Alpha Zane of the Midnight Moon pack realized that the girl found by his pack's Beta within their territory was destined to be his mate.

But Mercedes was underage, originating from a neighboring pack with an Alpha of questionable personality. Zane knew he had to wait until her eighteenth birthday before claiming her as his Luna. Eventually, Alpha Ahri of Silver Bow, permitted the mates to meet and form a bond.

In the meantime, Zane ensured that Mercedes was properly trained for her role in his own pack. He regularly visited her in her pack, showering her with lavish gifts while teaching the young girl how to excel as his ideal mate.

The two became inseparable. Alpha Zane was the center of the little girl's life as she blossomed into a beautiful, skilled woman. However, disaster struck them unexpectedly.

Jealousy overtook Glary, Alpha Ahri's son, and he resorted to all kinds of malicious tactics, with the help of Mercedes' best friend Clarita, in an attempt to drive a wedge between the mates. In response, Alpha Ahri abruptly terminated the arrangements with Alpha Zane to gain access to his mate at Silver Bow. Consequently, Mercedes was confined within her home, forbidden to travel to Midnight Moon.

To force the girl to accept his son as her mate, Alpha Ahri went so far as to accuse his own Beta, Mercedes' father, of disloyalty and treachery towards their pack, accusations that carried a death sentence. Under pressure from the Alpha's threats against her family's lives, the woman was forced into two impossible choices: either accept Glary or face losing those closest to her forever. And that was when Mercedes feared being at the mercy of the Alpha family.

==

'Alpha, quickly, you really need to check this out,' my Beta exclaimed in the mind link.

I snapped out of my concentration, becoming utterly annoyed by this sudden interruption that couldn't have come at a worse time.

Damn it, I really didn't need this, my desk was overflowing with weeks of backlog I needed to catch up on. I was still working myself to death here.

'What's up, Jace? I'm in the middle of some important paperwork,' I explained while trying to conceal my irritation. 'Is it something you could manage on your own?'

'Nah. You won't even be able to fathom what I'm about to tell you. This is something no pack has ever come across before,' he replied.

For the first time, I heard shock, no, panic in Jace's voice.

He is my best friend. As pups, we literally took our first steps and spoke our first words at the same time. Later on, we went through combat training side by side as well. And I'd never heard him sound scared before. Jace was always fearless with a solution to any problem that arose, he never hesitated to take immediate action.

His appearance was his biggest advantage, Jace radiated a commanding presence that nobody dared to test. No one had the balls to question or disregard him, his word could only be surpassed by mine. This dynamic had never been breached before now. Our friendship ran deep enough for him to feel confident in how to observe critical situations and handle them accordingly. We were completely in sync.

The request for my presence in the field indicated that World War III might be approaching. In any case, he managed to get my full attention.

'Tell me about it. And it must be really worth it now that you've distracted me from my work,' I grumbled, but asked for details, nonetheless.

'You won't believe it until you see it, man. This is the weirdest thing I've seen since living in a pack. And that's my entire life,' he continued, still overwhelmed by what was happening at his side.

As I gazed at the heap of documents cluttering my desk, all I could think about was killing that Beta if he was wasting my time. I slammed my fist down on the desk.

'Keep me in the dark one more minute and I swear to you, today is the last day your head is on top. I don't have time for nonsense,' I bellowed angrily into the mind link.

'Zane, a pup has crossed our pack borders. She said her name is Mercedes and Silver Moon is her pack,' he finally explained.

His words froze me in horror.

Damn it, Silver Moon was more than fifty miles from here, how in the world could one of their pups end up on my territory? It's impossible, someone must have brought her here.

Was she banished by her own parents? This situation demanded my personal investigation, Jace was right. And once I'd gathered more information, it might be necessary to involve Alpha Ahri or even the Werewolf Council ... though I knew they wouldn't take kindly to this news.

'Keep her there, I'm on my way,' I instructed urgently before leaving my office with a sense of utmost priority to resolve the issue at hand. Once I was outside the packhouse, I swiftly stripped off my clothes and shifted into my massive black wolf, Jax. Carrying my clothes in his snout, we headed towards the eastern border which was about five miles away. Using all our available speed, we knew that it wouldn't take us much time to get there.

At high speed, I zoomed past tall trees and jumped over bushes and stumps until I abruptly came to a halt halfway. There was a peculiar, strange scent lingering in the area that didn't belong to any of my pack members. I followed it to a clearing deep in the woods, where the tire tracks left behind showed recent human activity.

Inhaling deeply several times confirmed what I had suspected all along.

Members from Silver Moon, the girl's pack, had sneaked into my territory without permission or prior warning. I was sure I hadn't permitted any outsider to enter my pack in the last few months.

This served as evidence that someone intentionally brought the pup to my pack, rather than it being a mere coincidence of her getting lost.

