Chapter Thirteen: True Form

I stood in front of the mirror, taking myself in. The dress I was in was a beautiful lavender creation and my belly was now officially showing. There was a visible bump that had me smiling like an idiot when I thought about my babies. I had grown taller as well, and my curves were coming in.

I was changing.

I only noticed everything once I got out of the shower and found my hair black and blue eyes staring back at me. There was something really different about me; something more powerful. Either that or it was all in my head.

I highly doubt it though.

Balthazar, Leona, King Paulo, Mama Deo and Merlin had confirmed that I am indeed carrying twins. Merlin also assured Mateo and I that I would give birth just fine because of Marissa and Star. Having them both with me means that I’ll be strong enough to give birth to my babies.

I had already changed my appearance and scent to look like Marissa. My black hair was currently in a tight and simple bun, while my ears were adorned with stunning drop earrings. The dress was paired up with a silver clutch bag.

My navy eyes actually went well with the dress I was wearing. I felt as beautiful as I looked, despite the challenges I would have to face tonight. I sighed, my hand resting on my growing bump, unaware of the presence in the room.

“Oh my Goddess!” I heard the gasp behind me. I turned to find her standing there, her eyes wide as they landed on my stomach.

Well shit!

“Heeey Lexi,” I said warily.

“You’re pregnant!” she whisper-yelled.

“I am, but you can’t tell anyone else,” I told her, using my Alpha tone.

“I won’t, but why didn’t you say anything?” she asked.

“We wanted to keep everyone in the dark for as long as possible you know, with the danger and all looming over us,” I lied.

“Oh, that’s completely understandable. I’m rejoicing and screaming on the inside,” she smiled, walking further into the room.

“I couldn’t tell,” I giggled.

“I don’t want to scream out loud and alarm the other pack members,” she defended.

“Thanks,” I smiled.

“You look gorgeous, but I thought Val was going to get you a navy dress?” she said in confusion.

Valentine and I still weren’t on speaking terms since Mateo went off on her and she blames me for it. I was so shocked when Max told me that he overheard her telling Anastasia that I’m more trouble to her brother than I am his source of happiness. She’s convinced that he was better off being the cold and lonely Alpha that only had to care for his pack, and not his “selfish and clearly dangerous” mate.

And she calls ME selfish?

I raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t heard?”

“What? That she’s mad at you? That I’ve heard, but I didn’t think she’d be childish enough to not arrange your dress when Mateo specifically instructed her to,” Alexa told me.

“I don’t know what’s going on with her,” I admitted. Leona was the one who had organised the dress I was currently wearing.

“I think she feels that you being here has brought more danger than happiness,” she commented.

See?

“That’s stupid! The danger has always been there! How have I contributed to it?” I questioned.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking, because in my eyes, you’ve actually helped more than anything. Maybe she’s just mad that Mateo doesn’t notice her as much before,” she pointed out.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Before you came here, I’m not saying that they were close or anything like that, but he did make time to see her more and check up on her and the like. Since you guys mated, you’re all he worries about. She’s not that close to Maya anymore, so Mateo was the one person she looked up to and I guess your mating has taken away from that,” she explained. I guess I understood what she was saying.

“I get what you’re saying, but I still think she’s being childish. Firstly, if that’s how she’s feeling, then why hasn’t she said anything? Secondly, as much as she believes I’m the reason her brother treats her differently, I don’t see how that’s my fault when it’s his decision to do so. She should be mad at him, not me. I did nothing wrong to her,” I huffed.

“Calm down June! I understand where you’re coming from and I totally agree, but in case you haven’t noticed, Santiagos are very stubborn people. Maybe you should tell Mateo about this,” she suggested.

I rolled my eyes. “Nah, I’m not bringing him into this. She’s old enough to grow a pair and realize that she’s wrong all on her merry own.”

“Luna June is taking no nonsense I see,” she joked.

I shrugged. “I’m not about that life anymore, Lexi. There are bigger things happening right now than Valentine’s pettiness.”

“Bigger things that you have to handle?” she asked sadly.

“You have no idea, Lexi,” I said, my eyes tearing up. Before she could say anything, my door flew open and a giggling Rose came running in with Max behind her.

“Mommy!” she squealed, before wrapping her arms around my legs. My heart skipped a beat at knowing that I would have to leave her behind as well.

