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1320 Words
JENNA’S POV
Everyone fell silent.
I’m his mate.
The words echoed inside my head, surreal and fragile, like a dream that could shatter if I breathed too loudly. Was he playing with me? Because if this was some cruel joke, it wasn’t funny.
But this was the Alpha. The man who never treated serious matters lightly.
If we truly were mates, then it explained the tightening in my chest, the racing of my heart whenever he was near.
“Alpha, you must be mistaken,” Mother said, stepping forward quickly. “This is Jenna,” she added, gesturing toward me as though he couldn’t tell us apart, even though Jessie and I were fraternal twins and looked nothing alike.
“And this right here is Jessie,” she continued, pointing toward my sister, whose mouth hung open in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief.
“I can see that,” he replied calmly. “I know who my mate is. I am not mistaken.”
He stepped closer.
Instinctively, I stepped back, avoiding his intense gaze. This was everything I had secretly dreamed of, yet it felt too perfect.
It couldn’t be me.
“Look at me,” he commanded softly.
As if compelled by something deeper than obedience, I lifted my gaze and locked eyes with him.
The world faded, and the room fell quiet. For a moment, it felt like only the two of us existed.
“I would like to speak with my mate privately,” he said.
My heart skipped violently.
Was he going to reject me? Had he realized how weak I was? Maybe he thought claiming me was a mistake.
Everyone filed out reluctantly. Jessie and Mother lingered just long enough to glare daggers at me before leaving.
Once the door shut, he stepped closer again. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
Suddenly, he gently gripped my wrist and pulled me toward him. My stomach fluttered wildly, excitement coursing through me. It took everything in me not to explode from overwhelming emotion.
“You are my mate.”
Murmurs ran through the room.
“Jenna?”
“The unshifted one?”
Confusion spread faster than rage.
“That is all that matters.” he said quietly, his voice firm. “That is not something I take lightly.”
Fireworks erupted inside my chest. My knees nearly gave out.
No one had ever said that to me before. Not even my parents. And hearing it from the Alpha of White Olives pack?
It felt unreal.
“In three days,” he continued, “during the First Moon festival, I will announce you as my mate.”
He stepped back, putting deliberate distance between us, as though reminding himself who he was.
“Why… why me?” I whispered. “You could have chosen my sister instead. She’s the better one.”
“And why should I choose her simply because she’s ‘better’?” he asked quietly. “I don’t need any confirmation. I know it’s you.”
This had to be a dream. But it wasn’t.
“Prepare yourself for that night,” he said with a faint smirk before turning and leaving.
I stared after him until he disappeared through the doorway.
I pinched myself, half expecting to wake up. But the sharp sting confirmed it. I was awake.
How had everything changed so quickly?
“This isn’t possible,” Jessie whispered, shaking her head. “It has to be a mistake.”
Jessie staggered back as if struck instead, her face draining of color.
“How dare you steal my man?” she screamed.
“What did you do?” Mother demanded, rushing toward us.
“I did nothing,” I said shakily. “Maybe you should ask the Moon Goddess that question.”
“Now she talks back,” Mother snapped.
“Mother, the Alpha is mine!” Jessie cried. “Jenna took him from me! She must have done something to him!”
Mother immediately pulled her into a comforting hug. I wasn’t surprised. Jessie had always been their favorite, because she wasn’t a disappointment.
“Jenna,” Mother said coldly, “if word spreads about this, our family name will be ruined. You’re weak. You cannot become Luna.”
Jessie suddenly grabbed my hands tightly. “Please,” she sobbed. “The Alpha is mine. Reject him.”
I yanked my hands free and stepped back.
“Why does none of you ever want me to be happy?” I asked, my voice breaking. “For once, something good is happening to me, and suddenly I’m the villain?”
The words burst out before I could stop them.
“I’ve always liked the Alpha,” I confessed. “I won’t reject him. He is my mate. I deserve happiness too, and I won’t let anyone take it from me.”
For once in my life, I chose myself.
I turned and walked toward my room.
“You will regret this!” Jessie screamed after me.
…
The day of the announcement arrived.
The house had been eerily quiet. No one mentioned Jessie being the perfect match for the Alpha anymore.
Together, we entered the pack hall. Lights flashed brightly as laughter echoed through the massive space. The thick scent of strong wine filled the air. Tables overflowed with food while music thundered through the hall.
Jessie immediately disappeared into the crowd, joining her friends.
Taking a steady breath, I glanced toward the VIP section. My eyes found him instantly.
Alpha Ryan sat among the elders, engaged in deep conversation. A soft smile curved my lips as I watched him, my chest warming.
As if sensing my gaze, he looked up. Our eyes locked. His lips tilted slightly upward before he returned his attention to the elders.
“The Alpha will announce you today,” Mother whispered sharply beside me. “Do not embarrass this family.”
Alpha Ryan stepped onto the podium, and the hall fell silent.
“Today is an important day for me,” he began. “A day I introduce my mate to this pack.”
Cheers erupted. Murmurs spread rapidly through the crowd. Many believed the Alpha didn’t even have a mate, making the announcement shocking.
“My mate is from the Miller family,” he continued, his gaze settling on me. “She is-”
The grand doors burst open. Everyone turned.
Elder Bruce, commander of the warriors, stormed in with several guards. Between them, they dragged a battered young man whose face was barely recognizable beneath bruises and blood.
They stopped before the Alpha and bowed.
“My lord, forgive the interruption,” Bruce said grimly. “This is urgent. This man is a spy from the Dark Moon Pack.”
Gasps rippled through the hall. Dark Moon Pack, our sworn enemies for over a decade.
Bruce continued, “He confessed he has an accomplice within our pack. Someone providing them information that helped them counter our attacks.”
“Who?” Alpha Ryan growled.
The ground trembled beneath our feet. Fear silenced the crowd instantly.
My gaze drifted toward the spy. Despite knowing he was an enemy, pity stirred inside me.
“Who is helping your Alpha?” Bruce demanded, striking him again.
The man screamed in agony. He coughed, blood spilling from his lips as he slowly lifted his head. His gaze swept across the hall until it landed on me.
My breath caught. He raised a trembling finger.
“She is our spy,” he croaked. “She marked the eastern routes for us. We followed her scent.”
“Jenna Miller is our spy.”
Ryan didn’t speak immediately.
The silence stretched, heavy and dangerous.
“This accusation will not be decided tonight,” he said at last. “She will be confined until the truth is known.”
The world went silent.
- Writer
