The Alpha was forced to marry me.I still fell for him anyway. What’s worse… I only have six months to live. He doesn’t love me… So why can’t he let me go? —— “Did your family not come with you today, Luna Leah?” I frown. This was just supposed to be a routine check-up and bloodwork. Nothing that required another person. Besides… What family did I have? My mother died in the last pack war, and to make peace my father pledged me to Alpha Aaron. I was thirteen when I had to leave my home, and was forced to move to Aaron’s pack. At first, he was tolerant of me. Sometimes, even kind. I used to resent him for tearing my family apart. But eventually, I came to love him, not as a child, but as a woman loves a man. When I came of age at eighteen, we were married. It should’ve been the start of a beautiful life together. But Aaron never wanted to marry me. To him, I was still the enemy. And the worst of it all—my wolf never manifested. Without a wolf, I was useless. I couldn’t be a real Luna. I couldn’t be a true mate. Still, I always held out hope. I refused to give up on the dream that someday my wolf would emerge. That someday, Aaron would love me. It was the whole purpose of this visit to the doctor, alone. I wanted to know how I could be a full-fledged wolf… …so I could have a baby. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I didn’t know I needed to bring anyone,” I say as he stares at me. “I thought you were just giving me my test results.” He looks uncomfortable. Perhaps even anxious. Maybe he’s afraid Aaron will be mad that he treated me without his knowledge. “I know I’m a ‘late bloomer’ compared to other shifters,” I explain. “But there have been cases of wolves emerging later in life—” Ohhh, wait. Maybe he thought I needed to be here with my husband because of my symptoms. I’m tired all the time and I’ve been feeling nauseous lately. Maybe I’ve been feeling off, not because of my wolf, but because I’m carrying a baby. The thought ignites a spark of joy inside me. “Doctor,” I whisper, smiling. “Am I pregnant?” If I’m pregnant, maybe Aaron will finally mark me, and we can be a true family. Oh my gosh–a baby! Happy tears leak free. Doctor Henley coughs to clear his throat. He slides a stack of papers across the desk to me. “I’m afraid I have some… terrible news, ma’am.” I flip through the files, but I’m not sure what it all means. “You’re not pregnant, Luna Leah,” he says softly. “You have cancer. I’m sorry.” “What? No, that can’t be right.” I shake my head. I’m still reeling from the high of thinking I was carrying a child. I feel that loss to my soul. I can barely process that I have cancer. “I’m… I’m only twenty-three. And, my wolf healing should prevent me from getting sick!” He sighs. “It’s possible that this is why your wolf hasn’t surfaced. You have an aggressive form of liver cancer, and I’m afraid… you’re in the advanced stages now.” It feels like the ground crumbles beneath me, and I’m spiraling downward… He closes the file and comes around the desk to squat in front of me. He squeezes my hands for a second. “I’m sorry, truly.” I don’t respond. His dark eyes flit nervously around the room, and he adds in a voice so low I struggle to hear, “Are you still paying the blood debt?” I look down in embarrassment. It was a common form of reparation in peace treaties for surrendering wolves to offer their blood. Normally though, no one had to do it for as long as I did… I nod. “Yes, once a month. Aaron’s physician draws my blood personally.” “Your body will only weaken with more offerings. You have to stop.” My head is spinning. “What can be done, Doctor?” “I recommend seeking help at a facility that specializes in cancer treatment. Somewhere outside the pack.” He places his hand on my shoulder in comfort. “And I suggest you do it quickly.”
