Having waited for a while, Carol was relieved to see Paul step in finally and bowed slightly to greet him, but he immediately rejected her bow.

"You are officially accepted by the council as the Alpha. You can't do that anymore," he told her, and Carol was flabbergasted.

Speechless, she watched on as Paul gave more information and placed a bunch of papers in front of her.

"The next thing we have to focus on is your coronation and training," he said, then pointed to a place for Carol to sign.

"Noah will teach you many things you need to know as per the will, and the coronation will probably be on the night of the next full moon," he told her, and Carol nodded her head like a statue.

"Lisa here will assist you with whatever you need," Paul finished and took the papers from her.

"Allow me to pay my first respect to you, Alpha Carol," Paul said with a smile and bowed his head deeply alongside Lisa.

Carol's knees felt weak on the chair, and she exhaled deeply.

In just a day, she had become the Alpha of her pack!

"I will introduce you to some people you have to meet soon, and then you will take over the resort's affairs," Paul told her, but Carol raised a hand to stop him.

"Give me a minute," she told him, and he nodded, then signaled to Lisa to follow him, but as he made to step out,

Noah stormed in, followed by Cole, his assistant.

Carol jumped to her feet, seeing his fierce look, and Lisa immediately stood in front of her.

Glaring at Paul, he noticed the signed papers in his hands and questioned with much anger,

"The council accepted her?" Noah said in disbelief, and Paul affirmed.

"They accepted the late Alpha's will," he told him, and Noah couldn't believe his ears.

He had no idea they would turn against him so quickly and accept Carol.

"The documents have been signed, and everything else has been finalized except the date for the coronation," Paul went on, and Carol's jaw dropped, wondering where Paul's confidence came from.

What if Noah decided to snap both their heads off?

"Is it?" he mouthed, his eyes turning to Carol hiding behind Lisa, and went over to take a seat.

"Then I challenge her to a duel," Noah said, and Carol gasped in fear.

"Noah, you can't do that," Paul rejected quickly, but Noah wasn't listening to him but rather had his eyes focused on Carol.

"The Alpha of Moonlight Pack can't be afraid of a single fight," he said sarcastically, and Carol swallowed down a lump.

He was purposely messing with her.

"Others can challenge her to a duel, but not you," Paul said again.

"Why not?"

"You are siblings, and you are also her guardian. It is absurd to have you two fight openly," Paul answered, immediately thinking up a way to reject, and Noah stayed quiet.

"Then I will be sure to guide the Alpha closely," he smirked.

His words gave Carol and others in the room goose pimples, and Paul sighed tiredly.

"I will communicate with both of you in a few days from now, but before then, you should mourn the late Alpha properly," Paul said and went out of the room.

Carol pressed her eyes on the door as Paul left, wanting to beg him not to leave her here with Noah, but he was gone.

"Are you afraid now?" Noah questioned, standing up, and Carol shook her head.

"I have no intention to become the Alpha," Carol reminded, and he nodded with a mocking gaze.

"Of course. It's a mere coincidence," he remarked.

Although he hated Carol, his anger was more directed at Lockhart and whatever reason he had for doing something like that to him.

Now that things had come to this, it would be foolish of him to fight her openly and let others criticize him. Rather, he would make them see that she could never be the Alpha and renounce the throne willingly.

"You will hear from me soon," Noah told her and left the room with Cole once again.

Carol turned to Lisa when she was sure Noah was out of sight and asked if there was anything else she needed to know.

"For now, you have to wait till the day of your ascension to the throne is determined, and then you meet with the whole council, and..." Lisa paused.

"What is it?" Carol pushed, hoping it's not another bombshell.

"Your marriage will be determined soon as well," Lisa let her know.

"Oh," Carol let out, her head suddenly feeling light, and she stood to her feet.

She hadn't been lucky with meeting her fated mate early, unlike others, and she was already twenty-one.

"That can wait," she said and decided to head back to the Moon-pool house while Lisa escorted her out.

...

"Boss, are you really going to let her take over as the Alpha?" Cole asked Noah as they returned to the office, but Noah was quiet.

"We will play it by ear," Noah answered after a second, and Cole nodded quietly.

"What is the reaction of the shareholders regarding the resort?" he questioned, and Cole submitted the report to him.

"They don't seem entirely dissatisfied and want to meet with Carol first. Luckily, the late Alpha wasn't so cruel as to take everything away from you," Cole said.

They had a lot of other businesses, and the resort was only a small unit.

"Seems like my father did a lot of things behind my back," Noah muttered, checking the file in front of him and turning his computer on.

