His Undercover Luna

Chapter 4

Roxy

"He's my mate," I whispered, still starstruck.

"What do you mean he's your mate?" Aiden gritted out, his tone sharp with frustration.

I didn’t miss the growl that came from Ace when Aiden grabbed me. If I knew anything about mates, it was that they were fiercely possessive.

Not now, please.

I already felt overwhelmed and utterly confused. Seeing my mate had thrown me entirely off balance, and the last thing I needed was to make a rash decision I’d regret later.

"Can you give us a minute, please?" I blurted out, grabbing Aiden’s arm and dragging him outside before Ace could intervene.

I caught the flash of disappointment on Ace’s face as I stepped out, and what confused me most was the small twinge of guilt that followed. Why did I feel bad for him?

"You do know we’re going to have to abort the mission now, right?" Aiden hissed as soon as we stepped into the cool breeze. "We need to come up with a new plan and find somewhere else to stay."

"Keep your voice down!" I whisper-shouted, glancing nervously at the house. "And no, we’re not aborting the mission. We need to stay close to them to get the information we came for. You know that."

"But Rox, he’s your mate! He’s not going to stop until he has you," Aiden said, his voice thick with frustration.

"Look, you know me better than anyone," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "I can avoid him until we leave, okay? I can’t be mates with the enemy anyway, so just relax."

Aiden studied me, his jaw tight with worry, but eventually, he nodded. "Fine. But this bond thing—it’s going to make everything harder for you."

I exhaled slowly, knowing he was right. "I’ve been through worse, Aiden. I can handle this."

At least, I hoped I could.

"We should at least tell Dad—"

"No!" I cut him off quickly. "Nobody tells Dad anything. If he finds out, he’ll pull us out and try to come up with a new plan, and that will raise suspicion. We can’t afford that."

Aiden frowned but didn’t argue further. "Promise me you won’t tell him until we’re back home," I pressed.

"I promise," he sighed reluctantly.

I held out my pinky, and he locked his with mine. Childish, maybe, but our pinky swears were sacred—unbreakable. They always had been.

"Let’s go back," I said, feeling a bit more resolute. If avoiding my mate was what it took to stay on track, then so be it.

Aiden kissed my forehead gently, a silent reassurance, and we headed inside. But the moment I crossed the threshold, all my newfound confidence evaporated. Ace’s scent hit me like a tidal wave, intoxicating and overwhelming. My steps faltered, and I caught sight of his face, his intense hazel eyes locked onto Aiden like a predator zeroing in on prey.

My heart raced. Had he overheard our conversation? Was his anger directed at both of us?

"Why are you looking at him like that?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain steady.

Ace’s gaze snapped to me, and just like that, his expression softened. His eyes, fierce moments ago, were now warm and tender.

"Why is he holding you like that? And why did he kiss you?"

"So you were spying on us?" Aiden’s tone was sharp, and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at the irony.

"I have every right to spy—she’s my mate."

"And she’s my sister," Aiden shot back. His words landed like a hammer, and for a moment, Ace seemed stunned into silence.

He rubbed his temples with a groan. "Right," he muttered. "The Alpha’s kids are here to train." His words were low, almost as if he was talking to himself, and I caught the faintest curse under his breath.

"I apologize for my behavior earlier," he said after a moment, his voice calm but laced with guilt. "My judgment was… clouded. I’m not usually like this."

I ignored the fluttering in my chest every time he said "mate." This bond had to be ignored—no matter how much my body seemed to betray me.

Ace turned to the others in the room, his demeanor shifting back to that of a leader. "Let’s officially welcome them," he commanded.

Everyone snapped into a line, their stances formal as if on cue. One by one, they stepped forward to introduce themselves, stating their ranks and offering polite greetings. I was impressed by their ability to transition seamlessly from casual to professional—it spoke to their discipline and structure.

When it was Ace’s turn, he approached Aiden first. Their handshake was firm, and their exchange was civil, though I didn’t miss the flicker of tension still lingering between them.

Finally, he turned to me, and my heart leapt into my throat.

"Welcome, ma chérie," he murmured, his voice low and velvety.

I swallowed hard, unable to find my voice. His hazel eyes held mine captive as he reached for my hand. Instead of shaking it, he brought it to his lips. The kiss was soft and fleeting, but the jolt of electricity it sent through me was anything but subtle.

My breath hitched, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. My body betrayed me, leaning into the connection despite my resolve.

Damn mate bonds.

Thankfully, Aiden cleared his throat, breaking the spell. Ace reluctantly released my hand, stepping back with a smirk that sent my heart into overdrive.

"I already introduced my sister and me," Aiden began, his voice steady and formal. "I trust the Alpha already has all the information he needs. I hope my sister and I will be treated hospitably during our stay."

Ace’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of our eventual departure, and I had to stifle a laugh. Funny that he thought I was staying.

Aiden continued.

"And I do hope no harm comes to me or my little sister by any of your hands." I shot him a glare.