It’s raining when I leave Doctor Henley’s office in the city. I took a taxi here, alone, and I chose to walk back to our packlands, thirty miles away. Alone. People walking in umbrellas and driving in cars glance at me as I pass by, soaked through my clothes. But I don’t care. I’m dying. What difference did a little rain make? A black SUV pulls up beside me. The driver’s window rolls down, a large, brooding man sitting at the wheel, glares at me like I’m a wet stray on his doorstep. It’s Aaron’s Beta, James. He doesn’t say a word, his piercing eyes speaking for themselves, demanding I get in the car. I open the passenger door and get inside, shivering and turning up the heat. He doesn’t ask where I was, or what I was doing. I doubt he even cares. Despite technically being under my authority, James never liked me. Probably because before I came along, Aaron was supposed to marry his sister, Jessica. I’m pretty sure Aaron still loves her. The two are always together, and she hangs on his arm constantly. If I wasn’t around, he would already be mated to her by now. It’s one more pain in a list of so many. She would make the perfect Luna. Sweet and pleasing, obedient and submissive, and absolutely beautiful. Everything I am not. She has a big, strong wolf. She isn’t an enemy, a human…dying. The entire drive is quiet. But I can feel James’ glances next to me while I stare blankly ahead, replaying Doctor Henley’s words in my head… “Unfortunately, even if you do get proper treatment… That might only buy you a few extra months…” A few extra months… Ninety days, maybe even less. Before I came of age, I spent years dreaming of growing up. Getting my wolf, becoming Aaron’s mate, and making him love me. Tears silently streamed down my face. All those years, wasted on hopeless dreams. And now my days are numbered. Eventually we’re back in the packlands, and James drives us to Aaron’s private mansion, the guards waving him through the main gate. The security is meant to keep humans out. But it’s also to keep me in. Even if he didn’t love me, Aaron couldn’t risk losing me. I was his bargaining chip over my father’s pack. That’s all I ever was to him. I wipe the tears from my cheeks as James pulls the car to the front of the mansion. He stares at me curiously, and he looks like he’s about to say something. But he doesn’t. His usual indifference shouldn’t sting after all this time. But it does… My family was all to eager to barter me for peace, and even in making that sacrifice, I’ve gained no friends. I may be Luna, but this pack hates me. Even after all these years. When I die, they’ll probably throw a party. I get out and stare up at the massive house. Four stories of stone and ornate architecture. A grand estate fit for an Alpha’s home. “Was there something wrong with your phone today, Leah?” a dark, familiar voice asks. “Or are you just deaf?” The Alpha. My husband. Aaron. He storms through the front door and grabs my arm, dragging me inside the house into his private study. I twist my arm free from his hand, and his eyes flash gold. A warning. “Well?” he growls. I fish my phone out of my back pocket and hold it up for him to see. “My phone died.” He stalks toward me, and I instinctively step backwards. This Alpha is strong. This Alpha is merciless. This Alpha is angry. “Where the f*ck were you?” A day ago, I would’ve cowered. But now… “What does it matter?” I ask quietly. He stiffens. Aaron has seen all sides of me—stubborn, argumentative, happy, sad. Most times, I think I amuse him. But he’s never seen me so low. So utterly defeated. “Answer me, Leah. Now.” I look around the study, eying the rows of books on his wall-to-wall shelves. I spent a lot of time here as a kid, reading quietly while Aaron worked. I sniffle. And again, a flicker of shock crosses his face. I try my best to will my tears from falling. I wouldn’t cry for this man, who had taken me from my home. Who made me his wife, when he didn’t even love me. He snarls. “I said answer me!” Everything with this male speaks of extremes. Peace and quiet. Yelling and fighting. Being ignored–or ravished. Through his rage, I think back to the days and nights we spent in this room together, when life was simpler. When he was still somewhat good to me, out of kindness, or pity, or whatever reason. Many, many things had changed since then… He slams his hands against the wall on both sides of my head, and I’m like a prey, cornered and trapped beneath this predator. I crane my head to look up at him, and his scent wraps around me—rich and warm and enticing. He growls, and lowers his head to mine, his breath hot against my face, his chest against mine… His hardness against my belly. We’ve done this dance many times before. I fight or run. He hunts me down. Then he claims me. The gold returns to his eyes, his body heating up with desire. I suck in a breath. This man might hate me, but he can’t deny… He wants me.
