Chapter 10
Fake Mate
Romero
I’m never a morning person. I usually wake up around nine or ten. Today is worse. After a night of wild, consuming pleasure with Brianna, I finally open my eyes at eleven, when the sun is already high and bright.
When I realize she’s not in the bed beside me, I push myself upright with a sharp breath of disappointment. Her nightgown from last night is folded neatly at the edge of the bed instead of scattered on the floor.
“Damn it.”
Even with the sting settling in my chest, I force myself to think positively. I imagine my future Luna wandering the grounds, curious, taking in her new surroundings. Holding on to that thought, I head to the shower and change into a black suit.
Some time later, I move through the house, my footsteps carrying me down the stairs and into every familiar corner.
I look for her everywhere, but she’s nowhere to be found.
The disappointment hits hard enough that my appetite vanishes.
I sink back into my office chair, staring ahead, my mind looping through every moment of last night.
I asked her to be the Luna of this pack. I made it clear that I didn’t care where she came from, because that was the truth. She is my fated mate. So why does she leave like this, without a word, without a proper rejection ritual, without even facing me?
“Alpha Romero,” Julius says.
I blink and look up. “Yeah, Julius. What’s going on?” My voice sounds distant even to my own ears.
“You need to decide on the new ranch development area.” He hands me a large tablet displaying an open map.
The map tells me nothing. No lines or markings can point me to her. Static images and flat diagrams can’t capture Brianna’s presence. Even the security cameras around the lobby and the borders are mysteriously down. The guards will have to report that to Julius.
“You know something,” I say. I slam both hands onto the desk, not even glancing at the tablet. “Tell me the truth.”
“About what, Alpha?” His face stays calm, unreadable.
“About Brianna Smith. You had to know where she went.”
I press him harder. Julius is always difficult to read, but the higher he builds his mental walls, the clearer it becomes that he’s hiding something.
“And what if I don’t tell you?” he asks evenly.
“Then you’re going to the lab,” I say, lifting my chin.
Julius hates working in the lab. Our lab group uses him more as a test subject than a peer.
And the last tests they try on him are no joke: making him drink a foul potion until his stomach aches, forcing him to ride the newly invented Rider simulation until he collapses from exhaustion, and plenty of other things that feel like torture to him.
He frowns. “Come on, Alpha. Why do you always threaten me with that? I’m your Beta. I can’t just disappear into a lab and leave you. And what if I really don’t know anything about the girl?”
“You hate the lab,” I reply, my tone flat now. “If you stay quiet about her, that’s your punishment.” I lean forward. “You also told the servants to keep their mouths shut, didn’t you? That’s why every single one of them claims they have no idea where she went.”
My eyes narrow as I study him. “No one stays that quiet unless you tell them to. And you’ve been wearing that poker face since we got here. That means you’re hiding something.”
He doesn’t move. He just looks straight back at me. We hold each other’s gaze for a long, tense minute, neither of us willing to back down. Finally, he exhales and looks away.
“Alright,” he says. “You’re stubborn as hell. I swear this is for your own good.”
He walks to the external communication screen built into the wall. It’s usually used for meetings and official messages, like yesterday when Alastair contacted me. The screen has not flickered once today, which means Julius has already accessed new messages.
He opens the most recent email, buried in the trash folder. My breath catches as soon as I see it. The announcement offers a reward of one hundred thousand dollars to anyone who can provide accurate information about a missing female.
The photo on the screen shows Brianna’s face. It’s unmistakably her, only younger in the image. But the name beneath it is not Brianna Smith. It reads Alexa Dawson. There is no mention of a twin.
“What does this mean?” I ask, frowning. “Alexa Dawson from the Silver Moon Pack?”
“Yes,” Julius mutters. “Looks like she lied about her name.”
“There has to be a reason,” I say, shaking my head. I can feel it deep in my bones. “No one does this without a reason.” I frown, thinking all the reason might fit into her situation.
“Did they send this to every pack?” I ask, my chest tightening.
He nods and points to the address list attached to the notice. I scan it quickly. Three of the largest packs, aside from Silver Moon, are listed. That means the information will spread to smaller packs fast.
“You don’t see it, Alpha?” Julius says. “Silver Moon wouldn’t put up a reward like that unless they were furious. That girl has to be a criminal.”
“No,” I snap. My finger rises in the air. “She’s the Alpha heiress.”
“But why look for her now?” Julius taps the screen. “She’s been missing for six years. Why start the hunt today?”
The implication lands hard. Last night was the trigger. There must be something between her, Silver Moon, and Alpha Alastair. Something I can’t understand unless I find her first.
“I don’t care,” I say firmly. “We’ll ask her when we find her. Right now she’s in danger. Other packs are already chasing her. We need to find her first.”
“And why would we do that?” Julius asks. “She’s a rogue.”
“Because she’s our future Luna.”
He scoffs. “You’re serious? A woman we’ve never met, wanted by Silver Moon and Alpha Alastair?”
I lock my gaze onto his. Anger coils tight in my chest. Julius should understand this. Every wolf should. Mates are chosen by the Moon Goddess, not questioned. The Moon Goddess never blesses without purpose, and I would never doubt her will. There is more to this than Julius can see.
“Yes,” I say coldly. “I’m serious. I will mark her as my Luna.” My voice drops into a growl. “Beta Julius, I order you to help me find Alexa Dawson. Now.”