It was the walk of shame and thankfully, the sun was not completely out yet. Raine slunk around the corridors of the packhouse like a ghostly shadow, barefoot, trembling and reeking of sex, and regret. Her dress was a pitiful mess on her body, hastily zipped up, and her hair was even worse. She could feel the scent of the older alpha clinging to her body, basically pouring out of her pores. Every step she took sent an ache through her core, a painful reminder of what she’d done.

She had sex with Matthias Draven. A man more than twenty years older than her. She was 22, and if she remembered properly, he was approaching 45. The man was Ronan’s father. He’d probably even carried her as a child.

Not only had he knotted her, their wolves had bonded. Fuck, what was she going to do? How would she ever look herself in the mirror again. Raine’s head pounded, her muscles screamed as she staggered towards the back door, hoping to slink back to the motel and disappear for a whole month.

But fate wasn’t done punishing her yet.

The moment she stepped outside, Raine smelled him before she even walked straight into him.

Ronan.

The man froze, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Raine blinked up at him, eyes wide, as Ronan stared down at her in shock. In the dim morning light, he was a sight to behold, all sharp angles, artfully tousled hair, bare chest and sweatpants that hung low on his hips. His hands were slightly red at the knuckles, and a light sheen of sweat covered his skin. He must have just come back from training.

Raine swayed into him, unable to help herself, as Ronan’s golden eyes trailed over her, his nostrils flared as he inhaled her scent. And then his entire body stiffened. His gaze darkened in anger.

“What the fuck?” He growled, grabbing her arm and dragging her painfully against him. Raine cried out in pain, his hold a bruising band on her arm. “You reek of sex.” He snapped, his voice sharp like the scrape of broken glass, his eyes flashing yellow as his wolf rose close to the surface.

Raine whined, fighting to urge to submit in the face of her ex-mate. “Ronan–”

“Shut up!” he growled again, fingers tightening. “Why are you back at the pack house, and why do you reek of sex?! What are you up to?!” His nostrils flared again, searching her scent, and Raine felt fear seize around her heart. She didn’t want him to discover who she’d been with. It was bad enough she’d been disgraced by him once, if he found out what she did with his father, Raine didn’t know what he’d do to her.

Ronan’s jaw clenched tightly, his teeth grinding against each other, as he caught her scent again. Raine’s knees trembled, and it was only Ronan’s grip on her arm that kept her upright. He stiffened, and then he laughed, a sharp, shocked sound that was full of mockery and disgust.

“You’re fucking pathetic.” He spat the words out. Raine flinched. “So you came crawling back after I rejected you, so desperate to be wanted that you spread your legs for the first man who looked your way.” He leaned in, voice dropping until it dripped with venom. “He smells like he was an alpha. Tell me, was it worth it?’

Raine jerked back from the cruelty in his voice, choking on the sob threatening to claw its way out of her throat. His eyes glinted with satisfaction.

“Please,” she gasped out, barely able to breathe past the lump in her throat. Ronan scoffed, staring down at her in disgust.

“You’re pathetic.” He said again, shaking his head like she’d gravelly disappointed him. “You begged me that night, do you remember? And now you’re begging me again. No wonder I rejected you. Your wolf is a spineless, sniveling creature with no back bone. No match for mine.”

Raine’s eyes burned with tears, and her chest heaved as she fought back her sobs. How could Ronan talk like this to her? Just months before, he’d been telling her how much she meant to him, and now he was like he had never even loved her. She wrenched herself, staggering back from his hold. Ronan watched her struggle to get her balance, staring down his nose at her like he didn’t know her.

“Go.” He said, his voice was cold and flat. “The next time I see you here, in this pack. I will hurt you.”

And that, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Raine’s tears spilled over, and she looked at the man she had promised her life to, who had promised his in return. All she saw was a stranger.

Raine sucked in what was left of her dignity, and the she ran.

For the second time that morning.

***

She stayed in the motel for days before she mustered up the courage to venture into town properly. She needed clothes, and proper food. She couldn’t stay cooped in her room forever, and no matter how much her wolf yearned and ached for Matthias, she certainly couldn’t return to the pack.

She kept her head low, and her gaze averted as she made her way into a convenience store. She could smell there were shifters around, and she didn’t want trouble. If any of them smelled her scent, and realized she was a rejected, unmated wolf, she would be prey. She felt it was best to stay out of everybody else’s business.

Raine turned to aisles for toiletries, hoping to pick somethings up for herself, when she slammed straight into a familiar scent. Her wolf perked up, preening with pleasure as the scent of alpha washed over her.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced up and saw him, standing at the far end of the aisle, frowning down at a shampoo bottle.