His shoulders are wide and strong. His hair is dark, a bit long and disheveled. I’ve run my fingers through it countless times. He leans down and bites the curve of my neck. I tremble, and he growls approvingly. His mouth scorches a path from my throat to my ear. Then his other hand grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls my head back. “You still didn’t answer my question…” His eyes are golden and wild, barely containing the wolf inside him. His wolf is at the surface and his emotions are every bit as wild as the beast inside him. More extremes, I realize… Passion and rage. Pleasure and pain. Hate and love. Well, not love. At least not for him. “What will you do, Aaron?” I keep my gaze level on his. “F**k me against this wall?” His glaze flickers for a moment as if he’s eyeing the bookshelf for how sturdy it will be. “Torture me until you get what you want?” I shake my head even as it pulls out strands because he still has one hand gripped tight in my hair. “I’m done. I won’t live like this. I won’t love you anymore.” He jerks back, like I slapped him. I can see his arms flexing, his hands balled into knuckle-white fists. He’s furious now. Suddenly, Jessica walks in, pretending like she’s completely innocent and unaware. She’s holding a feather duster and wearing an obscenely short skirt… I roll my eyes. “What is this, your little French Maid fantasy?” Then I turn my gaze back to Aaron. I don’t bother hiding the jealousy—the hurt—in my eyes. Not this time. “She’s the one you really want, right? Then have her.” I shove past him and rush by Jessica out the door. I can hear her huff not-so-quietly, “Wh*re…” Aaron roars, “Don’t f*cking walk away from me!” But I won’t play weak and submissive like Jessica. I’m not his mate. I was never officially made a member of his pack. His Alpha powers have no hold on me. I only stop to look back at her. “You win, Jessica. You wanted him all these years. You snuck into his room to seduce him away from me, his wife… Well now he’s yours.” Tears finally slip and roll down my face. Aaron’s eyes widen. “I hope you’re happy together,” I whisper. Then I run, climbing the stairs to my room, and slam the door behind me. * * * * * * * * * AARON “What the hell is going on?!” I growl. Jessica stands beside me. She’s been mine since we were young. We know everything about each other. But even she can’t appease my anger now. “Get your brother,” I bark to her. “Tell him to meet me in the training ward. And the guards too. He’ll know what I mean.” “Y-Yes, Alpha,” she bows meekly, obviously sensing my rage. She hurries from the room and I’m alone, a strange, cold feeling spreading through my body. It sort of feels like the moment right before a battle, when the entire world stands still. The calm before the storm. The last few months have been stressful, with threats against the pack and careful plans I’d prepared that would change everything. And now, this outburst from Leah… I stare up the stairwell she’d run. I’ve never been rejected by a woman. And Leah has never once denied me in the five years we were married. She would always come to my bed unbidden, and stayed even after I was satisfied. She would cling to me in the afterglow, and press her naked body against mine… I rub my chest, trying to make that unsettling feeling go away. But it stays. I hear a door slam from somewhere in the house, where my little wife went to hide away. I can still smell her lingering scent—light and floral, and beneath that, the headier smell of her arousal. She might claim to hate me—but I know better. I can feel my canines sharpen and my claws extend all on their own. An Alpha isn’t supposed to be out of control like this. But I don’t f*cking care. ‘My silly little wife thinks she can disrespect me…? That she can run away from me…?’ My wolf howls… I climb the stairs three at a time to her bedroom. She caught me off guard in the study and got away. But she won’t get away so easily this time. The day she was pledged to me, I gave Leah only two rules: Don’t ever lie. And don’t ever run from me. She’s just broken both.
