His Fated Luna

Alpha Aiden's POV

“I want the entire venue drowned in gold and blue—to signify the merging of our two packs. No exceptions.” My voice was absolute, carrying the weight of my title as the new alpha.

A role I had been thrust into all too early after my father passed away this last summer. I missed him, even now when someone called me “Alpha” it made me turn and search for my father. Only to realize, dad wasn’t here anymore. It was me. I was alpha. And I had no clue what I was doing.

Lexia, my girlfriend, slipped her hand into mine as we stood in dad’s study. Wait, that wasn’t right. This was my study. We stood in my study.

The office glowed with golden light, casting shadows against the polished floors. I looked at the event planner, my mouth in a stern line, hoping to display myself as a strong confident leader. Hoping that my voice was able to reflect the authority I carried.

“I would love to have an ice-sculpture!” Lexia stated excitedly, her ice-blue eyes awash with excitement. “We need an ice-sculpture of a phoenix for our engagement party.” She clapped her hands.

“Of course,” I said smoothly. Lexia was the only daughter of the neighboring Silver Creek Pack Alpha. And we were about to become engaged. Tomorrow, at our engagement party, I would get down on one knee in front of everyone and ask her to marry me. Then I would slip the ring onto her finger that we both had gone out shopping for and chosen together. A perfect ring to signify the union of the perfect couple.

Of all the decisions I would be making as the new alpha, I felt this was the right one. I would merge the two packs and my father would be proud of me. Nevermind the fact that the last time he and I spoke, right before his car accident, he had expressed concern over my relationship with Lexia. He wanted me to wait for my fated mate. Every shifter had a fated mate. But our pack was different. The Luna of our pack was always born on pack soil and was born with a red phoenix shaped birthmark on her left arm. It meant she had the power to converse with our dead ancestors. The only catch was that those powers did not manifest until she was mated to the alpha of the pack. I did not have a fated mate since there were no women in our pack with the birthmark. Which meant I was free to take a chosen mate. And Lexia was perfect for the role.

“Ice sculptures in August…might be difficult,” the event planner muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“What my future Luna wants, my future Luna gets,” I glowered at the middle-aged man, and watched his thin mustache twitch as he nodded furiously.

“It’s just that it might be expensive to arrange one at such short notice,” he squealed in a small voice.

“Price is not an issue,” I clicked out, standing at the massive oak desk, eyes locked on the event planner, waiting—daring—him to question me.

He didn’t.

His pen began scratching against the paper furiously as he scribbled down every demand that spilled from Lexia’s lips.

“This event needs to be phenomenal,” I finally stated once Lexia was done talking. “Regal. Imposing. I want people to feel the weight and power of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack the moment they step inside. I want them to know that we could be powerful allies, or dangerous enemies should they choose to cross us.”

Many an alpha would love to challenge me and take over my pack. And it was allowed according to the werewolf laws. Which is why I had to act quick. An alliance with Lexia’s pack was the best way to do this. Most men my age who graduated high school had plans to go to college. I had to put those plans on hold because a few weeks after my high school graduation, I had to bury my father and take charge of my pack. However, Lexia and I planned to go to college together. We would get engaged, stabilize the pack and then make plans to pursue our higher education. Lexia wanted to be a lawyer. And the last thing I wanted was to hold her back from her dreams. We would grow together and become the power couple we were meant to be.

The planner swallowed hard, bringing me back from my thoughts. “Of course, Alpha. And for the engagement ceremony itself?”

Lexia spoke up quickly. “The grandest stage! A throne-like setup!” She clapped her hands together excitedly.

“Yes where Lexia stands beside me, and they’ll all see her for what she is—my queen. The only woman I’ll ever love,” I added with a soft smile down at her.

Her eyes softened as she looked at me and then she leaned in, placing a quick kiss on my lips. I loved her so much. She had been there for me when my father passed away, offering comfort when I needed it the most. I would forever be thankful for her presence anchoring me when I was lost in a storm of devastation. We pulled back from our kiss and I turned to look at the event planner.

The old man hesitated. “And the guest list? The entire pack, I assume?”

“Not just the pack,” I corrected. “I want Alphas from neighboring territories, the allied packs of the Southeast region—all the power players. This isn’t just about love. It’s a declaration. A statement of authority.”

Before he could respond, the heavy oak doors swung open.

“Alpha Aiden?”

That voice.

Lexia went rigid next to me as we both looked up to face my mother. Josie stood in the doorway, deep blue eyes, the same color as mine, sharp as ever, scanning the room before landing on me. Her expression was unreadable, but something in her gaze set my teeth on edge. When I was a child she had often looked at me that way when I did something wrong.

“You’re back,” I said smoothly, forcing a smile. After my father passed away, Mom had been devastated. Rightly so. They were fated mates and she had lost her soul mate. So she had taken my siblings with her to visit her sister during the summer. I had hoped to surprise her when she returned tomorrow. “Didn’t expect you for another day.”

She folded her arms. A silent challenge. “And I didn’t expect my son to be planning something as monumental as his engagement without consulting his mother.”

I exhaled sharply. “I wanted to surprise you. You know I love Lexia. I’m making her my mate.”

Josie’s face darkened. With a single glance, denoting her years of authority as Luna of this pack, she dismissed the planner. He didn’t hesitate—scurrying out of the room like he’d just witnessed something forbidden.

And maybe he had.

“Lexia,” Mom said sternly, a scowl firmly set on her lips. “Please give me a moment alone with my son.”

Lexia looked like she wanted to argue. But not many people had dared ever cross the Luna of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack. And for good reason. Nobody wanted to see Mom when she got upset.

“Alright Mrs. Sinclair,” Lexia murmured before moving away from me and out of the room.

“You didn’t have to make her leave,” I finally said angrily, crossing my arms. “Soon, there will be no secrets between us. She is my fiance’ and mate.”

Mom stepped closer. “Lexia is not your mate.”

My jaw tightened. Not this again. I had had this argument with Mom and Dad multiple times.

“She’s my love. My choice.”

Her head shook, slow, deliberate. “You’re an Alpha, Aiden. And your duty is to yourself before it is to your pack. Only then can you become a true strong leader. You have a soul mate out there. You must be with the true Luna of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack. You know this already!”

I shook my head.

A muscle ticked in my jaw. I turned away, exhaling hard through my nose. “I don’t care about fate, Mother. I care about who I love. Besides,” I scoffed, shaking my head. “I don’t have a fated mate. We know this already. She doesn’t exist. And Lexia is my choice.”

“She’s not your destiny,” Mom countered swiftly, voice edged with steel. “Your fated mate exists, Aiden. And I know who she is.”

My mind was calculating the implications of her words. Already rejecting such notions. “I don’t have a fated mate. You’re mistaken” I countered.

Her next words sent my world crashing down around me.

“She was sent away when she was a baby for her own protection. You have a fated mate who was born on pack soil and possesses the birthmark which denotes her as the chosen one with the power to talk to our ancestors. It was one of the pack’s closely guarded secrets. Austin, your father, forbade anyone from ever speaking of it. Aiden, I am so sorry for not telling you before but your father thought it was too dangerous to call her back until you were ready…”

I shook my head.

“This isn’t happening.” The words spilled from my lips as I felt my world begin to topple. “No one decides who I love,” I spat. “Not even fate.”

Anger twisted inside me. Fury. Defiance. Something else. Something I refused to name. Something that felt a lot like shame and humiliation because Dad never trusted me with the truth. Did he think I wasn’t good enough to know the pack’s secrets?

The walls of my world began to crack as Mom kept speaking, telling me I had to go meet this stranger. A stranger who was supposed to be my soulmate.