“Hey baby,” I smiled, before leaning down to pick her up. Lexi and Max looked stunned.

Max chuckled. “So she wasn’t lying to me about the whole mommy thing?”

“Nope! I adopted her as my own,” I smiled before kissing her chubby cheeks. She squealed and giggled.

“Is Mateo in on this?” Alexa asked.

“I don’t think so,” I said, frowning in realization. It hadn’t mattered to me if he knew or not.

Max shot me a disappointed look. “So, she has no daddy?”

“I didn’t think about that,” I confessed.

“Shame on you!” Alexa laughed.

“Mommy, where are you going?” Rose asked me softly.

“I’m going to another pack for an event, but how did you know it’s me?” I asked her. Since I was Marissa, I didn’t think she would’ve recognized me.

“I know my mommy very well. You look beautiful,” she beamed.

I wasn’t convinced by her answer, but then again, it is Rose.

“Thank you baby,” I said before putting her down. As much as I wanted her in my arms, I didn’t want to crease my dress.

Max was looking at me weirdly. “Hey, are you taller?”

“You can see it too?” I asked, wide-eyed.

“It’s not just the height. You’re curvier as well,” Alexa commented.

So I wasn’t seeing things after all!

“I thought it was just my eyes,” I said in relief.

“Nope, you’re not seeing things,” Alexa confirmed as she continued to eye me.

“Mommy, your stomach is growing!” she said wide-eyed.

“I know baby. Remember what I told you?” I reminded her. She furrowed her brows for a few seconds before she remembered.

“Really?” she beamed. I nodded with a giggle.

She then did the incredible by stepping up to kiss my belly. She rubbed it softly before telling my babies that their big sister would always love them. I didn’t know how she knew I was having more than one, but I’ve learnt that Rose really is a one of a kind girl.

“Did she just say babies?” Max asked me. I nodded.

“You’re having more than one?” Alexa whisper-squealed. Again I nodded, but this time with a smile. I laughed when the two dorks broke out into a happy dance.

“What’s going on here?” my sexy mate’s alluring and amused voice floated throughout the room.

There he stood, looking delectable as hell in a simple tux that fit him to perfection. His hair was styled suavely and from where I was standing, I could already breathe in the scent that was Mateo Santiago. Even though he was currently smiling, I knew that he had his game face on because we could all feel the power rolling off of him in commanding waves.

Can you tell that I’m turned on yet?

“DADDY!” Rose squealed, running to him. Alexa, Max and I froze as we waited for Mateo’s reaction as the little girl headed towards him.

This was it…

“Hello princess!” Mateo chuckled, before picking her up and hoisting her in the air, resulting in a fit of giggles from the little one.

“Princess?” Max, Alexa and I asked in disbelief.

“What? My wife is the only one allowed to go around adopting cute little girls?” Mateo asked amusedly, turning to me. I couldn’t help but blush.

“WIFE?” Alexa shouted. Mateo seemed to register then that she was still around.

“Ah damn,” he mumbled.

“You guys got married? Without us?” Alexa asked in hurt.

“It wasn’t the official thing Lexi. This was just for the sakes of their sanities. They both wouldn’t have survived a long engagement,” Max came to our rescue. Alexa looked like she bought it.

“Besides, you guys can plan the official thing,” I offered, knowing that they wouldn’t even remember me in a couple of days.

She beamed. “Really?”

“Yes really,” I giggled. I’d already had my perfect wedding anyway. Mateo looked happy with the new arrangement as well.

If only he knew why I agreed to it in the first place.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked me.

“I am! How did you know about Rose?” I asked curiously.

“You dreamt about her, and she happened to tell me that you’re her new mommy. I already knew that she had a special place in your heart the moment I told you about her,” he smiled.

“Very perceptive,” I commented.

“I know! Let’s go, Mrs Santiago,” he winked.

“Aaaaw, it even sounds as adorable as you guys look right now!” Alexa gushed.

“You can’t tell anyone, Alexa!” Mateo warned in his Alpha tone.

“Well, now that you’ve used that tone with her,” Max teased, making us laugh.

“Whatever!” Mateo smirked as we walked out of the room. We weren’t going down since we didn’t want to be seen by the pack members. Orion and Valentine had already received their orders from Mateo.

Rose pouted. “Mommy, are you and daddy leaving now?”

I sighed, before kissing her cheeks. “Yes baby, but we’ll be back sooner than you know, okay?”

