"You will behave, you will not speak unless spoken to, and you dare not embarrass me in front of my father, or there will be hell to pay," Ryker growled at me as I stood before him in his office.

"Yes, Alpha," I answered, and he scoffed.

"And cover up that bruise. Don't make me tell you again. One single mistake is all it would take, just one. I advise you to pull yourself together," he snapped at me, and I hastily covered up the bruise on my shoulders, the one that had been given to me earlier this morning .

I was a slave, in disguise of a mate, to the Alpha of my pack.

We had been mated for three years, and those three years had been filled with torment and resentment.

To everyone, I was his treasure, his beautiful Luna, but no one knew what went on behind closed doors, how he hit me at any silent inconvenience, how the doctor stitched me up, how I struggled with broken bones every single day.

If anyone even knew, they ignored my suffering to avoid the wrath of the alpha.

And today was one of those days, and it came as a surprise to me when he informed me of the Alpha King's visit to our pack.

Alpha King Aseal.

The Alpha King who ruled millions of wolves across the globe, and it so happened that he turned out to be Ryker’s adoptive father.

And the one man I had hated all my life was coming back to this pack. The last time he was here, I had watched him pull out my father’s heart from his chest in the most brutal way imaginable. The memory of how he had pulled his heart from his chest all those years ago and smashed it in front of him haunted me, and my mother didn't survive long after my father's death. They were fated mates, and she died soon after he died.

And my father's pack was given to Ryker, his adopted son, who had forced me into being his mate.

"Now get out, and make yourself decent. I'll not have you, looking like a maid in front of my father," he hissed at me, and I clenched my fist as I bowed my head in respect before I walked out of the office.

I held myself together, holding back a sob at the memory of this wretched place.

The pack I had once grown to love, now I hated it with every bit of me, and I knew no matter how hard I tried, this would never be my home, not anymore.

"And I better not see your goddamn face at the feast. It would be better if you remained inside; your presence would taint the environment and could piss off my father,seeing as he wouldn’t want a daughter of a tratior around him” he snarled into midlink, just as I took a step away from the door. I clenched my fist knowing there was no use answering him. On the other hand, I was relieved he had spared me from having to see the face of the wretched murderer.

I returned to my room. As I turned and glared at the mirror, my Red hair gleamed back at me, which was tied in a bun, just as Ryker liked it. The black dress I wore hugged my figure and fell to the ground, and it was chosen by Ryker. He said he loved me in black, said it made me look bold. For many years, I hated myself, hated my beauty.

And the mystery it put me through.

As soon as Ryker had taken the pack and saw me, he wanted me, not because he loved me, but because he was so used to getting exotic things, and I was one of them, a pretty obedient woman who would stand by his side and be called Luna.

As much as I hated him, there wasn't much I could do to oppose him. He was one of the most feared alphas in all the packs, after the alpha king. Everyone knew not to mess with him unless they wanted the alpha king after them.

I stayed indoors, sitting in one position, and I sat there for hours, staring out the window at the garden below me, waiting. Hours passed until it was late at night, when the door opened. I stood to my feet as Ryker stumbled in, held by two male servants. He was drunk, I could tell as he mumbled all sorts of garbled nonsense.

"Where is that damn woman? Have her run my bath," he spat, as the men laid him on the bed. I stood there knowing what was coming next; he was going to fall asleep in a few seconds and he wasn't going to wake until morning.

And I was right. In a minute he was snoring, laying in black trousers, spread out on the bed, with no space for me.

I shook my head as I walked out of the room, wanting to get some fresh air, having stayed in one position for too long, knowing now would be a good time to explore the mansion garden, seeing as Ryker would be knocked out.

The halls were empty as I walked towards the stairs I had come up earlier. As I rushed towards the staircase, my nostrils were overwhelmed by the reek of alcohol.

Then I saw him, a male figure climbing up the stairs. The first thing I noticed was his massive body, but it was not his figure that shocked me; it was the electricity that rippled across my skin and stirred my wolf. Beneath the reek of alcohol, I could sense him, a scent I found appealing, the smell of the forest and an addicting scent I had never smelled before.

