Mated by Midnight (Moonlight Mates #3)

Chapter 6

6

T he morning sun filtered through the thin curtains, casting soft golden light across Celine’s bedroom. Though she was a morning person, the sun's warmth did nothing to thaw the icy knot in her chest.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror. Her hands trembled slightly as she ran them down the front of her blouse—simple, clean, business casual. Today's outfit was nothing like the fun, flirty dress she’d worn to the Moon Festival the night before. She would never flirt again. Not when she was hours away from becoming the dutiful wife of an Alpha.

The thought of that dress—the excitement she’d felt putting it on, the brief flutter of hope in her chest—made Celine's stomach churn. She hadn’t eaten breakfast, couldn’t stomach the thought of food. The idea of sitting across from her father, pretending everything was fine, while knowing what had happened with Elijah... it was unbearable.

Celine closed her eyes, trying to will the memories away. They came flooding back, vivid and sharp. The way his lips had felt against hers, the way her body had responded instantly, instinctively to him. And then, the look in his eyes when he realized who she was.

He’d practically recoiled at the sound of her name. It hadn’t been her he was rejecting—it was the impossibility of their situation. The moment he understood she was promised to his Alpha, everything between them had shifted. What could have been the start of something beautiful had turned into something jagged and painful.

Celine pressed her palms to her eyes, trying to push back the tears that threatened to fall. She couldn’t afford to cry. Not now, not when there was business to handle. The marriage arrangement between the Sequoia and Ironwood packs was too important, too necessary. Even her fated mate thought so. It wasn’t about her. It was about the future of her pack.

A soft knock on her door broke through her thoughts. She straightened, quickly wiping away any traces of emotion.

“Celine?” Her father pushed open the door slightly, peeking in. “We need to talk.”

Celine forced a nod. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

Instead of backing up, her father stepped inside. His imposing figure filled the doorway. Micah Vance wasn’t a cruel man, but he carried the weight of leadership with him in every step. His salt-and-pepper hair, sharp features, and steady gaze had always made him a formidable presence, both as a father and an Alpha. Today, his eyes were soft as he looked at his daughter.

The strain of leadership was still there in his gaze. It was a silent reminder of what this day meant. The Sequoia pack was running out of space, and the Ironwood pack had the land to spare. Marrying Rylan, the Alpha of Ironwood, was her duty. It was her role as the daughter of Alpha Vance. It was what was best for the pack.

But what about what was best for her?

Celine glanced at her father. She saw not the leader of her people, but the man who had held her through every disappointment and triumph. She wanted to tell him everything—about Elijah, about the bond she felt, about the agony of knowing she’d found her fated mate only to be rejected.

But what good would it do? It would only complicate things. The deal was already in motion. Elijah had made it clear that whatever bond they shared wasn’t enough to stand in the way of his duty. So it shouldn't impede hers.

Her father studied her, his sharp gaze probing, searching for any cracks in her resolve. He wasn’t a man who missed much. Celine feared he’d see right through her.

“You’ve always been strong,” he said finally, his voice gruff but affectionate. “Stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“I'm ready to do this.”

That was a lie. She wanted to scream, to cry, to lash out at the universe for being so cruel. She’d been prepared to marry a man she didn’t love, to sacrifice her own desires for the sake of her pack, but she hadn’t been prepared for this. She hadn’t been prepared to meet her fated mate—and lose him in the same night.

How was she supposed to face Elijah day in and out once their packs were joined? How would she stand to be near him once she was the wife of his Alpha? How was she supposed to kiss her husband when her fated mate had taken her heart?

How? But she knew how.

Elijah had rejected her. He’d walked away, chosen duty over the bond they shared. And now she had to do the same.

"You won't be marrying Alpha Rylan."

Celine had to blink a few times.

"He found his fated mate last night."

"He… what?"

Her father pursed his lips together.

"And he's going to marry her instead?"

Her father nodded.

The room tilted slightly, as if Celine was standing on unstable ground. There it was—the announcement that should have filled her with relief. The words that should have lifted the burden of the arranged marriage from her shoulders. She was free.

But instead of relief, an odd hollowness settled in her chest.

Rylan found his mate, and he chose her. Just like that. A choice that was natural, fated. It was supposed to be easy, wasn't it? When a shifter found the one they were meant to be with, they were supposed to grab hold of it and never let go.

Shouldn’t Elijah have done the same last night? Come hell or high water. Come tooth or claw.

The thought gnawed at Celine, a bitter edge she couldn’t shake. If Rylan could follow his heart—his bond—then why hadn’t Elijah? Why had Elijah walked away from her, leaving her to wrestle with the ache of being rejected by the one person who should have fought for her?

She’d expected the arranged marriage to be suffocating, to feel trapped under the weight of duty. But this… this felt worse. She was free yet somehow more trapped than ever, bound by the unspoken pain of being rejected by her fated mate.

She couldn’t shake the image of Elijah’s face. The way his expression had changed the moment he learned who she was. The way he had pulled away, his body rigid with disbelief and agony.

He hadn’t fought for her. He hadn’t even tried.

Now with her future so uncertain and her heart in tatters, all Celine could feel was the void Elijah had left behind. One question nagged at the back of her mind. The same question that had been there every moon festival when her friends had found their mates, but not her.

Why not me?