📖 The Wolfless Luna.
The night air was thick with murmurs as the celebration continued around the field. Music drifted from the far end of the gathering, but it was the voices of the Eclipse Pack wolves that carried closest to Ryker's ears. He didn't need to focus to catch the words — the skeptical tone, the questioning glances toward Kate.
"She's wolfless… how can she stand beside the Alpha King?"
"Pretty face, but no wolf? She'll be a burden."
"Maybe it's a mistake—"
The last voice cut off when Ryker's gaze swept over them, sharp and cold as winter steel. Every instinct in him bristled. He could tolerate challenges from other alphas, but questioning his mate? That was something he would never allow.
He turned toward Kate, standing just beside him, her sundress catching the moonlight like spun silver. She was smiling faintly, though he saw the flicker of uncertainty in her green eyes. She'd heard them too. The wolf in him roared for silence.
Without a word, Ryker stepped closer, his hand finding hers and pulling her gently but firmly to his side. Every head turned. In one smooth motion, he pressed a kiss to her temple, his other arm sliding protectively around her waist. The gesture was deliberate — intimate enough to leave no doubt, but not yet crossing the line of public propriety.
"She is mine," his voice carried through the night, deep and steady. "And anyone who questions her questions me."
The field went quiet. No one dared meet his gaze. Kate blinked up at him, stunned by the sudden show of affection. Heat bloomed in her cheeks, not from embarrassment, but from the undeniable pull between them.
---
Kate's POV
Her heart was still racing when Ryker's hand didn't let go even after they stepped away from the gathering. The music and chatter faded behind them, replaced by the quiet crunch of gravel under their boots. She felt the weight of his touch — warm, firm, grounding.
She'd been holding her head high all night, but the whispers had cut deep. She'd known what she was walking into. A wolfless omega claiming the title of Alpha's mate? It was unheard of. But Ryker's words, that fierce declaration, had silenced every doubt in her heart for the moment.
"You didn't have to do that," she murmured as they approached the palace doors.
"I did," he said simply, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You're mine, Kate. They need to see it. Feel it."
The way he said mine sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn't sure if it was his Alpha authority, his deep, resonant voice, or something far older — the mate bond stirring between them.
Inside the palace, the halls were quiet, lit only by the soft glow of wall sconces. Their footsteps echoed in the vast space as they made their way toward his private chambers. Ryker's thumb brushed over her knuckles, slow and deliberate.
Her pulse quickened.
---
Ryker's POV
The bond was driving him mad. He'd held back all night — every second, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she couldn't think of anything but him. But the moment he'd heard those whispers, something inside him had snapped.
She wasn't just a woman he'd chosen. She was his mate. His equal. His future. And tonight, he was done pretending he could keep his distance.
When they reached his chambers, he closed the door behind them, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Kate stood in the center, her white hair catching the candlelight, her green eyes wide but steady.
He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "Kate…" his voice was low, almost a growl. "Do you feel it? The pull between us?"
She swallowed, her breath uneven. "Yes."
That was all the permission he needed.
He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing her cheeks as he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was deep from the start — not tentative, not questioning. Possessive. Certain. She melted into him instantly, her hands gripping the front of his suit jacket.
The mate spark flared the moment their lips met, sending a shock of warmth through his chest, down to his fingertips. Her scent filled his senses — fresh, wild, intoxicating.
When they broke for air, she looked up at him, breathless. "Ryker…"
"I've waited long enough," he murmured, kissing her again, softer this time, but no less intense.
---
Kate's POV
Every touch, every kiss, made the spark between them burn brighter. She could feel the bond weaving tighter around them, almost tangible now. When his lips left hers to trail along her jaw, she closed her eyes, her breath catching.
"I'm yours," she whispered, and the truth of it settled deep in her soul.
His hands slid to her hips, drawing her closer until there was no space left between them. She felt his heartbeat against hers, steady and strong. The world outside ceased to exist.
When his teeth grazed her neck, she knew what was coming. The mark. The final step that would bind them as Alpha and Omega. She tilted her head, giving him silent consent.
The bite was quick, precise — a flare of pain followed by a rush of heat and a surge of pure, overwhelming connection. She gasped, clutching his shoulders as the bond roared to life, stronger than she'd imagined possible.
---
Ryker's POV
The moment his teeth broke her skin, his wolf howled in satisfaction. The taste of her, the feel of her against him, the sound of her soft gasp — it was everything. He licked the mark gently, sealing the bond, and felt the mate spark explode in both of them.
She was his. Truly, irrevocably his. And he was hers.
When they finally collapsed together on the bed, her head resting on his chest, he knew he'd never let anything threaten what they had.
"Sleep," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Tomorrow, the whole pack will see you as my Omega."
But deep down, he also knew tomorrow would bring challenges. And he was ready to face them all — as long as she was at his side.