The Mate He Chose

"Smile, Evelyn."

Bella leaned closer and adjusted the silver ribbon in my hair.

"You don't want everyone thinking you're jealous today."

I stared at my reflection.

The dress wasn't mine.

Nothing about tonight was mine.

Not the gown.

Not the jewelry.

Not even the title I had spent three years earning.

Across the room, servants rushed around carrying flowers and candles.

Outside, hundreds of wolves were gathering in the pack square.

Tonight was the Mate Ceremony.

The night Alpha Damien would officially announce his Luna.

My wolf stirred restlessly.

She already knew.

I swallowed hard.

"Have you seen Damien?"

Bella's smile widened.

"Why? Nervous?"

"Just answer the question."

"Oh, I've seen him."

She smoothed her own dress.

"A lot."

Something in her tone made my stomach twist.

Before I could ask another question, the door opened.

One of the servants stepped inside.

"The Alpha is ready."

Bella immediately hooked her arm through mine.

"Come on, sister."

I hated when she called me that.

We weren't related.

Three years ago, Damien had found me unconscious near the border after a rogue attack.

No family.

No pack.

No memories before age ten.

Nothing.

Damien brought me home.

His pack became my home.

At least I thought it had.

The ceremony platform stood at the center of the square.

Thousands of lights illuminated the night.

Pack members filled every seat.

The moment Damien appeared, cheers exploded around us.

"Alpha Damien!"

"Our Alpha!"

He looked exactly like the leader everyone admired.

Tall. Confident. Powerful.

The man I had loved for three years.

The man my wolf recognized as her mate.

For a second his eyes met mine.

Something flashed across his face.

Then Bella stepped forward.

And his gaze shifted to her.

My chest tightened.

No.

Not tonight.

Not after everything.

The Elder raised his hands.

"The Moon Goddess has blessed this pack."

The crowd fell silent.

"Tonight our Alpha will formally present his chosen Luna."

My wolf whimpered.

I clenched my fists.

Please.

Please look at me.

Damien stepped onto the platform.

The Elder smiled.

"Alpha Damien. Who stands beside you as your mate?"

The world seemed to stop.

Damien reached for someone's hand.

Not mine.

Bella's.

The crowd erupted.

Cheers.

Applause.

Excitement.

Everything became noise.

My ears rang.

Bella climbed onto the platform wearing the smile of a queen.

"I knew it."

"Oh my God."

"They look perfect together."

"I always said Evelyn was delusional."

Someone laughed.

Another person joined in.

Then more.

Damien raised Bella's hand.

"My mate."

The words hit harder than any blade.

My wolf screamed inside my head.

Pain shot through my chest.

Mate rejection.

Not official.

Not complete.

But enough.

Enough to break something.

Bella looked directly at me.

Then she smiled.

Slowly.

Cruelly.

Like she'd won.

The Elder placed a silver crown on her head.

"Future Luna Bella."

The crowd roared again.

I couldn't breathe.

Three years.

Three years of standing beside Damien.

Helping the pack.

Managing disputes.

Organizing supplies.

Taking care of injured wolves.

Three years of believing I mattered.

Apparently I didn't.

Apparently I never had.

Then Bella spoke.

"Wait."

The crowd quieted.

She tilted her head.

"I think someone deserves recognition."

A bad feeling settled in my stomach.

Bella pointed directly at me.

"There she is."

Several people laughed immediately.

"Evelyn."

My feet refused to move.

Bella smiled.

"Come up here."

I didn't want to.

But every eye was already on me.

So I walked.

One step.

Then another.

When I reached the platform, Bella turned toward the crowd.

"Everyone knows Evelyn had feelings for Damien."

Laughter spread again.

My face burned.

Bella continued.

"She worked so hard for this ceremony."

More laughter.

Damien remained silent.

That hurt more than Bella's words.

I looked at him.

Say something.

Anything.

Tell them to stop.

He didn't.

Bella lifted her gown slightly.

"Actually, Evelyn."

She smiled sweetly.

"Could you help fix my dress?"

The square became silent.

Everyone understood exactly what she was doing.

This wasn't a request.

It was humiliation.

