Mated To A Ghost

"Don't confront them. Not this night, Dad." Little Sera advises her Dad, Jason.

Jason scoffs, "That's why I'm a wolf. I have night vision. I'll let them know I'm indeed a Beta."

He pulls her in for a hug, and kisses her forehead, "I promise, I'll be back."

The name of the pack house rings in Sera's head. "Velvet Shadows Pack."

"Smile for me." Jason stoops, rubbing her cheeks. Sera forces a smile, and shrugs her shoulders.

"Be safe!" She hollers before he is out of sight.

No sooner had he left here than the fight started; Sera hides at a corner, as she watches Jason fight. A pack of wolves attacked her mum and killed her - as though that wasn't enough, her body was served to the vampires mainly for blood sucking benefits.

Jason is on the winning side - which entertains Sera. She winks at him, "defend my mum."

Once she says that, a different being joins the fight. Sera rubs her eyes, running towards her dad.

"Vampire! Dad, watch out!" She screams as her brother emerges from the other direction, to save Jason.

"I'm sorry, you're a bit too late." The vampire snarls, looking at Sera and Dylan, her brother.

"Werewolves, retreat." The vampire commands, kicking Jason to the floor, pointing a dagger to his throat.

"We have no business with you. Get off him." One of the werewolves who was attacking Jason, confronts the vampire.

Sera's breath seizes as ideas keep flowing into her head, prompting her to take a decision - but no, she is hesitant. The vampire is the most dangerous being, except for demons and maybe, Ghosts.

"Sera!" Dylan controls her.

"Don't move. They'll help us." He whispers to her.

"I was only helping you. Step back." The vampire warns the Werewolves - they bow accordingly.

"Now. Go."

The werewolves whine and swiftly depart, the leaves rustling to confirm their honest take-off.

Like a whirlwind, the vampire darts into the darker side of the pack house, leaving Sera and Dylan in shock.

Sera screams, "Leave me!!!"

"What do you want to do?" Dylan attacks her. "Do you even have your wolf activated?"

"I-I don't care!" Sera retorts, her voice breaking. "Dad's all I got. Af-After the vamp took my mum, all he could do was..."

"You're not only in this, okay?" Dylan deadpans, walking away from her.

"Where the hell are you going to?" Sera questions. "To report to the Alpha, maybe? The one who doesn't care about his subjects?"

Dylan stops in his track, and turns to look at her.

"I'm going to find Dad." He informs. Before Sera could say a word, he vanishes in thin air. His wolf had been activated before now, and he could employ his wolf's speed even without shifting yet.

Sera stares at nothingness, wondering the disaster the previous few minutes has brought to her. She walks slowly towards the direction of the vampire but she notices a different shadow, indicating a figure behind her.

"Who's that?" She gently asks, not looking back.

A low growl erupts from behind her. She squints her eyes, attempting to discern the source without turning back. Left to guess, she contemplates it might be a rogue.

"Go home now." A soft masculine voice speaks. She's convinced to look back now.

"I thought there was a stranger here. So I came to check up." He speaks again.

"It's Logan?" Sera asks to confirm.

He pulls her in for a hug.

"Did anything bad happen?"

She shakes her head, "no."

"I'll like to be back inside the pack. Come on in, you need to be safe." Logan, the official security wolf for the pack, welcomes her back into the pack house.

"Did something bad happen?" Logan asks once more, suspicion in his tone.

"Nothing, Logan! Nothing bad." She repeats and rushes to her room without looking back.

Chuckling, she creaks her door open and tiptoes inside. Before she can shut it, Logan is at the door.

She gasps, glaring at him.

"Wondering how fast?" Logan asks, shutting the door himself and leaning his back against it.

"If nothing really happened, then where's Jason?"

Sera stammers, "Ermm...he's fine. He's...like, okay."

"The pack noticed that he's not in the pack house at the moment." Logan retorts, whispering cunningly to her. "... where did he go to?"

Sera rises to her feet, fully aware of the repercussions that befall a Beta who departs from the pack house without prior notification.

"I assure you, it is not as it appears!"

