by Emilia Rose
Isabella viciously threw him across the forest in the direction he had come from. Kylo immediately stood back up and growled, yet Isabella held her ground. I dug my claws into the ground, stumbling to my feet as I tried to get my shoulder bones to heal as quickly as they could.
After giving her one last long look, he lifted his nose to the trees and howled. In an instant, he and his wolves stopped engaging in combat and ran back through the woods, retreating for some ungodly reason.
He could’ve slaughtered every one of us.
Yet he hadn’t.
I shifted into my human and clutched my shoulder, embarrassed, furious, and upset. Everything for the past few years had been building up to this moment, and I had screwed it up because Kylo had gotten in my fucking head yesterday—when I found out that he had been alone with her, when he’d told Isabella that Scarlett was trying to snatch me away from her, when I let him watch me fuck her pretty little face to show him that she was not to be touched in any way.
While he’d had multiple chances to end her life, he hadn’t, which made me think that he was planning something much, much worse for her than an easy death. And there was one thing that was worse than a death in battle for a wolf born under the Wolf Moon.
The Wolf’s Flower.
“Come on,” Isabella said, nodding toward the direction of the hospital.
When we arrived, nearly every room in the hospital was filled by warriors getting their injuries treated. He hadn’t even been here for twenty minutes, and he’d managed to hurt so many of our warriors.
After Isabella’s mother stitched up my shoulder, I stormed out of the hospital with Isabella on my heels again.
“Listen to me, Roman,” she said. “Don’t be angry with me for interfering. Be thankful for me. He almost killed you. You don’t have to be bold and dominant all the damn time. You can ask for help from your own mate.”
I growled and shook my head. That wasn’t what this was about. “You could’ve gotten hurt.”
“Well, you would’ve died.”
“I need to go talk to Cayden.” I walked past her and toward my office.
Maybe it was a bit too much. I didn’t want Isabella to be in danger. Giving up my leadership, my natural instinct to protect my mate, was fucking hard. Dad hadn’t protected Mom, and they’d both ended up buried six feet under.
We needed a strategy that wouldn’t put Isabella at risk.
And I knew just the thing.
Chapter 8
Isabella
For the rest of the day, Roman locked himself in his office with Cayden and our strongest warriors to strategize. I paced around in our bedroom and tried thinking of a plan of my own. How could we defeat someone so strong, so powerful …
So undeniably sexy.
I rolled my eyes and blocked out my wolf. My wolf never had anything to say, but after she had seen him fighting, how—
No, nope. I wasn’t even going to go there.
I hopped off of the bed and walked out of the pack house. The moon glimmered above, seeping through the trees and creating patterns on the forest floor. I needed to run to clear my mind—that was what I told myself.
Shifting into my wolf, I sprinted toward the direction that Kylo had come from this morning. What was wrong with him, thinking that he could just attack Roman? What were they really fighting about?
There was no way that fight had been just over land. There had to be more. At least, Roman had surely acted like it.
Wind rushed through my fur. A gush of fresh pine-infused air filled my lungs. I pushed myself harder, leaping over upended tree roots and ducking under branches. My wolf guided me with ease through the forest.
I stopped when we approached a gorge, nearly slipping off the side of the cliff and falling a hundred feet into a shallow river. Rocks tumbled down the side of the mountain, smacking against the water with a loud, echoing crack.
I shifted into my human and leaned over, breathing deeply. When I stood straight, I stared over the edge and shook my head. I had mulled over ways to defeat him for hours and still couldn’t come up with a single good strategy.
“Mmm, princess,” someone said into my ear, brushing his fingers against my arms.
My body stiffened at the sound of Kylo’s voice, and I covered my breasts with my forearm. As my wolf purred inside of me, I swallowed hard and stared into the deep, dark gorge.
