The air around us shifts, and Christobel’s soft voice takes on a pointed edge.“When you arrived in that state, I—” Christobel sits the bowl of soup on the side table and takes my hands into hers. “Rafael was inconsolable. It was the most gut-wrenching thing to see. My strong boy weakly crying out for help. And then he told me what happened to you.”Again, distress tents Christobel’s brows, and a pinched frown drags the corners of her lips down. She’s fighting the tears brimming, holding her composure by a thread. Mine slips at the sight of her heartbroken expression.“He told me about what your father did and said. How you spent your entire life hated in that place, treated like…” She squeezes my hands, bringing them to her lips and kissing gently on their backs. “I promise you, Makayla. You will never suffer like that again. Even if you double down on rejecting the mate bond and refuse to let Rafe into your heart, you will always be welcome in Io. We will accept you and treat you li
Christobel left after Rafe returned, giving me a warm hug before sneaking out of the room when Rafe gathered me up in his arms and kissed me too many times to count. I don’t blame her for getting out of there. His affection made me uncomfortable; I couldn’t imagine what she felt having to watch the boy she raised act like that.After calming down and remembering that I was severely injured, Rafe took a more stable position. He curled up with me on the hospital bed, holding me close. He asked about what Christobel and I talked about. He asked if I liked her. He asked a million questions, knowing I could barely answer one. But I did my best to ease his fears and wrote a few messages explaining how wonderful his godmother is and how happy I am to have met her.It must have satisfied his curiosity and eased his fears because he relaxed not soon after, and we both fell asleep.When I woke this morning, Rafe was already gone, and Christobel was patiently waiting with needlepoint by my bedsi
Why on earth did Thane just pledge to protect me?! Not only that, but he made it a formal oath! His vow stands binding in the eyes of Io and the Moon Goddess from now until his last breath. And if he fails to fulfill his duties as my protector, he can be stripped of his title and even his wolf, should the Moon Goddess deem him unworthy! This is too much! I can’t! He can’t!“I—”“It’s already done,” Thane grunts, cutting me off and rising to his feet. He dusts off the knees of his pant legs and flashes me a bright smile. “No protesting and no takebacks. I’m your protector from this moment on.”“B-But why?” I wheeze, breathless. Christobel spoons another serving of oatmeal into my gaping mouth, forcing me to close it and chew for dear life.“Don’t mind him,” she sighs, shaking her head. “He’s always been so dramatic.”“Bellie, you wound me.” When he glowers in her direction, an unnatural pout graces his lips. It fades seconds later, replaced by a smug grin. “Drama has nothing to do with
I wake in darkness. Disoriented, Rafe’s slow, steady breathing and the soft beeping of the heart monitor remind me of where I am. And of everything that’s transpired in the few days I’ve been recovering. My fingers brush the dressing on my neck. The pain is almost completely gone, and the doctor said my recovery time is improving. I’m still not out of the woods yet, but he seemed enthusiastic about me fully recovering earlier. Before he and Christobel left the room, the doctor told me to continue resting my voice and limiting my movement. Rafe took it as a personal challenge to hold me still. Wrapped around me like a boa constrictor, he snuggled me into submission, and we both drifted off to sleep soon after. I’m drowning in his scent and warmth. His touch… I’m so selfish. I don’t want to let him go. I don’t want to run away, even if it’s for his own good and the good of Io. I want to stay like this, safely surrounded by his aura, smell, and heat. I want to keep my ear over his hea
I can’t believe I did that.I can’t believe I said that!Three days. It’s been three days since I told Rafe I loved him, too, and I’m reeling. Milla feels like she’s bouncing around inside me, giddy as a young pup, while I’m on the verge of total mental collapse. What the hell is wrong with me?I know the risks. I know the impending doom that lurks around the corner with River Crest. I know loving him is the wrong move and only puts him and his pack in danger. And telling him I love him is one of the dumbest things I could have done.Rafe’s entire face morphed when I said those words. It was like a heavy mask fell from him, and he melted into a soft mound of butter in my arms. I’ve never seen his blue eyes not charged with the energy of a thunderstorm at sea. But when he heard me say I loved him, the waters calmed, and his body relaxed completely.Dumb, Makayla. So so dumb.Why did I do that? If I have to leave him to avoid war with River Crest, it’ll devastate him. My head throbs at
I can’t breathe. I can’t.I’m trying, but the air doesn’t reach my lungs. It stops in my throat, battling my urge to vomit. How? How?!Of all the places, of all the packs. My mother killed the Alpha of Io! She was his Beta… his lover. He’s… my father was an Alpha? There’s too much; my head’s spinning.All these years, I suffered in River Crest. All the hits and kicks and bottles and insults. All the torture I endured and the mistreatment. All of it was for nothing. I was fighting, clawing, begging to be accepted by those animals, clinging to the belief that if I was good enough, they would see me as myself and not her daughter.Deadrick Pride… Just his name makes my stomach burn with hatred now.“Makayla? Did you ever meet that woman?” Christobel asks again.I can’t answer her right now. If I open my mouth, something awful is going to come out. I don’t know if it’s puke or the truth, but I don’t want to release either. I have to get out of here.Shaking my head, I mutter a small apolo
