The following morning, Sanskar stretched his arms out from under the comforter, memories of the incredible night he shared with his beloved flooding back. He got up and gazed at Swara beside him, snug under the comforter up to her chest. Her neck was covered in countless hickeys, with a prominent red bite mark on the left side gleaming brightly.

'The serenity of this morning is unmatched. It's been years since I've slept so soundly,' Sanskar thought, taking in the sight of Swara's peaceful slumber and feeling an overwhelming sense of calm.

As the sensation of a warm gaze reached her face, Swara's slumber was disturbed. She stirred and gradually blinked her eyes open, only to be greeted by the sight of Sanskar's smiling face. He lay next to her, propped up on one elbow, his hand cradling his head.

"Why are you waking up in my room, Sanskar?" she questioned, a blend of surprise and confusion coloring her tone.

"In your room?" Sanskar scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Miss Bose, take a moment to look around. Where do you think we are?"

Swara's eyes widened as she surveyed her unfamiliar surroundings. "This isn't either of our rooms. Where are we? How did we end up..." Her words trailed off as confusion gripped her mind. Then, a sudden recollection struck her: "Last night, I was drugged again. I was heading towards our suite, and then... everything becomes a blur."

How had she wound up in another room, and when had Sanskar joined her? Swara couldn't recall. Startled, she sat up abruptly, causing the comforter to slip from her chest. With a swift movement, she caught it, prompting a chuckle from Sanskar. Her gaze wandered down, taking in his bare upper body and the lower half concealed under the shared comforter.

She had initially thought the situation was reminiscent of her last drugging episode, but the sight of Sanskar's bare body and the presence of red marks on her skin contradicted that notion. Feeling the soreness in her body, Swara was left stunned by the stark reality before her.

"What's the matter? Are you taken aback?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Did we...?" Swara's voice trailed off, hesitant to complete her question. She distinctly remembered that the mating was slated to occur post-announcement, yet it seemed like no announcement had transpired.

"Yeah, uh..."

Swara's response was slow, her mind struggling to catch up with the situation. Observing her reaction, Sanskar couldn't help but feel a bit let down. "Are you bummed out by what went down?" he asked, shifting to sit facing her directly.

"Yeah, kinda. I'm kicking myself for not remembering the most epic moment between us," Swara admitted, her voice heavy with disappointment.

Sanskar's spirits lifted, misunderstanding her sentiment. "No worries, babe. I can happily help you recall every detail of last night," he teased in a mischievous tone, leaning in close to her ear and slipping his hand under the comforter to grasp her thigh.

A shiver tingled down Swara's spine. "You shameless..." She attempted to push him away, but Sanskar firmly held her hand and whispered in her ear, "This nickname suits you to a T. Just like last night, you seductively initiated and swept me off my feet."

"Zip it!" Swara yelled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Then you boldly took the reins and..." Sanskar continued with a naughty grin, but Swara tried to muffle his words by covering his mouth with her little palms. Sanskar clasped her hand, entwining his fingers with hers, and continued, "And then begging for more and more. Ah, that moment when I heard my name escape your lips last night."

Swara's ears flushed with shyness, and in an attempt to silence Sanskar's teasing, she pressed her lips firmly against his. While it halted him for a brief moment, the intoxicating memory of their passionate night lingered in his mind.

He embraced her tightly, positioning himself above her, ready to resume, only to be abruptly pushed away by Swara. He was caught off guard by her sudden action as she rose from the bed, wrapping the comforter around her frame.

"You little temptress, you can't just leave me hanging after lighting the flame," Sanskar protested.

"Then use your hand to put it out," she shot back before darting off towards the bathroom.

Sanskar chuckled at the sight of her back disappearing under the oversized comforter, finding her antics amusing. "My silly enchantress," he murmured fondly.

An hour later, Sanskar and Swara were all set and hopped into Sanskar's Rolls Royce, with his driver at the wheel.

"Where are we headed?" Swara queried.

"To the Pack House. I couldn't announce you as my Luna to the world, but I want the Crescent Moon Pack to meet their Luna. I've already called the entire pack together," Sanskar explained, and Swara was touched by his gesture.

