"I, Gabriel Foster of the Nightfall Pack, hereby announce that my fated mate Raine will be joining our pack. I hope that everyone will treat both Raine and Luna Elena with equal respect in the future." My husband Gabriel had announced in front of all of our pack members on our third wedding anniversary that he had found his fated mate. I stared blankly at the two figures cuddled up in the center of the hall as a wave of numbness washed over me and I listened to all of the members of the pack congratulating them wholeheartedly. Gabriel's so-called Fated Mate, Raine, feigning innocence and vulnerability, handed me a glass of wine. But that glass of wine took my life! Yet, the Moon Goddess decided my story wasn't over. She granted me a second chance. This time, I am determined to peel back the mask of that bitch and make Gabriel experience a regret so profound it will be his living torment!
Elena's POV
"Members of the pack, I, Gabriel Foster of the Nightfall Pack, hereby announce that my fated mate Raine will be joining our pack. I hope that everyone will treat both Raine and Luna Elena with equal respect in the future."
Silence lingered in the air for a moment before the hall erupted into jubilant cheers.
"Congratulations Alpha Gabriel! Long live the Nightfall Pack!"
"Congratulations!"
I stared blankly at the two figures cuddled up in the center of the hall as a wave of numbness washed over me and I listened to all of the members of the pack congratulating them wholeheartedly. My mind was completely empty and in that moment, I couldn't even find the words to object.
My mate Gabriel had announced in front of all of our pack members on our third wedding anniversary that he had found his fated mate.
The only problem with that was that his fated mate was another woman. To make matters worse, instead of being shocked by this news, they accepted it without a second thought and gave their blessings almost instantly.
Anger and humiliation surged through me uncontrollably as my wolf Chloe growled inside my head.
"Elena... what the fuck is going on?!" she demanded, the hackles on her neck standing on end in her fury, clearly ready to rip this she-wolf's throat out.
"Chloe, calm down," I said, trying desperately to placate her and suppress my own anger whilst trying to prevent Chloe from forcing a shift due to her uncontrollable rage.
As Luna of the Nightfall Pack and daughter of the Alpha of the Ironclad Pack, I couldn't afford to lose control in front of so many people, especially not at such an important occasion...
"Fuck controlling yourself Elena, what is wrong with you? I don't give a shit what people think, I want to tear them apart!! Both of them! The smug little bastards, just look at them!" Chloe raged, practically foaming at the mouth as she refused to calm down.
"How could he do this to us?! For three years we've been married and I've managed his pack affairs perfectly whilst always remembering my duty as Luna..."
It was all I could do to maintain a false facade of composure. I was positively seething at this unexpected revelation.
"Don't just sit here like a weakling, Elena! Go and ask him just what the fuck he thinks he's playing at! Right now!" Chloe roared furiously in my head.
My body didn't seem to want to obey me as I forced my numb hands to lift my skirt as gracefully as I could manage and made my way toward Gabriel's side. It took everything that I had left in me not to shed the tears of anger and betrayal that threatened to fall.
The many eyes watching me as I made my way over were a constant reminder to me of my duty as their Luna and it helped me to keep my composure as I strode forward with a false confidence. I managed to keep Chloe in check as I walked, although I'm sure her fury radiated brightly from my eyes for those that looked closely enough.
I leaned down as I reached him, a tight smile in place as I spoke quietly to him, in the hopes that none of the assembled pack members could hear our exchange.
"Gabriel, what the hell do you think you're doing? Are you sure you want to do this to me on our wedding anniversary? Could this not have waited?"
"Elena, I'm sorry. I love you, but Raine... she's my fated mate after all... I can't deny her..." Gabriel said weakly as he looked up at me with a guilty expression written all over his face.
He didn't have the decency to let go of that woman though, he held onto her tightly without any intention of letting go.
He was nothing but a disgusting, cheating, hypocrite. I had no words that were pleasant enough to describe the woman sat next to him, smirking smugly up at me as I stood there, without an ounce of remorse in her eyes.
This had always promised to be the biggest obstacle between us. Gabriel and I fell in love when we were just 16 years old and had promised each other that we would be together for life. We had hoped desperately that the Moon Goddess would make us each other's fated mates when we turned 18 and shifted into wolves, but, much to our dismay, it didn't happen.
