All eyes in the room turned toward her, and her heart raced faster than it ever had before in her life. The collective gaze of those present bore down on her, waiting for her response. The barrier of contact lenses remained, stubbornly blocking any connection between them.

Aadaya struggled to maintain her connection with the world, forcing her wolf deep into her subconscious to shield herself from the overwhelming scent of her mate. She stared intensely at him, her thoughts racing at breakneck speed, all while a faint furrow spread across his brow.

The assembled groups fixed their eyes on the newcomer as a turbulent storm of anxiety raged within her mind. She moved her mouth, attempting to form words, but her blank mind couldn't grasp the situation. She had never dared to dream of a possible mate, believing her cursed fate precluded such a possibility. Amidst the chaos that had dominated her life, the notion of a mate bringing responsibilities had never crossed her mind.

Damien began sniffing the air, detecting Aadaya's scent wafting toward them from a window behind her. His sniffing sounds only intensified her unease, redirecting attention away from her momentarily. They stood in the hallway, staring at Damien with puzzled expressions, waiting for him to stop.

Unable to take any action, Aadaya felt herself trapped between the realms of nightmare and reality, shivering uncontrollably. Her body began to shut down as her wolf entered a state of seizure due to the distressing situation. She suppressed her scent, her aura, and utilized her powers to conceal their presence in plain sight. Her mind raced through the myriad possibilities of what might happen to him, and, more agonizingly, to his pack. The screams and pleas of pain echoed in her ears, and she felt herself slipping back into that same nightmarish abyss, realizing the horror she was bringing upon him and his people.

But a glimmer of hope pierced through her despair as her mind wandered into the painful memories of the past. His words echoed relentlessly in her mind: "I will follow and hunt you down and kill whoever keeps you from me," he had declared with deadly determination in his eyes, making a solemn promise. As she gazed upon her mate's gentle smile and the gleam of happiness in his eyes that she had once known, but which had been tarnished by this cruel world.

For the first time in years, Aadaya felt the possibility of being loved for all that she was. Her flaws, her dark deeds, her killings—all of it might be forgiven and accepted for who she truly was. Aadaya stood like a statue amidst the watching crowd, lost in a reverie of the past. Trauma gripped her body tightly.

She looked into his cobalt blue eyes, sparkling with joy as he laughed at something his friends had said. Her wolf howled the word "Mate" repeatedly, like a broken record, as a glimmer of hope and happiness ignited in her heart.

Still sniffing around with his brows furrowed, Damien's friends asked him, "What happened, man?" He brushed past his friends and the group, making his way to the end of the hallway and the window. He peered out, unresponsive, and then stuck his head through, taking a deep breath. Pulling his head back inside, he turned to his friends and asked, "Did you smell that?"

Aadaya swiftly pieced everything together and, using her powers, opened the other window flap. With her psychic abilities, she summoned a gust of wind from outside to disperse her scents from the forest into the hallway.

She attempted to use her psychic powers to erase any memory of her scent from Damien's mind. However, she encountered a formidable mental barrier, as if there were a wall protecting his thoughts. She tried to breach that barrier but was forcefully repelled, causing her to stagger. Her wolf sensed her distress and responded by relentlessly battering the walls of her mind, howling and resisting her efforts.

A commotion erupted as Luna Sophie gasped and pointed in fear at Damien's tattoos. His Ikaneir mark began to shine and extended from his hands to half of his right face. His eyes gleamed with a golden hue as he blinked and looked at them. There was no denying it now; he was her true mate. Their close proximity triggered their mate bond, and the markings etched into their bodies began to glow. Though the connection remained hidden from their human awareness, their bodies recognized the presence of their destined bond.

Aadaya's wolf continued to scratch at her mind from within, weakening her. Desperate, she drew energy from their mate bond just as her vision started to blur.

In haste, Damien turned back to the window, breathing heavily as the effects of their mate bond took a toll on his body. His hands clenched the window sill as he fought to maintain his balance. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, and he unknowingly shared his energy with Aadaya. Her wolf intensified her efforts to break down the barriers separating them, making Aadaya feel dizzy and weak.

Alpha Arthur shielded Luna Sophie behind him, and Damien's eyes began to glow gold, his sclera disappearing as he growled, "There is someone in the pack's territory." The energy he expended started to drain him, but their close proximity awakened his latent power. His wolf, sensing Aadaya's presence, began to assert control, causing him to shift slightly. With anger, he leapt from the second-floor window.

