The thought of meeting the pack elders drove me crazy; I barely got a wink last night and couldn't eat more than three bites at breakfast.

I had no idea what to expect or how to even fucking behave; it kept my mind occupied the entire time.

"Here, wear this." He threw a dress at me. I caught it midair. Then glared at him.

"You should have told me," I snapped at him, damning the consequences.

He arched a brow and turned to glance at me; he chuckled and then continued with whatever he was doing.

"I should, but I didn't."

I slowly raised my hand to smack him from behind, but the images of him choking me out deterred me.

"What do I do..." Before I could finish, he quickly covered the space between us and placed both his hands on my cheeks.

"You do nothing, just hide behind me, and you will be fine." He stared into my eyes; for a second I could swear I saw something shift, something not primal, but he quickly masked it before I could put my finger to it.

My cheeks burned red and tingled; I could feel the mate bond grow stronger. Images of our mouths fused in that alley flashed before my eyes.

"What are you thinking?" His deep voice startled me, and I quickly scurried away to the corner. He chuckled and then went back to what he was doing.

"Mmmhmm" I quickly cleared my throat, placed a hand on my red cheeks, and smiled.

"Hold on, I didn't see anything." I turned abruptly to face him; he just touched my bare skin, and I didn't see any vision.

"What does it mean?" I asked myself, lost in my thoughts.

"Hurry, we shouldn't keep them waiting for long." His voice brought me back to reality.

I immediately grabbed the dress. I hated the idea of sharing a room with him, but I guess he wanted to paint a picture of us being together.

I went into the bathroom, and a few minutes later I was done. Immediately the dress touched my skin, and images of the mall where he bought it flashed before my eyes.

But something was strange; the voice I heard and the hand that took the bag from the cashier weren't his but a female voice.

I felt uncomfortable wearing it, but I didn't have much of a choice.

I stepped out of the bathroom to see him all dressed up and ready to leave; the moment he saw me, his lips curled up in a smile.

But I ignored him, backing him. I fixed my contact to mask my purple eyes, although my scalp is now itchy from the wig I had been wearing for days. I pulled my hair up in a high ponytail and was about to fold the rest of the hair when I felt someone behind me. I turned almost immediately to see him.

"Leave your hair down; I don't want anyone glaring at your neck."

"What?" confused at his words.

"We should head out; we have a long day," he said, slightly pulling out his arm for me to hold onto.

He was going to act the role to the very end, I didn't have any idea how good he was at acting; I mean, he deserves an Emmy Award.

But that was the least of my problems right now. I grabbed his arm, and without sparing me a look, he headed to the door.

The packhouse was beautiful, more beautiful than I had expected.

But something felt odd; the way they stared at us each time we walked by, like they saw something out of the ordinary, and the whispers were gradually getting on my nerves. It followed us like a haunting ghost. Before I could voice out my concern, Kane place a hand at the back of my palm.

"Don't let it get to you," he whispered into my ear. The way his breath grazed my skin sent a tickling sensation to my core. I felt my chest tighten and a hot sensation, pull up in my pussy. He was messing with me in more ways than I can count, and I hate the fact that he has that kind of effect on me.

I swallowed hard and sighed to ease the tension.

"Are you alright?" His words caught me unawares, and I had no idea how long he had observed me.

"Ye... Yeah," I stuttered.

"You look pale; are you sure?"

"Yeah, completely fine; I think it's the sun," I replied as we came to a halt in front of a door.

"Brace yourself." Two guards were standing outside the door and a six-foot man; they all bowed the moment they saw us.

He nodded in acknowledgement, and the guards opened the door while the six-foot man, whose name I later learnt was Ted, Kane's beta, followed behind us.

The room was packed, and the minute they saw us enter, everyone was silent and their gazes lingered on us.

The moment we approached them, they all stood on their feet. I was so anxious, that didn't dare make eye contact with any of them; for the love of God, my confidence was slowly slipping away.

We sat down on the throne-like chair, while Ted stood behind Kane, ready to tear anyone to shreds who dared approach him.

