Stolen Mate

The forest was quiet tonight, save for the crunch of pine needles under my boots and the distant howl of a lone wolf. Moonlight seeped through the trees, painting silver streaks on the mossy ground. I knelt, fingers brushing the velvety leaves of a nightbloom plant-its petals glowed faintly, ready to be plucked. *For the fever tinctures*, I reminded myself, tucking it into my woven basket. Healing was my purpose, my anchor in the Silvermoon Pack. The woods knew my footsteps better than the pack's own trails.

"Elara!"

I turned, the familiar voice slicing through the stillness. Lila bounded toward me, her fiery auburn hair loose and wild, as always. She skidded to a stop, breathless, her amber eyes glittering with mischief. "You're *still* out here? The Alpha's back at dawn! The whole pack's scrubbing the meeting hall like their lives depend on it."

I shrugged, forcing a smile. "Someone has to restock the infirmary before the ceremony."

She snorted, snatching the basket from my hands. "You're the only one who'd prioritize yarrow over *this*. The mate ceremony's a once-in-a-lifetime event!" Her voice softened, teasing. "What if Kieran picks you?"

My chest tightened. Alpha Kieran-broad-shouldered, storm-eyed, with a laugh that could shake the earth-had been away for months, settling disputes with the neighboring packs. The thought of him stirred something primal in me, a flicker I'd buried deep. "Don't joke about that," I muttered, grabbing the basket back. "The Moon Goddess chooses mates. Not Alphas."

Lila looped her arm through mine, dragging me toward the village. "But *you'd* make a perfect Luna. Gentle. Wise. Not like those power-hungry she-wolves clawing for his attention." She wrinkled her nose. "Besides, your scent's practically made for him. Lavender and moonlight. It's *obvious*."

I stiffened. My scent had always been... different. Stronger. A healer's mark, the elders said. But Lila's words felt like a stone in my gut. "The Goddess doesn't care about scents," I lied. "She cares about loyalty."

"Loyalty?" Lila laughed, sharp and bright. "Please. This is about *destiny*."

We reached the edge of the village, where torches flickered in iron brackets and the scent of roasted venison hung thick. The pack bustled around bonfires, stringing garlands of ivy and wolfsbane between the cabins. Children darted underfoot, yipping playfully, while elders muttered blessings over the Alpha's empty throne.

Lila squeezed my arm, her grin fading. "You're really not excited?"

I hesitated. Excited? Terrified. The ceremony would bind Kieran to his true mate, the one the Moon Goddess had chosen. And every fiber of me ached to believe it could be... *No*. Hope was a dangerous thing. "I'm just glad he's home safe," I said quietly.

Her eyes narrowed, but she let it drop. "Come on. Mara needs help with the feast."

I followed, my gaze drifting to the Alpha's lodge-a towering structure of cedar and stone at the heart of the village. Its doors were carved with howling wolves, their eyes gleaming like embers. Tomorrow, Kieran would stand there, and the pack would watch as fate unfolded.

***

By midnight, the infirmary shelves were stocked, and my hands smelled of crushed herbs and resin. I lingered in the doorway, watching the pack's shadows dance against the firelight. Laughter bubbled from the meeting hall, where Lila was no doubt charming the warriors with her bold jokes and louder laugh.

"Elara."

I jumped. Elder Taryn stood behind me, her silver braids coiled like serpents. Her milky eyes saw more than they should. "The Alpha's return troubles you."

"No, Elder. I'm... I'm glad for him."

She hummed, unconvinced. "The Moon's path is rarely smooth. Trust your heart, child. It knows the scent of truth."

Before I could reply, she vanished into the crowd.

I retreated to my cabin, the smallest in the village, tucked between the infirmary and the woods. My fingers traced the dried herbs hanging from the rafters-thyme, sage, bitterroot-as I brewed a cup of chamomile. The ceremony loomed like a storm, inevitable and wild.

*What if he chooses me?*

The thought slipped in, unwelcome. I sipped the tea, bitter on my tongue. Kieran was a leader, a warrior. I was a healer, happiest in the shadows. We were ash and flame-close, but never meant to touch.

A knock shattered the silence.

Lila leaned in the doorway, holding two steaming mugs. "Can't sleep either?"

I shook my head, motioning her inside. She handed me a mug-spiced cider, sweet and sharp. We sat on the floor, shoulders pressed together, like we'd done since we were pups.

"Remember when we snuck into the Alpha's lodge?" she said, grinning. "You were convinced Kieran's ghost would haunt us."

"You *pushed* me into his trophy room!"

"And you screamed so loud, you woke the entire pack."

I elbowed her, but laughter spilled out. For a moment, the weight lifted.

Her smile faded. "Whatever happens tomorrow... we're still sisters, right?"

"Always."

She hugged me tight, her cider clove-and-cinnamon scent mingling with mine. "Good. Because you're stuck with me."

When she left, the room felt colder. I curled into my cot, staring at the moon through the window. The Goddess's eye, watching. Judging.

