Chapter 5: The First Night
1242 Words
Zane's POV
She swayed on her feet, but held her head high until the hall doors closed behind us. The moment we were alone, Celeste's knees buckled.
I caught her before she hit the floor, sweeping her into my arms. "Too much too soon."
"I'm fine," she protested weakly.
"You're bleeding through your bandages." The scent of copper filled my nose. "Stop being stubborn."
Her amber eyes flashed. "Says the Alpha who just made me confront my ex-mate hours after I nearly died."
"You needed to face him. To show him you survived." I carried her toward the medical wing. "Hiding would have given him power."
She went quiet, processing. Smart little wolf.
Doctor Hayes met us at the door, already prepared. "I told you she needed rest."
"She needed to establish dominance first," I replied, setting Celeste on the examination table.
"Dominance?" Celeste laughed bitterly. "I could barely stand."
"Yet you stood." I watched Hayes check her wounds. "You looked him in the eye and didn't break. That's strength."
"That's fear," she corrected. "I was terrified."
"Fear and courage aren't opposites, Luna. They're partners."
Hayes finished his examination. "The stitches held, barely. But you need complete bed rest for at least three days. No more dramatic confrontations."
"Three days?" Celeste looked panicked. "But the contract…"
"Can wait." I turned to Hayes. "Move her to the Luna suite."
Both of them stared at me. The Luna suite hadn't been used since my mother died.
"Alpha," Hayes said carefully, "are you certain?"
"She's my Luna now, isn't she?" The words came out sharper than intended. "Or should I house her in the servants' quarters?"
"The guest room was fine…" Celeste started.
"The guest room is for guests. You're pack now."
Hayes wisely stayed silent as he prepared a wheelchair. But Celeste had questions written all over her face.
The Luna suite took up the entire third floor of the east wing. I hadn't been inside in years, but my staff kept it pristine. Waiting.
"This is too much," Celeste breathed, taking in the spacious bedroom with its attached office, library, and private balcony.
"This is necessary." I watched her eyes widen at the luxury. "Thea will visit soon. She needs to believe you've taken her place."
Something shifted in her expression. "Tell me about her. Your ex."
"Why?"
"If I'm going to convince people I'm your Luna, I need to know what I'm up against."
Strategic thinking. I approved.
"Thea Raven. Alpha bloodline. We dated for two years, engaged for one." I moved to the window, watching the training grounds below. "She wanted power more than she wanted me."
"What happened?"
"I found her in bed with a visiting Alpha. She said it meant nothing, just politics." My jaw tightened at the memory. "I disagreed."
"So you ended it?"
"Six months ago. She's been trying to get back ever since. Says it was a mistake, that she loves me." I turned to find Celeste watching me intently. "She doesn't. She loves what I represent."
"And your council?"
"Wants me mated. An unmated Alpha is considered unstable. Thea's the obvious choice… strong bloodline, powerful connections."
"But you'd rather fake mate a pregnant refugee than give her another chance."
"Yes."
She tilted her head. "You really hate her that much?"
"I really value loyalty that much." I moved closer. "Which brings us to ground rules."
She straightened, all business despite her exhaustion.
"First, in public, we're devoted mates. No hesitation, no flinching when I touch you."
"Define touch."
"Hand holding, arm around you, occasional forehead kiss. Nothing inappropriate."
She nodded.
"Second, you attend all pack functions as Luna. Training sessions, meetings, celebrations."
"While pregnant?"
"Especially while pregnant. It sells the image… Alpha protecting his expecting Luna."
"Third?"
"My sister is off limits for your healing experiments."
Her jaw set stubbornly. "I can help her."
"Many have tried…"
"I'm not them." She stood, swaying slightly but determined. "I felt the binding on her wolf. It's killing her slowly."
"You don't understand…"
"No, you don't understand." Her eyes blazed golden, her wolf pushing forward. "That binding isn't natural. Someone did that to her. Someone with dark magic."
The words hit like ice water. "What do you mean someone?"
"Bindings like that require intent. Malice. Someone wanted your sister to suffer."
My wolf roared to the surface. The implications...
"Who?"
"I don't know. But I might be able to trace it, given time." She stepped closer, fearless despite my barely contained rage. "Let me try. What do you have to lose?"
"Hope," I said quietly. "I'd lose hope."
Her expression softened. "Then don't hope. Just let me work."
A knock interrupted. Sam entered with a tray of food and medication.
"Luna needs to eat," he said, setting it on the bedside table. Then to me: "Thea's arriving tomorrow."
"Of course she is." I rubbed my temples. "News travels fast."
"She's bringing her father."
Alpha Raven. Political heavyweight and Thea's biggest weapon.
Celeste must have sensed my tension. "I'll be ready."
"You'll be in bed resting…"
"I'll be greeting my Alpha's ex-lover like a proper Luna." Her chin lifted. "Unless you want to appear weak?"
Sam coughed to hide a laugh.
"Fine," I conceded. "But Hayes approves your involvement first."
She smiled, the first real smile I'd seen from her. It transformed her whole face.
"Now eat," I ordered, uncomfortable with the warmth spreading through my chest.
I headed for the door, needing distance from that smile.
"Zane?"
I paused. She'd used my name, not my title.
"Thank you. For saving me. For this chance."
"Don't thank me yet, little wolf. You haven't met Thea."
As I left, I heard her whisper to her pup, "We can do this, little one. We're stronger than they think."
I believed her.
That was the problem.
In my office, I pulled up our security footage from the border. Watched her crawling through mud and blood to reach my territory. Most wolves would have given up, accepted death.
Not her.
"Boss?" Sam entered without knocking, his privilege as my Beta and only real friend. "You sure about this?"
"Which part?"
"All of it. The fake mating, housing her in your mother's suite, antagonizing Silver Moon."
"Garrett Storm is weak. His father is the real threat."
"And Thea?"
"Is about to learn she's replaceable."
Sam studied me. "There's something else. About the girl."
"What about her?"
"She smells... different. Not just the pregnancy."
I'd noticed it too. Under the herbs and pregnancy hormones was something else. Something ancient.
"Run a background check. Quiet. Deep as you can go."
"You think she's hiding something?"
"Everyone hides something." I turned back to the monitors. "Find out what."
On the screen, Celeste had curled up in the Luna bed, one hand on her stomach, already asleep. Vulnerable. Trusting.
I'd saved her because leaving her to die felt wrong. The contract was supposed to be simple, mutual benefit, nothing more.
But watching her face Garrett, seeing her strength despite her fear, feeling her determination to help Luna...
This was already more complicated than I'd planned.
My phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number:
"You have something that belongs to me. Return her, or face the consequences. - Magnus Storm"
Alpha Storm
. Garrett's father.
I deleted the message and made a mental note to increase border patrols.
Let him come.
He'd find his lost little healer had grown claws.
And she had an Alpha's protection now.
Mine.
- Writer
