Namara's POV:

Where is he?

He was always there for me, but now I couldn’t even remember the last time I had seen him.

He refused to attend my wedding. I quickly finished showering, then I stepped out of the shower, hurriedly dressing in the clothes I had left on the counter.

When I opened the bathroom door, I saw Damien was asleep again, sprawled out across the bed.

For a brief moment, I stood there, watching him, wondering if I had ever truly known him.

He was just a stranger to me now. I quickly grabbed my things and slipped out of the room, doing my best to avoid waking him.

I wasn’t sure what I was doing or what I was going to find, but I had to go. My feet took me out of the house, and as I passed through the hall, I nearly bumped into Nicolle.

She raised an eyebrow as she looked at me.

“What are you doing here?” She asked. I didn’t miss the glint of amusement in her eyes.

How did I not see this before? Was I so foolish in the past?

“Why are you here?” I shot back.

Nicolle laughed, crossing her arms. “You really don’t remember? A few days before your wedding, you forced me to stay with you at the Packhouse.

You begged me to stay, and now you’re acting like you don’t remember?”

My mind went blank. For a moment, I couldn’t remember—then I remembered when I asked her to stay with me.

I smiled, masking my anger.

“Well, Nicolle.” I said coolly. “Now that it’s a day after the wedding, you should get going.”

She started to speak, but I cut her off.

“No more words. Just leave.”

I turned on my heel, rushing out of the house without another word. I didn’t care if she was angry.

I didn’t care about anything except getting out of that house. I had to go to Alexander. I didn’t go with the driver because I didn’t want anyone tracking me.

Instead, I hailed a cab, giving the driver the address to Alexander’s mansion. The ride felt too long, but eventually, I arrived.

My heart pounded as I hurried up to the gate, knocking desperately. The gatekeeper let me in without question. I ran to the front door, banging loudly.

It didn’t take long for the door to swing open, and to my surprise, it wasn’t the maid who greeted me—it was Alexander himself.

Before I could speak, he pulled me into his arms, enveloping me in the warmth I desperately needed.

I felt a lump rise in my throat. I didn’t know if I was relieved or if my heart was breaking all over again.

After a long, lingering moment, he pulled away, his eyes searching mine.

“How the hell are we still alive?” He asked.

He remembers?

The silence between us hung heavy in the air as I stared up at Alexander, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

The hug he had given me, the words that had come from his mouth.

“Alex.” I started, my voice trembling slightly. “What did you mean by that? What did you mean by, ‘How are we still alive’?”

I had to know. My mind was spinning with questions.

But his expression shifted in a flash, his face hardening as if he suddenly realized something.

His hand pushed against my chest, shoving me back as he stepped away.

“I—I don’t understand.” He stammered, his voice faltering. “I don’t know why I said that. It just came out.”

His features softened, and his hand ran through his hair in frustration.

“I just... I don’t know, Namara. I was happy to see you. It’s just... it’s just the first thing that came to my mind, okay?”

I stood there, staring at him, my heart sinking. He doesn’t remember.

The ache in my chest threatened to swallow me whole, but I forced myself to push it back down.

Alexander’s eyes softened then, as though he sensed my hurt, and he stepped toward me, pulling me into another hug, this one gentler, but just as hollow.

“I’m just glad you’re here.” He murmured into my ear, as though trying to calm my shattered nerves with his words.

But it wasn’t enough. As he held me, I couldn’t stop the bitter tears that threatened to well up.

I was happy, of course—happy that he was alive. But it hurt. He didn’t remember.

He didn’t remember what we had gone through in the past, and that stung more than anything.

After a long time, he pulled away, his hand still resting lightly on my back, but the warmth in his touch felt distant. I blinked the tears away quickly, but they were still there.

“Come on” He said, his tone suddenly cold as he gestured for me to come inside.

“Come in, I’ll get you something to drink.”

His change in demeanor was shocking. It wasn’t like him to be so distant, to be so... cold. He was always kind, always protective.

But now, there was something guarded in his eyes. I hesitated before stepping inside.

