The Alpha's Fated Luna

“Get in the car.” Serene commanded in a sharp and authoritative tone. Reina quickly followed Valerie towards the car, preparing herself to take a seat, but Serene’s harsh voice stopped her in her tracks. “Not you!” She shouted at Reina, her voice laced with cruelty. “Go to the servants’ vehicle." Reina blinked in disbelief; her heart sank as she looked at her stepmom and then at Valerie, who looked utterly confused. She turned to see the vehicle meant for the servants—a far more practical and less luxurious car. It served as an unsettling reminder of the hierarchy within the family. Valerie snapped, and her voice rose in disagreement. “Why should she travel in that car? She is family for heaven’s sake. Serene walked up to Valerie, clearly asserting dominance. Valerie stared back, unwilling to back down. “Get in the car this instant or you’ll see another side to me you will regret.” Serene sized her daughter up, sighed disapprovingly and stood next to the car door, then gestured for her to get in. Valerie dragged her feet as she went to the car, she took one look at Reina, pleading with her eyes, and hating the fact that there was very little she could do when her mum, Serene, was involved. With tears in her eyes, which made it difficult for her to see properly, Reina felt her heart ache as she walked to the servant’s vehicle. She could not understand why her stepmom would be so cruel to her to that extent. It was a clear realization of her position in her family and it broke her heart some more. They left the city for the countryside, just as Serene had said some hours ago. “We leave at sunrise tomorrow. I’ll send the maids to get your things ready, Valerie.” She said, then turned swiftly to Reina. “I assume you know how to pack your things, or am I wrong?” She asked with a wicked smile on her face. “You lost me there Mom, where are we going? And why so soon?” Valerie had queried and braced herself for a reply. “I assume you know how to pack your things, or am I wrong?” She asked with a wicked smile on her face. “You lost me there Mom, where are we going? And why so soon?” Valerie had queried, bracing herself for the forthcoming reply. “I have decided that it is best we leave the city and relocate to the countryside. I…” “What?!” The sisters said in unison “Do not interrupt me! Now go and get ready and I must not hear a whine about this.” She rang the bell suspended from the ceiling and a maid appeared. She instructed she instructs her to get Valerie’s things ready for the journey ahead. The sisters walked back to their rooms; their hands unclasped and they took different routes. They had one thing on their minds. ‘Where are we going?’ “Ma’am, we have arrived.” A maid announced softly. So much time had gone by and she hadn’t realized until now. She and Valerie kept each other company virtually and she got carried away. She smiled at the maid and turned to look outside. The car pulled slowly into a beautiful house. It was stunning and stood in all its glory amid lovely trees and a large garden with every flower she could think of. She sniffed the air, eager to take in the lovely scent around her. The house was exquisite and something about it made her feel at home and contradicted what she had in mind hours ago. They stepped out of the car and Valerie ran to hug her excitedly. She too was smitten by the house. “Oh, my goodness I love this place! It looks like a castle. Reina look at the art!” Valerie cried, and stamped her feet on the ground in little jumps, pointing at a white statue of a woman with a huge crown. “Do not linger around, go inside,” Serene said with a sneer while she walked into the building. The girls giggled and ran inside with their hands entwined. The servants showed them their respective rooms which made them very excited. Reina parted opened her curtains dramatically and smiled as she gazed dreamily at the gorgeous garden below. It led to a pathway that seemed to go deep into the woods. There were thick bushes and tall trees around so she couldn’t tell what was in there. “I should take a walk.” She said, her mind filled with curiosity. She quickly unpacked her bag and arranged her clothes in the large walk-in closet. The house belonged to her late father, Mr. Kings, and she was impressed yet again by his grand taste in good things. She changed into a blue floral dress and tied her long red hair into a ponytail. She looked at the vanity mirror on the wall, satisfied with her looks, she left the room and made her way to the garden. “It smells heavenly here,”,” Reina whispered in awe, then walked towards the pathway she had seen earlier. She approached the edge of a clearing, here, the trees gave way to a lake that sparkled in the sunlight. “Peaceful right?” A male voice asked, and she jumped, surprised to see that she wasn’t alone in the lake. She turned towards the sound of the voice and there sat a handsome man with long wavy blonde hair that rested on his shoulders. He had a pair of khaki shorts, and her eyes were drawn to his powerful legs. As she looked at him, her eyes wandered till she reached his broad shoulders down to his sculpted torso. His chest was toned, and she knew they were hard to the touch. She could see his well-defined abs that weren’t exaggerated. The muscles in his arms rippled slightly as he shifted; he reminded her of the statue in front of her house—perfect. He was flawlessly balanced and powerful. “You’re staring, Reina.” He chuckled and then stood up. Reina blushed so much, and she knew her face was as red as a tomato. “Y-you know my name? How did you know?” Reina asked, baffled by the stranger’s knowledge of her identity. She was new to Crystal Mount and no one could know who she was without prior knowledge. Acting oblivious to her questions, he moved closer to her and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, then cradled her chin delicately with his large hand, he used his thumb to caress her face gently while he stared deeply into her green eyes. Reina felt hypnotized, and a spark of connection erupted between them, a strong sense of attraction washed through her veins, and she shivered. She tried to pull away from him, but he wrapped his free hand around her waist and held her firmly. Reina gasped, surprised at his behavior but excited at the same time. Slowly, he retreated, but the tension still lingered, and Reina stared at him longingly. “My name is Aries Stone, the Alpha of the Lycanthrope Legion and your mate.” He declared it with a soft yet authoritative tone. “What do you mean by I am your mate and you’re an alpha?” Reina asked with raised eyebrows, confused by the things he said to her. Before he could speak, they were interrupted by Jeremy, a servant from the house. “Ma’am, your presence is needed immediately.”