As they door shut behind them, the tension in the room remained thick. Summer's eyes were practically bulging out of her head as she turned to face me slightly flushed. "Okay, WHAT was that?" she demanded, hands on her hips, her questioning eyes squinted. I flopped back onto the couch, my mind racing. "I don't know" I shrugged but avoided her gaze. I started packing up my things in a hurry when she stopped me. "Nina. Tell me the truth" she said in a stern voice I peeled my hands away from hers and flung my bag over my shoulder. "I am. I don't know what that was Summer" "I'll see you tomorrow. My dad said he needed my help with some work back at the house" I lied as I literally ran out of the house. ***** After my altercation with the Alpha of the Moonlight pack and my supposed mate, I gave that dumb excuse to leave the house to avoid any more run-ins or questions from summer. I gave myself a pep talk in my room and was determined to actively stay away from the Alpha. I mean it wouldn't be that hard. He was the leader of the entire pack and I was a highschool student. I doubt we would have any reason to bump into each other like earlier. Not to question the moon goddess but this had to be a mistake right? For starters Zane already had a mate but she died. No one got a second mate, not even an alpha. Secondly, I was a delta, the match was just not heard of. I let out a frustrated sigh and slumped on my bed. The whole situation was awkward and I shuddered, then I remembered the elephant in the room. Summer. I was convinced she didn't fall for my half baked lie back there and she sure as hell won't just let it go. I had to prepare myself to tell her. Maybe she would have a solution to this mess. A knock on my door saved me from my thoughts "Hey kiddo. Dinner is ready" My stomach rumbled at the sound of food. His muffled steps retreated but stopped and came back "Oh and the Alpha is gracing us with his presence so wear something nice. Please" My stomach dropped and just like that my appetite disappeared and was replaced with anxiety. Great. Just great. I tried to weigh my options at the moment. I could just run away till dinner was over and deal with my dad's wrath later. No, no. My dad and I were in a good place right now. I didn't want to ruin it by doing something stupid. The best thing I could do right now was to tough it out. It'd just be a few minutes. I could do this. I could do this. I chanted to myself over and over again before running to the shower to freshen up. I stood in the mirror. I put my hair in a lazy bun with strands hanging around my face, my hands brushed over the strapless short blue dress I wore and I sighed satisfied with how I looked and made my way to the dining. The laughter of my dad and Zane echoed through the dining forming a knot in my stomach. I said a small prayer before stepping into the space and the sounds stopped. I sucked in a breath as his eyes fell on me. Zane's gaze was crushing and sent spirals of heat through my frame. He hungrily raked my body and clenched his jaw. My dad, being oblivious to the situation, stood up and ushered me to the seat closest to him. "Alpha Zane. This is my beautiful daughter. Nina" "Nina..." the way my name rolled off his tongue sent a signal to my core. His gaze was fixated on me till I sat down then reluctantly tore them to face my father. The weights of his presence was suffocating yet intoxicating. His piercing gaze lingered even when he looked away. My dumb heart raced, and I struggled to appear calm lightly touching my food. "So, Alpha," my dad began, breaking the silence "What are the plans for the expansion to the south" Zane shifted slightly in his seat "We've had a few challenges" his eyebrows knotted as he stared at his plate "The southern expansion is progressing well, though we've been encountering some... unexpected resistance." he replied, his voice deep and smooth. he tried not to be obvious but his eyes flicked back to me briefly, sending another wave of heat through my body. I barely touched the food on my plate, my nerves were too jumbled to work up an appetite. Every time I dared to glance at Zane, I found his gaze either on me or shifting away quickly, as if trying to be discreet. It wasn't working. "I'll go with some of my people to scout the area," my dad said, taking a huge bite of his steak. "You've always had a way of leading the pack with strength and precision. A true Alpha." Zane gave a polite nod, but his attention was clearly divided. I felt his energy pulling me towards him. "So, Nina," Zane suddenly said, his voice cutting through my thoughts. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. "How's school?" My dad beamed proudly, clearly thrilled that the Alpha was taking an interest in me. "Nina's doing great! Top of her class in all the subjects at her old school and she's got a sharp mind for strategy. Must've gotten that from me." He chuckled. I forced a small smile, feeling Zane's weighted gaze settle on me again. "School's... fine," I managed to say, keeping my voice steady. "Nothing too exciting." I mumbled The corner of Zane's mouth lifted slightly, as if he found my awkwardness amusing. "I'm sure you're life has been exciting Nina" he said, his tone hinted with amusement. I furrowed my brows before understanding what he meant by that. My cheeks flushed as my mind went back to the night I first saw him. My stomach flipped, and I quickly looked down at my plate. He chuckled then his expression grew serious turning to my father before he spoke again "I'm sure you aren't aware of this but your daughter is my mate" My eyes widened at the sudden declaration, all clattering stopped and my father almost choked on his steak, he grabbed a glass of water and gulped greedily. "I-I have to use the bathroom." I scraped my chair back and darted away from the chaos, my mind racing. I bolted for the corridors, barely walking in a straight line when I felt someone pass me quickly and a pair of hands pulled me into the bathroom. My eyes widened and I looked anywhere else from the gold haired man in front of me. I was a few inches away from Zane. His breath wafting around me, dulling my senses. His ragged breathing matched my drumming heart.