*Tomorrow*, I thought. *Tomorrow, everything changes.*

The sun hadn't yet risen when I slipped into the infirmary, my hands steady but my mind restless. Dawn painted the sky in streaks of violet and gold, and the air smelled of dew and smoke from the early-lit bonfires. I rearranged jars of salves and tinctures-already perfectly ordered-to keep from pacing. The pack had buzzed all night with preparations, but here, among the dried herbs and silence, I could pretend today was ordinary.

*He's back*, my wolf whispered, restless beneath my skin.

I ignored her.

Lila burst through the door, her hair braided with crimson ribbons, cheeks flushed. "They're here! The scouts just signaled-Kieran's crossing the northern ridge!"

My fingers tightened around a jar of elderberry syrup. "Good. The pack needs him."

She rolled her eyes. "*You* need to stop hiding. Come on!"

Before I could refuse, she dragged me outside. The village pulsed with energy. Warriors lined the main path, their postures rigid, while elders chanted blessings. Children perched on shoulders, craning to see. I hovered near the back, close enough to watch but far enough to fade into the shadows.

A horn blared.

The crowd stilled as hoofbeats thundered in the distance. My pulse quickened. Through the mist, figures emerged-Kieran at the front, riding a midnight-black stallion, his broad frame cloaked in furs. Even from here, I felt the heat of his gaze scanning the pack. *Looking for her*, I thought. His true mate.

The air shifted as he dismounted, earth trembling under his boots. His storm-gray eyes swept over the crowd, sharp and assessing. A scar cut through his left brow, pale against his sun-darkened skin. When his gaze brushed mine, my breath hitched. For a heartbeat, the world narrowed-to him, to the primal pull in my chest, to the *rightness* that made my wolf whimper.

Then he looked away.

The pack erupted into cheers as he strode toward his lodge, warriors clapping his shoulders. Lila whistled, loud and brash, while I stood frozen, my ribs a cage for the wild thing clawing inside me.

"Elara?"

I startled. Mara, the pack's head cook, thrust a basket of bandages into my arms. "The Alpha's men might need tending. Go."

I nodded, grateful for the excuse to move.

Inside the lodge, the air was thick with pine resin and iron. Kieran's beta, Garrick, slumped on a bench, his forearm bleeding. I knelt beside him, focusing on the wound-a shallow gash, clean. My hands didn't shake as I cleaned it. *Focus on this*, I told myself. *Not him*.

"You're quiet today," Garrick grunted.

"You're lucky it's not deeper," I said, wrapping linen around his arm.

He smirked. "Would've been, if Kieran hadn't stepped in. Got between me and a Nightshade warrior's claws like it was nothing."

My throat tightened. *Of course he did*. "The treaty?"

"Signed. No more raids." He flexed his arm, testing the bandage. "Thanks, healer."

I stood, gathering supplies, when the lodge doors swung open.

Kieran entered, his presence swallowing the room. Blood smeared his tunic, not his own. His eyes locked onto mine, and the pull returned, fiercer, like a rope yanking my spine straight. My wolf surged forward, desperate to close the distance between us.

*No.*

I dropped my gaze. "Are you injured, Alpha?"

A pause. "No."

His voice was gravel, low and rough from weeks of command. I risked a glance-his jaw clenched, nostrils flaring as if scenting the air. *My scent*. Lavender, unmistakable. Panic fluttered in my throat. Did he feel it too? The bond?

"Elara."

I flinched at the sound of my name. "Yes?"

"The wounded?"

"All stable." I stepped back, clutching the basket to my chest. "I should go."

He didn't stop me.

Outside, I leaned against the lodge's cedar walls, trembling. The mate bond wasn't a gentle tug-it was a wildfire, threatening to burn every wall I'd built. But Kieran hadn't reacted. Hadn't *claimed* me. Maybe the Goddess had made a mistake. Or maybe I had.

"There you are!" Lila bounded over, her grin faltering as she studied me. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Just tired."

She looped her arm through mine, steering me toward the feast. "Come on. You've earned some cider after patching up Garrick's dramatics."

I let her chatter fill my head, smothering the ache in my chest. The bonfire roared, laughter echoing as the pack celebrated Kieran's return. He sat at the high table, a crown of oak leaves on his brow, his gaze distant.

Lila followed my stare. "He's different. Harder."

"War changes people," I murmured.

"Or maybe he's just waiting." She winked. "For *you*."

I choked on my cider. "Stop."

"I'm serious! Did you see how he looked at you?"

*Yes*. Like a storm searching for landfall. "He didn't look at me at all."

She opened her mouth to argue, but a howl cut through the noise-long and mournful. The pack fell silent as Elder Taryn rose, her gnarled hands raised.

"Tomorrow," she intoned, "the Moon Goddess will bless our Alpha with his true mate. Prepare. Cleanse. And heed Her will."

