CHAPTER 3 - STRIP

ASTRID

“Brother?” Kieran’s voice was a strangled gasp. His eyes, fixed on mine, then darted to the man in the shadows. His face twisted. Shock. Fury. Pure, unadulterated rage.

The man stepped fully into the light. Taller than Kieran. Leaner. His dark hair fell across intense eyes. Eyes that mirrored Kieran’s, yet held a different fire.....They lookes so beautiful as he stepped into the light. He looked calmer and held unsettling intensity. He was surely a Thorne.

The mate bond thrummed. An ancient hum. Eliza was frantic. Ours. True Mate.

My head swam. Two mates? How? Impossible. The bond to Kieran was undeniable. But this… this felt stronger. More profound but i still felt unsure for some reason.

kieran lunged. Not at me. At his brother. “What in the Moon Goddess’s name are you doing here, Rhys?!” His voice was a low growl. He was clearly angry but i wasn't sure why.

I'm sure I didn't make the bond that obious or was he jealous?....no he couldn't be.....he insulted me not so long ago.

Rhys didn’t even flinch as he met Kieran’s furious gaze. His own expression remained calm. Almost serene. “I heard the commotion. A Luna Ceremony. For you, brother.” His eyes flickered to me. A knowing look. A silent acknowledgment of the bond. “And your new mate.”

Kieran’s fury intensified. He grabbed Rhys’s arm. His knuckles white. “Get out. Now. Before I forget myself and make you regret coming here.” His grip was bruising.

Rhys pulled his arm free. Slowly. Deliberately. His gaze never left mine. “I think not. I have a right to be here.” He took a step towards me. His eyes, dark and intense, held mine. A silent question. A challenge.

I had to hide it. The second bond. Kieran’s jealousy was a palpable force. It radiated from him. A burning heat. If he knew…

“He’s… he’s your brother?” I managed. My voice was a shaky whisper. I feigned confusion. As if I hadn’t known. As if I hadn’t felt that earth-shattering pull.

Kieran’s eyes snapped to me. His glare was ice. “Stay out of this, mate.” The word was spat. An insult. He turned back to Rhys. His body language screamed dominance. “Leave. Before I make you.”

Rhys’s lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile. “As you wish, brother.” He didn’t look away from me until the last second. A lingering glance. A promise. A silent, potent message. Then he turned. He walked towards the door. His movements calculated. Silent. He was gone as quickly as he’d appeared.

Kieran slammed the door shut. The sound reverberated through the room. He spun to face me. His eyes blazing. “Don’t ever pull a stunt like that again.” His voice was low. Dangerous. “And don’t think for a second I don’t see the way you look at him. You’re my mate. Mine!”

My heart pounded. The possessiveness. The raw jealousy. It was terrifying. And… oddly thrilling. The unwanted tension between us crackled.

He’s jealous! Eliza purred, delighted.

He hates us, I countered. He just hates the idea of anyone else having us.

Kieran took a step closer. His scent, sharp and musky, filled the air. It was intoxicating. Terrifying. “Understand?”

I swallowed. My throat was dry. “Understood.”

He glared at me for another long moment. His eyes burned into mine. Then he turned. He stalked towards the door. “Logan will be back for you. There’s a celebration. For us.” The word ‘us’ was a curse on his lips. He left. The door clicked shut.

I sank onto the plush bed. My legs felt like jelly. Rhys. Another mate....and his brother. This was a nightmare. A twisted, impossible dream. My revenge plan felt distant. Blurred by layers of deception. And now… two mate bonds.

He felt it too, Eliza insisted. He knows.

I buried my face in my hands. How could I hide this?

Heavy footsteps. Logan was back. He opened the door. His face was impassive. “The Alpha requests your presence. For the celebration.”

I followed him. My mind still reeling. We walked through brightly lit corridors. The packhouse was grand. Opulent. Far from the damp, cold cells i had been in.

We entered a large, ornate dining hall. It was filled with wolves of different ranks. Laughter. Music. A stark contrast to the ceremony cavern. Everyone stopped. Their eyes turned to me. Whispers erupted.

Logan led me to the head table. Kieran was already there. His face was a mask of polite indifference. Beside him, a woman. Elara Thorne. His mother. Her silver hair was intricately braided. Her gown shimmered. She looked regal. But her eyes. They were cold. They held no warmth for me.

“Ah, Astrid,” Elara said. Her voice was smooth. Too smooth. A polite smile stretched her lips. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Do sit. You must be… exhausted.” The word ‘exhausted’ was laced with a subtle sneer. As if my very presence was a burden.

I sat beside Kieran. The chair felt too soft. Too grand.

“It seems the Moon Goddess has a curious sense of humor,” Elara continued. Her gaze swept over me. A critical assessment. Her lips thinned. “To bind my son to… such an unexpected match.” Her tone implied ‘unworthy.’ ‘Worthless.’