"Sir," Cole called and gave the phone in his hand to him.

The news of the new Alpha selected had circulated in the pack and was known by everyone.

"Don't bother yourself with that, and let's focus on what's important," Noah said and returned the phone to him.

Since his father wanted him to serve his stepsister, then he should do him a good favor.

"Have the findings concerning the Shadow Pack sent to the new Alpha and let her handle it," Noah instructed.

"But the Shadow Pack is ruthless and cunning. I am afraid she can't do anything about them on her own," Cole advised.

"More reason why she should deal with them. She will be crowned soon and will have to face them sooner or later," Noah responded without care.

"Inform her that will be her first lesson," Noah added, and Cole complied and went away to do so.

Noah's phone rang, and he answered it.

"Where are you?" Jeff, his cousin, asked, and he told him.

"Let's meet at the bar then," Jeff suggested, and Noah hesitated for a moment before he agreed and turned off his computer again, then made his way out of the company.

Letting Cole take care of anything else on his behalf before driving away to BUBBLES,

a bar owned by Jeff, and made his way in through the back door, then spotted Jeff chatting and flirting with a young omega wolf.

"You are here," Jeff called out to him, sending the girl away, and came to Noah.

"I heard about what happened," Jeff said, not beating about the bush, and Noah exhaled, pissed.

"Do you have any idea why the late Alpha would do that?" Jeff asked, confused.

No one in the pack expected such a decision from Lockhart. Especially knowing Carol's half-blood history.

"I don't," Noah said weakly and took a seat, then ordered a bottle of beer.

"Didn't you say you have never seen her shift?" Jeff asked.

"How can a wolfless young girl rule the pack?" he muttered with irritation, but Noah immediately signaled to him to keep quiet.

Not many in the pack knew of the fact that Carol didn't have a wolf yet, except for him, his late father, and Paul.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Nothing for now," Noah answered, and Jeff was shocked to hear that.

"You're going to let her be? I heard others are already coveting the position of her mate," Jeff told him, and Noah raised his brow.

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you aware that she will have to get married as a single lady to stabilize her position?" Jeff replied, and Noah shook his head.

"According to what I gathered, she will have to choose a suitor among our extended family."

Noah frowned as he rubbed his temple slowly.

That had escaped his mind.

He only thought to deal with the issue of not letting Carol take over the throne but forgot that she was still without a mate, especially after he...

"Which brings me to think of this solution," Jeff cut into his thoughts, and Noah could guess where he was driving at.

"Why don't you mark her as your mate now?" he suggested and looked around to be sure no one else heard him.

Noah flared up at his suggestion.

"Have you gone crazy?" he spat.

"What other easy way can you take to get back what originally belongs to you? You are her true mate," Jeff responded, dead serious.

From the beginning, he could never understand why Noah kept this truth hidden from Carol or why he hated her so much.

"I don't think of her in that way," Noah uttered, his eyes grim.

"Really?" Jeff countered.

"Why haven't you rejected her then?" he questioned, but Noah refused to answer.

"If you had rejected her already, then maybe you would have gotten a second mate," he said.

As werewolves, they are only allowed a chance at a true mate twice. But once a mate bond is connected and not rejected for a while, the bond becomes permanent, and no chance is given to find another mate after that.

"Keeping her from getting another chance with someone else is just the right punishment for her," Noah growled lowly.

"You're still upset about the fact that she became your stepsister after sleeping with you?" Jeff asked, his voice teasing.

"Mind your business," Noah responded.

"I will handle the situation in my own way," he said, concentrating on his drink.

Jeff shook his head, not understanding why he wanted to take the hard way instead of the easy path.

He could never understand his obsession with keeping Carol from having another mate.

"Hope you can really do that forever then," Jeff shrugged, raising a toast.

---

"There's a small party for you tonight where you can meet the council," Lisa informed Carol, who was already overwhelmed by the duties in front of her.

"A party? Is it really necessary?" she asked, tired.

"Yes, Alpha. You have to be there, and your brother will also be there," Lisa answered.

Carol's heart skipped a beat hearing Noah's name.

She hadn't seen him for two days, and it seemed to her that he was avoiding her, which was unlike him.

"Okay, I will get prepared in a short while," Carol sighed, and Lisa turned to leave, but she stopped her.

"Do you know a lot about the Shadow Pack? I heard the Alpha is ruthless, and most of the pack members are fugitives," Carol said.

She had been trying to crack her head around what to do to deal with them but couldn't figure out anything good.

