Edeline

I stood frozen, the world turning into a blurred mess of colors and hushed whispers. I had to have heard that wrong. Percival? With a pregnant she-wolf from another pack? It was a lie. It had to be.

The crowd began to murmur, the sound rising like a swarm of bees. They were wondering if she was the one—if she was his mate. I didn't wait to hear their theories. I stepped forward, closing the distance between us until his scent hit me like a physical blow. It was thick, intoxicating, and undeniably mine.

"Pe-Percival…" I breathed, my voice small and shaky. "I found you. Finally... my mate."

A surge of pure, unadulterated joy crashed through me. I searched his face, desperate for a sign. He smiled, and for a second, the world felt right again. He knew. He felt the pull just as strongly as I did. But then, the blonde girl shifted, her hand sliding possessively over his arm.

The smile died on his lips.

"Who is this woman?" she demanded, her voice sharp and arrogant.

Percival’s entire body went rigid. His jaw tightened so hard I thought it might snap, and his fists were clenched white at his sides. He wouldn't even look at me anymore; his blue eyes were fixed on the dirt, clouded with a misery that made my stomach churn.

"I need to speak with her," Percival ground out, taking a step toward me. The blonde woman blocked his path, her eyebrows arched in a silent, daring challenge. "I said, I have to—"

"Everyone, return to your homes immediately!"

The Alpha’s voice boomed across the yard, sharp as a blade. The crowd scattered instantly under his iron glare. He looked at Percival, his eyes burning with a fury that made the air feel heavy.

A sharp, cold ache bloomed in my chest. What was happening? Why was everyone acting like I was a problem to be solved?

Luna Annabel stepped forward, gently guiding the blonde girl toward the pack house. Before she disappeared, she caught my eye and gave me a look so full of pity and sadness that I felt like I’d been slapped.

"Thanks, Alpha," Percival muttered, clapping his father on the shoulder.

Then, the Alpha was gone, and we were alone.

Percival’s eyes finally met mine, and the intensity of his gaze was a physical weight. He scanned my body, his pupils blown wide until the blue was nearly swallowed by black and a flicker of gold. His canines began to slide down, and his breath hitched. My scent was clearly unraveling his control, driving his wolf toward the singular goal of marking what belonged to him.

Without a word, he grabbed my hand. His grip was a firm, desperate anchor. We ran, the wind whipping past us as he led me deep into the forest, far away from the prying eyes of the pack.

We stopped in a secluded thicket where the moonlight struggled to pierce through the heavy canopy. He turned to me, the air between us thick with a hunger that made my heart race. He reached out, his thumb brushing over my cheek. Sparks erupted wherever he touched me.

"I’ve spent a lifetime waiting for this," he rasped, his voice sounding like gravel. "Waiting for you..."

I leaned into him, my pulse thrumming in my ears. "I'm right here, Percival," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm yours."

He dipped his head, his hot breath ghosting over the sensitive skin of my neck. I felt the sharp graze of his teeth. I closed my eyes, tilting my head back to give him better access, my whole body trembling in anticipation.

Then, he stopped.

The heat vanished. He pulled back, his canines retracting as he stumbled a step away from me. "I ruined it, Edeline. We can't... I-I can't mark you. I'm so sorry."

The rejection hit me like a bucket of ice water. My smile fell, and the silence of the woods felt deafening. My wolf let out a pathetic, wounded whine in my mind.

"Percival, what are you saying?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Do-do you not want me? Just tell me the truth..."

I could feel his agony—it wasn't the telepathic bond of a mated pair yet, but our souls were screaming at each other, trying to bridge the gap.

He bit his lip so hard it nearly bled, shaking his head. "The Goddess knows I want you, Edeline. If I had only known sooner... we grew up side-by-side, and I wanted it to be you. You're perfect. You were born to be my Luna," he whispered, the words sounding like they were being torn out of his throat. He looked at me, his eyes warring with the urge to pull me back into his arms.

"But I did something... and now, knowing you're my mate is just destroying me. It’s going to break your heart, Edeline. It’s already breaking mine." He squeezed his eyes shut, turning his face away. "I am so, so sorry."

