Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy Chapter 20

ARIA

*"I don't know,"* he admitted. *"Eliza thinks it's possible. The curse was placed because I refused to bond with the right mate—with my true mate. If you are that mate, if our bond is what the Moon Goddess intended, then completing it might be enough to break the curse entirely."*

My breath caught. *"And if it doesn't?"*

*"Then I'll still have you,"* he said simply. *"And that will be enough. I'd rather spend the rest of my life in this form with you as my Luna than be human without you."*

Tears pricked my eyes. I blinked them back quickly, not wanting the seamstresses to notice.

*"That's incredibly romantic for someone who's currently a giant wolf,"* I tried to joke.

*"I have my moments."* I could hear the smile in his mental voice. *"Now stop worrying and let them finish your fitting. I want to see this dress Nina keeps bragging about."*

*"You're not supposed to see it until the ceremony. It's bad luck."*

*"I'm already cursed. How much worse can my luck get?"*

He had a point.

The fitting took another hour. By the time the seamstresses were satisfied, I felt like I'd been standing for days. But when I looked at my reflection again, at the way the gown transformed me from a rejected omega into something that looked almost regal, I couldn't help but feel a spark of pride.

This was who I was becoming. Not Damon's convenient assistant, not Sera's shadow, but Aria—Luna of Shadowmere. A leader in her own right.

"Now for the jewelry," Nina announced, producing a velvet case. "The traditional Luna pieces. They've been in Shadowmere for generations, passed down from Luna to Luna."

She opened the case to reveal a stunning collection of silver jewelry, all featuring moonstones that glowed with an inner light. A circlet designed to sit on my forehead, earrings that would dangle just past my jaw, a choker-style necklace with a large moonstone pendant, and matching bracelets.

"These are beautiful," I breathed, reaching out to touch the circlet carefully.

"They're also magical," Nina said seriously. "The moonstones are connected to the pack's territory. When you wear them during the ceremony, you'll be able to feel every wolf in Shadowmere, sense the boundaries of our lands, understand the ebb and flow of pack energy. It's how Lunas maintain awareness of their pack's needs."

I stared at the jewelry with new understanding. This wasn't just decoration—it was a tool, a responsibility.

"What if I'm not ready?" I asked quietly. "What if I put these on and I can't handle it? What if I fail the pack?"

Nina set down the case and took both my hands in hers. "Aria, listen to me. In the week you've been here, you've gone from a stranger to someone this pack already respects and trusts. You've risked your life to harvest healing herbs. You've saved our Alpha from death. You've trained tirelessly to learn our customs and protocols. You've shown more dedication and courage than some wolves who were born into this pack."

"But—"

"No buts," she interrupted firmly. "You're going to be an amazing Luna. And you're not going to be alone in this. I'll be here to guide you. Eliza will be here. The council will be here. And Kael—Kael will be right beside you, every step of the way. You're not doing this alone, Aria. You're joining a family."

A family. The word hit me harder than it should have. I'd lost my family years ago, watched them die at the hands of rogues. I'd thought I'd found a new one with Blackwood pack, but I'd always been on the periphery there, never quite belonging.

But here, in Shadowmere, wolves I'd known for barely a week were welcoming me with open arms. Trusting me with their pack's future. Giving me a chance to prove myself.

"Thank you," I whispered, squeezing Nina's hands. "For everything. For being patient with me, for teaching me, for making me feel welcome here."

"You don't need to thank me," Nina said with a warm smile. "That's what pack does—we take care of each other. And you're pack now, Aria. You have been since the moment you stepped across our border."

The seamstresses helped me out of the gown carefully, making sure not to disturb any of the pins and adjustments they'd made. As I changed back into my regular clothes—practical pants and a soft sweater that Nina had loaned me—I tried to process everything.

In two days, I would put on that gown, wear those magical moonstones, and bond with an Alpha I was only beginning to know. I would take responsibility for hundreds of wolves, become their Luna, their leader.

It should have terrified me.

Instead, as I followed Nina out of the fitting room and back toward the pack settlement, all I felt was a strange sense of rightness. Like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place.

This was where I was meant to be.

We were halfway back to my temporary quarters when Nina's phone rang. She answered it, her expression growing concerned as she listened.

"When?" she asked sharply. "How many?... I see. Keep them at the border. Don't let them cross without Alpha approval. We'll be there in ten minutes."

She hung up and turned to me, her face grave. "We have visitors at the northern border. Three wolves from Blackwood pack, requesting entry to speak with our leadership."

My blood ran cold. Blackwood pack. Damon's pack.

"Did they say what they want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"They claim it's urgent pack business. But Aria..." Nina hesitated. "One of them is Alpha Damon Cross himself."

The world tilted sideways.

Damon was here. At Shadowmere's border. Two days before my bonding ceremony. What the hell was going on here? He wasn't supposed to show up, I told him where I would be? How did he find out that I lied?

*"Aria?"* Kael's voice in my mind was sharp with concern. *"What's wrong? I felt your fear spike—"*