Matthias Draven.

Matthias smelled her before he saw her.

At first, he thought it was just a figment of his imagination. It had been days since the incident, but he still woke up some days with the taste of her on his tongue, and her scent in his nose.

But this, this was different. Her scent hit him like a physical blow, exactly how he remembered it. Crushed violets, honey lavender, and something that was just her. And his wolf howled, calling for its second. Matthias froze. She was here.

Raine was here.

His head snapped up. And then he saw her, standing at the far end of the aisle, her scent wrapping around him like a noose. Matthias breathed it in like a lost man at sea. He had been starved of this, both he and his wolf. Their eyes met, and held. Matthias saw the exact moment she decided to run.

He would be a fool to let her slip away again. And so he crossed the distance between them in two slides, pulling her back against him and pressing her into the shelves, his much bigger frame practically caging her in.

Raine stumbled, flinching violently like he had hit her. And so he stepped back a fraction, giving her some space. He took in the sight of her. She was too thin, too pale. The oversized hoodie she had on practically swallowed her, and her lush dark hair was tangled like it hadn't seen a brush in days.

And she stared at him wide gutted eyes, wary and scared, her shoulders hunching like she was bracing herself for a punch. Matthias felt his stomach sink at the sight. She looked like a cornered animal, waiting for the final blow.

He reached out to touch her, but Raine jerked away.

"Don't," she whispered hoarsely, stumbling back.

Matthias lifted his hands in a slow, deliberate motion, showing her he meant no harm. "Easy." He said, voice soft.

Raine swallowed, eyes shifting around the store. The stale scent of panic rolled off of her in waves. Matthias' wolf paced agitated, wanting nothing more than to comfort her. He pushed the urge down. She looked like she was one wrong move away from bolting. Touching her was not what she needed.

"Raine." His voice was low as he called her for the first time since he'd seen her.

Raine trembled as a violent tremor went through. "Don’t," she whispered again, shaking her head. "Please, Alpha. Just, let me go."

Matthias felt his heart crack open at the absolute misery in her voice. His wolf howled mournfully. He could feel the ache in her wolf through their bond. "No, I can't. I need to know what the hell happened to you."

She shook her head, darting her gaze away from him. "It doesn't matter. Please just let me leave. I won't tell anyone what happened, I swear."

He felt a stab go through his chest at her words, as well as an unwelcome stab of arousal as he remembered what happened that night. He cleared his throat, feeling like the worst kind of pervert as he pushed those thoughts away.

"Raine, its not about that." He growled, stepping closer. "You left the pack, I didn’t even realize when. Now you're here, looking like you haven't eaten in days. You smell like you're dying, Raine. Tell me what’s going on." She clenched her jaw, turning her head to the side and remained stubbornly quiet. He pressed on. "Raine, who did this to you?"

He kept his voice deliberately gentle, and yet she still flinched like he had struck her. For a moment, she remained quiet, and it seemed like she wasn't going to talk. But then she did, in a voice so soft he almost didn't hear it, she whispered,

"Your son."

Matthias's body went rigid. The silence between them stretched, thick enough to taste. He knew she couldn’t have been talking about Silas. She had nothing to do with his first son. So of course, she was talking about Ronan. Matthias knew his son could be cruel. Ronan was the last gift from his mate to him before her passing, so Matthias had spoiled him, indulged him, given him too much leeway. Using the fact that he was the second born and would never inherit the pack as an excuse.

But this? He had gone too far. Last he checked, she'd been his intended. They were to be mated. But not only did he break things off, he also exiled her without his father's permission, leaving her to starve and fend for herself?

Wolves were pack animals.

They didn't survive as solitary individuals.

Matthias was angry, fuming with rage. But he fisted his hand by his side so he wouldn't punch something. "Come with me." He said, it was a command.

Raine whined softly, shaking her head. "Back to the pack house? I'm sorry, Alpha. I can't. Ronan already threatened to hurt me if I came back."

Matthias growled, his wolf rising to the challenge. "Ronan doesn't make the rules." He snapped. "Only I do."

Raine flinched slightly, taken aback by the sharp tone of his voice. But then she nodded slowly, pushing away from the shelf after a long pause. He led her to his truck, and they drove to the pack house in silence.

It had been years since Matthias had felt so out so control, since his wolf had been so agitated, so restless. He felt like a young man again, catching sight of his mate for the first time under the full moon. With the way his heart kept pounding.

Once they got to the pack house, he ordered her to take a shower, and layed out some of his old clothes for her to wear when she got out. A decision he immediately regretted when she stepped out, looking small and fragile in his oversized shirt, the hem slipping from her shoulders.

