Zara's POV

"Levi, get up!" I yelled, snatching the blanket away from him.

"No! Leave me alone!" With a cry, he took the blanket from me and covered his head. "Let me sulk in peace!" He mumbled from under the blanket.

"No!" I snarled. "It has been three freaking days. You can't stay in bed. We have training to go to. You cannot miss one more day!"

"Who cares! My mate certainly doesn't!" he yelled.

I took a deep breath. I was going to snap, yank Levi by the collar, and drag him down to training because I had reached my breaking point.

"Levi," I said as I sat down on his bed beside him. "You are now taking this rejection way too far. Other wolves accepted it and moved on."

"Name one?" He growled, moving the blanket from his face.

Oh no. I was not prepared to break the news of my rejection to Levi.

"You know, other wolves," I said, getting to my feet.

With a roll of his eyes, Levi covered his head with the blanket.

"I saw that!" I growled. "Now, get up and go get ready for training. That's an order, beta!"

Levi ignored me, and that was enough to tip me over the edge.

I reached for the blanket and gave it a rough tug, bringing him and the blanket to the ground.

"Aww!" He hissed and massaged the lump on his head. "What was that for?"

"For ignoring your Luna!" I snarled. "Now, get your ass in the shower!"

Levi showed up fully clothed thirty minutes later, and we made our way to training.

"Ah," Beta John, Levi's father, said when he noticed us coming. "Did the future beta finally decide to peek outside his room?"

John is the Beta of the pack and my father's second in command.

At six feet nine, he was a towering darkheaded wolf with the palest blue eyes that gave me the impression that they could see right through me.

Beta John growled and rushed forward, infuriated at being treated disrespectfully, as Levi folded his arms across his chest, sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"You have been missing training," he roared. "I am very disappointed in you. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Levi brushed off the question and lifted his chin to meet his father's eyes directly.

"Beta John, morning," I said, moving between them just before John could explode and give Levi an ass whooping. "Uhm. I apologize for being late. Which training session is planned for today?"

Beta John squinted his eyebrows as he gradually turned to face me.

"Sparring and tracking," he growled through his teeth. "Ten miles in human form."

I shot Levi a warning glare as he huffed from behind.

Did he have a death wish? He is aware that his father would never back down from a fight.

"Excellent," I replied, grinning, and hurriedly nudged Levi in the direction of the ten-mile path.

"You should have let him give me a beating," Levi said when we were out of earshot. "Even if it was only for a brief period, it would at least make me feel something."

"You are being stupid right now," I snapped, cutting him off. "Let us finish this run before your father decides to add more training. I am already exhausted just thinking of it."

The fact that we had hardly covered ten miles in human form meant that I knew Beta John was intentionally punishing us.

We entered the sparring ring a little over an hour later, and it did not take me long to pin Levi to the training mat.

"I submit!" Levi called out.

"Do not give up so easily!" I hissed. "Fight!"

Levi and I would usually spar for a lot longer than two minutes. All I can hope is that Beta John was blind to Levi's poor performance this morning. He would inform my father, which might lead to issues when I assume Luna's role in the pack.

"As if you have any experience with rejection," he scowled and shoved me away. "Just let me be!"

"I can't do that, Levi," I said. "You are my friend and Beta. Your suffering is my suffering."

"Give it a rest, Zara," Levi said, getting to his feet. "I am leaving to go clean myself up."

Did his broken heart cause me to lose my friend forever?

"What's his story?" Kevin, one of the head warriors, asked when Levi hurried toward the changing rooms. "He appears to be depressed."

"He is just having trouble focusing," I answered. "He is going to be fine."

I headed to the changing room and had a quick shower.

As I was leaving, I noticed Levi and his dad arguing angrily in the hallway.

Oh, Goddess, what now?

"Beta John, is something wrong?" I asked, maintaining my composure, as soon as I got there.

"No," he said, giving his son a fierce look. "Everything is now in order."

"Alright," I said gradually as I noticed Levi maintaining his neutral composure. "Then we will be on our way."

I reached out to take Levi's hand, but he shook his head and retreated.

What the hell was going on?

"Zara," Beta John said, and my gaze snapped toward him. "The Alpha desires a meeting with you."

"I know," I replied. "We are meeting for lunch today."

