The Mate Switch

CHAPTER 2.

If there was one thing Giselle had learned from her adoptive father, it was how to be strategic. He taught her to be fierce, to be a good leader, and above all, to be tactical.

“Are you sure you want to do this, princess?” Her father’s beta had asked her two days ago.

Her response was always the same.

“Yes, I’ll make them pay for hurting my sister.”

Now that she was at the heart of it all, she could see it was a lot more than she’d anticipated. Everyone in Darkhowl pack treated her like she was nothing. Identical in every way to Gloria, except she had more flesh and full rosy cheeks, they failed to notice the imposter amongst them.

Nobody paid enough attention. It was always wash this, or clean that, or howling one abuse or the other at her.

Was this what her sister had to endure?

“Gloria, stop moping around and set the table!” Luna Iris yelled at her for the umpteenth time that morning. “It all has to be perfect for the alpha’s return today. If I see one thing out of place, you’ll starve for a week.”

They starved my sister?

Giselle nodded timidly, bowing in response. She hated how weak she had to pretend to be, but it was the only way to uncover what really happened to her sister and punish the culprit.

“Yes, Luna.”

She took her leave, going through the morning chores with a mix of frustration and determination. Back at Valemont pack, she never had to do the dishes, or scrub the floors. The fact that she spent the last fifteen years living the life while her sister barely struggled to survive made her blood boil with guilt, which elevated her rage.

“Get my son!” Luna Iris shouted at her once more, giving her a dirty look.

Again, Giselle hurriedly walked away, rolling her eyes in discreet. The nerve of that woman. I am the daughter of an alpha, both by blood and adoption. I am the future Luna of Valemont pack. I take orders from no one.

She stopped outside a door, listening to the soft giggles coming from within. The intimate sounds stopped her from advancing, contemplating whether or not to interrupt.

“Oh, Elias.”

A feminine moan rang out, and Giselle scrunched up her nose in irritation. This is what the so called heir of Alpha Fredrick and Luna Iris spends his days doing. She shook her head, reminiscing about being back home.

By this time, she’d be rounding up her morning training, preparing to sit with her dad and the council as they made important decisions for the good of the pack. How else was she going to learn to be a powerful and just ruler?

Finally, she knocked, increasing the pressure as the sounds from the room got even louder. There was a slight gasp, followed by silence, then footsteps, until the door flung open and she was in the presence of a young woman with auburn hair and surprised eyes.

“Glo-Gloria?” the woman stuttered. “H-How?

Giselle tilted her head, observing the half dressed bimbo standing in front of her, not really knowing what to make of her.

“Who is it, baby?” Elias voice echoed from the confines of the room.

“It’s… I don’t understand—”

Inpatient, Giselle pushed her way in, ignoring the lady. She found Elias still in bed, covered by a silk blanket, probably naked.

“Your mother sent me to get you,” she spoke confidently, holding eye contact. “She says your father will arrive in ten minutes.”

Lost for words, Elias’s expression mirrored that of his concubine, but unlike her, he was able to make out a clearer sentence.

“How are you here?”

Without tearing her eyes away, Giselle spoke, “Where else would I be?”

He didn’t respond. Reluctantly, his eyes scanned her body, stopping by the side of her torso. He gulped, looking astonished.

“Please, get dressed. Your mother wants you to be by her side when she welcomes your father,” she repeated, turning around to take her leave.

But as she stepped out of the room, a hand grabbed hold of her and shoved her across the wall. Wicked eyes stared back at her, full of darkness and spite.

“You think because you made it out of the woods alive, you’re suddenly all that,” the woman with dark red hair spoke, twisting Giselle’s limbs as if she meant to snap them in two. “He will never choose you, so stop wasting your time.”

“What are you talking about?” Giselle retorted.

“Who have you told? Answer me!”

Not entirely sure what the raging b***h was referring to, she decided to play along, sounding as scared as she could. “No one. I’ve said nothing.”

