Her Chosen Mate.

Jessica's POV

Every girl's 19th birthday is supposed to be magical the day the moon goddess finally reveals their mate.

But not mine.

Not when I carry a curse that makes me an outcast... even in my own pack.

I stood in front of the cake, my fingers trembling as the flames from the candles flickered before me. The maids gathered around, forcing smiles on their faces but I could hear the whispers beneath their breath.

Cursed wolf,Lunar Shadow.

She shouldn't even be here.

Their voices sliced through me like tiny blades, but I kept my head down.

I had learned long ago the only way to survive in an Ashmoon Pack was to pretend I didn't hear them.

Ryan stood beside me, his hazel eyes locked on mine. His presence was the only thing holding me together.

"Make a wish, Jess." His deep voice was gentle, just for me.

My heart squeezed.

I already knew what I wanted.

Let him be my mate. Please... let him be mine.

I closed my eyes, blowing out the candles.

The room fell into an awkward silence like everyone was waiting... hoping the moon goddess would strike me down right here for daring to make a wish.

A scoff broke through the quiet.

Her. Again. Isabella.

I didn't need to turn around to know she was standing there with that wicked smile stretched across her perfect face.

"Happy Birthday, Jessica," she purred, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "I hope you wished for something... possible."

Her friends giggled behind her.

I clenched my fists under the table, swallowing the anger rising in my throat.

Not today. Not when Ryan was here.

Ryan's warm hand brushed against mine under the table a silent promise.

I'm here. I've got you.

I wanted to believe him. Gods, I wanted to believe him so badly.

But the moon goddess hadn't made her decision yet.

If she bound me to another wolf... everything would fall apart.

Ryan would never break the sacred bond no matter how much he loved me.

The door creaked open.

"Alpha Ryan."

Arnon, the Beta, stepped in his cold eyes flicking straight to me like I was dirt beneath his feet.

"It's your brother," Arnon said, his voice sharp. "He's back."

My breath caught in my throat.

Darius. The room seemed to tilt beneath my feet.

I hadn't seen him in two years, not since the night his father died... because of me.

His last words to me echoed in my head like a curse.

You're a plague, Jessica. You killed my father. You'll kill us all.

Ryan's hand tightened around mine, but I barely felt it.

Darius was back.

And he would never let me forget what I'd done.

Later that evening, the full moon hung heavy in the sky, casting silver light over the pack mansion.

Ryan walked beside me, his warm hand wrapped protectively around my waist. He kept whispering promises in my ear telling me not to worry, that everything would be fine.

But the knot in my chest wouldn't loosen.

Every step we took toward the mating ceremony felt like walking toward my own execution.

I glanced down at my hands, the faint shimmer of my curse flickering beneath my skin.

It was always stronger during the full moon.

If anyone touched me now... I could drain their wolf energy without even trying.

I was a walking weapon, a ticking time bomb.

Ryan was the only one who had ever been immune to it.

Another sign that we were meant to be...

Right? "You still don't believe me, do you?" Ryan's voice broke through my thoughts.

I looked up at him.

"Believe what?" "That you're mine." His fingers brushed against my cheek, sending warmth through my frozen heart. "No matter what the moon goddess says tonight... I'll choose you."

My throat tightened.

"But what if she chooses someone else?"

His eyes darkened. "Then I'll reject her choice."

I wanted to believe him.

I really did. But the moon goddess had never been kind to me.

The ceremony started at midnight.

The entire pack gathered in the clearing, watching as the moon rose higher. The energy in the air crackled wolves shifting under the goddess's power.

I stood at the edge, my heart in my throat, waiting.

Praying. Ryan stood beside me... but so did Darius.

His dark eyes locked onto mine, burning with hatred.

He hadn't said a word to me since he arrived but he didn't need to.

I could feel the loathing radiating off him like poison.

The Seer stepped forward, her silver eyes glowing beneath her hood.

"Tonight, the moon goddess reveals the mate bond... bound by fate, written in blood."

She turned to me first.

"Jessica Mitland." My heart stopped.

The Seer's glowing eyes flicked between the two brothers.

"Your mate... has been chosen."