I bust through her door, breaking it off the hinges. “You don’t run from me,” I growl softly. “I own you.” She jumps but stands firm in the middle of the bedroom. The room looks the same as it did since she first moved in, just as I ordered. Pink walls. A pile of her stuffed animals in the corner. No photos or mementos from her old pack. She didn’t decorate any part of the room herself. But still… parts of her invade the space. Her hair ties on the vanity, a couple scattered on the floor. She picks and plays nervously with the one around her wrist. A habit she never outgrew. Her books are around the room. On the bed, the nightstand. Stacked in high piles. On the floor. Worn clothes are piled in her hamper. Her damned scent is everywhere. “There’s nowhere to run now, Leah.” She straightens her back, squaring off with me. This is far from our first fight. Stubborn fucking woman, sometimes I wonder if she does it on purpose, provoking me. Poking and prodding at the wolf until it bites. Part of me wonders if she likes that side of me—the feral one, that is all passion and need. For certain, she is the only female I’ve come across that can get under my skin so completely. I grab her waist and lift her off her feet, and she gasps. I inhale deep through my nose. I don’t smell another male on her. If I did, there’s no telling what I’d do. She continues glaring at me. It would be so easy, to wrap her legs around my waist, grind her hot little c*nt against my d*ck… But then, her eyes glisten, and I hesitate. “If you’re going to force me, Aaron…” she says, “just do it already.” I search her face. There’s usually fire in her eyes during our intimate moments. She usually fights, resists, then yields to me and gives in to the pleasure I give her. That’s our M.O. And it plays out almost every day of the week. I don’t even mind that she challenges me. Something about it makes the victory that much more sweet. But her eyes are cold now. Her body is aroused, I can smell the way she reacts between her thighs… But there’s no fire, and suddenly… It doesn’t feel right to play the same game we always do. Now, I want to do something different… I lower her to the floor gently and draw her close. “What…” She blinks rapidly. “What’re you doing?” I push the hair away from her face and kiss her forehead. Her eyes. Her cheeks. Then finally, her soft, plush mouth that haunts my dreams. Slowly. Lovingly. I never go this slow when we have sex. It’s usually rough and hard. I’ve never actually made love to my wife before. But I intend to right now. Leah can sense the change in my actions, softer and gentler than ever before, and she shudders. “Aaron, wait—” I catch her lips, my tongue softly caressing hers. My arms are next to her head, holding me above her as I cover her with my body. I break our lips apart for just a moment to quickly peel off my shirt and throw it across the room, then return to her. I kiss her face, brushing my lips across her freckles, then trail my lips down her neck, to the freckle on her shoulder. She has them all over her body. I know where each one is. Behind her right knee. On her left hip. Under her breasts. Inside her thigh, right next to her weeping center… I note to myself to kiss every single one, thoroughly exploring her body. Worship every inch of her skin with my hands and lips, tearing an orgasm or two or three from her body and listening to her cry out my name in ecstasy. I always love the way she sounds, moaning my name. Only then would I unzip my pants, and inch by inch push my c*ck inside her warmth. I’ve probably f*cked her on every surface of this room. But tonight, I want to have her in bed. Like husbands and wives do. I carry her to the bed, and when she looks up at me, her eyes are wide and glossy in the most alluring way. The same way they always are when she’s ready. But she still looks deep in thought. Not upset like before, but not quite happy or turned on either. I kiss her again, stealing the breath from her lungs, determined to push away her pressing thoughts and get her to let go… “The door…?” she whispers, eyes flitting to her broken doorway. I chuckle against her mouth, quickly peeling her clothes off her body. “You should’ve thought about that before you ran, sweetheart.” She gulps. There’s no room for conversation now. I capture her lips once more, then drag my teeth and tongue all over her body. I take my time at her most sensitive