25

Book:Claimed By The Ruthless Alpha Published:2025-3-9

Katarina’s POV
I didn’t fully grasp what had happened until I reached the ground floor. Lucian was waiting by Lyra’s desk, and when he saw me, he couldn’t suppress a smirk. Lyra watched our exchange with wide eyes, a smirk forming on her lips as she noticed my disheveled appearance.
“Not a word,” I warned him with a pointed finger, then turned and left the house.
The walk back was eerily quiet, with few people left in the town square. Lucian broke the silence first.
“Everyone’s getting ready for the party tonight. It’s why the streets are so empty right now,” he explained.
“So, what exactly am I supposed to do for this event?” I asked, wondering if it was just a simple gathering.
Lucian’s smile widened. “If the Alpha has already met his mate, tonight is when she will be introduced and officially declared as Luna.”
Nervous anticipation tightened in my chest. The ceremony meant I would officially join the Silver Moon Pack. Dominic and I would perform a small ritual where we would cut our hands and let our blood mingle, severing my ties with my old pack.
I felt a pang of guilt for not reaching out to my family or friends, but I’d been preoccupied with so much since my arrival. I resolved to discuss visiting them with Dominic, though I expected he might refuse. Perhaps Rose and I could persuade him.
“You know I’d love to visit them,” Rose’s excited voice echoed in my mind. She was still on a high from what had transpired between Dominic and me.
I couldn’t blame her; I was feeling quite elated as well.
“You’ve got this, Katarina. You’re going to make an amazing Luna,” Lucian assured me as we entered the house.
“Finally! I thought we’d be waiting forever!” Seraphina exclaimed, standing at the base of the stairs with Leona. She had her hands on her hips and a serious expression.
“I wasn’t even gone an hour,” I said, rolling my eyes as I stepped aside to let her embrace Lucian.
“It only took me ten minutes to find the perfect dress for you,” Seraphina said, sticking her tongue out at me.
“We still have hours before the party,” I pointed out.
“Yes, but we still have hair and makeup to tackle,” Seraphina said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
With a knowing smirk, Leona stepped forward. “So, everything went well with the Alpha?” Her smirk deepened as she noticed my flushed cheeks.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I mumbled, trying to change the subject.
Seraphina’s gaze lingered on my neck, and her eyes widened. “Nuh-uh. You guys didn’t!”
“In his office? Ooh, naughty,” Seraphina teased.
I looked at them incredulously. “We didn’t do anything!” My face flamed with embarrassment, the last thing I wanted was to discuss Dominic’s intimate experiences with his sister.
“Well, the red marks on your neck suggest otherwise,” Leona said, smirking. I gasped in realization.
“We’ll definitely need to cover those up,” Seraphina said, brushing my hair back to get a better look.
Leona giggled and added, “Or maybe we shouldn’t. I doubt the Alpha would be pleased if we did.”
“Good point,” Seraphina laughed along with her, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
“Whatever,” I grumbled, though I couldn’t stay mad at them for long.
“Hey, don’t blame us. There’s hardly anything to celebrate around here,” Seraphina said, rolling her eyes. Leona nodded in agreement.
I shrugged. “The only celebrations we had back home were my birthday and the Moon Ball. My birthday usually meant just me and two friends ordering takeout and watching movies.”
Seraphina looked shocked. “You never had a birthday party?”
“No,” I chuckled. “But I don’t mind.”
“Well, for your birthday this year, we’re taking you out!” Seraphina said cheerfully, with Leona agreeing.
“You guys don’t have to do that,” I said, smiling gratefully.
Leona gasped, “Of course we do!”
“As long as no one throws a party for me, I’m fine. It’s a month away anyway,” I said. Being the center of attention wasn’t my thing, and I wasn’t sure how I’d handle tonight’s ceremony.
“We’ll just crash another party. No worries!” Leona shrugged.
“Alright, let’s get ready!” Seraphina chirped.
“Have fun,” Lucian said with a smirk, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
“Help!” I called as Leona and Seraphina whisked me up the stairs.
“No can do, Luna!” Lucian chuckled.
Despite my nerves about the ceremony, I enjoyed being Leona and Seraphina’s makeup doll. The dress Seraphina picked for me was a short, black bodycon that I wasn’t used to but loved how it showcased my shoulders. With black strap heels, I felt that Seraphina had done an excellent job.
