Fake Heiress, True Luna

Irina’s POV “Are you ready, honey?” my mother asked softly as she adjusted the delicate silver tiara on my golden curls. I looked at myself in the mirror and felt my heart flutter. This was it. My eighteenth birthday. My first shift. The day I would finally recognize my mate. The moment I had dreamed about since I was a little girl, running around pretending I was a princess. “Yes, Mom,” I breathed, smiling so widely it almost hurt. I couldn’t wait for the Moon Goddess to give me my wolf. I couldn’t wait to meet him. Because in my heart, I already knew who I wanted my mate to be. Lancer. The Beta’s son. The boy I had been secretly in love with for years. Tall, strong, broad-shouldered, with warm hazel eyes that glowed like sunlight. Tanned skin, a husky voice that made my knees weak, and a smile so sinful I was sure it was illegal somewhere. He was kind. Smart. Brave. Everything a woman could ever dream of. Everything I dreamed of. Mom grabbed my hand and guided me downstairs. “Your father is waiting.” I felt like royalty. My dress shimmered with tiny diamonds that looked like stars. The skirt flowed behind me like drifting clouds. The tiara made me feel as if the Goddess herself were blessing me. This was my night. My whole life had been shaped by duty. By expectations. By training, tutors, etiquette, and endless pressure to be perfect. Flawlessness wasn’t a choice—it was required. Because in our world, your rank was everything. “Look at you, sis. I might have to kill anyone who lays a finger on you tonight.” My brother Serim’s deep voice rumbled from the staircase behind me. I rolled my eyes. “Please don’t start a bloodbath at my birthday party.” He smirked and fixed my tiara. “No promises. Especially if your mate turns out to be some weakling.” Mom gasped. “Serim! Don’t even joke about that. She’s an Alpha’s daughter—she’ll be mated to someone worthy. Maybe even Lancer.” My heart jumped. My cheeks heated. But I forced myself to keep walking as we reached the grand ballroom. The moment the doors opened, silence fell. “My daughter has arrived,” my father announced, pride swelling in his voice. I moved toward him, but my eyes searched the room on instinct. And then… I saw him. Lancer. Standing tall, handsome, breathtaking. His hazel eyes locked with mine, his lips curving into that slow, devastating smile that always made my stomach flip. My breath hitched. Please, Moon Goddess… let it be him. Before I could think another thought, his voice—smooth and warm—cut through the noise. “You look beautiful, Irina.” A blush crept up my neck. “Thank you.” We danced—slow, close, perfect. His hand was warm against my back, his breath brushing my ear. His words were soft, teasing, and hopeful. “I’ve waited three years for this,” he murmured. My heart soared. Maybe… maybe everything would be perfect. But perfection never lasts. After the waltz, my father called me outside for the shift. The pack circled around the clearing. Torches flickered. Lancer stood just beyond the ring of wolves, his gaze steady on me, his silent confidence wrapping around my trembling nerves. I stepped forward. Pain tore through me as bones cracked and shifted, but I stayed silent. I had trained for this. I had been raised for this. When I finally stood on four paws, I looked down and saw a beautiful white and cream coat. A wolf fit for a Luna. For an Alpha’s daughter. Gasps rippled through the pack. Then— I smelled it. Raspberries and lemon. “Mate!” my wolf shouted, her voice bright and pure. Did I hear that right? “Yes, you did!” My wolf exclaimed, wagging her tail. I… “Hi! My name is Theia, I’m your wolf. It is a pleasure to meet you, and I would love to talk more after we talk to our mate!” Her excitement was evident. My prayers had been heard. I met my mate, and he was the man of my dreams. “Mate,” Lancer declared in front of the pack. At first, everyone remained silent. I was still in my wolf form and realized I should probably change. Usually, everyone else would shift, and we would go on a night run to howl at the moon, but considering I had met my mate, things might be different. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Theia. Can you please tell me how to shift back?” I asked softly, the anticipation of finally holding Lancer’s hand as my mate coursing through my body. “Don’t be so formal with me, girl. I’m your wolf!” She said, but I had talked this way to everyone all my life. It took me a while to warm up to anybody. “Okay, think of your human form.” I did as she said and focused on my golden curls, white skin, and blue eyes. Just as Theia had said, my body started shifting back. Before I opened my eyes, I felt someone put my ceremonial robe over my shoulder. The tingles that erupted from my skin told me who it was. My blue eyes met his hazel ones. The blush on his face made every feature pop even more, which made me avert my gaze. “Irina, is Lancer your mate?” My father asked as he realized I was too flustered to do anything. I lifted my head. This was not the time to act weak. I had to prove to them I was an Alpha’s daughter. I couldn’t let them see that all my training had been for nothing. “Yes, father, Lancer is my mate,” I declared, a smile appearing on my face as I looked at the man I loved. The pack erupted into cheers, the sound washing over us like a warm wave. I could see the genuine happiness on most faces, the relief that their Alpha’s daughter had been blessed with a strong, worthy mate from within the pack. I thought I was blessed, I thought this would be the perfect night. Lancer and I hadn’t kissed yet, but considering the way he was looking at me, his gaze dropping to my lips, I knew it was only a matter of moments. The world had narrowed to the space between us, the cheers of the pack a distant hum. His free hand cradled my jaw, his thumb stroking my cheek. He leaned in slowly, giving me every chance to pull away. I didn't. I rose onto my toes to meet him halfway. But blessings can turn into curses in the blink of an eye. “I’m going to make you mine tonight,” He whispered against my lips, his voice a husky promise that made my knees weak. My entire body flushed with heat, and Theia let out a happy yip in my mind. “Yes! Yes!” But before I could respond, a commotion at the edge of the clearing shattered the moment. A warrior, his face grim and streaked with dirt, pushed through the celebrating crowd. He wasn't just any warrior; he was from the border patrol. And he wasn't alone. Behind him walked Elder Harden. His usually gentle face was now the opposite. My father’s smile vanished the second he saw them. My stomach dropped. “Richard,” Elder Harden said—using my father’s name. “We must speak. Now.” I had a bad feeling about this. My mother and father couldn’t refuse; they had to follow the Elder. They vanished toward the pack house. Lancer held me close, trying to soothe me, whispering sweet reassurances… but the knot inside me only grew tighter. “Don’t worry about them, baby,” Lancer whispered in my ear. “I’m sure it's just some pack business; your father will return soon.” Minutes later, the night shattered. A roar—deep, raw, filled with betrayal—exploded from the pack house and rippled through the clearing like an earthquake. My father. Except I had never heard him like that. It sounded like something inside him had been ripped out—like something unforgivable had happened. The front door burst open. My father stood in the ruins, trembling with fury and devastation, his aura suffocating. His eyes found me. The moment they did, the world stopped. He moved, a blur of Alpha speed, stomping across the clearing. The crowd scrambled out of his way, a sea of shocked and frightened faces. In three heartbeats, he was standing before us, his chest heaving, his aura so oppressive it felt difficult to stand. "Father?" I managed to choke out, my voice small and scared. "What's going on? What's wrong?" His hand moved faster than I could track. Slap! My head snapped to the side, a stinging, fiery pain exploding across my cheek. The force of it sent me stumbling back, and I would have fallen if Lancer hadn't caught me, his own body rigid with shock. Tears of pain and utter confusion sprang to my eyes. I brought a trembling hand to my throbbing cheek, my mind reeling. He had never, ever raised a hand to me. He leaned in, his face inches from mine, and the words he spat out were laced with a venom that felt like a physical blow. "Don't you dare call me that," he snarled, his voice a low, guttural tremor of hatred. "You are not my daughter.”