"Long live the alpha king!" they all chorused and sat down.

The meeting began; it was halfway into the so-called meeting that I realized that all the alphas of the seven packs were also seated in the room with us.

I became restless, wondering what would become of me, if any of them. Recognizes me as his sister. Although it doesn't make sense, I wouldn't even know I had a step siblings, if mom didn't tell me.

I was still lost in deep thought when he gently took my hand.

"I present to you, my mate, Anabella Stone," he proudly said, smiling at me. There is no backing down now. I should have thought about this before I signed that damned contract.

I smiled, and tightening my grip on his hand, I stood up.

The room was suddenly filled with whispers, and I was confused, wondering what they could be murmuring about.

But then they chorused, "Long live the Luna."

I sat back, and Ted signaled one of the guards; a few minutes later, different kind of food was wheeled in.

The tables before us were filled with different delicacies and wines.

But I wasn't hungry; I was too anxious to have an appetite. I was slowly counting the time to the end of this meeting, when someone suddenly showed up beside me.

I was shocked to see the slender lady I saw back at Kane's penthouse smiling at me. I had no idea she was a wolf, how could I miss her scent.

"Hi, I'm Olivia." she said smiling but Images of her leaning her head on Kane's body while holding his arm flashed before me.

"Hi" I faked a smile.

"I see the dress looks good on you; it sure fits you better than me."

My brows furrowed. What is she talking about, does it mean Kane borrowed the dress from his slut?

"Damnit, Kane," I cursed under my breath, turning only to find his seat empty. I turned back to her, smiling awkwardly.

"I should thank you." I tried to play nice.

"No no, I have a knack for helping the underprivileged," she smiled.

My hand tightened into a fist, and my stomach churned in disgust.

"Not here," I said internally, trying to calm my nerves.

"I can't wait for the contract to be over so you can crawl back to whatever shithole you came from."

"How did you know about the contract?" I asked with shock written all over me.

"What do you think? He tells me everything." She smiled again, turning her gaze to the corner. I followed her gaze only to find Kane speaking to someone at the corner of the room.

"Olivia! I'm sorry, if my daughter said anything to upset you, Luna," Ted apologized before dragging her away.

I was at a loss wondering what the fuck was going on,

"Her daughter? Hold on she knows" before I could try to understand, someone tapped me from behind.

"Luna, I brought you a congratulatory..."

Before he could finish, I grabbed the glass of wine and drank it.

"Thank you," I sighed, cleaning my mouth with the back of my palm. He nodded, taking the glass from me and walked away.

I was about to turn my gaze back to the bitch, but I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I ignored it, hoping it would disappear, but it didn't. The pain increased, as time progressed until I could no longer bear it and before I knew it.

I was clutching my tummy and screaming out in pain, although my vision was clouded with pain, but I saw Kane running to my side before I gave in to the darkness.

KANE'S POV

I was at a loss when I heard her scream; I turned around to see her, Anabella, in pain, clutching her stomach.

For a moment I felt my whole world crashing in on me; I shouldn't have taken my eyes off her for a second.

"Why did I leave her side?" I felt responsible.

If I brought her into my chaotic world, I should have done a better job of looking after her. The room was silent, they enjoyed my pain and fed off it. Everyone had their eyes on me, but I ignored them all.

Jerking her off the floor, I made my way out of the room; every step I took was a reminder of my failure.

Her faint breathing, a reminder of my past, and why I'm alone

"Get the doctor," I yelled out orders to Ted, who was running behind me the whole time.

I took her into the room, and the guards shut the door behind me. I laid her on my bed. Praying to the moon goddess to keep her safe.

"Anabella," I called out to her, but no response. I was scared out of my mind as her pale face stared back at me.

Ted barged in with the doctor trailing behind him.

"Save her," I ordered him. Giving him space to do his work.

I saw the fear on his face as he bowed, but he knew better than to give excuses to me.

He took off the gloves she was wearing and took her pulse. Immediately the doctor touched her, Ana let out a scream, and after a while she became quiet.

The doctor took a sniff of her mouth and turned to me.

