Rejected Luna’s Hidden Mate

We met, dined, and went through the mate pairing ceremony under the watchful eyes of the Alpha Council. After leaving the grand hall, Roman glanced at the time, his Alpha aura radiating calm authority. "I'll be heading back to the pack house tonight," he said, his voice steady but not unkind.

I nodded, my own scent of lavender mingling with his woodsy aroma. "Alright."

He took a step forward, the air shifting subtly with his movement. "There’s a pack meeting. I need to attend."

I offered a polite smile, the title slipping naturally from my lips. "Take care, Alpha."

He inclined his head slightly, his dark eyes meeting mine. "You as well, Luna."

That night, I was on the train to the next city when his call came through. The winter break was nearing, and the train was packed with humans—some dozing off and others engrossed in their phones. Even small movements seemed to grab their attention. I felt out of place among them, my werewolf senses heightened in the crowded space.

I didn’t pick up. Instead, I hung up and saw his message on WhatsApp. I texted back, my fingers moving quickly over the screen.

“Sorry, hard to talk on the train. Can we chat via text?”

In my contact list, his name was saved as "Mate - Alpha Roman Hudson," and then it changed to "typing…" Within moments, his reply popped up, as efficient as ever.

“Sure.”

Roman is quite understanding, I thought, though his Alpha tone sometimes made it hard to tell.

“Not at the pack house?” he asked next.

I typed slowly, my mind wandering to the responsibilities awaiting me. “On a business trip.”

After a short pause—likely he’d set his phone down to tend to pack matters—I went to the restroom, washed my hands, and when I got back, his reply was waiting.

“Where to?”

“City A.”

“When are you back?”

“Wednesday next week.”

“Text me when you arrive in City A.”

“Alright.”

Our conversations were generally brief, and it had been that way for years. He asked, I answered—similar to our interactions in the pack. His role as Alpha kept him busy, and my duties as Luna were no less demanding. We didn’t get to see each other often. At the pack house, we made a point to spend time together as mates at least three times a week.

Most times, he was in his study, poring over pack affairs, and I was in mine, handling Luna duties. Yet at night, when I finished work and looked up, he was always there at the door, his broad frame filling the doorway, his robe casually tied, watching me with a calm intensity that made my heart skip.

I nodded to him, my voice soft. "I'll take a shower. Sorry for making you wait."

He walked over, his presence commanding yet gentle, and lifted me effortlessly. "It wasn’t long," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.