Things were taking a strange turn.

Over recent years, I haven’t come across any discussions regarding human traffickers or abductions in the Alpha chat group. Additionally, there were no inquiries about swapping pack members or surrendering trespassers either. Thanks to our united efforts in this area, rogues were no longer posing as much of a threat to packs anymore.

A quick assessment showed that members of Silver Moon had entered my territory illegally and left a pup behind. I decided to continue on my way. As relayed by my Beta, the girl was still in high spirits and chatty despite her unfortunate circumstances. Perhaps she could tell us more about those who left her here so that I could report back in full detail to Alpha Ahri.

As I neared the clearing where my Beta, the Head Warrior, and two warriors were waiting for me, a shiver ran down my spine. Immediately, an alluring scent of honey-strawberry wafted towards me, urging me to seek it out. I picked up my pace as I traced the scent that led directly to my pack members.

As I stood with them in wolf form, the air around me suddenly crackled with energy.

Jax’s eyes blazed, twin embers of possessive fire. The scent of honey and strawberries, which had been a pleasant undercurrent, suddenly intensified, flooding my senses, becoming the only thing I could smell. It was intoxicating, drawing me closer, pulling me toward its source.

‘MATE! MINE!’ Jax bellowed, the sound vibrating through my very bones.

He clawed at our mind wall, desperate to break free, to reach the source of the intoxicating scent that now dominated our senses.

I fought to regain control, my own mind reeling from the intensity of my wolf’s reaction. Frantically I scanned each man, my eyes searching for any sign of recognition, any hint of the bond Jax was screaming about.

But It was a futile exercise. No, none of them was my mate and I'm damn sure not gay.

No, definitely not me.

As I shifted my gaze downward, I suddenly caught sight of a small head peeping out from behind Jace's lengthy limbs. A girl was hiding there, but her curiosity got the best of her, causing her to bend to watch the scene. Our eyes collided and the bond fell in place.

My mate!

I stared into the most mesmerizing silver orbs that had ever captivated me throughout my twenty years on this earth. The girl's eyes were like polished marbles, absorbing every detail around her with intellect and eagerness. Her ponytail was neatly tied back without any stray strands , while her infectious smile beamed brightly with joy.

'MATE!' Jax whispered again, this time more like a lovesick puppy.

Moon Goddess, seriously? What are you about?

My heart pounded in my chest as the reality of the situation washed over me.

The world seemed to narrow down to just her, and an overwhelming surge of protectiveness coursed through my veins…

"What the hell, Jace?" I growled at my Beta, my gaze fixed on the small figure hiding behind him.

Even in the short time she’d been with Jace, the girl had clearly placed her trust in him, relying on his protection as she took her time to thoroughly inspect me. A pang of unexpected jealousy shot through me.

“Hi Alpha, my name is Mercedes,” she suddenly spoke, her innocent silver eyes still fixed on me. Her voice was soft and a little hoarse, a sound I knew I could listen to for hours.

Slowly, I knelt down to get a better look at her, bringing myself to her level.

“Mercedes. What a beautiful name, just like you,” I whispered, a genuine warmth spreading through me. “You can call me Zane, okay?”

A radiant smile bloomed on her face, and she stepped out from behind Jace, no longer hiding.

“Would you like to come with me to the packhouse, Mercedes?” I asked gently. “I have a few questions about how you got here. And I’m sure you must be hungry.”

She nodded eagerly, her gaze dropping for a moment before meeting my eyes again.

“But I don’t have a wolf,” she apologized, a hint of disappointment in her voice. Then, her eyes brightened. “Can I ride yours then?” she asked, a clear delight in the prospect. “What’s your wolf’s name?”

“Jax. And he’d love to have you on his back,” I assured her, a smile tugging at my lips.

I stood up and glanced at the men around me. Jace was staring at me in disbelief, and even Cleo, my usually composed Head Warrior, wore a look of bewildered surprise.

‘Come to my office. I have some announcements to make. We’ll travel back in wolf form,’ I instructed them through the mind link.

I quickly shifted back into Jax. He lowered himself, offering Mercedes an easy climb onto his broad back. She deftly clambered on, holding on tightly. It was clear she’d ridden on a wolf’s back before, a detail I’d be sure to ask her about later. Jax took a slightly longer route back to the packhouse, indulging in the pup’s joyful cries as the wind whipped through her hair. She urged him to go faster, tapping her heels against his flanks, but he maintained a steady, moderate pace, prioritizing her safety and perhaps enjoying the feel of her small weight on his back.

Half an hour later, we reached the packhouse.

Once Mercedes had climbed down, Jax moved behind a nearby tree to shift back into my human form and get dressed. When I returned, I offered her my hand, which she accepted without hesitation. Jace and Cleo had disappeared to shift as well. We waited for them, and when they reappeared, we entered the packhouse and headed directly to my office. I settled Mercedes onto the comfortable couch and sat beside her, while Jace and Cleo each took a nearby armchair.