spots. The curve of her neck, where I bite and suck, making sure to leave marks. Her taut, dusty colored nipples, I tease and lick while my fingers rub her over her damp panties. Her back arches when I finally pull her panties aside, and gift her sad, wet p*ssy with my mouth, pushing my tongue deep inside and licking faster when I feel she’s close, then pulling away right as she’s about to fall over the edge. I don’t let her come until she begs me, and give her two of my fingers inside while I suck hard on her swollen little cl*t. She comes two more times on my tongue, before I finally push my aching c*ck inside and thrust into her, slowly at first because I wanted to be tenderbwith her. But her wet heat feels too f*cking good around me, and my movements turn faster and harder. Her arms and legs wrap around me like a vice, and I growl as her nails scratch down my back, drawing blood. She screams as I wring another intense orgasm out of her overstimulated body, loud enough for the whole house to hear, and I grin. I’d fuck her in front of the whole pack if I could. To make sure everyone knows exactly who she belongs to. As she clenches and pulses around me, I feel myself edging closer, and with a few more thrusts I groan into her neck and spill my seed deep inside her. My orgasm brings her over the edge one last time, her body shaking as I fill her to the brim with my come. When I draw back, her eyes are glazed over and she’s breathing fast. I sigh softly. I lost control, and went back to taking her roughly, like an animal. I cup her cheek softly. “Tell me where you went,” I whisper. Her heart is still hammering, but she slowly comes back to reality. “No.” She moves her cheek away from my hand and laughs darkly. “Oh, and, Aaron? I want a divorce…”
Rage spreads through me like a wildfire, and it’s a miracle I don’t shift right now. “Think about what you’re saying, Leah,” I warn. “Our marriage is the only thing keeping the peace. You leave, and I’ll have no choice but to take action.” “Come on, Aaron, be reasonable. Our packs have thrived in the ceasefire. Fighting would make zero sense.” I shake my head in disbelief at the sheer hubris of this woman. She wasn’t around for the horrors of her father’s reign as Alpha. She has no idea of the slaughter and horror that shattered my world. She didn’t have to bury the bloody remains of a sibling… I stare into her eyes, stubborn defiance swirling within. She’s already shown me she can’t be trusted, with her sneaking away, doing Goddess knows what… “You’re forcing my hand, Leah. You’ll regret it.” Her face hardens, and any affection or warmth that she held for me moments before is gone. “It’s my life, Aaron.” I tear myself from her arms and shoot up from the bed, pulling my pants back up. She sounds like a bratty child, not the wife of the most powerful Alpha in the region. She doesn’t get to run off and do what she wants. “Where did you go?” I ask her sternly. “What are you hiding?” Her lips are pressed into a thin line. A voice in the back of my head tells me to calm down, to not do something I’ll regret. But I’ve had enough. I grab her wrist and drag her out of bed and through her broken door. Then I push her into a spare bedroom and lock the door and her inside. My heart is pounding in my ears as I walk away. She’ll stay inside that room until she’s ready to talk. Guards will stand outside to make sure she doesn’t run off again. This is a punishment, I tell myself. This is what she deserves. So why is that cold, aching feeling in my chest back again? I storm outside through the back gardens to the elevator that will take me to the estate’s underground training facility. “Clear the field!” I shout as soon as the elevator doors open. There are at least a dozen wolves training. They all stop what they’re doing and immediately obey. James comes out from the elevator behind me, just as all the trainees file in anxiously. I ask. “Where was she?” “I don’t know.