Then he looked up at me, his gold eyes reminded me of Ryker, but unlike Ryker, his were bright, glowing orbs.

"Mate," my wolf whispered with so much longing, I stumbled back.

I shivered as it hit me, who he was, that face, that look, everything.

It was him.

Alpha King Aseal.

One minute I was standing there, the next I was running back to where I came from. I looked back to see if was following me, but I found no the traces of his large body.

I ran back into the room as I opened the door and slammed it, short of breath, my eyes wide with terror as I looked at the figure on the bed, still snoring, unaware of the turmoil I had just experienced.

I leaned down by the door, as I placed my hands on my mouth to hold back my breathing. I cried into my palms as I struggled to hold myself together, from falling apart.

He was my mate, I found my mate.

I wanted to scream, to roar, to cry, but I held it back.

Fate was cruel, not him, not the man who murdered my father, not the man I spent hating for everything that happened to me, for raising a monster that had no regard for life, not a man who was known to be the god of war, who destroyed everything in his path.

And I realized, tomorrow, the truth will be known. I couldn't be sure he saw my face because the light was behind me, which had reflected to his face instead of mine, but I could be very sure he must have felt it, felt the bond click, felt it connect.

And I knew, the alpha had been searching for his mate for many years. He was a goddamn lycan, as old as anything I could think of. If he found out I was his mate, he would never let me go. He would snatch me up from his son, and I would rather die than endure another cruel fate in his hands, not after everything was set, set that could make me disappear from the face of the earth, out of Ryker's reach.

I had to do something, I couldn't sit here and cry and wait for him to find out I was his mate tomorrow, when he was sober enough to realize he had met his mate and he had let her go.

So I left the room, once more, I needed to find Beta George, his mate Anna, was my good friend, she would know what to do.

I slipped out of the room, knowing the risk I was taking if he found me now, but I was better now than tomorrow, hopefully he would forget about everything by then, but I knew it would be a lie.

I ran, out of the mansion, heading to the beta's mansion, I knew one thing that could save me at this moment, as I ran to Beta George's home, I knew in this critical time he was the only one I could trust, especially since I was very close friends with his mate.

On reaching his door, I knocked, looking behind me, well aware of Ryker's spies.

The door opened to reveal Anita, all swollen with child, I stumbled in.

As she rushed to hug me.

“Oh my god, Diona,” she cried out, looking at my body, and I was still panicked.

“Are you alright?”

So I told her everything there was to know, her eyes widened as I talked about it.

"You can't leave now, not with the alpha king here. My mate isn't even around. The security has tripled over the last hour. Leaving is impossible, and anyone caught will die. You know this," she whispered, and I knew she was talking about her mate. I collapsed on the ground, holding my head.

"I can't... what happens when he picks up my scent tomorrow? When he comes for me, what happens?" I snarled at her. She looked at me with pity, and I knew she understood my fear and resentment. After my parents had died and the pack was handed over to Ryker, I had it hard. She knew of the beatings I took from his wrath, the cruelty that went on behind closed doors.

"I... I know a way, a way to save you," she whispered, and I stopped whimpering as I looked at her. She walked towards the window and peeped outside, just to be sure I wasn't followed or that no one was listening to our conversation.

"What way?" I asked, and she turned toward me.

"There is a fluid used by the pack spies, Ryker's spies. Once spread, it masks one’s scent. If we get rid of your scent, there is a high chance the alpha king would be unable to know you're his mate unless..."

"He touched me," I completed her words, everything clicking into place.

"Exactly," she answered.

"Oh... oh my god..." I sighed in relief as I placed my hands around my mouth, feeling relieved.

"But you have to make sure you avoid skin contact as much as possible. I heard Ryker tell my mate he is only going to be there for three days, but there is a disadvantage," she whispered, and I frowned at her.

"What disadvantage?" I asked, and she sighed.

