My Twin Luna

VIOLETTA'S POV

"I will be marking Claudia as my mate today," Sabastian announced, his words making me shocked. The wine glass slipped from my hands, shattering on the floor, but I barely noticed. My eyes were glued to the altar where Claudia had just joined Sabastian, both of them smiling as they shared a warm, intimate kiss.

This can't be happening. Sabastian was supposed to be mine. Today was our mating ceremony and engagement day, the day he was supposed to mark me as his mate. But why is it Claudia, my best friend, standing beside him? Is this some kind of nightmare? As I scanned the room, I felt everyone's eyes on me, murmurs and confusion filling the air.

I couldn't stand it any longer. My blood boiled with anger as I stormed toward them, my voice ringing out loud enough to silence the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Sabastian?" I tried to keep my composure, my fists clenched as I struggled not to make a scene. "I know you must be joking, but seriously, Sabastian, this is our engagement ceremony. This isn't the time or place for such a cruel prank."

"Who says I'm joking?" Sabastian's words hit me like a punch, leaving me stunned. My heart raced as I tried to process what he was saying, but the more I thought about it, the less it made sense.

"What do you mean?" My voice shook as I fought to hold back tears. "I'm the one you're supposed to mark today. I'm your mate. This engagement was meant for us. Why is Claudia up there with you on the altar?" The urge to cry was almost too much to bear, but I swallowed the lump in my throat, determined not to break down-at least not yet.

"Yes, I know, but plans changed," Sabastian said, pulling Claudia close by the waist. She wore a satisfied smile, one that made my stomach ill.

I forced myself to take a deep breath, steadying my voice as I managed to say, "Make it make sense, please." I looked at Claudia, who only smiled at me. I turned back to Sabastian, my voice desperate. "What are you doing? Explain what's going on."

"Oh, you want an explanation?" Sabastian's voice was cold, detached. "I'll make it simple. I reject you as my mate, Violetta. From this day onward, you and I are no longer bound by the mate bond and I am calling off this engagement, I will be engaging someone today but not you," he looked at Claudia with a smile as he said "only Claudia"

His words shattered me, breaking my heart into tiny pieces. It was so sudden, so brutal-where had this come from? The pain in my chest was unbearable, a pain so intense that I could barely stand. I fought to stay upright, but my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor, struggling to breathe through the pain in my chest. I could feel the connection to my wolf weakening, just like me, she was also in pain, a result of the broken bond. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, and now this... this nightmare was my reality.

"There's no need to be so dramatic, Violetta," Claudia said. "Sabastian and I did what needed to be done for the future of this pack. You as Luna would spell nothing but chaos. You're just not strong enough for that role."

I lifted my head, tears streaming down my face, and glared at her through the haze of my pain. She smiled down at me, her hand resting on her stomach. "Besides," she added, "there's not much I can do when I'm carrying his child, you know? Do you want your best friend to have a child out of wedlock? Don't be selfish"

Her words hit me hard, breaking my heart even further. How long have they been doing this behind my back and now she is pregnant? I desperately wished this was just a cruel dream, some twisted joke the universe was playing on me. But it wasn't. This was real, too painfully real.

Sabastian had once been just a rogue, a stranger who had saved me when I was being chased by other rogues. We had grown close after I realized he was my mate, and I thought I'd found my soulmate in him. Claudia, on the other hand, had been my best friend, especially after our mothers-who were best friends-had brought us together. But everything changed when her mother, now my stepmother, married my father just days after my own mother's death. That betrayal had shattered our friendship, and ever since my father died, I had been next in line to lead the pack as his only legitimate child.

I thought Sabastian, who was wise and deeply cared about the pack, would make a better Alpha, so I decided to give my position to him, believing he would make me his Luna. But now, on what was supposed to be our special day, he's choosing Claudia instead of me. How could he mark someone else as his mate when I was supposed to be the only one?

"How could you do this to me, Sebastian?" I asked, tears rolling down my face.

Claudia snorted, rolling her eyes as she said. "Oh, spare us the theatrics, Violetta. You're not as entitled to sympathy as you think you are."