Logan dons a smug expression on his countenance, "The Alpha has summoned you."

Sera's anxiety transforms into sheer astonishment once she hears that. "What did I do?"

"Questioning the authority of the Alpha can lead to grievous punishment, it's certain that you're aware." He reminds, and leaves the room.

Sera breathes shakily once he moves out of the room.

"I got this." She reassures herself as she exits the room. But once outside, her outlook shifts. "I can't follow the Alpha's orders. I have to go against them."

As she turns around, out of nowhere, security guards grab her.

No words. Just a straight way to the Alpha.

"She's here." They say, and exit the Alpha's chamber, leaving the Alpha and his personal Beta alone with Sera.

"Sera Moonshade." Alpha Regulus calls. "We made our rules clear when appointing Jason as a beta, didn't we?"

She nods her head affirmatively.

"Now that Jason has violated the rules, we won't pardon him for any reason." He asserts.

"Sera..." He moves towards her. "It has always been my dream to see you shift into your wolf and make me proud, but it seems reverse is the case now."

Sera looks deeply into his eyes as a tear drops down her cheek, "how do you mean?"

Regulus chuckles, "Oh. Cry baby. We're not moved by emotions because what? They cloud judgment. We follow our head, not heart."

"Cyprus, expel her from the pack!" He orders as Beta Cyprus approaches with an air of fury.

"Damn, Alpha!" Sera raises her voice, seeking the Alpha's attention. "...my father was never a bad man. How could I suffer for something I didn't do?"

"Sera Moonshade, leave the pack house with your father." He repeats. "I won't say this again. Cyprus?"

Cyprus seizes her, but she attempts to free herself.

Her tension lessens when she recalls Dylan's promise to find their father.

"We'll bring him back!" Sera tells the Alpha.

"We?"

"I'll bring him back. Myself." She asserts again.

"Useless words from an underage wolf. Let there be no more statements from you. The law is harsh, but it is the law." He declares as Cyprus storms out of the room with Sera, handing her over to several other security wolves.

They escort her out of the pack house, delivering a stern warning, "If you set foot here again, you're gone."

The name of the pack house slowly etches itself into her memory, prompting her to silently vow a return-a comeback.

She shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes as the harsh reality sets in; she has lost her mum, dad, and now, can't find Dylan, her only brother. She wishes she could shift into her wolf form now and search for him, but at seventeen years old, she is unable.

Not wanting to think about it further, she runs away from the front of the pack house, straight down the bush. It starts to look like an exercise, especially now that someone stops her. A person different from the last person she saw. Someone with a smile on his face.

"Whoa!" He laughs as he grabs her arm to stop her. "You almost walked right into me."

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry." She replies, catching a whiff of his appealing scent.

"No worries." He smiles. "Are you heading somewhere?"

"Not really..." She trails off, avoiding looking in the direction of her old pack house.

"Hey, I'm Mane by the way. Want to come over to my place for a bit?" He asks abruptly. Sera's bewildered expression reveals how taken aback she is by the forward invitation.

"Um, no thanks." She manages a polite smile. "I'm Sera Moonshade."

"Nice to meet you, Sera."

"Can we play over there, at the field, maybe?" He requests. He squints his eyes, expecting the offer to be turned down to his own disadvantage.

"Let's go." Sera agrees. He holds her hands and leads her to the field.

After being on the field for a few minutes, she hesitantly agrees to go with Mane to his pack house.

She stops abruptly as a worrying thought crosses her mind: "What if his place is just like Jason's?"

"Hey, what's the name of your pack anyway?" She asks, pulling away from him.

"Come on, don't stress. You'll see when we get there." Mane replies casually.

"Just tell me now. Are you trying to trick me and get me killed or something?" She demands, raising her voice in frustration.

"Did anything bad happen?" Mane asks, his question reminding her of Logan's frequent concern.

"Just tell me what's going on or..." She turns to leave. "I'm going back home."

"Wait!" He calls after her. "It's the Midnight Echo Pack."

She returns with a slight smile. "Thank you for telling me."