"If you use the scent mask, you will be without scent, and you know..."

"Everyone will think I'm pregnant," I said horrified. It was no secret that once a she-wolf got pregnant, she lost her scent, just like Anita, who now had no scent. But that didn't matter. As far as I could buy time, buy time until I could escape and leave this place.

"I'll take it. It would be even better if Ryker thinks I'm pregnant; it makes it easier to eliminate any suspicion about this. Now, where is the mask?" I asked her, and she hurried off into the bedroom while I stood there trembling, a certain golden-eyed image in my mind.

Anita returned shortly with a box, handing it over to me.

"I'm sure George wouldn't mind, but you can't take it with you. Its effect would wear off in five days, which means you have to return every five days to use it," she said. I opened the box, spotting three gold bottles inside. My heart raced in my chest, knowing what I was about to do. If Ryker finds out, Anita and George would be in trouble.

"I... how rare are these bottles?" I asked as I hesitated.

"They cost a fortune, but..."

"No... what if he knows? What if he sends one of his spies down for this spray? If he finds out I'm indeed using it, faking a pregnancy," I whispered.

"Then he deserves it. You deserve to be free. You're his fucking punching bag, and now you want to be his father’s. This is worth it: a week. Use it for a week, and I and George will find a way to get you out... in less then week," she whispered, gripping my hand.

As I sighed, I took the bottle and sprayed it on myself.

Morning arrived, and I was tossing and turning; a certain golden-eyed figure had influenced my dreams, just as I had seen him in that starry way , dizzy, drunk, and barely able to keep his eyes open.

I woke up to an empty bed, relieved that Ryker had left quite early.

Last night, I had sneaked back into the room, and he was still snoring when I went to bed.

Before I could move, there was a knock on the door.

I cleared my throat.

"Come in," I called out, and the door opened, making me cover my nightgown with the bed sheet as Oscar strolled in; he was Ryker's dog.

"The alpha requests your presence in the dining room in five minutes," he snapped, looking at me as if trying to pinpoint something. I tried to hide my smirk, knowing the mask had worked.

"I'll be there," I answered, snapping him out of his gaze as he turned and left. I jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, preparing myself; i knew he would be there.

And Ryker probably wanted to introduce him to me.

"Avoid skin contact as much as possible."

Anita's words echoed through my brain as I picked up a shirt , a black king sleeve shirt, but it would do. I could only beg the moon goddess that this works and he would not see through my lies and know I was deceiving him.

I wore long jeans to pair with the black shirt, tying my hair in a bun as I stepped out of the room, heading towards the dining area.

I froze when I heard a conversation from the entrance.

"I met her, I swear it; I still remember her scent, rose mixed with pine," a deep voice resonated from the door, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Surely you must have seen her face?" Ryker asked him, and I sighed in relief, calming my beating heart.

"No... I was too drunk to remember her face..." he said, just as I walked into the dining room, where the conversation came to a halt as Ryker, sitting on the right side of the table, turned to look at me.

Then I saw him sitting opposite; he looked like a man out of a hangover. Yesterday did not do justice to the face I saw because he glowed. His dark hair seemed wet on his face, and he wore a dark green shirt with the sleeves all rolled up. I was captivated before Ryker cleared his throat.

"Dad... this is my ma..." Ryker froze as he stood right next to me, his face pale as if he just realized what was happening.

"It seems congratulations are in order," the Alpha King's voice rang out, making Ryker snap his face to him, his face pale as he looked back at me.

But my heart beat so fast, I waited , waited to see if he caught a hint of who I was, from the conversation earlier he knew, he knew he had found his mate, and there was no denying that.

"Your...?" Ryker asked snapping me back to reality, and I nodded. He placed his hands over his mouth, happiness consuming him immediately. It irritated me to see him this happy. He ran to the Alpha King, who stood to his feet as he hugged him.

"I'm going to be a father, dad, a father," he cried out, and I stood there watching their interaction.