Even back then Gabriel had told me passionately: "Elena, I love you. Even though we are not fated mates, my pack members will never accept anyone else, you are the only person that they would ever accept as Luna! There will never be anyone else, I swear it!"
The man who had firmly chosen me back then and promised me the world, now stood before me holding another girl tightly in his arms. Despite my rage, the memories of the past few years kept flashing through my mind as I stood before them, trembling with barely suppressed anger and the unshed tears blurring my vision. I held onto my skirt tightly as I tried desperately to distract myself from the pain of my heart breaking and willed myself not to give into the grief and let these traitorous tears fall from my eyes.
I wouldn't give either of them the satisfaction.
"Elena, my love, you know what finding a fated mate means for an Alpha. Raine is just a poor girl whose pack recently suffered a catastrophe, I can't leave her alone. If I reject her, she will have nowhere else to go." Gabriel pleaded unrepentatnly.
He could see that I hadn't spoken for a long time but he insisted on reaching for me, and holding onto my hand like he usually did, all the while looking unashamedly at Raine with pity and affection in his eyes.
"Of course I know what being a fated mate means! But I'll warn you now Gabriel, you had better remember who your Luna is!" I hissed furiously in a low tone, so that only the three of us would be able to hear it, as I shook off his hand and stared boldly into Gabriel's eyes.
"Elena, my love, I can't help it, you know what the bond is like, all the times we wished that it was real between us so that we would feel that irresistible pull... ever since I laid eyes on Raine for the first time, my wolf has been going crazy, he's only satisfied when she's by his side. You know as well as I do, that a true Mate will only serve to enhance my strength as an Alpha. Elena, please forgive me, I really can't send her away..." Gabriel pleaded as he finally let go of the girl in his arms and tried to embrace me as he whispered into my ear, "Raine is a good girl; she can help you with the pack affairs."
I looked at Raine, who had big eyes and a petite figure. She was looking at me shyly while holding onto Gabriel's clothes tightly, appearing every inch the pitiful girl that Gabriel wanted me to believe that she was.
I snorted coldly at them both and Raine seemed startled by it before quickly picking up a glass of red wine from the nearby table and carefully handing it to me.
"Respected Luna, please allow me to stay here. I don't want to ruin your banquet, I promise! Gabriel has saved me out of the kindness of his heart and it really wasn't my intention to cause such a problem between you both!" Raine's pretty face was full of anxiety as her big watery eyes looked at me pleadingly.
"Do you want to know what I think?" I said as I looked down on her condescendingly.
Raine was taken aback and stood there holding the wine glass uncertainly, without knowing what to do next. Gabriel stepped forward protectively shielding her behind him before speaking.
"Elena, you need to calm down."
"You're the one who needs to calm down!" I hissed furiously, "You aren't content with your chosen mate and now you bring another woman into our home? Fated or not Gabriel, you made a promise..."
My argument with Gabriel was clearly beginning to make Raine panic as the girl suddenly knelt down before me, holding up her glass of red wine and crying as she said to me,
"I beg you, as long as I have a place to stay I won't interfere in anything, Luna! I can do laundry, cook for you and take care of your daily life! As long as you let me stay!"
"Oh, this poor girl looks so pitiful." a choked voice came from somewhere amongst the assembled pack members, closely followed by another.
"At least she is Alpha Gabriel's fated mate, she has a reason to be here. Luna Elena really shouldn't be so harsh on her..."
Some of the murmurs that reached my ears felt like knives stabbing straight into my heart. I turned to look at Gabriel but saw that he was looking at Raine with tenderness and love in his eyes. I closed my eyes and suddenly felt overwhelmed by confusion. This six-year-long love story that had blossomed since high school now seemed like nothing more than a joke.
"Fuck these arseholes!" Chloe growled lowly as she fought for control, wanting desperately to rush out and tear apart the couple in front of us.
But, I couldn't let her do that.
"It's not time for anger yet. At least for now I am still the Luna of this Pack." I replied calmly, forcing her to settle down.