As Sanskar and Swara arrived at the pack house, the expansive hall was already teeming with nearly the entire pack. Sanskar held Swara's hand firmly as they stood at the foot of the stairs, causing a shockwave to ripple through the crowd, followed by a loud uproar.

Sanskar let out a commanding growl, instantly silencing the hall, before addressing his pack. "My fellow pack members, allow me to introduce my mate and your Luna, Swara Bose."

Despite the sudden announcement, every member of the pack dropped to one knee, heads bowed, and their right hands placed over their hearts, a tradition signifying respect. "Hail, my Luna!" they chorused in unison.

With a nod of acknowledgment, Swara gracefully accepted their respectful welcome. It was a joyous occasion for the entire Crescent Moon pack. After a long wait since Sanskar assumed the position of alpha, they finally had their Luna. While most celebrated, a few younger members, particularly the she-wolves, appeared displeased.

"Why should a mere witch be our Luna? She's far beneath our powerful alpha."

"Exactly; she's not even from Alpha's bloodline or any prestigious lineage. Just an orphan witch. Why would the moon goddess choose her as our Luna?"

"Our alpha deserves someone better, someone strong and deserving of his status."

"Even we would make better Lunas, at least coming from a higher-ranked bloodline."

Two young she-wolves were overheard speaking disparagingly about Swara when a third intervened, cautioning them. "Regardless of who she is, she was chosen by the moon goddess and accepted by our alpha. Show some respect to our Luna."

"Sia, you can't shove your opinions down everyone's throats just because your family's tight with wizards," Kavita piped up, popping out of nowhere amidst the Crescent Moon pack.

The other two she-wolves perked up at the sight of Kavita's backing, clearly favoring her over Swara as their Luna. As Swara endeavored to foster camaraderie by greeting each member of the pack, she overheard disparaging remarks from a clique of rebellious girls. Sensing trouble, Swara anticipated that Kavita's interference would only escalate matters. If Sanskar were to catch wind of the situation, repercussions would surely follow for those involved.

To address the situation diplomatically, Swara intervened to prevent Kavita from exacerbating tensions. "Kavita, what brings you here? This gathering is for members of the Crescent Moon pack."

"Kavita's tight with Alpha Sanskar, so she's got the green light to crash any Crescent Moon shindig," a girl asserted in Kavita's favor.

Swara shook her head, seeing right through Kavita's scheme, then turned to the envious girls. "Do you presume to make decisions for our alpha?"

The girls trembled and nodded frantically. "We wouldn't dream of defying the Luna."

"We've got errands to run. We'll see ourselves out."

Both girls hurriedly vanished, fearing the exposure of their empty bravado. "Kavita, stop your deceitful tactics immediately, or you'll face the repercussions," Swara admonished Kavita firmly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"Fine, if that's what you insist..." Kavita shrugged nonchalantly, her impish grin still playing on her lips. "Let's call a truce and put an end to this disagreement," she proposed, holding out a drink to Swara.

Swara was well aware that Kavita was set in her ways and unlikely to change. She couldn't quite decipher what schemes Kavita had up her sleeve this time, and she certainly wasn't willing to fall for them again by accepting another drink.

"Don't fret; these drinks are perfectly safe," Kavita said with a sly grin. When Swara still didn't budge, Kavita quickly handed her both glasses. "Go ahead, pick one, and pass the other to me."

'Am I overthinking? Could it really be just a toast? Would she really pull the same trick twice?' Swara mused, handing one glass back to Kavita. "I can't even blame you for the drugging, considering the outcome was rather enjoyable," she added, removing the scarf that concealed her neck, hiding the telltale signs of the previous night's activities.

Kavita noticed the red marks and burned with jealousy, realizing it was Sanskar, not Ayush, with Swara last night. However, she kept her composure, knowing she still had a show to put on. Leaning in close, she whispered in Swara's ear, "This time, I promise the outcome will be disastrous."

Before Swara could register Kavita's veiled threat, Kavita suddenly collapsed to the floor, causing an uproar among the onlookers.