I turned to her, my voice shaking. "Aren't you supposed to be my best friend?"

Claudia's smile was a thin, cruel line. "Best friend? Ha! I was just playing the part to get everything from you and to be honest I hate the very ground you walk on. And now that I have got something that really matters to you, I don't need you anymore. You're nothing but a pathetic, clingy little leech. I am done with you and Sabastian here," she said patting his arms lightly "he is also done with you"

I looked at Sabastian whose expression remained as cold as ever. It was obvious he didn't care about how much I was suffering. "Both of you will suffer for doing this to me? How could you?"

"You're embarrassing yourself, Violetta," Sabastian replied "What's done is done. You need to deal with the fact that I don't want you anymore. Yes, I used you, but who wouldn't when you're so vulnerable and easy to manipulate?" His words sliced through me, causing me to step back as I cried

"When you're done, leave, so our ceremony can continue. My mate needs to mark me as his, and your presence here is only delaying things," Claudia sneered and at that moment, I lost total control of my temper.

"You fucking witch!" I spat, charging toward them. But before I could reach them, someone yanked my hair from behind, painfully jerking me backward. I screamed in discomfort as pain shot through my scalp, the person pulling me closer before finally releasing me.

I turned around, and there she stood-my stepmother, Claudia's mother. Before I could react, she slapped me hard across the face. The force sent me falling to the ground. "What help can you possibly offer this pack that makes you deserve to be Luna when your wolf is as weak as a common Omega's?" she hissed. I could only stare back at her in disbelief . "You're just like that entitled whore mother of yours. Do you think that just because she was lucky enough to be a luna, you deserve that position? Don't be ridiculous."

I forced myself to stand, my jaw clenched. My eyes went to Claudia, who stood beside Sabastian, a cruel smile on her lips. She moved closer to him, clearly enjoying the pain she was causing me. I blinked back the tears, turning my eyes back to my stepmother. "I wouldn't expect any less from Claudia. Like mother, like daughter, I guess," I spat out.

"What?" she snarled.

"My mother died, and the next thing you did was marry her husband the very next day, even though you claimed she was your best friend. Then you brought that bastard child of yours to steal my positi-" I couldn't finish before her hand lashed out again, another slap sending me back to the ground.

"Bastard! How dare you call my Claudia a bastard when you're not even the Alpha's real child?" Her words sliced through the air, and everyone gasped. She glanced at the crowd before declaring, "You hear that, everyone? This fool was adopted by the Alpha when he couldn't have an heir with his barren wife. But let me tell you who the legitimate daughter is." She strutted toward Claudia, gripping her hand and raising it high. "My daughter. She is the Alpha's legitimate daughter. She was the product of love between the late Alpha and me years ago. So tell me, who better deserves to be Luna if not her? If you all don't believe me, then I'll bring out the DNA test conducted years ago."

Murmurs filled the air, the crowd nodding in agreement, while some looked confused, questioning the truth of her claim. But I was the most shocked, feeling my world unraveling before my eyes. How could this be possible? All my life, I believed I was the Alpha's child. None of this made sense. How could everything I knew be a lie?

Just then, Sabastian called for a few guards who wasted no time stomping over to me. They grabbed me roughly, pulling me to my feet. Sabastian's voice filled with authority as he commanded, "Get her out of my sight and punish her for daring to question my orders in front of my loyal subjects." There was no chance to protest; they dragged me out of the hall where the mating ceremony was taking place.

I struggled against their grip, but one of the guards punched me square in the face. I heard the terrifying crack as my nose broke, and I fell to the floor, clutching my bleeding nose, groaning in pain. Desperately, I tried to reach my wolf, hoping she could lend me strength, but she was too weak, shattered from the broken mate bond.

Another guard grabbed me by the hair and slammed me against the wall. I screamed in pain, wondering what I could have done to deserve this. On this day of all days, why were they punishing me so brutally? A guard yanked me by the hair again, dragging my limp body across the hard floor toward a waiting vehicle. They shoved me into the trunk, slamming it shut, trapping me inside. My claustrophobia set in, but I was too weak to resist, too broken to fight back.

