《The Perfect Luna》 Chapter 1: Stunned Chapter 1: Stunned Riannon stood there not quite believing her eyes. Her husband of six years had his arm wrapped around a petite girl in the middle of their pack house. The cute ginger head peeked at her discretely and Ria could swear that she saw a smirk for half of a second. ¡°Ri, dear,¡± Brayden, her legal husband, chosen mate and the Alpha of their pack addressed her in a way he always did when they were alone, ¡°I need to confess¡­ I have found my true mate. Her name is Roxanne.¡± The silence in the room was deadly since the moment the two of them walked in, holding hands. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes were on the three of them. The Alpha, the Luna and the Alpha¡¯s mate. Ria couldn¡¯t force herself to say anything, so Brayden took the lead. ¡°Listen, I know that we are chosen mates and you will always be my Luna, I assure you of that. But since my wolf saw Roxy, he is going nuts. It will be bad for the pack if I rejected her now. He wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with it. And it will weaken us.¡± There it was ¨C the excuse! The two of them were school sweethearts, the perfect couple. Rhiannon was a daughter and the heiress of a powerful Alpha from a very strong pack. Brayden was her father¡¯s best friend¡¯s son and the future Alpha of his own pack. Since they started dating when she was just 15 and he was 16, everybody couldn¡¯t stop buzzing that they were true mates. They always were the IT couple and everyone envied their love. Besides, as a daughter of any alpha, Ria was educated to be a Luna one day. And not just any Luna. The perfect one. She spent all her free time studying what she would have to do for the rest of her life. And she mastered every single thing to perfection. So that when she was 18 and ready to marry Bray, she would be prepared. But Bray¡¯s 18th birthday was first. She trembled to meet him on that day, longing to hear the one and only most significant word of both of their lives ¨C mate. He came to her pack early that day and she ran down the stairs to greet him. But as she ran, both their smiles faded a bit. She couldn¡¯t feel anything, but he already knew. ¡°We are not mates, aren¡¯t we?¡± she asked, tears trickling down her chin. ¡°Not the fated ones,¡± Brayden sighed heavily and locked her in his arms, his lips in her hair. They stood like this for quite some time, waiting for the disappointment to wash away. And when they were ready, Bran took her face into his hands and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Ri! I choose you! I will always choose you! No matter what, no one can break the love between us. You will be my mate, my chosen mate! My one and only!¡± It did help that their families practically nned the whole wedding at this point. Her father had no son anymore, since Riannon¡¯s older brother died young trying to save their little twin sisters from the rogues. All of them died as a result and Ria was the only one left. So, there was a pressing matter of who would be inheriting the pack. And Bray seemed like the obvious choice. The two of them loved each other and no family members were against the merger of the two strong packs. A contract was drawn but Bran suggested waiting until Riannon was 19. He told her that he made his choice but wanted for her to try and find her mate before she made hers. They were visiting other packs for the whole year before her next birthday. And then got married one monthter, since no mates were found but their feelings were only getting stronger. They became the power couple of the werewolf world and merged both their packs into one, year by year working to make it stronger. And now at twenty-five, Ria was a renowned Luna whom everyone admired. Riannon traced her gaze around the room and saw the shocked faces of her packmates. Yet she couldn¡¯t help but notice that not everyone seemed startled by the recent events. Her husband¡¯s Beta was watching quietly from the distance, his hands crossed at his chest. But absolutely no surprise in his eyes. However, the most stunned among them all was still Riannon herself. Although not for the reasons that they all assumed. Her fingers were trembling and lips twitching slightly as she looked at her husband and his true mate with wide eyes. ¡°No,¡± she muttered, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be!¡± Why would the Moon Goddess return her into that exact moment in time when all her life turned upside down, leading to her demise. Just seconds ago, Ria was crawling over the ground in the woods, fighting for her life as two creatures followed her closely. The wolf found her first, digging his sharp canines into her flesh and making her wince in pain. She was a strong wolf herself, but unfortunately, someone drugged her with aconite, making her weak, unable to shift and practically paralysed. The wolf growled as he ripped a part of her thigh off and for the first time ever Riannon screamed loudly. ¡°You can shout all you want,¡± the girl who stepped forward said, ¡°No one is going to hear you here and now.¡± Ria recognised that voice at once. Her tormentor was none other than her husband¡¯s true mate, Roxanne. ¡°You?!¡± Ria panted, trying to sit up, ¡°Why are you doing it? You already took everything from me?! My husband, my position as Luna, my pack¡­¡± The wolf growled at her and she tried to recognize him but it was too dark and she was too weak. The only thing that she knew was that the werewolf was brown. Yet there were many brown wolves in the world so it did not help. ¡°I have my reasons,¡± Roxy smirked, rubbing her round belly, ¡°And I don¡¯t have to exin them to you. Not anymore. Your time has passed. You are done, Riannon.¡± ¡°They will find everything out!¡± the ex-Luna pleaded, ¡°You will not get away with it!¡± Resoundingugher was her answer as Roxy kneeled next to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair, ¡°Dear, Riannon, don¡¯t you get it? I already did!¡± She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground and ordered the wolf, ¡°Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.¡± Her arms and her legs were not listening anymore as Riannon watched Roxy walk away leisurely. As if she did not just order to murder her. A tear trickled down her cheek as the wolf had a moment of hesitation. She did not deserve it! It was not fair! If she had another chance, she would do everything differently. ¡°I am waiting!¡± Roxanne¡¯s sweet voice broke her train of thought as the wolf jumped over her and ended her life in seconds. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Riannon gasped as she suddenly found herself in the reception room of her house. Something was off because all the old furniture that she loved so much was in ce. She couldn¡¯t understand what was going on until Bran walked in with Roxy in his arms and she recognized the day as exactly one year ago. ¡°Moon Goddess has some sick sense of humour!¡± Ria thought to herself, ¡°Out of all of the moments of my life, she brought me back into this most miserable and unpleasant one. What is up with that?!¡± Luckily, she was always reserved and knew how to hide her feeling pretty well. So, she just lifted her chin up and met her husband¡¯s gaze. ¡°I understand that this is very sudden,¡± Bran tried to sound considerate and she barely managed to hold back a scoff. Sudden? He had no idea! ¡°I know our agreement, but my wolf is going nuts. You are not only my Luna but also my best friend, who always understands me. And I know that you always want what¡¯s best for the pack. Roxanne is an omega and an orphan, in her pack¡­ Ri, it was horrible how she was treated there! They abused her and treated her as a ve. I couldn¡¯t leave her there. It would be horrible and my wolf would never forgive me.¡± He finally let go of Roxanne, leaving the redhead alone and came to his wife, taking her hands in his. ¡°Let her stay in the pack for the sake of it. My wolf is stronger next to her, the rejection would kill him. And we can give Roxy a peaceful life here. She will¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± the answer sounded calm yet loud enough for everyone to hear¡­ Chapter 2: Rejection Chapter 2: Rejection They all stared at her in shock, Bray¡¯s eyes were as wide as two saucers. ¡°Ri, my wolf¡­¡±, he started the same song again and she wanted tough. She already heard it all back in her previous life. He was bringing up his wolf every time he wanted to spend time with Roxy. He never rejected her like they agreed and very soon she became his mistress. Riannon tried to close her eyes even though it was extremely painful for her. But she was the one who truly cared about the pack and tried to drown herself in work. This was her other mistake. But since she got a second chance, she was not going to repeat it. She was going to get rid of Roxy here and now. Until it was toote. Back then, Bray told her that it was her choice, and she chose wrong. Letting Roxanne stay for the sake of the pack was a big mistake. People died because of that and not only her. Ria¡¯s eyes met with her best friend Maya¡¯s and tears almost rolled in her eyes. Maya was one of those killed in Roxy¡¯s schemes. She had her doubts before but now she knew for sure. She was going to get rid of this evil once and for all. ¡°I said no,¡± she repeated herself and looked back at her husband with coldness, ¡°We talked about this before and came to an agreement. We¡¯ll find a good pack for her, who will take care of her. But she will not stay here. You need to reject her just as we agreed.¡± One question that was bothering her was why Bran chose to have this conversation in public. But it wasn¡¯t the time to think about it. Now she had more pressing matters. ¡°Riannon,¡± Bray suddenly got serious, stepping in front of Roxanne, who was hiding behind him and shaking like a leaf in the wind, ¡°Think about this. I wouldn¡¯t ask you if it wasn¡¯t important. I am the Alpha of our pack and my wolf is going crazy for his mate. We can¡¯t risk¡­¡± ¡°Brayden,¡± she addressed him calmly, ¡°Our pack is one of the strongest in the country. We are not at war with anyone. And you are a strong Alpha. I believe in you, I always did. You know that. I am sure that rejecting your true mate would not be easy, but we will get through it. As a family that we are.¡± ¡°I just want what¡¯s best for the pack,¡± Bray mumbled, not sounding so sure anymore and Ria felt a prick of hope. ¡°If you want what¡¯s best for the pack, do it now,¡± she said, ¡°The longer you put it off, the harder it would get. And if she is anything, she is your weakness. You already go back on your word and this is day one.¡± His lips twitched slightly, and Ria knew what it meant. Her victory was close. She almost got rid of this redhead monster. Sighing, Bran turned to Roxanne and spoke to her softly, ¡°I am sorry. I¡¯ll make sure to take care of you afterwards. I promise¡­¡± Ria did not notice how hard she clenched the fabric of her dress. Was this always this easy? Could she stop all the disasters that happened to her if she simply said no at once? Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I, Alpha Brayden Thorn of the Silver River pack, reject¡­¡±, her husband started to say in a firm voice, when the omega in front of him fell to her knees, bursting in tears. ¡°Please, no!¡± she whimpered, ¡°I am still too weak! I will die if you reject me now! Please! I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Bray froze. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to reject this little delicate mate of his. And this was the moment when Riannon realised that everything was lost. He turned to face her again and she held his gaze with pride. ¡°Please, Alpha!¡± Roxy started to sob and Ria had to give it to her. If she didn¡¯t know who was before her, she would have bought it too. ¡°I will be your ve! I can clean and I can cook! I can do anything! Just, please, spare me! Don¡¯t do this! I will serve to your Luna!¡± A wave of electric shock went through Ria at the mention of her. She looked at her rival and met a gaze full of well-hidden hatred. ¡°Please, my Luna!¡± the girl kept begging still kneeling, ¡°My fate is in your hands! Please, don¡¯t kill me! Please, spare me! I will be your ve forever. Don¡¯t kill me!¡± No one spoke a word and the only sounds in the room were the pitiful sobs and sniffs of Roxanne. ¡°Sweet girl,¡± Riannon decided to try onest time, ¡°There is no need for all that. You will be well taken care of, but just not here.¡± ¡°Please, my Luna!¡± Roxy crawled to her way faster than Ria managed to dodge her and grasped her dress, ¡°The rejection will kill me! Please, spare me!¡± ¡°I¡­¡±, Ria wanted to say something but a loud growl made her stop. ¡°Enough!¡± Brayden roared, looking at her with his eyes shining red, meaning that his wolf was at the surface. ¡°Calm down,¡± his Luna said firmly but yet another growl emerged from him as he was furious. ¡°I said enough!¡± Brayden appeared next to Roxanne in no time and scooped her in his arms, ¡°She is staying! We¡¯ll find a way around everything!¡± He walked firmly towards the huge staircase, taking his mate upstairs to one of the guestrooms. Ria knew very well which room it would be ¨C the one in the far corner of the mansion, where her husband would practically move in no time. Roxanne¡¯s head was tucked into Brandon¡¯s neck and Riannon was sure that it was not a coincidence that she was now breathing into his corbone, right where a mark should go. Automatically, she touched the mark he gave her when she was neen and caught the omega¡¯s gaze on herself. Roxanne was watching. And Ria knew that today she lost just like thest time. Nothing changed. Her words and actions on that day yed absolutely no part in what happened. It was like a very bad movie on repeat¡­ ¡°Ri!¡± Maya came up to her when their Alpha was gone, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Riannon looked at her best friend, the one that she lost. Not thinking twice, she threw herself in Maya¡¯s arms. After the death of her parents, this was the only person, apart from Brayden, whom she could trust with everything. ¡°There, there,¡± she patted her long tinum blonde hair, ¡°It¡¯s going to be all right. He will reconsider, I am sure.¡± Only now did Ria realise how everything looked like to the people around her and distanced herself at once. She already lost her husband, there was no need to lose her face too. ¡°I am fine,¡± she said and caught the Beta¡¯s gaze on her. Ash nodded and gave her a soft sympathetic smile, before shouting loudly, ¡°I feel like everyone forgot what they were supposed to be doing! The work is waiting!