by G. K. DeRosa
Gods, from far he’d looked amazing, but up close he was impossibly gorgeous. The black suit hugged his broad chest, the sleek fabric conforming to every sharp cut of his torso. His dark hair was slicked back and the typical day-old scruff absent. He looked younger, less hard without the stubble on his finely sculpted jaw.
“I need to talk to you.” He held out his hand and despite my brain screaming at me not to, I fit my palm into his.
Luna, this wasn’t fair! I had zero control of my body when I was around him.
Before I realized what was happening, he led me to the dancefloor—the empty dancefloor. “What are you doing?” I squealed as his arm wrapped around my waist.
“We need to talk without attracting attention. If I take you to a dark corner, it’ll seem strange.”
Heat flushed my cheeks as the heavy weight of dozens of prying eyes burned into me. “And this isn’t attracting attention?” I squeaked.
He tugged me closer, lacing his fingers through mine. “It’s normal attention.” The hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “Me dancing with a female wouldn’t be suspicious.”
Right. Because he probably danced with girls at balls all the time. “Okay, so talk.” I needed to focus, focus on anything besides how good his body felt against mine, his fingers entwined with mine, his breath mingling with mine.
“I spoke to Bea, and she’s sworn to keep the true identity of your pack a secret. From this point forward, you’re Crescent. I’ve spoken to Vander, and he’ll arrange for the official ceremony welcoming you into the pack. No one will know of your Mystic bloodline.”
So that’s what they’d been talking about. “What if my magical powers suddenly emerge?”
He lifted a skeptical brow, and it was all I could do not to punch him. He obviously remembered my time at Arcane and my nonexistent abilities.
“Fine,” I muttered. “Anything else before I go?” I tried to pull free, but his hold only tightened.
His eyes fixed on mine, and the brilliant citrine glow dimmed. “I also spoke to Bea about our bond. There’s a spell that can break it.”
All the air whooshed from my lungs and I gaped up at him, like a stupid, suffocating goldfish. “Okay,” I finally managed. It was better than having to watch him screw someone.
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean that’s it?” I shot him a narrowed glare.
“You’re not going to fight me on this?”
I shook my head, pressing my lips together. “I’ve thought about it a lot, and I just want this to be over. I don’t want to feel this way around you anymore. If we can’t be together, there’s no point in prolonging the inevitable.”
A rush of pain surged through the bond, filling my empty chest. It was so intense I couldn’t tell which emotions were his and which were mine. He lowered his forehead to mine, and I drew in a deep breath. Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I’d do that later, drown in the deluge in private.
“I’m so sorry, Sierra.” His lips were inches from mine, his breath mingling with my own. When had he gotten so close?
“You keep saying that, but it’s starting to lose meaning.”
His tongue snaked out, wetting his bottom lip. I chomped down on my own to keep from capturing his mouth as need blossomed in my core. The bond was relentless.
“You’re right,” he whispered, inching closer. “You deserve the truth. You deserve to know why we can’t be together. I wish I could give it to you.”
I risked a glance up and met those smoldering golden orbs. “Just try.”
His jaw worked, the tendon fluttering below his skin. “As you know, I’m cursed, Sierra. The curse was placed years ago, but I never knew when it would kick in. It was part of the torture.” He paused and I could almost see the internal battle being fought as he spat, “Cursed to never be able to love the one person I want most in this world.”
My stomach dropped, a massive boulder plummeting inside my gut. “Wh--what?”
“I can’t believe I said it. That’s the first time I was able to speak the words.” His eyes were wide, confusion reflecting across his slack jaw.
The same confusion pummeling into me. I couldn’t decide which to process first, the curse or the fact that he’d finally been able to tell me about it.
“Regardless, I can’t put you through that. I won’t. You deserve to be loved by your mate, and it’s something I can never give you.”
The world turned topsy-turvy, my mind swimming as I repeated his words over and over again. Hunter couldn’t love me, but he wanted to? Then what were these overwhelming emotions crashing over me? None of this made sense.