Still uncertain what awaits her, she follows him to the pack house.

"You have to be discreet." Mane instructs. "I'm second to the Alpha's Beta. I mustn't be caught doing this."

"Thank you, Mane." Sera appreciates.

"Don't thank me yet." Mane says, his voice gruff. "Not until we get inside unnoticed and unscathed."

"Sure." She nods her head.

Mane and Sera finally jump inside the pack house, landing with a light thud. As Mane notices a security wolf approaching, he tries to hide Sera, but the wolf has already spotted her.

"Don't move. This is treason to the Alpha and to the pack at large." He warns Mane, outlining the consequences he'd face for his actions.

"Hey, brother." Sera calls, throwing a kiss at him. She deems it fit to seduce him, hoping they might be spared. The wolf shoots a deadly glare at her, instantly shifting her mood from flirtatious to fearful.

"Now, come on..." Mane pats him on the shoulders. "...I saw you go in with Lisa, and I have the videos. If you don't let us go, I'll display it on the projector."

"Nice try. You can go."

Mane winks at Sera, and they quickly exit, heading into his private room. His guards welcome him, but they initially refuse entry to Sera.

"Let her in." He instructs, shutting the door once she enters. However, he's surprised to find the Alpha waiting inside his room.

"Damn it." Sera curses.

"Language, rogue!" The Alpha rebukes. "Beta's sexy mate, good one at it, Mane."

"I-I never planned to do it this way. I'm sorry." Mane apologizes.

"That's not my concern right now." The Alpha deadpans. "And to you, rogue, I'm Ralph, Midnight Echo Pack. It's interesting to encounter a wicked soul that will soon experiment on you."

Sera lets out a sigh.

"I believe I have the right to know your name as well." Ralph says with a smirk.

"Sera. Sera Moonshade." She replies, her tone clipped.

"Mane, your fellow Beta was wounded by a rogue on his way to inform our neighboring pack house about an urgent message from the moon goddess." Ralph explains, expressing disappointment.

"Ugh...Damn. Did the wolf healer do anything already?" Mane shows concern as he walks towards the Alpha. Sera follows him, but Ralph stops her.

"Feign respect if you don't have it." Ralph tells her.

"The wolf healer demanded a potion that was unavailable in his boxes." Ralph continues. "Since your fellow Beta couldn't heal himself, and the wolf healer couldn't..."

"We'll forsake him?" Mane asks, shutting his eyes and then opening them suddenly.

"Not until after the last try. We need a young wolf to get the potion from Dan. And as you know, no young wolves are present here. We all sent them for..." He gesticulates, instead of saying the last word.

"I understand. Where do we get the young wolf?" Mane asks.

"I don't know. That's where the problem lies." Ralph grumbles. "The pain keeps worsening."

"Should I speak with my new friend?" Mane asks. "And I can get back."

"When making choices, make reasonable ones. This one is human! A mere human, and an abomination to this pack." Ralph condemns.

"I'm not human, I'm a werewolf." Sera corrects, directing Mane's gazes at herself.

"Really?" Ralph asks, smirking. "What if we decide to confirm?"

"I'm ready." Sera retorts, sounding brave.

"Go." Ralph commands Mane. Just as he's about to step out of his room, Ralph stops him, "don't be late. And I'm sure we've agreed: If she's human, we'll kill her even if you hide the truth, and if she's a wolf, we'll recruit her."

"Agreed." Sera confirms and walks out, Mane trailing closely.

"Damn. You don't talk back to an Alpha that way." Mane corrects sharply. "Let's get down there. The field."

She closes her lips and moves with him.

"Quick question." Mane states, snapping his fingers.

"Go ahead. Hold on, who are these?" Sera asks, staring at a master wolf training a few others.

"Oh, those? They're wolves - I mean, wolves that just shifted, newly." Mane replies.

"Can't they get the potion from Dan?" Sera asks. The urge rises within her to join those wolves and be trained as well, but she remembers that she's not even eighteen yet.

She contemplates revealing to Mane that she's a young wolf but is afraid that she'd be sent to get the potion from Dan.