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to your room,¡± Maya suggested, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about everything there.¡± No, Ria did not need this conversation. She remembered it very well. Because they already had it. What she really needed now was some time alone. Because she needed to process things and to come up with a new n. She couldn¡¯t save her marriage, but she could still save Maya, other people who died with Roxy¡¯s help, her pack and her own life. ¡°I just can¡¯t right now,¡± she smiled at her friend, squeezing her hands, still not quite believing that she was here, ¡°Let¡¯s talk another time. I have a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°Work?¡± Maya¡¯s eyes grew wide, ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ria fixed the creases on her dress, ¡°Now that our Alpha is¡­ busy, I have to step in. The pack comes first.¡± She gave her friend another warm smile and added, ¡°Everything is going to be all right, Maya. We are going to be fine. All of us.¡± Riannon locked the door of her Luna office and tried to control her ragged breathing. Too much! Everything was too much for her. She needed to clear her head and think of everything. She needed a n. And a good one. She had to save everyone, herself included. But the office was too stuffy. And she needed to breathe! Only one thing could help her and it was shifting into her wolf. Riannon went into the woods that were surrounding their pack and stripped, preparing to change her form. But nothing happened. ¡°Onyx, are you there?¡± she spoke to her wolf for the first time since her sudden rebirth less than an hour before but did not get a reply. It was rming. Onyx was there her whole life. ¡°Onyx!¡± Ria called for her second half but was met with silence. Angry, she ran as fast as she could using her human legs. She was still super fast and strong, which could only mean that her wolf was somewhere there. She was not weak. But what was wrong? Chapter 3: The Call Chapter 3: The Call It did not take her long to get to her most favourite ce in the world ¨C the Silver Mirror Lake. This was the only ce where Riannon could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse and close to the borders of the pack. But it was safe since they did not have any rogue attacks in that area. Just one pack away from here was the Lycans territory and it was rumoured that the Alpha King residence was also somewhere close. No one was foolish enough to enter thesends and check though. So, Ria did not think twice when she stopped by the ledge of theke, naked, and jumped into the water. It was cold but at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to calm herself down. She let herself embrace the dark night when only the full moon shone upon her, making crystals of water sparkle on her skin when she felt someone¡¯s presence. It was powerful and dominating, yet did not belong to her husband and made her alert at once. Pretending that nothing happened, Ria carefully looked around and her eyes caught a figure of a huge wolf at a hill on the other side of theke. He was dark, probably ck. And his eyes were shining golden. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. It was a bad sign. Very bad. Riannon decided not to risk it and went underwater, getting to the shore as soon as she could and running for her life. Only a loud howl followed her. She was back at the safe territory in no time. Luckily, her clothes was right where she left them. She pulled on her dress and tried to do the zipper at the back but her fingers were not reaching it. ¡°Let me help,¡± two hands touched her back and Beta Asher helped her with her little problem. Ria wondered if he had been there the whole time. But it did not matter in the long run. Werewolves were used to naked bodies. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he saw her without clothes. It wouldn¡¯t be thest¡­ probably. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked the man, turning to face him. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± he said with an unreadable expression on his face, ¡°Found your clothes and understood that you were on a run. But why didn¡¯t you shift?¡± ¡°I did,¡± she lied without blinking. If anyone knew that she couldn¡¯t shift, then her fate would be decided even sooner. She couldn¡¯t afford that. Ria knew that she needed time. ¡°But that¡¯s not important,¡± she decided to change the subject quickly, ¡°There was an intruder at the Silver Lake. Send wolves to check it out.¡± ¡°Of course, Luna,¡± he said and his eyes lost focus for a second as he was giving orders via the mind link. Riannon decided not to wait for him and walked slowly into the house. But Ash caught up with her quickly and opened the door to the mansion for her. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright,¡± he said to her all of a sudden and she stopped. Back in the day, he used to say it to her all the time. Yet when decisions had to be made, he always took her husband¡¯s side. It was one of the betrayals that hurt the most because she was sure that her rtionship with the Beta was good prior to all that. Yet he didn¡¯t even object when they stripped her of her title¡­ There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him but she couldn¡¯t. So, she just ced her delicate hand on his broad shoulder and looked him in the eye, smiling sadly, ¡°You knew, didn¡¯t you?¡± His expression changed as if a sh of lightning hit him and his lips parted slightly. ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± he confessed, darting his eyes to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she patted him, ¡°I understand. You can¡¯t go against your Alpha¡¯smand.¡± ¡°If I could¡­¡± he started to speak but she ced her finger to his mouth making a shushing sound. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she shrugged her shoulders, ¡°At least I will always have your support, Ash. Right?¡± ¡°Always, Luna,¡± his breathing became heavy and Ria tilted her head watching him. This was an interesting development. Why was he reacting like that? ¡°Then of course I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she chuckled and went inside. She had to think of what to do next. Ria closed herself in her bedroom. She knew that Brayden would not being back tonight to share the bed with her. As far as she remembered, he wasn¡¯t sleeping with Roxy at this point yet and spent the whole in his private office drinking and thinking of life. In the morning, he would bring her flowers and gifts¡­ and apology even. But Roxy would still stay. After a long and rxing bath, Ria went to her desk and got her old journal. She hadn¡¯t been using it for many years, but it was dear to her heart. And it was just the right ce to write down every single event that was important and that was going to happen within the year leading to her death. She tried to remember everything while she still could. And she knew very well what she was going to do with this information. The game was on. The n was simple, really. Since she couldn¡¯t change the main event and get rid of Roxy, she had to leave. But she couldn¡¯t leave without her pack and without making sure that all her dear friends were alive and well. Not to mention, that it was particrly important to try and show Brayden and the rest Roxanne¡¯s true face. Everybody around thought that she was an angel while in fact, she was the devil. Ria was afraid to even think what would happen if Roxy became the Luna for real because she for sure wouldn¡¯t have the pack¡¯s interests in her heart. And although Ria¡¯s own heart craved revenge, she didn¡¯t want the work of her life to be ruined. Plus, she didn¡¯t have it in her heart to hate everyone. She saved it for just a selected few. The ones who betrayed her trust and led to her demise, the ones who promised her respect and protection but gave her humiliation and suffering. Yes, those were the ones she was going to concentrate on. The door suddenly opened, and Brayden walked in, making her close the journal with the list of events and names rapidly and hide it back into the drawer. Luckily, he didn¡¯t pay attention to that. Guilt was all over his face and Ria wanted to roll her eyes but held herself back. She couldn¡¯t give herself away. This event did not happen prior. In her past life, he didn¡¯t visit her that night. This was new and she had to be cautious. ¡°Ri,¡± he walked further into the room, ¡°Ash informed me that you encountered an intruder. Are you okay?¡± This was funny. She was sitting there, clearly looking well and in one piece. Who was he kidding? Was it guilt because she put up a fight and he still chose his mate? ¡°It was unpleasant,¡± Rhiannon shrugged her shoulders and stood up. If he decided to ignore the big pink elephant in the room, she could do the same. In the end, it was for the best. Their past conversations about Roxy never ended well. He would never believe what a monster his mate was. So, the less Riannon talked about her, the better. ¡°And also disappointing¡±, she went to the window to hide her facial expression. ¡°How so?¡± Brayden caught the bait. ¡°We are one of the strongest packs and some wolves is just wandering on our territory, spies on your Luna who is swimming naked in theke¡­¡± ¡°He what?¡± Brayden growled possessively. Back in the day, it would drive her crazy in the best sense of the word. But right now¡­ she was annoyed. He just imed another woman in front of so many people. He had no right to growl like that in her presence anymore. She didn¡¯t put it into words, of course. ¡°You heard me,¡± she said, ¡°And instead of looking for that wolf the Alpha is doing goddess knows what. No offence, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier today. Your mate already distracted you from what was important.¡± It was a low blow. But she needed him to be busy with something else right now. In the past, the closer he got to Roxy, the more power and supporters she received. And the worse it got for Riannon and her close people. If she could postpone the wheel of events for at least one day, she would do it. ¡°You are angry,¡± he sighed, ¡°I understand, of course. I broke my promise to you. I¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not speak of it,¡± she stopped him, ¡°It is what it is.¡± ¡°Ri, baby,¡± he nibbed on her neck, right where he marked her years ago, bonding their wolves forever, acknowledging her as his chosen mate. ¡°I hurt you and I will do anything to fix that.¡± Not everything. She knew that too well. ¡°Only you can be my Luna, you know that, right?¡± he started peppering her neck with kisses, trying to unzip her dress at the same time. This was¡­ odd. She hadn¡¯t slept with him for a while. Their paths went in different directions more than half a year ago in her past life. She was his abandoned and rejected wife¡­ Ria clenched her fists and then turned to face him. ¡°No!¡± she made him stop, ¡°Not today.¡± Or ever. He had hisst chance and he blew it. She did not want him anymore. If her wolf Onyx was here now, she would be howling from pain as she was attached to Brayden¡¯s wolf Ragnar. But she didn¡¯t feel Onyx now. She wasn¡¯t under her influence. And she was furious. She did not show it though. Her mom trained her well to conceal emotions. Finally, it was useful. ¡°Ri?¡± Brayden looked at her in shock. Before this day they were happy together. Which reminded Ria that he probably found Roxy earlier and was lying to her for the past few days. Or maybe weeks. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t do this. I love you and we are family. We will always be family.¡± ¡°Believe it or not, but I am not feeling well after everything that happened today,¡± she looked him in the eye, ¡°But it will make me happy if you bring me the intruder¡¯s head.¡± He nodded quietly, ¡°Anything for you, Ri.¡± Her husband brushed her cheek and she tolerated that. Even forced a smile for the sake of the show. ¡°You¡¯ll have his head in the morning!¡± he promised before leaving her alone. Maya tried to reach her mentally but Riannon just asked her to wait until the morning. After a mostly sleepless night, she knew what she had to do and she also knew her first step. In her office, she dialled the number that none other werewolves would risk dialling. But she was left with no choice. ¡°Hello, Beta Reid speaking,¡± the annoyed male voice sounded on the other end and Riannon gulped before speaking. ¡°Hello, Beta. This is Luna Riannon Thorn. Nee Michaels.¡± It didn¡¯t ring a bell to him. ¡°And?¡± he seemed bored. ¡°Seven years ago I saved your nephew during a rogue attack in one of the boarding schools. Back then you gave me this number and told me that you owe me one.¡± The lycan paused before answering her. ¡°And I guess you are calling to collect?¡± he chuckled, ¡°And here I thought that there were selfless people in this world¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask if lives did not depend on it,¡± she interrupted him. Lycans were hard to get in touch with. They did not mingle with regr werewolves with rare exceptions. But sometimes they attended elite boarding schools for shifters. That¡¯s when Ria¡¯s luck was on her side. ¡°Fine,¡± the man agreed, ¡°What do you want then?¡± ¡°I need to speak to the Lycan Alpha King,¡± Riannon said firmly. Chapter 4: Royal Confrontation Chapter 4: Royal Confrontation ¡°Bold, aren¡¯t we?¡± the Beta chuckled and Ria didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡°Do you think that the King will do whatever I tell him?¡± ¡°I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,¡± she bit her lip. She was walking on thin ice here and was aware of that. But she had no choice either. ¡°Fine,¡± the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was doing, ¡°Crystle, dear, that¡¯s enough of sucking. I need to go.¡± Then he groaned again and Riannon¡¯s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?! There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, ¡°See you tonight, Beta.¡± And then sounds of steps. ¡°Just so that you know,¡± the Beta spoke again, ¡°I am sacrificing a lot right now to pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ria cleared her throat, ¡°I appreciate your¡­ sacrifice.