Chapter 3

SAGE

Once we were upstairs, Rain started toward his own bedroom. Before he could carry me inside, I spoke.

“My room is next door.”

He paused for a fraction of a second. A faint frown crossed his face, but he adjusted without a word and took me into my room instead. He set me down on the bed carefully, our chests brushing fully in the process. I looked up at him slowly and noticed that he felt it too, despite the carefully controlled expression on his face.

“Cover yourself,” he said, handing me the blanket.

I stilled for a moment. It was the first time we had actually spoken to each other. The closer I listened, the heavier and more intoxicating his voice sounded.

“Thank you,” I accepted the blanket quietly.

“Why were you walking around naked?” he asked.

I blinked up at him in mild surprise. “I was trying on the dress. The string gave way.”

His gaze drifted over my chest for a brief second before he looked away. “Then don’t wear such risky dresses.”

His expression rarely revealed anything, so I couldn’t tell what he truly felt about seeing me exposed or about another man nearly witnessing it.

Having been lonely my entire life, I had a couple of boyfriends during high school and college. They were all crazy over my body in bed. But Rain avoided looking at me. Could it be because he did not find me attractive? But if that was the case then…

My eyes slid down to the bulge on his pants that was not before. My heart quickened as my eyes went up to his uneven breathing. He was aroused by me. Was he holding back his arousal? But why? Now after seeing this I had to see more of him.

“I have nothing special worth hiding,” I replied casually, letting the blanket fall as I stood from the bed looking for my bra. “So I wouldn’t have minded even if the dress slipped during the reception. No one actually cares.”

“That might have been true before,” Rain said, his voice low and firm, “but now you are my wife.”

The words stopped me in my tracks. He called me wife?

I turned slowly. He was already standing right in front of me, his coat in hand.

“The moment you became my wife, you stopped being like everyone else.” He settled the heavy coat over my shoulders, his eyes locking with mine for a long, charged moment. “That string will not give way again.”

My heart quickened at his promise. He was a man of honor.

Then he walked past me and left the room.

I remained standing there, fingers tightening around the fabric of his coat.

What did he mean?

That evening, when the replacement red dress arrived and I put it on, I finally understood.

The gown was just as striking and sensual as before but the fragile string at the back was gone. The entire back had been completely redesigned with bold, deliberate cuts that were both elegant and far more secure. It was a perfect dress for me.

Standing in front of the mirror, I ran my hands over the fabric again and again. The fit was flawless. Did he know my size just by seeing me naked and holding me in his arms?

Pursing my lips, I touched the low cut neck of my dress recalling his arousal and flushed ears when the make up artist arrived to help me get ready for the reception. Sara was the great help before she led me to the grand reception hall.

I stood outside the large closed wooden door of the reception hall recalling the memory of the past when I was completely ignored for dressing up in an ordinary looking dress and Fren was admired for wearing my red dress. Especially when she looked like a perfect match with Rain wearing black. I looked like her maid at that time. It was the point the entire pack started completely accepting her as their Luna.

“Luna,” Sara whispered, stepping aside from the view as the door of the hall opened for me.

The entire pack and other reputed Alphas and Lunas from the realm were attending the reception party. The moment I stepped, everyone’s attention came to me.

The gasps, admires and whispers filled the hall, “She is so beautiful.”

“The Alpha’s choice is indeed wonderful if he has such beauty as his wife.”

I lifted my eyes and started walking in feeling everyone’s eyes and admirers but my gaze went straight to Rain who was already looking at me.

He stood on the raised platform just like before stalking my every step but his dark blue eyes roamed on me from head to toe just like mine did to him. He was wearing the same black as the first time. Our eyes locked without blinking but then Fren stepped in beside him, wrapping her hand on his arm, “Rain, you look so handsome.”

Rain glanced at her emotionlessly until his eyes fell on her dress. “What are you wearing?"

Another gossip broke out in the crowd, “Why the hell is she wearing such white dress fully covered? Is she mummy?”

A few reputed groups of Lunas secretly broke into laughter. “It is so embarrassing to watch her.”

But it clearly reached Fren’s ears. She clenched her fists in embarrassment, her burning eyes landed on me. She turned to Rain and shyly stated, "Actually, I am a little cold.”

He just looked away without any response. However another Luna’s words fell into my ears, "Despite looking like a joke Alpha Rain is letting her stand next to him. That really has to be the mate bond over any other explanation.”

My feet slowed as I looked at Fren and Rain together. I knew Rain’s wolf would be in love with Fren. A wolf could not deny the pull of the mate bond, even though he was married to me. But that was past and I was not letting it repeat again.

