Three marks, one mate

Twenty four

Desiree POV

The moment I stepped into the dining room, my attention was immediately drawn to the unfamiliar face seated beside Beta Kyle. She was beautiful in a quiet, effortless way, her posture graceful and her presence calm, yet there was a warmth about her that made her stand out even in a room filled with powerful wolves. For a brief second, I found myself studying her, curiosity stirring within me, because Kyle had not been around during the mating ceremony, and this could only mean one thing.

Before I could say anything, her eyes met mine, and a soft smile spread across her lips.

“You must be our Luna,” he said warmly, his voice gentle and respectful.

I nodded, returning the smile as I shifted my gaze briefly to Kyle. “Welcome back, Beta Kyle,” I said, my tone light but sincere.

“Avery,” Kyle suddenly said, turning toward her with a hint of surprise in his voice. “When did you get back? I thought you were never returning.”

Avery placed a hand dramatically against her chest, her lips curling in mock offense. “You wish,” she replied before her attention shifted to the woman beside him, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “And who is this beautiful lady sitting beside you?”

Kyle’s expression softened instantly, pride evident in his voice as he answered, “This is my mate, Daphne.”

Something warm settled in my chest at the way he said it, the quiet happiness in his tone impossible to miss.

“How kind of the Moon Goddess to finally bless you with one,” Avery said, though her playful sarcasm was impossible to hide.

Kyle rolled his eyes. “She is kind, unlike you.”

Avery ignored him completely and turned toward Daphne with a bright, welcoming smile. “Daphne, it’s nice to meet you, and please, feel free to come to me anytime he does something you don’t like.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me at their exchange, especially when Kyle let out a tired sigh and asked, “Are you my parents?”

“I can scold you on their behalf,” Avery replied effortlessly, clearly enjoying herself.

Their easy banter made it obvious that they shared a history, one built on familiarity and comfort, and for a moment, it made the room feel lighter.

Stepping forward, I extended my hand toward Daphne, offering her a genuine smile. “You’re welcome to our pack.”

She accepted my hand immediately, her grip gentle as she returned the smile. “Thank you, Luna Desiree.”

There was something sincere about her, “please Desiree alone is fine” I replied warmly.

As the men gradually returned their focus to their meals, an idea slowly formed in my mind, one that sent a small thrill through me despite knowing how reckless it was. Leaning slightly toward Avery, I lowered my voice just enough to keep it between us.

“She can come with us later,” I whispered.

Avery’s eyes sparkled instantly, and she nodded without hesitation, clearly just as eager as I was.

Encouraged, I leaned subtly toward Daphne, making sure Kyle was too distracted to notice. “We’re sneaking out later,” I murmured softly. “Are you in?”

For a brief moment, she hesitated, her gaze flickering with uncertainty before something brighter replaced it.

“Yes,” she said quietly, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

“What are you ladies whispering about?” Grayson’s voice suddenly cut in, his tone laced with suspicion.

I straightened immediately, forcing a casual expression as I replied, “Nothing.”

His eyes lingered on us for a moment, clearly unconvinced, but he let it go.

The rest of breakfast passed with light conversation, but my mind remained elsewhere, caught between excitement and the faint guilt that lingered beneath it. I knew exactly how my mates would react if they found out, and yet, the thought of experiencing something outside the boundaries of pack life was too tempting to ignore.

After the meal, Brandon was the first to approach me, his presence immediately commanding my attention as he stopped beside me.

“Why did you leave so early this morning?” he asked, his voice calm, though there was a quiet intensity beneath it that made my chest tighten slightly.

“I wanted to help in the kitchen,” I replied honestly, a small smile forming at the memory. “But I met Avery instead.”

Something in his expression softened, though only slightly.

Before the moment could stretch further, Kyle hurried past us with Daphne still in his arms, and despite herself, she glanced back at me, her eyes bright with silent agreement about our plan.

“I thought we were your friends,” Grayson said, his lips curving into a teasing smirk.