His lips gently brushed mine, and a gasp broke over the room. I’d completely forgotten we were surrounded by an audience. Obviously, Hunter had too. They’d been watching our every move. Had his father seen?
He mumbled a curse and pulled away. His eyes widened as if he’d had no control over what he’d done. His fingers were still threaded through mine, and I tightened my hold. “Please, don’t sever the bond, not yet. I need to understand how this works. Can’t we break the curse somehow?”
His expression darkened. “I’ve tried everything, Sierra. Since the moment it took effect, I’ve searched for a way to end it. I’ve spoken to the most powerful witches, warlocks, mages, even seers. There’s no way out of it. That’s why I refused to take your blood when Vander first brought you to me. If we exchanged blood, it would only seal our connection and make it that much harder to break.”
I shook my head, blinking back the tears. “There has to be a way. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel.”
He let out a rueful laugh. “That’s where you’re wrong, Sierra.” His fingers loosened around mine, before his hand completely fell away. “I wanted you to know the truth and now you do. I only hope you understand my motives. Rejecting you, my mate, will be the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do. I’m not an evil man, and the last thing I want is to hurt you. I’d hoped that by making you think that I was, you’d let me go, but the bond between us is too strong and you’re too stubborn. Now that you know the truth, I hope you’ll finally understand and let me go.”
“You obviously don’t know me at all,” I hissed.
Again, that smile. That heartbreakingly beautiful smile that brought me back to the day I’d met Dragon Boy all those years ago.
“I’m not just going to let you go, Hunter.”
He took a step back, then another. “You have to.”
My hands curled into fists at my sides and claws dug into my palms. My she-wolf scratched to the surface, her pain bleeding into my own. Our wolves were mates. If this was killing me, I couldn’t imagine what it was doing to her. “Hunter, please…”
Fur rippled over my arms, and the need to drop onto all fours lashed over me. Shift! I couldn’t wolf out in front of all of these people and out my purple wolf. Hunter disappeared into the crowd and despite every nerve urging me to go after him, I had to get out of there. My muscles ached, thousands of spider legs crawling beneath my skin. I needed to break free of my human shell.
I darted across the dancefloor, pumping my arms as fast as I could toward the tunnel to the exit. Cass’s shouts vaguely registered as I sped through the vast chamber. I’d explain later. Right now, I needed to run.
As soon as I passed the wolfy guards, I banked toward the forest, shedding my dress as I ran. There was no way I was ripping this thing to shreds. The dark woods closed around me, and I fell to the ground, my claws digging into the earth. My body shuddered, bones lengthened, tendons snapped, and my wolf took over.
I ran. I ran and ran until my lungs burned and my limbs were sore. Until I felt nothing. Nothing at all.
Chapter Thirty-Four
I rolled over in my bed and stretched, my muscles still tingling from the night before. Despite the steady lingering pain in the middle of my chest, the run had been amazing. I’d spent the entire night exploring the surrounding woods. They stretched for mile
s and miles around the valley. I’d galloped between the towering pines, weaving through the immense trunks, trampling over the dense underbrush, one with the creatures of the night. I’d even snuck a peek at the big party in the woods.
Unlike the posh affair held in the alpha’s lair, the wolves out there were drunk, loud and fun. If I hadn’t been forced to hide my freaky purple fur, I would’ve been the first to party it up with the lower packs. I wondered if Vander’s family had been out there. As a member of the Crescents, and not a special Lunar pack, they would’ve been relegated to the woodland celebration.
For hours I’d felt nothing. Not the excruciating pain of breaking the bond, not the orchestrated extinction of my pack or the brutal murder of my father. While I was my wolf, I was free.
I’d found Cass stretched out on my couch when I’d returned just before dawn. And judging by the lack of movement from the living room, she must have still been sleeping. A yawn escaped my lips, and I buried my head back in the pillow. Maybe I’d snooze for a few more hours. The gnawing pain in my chest was intensifying now that the adrenaline of the night before had passed. When I got out of bed, I’d have to accept the fact that Hunter and I would never be together. Because he couldn’t love me.
