3

Lucas’s POV “When are you going to take a Luna?” my mom asked as soon as I picked up the call. I groaned loudly and rubbed my forehead. “When the time is right, Ma,” I answered, trying to sound patient. She didn’t give up. “Remember, neither you nor Luke is getting any younger. Come home one of these days and I will introduce you to some beautiful ladies from high-ranked families. Good girls. Strong bloodlines.” “Thanks, Ma, but I have to go now. It’s time for my meeting. Kiss Daniel and Miti for me. Bye, Mom. Love you.” I ended the call before she could say anything else. I knew that was the real reason she called. My mom had been on me and my twin brother Luke for months now, always trying to set us up with her friends’ daughters. She wanted us settled down, mated, and producing heirs for the pack. But Luke and I had made a vow a long time ago: the woman who would become our Luna had to be our fated mate. No one else. We weren’t going to settle for less. Just then, the door to my office opened and Luke walked in with a big smile on his face. “We got the contract,” he said, waving the papers like a trophy. “No way!” I jumped up from my chair, excitement rushing through me. We shook hands and laughed like boys. This deal was huge—even for us. We were the CEOs of a multi-billion dollar company, and on top of that, we were the Alphas of our pack. Being werewolves was a secret we kept carefully from the human world. No one outside the pack knew what we really were. “This calls for celebration,” Luke said, his eyes shining. “Club tonight?” I nodded. “Definitely. Let’s go.” Later that evening, we arrived at the club. The music was loud and the lights flashed everywhere, but we headed straight up to the VIP section where we could see everything without being bothered. A waitress brought us our usual drinks, and we settled into the comfortable seats. “Mom called,” I told Luke as I took a sip of my whiskey. He raised an eyebrow. “Again?” “Yeah. She was talking about introducing us to her friends’ daughters. The usual speech about not getting younger and needing a Luna.” Luke started laughing, shaking his head. “She never gives up, does she?” Before he could say anything more, a scent hit me so strongly that my whole body tensed. It was sweet, warm, and pulled at something deep inside me. My wolf stirred immediately. I stood up and moved closer to the railing so I could look down at the main floor. There she was. The owner of that scent had just walked in wearing a sexy red dress that glowed against her smooth skin. She looked beautiful, but there was something else—something sad in the way she moved, like she was carrying a heavy weight on her shoulders. She went straight to the bar and ordered a drink. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. My heart started beating faster, and heat spread through my body. Luke noticed too. He came to stand beside me, his drink forgotten. After a while, she left the bar and headed to the dance floor. Her back was turned to us at first as she started moving to the music. The way her body swayed made my wolf growl low in my chest. Luke growled at the same time. We both felt it—this strong pull toward her. There was something about this woman that demanded our attention. She wasn’t like anyone else in the club. As if she could feel our eyes on her, she slowly turned around and looked straight up at the VIP section. Our eyes locked. Even from up here, I could see the fire in her gaze. My wolf went completely mad inside my head, urging me to go down there, to claim her, to make her ours. The intensity surprised me. Why was I reacting like this? Like a teenager losing control for the first time? While she stared at us, she began to dance again, bolder this time. Her hips moved smoothly, her hands sliding over her body in a way that made my blood run hot. I gripped the railing tight, fighting to stay in control. My eyes darkened as desire and something deeper mixed inside me. Then it happened. Some guy came up behind her on the dance floor and started dancing too close. He grabbed her waist without asking. She tried to step away, but he followed, pressing against her like he owned the space. My wolf snapped. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I moved fast, heading downstairs before I even realized what I was doing. Luke was right behind me—I could feel his presence. As I got closer, I saw her push hard at the guy’s chest. Her voice cut through the loud music. “I said I’m not—” I didn’t let her finish. “If you don’t get your hands off her this minute, I promise you will lose them.”