Chapter 11

"Lena!" Maya's voice broke through my panic. "What are you doing?"

I blinked, suddenly realizing I was straddling a strange man, my hands at his throat. His eyes were wide with shock. I scrambled off him, my face burning hot with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry!" I gasped. "I didn't mean to—"

Before I could finish, Kieran appeared out of nowhere, pulling me behind him with one strong arm. His body was tense, a low growl rumbling from his chest as he faced the man I'd accidentally attacked.

"Control yourself, Damon," Kieran warned, his voice deadly calm. "Don't scare my puppy. I don't care if you are my beta."

Beta? I peeked around Kieran's broad shoulder. The man—Damon—was getting to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes. Now that I got a better look at him, I could see similarities between him and Kieran. They had the same strong jawline, the same intense eyes, though Damon's were a darker shade of amber.

"I apologize, Alpha King," Damon said, bowing his head slightly. "I meant no disrespect to your mate."

Alpha King? I glanced up at Kieran in shock. He wasn't just any Alpha—he was THE Alpha King. The highest-ranking werewolf in the region. My heart skipped a beat as I realized what that meant. If I accepted him as my mate, I would be...

"Luna," I whispered, the title feeling strange on my tongue.

Maya moved to stand beside Damon, looking between us with wide eyes. "Lena," she said slowly, "you found your mate... and he's the Alpha King?"

I nodded, still processing this information myself. It was only then that I noticed we had drawn quite a crowd. Werewolves had gathered in a loose circle around us, whispering and pointing. I felt my face grow hot again, uncomfortable with all the attention.

Kieran seemed to notice my discomfort. He turned to face me fully, taking both my hands in his. His touch sent little sparks of electricity up my arms.

"Lena Blackwood," he said, his voice deeper and more formal than before. "I am Kieran Stone, Alpha King of the Silver Moon Pack. The Moon Goddess has blessed us by making us true mates." His thumbs stroked the backs of my hands gently. "I formally invite you to join my pack and take your rightful place as my Luna."

My stomach fluttered with butterflies. Part of me—the part that had dreamed of romance despite my protests—was thrilled. He was handsome, powerful, and apparently wanted me by his side. But the practical part of me was terrified. Being Luna meant leaving my family, my home, everything I knew. It meant joining a pack ruled by a man I'd only just met, a man with a frightening reputation.

"I..." I swallowed hard, not sure what to say.

Before I could decide, something—or someone—slammed into me from behind. I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked from my lungs. Pain shot through my palms and knees as they scraped against the dirt.

"Lena!" Maya cried out.

Strong hands helped me to my feet. I turned, ready to face whoever had knocked me down, anger replacing my earlier uncertainty.

It was her—the beautiful, arrogant female Alpha heir I'd seen at the pack gathering. Amara King. Her perfect face was twisted with rage, her long dark hair wild around her shoulders.

"You little bitch!" she spat, stepping toward me again. "How dare you steal what's mine!"

Kieran moved between us, his body like a wall of muscle. "Enough, Amara," he growled.

She ignored him, peering around his shoulder to glare at me. "He's MINE! We were promised to each other!"

Despite my fear, her words sparked something defiant in me. I stepped around Kieran to face her.

"Becoming mates isn't something you can plan or promise," I said, my voice steadier than I expected. "It's the Moon Goddess who decides, and she chose me for Kieran. You have no right to be angry about that."

Amara's beautiful face turned ugly with rage. "Reject him," she ordered. "You must reject him!"