Chapter 115


    E


    Tears are streaming down Sinir’s face as he relives his Mother’s death, and I’m


    doing my best not to burst into outright sobs. My heart aches for the little boy he once


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    was, and for the burden he obviously still carries today. Hearing this story, I


    understand that hisst conversation with his mother had truly stayed with him over


    the years, shaping him into the man before me now.


    “Afterwards, I leaned that she’d gotten Roger out of the house only to realize that I


    wasn’t there.”


    Sinir Continues, wiping his eyes. “She ran back in to get me, even though the


    guards tried to stop her.” Sinir rtes, “So you see, that’s why Roger always


    med me… he wasn’t wrong. If I’d listened to her the first time, if I’d gone outside


    when she told me to, she would still be alive now.”


    “But Pancake wouldn’t.” I remind him thickly.


    The corners of his mouth quirk up, “It was almost thirty years ago, baby. Pancake is


    long gone.”


    “You know what I mean” I chide him. “And your mother understood because you were


    doing exactly what she was trying to teach you – to protect those more vulnerable


    than yourself.”


    “I know.” He confesses. “I spent years in therapy,


    Just trying toe to terms with the fact that it was her choice. I was a child and


    couldn’t have understood the danger, and she didn’t have toe after me.”


    “But she was your mother, it wasn’t even a question for her.” I murmur, twining my


    limbs with his so he can feel my solid weight in his arms. “She wanted you to live


    much more than she cared about her own survival.”


    He nods wordlessly, his eyes still distant, as if he hasn’t truly returned to the present.


    “I understand that, but sometimes I still think that if it wasn’t for me, she never would


    have needed to make a choice in the first ce. My decision that day took her from


    Dad and Roger and the pack.”


    “Did you ever find out how the fire started?” I ask softly, running my fingers through


    the dark, thick locks of his hair.


    “In the weeks after the fire, it became clear that it was arson.” Sinir exins


    hoarsely. “Dad was away on pack business, and it was well known that Mom was


    home with the pups. We were never able to prove it, but we always suspected the


    attack was political. King Xavier was on the throne then, and my father was his right


    hand and next in line. All the politics that are ying out today – they were already


    under way back then.”


    “You think it was the King – the current one, I mean?” I inquire.


    Sinir sighs, his emotions less potent now that we’ve moved on to politics. “The


    problem with being the biggest and baddest wolf around is that it puts a colossal


    target on your back. And the worse thing is that you’re so hard to kill and people are


    often so afraid of taking you on directly, that they go after your family instead.” Sinir


    shares. “It might not be as effective as killing you, but Alphas who lose their mate and


    pups rarely recover fully.”


    Sinir pauses to nuzzle my neck and caress my belly, as if reminding himself that


    Rafe and I are safe. “It could have been anyone, but I actually think Xavier is a more


    likely suspect than the current king – my father was younger and not quite strong


    enough yet to rule, but it was clear he would be soon. Xavier didn’t have heirs and


    though he still had a lot of time left to try and make them, I think the writing was


    already on the wall. My father was too strong and too well liked.”


    “Dominic, if it was arson then it wasn’t your decision that took your mother, it was


    Xavier’s, or whoever was responsible. It wasn’t some tragic ident, it was murder.” I


    argue, hating the guilt still dominating my mate’s expression.


    He gazes down at me tenderly. “You don’t have to worry, E. I’m okay – I forgave


    myself a long time ago.”


    “But Dominic, there’s nothing to forgive.” I insist, near tears again. “It wasn’t your


    fault.” I pull back far enough to look into his emerald eyes. “I can tell you right now,


    that if it came down to me or Rafe, I would choose him every time – even tiny as he is.


    And I wouldn’t ever want him to think that my sacrifice wasn’t worth it, or to me


    himself”


    “Shhh,” Sinir tucks my head under his chin, stroking my spine. “It’s okay, little wolf. I


    know.”