"I don't agree with you in the slightest. You should be addressing this now, and publicly!" Chloe retorted sullenly as she slunk to the back of my mind.
"After the banquet ends, we will settle the score with them properly. I won't do this in front of so many people Chloe."
I took a deep breath and grabbed Raine's wine glass before drinking it all in one gulp. Then I reached forward, grabbing her tightly around the arm and pulling her upright forcing her to stand. With a disdainful sneer I pushed her towards Gabriel.
"Gabriel, my admiration and love for you ends here. You've made your choice, and now I make mine. After the banquet ends, we'll settle things properly." I announced coldly.
Gabriel opened his mouth seemingly wanting to say something more but I didn't want to listen anymore. Instead, I sat down on the seat that traditionally belonged to the Luna whilst waiting dutifully for Chloe to return after she had taken a breather.
"Chloe, it's time," I coaxed as I approached the forest edge. It was our favourite spot for letting loose when things became too stressful and we had spent countless hours running and exploring in the shady depths of the towering trees.
But something strange was happening. It didn't matter how many times I called to her, she didn't appear. I heard no response from her at all for the first time since we had found each other at 18 years old.
I felt distinctly unsettled about this and was just about to use the pack's mind link to ask the Pack's private doctor what was going on when suddenly, my heart seemed to burst, the severe pain radiating outwards and along my limbs, my body contorting in agony before I fell to the ground.
What the hell was happening to me?
"Respected Luna, did you enjoy the wine earlier?" A mocking voice sounded from somewhere above me.
I struggled on the ground, my body refusing to respond to my attempts to move as I tried desperately to lift my head, but all I could see was the solitary figure of a petite woman.
"Fuck, Raine!"
"I, Alpha Miller, hereby reject you, Isla Higgins, as my mate and Luna of the Pembroke pack," he said with a smirk as his beta pinned me against the wall. My heart shattered into a thousand pieces, and I felt a physical ache in my body as pain penetrated through me. “There is no competition here.” Mora, the girl who had made my life hell since childhood, wrapped herself around my fated mate, and he pulled her into his chest, kissing her with passion and lust. I glared at her in frustration and wished I could punch her fake image. Isla decides to leave the pack after the humiliating rejection and the betrayal. Five years later, she returns to her old pack after her mother falls ill. As she comes to terms with the past and becomes a respected warrior in the Eclipse Moon Pack, secrets and lies are revealed. Isla must decide whether to give her ex-mate a second chance or realize her worth without him.
My birth brought death to my mother, and my father grew to hate me for it, leaving me vulnerable to the abuse of my stepmother and stepsister. My mere appearance served as a constant reminder to my stepmother of the woman my father once loved the most - my mother. Consumed by jealousy, she relentlessly sought to destroy my life, but will she succeed? "Sign this contract, become my Luna, and after the contract term ends, you will receive generous rewards and freedom." "What do I need to do during the contract? Sleep with you?" "You just need to play the role of my Luna. We will only pretend to be a couple in public, and there's no need for marking each other," "It seems arrogance is indeed a common trait among every Alpha," "What?" "Alpha Logan, what makes you think I would readily accept your proposal?" I continued, my voice now laced with a mix of anger and defiance. "Just because I'm a wolf-less unwanted daughter? Or do you think you're so noble and handsome that I should be grateful and accept your offer for a large sum of money?" "I didn't mean it like that," he stumbled. I once thought the man who saved me was just an insignificant nobody, but little did I know he was the most ruthless Alpha on the entire continent, responsible for killing his own Mate. What stunned me was that he wanted me to become his Luna?!
I yearned to be acknowledged as a deserving Luna, even though the entire pack never addressed me as such. Nevertheless, I persevered, striving for their respect. Within each pack, leaders must earn the pack's allegiance rather than coerce it. Hence, I continued to push myself beyond the limits I had never before explored. Yet, despite my relentless efforts, I was deceived and betrayed. My so-called mate, Brett, and my supposed best friend, Jennifer, shattered my trust. We grew up without parents, but I cared for Jennifer as a sister would. Nevertheless, she plunged a metaphorical knife into my back. Now and future, never again will I allow anyone to exploit my vulnerability, I will reclaim my standing.