“I knew you’d come find me.” He drew his nose up the side of my neck, lips following so damn softly that I could barely feel them. After inhaling deeply, he pushed some hair behind my shoulder. “Moon Goddess, you smell so good. I’ve been waiting for you all night.”
After gaining control over my wolf, I yanked myself away from him. “You need to stop.”
Fully clothed with a fresh scar running through his eyebrow, he stood there with his head tilted slightly to the side. The moonlight glimmered against his chiseled jaw. “What exactly do I need to stop?”
“Whatever it is that you’re up to,” I said and stepped closer to him.
He crossed his huge tan arms across his chest, biceps flexing through his shirt. My gaze flickered down to them for the briefest moment, and I shook my head.
Stop it, Isabella. Stop. He’s not your mate. He’s just someone you have an odd connection with. Nothing more.
“If you’re talking about yesterday, it was not my intention to catch you on your knees with a sopping wet cunt and a mouth stuffed full with a big cock,” he said, cracking a smirk. “It’s a fucking sexy thing, seeing such a commanding woman like you be conquered, surrendering power to an alpha weaker than you.” He moved even closer to me to murmur into my ear, “If I’m ever given another opportunity to watch you like that again, I will.”
I clenched. I fucking clenched. Whatever kind of game he was trying to play with me, he was damn well winning.
“You won’t get the chance to watch me again,” I said, digging my nails into my arms.
“You love being watched that much, don’t you?” He stepped even closer to me, leaving centimeters between us. “You had to pretend to hate it when you saw it was me behind Roman. I don’t even have to touch you to make you feel things that he hasn’t ever made you feel.”
I pressed my lips together. “Shut up, Kylo.” Before I fucking kill you.
“I bet you were thinking about me while Roman was thrusting his cock into your throat. I bet you were wondering how good I’d feel, wondering how good a real alpha could make you feel, one who would let you be who you really are—a powerful woman who can hold her own in battle and doesn’t have to feel bad about protecting her mate.”
Overcome with anger, I wrapped my hand around his throat and pushed him against the nearest tree. “Stop.”
“There she is,” Kylo said, eyes flickering gold. “That strong warrior who craves respect from a man.”
“Stop,” I said louder, thoughts clouding my mind. “Stop it. Now.”
“Why?” he asked, body pressed against the tree. “Are you afraid?”
I dug my claws harder into him. I could kill him right here, right now. Could end this torture. Could put myself out of the misery to come. But I didn’t.
Instead, I said, “No. It’s disrespectful, Kylo. I have a fucking mate that I went through hell to get with. I have built a life with him that I want to continue. I don’t need a rude asshole like you screwing that up.”
“Disrespectful?” He choked out a loud, lifeless laugh and pushed me away from him. “Is not believing in your abilities respectful?” He stepped closer to me, and I moved away. “Is telling you—a Lycan—to stay in the pack house while a battle is going on outside respectful?” He grasped my jaw in his hand, snapping it shut. “Huh? Do you feel respected?”
My heart raced. “Fuck you.”
“They’re simple questions, princess. Answer them.”
I pushed him away, wanting nothing more than to have him out of my life forever. All he was doing was trying to get inside of my head, trying to
make me give up everything that I had with Roman.
When I didn’t say anything—because I refused to lie straight through my teeth—he clenched his jaw. “He’s the kind of guy who craves dominance; he wants to be the man of the pack and looks for a woman who will make him feel like he is everything. Once you really start to lead on your own and don’t need him for protection, he will force you to make yourself smaller again—for him. It’s already taken a toll on your relationship, hasn’t it?”
Staring at him with wavering eyes, I pressed my lips together. Roman had been stressed ever since the night when we killed all the rogues in their hideout. And it was aggravating to have him not believe in me after I’d proven myself over and over.
Kylo released my jaw and stepped back. “If you want me to stay away from you, I will.”
I parted my lips, wanting to say something smart, and then quickly pressed them back together. Something inside of me stirred, and my wolf was quiet again, like she didn’t know what to feel either.