Panic flared in my throat, choking me. "Wh-why? What happened? Percival, please, just tell me!"

I already knew. Deep down, I knew it was because of that blonde bitch.

Percival looked back at me, his face a mask of pure, raw misery. "I ruined everything, Edeline," he rasped, his voice cracking. "I lost control of myself."

His scent drifted toward me, warm and inviting, begging me to bridge the small gap between us and throw my arms around him. I stayed rooted to the spot, my breath hitching as I waited for the rest.

"The girl from the truck... Tatiana." He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to meet my gaze. "I got her pregnant. She’s carrying my child, Edeline. I am so, so sorry."

The air was sucked right out of my lungs. A sharp, jagged pain sliced through my chest, and my legs simply gave out. I hit the dirt, my knees barking in protest, but I couldn't feel anything but the throbbing in my heart.

"No," I choked out, my lip trembling violently. "No... you're lying. Tell me you're lying!"

"I didn't know, Edeline," he whispered. His voice was a jagged wreck. I watched his hands shake at his sides, his knuckles turning a ghostly white as he balled them into fists. "I didn't know it would be you. I didn't think I’d find my mate so soon." He shoved a hand through his hair, a ragged breath escaping his lungs. "She was in heat... I was weak. I let the wolf take over. I’m sorry—"

"No! Please, Percival... don’t do this," I sobbed, reaching out for him blindly. "Is it something I did? Did I upset you? Whatever it is, I'll fix it, just please don't say this to me!"

"I am so damn sorry..."

He pulled me into him, holding me with a desperate, crushing force. I felt my wolf thrashing against my ribs, howling in agony, while I let him feel every ounce of the betrayal breaking me apart. I completely shattered. I slumped against the forest floor, rocking back and forth as I pressed my forehead into the cold dirt, screaming my grief toward the moon.

Percival dropped beside me, his own eyes drowning in despair. When he pulled me back into his chest, his touch was like fire—a cruel, beautiful reminder of the bond that was now a death sentence. The air between us crackled with a connection that begged me to claim him, to mark him and never let go.

I knew he hadn't planned this. I could feel his want for me in the way he shook. He wanted me to be his Luna. He wanted us.

But the weight in my chest was too heavy to carry.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, looking up at him through a blurred veil of tears.

"I have to do the right thing, Edeline," he muttered. His eyes were dark with a hollow, desperate look.

The right thing. I knew what that meant. He was the future Alpha. He couldn't abandon his own blood. He was going to take responsibility for her.

"But I'm your mate..." I whispered, the words tasting like ash.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wish... I wish I could fix it. I’m trapped, Edeline. I’m so sorry." He tried to stroke my hair, his touch meant to soothe the very wound he had caused.

It was too late for comfort.

I let out a long, shaky breath, the fight draining out of me. "What choice is there? It’s done. You can't run away from a child." I looked away, my voice turning hollow. "Just... go to her."

I felt his hand freeze against my back. He pulled away slowly, and I could feel his shock radiating off him like heat. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't look at the face of the man I loved while he chose someone else.

"Edeline, I—"

"Just go, Percival!" I screamed, my voice breaking. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the agony.

"I'm sorry," he whispered one last time.

I listened to the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance, leaving me alone in the dark. My heart felt like it was bleeding out into the soil beneath me.

Edeline

Percival. My mate. He was supposed to be my entire world, the other half of my soul. Now, he was building a life with someone else before ours had even begun.

The sharp snap of fingers in front of my face jolted me back to the present. "Edeline! Talk to me. Are you okay?"

I tried to swallow the bile rising in my throat, my stomach twisting into a painful knot. "I’m... I’m fine. Really," I lied, my voice sounding thin and hollow even to my own ears. "I was just playing back what he said. He kept saying how sorry he was, but that he had to do what was right. That’s it." The last word faded into a broken whisper.

Inside, I felt like I was being shredded from the soul outward. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep the walls from crumbling.

Darius turned his gaze toward the water, his jaw set in a hard line. A low, dangerous growl vibrated in his chest. "That complete bastard. I'm going to tear him apart," he muttered.