"She ingested a great amount of wolfsbane." My breath seized the minute I heard "wolfsbane."

"How?" I murmured to myself in confusion, I banned the use of wolfsbane throughout the seven packs ever since my parents died, but how it found its way to her mouth beats me.

"It must have been slipped into her drink or food."

"You need to save her." I grabbed the doctor. Ignoring every other thing he said.

"Her condition is deteriorating. I would do my best, Your Majesty, but there is no guarantee that she would live." He explained to me, and I know he was trying to save his head.

"Save her; it's an order" was the last thing I said before I stormed off.

I couldn't remember seeing her eat anything at the meeting, but I had to figure out what she ate, who gave it to her, and who was peddling wolfsbane.

By the time I returned to the meeting venue, it was nearly empty, with only the maid packing up the remnants.

"Leave," I ordered them, and Ted, who had been trolling behind me the entire time, signaled them to leave immediately.

I sniffed every single food and drink in the room, but none of it had wolfsbane on it.

I was frustrated at this point; I was backed in a corner, with my heart in pain, and I couldn't get any closure.

I wanted to tear the culprit from limb to limb; that would give all the closure I needed right now.

"Ask around; I want to know every single person that spoke with her and who she ate with."

"Yes, your majesty,"

"Find out who's dealing wolfsbane"

"Yes, your Majesty" Ted answered and stormed off.

I sat in the room defeated, lost in my thoughts, when I suddenly heard a scream coming from outside the door. I jerked off the floor and ran outside, praying it wasn't something worse.

Immediately I pushed the door open, and didn't see anyone outside the door. I hurriedly rushed to my room, only to see the doctor on the floor, with blood trickling down his face.

"What happened?" I asked him, and I rushed over to help him to his feet.

Immediately my hand touched him; he jerked off the floor, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with fear.

"What is it? Were you attacked?" I asked him, surprised by his reaction.

"Lo...ok," he pointed his shaky finger to the air. I followed his fingers, and immediately my eyes rested on what he was pointing at; my mouth fell open.

"What that..…" I gasped, wondering how she was in the air but still unconscious.

"What happened?" I asked him, shocked to my bones.

"I... I tried flushing the poison out of her body system. I gave her an antidote, but she spat it out, and before I knew it…"

"She spat it out?" I asked, confused. I mean, aside from the fact that she screamed earlier, she had been lying down there like some log of wood. But he continued with his explanation.

"I tried giving her the antidote again, but she raised her hand, and it sent me flying in the air. Only to regain myself to see her hanging in the air."

"Did you take something while I was gone? Or are you trying to avoid treating her?"

I had to ask because he is not making any sense at all. How could Anabella raise a hand and send him flying into the air?

"I...I"

"Get her down now! do something..."

Before I could finish those words, he shrieked, and I turned around to see that the once-suspended body was now lying still on the bed.

Honestly, I was freaked out, but it wouldn't be good to let it show.

I glanced at the doctor, and he quickly got off his feet, all shaky. He went over to where she lay and took a look at her, then turned to face me.

"It's too late; the poison is in her bloodstream now. Her body has assimilated quite a large amount of it, her major organs are shutting down, he pointed at the black patches on her neck."

For a moment I was at a loss.

"She will be gone in a matter of minutes," he announced.

I had only known Anabella for a couple of days, but I couldn't shake off the pain I felt hearing that she would be dead soon. I guess we are mated after all.

This is my fate; I was destined to be alone with no one by my side. Not even my fated mate.

I was overwhelmed by guilt for not taking good care of her; I shouldn't have dragged her into my world, I should have known my place.

I was wallowing in my guilt when the doctor pronounced her dead. He walked out of the room, leaving me alone with Anabella's body.

I sat on the bed, in tears, clutching her hand.

All I could do was to beg her to forgive me for causing her death.

It was all my fucking fault, I was still in tears with my face buried in her stomach, and I heard someone sneeze.

I was furious, enraged and only seeing blood, I raised my head to tear whoever it was to shreds, but I froze at the sight before me.