A MATE'S BETRAYAL

Price of peace

She was part grateful and part bummed out that Bradley hadn't bothered to speak to her. She wanted to say something but what could she possibly have to say to the man who had decided that his words were yes and final. She looked up ahead when the truck that had been ahead of them came to a slow stop seconds before theirs did. Bradley rolled down his window to speak to his dad.

"I will be expecting you both at diner, don't do anything I wouldn't." That was all he said before he took a right turn, it was then that she realized they had stopped at an intersection. Bradley scoffed in response and took a left turn, keeping the window down. They drove for another hot minute before they came to a stop at what seemed to be an entrance to a camping site, only that it wasn't. Bradley shut his engine, pulled out the key and stepped out of the truck, leaving Hilda to sit there and stare at the large three-storey house that stood majestic among the other smaller homes scattered around randomly.

"Aren't you going to get out? I did say I have things to do. " Bradley snapped, seemingly having lost his patience with her. Without wasting time, she got out, grabbing her purse followed Bradley to the front of the house just as someone got out and leaned on one of the pillars. It wasn't just somebody, no. There in front of her soon to be home was an older girl, hair so long it nearly reached her curvy hips. But it was the vanilla- citrus scent mixed with one she had already started getting used to that caught her attention. Whether she was a sibling or lover, she would know in a few.

"Wow... she is young. I never pegged you for a cradle-robber Brad." The woman- because that was what she was- said her eyes running up and down Hilda before switching back to Bradley, gaze totally different.

"Ha- ha. Hilarious.." Bradley replied and if hearing her future mate call some other girl babe shocked her, it was the way they embraced and made out.

Right. In front. Of. Her. Wow.

"Any calls?" Bradley asked after they had pulled their lips away from each other but still remained in each other's hands.

"What the actual fuck..." she asked herself but only realized later she had spoken out loud when they both turned to face her as if she surprised them or something. She fought the urge to place her hand on her chest as she felt a pang of something, whether it was jealousy or heartburn, she would never know.

"Oh right.Meet Hilda, my future Luna." Bradley said the last part as if he'd been forced to swallow wolf's bane.

"Hey, nice to meet you. Come, I will show you your room. I picked out everything myself. Brad has not a single bone of home deco. Call me Marlin, or May." the other woman said and stepped off the porch, extending a hand that had just been around her future mate for greeting. Hilda stared at it for a second before she decided not to shake it. She wanted answers damn it, not a hand shake.

"What is the meaning of this? What- If you had a mate why am I here? Why did you agree. " Hilda said, her voice getting louder and louder with each word, confusion growing when Bradley stepped down and circled his arm around May's waist. Pulling her closer to him.

'It should be me.'

"Didn't your parents tell you... Oh I see they didn't. Let's get -" Bradley sneered at her but Hilda had had enough of his snappy attitude.

"Spit it out Brad... what didn't my parents tell me." Hilda spat, willing herself to keep the tears at bay. To be embarrassed was one thing but to look defeated was another.

"You are a token Luna. By law you will be my Luna and you do your duties as usual. May is … Anyway, because of the treaty and what not, she can't mark me. Now that that's out of the way, if you ever speak to me out of line again, there will be consequences. Your room is the ground floor, down the hall, second door to the right. Welcome home, Luna. "

With every word that Brad spoke, Hilda wanted to sink down on her knees and disappear. She couldn't be hearing things right. She uprooted her life only to have it shattered even before she started living it.

"I – this can't-" Hilda started to speak again. looking for ways to make everything make sense. A token Luna?

"Oh, for crying out loud, did you honestly think that Brad was your destined or whatever?? Please grow up and do what you should do. You will be bonded to him only because his father already has a Luna. The sooner you grasp that the better for all of us. And I really do hope we get along." May said before pulling Bradley towards the house.

Hilda stood there for longer than she would have liked. Their words replaying in her head over and over. Still nothing made sense. She reached inside her purse and took her phone out, perhaps her parents would tell her that she heard it all wrong. She wasn't a Token Luna. The phone rang once before her mom answered.

"Hel-" she cut her mother off.

"Did you know?" She asked, the tears she had been holding onto finally seeping out.

"Hilda-" her mother started, her voice low and sympathetic.

"You knew... but why did no one tell me anything?! Token? Am I just a token? I literally paid the price for this peace didn't I." she cried into the phone when her mother said nothing.

She did not bother to hear what her mom had to say afterwards. She ended the call and looked back to the imposing house before her.

While at the beginning it had looked majestic to a point where she had imagined herself living there, it now stood as a reminder of what she would never have.

'I need a Luna; you are a Luna... what more reason could I need?'

There was some truth in the harsh words that replayed over and over in Hilda's head, he did need a Luna, just not this Luna.

Nothing about her sparked interest in him at least, thank the moon goddess, her scent was bearable to him, nothing a mating bond would fix, she hoped.