I stared at her.

"You want me to kneel?"

"Oh."

Bella laughed.

"Only if that's beneath you."

The crowd laughed.

I looked at Damien again.

Still nothing.

Not one word.

Not one objection.

The realization finally settled.

He was allowing this.

Maybe he even wanted it.

My throat tightened.

Slowly, I lowered myself.

One knee touched the ground.

Then the other.

The crowd erupted.

Someone whistled.

Someone else clapped.

Bella looked down at me like royalty.

I adjusted her dress.

The Future Luna.

The title that should have been mine.

The title I'd spent years preparing for.

The title Damien had silently taken away.

"Thank you, Evelyn."

I stood immediately.

Without answering.

Without looking at either of them.

I walked away.

The laughter followed me.

Every step hurt.

Not physically.

Something worse.

By the time I reached the forest, tears blurred my vision.

I kept walking.

Deeper.

Away from the music.

Away from the celebration.

Away from him.

My wolf finally spoke.

"He is our mate."

I laughed bitterly.

"Apparently not."

"He is."

"Then why did he choose her?"

No answer came.

The forest was silent.

A branch snapped somewhere behind me.

I froze.

Another sound.

Closer this time.

Then a growl.

Low.

Dangerous.

My heart dropped.

Rogues.

Three of them emerged from the darkness.

Large.

Scarred.

Hungry.

One smiled.

"Look what we found."

Another sniffed the air.

"Pack girl."

"Not for long."

I backed away.

Slowly.

Carefully.

The first rogue laughed.

"You're scared."

"No kidding," I said.

He grinned.

"I like this one."

The second rogue shifted.

Bones cracked.

Fur exploded across his body.

Wolf.

Huge. Fast. Deadly.

I turned and ran.

Branches whipped across my face.

Footsteps thundered behind me.

One rogue grabbed my arm.

I screamed.

His claws dug into my skin.

Pain shot through my shoulder.

Then suddenly—

A roar exploded through the forest.

Everything stopped.

Even the rogues froze.

A massive pressure crashed into the area.

Alpha power.

No.

Stronger.

Much stronger.

The rogue holding me released me instantly.

Fear filled his eyes.

"What the hell is that?"

Then a figure stepped from the shadows.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Black coat.

Silver eyes.

The moonlight seemed to follow him.

One look.

That was all it took.

Every rogue backed away.

Terrified.

The stranger spoke calmly.

"You touched her."

The rogue swallowed.

"We didn't know she belonged to anyone."

The man tilted his head.

Belonged?

Before I could process that word, he moved.

One second he stood twenty feet away.

The next he was in front of them.

The fight lasted less than ten seconds.

Then silence.

The rogues fled.

The stranger turned toward me.

For the first time, our eyes met.

Something strange happened.

Not a mate bond.

Not exactly.

But something.

Recognition.

His gaze lingered on my face.

Then my neck.

Then my wrist.

As if he was looking for something.

Finally he asked,

"What is your name?"

"Evelyn."

He repeated it quietly.

"Evelyn."

Like he was testing the sound.

Then he smiled slightly.

A smile that somehow made my heartbeat skip.

"Interesting."

"No," he corrected himself immediately.

"Not interesting."

His eyes darkened.

"Unexpected."

Before I could ask what that meant, he stepped back.

"Who are you?"

The stranger looked toward the north.

Far beyond our territory.

Far beyond Damien's pack.

Then he answered.

"Someone you'll meet again."

I frowned.

"That's not an answer."

His smile returned.

"No."

Then he pointed north.

"If the day comes when you have nowhere left to go."

His voice became serious.

"Find me."

The wind shifted.

For a brief moment I caught his scent.

Power. Snow. Pine forests.

Something ancient.

Something royal.

Then he disappeared into the darkness.

Leaving me standing alone beneath the moon.

And for the first time tonight—

I had the strange feeling that my story wasn't ending.

It was only beginning.

The Thief

The morning after the Mate Ceremony, I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck.

Not because of the rogues.

Not because of the cuts on my arm.

Because Damien had chosen Bella.

And somehow that still hurt more.

I stared at the ceiling of my small room.

Three years.

