Chapter 1 - Violet

"Are you sure about this, Violet?" Luna Grace asked.

I paused, unsure of how to answer. Was I sure about leaving everything I had ever known to live as an ambassador to two different wolf packs with whom we had a tenuous relationship? No. Was it a little too late to second-guess my decision? Absolutely.

"It won't be forever," I replied.

Ever since Alpha Jasper had left Sparkle Hollow with Luna April, there had been peace between our packs. Between all the packs in the area, for that matter. But the tension and distrust had never gone away.

When the Sparkle Hollow alpha and luna had asked for a volunteer to live in Pinedale to be their representative and help smooth things over, I volunteered, but I would be lying if I said it was an easy choice to make. On the one hand, peace was at the forefront of my mind. On the other hand, it meant I would be away from home and everyone I knew for an undetermined amount of time.

"We just want to make sure you're sure before you leave," Grace said.

"It'll be fine," I assured her.

"Everything you need is already in your car, and we've programmed the address into your GPS," said her mate, Lex, the alpha of the Sparkle Hollow Pack. "Alpha Jasper is expecting you when you arrive."

Jasper Sanders—the ruthless, arrogant alpha of the Dark Moon Pack—was not my ideal welcoming committee. I hoped that the stories I had heard about him weren't entirely accurate, but at least I would get to spend some time with April while I was there. I had only spoken to her a few times since she had become Luna of the Dark Moon Pack, and I was looking forward to catching up on our friendship.

I waved to Grace and got into my car, ready to make the four-hour drive to Pinedale. My parents stood on the front porch of my childhood home, waving proudly as their only daughter left home to serve their pack. I smiled at them, happy that I was able to carry on their good name as I worked toward peace.

But as the car pulled away from my parents' home, I thought of how everything in my life was about to change. More than anything, I was going to miss my daily routine—waking up early to watch the sun rise over Main Street, spending the day painting, then working in the afternoon and evening before heading home to unwind after the day. My life in Sparkle Hollow was uncomplicated. I could only hope that true and lasting peace between the packs could be achieved quickly so that I could return to my usual pursuits.

This entire situation had me feeling nervous, but I was determined not to show it. I had my orders.

My main mission, after ensuring peace, was to find out how the two packs were managing to live in one town without stepping on each other's toes. Lex didn't fully believe that things were going as smoothly as we had been told, and I was under strict orders to see if that was the case. My ability to blend into the background and observe would hopefully come in handy.

I wasn't what anyone would call an extrovert. In fact, most people assumed I didn't like them when we first met because I rarely showed interest in the people around me until I had cause to. Some people might have considered me to be aloof, but I preferred to think of myself as cautious. There was no reason to let people into my inner mind or develop feelings for them if we weren't going to be an important part of each other's lives.

At times, I wondered what it might feel like to be able to make friends quickly, but I wasn't interested enough in finding out for myself to change how I interacted with the world.

I had wondered whether this personality trait would hinder my ability to get acquainted with the Dark Moon wolves in Pinedale, but Alpha Lex had assured me that it would be fine. After all, it's not like any of them had a reputation for friendliness.

***

The drive was even more uneventful than my thoughts, and in less time than I'd anticipated, I found myself driving up the curving road toward Alpha Jasper's home in Pinedale. As I passed each house, I saw faces peering out from behind their curtains. A few people came outside to watch me as I drove past. I wondered whether their curiosity was piqued by my sudden arrival or if they had been prepped in advance.

The alpha and luna of the Dark Moon Pack were waiting in their driveway to greet me as I stepped out of my car.

"Violet!" April said, walking toward me. "I'm so happy to see you. Do you need help with your bags?"

"I didn't bring much," I replied as I popped the trunk of the car.

Jasper surprised me by appearing at my side and grabbing all three of my bags out.

"Thank you," I said.

He shrugged, remaining impassive as he carried them into the house. It appeared that he wasn't much for words.

"Don't mind him. He takes a little getting used to, but he's much kinder than you've been led to believe," April assured me.

I smiled at her, but I wasn't sure that it reached my eyes. It wasn't that I didn't believe her, exactly, but I would need to see proof of his changed behavior before I would be able to let my guard down around the man who had terrorized our pack for so many years.

April led me up the stairs and through the door of her home. From the front door, I had a clear view of the entryway and living room. As I had expected, April had decorated her home simply while still giving it a calming touch. Neutrals and wood tones dominated the space, alongside functional furniture and decorative pieces. A wooden shoe rack stood by the front door, along with a coat rack. I was surprised to see that both were full.

I raised an eyebrow at April questioningly when I spotted them.

"Don't freak out," she said. "But Jasper invited a few members of the pack to have dinner with us so that they could meet you. He wants to have a pack meeting afterward and wanted to make sure you had the chance to get acquainted before then."

