Silva (Present time)

“Is this some sort of sick joke to you,” I snapped and pushed at his chest but he didn't budge.

Damn him and his muscles.

I was pressed firmly against them and every move I made to try to get distance between us made me touch him almost inappropriately.

I could already picture what he looked like without clothes, each ab carved into his body with precise detail.

“Why? You don't believe me?” He asked and cocked his head to the side as if he was talking to a child that was too stupid to understand what he was saying.

His arrogance was so infuriating! Who does he think he is?

“Forgive me if I'm not inclined to believe the words of the stranger who was previously eavesdropping on my conversation with my father. For all I know you could be some weirdo.”

“Are you always this fired up?” He asked with a little laugh.

“I just got rejected by my mate, harassed and threatened by my father, forgive me if I'm not friendly,” I said with sarcasm heavy in my tone. “Also, why would I believe you? You’re probably just trying to make a fool out of me or play some horrible prank. I do not have time for that.”

“I do not have time as well, so shut your beautiful mouth and listen to me.” There was a slight growl in his words that told me he meant business. I reluctantly kept quiet.

“My name is Kane Grimclaw. Alpha Kane Grimclaw,” He started.

‘He is an Alpha? I’ve been yelling at an Alpha?’

I mentally facepalmed myself.

Trouble always seemed to find me no matter how hard I try to run from it. There was something familiar about that name though, but I couldn’t place it.

‘Grimclaw…’ I trailed off in my head. Wondering where I had heard the name from previously.

“You’re Harken’s daughter right? You’re not Sapphire, are you?”

“Sapphire? Y-You think I’m Sapphire” I started laughing so suddenly that it must have surprised him.

He took a step back from me, releasing me in the process.

“What’s so funny?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I-I, It-s just, I have never been mistaken for Sapphire in my entire life,” I said, still giggling a little. “My name is Silva. I’ll go get Sapphire for you.”

He grabbed my hand, holding me in place.

“I never said I needed Sapphire,” He said, something about the way he phrased the words made me feel butterfly in my stomach.

“Oh. So, uhh, what do you need?” I asked almost timidly. His hand held on to mine, he had a single black bar tattooed around his forearm in a circle, it was the only mark on the otherwise flawless skin.

“I need a Luna but only in name alone. I’m not looking to fall in love or actually fully develop our mating bond. I was supposed to find someone at this event to make her my Luna but you…” He trailed off, eyeing my body like I was a piece of machine he was going to put to good use. “You’re the perfect fit.” He finished.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“This will be a mutually beneficial partnership. You get to leave your abusive father and I can get some very annoying people off my back. We will draft the rules for our relationship and under no circumstances must you reveal the nature of our deal to anyone.”

I thought about it for a second, this man, this Alpha, his offer was almost like a miracle.

Kane Grimclaw… Something about that name still sounded familiar.

I don’t know anything about him, or about his pack. I am a non-shifter, would they accept someone like me as their Luna?

But what is the other alternative? Stay on the pack grounds and die tonight?

No.

I had my answer.

“I will be your Luna.”

He let out a devilish grin at my answer. “I know,” he replied.

Damn him and his cockiness.

“So what now?” I asked, looking up into his dark eyes.

He pulled me closer once more till I was pressed against him and his arms wrapped around my waist.

“I’m glad you asked,” He replied, and without any warning, his lips closed the space between us and claimed my lips.

I pulled away in alarm.

“W-what are you doing?” I stuttered out, blushing a bright red.

“Are you clueless on how a mate is Marked?” He asked and tilted his head to observe me.

“I-I know, but really? Right now?”

“I’m not going to consummate the mark if that’s what you’re worried about. I have no plans of fucking you in a forest.”

I turned a bright red at his words.

“O-oh, uhh, okay,” I stuttered out.

This time, I stood on the tip of my toes to reach him. Our lips connected gently, like we were both hesitant, unsure of our decision and hoping not to regret it.

His second hand reached for the back of my head and slowly inched its way up till it was tangled in my hair. Our hesitation was fading away.

His lips glide over mine smoothly, they were surprisingly soft and tender, unlike the rest of his body.

Something about him was intoxicating, maybe it was his powerful aura, or the way his hands moved around in my hair, or the rich earthy scent of this cologne that was slowly overwhelming me. I couldn’t tell.

His mouth left mine and slowly trailed kisses down my neck. My heart was pounding rapidly against my chest like it was trying to tear itself out.

“Calm down,” He whispered against my neck, his breath was warm and sent tingles down my back. I let out a shaky breath and tried my best to calm myself down.

“I’m trying,” I whispered back, terrified I was dreaming and if I moved too much or spoke too loudly, I’d wake up back in front of the tree my father threw me against and realized I had passed out and this was all a dream.

Was it?

I could feel the warmth his body was giving off, it comforted me in a way my imagination could never. This wasn’t a dream. I was going to be mated. Not just mated, I was going to be mated to an Alpha. Just after my Omega mate rejected me.

“This might hurt just a little bit,” He whispered against my neck again, but this time I felt something sharp scrape my skin lightly, his fangs.

“I’m ready,” I answered.

His fangs pierced through my skin and a pain like I had never felt before tore through me like a bullet, I almost let out a scream if the pain hadn’t changed into something more pleasant almost instantly.

I gripped him tightly as my legs buckled underneath me. I could feel something in me that I had never felt before, there was no word to describe it.

It was a sensation I had never felt before but it felt almost natural.

The feeling spread through me like fire, consuming me till all my body was tingling and the sensation now felt familiar to me.

It was power.

A wave of energy burst out from within me and it sent Alpha Kane flying backwards. Power flowed through me like my veins like they were never meant to carry blood.

Alpha Kane staggered to his feet. “What kind of wolf are you?” He whispered, staring at me with a look that was almost animalistic. It would have sent me running previously but the power coursing through me forced me to stand my ground.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.

“Witch,” he snarled with fury in his eyes.