“You don’t have a problem with that, do you, princess?”
“No,” I said, clenching my jaw. “Of course not.”
“Good,” he said, walking toward the gorge. “But just to make things clear, you’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’m still coming for Roman’s pack. A darkness has overcome the western part of the forest already. War has broken out. Why not add to it, princess? Force what I’ve been vying for, for years—Roman’s downfall.”
Before I had a chance to respond, Kylo took off his shirt, shifted into his wolf, and leaped with ease over the twenty-foot-wide gorge. I stared at his figure until he disappeared into the forest, and I turned on my heel.
Tugging on his shirt so I didn’t have to stand naked in the forest, I padded back to the pack house in a daze. I tried hard to not let Kylo’s words get to me, but he had known exactly what would stick, what would get me angry, what would make me think about him.
And it made me so fucking angry because Roman respected me and my abilities …
At times.
When I made it to the house, I ditched the shirt in the garbage can outside. Roman was still in his office with the other high-ranking warriors from our pack. I changed into a pair of fresh clothes.
I walked into his office and slumped onto the couch. Roman lifted his nose, sniffed the air twice, and locked hard eyes on to mine. After a few moments, he pulled away and looked back toward Cayden.
“That won’t work,” Cayden said. “He’s smart.”
Derek dragged a dark hand across his tired face. “What do you suggest then?”
“Sources say that Kylo will be gone for a couple nights next week,” Cayden said. “It will be our chance to attack his territory when he’s weak and unguarded. Kill his warriors, so he has nobody to protect him when he comes home, and then we can finally kill him after all these years.”
Kill him?
Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts together. “Isn’t that kind of dishonorable?”
“If he’s dead, he’s dead. Isn’t that right, my dear Isabella?” Roman gazed at me as if he knew everything that had happened when I went out for a run or yesterday, when Kylo and I chatted or when Kylo watched me suck him off.
My eyes widened slightly, yet I found myself nodding along despite my wolf whimpering. She needed to shut the hell up; I couldn’t stand her desperateness for him anymore. When we were close to him, she was quiet and ashamed. When Roman talked about killing him, she was sad and angry. She needed to make up her damn mind because I had made up mine.
My mind was Roman. It would always be Roman.
Roman walked around the desk to stand next to me, his fingers brushing against mine. “And after we destroy his pack, you can do the honors of killing him, Isabella.” He looked to everyone for the briefest moment. “You’re dismissed.”
When everyone left the room, Roman grazed his fingers against my jaw, his touch so unusually gentle. “I want to apologize for getting angry with you earlier. I just … it made me feel helpless when you stood in front of me and bared your teeth at him.” He brushed his fingers against my hips and pulled me closer. “I know that you’re strong, Isabella. I just want to protect you with my life. I don’t want you to have the same fate my mom did.”
I frowned at him, my heart aching with guilt. How could I have let Kylo instill all those little thoughts into me again? What was my wolf’s problem with him? Why did she trust him so innately, like one would a mate?
Roman stared at me with those same big golden eyes that I had fallen in love with every time I opened my curtains and stared out into the forest.
I swept my fingers across his forehead, pushing dark locks of hair off his face. “I won’t end up like your mother. I know how much that hurt you.”
“Let me protect you then,” he pleaded with his lips on mine. “Please.”
“Not if you’re putting your own life in danger, Roman. I will not let you die for me when I can stop someone from killing you,” I said.
He inhaled softly through his mouth and hesitated. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t nod but didn’t shake his head either.
I grasped his hands in mine and brought them to my lips. “I love you. More than anything. We’re in this war together.”
Lips twitching into a hesitant smile, he pushed his fingers against the front of my pants. “Let me show you how much I love you,” he said, slipping them inside and toying with my folds.
I arched a brow, laughter bubbling out of me. “I thought you loved me more than this.”