¡± He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door. ¡°Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,¡± the sounds were muffled but she could still understand everything. ¡°Not interested,¡± the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She thought if the king was¡­ busy as well. He sure wouldn¡¯t sacrifice his pleasure time for her. ¡°I am not trying to set you up with anyone,¡± the Beta burst outughing, ¡°It¡¯s just some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± was the reply and Ria¡¯s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best chance¡­ In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in theirnds too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stoppeding through, meaning that he probably blocked her. ¡°Give her 5 minutes,¡± from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his king¡¯s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she heard a resounding metallic voice. ¡°Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,¡± the man said and she sucked in a breath. He didn¡¯t even use his title. Was that really the Lycan King? ¡°Hello, your majesty,¡± she decided to address him formally anyway, ¡° My name is Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.¡± He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5 minutes with him. ¡°I need your help,¡± she breathed out, ¡°My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn and we are nning to divorce in the nearby future.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± the man said without any emotions in his voice, ¡° But what does it have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.¡± ¡°I know, Alpha,¡± she agreed and heard him growl slightly, ¡°That¡¯s not the part that I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married, we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your word will be thest at the Alpha Council. They wouldn¡¯t be able to decline.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he sounded amused, ¡°And you think that the case would go that far? You do know that the Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will support you?¡± ¡°They will if they know that you are on my side,¡± Riannon felt braver now, ¡°But also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Then maybe everything is awesome and you don¡¯t need my help at all?¡± He chucked. ¡°I do, your majesty,¡± she assured him, ¡°I really do. And I would really appreciate it.¡± ¡°This is aplex matter,¡± he said after a short pause, ¡°Not something I would decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn¡¯t sound serious enough to bother.¡± Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?! ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your husband. You didn¡¯t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it¡¯s toote,¡± the Alpha King seemed bored, ¡°He will still owe you generous alimony ording to ourws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that¡¯s what bothers you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that!¡± She gritted her teeth, ¡°I can¡¯t leave my people with them!¡± ¡°Them?¡± The king scoffed, ¡°So, this is the problem. He found another and you are bitter about it?¡± This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who were considered her friends. ¡°I am not bitter!¡± She spat, ¡°I am furious. Because only now do I see how many ws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a male doesn¡¯t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but when ites to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha¡¯s job for years by my husband¡¯s side and I¡¯ve done it wlessly. But all you see is a wounded woman who can¡¯t get over her husband¡¯s betrayal. And you know what, it hurts like hell but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next move. You don¡¯t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a disappointing introduction to my king!¡± She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall into several pieces. What a joke! Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta¡¯s phone. What the hell was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up? ¡°O-kay,¡± Reid carefully took his cell back, ¡°I see that went well.¡± ¡°Remind me again who was it?¡± Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick brows. ¡°What?¡± Reid let out a nervousugh, ¡°Before I tell you¡­ Are you going to kill her or¡­¡± ¡°REID!¡± Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard him well. ¡°Fine!¡± the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, ¡°She is the Luna of the Silver River pack.¡± Silver River¡­ not far from Silver Lake. ¡°What else?¡± the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently. ¡°Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.¡± ¡°You said that you owed her,¡± Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, ¡°How so? Is she one of your many whores?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± the Beta sounded offended, ¡°She¡­ she saved Kyle seven years ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event there. She wasn¡¯t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the role.¡± ¡°She saved him?¡± Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she didn¡¯te on time¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± the king groaned. ¡°There was no time!¡± Reid shook his shoulders, ¡°And how could I know that you would be such a d*ck to her?!¡± ¡°Is there a good time to be a d*ck?¡± the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more. ¡°Find out where I can meet her,¡± Gideon cut him off, ¡°I am intrigued. She does seem¡­ feisty.¡± ¡°Just the way you hate them,¡± Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha¡¯s re, he wiped the smile off his face, ¡°I¡¯ll go¡­ get to work.¡± Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this woman¡­ she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was amusing indeed. And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case. So be it. Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She didn¡¯t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to face once she went downstairs. But she almost bumped into Maya at the door. ¡°Ria,¡± her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that thetter was nervous, ¡°How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?¡± Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything. ¡°Maybe another time,¡± she said, taking Maya¡¯s hand and still not believing that she was alive, ¡°Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?¡± ¡°Always,¡± Maya¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention. ¡°Luna!¡± she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her seed, ¡°P-please, forgive my rudeness! I know my ce!¡± Here we go again¡­ Chapter 5: The Beta Female Best Friend Chapter 5: The Beta Female Best Friend Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance. Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen. Well, Riannon wasn¡¯t going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher ¨C Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything. Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work. So, she was going to try something else. ¡°I am so sorry, Luna,¡± Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya. ¡°Roxy,¡± Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, ¡°I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe ce for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.¡± She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people¡¯s hearts. Over time, a lot of them stood on her sideN?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. because she was, after all, their Alpha¡¯s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn¡¯t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection. Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria¡¯s arms again. ¡°Thank you!¡± she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn¡¯t close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now. Meanwhile Roxy went on, ¡°I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is¡­I¡¯ll be your personal maid if I have to.¡± At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back augh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to be a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now. Get used to that, my love. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Roxy!¡± Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. ¡°You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work ording to your abilities. And if they aren¡¯t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.¡± The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise? ¡°I am the luckiest girl alive,¡± she smiled innocently, pping her eyshes,¡°No wonder my mate¡­ I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.¡± ¡°Oh, you will have to tell meter!¡± Ria giggled and pushed Roxy back to the chair she was sitting at prior. Luckily, she didn¡¯t risk taking the Luna¡¯s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria didn¡¯t have to deal with it today. ¡°I will be happy to!¡± Roxane shook her red locks and the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing fell off her shoulder ¡°identally¡±, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The damn mate bond was already working. And their time was slipping away. ¡°By the way,¡± Riannon took a sip of her coffee and it seemed more bitter than usual, ¡°We need to assign a budget for Roxanne.¡± Once again, the whole room went quiet. ¡°Are you sure, Luna?¡± Beta Asher spoke, ¡°She is just an omega and¡­¡± ¡°She is not a simple omega,¡± Riannon raised her chin high and put a perfect smile on her face, ¡°She is our Alpha¡¯s mate. He did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it¡¯s time to throw away the worn-out t-shirts and jeans.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, Luna,¡± Maya couldn¡¯t stay silent anymore, ¡°Some would even say too kind. I mean, considering¡­¡± ¡°I do what I can,¡± Ria sent her best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, ¡°And let¡¯s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don¡¯t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish her no harm and will have zero tolerance to the ones who try to do it.¡± And with that, she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching nces of her pack mates on her. There they were. The looks they used to give to Roxy. Now they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this time there was more respect than pity. Back in the day, Ria did all the same things. But her mistake was not to announce it in front of everyone. And in the end, Roxy yed them and made them believe that Ria mistreated her where she could. She caught Brayden¡¯s gaze on her and sent a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this was good. Right after the breakfast Maya pulled her into the Luna office and made sure to lock the door properly. The room had sound istion and they could talk in private without the fear of being overheard. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± she hissed at her friend, ¡°You are weing his mate?! You should have insisted again and again on him rejecting her!¡± ¡°Oh, M,¡± Ria couldn¡¯t help herself and hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of almonds and this made her broken heart warm again. ¡°Stupid perfect Luna! You can¡¯t be this kind!¡± Maya almost sobbed, ¡°You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess¡¯s sake! What was he thinking?!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Ria sighed, stepping away, ¡°But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the mate bond. That battle was lost the moment he met her and didn¡¯t reject her.¡± ¡°You are so calm about it! I can¡¯t believe this!¡± the girl shook her head, clear signs of worry on her face. Ria contemted for a few seconds but deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust this secret to anyone, it would be her best friend since childhood. ¡°I need to tell you something,¡± Riannon took Maya¡¯s hands and led her to the armchair, sitting on the verge of her desk. ¡°But I will need you to be open-minded about what I am about to say.¡± She spoke and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya¡¯s own death. There was no need for that. She knew that the small fragments she was ready to share now would be enough for her. When she was done, Maya looked at her with red eyes, ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Unbelievable, I know,¡± Riannon sighed. ¡°Horrible!¡± her friend took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, ¡°Ria! That¡¯s awful! What you had to go through¡­¡± ¡°Wait, you meant you have no doubts in what I said now?¡± the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her bestie. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t joke about it at a moment like that,¡± Maya leaned back on her chair, ¡°And as far as I know, you were madly in love with Brayden just yesterday. But now¡­ You are so calm that it¡¯s frightening. So this exins a lot. You don¡¯t get over love like that in one day.¡± That was true. Riannon did not know for sure if all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn¡¯t the same girl from before. She was twenty-five but it felt as if she lived much longer now. Suffering and broken heart could do that to people. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t bother you how crazy that sounds?¡± Ria decided to make sure they were on the same page. ¡°I believe in the Moon Goddess,¡± Maya shook her shoulders, ¡°She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that¡­ Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death for you! Anyone but you!¡± ¡°I missed you so much,¡± Ria couldn¡¯t help herself and gave Maya another hug. She went quiet for a bit and I gave herself a promise that whatever happened, she would at least save her best friend. She was not going to lose her again. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± Maya went into the battle mode fast. She was one of those underappreciated wolves. They called her Luna¡¯s assistant and both of them hated that. She had pure Beta blood and could take down an Alpha if she tried hard. Maybe not any Alpha but definitely most of them. They thought too much of themselves and always underestimated pretty girls. ¡°The n is to divorce and take our pack back,¡± Ria smiled, knowing that she had a great ally on her side now, ¡°The Pearl Moon.¡± ¡°Is this even possible?¡± Maya whistled, ¡°I mean, if you quickly get pregnant with Brayden¡¯s baby and then we kill him, we could get this all¡­¡± ¡°No, thank you,¡± Ria first withughter, ¡°Goddess you are so bloodthirsty!¡± ¡°My hands are just itching to cut his di¡­¡± ¡°I got you!¡± the Luna covered her face with her hands, trying to suppress another outburst of giggles. ¡°You know what, I have an idea!¡± Maya said all of a sudden, ¡°How about we ask lycans for help?! This may actually¡­¡± ¡°Been there, done that. Their king is an a$shole,¡± Ria rolled her eyes. ¡°You what?!¡± her friend¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor. ¡°I had one lycan who owed me and asked him to arrange a conversation with his king. But you have no idea how arrogant he is!