My hair was styled in loose curls, and just as Seraphina was about to change into her dress, Lucian popped his head in.
“Alpha wanted me to let you know he’s running late and will meet you at the party,” Lucian said.
“Oh, that’s fine,” I replied.
Lucian smirked as he added, “And he wanted me to remind you both to keep Katarina in sight. No wine.”
“We’ll keep an eye on her, but we can’t promise about the wine,” Seraphina called from the bathroom, her voice tinged with amusement.
Lucian frowned. “Are you trying to anger him?”
“Hey, he may be Alpha to you, but to me, he’s just my goofy big brother,” Seraphina teased.
“See how goofy he is when he finds out you got his mate drunk,” Lucian muttered, rolling his eyes.
“What was that, Lucian?” Seraphina asked, poking her head out from the bathroom, half her hair curled.
“Nothing,” Lucian said, raising his hands in surrender.
Seraphina smirked. “That’s what I thought.”
Lucian left, mumbling about mates and death wishes.
Seraphina and Leona quickly finished getting ready. Leona wore a red cocktail dress, while Seraphina opted for a deep purple dress with a thigh-high slit.
As we wrapped up our preparations, we made plans for after the ceremony. They both wanted to visit a human club to see a band play. I knew Dominic wouldn’t let me go alone, but the girls suggested I invite him. I decided it was worth a try.
The party was on the far side of the pack territory, outdoors under a massive canopy adorned with twinkling lights. It resembled the Moon Ball, with tables scattered around, some laden with food, others empty.
“The only people here are those living in town,” Seraphina explained, reading my thoughts.
“The pack territory is so vast, it’s divided into smaller towns,” Leona added.
Most of the town had already arrived at the party. Without Seraphina and Leona, I might have tried to slip away.
As Seraphina, Leona, and I entered the party, whispers followed us. Rose, ever the Luna, refused to let me shrink under the attention, her instincts driving her to ensure I stood tall. Her pride in me was palpable.
I scanned the room, searching for Dominic, taking deep breaths of the fresh air to catch his scent.
“Already hunting for Dominic?” Seraphina teased, a smirk playing on her lips. I blushed in response.
“And you’re not missing Lucian since he left?” I shot back with a smirk of my own, rolling my eyes as she stuck out her tongue playfully.
The familiar mix of citrus and sandalwood reached me from behind, and I fought the urge to turn around. The widening grins on Leona and Seraphina’s faces told me Dominic was near.
“Hello, little mate,” Dominic’s husky voice reached me. The warmth from his body was almost tangible, and I was instantly reminded of earlier that day.
Blushing, I turned to face him. He looked stunning in a sleek black suit, his hair tousled as always. His presence commanded attention, and as I stood close to him, I noticed the room had quieted down. My entire focus was on him.
Dominic’s silver eyes traced my face before darkening as they moved over my body. The tightness of my dress made me self-conscious, and a part of me sought his approval.
His eyes nearly blackened as he assessed the dress. “You’re welcome,” Seraphina’s voice floated over as she and Leona darted away, giggling.
Dominic’s smirk remained, his eyes still dark. “I see Seraphina had her way with your outfit.”
“Yeah,” I giggled nervously, “I’m not entirely sure about this dress, though.” I bit my lip, glancing at the dark material clinging to my skin.
“If we weren’t surrounded by people, that dress would be on the floor,” Dominic growled, his rough hand lifting my chin to meet his gaze.
His words sent butterflies fluttering through me, and I suddenly felt much too warm. Trying to stifle a nervous giggle, I asked, “You dislike it that much?”
Dominic wrapped his arm around my waist, drawing me close until my chest pressed against his. My words faltered as he leaned in, his breath hot against my face.
“The dress is lovely, but I think you’d look better without it,” he murmured.
The urge to kiss him was overwhelming, but the presence of the guests kept me restrained.
For most of the night, I stayed glued to Dominic’s side, making small talk with anyone who approached us. To my surprise, many people wanted to meet their new Luna.
An older gentleman conducted the ceremony for us. I winced as my hand was sliced, but Dominic remained stoic, his silver eyes locked on mine. Despite the crowd, his gaze made me feel completely at ease and secure.
When our bloodied palms joined, a tidal wave of awareness surged through me. I looked at Dominic in wonder as countless voices filled my mind, many welcoming their new Luna.
I was officially Luna of the Silver Moon Pack. Dominic’s Luna.