The drive felt endless. Blood poured from my nose, and my body was covered in scratches. When the car finally stopped, a guard opened the trunk and dragged me out, throwing me to the ground. I sobbed, raising my head to take in my surroundings through blurry vision. That's when I realized we were in the middle of a forest, far from anywhere familiar. My stepmother stood there, glaring at me, a few guards by her side.

I struggled to my feet, weak, but I managed to stand. My stepmother held a silver dagger in her hand and at this moment I got even more scared.

"If you had just kept quiet and let the mating ceremony go as planned, I wouldn't have to kill you," my stepmother said, walking toward me with the dagger.

I tried to run, but the guards behind me caught me instantly, holding me in place despite my struggle. My stepmother closed the distance between us, and I cowered in fear, my legs threatening to give out. She raised the dagger, her smile wicked as she said, "Now that you're about to die, I might as well let you in on a secret." She paused. "It was all me from the very beginning-your father's death, your mother's death, and now, I'm going to kill you."

She moved closer, and I shook my head, pleading, "Please, don't let me die. I'll leave, go far away, and never come back-just don't kill me."

"I'm very sorry, but this is how it's meant to be," she said. I pleaded for my life, but she wasn't listening. The next moment, I felt a sharp pain pierce my heart, silencing my pleas. My eyes widened in shock, the last thing I saw was my stepmother's cold smile. "Keeping you alive would threaten everything I've worked so hard to build," she whispered as she twisted the dagger and plunged it into my heart once more, ensuring I would remain dead. I felt life slipping away from me.

The guards released their grip, letting my lifeless body collapse to the ground. My vision darkened, and the last thing I heard was the sound of footsteps fading away, followed by a car engine roaring to life. They left me there-left me to die a slow, agonizing death.

VIOLETTA'S POV

I heard the sound of a machine beeping. It was unmistakably a hospital monitor. I struggled to open my eyes, but it felt almost impossible. Pain radiated through my body, nearly too much to bear. What happened? I was caught between consciousness and unconsciousness. My mind was awake, but my body was still in a deep slumber, so deep I feared I might never wake up.

After some effort, I slowly fluttered my eyes open, only to be nearly blinded by the bright light in the room. I quickly shut them again, taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart. I opened my eyes once more, trying to adjust to the light, and gratefully, I finally could. I took another deep breath, trying to assess my surroundings, and realized where I was. I was in a fancy room-big and spacious.

Where is this place?

I noticed a little girl sleeping next to me, seated in a chair with her head resting on the bed. I made a slight movement, and this seemed to catch her attention. She slowly lifted her head and looked at me, a warm smile immediately spreading across her lips as she asked, "You're awake?" I could tell she was overjoyed as she quickly ran out of the room, likely to get someone.

Moments later, a woman entered the room with her. She appeared to be a servant, judging by her attire. She smiled warmly as she walked toward me and pulled me into a hug. I was confused-who exactly were these people?

As soon as she released me, I removed the oxygen mask from my face and tried to sit up. The woman immediately helped me as I groaned in slight pain. I could still feel the ache in my chest. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was, and my eyes landed on the little girl, who was still smiling at me warmly. I gulped, trying to find the right words, but nothing came to mind.

"Matilda, if you were having so many issues, you could have just spoken to me about it," the woman gently said, placing a hand on my face. "I know life here can be painful, but now you know the outside world isn't kind either. Just look at you." Tears welled up in her eyes, her expression full of motherly concern. Who exactly was she to me?

"I don't understand... I..." I managed to say, but the words failed me. What exactly was happening?

"You don't have to marry my brother if you don't want to," the little girl said, moving closer and pulling me into a warm hug. "But running away isn't the answer. Please, Matilda, don't run away from me again," she pleaded, while I gulped. What the heck was happening?

"How did it happen, huh?" the woman asked. "One minute you ran away from home, and the next, we found you in the woods, stabbed almost a hundred times. It's a miracle you're alive right now. What happened? Please, tell us if you can?" she pressed, but I had no words. Just then, my memories came flooding back, and I remembered what happened.

"The mating ceremony, the mating..." I looked up at the little girl and the woman. Both wore confused expressions as they glanced at each other, then back at me.