“Let me introduce everyone properly to you, Mercedes. This is Jace, my Beta, and this is Cleo, our Head Warrior,” I said calmly, offering her a warm smile. I wanted to make her feel comfortable, not to intimidate her. “Now, please tell us everything that happened, just as you told Jace earlier. What’s the name of your pack, and how did you end up in the woods here?”

“I don’t know, Zane,” she said, her voice smooth and clear. “I fell asleep, and when I woke up, Jace was looking at me,” she explained. “I was in the woods behind the packhouse in my pack. I was playing with Marco and the others.” Her big, innocent eyes met mine, and I was instantly convinced of her sincerity. She was telling the truth.

“That’s alright. And what are your parents’ names? And your Alpha’s?” I asked gently.

“My mummy’s name is Selin, and my daddy is Marc. They’re the Beta of Alpha Ahri,” she answered readily.

I glanced at Jace. Her father was his counterpart in the Silver Moon pack. The Betas in the region maintained contact through a group chat, making it easy to confirm this information. Jace nodded and pulled out his phone.

“Who was the last person you saw before you fell asleep in the woods?” I asked, taking her small hand in mine and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She shook her head, staring at me.

“We were playing hide-and-seek. I tried to find a good hiding spot in the woods. Marco didn’t come to find me, so I just lay down on the ground to wait. I didn’t see anyone,” she explained.

I understood then that her memory ended there. Whoever had taken her had been careful to remain unseen. But the central question remained: why would someone kidnap a pup from her family and bring her to a foreign pack’s territory?

“Tell me, Mercedes, how old are you? Do you go to school yet?” I asked, shifting the conversation to a lighter topic. A wider smile spread across her face at the mention of school, bringing a sparkle to her eyes.

“I’m ten years old! I’m in fifth grade. My teacher is Alyssa, and she’s very kind,” she chirped. “She says I’m adorable too. She often brings fruit from home for us to snack on. She says it’s healthier than chocolate.”

I chuckled, nodding in agreement. “That’s absolutely true. And if Alyssa shares her own fruit with you, then you must be her favorite student,” I complimented her. Her smile widened, her eyes lit up with joy.

“Mercedes,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “Would you like to visit my pack more often? During school holidays, or when you don’t have homework on the weekends, or something like that?”

As my mate, I desperately wanted her with me as much as possible. Jax felt the same.

But I knew I had to be patient. She was underage; I would have to wait until she turned eighteen before officially claiming her and making her my Luna. My primary concern now was how this situation would be perceived by the other packs, especially my own. As both the most feared Alpha and a highly respected leader in the region, the news that my mate was still just a pup wouldn’t be well-received by everyone. It was crucial that there was no doubt about my intentions.

I truly believed the Moon Goddess had a reason for bringing Mercedes into my life at this moment. My patience in finding my mate had been wearing thin. By introducing her to me at such a young age, Selene had saved me from the possibility of making a desperate decision, to take a chosen mate.

I looked at Mercedes once more, she still couldn’t seem to take her eyes off me. Carefully, I reached out and gently stroked her hair. She didn’t flinch, a small gesture that filled me with a sense of quiet triumph. I had already gained her trust.

It was a perfect start. Now, I just needed to speak with her parents and Alpha Ahri about this extraordinary situation.

“Yes, Zane,” she replied with childish enthusiasm. “I’d like to stay in this packhouse with you. But I have to ask my mom and dad first.”

And then I realized that my mate must be hungry.

She definitely hadn't eaten anything since she'd gone missing. I took her hand as we left my office and entered the large dining room. Thankfully, Jace had already mind linked the cook, letting her know we were bringing a young pup who needed food.

The aroma of warm pancakes and sweet syrup filled the air as we stepped inside.

Mercedes immediately let go my hand and hurried toward the table, clearly famished. I guided her to the chair that had remained vacant since I became Alpha, the Luna’s seat. Carefully, I lifted her and placed her in the seat that waited for her for so long. Jace and our Head Warrior, Cleo, watched with wide eyes, holding their breath.

I didn’t pay any attention to them.

My focus was entirely on my little Luna, finally seated in her rightful place. Taking my position next to her in my Alpha chair at the head of the table, I picked up a plate and placed a fluffy pancake on it.

“Mercedes, which syrup would you like on your pancake? We have strawberry, caramel, and pure honey,” I asked. Her eyes were fixed on the delectable pancakes on her plate, my mate was definitely a foodie.

“Honey, Zane,” she exclaimed with delight. “My mummy always puts lots of honey on mine.” I drizzled a generous amount of the sweet substance over the pancake and then carefully cut it into smaller pieces for her. I handed her a fork, and she immediately began to dig in.