"Who's Dan? Stop prying." Mane rebukes her, chuckling shakily.

"Are you human, or a young wolf?" Mane asks.

She presses her lips to his ears, telling herself that he's the only one she can trust now. With no family and unable to keep hiding the truth, she decides to share.

"I'm a young wolf. Seventeen. Shifting very soon."

"Come up with me!" Mane yells with excitement as he runs towards his room where the Alpha is. She chases after him, not eager to be useful to the Alpha but rather to avoid getting lost in the pack.

A guard welcomes her into the room and shuts the door.

"Sera Moonshade, we have confirmed that you're a young wolf. Can you help us get the potion, save a life so we'll save yours?" Alpha Ralph requests.

Scared, Sera bows her head. "As you wish, Master."

"Take her to Dan. Let her get the potion." He instructs, and a guard marches her out of the room.

"I thought Mane would follow me. Why...?" She asks, but the guard shuts the door, forcing her to Dan.

Swiftly, at Dan's.

"Is she a young wolf?" Dan inquires, prepared to offer the potion to her.

"Release the potion to her. If she isn't, it'll burn her. So, try her." The guard retorts, while Dan handles the potion to her. Sera breathes in shakily as she receives it.

"Well done, young wolf." The guard smiles, leading her back to the pack house, inside Mane's room.

"We found the potion." The guard states, giving it to the Alpha.

"How do we go about it?" Mane asks Ralph.

"I'll do it. Thanks to Sera Moonshade. You're welcome to be one of us. Mane, I got this. Go with your friend." Ralph states, but Mane insists.

"You're the leader of the pack; don't stress yourself more than you should." Mane cares.

"I got it. Leave." He orders. Mane, with Sera, exits the room, heading to the field.

"Thanks for that. I'm happy you're one of us now." Mane appreciates, pulling her in for a hug.

"I should thank you better." Sera retorts.

"Would you like to check something out?" Mane asks, pulling out of the hug.

"Sure." She nods. He leads her to the top of a harmless roof.

"Can you see the other buildings clearly?" He asks.

"Sure. I can. I think there's another pack closer to us than the mere buildings." Sera replies.

"You learn quickly. You'd be useful." Mane compliments.

"Don't blush yet; that's not my point." He deadpans, and she maintains a straight face.

"The pack house closer to us is Crescent Ember Pack. In all your stroll, sneak-out, do not get near the pack." Mane instructs.

"Why? I like it." Sera opposes.

"Don't question my authority." Mane says, touching her lips, wanting them to be shut.

"That's all I have to tell you. Hold on!" He instructs.

"Why scream? I didn't even move." Sera says.

"I wanted to get your perfect attention. You said you're seventeen, are you sure you won't be eighteen soon?" He asks.

"What's the date?" Sera asks.

"June 3rd." Mane replies.

"My birthday is in a few days then. Sorry, ouch, damn. June 4th, mom said I'd be eighteen." Sera says as Mane hugs her tightly.

"Do you know you almost put us into trouble?" Mane asks, feeling good.

"How?"

"You could have died from getting the potion from Dan. You're almost getting your wolf."

"I can't wait. And I'm sorry about that. I guess I'll try better next time."

| DAY BREAK |

"Mane, Simon!" A wolf's urgent cry echoes from a corner. "They've invaded here! Come quickly."

Mane swiftly energizes his wolf, rushing to meet Sera in the room opposite him.

"Hey Sera. I have to be on the battlefield. Be safe. Crescent Ember Pack." He says, his anxiety palpable.

"I understand." Sera sighs.

"Don't let them come for you. His son is looking for a mate. He'd soon be done with his mate problems, okay? I love you." He says, gives her a peck, and leaves.

He quickly returns, "I forgot to tell you. I know you're good at hiding and sneaking. Never join us in the battle."

Sera screams now, stops for a moment, and acts as though she wants to vomit.

"Sera Moonshade." She hears a calm voice. She looks around her, scared to know who spoke to her.

"Did anything bad happen?" Here comes the nightmarish question. She ignores it.

"Sera?" Mane pats her.