¡± Ria exined. ¡°Worse than Brayden?¡± Maya chuckled. ¡°Worse than Brayden,¡± Ria confirmed. ¡°Okay then, what¡¯s next?¡± the Beta female never gave up and this was one of the very many reasons they became friends in the first ce. ¡°Simple, really. I need to get the support of as many Alphas as I can,¡± Riannon exhaled loudly, ¡°So that when the divorcees into force, they give me their votes when I raise the matter in the Alpha Counicl. And I will.¡± ¡°How many do you think will support you?¡± Maya asked bluntly, getting her cell our of her pocket, ¡°Count on the alphas where mu cousins are Betas. I¡¯ll take care of them.¡± ¡°Not sure yet, but I know where to strike first,¡± Ria tapped her fingers over the cold wood of her desk, waiting for Maya to tear her eyes off the phone and spare her a look. ¡°Do tell!¡± the girl seemed genuinely interested. ¡°The most important event of the year that is just around the corner,¡± Riannon smirked, ¡°The annual Alpha ball¡± Chapter 6: Dress to Impress Chapter 6: Dress to Impress ¡°Ri,¡± Brayden¡¯s head popped out of the door of Riannon¡¯s office right when she was finishing discussing the pack¡¯s primary school budget with the headmistress, ¡°Do you have asec?¡± ¡°Yes, we are done here,¡± Ria handed the papers to the woman in front of her and thetter gave her a sympathetic smile. The Luna remembered very well that she was the one who stood by her by the very end. That was one of the reasons she managed to squeeze in a little extra cash for the school. ¡°Luna, Alpha,¡± the headmistress bowed her head and left, leaving the husband and the wife alone for the first time in a while. For thest few days, Riannon tried to avoid Brayden at all costs. She remembered too well that their every meeting in the past life was ending badly during those days. Back then she tried to keep her dignity and not approach him first. They had meals together with pack members as always. And work meetings with Beta, Gamma and so on. But other than that, every time Bray wanted to talk to her, Riannon was finding a perfect excuse to escape. There was no point in talking to him since nothing could be changed. She debated telling him the truth about her rebirth but swept that idea under the rug. He could decide that she was crazy and use that during their divorce when she nned to get her pack back. The silence was getting awkward. ¡°Long time no see,¡± he came closer and she remained behind her desk to make it harder for him to approach her. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Ria threw herself back in her chair, ¡°Is it about the Alpha Ball?¡± ¡°Did you get my flowers?¡± he asked. The flowers kepting. He was probably still feeling guilty. ¡°Yes, they are lovely,¡± she forced a smile, ¡°Thank you. So, did youe to speak about the Alpha Ball?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. They already had this conversation. He caught her in her office and broke her heart. ¡°Yes,¡± Brayed pulled the cor of his shirt to make it easier to breathe while Ria watched him with an indifferent expression that was clearly making him ufortable. ¡°It¡¯s about Roxy¡­ I mean Roxanne.¡± ¡°What about her?¡± she pretended not to know what it was about. ¡°Listen,¡± he sighed and averted her gaze, ¡°I kind of promised her that I would take her to the ball as my partner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a long story,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°Please, understand. My wolf is dying when she is unhappy. And she has never been to a ball like that.¡± ¡°Oh, my,¡± Ria gasped and shook her head, ¡°Should I maybe take Enzo with me? He hasn¡¯t seen an event like that either. And neither did Cole.¡± She mentioned the hottest single warriors of the pack on purpose. And heard a growl emerge from her husband¡¯s chest. That served him right. ¡°What is it with youtely, Ri?¡± he looked at her in disbelief, ¡°My Luna will not be going with someone else!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s okay if my Alpha goes with someone else? How is that fair?¡± she shot her brow up, challenging him. And Brayden hated challenge. ¡°Maybe you should sit this one out then!¡± he snarled at her and for the first time, she started to get worried here. She needed that ball. She needed it badly. ¡°No, thanks,¡± the Luna crossed her hands on her chest, ¡°I got my own personal invitation. Besides, it¡¯s important to mingle with other Lunas for the sake of our pack. We still need to organise student and warrior exchanges and a couple of mating events for over 18s. Or do you expect Roxy to be able to deal with it instead of enjoying her first big ball? What kind of Cindere she would be then if she would have to work again?!¡± He exhaled through his nostrils and she knew that she managed to win. ¡°Fine,¡± he grunted standing up, ¡°But you will go with Ash then. He is going anyway since he is the pack¡¯s Beta.¡± ¡°Now you are sucking the fun out of his life too?¡± Ria chuckled, ¡°I am sure he had a girl to take there and impress.¡± ¡°He already agreed to be you plus one,¡± Brayden informed her, ¡°He¡¯ll protect you there too.¡± ¡°How thoughtful,¡± she decided just to go with it. Getting rid of Ash would be easy anyway. He would see some Alpha¡¯s daughter and off he would go. Brayden prepared to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at her again ¡°Ri,¡± he looked her in the eye, ¡°It¡¯s just a transition period. We will get through this and everything will be fine.¡± Lies. ¡°I will never take another Luna except for you.¡± ¡°I still love you, it¡¯s just that she had such a hard life and I am not a monster. She is just a sweet girl, she will never take your ce.¡± Lies, lies, lies. ¡°Thank you for telling me that,¡± she nodded, ¡°I needed to hear that, Bray.¡± She even forced a smile. ¡°Look, when the ball is over, let¡¯s take a day off. Just you and me. What do you think?¡± he suggested all of a sudden and now she looked at him in surprise. This was new. It didn¡¯t happen in the past. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see our schedules for that,¡± she stretched her lips further, ¡°But it¡¯s a nice idea.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you around?¡± he suddenly looked relieved as if he got rid of some kind of trouble here. ¡°I am your wife, am I not?¡± she chuckled and his smile faded. He left and Ria¡¯s phone buzzed with a notification that the dresses should have already arrived. She paused just for a second. It worried her that he offered that day off thing. Was it a good sign or a bad? She wanted to change the events that caused so many disasters but this exact one wasn¡¯t in her ns. In the end, she waste for the fitting and entered the room full of the most important females of the pack. Maya was there along with their friends Tatiana and Aria. They greeted her in their usual friendly way. On the other side of the room sat Harper and her minions. Harper was Brayden¡¯s sister. And for some reason, she never liked Riannon too much since they were younger. She was one of the first to openly support Roxy. She was the one who opened the door for others who didn¡¯t know what to do and actually promoted the evil redhead monster. ¡°Bring in the dresses,¡± Riamanded firmly. She wanted to be done here quick. It was a tradition of their pack that outfits for thedies invited to the Alpha ball were chosen together and paid for by the pack. After all, they all were representing the Silver River pack and it was important to let others see how well they were doing. A few omegas rolled in clothing racks with the most beautiful evening dresses from the top designers. Luna always was the first one to choose and then they went ording to their Riannon knew very well which dress she was going to pick but still pretended to look at them all to avoid suspicion. ¡°How about that emerald one?¡± Harper suggested the colour that would never suit Riannon blonde hair and blue eyes. ¡°Do you like it?¡± she got the hanger and ced it to her chest with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s Zac Posen.¡± ¡°Beautiful!¡± her sister-inw sneered. ¡°Then I will leave it for you,¡± Ria returned the facial expression and kept going. Soon she reached it. She remembered that dress well. Peach and shiny, with loads of rhinestones on the top. She was choosing long enough and she took that one, moving to the mirror. Any second now¡­ The door opened and Roxy barged in, gasping, ¡°Oh, my goddess! Luna! I am so sorry! I¡¯ll just go away not to ruin your mood.¡± She was already doing it. Implying that just a sight of her was affecting Riannon. And it was. But it was mean to bring this up. ¡°Stay,¡± Ria smiled gently and noticed how everyone was watching the two of them, ¡°You are going to the ball too and you need an outfit.¡± ¡°I already got one,¡± Roxanne mumbled, ¡°From all the money that you gave me. I got it in H&M.¡± One of Harper¡¯s minions snorted. ¡°This will not do,¡± Riannon turned and sighed, ¡°You need a dress good enough for your new status.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± Harper couldn¡¯t help but ask the provocative question. ¡°Member of the Silver River pack,¡± Ria replied without any hesitation, ¡°Look around. What do you like?¡± A little sob emerged. And then a sniffle. Everybody turned to see the crying Roxy. ¡°This is so sweet!¡± she whined, ¡°You are such a great Luna to take care of someone likeI never had such a beautiful dress in my life!¡± She pointed to the one that Riannon was holding. ¡°I thought I¡¯d never¡­have¡­ an opportunity.¡± ¡°You can have it,¡± she stretched her hands with the garment towards the omega and pretty much everybody in the room was in shock ¡°But Luna!¡± Aria gasped, ¡°You need to be the first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Riannon shook her shoulders, ¡°I saw a red one that I like too back there. Roxy can have that one since it¡¯s the one that made you cry like that.¡± Roxanne seemed a bit startled and Luna came closer, pushing the tasteless peach dress that was good enough for a middle school prom in some vige. ¡°No, really,¡± Ria smirked, ¡°I want you to have it.¡± Their eyes met and Roxy gaped, realising that she had just been tricked. ¡°Now go to your room and try it on. It will look beautiful on you.¡± Orhideous. As soon as Roxy left, Ria quickly went back to the rack and grabbed the first red dress she saw. ¡°I like this one,¡± she went out of the room as quickly as she could, followed by Maya,¡° Choose what you like,dies.¡± They came straight to Maya¡¯s bedroom and as soon as they closed the door, they startedughing hysterically. ¡°Oh, my goddess!¡± Maya chuckled, ¡°This was fun!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Luna agreed, throwing away the red piece of fabric she had. Because the real dress that she was going to wear to the ball was right here. It was the most beautiful dress she hadid her eyes on. It was a stunning wine red off-shoulder gown made of silk chiffon, draped beautifully around the breast and down to the waist, creating a geometrical pattern and, but flowing freely to the ground. It was a gown fit for a queen. And in the past life, Ria didn¡¯t even order it for viewing as it was way out of her budget. But this time around she saw it again and thought to herself ¨C just why the hell not?! Thest time she went to the Alpha Ball, it was the most awful experience for her. Roxanne was wearing a beautiful white dress and looking like the little innocent omega she loved to pretend, gaining everybody¡¯s sympathy. At the same time, Riannon gained pity from the Alphas and was mocked by some of the Lunas who never liked her. It was humiliating as it was toe as the third wheel for her husband and his mate. But on top of that, Brayden spent the whole evening by Roxy¡¯s side. Ria This time, she knew what to expect and was ready. This time, she was going there to work. ¡°Do I look nice?¡± Maya grinned as she stepped out of the bathroom in a royal blue tight gown. ¡°You took one too, I see,¡± Riannon giggled as her friend twirled in front of her. Today was a sess thanks to Maya. She was the one who received all the dresses before the pack omegas got them and brought the one Ria wanted to her room without anyone seeing it. ¡°Of course,¡± she ced her hands onto her hips, ¡°We are leaving this pack, so I am not going to save them money.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t shout about it around the mansion, okay?¡± Ria rolled her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s a secret after all. But you do look nice.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Maya seemed to agree, ¡°Shame I am not going with you. But there is always next time, right?¡± ¡°When I am the Alpha and you are my Beta, you will attend it every year,¡± Luna winked at her. * * * In the evening, Ria finished her makeup and hair and walked out to the main part of her bedroom to find a blue box on the little table together with a new bouquet. She opened it and saw a luxurious and probably crazy expensive diamond ne together with a simple card with one word only on it. Sorry. ¡°Huh,¡± she bit her lip, remembering thatst time Brayden gave it to Roxy. And he got her some ruby earrings which she never wore. That changed too. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to think about all that. She put the ne on since it was finishing her look just perfect and left for the ball. She was walking down the stairs, the skirt of her dress flowing beautifully as she looked at it. Most of her hair was up, with a few curly locks falling down her bare shoulders. ¡°You look beautiful tonight,¡± a male voice made her flinch. Chapter 7: Because I let you Chapter 7: Because I let you Beta Ash was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Not her husband. In a ck tuxedo and offered her his hand when she was close which Ria was reluctant to ept at first. But she went with it in the end since he hadn¡¯t betrayed her yet. She couldn¡¯t count on him, yea. But she still could change events with him. Or at least give it a try. If the Beta supported her at the Alpha Council when the divorce would take ce, everything could go smoothly. It was worth a try. ¡°Nice dress,¡± he gave her anotherpliment and she rewarded him with a brief smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± they were walking towards the car that was already waiting for them and she frowned when she realised that it was a limo. Meaning that she would have to ride with her husband and Roxy. How unpleasant. ¡°This is not what you usually wear,¡± the Beta said, and she looked at him, slightly shocked that he even noticed. ¡°I am in the mood for some changes, Ash,¡± Riannon smiled and tilted her head a bit, noticing the werewolf¡¯s eyes get darker. Well, this was new. He opened the door of the car for her and helped her inside, holding the train of her dress and cing it gently to her feet. Maybe she overdid it a bit? Dancing in that could be problematic. Not that she nned to dance much. Today had a different purpose. She gave a brief look to Brayden and Roxanne who sat way too close to her liking. And she even managed to hold back a grin when she saw the omega wearing the tacky peach dress, covered in cheap rhinestones. The colour did not suit her red hair at all and made her look a bit too¡­ orangey. ¡°Luna,¡± Roxy greeted her awkwardly, clinging to Bray, while he carefully removed her arms off his and showed her to keep them at her knees. At least he still tried not to be too disrespectful in her presence. If one could say that, of course. ¡°Ri,¡± he couldn¡¯t even manage a smile, ¡°You look breath-taking.