My folks had returned last night from a trip to a rival pack where they were signing a treaty.

Beta John took a step forward. A blank expression filled his face. I detested it when he behaved that way—there was clearly trouble ahead.

"I want to clarify that he is currently waiting for you in his office," Beta John answered.

"As in right now?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, right now," he answered, his normally icy, light blue eyes growing even colder.

"Very well," I responded. "Levi–"

"He is not coming with you," Beta John interrupted, pinning my gaze.

Shocked, I knitted my eyebrows together. Such a reaction from him is unprecedented.

Levi shuddered visibly as my eyes slid towards him.

Did Kevin say anything about Levi's performance this morning?

"He has no right to try and scare you," Kaya growled in my head. "You are ranked higher than him."

Kaya was right. I straightened my shoulders and regained my composure.

"I am sorry, Beta, but I need to have my beta by my side," I said. He opened his mouth to protest, but I held up my hand to silence him. "If my father, the Alpha, has rescheduled our meeting for earlier, then I, the future Luna, have the right to have my Beta by my side. This meeting seems important, and I am pretty sure my father would agree that Levi needs to attend."

Beta John's jaw tightened, and anger flashed in his eyes. He didn't expect me to pull rank on him.

He nodded stiffly to me and stepped aside.

I grabbed Levi's hand and dragged him along as I rushed past him. I knew whatever my father wanted me to talk about had to be important, but I had no idea it would permanently alter my course in life.

****

Zara's POV

"What the heck was that about?" I asked when we entered the hallway, heading toward the offices.

Levi appeared even more withdrawn and melancholy after talking to his father.

"It's nothing," he said.

"Do not lie to me, Levi," I growled. "I am just as familiar with your father as you are. What was it that the two of you were fighting over?"

"Damit, Zara!" His hands clenched into fists as he snapped. "Leave it alone. I am capable of handling it on my own."

I wanted to say something, but the sound of laughter erupted from my father's office, cutting me off.

"It seems like someone is with him," Kaya remarked, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"Is it someone we know?" I asked.

Kaya took a whiff, her eyes narrowing.

"I am not sure," she uttered. "Yet there is a familiar scent lingering in the air, and it is coming from your father's office."

The door to my father's office screamed on its hinges less than a second later, and when it opened, I saw the enormous wolf I called father. He was grinning and appeared to be content about something.

"Damn," Levi mind-linked. "Your father appeared to be pleased with something."

I suppose the treaty-signing process went according to plan.

"Ah, there you are, Zara," my father said. "We were expecting you."

"We?" Looking back at Levi, I asked, startled.

I have never seen my father this happy before. For an Alpha with a short fuse, he was behaving a little strangely. This was not how he usually behaved.

I quickly turned to look at my father again, hoping to pick up some clue as to what the devil was going on, but all I saw were his beautiful, joyful gray eyes.

"We should probably head inside to see what all the excitement is about," Levi mind-linked me, sounding like himself again.

"Levi's mood swings are going to give me whiplash," Kaya remarked.

"I suppose so," I replied to Levi, as my heart began to race.

"Come, come; we cannot have our guest waiting," my father said, extending his arm and waving us in.

As we followed my father into his office, Levi and I shared the same expression of confusion on our faces. His massive back was facing us, obstructing our view.

My eyes swept over the 6'9" Alpha; his gray hair was neatly combed, and for once, he appeared to be completely rested.

Was this what the quick trip away had done to him?

I froze in my spot when I smelled the faint scent of grassland, making my heart skip a beat.

"No! It can't be!" I let out an internal hiss. "He would not dare come here!"

"What the f*ck, Zara!" Levi bumped into me and growled behind me.

"Sorry," I mumbled, wide-eyed.

"What's going on with-" Levi's voice faltered when my father turned away from us and approached his table, confirming my worst fears: Noah f*cking Flinch!

"Is that?" Levi mind-linked, and I nodded my head.

"What brings him here?" He mind-linked.

"Come, come, have a seat, Zara," my father called out to me. "We have a lot to discuss."

I gave a nod and walked stiffly over to the lone chair that was left open in front of my father's desk.

"Beta, you are welcome to sit," my father gestured toward the lover's couch near the wall.

