CHAPTER 7

DEREK

I couldn’t stop thinking about the night before.

My wolf had been restless all day, his guilt echoing through me like a distant growl. It was his connection to her wolf that alerted me—her wolf had said Ava wanted to end it all. 

The thought sent chills down my spine, even now. I had no choice but to rush to the river where she was, guided by that unbearable, familiar pull. I found her already deep in the water, her body barely visible under the moonlight as it reflected on the restless waves.

The moment I plunged in after her, the icy water stabbed at my skin like thousands of tiny needles. My arms worked desperately to pull her lifeless form from the depths. 

When I finally dragged her ashore, her pale face was void of life. For the first time in my life, I was terrified. 

My hands trembled as I gave her mouth-to-mouth, pressing her chest repeatedly, praying to the Moon Goddess to spare her. Then—just as hope began to dwindle—her body jerked, and she gasped for air.

But when she opened her eyes, I wished I hadn’t seen it.

The sadness in her gaze was haunting. It wasn't a relief that she had been saved. It was disappointing. As if I had stolen something precious from her: the release of death. 

Ava looked at me as though she had already accepted her fate—that she was unwanted, unloved, and a burden to everyone, including me.

That look stayed with me.

My wolf wouldn’t shut up about it. “You’re just too proud,” he growled, his voice vibrating in the back of my mind. 

“You rejected her because of appearances, because of what people think. But you don’t see what I see—you haven’t seen all of her.”

I ignored him. My wolf and I hadn’t been on good terms since that night. He had almost forced me to mate with her. 

And yet, a small, annoying part of me wondered if he was right. Was I so consumed by my role as future Alpha that I was blind to something greater?

A week passed.

I hadn’t seen Ava. Not that I used to see her often, but something about her absence gnawed at me. 

My skin itched. I went from months of barely acknowledging her presence to feeling restless without her. What the hell was happening to me?

I buried myself in the pack library, combing through dusty, forgotten books about mate bonds, rejections, and ancient wolf traditions. But nothing made sense. 

The rejection wasn’t breaking. The bond was still there, alive and strong, like an unyielding chain. It frustrated me beyond words.

“Maybe I need to find a bonded wolf pair,” I thought aloud, slamming the book shut. The concept of bonded pairs—wolves who willingly rejected their bond—was rare but not impossible. 

Maybe that would break the tie between Ava and me. Maybe then I’d be free.

It was 4 a.m., and I still couldn’t sleep.

I stepped outside, the cold air hitting my skin like a slap. My wolf stirred.

“Up for a run?” I asked. He didn’t hesitate.

Shifting into my wolf form, I let him take over, and we bolted into the woods. The wind rushed past us, sharp and cleansing my mind . Running helped clear my mind—or so I thought.

Then it hit me.

Her scent.

It was soft but unmistakable, curling around me like a whisper. Ava. My wolf perked up immediately, his focus zeroing in on her trail. Before I could stop him, he took off.

Through the trees, I finally saw her: a stunning white wolf, her fur gleaming under the dim glow of dawn. 

She was running, free and wild, her movements fluid as water. My wolf didn’t hesitate—he chased her. Ava’s wolf glanced back, her bright eyes meeting ours, and then she ran faster.

For twenty minutes, our wolves played a game of chase. My wolf was elated—the first time he’d been truly happy in days. 

Finally, their game ended. Ava’s wolf leapt playfully and landed atop mine, pinning him down. My wolf didn’t resist. He just lay there, content beneath her weight.

Then, without warning, we both shifted back.

I froze.

We were human again, bare skin against bare skin. Her body pressed against mine, our breaths mingling as we stared at each other. 

I could feel the heat radiating off her. The bond between us burned, alive and undeniable.

My hands trembled as I touched her face, my thumb brushing her cheek. Her scent overwhelmed me, and before I could stop myself, I kissed her. 

It wasn’t gentle—it was a hungry, desperate kiss. She responded at first, her hands fisting in my hair, her body arching against mine.

And then she stopped.

Her hands pushed against my chest, and I snapped back to my senses.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, stepping back, ashamed. “It wasn’t me—it was our wolves. They planned this.”

Ava just stared at me, her face unreadable. Then she nodded.

“You kept your word,” I said softly, swallowing the lump in my throat. “You won’t mate with someone who rejected you.”

Her eyes flickered with something—pain? Resignation?

I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. “It’s hard to stay away from you, Ava. Your scent, your presence—it’s driving me insane. And now…” I looked at her helplessly. “Now that I’ve tasted you, it’s going to be even harder.”

She said nothing.

“I rejected you because of my responsibility as future Alpha,” I blurted out. “The tradition… the politics… I can’t have a weak Luna. But if I were just a regular wolf, I would’ve accepted you.”

Silence stretched between us.

Then I did the only thing I knew how to do: I ran.

“I’m going to find a bonded wolf pair,” I shouted over my shoulder, “someone who will reject their mate so I can break this bond. I’ll fix this.”

I didn’t look back as I shifted and sprinted into the woods, Ava’s scent still lingering on my skin.