His Undercover Luna

Chapter 8

Roxy

I quickly jumped out of Ace's hold, turning abruptly as Aiden approached. Relief washed over me, but it came with a heavy weight in my chest.

“What the hell are you thinking!?” Aiden’s voice screamed in my mind through our link, his face calm but his anger undeniable as he approached with a smile.

“I got caught up, okay! It’s hard to resist,” I replied honestly, my frustration spilling into my tone.

Aiden immediately cut off the connection, a clear sign of his anger. He never shut me out—not once in our lives. The realization stung.

“Hey, man,” Ace greeted as Aiden stopped in front of us, completely oblivious to the storm brewing between us.

“Hey, guys. I was looking for Roxy, and Calum said she might be here. Do you mind if I borrow her for a bit? I’d like to talk,” Aiden said, resting a hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll see you both back at the house.” Ace threw his towel over his shoulder, giving us a friendly nod before heading toward the exit.

The moment he was out of earshot, my wolf let out a soft, involuntary whimper that slipped through my lips. Aiden’s head snapped toward me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Seriously, Roxy? It’s been two days, and you’re already falling for him? You told me you could handle this!” he hissed.

“I know, okay? But it’s harder than I thought!” I shot back, exasperated. His sharp tone and my own frustration had me on edge.

“Come on,” he muttered, leading me outside to the edge of the training field. His strides were brisk and full of tension, and I knew this conversation wasn’t going to end well.

“What’s our number one rule, Rox?” he asked as soon as we were out of earshot of anyone else.

“Never get attached,” I mumbled, barely meeting his gaze.

“What?” he pressed, though I knew he heard the first time.

“Never get attached!” I repeated with a huff.

“Exactly. And it’s been two days, and you’re already breaking the biggest rule. What next, huh? You’re gonna go spill our mission to him? Tell him everything?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Aiden,” I snapped, my tone matching his. “You know I’d never do that!”

“Can you blame me? A minute later, and I would’ve walked in on you locking lips with the Alpha of Truemoon Pack!” His voice rose with each word, frustration dripping from every syllable.

“That’s just it I don’t know if he’s the enemy!” The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them, and I instantly regretted it. Aiden’s face twisted in disbelief and hurt, his eyes searching mine for an explanation I couldn’t give.

His silence was heavier than his words ever could be. For the first time, I saw my brother truly question my loyalty, and the realization left a knot in my stomach.

“When you decide whose side you’re really on, you know where to find me. But for now, I’m going to complete my mission—with or without you,” he said, his voice eerily calm.

Without another word, he shifted into his wolf and disappeared into the dense forest. I stood there, stunned, my chest tightening with every second that passed.

Sinking to the ground, I buried my head between my knees. The weight of everything came crashing down at once—Ace, Aiden, the mission. How did I let it get to this point?

All my life, I’d dreamed of finding my mate, imagining what life would be like when I finally met him. I envisioned completing this mission, returning to my pack victorious, and then finding my mate to start a new chapter. I’d pictured building a life of love and happiness, bringing my pups back to visit their uncle and grandfather.

But now? That dream felt like a distant memory, shattered by the harsh reality of my situation. My mate wasn’t someone I could love freely. My mate was the very man my pack viewed as the enemy.

My subconscious tried to reassure me. You can always find another mate. It happens all the time. But the thought felt hollow. The mate bond was sacred, something to be cherished. How could I just throw that away? How could I betray him—and myself—by doing so?

But how could I betray my family and my pack, the very people who depended on me? No matter what I did, someone would get hurt.

I sighed deeply, pulling myself off the ground and trudging back to the house. The glow of the lights felt almost mocking, as if they were a reminder of the warmth and peace I couldn’t have.

Once back inside, I freshened up and grabbed a quick dinner, which I ate in my room. Every bite felt like a struggle, my appetite nowhere to be found. As the evening wore on, my mind grew more restless.

I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t delay this any longer.

With determination in each step, I made my way to his room. My heart pounded in my chest, but I forced myself to ignore the doubt creeping into my mind. I needed to do this. I needed to set boundaries—for both our sakes.

When I reached his door, I hesitated for a brief moment. Doubt clawed at me, but I pushed it aside, knocking softly. I heard shuffling from inside, and a few moments later, the door opened.

He looked surprised but hopeful, his eyes lighting up as they met mine. “Roxy?” he said softly. “What are you doing here?”

"I'm in, for real this time," I told Aiden as soon as I entered his room. His face lit up with a wide smile.

"I knew you'd come around, sis. But how do you plan to keep, you know who, at bay?" he asked, leaning against his desk.

I paused, turning the question over in my mind. I was confident I could stay away from Ace if I kept myself busy, but deep down, I wasn’t sure how long I could truly keep him away.

"I'll just have to make him hate me," I stated nonchalantly, as if it were the simplest solution in the world. But we both knew it wasn’t. Getting your mate to hate you was like trying to teach a pig to fly.

Unsurprisingly, my wolf didn’t take kindly to the idea. She growled her disapproval, sending ripples of unease through me. I pushed her objections aside—thankfully, I was still the one in control.

Why was I doing this?

The thought hit me hard, but I quickly brushed it away. I couldn’t bear the look on the faces of everyone I loved if I chose my own happiness over the vow I’d made. It tore me up to think of giving up Ace, but my subconscious reminded me that I could always find another mate. The moon would grant me this one exception—surely it had to.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that? From what I can tell, he’s already whipped," Aiden said, crossing his arms.

I straightened my shoulders, mustering the most confident expression I could. "Aiden, you know me. Once I set my mind to something, I do it," I said, giving his shoulder a reassuring pat.

He gave me a skeptical look, the kind that spoke volumes without him needing to say a word. I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"That's what you said two days ago, and then I found you almost kissing the guy," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Look, I know I messed up. It was hard. But now I’m not doubting what I want anymore. That’s the difference," I replied firmly, hoping he could hear the conviction in my voice.

Aiden didn’t look entirely convinced, but I could see a flicker of faith in his eyes. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for now.

"Good. We start 'training' tomorrow," he said, making air quotes with his fingers. "You’ll only join us for the physical stuff once a week, as you requested. But you have to tone it down, Rox," he warned, his voice serious.

I rolled my eyes. "I can act, Aiden. But Ace already knows I’m past the basics, so I can’t pretend to be completely clueless," I smirked, enjoying the slight exasperation that flashed across his face.

"You just had to show off your skills, didn’t you?" he said, shaking his head with a chuckle. "I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you."

Before I could respond, he pulled me into a warm hug. I let myself relax for a moment, savoring the comfort of his embrace.

This is what’s right, I thought. Being with family, making them proud. Do I really need a mate when I have this?

I can do this. I know I can.