The Mate No One Knew About

LENA POV

My mate had made three mistakes.

The first was believing I didn't know about his affair with Luma Felona. The second was assuming the servants in Shadowfang Pack House were more loyal to him than they were to me. The third was leaving his council documents somewhere Amelia could find them.

'Four mistakes,' Sera corrected as I crouched beside Ethan's desk with my phone in one hand.

I photographed the document before returning it to the drawer. 'What's the fourth?'

'Underestimating us.'

Despite the knot in my stomach, I almost smiled. 'That isn't a mistake yet.'

'It will be.'

I looked at the photograph again.

PETITION FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF A CEREMONIAL MATE BOND.

My name appeared beneath it. Lena Somers. Luna of Shadowfang Pack.

For now.

The petition hadn't been submitted to the Shadowfang Council yet, but Ethan had already listed his reasons. Breakdown of our ceremonial bond, failure to fulfill Luna duties, and political instability within the Alpha household.

Apparently sleeping with another Alpha's daughter didn't create instability. His mate refusing to disappear quietly did.

I swiped through the evidence I had collected over the last eleven days. Photographs of Ethan and Luma leaving a Bloodmoon-owned medical centre, receipts Amelia had taken from his jacket, and records of private meetings with Alpha Felona.

Bloodmoon controlled valuable southern medicinal routes. Replacing me with Luma could give Shadowfang more than a new Luna, but I still didn't know what Ethan and her father were arranging behind closed doors.

'Take the petition,' Sera said.

'And let him know I've seen it? No.'

Sera huffed. She had been unusually aggressive since Luma began appearing around Ethan. Whenever Luma came close, she complained about something strange beneath her scent, although she couldn't explain what it was.

My phone vibrated.

Amelia: He's still downstairs. Lycan King Julian arrived. You have five minutes.

I returned everything to its original position and locked the drawer.

Julian Locke, the Lycan ruler of North America, was downstairs. Before tonight ended, I intended to speak to him alone.

Footsteps sounded outside.

"Lena?"

I slipped my phone into my pocket and opened the study door.

Ethan stood there dressed in black trousers and a charcoal shirt, every inch the future Alpha of Shadowfang.

"What were you doing in there?" he asked suspiciously.

"Looking for you."

"I've been downstairs."

"How was I supposed to know that?"

He narrowed his eyes, but I kept my expression innocent.

Sera stirred. 'He smells like her.'

Luma's floral scent clung to his collar, along with that strange scent Sera had been complaining about.

'There it is again,' she muttered.

Before I could question her, Ethan spoke.

"Lycan King Julian is here. Change before you come downstairs. Luma and her father may be joining us later, and tonight is important."

"How could I forget how important she is?"

Something in my voice made him pause, so I smiled.

"Twenty minutes, Lena."

I watched him leave.

If this were only an affair, Alpha Felona wouldn't need secret meetings with Ethan, and he certainly wouldn't need to attend tonight's gathering.

Whatever they were planning, Luma becoming Ethan's Luna was only part of it.

That was why I had gone to Silvercrest yesterday, hoping my family would help me uncover the rest.

I should have known better.

FLASHBACK

"I said kneel."

My father's Alpha command struck hard enough to make my knees bend, but they never touched the floor.

Sera surged forward. 'Don't.'

I straightened.

Alpha Somers rose from behind his desk. My mother sat beside him, looking embarrassed by my refusal.

The folder containing photographs, meeting records and Ethan's petition lay open before them.

"Lena," my mother said quietly. "Don't make this worse."

"I came here as your daughter. I shouldn't have to kneel to ask my family for help."

My father's expression hardened. "You're asking Silvercrest to interfere in Shadowfang's affairs and risk conflict with Bloodmoon."

"I'm telling you my mate is preparing to reject me so he can take Luma Felona as his Luna."

"And have you considered why Ethan is looking elsewhere?"

My mother wouldn't meet my eyes. "A satisfied mate doesn't wander, Lena."

Sera snarled. 'Let me out.'

'No.'

'Just for a minute.'

'Sera.'

She retreated reluctantly.

"Ethan lies to me, meets another woman behind my back and prepares documents to reject me, but I'm the one who failed?"

"Watch your tone," my father warned.

"Then look at the evidence."