"The mating ceremony!" I repeated, shaking my head. My chest heaved as I bit down on my lips. What exactly was going on? I didn't understand anything at that moment. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"Who are you people?" Confusion flickered across their faces. The little girl spoke up.

"Matilda, you don't remember me? It's me, Penny, and this"-she paused before continuing-"this is my nanny, Nancy. You don't remember anything at all?"

I shook my head, and they both looked shocked. The nanny opened her mouth to say something, but just then, someone burst through the door, slamming it open with a loud bang. His eyes were blazing with fury.

"You fucking whore!" he snarled, stepping closer to me. "You're finally awake? Too bad, it would have been better if you'd just died in that fucking accident."

What was going on? Who was this, and why was he speaking to me that way? I stared at him, confused, and this seemed to irritate him further.

"Don't you stare at me with those bloody eyes, you fucking whore," he spat, moving closer as if to attack. Fear gripped me, and I recoiled, but before he could reach me, the nanny stepped in front of him, using herself as a shield.

"Please, sir, she's just recovering," she pleaded, clasping her hands together. "I know she deserves to be punished for what she did, but not now. She's weak. She doesn't even remember who she is."

The man didn't seem to care about the nanny's words. He shoved her away aggressively, sending her to the ground. He moved closer to me, grabbing me roughly by the arms, making me wince in pain.

"How dare you run away from me? Have you forgotten you're already sold to me, and there's nothing you can do about that?" He raised his hand, ready to strike me, but just then, I heard the little girl's voice.

"If you hit her, I'll make sure I tell Daddy." His hand froze in midair as he turned to look at the girl, who stood there glaring at him before adding "I'll tell Daddy, and you'll be the one who gets punished instead." Slowly, he released his grip on my hand and turned fully toward the little girl, glaring down at her. But Penny didn't budge; she stood her ground, glaring back at him.

The man gave me one last look before storming out of the room. Everyone, including me, let out a sigh of relief as soon as he was gone. What the heck was that? "Are you okay?" the little girl asked, and I nodded. "I'm sorry about my brother," she added, and I nodded again, not knowing what to say. How could that monster be the brother of such a sweet soul? And what business did I have with him?

Just then, my eyes caught sight of a picture on the bed next to me. I was immediately intrigued and stretched out my hand to reach for it. To my surprise, it was a picture of me-or so I thought. But I didn't remember taking this picture, and in it, my hair was black and long, not brown and shoulder length like my normal hair is.

"When did I take this picture?" I asked myself. The person in the picture looked exactly like me, but the only difference between us was our hair color and length. "Is this Matilda?" I asked them, and they nodded.

"Yes, that's you in the picture. You took it about two years ago on vacation, and you said it's your favorite picture," Nancy answered. Is this who they think I am? They think I'm Matilda? What the heck is happening? My head throbbed with intense pain as I groaned, but the nanny quickly rushed to me, urging me to rest my head on the pillow as she took the picture frame from my hand.

"We'll call the doctor. Just get some rest," she said before they left the room.

I had so many questions. Who was the maniac who tried to attack me earlier to me, and who are these people? Who is this Matilda, and why do we look exactly the same? Where is she if her family is mistaking me for her? What's going on? Do I have a twin sister no one ever told me about? I had so many questions and no answers.

About three days passed with me in that room. I could feel myself slowly recovering as the doctor kept checking on me. I was beginning to realize who this Matilda woman was. She was my exact look-alike, and for some reason, I was living her life now. She's engaged to the son of the Lycan of this pack, a deal made to settle a debt her family owed. And that son just happens to be the same maniac who tried to kill me a few minutes after I regained consciousness. Turns out, he was often abusive towards her, and there was nothing anyone could do which was the reason why the real Matilda ran away in the first place. But how do I tell these people that I'm not Matilda, that I'm just a look-alike? Will they believe me? Even I found it almost impossible to believe. What connection could I possibly have to this Matilda? Did my parents have twins or something?