I wanted to hate Percival, I really did. But a male's instincts when a female is in heat... it’s a force of nature. He told me Tatiana had been relentless, tempting him until his wolf just broke. I found my fated match and lost him to a moment of weakness all in the same breath.

Darius looked back at me, his blue eyes intense and demanding. "You have to go to him, Edeline. Alone. Demand to know what his plan is. You’re his mate—it has to be you."

The ache in my chest flared, and I felt my face crumple. I shook my head, a small, wounded sound escaping my throat. "I can't. I-I can't even look at him, Darius," I choked out, my voice trembling.

He reached out, his fingers squeezing mine with a firm, steady heat. "Then I'm coming with you. We'll face him as a team. I’m not leaving your side."

I looked at him, seeing the fierce loyalty written in his expression. He would burn the world down for me, and I’d do the same for him. But this wasn't a burden he could help me carry. I didn't want him to loathe his own brother for a mistake of the blood, and I didn't want to hear whatever "plan" Percival had devised. Knowing would only twist the knife deeper. My wolf was still so new, so raw; just trying to breathe felt like a chore.

Darius held my hand tight as I fought back the tears. Suddenly, a roar of laughter and loud voices drifted across the lake. We both turned, and my heart stopped.

The canoe had drifted far too close to the shore. Hundreds of eyes—the entire pack gathered for a barbecue—were fixed right on us. We were a spectacle, out in the open, sitting hand-in-hand. But among all those gazes, there was only one that felt like a brand.

I saw him.

Percival was sitting there with her. His jaw was white with tension, his eyes narrowed into slits as they locked onto me. I immediately yanked my hand out of Darius’s grip. I knew what the pack was seeing. I knew the whispers were already starting.

"We need to get out of here. Now," Darius said, his voice urgent.

"Please, Darius, just go," I begged, ducking my head to hide my face behind my hair. I didn't need to look back to know Percival was seething. He looked furious, but he didn't have a single damn right to be.

...

The next morning, the room felt too heavy to leave. I stared at the ceiling, tracing the patterns in the plaster as my stomach churned with nausea. I couldn't face the pack. I couldn't face the pity or the rumors of being caught with the Alpha's younger son while the heir sat with his pregnant mistress.

A sharp knock at the door made me jump, my heart leaping into my throat.

"Edeline? It's me. Open up, please."

Darius.

I groaned, throwing the covers off and forcing my shaky legs to carry me to the door. I hadn't eaten a bite, and the world felt a little tilted. I turned the lock, and he practically fell inside.

My breath hitched as I looked at him. His knuckles were split and dripping, and blood was smeared across his arms and shirt.

"What did you do?" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. He looked like he'd been through a meat grinder. The blood was fresh, bright red and flowing freely.

He kicked the door shut behind him and leaned against it, a bruised, triumphant smirk spreading across his face.

"I finally gave my brother a piece of my mind," he said, his voice thick with satisfaction. "I told him exactly where he could go."

I stood there in silence, my mouth hanging open as I stared at him. A part of me didn't even want to know the details of the carnage, but the sheer pride radiating off Darius was hard to ignore. He looked so incredibly pleased with himself that I felt I had to acknowledge it. I gave him a weak thumbs-up.

"Darius, you really shouldn't have done that," I said, shaking my head. His confident expression faltered for a split second, so I let a small, genuine smile reach my lips. "But... thank you. For standing up for me. You’re amazing, truly. I don’t know what I’d do without my best friend."

His grin returned, brighter than ever. He dashed over to my closet and started rummaging through my things, throwing clothes over his shoulder. A dress hit me square in the face before I could react.

"Ugh! Seriously? Stop doing that!" I complained, pulling the fabric off my head.

"Put it on. We’re going down for breakfast," he said, poking his head out from the wardrobe with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Even with the bruises and the blood, he looked good. I figured he must have won that fight if he was in such high spirits.

My heart did a nervous flutter against my ribs. I wasn't ready to walk into a room full of people. "Go on," he urged, stepping in front of me to block my escape. I looked up at him, my fear likely written all over my face. "And after my training, we’re going for a run. You need to get out there. Your wolf needs it."

