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Chapter 1
Artemisia
“I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Gray Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna.”
I flinch as my feet touch the surface of the cold water and groan as the flashback of the day in which I accepted the rejection of the love of my life resurfaces from my memories.
Rick and I had been together forever. Since the day we met in our strollers, we had been a thing.
Or at least I thought we were.
We started dating officially after he stole my first kiss in high school and even if my mother had given me long talks about how I should preserve my virginity until I met my mate, I gave him my everything as we went to college and were allowed to live together by the elders of our packs.
As our packs already shared a lot of land and facilities, our bond was very well seen by everyone. And I guess I was not the only one who couldn’t wait to find him as my mate. My father had talked plenty about how our bond would lead to a really strong alliance.
Well, shit.
He turned 20 a few months before I did and as he was acting strangely, I was scared about the possibility that he might have found out that I wasn’t his mate. So, on my 20th birthday, I was immensely relieved.
Just until the moment that I wasn’t.
Surely, as a popular and love-spoiled girl, I could have imagined everything happening but not to get rejected without any explanation on my birthday. As my dreams and plans for my future were crushed on what should be the happiest day of my life, I needed quite a while to rise back up from my ashes.
My only luck was that even if I was ready to give up on everything, I didn’t and kept going with my studies as I was too ashamed to go home and face my family.
While my father and mother took it more on the pragmatic side, mourning the loss of the alliance more than my pain, my brothers were fuming. I guess I prevented a few pack wars as I held back my brothers from killing Rick.
It’s now been four years since I got out of college and back home. I regenerated all alright and was able to train as a pack doctor for our pack hospital. My heart, alas, couldn’t get back on track. It seemed as if the pain was just too much to bear.
I sigh deeply as I watch a bunch of children play on the other side of the lake.
What happened to Riccardo, you might ask? Well, he got back and took over his title two years ago. He got mated with his chosen mate while he was still in college and now has two kids, aged 6 and 4.
Yeah. You got it.
I discovered the reason for my rejection pretty soon after it had happened. His mate was already 4 months pregnant as I found out.
The roaring my wolf released at this was as crushing as the heartbreak itself. My heart broke in a way that made me think that it wouldn’t ever be able to be mended ever again.
‘This is all your fault! You should have done more to please our Mate!’ My wolf, Cassandra, hissed.
‘That’s not true!’ I cried as her voice boomed through my head painfully, ‘I did everything he wanted me to!’
‘Not enough!’ She retorted accusedly, making me whimper.
The next few days I tried to get her to talk to me again. I begged her to talk to me, but she ignored me. And never showed herself to me again.
If not reprimand me for my behavior in my daily life.
You see, our relationship with our inner wolf is essential to our kind. Losing her at such a crucial moment made the pain I felt multiply.
I was still able to train as a pack doctor as I was the Alpha’s daughter, but I surely was the most useless being in the pack, and everybody knew that.
“Missy!” I turn around as I see my younger brother kick a stone in his path. “Mom wants to talk to you about Gio’s coronation.”
I groan, picking up my shoes and getting up. “I’m going to help, but I won’t go!”
“You have to. Gio would be sad if you didn’t.”
My older brother would indeed be sad if I were to miss his coronation ceremony. He and his mate have been training for this moment for months and I know exactly how nervous he is. Even though I boast about being over Riccardo at every possibility I’m given, I fear the moment of meeting him at the ceremony. Also, facing him without a partner by my side is always the worst thing to live through.
But the things you’d do for your family.
Walking back with my younger brother, who talks non-stop about his sparring classes at school, I reach our pack house pretty fast. Due to my numerous family, just a few of my brothers live with us, as the Beta’s family wouldn’t have room otherwise.
The mansion is ridiculously huge. In the basement are the quarters of the omegas working at the mansion. On the ground floor and the first floor are the quarters of the unmated warriors and guards on duty as well as the dining halls, the entertainment and common rooms, the kitchens, and a small library. The floor above is where my younger brother, Fabio, and my younger twin brothers, Zaccaria and Zeno, live along with me. On the fourth floor, there is my father’s Beta with his family. They will soon have to move into a pretty house near the marketplace as my brother’s Beta will move in with his family after the ceremony. My brother, who currently lives on the fifth floor with his family, will soon be moving up to the highest floor and so exchange quarters with my parents.
