Chapter 3

The training grounds echoed with grunts and the sound of bodies hitting mats. I stood awkwardly at the edge, dressed in borrowed training clothes that hung loosely on my frame. Three days had passed since Alexander had proposed our fake mating, and I was still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions—betrayal, rage, and now, a strange anticipation for what was to come.

"Focus, Mitchell!" Delta Reid barked, his weathered face showing no sympathy as he demonstrated a defensive stance for the third time. "Your opponent won't wait for you to remember your training."

I nodded, trying to mimic his posture. My muscles protested—I'd spent years organizing charity events and working at the community center, not preparing for combat. But something inside me, perhaps my dormant wolf, craved this physical challenge.

"You're too rigid," Reid said, circling me. "Relax your shoulders. Feel the ground beneath your feet."

I tried again, only to be knocked flat on my back seconds later. Pain shot through my spine as I stared up at the clear blue sky, wondering if this had been a mistake.

"Again," a deep voice commanded from the sidelines.

I turned my head to see Alexander watching, his powerful arms crossed over his chest, silver eyes tracking my every move. He hadn't joined the training, but his presence was a tangible force, his Alpha aura radiating across the field.

"I can't," I whispered, but my wolf stirred in protest, suddenly alert and eager to prove herself.

"You can," Alexander replied, his voice leaving no room for argument. "My Luna doesn't give up."

*His Luna*. The words sent an unexpected thrill through me. I pushed myself up, ignoring the ache in my muscles, and faced Reid again.

This time, when he lunged, I sidestepped—not gracefully, but enough to stay upright. Alexander's lips curved into the barest hint of a smile, and somehow, that felt like victory.

---

"It's exquisite," the seamstress murmured, adjusting the flowing silver gown that draped over my body. "The Alpha has impeccable taste."

I stood in Luna's Hall, a sacred space within the pack house reserved for ceremonial preparations. The gown Alexander had commissioned was unlike anything I'd ever worn—moonstone-infused silk that seemed to capture the light, embroidered with subtle pack symbols that spoke of power and belonging.

"The crown will complete it," she added, gesturing to a delicate silver circlet set with a central moonstone that pulsed with an inner light. "Custom-made for you, by the Alpha's order."

I touched it hesitantly. Marcus had never bothered with such traditions for our mating. Our ceremony had been rushed, practical—nothing like the elaborate ritual Alexander was orchestrating.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked, turning to examine my reflection. The woman in the mirror looked like a stranger—regal, almost powerful.

"The Alpha wants every pack in the region to witness your union," she replied, her eyes wide with excitement. "It's been decades since we've had a proper Luna ceremony."

As she adjusted the final details, something strange happened. The fabric seemed to warm against my skin, creating a pleasant vibration that resonated deep within me. My wolf, so quiet for years, suddenly pushed forward, as if drawn to the energy in the material.

*What is this feeling?* I wondered, placing a hand over my racing heart.

"True mate energy," the seamstress whispered, noticing my reaction. "The gown is responding to you."

I froze. "That's impossible. This is just for show."

She smiled knowingly but said nothing more.

---

The sacred moonstone grounds glowed under the waxing moon, illuminating hundreds of faces turned toward Alexander and me. Pack members from across the region had gathered, their curiosity palpable. News of Marcus's betrayal and my swift alignment with Alpha Alexander had spread like wildfire, exactly as planned.

I stood beside Alexander, the silver gown flowing around me like liquid moonlight, the crown cool against my forehead. His hand held mine, his touch sending unexpected jolts of electricity up my arm.

"Nervous?" he murmured, his lips barely moving.

"Terrified," I admitted. "What if they see through us?"

His fingers tightened around mine. "They won't."

As Elder Elara began the ancient rites, I spotted Marcus and Jennifer at the edge of the gathering. Marcus's face was twisted with rage, while Jennifer looked pale and uncertain—no longer the smug temptress from the bar.

"Today we witness the union of Alpha Alexander Sterling and his chosen Luna, Sarah Mitchell," Elder Elara announced, her voice carrying across the hushed crowd.

Alexander turned to face me, his silver eyes burning with an intensity that stole my breath. This was the moment—our public declaration, the culmination of our revenge plot.

But when he spoke, his voice held something I hadn't expected: raw emotion.

"She is my true mate," he declared, loud enough for everyone to hear. "The one the Moon Goddess intended for me from the beginning."

Before I could process his words, he leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "This will hurt," he whispered, then tilted my head to expose my neck.

The ritual bite was supposed to be symbolic in our fake arrangement—a necessary show for the audience. But when his teeth broke my skin, marking me as his, an explosion of sensations overwhelmed me. His Alpha aura enveloped me completely, sending tremors down my spine, awakening parts of me that had been dormant for years.

My wolf howled in recognition, surging forward with such force that I gasped. As Alexander pulled back, his eyes widened in shock, a single drop of my blood on his lower lip.

"Sarah," he breathed, his voice thick with wonder. "Your eyes..."

I felt it then—the shift, the awakening. My wolf, silent for so long, was finally responding to a true mate's call.

This wasn't supposed to be real. This was revenge, a calculated plot. So why did my soul suddenly feel complete for the first time in my life?