“Okay! I love you guys!” she smiled before kissing both our cheeks.

“We love you too princess!” Mateo said before kissing her forehead and putting her down.

“Enjoy yourselves guys! Everything else is already in motion,” Max told us.

“Then you should know that there will be no enjoyment whatsoever,” Mateo and I said simultaneously.

Max shrugged. “Okay, true. Kick ass then!”

“Language!” Mateo, Alexa and I said.

“Sorry,” Max smiled sheepishly.

“We’ll see you guys when we come back,” Mateo said before taking my hand.

I teleported us to the garage where we were taking his fancy black sedan. He opened the passenger door for me and I stepped in, before he closed the door and headed to the driver’s side to enter. Soon enough we were on our way to Litmus. It was a forty-five minute drive from our house to their pack house.

“How are you feeling right now?” he asked me, taking my hand in his free one. While his other hand was on the steering wheel, mine was on my belly.

“I’m honestly feeling uneasy,” I admitted.

“I’m here for you the whole way,” he said, sparing me a glance before turning back to the road.

“I know you are babe, but it’s honestly not doing anything for my nerves. I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders,” I confessed.

“I understand baby doll, and I honestly wish I could say that you didn’t have to do this,” he said guiltily. I already knew that he honestly didn’t want me doing this.

He was only letting me because I’m the only one who can.

“I know babe, I know,” I said before we were enveloped by silence.

“Hey, we only came up with one name for each gender,” he said softly after some time.

I turned to him, snapping out of my thoughts. “Hmm?”

“Our babies; we only came up with one girl name and one boy name. What if we have two girls or two boys?” he asked.

“I didn’t even think about that,” I giggled lightly.

“I know, baby doll. For a girl, I was thinking Leya Auriela Santiago,” he suggested.

“Auriela?” I asked in surprise.

“He’d love it,” he smiled, referring to Boris.

“He would,” I said, nodding in agreement.

My mate is such a thoughtful person.

“For the boy, I was thinking Francisco Beinvenido Santiago,” he said thoughtfully.

“Beinvenido? Will our children all be named after important people?” I teased. Beinvenido is Balthazar’s last name.

“Pretty much!” he chuckled.

“You are truly talented at naming babies. I wouldn’t have even known where to start,” I admitted.

“I know, baby doll. That’s why I didn’t even give you the platform,” he taunted. I stuck my tongue out at him.

“So, we’ve got Ceria Selena Santiago and Leya Auriela Santiago for the girls, and Cesaro Mateo Santiago and Francisco Beinvenido Santiago for the boys. How come only one of the boys gets your name?” I asked.

It didn’t seem fair to me.

“I didn’t think about that,” he admitted.

“It wouldn’t be fair, and it would cause fights in the future. I can just see it,” I pointed out.

“Okay, how about Diego Beinvenido Santiago?” he offered.

“But now that means he’s named after two important people, while his twin would only be named after one,” I sighed.

“Hmm Donatello Mateo Santiago?” he suggested.

“Who’s Donatello?” I frowned.

He raised an amused eyebrow. “You don’t know your own brother’s name?”

“Why on earth does Mark have a Spanish name?” I asked in confusion.

He scowled. “His mother was Spanish. Baby doll, how do you not know this?”

“I guess I haven’t really spent any time getting to know Mark,” I sadly admitted.

“That’s okay! You can always do that when we come back,” he offered.

When we come back...

I wasn’t even in the mood to be upset anymore. I had accepted my fate by now. I was going to perform the spell, my mate and pack would forget about me, I would go on a journey to discover the truth about my mate, and I would hopefully make it back to him. It was something I had no more tears to cry about anymore, no matter how much I despised it.

“I guess! Can I ask you something?” I instead asked.

He nodded. “Yeah sure.”

“What exactly happened in that dream of yours? The one where you couldn’t remember me,” I asked. He looked taken aback.

“That’s a bit random,” he commented.

“I’m just really curious,” I lied. He didn’t look like he bought it for a second, but sighed and began to tell me.

“We were just sitting and then you got up and left the room. I followed you, wondering where you were going since you didn’t say anything when you got up. I followed you all the way to the door. I was about to ask you where you were going, but the moment you walked out, I forgot all about you. It was like I had never met you, and no-one else in the pack remembered you either. It was like you had never landed on our territory and you had vanished into thin air. I don’t know how I knew that my dream self had forgotten about you, but I guess I could see from how cold I suddenly became. I mean, I’m still distant right now, but I’m not as void as I used to be. Seeing myself like that again was enough to make me want to desperately get back to the me I now know I can be,” he told me.