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± she managed her own fake smile without any trouble, ¡°Ash here already told me that.¡± Heavy silence lingered over all of them as the car drove off. ¡°Luna,¡± Roxanne just couldn¡¯t shut up, ¡°The dress you are wearing¡­ It¡¯s truly exquisite.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she spared her just one nce, ¡°I guess I do have good taste. Yours is nice too. I hope you enjoyed picking your outfit first.¡± ¡°You got to choose first?¡± Brayden sounded surprised. This wasn¡¯t how the omega told Because I let you dresses that no one wanted. Which was fine of course, since she didn¡¯t have to give her anything at all. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Riannon shot her brow up, ¡°Roxy was so emotional when she saw the racks of clothes. I thought it would make her happy to pick whatever she wanted before anyone else since it was her first time and all.¡± The Alpha looked at his plus one questioningly but the girl pretended not to notice. ¡°I did not see this dress though!¡± she said innocently, trying to point out what Ria did. ¡°You did not look well,¡± Luna¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°You just wanted to take the one that I had in my hands without bothering to look at the rest. And I let you have it. So, there you go.¡± They all looked stunned and. Ria just turned to the window and pretended to enjoy the scenery. They arrived at the North Star pack in a few hours and by then Riannon was fed up with Roxy¡¯s tales of her hard life. She was beaten, she was starved, she had to work as a ve in her previous pack where even the kids were bullying her. Every man that she met wanted to take her yet by some miraculous coincidence she still remained a pure virgin. That one she was repeating over and over. So much that even Ash snorted at some point. And only Brayden seemed to listen to all that with a very serious face. Ria wanted to roll her eyes. Why wouldn¡¯t he cry also while he was at that? It did not seem realistic at all. Even rogues are not that cruel in their groups. She could believe that someone would pick at an omega, of course, but Roxy¡¯s story was questionable at least. In her past life, she tried to check it and everything matched up. But the more she was thinking, the more she came to the idea that maybe she didn¡¯t look thoroughly enough after all. Making just a simple request as a Luna of her own pack. The other Alpha admitted way to easily that Roxy was mistreated. Why wouldn¡¯t he deny that? No one needed this kind of reputation. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Luna,¡± Ash offered her his hand again and she realised that they already arrived. They the mansion and went through a very basic security check and were about to enter the hall where the party was taking ce when Ria turned to the Beta. ¡°Ash, I forgot my clutch in the car,¡± she smiled at him softly, ¡°Would you be so kind as to bring it to me. My phone is there and I do not want to miss any important calls in case anything happens.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he nodded and ran away quickly. the room with her own plus one. She needed this shock and pity factor today, so when the servants opened the doors before Brayden and Roxanne, she made sure to follow right after them with her head held high. A Luna betrayed by her husband. A Luna, who had nothing to be embarrassed off. A Luna, who knew her worth. They were already at the bottom of the grand staircase and she waited a bit at the very top of it with a vague smile on her lips. She could hear growls here and there in the room. And whispers. So, many of them that it was slightly overwhelming for her hearing at first. And yet she soaked in the attention, descending slowly. When one growl overpowered them all¡­ M Marissa Gilbert Guys, the daily updates will start on the 1st of December. I hope you are ready! Thank you to everyone who reads the book. Chapter 8: The Alpha Ball Chapter 8: The Alpha Ball Ria was descending the stairs slowly and with grace, noticing how Brayden turned to see what everybody else was looking at. He was shocked that it was his own wife. And Riannon found this offensive. So, when he offered her his hand to the displeasure of princess Peach¡­ ghm, Roxy in her ugly peach dress, she ignored that and went past them as if they did not know each other. The move made another wave of whispers erupt. And in the werewolf world whispers were nothing ¨C everyone could hear what the conversation was about. Ria went to greet a few couples that she knew, all of them stretched their best smiles for her, not commenting on the awkward situation. She was done with that quickly and since the party seemed to go on, she decided to go and get herself some liquid courage. Goddess knew she needed some today. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that the balcony on the other side of the room, the one that was usually used by the owner of the house, Alpha Richards, was covered with white curtains to hide what was going on inside. She could see a few figures moving there but that was about it. She was curious what it was about but not to the extent to actually go and check for herself as ¡°Luna Thorn,¡± a male voice appeared behind her back and she turned to face an unfamiliar alpha. He was one of the new and younger ones as she didn¡¯t know him. In some packs, alphas were changing frequently due to power struggles. She and Brayden managed to avoid those and were considered something like elders even though she was 25 and he was 26. ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted him with a soft smile. After all, it was only polite. ¡°Alpha Zach Morgan,¡± the man introduced himself and he looked to be in histe 20s as well, ¡°The Alpha of the Emerald Mountain pack.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard,¡± Riannon was now interested. Everybody heard the rumours about the alpha¡¯s bastard child who challenged his elder brother (who was a moron, by the way) and won his title, ¡°Impressive!¡± ¡°Apliment from someone like you is apliment indeed,¡± he smirked and gestured for the barmen to serve them drinks, ¡°Champagne for thedy and brandy for me.¡± He didn¡¯t even ask her. Alphas were like that. ¡°Riannon,¡± another Alpha appeared from her other side, ¡°Looking gorgeous as ever.¡± His hand wrapped around her waist as if it belonged there, making Zach growl quietly as a warning her. They both thought that she was back on the market. How funny! But also useful. Because she was, after all, on the market. Even though she had another man¡¯s mark on her neck. But that man was with someone else now, enjoying his time. As far as Ria remembered from the previous life, the two of them had a st while she was forgotten. She hid in a corner in a modest dress and left early. Alone. Her heart was broken and she couldn¡¯t even talk to anyone, although she did her best. As always. Now the game was on. Her heart was not aching anymore. Well, maybe a bit. But she could still think clearly now. And she could see the hungry gazes everyone had on her. Every. Single. Male. And maybe it was petty, but she loved the attention. She craved it after everything that happened. She needed to feel like a woman again. And a beautiful at that. Another loud growl emerged from somewhere and it had such power to it that they all looked around. For a second Ria thought that it could be Brayden who finally noticed her, but he was in the other corner of the room, introducing Roxy to his Alpha pals. He gave her a nce when he felt her looking and an apologetic smile to go with it. How annoying. Then who was that growling? ¡°Don¡¯t mind it!¡± a third Alpha joined them, ¡°It¡¯s just Lycans going crazy. Riannon, you are simply breath- taking today! What a dress! The colour suits you!¡± ¡°Lycans?¡± she pped hershes, thinking that she was probably hearing things, ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zach snorted, ¡°Everyone is shocked. They are invited every year but they never attend, probably thinking that they are too good for us! And yesterday Alpha Jones received a call that the Lycan King himself will be visiting but they need a private VIP area. Can you imagine?¡± ¡°Snobs!¡± another werewolf next to her let out augh, ¡°So, Ria, will you save me a dance? ¡°I don¡¯t see why¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± she heard a firm voice behind her back and turned to see her Beta, who looked less than thrilled with the whole situation. What was his problem? ¡°My Luna promised to dance with me tonight,¡± he lied without blinking and this got her annoyed. Was he doing that for Brayden? Not to let her talk to anyone? ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Ash,¡± she giggled and then gave him her signature don¡¯t-you-dare look she used with her subordinates. ¡°We talked only about one dance in the car. And after that,¡± she nced over thepany of at least five single Alphas around her, ¡°I can dance with my old¡­ friends. And the new ones as well.¡± Some of the men adjusted their cors at her words and it pleased her that she had the desired effect on them. The dress was a good investment, after all. ¡°I still insist on being first,¡± the Beta offered her his hand and she epted it. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± she winked at the other guys and they all either nodded or smirked at her. She wasn¡¯t thinking of them seriously, of course. Although she knew very well that some of them were serious about her. There was Alpha Maddox, Brayden¡¯s old rival. He stated more than once his desire to take her as his Luna back in the day. And Alpha Grayson was showing her signs of admiration before too. She always pretended not to notice before but she knew very well how they looked at her. Females with pure Alpha blood were rare. Her wolf had an immacte silver coat, which was unique as well. On top of that, she was beautiful and smart. She was the Perfect Luna that everyone wanted. And Brayden was lucky to have her. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Shame all that did not help her when he met his mate¡­ Even in spite of them wearing each other¡¯s marks and having a bond of their own, it did not help¡­ ¡°You shouldn¡¯t give them hope, you know.¡± Ash told her all of a sudden and she gave him a surprised look. ¡°You read too much into everything,¡± she looked in a different direction because his gaze seemed to burn through her skull, ¡°I am having fun.¡± ¡°You are the Luna¡­¡± ¡°And my Alpha is right there having the time of his life with his mate, Ash,¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°What do you want me to do? Get in the far corner of the room and cry my eyes out? He made his choice and¡­¡± ¡°And you are looking for a new Alpha already?¡± his grasp on her became tighter, ¡°Is there really a need for this?¡± ¡°And you think there isn¡¯t?¡± she gave him an intrigued look. ¡°Of course, not!¡± his voice was firm, ¡°Brayden will never divorce you. This girl is just¡­ for his wolf. You can find someone like that too. In our pack.¡± ¡°Or I can go and look for my mate too!¡± she snorted and ignored his frown, ¡°I am not into He clenched his lips but luckily the music came to its end and she left him quickly, trying to go deep into the crowd. ¡°Did you see? How shameless of her!¡± some girl was talking at the distance, ¡°No wonderher husband did not reject his mate even though he already marked her! Maybe there is more to that story considering how she hangs herself on every Alpha she sees!¡± Riannon grazed her eyes over the girl. It was just some bimbo one of the Alphas brought. Not even a Luna. However, she realised that the rumours would be spreading. And not everyone would be on her side even though she had no choice. Oh, well. She deliberately left Ash on a side of the hall opposite from where all the single Alphas were waiting for her. Of course, she would work on them too. But they were not too reliable. If they wanted from her something more than just bing allies, she couldn¡¯t give them much. She did not want to marry for the second time. At least, not now. All she wanted was to get her pack back. And she needed help. So, she started out by approaching her father¡¯s old friends. The ones she knew were supporting Brayden only thanks to her. A little hint here and there and one by one they promised her their support. Four in total within half an hour. Not much but it was a start. ¡°There you are!¡± Alpha Zach caught her when she was on her way to talk to one of her ex-ssmates, ¡°Someone promised me a dance.¡± His hazel eyes looked darker now and she knew that she couldn¡¯t avoid it any longer. She noticed Bray not far from her, with Roxy clinging to him. His eyes, however, were on his wife. And the look in them did not promise her anything good. ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± she smirked, enjoying this moment. She hoped it hurt him too. Zach was about to take her back to the dance floor when a ridiculously tall man with a yful grin crossed their path. ¡°Long time no see, Luna,¡± she addressed her as if they knew each other and she tried to remember really hard who he was when it suddenly urred to her. ¡°B-Beta Reid?¡± she gasped, recognising the lycan she met years ago. ¡°In the flesh!¡± he showed off her pearly whites, ¡°It¡¯s such a coincidence to run into you!¡± ¡°At the annual Alpha Ball that all Lunas attend every year?