"I'm happy, son. I'm happy for you," he said, his hands on his shoulders. Then he spared one look at me before he looked away, my heart beating heavily. I did my best not to stare into his eyes for too long; if I did, he would know. He would see into the depth of my soul, and he would know who I was.

"Com..."

"I'd love to return to my room and..." I spoke so fast before Ryker called me closer to him.

The worse thing that I could ever think of was staying right next to him, not when his scent was driving me crazy.

"Sure, sure, I'll have breakfast sent up," he answered, and without a look in his direction, I turned as I walked out of the room, my heart beating in my chest just when I was out the door.

I heard Ryker's voice."

.

"You will experience the same joy, dad. I’ll have called all the females in this pack, especially the ones who were in this house yesterday. You will find her today; your instinct can’t be wrong. You will meet your mate today," he comforted his father as I walked away from the door.

I returned to my room, and before I could reach it, everyone congratulated me, all happy that I was pregnant. I smiled at every one of them, though I felt bad lying to the pack members; I was pregnant.

Just as I was about to enter my room, I froze when I saw Oscar standing there.

"What do you want?" I snapped at him, and he grinned.

"Congratulations, Luna," he said, and I could spot a hint of mockery in his voice.

"You wouldn’t come all this way to wish me congratulations, would you?" I growled slowly at him.

"Ohhh... you know me so well. I just wanted to know about yesterday?" he asked, and I forced myself to act normal.

"What happened yesterday, Oscar?" I asked him as he came closer and leaned forward, my heart skipping a beat at what he was about to say.

"A little bird informed me she saw you sneaking back in the house, and then... there are a couple of questions..." he whispered, and I glared at him.

"What questions? I went for a quick air, that’s all..." I snapped as I tried to walk past him, but he held me back.

"Not now... I’m not done. You have a lover, do you not?" he asked me, and I stared at his face, anger swelling in me.

"What’s your point in this?" I asked, and he smirked.

"Who is he? Who is the man who got you pregnant?" he asked me, and I froze as I looked at him, then I blurted out laughing.

"You overstep, dog," I growled at him.

"I thought so. Watch your back, because I’ll be there, and whatever you’re planning, I’ll be there to stop it," he warned as he walked off. I entered my room and placed my hands on my chest.

He thought I had a lover; pathetic.

The hours went by, and in the evening, Ryker had planned a party to celebrate what he called his future son. I was disgusted, as if I would ever in my right state of mind make him a father. A man as cruel and wicked as him didn't deserve to be called a father.

Not to a child of mine.

I was getting uncomfortable here, the longer i stayed the more I risked exposure.

The last thing I wanted was for the alpha king to find out I was his mate..

“Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

I rushed forward to open it as Anita strolled in.

I looked around the hall to see if there was anyone around, and I hastily shut the door when I found out there was no one here.

“What are you doing!” I whispered yelled as she rushed toward me and held my hands. She looked panicked.

“You need to leave. This is worse than I thought,” she whispered, and I wondered what she meant as I held her to the chair to take a seat.

“I can’t just leave… the alpha king.”

“He will find you. Have you heard? He knows his mate has red hair. An hour ago, all the ladies with red hair were ordered to assemble in the square. If he…”

My eyes widened, and I looked around the room. This was bad, really bad.

“When can I leave?” I asked, and Anita looked at me worriedly. I knew she was risking herself, her baby, and her mate to help me, and I was heartless enough to make them bear the consequences of the mission failing.

As much as I saw them as family, I couldn’t be selfish and leave , endangering them in the process.

“Tonight, it’s the only time. Everyone will be distracted. Sooner or later , the secret would be out. George has contacted the vessel captain. He will be taking goods from the pack tonight. You will have to run today, or I fear for the worst,” she spoke, and I shook my head at her words.

“What if…”

“Noo, I know you know your worried about us but we will be fine, we stood there and we watched Ryker abuse you for years and our alpha and Luna killed , but we aren’t going to let you be enslaved to a monster off the rest of your life” she whispered and my heart melted at her love and concerns.

“Good we do it then, tonight" I answered and he nobbed.