"I'm not your little sister, Aiden, we're twins!" I slapped his arm with every word. He winced and tried to catch my hand, failing miserably.

A series of gasps erupted around the room. I looked up to see everyone staring at us, wide-eyed.

"You guys are twins?" Calum and Lilly asked in unison, their voices tinged with disbelief. They exchanged a shared look of awe, like they’d just stumbled upon a hidden treasure.

"Uh, yeah," I said in a "duh" tone, as if it should’ve been the most obvious thing in the world.

To be fair, the confusion was understandable. While Aiden and I were similar in many ways, there were distinct differences. Aiden inherited sandy blonde hair from Mom, while my cinnamon and chestnut brown waves were unmistakably Dad’s. His eyes were also a shade lighter than mine, and he always looked slightly older, despite being born only minutes before me. Okay, I could see how they'd need clarification.

"That’s so cool! Who came out first?" Ryan asked, his excitement bubbling over.

"Me," Aiden and I said at the same time, glaring at each other.

We immediately locked into a signature stare-off, something we’d done since childhood during the "who’s older" argument. With Mom gone and Dad always shrugging off the question, we’d never known for sure. It didn’t matter, though. This rivalry was ours, and it was sacred.

A throat cleared, snapping us out of our silent battle. I glanced up, realizing our bags had already disappeared to our rooms.

"If there isn’t anything else, I’d like to get settled," I said, turning my attention to the group.

"I’ll show you to your room," Lilly offered, practically bouncing with excitement.

Before I could respond, Ace interjected smoothly. "I’ll take her there personally."

I didn’t even acknowledge him. "I’d love for you to show me, Lilly." I smiled at her, pointedly ignoring Ace’s presence.

Lilly hesitated, her eyes darting between us. Ace’s jaw tensed, but after a moment of silent communication, he nodded, clearly unhappy. The flash of hurt in his eyes sent an ache through my chest, but I buried it deep. I couldn’t let it affect me.

"Maybe she’s just tired, bro. She’ll come around," I heard Calum mutter as Lilly led me toward the grand staircase.

We stopped in front of an enormous double door. I hesitated, thinking there was no way this palace of a room was mine. Lilly grinned and pushed the doors open, revealing a space fit for royalty.

The room was massive. A king-sized bed dominated the center, and my luggage sat neatly beside a walk-in closet that practically begged to be filled. The attached bathroom gleamed with luxury, complete with a bathtub so large it could double as a small pool.

"You like?" Lilly asked, fiddling with the ends of her fiery red hair. Her striking beauty caught me off guard again.

"Uh, yeah, this is… good. Thanks," I said, offering her a genuine smile. Her warmth and friendliness were disarming, making it harder to stick to my resolve not to get attached.

Focus on the mission, Roxy.

"You know, he’s a really nice guy," Lilly said out of nowhere, her voice light.

"Who?" I knew exactly who she meant, but I asked anyway.

"The Alpha," she said with a laugh. "Once you get to know him, trust me, you won’t want to let go."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Letting go was the only thing I could do. If the bond consumed me, the mission would fail. I’d seen what mate bonds did to others—it was nearly impossible to resist. But I would be one of the few exceptions. I had to be.

After showing me around, Lilly left to help prepare dinner. I sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. We’d trained for every possible scenario, but this? This wasn’t in the manual. Nobody warned us about mates being part of the equation.

Everything about Ace—the way he looked at me, the way his touch lingered—made my body rebel against my resolve. My wolf, who had been steadfast in our mission until now, was suddenly torn. She wanted him. She needed him. And she was furious at me for pushing him away.

I groaned and fell back onto the bed, covering my face with a pillow. The faces of everyone back home—Dad, Phillip, the warriors who had prepared me for this—flashed through my mind. I couldn’t let them down. I wouldn’t.

The intoxicating scent of cedar and something faintly sweet filled the room, and my body went rigid. Ace.

The scent grew stronger, his presence unmistakable as he approached my door. My heart raced, my mind a whirlwind of fear and anticipation. What would he do? Would he demand my submission? Would he force the bond?

I held my breath as his footsteps slowed outside the door. There was a soft knock, tentative and gentle. I stayed silent, frozen in place. The knock came again, then stopped.

"Hey," his voice was soft, barely more than a whisper. "Take all the time you need. I’ll be ready to talk whenever you’re ready. If you want to find me, I’m at the first door on the third level or the last door at the end of the hall."

His words lingered in the air, a mix of understanding and longing. Relief washed over me, easing the tension in my chest. He wasn’t going to force anything. Not tonight.

I stayed silent, not wanting to give him false hope. Eventually, I heard his retreating footsteps, and the ache in my chest returned.

My wolf whimpered, her pain audible even through the thick barrier I’d erected between us. I felt terrible, knowing I was hurting both her and Ace. But whichever path I chose, someone would get hurt.

This mission was supposed to be my hardest challenge, but Ace had changed the stakes entirely. How could I navigate this and keep my sanity intact?

I didn’t know. But I had to figure it out.

One way or another.