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Marilyn

Sitting in front of the mirror, I watch the reflection of the omega assigned as my maid finishes the final touches on my hair. In an hour, I’ll be mated to Ramos and become a full member of Oak Fur and Luna of the pack. I will have power over all the wolves, and my pup will become the next heir.

“There, you are perfect, Luna Marilyn,” the omega says meekly, backing away and bowing her head. She trembles slightly when I turn to look at her, and the red mark on her cheek is still visible. Earlier today, she’d knocked my drink over, leading to me punishing her. I’m glad to see that she now fears and respects me.

“I already know I’m perfect,” I scoff, glaring at the she-wolf. “But thank you. Now leave me. I have a little time before I am to be marked in front of the pack, and I wish to rest,” I order her.

She bows before complying, shutting my door behind her. Now that I’m alone, I reach for my cell phone and eagerly call my father.

“Alpha Cross,” his voice floats through the line. His uninterested tone suggests that my father was busy.

“Hi, Daddy, it’s me,” I greet cheerily.

“Oh, hi, Marilyn. How is our plan coming along?”

“Going as scheduled. I’m to be marked by Ramos in an hour. From there, I can slowly use the drug you sent me to poison him and take Oak Fur for our pack,” I happily answer, catching my smirk in the mirror’s reflection. To think all I had to do to claim new land for my Blood Oath was to seduce a power-hungry bastard and produce a pup for him.

“You can keep Oak Fur for that pup inside you. My new mate is pregnant, and it’s a male,” my father says dismissively.

“You have a new mate?” I ask, anger welling up inside me. Over the last few years since my mother’s death, my father has taken several mates. Each one he took was either a beta or alpha-blooded she-wolf, and each died quickly due to either the inability to bear a pup or producing a female pup. My father’s need for an heir has pushed me further and further from his affections. I thought taking Oak Fur for him would improve my status as his only child, but it seems I now contend with my eighth stepmother.

“Congratulations on the pup, Father,” I manage to squeeze out, hoping I sound happy enough for him.

“Thank you, my dear.” He sounds pleased, almost giddy, at my words. I roll my eyes and try my best not to growl at my frustration at being replaced.

“Anyway, Marilyn, I should end this call so you can mate Ramos. I have high hopes for you when your little brother is born,” he adds quickly, the slight sound of a door opening on his end.

The call is abruptly ended before I can say anything else, and I find myself pulling my cell phone away from my ear to stare at it. Only a few wolves could get my father to end the call without a goodbye—his beta, his Head of Security, and his mate. I have a feeling that the person who took his attention away from me is that whore who’s now pregnant for him.

A snarl escapes my lips as I throw the phone across the room, watching it land with a soft thud on the chaise lounge. I’ll need to find a way to get rid of this new bitch my father is obsessed with if I want to one day rule Blood Oath.

A sudden knock on my bedroom door catches me off guard, reminding me that I’m never completely alone in this place. I’m still considered an outsider in Oak Fur, a wolf who is technically still heir to another pack.

“Come in,” I call out, hoping that whoever it is, they can state what they need and then leave. I still have thirty minutes left before Ramos marks me, and I want to spend them alone. My maid walks into the room, a worried look on her face.

“Sorry to disturb you, Luna Marilyn, but Alpha Ramos is asking that you join him for the ceremony now,” she squeaks, her eyes cast downwards. Ramos is obviously becoming impatient to make me his and provide his pack with a Luna and heir.

With a deep breath, I call her over to help me stand from the vanity chair, the white dress I’m wearing flowing around my feet while still fitted enough to show off my growing baby bump. This little thing is all that’s keeping me here in Oak Fur. Without it growing inside me, I would be long gone, moving on to find another male to sink my claws into while gaining their pack for myself.

Taking the lead, I leave my room and slowly go downstairs, following the sounds of hushed conversations and soft music towards the back of the packhouse. The Oak Fur wolves quiet as soon as I exit the packhouse, their conversations ending abruptly as they bow to me, their eyes downcast. Only the warriors look me in the eye, many under my control without Ramos being the wiser.