I love my family dearly and the only thing making this better would be my elder twin brothers, Cristian and Costa, living with us too.
I find my mother in her office and knock at the open door, making her turn to me with a big smile. “Ah, Missy, there you are.”
“Hey, Ma. Is there a possibility I could help without having to go?”
She chuckles, moving her glasses up her nose by pinching their frame.
“Honey, we have already discussed it. We all must show your brother our love and support. What will people think if you don’t show up?”
I take a piece of paper that she is handing me over her desk and slump into the seat standing in front of it with a groan.
“I need you to memorize the names of the guests, so we can make a good impression.”
“Mom! These are hundreds of names!” I shout, looking at her agape, but she just waves dismissively.
“Oh, I’ve highlighted the important ones, and you have a few days.”
Scrunching my nose, I check the list and murmur, “You have to be kidding me.”
She is humming along happily as my eyes fall on a special name.
“Blackwood,” I whisper to myself, attracting my mother’s attention.
“What was that, honey?”
I turn the page for her to see and she squints her eyes at it. “You invited the Blackwood heir. From the Blood Fang pack?”
She nods as she lifts her glasses to read better. “Yeah. We had to.”
“Why?” I ask, standing from my seat.
She sighs, scribbling something in her notebook.
“The treaty that we have with them is really important for us. It is already unstable as it is.”
“Treaty,” I scoff, slamming the piece of paper back onto her desk. “They break that useless pact at every given moment.”
My mother sighs, lifting her finger to my face. “That’s why we have to be extra nice to them. They are just playing with us because they are strong. Imagine if they attacked us for real. That would be horrendous. Now, be a nice little lady, and help me pick out the flowers. Luna Diana showed you the dress she picked, right?”
“I can’t believe you all!” I yell at her, risking getting punished badly for my insolence. “No wonder they keep playing us like a violin! Those arrogant bastards don’t deserve to ruin his ceremonial coronation as well as everything else they show up for!”
My mother looks at me with a displeased expression, pursing her lips. “You are going to calm down this instance and moderate your tone, or I will have a little chat with your father. You are certainly not in the position to evaluate this type of situation. And I warn you, you will behave at the ceremony!”
“Don’t worry, mom!” I scoff, already about to storm out of the door, “I will hold still if they choose to attack me!”
Chapter 2
Artemisia
“All that shouting doesn’t really suit a pretty lady.” My brother chuckles as he walks into my bedroom.
I scoff, rolling my eyes, continuing to sulk while staring outside the window. “It’s just not fair.”
“A lot of things aren’t!” He simply states, getting me to turn around to look at him.
“Aren’t you going to change something as the new Alpha? Will you allow them to continue to just act as they please?” I ask him, clenching the shiny surface of the sideboard I am sitting on.
“Missy,” he sighs, putting his hands into his pockets. “There is not really anything we could do.”
Giorgio takes a step forward, tilting his head at me. “Is there something that is bugging you? To have you agitated like that?”
Shaking my head, I raise my eyes to the ceiling, “Did you hear that they executed a wolfless She-wolf a few days ago?”
“Yes,” he answers, the corners of his mouth dropping. “But it is only a rumor going around. The council hasn’t found anything on it.”
“But they are still investigating, aren’t they?” My voice reaches a high-pitched tone, nearly failing me.
Giorgio shifts his weight from one foot to another, “Yes, but-”
“Nothing but!” I scream, jumping off the furniture. “They are animals. We should stop doing as they please. Having them treat us as puppets to pull off a show with.”
In the blink of an eye, Giorgio is standing in front of me, grabbing my arm brusquely. “You will calm down and refrain from saying anything like this out loud ever again! Do you understand me?”
