I'd been disappointed when I woke up this morning—not so much because Tyler wasn't there, but because, for the first time in weeks, I had a peaceful night's sleep.
I should have been grateful, but what I didn't expect was to have a sweet dream that would wake me up with tears of longing, tears of regret, and deep pining for something that would never happen.
In it, Tyler, Noah, and I were in the forest, a blanket spread out on the grass as the flowers bloomed around us, and happiness bloomed between us. We'd been sharing laughter, Tyler and Noah tossed a ball between them, and Noah had called Tyler “Daddy.”
Sulking as I think of my son, I can only hope that Tyler does the right thing by him.
But what was more disheartening, waking up only to realize it was a dream, was knowing that things would never be that way between the three of us.
Tyler could never take that leap with me as his true mate, and I must make peace with that if I want to save my heart from being broken.
Brynta leans in again. “Now that Alpha Alfred and Luna Ingrid are back, there's been whispers that Alpha Tyler is set to take a mate.”
I gasp, turning to her slowly as my face pales. “A m—mate?”
Brynta nods. “It was bound to happen at some point. There's been pressure on Alpha Tyler ever since he was inaugurated as the leader. He's not supposed to be leading without a mate, anyway.” She shrugs. “I wonder what took him so long.”
As Tyler takes to the mic, a cold shiver passes through me, my heart sinking at the news.
His parents must have pressured him into taking a mate, and of course, he'll pick one from the high-ranking she-wolves in the pack. Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms and sink back into the bench, not wanting to wallow in another bout of heartbreak.
Have I not been through enough already?
“Moonshine Pack members…” Tyler begins, his raspy voice sounding foreign to my ears that want to drown out any remembrance of him.
“I am aware that most of you have already heard about the incident that took place last night. A member of this pack, a child, was abducted by a rogue werewolf last night. He has been rescued and is safe now.”
Tyler pauses as a stir erupts through the pack. When there's silence again, he continues, “As you already know, the black ops missions are implemented to ensure the safety of the werewolf packs across the States against trouble like the rogue wolves. We fight a range of threats out there, ensuring the safety of all. Unfortunately, some rogues got away after we foughtthem, and they cropped up again, seeking revenge for what happened to their friends out there.”
Tyler glances at his father, who nods for him to continue.
“The rogue didn't grab a child at random,” Tyler goes on, his eyes finding mine at the back of the hall, and my heart stops.
“He grabbedmychild.Myson. Noah.”
The hall breaks out with shocked gasps as eyes turn to me. News travels quickly, and everyone knows that I'm Noah's mother.
Of course, the connection will be made.
Like a deer caught in the headlights, my eyes widen at Tyler, my cheeks filling with heat.
“I know this comes as a surprise to my pack members, but I do not wish to keep any secrets from you guys,” Tyler chuckles, his lips playing with a smirk. “Noah is the son I had before leaving for black ops, and his mother, Arianna Hart, is my true mate.”
My whole body vibrates as I sit on the bench, desperately wanting to hide myself away, curl into a ball, and never show my face again.
What is he doing?
Is he crazy?
“I will soon announce the date of the official mating ceremony between Arianna and me. She will be this pack's luna.”
I think my soul might just leave my body with how shocked I am, unable to move, hardly able to breathe, staring at Tyler in disbelief.
He has the audacity to smirk from the stage, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he stares back. He's about to walkaway from the mic, but he shakes his head as if he forgot something.
“Oh, and another thing.” He taps the mic for silence. “It has been discovered that Arianna is a descendant of a powerful witch from a coven that is considered an ally of Moonshine, and she has the ability to foresee future threats.” He glances over his shoulder and nods at his parents. “We should all give her a round of applause for bringing our attention to the rogues, and for giving me the great honor of calling her my true, fated mate.”
“Oh, my Goddess!” Brynta squeals beside me as she claps her hands along with everyone else.