"Are you running away from me?" His voice was low and laced with something that mirrored hurt. I wasn't sure. I stared up at him, my back pressed against the cold bathroom wall. His dark green eyes intently searched mine, the intensity of his gaze making it almost impossible to look away. "I..." I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. Zane stepped closer until there was no space between us, his body heat radiating against me. His jaw was clenched, his breathing uneven, like he was holding himself back "You ran out the first time," he said, his voice low and rough. "Why do you keep running away from me?" My mouth opened, but I couldn't think of anything to say. My mind was a mess from being so close to him. What could I even say? That the idea of being his mate terrified me? That I couldn't push back the impossibility of this bond? That I was a delta, and he was the Alpha of the strongest pack in the region? "I..." I tried again, my voice trembling. "I don't think this is right." I muttered, mostly to myself. His eyes narrowed "Not right?" He leaned in, his hands bracing the wall on either side of me, trapping me in. "Do you think the Moon Goddess made a mistake? Do you think I would choose this..." his voice was shaky and underlined with frustration. I swallowed hard, my pulse thundering in my ears. "Y-you already had a mate," I blurted. "You... you don't get a second one. Not even an Alpha does. No one can. How can this be real?" Zane's expression softened, though the intensity in his eyes still lingered. He stepped back slightly, giving me space to breathe. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "But the moment I saw you, I felt it. The bond is there, Nina. Denying it won't make it go away." I shook my head, my hands trembling. "I'm just a delta" I said, my voice breaking. " I haven't even awakened my wolf and you're an Alpha. We're not..." "We're mates," he interrupted firmly. "That's all that matters." Silence stretched between us, the weight of his words sinking in. I wanted to argue, to push him away, but a part of me, some deep, instinctual part, was drawn to him, pulled toward him like a moth to a flame. The bond was real, undeniable, no matter how much I wished it wasn't. "I can't do this," I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes. "I don't belong in your world, Zane." His jaw tightened, and his gaze softened with something that looked almost like... pain. "Are you going to reject me?" he said, his voice steady. I shook my head profusely. I didn't think I could do that. The consequences of that would be devastating, especially for Zane. He let out a shallow sigh and stepped back, his expression was back to normal "I'll give you time," he said, his tone calmer now, though still laced with authority. "But don't run from me again. It won't change anything." With that, he turned and left, leaving me alone in the bathroom, my heart still racing and my mind thrashing. I took short breaths to calm my drumming heart. Then turned on the faucet. The cool water splashed my face, reducing the heat that had crept up. I stared right back at my reflection. My damp black hair now stuck to my forehead, my face still red. I left the bathroom after making sure I was able to think properly and went back to the dining room. My eyes searched for Zane, his seat was empty and my dad had the biggest smile. I wondered if he didn't understand the implications of me, a delta, being mated to an alpha. I stopped right in front of my father, giving him a questioning look. "What?" He chimed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "This is a good thing kiddo" I raised a brow at him, slightly surprised at his immediate approval. "How?" "Well for one thing, you are mated to Zane? I worked with him since his father died and he took leadership. He's a good man" "And he's the alpha of our pack dad," I added, the frustration that it seemed like I was the only one worried about was starting to creep in. I sat down on the chair beside my dad, my heart filled with uncertainty. "What if... what if people think it's a mistake?" He sighed, giving me a soft smile and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let them think" his voice was low. "I only care about you. And if they think the moon goddess made a mistake? To hell with them" "You are a strong, beautiful loving young lady. And you would make an exceptional Luna" his eyes glimmered with pride, his voice stern but soft. His words made my heart full, and just for a second I wasn't so worried about everything else. I smile back at him and let out a sigh. "Thanks dad" "Anytime kiddo" I stood up and cleared the dishes, my dad attempted to help but I stopped him "It's fine. I can take care of it" He nodded wordlessly with a smile and headed upstairs. I was finally alone with my thoughts. The silence in the house was only broken off from time to time by the clattering of dishes in the sink. I know my father had my best interest at heart but I still couldn't help but feel conflicted. The whole pack would probably look down on me, even though the alpha makes me his Luna because of my rank. That's just nature. But what I was most concerned about was Summer. A chill ran through my body that wasn't from the cold water in the sink. She had that look in her eyes when she talked about Zane. Like she would do anything it took to get there. I had two choices before me, betray my best friend or the bond divinely placed. The two tugged in my mind like a tug of war scene. I didn't want to lose Summer but I also didn't want to live the rest of my life without a mate, loveless. I would probably be in pain for the rest of my life. I let out a frustrated groan and cleaned my hands after I was done with the dishes. I walked sluggishly to my room as the weight of these two choices weighed me down. I plopped onto my bed staring emptily at the ceiling, my thoughts spiraling till I drifted off into unconsciousness.