Chapter 0004

Amalie

Mist swirls around my feet as I trudge through the dark forest in the direction of the training grounds. I have to leave early these days. It takes me more than three hours to walk a path I could run in fifteen minutes a few weeks ago.

It’s a rainy, gloomy day. The kind of day that makes you wish you could curl up in bed with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book, but those days are not in my future anymore. I’m at Easton’s beck and call, subjected to every cruel whim.

I lie awake at night, staring up at my ceiling, trying to find a way out of this marriage. I’ve scoured our library, searched every site, looked everywhere I could for an answer, but there is only one - ‘What The Fates have brought together, let no wolf tear apart.’

Right around sunrise, I reach the training grounds and watch Easton and Magnolia grapple. They’ve been doing it for a few days now. I sink to the ground and pull my knees up to my chest. Despite the long walk, I’m freezing and the steady drizzle doesn’t help.

Easton pulls Magnolia closer and whispers something in her ear. My sister laughs and playfully swats at my mate.

My stomach churns at the sight. I’m afraid for Maggie. She has no idea what that man will do to her. “Good morning,” Jericho says.

I jerk and stare up at the giant. He’s been on my mind to a scandalous degree - his face haunts my dreams.

Without asking, he sits next to me, his attention seemingly focused on Magnolia and Easton who has my sister in some kind of chokehold, but she’s not trying to get out of it. She pushes herself tightly against Easton, her butt cradling into his crotch.

“I need a quick word,” Jericho says.

“Sure,” I mumble.

Easton won’t like it. For a wolf who hates his mate, he’s oddly jealous, but watching him shamelessly caress the side of my sister’s breast with his thumb makes me want to feed him a big, heaping spoon of his own medicine, the consequences be damned.

For a while, we watch in silence as the little display of lust plays out in front of us. Easton spins Magnolia around and grabs her by the hips, pulling her tightly against him. His lips brush across her cheek before he pushes her away. “Try again,” he says loudly enough for us to hear.

As if that’s fooling anyone.

Easton tackles Maggie to the ground and straddles her. He tickles her sides and my sister’s amused little squeals fill the air. I’m not sure what I feel. My emotions are muddy and indistinguishable. I seem to feel nothing and everything at once.

“That’s my sister,” I say for no apparent reason at all.

“I know,” Jericho says quietly, and turns to me. “You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine,” I say.

“How many times have you said those words since Easton claimed you as his mate?” Jericho asks.

Surprised by his keen observation I look at the handsome Alpha. He’s staring straight at me, his green eyes piercing right through my flimsy defences. My heart starts to flip-flop around in my chest and I have to stop myself from falling into his arms. “I don’t know,” I say in a hoarse voice.

His face gives nothing away when he goes on, “I do. You’ve said them so many times that you’re starting to believe it.” Jericho leans over and drops his voice to a muted whisper. “You are not fine, Luna. Your necklace…”

Automatically, I reach up and touch the Obsidian pendant. “What about it?”

“Give it to me.”

“No. Why?”

He doesn’t answer me directly. “Give me the necklace, and I’ll do something for you in return.”

“Like what?”

The left side of his mouth curls into a sardonic little grin. “I’m sure you’ll be able to think of something.”

Easton will kill me if I give the necklace away. Or worse, he’ll do something to my family. He’s already in Magnolia’s head, charming the pants off her – maybe literally by now.

On the other hand, Jericho is a powerful man. If anyone can save my sister, my family, it’s him.

“Think about it,” the Alpha says, and gets up just as Easton lets my sister go.

Maggie looks in my direction, surprise etched on her face. She didn’t know that I was here, watching her this whole time. My mate knew. He could have stopped if he wanted to, but he chose to rub my nose in it. Easton whispers something to Maggie and swats her ass as she runs away.

My mate walks up the embankment with big, easy strides. “Alpha Jericho,” he says. “Something to say to my mate?”

“Not in particular,” Jericho replies and simply walks off, leaving me to deal with Easton.

My mate’s hulking body looms over me. His menacing presence chills me to the core of my being. “What did Jericho want?” he asks, his tone light, giving nothing of his anger away.

I can’t tell him the truth. I don’t know why, but some deep instinct is warning me not to tell Easton about my strange conversation with the Alpha. “He wanted to know if Magnolia has a mate,” I say quickly.

“Come with me,” Easton says and takes me by the hand.

He drags me across the grounds, going so fast that I have to sprint full out to keep up with him. Halfway to the pack house, I run out of steam and simply collapse. Easton picks me up, throws me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes, and marches up to his room.

He unceremoniously drops me to the floor and lets go of all pretence. “What did Jericho really want?” he asks as soon as we’re alone.

Using every bit of strength I have, I struggle upright and stagger to the bed. Without asking Easton’s permission, I sag onto the mattress. “I told you.”

Easton’s eyes darken and his jaw clenches. “You realise that I know when you’re lying, don’t you?”

I doubt it very much. Even when I tell the Goddess honest truth, he accuses me of lying. “He…I think he’s looking for a chosen mate. He doesn’t have an heir. That’s why he’s here.”

I have no idea if Jericho’s first mate gave him a child, so I’m stabbing wildly and recklessly in the dark.

“Why did he talk to you and not your father…or mine?”

“I- I don’t know. You have to ask him.”

Easton glares at me for a long time. At last, he shakes his head. “I don’t believe you, Amalie. You two were just too cosy-”

“You're one to talk.” I interrupt, suddenly beyond furious. “You couldn’t keep your paws off Maggie. What are you doing to my sister?”

Easton lifts his hand as if he’s going to strike me, then drops it and growls a warning. “That is none of your business.”

“It is if you’re going to make a fool of me in front of everyone. Can you at least contain yourself and do it behind closed doors?” I’ve never spoken to Easton this way, but I’m angry. I’m angry, I’m tired, I’m sick, and I’m probably dying, so what do I have to lose? “Stay away from my sister,” I insist.

Easton snorts.

“You know what,” I say with bravado I don’t really feel. “I’m not in the mood for this today. I’m leaving.”

His eyes narrow and he gives me a deadly look. “What?”

Without a word, I turn to leave the bedroom, but Easton grabs my ponytail and yanks me back inside.

My scalp tightens as he pulls me across the floor by the hair. “You just will not learn will you?” he says in that cold, scary voice.

“No,” I say. “You can kill me Easton, but-”

“Alpha.”

“Fuck you.”

He lifts me up by the front of my shirt and stares death at me. Everything inside me shrivels up.

He slams me back down. I hit my head so hard that everything goes black for a few seconds. When I come back to reality, Easton’s leaning over me, his eyes flashing yellow. He’s so beyond enraged that his wolf is surfacing. “Listen to me, Amalie Craven,” he growls. “If you so much as take one step out of that door, I’ll banish your useless father and waste of space mother.”

I open my mouth to protest, but one look at Easton tells me he’s not joking.

“You will obey me, are we clear? If you do not, I’ll skin your sister alive and make you watch.”

I am not sure if it’s the truth or just a threat. “Don’t you love her?”

“Love?” he asks with a sarcastic little chuckle. “I wouldn’t call it that. She’s a good lay.”

My heart almost stops beating and pain radiates through my soul.

I hate him. I hate him so much.