Gideon only told me what always happens during a full moon night when an unmated virgin woman meets with a man and the feelings that come with it, but he never told me what happened after.
I guess I was just about to figure that out.
Sore. Aching.
Everywhere—my back, my head, and most especially… down there.
It throbbed with every movement. I lay sprawled across the three-seater couch, wrapped in a bathrobe.
What the hell happened last night? Of course, I let a mated man take my innocence. But what else? The last thing I remembered was reaching my climax, and him lowering himself to catch it with his mouth. I had watched, dazed, as he swallowed it—his eyes locked on mine, his Adam's apple bobbing with the motion.
That was all.
So how did I end up in a bathrobe, on the couch?
A loud knock startled me, the door jerking open right after. A figure walked in. My eyes were still blurry, unable to make her out. But once she drew closer, standing at the foot of the couch, I recognized her instantly—the woman who had prepared me for last night.
The sunlight pouring through the window stung my eyes, keeping me from regarding her properly. Still, I forced myself upright, ignoring the pounding in my head and the sharp throb between my thighs.
She was neatly dressed in a plain white t-shirt tucked into a short skirt, her black hair tied into a tidy bun.
"Good morning, ma'am. How was your night?" she asked, smiling brightly.
My night? Honestly, I couldn't say. My head was heavy. The only thing I recalled with painful clarity was letting a married man take my virginity. The bitterness in my chest swelled, but I didn't want to dwell on it. It wasn't my fault. I had been mistaken for someone else, and being with a man on a full moon night had only worsened matters.
Which was exactly why I needed to tell someone the truth about my identity now. I didn't care if I'd be killed for fooling the Alpha—I'd rather die than live as his breeding mate.
"You will be my breeding mate." His dreadful words echoed from last night.
Hell no!
"Uhm… it was okay," I muttered, "but I need to tell you something."
She raised a brow. "I'm all ears—but I don't think I'll feel comfortable listening to you while the sheets is covered in blood like that."
My frown deepened. Following her gaze, I froze. The sheet was stained with blood—not completely, but enough to make my stomach tighten. Fresh blood. I blinked hard, staggering to my feet despite the ache.
"This is more important than a bloodstained sheet."
"No, it's not." She rushed toward me, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tight, her grin stretching wider. "This is good news! I saw the Alpha leaving early this morning. He slept overnight! He stayed more than five hours—even!"
"I know, but I have something more important to say."
"Now, what could possibly be more important than getting ready for the breeding rites?"
A frown furrowed my brow.
"Breeding rites?"
"Yes." She blinked innocently. "A breeding mate is just like a true mate. The Alpha declares them as such by making vows."
"Vows? What vows?"
Which meant I might have to face the Alpha again.
"Which is why I need to tell you something. I'm not who you think I am."
"Yes, you are not—because by this time tomorrow, you'll be the Alpha's breeding mate."
"But—"
"You should get ready. I'll take you to the Pack's Advisor, who will teach you the rules and regulations of a breeding mate."
"I—"
"Get ready in an hour," she said, skipping out of the room with the sheet in her embrace. Before I could respond, the door clicked shut, leaving me alone once more.