My jaw tightened. She knew. She knew about the rumors. About the hybrid. About the Blood Moon. She knew I was an abomination in their eyes.

Kieran remained silent. His gaze fixed on his plate. He offered no defense. No comfort. Just cold indifference.

A man approached the table. He was tall. Broad-shouldered. A confident stride. A playful smirk on his lips. His eyes, a warm hazel, met mine. They held a spark of genuine curiosity.

“Kieran, my friend!” he boomed. He clapped Kieran on the shoulder. “Congratulations, mate! Didn’t think you’d ever settle down.” He winked at me. “Especially not with someone so… intriguing.”

Kieran grunted. “Jax. This is Astrid. My…mate.” He grunted as he said the word.

“Astrid.” Jax took my hand. His grip was warm. Firm. Unlike Kieran’s cold touch. “Jax. Kieran’s long-suffering Beta. And best friend. It’s a pleasure.” His eyes held a knowing glint. As if he saw more than he let on. He seemed genuinely amused.

Just then, another woman approached. Her hair was the same dark shade as Kieran’s. Her eyes, a softer version of his. She looked at me with cautious curiosity.

“Kieran,” she said. Her voice was gentle. “Who is this?”

“My cousin, Lyra,” Kieran introduced. His tone softened slightly for her. “Lyra, this is Astrid.”

Lyra offered a small, hesitant smile. “Welcome, Astrid.” Her eyes held a flicker of something. Pity? Understanding? It was hard to tell. She didn’t show outright disdain like Elara. But she kept a polite distance.

The Alpha’s voice boomed. “Silence!”

Alpha Xavier Thorne entered the hall. Kieran’s father. He was an imposing figure. Broad-shouldered. A stern face. Eyes that missed nothing. Logan, Kieran’s father’s Beta, stood dutifully behind him.

Xavier walked to the head of the table. He sat at the center. His gaze swept the room. Then landed on Kieran. And finally, on me. His eyes lingered. A cold, assessing stare.

“My son,” Xavier began. His voice was deep. Resonant. “It seems the Moon Goddess has made her choice. A…surprising one.” His eyes narrowed at me. “But a choice nonetheless.”

He paused. The silence was heavy.

“The pack expects much from this union,” he continued. His gaze was fixed on Kieran. “Heirs. Strong, pure-blooded pups. To secure our lineage. To lead us into the future.”

Elara Thorne leaned forward. Her voice, though soft, cut through the air. Sharp as a blade. “But what if the blood is… tainted, Alpha?” Her eyes, cold and sharp, flickered to me. A venomous glint. “What if the Moon Goddess made a mistake? What if the child is….like her?”

The implication hung heavy. Hybrid. Cursed. Abomination.

I was an orphan too.

Kieran’s jaw clenched. He shot a look at his mother. A warning. But he said nothing. He couldn’t. Not publicly.

Xavier’s gaze hardened. He looked at Elara. A silent warning passed between them. Then he looked back at me. “The Moon Goddess does not make mistakes, Elara. But we will ensure the purity of our line.” His eyes bored into mine. A silent challenge. A threat. “The Thorne line will not be weakened.”

The celebration continued. But the undercurrent of tension was palpable. I felt like a spectacle. A prize. A problem. A ticking time bomb.

Later, Logan escorted me back to my quarters. The luxurious room. My gilded cage. I was exhausted. Mentally drained. The secrets. The lies. The two mate bonds.

I walked to the window. The moon was high. Full. It cast a silver glow over the forest. Freedom. So close. Yet still out of reach.

The door burst open. Kieran entered. He didn’t bother closing it. His face was a mask of pure fury. His eyes, dark pools of resentment.

“This is a farce,” he snarled. His voice was raw. Filled with disgust. “A cruel joke. I hate this. I hate you.”

was he drunk?.....I wonder how much he drank cause Alphas rarely got drunk but here he was.

My heart ached. A sharp, unexpected pain. Even as my mind screamed back. I hate you too!

He stalked towards me. His scent, musky and potent, filled the air. The mate bond pulsed. A violent thrumming. Between hatred and an undeniable pull.

“My father demands pups,” he said. His voice was rough. A low growl vibrated in his chest. His eyes, now glowing with a faint, predatory gold, locked onto mine. His canines elongated slightly. His jaw shifted. His human features began to distort.

A sickening crack echoed. His bones shifted. His shoulders broadened. Muscles rippled, tearing at the fabric of his shirt. His skin stretched. Dark fur sprouted along his jaw, his neck. His face elongated, becoming more lupine. His fingers thickened, nails darkening into claws. His wolf was rising. A primal, untamed power. It terrified me. It thrilled me. The beast within him was taking over.

He was right in front of me now. His shadow loomed. His eyes, now fully golden slits, burned into mine. A raw, animalistic hunger.

“Let’s get started.”

His hand shot out. It clamped around my wrist. His grip was bruising. He pulled me towards him. My body collided with his hard, shifting form.

“Strip.”