She perched on the couch, staring at the plate of food he placed in front of her. Her hair was wet, and tendrils of it curled behind her neck as it dried.

She barely touched the food, and Matthias cleared his throat as silence stretched between them, the tension between them almost suffocating. He cleared his throat, about to speak first, but she beat him to it.

"I'm sorry about the other night. I know it seems like I seduced you, but I swear it was an honest mistake."

Matthias blinked as her words sunk in, his gaze was unreadable as he glanced down at his clasped hands. She bit her lips. The truth was, she'd thought about that night in the past days more times than she was supposed to.

If she closed her eyes she could still feel the way he moved deep inside her, the way his knot had stretched her wide. And she felt ashamed. This man was her ex mate's father, and she sat across from him, getting wet for him.

Matthias cleared his throat. "I know it was a mistake." He said, "But if anyone is to apologize, it should be me. You were drunk, and vulnerable, and I took advantage of you. If I'd known it was you, I would have put a stop to it."

Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, and she fiddled with the hem of his shirt. It smelled like him, and his scent was so overpowering, she was almost dizzy with the force of her want.

"I don't regret it." She blurted.

Matthias went deadly still. She shut her eyes tight, unable to bear the look of disgust, or pity that would be in his gaze. "What?" His voice was choked.

Raine shot to her feet, shaking her head. "I think I'll just leave. I'm so sorry."

"No, Raine hold up." He reached out, stopping her before she could go far. "Please. Don't go."

She stopped, her chest heaving as she breathed fast. Matthias’s grip was a band around her arm, and her wolf whined with the need to get closer, climb into his lap, nuzzle his neck and beg him to scent mark her.

“Raine,” her name was soft on his lips. He put a finger under her chin and she let him drag her gaze up to him. “Look at me. You have nothing to be ashamed of. But, you can’t mean that.”

“I do.” She shook her head, already feeling herself tremble in the knees. “It’s all a mess. I thought you were Ronan and I… I feel like the worst kind of slag.” She sniffed. “I don’t know if it’s because of my wolf, or if I’m just horrible. But I don’t regret it.”

Their gaze met and held, and Raine was unable to stop herself from swaying closer. The pull between them seemed to intensify with each moment they stood staring into each other’s eyes. And then, like some switch had been flipped, Matthias placed both hands on her face, and dragged her close to him, slamming his lips down on her.

Raine staggered back, her eyes going wide with shock. “Alpha…” she gasped, putting a hand on her lips.

Matthias stepped back as well, his chest heaving with the effort it took not to lunge at her again. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice strained. “I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know what came over me.”

It must have been his wolf, as desperate for her touch as hers was for his. Raine dropped her gaze from his stormy ones, her voice soft when she spoke again. “I should leave. I’m sorry.”

She turned, headed for the door, but Matthias stopped her again. “You can leave this pack house, but I don’t want you sleeping outside the borders. You’re a member of the pack too.”

Raine shook her head, “I’m not. I was banished. I’m a disgrace.”

“Banished by who?” He growled, reaching up to cup her face, He towered over her, and Raine had to strain her neck to look up at him. “Certainly not me, and I hold all the authority here.”

“The pack members.” She mumbled, glancing away. “Alpha Silas was there as well. If Ronan finds me back here, I don’t think I’ll be able to face him.”

“Raine, I don’t know what exactly happened between you both, but you have to believe me when I tell you that Ronan has to get to me first before he can hurt you.” Matthias shut his eyes tight like a man in pain. “What they did to you, behind my back, I can’t even begin to apologize. I pride myself on protecting every member of my pack, but I have failed you.”

“No, Alpha, you didn’t.” Unable to help herself, Raine reached up and cupped his face too, feeling the coarse points of his greying beard against her palm. She reached up on her toes, leaning into him. “There was nothing you could have done.”

In the space between them, the tension crackled. Their wolves called for each other, yearning and aching. Raine could feel Matthias’s want through the bond, she was sure he could feel hers as well. Her breathing stuttered as his gaze dropped to her lips, and Raine parted them instinctively, waiting for him to make the first move.

He drew close, and closer still, until his breath was ghosting against her mouth. Raine shut her eyes tight, titling her head back. An offering to him, she waited for him to take it.

Somewhere in the house, a door slammed shut. And before Raine could even register the sound for what it was, Matthias was gone, standing half way across the room, his chest heaving as they both snapped their head up. A figure stood in the door way, golden eyes sharp and unreadable as they scanned from one end of the room to the other.

Ronan stepped forward, eyes burning as a sneer pulled his lips from his teeth.

“Dad, what the fuck is going on?” He snarled, turning to growl at Raine. “And why is she back here?”