“Ah, Marilyn,” Ramos calls out, smiling as he leaves the small stage and walks towards me. His arms encircle my body, pulling me flush against him as his lips press against mine. I close my eyes, relishing the attention.

“The moon is almost directly above us. Are you ready to become my Luna?” he asks as soon as the kiss ends, leading me towards the stage.

“I am,” I say coyly, hoping to appear like a blushing bride in his arms. Ramos chuckles, happiness radiating off of him. To think his son’s fiancé so easily tricked this man. He’s like putty in the palm of my hand.

“Well then, my love, let’s enjoy the night, for it is all about us,” Ramos whispers in my ear as he helps me onto the stage. I catch sight of a few wolves looking at us in disgust, and for a moment, I agree with them. A wolf as old as Ramos should have never been with someone like me, beautiful and powerful. He believes that I’m entirely smitten with him. I can’t wait for the day I watch him die before my eyes as I take his pack for myself.

It isn’t long until the moon is high in the sky, its soft light brightening the small garden and shining down on us. The crowd begins to gather in front of the stage as an omega carefully walks towards Ramos, handing him a dagger that reeks of silver.

“Wolves of Oak Fur,” he calls out, facing the crowd before us. “Tonight, we welcome a new member to our pack. A she-wolf who will become our Luna and birth my heir.”

Ramos turns to face me.

“Marilyn Cross, please give me your left hand.”

I look back at the crowd, catching a few wolves sneering as they look on and mentally note who they are. Tomorrow, I will punish them for disrespecting me.

Turning back to Ramos, I put my left hand in his, ensuring the palm faces up. Ramos quickly cuts along my palm, handing me the dagger and holding out his left palm. It takes everything in me not to stab the weapon into his heart, killing him instantly. Unfortunately, killing the father of my pup now would cause some harm to me. Instead, I cut a slit along his palm before the omega takes the dagger and bows, leaving the stage.

Ramos clasps our hands together, his wound touching mine and our blood mixing. I can feel the pack magic enter my body, asking permission to bond with me.

“Marilyn Cross, do you accept the pack bond as my chosen Luna? To support and provide the motherly love the pack needs?” Ramos asks, his eyes staring into mine.

“I do,” I answer, giving the man before me a demure smile. The bond snaps into place instantly, and for a moment, the pack links crowd my mind as many welcome me into the pack with fake acceptance. Before the chatter could cause a migraine, I shut the link off and breathed a sigh of relief. So far, nothing has gone wrong.

Another omega appears, this time handing Ramos a wet towel. He cleans the blood from my palm, placing a soft kiss on the closing wound before cleaning his own hand. After handing the sullied towel to the omega, he pulls me flush against his body.

“As is tradition here in Oak Fur, Marilyn will now be marked for all to see. After such, I will take her into the woods and claim her as my mate before the Moon Goddess,” Ramos announces.

Some wolves in the crowd cheer, waiting to see a good show. Some of them believe my pup is not Ramos’. If Ramos marks me and the pup turns out not to be his, I’ll lose the pup in my womb and most likely be sent back to my father. But I know for certain that the babe inside me is his—he’s the only wolf I’ve fucked without a condom.

Ramos breaks me from these thoughts, his lips descending onto mine once more in a heated kiss. His tongue dives into my mouth, claiming and dominating me. His right arm is wrapped around my waist, keeping me pressed against him while his left hand moves to fondle my sensitive breast.

An involuntary moan escapes my lips, and Ramos growls in approval, his lips trailing kisses down my jawline towards the crook of my neck. I can feel his canines poking my sensitive skin, and my breath hitches when he finds the perfect spot. I shiver, hands clenching his shoulders as my eyelids flutter close. Then it happens.

His canines pierce my skin, the bond of chosen mates clicking into place. I can feel his arousal for me as soon as I accept this bond and feel my own body responding in kind. The moment Ramos pulls away, he scoops me into his arms and marches past the cheering crowd. Some of them may not like me, but gaining a new Luna has strengthened the pack.

Ramos carries me towards the tree line. No one will be allowed in the forest until Ramos and I return to the packhouse, and he’s branded with my own mark.