"Show off!" My best friend Luna Alexa yelled behind me. I laughed and kept running.

"You're pretty slow for a Luna." I teased.

"Well I am pregnant with your future alpha!" She yelled back with humor in her eyes.

We kept racing through the forest until I smelt a delicious and intoxicating smell. I turned and saw a male werewolf in wolf form eyeing me. The smell of peppermint overwhelmed my senses. My wolf was unsure but lowly muttered in a confused tone, 'mate?".

My eyes widened. I had finally found my mate. He shifted and put on some clothes and came over to me. He came up and hugged me tightly. "Mate" He said as he smiled.

I looked up into his eyes and something was off but I shook it off. I was too happy to finally have a mate. "What's your name?" I asked.

"Ken." He said and he claimed my mouth with his. I felt dull sparks hit my senses. It felt off somehow but I really didn't care. I kissed him back and ran my hands through his auburn locks.

"Coralina!" Alexa yelled getting closer to us. "Rogue!" She growled and ripped me away from him. I instantly missed his touch. She was getting into a fighting stance and ready to shift when I stopped her.

"No! He's my mate!" Her eyes widened in shock and then became excited.

"Yay!! I'm so happy for you!" She hugged me and jumped up and down. "I'll mind link Noah and let him know." She said as her eyes turned yellow as she mind linked.

I went over to my mate and he wrapped his arms around me and picked me up and kissed me. "Mine!" He growled.

I kissed him back and nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck. I breathed in his peppermint smell as we walked to my pack. We more like he walked and carried me in his arms.

When we reached there, Alpha Noah was waiting with Beta Michael. They both seemed on edge about him but still welcomed Ken in. I have never been more happy in my life.

————

That night I called my brother in Silver Moon pack. He was Beta and his best friend, Paxton was Alpha. After our parents retired, I became pack warrior here and Colton, my brother, went to find his mate. While he was traveling he met Paxton who had just fired his Beta for stealing other male's mates. He made him Beta and it turned out that a girl there was Colton's mate.

"Hey little sis. What's up?"

"Hey Coco." He groaned at the annoying name I had given him. "So I have some big news."

"Cool! In fact I have some news too."

"Ok you go first then cuz mine is better."

"Ok, so our pack warrior here has to go take care of some family issues for a few months meaning that there happens to be a position open here if you want to take it. Then when he gets back we will make you commander." He said excitedly.

My heart dropped at the offer. I turned when I heard Ken coming into the room. I kissed him on the cheek and he went to take a shower.

"Well, actually I don't know if that would work."

"Why?"

"Well, I found my mate." growls were heard on the other line.

"What was that?"

"Just Paxton, stressed again. But that's great sissy! I'm happy for you. I will have to visit to meet him. Unless it's a her cause I don't judge or anything-"

"It's a guy and his name is Ken, and he is wonderful."

"That's great sis, well I have to go take care of some things. Talk to you later."

"Ok Coco." I hung up and cut off his growls of annoyance.

I laughed and plugged in my phone to charge and slipped into shorts and an oversized shirt. I laid down and closed my eyes to rest. A minute later I heard the bathroom door open and peppermint filled my nose as Ken pulled me into his arms.

"Mm, mine" he growled out.

