"Good morning." Katie smiled sweetly as she made her way with Zach to the table they had set for breakfast. Slowly and step by step, they had walked all the way to the garden, with him supporting her, but she was proudly steady on her feet.

"You look way better than last night, Katie." Ella grinned at her friend. Truly, Katie had looked awfully pale while they watched a movie after another, yet now her cheeks were pink and her face was full of life.

"Morning." The brooding Alpha nodded at his parents before helping Kat on her chair. Taking a seat next to her, Zach met with his mother's eyes to see her smiling sadly. "What's wrong?"

Kat followed his gaze and frowned at the worry in Luna Mel's eyes. Alpha Mark took a deep breath, joining his hands together on the table before clearing his throat. "We have bad news."

Katie's heart fastened as she waited for Luna Mel to explain. "The news about the rogues' attacks has spread. We recieved a lot of letters and emails from our allies wondering if we are still strong enough to defend ourselves and them against possible threats."

Zach eyes flashed, his anger rising instantly. "What do you mean wondering if we're strong enough? We're one of the strongest packs in the world, and by far stonger than any other pack we're in alliance with, mother." He had already been feeling threatened by the attacks, but no one could've guessed that Thomas would betray them.

Taking a deep breath, Luna Mel nodded. "Yes, honey, we are. But the news of you breaking up with Megan has also spread, and after everyone lost hope of you naming her luna, they now believe that the pack will lose its strength and would be easily defeated." She spoke the truth with a heavy heart.

A pack without a Luna was doomed to an end, only Zach never thought it would come to that. When he rejeced Kat, he still had the plan of naming Megan his Luna, and now his pack had to pay the price.

As if reading his thoughts, Kat whimpered beside him. She was supposed to be Luna. It was her duty and her rightful responsibility to not only empower her pack but also protect it with all she's got. And instead of thinking about her responsibilities, she had selfishly asked Zach to reject her.

Feeling her discomfort adding to his anger, Zach clenched his jaw. "Let them come here and say that to my face, and I'll show them how strong my pack can be." Zach was one of the strongest Alphas in history, and for four years everyone had feared and respected him as he led his pack to the top of the chain, winning a war after another, gaining allies and friends along the way. He would not accept anything less from anyone.

Kat reached for his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze, a simple attempt to calm him down.

Alpha Mark sighed. "Listen to me, son. If I had ever doubted that you weren't worthy of the position I gave you I would've remained Alpha. Like I've told you a hundred times before, in four short years you've proven to be a better Alpha than I was. The sacrifices you've made alone were proof enough. But the facts are simple and clear. A pack without a Luna is a hundred times weaker than one with. Yes, you're stronger than most now, but as the years pass your strength will cease to exist."

Kat shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her heart beating erratically behind her ribcage. They wanted him to find another mate, she presumed. There were sacrifices and rituals made for the goddess to grant someone another mate, but they were only allowed in severe cases and a case like an Alpha losing a luna met the criteria. Kat believed Zach's family wanted him to take down that road, ask the goddess for another mate and name her luna for the greater good of the pack. Once again, fate was playing with Kat's feelings, proving to her that Zach wasn't hers to keep. Yet deep down she knew that if that's what they asked him to do, she would silently step aside. She would not build her happiness on everyone's safety and well being.

Sensing her worry and sadness, Zach clenched on her hand tightly. "What do you want me to do? I know I've made a mistake and a great disservice to the pack, but what's done is done. What do you suggest I do now?" Much to his annoyance Kat tried to pull her hand back to her lap, but he held on it tight enough to stop her.

"Well, we have an idea for the time being. It won't fix the issue, but it will help us ignore it long enough till this whole rogue problem is properly dealt with." Luna Mel started, shifting her gaze between her son and Katie. "Nick informed me that RedShadow has sent you an invitation to their twenty fifth annual ball in a few days. There, you'll find more Alphas and Lunas, most of them are of packs we are on good terms with."