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “And the guards on patrol?” “On their way here.” They’ll be lucky if I let them live. We had an attack on our pack recently, and several wolves were killed. No evidence. No scent trail to follow. Then today, barely a week later, my wife manages to evade a whole contingent of guards and my Beta to go gods knows where. The rain would’ve wiped out her scent too. Mighty convenient if you asked me. “How did she get off packlands without anyone knowing?!” I snarl. “You found her and brought her back?” James shakes his head. “I found her walking back our way. She got into the car willingly. She didn’t say where she’d been.” “Didn’t say? Or you didn’t ask?” His face is stone cold. “Neither.” I narrow my eyes. “What the f*ck are you Beta for, if you can’t complete one simple task?” He bristles, clearly furious. But he doesn’t argue. He knows better. “The Luna of this pack—my wife—was gone and unaccounted for for several hours. So, I’ll ask you again…” I stalk towards him. “Where. Was. She?” James’ wolf is at the surface now. He spits, “Ask her yourself.” It’s the closest he’s come to mouthing off at me. But it’s just enough to set my wolf off. I lunge. My wolf tears at his skin, my teeth and claws sinking into his flesh… * * * * * * * * * * * LEAH It’s been a few days since Aaron locked me in this room. Every morning, he asks the same question. “Are you ready to tell me the truth?” Every morning, I ask the same question. “Are you ready to give me a divorce?” Then he doesn’t say a word, and I hear his heavy steps walk away. There’s no food. I drink water from the bathroom tap. My stomach aches and twists with hunger so much, I’m dizzy. I don’t know if the pain I feel is from being starved… or if it’s the cancer. When I’m too tired to move, I cry. And when I can’t cry anymore, I sleep. The minutes start feeling like hours… Stay positive, I repeat to myself. Just stay positive. You’ll be alright. I keep thinking if I say it enough times, I’ll believe it. I don’t dream when I sleep. I wish I did. It would make the waking moments more bearable. Because when I wake, I just feel sorry for myself. For the time I had in this life that I never appreciated. For all the things I’ve longed for and wished for that will never be. Sometimes I think Aaron’s outside, listening, thinking of letting me out. But that’s just wishful thinking. To him, I’m just a warm body. A pawn in his game, and occasionally someone to fuck. Not family. Not his love… After the fifth day, I don’t feel hunger pangs anymore. Just pain. Everywhere. On day six. He greets me at the door, carrying a platter of fresh fruit and meats. “Your phone died so we can’t trace where you went. You ready to tell me? And who you were with?” Maybe the starvation drove me mad. Because I still choose to be defiant. “I’m not telling you anything. I’m done, Aaron. If you want peace, I’ll make sure my father keeps it. But I’m tired of living like this. I wanted a real marriage. A real love. But I’m done loving you.” My words don’t faze him. Instead, he laughs. “Oh, so you’re telling me you want to keep staying here and reflect on how to be a better wife? No problem…” He yells down the hall, “Jessica!” She comes running in obediently, holding a phlebotomy kit. “It’s time to take Leah’s blood debt. Be a dear and draw it from her,” he tells her. “You son of a b*tch,” I sneer. I scramble backward on the bed. But there’s nowhere to go. I’m a wounded animal in their trap. “Leave me alone!” She makes a show of it all. Slowly putting on gloves, flicking the needle. She’s enjoying this… I flinch when she grabs my arm. “Stop!” “You owe us,” she utters, her blue eyes filled with pure hate. She jams the needle into my arm, and I bite my lip from crying out. My blood instantly spills through the needle and into the tube, filling the blood bag. Aaron stands there watching, indifferent to my pain. “It’s the anniversary of the slaughter. Draw a second offering.” My vision dims as Jessica forces the blood from my body. I’m too weak to fight. I fall back, my eyes flickering open and closed. Through the darkness I hear his voice. “Come on. The chef prepared breakfast for us.” I open my eyes, and they’re strolling out of the room, Jessica holding bags of my blood in one hand, the other through Aaron’s arm. I scream, “I hate you!” I think maybe he pauses for just the briefest second. But then he’s gone, shutting the door, and locking it behind him…
