The Unwilling Luna and her Three Mates

The Bond I Refused

The first thing I tried to do when I realized Maddox Black was my mate was deny it.

The second thing I did was try deny it again.

And the third thing I did was consider pretending I had suddenly become deaf and walking away.

Unfortunately, my wolf had other plans.

Mate.

I ignored her.

He's our mate …. yayyyy we've finally found our mate iris.

Ignored her again.

Completely.

She was being dramatic.

My wolf had always been dramatic.

Unfortunately, she had also never been wrong.

Maddox was still standing in front of me, watching my internal argument play out across my face.

I hated that he looked amused.

"What?" I asked.

His mouth twitched.

"Nothing."

"You're smiling."

"I am."

"Why?"

"Because I found my mate."

The simplicity of his answer annoyed me.

I stared at him.

"That's it?"

He frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're just accepting this?"

A confused expression crossed his face.

"Should I not?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it.

Because honestly?

I didn't have an answer that didn't sound ridiculous.

My entire life had prepared me for danger, betrayal, and disappointment.

Not this.

Not a handsome rogue standing in the middle of a forest looking like the Moon Goddess had personally given him the greatest gift of his life.

Maddox stepped closer.

I immediately stepped back.

His eyebrow lifted.

"You're running away."

"I am creating distance."

"That is a very complicated way to say running away."

"I'm not running away ."

He looked me up and down.

"You walked backward three steps."

I hated that he noticed.

"I was adjusting my position."

"Right."

His tone laced with sarcasm.

The amusement in his voice was irritating.

And somehow, even more irritating, was the fact that I almost smiled.

Almost.

I refused to give him that satisfaction.

Maddox studied me quietly.

Not like everyone else did.

Not like they were searching for pieces of my father in me.

Not like they were wondering if I would become the same kind of monster.

He was simply looking at me.

Like I was just Iris.

It was strange.

And I didn't like how much I noticed it.

"You're not happy," he said.

"That's an observation."

"You're my mate."

"I heard you the first time."

"And you're acting like someone just told you I'm carrying a disease."

I folded my arms.

"I'm not good with surprises."

He looked around the empty forest.

"Being told your mate is standing in front of you is not usually considered a bad surprise."

"Usually?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know. I've never experienced this before."

That answer caught me off guard.

Despite everything I had heard about him, despite the warnings about rogues being dangerous and heartless, Maddox looked genuinely happy.

Not arrogant.

Not possessive.

Happy.

And that was somehow worse.

Because anger would have been easier to handle.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked.

His expression changed slightly.

"Yes."

I studied him.

"You know?"

"I know."

"And you're still standing here?"

He frowned.

"Should I leave because of your surname?"

Most people would have said yes.

Most people would have reminded me of my father.

Murderer's daughter.

Fallen Alpha's blood.

But Maddox didn't.

"I know what people say about me," I said quietly.

"I don't care."

I looked at him.

"That's easy to say."

"No, it isn't."

His voice became more serious.

"I know what it feels like when people decide who you are before knowing you."

For the first time, I wondered about his story.

Everyone had one.

Even the people who pretended they didn't.

"Fine," I said.

Maddox blinked.

"Fine?"

"I'm accepting that this exists."

His lips curved.

"Really?"

"Don't get excited."

Too late.

He looked like he had just won something.

"I said I acknowledge the bond."

"Not accept me?"

"Correct."

He laughed.

Actually laughed.

I stared at him.

"What?"

"You're unbelievable."

"I'm the unbelievable one?"

"Yes."

"I'm not the one arguing with fate."

I narrowed my eyes.

"I have very good reasons."

"I'm sure you do."

That response irritated me because it wasn't dismissive.

He actually believed me.

———

We eventually made our way back toward the village.

I expected Maddox to be difficult.

I expected arrogance.

A rogue who controlled an entire territory should have had an ego the size of a mountain.

Instead, he was annoyingly normal.

He talked.

A lot.

"You're quiet."

"I'm thinking."

"You always think this much?"

"Yes."

"That sounds exhausting."

"It is."

He nodded seriously.

"Good. I was worried you enjoyed it."

I looked at him.

Then, despite myself, I laughed.

A small laugh.

Barely there.

But it happened.

Maddox noticed immediately.

His expression softened.

"There it is."

I immediately became serious again.

"What?"

"You laughing."

"I didn't laugh."

"You did."

"No."

"You absolutely did."

"You're imagining things."

"I'll remember this moment forever."

I shook my head.

"You're ridiculous."

"And you're less terrifying than everyone says."

I looked at him.

"Was I supposed to be terrifying?"

"According to rumors? Yes."

"And what am I?"

He smiled.

"Stubborn."

I rolled my eyes.

"That's not better."

"It is."

———

That night, I sat outside my temporary room, staring at the sky.

Maddox Black was my mate.

A fact I could not change.

A fact I did not want.

And yet…

I couldn't deny that being around him felt strangely easy.

That terrified me more than the bond itself.

Because for a brief moment, I forgot about my father.

I forgot about my mother.

I forgot about the questions chasing me.

And I simply existed.

That was dangerous.

Because the last thing I needed was someone making me forget why I started this journey.

I looked toward the forest.

"I'm not staying forever," I whispered.

But a small part of me already knew…

Leaving Maddox Black would not be as easy as I wanted it to be.