The Mate Trial

My rag snagged on a stubborn patch of dried maple syrup, sending a dull, exhausting throb straight up my forearm and into my aching shoulder. My joints screamed in protest as I scrubbed the sticky laminate of Booth Number Four. It was hour thirteen of my grueling fifteen-hour shift, and my body felt like it was made of lead. The ambient clatter of cheap diner plates and the hiss of the fry fryer usually blended into a comforting, mindless white noise, but today, every sound felt heavy, pressing down on a spirit that was already drowning.

I dragged the damp cloth across the table, my mind involuntarily drifting back to the crushing stack of final-notice medical bills sitting on my tiny kitchen counter back home. They were a constant, suffocating reminder of the darkest period of my life. Years ago, I had drowned myself in exorbitant loans and maxed-out credit cards, desperately paying for top-tier specialists, advanced incubators, and endless treatments to save my premature baby. It had been a frantic, futile attempt. The universe had taken my child anyway, leaving me with empty arms, a shattered heart, and a mountain of crippling debt that chained me to this diner day in and day out.

I mechanically wiped down the edges of the table, burying the painful lump forming in my throat. I didn't have the luxury of grieving anymore. I barely had the luxury of sleeping.

"Oh, it’s just so incredibly exciting! The chance to be the Alpha’s mate! I swear, if he picks me, I’ll pass out on the spot."

The shrill, animated voices of the two women in the adjacent booth violently yanked me out of my dark memories. I sighed quietly, keeping my head bowed so my hair shielded my face. It wasn’t the first time today I’d heard this exact conversation, and knowing the women of this pack, it wouldn’t be the last. Everyone was completely obsessed with the highly anticipated upcoming Mate Trial for the formidable Alpha Gideon Thorne.

I pocketed a small wad of crumpled dollar bills left as a tip, shoving them deep into my apron as the woman's friend leaned across her table, her eyes wide with speculation.

"I can’t believe all eligible females are being summoned for this," the friend said, stirring her coffee aggressively. "But I mean, I guess it’s nice that the Alpha plans to consider everyone. Even the more… unfortunate ones."

The woman’s gaze flicked to me with a look of barely concealed pity, and I felt a hot flush of red creep up my neck. I kept scrubbing. It was no secret around these parts that I was a workaholic waitress, a status that was heavily frowned upon in the shifter world. Most females spent their days preparing for mating, going to salons, shopping, and attending lavish pack parties. But I was here, every single day, working myself to the bone.

Their judgmental comments didn’t bother me too much. I was just a waitress who was hip-deep in debt, an absolute nobody in the eyes of most people. Therefore, when the Alpha had announced the Mate Trial, I had immediately figured I would be the only female in the pack who would be completely unaffected. Besides, even if I was somehow interested in the trial—which I absolutely wasn’t—I had zero time to take part. I couldn't afford to stop working for even a single second.

"Everyone thinks he’ll choose Blair Vance anyway," the first woman replied, waving her manicured hand dismissively. "Since the Vances are such an elite, powerful family, it’s basically a done deal. She's gorgeous, and it will give him way more political connections across the territories."

I froze for a fraction of a second, pretending that the name 'Vance' meant absolutely nothing to me. I quickly turned around, grabbing a fresh pot of coffee from the counter and topping up a mug for one of our regulars, a gruff old shifter who merely grunted his thanks.

My coworker, Beatrice, smirked as she walked past me, carrying a tray of dirty dishes. She leaned in close to my ear.

"Tessa Vance, Blair Vance," Beatrice mused under her breath, a teasing lilt in her voice. "You’ve both got the exact same last name. You holding out on me, Tess?"

"Never heard of her. It must be a total coincidence," I replied flatly, keeping my eyes locked on the coffee pot in my hands.

Of course, everyone within a thousand miles of Timber Hollow knew exactly who Blair Vance was. Even lone, exiled shifters knew about my stepsister. Our family was incredibly prestigious, and word got around fast about how beautiful, elite, and notoriously cruel she was.

Beatrice just shrugged, either not caring enough to press the issue further or choosing to believe my lie. Either way, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was deeply grateful to spend another day flying completely under the radar. No one in this mundane, exhausting life knew that I was a Vance by birth. If anyone found out that a daughter of one of the most well-known families was waiting tables and scrubbing sticky booths to pay off medical debt, it would raise a thousand questions I couldn't answer.

I had fled my prestigious family’s suffocating shadow for painful, deeply personal reasons that I preferred to keep permanently buried. I didn't want their money, and I certainly didn't want their toxic politics.

Besides, knowing Blair’s absolute disdain for anyone smaller or weaker than her, I knew the gossiping women in the booth were dead wrong. I firmly believed that Alpha Gideon would never choose Blair. As part of his Mate Trial announcement, he’d explicitly mentioned his prior marriage and his six-year-old daughter. Taking care of his child was a strict, non-negotiable stipulation of the trial.