"Yeah? Please go. I don't know what has come over me." Sera advises. "Go, now!"

"Did...someone speak to you?" He asks, getting her attention.

"How did you know?" Sera asks.

"Your wolf's right here. Happy Birthday, Sera! We'll celebrate you once back." He pecks her and leaves her in shock.

| CRESCENT EMBER PACK |

"Alpha Jasper instructed us to bring you to his lodge." Blaise, Jasper's Beta, informs Cameron. Just then, Freya walks up to them.

Jasper's gaze is directed at her, and Blaise's attention follows suit.

"As you can see, my girl's right here. So, please leave." Cameron retorts, pulling Freya in for a hug.

"It's an order from the Alpha, Cameron." Blaise insists, as Cameron suddenly growls, unevenly pulling off from Freya. Blaise shuts his eyes, taking a deep breath.

Cameron cools down now, saying, "Don't let me repeat myself." And then, he leaves.

"Freya, what's new here?" Cameron pats her shoulders, regaining his composure.

"My mom wants you to see her." Freya delightfully says.

"What's the matter?"

"Just come with me." Freya clips, taking hold of his hands, but Cameron stops her.

"Be cautious. Don't venture out too easily. Midnight Echo Pack – we're not allies with them." Cameron warns.

"She wants to see you – why? Who is your mate?" Freya inquires, looking professional.

"I've already told her! I want you as my mate, okay? And no guy..." Cameron whispers back to her. "...no wolf can compete with me. I'm the Alpha's son, and I'm taking over this pack house...very soon."

Alpha Jasper suddenly appears, causing Cameron and Freya to gasp. "I'm not going to die. Just hold on; the position is yours to possess. On the matter of a mate, you can't have Freya as your mate. I've been telling you this. Let her go."

"Dad?" Cameron shuts his eyes, perhaps hoping it might help him keep his lips sealed.

"Don't call me. If you truly want this position, you have to listen to the moon goddess." Jasper instructs, while Freya observes them.

"What does the moon goddess say?" Cameron asks.

"9 PM, at Jack's?"

Cameron sniffs, "OK."

| MIDNIGHT ECHO PACK |

The leaves rustle, disrupting the soldiers' preparedness as they stand ready to repel any rogue attempting to infiltrate the pack house. Mane takes the lead, with Ralph observing from a distance.

"Another rogue?" Mane questions the one closer to the source of the sound. They tighten their grip on their swords, anticipating the rogue's appearance.

"Wolves don't use swords. Should we be doing this?" One of his warriors questions.

"For these rogues, our claws can't defeat them. Shifting to fight them would defeat them but... at the same time, suck us." Mane explains as Sera comes into view.

"Damn!" He sniffs hard. "Why did you come here?"

"I wanted to know what's going on here and what the..." She retorts as another rogue confronts her. She feels her whole body in turmoil, shaking her head vigorously, stretching to and fro, shifting into her wolf. Mane watches in silence. His other warriors are ready to intervene, but he stops them.

"Let her try her new wolf. Nice try." He chuckles, wondering how she could start fighting without being trained.

Sera's blue wolf growls and swiftly pounces on the other rogue. They deftly switch positions, one atop the other, as Sera's wolf maneuvers with agility. The intense growls echo as her claws leave a significant scar on the rogue's body. Believing herself victorious, Sera delivers multiple punches, confident in her triumph. Turning towards Mane and the others, she begins the transition back to her human form.

Unexpectedly, the rogue regains energy, forcefully sending Sera to the ground and delivering powerful punches to her chest before retreating into the forest, avoiding confrontation with Mane and the others.

"Sera... Sera, are you okay?" Mane rushes to her aid as she swiftly shifts back into her wolf form. She coughs loudly, still wounded, but the injuries miraculously heal before her eyes. She gasps in amazement, pondering the newfound healing ability.

"You're a wolf now. It'll heal your wounds." Mane explains, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh... well. Emotional wolves on the battlefield!" Alpha Ralph growls from above, observing the scene.