I held my breath, clutching Ryan's hand tighter.

Please. Please, let it be him.

But the Seer's voice sliced through the night like a blade.

"Alpha Darius Deenwood."

My entire world collapsed.

I stumbled back, shaking my head.

No. No, no, no.

It couldn't be him. Not Darius. Not the wolf who hated me.

Ryan's grip on my hand tightened, his body going rigid beside me.

Darius stepped forward, his dark eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"I claim her." His voice was cold like he was spitting out something foul.

Tears burned behind my eyes.

I waited for him to reject me to throw me away like trash.

But he didn't. He held out his hand.

"Come, mate." I stared at him frozen, shaking... breaking.

"I don't want you." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Gasps echoed through the crowd.

Darius's eyes flicked with something sharp, something dangerous.

"I didn't ask if you wanted me."

Ryan's wolf growled beside me, but Darius didn't even flinch.

He leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear.

"You don't get to choose, Jessica."

I slapped his hand away...

And chose Ryan. In front of everyone.

I thought I had won that night.

But I didn't know the war had just begun.

Jessica's POV

I slapped his hand away.

A sharp gasp rippled through the crowd as my voice rang through the clearing, loud and defiant.

"I chose Ryan!"

Darius's jaw tensed, his dark eyes flashing with something dangerous, something that sent a chill down my spine.

Ryan's grip on my waist tightened, his entire body vibrating with anger, protectiveness... and something else. Relief?

The silence was suffocating.

The Seer, standing between us, gave me a long, unreadable stare before shifting her glowing gaze to Darius.

"Do you reject your fated mate, Alpha Darius?" she asked.

I turned to him, waiting, praying for him to say yes.

To free me. To let me go.

Darius looked at me, his eyes burning with rage and something else I couldn't place.

Then his lips curled into a cruel smirk.

"I don't reject her." The world stopped.

I felt my heart slam against my ribs, my stomach twisting into knots.

Ryan let out a low, furious growl. "Darius"

"I don't reject my mate," Darius repeated, voice firm. "Jessica belongs to me too."

"No, I don't!" I snapped, my voice shaking.

Darius didn't even flinch. His gaze drilled into me, unwavering, unreadable.

"You can choose Ryan all you want, Jessica," he murmured, his tone almost... amused. "But the mate bond doesn't care about your choices."

A wave of hushed whispers swept through the crowd.

The Seer sighed, rubbing her temple like she was exhausted.

"Jessica has already chosen Ryan as her mate. However, rejecting a fated mate is not as simple as words alone," she said, her glowing silver eyes landing on me. "The bond still exists. Unless severed by the Moon Goddess herself, it will remain."

My breathing grew shallow.

"So, what does that mean?" Ryan asked, his voice tight.

The Seer turned to him. "It means... she will always feel the mate bond with Darius, no matter what."

My chest squeezed as if something heavy had settled on top of me.

Darius's smirk deepened.

I hated that look. That smug, arrogant I-own-you look.

"You think this is funny?" I spat, stepping toward him.

Darius lowered his voice, just enough for only me to hear.

"Oh, little wolf..." His fingers brushed a strand of hair from my face, making me flinch. "You have no idea how much fun we're going to have."

My pulse thundered in my ears.

I wanted to scream.

Punch him. Rip the stupid smirk off his face.

But I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he was messing with my head.

Ryan pulled me behind him, his muscles coiled tight like a predator ready to attack.

"Darius, stop," he growled. "If you refuse to reject her, I'll challenge you for her."

Gasps filled the air.

The challenge. The only way to override a mate is to fight to the death.

But Darius? That bastard only smiled.

"You want to fight me, brother?" he taunted. "For her?"

Ryan didn't hesitate. "If that's what it takes."

Darius chuckled. "I'd win," he said simply, and it wasn't arrogance, it was fact.

Ryan's jaw locked, but his fists shook.

He knew it too. Darius wasn't just an Alpha he was a warrior, trained since birth to kill.

If they fought... Ryan would lose.

And I would lose him. The Seer sighed heavily.

