When His Mate Emerges

Celeste 's POV

The manor was dead silent in the middle of the night. I looked outside at the full moon. It was tinged with a hint of blood red. My unease and anxiety grew wildly, like weeds.

Suddenly, the crash of shattering glass and frantic shouting broke through the stillness. Then, a long, haunting howl cut through the night, followed by a wave of menacing energy that seemed to press down on everyone like a physical weight.

That howl belonged to my husband, Nathaniel Garcia, the Alpha of the Stormhowl Pack.

Four months ago, a war left Nathaniel with the curse of the Blood Moon. When it took hold, he lost control, becoming restless and edgy, and was driven into an intense state of longing as he entered a rut.

Tonight was his second Blood Moon episode.

But as the Alpha of the Stormhowl Pack, the ultimate ruler of these lands, he couldn't afford for this secret to get out. If the pack found out, it would trigger a total meltdown.

Worse, rival packs would see it as a chance to strike.

At this moment, only his Beta, Dane, and his closest guards were guarding his room, working to keep him from completely losing control.

Nathaniel's snarls were raw with pain, and I felt my heart shatter with each sound.

My husband, this incredible Alpha, had already endured so much. I wasn't about to let him face this nightmare alone.

I shoved past his personal guards and charged toward his room. "Let me in," I demanded, my voice razor-sharp with determination.

Dane stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Luna, Alpha Nathaniel isn’t seeing anyone right now. He's dangerous, and you can't even calm him down. You're not his mate."

I'd always known Dane hated me. He'd been convinced that I was responsible for the death of the previous Beta, Matthew.

Dane was Nathaniel's most trusted friend, and normally, I'd avoid confrontation to keep things smooth. But right now, I couldn't care about any of that.

"Let. Me. In." My words came out ice-cold.

A sharp, venomous voice cut through the tension. "I'm Alpha Nathaniel's mate. Only I can calm him down, Celeste."

Madeline Carl threw me a look dripping with pure contempt. "If I'd known him sooner, you wouldn't have had the chance to sink your claws into my mate." Her words were a brutal punch of truth.

I watched as Dane, who'd just blocked me, now stepped aside to let Madeline pass.

An out-of-control Alpha could only be soothed by his true mate. And me? I was just his wife, his Luna—but never his mate.

At that moment, I felt absolutely powerless.

The door swung open, and the overwhelming scent of the Alpha filled the air. Everyone froze, feeling its weight pressing down on us, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Nathaniel sat by the window, half-bathed in moonlight. One side of his face looked soft, almost gentle in the silvery glow. The other half lurked in shadow, dark and menacing. His emerald eyes now burned with a blood-red intensity. His gaze slowly swept across us, predatory and razor-sharp like a hunter sizing up his prey.

He slowly walked toward us, his crimson eyes blazing with an intense hunger. An chilling, violent energy radiated from him, choking the air with pure menace.

Madeline, who'd been so smug just moments ago, suddenly seemed unsure of herself. Her smile died on her face, and she looked totally thrown off balance. She didn't dare take another step forward.

I figured Nathaniel's appearance must have scared her. After all, I had been the one by his side during his previous curse episodes. This was her first time witnessing Nathaniel under the curse's influence.

"What are you doing here?" Nathaniel's voice came out raspy, strained from fighting his own inner demons. Weirdly, that made him even more terrifying.

"Nathaniel, I... I..." Madeline's voice trembled. As he moved closer, the horrifying energy surrounding him made her instinctively stumble backward.

I couldn't help wondering—weren't they supposed to be fated mates? Why was she so scared?

I watched Nathaniel, seeing nothing but pure agony. I knew he was fighting with everything he had not to completely lose control.

Suddenly, a massive hand reached out and pulled me into the room.

Before I could react, Nathaniel scooped me into his arms. With a swift kick, he slammed the door shut, leaving Madeline's shocked protests echoing on the other side.

"Nate?" I whispered against his neck, trembling as I held onto him. "Do you know who I am?"

"Always," Nathaniel growled, pinning me into the mattress. His familiar scent turned wild and dangerous, making my head spin as his desperate kisses claimed me. His once-emerald eyes were now completely consumed by blood-red, dark with power and need. I felt like helpless prey, completely trapped in his territory.

Though his intensity should have scared me, I pulled him closer, accepting him.

His touch was wild and urgent, each kiss more intense than the last. He moved with desperate need, his lips trailing fire down my neck as he claimed me with gentle bites. Then I felt his rock-hard, intimidating cock already pressed between my thighs.

"Hold on, Nate, just wait a sec..." I tried to stop him.

"You knew what was coming when you came to me. I've been waiting far too long," he shot back.

His mouth captured mine, swallowing my cry as he claimed me in one powerful thrust.

Nathaniel gave me no time to adjust. All his pent-up desire, impulses, and wild energy exploded at once, and the pain quickly gave way to uncontrollable pleasure coursing through me.

He found his rhythm, gripping my waist tightly as he moved with fierce intensity. His eyes burned with possession and need.

We hadn't been this close in ages, not since Madeline showed up and our relationship froze solid.

Whether from pleasure or bitterness, tears blurred my vision. Nathaniel kissed away a stray tear, his movements growing more intense as he growled, "Say my name, and I'll make you come."

My mind went blank. His name fell from my lips in broken gasps. After a final intense moment, we climaxed together, and I collapsed trembling beneath him.

Tonight, he seemed obsessed with my scent. He buried his face in my neck, breathing in my scent like I was his true mate. The rigid tension in his body slowly melted as his teeth grazed my sensitive skin.

When I trembled and managed a shaky refusal, his gaze darkened with something unreadable. Still, he softened the bites into kisses on my marking spot, the most vulnerable place for a werewolf. I felt like prey trapped in his grasp.

Nate barely let me catch my breath. After our passionate tangle in the sheets, he carried me to the window, silver moonlight bathing our skin. The cool glass pressed against my back as he held me close, my legs wrapped around his waist. I melted into his touch, giving myself over to him completely.

We left traces of our passion everywhere—the carpet, the bathroom.

Eventually, I drifted off to sleep in his arms, utterly exhausted but feeling a deep satisfaction in my heart. For the first time since his true mate appeared, I finally felt the full force of his love.

I had no idea how much time passed before I woke from that hazy slumber. Nathaniel lay beside me, sleeping soundly, looking peaceful again. I couldn't help wondering to myself if my scent, my presence, somehow calmed him down too.

"Tammy, maybe we should tell him," I talked to my wolf in my head. "Our power could help ground him when he loses control, even if..." I swallowed hard, "we're not his fated mate."

Even now, I clung to a tiny flicker of hope.

"He'd flip out if he knew we weren't just some weak little wolf." I smiled.

Gazing at his face, I brushed my fingers gently across Nathaniel's cheek. From the first moment we met, I'd fallen hard for this man. We used to have a wild, passionate love, but somewhere along the way, we'd started drifting apart. Our hearts grew more distant with every step.

Still, he loved me, didn't he? There had to be something left. Our marriage hadn't hit rock bottom yet.

Then, he stirred, mumbling something in his sleep. When I made out what he said, every shred of hope in me shattered like glass.

"Madeline."

Madeline? That single word froze my blood.