Five

Love, Lies, and Betrayal

Summer's POV

I wake up. His scent fills the warm, bright room. I see Jackson sleeping, breathing softly. His lips and hair are messy.

"He's so handsome," I whisper. I smile, remembering last night. His kisses, his touch, his love. How he made me feel things I never felt before. How he explored every inch of me, how he made me moan his name.

He whispered sorry. He rejected me in front of the pack. He loved me, wanted me, claimed me.

But guilt gnaws at me. I lied to him, used my power. This is not real. He doesn’t know the truth, what I did. But I don’t regret it. He’s my life, my home.

Quietly, I slide out of his arms, hoping not to wake him up. I need to face Luna, to tell her what I did. He pulls me back, holding me.

“Stay with me,” he mumbles, sleepy. “Where are you going?”

His soft kisses on my neck make me shiver. His heart beats against mine, his body warm and strong. I want to stay.

But I can’t.

I look into his eyes, and for a moment, I lose myself in his gaze. He holds me close, his breath warm on my skin. "I was just... I thought I should get up." I say, trying to sound casual.

He moves his hand to my cheek, stroking it gently. His eyes full of regret. "I wanted to talk to you about the moon ceremony." He says, his voice low and sincere.

My heart clenches, remembering how he humiliated me in front of the whole pack. How he pushed me away, how he said he didn't want me as his mate. "What about it?" I ask, my voice cold and bitter.

He whispers in my ear. “I feel stupid for doing that.” He regrets his actions. He kisses my neck softly, making me melt. He looks at me pleadingly.

"Please, forgive me." He says, his voice breaking.

I feel a smile tug at my lips, relief flooding through me. "It's... okay, Jackson--" I start to say, hoping he means it.

Before we can say more, there's a loud and angry banging on the door. He lets go. He checks the door. Amelia storms in, yelling loud.

"What the hell, Summer!" She’s furious. Her face is red with rage.

I try to speak, but I gasp. My heart pounds in my chest. "What do you want–"

She interrupts me, her voice shrill and loud. "You whore! You slashed my face open with those nasty claws of yours yesterday and now you’re in bed with my boyfriend!" She points at her cheek, where three red marks are still visible.

"He's not your boyfriend," I shout back, glaring at her. "You left him. You left the pack for adventure." I remind her of how she abandoned us for a rogue life.

"You ruined me. It’s not your problem." She snaps, her eyes flashing with hate.

Jackson steps between us, his expression torn between anger and confusion. "Summer told me everything. It was an accident." He says, trying to calm her down.

Amelia snorts, her eyes filled with disdain. "Of course, you believe her. You had sex with her." She spits. She says I seduced him. “He doesn’t even like you.”

Jackson hears her words and turns red. He clenches his fists, drags her out, and slams the door with a bang, ignoring her screams. I flinch.

He comes back to me, his face soft, kneels in front of me, and cups my face. Then,looks at me.

"Summer, please don’t listen to her. She's lying. You didn't do anything wrong; you're amazing, and I love you."

I nod, my throat tight. He pulls me into his arms, holding me close, and kisses my hair while whispering soothing words in my ear. I sense his warmth and heartbeat, calming myself. But eventually, I pull away to process this.

"I need to go," I say quietly, breaking the silence. "I must get my stuff and freshen up."

Jackson looks at me with concern, but he nods and lets me go. He kisses me quickly and says he'll wait. I smile and head straight for the woods, where I can talk to my wolf power, Luna, without anyone hearing.

Luna's voice fills my mind, sounding smug and proud. "I told you it would work, Summer. I knew Orion would fall for you if I nudged him a little."

I thank her for her help, feeling a surge of happiness and relief. I can't believe Jackson is mine now. He's everything I wanted.

As we talk, I hear a creak behind me, and I turn to find Amelia. She crosses her arm.

"I knew you used something on Jackson," she sneers, taking a step closer. "You think you're so clever. You're just a pathetic little witch who can't get a man without tricking him."

I feel a pang of fear and guilt, wondering how she knows about Luna. How much did she hear? What does she want?

"Let's see what he thinks when he knows you tricked him," she continues, reaching into her pocket. "I have proof, you know. I recorded everything you said to your wolf power. And I'm going to play it for him right now."