¡± she arched her brow, ¡°Not" ¡°Well,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I am here for the first time, so¡­ Anyway¡­ My King is here too and he wishes to see you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to deliver Luna Thorn as soon as our dance is over,¡± Alpha Zach tried to lead her away, but the Lycan stopped him. ¡°I am afraid, you will have to find another dance partner,¡± he looked friendly but somehow sounded menacing. So menacing, that Alpha Zach stepped away, giving them way. The lycan led her to the balcony while pretty much everyone in the room, including her husband, watched them and opened the white curtain before her, motioning for her to enter. Another loud growl sounded as soon as she walked in¡­ Marissa Gilbert Haik¡­ dator etart today I really hope I will be able to keep this up. Thank you to everyone who reads this Chapter 9: Mate Chapter 9: Mate Gideon was pissed. He avoided werewolf events for a reason. They were always so¡­ tiring. The annoying weaklings were clinging onto him like leeches, trying to ce their daughters under him. He hates it. And yet here he was. Sitting on a private balcony and watching everyone who was arriving through a small open space between two curtains. He asked to ce them to have some privacy. He hates to have all gazes in him. He wanted to be done there quickly and be gone home, where piles of work were waiting for him. Something was going on in the South of his kingdom. He needed to read all the reports, he needed to analyse them ande up with a solution. Yet the thought of two girls was not leaving him. One of them was his mate. The one he was waiting his whole life for, the one who should belong to him and him only. He met her just a few days ago, the beauty swimming naked in theke on his border that he was patrolling that night. He could still remember how her skin was glowing in the moonlight, how her breasts were poking out of the water when she was rxing on her back and how her long blonde hair was flowing around her. This was a picture that he couldn¡¯t throw out of his mind. The picture that was driving him crazy. But what was driving him crazy even more was that she did not sense him. While her scent was coating all over him and made him enter werewolf territory to find her, she didn¡¯t even notice him at first. However, what was worse, when she did, she got scared and fled. There could be no mistake. He recognised what was his at once. He wouldn¡¯t confuse her with anyone. Why couldn¡¯t she do the same? Why did she run away? He told himself many times that she just got scared. Some women were like that. Especially since he was a Lycan and much bigger than a regr werewolf. He knew what kind of rumours were spread among wolves about his kind. That was probably it. And now he had to find her. There were three packs close to theke where he met her. And he hoped to speak to the Alphas or Lunas there in hope of discovering her location. But there were more reasons to speak with the Luna of one of those packs. As she was the reason why he decided to attend this exact event and not just go to the three packs in turns. Her voice was haunting him for some reason. And so were her words. He was in a very bad mood when he spoke to her on the phone since his mate just escaped him. But as soon as understanding. And she had a good point. Not to mention that Lycans owed her. And they weren¡¯t that arrogant to consider talking to them a favour. So, Gideon decided to listen to the Luna¡¯s arguments. And if she was right, he would help her to get her pack back during the divorce. It wasn¡¯t her fault that her husband couldn¡¯t keep his word. A man shouldn¡¯t mark a female and take her as his Luna if he is not sure that this is a final decision. ¡°Do you see her?¡± The king asked his Beta while enjoying his drink in afortable seat provided especially for him. ¡°No,¡± Reid replied, ¡°but I see a lot of other fish in the sea. And I would like to go fishing.Can I?¡± ¡°Of course you can,¡± Gideon chuckled, ¡°As soon as you bring me Luna Thorn here. then you¡¯re free to fish as much as you like.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± His best friend groaned, ¡°I¡¯ve done my research by the way. All the packs are roaming about it.¡± ¡°What do they say?¡± He was interested to find out all sides of the story. ¡°They say that her husband found his true mate and their bond appears to be so strong but she decided to bring her to his pack. he ims that this is required for his wolf¡¯s wellbeing, ¡± Reid snorted, ¡°Such an asshole if you ask me. Even I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°And what did she do?¡± The king took a sip of his drink. ¡°She didn¡¯t make a tantrum, that¡¯s for sure,¡± the better sounded as if he respected the Luna, ¡°They say that although initially, she asked for him to reject her when he refused, she was actually nice towards the poor omega.¡± ¡°His mate an omega?¡± Now Gideon found this funny, ¡°Let me guess, a poor wee creature who everyone tortured? This tale is as old as time.¡± ¡°But apparently not everyone learned their lessons from the fairy tales,¡± Reid rolled his eyes, ¡°The alpha is quite smitten with his mate. He even brought her here as his date.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± The king decided to check for himself and stood up,ing closer to his friend, ¡°Where are they?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°If I remember the pics from the dossier correctly,¡± his brother pointed his finger add a couple with a handsome man and a little cute redhead in a tacky dress, ¡°That¡¯s them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of taste,¡± Reid shook his shoulders. His Beta was saying something else but suddenly the king stopped caring. Because once again he felt the scent that was now too familiar to miss. His mate was here, and he couldn¡¯t believe his own luck! The doors opened and a beautiful girl walked in, immediately drawing everyone¡¯s attention to herself. She had a beauty of a porcin doll and was wearing a wine-red dress that hugged her body in all the right ces. For a second there it seemed that he forgot how to breathe because she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Any moment now she would feel that he was here too. And he was curious what she would do this time. Would she run away again? Or would you start looking for him? But to his surprise, she did absolutely nothing and reacted in no way took his presence. She was descending the stairs while the eyes of every male in the room were glued to her. Gideon heard a few possessive growls that annoyed the hell out of him. He let out his own. Not just a growl, it was a true roar that made everyone else shut up. His mate flinched but kept walking. ¡°Oh, there she is,¡± Reid pointed his finger at his woman, ¡°Luna Riannon Thorn" Chapter 10: Behind The Curtain Chapter 10: Behind The Curtain He was standing there and watching his mate with his mouth opened. No, it couldn¡¯t be! It was some kind of a joke! Yet that was her¡­ a Luna that belonged to another Alpha¡­ At first, Gideon felt as if his heart was broken. She did not wait for him. His mate, the one and only woman chosen for him by the Moon goddess, did not wait for him¡­ She got married, became someone else in Luna and even let this man put a mark on her neck. He had many flings, but he never even considered marking a woman other than his mate. He was ready to never meet her, but he always knew one thing ¨C if he would ever ce his mark on someone, it would be his mate. Pain washed over him quickly and although Reid next to him was constantly telling him something, all his attention was on Riannon Thorn. He repeated her name and it brought him to his senses. He remembered their phone conversation. She wanted to divorce her husband. Their marriage was over. This brought a little smile to his lips, yet it wasn¡¯t making him particrly happy. ¡°Gideon,¡± his Beta had to smack his arm to get him out of his daze, ¡°What the hell, man?¡± ¡°What?¡± the lycan king didn¡¯t even spare his friend a nce. ¡°Should I call the Luna? You came here to speak to her, right?¡± Reid looked at him with his eyebrows knitted. ¡°I want to watch her a bit first,¡± Gideon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off his beautiful mate. But he did not like what he saw. She was surrounded by men, men with hungry lustful eyes. And he could sense that each of them wanted to im her now that they had a chance again. Everybody knew that her marriage was in ruins. And no one wanted to miss that chance. ¡°Who is her husband?¡± a spark of interest appeared inside his mind against his will. ¡°That guy over there,¡± Reid did not have any problem locating the jerk whose mark his mate was wearing, meaning that he did his own research already. That guy never showed that he cared but Gideon knew that he never forgot the ¡®favour¡¯ Riannon did for him. He wanted to pay her back properly in one way or the other. The guy he pointed at was good looking. And Gideon did not like to admit it. The prick looked like a true Alpha, tall and handsome. When he was saying something, people around him wereughing or nodding at once. Meaning that he had some weight. But a tiny redhead was glued to his hand. She leaned towards him all the time and he so-called mate. The one he brought into Riannon¡¯s house. It was good and bad. Good, because he was doing Gideon a favour. And bad, because he was hurting the Luna. He looked back where he left her, but his mate was not there. It didn¡¯t take him long to find her though as all the men that were surrounding her before looked in one direction ¨C the dancefloor. The girl was dancing with another handsome guy who had his hands on her and was pressing her way too close for Gideon¡¯s liking. He didn¡¯t even notice how another feral growl escaped him. ¡°What is wrong with you today?¡± Reid looked at his Alpha in shock. ¡°Bring her in,¡± the lycan kingmanded, ¡°Now!¡± His Beta left and suddenly he felt ufortable. His wolf was howling inside and he tried to shut him up as fast as he could because he needed to think straight. He sat in the chair that was provided for him. But immediately felt stupid and stood up. He felt her getting closer and closer and in the end decided to have another drink, walking to the table with beverages. But then it urred to him that it might not look good in her eyes and he discarded the idea. ¡°My king,¡± Reid cleared his throat and he turned to face him and the woman who was haunting his dreams for the past few days. She was beautiful, there was no denying it. Her piercing blue eyes were studying him with interest. And she had good taste, looking regal in her wine red dress. There was a huge diamond ring on her finger. But the worst thing of all was the mark that was poking out right next to the expensive diamond ne. What was he to do now? Riannon tried really hard to control herself. She was still shocked that lycans arrived and still couldn¡¯t believe that the arrogant Lycan King summoned her. Suddenly she was regretting the things she said when they spokest. What if he wanted to punish her? Make an example out of her? ¡°My king,¡± she forced a smile, bowing politely. ¡°Luna Thorn,¡± he acknowledged her, realising one very important thing. She was still giving him no reaction. While all he wanted to do was to grab her in his arms and growl ¡°MINE¡±, letting everyone here know who she belonged to. How the hell did that happen? Why didn¡¯t he feel it? Was it the mark on her neck? But her husband didn¡¯t have any trouble sensing his mate. So why couldn¡¯t Riannon do the same? What happened? ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± he motioned for her to choose any and she walked to one of the chairs with her back straight and head held high. He loved the way she moved. Ria was sitting elegantly under the heavy gaze of the king and felt¡­ awkward. His heavy gaze was at her at all times, and she felt as if he expected something from her. Was it an apology for shouting at him over the phone? Her cheeks flushed slightly at the memory, but she was not going to say sorry. She meant every word she said and she was too tired to look for excuses. ¡°I am not going to apologise,¡± she warned him at once and his lips parted in shock. Maybe it was the wrong move after all. ¡°I am not asking you to,¡± he said after a pause and now she was the one gaping. ¡°Then to what do lowe the pleasure?¡± she tried to sound as formal as possible, her hands on her knees. For a second there Gideon contemted simply telling her everything and getting to the bottom of things. She was his and he needed her to know that. Then again, he did not want her scared. She was already in a horrible situation, and he did not want to cause her any distress. But he desperately needed to get closer to her, to get some answers. ¡°Your fiery speech made an impression on me,¡± he smirked, making her swallow nervously, ¡°I have to say that some of the things you said were correct.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. After these words, he received a curious gaze from her. Now wary, not scared, not pretend. This was something. ¡°Just some?¡± she arched her brow and he chuckled at that. She was also funny. ¡°Let¡¯s not get carried away,¡± he walked to the armchair opposite of her and sat down, ¡°This is your chance to change everything, Riannon. Tell me everything from the very beginning¡­¡± Chapter 11: The Deal Chapter 11: The Deal Riannon tried to stay calm. It wasn¡¯t easy in the Lycan king¡¯s presence, but she did try her best. It did not help that he was incredibly good looking. Neither did it help that she remembered very well how he brushed her off and humiliated her over the phone. The memory was still fresh in her mind, and it bugged her. He bugged her. He made emotions raise inside of her and she did not like it. She was trained well enough to conceive them at all times. Although werewolves were beasts and had animalistic instincts, it was considered bad manners for a Luna to show them. A perfect Luna couldn¡¯t growl, couldn¡¯t get angry, couldn¡¯t disy what she felt for everyone to see. A perfect Luna had to be¡­ well, perfect. At all times. And Ria was always considered one of the best in that regard. Yet with the Lycan king, she wanted nothing more than toe up and p his incredibly handsome face. Hard. She did not even want to do that to Brayden. Although the rational part of her knew that he deserved it more. But that man in front of her, who did not take his eyes off her¡­irked her. To the point that she wanted to do something about it. And his scent of coffee and sandalwood, which was the mixture of the two things she loved the most, bothered her too. Ria wished Onyx was there with her. Her wolf had better instincts and could help her to figure out what to do. She had her all her life and now it was hard to be on her own. Yet she had no choice. ¡°What exactly do you want to know, Your Majesty?