I feel a slight tap along my thigh, waking me up from a solemn slumber. I didn't realize that I had drifted off until I had woken up. I lean on my elbow, looking down at her. I don't know how long it's been since I've been here, but either way, I can't bring myself to leave her.My instincts are yelling at me to kiss her once more. So I do just that. This time, her lips are no longer cool to the touch; rather, they're a bit warm. I turn my head to the side, leaning away from her slightly. I stare into her beautiful eyes, which is when I realize they're staring back at me."Wynter?" I call out. Shaking her slightly."D-Darius?" She says, confused.My eyes grow wide upon hearing my name from her beautiful mouth."WYNTER!" I call out to her, pulling her tight to me."I'M SO SORRY!" I say to her."I-it's n-not your f-fault." She coughs out."It is! I Should've been there! I should've protected you! I never should've believed Catherine!" I state.She weakly raises her hand and places it on
...Darius POV...I was so frustrated. I didn't even know what to do or where to go. The moment I left Wynter's room, I ran outside and changed into my wolf form. I didn't care about my clothes and rather ran deep into the forest. Both Asher and I were on edge. It felt like we singlehandedly betrayed our mate. I know she says it's not my fault. But that doesn't stop me from blaming myself. I was weak. I didn't protect her. I should've tried harder. I should've...I cut myself off as I slump down onto the forest floor. I change out of my wolf form and begin to chuck rocks over the cliff. I'm furious. The past twelve hours begin to swarm my mind. I can't believe I marked and mated another wolf that wasn't my mate. I've waited for years for my mate. Then when I find her, I find out that Catherine isn't my true mate. Catherine had somehow manipulated me into believing that she was my mate. Which makes me wonder. 'How did she get away with it? How did she manage to make me believe that sh
...Wynter POV...Shortly after Kenji left, Charlie came back into the room to check up on me."How's my princess doing?" He asks."I've been better." I say, causing Charlie to laugh. He walks closer to me and checks all of my vitals while also performing other tests on me."Everything looks good." He says."Good enough to leave?" I ask, making his eyes grow wide."What?""You heard me. I know that you know he's my mate. But I can't stay.""But I thought.." He begins; however, I cut him off."If our circumstances were different, then there would be nothing I wouldn't do to stay here. But we both know that I can't. I can't risk putting his life at risk.""Do you really think he'll just let you leave?""He doesn't have the choice. It's a decision I have to make for the both of us." I say, looking away. I can feel my eyes prick with tears with the thought of having to leave him once again.I thought that it would get easier over time, but it only seems to be getting more difficult."I un
...Darius POV...Kenji was right. I needed to stay focused. It was going to be hard, especially after finding out about Wynter, but I needed to keep up the act. I was still unsure of why they had such a need for secrecy. While I got some of my memories back, I can't help but think that I'm missing something. I just don't understand why Wynter would even feel the need to compel me? Not only that, but why did she feel she had no other choice?I was so confused, but Kenji had promised me answers. Answers to my burning questions. In my anger, I had shredded my clothes when I had suddenly transformed into my wolf. Which meant that I needed some extra clothes. While we may be werewolves, and nudity isn't as big of a deal in comparison to humans, there's also a time and place for it. Having an in-depth conversation with your mate about our history together, certainly wasn't the time nor place. Which is why I was heading back to the pack to get some more clothes. Kenji had only brought cloth
...Kenji POV...Was I proud of what I did? Of course not. I hated the idea. But I knew I had no other choice. We had hoped that we had more time. But Darius got back to the clinic much faster than we had anticipated. It took us an hour to get there, and it should've taken him just as long to return. But somehow he had made it to the packhouse and back in under two hours. I had severely miscalculated his need to be with his mate. Before we left, we had come up with backup plans should Darius manage to catch up to us. Which is why I went with Charlie and Wynter. By going with them, I had hoped that I could somehow stall him. Preventing him from getting to her on time.A large part of me wanted no part in this. I wanted my best friend to be happy. Darius had only been with Wynter for a few minutes, and already I could see a change in him. He was happy. Something I didn't want to take away from him. But fate seem to have another idea.Charlie had given me a vial of wolfsbane mixed with s
...Wynter POV...I didn't anticipate that Darius would manage to track me so fast. We thought for sure we would be safely in the air by the time Darius had made it back to the clinic. I was impressed with Darius, while also saddened knowing what Kenji would now have to do. It took everything in me to keep Caedance from taking over. She didn't like knowing that we were not only hurting our mate, but keeping him away from us. I could feel her longing for him.Ever since we've been marked, I can feel his emotions as well. I can feel his hurt and pain as if it was my own. It nearly crushed me when Kenji had to inject him with the wolfsbane. But there was no other option. I could feel the strong emotions coming off of Darius, and knew his wolf was in control. There was nothing that could be said to a wolf once they were that far gone. They would do everything to get to their target. Nothing and no one would get in their way. Which is why our only safe option was to subdue him.I close my e
I pull away from my mom when something she says begins to replay in my mind. "Did you say Xander?" I ask."Yes, why do you ask?""What pack was he the Alpha for?" I ask, as my mind begins to swim connecting the mental dots."Well, he wasn't the actual Alpha at the time.." She says."But for which pack?" I ask."Blood Moon. But why does that matter?""NO!" I scream out, not realizing I just yelled that in front of my mother.I step away from the bed, as everything begins to snap into place."Wynter? What's going on?" She asks, concerned."It can't be." I say, verbally vomiting."Can't be what, dear?" My mom, asks visibly concerned."Darius is Xander's son." I state."Who's Darius?""My mate.""But why does that even matter?""Alpha Xander is the one threatening me to stay away from Darius. He's even threatened to kill Darius!" I shout, as panic fills me.My mom's eyes grow wide in recognition. Everything seems to be snapping into place for her as well.My mom stands up, attempting to
...Darius POV...One minute everything was good, the next moment, I see a look on her face. Her face morphed from a look of peace and longing to a look of fear and sadness. Before I could do anything, she ran away from me. I was too surprised to react at first, but when I finally realized what was happening, I chased after her."Wynter!" I yelled, chasing after her. I didn't realize she was so fast. I had to use all of my power to catch up to her. I tapped into my wolf, something I had never tried before. I could feel Asher blend with me. We were no longer two separate entities, rather one being. 'Asher, how are you doing this?' I ask my wolf.'I don't know. It's instinctual.' He replies."Wynter! Please stop!" I call out to her.I can feel my instincts wanting to change into my wolf form. I push my instincts to the side in fear of scaring her. Instead, using everything in me to catch up to her. We continue to dodge around trees and ducking under low branches. Suddenly realization d