Luna Athalia

2. Where's Your Mate?

Athalia Marie Sylas

The Luna lay awake in her bed, just a few minutes before midnight. Her 18th birthday was slowly creeping towards her, the foreboding prospect of whether or not she'd find her mate looming. She had been nose-deep in planning the anniversary of the rogue invasion for the past two days, trying to distract herself from the ultimatum the Elders had given her. 

But now the truth was just minutes away from revealing itself. Would she be able to stay as Luna or would she be forced out? Forced to watch Remy m******e the dozen families who were held captive in the apartments across town?

The rogue families who had been chased out of the shadows the night of the raid had been housed in temporary apartments within Roaming Ember. They were self-sufficient for the most part, stayed to themselves and very rarely even left their little apartment community. They caused no trouble - they simply existed within their territory. Athalia had always believed that the Union resistance would pass and she would be able to release the rogues with their proper branding. But each time she had proposed this, Dominique or Remy would fiercely oppose, feeding on the pack's fear of retribution. 

Athalia had gone to visit the rogue families a few times throughout the years. They were simply broken people, wolves who had no where to be and no where to go. All their supplies and food came from the pack - an ironic burden that the Union had somehow turned around to blame on Athalia even though she didn't want them there in the first place. 

Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly snapped to, looking at the clock of her phone. 

12:03 AM

Her phone lit with happy birthday messages but she chose to ignore them as she stared at the time.

She didn't feel much different. It didn't feel like the books she read or the stories she heard of mating before: where she would feel a pull so strong towards her mate that she wouldn't be able to help herself.

Instead, she felt something like a tickle in the back of her head, like she was trying to remember something that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Happy birthday, gorgeous. A voice flowed through her mind, as if her own thought. But it was distinctly someone else's voice.

You're...my wolf? Athalia sat up straight in her bed, excitement tingling in her fingertips.

I am. The voice practically purred with contentment, My name is Cecilia. It's lovely to finally meet you.

Hi, Cecilia. Athalia found herself smiling in the dark, feeling her heart thudding in her chest, It's really nice to have someone to talk to.

About this ultimatum proposed by the Elders? Yes, I was worried when I heard a few days ago. She could feel the body of her wolf moving about her mind, pacing back and forth, But I understand. Every pack must have an Alpha. But...I do not feel the pull.

Neither do I... Athalia sighed, lying back down as she pulled her blanket up to her chin, What happens now?

I suppose we wait until morning.

Vincent John Reyes

Beta Vincent stood outside of Athalia's door, anxiously tapping his foot as he attempted to open his mindlink to her. But an empty static feeling met him, just like it had all morning. He knocked again impatiently, a little louder this time.

Finally, a groggy-eyed Luna appeared at the door, "Ah, what do you want?"

"Happy Birthday, Luna." Vince said gruffly, his annoyance dissipating as soon as he saw her. That was the effect Athalia had on him since the very beginning - he could never stay mad at her. 

But his chest dropped a bit as she stood there, looking annoyed and half-awake. He felt no different that the night before. There was no pull, no breathless kissing or the inability to keep their hands off each other. Nothing that he had imagined or hoped to happen between him and the Luna.

She looked unbothered, ignorant to his turmoil as she glared and repeated herself, "What?"

"Nothing." Vince's lips formed a straight line as he looked down at her, attempting to muster some composure, "You're going to be late for the meeting with the Elders and the Union."

Athalia groaned, turning around without a word as she disappeared into her room. Vince followed her, watching her hips sway as she walked towards her bathroom. He stayed put by the door, listening to the hiss of the shower as she turned it on, fighting the urge to take a peak at her as her shadow moved through the bathroom. His eye caught movement of her in the mirror, her bare back exposed as she slipped off the shirt she had worn to bed. 

She began to turn, the slope of her breast begging him to continue staring. But he tore his gaze away, moving to sit in one of her chairs facing the TV instead. Athalia had always been comfortable around him like this. She had somehow gotten it into her head that he had no desire for her, always teasing him about the amount of girls he paraded through the pack house. He cringed slightly at the thought that she saw him more like an older brother than anything else.

I told you. Beau smirked within his mind, She is not our destined mate. But you knew that already.

Vince growled lowly, swatting his wolf's consciousness away. 

"What are you growling about now?" Athalia suddenly appeared behind him, rubbing her hair down with a towel. She stood there wrapped up in a robe, the bare skin of her collarbone driving him insane. Mate pull or not, she was still ravishing as all hell.

"Where's your mate, Luna?" Vince ignored her, getting to his feet and crossing his arms across his chest as he looked at her.

She rolled her eyes, turning away, "Oh I just hid him under the bed. What the hell do you think, i***t?"

The Luna disappeared into her closet, returning moments later in a simple sleeveless burgundy dress. She turned around, exposing her entire back as she zipper lay right above her rounded ass. She held her hair to the side, waiting for Vincent to zip her up. 