    “Stopforting me! I’m supposed to beforting you.” Iin. Trying and


    failing to wriggle free.


    “You are.” Sinir lies – the rat. “Itforts me just holding you this way.”


    Settling, I decide to change tactics. “Do you have any idea how proud your mother


    would be, if she could see you today?” I ask him softly, hoping to help ease his pain


    but speaking withplete honestly. “You became exactly the man she hoped you


    would. You never lost sight of what matters most, even when the whole world was


    working against you. You lead with love instead of fear, and you don’t confuse


    strength with cruelty.”


    “Now you’re just ttering me.” Sinir rumbles with amusement.


    “I’m not.” I bite back. “Do you remember when we first met, and you still thought I was


    a scheming gold digger?”


    “Oh yes, I’m sure that would have made my mother very proud.” Sinir jokes.


    “When you realized you were wrong, you owned up to your mistake.” I continue


    determinedly. “And when you saw I was hurting, your first instinct was to hug me. You


    didn’t even think about it. I remember being so shocked, because here was this huge,


    terrifying predator – and you held me more gently and with morepassion than


    anyone in my entire life.”


    A pleased purr vibrates beneath my hands. “You make me sound like my father, that’s


    exactly how I used to think of him. He could go from being a grizzly to a teddy bear in


    the blink of an eye.”


    “Exactly.” I confirm. “I wish you could see yourself the way I do, Dominic. If you could,


    you’d know I’m not just trying to pump up your ego – which, for the record, I wouldn’t


    do because it’s already big enough.” I quip, yelping when Sinir pinches my bottom.


    “I’m telling you how proud your mother would be, because I believe it with every fiber


    of my being.”


    “Thank you, sweetheart.” Sinir professes, kissing me. I eagerly return the gesture,


    tilting my head to give him full reign of my mouth, and pressing my curves closer to his


    hard body.


    We’re just starting to get carried away when a knock sounds at the door, and Hugo’s


    reluctant voice floats through the wood. “Alpha, it’s urgent.”


    Sinir reluctantly extracts himself from my arms, and strides to the door, as naked as


    the day he was born. I hide my own nudity beneath the covers, burrowing deeper into


    my nest as the Beta stalks into the room, not batting an eye at the scene awaiting him.


    Instead he goes straight to the TV console against the far wall, clicking the remote


    and bringing the screen to life. He flips the channels until the devicends on a


    breaking news report.


    An image of Lydia and the Prince appears in the top left frame of a news report,


    above a headline reading: No longer in mourning? The Prince spotted in Old Town


    with former Moon Valley Luna, Lydia Sinir.


    My jaw drops, and my brain scrambles to piece together the implications of this news.


    I’m momentarily distracted by the way the reporters identified Lydia using Sinir’s


    name, feeling a rush of indignance for this slight. I pull the sheets from the bed,


    wrapping them around my body and moving to Sinir’s side. He tucks me under his


    arm as Hugo increases the volume on the television.


    “Mere weeks after the unspeakable tragedy of the Princess Angeline’s murder, her


    widower and political candidate Prince Damon was seen out and about with Moon


    Valley’s former Luna. When asked for ament, the pair reported that they are just


    friends, sharing that Lydia stepped forward to offer the Princefort in his time of


    need – being no stranger to tragedy herself.


    Despite the tonic nature of their rtionship, onlookers could help but notice how


    cozy the couple appeared, with many expressing hope that the prominent she-wolf


    can offer the grieving Prince sce at this difficult time. Are we witnessing a new it


    couple in the making? Is Lydia’s friendship with the Prince going to throw off Dominic


    Sinir’s campaign? And where is the Moon Valley Alpha and his new mate E? The


    pair haven’t been seen publicly in weeks, and spection is brewing. All this and


    more, when we return.”


    “Turn it off.” Sinir rumbles, exhaling when the Screen goes dark again. The three of


    us exchange worried nces as the sound disappears, and I can tell we’re all thinking


    the same thing. “What the actual fuck?”