of my thoughts. "It just feels like there's this version of me that everyone expects now. But it's not me; it's just the shell, the surface, the... facade."

"Then show them who the real Isla is," he urges, reaching out to briefly squeeze my shoulder. "Let them see the woman who's run with me under the moonlit sky since we were pups. The friend who patched me up after my first shift went sideways. That's the Isla who will lead alongside Mark."

"Easy for you to say." I attempt a smile, but it doesn't quite reach my eyes. "You're not the one stepping into a role that feels like it was made for someone else. Someone more..."

"Capable? Strong? Fierce?" Lucas supplies, then shakes his head. "You're all those things, Isla. You just need to believe it."

Believe. The word ricochets through my mind, a simple command that feels as insurmountable as scaling a cliff with bare hands. But as I look again to the moon, its steadfast glow offers a silent promise—a reminder that even shrouded in darkness, it's still there, still shining.

"Okay," I whisper, more to myself than to Lucas. "I'll try."

"Trying's the first step," he agrees with a nod, and I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, I can find the strength to be not just a pretty face, but a Luna worthy of the Pine Pack.