The mate bond is one of the strongest forces on the planet, created by the moon goddess Selene, herself. And here I stood, on the day that was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, my mating ritual, with the person who isn't even my mate.

"I do" I said as the priestess asked if I took him as my husband. My name is Vanessa Myers I'm 20 years old and I never found my mate. My father who was Alpha of our pack decided it would be better to marry me off to another alpha about 5 years older then me. His name was Jason Smith, he wasn't a powerful alpha but he was rich.

The wedding soon came to an end, we had a small reception and after went to a hotel room. "Your truly beautiful Vanessa" he said as he laid on top of me "I'm going to make this the best night of your life" he said I smiled "I hope so" I said wrapping my arms around him and kissed him. He was a good man but we could never love each other and we both knew that. I was only his Luna in name.

And that's how it went for the next year. We ruled his pack together, he helped my father's pack financially and I helped strengthen his or now our pack. He was kind to me and we both formed a type of love were we needed each other.

He became my best friend. "Vanessa are you ready for tonight" he asked me "I'm a little nervous it's our first time hosting the alpha conference" I said tying his tie "ness" he said "what is it?" I asked looking up at him. "If you find your mate...." "I won't" I interrupted "I'm 21 I've been looking for 5 years he's not gonna turn up" I said finishing his tie. "If you do I won't be mad if you choose to leave" he said "I took an oath Jason, I'll be with you until the day you die" I replied.

"Now let's go before were late" I replied grabbing his hand and pulling him. We got into the car and drove 5 minutes to the pack house. There were hundreds of cars it made me wonder how many wolves were there. Jason helped me out of the car and walked me to the doors. Our pack house was a big white building with 2 oak wood doors at the very center. Two wolves then opened the doors and led us into the ballroom of the pack house.

There stood hundreds of wolves talking away. Jason and I walked up to the stage. "Welcome all Alphas, beta's, delta's, and their families, we are honoured to welcome you to the 160th annual Alpha conference. We are honoured to be hosting this event and both my Luna and I along with our pack hope you enjoy yourselves" he said and clapping followed.

We walked off the stage and began greeting everyone slowly but surely. "Oh my is that you Luna Vanessa" a familiar voice said behind me "Luna Julie what an honor I think the last time I saw you was my wedding" I replied awkwardly "I'm gonna go talk to some other alphas" Jason said in an attempt to run away. "I'm gonna kill you" I said jokingly as he ran away "Vanessa how have you been since the marriage, I mean I heard so much but I just had to see for myself" she said with a bright smile.

"I'm fine, Jason and I are working on making the pack better little by little" I replied "how lovely well I'll leave you to it" she said then walked away. I continued to meet people and talked to them. when suddenly someone walked onto the stage. "attention all" the unusual person said. "I am honored to be here among all of you alphas, beta's, and delta's" he said "Jason what's going on" I asked walking up to him. "I don't know, I have no clue who he is" he replied.

"now that we have everyone here I'll tell you what's going on" he continued. "I have approximately 60 - 100 gun man here, anyone who tries to play hero will be stopped. because here I am the boss" he said.

"shit" I said "now I need a volunteer" he said "preferably a female, one who seems to be loved by almost everyone here, one who has red hair and blue eyes" he said "he was watching us" Jason said surprised. "why don't one of my helpers grab her for me" he said when suddenly I was grabbed and being dragged "let go of her" Jason said and then there was a gun shot "J-jason" I said as I saw him fall to the ground and blood began to flow from his left shoulder and he fell to the ground.

"JASON!" I yelled as I continued to get dragged up to the stage. I was thrown to the ground, and then quickly grabbed one again with a gun being point to my head. "now I'm sure your all wondering what it is I want" the strange man said "what I want is very simple.... I want $100,000" he said and I quickly pushed him away and stood up "you did all of this for a measley 100 grand!" I yelled "you shot my husband for 100 grand" I yelled as 100 guns were suddenly pointed at me "here" I said pulling out my check book and writing a check for 100 grand then threw it at him. "now get out before I make you regret it" I said my eyes turning an ember color.

"if this check bounces I'm coming for you" he whispered in my ear "and if my husband dies I come for your family" I replied "LETS MOVE!" he yelled and him and all of his me just disappeared.

I quickly ran off the stage and back to Jason who was barley conscious. "stay with me please... WHY ISN'T HE HEALING!" I cried as people rushed around me and my best friend Mia pulled me away as I began to cry. "he's dying we need to get him to a hospital now" someone said.

Jason and I got married a year ago, we both knew we could never fully love each other, not the way mates could, but in the year we spent we became best friends and partners we became a team.

