The Mating Charade

Freya's POV

The thick walls of my bedroom offered zero protection against the suffocating reality of the impending hour.

"This is actually happening, and I cannot believe you are dragging me down with you," Gael groaned, dragging both hands down his pale face for what had to be the fiftieth time this morning.

He marched violently from the window to my closet and back again, his heavy boots pounding a frantic, relentless rhythm into the hardwood floor. The sheer panic radiating off him was starting to severely test my last remaining shred of composure. Outside, the sprawling pack grounds were already swarming with dominant, territorial Alphas and highly scrutinizing Lunas who had traveled across the continent just to witness this historic union.

I squeezed my eyes shut and silently counted backward from ten, forcing my erratic pulse to settle. My father was sharp as a blade; if either of us walked out there looking like we were marching to an execution instead of a mating altar, the entire charade would collapse before we even reached the podium.

"Gael, please," I pleaded, stepping directly into his warpath and catching his trembling wrists to anchor him in place. "We need this. If you back out now, Kaelen gets me by default, and that treacherous bastard will strip this pack to the bone. You are familiar with me. We can survive this."

"And what exactly is your grand speech for the elders when we stand up there and absolutely refuse to mark each other?" he snapped, forcefully yanking his arms out of my grip.

I tracked his pacing, keeping my voice low and steady. "I will come up with an excuse when the time comes."

"You are going to lie to a courtyard full of prime Alphas!" he fired back, pointing an accusing finger at me. "They are going to know this entire ceremony is complete bullshit, Freya!"

"It is not a lie, it is a strategic delay," I hissed, stepping into his space to force him to lower his volume. "You are securing your pack's future and protecting your future Luna from a monster. Stop spiraling. We just go out there, say the words, and hold the line."

"Oh, easy for you to say," he threw his hands up in utter disbelief. "Except for the tiny, monumental detail that I cannot ever fulfill my obligations to my mate. Or did my sexuality just conveniently slip your mind?"

"I know exactly who you are, Gael, and that is precisely why you are the only one I can trust to do this," I argued, my tone softening just a fraction.

"You have got to be kidding me," he growled, shaking his head rapidly. "Have you actually thought this plan through past today?"

"No, not really," I admitted, giving a slight shrug. "But look at the reality of it. We hold the title, we protect the territory, and we buy ourselves time. The second either of us crosses paths with our true, second-chance mate, we mutually reject each other. Everything goes back to normal. You just have to trust me."

"Are you out of your mind?" Gael pitched his voice into a horrified squeak. "You think finding a second-chance mate is that easy? It is a hundred times easier said than done!"

"Why is it?" I asked, my brow furrowing in genuine confusion.

"Because you have about a one in a million chance of actually getting one!" Gael snorted loudly, his chest heaving with exertion.

"That is a myth and you know it," I pushed back firmly. "Second-chance mates absolutely still exist. Rejected wolves find love again all the time."

"And what happens if we are the ones who don't?" he challenged, stepping closer. "What are you going to tell the Ironbound pack when a decade passes and we cannot give them an heir?"

"That is never going to happen," I promised him quietly. "The Moon Goddess will not leave this pack to ruin without an heir."

I truly had not mapped out the lifelong implications of tying myself to Gael. But even with the massive logistical nightmare hanging over our heads, I knew this was the safest play on the board. I loved him for his loyalty, completely independent of his preferences. If he broke down and abandoned me right now, my father would legally force my hand into Kaelen’s, giving that snake direct access to challenge for the Alpha command.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Gael asked, closing the distance between us and resting a heavy hand on my shoulder.

I nodded slowly, guiding him a few steps toward the large vanity mirror so he was forced to look at our shared reflection. If we were strangers looking in from the outside, we perfectly fit the mold of a rising power couple.

"I am," I told his reflection, raising my hand to gently cover his fingers where they gripped my shoulder. "Our love for each other as family has never wavered. We trust one another. I just need you to have a little faith in me right now. The goddess will provide."

Gael stared at our reflection for a long, heavy moment. Before he could formulate his next rebuttal, a soft, hesitant rap at the bedroom door made us both jump apart.

The heavy wood swung open a few inches, revealing Maisie. The young redhead omega peeked inside, a makeup bag clutched to her chest, her brow instantly furrowing in confusion as she spotted my supposed groom loitering in my room before the vows.

"Am I interrupting?" Maisie asked softly.

I gave her a welcoming nod and immediately turned my attention back to my best friend. "Go get your suit on. I will see you shortly."