I didn’t realize that I was crying until the tears landed on my arms. I thought I couldn’t cry anymore, but the amount of emotion that had just come from what he was telling me was enough to start the waterworks.

This time, I wasn’t crying because I had to leave him.

This time I was crying for him.

I was crying because he was so afraid of becoming who he used to be, and yet he would be exactly that soon. He would go back to being void and he wouldn’t even remember me. He wouldn’t remember that he could be a better version of himself than that cold man.

I thought back to Valentine and how she felt that he was better off being a cold and void Alpha. I don’t care what that girl says. She’s selfish if she didn’t even realize that her brother was suffering when he was like that.

She’s selfish because she wants to believe that I’m more trouble than good, and yet when her brother was suffering, she let him be because she couldn’t see the truth before her.

I didn’t care about her opinion or the fact that she was upset with me having come into Mateo’s life. I was confident of the fact that despite not remembering me in a few days, I had given him the four things he never thought he would have - hope, unconditional love, a mate and a family.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked softly.

“Yeah! I was just lost in thought about something,” I managed to smile genuinely as I wiped away my tears. The smile must’ve deceived him into thinking that I had been thinking about something good because he returned the smile.

“We’re almost there,” he mentioned as he looked around. We had just crossed into Litmus territory, which meant we had another ten minutes to go.

Yeah, our territory is that big.

I had never really noticed it before, but Litmus was actually very scary looking. There were no lights in the woods at all, so we were driving through the darkness, although we could see some lights from other cars ahead of us.

“Babe, where do you keep information on the history of your family?” I asked curiously.

“I have no idea. Why do you ask?” he asked.

“I’m curious to learn about my new family,” I said. It was mostly true.

“I actually don’t know, although the Elders may know something,” he replied, before he bit his lip. I got sidetracked for a moment from the action.

“Baby doll,” he growled lowly. I wasn’t sure why, until it hit me.

I was turned on.

“What?” I asked breathlessly.

“Are you serious right now? We’re five minutes from the pack house,” he groaned.

“You’re so damn sexy Mateo. I can’t fucking help it!” I purred. His eyes instantly turned black as the car came to an abrupt halt. All the lights turned off and we became one with the darkness.

“Baby doll, how are you going through heat right now?” he and Zeus growled out together.

I was going through heat?

“I’m going through heat? Is that even possible with my pregnancy?” I asked, even though I could feel my whole body beginning to burn up.

“Apparently it is possible. My problem is that there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t take you in the car,” he said in frustration.

“What about in the woods?” I asked.

“You would let me take you in the woods?” he asked, his eyes still as dark as the night.

“At this point in time, I’d let you take me anywhere,” I groaned, as the heat kicked up a notch. I could feel my stomach clenching with need.

“I’m not doing this with you June. Not now, and most definitely not here,” he growled.

“So what do you suggest I do? Attend to myself?” I asked, deadpan before groaning again.

“Star, can’t you turn off the heat?” Zeus asked her.

“I’m not the one causing it,” Starlet replied.

“Marissa?” Zeus called. She didn’t respond.

In fact, I couldn’t even feel her anymore.

“Uh babe, who do I look like right now?” I asked him. He turned on the light in the car before his eyes went wide.

“What is it?” I panicked, my heat forgotten.

“This isn’t possible,” he whispered.

“What isn’t possible?” I asked impatiently.

“Your eyes are red and your hair is silver,” he replied.

I frowned. “What now?”

He took down the mirror on the inside of the sunshade in front of me. I gasped when I realized that he was telling the truth. My hair was silver, almost white even. My eyes were blood red, and my skin was somehow paling.

“Drive back to our border,” I told Mateo, wanting to test something. He turned on the car and did as he was told. In five minutes, we were back on Vistas territory.

“Do I look different now?” I asked him.

“Yeah!” he responded, looking confused.

“That was off putting!” Marissa grumbled.

“What happened?” I asked her.

“The moment you drove into their territory, it’s like I disappeared, but I don’t know where to,” she replied.

“How is that even possible?” Zeus was the one to ask. I guess Star opened up this conversation to them.

