Betrayed Luna's Fated Mate

-Brendon-

In the morning, when the storm finally took off, the alpha appeared on the last part of our route, which led up to the house. He had a bagel in one hand and a warm cup of coffee in the other, and he was fully dry compared to the rest of us, who were drenched, exhausted, and shaking. There was such a calm look on his face that it was a bigger slap than the punishment he just put us through, and I knew mine wasn't over because I wasn't allowed to go to my mate and feel her sweet touch, which would make all the ache go away. I knew the alpha saw my frustration too, because he met my eyes before taking a small sip of his coffee. The rest of us were leaning with our hands on our legs, wondering if he wanted to make us continue to run. He had yet to tell us to stop.

"I see you all had a wonderful night," he taunted, and I could see the curses in the others' eyes that they wanted to throw at him, but we had tried that before, and it ended up with us being forced to run for another two hours. So, instead, we held our tongues and waited while we wanted, like crazy. The alpha took another sip of his coffee and a bite of his food, making us wait in suspense.

"You're killing us, Dad!" Jason burst out, saying what we were all thinking.

"Good, then you will remember this moment. I'm not alpha for nothing, and this is an important lesson for you, Jason. When you need to take over, you can't go easy on any of them if they step out of line," his father ordered. "Meaning it doesn't matter if they are your friends, your most entrusted companions, or..."

His eyes landed on me again. "Mated to your sister."

He focused on Jason again. "You must show why you are alpha and always keep the pack's safety and care above everything, even your friendships." "Even my mate?"

His father smiled a smile none of us could decipher, maybe except for me. I believed he knew I understood what he was trying to say. Nothing could go above a mate, but as an alpha, Jason would most certainly have to find a balance none of us would ever have to consider. Of course, we would always protect the pack as its warriors and protectors, but Jason was the next pillar, the next leader, and once he found his true mate, then there was an even stronger pull he had to remember and consider.

"I will let you work that one out," his father told him, then took another sip of his coffee. "You may stop."

We all groaned, falling to the ground as our legs refused to keep us up anymore. We were stronger than most wolves. We were the best of the best in the packs together with the very seasoned warriors, but running all night in a fucking storm, not even we could handle without breaking just a little.

"Well done, boys," he mocked us, making us all groan even louder. "If you can make it inside, then you can have breakfast."

"Can't it be brought to us?" I heard Gary mumble.

"No, because we have a meeting today. If you don't hurry, you won't get a chance to eat."

We all let out those curses we have kept in, but they were directed at the sky, and our alpha just laughed at us before he turned around, telling us to hurry.

***

I was not sure how I managed to get back on my legs or how Jason found the power to do so, but he showed us why he was the next alpha, as he was the first one to get up before holding out his hand and helping the rest of us up again. We walked inside and went right for the food, not even carrying about us still being wet and our clothes clinging to our bodies. However, our luna was so sweet, together with a few other pack members, to bring us towels. Yet, I was pretty sure she just did that, so there was less to clean later.

Once we had eaten, we had to hurry to get some dry clothes. I sped back to the bedroom, forgetting, for a moment, the alpha's orders about not touching Celeste. I stepped inside to see Celeste coming out of the closet, putting on a necklace I had given her. "Hey," I said and took a step forward.

She smiled sweetly at me and started coming toward me, but before she could wrap her arms around me, I sidestepped her, remembering what her father had told me. She turned to me confused, looking a bit hurt. "What?" she asked. "I'm the one who should be angry at you for telling my dad and brother everything."

"Are you?" I asked. "No."

"Well, your dad is still as pissed as me, and..." I felt so trapped in myself. All I wanted was to touch Celeste, and I knew her father had been very clever in his punishment of me. I would never be so stupid again to risk not being able to touch her.

"What?" she inquired, looking so confused and definitely needing my touch as well.

"He said I couldn't touch you for a whole day," I whispered, hanging my head a little. "What?" she repeated.

