Mated to you

Chapter 3 - It's ours

The perfect night had twisted into Reign’s worst nightmare. He’d finally gotten his Thea back, and now he could lose her again. Every second he stood here with Diandra made his blood boil, but he needed to sort this out, it could mean the unthinkable.

Diandra’s voice barely registered. His mind was already tearing through the forest, searching for his mate. He’d explain everything to her soon. Everything would be fine, he told himself.

“Did you hear me?” Diandra snapped, cutting through his thoughts.

Reign didn’t bother looking up at her, he was confused and furious, with Diandra, and himself. “I f*****g heard, Diandra, what I’m trying to understand, is how this is f*****g possible.”

A disgruntled sound escaped Diandra. “You know how, you did this to me.” She said, her voice shaky.

“How many times have we been through this, there is no way, I would touch you.” He yelled, running a hand through his hair, attention now on the ground, as if it would offer him some sort of guidance through this mess.

“It’s ours Reign. I belong to you now.” She said, grabbing his hand, and forcing it to her stomach.

Reign quickly snatched his hand back, the feeling of her, and seeing his hand near her made him jerk back with disgust. She wasn’t his mate.

“You know what this means.” She said, as he rejected her touch.

His head lifted slowly, dangerously. “You think this binds me to you?” His brow lifted in a way that made Diandra cower inside, though she held her stance. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing she feared him. Instead, she smirked, her face catching the moonlight in a way that made not only him but his wolf recoil.

“You know it does more than bind us. I’m your Luna by blooding. I carry your heir. She does not belong,” she added, a smug tilt to her chin as she made sure he understood exactly who she meant.

Her voice was wrong, unfamiliar. He’d been furious with himself when he woke on her guest bed, next to her naked body. The thought of betraying his mate had only added to his existing pain, and he needed answers.

When he confronted Diandra, she’d fallen apart, upset that he didn’t remember what he did, what they both did, and how he begged for her. His stomach twisted, he had no memory, it was impossible, this wasn’t something he would do, not to Thea, and not with Diandra. He loved his mate, and he once loved Diandra as a sister, but now, now her true self was unravelling right before him. Diandra constantly hassled him ever since. He’d went to her home after ending things with Thea, but it wasn’t to do what Thea thought he had done with Diandra. It was to kill her; he was over the trouble she kept creating. He was Alpha, and he wasn’t going to continue to allow Diandra to blackmail him anymore. The only reason why she still had a life was because she reminded him of his father’s debt to hers. Which she used on him that night, her life is to be spared, untouchable by his hands or commands.

Yet here she was again, insisting that she were with child, his child…

His jaw tightened, his eyes burning with disgust as he glared into the eyes of this now stranger. “I would watch what you say,” he threatened. “I must admit, I’m mad with myself, for thinking of you like a sister. For allowing myself to be vulnerable enough to trust you.” He paused. Diandra’s features softening for a moment. “I should kill you and your unborn child.” He finished, and Diandra’s hand flew before she could stop it. The slap cracked through the night.

Her breath hitched as she realised what she’d done, she had struck her Alpha. If he couldn’t kill her, anyone in the pack would now. Her chin lifted higher, daring him to try. She hoped some part of him still saw her as his dear friend. But Reign didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink. He held her stare like a promise, sending a silent shiver down her spine, a shiver that made her second‑guess everything.

Footsteps approached in the distance and Vivian stepped from the shadows, her expression tight with concern, but not for whatever argument she’d walked into.

Diandra’s eyes widened. Vivian would tear her limb from limb if their Alpha so much as breathed a threat in her direction.

Vivian didn’t acknowledge her. Her eyes were locked on Reign, who still hadn’t turned to meet her. Diandra slowly exhaled, relief, for now.

“Alpha,” Vivian said with quiet urgency. “I know you gave me the night off, but it’s the Helwren pack. They’re nowhere to be seen.”

Reign’s head snapped toward her.

“Their cabins are full, clothes, bags, everything. But the members themselves are missing. All of them. They were last seen heading toward the bonfire. Our men are out now and will report back soon.”

Diandra swallowed hard as she noticed a dark shift in Reign. She had delivered her message, not as planned, but she had to do something. He and Thea had made up, making her chances of becoming Luna even more impossible. Now she needed to retreat before he truly did as he threatened.

“Something isn’t right,” Vivian murmured. “Why would they leave so suddenly?”

Reign’s entire body went still.

Too still.

The kind of stillness that came before a storm, or something deadly.

“Lock her up.” His voice was low and dangerous, directed at Diandra, who was almost out of sight. Vivian looked her way, and Diandra froze. If their Alpha wanted a job done, Vivian made sure it was done, dead or alive.

“Am I missing something?” Vivian asked, staring between them.

“Alpha, am I missing something?” she pressed again.

Reign’s knuckles were white, his fist clenched. The words he tried to say felt like venom on his tongue.

“I’m pregnant with his child,” Diandra blurted out, looking toward Vivian for sympathy.

Vivian’s eyes widened, not with softness, but with fury. If Reign gave even the slightest signal, she would tear Diandra apart.

“You put our Alpha in this position!” she snarled, her wolf tearing at her skin, begging to be let out.

“No! I did not. He came to me, high on willow sap,” Diandra cried, her theatrics spilling out in a desperate wave. “I’ve only ever been a loyal friend. I wanted to get rid of it, but killing an heir would mean treason, and my wolf won't allow me to do it.” Reign huffed; he didn’t believe a word. “How can I turn our Alpha away if he was wanting something? Can you?” she demanded, throwing the question at Vivian, knowing it would silence her.

Vivian bit her lip, frustration evident. Mated Alphas without a Luna, were vulnerable, he was warned to hurry the ceremony along, but he was waiting for Thea to be ready, and now, depending on how far along Diandra was… her position in the pack could shift dangerously. Vivian glanced at her Alpha. What will we do? Our pack, including their Alpha, would eliminate any threat to the heir once the baby’s scents released?

“I need to find my mate,” Reign said, moving past his beta before turning slightly to look at her. “Take her home. Find out if that thing is even mine and do what’s needed.” He said and then looked over to Diandra. “You did this to yourself.”