“The whole territory was spelled by Odessa. I could feel her magic suffocating me,” Marissa explained.

“Is it possible that she knows that we’re here?” Mateo asked.

“I think it is. Maybe we should call my dad, Merlin and Mama Deo,” I told him.

“You already did,” he replied, looking out the window. Standing outside were the three people I had just named. Mateo and I stepped out of the car.

“What happened?” Balthazar asked.

“We crossed into their territory and June was hit with heat. It was only then we realized that she was changing appearance,” Mateo replied.

“What did you look like when you changed?” Merlin asked me.

“I had white silvery hair with red eyes,” I replied. Understanding seemed to dawn on the adults.

“Even after all these years, she’s still cautious,” Mama Deo commented.

“I don’t understand,” I muttered.

“Although Odessa destroyed other Naturalist witches, a part of her believes that there were some in hiding, and so she’s always cautious. She spelled the territory with a spell that reveals every Naturalist witch’s true form,” Merlin explained.

“True form? Is this not Marissa’s true form?” Mateo asked the question on the tip of my tongue.

“There’s something you don’t know that we ourselves only discovered earlier today. When Juniper was born, she adapted her mother’s appearance, but it was not her true appearance. While the blonde hair and the green eyes are in her genes, they are not her true appearance,” Mama Deo hinted.

“So this is what I really look like?” I asked. The three adults nodded.

“You have the ability to shapeshift, which is a power that hasn’t been seen in a long time since the cosmos had banned it from being given to anyone. It had caused too many problems in the past, hence why not even the vampires get shape shifting as a power. The white hair and red eyes is Marissa’s true form,” Balthazar explained.

“Does your Naturalist side have a true form?” I asked him.

Instead of answering me, he simply changed into his true form, which was actually cool. He has the pure white hair as well, but only one of his eyes becomes red, while the other stays green.

“And does your sorcerer side have a form?” I asked.

“No! My sorcerer side is just that,” he said, changing back to normal.

“So what now?” Mateo asked. I couldn’t very well go onto Litmus if I was going to be found out the moment I stepped into the pack house.

“It’s not a big deal. Because Marissa is a full Naturalist witch and a werewolf, and Odessa’s descendant, she can counter the spell,” Merlin informed us.

“How would I do that?” Marissa asked.

“You let Star take over everything except scent. You work on keeping the scent yours, since they already know Star’s scent. The appearance is up to June which she has already adapted, so that’s no problem,” Mama Deo replied.

“Hold on, so I’m going to look like this forever now?” I asked.

The three adults nodded. “Pretty much!”

“What triggered this?” Mateo once again asked the question I was curious about.

“Your link is open to me, baby doll. I’m not that much of a mind reader,” he chuckled in my head, shooting me an amused glance.

“Shut up!” I mumbled in link.

“We believe that something recently traumatic forced her true state out,” Mama Deo seemed to be hinting at me. At first, I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, until it hit me like a boulder.

Mateo’s death.

“But I’ve only had this form since I first performed magic,” I pointed out.

“If you think about it, you’ll realize that you’re wrong. Yes, it appeared when Marissa was performing magic, but it wasn’t the first time it had appeared,” Merlin explained.

“Think about your past,” Balthazar linked.

I thought hard about it.

That’s when I realized that there had been times when I was living with my grandmother when I’d wake up with black hair and blue eyes, and I used to think it was just a vivid dream because the next day, I would wake up with my blonde hair and green eyes. My grandmother used to tell me that it wasn’t a dream, so I thought it was just her being old.

“Oh my Goddess!” I whispered.

“This was meant to happen sooner or later, so do not panic. This is what you truly look like. It doesn’t change who you are,” Mama Deo explained.

When I thought about it, I realized that she was right. While I had freaked out about my height and curves, I had also felt more powerful, more at one with my true self. I found it ironic that this was happening just as I was getting close to performing a life changing spell and having to leave my mate behind.

Speaking of my mate, he was looking at me weirdly. It was like he was thinking about something, coming to some sort of conclusion or realization. That’s when we all watched his eyes darken until they were completely black. I was getting more and more turned on.

“Mateo,” I said with bated breath. I found myself against the car faster than I could blink.

“You’re taller, baby doll. You’re curvier,” he purred the last word, trailing his fingers along my sides.

“Kiss me,” I whispered into the night, well aware that Mama Deo, Balthazar and Merlin had disappeared.