Three years wasted.

A knock sounded on the door.

Before I could answer, it swung open.

Bella walked in carrying a breakfast tray.

She looked radiant.

The silver Luna necklace around her neck sparkled in the sunlight.

Everything about her irritated me.

"Good morning, Evelyn."

I sat up slowly.

"What do you want?"

"Ouch."

She placed a hand over her heart.

"Is that how you greet your future Luna?"

I almost laughed.

"Get out."

Bella sat down anyway.

"You know, Damien was worried about you."

That got my attention.

"Worried?"

"Of course."

She smiled.

"He asked where you went after the ceremony."

The hope lasted less than a second.

Then Bella added,

"I told him you were throwing a tantrum."

There it was.

The real reason she came.

To twist the knife.

I got out of bed.

"Are we done?"

Bella stood.

For a moment her smile disappeared.

"You should learn your place."

I folded my arms.

"My place?"

"You're a nobody, Evelyn."

She stepped closer.

"No family."

"No title."

"No rank."

"No mate."

Each word landed like a slap.

Then she smiled again.

"But don't worry."

She turned toward the door.

"I'm sure you'll find someone eventually."

The door closed behind her.

I wanted to scream.

Instead, I punched the wall.

Hard.

Pain shot through my knuckles.

Good.

At least that pain made sense.

________________

By noon the entire pack was preparing for Bella's Luna Celebration.

Apparently one ceremony wasn't enough.

I was helping inventory supplies when old Beta Marcus approached.

Marcus was one of the oldest wolves in the pack.

Nobody knew exactly how old.

Only that he'd been around forever.

He glanced around before speaking.

"You look terrible."

"Thanks."

"I mean it."

"I know."

He chuckled.

Then his expression became serious.

"Something happened last night."

My stomach tightened.

Did he know about Alexander?

The stranger?

The rogues?

Instead Marcus pointed at my shoulder.

"The wound."

"What about it?"

"Let me see."

I rolled my eyes but pulled the fabric aside.

The claw marks were already healing.

Marcus frowned.

Then froze.

His gaze shifted slightly lower.

Toward the back of my shoulder.

Toward the crescent-shaped birthmark I'd had my entire life.

His eyes widened.

"Evelyn."

"What?"

"Where did you get that mark?"

I blinked.

"I was born with it."

Marcus stared.

Long enough to make me uncomfortable.

"What?"

The old Beta looked genuinely shaken.

"Nothing."

"Marcus."

"Forget I asked."

He turned and walked away.

Which immediately guaranteed I would not forget it.

Not even close.

________________

That evening the pack hall overflowed with guests.

Music echoed through the building.

Bella stood near Damien greeting everyone like she'd already been Luna for years.

I tried avoiding them.

Unfortunately, life hated me.

"Evelyn."

I closed my eyes.

Of course.

Bella.

I turned.

"What?"

She smiled.

"Dinner starts soon."

"Okay."

"I need a favor."

"No."

Her smile twitched.

"You didn't even hear it."

"Still no."

Several nearby wolves laughed.

Bella's expression hardened.

Then she switched tactics.

"Damient wants all hands helping tonight."

I looked toward him.

He wasn't even paying attention.

Shockingly.

"Fine," I said.

"What do you need?"

"Could you organize the gift table?"

I should've said no.

Instead I spent the next hour moving gifts around like an idiot.

By the time dinner started, I was exhausted.

I grabbed a drink and finally found a quiet corner.

That peace lasted exactly three minutes.

Then someone screamed.

A woman's voice.

High-pitched.

Panicked.

"My Luna Ring!"

The room instantly froze.

Bella stood in the center of the hall.

Holding out an empty jewelry box.

Tears filled her eyes.

"My Luna Ring is gone."

Whispers erupted immediately.

"Stolen?"

"Who would do that?"

"That ring is priceless."

Damien appeared beside her.

"What happened?"

Bella sniffled.

"I left it in my room while getting ready."

"And now?"

"It's gone."

The hall exploded into chaos.

Pack guards rushed toward the exits.

Damien's voice cut through the noise.

"Nobody leaves."

The room fell silent.

"We will find it."