“And that’s how it’s going to remain,” the woman let go, shoving her to the side violently. “I’m warning you, Gloria. Stay away from my man. He’s mine!”

As Giselle watched her walk back into the room, she began to put two and two together. Was it her? Did she try to kill Gloria?

Luna Iris calling upon her left the questions swirling in her head unanswered. She’d circle right back as soon as she attended to the troll queen who never seemed to be able to do the simplest tasks on her own.

In about ten minutes, Elias and his bedmate were standing at the front door with the Luna and a few other pack members, while Giselle hovered behind them. A black shiny car pulled up, and Alpha Fredrick stepped out, as majestic as ever.

Except, he was not alone.

From the look on Luna Iris’s face, she was not a fan of the young man who had come with her husband. Her face held detest and resentment as he smiled at the crowd gathered to greet him.

“Why is he back?”

Giselle heard the lady who had tried to break her arms earlier whisper to Elias. He shrugged in return, evidently unpleased with the situation.

“Get the bags!” the Luna barked at her as everyone strolled into the packhouse.

She did as she was told, sashaying to the luggage without a care in the world. If she was going to pretend to be a servant, she’d do a damn good job. Her father always told her to do whatever duty she had as best she could, and diligently too.

Still, that didn’t stop her from cursing as she crouched to pick up one of the heavy suitcases. Her fingers curled around the handle, another hand reached for the same bag.

The moment their skin touched, a current shot through her body like lightning striking dry earth. Her breath hitched. The air around her thickened, her heart pounding as if trying to leap out of her chest. She froze, fingers tightening instinctively, her wolf—long suppressed—suddenly stirring awake.

Mate.

Her eyes darted up, colliding with a pair of piercing golden ones that held hers with equal surprise and intensity. The stranger standing before her wasn’t just anyone. It was the same man who had come with the Alpha.

He looked incredibly charming, but tough all at once. He radiated power. His stance was steady, dominant even in its stillness. The faint scent of pine and smoke clung to him, intoxicating and impossible to ignore.

Every other background noise faded. The murmurs of pack members behind them became distant.

“You…” His voice was a deep rumble, almost a growl.

Giselle quickly pulled her hand back, breaking the contact as panic and confusion flooded her. This wasn’t part of the plan. She wasn’t here to find a mate. She was here for vengeance.

“Sorry,” she apologized, masking her shock by acting scared. Going back to the role of being an ordinary servant girl. She grabbed another bag to cover the tremor in her hands, trying to ignore the way his scent wrapped around her senses, threatening to break her focus.

The man’s eyes narrowed slightly, but a smirk tugged at his lips, amused. “Who are you?”

She stiffened. How could he act so ignorant? He was definitely a part of the pack, he had to know who she was.

“I’m nobody,” she replied curtly.

“What’s your name?” he tried again, this time low enough that only she could hear.

Her stomach flipped, but she forced herself to hold his gaze, raising her chin defiantly. She’d been trained to show no weakness, but the bond pulling at her heart made it impossible to think clearly.

“You leech!” Luna Iris’s sharp voice snapped her out of her daze. “Quit standing there like a fool and bring those inside!”

“Yes, Luna,” she muttered, bowing slightly before grabbing another bag so she could put distance between herself and this walking temptation.

His fingers curled around her wrist before she could disappear. “You haven’t told me your name.”

“It’s not important,” she hissed. “Let go, before you get me in a load of trouble.”

He complied immediately, and she hurriedly ran towards the house. She could feel his eyes burning into her back, watching her every move.

“I won’t rest until I find out who you are.”

He called out behind her, but she didn’t dare glance over her shoulder. Whatever had happened was only going to be a distraction. Her entire plan—her mission to avenge Gloria—was suddenly at war with something far stronger than she’d ever imagined.

Desire.

That aside, her first and only focus was finding out who wanted her sister dead, and she was sure the red haired lady from earlier had all the answers she was looking for.