TO BE CONTINUED

it was 11:00pm, and I was pacing back and forth in the hospital waiting room. Mia and Jason's parents were with me trying to keep me calm, we had been waiting 5 hours, and Jason was in surgery.

"excuse me Luna" a doctor said walking up to me "is Jason ok is he out of surgery" I said quickly in a worried tone. "Luna... I'm sorry we did everything we could" the doctor said. "no!" his mother cried. my world stopped, everything went silent as I felt tears begin to fall down my face.

he couldn't be dead, we may not have been mates but I grew to love his beautiful smile and his uplifting personality. my world just fell apart, I was now a widow one who had to run an entire pack by herself and one who hadn't given birth to an heir.

I suddenly wished it was me who had died, I was nothing in this world but him, he was an alpha and born to be one.

and a part of me died with with him. "Mia" I said slowly turning around. "I'm right here Nes" she said walking over to me "I-I can't be here" I said tears continuing to fall from my face. Mia led me outside and to her car.

"we'll come back for your car tomorrow" she said as she put the car in reverse. "I can't believe he's really gone" I said staring off. "what am I gonna do" I said "he's back with his mate now like the goddess intended" Mia said "what did you just say" I said turning to look at her. "Vanessa I didn't mean anything by it, it's just...." "just what.... he wasn't my mate so I cant miss him, mia he was still my husband!" I Interrupted.

"Nes..." she said "pull over" I said "Vanessa come on" she replied "I SAID PULL OVER OR IM GONNA JUMP OUT OF THE CAR" I yelled. "ok fine!" she said pulling the car over. I got out of the car and began to walk, and mia got out of the car after me "Vanessa please" she pleaded. "HE WAS MY HUSBAND MIA" I yelled turning to her "MY BEST FRIEND, HE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE LOVE OF MY LIFE BUT I STILL LOVED HIM" I continued "My husband is dead, and I will be damned if I don't get my revenge" I continued as anger took over me.

"Nes" Mia said walking over to me and hugging me "I don't know how to run a pack on my own mia" I said "how do I tell them their alpha is dead" I continue covering my face with my hands. and I cried I cried all night, even as she put me in the car and took me home.

then I entered the house he and I once shared, as I stood in the door way all I could see was him, everything was him. I didn't sleep at all that night, I stayed up just remembering what happened. every detail over and over again.

then when morning finally came I walked upstairs to my closet and changed into dark clothes. as I was finishing brushing my hair the door bell rang, I walked downstairs and opened the door. I was immediately hugged as soon as the door opened. it was my sister "I am so sorry Nes" she said "let's just go" I said carefully pushing her away and getting into her car.

we drove to the pack house and entered the ball room where everything had happened. the memory of him being shot, flashed through my head once again. I slowly walked up to the stage and looked into the huge crowd, it wasn't just are lack that was here, it was almost everyone from last night as well.

"hello everyone" I said speaking into the microphone "you have all come here today to find out what happened to Jason... and I am sad to say he passed away last night during his surgery" I continued their were gasps among the crowd. many were shocked that an alpha was killed in cold blood in front of hundreds.

"the funeral will be held in 3 days" I said and stepped away from the mic. I then walked off stage and my sister followed me, along with my husband once beta and delta.

people tried to talk to me but I just walked away. I couldn't continue to be in that room a second longer. I walked to Jason's office and opened the door. everything was exactly as it always was messy but organized. my sister Stella, Tyler Jason's beta, and Mike Jason's delta entered as well, and closed the door behind them.

"I want to start the funeral procedures immediately" I said turning to them "yes Luna" Tyler said. "my god I feel sick" I said walking towards Jason's desk which had a garbage by it. "this is all very stressful I'd be surprised if you didn't" Mike said "Shut your mouth Mike" I snapped. "now is not the time for you to be criticizing me!" I continued. he looked down in submission "I apologize Luna it just would have been better if not only you were just mate but you also bared an heir" he said.

I quickly turned and slapped him. "watch your mouth Delta Michael, I may not be Jason's mate but I am your Luna, and I have and always will be above you. keep testing my patience and I'll strip your rank faster then a wolf in heat gets laid understand!" I growled. "yes Luna" he said once again in submission.

there weren't many wolves that knew Jason and I weren't mates but most of the few that did, didn't like the idea. a mate was chosen by the moon goddess herself, to go against that was wrong, but our parents had no choice. Jason's mate passed away and mine never turned up. with each year that passes it lowers the chances of finding your mate.

along with that it's practically impossible to have a pup with one who not your mate, I mean it does happen but not very often, it only happens if the goddess intends for it for instance, of ones fate was changed.

"now start the funeral procedures immediately, I want it held in 3 days" I said turning once again to beta Tyler , then walked out of the office. "Luna" Tyler said and I stopped "when do you want to hold your Alpha Ceremony?" Tyler asked. "What Alpha Ceremony?" I asked completely confused...