"The mate bond must be resolved at another time. Tonight, Jessica has made her choice," she declared, loud enough for the entire pack to hear. "She has chosen Alpha Ryan. The Moon Goddess has bound her to both, but her heart belongs to one."

The ceremony was over.

Ryan grabbed my hand, leading me away before Darius could say another word.

But even as we walked, I felt his eyes on me.

Like a warning. Like a promise.

Back At The Pack Mansion

Ryan shut the door behind us, pressing his forehead against it as he let out a slow, shuddering breath.

I stood in the center of his bedroom, my body still buzzing with adrenaline.

"He's not going to stop," I whispered.

Ryan turned around, his expression hard, unreadable. "I know."

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold.

"This bond... It's not fair."

Ryan stepped toward me, placing his hands on my arms. His touch was warm, grounding me.

"It doesn't change anything," he murmured. "You chose me. That's all that matters."

But it wasn't. We both knew it wasn't.

A mate bond wasn't something you could wish away.

I would always feel Darius in the back of my mind, no matter how much I hated it.

"I'll protect you, Jess," Ryan whispered, resting his forehead against mine. "I won't let him take you away from me."

His lips brushed mine soft, reassuring, claiming.

I leaned into him, desperate for his warmth, for his love to drown out the chaos in my mind.

Ryan deepened the kiss, his hands sliding down my back, pulling me closer.

For a moment, I let myself forget.

Forget Darius. Forget the bond.

Forget that everything was falling apart. But then

BANG.

The door burst open.

Ryan and I jumped apart as Isabella stepped into the room, a wicked smile stretching across her face.

"Oops," she purred, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Am I interrupting something?"

I wiped my lips, glaring. "Get out."

Isabella ignored me. Her gaze flicked to Ryan, then back to me her smirk deepening.

"Just thought you should know," she said lightly. "Darius is already making his move."

My stomach dropped. Ryan's face darkened. "What are you talking about?"

Isabella shrugged, pretending to inspect her nails.

"Oh, nothing serious..." Her eyes flickered with something cruel. "Just that Darius has called a meeting with the pack council."

I froze. Ryan stiffened.

"You know," Isabella continued, tilting her head, "the same council that decides who should be Alpha."

My pulse skyrocketed.

No. No, no, no.

This wasn't happening.

Darius wasn't just fighting for me.

He was fighting for the pack.

And if he won... Ryan could lose everything.

I barely noticed when my knees gave out.

Ryan caught me before I hit the floor, his grip tight, unshakable.

But his voice? His voice was filled with pure, cold fury.

"If he wants a war..." Ryan whispered, his eyes burning.

"Then I'll give him one."

Jessica's POV

Darius was making his move.

That realization sent a wave of ice through my veins, even as Ryan's grip tightened around me.

The pack council.

The same council that had the power to strip Ryan of his title and put Darius on the throne.

"He wouldn't dare," Ryan growled, his entire body vibrating with anger.

But the way his jaw clenched told me he wasn't sure.

He knew Darius. And Darius never made a move unless he knew he could win.

I forced myself to stand, my legs still shaky. "We have to go there now."

Ryan shook his head. "No. I'll handle this."

His voice was firm, protective.

I understood. He wanted to keep me out of it.

But I wasn't just a bystander in this war.

"Darius is my problem too, Ryan," I said, lifting my chin. "I'm going with you."

Ryan's hazel eyes locked onto mine, conflicted. But he must have seen the determination on my face because, after a tense moment, he sighed.

"Stay close to me," he murmured.

I nodded. Then, without another word, we left for the council hall.

The Council Meeting

The hall was packed when we arrived. The entire pack council was already seated a mix of old and new leaders, their faces stern and unreadable.

But it wasn't them that made my blood turn to ice.

It was Darius. He stood at the center of the room, completely at ease like he already knew how this was going to play out.

His brown eyes flicked to me instantly, amusement curling at the corners of his lips.

"Ah," he mused. "The lovebirds have arrived."

Ryan growled slowly, stepping in front of me like a shield. "Get to the point, Darius."

Darius smirked but turned back to the council.

"I've called this meeting," he said smoothly, "to discuss the future of our pack."

My stomach twisted.

