The next morning I wake up feeling unmeasurably depressed. Today Hunter is introducing me as his mate. His whole pack is going to be there but I know it is not true, I'm just his figurehead of a mate. I mean nothing to him.

I slip on a simple yet elegant seafoam dress and work on my hair and makeup. Looking at my reflection in the mirror it is no wonder why he likes the redhead. She's beautiful and I'm just so.....plain. I can feel my wolf glaring at me again as if saying, "You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig."

I roll my eyes at her. I can only hope my wolf remains obedient during the ceremony.

In the Ceremony Hall Hunter is yet again absent, not that I'm complaining considering the last time we were in each other's presence. I feel many judging eyes on me, as if they know about Hunter's escapades. A blonde server comes over and hands me a glass of wine with a smile. I can only hope that the wine eases my tension. Then looking around I see her, the redhead. She's not with him. My wolf bares her teeth at her as I irritably sip my wine.

"Roxie." I hear someone call out to me and turn to see Lilac running towards me, throwing her arms around me in a hug.

"I heard that you were seen at the border, I thought you left." She whines.

"I wasn't trying to leave, my wolf was and as you can see I am still here." I roll my eyes at her."Um, may I ask who the redhead is?" I point to her on the other side of the room.

"Her name is Autumn. Why do you ask?" Lilac tilts her head curiously.

"Nothing, she's just the one I caught Hunter with." I narrow my eyes in her direction.

"Really? Well, I'm not that surprised. The two of them have been seeing each other on and off for a couple years now."

I sigh. "So I'm always going to be number two."

"You know what? Tomorrow I am going out on the town with a couple friends. You should come with us." She smiles.

"You're sure? What about my 'mate'?" I use my fingers to make parentheses.

"Yes, Hunter won't care and it will help you get him off your mind."

I give her a warm smile. Since I've been here she is the only one who has made me smile a truly sincere smile. Within minutes I feel someone grab my arm. It's Hunter, and my happy spirits are now gone. He hooks his arm around mine and walks me onto the stage.

Looking out into the crowd I begin to feel nauseous. So many people.

"I have recently found my mate. She is the daughter of Crystal pack's Alpha and Luna. With our bond, the feud between Crystal pack and Blood Moon pack is at an end and so brings forth an era of peace and prosperity." Hunter speaks eloquently. As his speech is going on I begin to feel more and more sick. So sick in fact that I didn't notice Hunter calling my name. "Roxie..... Roxie?"

The world around me shifts and I fall to the floor.

____________Hunter's P.O.V.____________

As I am speaking to the room I notice Roxie looking a bit dazed out of the corner of my eyes. She is standing unsteadily, swaying gently back and forth like a branch in the wind.

"Roxie?" I call out to her and she does not respond, still dazed and confused.

"Roxie.... Roxie?"

Suddenly she falls and her eyes roll into the back of her head, her small body convulsing. She begins coughing up blood as loud gasps breakout around the room and Jessica and Ethan rush onto the stage.

"Her hands are cold to the touch, forehead warm and her pulse is weak." Jessica announces. "We need to get her to the hospital immediately!"

Ethan walks over to help Jessica carry Roxie to the hospital and I can't help but let out a growl. Whether I want her or not she is still my mate and my wolf doesn't like Ethan touching her, even if he is Jessica's apprentice. Something comes over me and I rip Ethan away from Roxie, gripping him by the collar of his shirt.

"Hunter, Ethan needs to help me move her! If we don't her condition can worsen!" Jessica shouts at me.

Letting out one last growl, my wolf and I let go of Ethan. The two of them then pick up my mate and carry her to the hospital. At the hospital Jessica runs several tests, including a blood test. After a few hours Jessica walks in with the test results.

"The results have come back positive for rat poison." Jessica states as she reads through Roxie's chart.

"Rat poison? But how?"

"Did she eat or drink anything at the ceremony?" Jessica asks. I think back and remember her holding a glass of wine when she was talking to my sister.

"She did have a glass of wine. You think someone tried to poison her?"

"It is a strong possibility." Jessica says with a sigh. Just then Aiden walks in.

"Alpha." Aiden bows his head.

"Aiden, I want you to look into this matter, immediately and keep the poisoning a secret, I don't want panic to break out through my pack." I order and he wastes no time, rushing back to the Ceremony Hall. I look back at my mate, her skin a sickly pale, and my wolf let's out a whimper. Sitting in the chair I watch her chest slowly rise and fall and I can't help but feel bad for her. To think that someone poisoned her, whoever they are they will be punished.