Killed For His Rogue Mate, I Choose My Enemy

The moment I realised it was him, anger burst through me. Fighting back my rage I pulled my hand away, forcing my gaze to be neutral.

“Daniel, it's late. What are you doing here?”

“Why didn't you choose me?” he demanded, gaze flickering with confusion and anger, “How could you choose Rowan? Clearly it was supposed to be me.”

His words held no real question, only confusion and entitlement. Hearing it filled me with disgust and hatred but I held it back.

I couldn't confront him yet and given the way things were, my actions were indeed abnormal.

“Daniel,” I began, "I know this is abrupt for you, but everything I said is the truth. As for the past, let's just forget about it.”

“What is wrong with you? We have a bond.”

A bond that didn't stop him from killing me or the rest of the pack.

“We can forget about the bond.” I said through gritted teeth, “As for my feelings and devotion through these past years, I realise that they were just from gratitude and grief. Because my parents died I thought of you as my only family and confused those feelings for love. Now I see my own heart.” I said.

His gaze flickered, stunned. Slowly it was replaced with a soft, almost exasperated look.

“Is this about missing your birthday celebration?” He frowned, “I've already explained that I was busy back then.”

My brows furrowed in confusion before it came to me.

Right. A week before the Choosing Ceremony was my birthday when I turned 20. Back then, in anticipation for our future betrothal, I set up a party in the pack and constantly reminded Daniel to come. With my parent's death anniversaries the day before my birthday, I never celebrated it before making it my first birthday party in four years.

I'd waited the entire day but he never attended. It wasn't until the next evening that he came over, giving a flimsy excuse of being busy with pack matters and forgetting without even an apology. I was angry and upset, rightfully so. Yet under the reminder that he cared for me in the past, I let it go, trusting him. After that, he remained ‘busy’ until the Choosing Ceremony.

Thinking about it now, I was too complacent. Too trusting. His absence and callousness over the months leading up to the ceremony should have tipped me off. Even the entitlement he showed the week before the Ceremony should have led the past me to refuse the engagement.

But it was only during the weeks leading up to it that he began to show his true colors, making me think it was a fluke.

I was blinded, both by his past care and the common consensus that he was to be my mate.

Meanwhile he was with Dina, plotting our downfall.

“No.” I said, “This has nothing to do with that day. I've made my choice—”

“Enough Raena." He grabbed my hand again, a coaxing look on his face, "I never knew you could be this irrational and rash. This is the pack's future on the line and you placed it on an outsider you hate to make a point? You didn't even know what you're doing. But it's okay, for now let's go to the pack hall and explain—”

He didn't get to finish when I pushed him away with force, tearing my arm from his grasp.

I wanted to rip him to shreds. How dare he talk about the future of the pack when he was the one who was planning to destroy it?

This time I couldn't hide my disdain.

“I know what I'm doing Daniel. In fact, this is the smartest decision I've made in a long time. I don't need to explain anything to you,” I sneered coldly, “Now leave. From now on keep your distance and respect your boundaries. I am your Luna and leader and you are just a Beta. From now on don't come to my home on a whim, lest you make people get the wrong idea.”

Anger bottled up inside me, ready to spill but I couldn't. Not yet.

Silence filled the air as I flared, daring him to try again. This time he stepped back, a soft, innocently aggrieved look appearing on his face.

“I don't know what came over you tonight, but I'll only play along for a while,” He said, “Whatever nonsense this is with Rowan is only temporary. I know you'll come to your senses soon.”

He smiled at me, before turning away. I barely held back a growl at his retreating back.

I hated that caring mask more than ever. But it was better to let him presume.

“Luna Raena?”

I stiffened as Rose, my maid came up behind me, but didn't stop looking at the distance.

“Rose, tomorrow morning, give this order to all the guards. From now on, Daniel isn't allowed to enter my home or bring anything inside at will. Before seeing me he must request for permission.” I ordered.

“But Beta Daniel is your....” she trailed off at my gaze.

“That doesn't matter anymore. I've chosen a mate and it's not him" I said, facing her stunned expression, "I have no more connection with Daniel now and in the future. From now on, he's nothing more than the Beta of the Starlet pack.”

And even that was a position I wanted to take away from him, I thought inwardly, icy rage washing over me.

This life, I had avoided getting engaged to him, but that was far from the end of things. Daniel was long since colluding with the Rogues and Dina far before today and as the Beta, he gained the respect and trust of the pack with his diligence.

I cursed myself for being so oblivious. In my past life I'd personally allowed and approved of it. At first, still grieving over my parents, I let him take care of everything pack related. Later as years flew by I accepted it, trusting him as my mate and future Alpha.

Those words felt like a joke now, but the implications were heavy. He held power and knowledge of the pack that I knew little of.

And I? I knew little to nothing.

How he was communicating with them, their whereabouts and their plans. There was nothing I could use to convince the pack of his true nature and no way to stop the Rogues from harming my pack.

Even if I blocked one road, there were many others he could use that would follow the same path. He had control over the pack.

The only solution was taking back that control.

My actions tonight derailed his plans and moving further I would disrupt things more. I held no prior knowledge of his activities before my death, and couldn't rely on my past knowledge.

The only way to know his plans was by monitoring him. And I knew exactly who was fit for the task.

I silently signalled Rose to follow me to my room. As soon as we were out of sight I swiftly wrote a letter and passed it to her.

“Go quickly and give this letter to Jay. Tell him that he should follow Daniel's movements tonight and onwards and keep a close eye on him from now on.” I whispered, earning her surprise.

Jay was a trusted guard from my parents, raised by the former Commander of the pack borders. After my parents' deaths, he became my secret guard, his stealth unmatched.

Believing I was safe, I held no use for him, dismissing him a year ago, partly at Daniel's suggestion. For the sake of the pack, I knew he would obey.

Rose was shocked but I didn't give her time to speak, pushing the letter into her hands. Despite her confusion, she nodded.

“Understood Luna.” She said,

Before she could move, I pulled her into a tight hug, ignoring her surprised yelp. When I pulled away, her confusion was evident.

“I’m sorry. The ceremony was exhausting and I needed that.” I said. It was the only excuse I had. I couldn't tell her that the last memory I held of her was her bloodied trembling corpse.

She still looked taken back but accepted my words. Her gaze still looked uneasy and I wasn't surprised. Everything I'd done so far was out of character.

But it was a necessary change.

“Rest well Luna,” She said and turned away, leaving me alone in my bedroom.

Glancing at the window, the view of the glowing lights through the pack filled my vision. It was peaceful, a peace I wanted to hold onto.

I clenched the sheets under me. I would uncover the truth. This time, I wasn't going to let them destroy my pack and ruin me.

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for what was to come.