Surprised and stunned by his actions, Alpha Arthur and Uncle Ethan followed him, their eyes locked on Damien's vanishing form as he disappeared into the forest. They retreated from the window, and Alpha's expression turned raw with anger as he received a mind link. He shouted orders to his Delta, Uncle Ethan, "Ethan, Ryan, gather the warriors on the east side of the territory. Rogues have breached our borders." He concluded, and Luna Sophie gasped in worry.

They all hurriedly departed, leaving Aadaya staring at their retreating figures. She sighed just as a red-headed boy turned to look at her with a furrowed brow. Hesitating for a brief moment, he then rushed away as Uncle Ethan yelled, "Ryan, come here."

Aadaya stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, her body trembling as she grappled with the chaotic maelstrom of emotions that had just erupted. Beside her, Luna Aunt and Alpha were equally stricken, their faces etched with a combination of shock and concern. It was as though time had ground to a halt, and the world around them had faded into oblivion.

Her gaze slowly drifted towards the closed front door, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her heart a heavy, pulsating weight in the pit of her stomach. The room seemed to close in on her, and she felt as if she were standing at the precipice of an abyss, teetering on the edge of losing control over everything she had painstakingly built in the past years. A deep, gnawing fear clawed its way into her consciousness, not only for what might happen to her but also for the unpredictable consequences that could befall him.

Alpha's rough voice, gruff and commanding, snapped her back to the present. She turned away from the door and faced him, her eyes meeting his tense, searching gaze. He studied her for what felt like an eternity, his piercing eyes seeming to strip away the layers of her soul, assessing her strength and resilience. Without waiting for their acknowledgement or consent, he abruptly turned and began striding down the hallway, headed for his office.

Aadaya and Aunt Miranda moved to follow him, their steps hesitant and disjointed, still trying to grasp the magnitude of the situation. But Luna Sophie intervened, her sudden action stopping them in their tracks. She placed a gentle hand on Miranda's elbow and, with a disarming smile that clashed with the turmoil of the moment, suggested, "Um, should we go to the garden and meet some of the pack members? They've been waiting for you. I'm sure Aadaya can handle it, right?" Without waiting for a response, she gently but firmly pulled Miranda away, leaving Aadaya to process the audacious manner in which they were being handled. The undercurrent of hidden agendas and manipulation among the pack's leaders seared itself into her awareness.

As Aadaya looked back down the desolate hallway, her gaze settled on Alpha, who was waiting for her to join him. She took a deep breath and, with unsteady steps, began her hesitant approach towards him.

*************************************************

"So, this is your first time being in contact with any other wolf than your Aunt and Uncle," the Alpha began after tea had been served to both of them. His eyes remained fixed on Aadaya, who returned his gaze with an unwavering look of her own. His face bore a striking resemblance to her mate, sharing a similar jaw structure, cheekbones, and face shape.

Aadaya placed her teacup down with deliberate care, taking her time before offering a concise reply, "Yes." It was a single word, but it held a world of meaning. The Alpha raised an eyebrow as he continued to scrutinize her. It was a unique way to encourage conversation without asking more questions, a habit she had become well acquainted with over the years.

Unbeknownst to the Alpha, he had no inkling of the formidable adversary he was dealing with. Here she sat, a woman who had confronted and endured the most harrowing of traumas, and yet she remained seated, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. He sensed a facade, but the depths beneath it remained a mystery to him. His sharp eyes couldn't help but notice that she possessed power, though to what extent remained unclear.

In a slow, deliberate tone, the Alpha continued, "I've seen my fair share of newcomers. Every now and then, a few find their way here." He attempted to intimidate her with his words, but little did he realize that roles could be reversed as well. Aadaya's response was sharp and concise, "Oh yes when one tends to be in the business, one does." She cut him off, refusing to be cowed.

Alpha, now realizing he may have underestimated his guest, shifted tactics. "I've been told that you had no wolf, but I found that a bit...stray," he said, hinting that he had noticed the performance she had put on earlier. Aadaya took a breath before replying honestly, "I didn't want to endanger the pack. The information had to be sent to the werewolf database, and anyone could have taken a sniff, as the first place one searches for someone is there."

The Alpha regarded her for a long moment, trying to read the depths of her character, as he had been doing since their meeting began. He then nodded, acknowledging her explanation. He knew all too well what happened behind closed doors and the intricacies of keeping certain secrets concealed. He looked at her with genuine admiration and offered his condolences, saying, "I'm sorry for your loss." For the first time since she had lost her mate, Aadaya felt seen by a stranger, truly understood.