"So what then? You're just going to go there and give it up to Remy?" Vince zipped up the dress, fighting the urge to simply rip the thing off of her.

Athalia turned around, folding her arms under her bust, "Maybe I'm just not close enough to my fated mate. Maybe I'll know it when the pack gathers today."

"It's not like having a bad wifi connection, Atty." Vince replied haughtily, "All the stories say you should've just felt it. Right?"

"Like you're one to talk." She rolled her eyes again, "Where's your mate, Vince?"

Beau roared with laughter in his head, rolling around on his back like a pup. Vince fought the growl gathering in his throat, looking down at his Luna with dwindling patience, "And what if he's not there then?"

"Guess we'll have to find out." 

Dominique Rhea Kingsley

Dominique stood near the back of the pack's town hall, waiting for royalty to show up. Remy stood at her side, looking impatient as ever. He seemed especially on edge today, his foot tapping against the hard wood floor.

"Can you chill out?" Dominique snapped, slapping him lightly with the back of her hand, "Why are you so antsy?"

"Nothing." He grumbled, eyes trained on the door. Suddenly, he stiffened, his back rigid as he stood up straighter. Dominique turned her attention over, seeing the Luna and her Beta appear. Luna Athalia was a vision of professionalism in her burgundy shift dress, the skirt landing just above her knee. A gold necklace and matching earrings glinted in the natural light of the town hall, the sun streaming in from the windows to light her. Dominique positively seethed, watching as the male wolves of the pack openly stared at their Luna.

Ever since they were kids, Athalia always stole the show. She was always the classroom leader, always picked first, always given special treatment. It could've been because she was the Alpha's daughter, but Dominique knew it was because everyone fell all over her. They were positively entranced by her. 

"She's late and shows up just with Vincent? Who does she think she is?" Dominique hissed out of the corner of her mouth. But she was given no response as she looked to her side. Jealousy bubbled in her chest as she watched Remy follow the Luna's movements like a hawk, a certain determination in his gaze that made Dominique question its intention. She turned her eyes again towards the Luna, who met her gaze evenly. She didn't looked fazed in the slightest.

She then began addressing the pack, rehashing the ultimatum Elder Renee had given her. Gossip in the pack traveled quickly and most everyone already knew. But skepticism dripped about them, wondering where their new Alpha was. Remy still stood rigid, a vein pulsing from his forehead in what Dominique could only assume was anticipation. 

"I am here to announce that I have found my mate." She continued confidently, a sneer on her lips as she once again met Dominique's gaze, "Roaming Ember, I am pleased to formally introduce you to your Alpha, Vincent Reyes." She turned, holding out her hand as the Beta stepped up, looking positively elated as he stood next to his mate.

"What!?" Dominique stomped a foot, a scowl on her lips. That was impossible! Impossible because-

A menacing, ear-splitting growl erupted her beside her, cutting off her thought. Remy was positively seething, his face red and fists balled at his sides. He glared with unabashed hatred at the stage, looking like he was ready to tear into the new royalty. But before any other word was spoken, he turned on his heel, bolting out of the town hall.

"What the hell? Remy!" Dominique followed after him, watching as his wolf fully took over, sprinting across the plaza and into the wooded area of their borders. Dominique fought the urge to follow him, returning into the town hall as it erupted with chaos. A mixture of congratulations and scoffs of disbelief filled the space as the pack absorbed the news. But soon, a booming voice silenced them.

"Roaming Ember, it has always been my fate to lead this pack." Alpha Vincent asserted, his Alpha voice sating them all, "And I am glad to finally be able to take my place not only as your Alpha, but at my mate's side." He looked down, catching the Luna's face with his large hands and placing a kiss on her. She flailed a bit with embarrassment but eased into the movement, turning back to the pack afterwards.

"We hope this ends this mutiny and talk of massacre." Luna Athalia continued slightly breathless, "My mate and I fully intend on releasing the rogue families from our pack lands so we can put the raid behind us, and we can fully celebrate the lives of the ones we lost - not cause further pain."

A few members of the Union raised their voices in protest. But most were looking at Dominique, waiting for her to say something. But she couldn't find the words. This was supposed to be the entire plan, this was two years in the making,  their careful steps and precautions all taken to prevent this from happening. But without Remy there, Dominique had no idea how to address them all. 

She simply lifted her chin in defiance, looking to the new royalty as she stated, "It all seems a bit too convenient that our Beta Vincent has come out as your mate. If this is some farce you have created to keep yourself in power, I can guarantee the truth will come out." With that, satisfied with having the last word, she spun on her heel and confidently walked out. But the moment the door closed behind her, she took off in the direction of her fleeing leader.

Where the hell do you think you're going, Remy?