The corner of my lips curled up watching Fren attracting Rain’s attention again and again. Better keep doing that. That’s what I actually wanted.

I lifted the hem of my dress to carefully ascend the short flight of stairs, only for Rain’s Gamma, Toby, to step forward at once.

“Luna, allow me to help you.”

I placed my hand in his. “Thank you.”

Rain’s eyes snapped to us immediately as Toby guided me up the two steps onto the raised platform. I kept my gaze locked with Rain’s until I was standing beside him. On his other side, Fren frowned at the way his attention lingered on me.

“Alpha,” Toby called, camera already in hand. He was a professional photographer. “Please pose with the Luna—”

Before he could finish, Fren pulled out her phone.

“Rain, let’s take photos together,” she said, turning his face toward her with practiced innocence. “I was so overwhelmed to find out that you were my mate that day that I didn’t get a single picture. I want to capture a happy memory with my mate.”

Just like before, she successfully claimed his full attention.

Perfect.

I stepped forward alone toward Toby. Guests turned to watch, and even Toby looked momentarily taken aback.

I lightly tapped the bracelet on my wrist and smiled. “Please make sure to capture my bracelet as well.”

Toby glanced at my smile and flushed deeply. “Of course, Luna.” He nodded, blushing even harder, something Rain clearly noticed.

He raised the camera for my first photo as I posed. “So beautiful,” he murmured under his breath.

I smiled with a soft blush. “Now from this angle.”

He nodded eagerly and lifted the camera again. I offered my side profile but before the shutter could click, a strong arm slid around my waist. Suddenly I was no longer alone in the frame.

The camera flashed.

I looked up to find Rain standing tall beside me.

“Make sure to capture me as well,” he said, raising a brow at Toby.

Toby nodded in a mild panic and immediately began taking more photos of the two of us. I blinked up at Rain, then secretly shifted my gaze toward Fren, who had been left standing alone in the same spot.

She was fuming.

“Rain, our pictures…” she tried to approach again.

I started to step away, but Rain tightened his grip on my waist, pulling me closer.

“Later,” he told her flatly.

Fren froze in disbelief, her burning eyes shifting on me.

I turned back toward the camera, posing beside Rain with a soft smile, his hand remaining firmly on my waist the entire time.

In the previous life we had never taken a single photo without Fren in it. I had never been able to open that album again because of her.

“Why did you take Toby’s hand earlier?” Rain asked his voice low enough to only reach me.

I stilled for a moment before I replied, “He was closer and offered the help in time.”

He shifted his gaze from camera to me, “Next time wait until I hold your hand.”

I locked eyes with him, “Why?”

His expression slightly changed before he stated coldly, “Because you are my woman, not others.”

With that he turned and left frowning. I stood there surprised at his reaction. The corner of my lips curled up. He was jealous.

Soon the formal greetings began as more guests arrived. Fren walked beside Rain as she had before, inserting herself into conversations and introductions as though this were her reception. Of course the younger Lunas from reputable packs were eager to stay in the good graces of Rain’s soulmate, for the sake of their own mates and packs.

Fren smiled proudly, clearly believing she was stealing the spotlight once more. Meanwhile, my attention shifted to an elderly Luna approaching with slow, careful steps. I walked toward her on my own. Rain’s eyes followed me at once as I bowed respectfully.

“Luna, please take a seat. Rain and I will come to you.”

She smiled warmly. “What a fine young woman.”

She immediately called her friends over. “Look, Alpha Rain has such an excellent wife and Luna.”

They openly praised my manners. Rain slowly walked over to join me while Fren remained surrounded by the younger Lunas.

Before long, the older she-wolves gathered around Rain and me and called their sons over. Naturally, when the young Alphas came to greet me, their soulmates followed. Fren’s expression tightened as the younger Lunas drifted away, drawn instead toward the attention surrounding me.

Soon she could not hold anyone’s focus. The growing crowd of guests gradually pushed her farther to the edges until she stood alone.

She clenched her fists, rage burning in her eyes as she muttered under her breath,

“How dare she…”

The guests enjoyed the feast and one by one they gradually departed.

This time I had refused to let the past repeat itself. I had protected my place as Rain’s wife. It almost felt like a dream.

“Luna, now you and the Alpha should eat as well,” Sara suggested as she approached.

I glanced at the table set with our dinners, the same meal I had never gotten to taste in my previous life because I had fled the party in humiliation. This time I intended to share it with Rain.

However—

“Rain!” Fren’s sharp cry cut through the air, instantly drawing every remaining gaze. “I–I’m in heat!”

She collapsed to her knees.

I froze in pure horror.

How could Fren go into heat? It had never happened in the past.

But if she truly was in heat… then the only one who could calm her would be—

Rain.