¡± she tried not to show her irritation, but a little smirk still touched his lips. ¡°Everything, Riannon,¡± he addressed her by her name only, which was way too intimate for their first meeting face to face. But he was a lycan. And they were arrogant and considered themselves the higher ss of wolf species. Everyone else was below them. So, Ria had to swallow that. ¡°Should I start with my childhood then?¡± she couldn¡¯t help making the snarky remark and bit her lip as soon as she said that, making an internal growl leave his body immediately. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Okay, no more jokes then. ¡°You asked for my help,¡± he reminded her. ¡°And you refused to help me, Your Majesty,¡± she pointed out in turn. ¡°Gideon,¡± he practically gritted through his teeth. ¡°Excuse me?¡± she darted him a surprised gaze. was gaping, trying to figure out if he was joking. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± she tried to protest but noticed how his eyes got darker at once. ¡°It¡¯s an order,¡± he said coldly, making her gulp. She wasn¡¯t his biggest fan at the moment but she definitely did not want to make him her enemy. ¡°Very well,¡± she clenched her fingers together on her knees, holding her back straight,¡° Gideon.¡± He rxed in front of her, hearing his nameing out from her lips. It sounded nice. He wanted her to repeat it over and over, but, of course, couldn¡¯t tell her that. At least not now. Something was very wrong and she did not feel that he was her mate. Although, the longer they were this close to each other, the more he knew that she was the one for him. This was frustrating and agonising. All he wanted was to grab her and take her back to hisnds, to make her feel what he felt, to love her and make her forget all the other men in her life. His eyes darted to the mark that was visible on her neck. Was that it? Was this the reason why she couldn¡¯t feel their connection? He wanted to sink his canines into her and try to erase that, try to fix that¡­ But of course, he couldn¡¯t. Not without freaking her out and causing a political scandal, which he couldn¡¯t afford now. ¡°So, you are divorcing your husband,¡± he said, trying to focus on the positive here. Soon she would be free and he could make his im then. ¡°Uhm, yes,¡± she replied after a little pause and he did not like it. Was she hesitating now? Her husband was literally with another woman in front of everyone at this very moment. ¡°Is it decided?¡± he sounded more menacing than he hoped and she shuddered a bit. ¡°It is,¡± Riannon replied calmly and he let out the breath he did not know he was holding,¡± But he is not aware of it yet.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± the Lycan king arched his brow, watching the woman in front of him in amusement. What kind of game was she ying? ¡°How so?¡± ¡°For now he thinks that he could have it all,¡± her lips curled into a smirk and the beast inside of him was howling at her sassiness, ¡°His wife, his mate and his pack.¡± ¡°But you have other ns in mind?¡± he asked, trying not to sound too hopeful and noticing how Reid who was still also in the room gave him a puzzled look. ¡°You know that very well, Your¡­ Gideon,¡± she corrected herself and he smiled. She was other promises to stay loyal, I took that seriously. If I met my mate, I would reject him on the same day.¡± He swallowed at the thought. ¡°And what if he was way better than your husband?¡± the words left his mouth before he could control himself, ¡°What if he really loved you and was, say¡­ a noble Lycan?¡± ¡°It did not matter back then,¡± she snorted, ¡°He could be the only son of the Moon Goddess! I¡­ I used to love Brayden. I would have kept my promise to him and honoured our marks. But since he didn¡¯t do the same for me¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just a few days?¡± Reid interjected, ¡°He could still reject his mate for you anytime.¡± ¡°But he wouldn¡¯t,¡± the girl replied way too coldly, ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. You can only break someone¡¯s trust once.¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Gideon decided to agree fast until his i***t of a Beta offered her a solution on how to fix the rtionship with her husband, ¡°Divorce it is then.¡± They both looked at him in shock and he cleared his throat. ¡°But what was it about the pack?¡± he decided to change the subject quickly. Riannon exined to him very patiently how they merged the two packs when they were getting married and why she wants to take it back. She had good reasoning when she spoke and he found himself agreeing to everything way too fast. Was this the power of their mate bond? She also mentioned a few times how much she and her husband used to be in love in and he found himself frowning at that every time. ¡°So,¡± she asked him, arching her brow and he realised that he had been quiet way too long, staring at her and thinking of something else. This was the time for him to answer and he could tell that she did not expect much. If anything, she seemed eager to return back to the party, where all those alphas were all over them and he was sure at least half of them was going to offer her their support in hopes of getting her for themselves. He knew how they looked at her. As if they all were hungry for her. He also came to the conclusion that he made the worst first impression on his mate if she couldn¡¯t wait to leave him. And he needed to fix that fast. ¡°I will support you,¡± he said and her lips parted. He could tell that she did not expect that. He had a lot of work before him. ¡°Yes,¡± a vague smile appeared on his face, ¡°There will be some conditions, of course.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± the Luna crossed her hands on her chest in a defence motion. She was expecting the worse from him and he only had himself to me. ¡°Cooperation,¡± he said the first thing that came to his mind. The only condition that he really wanted to name was for her to be his but he could sense that it wouldn¡¯t work well. Not now. She didn¡¯t feel the bond and he did not know why. He needed time. Desperately. And he needed to find a way to be close to her still. ¡°What kind?¡± she asked. ¡°The usual,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°If I am on your side, you are on mine. I also need you not to marry or date anyone until I give you permission.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she mumbled, slightly shocked by the bizarre conversation that they were having. ¡°I have my reasons. Take it or leave it.¡± It was a gamble and Gideon knew it. But something told him that she was going to take it. His wolf calmed down too now. He clearly enjoyed herpany. ¡°Unless,¡± she looked him in the eye with some kind of determination and he got scared that she would decline his offer, ¡°Unless I find my mate.¡± He tried to hold back the huge grin that was about to spread over his face but was failing miserable, noticing how Reid was watching the pair with his brows knitted. ¡°I can ept that,¡± he smirked, ¡°If you find your mate, you are free to embrace your bond. ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal,¡± Riannon stood up and stretched her hand to him for a handshake, which he used to pull her closer, startling her. ¡°Good,¡± he wrapped his hand around his waist to the shock of his Beta and led her to the exit, ¡°Shall we go then?¡± ¡°Where?¡± the Luna looked at him with her rosy lips parted. ¡°We have a show to give¡­¡± Chapter 12: Allies Chapter 12: Allies Reid opened the curtain for them and Riannon tried to hold her head straight since she knew that all eyes would be on them now. In all her years as Luna, and even before that, she saw lycans just a few times. They usually weren¡¯t mingling with the werewolves and it was considered an honour to just meet one of them, regardless of their rank. Back in the day, when Ria got acquainted with a Beta, it was the talk of the surrounding packs for months. And all he did was tell her that he owed her one and handed her a card in front of a few witnesses. Still, Brayden was proud and was telling everyone that a lycan owed their family. It sounded impressive. Well, now Brayden did not look that proud anymore when his wife was descending the stairs holding the mighty lycan king¡¯s hand. Although this was supposed to be an honour beyond any Yet she could feel how her husband was gritting his teeth and saw how he wasn¡¯t even reacting to the words of his precious redhead mate. Roxy didn¡¯t look excited to be at a ball anymore either. It was a disaster. For her. Unlike in the previous life, where she was the star of the event, the little innocent omega who overcame many hardships and stole the heart of a powerful Alpha, now she was second-hand news. Now everybody was questioning what got into Brayden Thorn¡¯s head that he abandoned his wife of six years like that. The wife who clearly was the centre of attention today and for all the right reasons. Not only wasn¡¯t she embarrassed by her situation, she embraced it, attracted every single male wolf in the room to the power that she was emitting. Alphas loved strong women. It was a given. That was why often mates were chosen. Because not everyone could be a suitable Luna, not everyone could bear the burden of responsibilities and pressure. And today Riannon proved that she was one of the very few who could do all that wlessly. So that even the most powerful man in the room got interested in her. So that all the gossips in the hall had to shut up. So that on the day when she was supposed to be humiliated,she came out on top. ¡°Smile, Riannon, smile,¡± the king¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, ¡°You don¡¯t want to disappoint everyone who is watching.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled as he led her to the very centre of the dance floor and gestured for the musicians to start ying again. The sounds of a slow melody filled the room and they started moving. And when Gideon pulled her closer, so that their bodies were touching each It was a disy of great favour. And everybody in the room knew it. She wanted to think of what she would be doing next, to strategize¡­ But the proximity of the man in front of her was clouding her mind. His scent was overwhelming, and he was emitting dominance and power. More than anyone she had ever met. ¡°I can tell what you are thinking about,¡± Gideon chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising,¡± she replied calmly, ¡°I bet everyone here is thinking of the same thing now.¡± ¡°And that would be?¡± he looked at her with amusement. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± she lowered her voice so that only he could hear her. And he lowered slightly so that it was easier for them to talk, resulting in his hot breath burning her cheek and earlobe. ¡°You know why,¡± he whispered, creating goosebumps. This man was too handsome to not react to him. ¡°You could have simply said a word for me at the next Alpha Council,¡± she tried to reason, ¡°But instead you are doing this.¡± ¡°I have my reasons for everything,¡± he confessed simply and she shot her brow up. ¡°And that would be?¡± ¡°I am territorial, Riannon,¡± his lips curled into a smile, ¡°I want everyone to know what is mine so that they in turn knew that if they touch it, it would cost them their lives.¡± He said thosest words loudly and there was no chance that couples who were dancing right next to them hadn¡¯t heard every single word. ¡°But I am not yours,¡± the words left her mouth before she realised what she was saying. And she could swear that his eyes got darker and grip on her became tighter. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°You are my,¡± he hesitated as if he was making a very important decision that very moment, ¡°My ally. And I will make sure that everyone respects you one way or another.¡± The Luna¡¯s lips parted in shock but otherwise, she managed to keep a neutral facial expression. What kind of dumb luck was it? Why was he so generous? He danced surprisingly well, leading her firmly and making her look even better than she usually did. His every move was precise and Ria was shocked with his skills. ¡°You are very good at this,¡± she praised him, smiling and arching her back in his arms when she heard him growling softly for some reason. after just one dance. ¡°Riannon,¡± he made her look at him, ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she nodded. After what he did for her tonight, she was ready to answer any questions. ¡°What is your wolf¡¯s name?¡± he asked and she suddenly got sad. Which did not escape him. ¡°Onyx,¡± the girl said quietly. ¡°Is Onyx around?¡± the Lycan kind bent to whisper the words in her ear, saving her the humiliation as her eyes grew wide. Just how would he know about something like that? She didn¡¯t know what to answer, so muttered the first thing that came to her mind, ¡°She is¡­ resting.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Gideon nodded with a mixture of emotions on his face, ¡°Well, Ria, it was a pleasure. But I am afraid it¡¯s time for me to go.¡± She did not know how to react to that. Did she do something wrong or was it really the time for him to leave? Yet somehow she felt disappointed that it was happening already. ¡°I will call you tomorrow,¡± the kind said and she almost choked on the air, ¡°And we will need to meet again very soon. To talk.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she smiled nervously and felt his grip on her tightening. It was as if he¡­ did not want to let her go¡­ ¡°Then I will see you soon,¡± the music stopped and he bowed to kiss her hand, making the room fill with gasps at once, ¡°It was a real pleasure, Riannon.¡± The lycan king made a gesture to his Beta and they both left the room abruptly. Ria wanted to return to the bar and order herself a drink when Brayden stood in front of her. ¡°What the hell was that right now, Riannon?!¡± he growled. Chapter 13" Brayden Chapter 13" Brayden Riannon gave her husband a very cold stare but he did not seem to notice how everybody around them became quiet once again. ¡°Brayden,¡± she said without a trace of emotion in her voice, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it at home. I have a few people I still have to talk to.¡± She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm to stop her and she had to turn and face him. In all honesty, Riannon did not want to make an ugly scene. But she was annoyed with him beyond belief. What was he even thinking?! ¡°I think you already talked to enough people tonight,¡± he clenched his fingers tighter around her slim arm and if Onyx was there, she would let her take control for a few moments and show him her Alpha force. But now she had to be more careful since she was alone. She knew very well that now she was in a position to only use her witts. ¡°And what is the problem there exactly?