Unable to find the words to respond, she simply nodded and picked up her empty cup, using it to hide her face as she sipped the remaining tea. The conversation took a more serious turn as the Alpha delved into her achievements. Going on, Alpha asks, "at such a young age you have a company under you. Its surprising what you are capable of... and what is your agenda", he insinuates as his aura changes. He insinuated that her capabilities were surprising and questioned her agenda, the subtle change in his aura betraying his unease. His words implied that she might hold more power than he was comfortable with or might try to overthrow him.

Aadaya's soft smile slowly transformed into a knowing smirk as she looked at him from beneath lowered lashes. "Surprising it is, that my actions went unnoticed before your accusations...and fear," she retorted. Her words highlighted her decision to hide her wolf for the pack's safety and her astute observation of his apprehension.

The Alpha offered a rueful smile, acknowledging his own unease. "In our world, surprises often lead to changes in leadership, you know," he remarked, subtly hinting at the danger she posed to him. Aadaya locked eyes with him and replied, "Don't you think I should be the accuser when providing my evidence, and you promise me something in return after the help?" Her shoulders tensed with the accusation that she felt had been levelled at her, and the alpha wolf within her bristled at being underestimated and insulted.

Just as he began to respond, Aadaya cut him off, "Mince your words, Alpha. You may cause more damage than you intend with your words. Because, as far as I remember, you seem to have more to gain from my presence here." She stared at him, her hands gripping the armrest of the chair tightly, the creaking of the leather echoing the tension in the room. The powerful aura she exuded was a clear sign of challenge, one that the Alpha could not easily ignore. It seemed to Aadaya that her challenge was a greater concern for her than merely establishing her place in this hierarchy.

The Alpha rose from his chair, extending his hand for a shake. "About my evidence, which I cannot provide at this time, do we have a deal, Alpha?" he asked, their hands clasping firmly as they exchanged a tense gaze. Both seemed to understand that this was a delicate balance of power and unspoken promises.

Aadaya nodded in acknowledgement and turned to leave. Just as she opened the office door to exit, the Alpha spoke again, addressing her as "Alpha.", since she didn't affirm her question. She paused in her tracks, her eyes narrowing. A slow smile graced her lips upon hearing her rightful title after years. Without responding, she walked out of the door and into the hallway, leaving the Alpha alone with his thoughts.

*********************************************

A gentle hand on my shoulder jolted me from my whirlwind of thoughts. My Aunt's sweet voice chimed in my ear, and she turned me around to face her. Concern etched across her face, her eyebrows furrowed as she studied me closely. She had approached me while I remained lost in my thoughts, gazing out the same window from which my mate had leapt. Luna Sophie's interruption had broken the trance.

My aunt stepped forward from behind me, and I answered her inquiry, "Yeah, just feeling sleepy and tired." Luna Sophie smiled softly at me and then gestured for us to follow her. "Let's get you to your room."

I trailed behind them, my aunt occasionally stealing glances at me, sensing that something was amiss. However, she chose not to comment. Luna Sophie led us in silence, her words a steady stream of chatter. My wolf was becoming increasingly irritated, not only with me but also with Luna, and I wondered if I should categorize her as a child given her size and boundless energy.

We came to a stop, and Luna Sophie squealed with delight, causing me to instinctively hide behind my aunt to protect my cheeks from being squeezed. She ran to a door, smiling widely and looking at me with hope.

I glanced at my aunt, finding her behaviour perplexing. I couldn't reconcile her position as Luna with her childlike behaviour. My aunt shrugged her shoulders, silently conveying her own confusion.

With a hopeful smile on her face, I entered the room. The room was adorned with a purple theme, featuring pandas and cute cartoon characters as the central theme. I was certain this was not my style—definitely not mine.

"So, how does it look?" Luna Sophie asked, her enthusiasm undiminished. Still too shocked to respond, my aunt spoke on my behalf, "Oh, she loves it. See, she's speechless." She looked at me with pleading eyes, fully aware that this room did not fit my taste.

...I didn't know what else destiny had in store for me...

"Luna, let's go now. We should let her get settled," my aunt decided for me, a tinge of pity in her gaze. My wolf growled in response to her taking charge of the situation, displaying her moody disposition.

The room had a large window facing the backyard. I walked over to it, the wind gently swaying my hair. As I peered outside, I wasn't surprised to find dozens of warriors at the edge of the forest. The pack's leaders huddled together, engaged in a discussion. Among them stood the commanding figure, unaffected by the attire—wearing only pants with his Ikaneir on full display. Waves of anger radiated from him, his eyes aglow, revealing the edge of his feral nature. It was then that I realized something that hit me like a slap in the face.

...I not only had the responsibility as a mate but also as the Luna of the pack, for he was an Alpha...

...to be continued

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