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?”

Matthias’s heart was a drum in his chest. Raine stood at the opposite side of the room, eyes wide and chest heaving as she stared up at Ronan. He could still see the flush in her cheeks from their almost kiss, and the want that slammed through him was strong enough to rock him off his feet. He stayed put through sheer force of will, and turned to his son with a sneer.

“What are you doing here?” He growled, stalking closer.

Ronan’s brow furrowed, “What am I doing here? I live here! What is she doing here?! She was banished.” He snarled back.

“On whose authority?!” Matthias’s voice boomed, “Yours? Because last I checked, I’m the only one whose authority matters in this pack. You went behind my back and banished a pack member without consulting me first. You should be punished, Ronan, for undermining my authority.”

“Punished?!” Ronan spluttered, his anger simmering in the space between them as his eyes turned golden. “She was my mate. I rejected her! She has no place in this pack anymore!”

“Last I checked, that is my decision to make, not yours.”

Matthias watched Ronan grit his teeth as his anger washed over him, his wolf practically snarling to crawl out from beneath his skin. The only reason he wasn’t acting now was because Matthias was alpha, and father. Matthias took a step forward, looming over his son and letting his wolf’s aura peek through. As expected, Ronan faltered slightly as his wolf fought against the need to submit, Raine made a small noise of distress from behind them.

“Are you actually defending here?” Ronan hissed, “Twenty two years, you’ve barely paid her any attention, and now you both are having personal meetings in the pack house, and you’re defending her.”

Matthias reared back slightly, the intonations in Ronan’s words hit far too close to the truth. He chanced a glance at Raine and found that she was staring down at her feet, her cheeks red. Matthias cleared his throat.

“Raine Whitmore is a member of my pack. As an alpha, it is my sworn duty to protect and serve.” He spoke each word through gritted teeth, even as his gut twisted with unease. He knew he wasn’t doing this for entirely selfless reasons, seeing her alone and hurting was a big motivator, but deep down he knew reinstating Raine back in the pack would absolve some of his guilt over sleeping with her.

Ronan scoffed, “Oh is that so? How many other pack members have you personally been handling their issues. Last I checked, Silas is the only one who does that.”

“Are you accusing me of neglecting my pack?”

“Bugger off, old man. I’m accusing you of butting your nose into my personal matters. Raine was my mate. I rejected her, and she cast out. The matter has been settled, hasn’t it?” He turned to Raine with a sneer, his fingers flexing at his side as his claws threatened to appear.

Raine flinched, her scent spiking with fear as her gaze darted between both men. The sour note sent Matthias wolf into a frenzy, howling with the need to protect, rid the younger woman of whatever was threatening her. The alpha bit down the urge, refusing to give anymore thought to what his wolf wanted.

Ronan was still speaking, spewing venom with each word.

“You stupid whore.” He spat at her, “I caught you creeping around this house last time, didn’t I? Stinking of sex and shame. And what did I tell you then?”

Raine shut her eyes tight. “Ronan please.”

“Ronan…” Matthias growled low in warning, but his son was not listening.

“I told you,” Ronan growled, each step bringing him closer to Raine. “That if I saw you in this house again, I would kill you.” His hands flexed by his side, and Matthias saw his claws sharpen. In the blink of an eye, he was across the room and standing between both of them, his lips pulled back in a sneer as his wolf finally rose up to the surface, the presence of his alpha stifling in the room.

Ronan growled, eyes flashing golden, but even he was powerless in the face of his father’s wolf. His clawed hands flexed by his side, and his chest heaved with the force of his anger.

“Step aside, father.” He snarled, “She deserves to be punished.”

Raine’s breath was coming hard and fast from behind him, Matthias’s heart twisted. “If you lay a hand on her, I will have you disowned, and stripped of your title. I will banish you from the pack. I will name you a traitor and enemy to my territory.” Matthias’s eyes flashed the deep red of the pack alpha as he infused authority into his voice. “Raine stays here, in the pack where she belongs. And you will take her back as your mate.”

Ronan froze, and for a moment, his eyes went wide with shock, but then he laughed. A sharp, humorless laugh. “The hell I will.”

Matthias stayed unmoving. He simply watched his son, studying him like a wolf would study a prey. Then, in the same voice, he repeated, “You will take her back.”

Ronan’s sneer faltered for just a moment before he snarled, “I rejected her. She means nothing to me. You can dress it up however you want, but I’m not taking back a discarded—”

Matthias moved so fast that Ronan barely had time to react. In an instant, he had his son by the collar, slamming him hard against the opposite wall. A chip of the paint fell off, as the structure shuddered. Ronan choked, hands gripping at Matthias’s wrist, but Matthias didn’t let go. He leaned in, close enough that his son could feel the weight of his wolf, demanding submission.

“You’ve made many mistakes, boy.” Matthias murmured, “This is the only chance I’m giving you to fix one of them.”

Ronan bared his throat. “And if I don’t?”

Matthias’s expression remained dark and resolute. “Like I said, if you refuse me this, I will strip you of your title, and you will be exiled from this pack.

