My Brother In Law is My True Mate

The Pack Cathedral was filled with the elite of the werewolf world. Hundreds of wolves sat in the wooden pews, waiting to see their Alpha finally take a Luna. Seraphina sat in the front row. Her dress was beautiful, but it was two sizes too small. It squeezed her ribs so hard it was difficult to take a full breath. But the dress wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the thick silver collar hidden under the high lace neck of her gown. "Stop squirming," her father, Beta Thomas, growled under his breath. He sat to her right, his hand gripping her wrist like a vice. "It burns, Father," Seraphina whispered. "The silver... it’s blistering my skin." "It’s doing its job," her mother hissed from her left. "It keeps that scent of yours hidden. Today is Selina’s day. If you ruin this, Seraphina, I will personally throw you to the rogue lands." Seraphina looked up at the altar. Her twin sister, Selina, stood there looking perfect. She was wearing a crown of white roses. Beside her stood Silas, the Alpha of the Shadow-Claw Pack. He was huge, powerful, and breathtakingly handsome. He was also Seraphina's fated mate. But he didn't know it. He thought she was a traitor. He thought Selina was his savior. --- Three Years Ago: The Night of the Lie The memories hit Seraphina like a physical blow. It had been the night of the full moon, the night they both turned eighteen. Seraphina had been running through the woods, her wolf howling with joy. She had found him near the Black River—Silas. He was in the middle of a brutal shift, his bones breaking and reforming. "Silas!" she had screamed, rushing to his side. He was being attacked by three rogue wolves. They were huge, mangy, and smelled of death. Seraphina didn't hesitate. She shifted and threw herself into the fight. She was smaller, but she was fast. She took a bite to the shoulder to protect his neck. She bled for him. She fought until the rogues ran away. As Silas lay there, half-human and half-wolf, he had looked into her eyes. The bond snapped into place. Mate, his wolf had whispered. "I'll get help," Seraphina whispered, stroking his face. "Stay here." She ran toward the pack house, but she didn't get far. "Sera! Over here!" It was Selina. She was standing by the old stone bridge. "Selina, Silas is hurt! He’s by the river. Go get the healers, I need to go back to him!" Selina didn't move. She held a heavy piece of wood in her hands. "No," Selina said. Her voice was cold. "I don't think so." Before Seraphina could react, Selina swung. The wood cracked against Seraphina’s temple. Everything went black. When Seraphina woke up, she was in a dark cellar. Her hands were tied with silver chains. Her father was standing over her, looking disgusted. "Why did you do it?" he demanded. "Do what?" Seraphina gasped, her head spinning. "You tried to kill the Alpha," her mother said, stepping out of the shadows. "You led those rogues to him. Selina saw everything. She’s the one who fought them off. She’s the one who dragged him to safety while you ran away to meet your rogue lovers." "No! That’s a lie!" Seraphina screamed. "I saved him! I felt the bond!" "Silas felt a bond," her father said, leaning down to her ear. "But he was semi-conscious. He saw a girl with your face. And Selina was the one there when he opened his eyes. She told him you set the trap. She even showed him the rogue dagger she found in your room—the one she put there." "He'll know," Seraphina sobbed. "He'll smell that it’s me." "He won't," her mother smiled, holding up a heavy silver collar. "This is an ancient relic. It dampens the wolf. It hides the scent. To Silas, you will just be the 'evil' sister. The one who tried to murder him." For three years, Seraphina lived as a servant in her own home. She watched Silas fall in love with a lie. She felt the bond every time he smiled at Selina. It was a slow, agonizing death. --- The Ceremony "We are ready," the High Priest announced. The Cathedral fell silent. Silas took Selina’s hands. "Silas," Selina said, her voice trembling with fake emotion. "I have waited so long for this. Since the night I saved you by the river, I knew we belonged together." Silas nodded, but his brow furrowed. "The bond... it feels strange today, Selina. It feels distant." "It’s just the nerves, Alpha," Selina said quickly. She glanced at the front row, giving Seraphina a look of pure triumph. "Then let the Binding begin," the Priest said. "Alpha, call forth your power. Bind your Luna to your soul." Silas closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Suddenly, the air in the Cathedral changed. The temperature dropped. A low hum started in the floorboards. Whoosh! A massive wave of golden light erupted from Silas. It was the Alpha’s power, the energy of the pack. It was supposed to flow into Selina and mark her as the Luna. The light moved toward her. Selina closed her eyes, leaning forward to catch it. But the light stopped. It hovered in the air, vibrating like an angry hornet. "Silas?" Selina whispered, opening one eye. "What’s happening?" The golden light didn't touch her. Instead, it let out a sound like a thunderclap. It turned 180 degrees and surged away from the altar. The crowd gasped. The wave of power flew over the heads of the council members. It headed straight for the front row. "Seraphina, get down!" her mother shrieked. But the power didn't hit Seraphina to hurt her. It wrapped around her like a warm blanket. It was searching for something. Snap! The silver collar around Seraphina’s neck couldn't handle the pressure of a True Alpha’s magic. It shattered into a hundred pieces, the metal shards flying across the floor. Seraphina gasped, clutching her throat. And then, it happened. For the first time in three years, there was nothing blocking her wolf. Her scent exploded. It wasn't a normal smell. It was the scent of the True Luna—sweet jasmine, mountain air, and something primal that made every male wolf in the room drop to their knees. It was the smell of a mate who had been unclaimed and starving for her other half. The silence that followed was terrifying. Silas stood on the altar, his face deathly pale. His nose twitched. His eyes, usually a piercing blue, began to turn pitch black as his wolf took over. He slowly turned his head toward the front row. He ignored his bride. He ignored the Priest. He looked right at Seraphina. "You," he growled. The word shook the very foundation of the Cathedral. ---