"I can't touch you... It's my punishment for taking things so far and bringing the others into it."

"Oh, but that is so ridiculous!" she said and tried coming closer, but I side-stepped her once more before we turned to one another. "Brendon, he is not part of this bond. We can touch."

"Celeste, I would get my ass kicked!"

"Are you serious?"

I nodded eagerly, and she huffed angrily.

-Celeste-

I had never seen Brendon this way. He looked like a little boy who had gotten an earful, but that was the power of a respected and powerful alpha. My father really showed this time who was in charge, and Brendon didn't even dare touch me because my father had said no. 24 hours without his touch after being separated, the whole night was rough. How was this not a punishment for me too, then? It didn't seem right; I wasn't allowed to touch either. What had my father been thinking? I understood why Brendon deserved it, but that didn't make it less painful.

However, Brendon did look really adorable with his shoulders lumped and his eyes darting around, trying not to linger too long on me. It was obvious he wanted to touch me, hold me, and have me close again. He even gave me puppy eyes, most likely hoping I wouldn't listen to him, but I could imagine how pissed my father would be if Brendon didn't listen. It could be seen as a direct challenge to my father's power, and they would have to fight it out. I didn't want to see my mate beat bloody and blue. Brendon was strong, but my father was no weak alpha, as he had already proved yesterday.

"24 hours, huh?"

"Yup," he sighed, gazing at the floor.

"So no matter what, you can't touch me?" I mused out loud, seeing the way he gazed at me, confused.

"No..." he said, stretching out the word. He had already confirmed that.

"Maybe I should change. I don't like this shirt," I told him and began unbuttoning my shirt.

While I hadn't agreed to Brendon going out, he had promised to come back and fuck me all night. Once again, he had been prevented from living up to that promise, and it had left me achy and needy. I knew I was being a bit cruel for this, but I realized I could give him my own little punishment. I watched him swallow hard as I opened my shirt, showing the white bra I had underneath.

"Celeste, what the fuck are you doing?" he asked.

I tossed the shirt away, teasing him, and he tried looking away, but his eyes simply wouldn't stay away for long.

"Changing. We need to leave soon. You should as well."

"Y-Your clothes are fine... Goddess, woman! Don't take off more!" he groaned, running his hand through his short hair before he had to turn away, giving me his back.

I slipped my skirt off too, standing just in my underwear.

"Maybe I should wear a skirt," I mused out loud as I stood in my underwear in the middle of the room.

"Shit," I heard him whisper.

"But then I could get a pantie line. So maybe no panties?"

"Celeste! Please! He will kill me if I touch you!"

"I know," I chuckled.

"Oh, you want me dead?" he asked.

"Of course not, but you left me alone all night. You weren't in bed."

"That's not my fault! I was out running. I was almost struck," he informed me.

"You seem fine."

"It hit a tree instead, but it wasn't fun."

"But that's all on you. I told you not to go."

"He tried to touch you!"

"I'm aware, but he is an alpha, and you know we could have solved this differently. Why else would you talk to my father later when you gain some sense?" I posed, and he sighed, knowing I was right. "Yeah..." he whispered, nodding a little.

"And so instead of being in our warm bed, which you could have been, I was left alone, missing you."

His shoulders slumped even more, but the muscles in his back flexed, making me feel achy now. I loved how powerful he was and how good he looked in the morning light. I couldn't help myself. I walked closer to him, running my hand up his back and feeling him shudder underneath me.

"Celeste!" he growled.

"He said you couldn't touch me, not the other way around."

Brendon groaned, placing his hands on the door. "Please, I can barely hold myself back. Trust me, I hated being away from you. Don't torture me."

I smiled, then lifted my head, hearing him sigh in relief.

"Okay, I will be good. Until after the meeting."

"Goddess, beautiful, you're killing me."

I chuckled as I walked away to get dressed in something else.