Luna Unveils Alpha's Plot

I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror, smoothing down the white ceremonial dress for the third time. The delicate silver embroidery along the neckline caught the light as I moved, shimmering like moonlight on water. My hands trembled slightly as I fastened the last silver clasp.

"Are you ready, Luna?" Elena asked from the doorway, her eyes bright with anticipation. "The pack is already gathering."

"I think so," I replied, taking a deep breath. Three years. Three years of waiting for this moment, for Giovanni to finally complete our mate ceremony and make me his Luna in truth as well as name.

My wolf, Sarah, stirred within me. *He'll come through this time,* she whispered. *He has to.*

I wanted to believe her. I'd wanted to believe every time.

The ceremonial hall was decorated with silver lanterns and white flowers, pack members already seated in neat rows. I could feel their eyes on me as I walked down the center aisle, my head held high despite the whispers that followed in my wake.

"The Alpha hasn't arrived yet."

"This is the third time..."

"Poor Beta Cecilia..."

I kept my expression neutral, though each whisper cut like a knife. As Beta of the Silver Moon Pack, I'd earned my position through skill and dedication, not just because I was Giovanni's mate. Yet here I stood, waiting once again for an Alpha who couldn't seem to prioritize his own mate ceremony.

"Luna Cecilia," Derek, our head of security, approached with a grim expression. "Alpha Giovanni has sent word."

My heart sank before he even finished speaking.

"He says there's urgent pack business at the borders that requires his immediate attention. The ceremony is... postponed."

The hall fell silent. I felt dozens of eyes boring into my back, waiting for my reaction. Three years of dignity couldn't crumble now.

"Thank you, Derek," I said evenly. "Please inform the pack that we'll reschedule when Alpha Giovanni's schedule permits."

As the hall emptied, Elena appeared at my side. "Cecilia, this is unacceptable. Even for an Alpha—"

"I need to change," I cut her off, my voice tight. "And then I need to check something."

Sarah growled within me. *Follow his scent. We deserve the truth.*

I slipped into my jeans and boots, ignoring Elena's concerned protests. If Giovanni was truly at the borders handling pack business, I would find him there.

The forest was quiet as I tracked his scent, fresh and unmistakable. My wolf guided me forward, her anger fueling my determination. The scent grew stronger as I approached the northern border of our territory.

Then I heard it—laughter. Soft, feminine laughter followed by a deeper chuckle I knew all too well.

I moved silently between the trees until I had a clear view of the ancient oak that marked our territorial boundary. My breath caught in my throat.

Giovanni stood with his back against the tree trunk, his powerful arms wrapped around a petite blonde woman. Aileen Miller—a she-wolf who'd joined our pack six months ago. Their bodies were pressed together intimately, his lips claiming hers in a passionate kiss that spoke of familiarity rather than novelty.

"He canceled again, didn't he?" Aileen murmured against his mouth, her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. "Poor little Luna Cecilia."

"Pack business," Giovanni replied smoothly, the same excuse he'd given me. "She'll understand."

*Like hell I will,* Sarah snarled within me.

I stepped forward, unable to contain myself any longer. "Is this your urgent pack business, Alpha?"

They sprang apart, Giovanni's expression shifting from shock to anger in an instant. Aileen's lips curved into a satisfied smirk behind his back.

"Cecilia," Giovanni growled, "what are you doing here?"

I opened our mind-link, needing to hear his thoughts as well as his words. "I'm supposed to be your Luna today. Instead, I found you here with her."

"You're spying on me?" His mental voice was cold with fury. "I don't have time for your paranoid delusions."

"Paranoid?" I stepped closer, my Beta authority lending strength to my voice. "Explain this, Giovanni. Explain why you're kissing another woman while your mate waits in her ceremonial dress."

"You don't question me!" he roared, his Alpha aura flaring dangerously. "I am your Alpha before I am your mate. You forget yourself, Beta Cecilia."

Aileen's smirk widened as she pressed herself against Giovanni's back protectively. "She's clearly unstable, Gio. Maybe she needs help."

Giovanni's eyes flashed dangerously. "If you continue to stalk me and undermine my authority, I'll have no choice but to strip you of your Beta position. Is that clear?"

Sarah howled with rage inside me, but I kept my face impassive. "Crystal clear, Alpha."

As I turned to leave, Aileen's triumphant gaze followed me, and something cold and determined settled in my chest. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.