The crowd erupted into howls, a chorus that shook the stars. Lila howled with them, fierce and bright. I pressed my lips together, the sound dying in my throat.

Later, in my cabin, I scrubbed my hands with rosemary, the scent sharp enough to erase the memory of his. But when I closed my eyes, I saw him-bloodied and regal, a king who didn't know I existed.

*It's better this way*, I told myself.

My wolf disagreed.

The morning after the feast, I woke to the scent of rain-soaked earth and the distant murmur of the pack. My cabin felt too small, the walls pressing in with the weight of what lay ahead. I dressed quickly, tying my hair into a loose braid, and stepped outside. The air was thick with anticipation, the village buzzing like a hive.

I headed to the infirmary, my sanctuary. The herbs I'd gathered yesterday needed drying-a task simple enough to quiet my mind. But as I crushed lavender stems, their fragrance sharpened, clinging to my skin. It had always been strong, but today it felt heavier, as if the very air conspired to announce me.

The door creaked open. Elder Taryn stood framed in sunlight, her milky eyes narrowed. Behind her, two more elders hovered, their faces unreadable.

"Child," Taryn said, her voice a rasp. "The Moon's breath is upon you."

I froze, mortar in hand. "I don't understand."

She stepped closer, inhaling deeply. "Lavender and moonlight. The mark of a true mate."

The words struck like a blow. My fingers trembled, scattering dried petals. "No. That's-it's just my healer's scent."

One of the other elders, Jarek, shook his head. "We've seen this once before. Decades ago. The stronger the scent, the clearer the bond." His gaze pierced me. "The Alpha's mate is here."

The room tilted. *Kieran's mate. Me.* Panic clawed up my throat. "You're mistaken."

Taryn's bony hand gripped my wrist. "Deny it, and you deny the Goddess."

Before I could argue, footsteps echoed outside. Lila strode in, her cheeks flushed, a basket of juniper berries balanced on her hip. "Elara, Mara needs more-" She stopped, sensing the tension. "What's wrong?"

The elders exchanged glances. "Nothing," I said quickly. "We were discussing the ceremony."

Taryn's lips thinned, but she nodded. "Prepare yourself, child. The pack will see the truth soon enough."

They left, their whispers trailing behind them. Lila set the basket down, her gaze sharp. "What truth?"

"Nothing." I turned back to the mortar, grinding harder.

She snatched it from me. "Don't lie. I heard them. They think you're Kieran's mate."

The accusation hung between us. I reached for the mortar, but she yanked it away. "Lila, please. It's just rumors."

"Rumors?" Her laugh was brittle. "Your scent's been screaming it for weeks. Even the pups notice."

I flinched. "You never said anything."

"Because I thought *you'd* say something!" She threw her hands up, berries scattering. "But you've been hiding, like always. Too scared to claim what's yours."

Her words stung. "It's not that simple. Being Luna-"

"Would be *easy* for you." Her voice cracked. "You're gentle. Wise. The pack adores you. Meanwhile, I'm just... Lila. The loud one. The joke."

I reached for her, but she stepped back. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?" She glared, her amber eyes bright with tears she'd never let fall. "You don't even *want* him, and the Goddess hands him to you. While the rest of us..." She bit her lip, shaking her head. "Forget it."

She stormed out, the door slamming behind her.

***

The pack's whispers followed me all day.

At the well, mothers hushed when I approached. Warriors nodded a little too respectfully. Even the children stared, wide-eyed, as if I'd sprouted wings. By afternoon, the infirmary felt like a cage. I fled to the forest, seeking solace among the pines.

But peace didn't come.

My wolf paced, restless, her longing for Kieran a constant ache. I scrubbed my hands with mint leaves, desperate to dull the lavender, but it clung stubbornly. *What if they're right?* The thought terrified me. To stand beside Kieran, to lead-I wasn't made for that. I was made for quiet rooms and broken bones, not thrones and battles.

As dusk fell, I returned to the village. The meeting hall glowed, packed with pack members rehearsing the ceremony's dances. I lingered outside, unseen, until a familiar laugh cut through the music.

Lila.

She stood at the center of the hall, twirling with a warrior named Finn, her smile too bright, her movements too sharp. She'd tied crimson ribbons in her hair-Kieran's favorite color. My chest tightened.

"She's trying too hard."

I jumped. Rhea, a young omega, stood beside me, her arms crossed.

"What?"

She nodded at Lila. "The ribbons. The dancing. She's been at it all day. Thinks if she's perfect, the Alpha might pick her instead."

A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Instead of who?"

Rhea raised a brow. "You."

I retreated to my cabin, guilt and fear twisting together. Lila's laughter chased me, a blade in the dark.

That night, she didn't visit.

I lay awake, staring at the moon. *The Goddess's choice*, the elders had said. But choices had consequences. If I were mate to Kieran, I'd lose Lila. If I weren't, I'd lose... what? A destiny I never asked for?

A howl pierced the silence-long, lonely. Kieran's.

My wolf howled back before I could stop her.