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.

When night came, Raine was escorted to Ronan’s rooms, and told she was to sleep there on the alpha’s orders. It was unusual, because even before Ronan rejected her, Raine slept in her own home down in the pack, and was rarely ever in the packhouse, much less in Ronan’s room. Still, her heart thumped excitedly as she stepped into the empty room, and was immediately covered in the scent of her mate.

She expected her wolf to preen, and luxuriate with pleasure, being surrounded by the scent of their mate. But her wolf remained resolutely quiet, having been down since Matthias walked away from her in the living room.

It didn’t matter though, Raine was sure her wolf would perk up once Ronan was back, and it realized he was their true mate, and Matthias had just been a really great fuck.

An hour later, she was stepping out of the bathroom after a soak in the tub, and was slipping into the night slip that had been laid out for her, when the room door opened and Ronan slammed his way in.

Raine jumped at the sharp sound, and Ronan froze. He stared at her like she’d suddenly grown two heads and multiple limbs. Both of them stood in tense silence for a long while. Ronan looked down at her with so much venom, that she wrapped her arms around herself to shield her body from him, especially since the navy-blue slip was practically transparent.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He snarled, his wolf rising to the surface with each step he took closer.

Raine tipped her chin up, refusing to be cowed. “I was brought here, and told to sleep here.”

“On whose orders?!” He barked.

“Your father’s.”

Ronan paused, head cocked as this information sunk in. The corner of his lips peeled back in a sneer, and Raine felt a shiver run through her. “This was your idea too, wasn’t it? You went to my father and had him do this too?”

“Ronan, no.” Raine shook her head, coming closer. “Of course not. I don’t know what happened to us, but I think we can still make this work. You and me, we’re meant to me.” She took one of his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, kissing it softly. Ronan stiffened, and when she glanced up she found him staring down at her with an unreadable look.

His eyes were grey like his father’s, and the way he was looking at her, it reminded her so much of the older man. Her heart rate sped up, and her breathing went shallow. Ronan’s nostrils flared, and his brows shot up as he caught scent of her arousal.

He threw his head back and laughed, a sharp, mocking sound that made her flinch. “You just spread for any alpha now, don’t you?” He dragged his hand out of her grip and reached for her chin, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. “You came running out of this same house days ago, reeking of some other alpha. And now you grow wet in the presence of a man who despises you.”

“Ronan—” she groaned with a wince, “You’re my mate. It’s only natural.”

He stared at her down with barely contained disgust, and then without another word, he flung her away and stormed off. Raine stood still, breath coming fast as the bathroom door slammed shut with a thud hard enough to rattle the windows. A moment later, she heard the rush of water.

Raine crawled into the bed, taking the side facing the wall, and dragged the blanket up to her chin. There was some movement out in the halls, and her wolf whined, straining with the need to be next to Matthias. It was getting frustrating. Ronan was her mate. It didn’t matter how he felt about her now, if she tried hard enough, he could love her again. Maybe then, her wolf would snap out of this lust filled obsession it had with her mate’s father.

With this resolution in mind, Raine waited until Ronan finished up in the bathroom. He climbed into bed beside her without much reluctance, and that relieved her more than anything. Heaving out a shaky breath, Raine turned around to face her mate. Ronan was seated against the headboard, frowning down at his phone. Once he saw she had turned, he scowled, opening his mouth to say something scathing.

Raine wasn’t going to let him finish. She raised herself up on her elbows, and fumbled underneath the covers for the waistband of his boxers. Whatever he was about to say, cut off in a sharp gasp as her hand wrapped around the hot length of his cock.

“What are you doing?” He hissed.

Raine pulled his boxers down, her hand pumping up and down on his length, breathing fast as his cock hardened. “It’s okay, I want to do this.” She glanced up at him, “Just sit back and enjoy it, okay.”

Ronan’s jaw hardened, but he leaned back against the headboard and let her stroke him. Taking that as assent, Raine shifted closer and wrapped her lips around the crown of his cock, she moaned around him as she brought one of her hands down to fondle herself, pretending it was Matthias’ big hands in her as she sucked on Ronan’s cock.

Her mate made grunts of pleasure above her as his balls drew up with his orgasm, and her fingers picked up speed as she fucked herself faster, the sounds wet and obscene in the quiet room. Ronan’s hand fisted in her hair, pulling tight as his orgasm crested and he came in long thick spurts down her throat.

She whimpered as he pulled her off his softening cock. He said nothing to her as he climbed off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom once again, leaving her throbbing and aching and wet, staring at the place he vacated. Her pussy throbbed again, and Raine groaned. She buried her face in the sheets, and spread her legs slightly, closing her eyes as she sunk her fingers back into her cunt. She fucked herself, hard and fast, moaning into the comforter, her toes curling with pleasure. And as she did, she pretended she was back in Matthias’s room, hanging on his huge knot and being fucked within an inch of her life. She came hard, muffling her screams against the pillows.