“I meant lady friends,” I replied, unable to hide my amusement. “You three are boring.”

Zachary and Grayson immediately clutched their chests in exaggerated hurt, their reactions so dramatic that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You wound us,” Zachary said.

“You know I love you,” I added, my tone softening slightly as I looked at all three of them, “but I’m allowed to have a life outside of you.”

The words seemed to linger a little longer than I expected, and for a brief moment, something unspoken passed between us.

“Thought we were enough,” Zachary murmured, taking my hand gently.

“You can’t possibly be jealous of Avery and Daphne,” I said, raising a brow at them.

“They’re stealing your attention,” Brandon replied simply, his gaze fixed on me in a way that made my heartbeat quicken just slightly.

I shook my head, smiling at their childish behavior, though a small part of me knew they would not find this amusing if they discovered what we were planning.

“Don’t you have duties to attend to?” I asked, turning my attention to Brandon before glancing at Zachary. “And you, aren’t you supposed to be with the warriors?”

Grayson crossed his arms slightly. “And what exactly do you plan to do?”

“Spend time with my friends,” I replied easily.

The look Brandon and Grayson exchanged with Zachary was enough to make me laugh internally.

“If your sister keeps stealing our mate, I might have to banish her,” Brandon muttered under his breath.

“I support that,” Grayson added.

Zachary frowned immediately. “She’s my sister.”

“And she’s becoming more important than me,” he added, his tone shifting just enough to make me pause.

“You men are unbelievable,” I said, shaking my head as I turned to walk away, though I didn’t get far before they pulled me back into a shared embrace.

Their laughter surrounded me, warm and familiar, and despite everything, I found myself relaxing into it.

“We’re joking,” Grayson said, his voice light.

Before I could respond, a guard stepped into the room, his expression serious. “Alpha, your presence is required in your office.”

Brandon sighed softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead before briefly capturing my lips. “Duty calls,” he said, his voice low.

“I’ll need both of you,” he added to Grayson and Zachary. “We need to strengthen the pack’s defenses.”

“You’re just jealous she’ll spend more time with us,” Grayson teased.

“Whatever,” Brandon muttered before turning back to me, his gaze softening slightly. “Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”

I nodded, even as guilt flickered briefly in my chest.

If only he knew.

I watched them leave, their presence lingering long after they were gone, until Avery’s voice pulled me back.

“You four are an eyesore,” she said, clearly amused.

I blinked, laughing softly. “I forgot you were still here.”

“And miss that?” she scoffed. “Never.”

Her excitement returned instantly as she grabbed my hand. “Now that they’re gone, let’s go choose outfits for our escape.”

“What about Daphne?” I asked quickly.

Avery smirked. “Leave that to me.”

Before I could question her plan, she dragged me toward the Beta quarters and knocked loudly on the door.

“The Alpha wants you in his office!” she called out.

Moments later, Kyle opened the door in a rush, clearly unprepared, muttering something under his breath as he hurried off after thanking us.

The moment he disappeared, Avery turned toward Daphne with a grin. “Let’s go.”

Without wasting another second, the three of us slipped out of the pack house, our excitement growing with every step.

At the border, the warriors stopped us, their expressions cautious.

“Luna Desiree, where are you going?” one of them asked.

“We just want to let our wolves out,” I replied calmly, forcing confidence into my voice.

“Is the Alpha aware?” another question.

“Of course,” I said smoothly. “We won’t be long.”

They hesitated, clearly unsure.

“Should I report that you’re questioning your Luna?” I added, letting authority slip into my tone.

That was enough.

They stepped aside immediately.

As we walked past them, Avery leaned closer, her grin widening. “We are definitely coming back to angry mates.”

“Then we should make this worth it,” Daphne added with a soft laugh.

I joined in, though something inside me fluttered between excitement and unease.

“Let’s go before they notice we’re gone,” I said quickly.

And just like that, we left the pack behind.

The human world stretched out before us, full of unknowns, danger, and freedom all at once.

And for the first time in a long while…I allowed myself to simply enjoy it.