The Twin Alpha's Quiet Luna.

I will be in red....

Esme.

'The mating ceremony is about to start!'

' Hurry up! I can't wait to mark you as mine." He linked, the excitement in his voice so real, that if I hadn't heard him confess his hatred for me, I would have been touched to tears.

He couldn't wait to mark me? More like he couldn't wait to finally get rid of me.

" I can't wait either." I linked back, softly, my controlled voice not selling the real anger that was burning within me.

I couldn't wait to see his perfectly curated plan foil. I couldn't wait to watch as he got consumed by the very hell that he had prepared for me.

We both couldn't wait, but for different reasons altogether. He wanted to ruin me, but I wanted to burn him alive.

He wanted to become some glorified beta? Well, I was his only ticket there and since he had betrayed me, he could kiss his fantasy a hearty goodbye.

And since he couldn't wait to marry Gina, the love of his life, then I was going to make it easier for him.

Gina.

Gina West, that glorified sl*t.

She had been seeing him behind my back, and yet, she had the guts to praise his devotion for me. She had been screwing with him right under my nose, and yet, she had the nerve to act like a friend to me.

Luckily, with my guarded personality, I hadn't accepted her as my friend. Otherwise, it would have been a double betrayal, no?

Gina West was ... just a pretty she-wolf. Aside from being a warrior couple's daughter, just like Cooper, there was nothing else to her name.

Her life was centred around impulse shopping and f*cking around.

And yet, despite how horrible she was, he still chose her over me. I didn't know if I was as pathetic as he said or, he was hopelessly blind. Either way, nothing mattered at that point.

If they wanted each other so badly, then I was going to do them the honours.

After removing the disguise, I proceeded to wear my normal clothes, my actions stiff and robotic, but my mind super agile as I racked my brain, trying to come up with a perfect revenge plan.

I know. The wound was still fresh, bleeding, and I wasn't in a position to make a major decision, but so what? Time was running and in about four hours, the full moon would be unsheathed, inviting the unmated wolves under its glow.

Ever since I could remember, it had always been like that. Once in every full moon, over fifty unmated wolves would gather under the full moon, howling, searching for their mates, and the majority would find their mates there.

Mine and Cooper's case was different though. We weren't looking for our fated mates. We already chose each other. All we had to do was mark and mate under the full moon. But I guess that wasn't happening either.

Eagle View Pack, the neighbouring pack where the Dark Hearts confession hall was located was a neighbouring pack to ours. It was just a couple of kilometres away, just about an hour for a werewolf.

On normal days, I would have shifted to my wolf and sprinted to my pack, but on that particular day, I couldn't even move a limb, how could I shift into my wolf? The betrayal had been nerve-wracking, and the discovery had nearly paralysed me.

My movements were slow and disoriented as I locked the hall before trailing a familiar path, towards the pack borders.

Outside, things were lively, the lush trees swaying around lazily, in a back-and-forth motion, the atmosphere warm and cosy, but inside, my heart was cold, like I was living in a different weather wave, winter, while others were basking in the comforting arms of spring.

After glancing at my watch, and doing some mental time calculations, I decided to take a cab. Someone was desperately waiting for me and I couldn't afford to fail them, but more importantly? I couldn't afford to ruin the plans that I had for him, for Cooper and the love of his life.

When I arrived at Sharp Ridge pack, it was buzzing with activities, the entire pack was in motion, everyone in the pack was moving, living, their liveliness a huge mockery to the stillness that had become my life.

' Where are you, Esme?' Just then, I received a mindlink from Cooper, this time, he sounded more urgent, anxious and a knowing smile tagged at the corners of my lips.

' I am already here.'

' I had gone shopping. I have been preparing a surprise for you. Today is our mating ceremony, after all. I wanted it to be special. ' I linked, my voice soft and steadying, a perfect cover-up for the tremors within.

Honestly, I was also surprised by how calm I sounded.

' Really?' The urgency was gone. Amusement and a subtle hint of mockery edge his tone as he linked.

He hated me, and with his victory so near, he couldn't even be bothered to mask it.

' I will come in red. A hot red dress. With a mask.'

' Under the glow of the moon, among a sea of she-wolves, I challenge my mate to find me.'

'When you find me, sink your fangs into my skin, mark me and I will do the same.'

' I can't wait to be finally yours, Cooper. ' At the end of the link, I sounded eager, desperate, sensual, just enough to make him excited.

' I have known you for over twenty years, Esme. Do you think I wouldn't recognise you even in the darkness?'

' Red looks good on you. I will find you, mark you and claim you.' He linked back, having taken the bait, super excited, his voice tinged by a streak of lust.

' I will be waiting ' I linked back, before closing the mind link, a hint of amusement and mystery edging my tone.