I don’t know what day it is now. All I know is the fever. The chills. The pain. I haven’t left the bed in a while. The air is thick. My eyes feel heavy. So heavy… Suddenly, the door slams open. I try to lift my head, but I can hardly move. There’s screaming, and the guards are struggling with a tall male. Then there’s Aaron, cursing with fury… And a familiar voice, shouting, “What the hell did you do to her?!” “Adam…?” I croak. Aaron slams him against the wall. I push myself up on shaky arms. Adam is my best friend from home. “Is this who you snuck away with? Went to feed more info to your bastard father!” My head spins, from the sudden movement, and from Aaron’s words… The two men are screaming and growling at one another, uncontrollably shifting into their lycan forms, barely being held back from tearing each other apart. Something compels me to get between them. But as I stand, my legs crumple beneath me, and I fall to the floor. Everything starts to go dark. I can hear a man shouting my name, and strong arms lifting me. But my eyes won’t open, and I think… maybe this is death. Then, I feel nothing. When I open my eyes again, I’m in Aaron’s room. The huge suite has dark blue walls and a giant bed. The white sheets are silk and soft and smell like him. I sit up slowly. There’s a tray of food beside me. I should be hungry, but I’m not. After going so long without food, I’ve lost my appetite. Maybe that’s a good thing. I read somewhere that fasting can help cleanse the body of defective cells. Maybe Aaron did me a favor. Adam’s sitting on a chair. He’s a few years older than me. A couple of inches over six feet tall, with light brown hair and light green eyes. He’s good looking. Nice. Calm. Even as a child, he was an intellectual, where the rest of my pack was singularly focused on war. “This isn’t my room,” I say. Adam shrugs. “Your husband insisted.” “How are you here?” “Why the hell didn’t you call me?” he says. I reach for the glass of orange juice. It’s probably going to burn my stomach, but the sweet, fresh juice has me salivating. I take a careful sip and try to gather my thoughts. I was locked in a room, so weak I fainted. Now I’m in Aaron’s room and my childhood friend is here. And he’s angry I haven’t called him!? “Adam.” I hold the glass in both hands. “We haven’t talked in years. Why would I call in the first place? If you missed me so much, you could’ve called me.” I get to see my family a few times a year. There are even escorted visits back to my packlands. Only home doesn’t feel like home anymore. Everyone there…they’ve moved on. So when I come back, it’s always awkward. Like seeing me is a reminder of what they did to secure their way of life. Adam stands and then leans over the bed, one arm on either side of me, caging me in in a move I’d expect from Aaron, not my old childhood friend. He starts examining my eyes. Prying open my mouth to look down my throat. “Dude… stop.” “No. You came to my pack hospital, Leah. I run that facility. Did you seriously think that Dr. Henley wouldn’t share your bloodwork? I gasp. That explains why he came. Because he knows I’m sick. He shoves away from the bed and paces the room. “Does your piece-of-shit husband know?” I cringe. “Lower your voice,” I tell him. Aaron has fought over lesser insults. He freezes. “Then he doesn’t know.” I shake my head. “You need to tell him.” “Why?” Adam’s mouth drops open. “Seriously. Explain to me why I should tell him anything.” Adam’s pensive. Finally, he says, “Fine. Leave the bastard in the dark. But then come home.” With my days numbered… I’m not sure I want to spend them there either. “Leah, you need to come home.” Do I? I’m not so sure. “Let me spell some things out for you. I was barely thirteen years old when my mother died, and my father dragged our pack into even more brutal battles with the Rathborns. My mom was killed by the very bastards I’ve been forced to live with all these years. Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of her, that I don’t miss her.” He frowns. “I wanted to stay with my family. I needed them. I was devastated and grieving. But instead, my father pledged me, like some piece of chattel or a pawn, to an Alpha who has hated me and every one of my bloodline since before I was born.” Adam crosses his arms. “I was taken away from my family and everyone I’ve ever known. I was imprisoned here. I’ve never been respected or made to feel welcome. I’m not treated with kindness. Not even by my husband–and I’m ten times the fool, because I loved that brute, and actually wanted to become his bride.” “Leah, you have–” “Let me finish. My love has been one-sided for far too long.” I think about that for a moment. As a teen, I latched onto Aaron because he was nice to me. Some twisted form of Stockholm Syndrome surely. Or just the desperation of a too-young, too-dumb