Chapter 4

Amber

The walk back to the shelter was a blur, my mind spiraling in endless loops around the bond thrumming at the base of my neck. Rayne's mark felt like a brand, burning against my skin, a constant reminder that he was mine—and worse, that I was his.

I didn’t want to think about him. I didn’t want to picture him with Reed, his hands on him, his lips pressing against his—no, I couldn’t go there. I refused to go there.

Once I got to my room, I locked the door behind me, grabbed a towel, and headed straight for the bathroom. The water in the tiny stall ran cold—it always did—but I didn’t care. I scrubbed myself furiously, scrubbing until my skin turned red, desperate to wash away the scent of Rayne that still clung to me.

But no matter how hard I scrubbed, it wasn’t enough. The bond wouldn’t let me forget. It was a cruel tether, making me hyper-aware of every beat of his heart, every breath he took, as if he were right there with me. It was sweet, torturous intimacy, and I hated how much I craved it.

When I finally stepped out of the bathroom, the mate mark on my neck still tingled, a constant presence. I couldn’t let anyone see it—not here, not now. I grabbed a scent patch from my drawer, pressing it over the mark. It wouldn’t erase the bond, but at least it would hide the evidence.

After throwing my clothes into a bucket, I began scrubbing them clean. The water turned cloudy with soap and the combined scents of Rayne and me. I worked at it until my arms ached, scrubbing until there was no trace left.

Taking the bucket outside, I let out a breath, thinking I could finally hang my clothes and get some peace. But the second I stepped into the yard, I froze.

Reed was waiting for me.

“Amber!” he called, waving with his usual bright smile. “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

My stomach dropped. The scent patch hid the mark, but there was no way to cover the other evidence—Rayne’s hickeys, the bites he’d painted down my neck and chest like I was some kind of damn trophy.

Reed’s gaze zeroed in immediately. His smile morphed into a smirk. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” He stepped closer, his finger lightly tracing one of the bruises on my collarbone. “Amber Queen, you sly little minx. Here I was, worried sick about you disappearing in the middle of Brittany’s party, and it turns out you were out having the time of your life!”

I tried to pull back, but Reed wasn’t having it.

“Don’t even think about hiding these,” he teased, his grin widening. “Look at all these love bites! Goddess, girl, you got mauled. So, who’s the lucky guy—or girl?” He leaned closer, waggling his eyebrows. “Come on, spill! I need details.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, my voice tight as I turned toward the clothesline.

But Reed was nothing if not persistent. He followed me, his laughter trailing behind him as I hung up the first shirt.

“Oh, don’t you dare play coy with me,” he said. “Amber, this is monumental! You never date, you never even look at anyone, and now you show up looking like you spent the night with a whole pack of Alphas. You have to tell me something.”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it,” I snapped, sharper than I intended.

Reed blinked, taken aback for a moment, but his grin returned just as quickly. “Fine, fine. Keep your secrets. I’m just glad you finally got laid. Honestly, I was starting to think you’d die a virgin.”

“Reed—”

“No, seriously,” he interrupted. “You’ve been so against dating or even finding your mate, and here you are, living like you’re supposed to! I’m proud of you, Amber.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. The guilt, the bond, the way his words twisted the knife already lodged in my chest—it was too much.

"Can we not talk about this?" I asked, turning to him with a forced smile. “What about you, huh? When are you planning to come out to everyone? You can’t keep hiding forever.”

Reed froze, his playful grin faltering. For a moment, he looked startled, almost caught off guard by my question. Then his shoulders sagged, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“I… I don’t know,” he said quietly, his voice losing its usual bravado. “Amber, you know how things are in this Pack. People here don’t accept anything different. My dad? He’d disown me the second he found out. You’ve seen how narrow-minded he is about everything.”

I crossed my arms, leaning slightly on one hip. “Yeah, but Reed, you can’t live your whole life in the closet. Someone’s going to figure it out eventually. Especially with how close you and Rayne are. People notice things.” I arched a brow. “The Alpha’s son sneaking you gifts every day isn’t exactly subtle.”

Reed’s eyes widened slightly, and a flush crept up his cheeks. “He doesn’t sneak me gifts,” he muttered, clearly flustered.

“Oh, really?” I teased, tilting my head. “What do you call the flowers he sends? The little trinkets? Don’t even get me started on that custom leather bracelet with the rune for ‘forever’ on it.”

Reed pressed his lips together, his flush deepening. “Okay, fine,” he admitted. “Maybe he spoils me a little. But it’s not like anyone else notices. People think we’re just close friends.”

“For now,” I said, my tone softening. “But how long can that last, Reed? Secrets have a way of coming out, especially when you care about someone as much as you care about him.”

Reed’s face shifted, his usual sass replaced by something raw and vulnerable. He lowered his gaze, staring at the ground as if searching for answers. 

“I love him, Amber,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I love him so much it scares me. I don’t know what I’d do without him.” He looked up, his eyes glassy with emotion. “But if anyone finds out, we’re screwed. His dad would lose it. Rayne’s supposed to be the next Alpha of this Pack, and an Alpha doesn’t bond with a Beta. It won't matter to them that we love each other, I can't bear children.”

I swallowed hard, the mention of Rayne’s name sending a jolt through the bond. His words twisted something in my chest, a sharp ache that was equal parts guilt and possessiveness. I wanted to sympathize with Reed, to tell him it would all be okay. But my wolf, Irma, had other ideas.

He’s ours, she snarled, her voice a low, dangerous growl in my mind. Rayne belongs to us. Fight for him. Take what’s ours.

I clenched my fists, trying to force Irma back, but the possessiveness bubbled under the surface, hot and insistent. My mate—our mate—was in love with someone else, and my wolf couldn’t stand it.

I wanted to tell Reed the truth—to rip the bandage off and end this charade.

My mouth opened, the words hovering on the edge of my tongue. Rayne is my mate.

But then I saw the pain in Reed’s eyes, the fear of losing the person he loved.

I couldn’t do it. I cared about him too much to hurt him like that.

I closed my mouth, swallowing the truth and the guilt along with it. “Reed…” I started, then stopped. What could I say?

He gave me a small, sad smile. “We’ll figure it out,” he said softly, as if trying to convince himself. “We have to.”

My heart ached, torn between my bond with Rayne and my loyalty to Reed. But deep down, I knew it was only a matter of time before everything unraveled.

How long could I keep this secret? How long before Reed found out that Rayne wasn’t just his boyfriend—he was my mate?

And what would happen when he did?