"I haven't had the time to compliment you on what you did to your hair. I was jealous of your long and lustrous black hair, but this looks very good too," Penny said with a smile as Nancy pushed me in a wheelchair through the gardens of the mansion. I simply smiled back at her, constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure that crazy fiancé of mine, whose name I later found out was Jacob, wouldn't appear and attack me out of nowhere like before.

"If you like my hair so much, maybe I'll give you a haircut just as nice when I get better," I said, watching her face light up with happiness as she nodded eagerly.

"That would be awesome!"

"You've never been very good at things like that, Matilda. Don't ruin poor Penny's hair," Nancy said with a humorous tone, and I let out a small, nervous laugh. Maybe Matilda wasn't good at it, but I was totally different.

I looked at Penny, but I noticed her attention wasn't on me anymore. She was focused elsewhere, her expression shifting from shock to a bright smile as she shouted, "Daddy!" She ran in a certain direction, and I turned my head to see where she was headed.

I saw her jump into the arms of a man who picked her up and hugged her tightly. I couldn't quite make out his features from afar, but I noticed a change in Nancy's demeanor as she stepped forward and bowed her head slightly.

Just then, the man walked closer with a small smile on his face as he interacted with his daughter. But the smile vanished the moment he saw me, and he gently set the girl on the ground. Is this Penny's dad? If so, that means he's the Lycan of the pack, and also the father of that fiancé of mine-or should I say Matilda's fiancé.

He took a few steps closer, placing his hand gently on Nancy's shoulder, his eyes still focused on me. Nancy lifted her head, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from the man. How could he possibly be Jacob's father? Unlike his son, this man was a sight to behold. He was older, but not so much that he seemed old enough to be Jacob's father. He was incredibly handsome, with neat black hair tousled just so over his face. He wore a shirt with a few buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, revealing tattoos that covered his arms. His silver eyes locked onto mine, and I felt my throat tighten as I gulped.

Then something began to stir within me. My wolf, who had been dormant since the accident and since my mate bond was broken by that betrayal, was waking up. It felt like she was clawing at my insides, desperate to be let out, perhaps to pounce on the man in front of me. I couldn't tell what her intentions were, but I was locked onto him. It wasn't just about his striking appearance-there was something else pulling me toward him, and it seemed he felt the same. He kept his eyes on me, a slight look of confusion crossing his face, as if he was beginning to realize something.

Then, my wolf whispered a word that shocked me to the core:

"Mate..."

VIOLETTA'S POV

Mate? How was that even possible? How could someone's father be my mate? None of it made any sense. I gulped, trying to make sense of the situation, but nothing seemed to add up. "That's not possible," I whispered to myself, struggling to control my racing heart.

The man finally broke eye contact, turning to Nancy. "Escort Matilda to my study in 30 minutes. I'd like to have a word with her," he said. Without giving me a chance to respond, he walked away.

Nancy and I exchanged confused glances, but I couldn't find the right words. How could I explain that their Lycan was my mate? Penny followed her father into the mansion, and Nancy began wheeling me toward the same destination.

Thirty minutes passed quickly, and she pushed my wheelchair all the way to the Lycan's study. Nancy knocked twice on the door before pushing it open slightly and guiding me inside. Then she hurriedly left the room. I'd noticed Nancy seemed uncomfortable-maybe even scared-ever since he arrived. What was it about him that made her so uneasy? His aura was intense, very intimidating, and that must have been why.

He stood by the window, gazing out at the garden, a glass of liquor in his hand. I rubbed my sweaty palms together, feeling nervous and wondering what he was going to say. I gulped, trying to calm my heart, which was pounding in my chest.

I took a deep breath and stammered, "Y-you called for me, sir?" He didn't respond immediately, still staring out the window.

Finally, he spoke, his voice cold and intimidating, sending shivers down my spine. "I was away for a month on important pack duties. I heard you went missing, only to be found later with stab wounds in your chest. How did that happen?"

"I-I don't know," I lied, shaking my head. He didn't say a word, just turned to face me, and at that moment, my heart skipped a beat. My wolf began clawing at my insides again, desperate to escape. The more I stared at him, the more I realized how perfect he was. How could someone be so flawless?