The reminder was soul crushing. My fated mate would never be able to love me because of this freakin’ curse. There had to be a way to break it.
I shook my head, chasing away the thoughts. No, Hunter had been adamant that it wasn’t possible. That I needed to move on. But what about him? What kind of a life could he have without love? My thoughts flickered back to Ransom’s words when we’d first met. Hunter couldn’t assume the role of supreme alpha without a mate. A strong mate amplified the alpha’s power and without one, he’d always be at a disadvantage. An insane thought took shape in my mind.
Maybe I hadn’t figured out how to exact my revenge on Tyrien, but there was something I could do, something I could control.
I could bind myself to Hunter as his mate, even if he didn’t love me. Maybe in time, we could figure out how to break the curse. It would increase his power and mine and give him the chance to rule as alpha. Hunter was a good man, despite what he’d put me through. As misguided as he’d been, he was doing what he thought was best to protect me. He’d make a much better alpha than his father who wiped out an entire pack. My pack. Did Hunter even know what his father had done? With everything going on, I hadn’t had the chance to ask.
I shoved the comforter back, filled with a new purpose and the pressure in my chest relented. My wolf wanted Hunter’s more than anything. I could feel it when we were close, the irresistible attraction, the soul-deep connection. Maybe I didn’t need the love if we had that.
I blew out a breath, ignoring the voice in my head telling me I was being stupid, so stupid. I paced in front of my bed and dragged my hands through my wild locks. After waiting all this time, I wanted a man that would give me the whole package, the animal attraction, the sweet romance and the fiery love. A tug of war raged inside, my heart against my brain. My wolf against my human half.
A soft knock stopped my manic pacing. “You awake, Sierra?” Cass’s voice seeped through the crack in the door.
“Yeah, come on in.”
My best friend poked her head in, and a wave of relief coursed through me. I didn’t have to deal with this alone; Cass was here. I lunged forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you stayed.”
She squeezed me back then held me out to arm’s length. “Me too, girl. What happened last night? I tried calling you like a million times. Are you okay?”
My head bounced up and down. “I’m so sorry about running out on you like that. I was about a second away from wolfing out, and I couldn’t let anyone see me.”
“I figured it was something like that. I was freaking out at first, but Vander convinced me you’d be okay. Hunter sent him out to find you and I went with.”
Hunter’s name was like a stab to the heart. It took all I had not to buckle over, clutching my chest.
“He seemed really worried, but I guess through the bond he knew you were okay.”
Okay wasn’t exactly how I’d describe my state last night, but at least I wasn’t being stalked by any murderous wolves if that was his concern. I folded my arms across my chest and sank into the mattress. Cass sat beside me.
“What can I do to help?” she asked.
“Know how to break a curse?”
“Oh honey, I wish I did. You know potions are more my thing, but maybe we could give Davina a call?” She shot me a mischievous grin.
I scowled at my bestie. My archenemy from my academy days was a crazy talented witch, but I wasn’t sure I’d go so low even if it meant saving Hunter. Okay maybe I would. “Hunter said he’s tried everything to break it. We didn’t really have a chance to go into much detail because he’s so adamant on sparing me from a loveless life with him.”
Her brows slammed together. “Huh?”
I filled her in on the little he’d told me about the curse last night. She watched, her bright eyes wide. When I finally finished, her lips twisted into a pout. “Oh goddess, Sierra, that’s awful. So he’s been a dick to you this whole time just so that you’d stay away from him?”
“Guess so. From what I can figure, the curse kicked in between the third and fourth time he came to see me at the academy. That was why he said we could never be together, and why he rejected me.”
Cass swept long tendrils of curly hair behind her ears and loosed a breath. “This is so effed up.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me into her side. “Do you even know who cursed him or why?”
