Theron’s POV
I make my way upstairs to my suite, each step feeling heavier as I force my wolf into the deepest corners of my mind. It keeps clawing to the surface, desperate to check on its mate–but I push it back. I simply don’t care.
For a fleeting moment, she had served her purpose–nothing more than a distraction when I needed one. She couldn’t offer me anything of real value, so I had no choice but to break up with her.
She isn’t anyone of significance.
She has no lineage.
And she lacks a proper wolf–if she has one at all.
When I open the door, I find my Luna seated in the center of the room, facing me.
“You went to meet her, right?”
She’s trying, and failing, to mask the hurt in her voice.
“You wouldn’t get it,” I mutter, heading for the bed. My wolf always reacts poorly to her presence, though I’ve never let it bother me. We’re two conflicting souls trapped within a single form.
“Just drop it,” I warn through clenched teeth, but she refuses to back down. Honestly, I didn’t expect her to. She’s an alpha–pure–blooded. She’s never had to answer to anyone except her own parents.
“Drop it?” she echoes, clearly offended.
It seems I’ve said the wrong thing–again. But honestly, when do I ever say the right one to her?
“Me? I’m the one who should let it go? You’re the one who runs off to that–that garbage–every single time her name is even mentioned!”
My wolf bristles at her blatant insult toward his mate, but I suppress him. There’s no point in escalating this any further.
“I didn’t mean–look, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” she interrupts sharply. “You were on top of me, Theron!” Her fury gives way to something deeper–raw pain. “You were making love to me, and then you just left. I thought something had gone wrong. I thought maybe the pack was in danger. But no–you went to her.”
“I just “I try to explain, but she cuts me off again.
“No. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. Tonight was supposed to mean something. We were supposed to mark each other.” Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and guilt twists in my gut. “And you ruined it. What hurts the most is that you chose another woman instead.”
She shakes her head slowly, then rises to retreat into the inner chamber where her belongings are kept.
I drop my face into my hands. “Why do I always have to ruin everything?”
No answer comes.
603%
While most people can hear their wolves clearly, mine has kept silent ever since I chose Selene as my mate. The only time he ever breaks through that silence is when Aurelia is near.
I do feel a twinge of remorse for him–he’s being denied his true mate. But even so, I don’t know how to change anything.
Callum dips his head in respect as I step onto the pack lands.
“You look terrible,” I remark, taking in his disheveled state. He merely responds with a faint smile. He truly looks awful. The rest of the wolves are busy sparring in pairs, leaving only the two of us unoccupied.
“Any luck finding your mate?” I inquire, hoping to lift his spirits a little. I notice a brief flicker of emotion in his eyes before he quickly suppresses it.
“You already know I can’t… not after what happened…” His expression turns hollow as he shifts into a fighting stance, aiming a sudden strike at me from the side–one I easily avoid.
“Hey,” I intercept his next move, reaching for his arm. My hit lands, but it lacks force and barely makes an impact. “What happened to Liora isn’t your doing. There’s nothing you could’ve done to stop it.”
Rather than calming him down, my words seem to fuel his anger further.
“It’s my fault!” he snaps, his movements now wild and uncoordinated. “I should’ve been there for her. I should’ve told her to get out of that place. But what the hell did I do?” His voice rises into a frantic shout.
I bring him down with a tackle.
“Get a grip!” I snarl, staring at his trembling body beneath me.
The others, wisely, pretend not to notice the scene and carry on with their training.
“It isn’t your fault. No one’s to blame, understand? And now, you have another mate. This time, it’s your responsibility to protect her,” I say firmly. He shakes his head in denial.
“What if I ruin everything again?” he whispers. “If I go through with mating Joy and fail her, I won’t be able to live with myself.”
I lower myself beside him as he sits on the ground.
“You’re courageous, Callum. And believe me, your mate will be incredibly fortunate–you’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe. You just have to believe that yourself.” I brush the dirt off my clothes and rise to my feet. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have duties to handle.”
He gives me a respectful nod, letting my words settle in his mind.
As I climb the stairs, I run into Ma’am Nola. A pang of guilt hits me at the sight of her, but I push it
aside.
“Oh Theron, thank the goddess I caught you,” she says, clearly distressed. “It’s Aurelia. She’s gone… vanished. I can’t find her anywhere.”
Rylan, my wolf, has grown fond of Ma’am Nola too, and he instinctively wants to help her. But I can’t afford to let that vulnerability show.
10:40
58%
Chapter 12
“She went to visit another pack,” I respond calmly.
Her concern shifts into disappointment.
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“She could’ve at least told me before she left like that. Thank you,” she says, turning away.
The lie leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but the decision has already been made.
It’s been two full days since I locked Aurelia away.
After countless nights of Rylan’s restlessness, I force myself out of bed early this morning just to see her. When I glance at the clock, it’s barely past 5 a.m., but the constant growling and clawing in my head make it clear–I’m on the edge of losing my sanity.
“Where are you off to?” Selene murmurs, her fingers wrapped around mine. She’s barely awake, her voice groggy with sleep.
“Uh, I’m just going for a run. Need to clear my mind,” I reply.
“You want some company? I can be ready in a minute.” Her offer catches me off guard, and for a second, I freeze.
“No! I mean–no,” I respond more softly this time. “I just need a bit of space. I’ll be back before you even notice I’m gone, I promise.” I lean down to kiss her forehead, even as my wolf thrashes inside me.
I make my way straight to the basement, expecting to find her frail and pleading to be released from the nightmare I’ve forced her into. Ignoring the guards who acknowledge me, I push the door open.
There she is my mate–sitting on the floor, her skin smudged with dirt. Yet, she doesn’t look the least bit worn down. Her energy is untouched.
“You seem to be doing fine,” I say, though her challenging stare instantly irritates me.
I hate how unaffected she looks; she should be shattered by now, begging me to end her suffering.
“You’re not looking too bad yourself,” she replies, rolling her large brown eyes. Eyes I could lose myself in all day. I shake the thought away.
Without another word, I storm out and head straight to confront the guards.
“I gave strict orders–no food or water,” I growl. They glance at one another, then turn their attention back to me, visibly shaken.
“Alpha, we haven’t even allowed her near water in the past two days,” one of them stammers.
“Then explain why she looks so well!” I roar, slamming my fist into the wall beside me.
Pain shoots through my hand–it’s excruciating. And with my healing slowed lately, this injury is going to linger.
The guards instinctively retreat, nearly backing into the wall.
“We honestly don’t know, Alpha.”
“But…” the second guard hesitates, clearly uncertain whether to speak.
“But what?” I demand.
5.05
Chapter 12
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“Occasionally we hear chanting from inside her cell, but whenever we check, she’s fast asleep, and there’s no sign of anyone else.”
A chill runs down my spine as the implications hit me.
Magic.
Someone is using magic within our territory.
Could someone be trying to take her from us? Or worse–what if she’s the one casting the spells?
“The other prisoner?” I ask sharply. Both guards shake their heads.
“She’s been here longer, and she’s never done anything like that,” one confirms.
Without another word, I step back into the room, searching for her mark.
“It was you,” I say, and she gazes at me with a puzzled expression.
“The mark is gone,” I observe, noting how faint the mark on her skin has become.
She reaches up to touch it, as if realizing it just now.
“You’ve been the one using magic,” I murmur under my breath.
A sudden surge of righteous anger urges me to lash out, but before I can act, an intense headache strikes out of nowhere, blinding me completely.
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