I whimper and pull my arm up, trying to cover from his intimidating fury. As I nod shyly, he growls, making me wince. “Do you. understand. me?”
“Yes, Alpha.” I say lowly, finally getting him to release me.
I rub the spot pulsating painfully on my arm, pouting. “It’s not just us, Missy.”
Looking up at him, I see that his rage-filled expression has now morphed into the usual caring one that I normally get from my big brother. “It’s important that you know that all of us are in danger. Even if we were to attack them all together, the chances would be high for them to crush us with a tired smile on their faces. You can’t grasp the things that we saw, so please. Don’t risk it. Especially not in your condition.”
“My condition,” I murmur feeling crushed while still caressing my arm with my thumb.
He flashes me his canines as he grins at me. “So, care to change the subject, and act like the shy, weak, and cowardly sister everyone supposes you to be?”
I chuckle, clearing my throat as if I were to impersonate an actor on stage.
“On a scale from one to 10, how nervous are you?” Giorgio acts pensively as he sighs deeply. “Maybe an 8?” He answers indecisively, making me chuckle.
“Are you asking me?” I sit back onto the sideboard, while he moves to stand next to me, and we look out of the window watching warriors train on the grounds below.
“Diana chose a really beautiful dress, I gotta tell you.” I say in a whisper, my stare directed into the void.
Seeing him smile in the reflection of the glass, my heart feels so happy that it could burst.
“9 then.”
“Mom is already calling her Luna.”
“That’s actually cute.”
“Yeah.”
Giorgio turns around slowly, his shy smile still present. “You will be coming, right?”
I wrinkle up my nose and shrug, “Sure. Wouldn’t miss it for no reason.”
“Thank you. I’ll set Zeno and Zack to your side. This way he will not dare to come close to you again.”
“That would be awesome, thank you. But I can defend myself, he is just a wimp, let the Zs enjoy their evening with their girlfriends.”
He sighs again, holding me by my shoulders. “We are a family, and they will understand. He has to learn that he lost you and has to let you be.”
Shaking my head, I grin up at him. “You are already such a stubborn ruler. Don’t worry. I’m unmated and there must be some residues of our bond because of that.”
“Still not a reason to be an asshole.” He grunts, releasing me with a tap.
My heart bleeds as I think of how stupid I have been and am now even troubling my family. They know about everything as I have told them.
Well, nearly everything.
Just my brothers and my sisters-in-law know that he is still obsessed with me and whenever he sees me, he tries to get close to me.
My parents only know that I’m still hurting at seeing him, and that is not even a lie.
But just my best friend knows that, a few years ago, I let myself get wrapped around his finger and even spent the night with him. His cheating on his family with me had me feeling sick for days. And until this day, I feel like a piece of shit for my behavior.
At least it was a lesson for me and since then I was cured of feeling attracted to him.
The ick was just too strong.
Thank God.
“I’ll be alright. Don’t worry!” I say, with a grin.
He nods, and is already standing by the door as he turns around, “You aren’t wolfless, Missy! Don’t punish you for something you can’t control.”
I remain looking at the training ground, as I sigh, the first tears falling fastly.
Chapter 3
Artemisia
Joyful laughter fills the air while a rustling rises from the floors below us. The preparations for the ceremony are running smoothly and still, my mother manages to hyperventilate constantly about the guests who have to be arriving at any minute.
“Do you feel comfortable?” I ask Diana as she is taking deep breaths with her hands on her stomach.
“Yes. But no. God, I think I’m going to faint.”
“Relaaaax.” Caterina yells from her vanity, while she is concentrating on drawing her eyelid line straight. “Everyone has already accepted you as their new Queen. Everything is going to be OK.”
“I’m more nervous than on my wedding day.” She breathes out, “Is that shit normal?”
I chuckle as I pinch the train of her wedding gown. “I guess so.”
With a swift movement, she turns around and grabs my cheeks with her hands gently. “Aren’t you a beautiful creature?!”
She presses a smooch on my cheek, making me gasp. “Your red lips will destroy my make-up!” I skyrocket out of my sitting position and stand behind Caterina to look in the mirror. “You cruel woman. I sat hours for it.”