I’m off the sidewalk that follows the main road around the hospital and cutting through the grass behind toward the trees. Every step getting faster and faster until I’m no longer walking but full on sprinting toward the forest. I won’t stop. I can’t. Goddess, why did you do this to me? Why am I being tortured for something I didn’t do? I want to curse the heavens and the moon itself. Why am I Makayla Pride, daughter of Nemora? Why couldn’t I have been Quinn Iverson? Or Annabelle Lucas? Or any one of the beautiful girls of River Crest who were loved by their parents and cherished by their pack? I break through the tree line and the dense canopy overhead blocks the sun. I’m still running, legs pumping furiously as I charge toward the unknown. But I can breathe a little easier. Or so I thought. My chest burns with every painful breath and my throat aches the deeper into the woods I go. Pulling the stranger’s hoodie from around me, I throw it into the bushes as I retreat farthe
“Why isn’t she improving?!”“It’s not that simple, Rafael... Her injuries... when you brought her to us, she was half dead!”“It’s been two weeks, Juniper. Wolves in far worse conditions have bounced back in half as much time!”I know this furious voice. My mate. He sounds so far away, but it’s no doubt his warmth beside me, radiating through my body.“Did someone dare sabotage her recovery?! Is that why she ran into the woods in this condition?!”I can tell he’s fighting hard to control himself; every word is growled through grit teeth. His aura is staggering, and it’s hard to breathe even while I’m unconscious and not on the receiving end. I don’t know how Dr. Juniper is still standing, let alone speaking back to him.“Rafael, please. No one has been allowed into her room besides me, the nurses, Christobel, Thane, and you,” Dr. Juniper sighs. “Let’s think rationally for just a moment. I know she’s your mate. I know you love her and are concerned. But the truth of the matter is, your
If looks could kill, Erick and Marco would be dead right now. The hideous glare on Wesley’s face paints a stunning portrait of the man I know him to be. Now, everyone else finally gets to see him for the hateful, lying, psychopath that he truly is.His façade of innocence melts away and all that’s left is a shaking, contemptable man with nothing to lose and a singular goal. I can feel his wicked intentions vibrating in the air. It’s obvious. And pathetic. Anyone else would have slumped and begged for mercy. But not Wesley Wrest. Never Wesley Wrest.Through grit teeth, Wesley growls. “You traitorous little shits don’t know what you’re doing. You think I’m gonna let you get away with ratting? You think you’re gonna make it out of here alive after the shit you just pulled?!”Before King Helios can grab and detain him, Wesley slips out of reach and charges the altar. I step forward, pulling the two pups behind me and standing him down. As I figured, the mate bond wouldn’t let him hurt me.
“The Goddess did no such foul thing,” Rafe growls, stomping down near Wesley. “Your schemes end here, worm.”“Alpha Rafael, Makayla, explain,” King Helios roars, no longer passively sitting to the side.“Through nefarious means, Alpha Wesley Wrest severed the mate bond between Makayla and myself. We are true fated mates, marked, and promised to one another for some time,” Rafe states. With his head held high, he looks just as regal and commanding as the king. My heart races just watching hmi address the room with confidence.“Liar! You stole her from me when Io came for diplomatic meetings!” Wesley shouts. “She is mine and has always been. Only mine!”“There was never any mate bond between us. How dare you try to claim otherwise over five years after we both came of age!” I snap. “King Helios, I humbly submit testimony from one Quinn Iverson, the former Luna candidate of River Crest.”Wesley’s eyes grow wide and the whispers around the temple hall grow into full blown outrage as a scre
I’m nervous.My heart’s pounding and I can barely think straight. Every breath feels too big for my lungs, like I might pop any second. The dress wasn’t this tight yesterday. The shoes didn’t pinch like this. Am I growing? Will I end up filling the entire temple hall with my massive, bulbous feet and wide back? Is Rafe going to see his bloated bride and run away in fear.“Makayla, breathe.” Thane’s warm hand covers mine. He pulls me into a gentle hug, squeezing with just the right amount of pressure to calm me down and stop my thoughts from spiraling.“I’m okay,” I lie, my fib muffled by his suit jacket.“Your heart’s racing like a running rabbit,” he chuckles, pulling away. He brushes a strand of my long, curled hair from my face, kissing me on my forehead. “I know it’s scary, but there’s nothing for you to worry about. Everything’s in place. And you, my