Mateo didn’t need to be told twice as he claimed my lips. I had a feeling that we were going to be late to the inauguration, and quite frankly, I didn’t care. Apparently, my husband and I were on the same page since he didn’t protest when we found ourselves back in our room. He pushed me back onto the bed before the dress I was wearing was somewhere on the floor in shreds.

“Aw, I liked that dress,” I moaned as he skimmed his claw between my breasts.

Goddess, I love it when he does that!

“I’ll buy you a million more mi amor,” he whispered onto my skin.

Mi amor?

Well that’s new.

And quite possibly the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard from him!

No words were shared between us in the next hour since we agreed that we would be taking that long. Time didn’t seem to matter though, as I was taken to the heavens and back. Everything fit into place. Everything felt right.

I felt like I was reborn.

“Did we just re-mark each other?” I barely managed to ask when I realized that we had bitten each other again.

“I think we did,” he nodded, panting beside me.

“Since you’ve accepted your true form, you needed to do it again,” Starlet informed me.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because the marking on blonde you didn’t stick, so this needed to happen before you faced the other Alphas and especially Royce and Dayton,” Marissa was the one to reply.

“You look too adorable when you’re talking to Star and Marissa,” Mateo whispered in my ear. I blushed when I realized that I’d shut him out.

I sighed. “We need to get going.”

“I know, but we both need to shower first,” he pointed out.

I didn’t think we could do it, but by the miracle of the heavens, we managed to shower without losing our control. When we stepped out of the bathroom, there was a dress and a suit on our bed with a note from Leona begging us not to rip these clothes. I realized then that I had done some damage to his tux as well.

“Leona is one creepy lady,” Mateo chuckled.

“It’s like she always knows what’s needed, where and when,” I added in agreement as we got dressed.

“I’m not sure which dress I like best now,” he commented as he helped to zip up my dress.

Unlike the first dress, this dress was black and it was see-through for the most part. By that, I mean that from the waist down, you could basically see my legs. It had a plunging neck line, which surprisingly wasn’t affected by my slightly swollen belly. My lady parts and my butt were covered up by what I could only describe as that costume thingie ballerinas wear over their tights but without the tutu.

Who cares if I’m describing it right or wrong?

Mateo liked it, and oddly enough (not really that odd at this point in time), that’s all I cared about.

My hair was in a ponytail this time and I had to change my earrings to hoops. I still felt gorgeous though, so it didn’t really bother me all that much. My accessories had changed as well as I had to wear black and silver bangles, as well as hold a black clutch bag.

“Well, you still look as debonair in this tux as you did in the first,” I winked.

“Why Mrs Santiago, I do love this new side to you,” he smirked, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“I know not of what you speak of,” I feigned innocence before flashing us back to the car.

We were at the Litmus pack house in ten minutes and Mateo confirmed that I didn’t have white hair or red eyes. Standing outside the pack house was bittersweet for me. The last time I was here, I almost died. It looked different outside. It was amazing what five years could do.

When my husband stepped out of the car, all eyes turned to him as curiosity lingered in the air. We both knew of the rumors. People had heard that he’d chosen a Luna, but only our pack members and a selected few other people outside of it knew that I was his true mate.

He opened the door and I took a deep breath in before taking his hand and stepping out. The murmuring took off and I hadn’t even faced them yet. I had got out and faced my mate. I needed the reassurance from him, and he seemed to pick this up since he lay a soft kiss on my lips. I smiled as we pulled away.

“You always know what I need,” I whispered, knowing that he could hear me just fine.

“You’re my soul mate, baby doll. No one knows you better than I do,” he said lowly so that I was the only one who could hear him.

Which is hard to do when there are werewolves all around.

I turned around and that’s when the shocked gasps kicked off, followed by the muttering and guessing. I knew my pregnancy would be a big deal, but I had no idea it would be this big a deal. These people were going on as if Mateo was some vermin that didn’t deserve a mate or an heir.

“Alpha Santiago, it’s been a while,” an old man stepped up to us with a beautiful woman beside him.

“Alpha and Luna Goulding, it has been a while indeed. I’d like to introduce to you my lovely wife, mate and mother to my unborn heirs, Marissa. Baby doll, this is Henry Goulding and his mate Irene Goulding. They are the Alphas of the Yellow Stone Pack,” Mateo introduced.

