Betrayed Luna's Fated Mate

-Celeste-

"But why should we fight for him? He is the one who discards us like used underwear. How could he do this to us?" I asked, feeling the tears in my eyes come back.

I couldn't believe I had more tears to spill, but there they were. They just seemed never-ending. I hated it. I cried for him. I hated that I even felt like this, but because of our bond and how he betrayed it every night, I felt soul-crushing pain. Was I the only one who felt it? Why was I the one being punished when I had always stayed fateful?

We will find a way back from this, my wolf assured me.

"How come you don't want to kill him? Or at least hurt him?" I asked, feeling anger rise in me. I had never felt this way before. It felt crushing, but also strengthening. The anger was the only thing keeping me from completely falling apart. I do. But us wolves are slaves to the bond. I can't hurt him, even though I want to, as my wolf told me.

"So what?" I whispered.

We could reject him, she suggested.

"And go where?" Home.

"I have nothing there. My own family keeps me in the fucking dark," I snarled. "Besides, rejecting each other could destroy me. I could lose my mind. There is a reason we have hesitated."

But he has already betrayed us. Maybe this will make it easier, she tried.

"I don't know. I'm scared," I admitted.

I am, too.

"And what if my family won't even take me back? The pack has turned on us, thinking somehow all of this is my fault," I cried.

I don't know why they are doing it. Maybe you're right. Maybe they do think we should have kept our alpha's interest, or maybe Zack is lying.

"Lying?" I questioned.

Maybe he is saying we betrayed him first. If that is the case, who would blame him for moving on?

"I don't even know who she is! She just showed up!" I yelled.

I know.

"Besides, when would I have had the time to sleep with anyone? I am here, or I am with Zack!"

I was staring into the room where I suddenly remembered I had been placed after Serena took over the room I shared with Zack. I felt a sharp pain in my heart as the conversation with my wolf ran through my head. I could still feel how broken

I had felt when I sat there, wondering if I should reject him and go home. It was obvious I had been in love with him, and there was a time when he liked me as well, but then it seemed that he had suddenly switched. Please, Celeste, let's get out of here! my wolf begged me again.

I ignored her and closed the door to the room before I went to search for Zack's. It was as if my legs remembered the way, and I walked to another floor before I walked to the end of a long hallway. I grabbed the handle, opening the door, and the moment I did, memories filled my mind again.

Lips traveled down my neck, exploring my skin as I slowly left the dream world. I smiled, knowing exactly who was kissing me. It made my whole body ignite with fire. Slowly, I opened my eyes, finding my mate behind me, gazing down at me with so much love in his eyes. I reached for him, pulling him to me and crashing our lips together. I moaned as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, and then his hand began sliding down my naked body. We already mated last night, so I was completely naked, but before his hand reached the place where I wanted it, there was a knock on our bedroom door.

"Alpha, we have an important meeting to get to," his beta called on the other side.

Zack tried to ignore his beta, kissing me again and sliding his hand lower, touching my bare thigh and pushing my legs further apart.

"Alpha!" he called again, knocking harder.

Zack groaned, and I began laughing.

"We are sleeping awfully late," I reminded him.

"So? We can't take some time for ourselves?" he teased me.

"You know we can't stay," I told him.

"I would rather dive beneath these covers and lick my Luna until she is screaming for me," he growled deeply in my ear before biting my neck playfully, making me giggle. "Alpha, either you're coming outside or I am coming in."

Zack let out a powerful growl, warning Mike not to enter. I heard laughter on the other side, letting me know there were more than one out there, waiting for their alpha.

"I need to go," Zack sighed and got out of bed to get dressed.

I shook my head, the memory suddenly cut short, and yet I knew I needed to know why Zack needed to leave that morning. Something was pressing in my mind, telling me how important it was that I remembered, and yet I couldn't. I pressed my eyes together, forcing myself to recall, but nothing happened.

"Can I help you?"

I spun around as a powerful voice spoke, and I swallowed hard when I noticed an older version of Zack standing behind me, a potent alpha energy streaming out of him. "Um..."

"Are you looking for my son?" he asked.

"No, I was..."

"You're Celeste, right?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Come," he told me, waving me along.

Don't go with him. Go home. Go back to Brendon, my wolf begged.

"I need to know more," I whispered before I followed the older alpha back to his office. As we stepped inside, it all felt so very familiar, though I knew I technically hadn't been here before. He told me to sit, and so I did, and he slipped into his seat, folding his hand in front of him.

"You're a good luna, Celeste," he praised.

"Oh, um, thank you."

"That's why I can't find a reason for you being here."

"I..."

"I know my son. I know he likes to run around and have fun. I wish he would sometimes take things more seriously. I actually hoped he might run into a mate much like you to calm him down, but as we all know, you already have a true mate," he pointed out.

"I do," I confirmed.

"But he also isn't an alpha."

"It doesn't matter to me. Besides, it's my brother who is inheriting."

"Yes, a strong alpha. He will take good care of the pack."

"He will."

"But you know, you could inherit if you found an alpha who was next in line," he reminded me.

"I'm good. As you already said, I have a true mate, and he makes me happy."

"A luna should have an alpha. That's why they are always paired together."

"Not always," I pointed out.

"A few mistakes, I'm sure," the older alpha said, pissing me off with how he was saying my bond was a mistake. It was obvious when I was mated to Zack that it didn't bring me the same happiness. Brendon made me happy, and I didn't care about status. He was a powerful warrior, and it was obvious that the Goddess thought he was more than deserving of a luna mate.

"Actually, it's not a mistake. Some wolves are so powerful that their status has no meaning. They carry an inner power that proves them worthy," I retorted.

"Celeste, you must also see how he isn't a good fit for you. Why else would you be here?"

I was getting tired of hearing them say I was sneaking around behind Brendon's back, trying to look for a more worthy mate. I wanted only Brendon, and so I stood up, straightening my back as I did to show I did not bow.

"I love my mate. I came here because I believe in good cooperation between packs and having a good relationship with each other so we can support each other in the future. I have not come here looking for an alpha to be with. I'm happy and content with the mate I have. Sometimes, seeking more power is not always the way to go. Sometimes you should learn to just be happy with what you have."

I spun on my heel done with that conversation, but as I slammed the office door behind me, I felt a sharp pain in my head as I was assaulted by what I couldn't remember before about that morning in bed with Zack.

"What is the meeting about?" I questioned.

"I want to expand," he told me as he pulled a shirt on.

"Expand?"

"The territory, of course."

"Isn't what we have enough?"

My question was met with a frown. Zack gazed at me as if I had said something stupid, and I tightened the sheets around me.

"I just think we have a great place. More territory means more work," I reminded him.

"We can handle it," he assured me.

"That's not what I am worried about. I just think we should be grateful for what we have."

"Our pack is tiny, Celeste. The smallest there is. It never grew because none of my ancestors were ambitious enough or mated right," he told me, making me look away. It felt as if he were pointing out the fact that I brought nothing with me as well.

Zack noticed and came closer to me, grasping my chin so I would focus on him.

"I'm not talking about you," he assured me.

"Are you sure? It's my older brother who is inheriting, not me," I said.

"No, I know, but I wouldn't change you for the world."

His words made my heart beat faster in my chest, and Zack leaned closer, pressing his lips to mine.

"I will see you later," he said.

"See you later."