His Alpha command rolled through the hall.

Every wolf obeyed.

Bella looked devastated.

Almost convincing.

Then her eyes briefly met mine.

Something cold settled in my stomach.

Oh no.

She wouldn't.

Would she?

A guard rushed into the hall twenty minutes later.

His face was pale.

"We found it."

The room erupted again.

Damien frowned.

"Where?"

The guard swallowed.

Then pointed directly at me.

"In Evelyn's room."

Silence.

Every eye turned.

Toward me.

My heart dropped.

"No."

The guard held up the silver ring.

Bella gasped.

Damien stared at me.

"Evelyn."

"I didn't take it."

The words came immediately.

Because they were true.

Bella looked heartbroken.

"Why would you do this?"

I laughed.

"You cannot be serious."

Tears rolled down her face.

"I tried so hard to include you."

"Oh, shut up."

Gasps filled the room.

Bella looked wounded.

I didn't care.

I pointed at her.

"You planted it."

Damien's eyes darkened.

"Enough."

I looked at him.

"You don't actually believe this."

The silence answered for him.

Something inside me cracked.

Not shattered.

Not yet.

Just cracked.

"I didn't steal anything."

Damien stepped forward.

"The ring was found in your room."

"Because someone put it there."

"Do you have proof?"

"No."

"Then neither do you."

I stared at him.

Waiting.

Waiting for the man who once carried me home after a fever.

Waiting for the man who once spent all night helping rebuild my cabin after a storm.

Waiting for the man who was supposed to know me.

Nothing came.

Not a single word in my defense.

Bella lowered her head.

"Maybe we should let it go."

I wanted to punch something.

The performance was disgusting.

Damien's jaw tightened.

"No."

My stomach sank.

"Theft against the Luna is a serious crime."

Bella immediately spoke up.

"Damien, please."

"No."

His voice echoed through the hall.

"There must be consequences."

The crowd murmured approval.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You know I didn't do this."

Damien looked at me.

For a moment I thought I saw hesitation.

Then it disappeared.

"Ten lashes."

The room went silent.

I stared at him.

Certain I'd misheard.

"What?"

"Ten lashes."

The words hit harder than the sentence itself.

Bella gasped dramatically.

"Damien!"

"Please!"

He didn't look at her.

His eyes stayed locked on mine.

Almost like he was daring me to challenge him.

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

The realization finally hit.

This wasn't about the ring.

This was about putting me in my place.

Showing everyone exactly where I stood.

Below Bella.

Below everyone.

A nobody.

Two guards grabbed my arms.

I didn't fight.

Because somehow that would've hurt more.

The first lash landed.

Fire exploded across my back.

The crowd flinched.

The second came immediately after.

Then the third.

By the fourth, I tasted blood.

By the sixth, my knees buckled.

Through all of it, I kept looking at Damien.

Not because I wanted help.

Because I wanted to know if he felt anything.

His face remained unreadable.

The tenth lash finally ended.

The guards released me.

I collapsed to one knee.

Blood soaked through my shirt.

The hall was silent.

Nobody looked comfortable anymore.

Nobody except Bella.

I saw the satisfaction in her eyes.

Just for a second.

Then she hid it.

Too late.

I had seen it.

Marcus suddenly stepped forward.

His voice shook with anger.

"This is enough."

Damien frowned.

"Beta Marcus."

The old wolf ignored him.

Instead he looked directly at me.

At the blood running down my back.

At the birthmark partially visible beneath torn fabric.

His face changed.

Again.

The same expression from earlier.

Recognition.

"Evelyn."

I looked up.

Marcus whispered something so quietly only I could hear.

"You look exactly like her."

"What?"

His hands trembled.

"The lost princess."

My heart stopped.

"What are you talking about?"

Marcus stared at the birthmark.

"The North Kingdom."

"The royal family."

"The missing child."

Before I could ask another question, he stepped back.

Like he'd said too much.

Like he was suddenly afraid.

And across the room—

For the first time all night—

I saw fear flash across Bella's face.

The Secret Mark

I barely slept.

Every time I moved, pain shot across my back.

Ten lashes.

For a crime I didn't commit.

