The Alpha's Secret Mate

Chapter 6:The Moon Between Us

The full moon hung low and swollen in the night sky, spilling soft silver light through the windows of Riy’s cabin. It bathed the room in a glow that made everything feel surreal—too fragile, too beautiful.

Liana stood barefoot in the center of the room, her loose dress clinging to her curves, eyes locked with his. Her power buzzed beneath her skin like a storm restrained, but it was her gaze that held Riy in place.

"You keep looking at me like I’m going to vanish," she said, voice a whisper.

"Because I’m afraid one day I’ll wake up and this will all be a dream," he replied, stepping closer. "Or worse—you’ll realize you deserve more than a broken Alpha."

She reached for him, palms to his chest, grounding him.

"I don’t want more," she whispered. "I want you."

Their lips met in the kind of kiss that devours silence. Riy’s arms wrapped around her, lifting her into him, as though he could press their souls together and never let go. The tension that had lingered between them for days—months—snapped like a dam breaking.

Her fingers slid through his hair as she kissed him deeper, pulling him down with her to the furs on the floor.

Clothing came off in gasps and moans, slow and reverent at first, then desperate. Riy took his time exploring her body like it was sacred territory. His lips moved over her throat, her collarbone, her breasts—leaving a trail of fire and reverence in his wake.

And when he finally entered her, it wasn’t just physical.

Their bond surged.

Wild Blood collided with Alpha strength. Magic lit the room. Their marks glowed on their wrists, matching pulses.

Riy braced himself above her, his forehead resting against hers. “You’re everything,” he said, voice ragged. “Everything I was never supposed to have.”

“And I’m not giving you up,” she gasped, moving her hips against his. “So don’t even try.”

Their bodies moved together, a rhythm ancient and raw, echoing the power of the moon and the pack itself. Liana cried out as waves of pleasure crashed over her, and Riy followed, holding her tightly as he buried his face in her neck, whispering her name like a prayer.

---

Later, they lay tangled in the furs, limbs entwined, hearts pounding in unison.

Liana turned her head toward him. “Did you feel it? That… surge? Like the bond doubled?”

He nodded slowly. “It wasn’t just passion. It was power. It felt like the moon claimed us.”

“It did.”

They sat up at the same time, both reaching for the marks on their wrists, which still shimmered faintly.

“What does this mean?” she asked.

Before Riy could answer, a knock rattled the door. Urgent. Sharp.

Kael stood outside, eyes stormy. “It’s time. The council has summoned her.”

Riy stiffened. “For what?”

Kael’s mouth was grim. “They want to see if she’s truly still your Luna… or something far more dangerous.”

The council chamber was colder than Liana remembered.

Made of blackstone and carved deep into the mountain beneath Riy’s estate, it had no windows, only torches flickering along the walls, casting jagged shadows on the ancient stone. Twelve seats lined the room, shaped like thrones—each one belonging to an elder who had ruled the pack before Riy’s time.

At the center stood the Trial Pillar—an altar of old blood and oaths.

Liana could feel it—the judgment.

Riy stood beside her, his jaw tight, hands curled into fists. He wasn’t used to being questioned, not like this. Not with his mate treated like a threat.

Kael lingered by the doors, his presence quiet but unwavering. Liana was grateful for it.

An elder stepped forward. Elder Malric. Ancient and cruel in his authority.

“The Wild Blood mark has not been seen in generations,” he said, voice like a whip. “It has broken packs, rewritten laws. And now… it resides in the Luna of our Alpha.”

“She’s still my mate,” Riy growled. “The bond holds.”

Malric’s cold eyes turned on him. “The bond holds for now. But the Wild Blood is not known for its loyalty. It consumes. And when it finishes, it will leave you a hollow Alpha.”

Liana stepped forward, voice steady. “You’re afraid because you don’t understand it.”

Malric sneered. “We do understand. And that’s why we demand a trial.”

Riy surged forward. “No.”

Liana touched his arm gently, grounding him. “Let them try,” she whispered. “I’m not afraid.”

---

The trial was not a battle. It was a revelation.

They placed her hand on the Pillar. It pulsed with ancient energy, testing her. Challenging her.

Visions filled her mind—wolves screaming in fire, rivers of silver blood, a throne carved from bone and moonlight. She felt her own heartbeat slow, then sync with something older than time itself.

Then—a voice.

“You are not born of us. But you are claimed by us. You are ours.”

Her eyes snapped open, glowing wild white.

The elders gasped.

And in the shadows, one of them smiled.

Not in approval.

In satisfaction.

Like this was what they wanted.

---

Back in the woods, hours later, Riy helped her into the cabin, his arms around her waist. She was pale but alert, her power buzzing low and sharp.

“They were testing if I’m still yours,” she murmured. “But that wasn’t all.”

“What do you mean?”

“One of the elders… Malric wasn’t the only one afraid. Another wanted this. Wanted me to pass.”

Riy stiffened. “Why?”

She looked up at him. “Because they don’t want a Luna.”

Her eyes glowed faintly.

“They want a Queen.”

The wind howled outside Riy’s cabin, carrying whispers through the trees like voices from the past. Inside, the fire burned low, casting amber light over Liana’s bare shoulders as she sat curled in one of Riy’s old shirts, knees pulled to her chest.

Riy watched her in silence from across the room, arms folded, his expression unreadable.

“You’re thinking too loudly,” Liana said without looking at him.

He chuckled softly, but there was tension behind the sound. “I can’t help it. They tried to test your loyalty today like you were a weapon.”

“I am a weapon now,” she said quietly. “And they know it. They just don’t know how much control I have.”

He walked over and crouched in front of her. “You’re not a weapon, Liana. You’re my mate. You’re my heart.”

She looked at him, eyes wet but fierce. “That’s the only reason I haven’t torn the council apart. Because of you.”

Riy leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. “Then don’t let them twist what you are into something dark.”

Her voice trembled. “What if I already am dark?”

“You’re not,” he whispered. “You’re fire. And fire doesn’t destroy unless it’s cornered.”

---

That night, Liana couldn’t sleep.

She slipped out of bed, walked barefoot into the woods behind the cabin, and stood beneath the moon, letting it soak into her skin.

She closed her eyes, reached out with her senses—and felt it.

A presence. Faint. Watching.

“I know you’re there,” she whispered.

A figure stepped from the trees. Female. Cloaked in shadows. The same one from the rogue’s vision.

“You’ve heard the call,” the woman said. “The blood knows you now.”

Liana’s jaw clenched. “What do you want from me?”

“To remind you who you are. You are not just a Luna. You are the Moonmarked.”

Liana’s breath caught.

The woman’s silver eyes gleamed. “Soon, the Alpha will no longer be the one in charge. The world is changing. The wolves will kneel to a Queen of their own choosing.”

And then she was gone—melted into mist.

Liana stood frozen, the wind swirling around her like a crown.