He was right. I hadn't shifted since that first traumatic time, and I was terrified of what was happening inside me. My wolf felt stronger than me, a wild force of grief and fury that I could barely contain. Sometimes her emotions bled into mine so heavily I couldn't tell where I ended and she began. I had trained so hard to keep her under my thumb, but there was always that nagging fear that she might just snap.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, Darius..." I murmured, looking down.

He softened, placing his heavy, warm hands on my shoulders. "You'll be fine, Edeline. You're a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for."

I shook my head, not quite believing him.

Darius’s expression shifted, turning stern as he straightened his back. "Get changed. No more talking. You have to face the pack eventually, and it's better to do it now. Just fake it. If you hide, the gossip will only get meaner. Stay close to me—I’ll be your shield against the stares. Now, move."

Tears stung my eyes, but I gave him a small nod. I grabbed the first dress I could reach and ducked into the bathroom. As I pulled it on, I realized the hem barely reached mid-thigh. It was far too short. My first thought—my traitorous, instinctive thought—was that Percival would hate seeing me in this.

'Wait. Why do I care what he thinks?' I hissed to my reflection. 'Let him look. Let him see exactly what he threw away.'

I marched out of the bathroom. "Ready?" Darius asked, reaching for my hand. I nodded, and he led me down the hallway toward the dining hall. My stomach felt like it was tied in iron knots. I squeezed his hand so hard my knuckles turned white, and he squeezed back, offering a silent, worried glance.

"I’ve got you," he whispered as we approached the heavy doors. "Just breathe. If he’s near, take a deep breath and hold it."

We stepped into the hall. The air was thick with the scent of bacon, coffee, and the dull roar of a hundred conversations. Then, Percival’s scent hit me—cedar and rain. It was a wave of comfort that turned into a sharp ache of nostalgia.

The closer we got to the tables, the more intense the smell became. I could feel the heat of his presence. My skin began to tingle, every nerve ending screaming at me to look at him, but I kept my eyes locked on the back of Darius’s head.

My throat felt tight as we reached the buffet line. I didn't let go of Darius until we were standing right in front of the food.

Darius picked up a plate, his eyes searching mine. "What are you eating?" he asked.

I felt the weight of the room shifting. For a high-ranking male to fix a plate for a female—especially the Beta’s daughter—it sent a loud, clear message to the pack. It was fuel for the fire, and I knew Percival would be watching.

"Just the usual," I whispered, trying to make myself as small as possible.

Suddenly, a low, vibrating growl rumbled from somewhere right behind me. My blood turned to ice. I didn't need to turn around to know it was him. My mate didn't like his brother playing protector. I couldn't even bring myself to think his name, let alone speak it.

I felt his gaze crawling over me, scanning every inch of exposed skin in this too-short dress. Anxiety coiled in my gut, and I instinctively hugged my arms across my chest. My body was betraying me, aching for a touch I knew I couldn't have, while my wolf stirred in the back of my mind, trying to pull me toward him.

Edeline

After breakfast, the walls of the Packhouse felt like they were closing in on me. Darius must have sensed it, because he led me out toward the river. The morning sun danced on the water’s surface, and the steady, rhythmic rush of the stream usually would have calmed me. We talked about mindless things—patrol schedules and pack gossip—and for a little while, the weight in my chest felt a fraction lighter.

We reached a break in the treeline where the cliffs loomed over our territory, a view that usually took my breath away. Darius stopped, checking his watch.

"I have to get to training," he said, looking at me with those protective blue eyes. "I'll be finished in about two hours. Stay here, clear your head, or shift if you feel the urge. Just... don't go back and lock yourself in your room, okay? We’ll go for that run when I’m back. I promise."

He gave my hair a messy ruffle and a small smile before jogging back the way we came. I watched him go, feeling grateful for the silence. I sat by the water’s edge, dipping my fingers into the icy current, trying to let the peace of the woods drown out the noise in my head.

The sun was warm on my skin, and I closed my eyes, listening to the rustle of the leaves. For a moment, I almost felt whole.