"That's a sensible plan," I replied.

As unexcited as I was about the prospect of meeting so many new people at once, I was aware that this was part of the job I had signed up for.

"Tell that to your face," she replied with a chuckle.

"Huh?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you look like someone just tricked you into eating a sour lemon, and you're considering how to get back at them for it," she teased. "You may want to try a more… softened expression. The Dark Moon Pack has come a long way since they moved to Pinedale, but it would be better if you didn't look like a threat."

I smiled at her analogy, realizing she was right.

"Sorry, this is just my thinking face," I said, composing my face into a more pleasant expression. I couldn't count the number of times I had been told I looked angry when I was deep in thought.

April squeezed my hand reassuringly and led me through the living room into the dining area. Luckily, there were fewer attendees at this impromptu gathering than I had expected from the assortment of outerwear in the front hall. Aside from myself and my hosts, three men and one woman were sitting around the table.

"Welcome," the woman said, greeting me with a smile. "You must be Violet. Please, come and sit with us. My name is Cynthia Walters."

I thanked her for her invitation and took the seat beside her.

The men sitting across from us at the table appeared less receptive to my presence. The man furthest from me, who appeared to be the oldest, curled his lip and gave me a look of disdain. I decided to pay him no mind and turned my attention to the man sitting directly across from me.

"Thank you for having me," I said to him. Instead of responding, he avoided eye contact completely, angling his shoulders toward his left, where Alpha Jasper had just sat down at the head of the table. The man to Jasper's right noticed the snub and gave me an uneasy smile. What had I gotten myself into?

"We're glad you're here," April said, taking her seat to my left, directly across from her mate.

"Indeed, we are," Cynthia echoed. "After Luna April joined us, we had hoped to receive an ambassador from Sparkle Hollow sooner. But it's better late than never."

"I agree. It took some time to settle the details, but our pack is keen on making sure that we are all able to live peacefully together," I said.

The longer we sat together, the more at ease everyone became. April passed around a bottle of wine, which turned into two. By the time we finished our meal, the room was full of laughter, and when Jasper brought out an apple pie for dessert, I felt like I could finally relax. Perhaps this task wouldn't be as difficult as I had feared.

"Now that we're all fed, I want to thank you all for being here tonight," April said as we sipped our drinks. "As Violet said when she arrived, both of our packs know just how important it is for us to have peace as we go forward. The Pinedale alpha wasn't able to be here tonight, but he and his pack also wanted to assure us that the future of this blended community is their priority as well."

"That's why I wanted to speak with each of you tonight," Jasper said. "He and I discussed it, and we think the best way to move forward is for Dark Moon and Pinedale to seal their dedication and trust in each other with a more formal arrangement. A marriage. We have decided that he will be taking a mate from our pack."

His announcement was met by nods of approval from his pack members. It wasn't standard practice to arrange marriages, but allied packs still relied on the use of family bonds to ensure future stability. I could see nothing wrong with their plan and wondered how quickly they intended to put it into action.

"Has the female from your pack been chosen already?" I asked.

"No," Jasper said, staring intently into my eyes. "I was actually hoping you would volunteer for that honor."

"Me? I'm not a member of your pack," I responded, confused at why he would want me to become the Pinedale luna.

"Maybe not, but you are our ally as well. What better way to show that Sparkle Hollow supports us than by joining our community?" Jasper asked.

I took a drink from my glass to give myself time to consider his statement. Jasper hadn't waited long to test the peace between our packs. If I said no, I risked breaking the trust between us and throwing the territory back into chaos. But if I agreed, I would become the link between all three packs. Not only that, but I would be in a position of power and able to help ensure that the peace lasted for generations to come. He had clearly thought through my options already and had come to the same conclusion.

"There is no better way," I agreed. I was determined to pass this test. "I am honored to accept the mate bond with the Pinedale alpha."

Jasper smiled as I gave him the answer he hoped for. I could tell it was genuine, so I returned it.

"That's settled, then," April said brightly. "You must be tired, Violet. Can I show you to your room?"

I nodded and bid goodbye to the rest of the dinner party. They stood and began moving toward the front door as April showed me to a guest room on the second story of their home.

"Are you really okay with this plan—marrying someone you haven't met yet?" April asked, concern clouding her eyes.

"Honestly, I am," I assured her. "I'm here to do my duty. Not just to my own pack but to all the werewolves that live near here. Peace benefits all of us. If I can help in any way, then I'm going to do what is necessary."

"And you're sure you don't want to wait," April said.

"What would I wait for?" I asked.

April shrugged. "Love."

I smiled ruefully. April had no way of knowing, but I would never marry for love. In many ways, the civil arrangement I had agreed to was much more preferable than any of my alternatives for marriage.

I had already given my heart away once, half a decade ago. I was determined never to make that mistake again.