Levi cast a sidelong glance at Noah and shook his head.

"Thank you, Alpha," Levi grinned stiffly and said. "However, I would prefer to be at Luna's side.

My father's eyes swept over the two of us, expressing confusion with knitted eyebrows.

"Very well," my father said. "Suite yourself."

"Zara," he uttered next. "I understand that you are familiar with Alpha Noah."

I forcefully swallowed the lump that had appeared in my throat, and I slowly nodded my head.

"Great," my father said, sitting back in his chair with a smile forming on his lips. "Alpha Noah has also informed me that you are his fated mate."

"What is your father talking about?" Levi growled over the mind-linked. "Is he your mate? How come you have not told me? Are you keeping secrets from me?"

"Don't play the protective beta now," Kaya barked back at him, making Levi quiet. "You are giving me a bloody headache!"

I gave a nod in response to most of the questions, staying silent throughout.

I wanted to rip the smile from Alpha Noah's face as it appeared on the corners of his lips.

"Superb," my dad went on. "Alpha Noah has requested your hand."

All the hair on my body rose. The bastard was using my father to approach me.

"Is that so?" I finally found my voice.

Both my father and Alpha Noah nodded.

"Interesting," I said as I stood up. "Were you told by Alpha Noah that he rejected me more than a year ago?"

My father's smile wavered as Alpha Noah's face turned to ash.

Did Alpha Noah really believe I would just blindly obey an order from my father without a fight?

"He did what?" Levi roared behind me.

"There is more," I said. "He rejected me in favor of a mate he chose."

"Is that true?" My dad questioned; his face hardened, and his eyes shifted black—Marcus, his wolf, must be fighting for control.

"It is," Alpha Noah admitted. "Nevertheless, I can explain. I was given a love potion by my chosen mate in hopes that I would fall in love with her and make her my Luna. It was not until I rejected Zara, feeling her pain, that the spell broke, and I came to my senses."

"Liar!" Kaya growled, grabbing control and extending her claws. She wanted to rearrange Noah's face.

"Calm your wolf, Zara," my father ordered.

Levi's arms snaked around my waist, and he pulled me back to the back of the office. Kaya was outraged, and she didn't stop fighting against his hold.

"Why haven't you told me?" Levi eventually asked when I could regain control. His eyes revealed pity, which was the exact reason why I didn't want him to know.

I inhaled deeply. Since the secret was already known, lying about it would not make things better.

"There wasn't much to tell you," I said. "He kissed his chosen mate and rejected me in less than two minutes."

"Damn, I am sorry," Levi said, pulling me into a bear hug.

"Don't be," I said as I slowly withdrew. "It is better this way."

I sighed.

In less than a day, word of my rejection will get around the pack, and everyone will feel sorry for me.

My gaze moved toward my father; he and Alpha Noah were in a heated argument. All of a sudden, my father's smile returned as he nodded.

"Oh, no!" Kaya grunted. "What did Alpha Noah say?"

"We better find out!" I hissed. "Before-"

"Are you still in control?" Levi asked, seeing my face harden.

I gave a nod.

"Kaya is just upset," I explained. "She doesn't like Noah much."

With a nod from Levi, we headed back to my father's desk together.

"Zara," my father said gently. "After discussing the situation with Alpha Noah, I have made a decision."

"Decision?" I gasped, feeling my heartbeat racing up. "What kind of decision?"

"Well," Alpha Noah said. "I am willing to give us another chance since you have not found a second chance mate yet."

Was he f*cking serious right now? And my father agreed to this?

I turned to look at my father; he seemed happy with the arrangement.

"Willing?" I glowed with disgust. "I am not interested."

"Zara," my dad, glared at me menacingly. "You will not be able to assume leadership of the pack if you are not mated."

I wrapped my arms around my waist. I am familiar with the pack regulations. Without an Alpha, a she-wolf cannot lead a pack; however, an Alpha can lead a pack without a Luna.

I rolled my eyes. Our pack's politics are so incredibly complex and unfair.

"Who said that I don't have a mate?" I asked.

That startled all three of the wolves, who were now staring at each other, confused.

"Levi and I have agreed to be chosen mates," I continued. "It's better this way. Levi is well-versed in all the rules and regulations and is well-liked by all. He will be a wonderful and just Alpha."