"I believe," Darius continued, "that Ashmoon Pack deserves a leader who can actually protect it. One that hasn't weakened himself over a woman."

My hands clenched into fists.

The insult was clear. Ryan's wolf growled, his rage barely contained. "Say what you mean, Darius."

Darius tilted his head slightly, pretending to consider. Then his smirk sharpened.

"I challenge you for the Alpha position."

The room erupted. Gasps. Murmurs. Shocked voices overlapping.

Ryan's entire body stiffened beside me.

"You son of a"

"Enough!" One of the elders, Councilman Graves, slammed his cane against the floor. "This is no place for brawls."

Darius didn't flinch. "This isn't a brawl," he said smoothly. "It's tradition. The strongest leads. And right now, that's me."

Ryan was shaking with fury.

I grabbed his arm, my heart pounding. "Ryan, don't"

But I already knew. He couldn't back down.

Not without losing everything.

The council exchanged glances before Graves sighed. "The challenge is valid. If both parties agree, the battle will take place at dawn."

Ryan's muscles tensed.

Then he spoke.

"I accept." That Night

I couldn't sleep.

I sat at the edge of Ryan's bed, staring at the moonlight spilling through the window.

If Ryan lost tomorrow...

No.

I couldn't even think about that.

The door creaked open, and I turned to see Ryan step inside, his shirt discarded, revealing the powerful muscles of his torso.

But all I saw were the bruises and scars from past battles.

Battles he had won.

Battles he might not win this time.

He walked over, kneeling in front of me.

"You're worried," he murmured.

I swallowed hard. "Of course I am. Darius is... strong."

Ryan lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"So am I."

I shook my head. "But you're different now, Ryan. The blood bond"

He tensed.

I felt the moment the truth hit him.

His wolf was weaker.

After marking me, after taking the risk to claim me despite my curse... he had lost a part of himself.

And Darius knew it.

"Ryan, please," I whispered. "We can find another way."

His expression softened, but his resolve didn't break.

"I can't let him take everything, Jess," he murmured. "Not you. Not the pack. I won't."

A lump formed in my throat.

I hated this.

Hated that I was the reason this fight was happening.

"Then let me fight with you," I whispered.

Ryan exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "No. Absolutely not."

"Ryan"

"Jessica." His voice was firm. Final. "I will handle this."

Tears burned my eyes.

"But what if" His lips pressed against mine before I could finish.

It wasn't a desperate kiss.

It wasn't goodbye. It was a promise.

"I'll win," he murmured against my lips. "I have to."

I held onto him like I could hold onto time itself.

Like if I just stayed here, in his arms, the battle would never come.

But it did. Dawn The Fight Begins

The training grounds were packed with wolves.

They stood in a large circle, watching as Ryan and Darius faced each other.

The energy in the air was thick with anticipation.

I stood at the edge of the circle, my hands trembling as I watched Ryan roll his shoulders, preparing for the fight.

Darius stood opposite him, relaxed, confident. Too confident.

He smirked at Ryan.

"You sure you want to do this, brother?" he taunted.

Ryan didn't answer. His wolf growled slowly, muscles flexing.

Graves stepped between them, raising a hand.

"The battle for Alpha will be fought until submission or death," he declared.

I flinched.

"Begin." Darius attacked first.

The moment he lunged, Ryan moved fast, precise, dodging to the side and aiming for Darius's ribs.

But Darius was faster. His elbow snapped out, slamming into Ryan's gut.

Ryan grunted, staggering back.

I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood.

Ryan recovered quickly, retaliating with a powerful swipe to Darius's jaw.

The crack of bone echoed through the clearing.

But Darius only wiped the blood from his mouth and smiled.

My stomach dropped. Something was wrong.

Darius shouldn't have been able to recover so fast.

Then I saw it. A faint glow beneath his skin.

Magic. Dark magic.

He had cheated. Ryan didn't see it.

But I did. And by the time I opened my mouth to warn him

Darius struck. His claws slashed across Ryan's chest, deep and brutal.

Ryan's body hit the ground with a sickening thud.

I screamed. Ryan didn't move.

And Darius? Darius turned to me Smiling.