Then, the air shifted.

The back of my neck prickled. That heavy, suffocating sensation of being watched settled over me, sharp as a physical touch. My eyes snapped open. The woods looked still, but the feeling was undeniable.

I scanned the brush where Darius had disappeared. There, in the shadows, a pair of eyes stared back at me. My heart gave a single, hard thud against my ribs.

A massive white wolf exploded from the undergrowth.

He moved with a terrifying, fluid speed, charging straight for me. I didn't run. I didn't even flinch. A strange, cold numbness washed over me as I sat there, simply watching him approach.

The wolf stopped just feet away, his gaze burning into mine. Then, the sickening sound of shifting began—the wet crack of bone and the slide of muscle. In seconds, the wolf was gone, replaced by Percival.

He stood over me, completely naked and unashamed, his powerful body tensed as if he were ready to strike or flee. His eyes were wide, filled with a desperate, frantic longing that made my stomach turn.

Before I could breathe, he lunged forward, pinning me with his shadow. He leaned in, his lips inches from mine. I could feel the heat of his skin, the jagged edge of his breath, and the sheer urgency radiating off him. Just as he leaned in to close the gap, I slammed my hands against his chest and shoved him back.

"What is wrong with you, Percival?" I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and fear. "Why are you following me? Why are you even here?"

His face twisted, a flash of raw agony crossing his features. "We need to talk, Edeline."

"Talk?" I let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "How did you even find me?"

His gaze softened, though the intensity remained. "I can find your scent anywhere. It’s all I can think about. My wolf... he’s losing his mind trying to get to you. It's impossible to control anything when it comes to you."

I looked at him blankly, my heart turning to stone. "We have nothing to say to each other. Go back to your future Luna. She's waiting for you."

I turned to walk away, but his hand shot out, his fingers bruising my arm as he pulled me back. "Please," he croaked, his voice thick with a pleading desperation. "Just listen."

I turned back, and the sight of him almost broke me. His blue eyes were glassy, swimming with unshed tears, and his face was etched with a deep, haunting shame. He looked like he was drowning. I could feel his struggle, and despite the hole he’d ripped in my heart, I felt a traitorous spark of empathy.

"I want you to know the truth of what happened," he said, his voice shaking.

"I don't want to hear it," I said, my voice cold and flat. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter!" he insisted, his jaw tightening with a sudden, fierce determination. "I need you to understand."

I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the river, silent. He took the silence as an invitation.

"Edeline, the camp... it wasn't like home. The men there are constantly at each other's throats, fighting for dominance. The women were the only ones who were halfway decent, but they don't treat the mate bond the same way we do."

"Neither do you, apparently," I whispered.

He flinched as if I'd struck him, hanging his head. "I do. I always have. Tatiana was just a friend—someone I could talk to when everyone else was trying to take my head off. We were never alone, not until... two weeks before I was supposed to come home. She went into heat."

I felt a fresh wave of nausea. This was the nightmare I’d been trying to outrun, and now he was forcing me to look at it.

He looked down at the ground, his eyes avoiding mine. "It hit her without warning. We were up late, everyone else was asleep, and suddenly... it was just there. I should have seen it. I should have smelled it coming, but I didn't! I don't understand why I didn't see the signs!"

He slammed his fists into the dirt, the sound of his frustration echoing through the clearing. I watched him, my mind racing. A female’s heat isn't a surprise. You can smell it for weeks; the signs are unmistakable to any male, especially an Alpha-blood. It didn't make sense for her to be caught off guard.

"Once it started... a male can't fight that, Edeline. You know that. The instinct takes over."

I knew he was right. An unmated male is a slave to a female in heat; it’s a primal, unstoppable pull. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. I kept my eyes on the grass, feeling the heat of his stare burning into my skin.

"But, Edeline..." He reached out, though he didn't touch me. "I won't mark her. I refuse."

I lifted my head, searching his eyes for a lie, for a hint of the man who had betrayed me. I found nothing but a haunting sincerity.

He really wouldn't mark her. He was choosing me, even now, in the middle of the wreckage.