The three wolves gave me a skeptical look.

"What are you doing, Zara?" Levi mind-linked me when he finally realized what I had just said. "That is not something we have ever agreed upon. You know I can't...."

"Just go with it," I mind-linked back.

"No!" He growled over the mind-linked. "I can't lie to your father. This isn't right!"

"We are not lying," I mind-linked. "We are just buying some time."

"Beta Levi, is this true?" My father asked.

My heart hammered against my rib cage as Levi appeared like a deer caught in headlights. I crossed my fingers and hoped that Levi would go with it.

"Come on, Levi," I mind-linked him. "I am unable to pair with this cunning weasel. Look at him. Something is not quite right in this situation. He cannot become the leader of the pack. He will destroy everything our fathers built."

Levi looked at me, then back at my dad.

Shutting his eyes, he forcefully swallowed.

"Yes, Alpha," he replied as he gradually opened his eyes. "We have put such an agreement in place."

I interrupted Noah as he was about to say something.

"Are we done?" I asked, getting to my feet. "Can we leave now?"

My father nodded but cleared his throat when Levi and I both reached the door. Both of us looked back at my father, anticipating his final comment.

"Oh, no!" Kaya whimpered. "I know that look!"

"It means trouble is..."

"Zara. Beta Levi," my father turned serious. "Kindly be aware that your mating ceremony will occur on the next full moon."

My heart plummeted—that was this weekend.

****

Zara's POV

"I cannot believe you are doing this to me," Levi groaned, which seemed to be the hundredth time in this hour. He had been complaining about our mating arrangement, and the subject was now officially getting on my last nerve.

Was it even possible for him to simply comply with my request and follow along without all the extra drama? The mating ceremony wasn't such a big deal.

We were just claiming to be chosen mates until we found a more suitable mate, or maybe our second chance mate—that's if such mates still exist.

I sighed, closing my eyes, as I counted to ten. I didn't want to lose my cool composure; it was moments before the mating ceremony, and my father would notice if something was wrong.

"Come one, Levi," I said, taking his hands in mine. I was about to beg. This was important to me. He must help me, or else I will be forced to mate with Alpha Noah, and that thought revolts me. "The concept is not all that bad. At least you are aware of the kind of mate you will have. You are familiar with me. We will be fine."

"Are you serious?" he snarled, pulling his hands out of mine. "What excuse will you offer the pack when we do not mark each other? Hmm?"

"I will come up with something," I replied with a sigh.

My father had put a lot of effort into this mating ceremony. He even went as far as to invite every Alpha on the continent to attend the ceremony.

There was no way we could back out now. The pack house was already filled with Alphas, Lunas, and ranks from all over who had come to witness the exchange of our mating vows.

Levi started to pace back and forth with his hands in his hair.

"I do not think I can do this, Zara," he remarked. "I cannot lie in front of all those wolves. They will know the ceremony is just a lot of bullsh*t!"

"Levi, you are not lying," I snapped. I was about to lose my temper. I took a deep breath. "You are simply protecting your future Luna from her has-been-mate, and by doing that, you are keeping the pack safe and out of his hands. Stop worrying now. Everything will work out the way it should."

"It is easy for you to say," he snapped. "You are not the one who will not be able to fulfill his obligations to his mate. Or did you forget that I am gay?"

"Seriously, Levi?" I scowled. "I have not forgotten about that. That is the exact reason why this would work out perfectly."

"You have got to be kidding me," he growled. "Have you ever given this plan of yours much thought?"

I shook my head.

"Nope, not really," I replied and shrugged. "But think of it this way. We can simply reject each other as soon as we find our second chance mate, and everything can go back to normal. I promise you, everything will work out just fine. Trust me."

"You think that by finding your second chance, everything will go back to normal?" Levi shrieked, throwing his arms in the air. "It is easier said than done!"

"What is?" I asked, knitting my eyebrows together. What was Levi going on about?

"Finding a second chance, mate!" Levi snorted. "You have about a one in a million chance of getting one."

"No, it is not," I argue. "Second chance mates still exist. Rejected wolves can still find love a second time."

"What happens if we don't?" he asked. "What are you going to tell the pack when we can't give them the next heir?"