His dominance crashed over me again. My knees threatened to buckle, but Sera pushed with me.

'Stand.'

Pain spread through my legs, but I remained upright.

"Silvercrest has spent generations building its reputation," he said. "Our daughters become respected Lunas. They don't return home rejected because they couldn't maintain their mating."

"Then help me stop him."

"I will not jeopardize our relationship with Shadowfang and Bloodmoon over your marriage."

"What happens if Ethan rejects me?"

"You'll have three days to leave Shadowfang territory."

"And then I come home?"

"No." The answer came without hesitation.

Sera went completely silent.

"I'm your daughter," I whispered.

Beyond Shadowfang's northern border were miles of rogue territory. Last winter, a rejected Luna from a neighboring pack had crossed that border alone. Two days later, patrol wolves found her torn coat near the river.

They never found her. My father knew that story.

'He would really leave us without a pack?' Sera asked quietly.

I swallowed and tightened my fingers around the folder. "So that's it? If Ethan rejects me, you simply stop being my family?"

"Protect your position, Lena. Do whatever it takes."

I picked up my folder and walked toward the door.

"If Ethan rejects you," my father called after me, "don't return expecting Silvercrest to carry your humiliation."

I stopped and looked back at him. "I won't."

His brows pulled together. "I will not become a cautionary tale for your reputation."

Then I walked out.

FLASHBACK END

Twenty-four hours later, my mating ring was inside my purse, my scent blocker was no longer on my wrist, and a bottle of Moonberry wine rested in my hand.

Through the glass doors, I watched Julian Locke step onto Shadowfang's private terrace alone.

'This is still a terrible idea,' Sera said.

'You've mentioned that.'

'Because it remains terrible.'

After yesterday, I knew better than to expect anyone to save me. I needed to find out what Julian wanted and whether I had something worth trading for his help.

"The Luna of Shadowfang Pack," I told the guard, lifting the bottle. "I was asked to bring His Majesty a drink."

No one had asked me, but the guard opened the door anyway.

Julian stood at the stone railing, looking toward the forest. Even without his ceremonial coat, the authority surrounding him was unmistakable.

Then he turned.

Sera went completely still, and a strange warmth moved through me.

'Sera?'

'I don't know.'

'You don't know what?'

'What I'm feeling.'

Seeing Julian also reminded me of Rubis Garden.

Years ago, I had wandered into his private territory during a gathering, ignoring the Lycan scent warning me to turn back. He'd found me beside a fountain and asked whether I always ignored territorial warnings.

I'd told him only when they kept me from the prettier parts of a garden.

To my surprise, he had laughed.

Months later, I discovered that the stranger was Julian Locke.

His golden eyes settled on me.

'Don't lower your eyes,' Sera murmured.

I didn't.

"Your Majesty."

"Lena Somers."

My fingers tightened around the bottle. "You know my name?"

"Apparently, you still have a habit of walking into places you shouldn't."

My heart stumbled.

He remembered.

I lifted the bottle. "Moonberry wine. Ethan said it's your favorite."

"And you believed him?"

"I was willing to take the risk."

Amusement appeared in his eyes as I poured him a glass.

Upstairs, my plan had seemed simple. Get him alone, let him notice my uncovered scent and see whether there was any interest I could use.

Standing before him now, it felt considerably less clever.

When Julian reached for the glass, our fingers brushed. Heat shot through my hand so suddenly that I nearly dropped it.

"Afraid of me?" he asked.

"No."

He raised his brows.

"Maybe a little."

His mouth curved.

I remembered Ethan's petition and stepped closer.

Julian's cedar-and-smoke scent surrounded me. Sera had been telling me to stay away from him, but now she seemed strangely drawn toward him too.

I raised my hand toward his collar.

He caught my wrist before I touched him.

'Let go of her!' Sera snapped.

I forced my claws back.

"What are you doing?" Julian asked.

Every clever answer I had practiced disappeared.

"I..."

His thumb rested against my pulse, and Sera abruptly stopped fighting.

Julian's nostrils flared as he caught my uncovered scent.

"Did Ethan send you to entertain me?"

"No!"

"Then this was your idea."

I pulled my wrist free. "I should go."

I had almost reached the door when it opened.

"Lena?" Ethan stepped onto the terrace and looked between us. "What are you doing here?"