Zach frowned, unable to read where his mother's idea was going. Clearing his throat, Alpha Mark took over. "We want you two to go together. We believe it will be the best and fastest way to spread a rumor that the Alpha has indeed found his mate."

Kat's eyebrows darted upward and she blinked at their suggestion. They wanted to lie to the whole world and say that she and Zach were still mates. "But they'll notice that I have no bite mark and that his scent is not on me." Zach's heart skipped a desperate beat at the mere idea of introducing Kat as his Luna, yet his fantasy was short lived as she asked the important question.

"You'll have to say that you've only found each other recently but it's only a matter of time until you mated." Luna Mel gave her daughter a look as she explained before looking back at Zach. "You must do this, or we will lose a lot of our allies, Zach. We don't know what the rogues are planning and it's in our best interest to have our allies ready to stand with us might we ever need them."

Zach's eyes found Kat's and for the first time since he met her, he couldn't read what she was thinking. Was she willing to do this with him or was it too much to ask?

Kat was royaly confused. She wondered if it would break her heart to pretend to be Zach's Luna when in reality she should've been. She wondered if she was no longer worthy of such a high position. "Let's say we'll pretend we're mates long enough until we're done with the rogues. What will you tell everyone when we don't mate in the end?"

Zach frowned at her use of the word pretend. He couldn't explain it, but broken or not, the mating bond no longer mattered to him. To him Kat was his and will probably always be. She was even more precious to him than a mate if that was possible. The connection he knew he had with her was deeper than a mating bond, but there she was worried about pretending to be his.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Replied Alpha Mark with a final tone.

Reaching for Kat's other hand that rested on the table, Luna Mel smiled sweetly at her. "I know how uncomfortable this must be for the both of you, and I understand if you decide not to help us, dear. But this is for the pack. We can't lose our allies if there's a war coming, and after everything we and Zach have done to make sure this pack is feared and respected by most it'll be a shame to see some rogues bring it to the grounds. If Zach ignores their invitation or if he shows up alone, then the message he'll send will be clear and we might lose a lot. But if he shows up with you, claiming that he has found his mate, no one would dare defy us. The rogues too will think twice about attacking again."

"It'll buy us the time we need to figure out who else is working with Thomas." Nick showed from behind Zach with a tray of English tea before taking a seat. "By the time you get back from the trip, the whole world would've heard the news." Nick had believed that the rogues already knew about Katie being the Alpha's mate. He believed they attacked her with the plan to kill her before she was officially a Luna. If word spread that Zach had openly introduced Kat to the whole world as his mate, the rogues would think they were already too late, Nick believed.

Zach felt guilty for putting Kat in such a position. For him, the choice was an easy one. He would do it for the pack because it was the least he could do after rejecting their Luna. And he would do it with Kat because deep down he knew what she meant to him and showing the whole world the woman the goddess had chosen for him didn't seem like a bad idea at all. The only problem was that Kat wanted to take things slow, to have her time to heal and start over with him properly, and now they wanted her to live a lie that will remind her every second that it should've been her reality.

"Take your time to think about it if you need to." Zach's mother gave them both a small smile. Her plan was working, and she knew she was kicking two birds with one stone.

For the first time since she found her mate, Katie felt unworthy of him. She knew he was a great Alpha, people in othe packs spoke of him in both awe and fear. And she knew that the goddess had chosen her to become his equal, but she felt so undeserving. She had an obligation to the pack, to her people.

It was the least Kat could do after letting her pack down, no matter how painful of a remind it was going to be. Yes, her life hadn't gone as planned, and her future with Zach was unclear, but what mattered most now was the pack she was part of and its wellbeing.

Also, a part of her feared that if she refused they would simply find Zach another female to take along. And the thought of Zach alone with another woman pretending to be in love with her and introducing her as his future Luna clenched her heart with an iron fist. Nodding her head, Kat met Zach's eyes. "I'll do it. If it'll save the pack, at least for the time being, then I'll do it."

Zach smiled as he squeezed her hand, his eyes shining as he hoped this trip would help them get closer and not miles apart. "When do we have to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning." Alpha Mark replied with a smile and Zach nodded his head.