"That will not happen," I muttered. "The goddess will not let the pack go without an heir."

I haven't given much thought to the implications of mating with Levi.

Even if we cannot work out the dynamics surrounding our mating arrangements, I still think this is the best option.

It is true that Levi is gay, but I never put much thought into his sexual preferences. I loved him for who he was; I saw him for him. I trusted him with everything I had.

If Levi chickens out now, I will have no choice but to accept the proposal to be Alpha Noah's mate and Luna; otherwise, he will have the power to challenge my father for the Silverado Pack Alpha title.

"Are you sure?" Levi asked, coming closer and placing his hand on my shoulder.

I nodded. The goddess always made sure there was an heir to her blessed packs. I doubt that she will turn her back on us now.

My gaze roamed over the reflections of me and Levi. If we were a normal couple and this ceremony wasn't staged, we could have easily gone through as an ideal power couple.

I sighed, laid my hand over his, and raised my eyes to meet him in the mirror.

"I am," I said. "Our love for one another has never changed. We trust one another. All you need is a little faith. We can do this. The goddess will provide; I know she will."

A knock on my bedroom door startled both of us, and a moment later, the door opened to reveal Janey. The redhead omega was tasked with helping me get ready.

"Zara, can I come in?" She asked, knitting her eyebrows together, when she saw Levi. He was not supposed to be with me before the mating ceremony.

I gave her a nod and returned my attention to Levi.

"Go get dressed," I said. "I will see you shortly."

"Very well," Levi said with a sigh. "I will wait for you at the altar."

"I will be the one dressed in white," I chirped, a little too excited. Levi huffed and rolled his eyes before walking out the door and shutting it behind him.

Janey seemed curious, but she decided to just keep quiet and started with my hair.

I watched as her hands skillfully transformed my hair.

"Did you finish your studies at beauty school?" I asked in an attempt to strike up a conversation.

"Next week, I will be taking my final exam," she stated, glancing up to meet my gaze in the mirror. "Hopefully, then, I will get my diploma."

"You certainly know what you are doing," I said. "I love my hair like this."

"Thank you," she muttered. "However, I am far from having your hair done perfectly."

"That is absurd," I said. "My hair looks amazing. There is no doubt that you will ace your exam."

Janey blushed at that, and a smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you for the compliment," she uttered.

After Janey finished my hair, she moved on to my makeup, and once she was done, she turned me to face the mirror.

My hands were drawn to my red lips as I gasped in shock when I saw my reflection in the mirror.

I have never been one to wear a lot of makeup—I usually just wear foundation and eyeliner—but I looked like a magazine cover model.

"Are you pleased with how you look?" Janey asked anxiously when I didn't say anything.

"Yes," I replied. "It is perfect, beyond my expectations."

"Do you think Beta Levi would approve?" She asked.

It surprised me that she asked me if Levi would approve instead of my father.

"He would love it," I said. "Thank you."

Janey headed toward my closet and carefully pulled my mating dress from the hanger. My mother gave me the dress as a gift; it was her old mating outfit, passed down from Luna to Luna.

The dress had undergone some modifications, which I was excited to see.

My heart leaped out of my chest as soon as Janey revealed the dress. It was even more exquisite than the original dress.

"Amazing!" Janey said. "Is this Luna's old mating dress?"

"Yes," I replied, touching the pearly top and the modifications I had made to the old dress.

"Beta Levi is one lucky wolf," she said. "The Alpha ought to feel pleased by your choice."

"He is," I replied.

Janey helped me get dressed, and tears sprung to my eyes when I saw my reflection in the mirror. The dress was a perfect fit!

The moment Janey tied the last button, there was a soft knock on my bedroom door, and my father, appearing as though he had been called, peered around it.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed when he saw me. "Zara, is that you?"

He flung the door open, shock, amazement, and disbelief visible on his face.

"Hello, dad," I said, feeling my face turn crimson under all the makeup.

"Wow!" He gasped once more. "You look amazing! I almost didn't recognize you!"

"Thank you, Father," I said, turning my gaze toward Janey. "However, Janey is solely responsible for this picture-perfect image of me."

After thanking Janey and extending his arm to me, my father and I left my room to go down to the proceedings.

However, I never thought that the most intoxicating scent would turn my world upside down.

****