The Snow Wolf's Mate

A Luna’s Ambition:

[POV: Dayana]

Becoming Luna wasn’t just a title—it was power. Influence. Control.

I could see it clearly now, the image etched into my mind like a prophecy I had written myself: the ceremony, bathed in moonlight, the entire pack gathered in breathless awe.

They’d kneel—not just for Cole, but for me. Because I wouldn’t be standing beside him as a pretty ornament or passive mate.

No. I would be Luna in my own right. Unshakable. Untouchable. The one they feared as much as they respected.

I thought of the power I could wield—not just through Cole, but around him. Behind closed doors, whispering into the ears of the elders. Weaving my influence through every council decision, every warrior’s promotion, every punishment handed down.

I would shape this pack from the inside out. No more pretending. No more playing sweet.

They thought they’d seen the strong sister rise? They hadn’t seen anything yet.

I imagined the alliances I could forge. The secrets I could gather. The loyalty I could buy, threaten, seduce. Every step would be deliberate. Every smile faked.

No one would question me—not when I had Cole at my side, bound to me in blood and desire. But it wouldn’t stop there.

One move at a time, I would become more than Luna. I would become a legend.

I had shaped every step of this future with care—each glance, each whispered command, every act of devotion calculated to bring me to this very moment.

And Cole? He was mine. A piece of the prize. A powerful, beautiful piece.

My love for him was sharp, edged with hunger and fury. The kind of love that ruined things. That would burn down entire bloodlines if someone tried to take him from me.

He belonged to me. He always had.

So when I heard his footsteps in the hall that night, I rose from the velvet chaise in my chambers, smoothing down the silk draped across my hips.

When the door opened, I smiled.

He looked tired. Worn. Like the patrol had pulled something from him that he hadn’t gotten back yet.

Still, I stepped into his arms, kissing his cheek. He smelled of smoke and dusk, like always. Familiar. Mine.

But his hands barely gripped me. Loose. Uncertain. And his eyes—they didn’t meet mine. I pulled back just enough to study him, fingers brushing slowly down his chest.

His heartbeat fluttered beneath my touch.

“You’ve been restless lately,” I said softly. “Something’s troubling you, and I can feel it.”

I felt him react—just a little. His muscles eased beneath my hands. My scent washed over him, the familiar curve of my body against his stirring the heat I knew so well. He always softened when I whispered like that. When I reminded him what we had. What I gave.

I leaned closer, brushing my lips just beside his ear. “You don’t need to chase the past, Cole,” I whispered. “I’m your future. I’m here, with you. Now.”

I could feel him melting just a little—how easily he responded when I played it just right. My tone is warm and knowing. My hands are confident. My body is sliding against his.

“You and I will rule together,” I murmured against his skin. “Strength and grace. Power and beauty. No more uncertainty. No more shadows. Just us. And all the pleasure you’ve come to crave.”

I kissed him—deeply, sweetly. Letting him remember the way we always fit. His hands found my waist, drawing me in closer. My body pressed against his.

The kiss deepened—hungry, heated, familiar. But then I froze. My breath caught.

Because Gale, my wolf, surged up through our bond. And with her came a truth I hadn’t expected.

A memory. Cole’s memory.

Aria. He had found her. Seen her. More than once.

The kiss broke. I stepped back, icy air flooding the space between us. My blood ran cold.

Cole looked confused, lips still parted. “What’s wrong?”

My heart was thudding—not from passion anymore, but rage. Pure, white-hot, electric. I didn’t speak at first. I didn’t need to. The look on my face said everything. But still—I wanted to hear it from him.

I tilted my head, voice slicing through the thick silence like glass. “Is it true?”

His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

I laughed—sharp, bitter, humorless. “Don’t play dumb, Cole. It doesn’t suit you.”

His face faltered. The hesitation. The guilt.

It was all the answer I needed. I laughed—sharp and humorless. “You found her.”