Mane swiftly releases the hug upon hearing Alpha Ralph's disapproval. Leading Sera and his warriors back into the pack, they return triumphant after dealing with the rogues completely.

Sera quietly trails Mane until she inadvertently finds herself in his room.

"Nah, nah, get this damn door open!" She kicks the door forcefully.

"It won't budge." She complains to Mane. "Mane!"

Mane turns to look at her with a smirk on his face, "I wasn't planning to rape you." Then, his vision abruptly becomes erratic, leaving Sera in awe.

"The Alpha calls for me. See you soon." Mane exits the room.

As soon as he leaves, Sera hears a gruff, deep voice, as if the speaker is right there in the room with her.

"Sera!" Something ethereal, almost like a phantom, darts towards her, but it eludes her vision.

Then, a very low voice reaches her ears. "Sera, Sera, Sera... I can't get out of here. They've chained me. Sera!!"

The knock on the door interrupts the voice, bringing Sera back to reality.

"Did your wolf start speaking to you already?" Mane asks. Sera connects that with her recent experience, but she's not convinced; what she saw doesn't resemble a wolf. It's more like a ghost-invisible to all, but visible to her.

"Erm...nothing, just...you know, here." She stammers as Mane goes down on his knees.

"Sera, ever since I brought you here, I've been wanting you as my mate. I love you with all my heart. Would you become my mate?" Mane proposes as Sera chuckles in surprise.

"Shouldn't the Moon Goddess be in charge of this?" Sera questions happily, though feeling reluctant still.

"Moon Goddess doesn't speak; we choose our mates ourselves." Mane retorts, expecting a positive response from her.

"This is..." Sera stammers, covering her lips. "...don't you think it's all too sudden?"

"Yes, it is." Alpha Ralph creaks the door open, affirming the statement.

"This is not the proper way to form a mating bond. Sera Moonshade, let me advise you. Mane got his mate just three weeks ago but rejected her. I'm certain that you have your own destined mate chosen by the Moon Goddess. If you don't feel a connection with him, then you can come to Mane. I'm saying this so you won't miss your destined mate." Ralph asserts.

"Noted." Sera says, gulps, and forcefully pushes Mane's hands away from hers. She feels a pang of guilt, but she follows the Alpha out of the room, leaving Mane burning with anger.

| CRESCENT EMBER PACK |

"Is there a message?" Alpha Jasper turns to his Gamma. Gammas are responsible for delivering messages from the pack house to the moon goddess and resolving matters, including those concerning mates.

"The moon goddess has commanded all neighborhood pack houses to hold a feast at Moonlit Haven tonight - 8 PM. The upcoming Alpha, Cameron, will find his mate there." Ben, the Alpha's Gamma, informs, and takes his leave.

"Come back here. There might be some goodness in this." Jasper chuckles, calling him back.

"Tell Felix to create the fliers and send them to the neighborhood pack houses; let us know their response." Jasper orders.

"They can't defy the moon goddess' orders, no matter what." Ben retorts.

"Does that stop you from telling Felix to make the fliers?" Jasper grunts as Ben hurriedly leaves his presence.

"Stupid messengers." He comments and walks away.

| MIDNIGHT ECHO PACK |

"Mane, come on, please listen to me!" Sera pleads, but he continues to ignore her.

"Mane!" An authoritative voice calls out sharply. It's his workmate, another Beta for the Alpha.

"The moon goddess has ordered the pack houses around us to a feast. I'm not here to ask if you'll be coming." The Beta informs him. "The Alpha wants to see you soon - 8 PM, Moonlit Haven. It's almost time, don't be late." With that, he takes his leave.

"Okay, Mane. Will you listen to me now?" Sera asks, tears already pooling in her eyes. She feels a sense of guilt, as if she has betrayed someone who once saved her when she was banished from her previous pack.

"Sera... I'll only listen to you if you promise to follow this word." Mane speaks, moving closer to her, intending to whisper now.

"Don't come to the party. The feast, I mean." He whispers.

"I won't come." Sera affirms.

"I know you. You eventually came to the battlefield even when I told you not to."