“My, she’s a beauty! She’ll be the envy of every younger and older woman alike here,” Irene smiled.

I smiled at them. “Thank you and it’s lovely to meet you both.”

“Congratulations on your marriage and conception, son. Well, your mate is the pregnant one, but I’m sure you get the gist of what I’m saying,” Alpha Goulding joked.

“I understand,” Mateo nodded with the ghost of a smile, making me realize something.

I’m doing a lot of damn realizing.

Anyway, back to my point, Mateo was closed off again. Yes, I was beside him, but he was still being the Mateo from before he met me. He was cold and distant with everyone, except for when he was looking or talking to me - then his whole demeanor would soften.

It was comical to watch really.

“My favorite couple in the world!” Chase beamed when he spotted us. I felt a pang of sadness for him when I realized that he was amongst the only Alphas here who didn’t have a mate, and most of them were older than him.

“Hello Chase,” I giggled as I hugged him. He was in on the entire plan for tonight.

“You look absolutely stunning. I like you better like this,” he whispered the last part. Mateo nodded in agreement.

“Well, luckily for you I’m permanently stuck this way,” I smiled.

“I thought...” he trailed off.

I shrugged. “I’ll explain it to you later.”

“Well, it looks like they went all out for this shindig,” Chase commented.

And it was true!

I had never seen the pack house look this extravagant before. My mother must’ve really put in a lot of work. At the thought of my mother, I started to look around the room to see if I could spot her, but I couldn’t find her amongst the many people here.

“Who are you looking for?” Mateo whispered in my ear.

“My mom,” I whispered in return. He just nodded in understanding before turning back to the Alphas.

I noticed that there were waitresses who were carrying champagne flutes and that the guests were grabbing them, but that none of them were actually drinking the champagne. I guess everyone really was clued up on the ‘do not eat or drink anything you are given’ thing. We were all mingling well, and I was happy to be accepted by most, although Irene was right.

The women here were all eyeing me in awe or jealousy and some of them weren’t very discreet about their clear hatred for me. Funnily enough, they didn’t say anything while Mateo was around me. They probably thought that because I’m mated to the strongest Alpha at this thing, I was afraid and would hide behind him.

Think again bitches.

“Do you know what you’re having yet?” Doris, one of the older Lunas asked me. A couple of us were sitting in the lounge.

“Not yet,” I lied. Mateo and I had agreed that we weren’t going to tell anyone the truth. It was safer this way.

“I don’t think the child is his. I mean, look at him, and then look at her. He probably found her already with child from some dirty rogue and decided to feel sorry for her,” one of the younger Lunas said quite loudly, even though she was telling her friend.

“Brielle!” Luna Vargas scolded her.

“What? I’m only saying what most of you fake ass women are afraid to say. Look at her! She doesn’t look like someone who deserves to be by Mateo’s side,” Brielle argued.

I wonder what her problem is.

“You’re not very good at hiding your jealousy, Brielle,” Luna Goulding said amusedly.

“I have nothing to be jealous of! There’s nothing she has that I don’t!” Brielle scoffed.

Yeah, except maybe a white wolf, a Naturalist witch and the Alpha mate she CLEARLY wanted!

“No one cares what you have to say, Brielle,” Luna Ferguson replied. I learnt that she’s one of the most respected Lunas here.

“Don’t mind Brielle. She’s just mad that she wasn’t Mateo’s mate and that she got one of the insignificant Alphas as her mate,” a familiar voice said. I was shocked and then happy to find out that it was Maya. I’d forgotten that she would also be here.

“Maya!” I squealed before hugging her. She laughed and hugged me back while the other Lunas watched in awe.

“You’d forgotten that I was coming,” she said knowingly.

“Pssh no!” I blushed.

“Luna Iglesias, it is an honor to meet you,” Luna Pope said in awe.

The other Lunas seemed to be in the same state. I didn’t blame them, since if we go by rankings, Dante’s the third most powerful Alpha, after Mateo and Mark that is, even though these ladies didn’t know that. To them, he was second.

“How do you know the newbie?” Brielle asked, curiosity dripping from her tone.

“She’s my cousin-in-law. As you know, Mateo’s my cousin,” Maya told her as though she was stupid.

“Where do you come from Marissa?” the woman sitting next to Brielle asked me.

“What? I don’t deserve the same respect as all the other Lunas here?” I asked. I hadn’t told her that I was okay with her using my name, and it honestly pissed Star off.

