Chapter 4 - Broken hearts and smiles

Mina POV

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“Owen!”  

The moment the hall doors closed behind her, Mina ran. She was thankful for Sam’s insistence to keep other wolves away until the end of the choosing event, and raced through the empty foyer. She slipped through the main doors and out onto the cobbled street, slowing her pace as she spotted the guards. The glare she threw at them had them averting their gazes, before she swept her attention down the streets. The familiar tuft of brown hair weaved away from her, already so far. 

“Owen.” She called again. He didn’t turn. With a huff, that pushed away the formalities of her role, she hiked up her skirt, preparing to run, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. 

“I think he might need a bit of space.”

Though Sam's touch held her in place, Mina strained to watch Owen as he disappeared around a corner and out of sight. Then, she sagged. “I just don’t want him to be alone.”  

“I’ll go and talk to him.”  

Her brother pulled her into a quick hug before running off after their friend. The affection wasn’t nearly long enough to calm her racing mind, but it was enough to keep her head held high as she headed back into the packhouse. Mina grimaced at the thought of her mother’s glare. How could she have abandoned the choosing event like that, and in front of the whole Hayre family. In front of Alastor.  

Her cheeks burned, but she willed away the heat. Owen was her friend, first and foremost. Her loyalty to him was worth the reprimand which was certain to come from her mother. She too had thought he would be her mate; she had hoped he would be. However, at least, she hadn’t watched him choose someone else to take her place. She couldn’t imagine what that must’ve felt like.  

Mina swallowed the lump in her throat, but it only landed like lead in her stomach. Her heart ached for him. She hadn’t seen his face, but she could imagine the pain etched into it, deeper and harsher than she had ever seen on his features before. It felt so wrong that she was the one who caused it. Could she have somehow mixed up the two wolves? They had been standing side by side. No. She had been extra careful. She had no doubt that Alastor was her mate.  

The Hayre family were filing out of the hall as she re-entered the foyer. Though they gave her the obligatory nod of respect, no one was smiling anymore. The glee had been sucked from the air and smashed to pieces by her choice. Mina’s breath caught as Alastor left the hall; last, alone. His jaw was set, his eyes hard. They barely skirted over her as he passed, leaving the packhouse without a word. Her posture crumpled as her innards warred. The guilt of feeling upset at Alastor’s lack of acknowledgement was swarmed by the grief of losing Owen entirely. How could she consider asking him to continue being her friend while she mated his brother?  

“Williamina, stand straighter.” The Luna snapped. Her body reacted on reflex, but even her mother’s harsh glare couldn’t stop the tremble of her bottom lip. “My office. Now.” 

Oddly, the command was soothing. She moved on autopilot, following her mother up the stairs.  

The sound of the office door clicking behind her was usually the signal for a barrage of criticism to ensue, however, silence followed. With nothing to do, but stand in her usual spot, Mina waited. She already felt close to breaking, one more bang against the cracked glass of her composure would make it shatter. It had only held so far due to muscle memory. She was already slipping, clenching her hands tight enough to whiten her knuckles. It was her only hold to keep herself steady against the coming onslaught, but the Luna didn’t notice. Instead, she wrapped her in a hug.  

Mina stiffened, not recognising the warmth of her mother’s affection. The arms around her didn’t seem to notice, patting her back with a little too much gusto to feel natural. When she pulled back the Luna was smiling at her, a full beam of happiness. 

“What a fantastic outcome. Well done, I knew you had it in you.” Her mother patted her arm once more before returning to her desk. 

Mina still hadn’t moved. Had her emotions got the best of her. Was she hallucinating? 

“If you keep your mouth hanging open like that, you’ll attract flies.” Even that was said with a rusty chuckle. 

Immediately she smacked her lips shut, the audible pop the last jolt she needed to wake up. “Why are you happy? The tradition has been broken. I’m mated to the wrong wolf.” 

“No. You have bonded perfectly.” The praise sounded odd. “Alastor was supposed to be your personal guard until they had another pup and decided a wolf your age would be more appropriate. The Moon Goddess knew better. You knew better.” She waggled a finger at her, as if Mina had been teasing her the entire time. 

“But I didn’t know better.” She frowned, shaking her head clear. “I don’t know better. I wanted Owen to be my mate.” 

Her mother hummed. “And what do you want now?”  

The immediate answer halted on her tongue, keeping back what she should say in favour of the truth. She couldn’t hold the Luna’s gaze as she thought back to the moment Alastor had held her; his arms strong, his body warm, his scent intoxicating. “Does it matter?”  

“I suppose not.”  

It stung, but what could Mina say? She couldn’t defy the Moon Goddess’ wish, just as she couldn’t deny the power of her Legacy. Owen wasn’t her mate. She had stabbed her best friend in the back and couldn’t do anything to help him.  

Her mother either didn’t notice the turmoil on her features, or maybe she didn’t care. Instead, she trotted to her desk draw, collecting a familiar item. The Clear Blue heirloom she had worn for the Luna court.  Without instruction Mina held out her wrist, accepting the beautiful jewellery. It was the bright blue of the pack’s colours, with a shine to the enamel coating that didn’t quite match the flickering light in the room.  

“It’s time you knew that the heirloom is the source of the Legacy Luna power.”  

“I thought we were the source?” 

“Of course we are, Dear.” The bracelet snapped in place around her wrist, tight enough to pinch the skin. “But this channels it to the pack.” 

All Mina’s life she had been told the power of the Legacy Luna was in her blood. How could such a thing be channelled by a small bracelet? “I- I don’t understand.”  

“You don’t need to yet.” Her mother smiled, patting her hand before letting it return to her side. “I will explain all about it once you take over the pack, but I wanted to gift you something after today.” For the first time in years, she squarely looked Mina in the eye, a hint of pride shining there. “You made a hard decision, but a good one.”  

Mina’s stomach turned as her mother’s hand cupped her cheek. There was no warmth from the touch, but an icy chill, that crept through her body. As it leeched around her wrist, it centred in on the bracelet.

She hadn’t really made a decision. The mate bond wasn’t something a wolf chose. She knew who she would've picked if given the chance, souring her mother's praise. Worse than that, it somehow seemed that Owen’s heartbreak was its price, darkening the honour. Suddenly, the heirloom felt very heavy, weighing her down with the guilt rising within her. It felt wrong on her skin, restrictive, cold, and it took all her strength not to strip the thing from her wrist and fling it away.  

“I sometimes questioned if you were mine, Williamina. Your features were always more like your father’s.” The hand slipped from her cheek, a familiar weight pressing over Mina. “You idealised some silly romance and lacked the strength a Luna needs to keep her power.” The slight curl of her lip took the harshness from her words, but Mina had heard them too many times to feel their bite. “You’ve really matured, and this bracelet resembles that. You’ll make a fine Luna with Alastor at your side." 

There was nothing else she could do but to hide behind a tight smile.