Stolen Mate

The morning after the feast, I woke to the scent of rain-soaked earth and the distant murmur of the pack. My cabin felt too small, the walls pressing in with the weight of what lay ahead. I dressed quickly, tying my hair into a loose braid, and stepped outside. The air was thick with anticipation, the village buzzing like a hive.

I headed to the infirmary, my sanctuary. The herbs I'd gathered yesterday needed drying—a task simple enough to quiet my mind. But as I crushed lavender stems, their fragrance sharpened, clinging to my skin. It had always been strong, but today it felt heavier, as if the very air conspired to announce me.

The door creaked open. Elder Taryn stood framed in sunlight, her milky eyes narrowed. Behind her, two more elders hovered, their faces unreadable.

"Child," Taryn said, her voice a rasp. "The Moon's breath is upon you."

I froze, mortar in hand. "I don't understand."

She stepped closer, inhaling deeply. "Lavender and moonlight. The mark of a true mate."

The words struck like a blow. My fingers trembled, scattering dried petals. "No. That's—it's just my healer's scent."

One of the other elders, Jarek, shook his head. "We've seen this once before. Decades ago. The stronger the scent, the clearer the bond." His gaze pierced me. "The Alpha's mate is here."

The room tilted. *Kieran's mate. Me.* Panic clawed up my throat. "You're mistaken."

Taryn's bony hand gripped my wrist. "Deny it, and you deny the Goddess."

Before I could argue, footsteps echoed outside. Lila strode in, her cheeks flushed, a basket of juniper berries balanced on her hip. "Elara, Mara needs more—" She stopped, sensing the tension. "What's wrong?"

The elders exchanged glances. "Nothing," I said quickly. "We were discussing the ceremony."

Taryn's lips thinned, but she nodded. "Prepare yourself, child. The pack will see the truth soon enough."

They left, their whispers trailing behind them. Lila set the basket down, her gaze sharp. "What truth?"

"Nothing." I turned back to the mortar, grinding harder.

She snatched it from me. "Don't lie. I heard them. They think you're Kieran's mate."

The accusation hung between us. I reached for the mortar, but she yanked it away. "Lila, please. It's just rumors."

"Rumors?" Her laugh was brittle. "Your scent's been screaming it for weeks. Even the pups notice."

I flinched. "You never said anything."

"Because I thought *you'd* say something!" She threw her hands up, berries scattering. "But you've been hiding, like always. Too scared to claim what's yours."

Her words stung. "It's not that simple. Being Luna—"

"Would be *easy* for you." Her voice cracked. "You're gentle. Wise. The pack adores you. Meanwhile, I'm just… Lila. The loud one. The joke."

I reached for her, but she stepped back. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?" She glared, her amber eyes bright with tears she'd never let fall. "You don't even *want* him, and the Goddess hands him to you. While the rest of us…" She bit her lip, shaking her head. "Forget it."

She stormed out, the door slamming behind her.

***

The pack's whispers followed me all day.

At the well, mothers hushed when I approached. Warriors nodded a little too respectfully. Even the children stared, wide-eyed, as if I'd sprouted wings. By afternoon, the infirmary felt like a cage. I fled to the forest, seeking solace among the pines.

But peace didn't come.

My wolf paced, restless, her longing for Kieran a constant ache. I scrubbed my hands with mint leaves, desperate to dull the lavender, but it clung stubbornly. *What if they're right?* The thought terrified me. To stand beside Kieran, to lead—I wasn't made for that. I was made for quiet rooms and broken bones, not thrones and battles.

As dusk fell, I returned to the village. The meeting hall glowed, packed with pack members rehearsing the ceremony's dances. I lingered outside, unseen, until a familiar laugh cut through the music.

Lila.

She stood at the center of the hall, twirling with a warrior named Finn, her smile too bright, her movements too sharp. She'd tied crimson ribbons in her hair—Kieran's favorite color. My chest tightened.

"She's trying too hard."

I jumped. Rhea, a young omega, stood beside me, her arms crossed.

"What?"

She nodded at Lila. "The ribbons. The dancing. She's been at it all day. Thinks if she's perfect, the Alpha might pick her instead."

A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Instead of who?"

Rhea raised a brow. "You."

I retreated to my cabin, guilt and fear twisting together. Lila's laughter chased me, a blade in the dark.

That night, she didn't visit.

I lay awake, staring at the moon. *The Goddess's choice*, the elders had said. But choices had consequences. If I were mate to Kieran, I'd lose Lila. If I weren't, I'd lose… what? A destiny I never asked for?

A howl pierced the silence—long, lonely. Kieran's.

My wolf howled back before I could stop her.