"You don't have to deal with the Shadow Pack now. Things are still under control in the pack, but you need to first earn the trust of those who are more powerful," Lisa told her, and Carol nodded in agreement.

"Okay," she said, dropping her pen and standing up from the chair.

"Get me my dress then. I will meet with everyone in a few minutes."

Carol went into her room and found a purple dress lying on the bed. Impressed by how beautiful it looked, she wondered what she would wear when she was crowned in a month, and took off the clothes she was wearing.

"Carol, are you..."

Noah held the door to Carol's room, not bothering to knock, and was stunned to see her naked.

"Ah!"

Carol screamed and quickly grabbed her clothes from the floor to cover her body, but he had already seen her.

"What are you doing?" she yelled at him, but Noah wasn't listening to her.

His eyes were fixed on her body, and he tightened his grip on the doorknob to stop himself from doing something silly.

"I didn't know you were getting dressed," he said to her and turned away.

"Everyone is waiting for you; you shouldn't be late," he told her.

"I understand. I will be there soon," Carol replied and waited for him to leave before letting go of the clothes on her body again.

She exhaled sharply but unrelieved, and quickly got into the new dress.

It was a low-back gown with a strap around the neck.

She put on the high heels Lisa left for her and went out of the room.

Carol's eyes scanned the group of people in the room. She hadn't spoken with many of them before, nor were they on good terms with her.

They were part of the people who called her mother a gold digger when she married Lockhart and looked down on her at every chance.

Seeing that they were actually here to celebrate her as the Alpha made her feel so proud.

Noah brushed past beside her, and Carol's face stiffened. His imposing figure as he stepped in front of her exuded an aura of dominance.

"Why are you looking lost, sister?" he whispered, his piercing eyes seeming to see right through her.

He was undeniably handsome and mean.

"Are you drooling over me?" he said again, and Carol exhaled, coming out of her trance.

"Don't flatter yourself," she replied and rolled her eyes, then made to leave, but Noah pull her back.

"Not so quick. We need to appear as harmonious as ever," he whispered to her again, and Carol held her breath as his face came close.

"Let's go," he said, taking her hand and leading her into the party.

No sooner had they stepped into the middle of the crowd than a number of girls crowded Noah, and Carol lost sight of him.

"Carol," Paul called out to her, and she smiled.

"You look so beautiful. Lockhart would be proud of you," he said and introduced her to the members of the council present.

"Alpha," a few of them mentioned and greeted her with respect.

"Hi, I'm Flynn," Flynn stepped forward in a blue suit and took her hand, then kissed it.

"I have heard a lot about you," Carol told him, and Flynn chuckled.

"What have you heard?"

"Good words only," she told him, and they both laughed.

"Here, have a drink," Flynn said, grabbing a glass for her, and Carol took it gratefully, drinking only a little.

"Sister," Noah joined them, and Flynn's eyes turned a little discomfited.

"Can I have a word?" Noah said, and Carol excused herself.

"Are you here to flirt?" he questioned with a displeased gaze.

Carol wondered how he could see her when he had a lot of ladies buzzing around.

"How is that any of your business?" she retorted, turning to leave, but he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her closer.

"Have you forgotten? I am your guardian," he said sternly.

"And I am to be your Alpha," Carol replied with a snap. Her breath fell on his face, and she heard him inhale.

"I am not going to embarrass you," she told him and shook his hand off, but he held her again.

"Let me go," Carol muttered, but he resisted.

"Noah?"

He was still unwilling to let go, but others were starting to focus their attention on them, so he had to.

"Are you okay?" Lisa hurried to Carol's side as soon as Noah left her side.

"Yes, it was nothing," Carol replied and smiled.

Flynn had already gotten engaged with something else, and Carol stood alone again.

"Carol, right? I had no idea Alpha Lockhart 's stepdaughter is a beauty," someone walked up to Carol, tapping her on the shoulder.

"You are?" Carol asked gently, trying to be polite.

"Anthony, I'm Noah's uncle," he answered with a laugh, and Carol nodded calmly.

"You are so beautiful," he complimented again, and Carol muttered a thank you, feeling a bit uncomfortable by his intense gaze on her.

"Care to take a walk with me? I have something interesting to discuss with you," Anthony said, his gaze still roaming on her body, and he slid his hand behind her back.

"No," Carol whimpered, refusing him, but Anthony went on, acting indifferent.

"Aren't you curious about what I have to say?" He grinned, caressing her back forcefully.

"Don't," Carol said firmly and pulled away, but he suddenly gripped her arm, changing his tone.