Her heart stopped as soon as Matthias made his declaration. It was one thing for the alpha to threaten his son for attempting to hurt her. But forcing him to take her back. Raine didn’t know how she was supposed to feel about that.

Oh but she missed Ronan so much.

If this was the only way they could be together, then that was what she’d take. Ronan had been in love with her once, with time, maybe he could learn to love her again. She bit her lip, hope unfurling in her chest as she shoved away from where she’d cowed by the wall, and approached both men gingerly.

“I will take everything from you,” Matthias said, leaning closer until he was almost nose to nose with his son. “Your inheritance. Your claim to leadership, your place in this pack. You will leave here with nothing.”

Ronan’s nostrils flared. “You can’t be serious.”

Matthias pulled back just enough to meet his son’s gaze. “Try me.”

Ronan’s eyes bulged as he realized his father was actually being serious. He began to struggle as Matthias’s grip got tighter. Raine surged forward, scared for her mate. She reached out and caught Matthias’s arm. The flesh beneath her hand was hard and firm, a bolt of lust went straight through her, but she shoved it down.

“Alpha, please stop.” She pleaded, her voice soft and frantic, “You’re hurting him.”

The older alpha stepped back, letting go of his son. He didn’t look at Raine, so she had no idea what was going on in his head. Ronan sputtered, struggling to catch his breath. He glanced up at his father, and for the first time since he walked in on them, there was fear in his eyes, and hot, molten hate.

“Listen to me, Ronan.” Matthias spoke, “You will take Raine Whitmore back as your mate, and you will join with her under the Waning Crescent moon, under the blessings of the pack elders, and the goddess. I don’t want to hear anything else about it, or I will take everything you hold dear. I will throw you out of this pack, and strip you of my name.”

“Why are you making me do this?” Ronan rasped, his voice hoarse with anger, and almost whiny. “Why do I have to take her back as my mate?”

“Because she is your responsibility.” Matthias hissed, even as his gaze darted to her briefly. “You cannot give her years of promises and sweet nothings, only to leave her rejected and homeless on the night of your joining. That’s irresponsible and callous.”

“So you’re forcing her on me as punishment?!”

“No. I’m returning her to you because you’re her fated, and you need to learn responsibility.”

“Fuck this!” Ronan spat. He turned to look at Raine, his eyes flashing yellow with anger. “This is what you want, isn’t it? It’s why you came back, so you can cry all over Daddy’s shoulders and force him to give you what you want?”

“No, Ronan.” She shook her head, stepping forward in an attempt to hold him. “You have to know, deep down. You have to know that I love you, your wolf and mine, they’ve been promised to each other. Long before any of us were born. We’re fated, can’t you see?

Ronan scoffed, “You’re so delusional, it’s honestly saddening.”

Raine gaped at him, unsure what she was supposed to say to that. Matthias spoke up before she could. “We’ll announce your reengagement and Raine’s return to the pack first thing tomorrow morning.”

Ronan stared hard at his father, his body simmering with anger, and then without another word, he turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving Raine and Matthias alone in the resulting silence. All at once, Raine found herself immediately aware of the other man’s presence, like her wolf was physically straining to be close to him, aching to close the space between them and finish what they’d started before Ronan interrupted.

It didn’t make sense. Raine loved Ronan. She did. There wasn’t even a shadow of doubt about it. Ronan was her mate. Her heart had never known any other man, and she wasn’t sure it ever would. But this thing with Matthias was magnetic. Like a force she couldn’t stop even as her heart told her it was a bad idea.

He met her gaze from across the room, and the heat in those steely grey orbs shot straight through her body, pooling low in her belly until her legs shook with the force of her lust. She was still wearing his shirt. Had Ronan noticed.

Did he care?

Matthias seemed like he cared. With the way his gaze was running over her, alight with an hunger that made her wet for him. His scent was thick in the room, Raine felt heady with the rush of it, and had to bite her lips to stifle a whimper.

Her breath came fast. She looked at Matthias, he didn’t seem like he was bothered much. Raine was acting the thirstiest of slags. Moaning after another man’s cock after just one taste, despite being promised to another. And not just any other man, he was her soon to be father in law. A man old enough to be her father. Raine was ashamed of herself, but it did nothing to kill her arousal.

Matthias’s nostril flared, it was like he could smell the musk of her arousal. Her face flamed with embarrassment, and she bowed her head, trying to hide her shame from him.

“Thank you, alpha.” She rushed out breathlessly. “Ronan would have never agreed to take me back if you hadn’t intervened. I’m so grateful.”

“Raine,” he said on a sigh, closing the space between them to tip her head up and cup the side of her face. “Is this truly what you want?

She stared up at him with parted lips, and blinked. “Yes, alpha. Ronan is the only one I want. I’ll have him however he will take me.” She blushed, and lowered her eyes. “Perhaps now we can forget about that night and put it behind us, a mistake.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped, and something in his eyes flashed, but he stepped back, and Raine suddenly felt cold. “Of course,” he said. “Nothing but a mistake. In that case, I wish both you and Ronan, the best of married life. I hope you both find happiness with each other.”

And then with one final nod, Matthias turned and left. Raine’s wolf howled, a long and mournful note as he disappeared out of sight.