Mated to you

Chapter 1 – Understand

“So, everything you showed me, this all belongs to your family?” Thea asked, her voice tinged with awe.

River smiled, a flicker of pride in her eyes. “Yes. But this is just the heart of it. The pack lands stretch far beyond…” She started, then hesitated, her gaze dropping for a beat. “Reign…” The name came out soft, reluctant. “Don’t be upset, but… he hasn’t given me permission to take you past the estate boundary. Not yet.”

Thea paused, absorbing the weight behind the words. Permission, she thought. Her voice stayed steady. “That’s fine with me. I’m still… processing everything.” She offered a small smile, then shrugged. “Maybe another time.”

River nodded, visibly relieved. “Come on. It’s getting cold.”

They headed back toward the warmth of the estate.

River eventually left Thea to explore on her own. Thea wandered through a grand hall with vaulted ceilings and polished floors. It was beautiful, yes, but too pristine. The whole estate was designed to scream power — and it did — but where was the homey feel? It was like living inside a museum, she thought.

She passed a row of tall windows, heavy drapes framing each one like they’d never been touched. Outside, the garden stretched in perfect symmetry, every hedge trimmed to military precision. Even nature here was controlled.

Turning a corner, she stopped short. Two pack members stood ahead, mid‑conversation. She recognised them from lunch — the woman who’d spoken so rudely about her, and the man who’d watched her with quiet interest. The woman saw Thea and immediately turned away, expression sour, heels clicking as she left.

Thea didn’t move. She wasn’t in the mood for another silent dismissal. The man approached instead, moving with a quiet confidence that didn’t demand attention but earned it anyway. Even his walk said dangerously handsome, but not in a way that made her shrink — in a way that made her curious.

“Luna,” he said, voice low and smooth, not mocking. More like a quiet acknowledgment.

Thea offered a small smile. “Ah… hi. How are you?”

“Good,” he said, stopping a respectful distance from her. He towered over her, lean and built for speed rather than brute strength. Dark hair, clean cut. Sharp jaw. Warm brown eyes.

“How are you coping with Reign being gone?” he asked, brushing a loose strand of hair from his face, the movement revealing tension in his forearms.

She hesitated. The question was simple, but it landed heavy. “Um… okay, I guess.”

He nodded, like he understood more than she said. “Don’t worry, he’s okay.” His smile was soft — not charming, reassuring. And it worked more than she wanted to admit.

“I’m Cael,” he added. “Third in command. I deal with the military and… well, whatever else Reign doesn’t want to deal with.”

Thea tilted her head. “So, you’re the one who keeps things from falling apart?”

He chuckled. “Something like that.”

She studied him, cautious but curious. “Do you think you could spare me a few moments to answer a few of my questions?”

Cael’s expression shifted, the easy smile fading into something more thoughtful. He didn’t answer right away, and the silence stretched — not uncomfortable, just weighted, like he was deciding how much truth to offer.

“I could,” he said finally. “But what is it you need to know?”

Thea sighed. Everything, she wanted to say. But mostly: Where’s Reign? Instead she asked, “Well, for starters, I’d like to know why you called me Luna.”

“So, you don’t know?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“He told you he’s Alpha, right?”

“Yes. But I was too scared and mad at him to ask what it even meant.”

“Oh. Right.” Cael nodded. “Okay, well… he is Alpha of Velmira.”

She didn’t blink, still unsure what that meant.

“The country,” he clarified. “He owns the whole country.”

Thea’s eyes widened. “What!” The guy she knew worked hard to build a little cabin. Finding out how big his home was had been shocking enough — but ruling an entire country? Like some king? This wasn’t the person she knew at all. Reign…

“No, that’s not possible,” she said, still trying to process it.

“Yep. Valid reaction. But yes, he rules this country. The entire thing. Right to its borders. I’m surprised he showed you his wolf before all of this,” Cael added, like the wolf part mattered more than everything else.

“Okay, that’s a lot to retain. And the Luna thing?”

“Luna is what becomes of a mate to an Alpha. Like royals with kings and queens. You would be his Luna.”

Her eyes widened even more. There was just no way. Reign was a hard‑working officer. He worked long shifts but still found time to explore Velmira with her. He even ate her terrible attempts at meals. If he owned all of this, why would he spend weeks pretending—

“The cabin thing?” Cael guessed, like he knew exactly where her mind went.

“Yes, why?” she asked.

“My guess? He was still processing the mate bond himself. It’s hard to control. Also… what if you rejected him? There’s a lot at stake during the initial mating.”

She frowned. “I can reject all of this?”

Cael’s gaze dropped for a moment. Reign really hadn’t told her much. But if he didn’t want her told, he would’ve said so.

“Yes,” Cael continued. “You can reject him at any time. ‘I reject you as my mate.’ It’s that simple. But you have to mean it. And it can only be done before the Luna ceremony. Once you’re Luna, your fate is sealed.”

“Okay… this is a lot more than I thought.” She exhaled. “So I’m not Luna yet? Not until I have a ceremony?”

Cael nodded.

It was a lot to process. And somehow, she was glad it didn’t all come from Reign.