Diana and Caterina laugh, and Caterina stands up to remove the traces of lipstick from my cheek. I pout as she rubs her thumb on my face, and she dabs the spot carefully with a beauty sponge to recover my make-up flawlessly.
“All set!” She exclaims happily just as my mother’s voice resounds in our heads.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. Let it begin.”
I get released out of the mind link and turn to Diana with a chuckle. Squeezing her hand, I wish her good luck and assure her one more time that all will be fine before I leave the room with Caterina.
“She shouldn’t be left alone.” She whispers as we scurry down the stairs.
“I know, but it will be alright. Tradition asks for her to join us just at the time of the coronation.”
As we reach the ground floor, I halt just behind my mother and feel Zeno laying his arm around my shoulders.
I can feel how everybody is anxious but also extremely excited. My brothers and I stand there to face the first guests with a smile while my parents welcome them officially on our pack grounds. I stare in awe as the elegant representatives of other packs walk in dressed elegantly.
Everybody seems to be working tonight. The organization of the guards, the escorts from the boarders, and the logistics for the party bear witness to my mother’s skill as Luna.
We decide to move with the crowd and go to the back of the house. The big patio leading to the large meadow is now decorated lovingly with garlands and flowers. At the end of the field that is fenced with rose bushes, there has been set up a huge stage where the coronation will be held.
I squeal excitedly as I follow Zeno out to a few bar-high tables that are still free and start snacking on the hors d’oeuvres that are being served.
Zaccaria reaches us with fast steps, and I groan.
“Really, I don’t need your pity. Just leave me alone and go enjoy the evening with your mates.”
Zeno grins as he munches on pretzel sticks. “No can do, sis.”
“I brought you champagne.” Zaccaria beams as he stretches out his arms for me to get my glass.
“Thank you, Zack.”
Even before Zeno can take his glass from our brother’s grip, his expression darkens.
“The assholes are here.”
Zaccaria’s and my head whip to the patio, just in time to see five members of the Blood Fang Pack scanning the crowd with a frown.
Well, no, let me rephrase that.
One of them wears a frown. I couldn’t tell what the others were doing.
And what a frown.
His strong frame lets all the others pale in comparison. Even surrounded by the strongest wolves in the Southern Hemisphere, he seems to tower over everybody. He has his squared jaw clenched as he stares us lowlives down with his glacial eyes and I guess I could cut myself if I was to touch his face, due to his high cheekbones.
And why the fuck would I want to touch his face?!
For the first time after what seems an eternity, I feel my wolf stir and I gasp, tearing myself out of my trance.
My brothers look at me concerned as I grab the material of my dress.
“What's wrong?”
“Cassy… She… I think she just moved.”
“Really?” Their sparkling eyes have my heart bleeding as I think that it might be for an entirely wrong reason.
“Yeah,” I say with a chuckle, straightening my spine with a deep breath.
As my brothers resume bickering playfully, I risk another look at the Adonis that even got my wolf to react, and I must be blushing horribly as our gazes meet.
Oh, my Goddess.
He can’t be my mate. His scent would have overpowered everyone else’s easily and signaled me that he was near.
I chew at my thumbnail while my thoughts keep running wild about the fact that all of this just doesn’t make any sense.
Also, how bothersome it would be to have a Blackwood as my mate.
So, why am I disappointed?
Joining the applause that drags me out of my train of thought, I beam as my brother and his mate step onto the stage. They look so excited and anxious at the same time at what is about to happen that it makes me feel butterflies. The best thing out of all is that it seems like they are happy to finally be able to see each other again the most. Even if in such moments the memory of my rejection hurts the most, I’m glad that the feelings of happiness that I feel for my family overpowers me.
Automatically, my eyes wander over the crowd to find the Alpha Blackwood already looking at me. My eyes snap back to the stage and I gulp.
So embarrassing.
As he is standing rather close by, I guess that the mystery of the mouthwatering scent that I’m smelling is resolved.
Goddess, why me?
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