"Mason, I want to cut all ties with you. No marriage and no bond. We're done," "You want a rejection?" "I know that you have never loved me, Mason... It would be better that we were both free to pursue our own interests." "Freedom? Willow, freedom is a privilege that only good and innocent people have the luxury of. You are neither of those things so what makes you think that I should let you go free?" He sneered. "What do you mean?" I said as my brows creased in confusion. "Isn't it fucking obvious?" Mason mocked as he cracked his knuckles in his hands, "Your parent's hands are stained with the blood of my parents, you don't deserve to be free whilst you atone for their sins?" *** Throughout my year of marriage, I have constantly suffered from the pain of Mate Bond. My mate would sleep with various she-wolves but never spare me a glance. He would allow his lovers to mock and insult me, his wife, his Luna, and he did it all just to inflict pain on me. I couldn't bear it any longer, so I asked to end the relationship, but he refused. Just when I felt pain and confusion, a powerful Lycan King appeared...
"I should have known you were like this, Olivia. You're so... disgusting, I think it's time for us to end," "No, Lucas, no..." Lucas looked at me coldly and said the words that broke my heart, "I, Lucas Mason of Shadowclaw Pack, reject you, Olivia Furlong of Bloodmoon Pack." "You are no longer my Luna," Lucas said, turning and leaving. I looked helplessly at the door, tears blurring my vision. *** My marriage was the outcome of a Pack alliance, and though Lucas and I weren't Fate Mates, our life together was fairly content. However, on the day of our wedding anniversary, I was framed for infidelity, and Lucas was furious to reject me. As I left, bewildered and heartbroken, I unexpectedly ran into my stepsister, revealing her as the mastermind behind it all. She ruthlessly plunged a silver dagger into me and I died in pain. But the story didn't end there. The Moon Goddess granted me a second chance! This time, I won't allow my stepsister's schemes to succeed, nor will I ever let myself get close to Lucas again. Little did I know that this new life would be filled with unexpected twists and turns...
My heart shattered the second I walked into that bar and saw my boyfriend of three years making out with who I thought was my best friend. My boyfriend, the one who had just talked to me about getting married to me a few nights ago. In a night of heartbreak and alcohol, I bowed to forget about him. But fate threw me a curve ball when I woke up in bed with the person I least expected... Dad's partner and the same man that I had lost my virginity to when I was younger, Daniel Halloway. To make matters worse, we were married, and he refuses to annul our marriage. "I'll give you a divorce, but only after our contract is over. After that, you're free to go." he corners me back to the wall making me feel like a small prey, waiting to be devoured by its hunter. "But until then... You're mine, and I will do with you as I so damn well please," he whispers in my ear, sending shivers up my spine.
For seven years, Jillian pursued Bryan with unyielding passion, but he remained distant, his emotions tightly sealed. Disheartened, she left for overseas after graduating from college. Three years later, Jillian, now a successful attorney, sat provocatively on the lap of Bryan's competitor. She flashed Bryan a playful smile and taunted, "What's wrong, Bryan? Are you impotent?" Bryan's restraint shattered in an instant. In a swift motion, he scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed. The next morning, as Bryan woke up, Jillian flashed a mischievous smile. "Let's keep things casual, okay?"
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
" Don't say anymore word than you already have, don't..." I stuck a finger out at him, sauntering away on my heels when a hand wrapped itself around my arm. Breathlessly he whispered, "You know that I do love you and...fine, what exactly was I supposed to do?" "Protect me and stand up for me. That is what you do for someone who you claim you love!" ************ Out to spite her ex-boyfriend after he had broken up with her on her birthday, Daphne slept with a stranger who turned out to be his uncle while trying to rebuff his words that she was unwanted by others. Was she ready for the wild chase that followed when he found out years later that she had been pregnant with his heirs and that she had been hiding the truth all this while? Faced with the ruthless CEO, known as the beast, who wasn't ready to back down, Daphne does everything possible to make sure her kids wouldn't be taken from her, but what happens when love gets in the mix of it all? Would she be able to conquer these weird feelings and give in her all amidst her scars? And with how deadly he turned out to be? And faced with her ex who still wants her back, what choice is she going to make?