Chapter 12

Stacey’s POV

Was the power I gained being with Mason worth it? The same question crossed my mind a thousand times a day. I tried not to let it bother me. But I couldn’t deny it. It was getting to me. It was becoming harder to ignore since Ayla became the pack’s shining light and to be mated to all three of those hot chase brothers, not just one.

She could do no wrong, and it was infuriating. She wasn’t even an actual member of this pack. Her biological parents had turned up, so technically, they should be shipped off together and out of our way. Any other Alpha would kill the lot of them for being a part of the pack that attacked us. But not Michael; nope, he had to Show mercy. So many praised him for it, but frankly, I think he’s just weak and trapped under the spell Ayla has cast on everyone recently.

Life was meant to be getting better for me by the day, but right now, it felt like I had been dealt a shit hand once again. What more could he possibly want? I’m the prettiest girl in this pack; I can’t help it if others can’t handle that fact, I don’t deny him anything, and I mean anything even if I don’t want it myself. Yet I feel like I’m on the losing team once again.

What’s worse is knowing Jacob doesn’t care about me anymore; it’s only been a few weeks! How can he be over me so quickly? I see him almost every day at school or at my house. I guess my stupid brother was right for once. I shouldn’t have gotten involved with his best mate; it just makes things difficult, but I’ll never admit that to him. Jacob will never find out that it kills me when he won’t look at me, won’t hold a conversation with me for more than a few seconds, and the hardest is when I catch him watching Ayla, the bitch! He never liked her before, so I don’t know why he would bother taking note now. Like all the other un-mated males, he’s pining after her like lovesick puppies. It makes me sick. She took all three of those triplets, and she’s now got her claws into my ex-boyfriend; who the hell does she think she is?

“Stacy, you in here?” my mother called from the other room. Sighing, I plaster a fake smile on my face, the one I have used way too often lately.

“Yes, mum, I’m in the kitchen.”

“Come here, dear,” her cheery voice filled my ears.

“What now,” I mutter to myself; just because I told Mason I had things to do with my mother today doesn’t mean I want to do something for my mother today.

Entering the living room, I find my mother sitting with a few other wolves. I knew most of them as her friends, but there were a couple from the visiting packs, and I wasn’t sure about them yet.

“There you are; we have been speaking and wanted to talk to you about your relationship with Mason, “my mother smiles sweetly at me.

“What about it?” my defences slammed right up. There was no way I was giving up Mason to please anyone, he may be a right arsehole and nothing like I expected, but that didn’t change a thing; I had goals to achieve, and without him, I won’t get what I wanted.

“Sit down,” she patted the seat next to her; it was the last thing I wanted to do. A tight smile stretched across my face, forced in every way with too many pairs of eyes trained on me.

“What is it? Surely my relationship with Mason isn’t a subject for your meetings, mum?” I did everything I could to keep my voice steady, to show no emotion on the matter.

“Nothing to worry about, my love, we were just saying you have had your first shift now, and we are all thrilled for you, of course” my mother smiled at me, but it felt like a pity smile.

“Well, yes, I have had my eighteenth birthday now” I kept my eyes trained on my mother, never moving to look at any of the other women; something felt off.

“Yes, we know, dear, and our Alpha’s son is still un-mated” the weight of her words hung in the air. I had no intention whatsoever to answer her; it hit me like a ten-ton weight when the mating call didn’t happen for me with mason after my first shift.

“Nonetheless, you are Mason’s faithful girlfriend, are you not?” a woman to my left spoke, I think her name is Sandra, but I couldn’t be sure. I never took too much notice of my mother’s friends if they did not have hot sons to pull my attention.

“Yes, I am his girlfriend” I smiled with gritted teeth.

“But not his fated mate”, the same woman pointed out; my mother patted my knee as if to console me.

“Clearly”, I seethed; I didn’t like where this conversation was going.

“Well, we wanted to discuss changing that with you,” my mother said, looking from one woman to the next.

“What, you can’t change a fated mate, we all know that” my heart began to race; what on earth could they be going on about?

“Technically, no, but we do know a way to make it look as if you are his fated mate, to keep you in the position of power that you are in right now,” my mum grinned at me, but her eyes looked sad. It felt like she knew this first hand.

My head swam with the words my mother just spoke. The possibility of being the next Luna was back within my grasp, my heart thudded so hard against my rib cage, and my breaths became shallow. I had been crushed when Mason hadn’t come to me when I had my first shift, yet he was still with me. I know it wasn’t because he loved me. He didn’t treat me like he did, and I wasn’t stupid enough to believe he did, either. But I was born to be the Luna; I just knew it. We could benefit each other in so many ways.

“Stacy, did you hear what I said, sweetheart?” my mother asked; I hadn’t heard a word she had said.

“Sorry, what” the words stammered out of my mouth.

“I know it must be a shock, but we want you to consider what we discuss here this afternoon, I know you wanted to find your fated mate, my darling, we all do, but sometimes we have to think about our future and the future of the pack” she paused “we feel you would be a good fit for Mason. Plus, it keeps the high standing of the right families within the ruling position,” my mother babbled like she needed the words to come out as fast as possible.

“Will he treat me like his fated mate, even if I am not?” I spoke breathily, shocked at the reality of what we were discussing.

“To a degree, yes,” another of the ladies said. I didn’t have it in me to turn and look at whom the voice belonged. “You see, an alpha without a mate isn’t much of an alpha at all; they need their Luna to keep them grounded, to help steady the beast within them. Mason is in his early twenty’s already and still has not found his fated mate; the goddess normally grants them the chance to find their mates by now.”