“Thank you, Zane,” she said a moment later, her mouth full. I also poured her a glass of fresh orange juice.

“You’re very welcome, little one,” I replied. Once I was sure she was comfortable and enjoying her meal, I began to eat my own breakfast.

‘Zane, we need to talk,’ Jace’s voice echoed in my mind. ‘I’ve never seen you so affectionate with a pup before. Something’s going on here.’

‘I’m starting to guess what it is from the look on your face,’ he continued.

I glanced at my Beta and Head Warrior. Making sure Mercedes was completely absorbed in her food, I turned back to my two closest friends.

‘Yes,’ I confirmed their unspoken question. ‘She’s my fated mate, your Luna. Only the Moon Goddess knows why she paired me with a pup, but I love her already, and I’ll make sure she stays in my life until she’s old enough to officially take her place as Midnight Moon’s Luna,” I declared confidently.

Jace looked at me thoughtfully.

‘You know Alpha Ahri is incredibly strict with his pack members,’ he reminded me. ‘You’ll have to be very persuasive to convince him that she belongs with you. Man, you have a long way to go with that fool.’

Jace was right. I knew all about that.

Ahri was a controversial leader. He trusted no one, and he was quick to anger. Even if a low-ranking Omega from his pack got into trouble, he was ready to declare war. And now, his Beta’s daughter was here, in my pack. I knew it would be difficult to arrange regular visits with my mate. But he would have no choice but to allow me near her, the werewolf laws were very clear on this point; mates belonged together.

The only caveat was Mercedes’s age.

Because she was a minor, I couldn’t simply claim her and keep her in my pack. Until she turned eighteen and also recognized me as her mate, she would remain under Ahri’s jurisdiction.

Damn. These were going to be some long, challenging years.

“Zane, how old are you? And where are your mummy and daddy?” Mercedes’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“I’m twenty, little one. My parents live in the other wing of the packhouse. And I have a younger sister named Elise. The Head Warrior here is her mate,” I explained. “Do you know what a mate is?”

Her big silver eyes met mine.

“My mummy and daddy are mates. They kiss each other all day long,” she said, demonstrating with a dramatic grin. "I often ask them why they kiss each other so much when they only have one pup at the end of the day.”

Jace and Cleo burst out laughing at her innocent observation. Mercedes looked at them shyly.

“Little one,” Jace said, still chuckling. “Whoever told you that mates have babies by kissing, well, they lied to you. You can trust me on that.”

A serious expression settled on Mercedes’s face.

“Marco’s parents have five pups, and they kiss all day too,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Marco says he often sees them without clothes in the house too.”

I nearly choked on my pancake.

Holy crap. What was wrong with these people? Didn’t they believe in locking their doors when they are at it?

“He told you that? Maybe his parents were about to shift into their wolf at the time?” I suggested, trying to salvage the situation.

Shit! This was unheard of. If I ever met this nosy Marco, I’d have to teach him some discretion. He seemed far too eager to introduce my mate to adult matters.

“No, no, no, Zane,” she insisted, shaking her head firmly. “Everyone shifts outside the house or in the forest—never in a bedroom.”

Now it was that introvert Cleo’s turn to lose control.

He banged his head lightly on the dining table, roaring with laughter.

Oh, good heavens. I was clearly unprepared for the logic of a ten-year-old, especially one influenced by a gossipy friend.

I shot my Head Warrior a warning glare, but he was still struggling to compose himself. Jace was also having a hard time keeping a straight face. Desperate to change the subject, I placed another pancake on Mercedes’s plate.

“Why don’t you try the strawberry syrup this time?” I proposed. She nodded eagerly, her attention successfully diverted. After finishing her food, Mercedes began to yawn. The past few hours had clearly taken their toll.

“Are you feeling sleepy, little one?” I asked. “Don’t worry. I’ll have my sister come and get you. She’ll help you take a bath, and then you can rest for a few hours before your parents arrive to pick you up.”

The child nodded happily. I mind linked Elise, asking her to come to the dining room.

‘On my way, Alpha,’ she responded immediately.

When Elise entered, she went straight to Mercedes.

“Cleo told me we have a beautiful guest today,” she said, smiling warmly at my mate. “Hi, I’m Elise. This big Alpha here is my brother. You must be sweet Mercedes.”

Mercedes nodded shyly, watching Elise with interest.

“Can you give her a bath, dress her in some clean clothes, and then let her rest in my bed?” I asked my sister. “She’s been away from her pack all evening. We’ve fed her, and now she needs a nap.”

Taking each other’s hands, Mercedes and Elise left the dining room, chatting happily as if they’d known each other for years.

Now, finally, it was time for a serious discussion with my Beta and Head Warrior about this extraordinary situation.