What hurt wasn't the punishment.

It was who ordered it.

Damien.

The man who claimed to protect this pack.

The man who once told me, "As long as you're here, nobody will ever hurt you."

Funny.

Turns out he was the one I needed protection from.

I sat on the edge of my bed as the sun rose.

Marcus's words kept replaying in my head.

The lost princess.

The North Kingdom.

The missing child.

None of it made sense.

I had no memories before age ten.

No family. Nothing.

Just a scarred little girl wandering through the woods until someone eventually found her.

So why had Marcus looked like he'd seen a ghost?

A knock sounded.

Before I could answer, Marcus stepped inside.

For once, he looked nervous.

The old Beta closed the door behind him.

"We need to talk."

"Good."

I stood immediately.

"Start explaining."

Marcus sighed.

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"Too late."

He rubbed his face.

"Evelyn, have you ever wondered why you don't remember your childhood?"

"Every day."

"And nobody ever found your family?"

"No."

Marcus was quiet for a moment.

Then he sat down.

"Fifteen years ago, something happened in the North Kingdom."

I frowned.

Everyone knew the North Kingdom.

The strongest werewolf territory on the continent.

Ruled by ancient bloodlines.

Far older than Damien's pack.

Far more powerful.

Marcus continued.

"The royal family had a daughter."

I folded my arms.

"And?"

"She disappeared."

I stared at him.

"Lots of children disappear."

"Not royal heirs."

That was true.

He continued.

"The entire continent searched for her."

"Did they find her?"

"No."

The room fell silent.

Then Marcus looked directly at me.

"The princess had a crescent moon birthmark."

My stomach tightened.

Slowly.

Uncomfortably.

"A lot of people have birthmarks."

"Not that one."

His voice became serious.

"The royal mark is unique."

I looked away.

Because suddenly I didn't want to hear the answer.

Marcus noticed.

"You think I'm crazy."

"A little."

"Good."

He laughed.

"Because I think I might be crazy too."

I almost smiled.

Almost.

Then another thought appeared.

"If this princess exists..."

Marcus nodded.

"Then what?"

"What if someone else notices?"

His expression darkened.

"That's exactly what worries me."

________________

Unfortunately, the universe apparently hated me.

Because by lunchtime, Bella was already causing problems again.

The pack was preparing for her engagement celebration.

Apparently becoming Luna wasn't enough.

Now she wanted an engagement ceremony too.

I was carrying decorations through the hall when Bella blocked my path.

"Careful."

I stopped walking.

"What now?"

She looked me up and down.

"Still alive?"

I laughed.

"Disappointed?"

Her smile vanished.

For a moment.

Then it returned.

"You should be grateful."

"Grateful?"

"Damien could've expelled you."

I stared at her.

"Why are you so obsessed with me?"

That actually surprised her.

The question landed harder than I expected.

Bella recovered quickly.

"I'm not."

"You are."

I stepped closer.

"You already got everything you wanted."

Her jaw tightened.

"The Luna title."

No response.

"The Alpha."

Still nothing.

"The pack."

Her fingers curled.

"So why are you still trying to destroy me?"

For the first time, genuine hatred flashed through her eyes.

There it was.

The real Bella.

Not the sweet future Luna.

Not the smiling victim.

The real one.

Because happy people don't spend every waking moment attacking someone else.

Before she could answer, a voice interrupted.

"What's going on?"

Damien.

Bella immediately transformed.

Her eyes widened.

Her voice softened.

"Evelyn's upset."

I nearly laughed.

Damien looked at me.

"What happened?"

"You really want to know?"

His expression hardened.

I already knew the answer.

No.

He didn't.

Not really.

Bella grabbed his arm.

"It's fine."

The performance was almost impressive.

Damien glanced between us.

Then, without another question, turned toward Bella.

"Come on."

And just like that, they walked away together.

I stood there.

Watching.

Realizing something.

I wasn't losing Damien.

I had already lost him.

A long time ago.

I just hadn't admitted it yet.

________________

That evening, Marcus secretly handed me a folder.

"What is this?"

"Research."

I opened it.

Newspaper clippings.

Old reports.