I shook my head. “He won’t tell me anything. He’s so stubborn and set on sparing my feelings that he won’t even listen to me.”
“Alpha males.” She grunted. “Too bad they’re just so damn irresistible.”
A rueful chuckle burst out. “Have I told you how glad I am that you’re here?”
“Yes, but feel free to do it again.”
We sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as my mind spun with ideas. Hunter was right, I was no submissive. I wasn’t going to blindly follow his proclamations. This was my life too. I was his mate, and I deserved to have a say in this. I needed to know more about this curse and make my own informed decision. My she-wolf purred, her big head nuzzling my ribcage.
I finally stood, throwing my shoulders back. “I’m going to talk to him. He can’t just break our bond without me agreeing to it.”
Cass rose and gave me a high five. “You go, girl. Show that alpha who really wears the pants in this relationship.”
I dipped into my closet and undressed. First, I needed a shower, and a coffee. Then I was going to face my mate.
Towel-drying my hair in the kitchen, I slowly sipped my coffee and the jumble of nerves in my gut relaxed a twinge. Cass watched me from across the small island, her hands wrapped around her mug. “You’re going to do great, Sierra. Just make sure you don’t leave until you get everything out. Make him tell you everything this time.”
Gods, I felt like we had this conversation a lot. “I will.” I tossed the towel over a barstool and ran my fingers through my damp hair. “Where does he get off making this huge decision for us unilaterally? He’s my mate too, and I should have a say. He doesn’t get to just decide I can’t be in a relationship with him because he can’t love me. It’s not that big of a deal, right?”
Cass’s eyes cast down to her coffee.
“Right, Cass?”
“Sierra, honey, I love you, and I know how you are. In four years, I’ve never seen you show the slightest bit of interest in any guy but Hunter. I want things to work out between the two of you so bad, but don’t settle for something less than you deserve.” She took a sip of her coffee, pausing. “I know I’m not a wolf and I don’t understand this fated mates stuff, but now that you’re here in Moon Valley, maybe you could find another wolf you could connect with.”
The idea of b
eing with anyone else made my stomach roil. “I have to do this, Cass. I need to find out exactly what this curse means and then I’ll be able to decide. Maybe even move on.”
“Okay. I get that. You have to do what’s best for you. I just don’t want to see you hurt. Again.”
“I’m a big girl. I’ll survive a little broken heart.” As soon as the words were out, I was certain they weren’t true. Not when it came to Hunter. We’d gone back and forth so many times and I always went back to him, forgave him, despite everything.
A series of thundering knocks whipped my attention to the door. “What the—” It wasn’t even nine yet. Setting my coffee on the counter, I adjusted my bathrobe and headed toward the obnoxious banging. “I’m coming!” I called out.
“Open up, Ms. Wildstone, per order of the supreme alpha.” A deep voice boomed through the thick timber.
Cass’s eyes widened, and she sat straight up. “What could that be about?”
Nothing good. The hair on the back of my neck rose, and the alpha heir’s wolfy power slammed into me. I yanked the door open and met a wall of burly beasts. The familiar navy uniforms from the night before sent a wave of anxiety crashing over me. Shift. Had someone seen me turn into my purple wolf? Over the shoulder of the gorilla-sized males, a pair of hollow green eyes stared down at me. “What’s going on?” I finally managed.
The first guard stepped forward and wrapped his meaty paw around my wrist. “Your presence is requested by the supreme alpha.”
“Let go of me.” I jerked my arm back, but the guard’s fingers were like iron clamped around my flesh.
A low, guttural growl pierced the air, and the wolfish sentinel released me. I lifted my gaze toward the sound, knowing exactly who it had come from. The snarl grazed my insides, waking my she-wolf. The vacant emerald orbs had been replaced by smoldering golden ones.
What’s going on? I broadcasted to the moody beta wolf.
I don’t know. My father refused to tell me but when he ordered the guards to summon you, I insisted on coming. Just do as they say, for now.