girl. Too lonely girl. But I’m not that girl anymore. “Leah, I’ve read the reports… You’re terminal. You are going to die.” “Yes. We all die, Adam. Some sooner than others.” “Your husband is an Alpha. He can mate you. Maybe he can force your wolf to rise.” Does he think I haven’t already thought of all these things? “There are risks,” he goes on, “but you have a chance.” I eat a few bites of bread and my stomach knots around them. Biting a human to ‘turn’ them is a rite that requires approval from the Council and even when it is sanctioned, very few humans survive the transition. I might get a pass given my lineage, and we could forego the formality of petitioning them since I am already Aaron’s wife, but that still doesn’t mean it would work. And if he mates me… “What then, Adam? At best I’m stuck, forever bound to a man that hates me. At worst, my sickness kills him through our bond, and then we’re right back to war.” He clasps my hands. “There are treatments, Leah. I graduated from NYU. I did my residency at MD Anderson. I’ll pull together a treatment plan. You can fight this.” Yes, I suppose I can. But do I want to? Adam’s hands are smooth and tapered. The hands of a surgeon. Not a warrior. He wears a suit and an expensive watch. He’s a powerful, wealthy, high-ranking member of my father’s pack. Most females would fawn over him. His bright green eyes search mine. “I can take care of you, Leah…” I’m still thinking about his offer when there’s a growl at the door.
The door slams open a moment later. Aaron’s eyes take me in. On the bed. Adam sitting beside me and his hands holding mine. He growls again. “Stop!” I yell. “This is my friend, Aaron. One of the only ones I have. And just where the hell do you get off acting jealous, when you’ve got Jessica trying to hump you every time you turn down the hall?” He scoffs. Then he turns to Adam. “Your visit is over. Get out.” Aaron comes within inches of Adam and his nostrils flare. He’s looking for evidence. “I’m not lying! Will you stop already!” Adam rocks back on his heels. His smile is confident, taunting. “It’s been incredible seeing you, Leah. And I’ll be sure to get things ready for when you come home.” He means with my treatments. Aaron snarls. “My wife isn’t going anywhere.” Adam glances at me. “You need to tell him.” “Tell me what!” Aaron shouts. I press my lips together. Adam sighs. He sidesteps Aaron and walks out. His men surround him. “Your boy looks awful smug, but he won’t be laughing for long,” Aaron says. “What does that mean?” I ask. He shrugs. “Let’s just say, big changes are coming. And they’re coming soon…” * * * * * * * * AARON Leah is nervous. She’s doing that thing with her hair and eyeing me like I’m a predator who hasn’t eaten in a week. Speaking of… she looks terrible. Too skinny and weak. Her scent is off too. “What’s wrong with you?” I ask. She blanches. “Nothing.” “I’ve warned you about lying to me, princess.” She twists another curl. “I haven’t eaten in days, Aaron. What the hell did you think would happen?” Fair. But I never expected her to hold out this long. There were nights when I wanted to break down the door and force her to answer me. But her will is strong. Too strong. And though I’ve done many things I’m not proud of, I’ve never beaten my wife. But that’s not to say I won’t. Always, pack comes first. Always. If she is a threat to them, she’ll find I won’t be as patient as I have been. I push the platter of food toward her. It’s filled with meat and vegetables. “Eat,” I command her. She gradually picks up a roasted vegetable. But I don’t think she does it to obey me, or even because she needs the sustenance, her whole demeanor is just bored. While she was locked away these last days, I structured the plans to ensure our pack’s safety. Her father’s pack won’t survive. It’ll all come out at the Regional Council meeting. Once the Collective sees what Alpha Roberts has done, they’ll seize his lands, accounts, and corporations. The Council will order his execution. It’s a ruthless strategy, even for me. But I’ll do it. For my pack… I’ll do anything. “What have you done, Aaron?” Leah whispers, watching me carefully. She knows me well, this woman. “Aaron, answer me.” Now it’s my turn to be smug. “No.” Besides, she’ll see soon enough, and the fallout of what’s about to transpire will ripple through these packs for years to come.
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