Photos.

The missing North Princess.

The first picture showed a little girl.

Maybe five years old.

Dark hair.

Gray eyes.

A crescent moon necklace.

My breath caught.

Because she looked exactly like me.

Or rather—

I looked exactly like her.

"What the hell..."

Marcus nodded.

"That's what I said."

I flipped through the pages.

More reports.

More searches.

More failed investigations.

Then I found something else.

A photograph of the royal family.

King.

Queen.

And standing beside them—

A teenage boy.

Tall.

Silver eyes.

Familiar silver eyes.

I froze.

No.

No way.

I grabbed the photo.

"Marcus."

"What?"

I pointed.

"Who's this?"

The old Beta looked down.

"The prince."

My heart nearly stopped.

Prince Alexander.

The stranger from the forest.

The man who saved me.

The man who somehow knew there was something unusual about me.

The room suddenly felt much smaller.

"Marcus."

"What?"

"I think I've met him."

The old Beta nearly fell out of his chair.

"You what?"

________________

Meanwhile...

Hundreds of miles north.

Inside the royal palace.

Alexander stood before a massive fireplace.

Several advisors filled the room.

Maps covered the walls.

Reports sat stacked on a long table.

One advisor cleared his throat.

"We still haven't found her."

Alexander didn't answer.

The advisor continued.

"The search has lasted fifteen years."

Silence.

Then Alexander spoke.

"I found something."

Everyone froze.

The advisor blinked.

"What?"

Alexander stared into the fire.

"A scent."

The room went silent.

Every werewolf understood the importance of scent.

Especially royal bloodlines.

"Where?"

Alexander answered immediately.

"Black River Pack."

Several advisors exchanged shocked looks.

"That's Damien's territory."

Alexander nodded.

"It is."

One of the older wolves frowned.

"You think the princess is there?"

Alexander's eyes narrowed.

"I think someone wants her hidden."

________________

Three days later, disaster struck.

Again.

This time during Bella's engagement banquet.

The entire pack attended.

Guests arrived from neighboring territories.

Music played.

Champagne flowed.

Everyone celebrated.

Everyone except me.

I spent most of the evening hiding near the back.

Then Bella approached carrying a glass of wine.

I immediately knew trouble was coming.

Her smile was too perfect.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"No."

"That's unfortunate."

I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want?"

Instead of answering, she stumbled.

The wine flew through the air.

Splash.

Directly across her white dress.

The room gasped.

Bella stared down.

Then slowly looked up at me.

Tears instantly appeared.

"What did you do?"

I laughed.

Actually laughed.

"No."

Guests began whispering.

Damien turned around.

Bella pointed at me.

"Evelyn ruined my dress."

I looked toward the ceiling.

Moon Goddess, give me strength.

Damien walked over.

"What happened?"

Bella sniffled.

"I was talking to her."

"Then?"

"She got angry."

I couldn't believe this.

Actually, I could.

That was the worst part.

I could.

Because this was exactly the kind of thing Bella would do.

Damien turned toward me.

His expression already told me everything.

He believed her.

Again.

"I didn't touch her."

Bella cried harder.

"Oh my God."

I threw my hands up.

"Really?"

The crowd watched silently.

Waiting.

Judging.

Damien's voice became cold.

"Apologize."

My jaw dropped.

"No."

"Evelyn."

"No."

The room became tense.

Damien stepped closer.

"Don't make this harder."

I laughed.

A bitter sound.

"Harder?"

He lowered his voice.

"You've caused enough problems."

Something inside me snapped.

Not dramatically.

Not loudly.

Quietly.

Like a rope finally breaking after years of strain.

I looked directly at him.

"You know what, Damien?"

His eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"I hope she's worth it."

The room froze.

Damien stared.

Bella stared.

Everyone stared.

I continued.

"Because one day you're going to realize exactly who she is."

Bella's face paled.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

I smiled slightly.

"You know something?"

Bella immediately interrupted.

"She's lying!"

Too fast.

The crowd noticed.

So did I.

For the first time all night—

Bella looked afraid.

And somewhere deep inside me—

I realized I wasn't the only one keeping secrets anymore.