Gael let out a long, defeated exhale that completely deflated his broad shoulders. "Very well," he murmured. "I will wait for you at the altar."

"I will be the one in the massive white dress," I chirped, forcing a painfully bright tone into my voice.

Gael huffed, rolling his eyes dramatically before slipping past Maisie and firmly pulling the door shut behind him.

The chaotic, suffocating tension in the room instantly vanished, replaced by the omega's quiet, focused energy. Maisie wisely decided to keep her questions to herself, gesturing for me to sit at the vanity as her hands immediately went to work on my messy hair.

"Are you finished with your courses at the beauty school?" I asked, eager to fill the quiet with anything other than my own racing thoughts.

"I take my final exam next week," she replied brightly, her eyes focused intently on my reflection as her fingers wove intricate braids. "Hopefully, they hand me the diploma right after."

"You clearly know exactly what you are doing," I told her, admiring the elegant, cascading structure she was building on my head. "I love it."

"Thank you, but I am far from perfect at this," she muttered modestly.

"That is absurd," I countered smoothly. "My hair looks incredible. You are going to ace that exam without breaking a sweat."

Maisie blushed deeply at the compliment, a genuine, glowing smile spreading across her freckled face.

Once the last pin was secured, she seamlessly transitioned to my makeup. I closed my eyes, letting the soft sweep of her brushes and the light dusting of powders distract me from the ticking clock. When she finally stepped back and gently turned my chair to face the full-length mirror, a sharp gasp punched its way out of my throat.

My hands instantly flew up to hover over my painted red lips.

I was a wolf who lived for the dirt trails and training rings, surviving on a five-minute routine of basic foundation and smudged eyeliner. The woman staring back at me looked like royalty carved from porcelain and silk, perfectly suited for the cover of a high-fashion magazine.

"Are you pleased with how it looks?" Maisie asked anxiously when the silence stretched on too long.

"Maisie, yes," I breathed out, genuinely stunned by her talent. "It is perfect. Completely beyond my expectations."

"Do you think Beta Gael will approve?" she asked, her voice dropping into a sweet, nervous tone.

It briefly caught me off guard that she asked about my fake mate's opinion instead of my father's, but I forced a warm smile. "He will absolutely love it. Thank you."

Beaming with pride, she hurried over to my massive walk-in closet and retrieved the heavy garment bag. She unzipped it with extreme care, parting the plastic to reveal the heirloom mating gown my mother had gifted me before her passing.

Seeing the modified pearl bodice and the flowing lace in the waking light sent a hard, emotional lump straight to my throat. It was even more breathtaking than the original design.

"This is amazing," Maisie whispered in awe. "Is this the late Luna's dress?"

"Yes," I replied softly, reaching out to trace the intricate pearls and the modern modifications I had requested.

"Beta Gael is a very lucky wolf," she noted, carefully removing it from the hanger. "The Alpha will be so pleased by your choice today."

"He is," I replied mechanically.

Maisie helped me step into the heavy fabric, carefully pulling the exquisite silk up my legs and over my waist. Tears violently pricked the corners of my eyes as I looked in the mirror. It was an absolutely flawless fit.

The exact second Maisie secured the final loop at the nape of my neck, a heavy knock echoed through the room. Before I could answer, the door was pushed open and my father stepped over the threshold.

He immediately froze dead in his tracks.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, his normally stoic, battle-hardened features completely slackening in shock. He pushed the door open the rest of the way, staring at me in sheer disbelief. "Freya, is that actually you?"

"Hi, Dad," I murmured, feeling a sudden, intense heat rushing to my cheeks beneath the layers of makeup.

"Wow," he gasped again, shaking his head. "You look absolutely amazing! I swear, I almost did not recognize you."

"Thank you, Father," I said, offering the beaming omega a grateful nod. "But Maisie is solely responsible for pulling this off."

After giving Maisie one last heartfelt thanks, my father puffed out his chest with immense pride and extended his thick, muscular arm toward me. I took a deep, fortifying breath, resting my palm lightly on his dark suit sleeve. Together, we walked out of the bedroom and turned down the long, sprawling corridor that led straight to the ceremonial grounds.

I locked my jaw, mentally raising my shields to face the intimidating crowd of foreign Alphas and execute this massive deception.

However, as I marched purposefully toward my supposed future, I never could have imagined that in just a few short moments, the most violently intoxicating scent would crash into my senses and completely turn my entire world upside down.