TO BE CONTINUED

"when do you want to hold your Alpha Ceremony?" Tyler asked. "What Alpha Ceremony?" I asked completely confused.

"not many know this since it's incredibly rare for an alpha to be killed while still running a pack, but when an alpha dies the Luna becomes the alpha" he said. "no I can't be Alpha" I said "I'm not even Jason's real mate, nor did I give birth to an heir, I can't be Alpha" I said concerned

"but you were married to him, no one can fute your right as alpha especially since Jason's mate died 4 years ago" Tyler said. I sighed, "just set it for after the funeral" I said and walked away "yes Luna" I heard him reply.

as the day went on I eventually got my car back and went home. I entered my home and all I heard was silence. I once again thought back to that night.

~"if this check bounces I'm coming for you" he whispered in my ear "and if my husband dies I come for your family" I replied~

"I swear to the goddess I will kill that bastard" I said aloud. when suddenly a wave of nausea came over me 'my god that's sudden' I thought to myself. I shook it off and walked up stairs into my room.

and that's how my day ended. over the next few days I prepared for Jason's funeral while at the same time having multiple vomiting issues. and finally the day of the funeral arrived.

I wore a short black dress and braided my long dirty blonde hair. there were hundreds of wolves, a majority of them Alphas. Jason's family and I stood in a line. everyone greeted us one by one, giving us their condolences.

"I'm so sorry for your loss Luna" alpha Marcus said shaking my hand "thank you" I replied and he moved onto mia Jason's sister.

a scent suddenly filled my nose, it was the greatest scent I had ever smelled, at the same time nausea crept over me again. "I-I have to go" I said covering my mouth and running as a pushed through people. "I'll go get her" I heard mia say from behind.

I barely made it to the bathroom and to a toilet before I started vomiting. I heard the bathroom door open and close behind me and that's when I heard mia voice. "oh my goddess, are you pregnant" she said in a shocked voice. and I turned to look at her shocked. "there's no way it's practically impossible" I said as I was kneeling in front of a toilet of my own vomit.

"but it's not impossible" she said. "I can't deal with this right now" I said wiping my mouth and standing up. "then when will you" she said "Not at my husbands funeral" I snapped and she was silent. "Im sorry" I said looking down "it's just" "I know" she interrupted "we'll deal with it later c'mon" she said walking out of the bathroom.

I walked out of the bathroom and the amazing smell hit my nose once again. but I ignored it. it wasn't the time or place to care. I knew what the scent meant and I had waited long enough I could wait a while more.

I walked back to my spot and continued to greet people. after a while the scent I smelled finally approached me.

he was tall with black hair and blue eyes light tan skin and wavy hair.

he walked up to me and I could tell immediately he knew it was me who was his mate. "I'm Jarred Alpha of the new moon pack I am so sorry for your loss" he said shaking my hand and it was like electricity flowed through my body.

"I'm Vanessa, Luna of the blood moon pack. thank you for your condolences alpha" I replied staring him in the eyes. "I should go pay my respects to alpha Jason" he said "may we meet again" he said kissing my hand and walking towards Jason.

"Luna" Tyler said walking up to me "what is it" I asked. "we have a slight issue" he said. I was confused but I followed him out of the funeral home. "I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR LUNA!" I heard someone yell at one of my wolves "what seems to be the problem" I said walking up to the woman yelling. "are you his Luna?" she snapped. "yes now do you mind explaining why your disturbing my husbands funeral" I said.

"this wolf is refusing to let me in" the woman said. "she's not on the list" the wolf the woman was yelling at said. "it's a viewing to say good bye why would there be a list!" the woman snapped.

"ma'am Jason Smith was a very well known alpha, I as his Luna made a guest list and anyone not on said list will be denied entry as we currently have over 300 wolves here. if you are not on the list I suggest you leave" I said in an angry tone then turned to walk away. "how dare you" she said "excuse me" I said stopping and turning to face her again.

"your not even Alpha Jason's real mate yet you think you can control wolves because you married him and became his Luna, well listen to me you little ***** your completely mistaken, especially since you couldn't even try to get pregnant" she said with a smirk. "how dare..." Tyler said but I put my hand up stopping him.

"if you have a problem with me then challenge me but I assure you miss that alpha, Luna or not I will defeat you" I said turning and walking then stopping once more "oh and if you do challenge me make sure it's to the death anything else is beneath me" I said then walked back inside the funeral home.

suddenly I heard foot steps behind me and heavy breathing. "Luna Vanessa Myers I Sara Sinclair challenge you to a dual to the death" the woman yelled Infront of everyone at the viewing

TO BE CONTINUED