LOGINShare
Split Second
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Forsaken Mate What Have I Become?
How did my absolute last resort become the only option I had left?I did everything right. Or I tried to, at least.I accepted beatings, insults, mistreatment, lies, scandal, ridicule, harassment, and assault. I took every lick and kept on bowing and thanking them for it. I learned the laws, the customs, the proper way to show appreciation for being told to lick their boots, and for what?Had I known I was going to end up like this, running through the woods with blood on my fur, the wind in my hair, and a laugh tickling in my throat, I wouldn’t have wasted time with any of it.Why did I try so hard? Why did I bother being anything else?I feel so free with Milla taking the lead; she charges effortlessly through the trees and carries us to the river. Leaping into the cool waters, we rinse the blood of the warriors from our fur, paws, and mouth. I catch sight of my reflection in the water, mentally tallying the ways we’ve changed since the last time I was allowed to shift.Our eyes are
Forsaken Mate Graveside Talk - 1
As I near my mother’s burial mound, I hear my father’s muffled voice. It takes me a few seconds to understand what he’s saying, but I’m not surprised when it’s a string of vile insults against her and me. Whore, traitor, disgusting, worthless. I’ve heard these words time and again. They mean nothing to me now.But his voice.It lacks a particular venom that I’ve grown accustomed to. There’s no punch to his slurred hatred this time. But the pungent smell of liquor lingers heavy in the air surrounding him. At least that’s consistent. This wouldn’t be a Deadrick Pride rampage without the whiskey. Though I must admit, I don’t appreciate the venue change.I didn’t think he’d remembered where she was buried. Then again, he hated her so much it would be impossible for him to forget. If it were Wesley or Quinn, I’d forever have their grave site ingrained in my memory. I’d visit every week, just to make sure they’re right where I left them.“I hate you so much,” Deadrick groans into the soil, p
Forsaken Mate Graveside Talk - 2
And there it is. The grand scheme.Regardless of Io’s demands during the alliance talks, River Crest never intended to honor them. Alpha Nolan and the rest of the pack leaders were going to take the resources from Io, use them to strengthen our military force, and then suppress Io and any other pack they could. That was their real plan and why Nolan tolerated Alpha Thane’s brazen disrespect and disregard.Disgusting isn’t a strong enough word for these cowards. But now Deadrick is trying to rope me into their plans as a pawn. This, I cannot excuse.“You want to sell me to Io to swindle them?” I ask, sneering.The blow came hard and fast, sending me to the ground. The smack echoes through the trees, followed by my father’s panting breaths. Every exhale sends a cloud of alcohol breath down on me. Familiar. This is the Deadrick Pride I know, not that smiling, hugging bastard from before.“You should be thankful for the opportunity!” he shouts. “You can finally be useful for once and not
Forsaken Mate Out of Darkness
It’s dark and quiet. And strangely warm.I thought death would be cold for some reason. Empty and cold and still. But it’s none of those things. I feel someone beside me in the dark, pressing warmly against my body. And a rhythm, a rising and falling, keeps me from being still.“Makayla?”Milla is here? I thought she would split and return to the Moon Goddess when I died. That’s what the legends say. But I feel her and… see her?She stands before me in the darkness, light gently emitting from her dark fur. Her green eyes glow in the dark as she stares from the shadows.“I’m sorry, Milla. I couldn’t…”How can I explain what I did and why I did it? She probably hates me for taking us away from our mate. But I just couldn’t do it anymore.Hearing my father discuss River Crest’s plans to betray Io and use me as a pawn pushed me over the edge. After everything I’ve suffered, I couldn’t keep pressing onward. Even if I ran away and became a rogue, I couldn’t outrun River Crest and Io. War wa
Forsaken Mate New Fear Unlocked
Six hours later, the fog has worn off and the missing pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Rafe patiently explained everything leading up to his appearance at my mother’s grave when I “took matters into my own hands.”Apparently, when Alpha Thane sent me out of Nolan’s study, he mind linked Rafe everything that was about to happen. He instructed Rafe to pack me up and get me out of the territory as soon as I arrived at the trailer. But I never showed. It was only after Rafe brutally interrogated one of the guards at the packhouse that he discovered I was locked away in the dungeons. It took Alpha Thane and three other Io delegates to subdue Rafe and drag him out of the territory before he could tear the packhouse down.He made sure I knew that. Repeated it twelve times to be absolutely sure.“I didn’t leave you behind. I would never leave you there,” he repeated, holding my hands against his heart as if swearing an oath to me. “They dragged me away and chained me to a tree right outs
Forsaken Mate Christobel
It takes two days for Rafe to move more than three feet from my side and let someone other than the doctor and a single nurse near me. My recovery is taking a while, slower still because of the weakened mate bond, the severe blood loss, and how deep I gouged my neck. The pack doctor has said repeatedly that it is a miracle I survived. Miracle. I think I’ve read that word once or twice in my life. Never has it been used to describe any part of my existence.Now, I’ve heard it probably three dozen times.Miracle. Miracle. Miracle. Goddess’s Blessings.“If your mate hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have survived, Ms. Pride.”“The Goddess is smiling down on you that you are still here with us.”“Your bond must be incredibly strong. It seems Rafael willed you back to life.”Every update on my health comes is peppered with these statements. And Rafe squeezes me tighter every time, nearly purring into my hair or shoulder. Wide awake, recovering in his arms, I don’t doubt the doctor’s words. I
Forsaken Mate Caring for Makayla
Christobel’s caring face twists in a grimace of pain as she watches me from above, squeezing me tight in her embrace. It’s as if she feels my pain beyond rote sympathy.I’ve seen this expression before when I was a child.Of course, it wasn’t directed at me but at one of my classmates at the pack school. After a rough game during recess, a little girl fell to her knees and skinned them on the hot asphalt. Her mother, one of the teachers at the school, scooped her up and soothed her immediately.The little girl recovered quickly, but her mother was still shaken for some time, refusing to let her child go once the skinned knees were treated, and she was ready to resume playing. The pain on her face… as she wept with her hurt child, even harder than the little girl. A strange sight for me, the outcast without a mother. The tainted child whose own father treated her like scum on the bottom of his boot.I knew better than to expect a display of affection and care like that. But I always wo
Forsaken Mate Safety is an Illusion
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
Latest chapter
Forsaken Mate Wedding Bells - Finale
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.
Forsaken Mate Wedding Bells - 2
“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
Forsaken Mate Wedding Bells - 1
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
Forsaken Mate Unwelcome Intruder
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
Forsaken Mate Bond Broken
“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
Forsaken Mate Wesley's Plans
“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
Forsaken Mate Head on a Spike
“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
Forsaken Mate Rebecca
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
Forsaken Mate The Morning After
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
