Chapter 3

• Nate's Perspective
• ……….
• I paced ferociously, my inner animal growling. After I rejected Luna, how dare Bustane enter and claim her? She was still my mate, even after my nasty remarks.
• A twisted part of me felt bad for turning her down that way, but my werewolf nature's more primal animal side screamed loudly, cutting our relationship so carelessly. I gnawed on my lip. I had to correct my arrogant twin brother face-to-face. Whether I wanted her or not, Luna was mine. Bustane's attempt to shield her was excessive.
• I quickly exited my room and traced the scent trail to the alpha king's mansion. The image of that poor little wolf curled up under Bustane's protection made my blood boil. Under my house, she was supposed to be trembling with dread and following my instructions at all times.
• Unafraid of formalities, I stormed through the doors. "Bustane! What does "snatching my mate" actually mean?
• From behind his desk, my twin brother looked up calmly, a grin of self-satisfaction that was a bit annoying. Luna sat attentively beside him, her eyes going wide at my sudden arrival.
• Bustane calmly retorted, "But brother, She is no longer your mate anymore." "From what I saw, you completely rejected and threw her away."
• I gave them a wicked snarl and advanced until I was standing over them both. "That still doesn't give you the right to claim her!" "She was still tied to me."
• "The key word there is 'was'," Bustane said in an unpleasant tone. "By abandoning her so cruelly and publicly disgracing her, you have lost any right to claim this woman as yours."
• I continued to argue, but Bustane put up his hand to stop me. His eyes had a subtle authority that penetrated me.
• "Well, Nate, that's my final decision. Now that Luna is mine, she is under my supervision and care. You wasted a chance that you had."Exercise caution in what you do next." I was tempted to act forcefully this time because of the danger in his remarks.
• It would have been foolish of me to openly criticize the monarch, no matter how angry I was. Since we were young, Bustane has always taken things that were mine. He took away my right to rule as king, and now he's prepared to seize my mate.
• I clenched my teeth and took one final look at my formerly mate's reduced figure. For the time being, Bustane had won the struggle. But I will receive what I deserve, whatever it takes.
• ——————————————————
• I wandered around my quarters, trying to figure out what to do next.
• My wolf paced agitatedly inside of me, snarling and snapping at being denied our mate. I used discipline to get it back. If I wanted to free Luna from Bustane's manipulative claws, I needed a plan, not just wrath.
• Maybe I could ask the elders and have them enforce the mating rules? Since I was her original mate, they would have to ask Bustane to hand her back to me . And if that didn't work, I would move on to plan B.
• A cruel smile appeared on my lips as I made plans for my next steps. Bustane could try to claim her all he wanted. But I was the real mate here, and I would use all of my power and possible connections to pull Luna away from his control.
• I stormed straight to one of the elders.
• I wish to revoke the statement Bustane made and if they do not comply then I would take it violently.
• Standing in front of the elders, I felt really determined.Though I was not a king but I was determined not to let Bustane take Luna away from me.
• "Alpha Nate," Elder Greystone greeted me with a solemn nod. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"
• I stood up straight, looking at the elder with determination. "I'm here to ask for fairness, Elder Greystone. My brother, Bustane, has overstepped his bounds by claiming Luna as his own."
• The elders looked at each other and nodded. They were well aware of the rivalry between Bustane and me, as well as the delicate balance of power within our pack.
• Luna Olivia," Elder Willow spoke softly, his voice heavy with the wisdom of centuries. "Is this true? Did Bustane declare you his mate?"
• Olivia moved uneasily beneath the adults' scrutiny, her gaze alternating between me and them. "Yes, Elder Willow," she whispered, barely above a whisper. "Alpha Bustane rescued me from a cliff and claimed me as his."
• Elder Jordan ruffled his beard, his eyes narrowing with thinking. "This is a genuinely tricky situation. Marriage relationships are sacred and must be respected."
• It was an opportunity that I seized, Elder Greystone. The goddess herself bears testimony to the bond that Luna and I have established under the full moon. The elders conferred, whispering softly to one another, "Bustane's meddling is an insult to our pack's customs and needs to be corrected." The air was heavy with tension, both fear and expectation, and I could feel it.
• When Elder Willow did speak, it was finally.
• "Nate, we acknowledge your concerns, but we also need to think about our pack's welfare. There's little we can do if the Lycan king decides to claim Luna as his after you uncontrollably rejected her, but Luna's welfare comes first."
• My frustrations were brewing within of me as my fists clinched at my sides. "But what about the mating rites?" they asked, trying to explain away their decision to let Bustane have Luna when she was mine. I argued, sounding more and more frustrated. "At least some influence should be retained on this."
• Nothing that we can do will help. After they had all chorused, the elders left, leaving Luna and me behind.
• Boring my soul to hers, I drew nearer to her. Keep an eye on your back because I'm going to take you shortly and ruin your savior.
• After everyone had departed, I went back to one of the elders and tried to persuade him to assist me. Elder Greystone sighed deeply, looking perplexed. "Wedding rituals are revered customs, but they have limitations. "Your rejection of Luna granted her the freedom to select another partner." Elder Greyson uttered
• The words struck me hard in the throat, depriving me of my breath. Luna had the option to select a different partner, and she had gone with Bustane.
• I nodded before leaving his room. I felt the chilly night air from outside hugging me. But failure weighed heavily on my heart. Even though Bustane prevailed in this fight, it was far from done. I decided to reclaim what was rightfully mine with fresh patience. And I was going to do everything it took this time to make sure Luna was all mine.