"I don't believe you," he said, walking over to his desk and settling into it, his eyes still fixed on me. A wave of fear washed over me. Could he already tell I wasn't Matilda but merely a doppelganger? "Matilda wasn't my mate, so how is it that you are suddenly mine when you're supposed to be betrothed to my son?" he asked, taking a sip of his wine.

I was at a loss for words. Anything I said could determine my fate with this man, and the thought terrified me. What if he was abusive, like his son, or worse?

"When I ask questions, I expect answers," he warned.

"Perhaps the Moon Goddess has her own way of doing things," I offered hesitantly.

"The Moon Goddess didn't make you my mate from the beginning, so why now?" he pressed. "Unless you're not who you claim to be." He set his glass aside and leaned closer to me. "Who are you?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I shook my head. "I don't know. I just know that I'm Matilda. I don't remember anything." He stared at me in silence, his eyes void of any emotion, making it impossible to discern what was going through his mind. After what felt like an eternity, he let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair.

"The Moon Goddess has cursed you with being my mate, and now you'll have no choice but to die," he said, causing my heart to skip a beat in fear. I gulped, trying to steady my breathing, biting down on my lips to maintain eye contact with him despite my terror. What did he mean by death? Why death? What was happening? "But I won't let you die just like that. It is my duty to fulfill one last wish for you. Leave now and come back to me tomorrow. Tell me what you wish for, and I will grant it. But prepare to die in the coming months."

Panicked, I quickly rolled my wheelchair toward the door, fumbling to open it before rolling out and closing it behind me. What had just happened? What did he mean by all that? My mind was swirling with questions, but no answers were in sight. I tried to steady my heartbeat, but it was no use.

I wheeled down the corridor toward my room when suddenly, someone grabbed me by the hair, yanking me off the wheelchair and into a secluded corner. "What did you talk about with my father? Did you say anything about me?" Jacob's sadistic voice growled in my ear. I struggled to free myself from his grip, tears streaming down my face as I cried out, "No, I swear, I didn't tell him anything!"

"I don't believe you," he hissed. "You're capable of anything, and I know you're pretending to lose your memory right now. But I'm going to punish you until you stop pretending and remember everything." With that, he dragged me by the hair, hauling me toward a nearby door. He flung it open and shoved me inside, causing me to fall hard to the floor before he slammed the door shut behind me.

The room was dark and empty. Panicked, I rushed to the door, banging on it with all my strength, but he wasn't going to let me out. He really locked me in here? What did I ever do to this bastard to make him hate me so much? I screamed for help, pounding on the door, but no one was around to hear me.

Eventually, I accepted my fate and began to search the room. My hand brushed against a light bulb, and I flicked it on, revealing the dirty, empty space. Just a few old boxes were scattered around. Exhausted, I sank to the filthy floor. My life was one nightmare after another-first my treacherous fiancé, then my evil stepmother who tried to kill me. Somehow, I survived only to face this monstrous Lycan's son, who I was supposed to marry, or rather, who Matilda was supposed to marry and now I have to deal with the Lycan who wants to kill me. But who is this Matilda, and why does she look exactly like me? Where is she right now?

Feeling defeated, I forced myself to my feet and wandered around the room. My eyes landed on the cardboard boxes. Curiosity got the better of me, and I sat down beside one, reaching inside. Inside were old picture frames.

The first one I pulled out was of Jacob as a child. He looked so much more innocent than the monster he had become. I tossed it aside and rummaged for more. The next photo was of the Lycan-an interesting man. But then I found a picture that made my heart stop. It was of the Lycan dressed in a wedding suit, standing beside a woman whose face was blurred by dirt also wearing a wedding dress.

Curiosity consumed me as I carefully wiped away the grime, straining to see who she was. When her face finally came into focus, I froze, utterly shocked. It couldn't be. The frame slipped from my hand, shattering as it hit the floor.

It really can't be. Was I imagining things or was this real? I reached for the picture again, picking it up as I looked at it again and to my utter surprise it was real.

The Lycan... my stepmother... they were married? She is Jacob's mother? My stepmother was married to the Lycan?

What the actual fuck is going on?