She woke up alone in the large bed. Ronan was gone. A part of her was grateful. She wasn’t sure she was in the mood in to see him that morning, especially after what happened last night. So, after a shower, she dressed in a pair of shorts and a peach tank top, leaving her wavy brown hair flowing down her back. She wasn’t in the mood for anything extra, so she slipped her feet into yesterday’s pair of loafers, and followed the smell of coffee down to the kitchen, only to find Matthias there, as well as his eldest son, Silas. Ronan was absent.

The sight of Matthias, seated at the head of the table and sipping on a mug, caused her to falter in her steps. She was sure her cheeks were on fire, and anyone could see it. Both men were talking about something, but stopped when she walked in.

Matthias flared his nostrils, scenting her, and he glanced away, something in his expression turning stormy. Silas stared at her with visible confusion.

“Good morning, alpha.” She bowed slightly.

“I know you,” Silas said, “You’re Ronan’s mate, aren’t you?”

A flutter rose in her chest at being referred to as Ronan’s mate, and she nodded. “Yes, alpha.”

Silas nodded, “It’s nice to see that you two have made up. Goddess knows, I didn’t expect that kind of responsibility from Ronan.”

“It’s all thanks to Alpha Draven,” she muttered, her head still down.

Silas said something else, but Raine wasn’t listening, her entire being was tuned to Matthias’s every movement. Her wolf, who had been sulking all morning, had finally perked up, and was practically foaming at the mouth, pushing Raine to cross the room and plant herself into the older man’s lap. She bit her lips, her claws sharpening with the effort it took to keep herself in check.

Not only could she not do anything with Silas right here, she was a mated woman, promised to another. If people found that she was having thoughts like these towards another man—her soon to be father in law—she would be cast out, disgraced… lynched.

Silas said something else, and got to his feet. He bowed his head at his father, and was gone in the next moment. Leaving Matthias and Raine alone. The room was suddenly too small. The scent of Matthias was everywhere, making her sweat, and her knees tremble.

Keeping her gaze turned stubbornly away, Raine shuffled stiffly to the counter where the coffee machine stood, and proceeded to make herself a cup. Less than five minutes later, she heard the loud sound of the chair falling to the floor as Matthias got up and crossed the room in the blink of an eye. He slammed both hands on the counter, caging her against it from behind, and keeping her from moving. His scent instantly overwhelmed her, and her wolf howled with joy, coming alive for the first time in days. The bond between them sparked to life, fiery and hot, like dying embers in a dry field.

Raine gasped, her hands clutching at the counter’s edge as her knees suddenly went weak. Matthias groaned like a man possessed, shoving his face between her neck and sniffing deep. Raine moaned softly, arching her neck back so he could have better access. His teeth skimmed her nape, sharp enough to graze, and her wolf yearned for it, craved this man’s bite like it was oxygen. Raine was scared, and aroused. So, so, aroused.

It was taking every of her willpower not to shove her shorts down, bend over the counter, and present for the alpha, spread her legs apart so he could see just how wet, and needy she was, how badly she ached for him between her glistening folds.

She bit her lip until she tasted blood.

“You smell like him,” Matthias growled against her skin, “You smell like Ronan… Did you let him touch you?”

Raine moaned helplessly as his big hands circled her waist, digging into the flesh exposed by her top. “He’s my mate, alpha.” Her voice was breathless as lust overtook her. “I belong to him.”

“Fuck.” He hissed like a man in pain, “Fuck. I feel like a horrible person. I shouldn’t feel this way, but I do. You belong to Ronan, but the thought of him having you, touching you, fills me with so much rage.” His hands tightened on her waist, hard enough that she knew she would bruise. In a quieter voice, he said, “I shouldn’t have had you taken to his room. But my wolf could not bear the thought of not having you under the same roof.”

Raine turned in his arms so she could face him. He was much taller than her, and so much bigger and broader that she felt caged, and safe, like nothing could harm her in his arms. She stared up at him from where she came up to below his chin, taking in his sharp gray eyes, the crow’s feet around them, his gray beard, and his soft salt and pepper hair. Another wave of lust shot through her, and she bit her bruised lip.

“I thought of you,” she said breathlessly, rubbing up against him before she could stop herself. “When I was pleasuring him, I pretended he was you. And later, when I fucked myself, I closed my eyes and pretended you were there,” she pressed closer, almost flattening her chest to his. “I came with your name on my lips, alpha.”

The alpha’s gaze darkened with heat, and a dark promise that sent shivers from the tips of her toes, to the top of her head. In one swift move, he lifted her off the ground and on to the counter, spreading her legs wide and stepping in between them. Raine gasped, even as a voice in her head told her they were in the kitchen, in broad daylight. Anyone could walk in on them.

But that knowledge only made this even more delicious.

Matthias’s hands pushed under her top, snaking over her skin to cup her breasts, his thumbs rolling her nipples into hard, aching nubs. Raine moaned, throwing her head back.

“Say my name,” he growled, his voice part man, part animal.

“Matthias,” she moaned, loud and wanton. “Matthias. Oh please.”

She spread her legs wider, rubbing against him, begging for his touch where she ached for him most.

“Please what?” He teased, thumbs still punishing her nipples.

Raine moaned again, muffling her cries against his shoulders. “Please, Matthias… tou… touch me.”