We finally fell asleep cuddled up with one another.

~~~~~~

The next morning I woke up and was instantly dragged underneath Ken.

"I've been waiting for you to wake up Coralina. You are all mine." He said and leaned and claimed my mouth with his.

I moaned into the kiss and suddenly felt something hard against my leg. Oh no!

"Um, I uh, I'm a virgin." I said.

"Mm, that's fine, I will just take it easy." He said.

I was not ready for that yet I pushed him away and got up. "I'm not ready for that, um, stuff yet." I said in a shaky voice.

"You don't want me?" He said in a disgusted voice.

"No! I do it's just that I don't want to take things that far just yet.I just want to slow down for a little bit. " I said. He growled and stomped into the bathroom. I was so confused. What happened to the loving, caring mate from last night and just a few moments ago.

I got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. I was sitting at the counter eating cereal when a load of peppermint scent hit me. It was as if it had gotten stronger. I didn't know that could happen.

Ken came out and sat next to me and pulled me onto his lap. I didn't question it and continued to eat. Afterwards, I tried to get up to put my bowl in the sink when he stopped me. "The filthy omegas will take care of that my love." He said as he motioned for the cook to come over.

Confused, she took the bowl away. I looked at him shocked. In our pack, we never mistreated each other just because of rank. In fact, the gamma and deltas were both omegas until Noah appointed them into their positions.

"Ken, what's gotten into you? We don't treat them that way here."

"They are lower than you, though." He said confused as to why I was standing up for them.

"I have to get to training I will see you later." I got off and grabbed my bag as I went to the warrior training gym in a hurry to get away from him . When I got there all of my units were lined up. Each of their commander had files, and daily reports for me to check over.

Another thing about our pack was that gender wasn't an issue either. I was pack warrior while seven out of eighteen commanders were also females. Also,we had females mixed with males in our units.

"Pack warrior. Here are our reports." Jenn, one of my closest friends said as she handed me a pile of papers

I nodded to her and took the papers. "Ok, soldiers, today units 1-5 will be hand on hand combat training. 6-10 will be doing field training. 11-13 will be guarding perimeter and alphas house. 14 will be doing prisoner duty. 15-18 will stay be doing training in here with me in wolf form. Go!" I ordered. They nodded and saluted and went off to do their given tasks.

I went to my office and sorted out the reports and then shifted into my black wolf. I headed out into the main area where most of them were shifted or shifting.

I walked them through today's training and watched as they performed each task flawlessly. Our army was number three behind Colton's pack as number one and Blood Moon pack as number two.

I gave them a five minute break to catch their breath and get some water. I had their commanders finish up their training for the day while I went to check in with Alpha and fill him in on the training.

I walked into the pack offices and saw Alexa looking worried. She looked up and saw me and rushed over. "Coralina, I have a bad feeling about Ken. I know he's your mate, but there is something off about him and I can't put my finger on it." She said.

I know this morning was weird and off, but I still felt our mate bond and my need to be with him.

I looked at her in surprise and hurt. I looked down, "Look, I get weird feeling about this too, but the thing is that I think I love him. He makes me feel happy inside." I said.

"Ok, but I'm just worried. Something about him is off." She said.

I was starting to get annoyed so I huffed past her and into Alpha's office.

~~~~~~~

After dealing with Alpha I checked in with each of my units and everything was perfect and running smoothly. No rogue sightings and training was great. Down in the prison we only had to interfere when two inmates started going at each others throats.

I was exhausted at the end of the day and just wanted to curl up next to my mate. I got back to my quarters and heard something in the closet. I went in and found Ken getting dressed. I went behind him and kissed his bare back.

He swirled around and smiled down at me. Only, the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. I shrugged it off as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me roughly.

"Mm, babe." He said. I shivered at the nickname.

I stepped back into the bathroom and showered and changed before meeting him downstairs for dinner. The cook had prepared a wonderful smelling rabbit stew for everyone.

We sat down with the rest of the leaders and ate as we talked about pack business.

"I think we need to send an ambassador down there."

"No, Beta Leroy, its too dangerous. As of now we will stay at peace and live our lives and worry about each day at a time. If they attack us, we have Coralina and her warriors to protect us and we will fight as well." Alpha Noah said.

The Stone pack was starting to become an issue. They had been making threats to our own pack and its safety.

Ken seemed to grow silent and deep in thought at the subject of conversation. I'll have to ask him later when we are alone.

After dinner I suggested that we take a run and let our wolves out. He agreed and we shifted into our wolves and took off. My wolf was hesitant to go with him but eventually obliged.

I wondered if I was getting sick. Wolves are normally ready to jump their mate's bones at anytime, but mine was hesitant about our mate.

~~~~~~

When we got back he went to the closet to change and I opened our drawer and saw a small package in the back. In it was a small vile filled with a dark red substance. A small label was attached that read, "Mate Essence."

I nearly dropped the vile. Mate Essence was a drug that wicked wolves used to trick other wolves into thinking that they were mates. The person using it would drink it and focus in on one person for it to affect them.

That explains everything. The dull sparks, my wolf being hesitant, and the strange vibes I would get from him.

The one thing I didn't understand was why. I heard movement from behind me and I twirled around going into Pack Warrior mode.

"How dare you!" I screeched. His eyes widened as he looked down at the vile. He gulped and ran out of the room.

I mind linked Alpha Noah and the Beta and Gamma and chased after him. I chased him down to the border where thankfully, my border patrols had caught him.

"What do you want us to do with him?" They asked.

I glared at him with hateful eyes. "We wait for Alpha to get here." I said.

They nodded and soon Noah came running. He looked pissed. I handed him the vile and explained what happened. "Take him to the cells. Class four."

Class four was for the worst of the worst criminals. One was for thieves, two was for domestic violence, three was for murderers, four was for harmful rogues and traitors. They took him away as he kicked and yelled.

I watched as my life came crashing down. Even though it was all fake, I still felt the mate bond and it hurt like hell. I excused myself and ran to my quarters and threw out everything he had. I then proceeded to cry myself to sleep.

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