After growling lowly in my ear, he snaked a hand around my throat and pinned me against the door. When his stubble brushed against my mark, I shivered in delight and clenched.
“I don’t need to moan Cayden’s name again to get you to fuck me, do I?”
“Try it, Isabella. See where your bratty mouth gets you.”
“Cay—”
Someone knocked on the door.
“Isabella?” Raj said.
“Moon Goddess.” I swore under my breath and frowned. “Not now.”
“Isabella is busy, Raj,” Roman said. “She’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
My lips curled into a smile, my heart racing inside my chest. Roman stared down at me, full lips parting. I furrowed my brows, a wave of pleasure warming my core.
Faster, I mouthed to him.
Raj sighed deeply and knocked again. “This is important. It can’t wait.”
Roman moved his fingers faster, nearly bringing me to my orgasm, and then stopped. He smirked down at me, pulled out his fingers, and sucked them right into his mouth. “I’ll be waiting in our room for you. Don’t be long.”
I stood breathlessly in the middle of the doorway as Roman walked out. Raj walked in and shut the door behind himself, too calm and collected that it scared me. I straightened myself out and sat at Roman’s desk.
Raj tossed a file onto Roman’s desk, filled with pictures of Kylo and me that seemed to have been taken tonight. “Do you have anything that you need to tell me?” Raj asked.
“No,” I said slowly, unsure of where he was going with this.
“Well”—he sat across from me with a tight jaw—“I have questions for you.” He grabbed papers from the file, not even bothering to look at them, and scooped them up. “What were you doing, out with Kylo in the middle of the night, alone?”
“How did you find out about that?” I asked. It had happened less than an hour ago.
“Since Ryker, I’ve raised the security on everyone in the Lycans, including you.” He stood and stared down at me with sorrowful eyes. “Just tell me, Isabella. You were hated the man a few hours ago. Why were you meeting with him without informing me?”
I wrapped my arms around my body. “I went out on a run. My wolf guided me toward his property. She has … this connection with him that I don’t quite understand.” I gazed down at the oak desk, overcome with guilt, and frowned. “I really want to understand why my wolf is
drawn to him even though I despise everything that he is.”
Raj stared at me for a few moments, swallowed, and nodded. “Okay,” he said quietly, sitting back down. I could tell that he didn’t want to be fucked over by a leader again, and I didn’t blame him. “Good.”
“I’m glad that you have security watching me,” I said because I didn’t trust my wolf with him, especially when she had been begging me to let him touch us the entire walk home. “My wolf is scaring me. Do you think this is related to us both being born under the Wolf Moon?”
Raj blew out a breath and stared out the window at the deep night sky. “Possibly. There is a celebration for the Wolf Moon every year. I’m not sure if you know about it. We’ve been so swamped with work lately that I think I forgot to give you the invitation. But it’s where all of the adult wolves born during that time come together to celebrate the Moon Goddess and the strength she granted the Wolf Moon warriors.”
“I heard stories about it when I was younger,” I said, gnawing on the inside of my lip.
“If you’re worried about your wolf’s connection with Kylo, you should go to that celebration and see if you can get answers. Only Wolf Moon wolves are invited to attend, and it’s rumored that the Moon Goddess herself—or one of her divine wolves—makes an appearance.”
My eyes widened. “So, you’re suggesting I go?” I shook my head. “There’s no way. I can’t.”
Nearly an hour ago, I’d almost turned back around, jumped across the gorge, and run to Kylo’s pack. I had almost lost control, almost let his words sway me. There was no way I could trust my wolf to be somewhere alone with him again.
“Roman plans to attack Kylo’s pack during that time,” I said. “I need to stay.”
“You are aware that it is against the law to engage in any attack on a pack during the Wolf Moon celebration weekend.”
I gnawed on the inside of my lip again, tearing at the skin. It might’ve been against the law, but Raj didn’t know who Roman really was. Roman would do anything to defend his pack, would do anything to protect me, especially after his parents died.