"An eye for an eye ends up making the world blind."- Mahatma Gandhi

Running in wolf form was the best escape for me. I needed to think clearly and it was nearly impossible with the hate and sadness I harbored for Isabel. Alessia's show messed with my mind and some fresh air was what I needed.

I want to love her, I do. The problem is I don't know how to. I've loved Isabel since we were teens. Then in a matter of days, everything changes. My future has been set in stone for so long that I can't even imagine it being different. We were going to get married and have kids. Hell, she even had her dress picked out for her luna ceremony.

Now my future consists of ruining Isabel Romano and I have no doubt I'll ruin Alessia in the process.

It's a small price to pay for revenge.

Besides, Alessandra Romano is the perfect daughter and sister. Her loyalty to her family is fierce. She wouldn't mate with me, not if her sister's in love with me. I just have to make sure Isabel stays in love with me, which shouldn't be difficult. There's only one thing that woman truly loves. Power. It was a sad realization to come to especially when I had placed so much trust in her. Now I just feel used. Played.

Alessandra and I have always had two things in common. The love we share for Isabel and the hate we share for each other.

"I thought I would find you here."

I shift back into my human form. It was normal to see other pack members naked so I did not bother with my clothes.

"Hiro, what are you doing here?"

"What game are you playing Zane?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm your beta, at least while Ricardo is gone."

"So? I'm not even Alpha yet."

"I can help you, Zane. I'm on your side."

He pauses, waiting for me to speak but I don't know what he wants me to say.

"I know Alessandra is your mate."

"What? That's not true, Isabel is my mate."

Now, this was the tricky part. I had a plan and it would only work if everyone thought Isabel was my mate. Most of the time when a person finds their mate they are quite vocal about it the second it happens. I was definitely ignoring Isabel at her birthday party so hopefully, they just chalk it up to the birth time being wrong.

"If she was your mate, she wouldn't have cheated."

There's the tricky part.

"That was a rumor."

"Maybe to the common wolves, but the high ranked ones know the truth."

There was no point in lying to one of my best friends.

"I'm going to destroy her."

"Hurting Isabel will hurt Alessia too."

"So? It doesn't matter if we are mates, we will never be together."

"Why's that?"

"Even before we were mates we did not like each other. I think the mate bond has only made it worse."

"I think you are both just fighting it, there's no point, the bond always wins."

"Not this time it won't."

"Look Zane, you are about to be an alpha. You have to focus on that and all strong alphas have lunas. I don't care who you choose, but one of the Romanos will be your luna."

"Isabel will be my luna."

"But you hate her."

"Yes, but I know Alessia does not want to be Luna. It's the one thing I will do for her as a mate."

"How honorable of you," his voice dripped with sarcasm.

Hiro chuckled.

"Something funny?"

"It's funny you think you can change fate Zane, but not even the strongest alphas can change destiny."

"It's been done before."

"Has it though? The only thing that can result from denying your mate is tragedy."

"Says who?"

"Says history."

"This will be different, I feel no love for Alessandra."

"I think that's because you don't know what love is. Plus, the bond draws you together, but it does not create love. That is done by your heart all on its own."

"When did you turn into a philosopher?"

Hiro chuckles. He's always been a good friend of mine. I trust him a lot, but this situation is different.

"You are not to tell anyone of this."

"I would never dream of it."

"Good, that means you will understand why I have to do this."

"What?"

"

Hiro's eyes widened. I was not one to use my alpha command, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I had to make sure everyone remained safe and that this secret remained a secret.

Shut it.

I was still reeling from finding out who my mate was. Out of every wolf on this planet, the goddess gives me the one who is in love with my sister. The wolf who I despise.

The truth was, he was going to be a great alpha one day. I can set my pride aside and admit that. However, he is a terrible friend. He promised my brother he would not pursue my sister. Despite all the warnings, he did.

He and my brother are close and in order to peacefully be with my sister, he sent Riccardo off to Italy where our pack owns some land. I can't ignore the feeling that I've had this whole time. I suspect he's only been with my sister simply to prove that he can. To prove that he is the alpha.

My sister looks at him with love. He looks at her with the same eyes an athlete might look at a trophy. Everything about it smells fishy. How can an alpha stay with someone who cheated on them? An alpha male remaining with a female who cheated on him, one who is not even his mate, is unheard of.

He will be a good alpha one day, but good alphas are not respected because of their kind heart. They are respected because of their ruthlessness. I can see it in his eyes, no matter how hard he tries to hide it, the darkness will creep forward one day.

That day might be good for the Blood Moon Pack, but I pray for everyone who gets in his way.

You're right, I'm thinking about it too much.

I raise my snout in the air and inhale. The smell of pine was my favorite, and lucky for me pine trees were all that surrounded me in Lake Tahoe.

Wait a minute...

The smell of pine was prominent in Tahoe, but not this much. It was practically assaulting my senses.

My wolf inhaled some more and wiggled her bottom as she perched low on the ground.

What the hell are you doing?

In a flash, I was tackled from my right. My wolf was on the ground and not helping me at all. If anything it seemed like she enjoyed this. My eyes met those of a midnight black wolf. Actually, its coat was almost a blue color if you looked closely.

Zane.