“Okay, so what do I need to do?” I asked, unsure I would take a word of this in now.

“There are a few tests we must perform to see if you are compatible with taking the place of his fated mate, we all agree we think you are, but we will have to be sure”, my mother stated, again with that same sadness in her eyes that was there before.

“Like what?” I hated tests; my mother knew this.

“Nothing major, I swear,” she promised me with a sad smile. I didn’t believe her.

“I need a lie down”, I muttered, not meaning to speak aloud.

“Maybe a break would be a good idea, ladies; it’s a lot of information to take in at one time”, my mother began to say

“Well, we haven’t spoken much about it yet, Linda”, the snooty woman called Sandra tutted.

“She needs time to process that this may be possible at all, let alone the responsibility that goes with it” my mother was getting defensive, and I didn’t know why, but I had a funny feeling I needed to find out.

“Thanks, mum, I’ll go to my room; if you need me, just call,” I said politely as I made my way to the door without looking back.

Can this really be true? Can we change fate and make it so I become Mason’s mate after all? If so, the last few weeks with him and his twisted, deluded ideas of sex and fun would be worth it all; I’d rule the pack, well, as much as a Luna can, I’d be higher in the pack than Ayla and be able to control her every move and her future in my pack. I liked the sound of that.

“My pack,” I said aloud a couple of times. It did roll off my tongue nicely.

Reaching my room – the dining room – I shut the door firmly behind me and flopped down on the makeshift bed. My mind raced with a thousand questions, not ones I was prepared to ask in front of those ladies out there with my mum.

My clothes felt unbelievably tight; the short pink mini skirt I had on for Mason’s benefit annoyed me; I wanted my jogging bottoms and Cami top, the clothes no one outside of this house ever saw me in.

Tugging at the hem, pulling the tiny skirt down my hips, and throwing it on the floor that now made up my wardrobe was so satisfying. I needed nothing more than comfort and quiet right now. I needed to think about what I would do with the newfound power that was about to be mine and how I would use it to gain control over everyone, especially Ayla.

I didn’t care what I had to do to pass these so-called tests; I would do whatever was needed, just as long as I got what was due to be mine. I flicked my long blond hair over my shoulder. Allowing a smile to spread across my face. If I could get Mason to believe I was his fated mate, he would treat me like a queen, and I could control him too; this pack would be mine before long. I couldn’t help but grin ear to ear.

“Finally, something might just go my way.”

Michael’s POV

Every single one of my nerves screamed at me to grab hold of Aleena and bolt, to get out of this hall and away from these people as fast as we could. I hated how they made her feel. I could see it written all over her face. She was having as much fun as I was, and that wasn’t a lot.

Aleena’s family were all stunning to look at, just like she was, but they had the personality of a prickly pear. Well, the brother and father did anyway. There was hope for her mother and sisters yet. Not that they had made any move to show Aleena they believed her when it came to me not being a threat. I was still held back by two guards pinning me in place. It annoyed the live crap out of me, as I hadn’t made one move of hostility whilst here. But I guess some people are stuck in their old fearful ways.

From where I was held, I could see every move Aleena made. She showed no fear, just sadness. I wanted how she greeted her siblings and how she had missed them; I knew her well enough now to know the subtle signs that showed when she was feeling sad.

Guilt gripped me as I watched the lines on her face become harsher, and her jaw twitched. She kept explaining how we met and how I saved her life, no thanks to her so-called friends. I couldn’t help but want to kick myself for not visiting her more often in our archives before. I should have spent so much time down there with her; my mind couldn’t fathom why I hadn’t. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t understand my reasoning.

Even with her back turned towards me, I could feel her emotions washing over me; I didn’t need to see her face to know what she was feeling; I felt like I could physically feel it too.

“Why don’t you do a mind search on them now? Then, I’ll even consent to one myself”, Aleena suggests. Hearing those words leave her mouth spurred me on. I knew from history that an elven mind search could be painful and very dangerous. My heart slammed into my chest repeatedly; the thought of her going through that to prove she was innocent sent lava through my veins. She is their daughter. She shouldn’t have to prove a thing.

“I’ll do a mind search too,” I shouted before I could stop myself; the grip on my arms from the guards tightened when I spoke out of turn. Aleena’s eyes met mine, and fear shone brightly within them. Instantly I regrated my words; if I caused her more trouble just by trying to help, I wouldn’t forgive myself. I would fight till my last breath here if I had to mind. If they laid a hand on her, I wouldn’t take every single one of them down, regardless of them being her family or not.

I couldn’t get my head around how strongly I felt for the elven woman I had known for so long. These feelings had come out of nowhere, and it was a bit scary if I honestly thought about it. I loved Laura, I truly did, but I didn’t feel for her what I should feel for a fated mate. I had believed she was my mate for so long, and I acted as so, but if I was honest with myself, I had never felt the pull I believed I would towards her. I was loyal to her, though, and I intended to stay that way, but the way my mind was pulling me to Aleena was insane. Could I genuinely feel what my body is trying to convince me off?

All thoughts of mates and feeling slammed out of my brain as the doors banged open, allowing another two women to rush in. changing the atmosphere instantly. I knew before anyone else that right now we were in the per cent of the guilty party; Aleena went ridged when the more confident of the two threw her arms around her. My skin bristled. I wanted to rip her dirty hand off of her.

“Mine”. My Wolf Jax growled.

“She is not ours, Jax, and you know it”, I answer, but part of me felt he was right.