"That's true. But I'll be more worked up, now that I have a wolf to train." Sera chuckles, making him believe her words. They embrace each other tightly, holding onto the moment until the other Beta returns.

"Mane!" He screams, causing Mane to pull out of the hug at once. He's scared to see Alpha Ralph standing as well.

"It's time. Let's go." Ralph says with a smirk, and Mane quickly scoots over to their side.

"Is your little pup coming with us?" Ralph asks.

"No." Mane replies before Sera can say a word. She starts to see a reason why she should not be present there; her former pack would have been invited too, and she shouldn't meet with the likes of Logan and his Alpha again. However, she stops Alpha Ralph.

"Alpha!" She raises her voice, and he stops, turning to look at her. She runs over to him and whispers in his ear.

"Mane doesn't want me there. Command your warriors and make arrangements for me. I saved your Beta, remember." She says, and swiftly gives him a peck. No one notices it.

The Alpha nods his head affirmatively and they all leave, without Sera.

| FEAST AT MOONLIT HAVEN |

Three pack houses report to the haven, while two others refuse to come. A lady swiftly walks up to the altar with an unbelievable speed, an obvious feature of a vampire.

"Let's recognize the presence of the Alphas here." She smiles, guiding each Alpha to an official seat with their Betas standing behind them. At this moment, Sera stealthily creeps inside the haven. The lady on the altar notices it, but she believes it wouldn't have been possible if Sera weren't allowed inside. There's ample security, so someone in authority must have made the arrangements.

"Alpha Ralph of Midnight Echo Pack!"

"Alpha Jasper of Crescent Ember Pack!"

The lady calls out the names of the Alphas present as some attendants serve drinks around, and music starts to play, making the atmosphere lively. Sera crawls to a seat, and someone immediately grabs her hand. She gasps, almost slipping back to the ground - she had unknowingly crawled beside Mane.

"Hey you!" Mane points his finger at her. "You still came?"

"I'm sorry - I couldn't have avoided it. I-I wanted to..."

"Why did you lie to me?"

The lively aura from the lady resumes as she starts to speak again.

"We also recognize the presence of Alpha Regulus of Velvet Shadows Pack!" She hollers, and the whole audience applauds, making the celebration of his presence even more superb.

"In short, this mandate was given by our leader, the moon goddess, and approved by her instructor who is absent here, Logan.", She says as Sera's eyes widen in shock - Logan is Regulus' main security Wolf; how come the instructor for the moon goddess now?

"It's not the Logan you know." She corrects in time. "They're just namesakes."

Sera lets out a sigh of relief.

"This feast is meant to bring us together, fostering friendship among packs. Let no pack harbor hatred towards another. Let wolves see vampires as part of their community." The lady affirms. The haven falls silent, but Sera scoffs at the sentiment.

"And most importantly, to allow the son of the present Alpha, Cameron Hartwell, to meet his mate." She asserts, sending shockwaves through the entire haven, except for Crescent Ember Pack, who are already in the know.

"Does this look like a trap?" Mane objects, rising to his feet. "We were deceived; we need to go." He grabs Sera, intending to make a quick exit from the haven.

"It's actually not a trap, nor a bait. It's more of a surprise, and fortunately, you can't leave the premises until we're done." She says, and a guard releases Sera.

Sera walks back to her seat, though on a longer journey, almost losing her way in the process.

She greets Alpha Jasper, Alpha Ralph, and his son, pointedly ignoring Alpha Regulus. Their gazes lock briefly, but she forcefully averts her eyes from him.

"Want a drink?" Jasper invites, and she takes her seat.

"Oh, thank you." She says. She grabs the glass cup, and just as it's about to reach her lips, she smashes it to the ground, unintentionally spilling the wine. She starts to act oddly as Mane hurries to meet her, but guards stop him. Coincidentally, Cameron begins to act in the same way until both of them stop simultaneously.

"Mate, mate!" Sera's wolf screams happily within her. "Mate!"

"Mate..." Cameron slowly calls, pulling her in for a hug, not minding that she's from his enemy pack.

Everyone else watches them in shock as Cameron finds his mate, Sera.