****

"I'll take you, Kat." Zach childishly argued again as Kat straightened the dress she borrowed from Ella in front of his mirror.

"You have things to sort out with Nick before we leave tomorrow, and I already texted Jared. What's the big deal?" Kat sighed for the second time, combing her hair down. She needed to get back to her dorm and pack a suitcase for the trip they were about to take, and she needed Jessica's help doing so.

Zach groaned one more time, his jealousy getting the best of him. "Nick can wait. Besides, what if someone attacks you on the way? You still haven't gained all your strength back yet." He sounded like an idiot.

Rolling her eyes, Kat huffed. "Jared is an amazing fighter and he'll protect me before he protects himself. You don't have to worry."

No, he wasn't worried; Zach actually trusted that Jared would die protecting her too, but maybe that fact bothered him as much as it comforted him. "Fine." Deciding to choose his battles, Zach let out a breath and walked over to her to give her a kiss on her cheek. "Just be safe."

Kat grinned as she felt his arm wrap around her waist, as if he didn't want to leave just yet. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. Are you going to stay out late tonight as well?" She hoped he wouldn't. She knew she would miss him as soon as he walked out of the room.

Giving her a dashing smile, Zach felt genuinely content. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he felt this purely happy before Kat made her way into his life. "Depends. Will you miss me if I do, love?" How he enjoyed watching her cheeks painted pink for him. He loved the effect he had on her, and once again today he felt himself needing her desperately.

Kat couldn't help but study how handsome he was as she stepped closer into his embrace. Dashing, truly. "Maybe just a little." She shrugged, her eyes shining with the first memory she had of them flirting. To her, it seemed so long ago. Thinking back, she smiled at how different she used to be. Unaware, Zach had changed her as much as she had changed him.

Chuckling, Zach wrapped his other arm around her too and joined his hands together at the small of her back, with her locked inside. "I think I've become greedy. A little is no longer enough for me. I want you to miss me so much that you can't take it, Kat."

Kat giggled bashfully, despite the heat that shot through her core at his words. No, not just his words, the way his eyes flared with a promise as he spoke them too made her breath heavy. She wrapped her arms around his neck, stepping on her toes to get closer to him. She loved how all it took was a second for his eyes to show her his need and desire for her. And she was equally as needy. "Give me something to think about and miss all day then."

His heart pumping happiness through his veins, Zack smirked. No, he hasn't tasted happiness yet, he decided. "Gladly." Moving his head closer to hers, he decided to give her something to remember all day alright.

Kat saw the mischievous glint in Zach's eyes as he pulled her against his chest. Shutting her eyes, she waited for his lips to meet with hers. Yet when she felt them on her neck, she sucked in a loud breath.

For too long Zach had wondered how soft her skin would feel against his tongue, but now that he had gotten a taste, he knew he was helplessly addicted. He trailed soft kisses up and down her neck and couldn't help but smile when she tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck for him to devour.

Letting out a soft moan, Kat had never thought it would feel this good, this consuming, to have his lips on her. His touch was soft and warm as his hands rested on her back. The hands she had on his shoulders now fisted his shirt as she clenched her legs together, the pit of pleasure deep in her stomach growing. "Zach."

Zach growled when he heard his name roll off her tongue laced with a pleasured plea. Attacking her neck further, Zack sucked on the spot he knew he wanted to bite and her moans became loud enough for him to throb in his pants.

"Zach," Kat couldn't control his name as it left her mouth repeatedly. She needed something to happen, but she couldn't decide what exactly. Her need and pleasure were growing with every lick of his tongue, every kiss of his lips and she felt like she was going to explode.

Zach continued tasting the paradise between his arms, never pausing his lips on her neck. Grazing her senstive skin lightly with his teeth, he fought with his fangs not to sharpen. This was for her pleasure, he reminded himself. No matter how much he was dying to bite her, to have her, to claim her, he could never do it without her consent. Yet it was so hard for him to stay in control when he could smell her arousal.

