Chapter 002

Chloe walked into the pack house, escorted by two guards. She had been summoned by Alpha Fletch and she only hoped it had nothing to do with the red moon ceremony tonight.

Even after Liam's visit the previous day to tell her about the plan, she couldn't bring herself to pretend to be mated to him during the ceremony. She had been humiliated so much by the pack members and doing such a thing was the last straw. But how could she possibly go against the Alpha or Liam?

She was led to the throne room where Liam and his father were waiting for her.

"Where have you been?" Liam barked at her immediately after she walked into the room. "Do you have any idea what you're trying to do? The guests would be arriving soon and you look like a mess."

Chloe swallowed when she saw the visible anger in his eyes. "I was trying —"

"Excuses!" The Alpha thundered and she flinched. She knew he had never liked her but as she stood in front of him with her head bowed, she could feel his hatred for her.

"Take her to the dressing room." He ordered the guards. "And you," he said pointing to her. "You shall be severely punished after the ceremony for your act of rebellion."

"Your highness, please I—"

"Leave immediately!" He ordered, cutting her off. Chloe's eyes pooled with tears as she was not even given a chance to explain herself. She was treated unfairly in the pack and it hurt her always.

She was led away by the guards to the dressing room. As she walked in, her eyes fell on Emily who was being elegantly dressed by some of the maids.

Silence fell in the room immediately after she arrived. She had always been treated like an outcast in the pack because her mother was a human.

She was seen as weak, feeble, and unworthy to be a full werewolf. It was the main reason Liam had rejected her and everyone mocked her.

"Hello," she said before taking a seat on one of the dressing chairs.

A maid came up to her and bowed. "We have been waiting for you, my princess. We have everything you need for the ceremony."

Emily hissed. "You don't have to bow to her. She is nobody but a rejected little omega in this pack. Royalty doesn't run through her veins so should not be treated like one. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, my princess." The maid answered, bowing to Emily.

Chloe inhaled, trying to calm herself down. "I never asked to be here." She said, turning to Emily. "I don't want to be part of the ceremony especially if I have to pretend to be mated to someone who rejected me."

Emily chuckled. "No one wants you here either. Liam is just so unlucky to be fated to someone like you. I will make a better queen for him."

Chloe opened her mouth to speak but the words were fighting at the back of her throat.

"The pack needs a worthy and strong Luna." Emily continued. "Someone to protect and lead with Liam. You don't even belong here. The breakstone pack only shelters pure werewolves and not half breeds."

"You can hate me because of Liam but do not bring my family into this," Chloe replied, her voice laced with anger.

Emily's parents were the Beta of the pack. She had always been given special treatment right from childhood and this made her look down on people like Chloe. When she found out that Chloe was Liam's true mate, she hated her the more.

"Your family was nothing, just like you are now. Nothing." Emily said and rose from her seat. She was already fully dressed in a very beautiful and expensive-looking dress. "You should have died with them in that fire."

Before Chloe could say a word, Emily walked out of the room. Chloe was tempted to follow and give her a piece of her mind. However, she knew that would get her in trouble with the Alpha and the pack. And she was already in much trouble.

She exhaled and allowed herself to feel the anger of Emily's words. She tried to hold back the tears in her eyes but couldn't. Her parents had died trying to save her when she was a baby.

She had been trapped in their house during a fire outbreak. Her mother who was human ran in to save her because her father was away. Her mother saved her but couldn't save herself. She died in the fire and her father killed himself because of the wolf bond.

She had grown up alone with a broken heart. She had hoped to find a mate who would shower her with the love she lacked. But Liam didn't love her and treated her like nothing.

She wiped her tears and turned to the maids who were all looking at her with sympathetic eyes. "Shall we begin?" She asked the first maid who had spoken to her earlier.

"Yes, my princess." She said.

"You heard her, didn't you? I'm not a princess." She replied to the maid.

"You'll always be a better princess to us." She said. "You are kind and far more beautiful." Chloe was surprised to hear what the maid said to her. It was the first time anyone had truly been kind and empathetic to her in the pack.

Her words cheered Chloe up. "Thank you for saying that. But even my mate prefers her."

"The moon goddess gives second chances to those she thinks deserve them. If he doesn't claim you as his mate, she would send someone who will. And he will treat you better than he does." The maid said while styling Chloe's hair.

"Do you think that can happen? Is it possible to have a second mate?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Well, yes it is. But it is quite rare to be given such a privilege by the moon goddess." The maid replied. "If you pray hard and trust her, she might give you such a chance."

Within her heart, Chloe wished she could be given a second chance to find a mate. Maybe she would be fated to someone who would love her.

She was lost in thoughts as the maid continued to dress her for the ceremony. Could she really pray to the moon goddess to give her a second chance?

A maid dashed into the room, snapping her out of her thoughts. "The guests have begun to arrive. The Alpha demands your presence immediately." She said to Chloe who was dressed in a beautiful dress.

She rose immediately from her seat. If the guests had started to arrive, she needed to be by Liam's side to welcome them as his mate.

She couldn't afford to ruin the Alpha's plan or she would be kicked out of the pack. "Take me there." She said to the maid. "Let's go."

But as she turned to leave, Liam walked into the room. "You are late and the guests are waiting." He said, almost gritting his teeth.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't be sorry," he fired, grabbing her hand roughly. "Make one wrong move and you'll be kicked out of this pack. Do you understand that?"

Chloe nodded quickly, her lips trembling with fright. "Yes I understand."