The Luna Who Refused To Chase Her Mate

For seven years, my mate had never stepped into my room.

He had someone else in his heart, a lone she-wolf he had saved during a rogue attack. She was bold and radiant, often taunting me in front of others: "You may be the Luna, but you’re still alone in your room, aren’t you?"

I would smile faintly, offering no retort, and instead stroke Muffin’s furry head. Raising a man was far less rewarding than raising a dog. Little did anyone know how liberating it was to live a life free from managing pack affairs or catering to a mate.

But one day, after a visit to the Lycan court, he changed.

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My name is Gabriella Greene, the daughter of Alpha Wes Greene of the Eastern Pack. At the annual Moon Festival, I saved the young Lycan Princess from nearly falling into the lake. The Lycan Queen, Robin Peterson, impressed by my gentle nature and grace, decreed that I should be mated to Ezra James, the powerful Alpha of the Northern Pack.

My face paled, and I nearly stumbled in shock. I knelt quickly, my voice trembling: "I am unworthy of such an honor, Your Majesty. Please reconsider."

Everyone knew that Ezra had brought a she-wolf back from a rogue skirmish, someone he had vowed to be with for life. He had sworn never to take another mate.

I glanced at him, and sure enough, his expression was dark, his jaw clenched. My parents were distraught for weeks, submitting multiple appeals to the Lycan King, but all were rejected. Strangely, Ezra himself remained silent, offering no resistance to the arrangement.

On the day of the marking ceremony, as we stood face-to-face for the final vow, a servant rushed in, stumbling to the floor. "Alpha! Alpha! You must come quickly! Indy—she’s taken ill. It’s serious!"

Ezra’s face turned ashen. Without hesitation, he dropped the ceremonial ribbon and stormed out of the hall, leaving me alone in front of the gathered pack. Through the edge of my veil, I watched his retreating figure, the vibrant red of his ceremonial robe fading into the distance.

The ceremony was over before it had truly begun. I pulled off my veil, and to everyone’s surprise, I smiled calmly and took charge of the reception as if nothing had happened. This mating was not merely a union between two individuals but a political alliance brokered by the Lycan Queen herself. My father had no choice but to accept it.

The guests, all seasoned pack members, exchanged uneasy glances but quickly returned to the feast. Only my brother, Wes, was furious on my behalf. "He humiliated you on your marking day!" he seethed.

I stopped him with a firm hand. "Brother, let it go. This mating was never about love. I knew what I was getting into. His actions today may have disrespected me, but they also disrespected the Lycan Queen and King. They’ll deal with it in their own way."

Wes sighed, his eyes filled