Kat felt lightheaded once his teeth touched her skin and she moaned desperately for him to keep her from fading into oblivion. God, how good if felt to have his lips, his tongue, his teeth, his hands on her. She knew one taste and she would be a goner, but she never expected it would taste this heavenly. "Zach, please." She didn't know what she was begging him for, but she needed him to do something, anything, or else she'll be lost in her new favorite type of rapture forever, she feared.

Hearing Kat beg him almost had Zach undone right then and there. Growling in absolute bliss, Zach pulled Kat close enough for her to feel how badly he needed her. She felt his deepest desire as his rock hard length poked below her stomach, promising her with something she was dying to taste.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me, Kat?" Zach asked her, his wolf begging him to let his fangs out and claim her his already but Zach held on to what self control he had left. Her pace, he reminded himself again and again.

Kat no longer cared how loud her moans were when she felt him press hard against her. Her wolf was howling in need, begging her to let go of her restraints and let Zach be hers forever, as if it was still a choice. And just when she was about to lose herself to him completely, to ask him to consume her every fiber and nerve, someone knocked on the door, turning their hot blood ice cold.

"You have to be kidding me!" Zach shouted in anger, pulling away from a stunned, flushed Kat. "This is getting fucking ridiculous."

Kat blinked through the fog her eyes had created and shook her head with a sigh, her face red with unfinished pleasure. "Just go kill whoever is at the door." She rubbed her forehead in annoyance, stepping away from him, yet a part of her was glad that they didn't go too far, that they didn't do something she wasn't a hundred percent ready for yet.

Groaning in despise, Zach shook his head as he walked to the bed and sat down to calm himself. "I can't."

Blushing even further, Kat understood what he meant and fought with her eyes not to travel to the tent in his pants that was teasing her a few moments ago. Clearing her throat, she made her way to the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am, but Mr. Hall is waiting for you downstairs." A maid bowed before looking at Katie. Her eyes widened at what she saw before she scattered away with a blush.

Frowning at the maid's reaction, Kat made her way to the mirror. "Jared has arrived." Looking at her reflection, Kat saw the evidence of Zach's pleasurable assault on her neck in blood red skin. "Zach!"

Breaking from his sulking, Zach met Kat's widened eyes and pink cheeks. "What?" He was pissed alright. Jared had ruined their heavenly moment, as if Zach needed more reasons to loathe the guy.

"Did you seriously have to? How am I gonna walk around with this now?" She pointed at her neck and Zach couldn't hide the big ass smirk that made its way to his face. Seeing her with a hickey this big and this recent made his restless wolf howl in pride. Yes, his bite wasn't on her for other males to see, but this would do for now, he thought.

"What is so amusing?" Kat felt her temper rise at his childish reaction, her cheeks heating even more. "How am I gonna explain this to Jared? And what if I meet your parents on the way?" She whined. Though she couldn't deny the fact that her heart skipped a beat or two at his territorial and proud smirk.

"I'm sorry, I just got wrapped up in the moment." Zach chuckled as he made his way to her again, with a noncommittal shrug. "Tell them whatever you want to tell them. I don't mind if you tell everyone that it's proof of how little I can keep my hands to myself whenever you're near me, baby."

Kat didn't think she can blush any harder at his sweet words. God the things he did to her heart, her body, her soul. Shaking her head in an attempt to not pull his lips on hers already, she tried to hide her neck with her hair as well as she could.

"Come on, now. Your friend is waiting." Suddenly too eager for Kat to meet Jared, Zach grinned as he pulled her to the door.

"I hate you." Kat groaned as she opened the door to leave. She knew Zach didn't give her those hickeys on purpose; yet idea of people seeing them made her pout in embarrassment.

"I'll miss you too, love. Be safe." Zach gave her a kiss on her cheek before pushing her out of the door and shutting it.

With a deep breath, she brought her hair over her shoulder, in a weak try to hide the evidence of their heated moment, and made her way downstairs to her best friend.