My stepsister loathed kids. She treated them with the exact same level of disgust she showed to the dirt beneath her expensive designer shoes. There was absolutely no way Blair would ever genuinely accept caring for a child, which meant she’d never make it past the first stage of the Alpha's trial.

Just then, the sharp chime of the diner's front bell rang out, announcing a new customer. I wiped my hands on my apron and glanced up, plastering on my standard customer-service smile.

The smile vanished instantly.

It was my childhood best friend, Phoebe. I hadn't seen her in months, having deliberately distanced myself to ensure my family couldn't use her to track me down. But right now, she looked absolutely frantic. Her red curls were a wind-blown mess, her breathing was ragged, and her blue eyes were red, puffy, and brimming with frantic tears.

"Pho—" I started, my eyes widening in alarm.

Without a single word of explanation to me or my manager, she lunged forward, grabbed my arm with a surprisingly bruising grip, and dragged me away from the counter.

"Bathroom. Now," she choked out, her voice trembling.

Whatever this was, it was serious. I ripped off my stained apron, tossed it onto the counter, and let her pull me down the narrow, greasy hallway and into the cramped diner bathroom. The flickering fluorescent light buzzed loudly overhead as Phoebe slammed the door shut and pressed her back against it, locking it with a sharp click.

"Phoebe? What the hell is wrong?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.

She shuddered violently, gasping for breath as fresh tears spilled over her eyelashes and down her flushed cheeks. She reached out, grasping both of my hands tightly in hers. Her palms were freezing and slick with sweat.

"Tess, I know it’s been a while, and I know you're hiding, but I desperately need a favor. A massive, unthinkable favor," she begged, her voice cracking. "I’ll owe you for the rest of my life. Please, Tess."

I stared at her in shock, completely at a loss for words. "Alright, alright, just breathe," I finally managed to say. "What is it?"

She swallowed hard, looking at me with wide, terrified eyes. "I need you to pretend to be me and go to the Alpha's trial in my place tonight."

I blinked, my brain screeching to a halt. "You need me to what!?"

"Please, Tessa, you have to listen to me!" she pleaded, squeezing my hands so hard it hurt. A tiny, bittersweet smile briefly touched her trembling lips. "I… I’ve met someone. Someone I truly, deeply love. My mate."

My jaw dropped, but before I could congratulate her, her expression crumpled back into pure despair.

"But my parents vehemently disapprove of him," she sobbed, swiping at her face. "They think he's not good enough. They are threatening to throw me into the terrifying Mate Trials tonight to force a different match and get into a better political standing with the pack! If I go to that mansion, the Alpha might claim me, and I'll lose my true mate forever."

I immediately shook my head, ripping my hands away from hers and taking a step back until my shoulders hit the cold tile wall. "No. No way, Phoebe. Your parents would find out in a heartbeat, and deceiving an Alpha? Are you insane? The risk is immense!"

"Yes, they'll find out eventually, but by the time they do, my mate and I will be long gone! We’re fleeing the pack tonight. We have it all perfectly planned out, I just need a distraction!" she cried.

"What about me!?" I countered, my voice rising in panic. "If the Alpha catches me impersonating you, he could banish me, or worse! And I can't just skip my shifts! I am absolutely desperate for this job. I have to keep working just to barely make a dent in my overwhelming medical debts, you know that!"

"You’re a Vance by birth," Phoebe pleaded desperately. "That protects you from the worst of any fallout! You’re an eligible female with every right to participate. The Alpha won’t severely punish you if he finds out. And I’ll… I’ll pay you."

I crossed my arms, flatly refusing. I was terrified. "I don't want to see Blair. I don't want to be anywhere near that family—"

"Fifty thousand dollars."

Her voice was shaking, but absolutely resolute.

I blinked at her, utterly stunned into silence. The cramped bathroom suddenly felt devoid of oxygen. I stared at her, wondering if the exhaustion was finally making me hallucinate.

Fifty grand.

That massive amount of money echoed in my skull. It would instantly change my entire life. It would completely wipe away the crippling medical debt that had held me hostage for years, the debt that haunted my every waking moment and kept the memory of my baby chained to my ankles. With that money, I wouldn't have to work fifteen-hour shifts until my bones turned to dust.

I looked into Phoebe's desperate, tear-streaked face.

"O-Okay," I finally squeaked out, the sheer magnitude of the decision settling heavily on my chest. "I’ll do it. For you."

Without missing a beat, Phoebe let out a choked sob of relief. She lunged forward, throwing her arms around my neck in a tight hug. "Thank you, Tessa! Thank you! I have to go, he's waiting for me!"

She pulled back, shoved an elegant, gold-embossed invitation into my trembling hands, and unlocked the bathroom door. "Be there at eight. Don't be late!"

And just like that, she vanished into the night.

***

Determined to fly completely under the radar and survive the night, I stood in my tiny apartment and dug through the very back of my closet. I purposely bypassed anything remotely flattering and dressed in a plain, pale blue chiffon dress that hung loosely past my knees. I slipped my aching feet into simple, scuffed white flats, completely ignored my makeup, and tightly pinned my long dark hair up into a severe, boring bun at the base of my neck.