"It's your good fortune that I am trying to woo you. You shouldn't be such a dimwit to reject me," he whispered and tried to kiss her, but Carol turned away, and his lips fell on her face.

"Get away from me!" Carol pushed him, her voice raised, and others turned to look.

Anthony immediately let go of her and pointed an accusing finger.

"How can you shamelessly throw yourself at me?!" he shrieked.

"What?!"

A few exclaimed, instantly believing his words.

"You sicko! It was obviously you who touched me!" Carol defended, but a lot of them weren't interested in listening to her.

"Is she already trying to seduce someone? She hasn't even been crowned the Alpha yet," Riki voiced from the crowd, and everyone else whispered.

"Really? I can't believe her."

"No, I wasn't," Carol made another attempt to defend herself, but no one was listening.

Lena, one of the guests, walked up to Carol and rested her hands on her waist.

"I can't believe how shameless you are to seduce a married man," Lena fired, looking really furious, and Anthony immediately held her hand in his.

"Honey, I had no idea she was like that. I only intended to acknowledge her as the new Alpha," he argued, and Carol scoffed in disbelief.

"Your mate is the one who came onto me," she snapped, but Lena wasn't ready to listen and scoffed in response.

"What should we expect from a female Alpha? She is sure trying to sleep her way to power like her mother," she accused loudly, and everyone laughed in mockery.

"Take back your words!"

Carol's eyes turned fierce, and she fumed at Lena, ready to tear off her mouth but restrained herself because of the doubts on everyone's faces.

No one among them truly saw her as their Alpha anyway.

"And if I don't, what will you do?" Lena challenged, ready to fight her but got shoved aside suddenly.

She turned to retaliate but shuddered when she saw Noah.

"I can rip out your tongue for a start," Noah responded and stood next to Carol.

Lena moved backward and stood behind Anthony, who also quivered and tried to give an explanation.

"Noah, you won't believe she came onto me," Anthony said again.

Noah's lips curled in scorn.

"You are not worthy," he sneered.

Carol turned, surprised at his defense, and exhaled slowly.

Lifting his eyes from Anthony, he turned towards the others, his eyes flashing with intensity.

"She is your Alpha. Any act of disrespect will not be tolerated," he said loudly so they could all hear him clearly.

Paul also stood at a distance, watching with satisfaction. He had merely stepped aside to discuss something important with Noah and didn't expect something to happen in that short space.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

They all chorused in response, taken aback to see him defend Carol. If anyone should hate her more than anything in this world, then it should be him.

Everyone turned aside and continued the party while Anthony fumed together with Lena and went away from the party.

"Come with me," Noah said, pulling her along without giving her a choice to refute him.

Carol's eyes flashed with defiance as Noah dragged her further into the house, his grip on her wrist hurting her, but he wasn't paying attention.

"Noah, let go of me!" she protested, trying to wriggle free, but Noah's face was masked with anger, his jaw clenched, and his eyes blazed with fury.

"Are you dumb?" he spat, his voice low and menacing.

Carol's eyes widened with hurt, and she felt a sting from his words.

"No, I'm not," she replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil brewing inside her.

Noah's gaze bore into hers, and she shivered a bit.

"You..."

The equally upset look in her eyes made him pause, and he inhaled her scent without meaning to.

Noah closed his eyes briefly to resist and opened them almost immediately, controlling himself.

But she smelled so good.

"What? Weren't you going to scold me?" Carol snarled, letting out her anger.

"Yes. You should know how to behave and not ridicule my name," he said, his words dripping with disdain.

"Ridicule?" Carol mumbled, her face burning with anger and humiliation.

For a minute, she was grateful he spoke up for her and thought he wasn't like others who judged her without evidence, but it turned out he was only worried about his reputation being dragged in the mud because of her.

"I am so sorry for defending myself against that scumbag uncle of yours," she threw back at him, livid with anger.

Noah took a second to calm down, realizing she had interpreted his words the wrong way and tried to explain but wasn't sure how to make her understand.

His eyes fell on her lips as he made out the next word, and he couldn't help but notice how plump they were, and they were calling out to him.

Noah exhaled as he continued to stare at her in silence, unable to take his eyes off.

He had made sure to keep away and not think of her in that way for the past three years they had lived together under the same roof, always taunting her to keep the desires away.

But in the last six months, that method had become useless and rather seemed to make it more difficult to resist.

Both their even breaths filled the room, and Carol stared back, confused at his sudden silence. But Noah already imagined how her lips would feel on his, and he felt the urge to get that dress off.