Alpha's Rejected Luna Mate

When Stephen arrived to pick me up that evening, he paused for a moment, his eyes scanning me with a hint of surprise. His broad frame, typical of a Beta, filled the doorway, and the aura of his wolf, though calm, carried a subtle authority that always made me feel secure.

"Does it look bad?" I asked instinctively, smoothing down the dress I had chosen. It had been a while since I’d put this much effort into my appearance, and the self-consciousness crept in despite my confidence.

He shook his head, a warm smile spreading across his face. "No, you look great, Aurora."

With that, he stepped aside, motioning for me to follow. "Shall we, Luna?"

The title sent a thrill through me, though I tried to mask it. I nodded and gathered the items I had prepared—gifts for his parents, as was customary when visiting the family of one’s mate.

"What have you got there?" he asked, his deep voice carrying a note of curiosity.

"Gifts for your parents," I replied, holding up the neatly wrapped packages.

Stephen chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it." His smile deepened, and I could tell there was more behind it.

It wasn’t until I opened the trunk of his car that I saw he had also brought gifts. "You…" I began, raising an eyebrow.

"I thought you might be busy with everything, so I sorted them out ahead of time," he explained, his tone light but thoughtful.

I smiled, placing my things inside. "This is important. I wouldn’t forget. Besides, I promised you I’d take care of it."

"I trust you, Luna," he said, his voice softening as he closed the trunk. "Let’s go, Mrs. Morrison."

The title "Mrs. Morrison" caught me off guard, and I felt a flush of warmth spread across my cheeks. I slid into the passenger seat, my mind racing with the weight of what was to come.

At the restaurant, Stephen carried all the gifts himself, his strong arms handling the load effortlessly.

"Let me help you," I offered, reaching for one of the packages.

"Don’t worry about these, Luna. Head on in; my parents must be eagerly waiting," he said, his tone firm but kind.

I nodded and went inside, noticing Stephen hadn’t followed. "Why aren’t you coming?"

He glanced at his arm, then back at me with a grin. "I’m not going in without my mate."

I laughed, linking my arm through his. "Let’s go, Beta."

Inside, our parents were already engaged in lively conversation. As we entered, they nodded and smiled approvingly. "What a lovely couple," Stephen’s mother remarked, her eyes twinkling.

"Indeed, come sit with us," my mother added, gesturing to the seat beside her.

I was ushered to a seat beside Stephen’s mother, her presence commanding but warm.

"Aurora, you look more radiant each time I see you. It’s no wonder this rascal…" she began, glancing at Stephen with a teasing smile.

"Mom, Aurora must be hungry. Let’s eat first," Stephen interjected, his tone playful but firm.

"All right, let’s eat," his mother conceded, signaling the start of the meal.

The table was laden with dishes—roasted venison, spiced honey cake, and other delicacies that filled the air with a comforting aroma. The meal was filled with joy and laughter. My parents got along splendidly with Stephen’s, and Stephen was attentive to me throughout, his hand occasionally brushing mine in a gesture of reassurance.

Yet, this wasn’t my first time in such a setting.

The last time was with Ricardo’s parents, just last fall at the pack’s harvest celebration.

Back then, both families sat together, but the atmosphere was anything but harmonious.

Ricardo’s parents, Alphas of their pack, were distant, their conversations with my parents overly polite. And Ricardo, my former mate, hadn’t paid me any attention during the entire meal.

His mother had subtly hinted that she hoped I’d focus on family life after the mating ceremony, implying her desire for me to step back from my role within the pack.

I had immediately objected, but Ricardo, in front of everyone, had said, "My mom is just looking out for you. Just listen."

At that moment, I had felt a pang of disillusionment.

Ricardo knew my true aspirations. Throughout our relationship, I often envisioned our future, expressing my plans to take on a leadership role within the pack and expand our influence. He used to laugh and tell me I was ambitious, promising he’d support my goals no matter what. So why had he rejected it now, so definitively?

I caught my mother’s look—it seemed to ask, "Is this really the person you chose?"

The situation had only eased after my father, the Alpha of our pack, had intervened.

"What are you thinking about?" Stephen’s voice pulled me back from my thoughts as he took my hand.

I blinked, shaking my head. "Nothing."

"Here, have some coffee. Your hands are cold," he said, his tone gentle.

I nodded with a smile, taking the cup he offered.

"So how about setting the wedding date for a month from now?" Stephen’s mother suggested unexpectedly.

I was startled. The wedding date?

I had been so deep in thought that I hadn’t been paying attention to their conversation and missed that they had already set a date.

"Great. We have everything ready anyway. The sooner the kids get married, the more at ease we’ll feel," my mother agreed.

"Aurora, what do you think?" Stephen’s mother smiled at me.

Since we were already mated, holding the ceremony was merely a matter of time. Might as well get everything done in one go, I thought. I nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. I’ll leave it to you."

Stephen placed his hand over mine, and I turned to him. "Rest assured, even though the date is soon, it won’t be rushed," he promised. He then looked at my parents earnestly, "Alpha, Luna, I assure you I will take good care of Aurora."

As I looked at Stephen’s profile, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of trust in him.

After dinner, my parents insisted I travel back with Stephen, claiming their car was too cramped.

Such a feeble excuse made me chuckle, but I went along with it and got into Stephen’s car without protest.

"Take me to my apartment, please."

"Not going home?" he asked.

"I’ll spend one last night there and pack up some things. I’ll move back home tomorrow." Over the years, I’d lived on my own most of the time, so I had bought a small apartment early on. Now that the wedding was approaching, it seemed right to move back and spend some time with my parents.

"Need help with the packing?"

I shook my head. "There isn’t much. I can manage on my own."

Stephen nodded. "Then I’ll pick you up tomorrow for the wedding dress fitting."

"Okay," I replied, leaning back in the seat as the car pulled away, the weight of the evening settling over me like a comforting blanket.