After My Mate Humiliated Me, the Rogue Claimed Me

The silk of my ceremonial gown whispered against my skin, a stark, pure white that seemed to glow under the twilight sky. I stood at the center of the Sacred Gathering, the ancient clearing where every Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack had taken a mate for generations. The air was thick with the scent of pine, damp earth, and the nervous anticipation of three hundred wolves watching their leader.

I am Charlotte Carter, the Alpha. I told myself this as I smoothed the fabric over my hips, trying to calm the tremor in my hands. It was a mantra I had repeated since my parents died, leaving me to shoulder the weight of the pack alone at twenty-two. Today was supposed to be the day that burden became lighter. Today, I would mark Cade Ross.

Cade stood opposite me, looking devastatingly handsome in his formal black suit. He was my Beta, my childhood friend, and the man I had chosen. Not because the Moon Goddess had pulled our souls together in a fated collision, but because he was safe. He was loyal. Or so I thought.

My wolf, Hera, paced restlessly in the back of my mind. *Something is wrong,* she growled, her hackles raised. *He smells like sour milk and deceit.*

"Quiet," I murmured internally, forcing a smile for the Elders standing in their hooded robes.

I looked at Cade, expecting to see the same nervous excitement mirroring my own. Instead, his jaw was clenched so tight a muscle ticked beneath his skin. He wasn't looking at me. His gaze kept darting over my shoulder, toward the edge of the crowd.

I followed his eyes. Gwen Scott.

She stood near the treeline, a low-ranking she-wolf with a penchant for drama. She was dabbing at perfectly dry eyes with a lace handkerchief, looking fragile and tragic. Why was my future mate staring at her while I stood before him, ready to bind our souls?

"Alpha Charlotte," Elder Marcus intoned, his voice raspy with age. "Do you accept Beta Cade as your partner in life and leadership?"

"I do," I said, my voice ringing out clear and strong, the voice of an Alpha.

"And do you, Beta Cade..."

Cade flinched. He looked at me then, but his eyes held no warmth. They were cold, hard flint.

"I do," he muttered, the words sounding like they were dragged out of him.

"Then seal the bond," the Elder commanded.

This was it. The Marking. I stepped forward, closing the small distance between us. My heart hammered against my ribs. I tilted my head, exposing my neck to him, waiting for the claim. But he didn't move. I frowned, confused, and leaned in toward him instead. My canines lengthened, sharp and ready to leave the mark of the Alpha on his shoulder.

Just as my breath ghosted over his skin, Cade shoved me.

It wasn't a playful push. His hands slammed into my shoulders with shocking force. I stumbled back, my heels catching