I’m exhausted.Between preparing for the Luna Ceremony, the wedding, and all the pack celebrations these last three days, I’ve been swamped with engagements and work. And if that isn’t bad enough, Rafe has been insatiable.I haven’t been able to go to his office for lessons since we’ve had a change of plans. I’ve been working with Thane, Christobel, Elder Raimey, and countless event hires from caterers to dress makers. More than once, I didn’t see Rafe all day until we both showed up separately to the pack celebrations late in the evenings.We would both be drained from these long days, but the second he sees me, he’s on me. His hands don’t leave my body, his gaze never wanders from my face. It’s like he’s desperately clinging to me to prove that his love hasn’t wavered with the removal of our bond. I don’t know what to do or say to show him that I feel the same about him.So, I just let him do whatever he wants and try to keep up.These last three days, he’s dragged me from the celeb
“This changes nothing!” Rafe roars.His shouts pull me from my numb sleep into aching consciousness. My body feels like it was tossed off a cliff and rolled over by a semi. I blink the world into focus and find the familiar ceiling of Io’s hospital above me.“She is my mate. We know this. So whatever is happening is of no concern to me,” Rafe snarls. “Makayla is my Luna. She is going to be my wife. This changes nothing.”“What’s happening?”I push onto my elbows and find the room filled with concerned warriors: Dr. Juniper, Christobel, Thane, and an elderly woman I’ve never seen before. Her round, wrinkled face turns toward me, though her milky white eyes don’t seem to see anything.“My child, give me your hand.” Her withered fingers reach for me, and I pull away on instinct. Rafe pulls me into his side, kissing my hair.“It’s okay. Let Elder Raim
“Yes! Please! Please save me.” Real tears fall from Quinn’s eyes as she begs me for her life. How many times have I imagined this scenario? Quinn crawling at my feet, completely humiliated. Beyond humiliated. Hopeless. Alone. Scared. Everything I was. Everything she inflicted on me.And just like her, I will show no mercy.I stomp on her hand, grinding it under my heel and ignoring her cries of pain.“Listen carefully, Quinn,” I mutter. “Because I won’t be repeating myself. Do you understand?”She nods, stifling her cries.“You’re going to tell us everything that you told Wesley about Io. Everything. You’re not going to conveniently leave a single detail out, do you hear me?”She nods again.“And you are going to tell us everything that Welsey has done since taking control of River Crest. The rogues, the attacks, everything.”Another nod.“And when you’re done spilling your guts about that, you’re going to tell us his plans and why he’s doing all of this.”A different reaction. She gl
“Makayla! Makayla slow down!” Christobel shouts after me.I won’t. I can’t.My legs carry me swiftly back to the packhouse and through the gated doors that lead down to the dungeons. I’ve only been once, but this trip is decidedly faster than the first. I take the stairs four or five at a time, ripping my lovely party dress and ruining all the hard work Christobel and the attendants did to make me look presentable.I can’t care about that right now. I can’t even stop my thoughts from scrambling madly, spiraling to a single point. Quinn Iverson must die. Today. At my hands.How dare she? How dare they?! River Crest wasn’t content with mercilessly tormenting me for years. No, they couldn’t be satisfied now that I am gone and no longer an eyesore to their perfect little pack. They had to go and mess with my new family.She’s not getting away with that. And once I’m through with her, I’m taking Wesley’s head with my bare hands!I bottom out at the end of the stairs, huffing furiously and
The downside to being all dolled up for a celebration is limited range of motion and the inability to run full speed when you need to.Trying to keep up with Thane and Christobel is a challenge in four inch heels and this flowing dress. I’ve given up on keeping my hair looking pristine and neat, the curls flow wildly behind me as we surge toward the west gate.Appearances don’t matter. All that matters is getting to whoever is waiting before Rafe does. Not that I care what he does to them, I just don’t want to beg him for permission to see them in the dungeon again. And I’m not overly fond of the idea of going back down there anyway.Plus, if Quinn’s sudden arrival is any indication, calming him down for hours and days after will wear me out. My legs are shaking as is and my lower back is killing me. As much as I love him and our time together, I would rather not have a body cast on for my Luna ceremony.Please, Goddess, don’t let it be Wesley or Deadrick.My silent prayer is answered
I don’t recall falling asleep. But I’m awoken by Christobel and a number of attendants rushing in to tend to me. The sun casts the room in a warm, golden glow. Rafe’s scent lingers in the air, but is slowly fading, much to my heartbreak. He must have slipped out earlier and left me to sleep in.“We’ve prepared a bath for you, Luna,” one of the attendants announces, head bowed. I don’t recognize her. I don’t recognize any of the women clamoring around me, eagerly pushing to be ahead of the group. Christobel’s kind eyes shine with pride as she stands at attention in front of all the rest.“Now ladies, I only agreed to let you assist me today because you were all so eager to serve our new Luna,” she declares, silencing the commotion. “If you continue to behave in such an immature fashion in front of Luna Makayla, I will dismiss all of you and serve her myself as I’ve always done.”Ah, I see.She’s showing off our close relationship. I struggle to conceal a smile. I’ve never seen this sid