My singular goal was to blend into the wallpaper, look as incredibly unremarkable as possible, get passed over quickly by the Alpha, and collect my life-changing money from Phoebe's account.

An hour later, I arrived at Alpha Gideon's towering, intimidating mansion. The sheer scale of the estate was breathtaking, with massive stone columns and heavily armed guards patrolling the perimeter. My stomach twisted into nervous knots as I approached the heavy security checkpoints.

"Name?" the burly guard barked, holding a tablet.

I held my breath, my heart pounding in my ears. "Phoebe Wells." I handed him the gold-embossed invitation.

He barely glanced at me, scanning the barcode and waving me through the heavy, ornate ivory doors. I exhaled a shaky breath of relief. I had successfully cleared the first hurdle.

I stepped inside, and the sheer opulence of the room nearly knocked me over. Massive crystal chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow over a sprawling ballroom already packed to the brim with glamorous, hopeful women. The air was thick with the scent of expensive floral perfumes and the nervous, excited chatter of dozens of females desperate to become the Luna.

They were all dressed to kill, wearing plunging necklines, heavy makeup, and sky-high heels. Compared to them, my pale blue dress made me look like the catering staff. Perfect.

I immediately slipped away from the grand entrance, navigating the perimeter until I found the darkest, most obscure corner of the lavish room. I pressed my back against the silk-lined wall, praying for invisibility.

I glanced up through lowered lashes and felt my blood run cold.

Across the sprawling room, Blair stood resplendent in a stunning crimson gown that clung to her every curve. She looked exactly the same as the day I had left—perfect, haughty, and completely untouched by anything resembling hardship. She was holding court, enrapturing her audience of desperate sycophants like a queen. They hung onto her every word, laughing a little too loudly at whatever cruel joke she was making.

I shrank further into the shadows, but thankfully, she was completely oblivious to my hidden presence. She was too busy basking in the attention, clearly convinced she was already the Alpha's chosen mate.

Her arrogance made me glad. It meant she wouldn't bother looking at the plain girls in the corners, making it infinitely more likely that I would slip through this farce unnoticed.

Suddenly, the lively room fell into a deathly, suffocating silence.

The heavy oak doors at the top of the grand staircase groaned open. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees as an incredibly oppressive, dominant aura flooded the space. It was so thick it was palpable, heavy enough to choke on.

"Introducing Alpha Gideon Thorne!" a guard boomed, his voice echoing off the marble floors.

The seated women instantly leaped to their feet. The air vibrated with suppressed excitement, but I kept my head firmly down, my heart hammering violently against my ribs. I curled my trembling fingers into the cheap fabric of my dress, terrified that if I even breathed too loudly, his Alpha senses would lock onto me.

The room remained absolutely silent, save for the slow, methodical clicking of his heavy dress shoes against the echoing marble floor. He was pacing the room, his presence dominating the entire space without him uttering a single word.

I couldn't help myself. I risked a tiny, fleeting glance upward.

My view was mostly blocked by the sea of glamorous girls in front of me, but through a gap in the crowd, I caught a quick glimpse of a heavily toned bicep straining against the fabric of a meticulously tailored dark suit. Power rolled off him in waves. I immediately snapped my gaze back down to my scuffed white flats, completely terrified.

He continued to walk, the silence stretching on for what felt like an eternity. The tension in the air was strung so tight it felt like a wire ready to snap.

Then, his deep, authoritative voice cut through the heavy tension like a serrated blade.

"Everyone, leave. Except for you."

I let out a long, shaky breath of immense relief, my shoulders sagging. He had made his choice incredibly quickly. He must have locked eyes with Blair or one of the other stunning elites in the front row. My duty was done. I had shown up, I hadn't been caught, and now I could safely go home and claim my fifty thousand dollars.

A chorus of confused, disappointed murmurs and disgruntled sighs erupted around me. The sea of glamorous girls began to shift, turning toward the grand doors with drooping shoulders and angry whispers.

I stood up straight, smoothing out my plain dress, ready to join the herd and filter out into the night.

But as the sound of clicking heels faded and the heavy doors clicked shut, a strange, profound silence settled over the room. I took a step forward, adjusting my collar to leave, only to look around and freeze.

My stomach suddenly plummeted straight to the marble floor.

I stood completely alone. I looked around with mounting horror, realizing that the entire sprawling ballroom was completely empty. There was no Blair. There were no sycophants.

I slowly, terrifyingly, lifted my head.

My breath caught agonizingly in my throat as I met Alpha Gideon Thorne's piercing, icy blue gaze. He was standing dead center in the room, his massive frame radiating absolute authority, and those terrifying blue eyes were locked squarely on me.

I gaped at him, paralyzed by shock, and slowly raised a trembling finger to point at my own chest.

"Me!?"