Chapter 3
THE BIG Day
I could barely sit still—I was finally going to be Theron’s, officially.
“You ready, girl?” Joy asked me with a wide grin.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment forever,” I responded, a thrill in my voice.
As the day approached, Theron became harder and harder to find. He even traveled out of town to forge alliances now that he was the new alpha. But today…
I let out a deep breath to calm myself.
“Aurelia?” Joy’s voice pulled me to a stop.
“Yeah?”
“If everything doesn’t go the way it’s supposed to today… would we still be friends?”
I stared at her like she had just said something completely out of character.
“Sure thing. You’re my best friend,” I told her, locking eyes so she understood how deeply I meant it. “Nothing—absolutely nothing—is going to change that,” I said, pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around me too.
I didn’t dwell on her words. Instead, I rushed out of the pack house to help with setting up the event.
Later in the day, around four in the afternoon, things started to happen.
“Have you seen Callum anywhere? I can’t find him,” Joyce asked, scanning the crowd. I shook my head, not really hearing her clearly over the booming music and the rush of adrenaline surging through me.
Moments later, the music cut off.
“Here comes our new alpha!” somebody shouted as a sleek black Mercedes appeared.
The door opened, and out stepped Theron—his blonde hair and striking blue eyes instantly recognizable, along with his chiseled frame.
Something inside me shifted.
My wolf. The thought made me beam. She was finally awakening.
Tears began to spill as I sprinted toward him, unable to contain my joy.
“Theron!” I called out, my voice full of happiness, getting closer with every step.
A girl climbed out of the car beside him, but I didn’t let it bother me. He could explain who she was later.
I wrapped my arms around him in a fierce embrace the moment I reached him, electric sparks crackling all around as a deep hum vibrated in my head—my wolf was stirring awake.
“I missed you so damn much,” I said, the curse slipping out. I only swore when emotions ran high.
The intensity of the sparks was overwhelming. A part of me wanted to curl into him, mark him with my scent right there, but I knew I’d never live that down in front of this pack.
“Get out of the Alpha’s way, pack member Aurelia,” a voice commanded from nearby.
I shook my head in defiance until someone physically pulled me off him, putting distance between us.
“I, Alpha Theron, present to you your new Luna—my chosen mate,” he announced.
My heart leaped as he kept his gaze locked on mine, and I couldn’t stop the beaming grin that spread across my face.
“Luna Selene,” he said, reaching out to clasp her hand—right before my eyes.
My smile vanished in an instant.
“What?” I whispered, shifting my gaze between the girl and the man I thought was mine.
“You felt that spark too, didn’t you?” I murmured, knowing he heard me clearly.
“You will all acknowledge her as your Luna and the leader of this pack,” he declared, his eyes never leaving mine.
It felt like a wave of ice crashed over me.
“Aurelia, let’s go inside, okay?” Joyce urged, tugging at my arm.
I jerked away from her, vision blurring as tears welled up in my eyes.
PRESENT TIME
I crouch low, trying to hold myself together as the pain wracks my body.
“Ria!” Joy bursts into the room, alarmed.
I curse silently—didn’t I lock that door?
“You need medical help—come on, we need to get you to the infirmary,” she says, her concern almost believable.
“How long?” I ask, needing the truth.
“What do you mean?” she replies, feigning confusion.
“How long have you known he was taking another mate?” I press again. She was one of the few who knew about the bond between me and Theron before it became official.
“Can we at least see a doctor first?” she pleads as I double over in agony.
“N-No!” I cry out. The humiliation of running to him, only to be rejected, cuts deeper than the physical pain.
“Aurelia, please—”
“Don’t avoid the question, answer me!” I shout, my body trembling from within.
The agony feels like my organs are twisting violently, like they’re shifting out of place.
“It was last week, I swear. I didn’t have all the details—just that he was planning to move forward with another female,” she confesses.
“And that wasn’t something you thought I had a right to know?” I scream, rage boiling over. I’m ready to claw her eyes out.
“I’m sorry, okay? I couldn’t say anything—it wasn’t my place. I had to show loyalty to the Alpha,” she says defensively.
I let out a bitter laugh. She was supposed to be my best friend. Theron hadn’t commanded her to stay silent. She chose this betrayal on her own.
I twist again, the pain shooting up my spine forcing a scream from my lips. The intensity is overwhelming.
“You can be angry with me, I get it. But I really think we need to see a doctor first,” she says.
The audacity she has—to act like she suddenly cares, after orchestrating my humiliation in front of everyone in the pack house.
“I don’t recall needing your permission—or approval—when it comes to who I choose to be angry with.”
“B-But you said nothing would ever change between us,” Joy stammers, her voice trembling as she fights back tears.
“Oh no, don’t even try that with me. You watched it all unfold and didn’t lift a finger to stop it!” I shout, pushing myself upright to face her.
