1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

-Naomi-

T he noises in the kitchen were loud as everyone bustled around, preparing for the Alpha’s return with his new mate. She was a Luna from a former enemy pack, but peace had finally been restored, making it everlasting. So there was much to prepare. I was placed on baking duty, having been told what the Luna’s favorite sweets and cakes were. I was excited to do this, yet I couldn’t help but feel a slight sting in my chest.

Alpha Reese had been gone for a long time, leaving control to his Beta and father. First, he went off to explore the world, much to his parents’ disagreement. He only returned shortly to overtake the Alpha position, but I didn’t even get a chance to see him. Then he took off again. He hadn’t been much of an Alpha, but that was about to change as he settled down with his true mate.

I knew everyone felt thrilled about it, but I couldn’t quite say how I felt. I knew it was going to be hard seeing him with someone else, but I tried my hardest to be happy for him and his Luna. That’s why I made sure to decorate the sweets to perfection and make her feel at home. After finishing, I plated them before another pack member burst into the kitchen.

“They are here!” Cara shouted.

I was almost knocked over as the others hurried outside wanting to catch a glimpse of our new Luna. I remained in place, wiping my sweaty hands off on my apron and trying not to let the sour feeling get to me. I was acting ridiculous, yet I couldn’t help but feel apprehensive regarding this new Luna. I knew it was mere jealousy, an ugly feeling I should dispel. However, I refused to move from the kitchen, instead finishing what I was doing. The others would be back regardless.

So I remained, fixing the platter and making sure the cake was neatly placed and then put in the fridge for later. The others slowly began coming back, talking happily about the new Luna.

“She is so beautiful!” Cara exclaimed.

“I know. I would die for a dress like that,” Nora said.

“I think you mean body. That dress only looks good because of her form,” Cara chuckled.

The other women followed suit, and I shook my head, trying my best not to make it obvious how I was rolling my eyes. As we returned to work, I grabbed the little platter with sweets, ready to bring it to the living room. I carefully navigated through the group before I walked through the house and to the place I knew they would all gather. I placed down the silver platter, turning it slightly.

Sometimes I had a need to make sure things were placed correctly, or it would drive me insane. As I noticed the other things on the table weren’t placed in the correct order either, I began turning them slightly, tipping them to one side or the other, or aligning them. I walked around the coffee table that had been set up for the Alpha to spend his afternoon with his Luna and his family. I knew they most likely had lots to talk about.

I pushed a strand of my hair back as I reached for a little fork, pushing it forward. However, the boring brown color kept getting in my way, and I realized my braid had come undone. I sighed, pushing up and then grabbing the end, only to realize that the hair tie had broken. It hung in my hair, but it was caught in a knot.

I began fixing it, pulling slightly and hissing at the action. When it was free, I put it in my pocket and began undoing the braid. Luckily, I had made a ponytail higher up and knew I could use that tie. I pulled it down, brushing my fingers through my hair and shaking it a little before I began braiding the hair down one side.

I hummed a little, knowing it would be a while before the Alpha and his family came. They were most likely busy with greetings and hearing the tales of the Alpha’s long travel and how he ended up being mates with an enemy pack’s Luna. I couldn’t wait until I could hear the story as well, though I wasn’t sure I was very interested in hearing how they had gazed into each other’s eyes and realized they were mates.

“Let it go, Nomi,” I sighed.

I finished tying the braid, ready to get back to work, but when I turned, I found someone in the doorway of the living room, staring at me.

“A-Alpha,” I stammered, stumbling back a step and hitting the back of my calf on the coffee table.

I hissed, trying to keep it down how much it hurt, so as not to embarrass myself any further. Yet his presence had taken me by surprise. Why wasn’t he with his Luna? He tilted his head slightly, his gray eyes running over the room as if he were searching for something, then they landed on me. The sight of him still quickened my heartbeat, making me feel nervous, and I wiped my hands off on my apron, feeling that same attraction rise to incredible heights.

Yet I noticed something felt out of place. My wolf began moving uncomfortably inside me, murmuring something I couldn’t quite catch. What was the matter with her? I tried calling out to her, but something seemed stuck in her throat, and she was writhing in pain.

Reese began sniffing the air strangely, and I wondered if maybe the smells from the kitchen clung to me. I tilted my head to the side, trying to take a little whiff of myself, but I didn’t smell anything unpleasant. Just a little home cooking.

“Um, welcome home,” I greeted.

His eyes scrutinized me and with my wolf’s strange behavior, it was making me very uncomfortable.

“Well, I should get back to work,” I stated.

“What is that smell?” he inquired.

I had merely taken a step forward when he asked me, and I froze in my spot. What smell was he talking about? I had already smelled my clothes subtly, and not found anything disturbing.

“Smell, Alpha?” I questioned.

“Yes, smell. What is that?”

“What is what?” I asked.

He seemed to grow angry and came closer to me with long strides. He towered over me, which was not uncommon for an Alpha, and I wasn’t exactly small myself. Suddenly, he reached out, grasping the braid I had lying over my shoulder. I let out a little shocked squeal, not expecting him to suddenly try to scent me. But in mere seconds, he had pressed my braid to his nose, inhaling it before his eyes shone a little yellow. He turned those angry orbs to me, and I gulped, feeling my body turning warmer from that powerful expression. Why did I react so strongly? I knew he had always influenced me, but this seemed to have reached new heights. It didn’t help he had grown even more mature at 27.

Reese suddenly reached for me, wrapping an arm around my waist and then burying his nose in my neck, close to where the marking spot was, the place that emanated the sweetest scent. He inhaled deeply, and it made a whoosh of warmth go through me, while his warm breath tickled my skin. My eyes fluttered closed in delight, and I pressed my legs together, feeling a throbbing between them. That reaction was very new.

No one had made me react in such a way. He inhaled once more, making me whimper, and his grip tightened around me, pressing me to him. He was so hard beneath my touch, though I knew I had no right to let my hands slide over his body, I couldn’t help myself. He growled pleased before nuzzling the place that he seemed very interested in investigating. I didn’t tell him to stop. I enjoyed this too much. Yet my wolf seemed to struggle again as if she wanted to tell me something, but couldn’t.

“Why do you smell so good?” he whispered.

“Um…” I didn’t know what to say. I was uncertain what he was even smelling. I couldn’t scent it myself. However, suddenly, he shoved me back, holding me by the shoulder and looking accusatorily at me.

“Have you been near my mate’s belongings?”

“W-What?” I stammered.

“I asked if you have touched any of my mate’s belongings.”

“No,” I replied. “I-I have been in the kitchen all day. That’s my workplace.”

He glanced at me up and down, not seeming to believe me. Did he even remember me? I had always been a bit by myself, but I knew he loved the food I made. Yet now he looked at me as if he were gazing at a stranger.

“Stay away from my mate’s stuff.”

“But I haven’t…” I didn’t get to finish my sentence because Reese took off, leaving me bewildered in the middle of the room.

I couldn’t make sense of his reaction. He was the one who had been acting strangely with me, and yet I seemed to have been made the villain. My wolf came crawling forward, whimpering and lying down in a submissive gesture.

“What is wrong with you?” I whispered.

I-I don’t know.

This was concerning. Something was happening to my wolf, and she didn’t even know herself. I sighed, shaking my head gently before I forced myself to move past it and return to the kitchen.