He led me through the grand foyer of his mansion, the walls lined with elegant paintings that I once admired when we were children.

Yet, everything feels different now. It feels like walking through a memory that didn’t belong to me anymore.

Alexander sat down on one of the velvet chairs in his sitting room and gestured for me to take a seat on the opposite side.

The room felt unnervingly quiet. A maid appeared, and he instructed her to bring coffee. I thanked her quietly, but my mind was still reeling from everything that had happened.

“So…” He began, his eyes flicking to mine. “How was your wedding night?” He asked, his voice carrying an irritation that I couldn’t ignore.

“And why are you here so early?”

I blinked, taken aback by the question. I didn't expect it, but the jealousy in his voice—something I’d never heard from him before and it sent a jolt through me.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could speak, the realization hit me.

Does Alexander love me? I immediately dismissed the thought. No, it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

I was overthinking, as usual. He didn’t feel that way.

“It was fine.” I answered softly, forcing a smile as I settled into my seat.

“I just wanted to talk to you. I had a lot on my mind. I don’t even know why I’m here, really. I guess I just... needed someone to talk to.”

Alexander didn’t say anything right away, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was lost in thought, his gaze distant.

Then, as if shaking himself from his thoughts, he looked up at me.

“I’ve got a favor to ask.” I said, breaking the silence. “There’s the coronation tonight. Damien’s coronation as Alpha... and my coronation as Luna.”

I bit my lip, hesitating. “I want you to come.”

Alexander looked at me in disbelief. “Are you serious?” He scoffed, crossing his arms. “Why would I want to be a part of that?”

I sighed, but I didn’t give up.

“Please, Alex. It’s important. It’s... it’s my future, and I want you to be there.”

For a moment, he said nothing, his eyes unreadable. Then, finally, with a resigned sigh, he spoke.

“Fine. I’ll go. But I’m only doing it for you.”

A tiny victory, but one I would take for now. When I returned to the Packhouse later that day, things didn’t feel right.

Damien wasn’t in the room when I entered, and I asked one of the passing maids where he was.

“Oh, Alpha Damien and your father, Alpha Lucas, and some of the Pack Elders are in the study.” She replied.

“They’ve been in there all day discussing the coronation.”

I nodded absently, not in the mood to engage with anyone else. I needed a moment alone, away from everything, and I wandered through the halls of the Packhouse, my eyes catching sight of all the preparations.

The staff was bustling about, setting up tables, hanging decorations, and ensuring everything was perfect for the ceremony.

The anticipation in the air was heavy, but it only added to my anger. My mind was still spinning.

Soon enough, it was time. I dressed in an cream gown for the coronation, a beautiful piece designed to mark my new position as Luna.

As I walked down the hallway to the main hall, my maids surrounding me, I was taken aback when I saw Nicolle.

She was still there.

“What are you still doing here?” I asked, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice.

She said she was leaving, didn't she? Nicolle laughed, as if I had said something ridiculous.

“Why do you look so surprised? I was going to leave, but I couldn’t very well leave you on your coronation day, could I? I’m staying for the coronation, of course. I need to be here to support my friend.”

My mind raced.

Support her friend?

Suddenly, I remembered how I acted this morning—how I confronted her in an uncharacteristic way.

I was angry, and maybe, just maybe, I let on that I knew something I shouldn’t.

I needed to cover it up. I had to keep playing my part.

“Aside from that.” She began, forcing a smile.

“You acted a bit strange earlier today, and you are currently acting strange right now. What's wrong?” She asked.

Before I could respond, the doors to the hall were pushed open, and I froze.

There, standing in the doorway, was Alexander. His presence seemed to dominate the room, and my heart skipped a beat.

The air around him was charged, almost electric, and I could feel the restless stirring of my rarely present wolf, Lily.

She whimpered inside my mind, eager to acknowledge him, to claim him.

Then suddenly, Lily whispered: Our Mate has arrived.

My body reacted involuntarily. The pull toward him was undeniable. But the shock of it all left me speechless.

How is this possible? How could he be my Mate, when I never felt a connection in my past life?