“What? You want to be called Luna Santiago? You don’t deserve the term. You’re not an official Luna,” Brielle scoffed. Before I could respond, I was beaten to it.

“Bitterness always did suit you Brielle. Do not dare to even think of disrespecting my wife and mate if you know what’s good for you. You will call her Luna Santiago and you will do so respectfully,” my mate’s calm voice reached my ears.

Don’t let the calmness fool you though.

His threat was picked up clearly in his tone.

Brielle seemed to choke on air. “Wife?”

“Yes, wife! Was her ring not clear enough for you? Was the fact that her belly is swollen with my heir not proof enough? Or did you just assume that she was some whore who became pregnant from some dirty rogue and I decided to feel sorry for her? That couldn’t be it, right? Because that would just be preposterous!” he chuckled darkly, his eyes turning black.

Well, no need to ask if he heard any of what she’d said.

He clearly did!

Oh June, you don’t say…

I’m losing my mind.

Slowly but surely...

I looked over at Brielle and the woman was basically shaking in fear. I don’t even mean that in the metaphorical way. I mean she was literally shaking. The whole room had silenced and some of the Alphas had joined us to see what was going on. The Lunas were basically looking between Mateo, Brielle and I.

“Alpha Santiago, I apologize on behalf of my mate. I don’t even know what she did, but I know that she’s wrong. I apologize,” a male voice finally broke the silence.

All heads turned to the guy I assumed was Brielle’s mate. He’s actually hot. He has black hair and stunning blue eyes. He’s built, but not as built as my mate. He’s not as tall either, but I mean, he’s on the hotter side of life than most guys. He even looked like the sweet guy who lives next door - I’m speaking figuratively here.

I guess some women just really don’t know when they’ve got something good.

Mateo’s breathing could be heard, and I could tell that Zeus was itching to get out and show one of these people a lesson. Unfortunately, I couldn’t let that happen, which is how I ended up kissing him in the middle of the room with all the eyes on us.

“Calm down,” I said lowly to him, once I could feel him slowly relaxing. His grip on my waist was firm, but not hard enough to hurt.

“I’m calm,” he linked me, looking deep into my blue eyes with his hazel orbs. He caressed my cheek, before letting go.

That’s when I looked around the room. Pure shock was on these people’s faces, Chase included. For the first time since I landed on Vista, I thought back to EVERYTHING that I had heard about Mateo from since I was a little girl.

They used to say he was cursed.

They used to say he shifted at ten.

They used to say he killed his first victim when he was eleven.

They used to say his pack members were controlled slaves.

They used to say his pack members feared him.

They used to say he killed for the thrill of hearing his victims beg for mercy before ending their lives.

They used to say he fed off of the souls of the tortured.

They used to say the prisoners he kept were tortured in unimaginable ways.

They used to say he was incapable of smiling or laughing, and that he only had a sinister smirk that usually meant you were about to die.

They used to say he would never find a mate.

They used to say he would never find love.

They used to say he would never have an heir.

They used to say he would never love.

THEY WERE ALL WRONG!

He isn’t cursed anymore. He seems to have lifted the curse by mating with me.

He actually shifted at eight, but only his parents, Orion and I know that.

He killed his first victim when the pack first came under attack under his rule when he was fifteen.

His pack members are far from being controlled slaves. We are a family.

His pack members don’t fear him. They respect him!

He didn’t kill for the thrill of hearing his victims beg. He only killed for justice, and of course the guilty party would beg for their lives. He just valued loyalty and integrity in a person.

He doesn’t feed of off anyone’s soul. That’s just some weird Grim Reaper shit.

He actually doesn’t keep any prisoners on the territory, despite contrary belief. He deals with the offender almost immediately, hence why he’s known for being ruthless with rogues.

He is very much capable of smiling and laughing without it being sinister or evil in any way. That had been proven from the day after we mated.

I am his mate.

I love him with everything that I am.

I am carrying two of his children.

I know for a fact that he loves me just as much if not more.

THEY WERE ALL WRONG!

Looking around the room now, I realized that I wasn’t the only one playing back all the rumors they’d heard about Mateo Santiago, and that the man they had all just witnessed get calmed down by a she-wolf was far from everything they had ever heard about him.

“Well, well, Mateo Santiago! You were always the life of the party!”