¡± she gave him her best and fakest smile, ¡°You need to take care of your wolf and for that, you need to give that poor girl a good time here tonight.¡± Ria gestured at Roxy who stood right behind her husband with a perplexed face. ¡°And in the meantime, I need to take care of our pack since you are busy. And for that, I need to actually talk to people, Brayden, build rtions and so on.¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been doing? Building rtions?¡± he gritted through his teeth, ¡°Howe you are only doing it with men when you could talk to all those Lunas?¡± ¡°The Lunas are already on my side, trust me,¡± Ria smirked, ¡°But men require to get to know me better. Besides, what if I manage to meet my mate here too? Imagine how great our pack would be when both our wolves suddenly get super strong thanks to that. Wouldn¡¯t that be amazing?¡± His grasp on her became so strong that she knew there would be bruisers. Not that she cared. It was satisfying. She heard a fewughs here and there as people that gathered around them appreciated her joke. But Brayden did not. He was always the superstar of every event. And this was exactly how he was counting to be perceived at this event. He already had the best wife and Luna there could be. But now he also found a mate who he took into his pack. Amate that was sure to be his mistress over time, he only held back thanks to his respect for Riannon. But it was simply a question of time. He was sure that he could have it all and today¡¯s ball was supposed to be proof of that would p his back in approval. Wasn¡¯t it every man¡¯s dream to have two perfect women? Riannon was perfection¡­ She was the rare girl that had everything and he knew that she would be his Luna the first moment he saw her. She was a true beauty with her silky skin and shiny blonde hair that was always falling in perfect waves down her shoulders. She had the perfect fit body which was neither too thin and nor too muscly, with soft curls in all the right ces. But her looks weren¡¯t the best part of her. She was clever. And funny. And calcting when it was needed. But on top of that, she was kind and sincere towards the people she cared about. Her blue eyes seemed to look right through you and sometimes Brayden believed that she knew what everyone around her was thinking about. She fell in love with her almost instantly and managed to get her attention. They dated for years at school and married almost after they graduated. They were always in perfect sync when they ruled their pack, she never failed him and he gave her everything that a Luna like her should have. When he met Roxanne, he wanted to reject her almost instantly. But¡­ he couldn¡¯t. Everything happened so fast when he was visiting one of the neighbour packs. She was running out of the woods when he was talking to the Alpha with a few wolves chasing her. He froze at the sight, realising that she was his mate. He didn¡¯t think that he would be able to find her¡­ He looked. He wanted to know what it was like but he was also in love with Riannon and decided to abandon the idea for her when they married and he marked his wife. And now there she was¡­ That pitiful girl who was so tiny. And vulnerable. And had absolutely no one to protect her. He opened his mouth to say the words but she fainted in front of him and he couldn¡¯t do anything. He found a ce for her outside his pack and kept it a secret. No one knew except for his Beta Ash. He was visiting the girl every day to keep a check on her healing. It took her a while since she was an omega. And he couldn¡¯t reject her before she got well since he was afraid she might die¡­ But a few weeks passed and he still wasn¡¯t able to break their bond. The way she looked at him, the way she behaved¡­ Everything was so different from Riannon. And it was enticing. Ria never needed his help much. She was his partner, she never relied on him. Sometimes it even felt as if she was the Alpha in their rtionship. And he loved that. But sometimes¡­ It was too much. It was hard to keep up with her. While with Roxy it was always so easy. Simple things made herugh, she was grateful she was¡­ dependent. Without him, she was afraid to even take a step. He liked the way she looked at him, he liked how weak and fragile she was, his instincts were heightened next to her with the constant desire to protect her. So that was why he couldn¡¯t keep her outside of his pack anymore. It wasn¡¯t safe. And that was why he couldn¡¯t reject her when Riannon demanded it and Roxy fell to his knees. He wasn¡¯t that cruel. He couldn¡¯t do that to the little omega. But after some thinking, he was sure that there was a way for them all to be together. His mate didn¡¯t have to be his wife or let alone Luna. She could just stay in his pack and live afortable life, satisfying his wolf when it was needed. And Riannon could still remain his queen. Their rtionship could go through anything. She wouldn¡¯t be happy at first, of course, but in the end, she would make the required adjustments for the sake of the pack. The rational side of her would win. She could deal with anything and still do it with dignity. That was why he was shocked when he saw her today. He thought that she would spend a quiet evening with her friends here. But that dress¡­ and that behaviour were not what he expected at all! She seemed so different now and when she went upstairs to meet the Lycan King he almost lost it. But it was when she came back with him and they danced that he couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. It felt as if every man in this room wanted his wife! And although they always did, it was the first time that they were also ready to act on it. And¡­ she did not stop them. Now she was giving him the coldest stare that he ever received from her, with a crooked smile to top it off. As if she was daring him in front of everyone. The old Riannon would never do that in public! Was a person able to change so fast? Or maybe he just didn¡¯t know his wife to begin with¡­ ¡°Are you drunk?¡± he wanted to put a stop to it and he knew that the only way to do that was to trample her pride, ¡°I thought you were better than this and epted Roxy as a part of our pack.¡± Something changed in her eyes. The cold re changed to the death stare in an instant. His lips almost trembled at that so he had to clench them so hard that they formed a thin white line. ¡°Is that the best you coulde up with?¡± she arched her brow, ¡°How about we just do what we came here to do in the first ce? Take your hands off me. You are not even my His fingers unclenched as he watched the reaction of people around them. What was he to do now? ¡°Right,¡± Ash appeared out of nowhere and stepped right behind Riannon, ¡°I am the said partner. How about I take it from here?¡± She seemed slightly annoyed with him too and it brought Brayden relief as his Beta took her hand and led her away to the dancefloor. ¡°Alpha Brayden?¡± Roxy called his name and he turned to see his mate with her eyes filled with tears. Guilt washed over him as he realised that he neglected herpletely. Yet his own gaze kept returning to his Luna who was now dancing and talking to his Beta. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that the evening was ruined. But everyone was watching and he had to keep his face. ¡°How about some drinks?¡± he asked the almost crying redhead who clung to his hand and a wide smile immediately bloomed at her face. Yes, Roxy was so easy to please¡­ Ash wasn¡¯t leaving her alone and it was extremely hard to talk to the other alphas in the room. The n had backfired a bit, yet Ria found herself smiling every time she thought of her dance with the Lycan King. ¡°We have to leave now,¡± the Beta leaned lower and whispered into her ear. ¡°What?¡± she looked at him in shock, ¡°Why? It¡¯s too early.¡± ¡°Alpha orders,¡± was all that Ash answered and she pursed her lips, looking at her husband drinking cocktails with Roxanne at the distance. When did he even manage to mind link his right hand? But she had enough of ugly scenes for one night and it was hard to make any progress with him glued to her. She would have other opportunities and she already made her statement today. ¡°All right,¡± she sighed, following him out of the room and to the parking lot. She noticed that he wasn¡¯t to where the limos were parked and tensed at once. But the Beta clicked the button and one of the huge Range Rovers nearby blinked. ¡°We¡¯ll take the car others used,¡± the guy smiled at her, taking off his zer. And to her surprise, he wrapped it around her shoulders without asking permission. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 14: The Phone Call Chapter 14: The Phone Call was slowlying to power, how he watched when Brayden stripped her of her title¡­ She knew very well that she couldn¡¯t rely on him. ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you to say that,¡± she sighed, ¡°But as you can see, you may as well have a new Luna soon.¡± Riannon walked past him and got inside the car. She was about to pull the train of her dress in, when Ash kneeled next to her, doing it for her carefully. Their eyes locked just for a second and his shone blue as he said, ¡°Brayden may have a mate or a new wife even. But I will only have one Luna.¡± He closed the door for her before she could say anything and got to the driver¡¯s seat. Just then the passenger door opened and Harper, Brayden¡¯s sister tried to get in. ¡°Oh, good, Ash!¡± she giggled, ¡°I want to go home early too!¡± ¡°You¡¯d better find another car, Har,¡± the Beta said dryly. ¡°But I¡­¡± the girl seemed stunned and looked at Ria questioningly. ¡°She can ride with us,¡± Riannon sighed. She really did not want to. Harper was almost never nice to her. And she did not want to make her even angrier than usual. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°No,¡± Ash said dryly, ¡°I have my orders to take Luna home alone. For safety reasons. Find another car, Harp.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± she tried to object but a loud Beta growl made her leave the car in an instant. Ash rarely used his dominance but today he did. The car doors locked, and he drove off. They spent most of the road in silence, just exchanging a few phrases about the party. ¡°The lycan king¡­¡±, Ash muttered, ¡°What is that about?¡± ¡°He is just trying to maintain the friendly rtionship with our kind,¡± she shook her shoulders and looked away. ¡°And yet he spoke and danced with you only,¡± the Beta noticed. ¡°Turns out he heard about my work,¡± she lied without blinking, ¡°You sound so surprised. Is it so strange for him to pay me attention?¡± ¡°Of course, not,¡± Ash cleared his throat and grasped the steering wheel tighter, ¡°If anyone deserves recognition, it¡¯s definitely you. I am just surprised he arrived at all.¡± It was true. Riannon was surprised as well. Back in her previous life, he never arrived at the Alpha Ball. They never met. good thing as this was what she needed ¨C to change everything. But on the other hand, it was scary. Because if the changes were drastic, she wouldn¡¯t know where she could ce a safe bet. Everything wasplicated. They arrived back at the packte at night and Ash offered her his hand to help her out of the car. His fingers grasped hers and he did not let go when she was already out. This was odd. He wasn¡¯t like that before. Ash was Brayden¡¯s best friend since high school, but they never actually hit it off as friends. He was quiet around her although he performed his duties just perfectly. She used to rely on him and take it for what it was. Yet his betrayal still came as a shock to her. As a Beta, he gave her a vow when she became the Luna. And he didn¡¯t keep it. It was probably because his vow to the Alpha was more important. But it still hurt her. So, it was strange for her now to receive his affection. Not to mention that it was very new even if the betrayal neber happened. They walked inside the mansion and everything was already quiet. ¡°Thanks,¡± she mumbled, ¡°I am going to get some sleep.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he suddenly appeared way too close to her in this dark reception area, ¡°Luna No, Riannon¡­ I think that Brayden is an idiot.¡± She did not know what to respond to that. But decided to go with the first thing that came to her mind. ¡°That makes two of us,¡± she let out a littleugh, ¡°Shame he can¡¯t help it.¡± But then the silence between the two of them became awkward and she simply turned and started walking up the stairs. When she turned to look at him, she noticed how his eyes shone blue and gulped, saying nothing and just speeding up. Back in her bedroom, she locked the doors behind her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Maya looked worried sitting at her desk with a sketchbook. Ria was relieved to see her best friend here and she gave her a relieved smile. ¡°Nothing. Just came back early.¡± She sighed, throwing off her heels. Maya put her sketch away and Riannon noticed that it was a caricature of Roxanne this time. And a very good one. The girl was smiling way too wide while holding a knife behind her back. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± she asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Gideon gave her, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it but the Lycan King himself was there!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Maya gasped and jumped to her feet, ¡°For real?! What did he say? What did he do? Did you talk to him?¡± The two girls talked until it was way toote. Riannon told her best friend everything and then they were nning and strategizing for the next few days. They had to be in perfect sync for everything to work. Before sleep, Ria sighed, looking at the cell phone which she ced on top of her bedside table. There weren¡¯t any numbers in it, no instructions. It looked like the phone was brand new. Just why did the king give it to her? What was the point? He had her number anyway, he could call anytime. She caught herself on the thought that this man wasn¡¯t leaving her mind. She was supposed to think about her husband and his betrayal, yet thoughts of king Gideon prevailed. He was unusual. Even for a lycan. The way he spoke, the way his lips curled into a smirk¡­ It seemed like he knew something that she didn¡¯t. see And that dance¡­ It was short but it made an impression. And not only on the guests. On her as well. ¡°I have my reasons for everything,¡± he said and she could only wonder what those were in her case. He went really fast from ridiculing her to giving her the chance of her life. She was still thinking of him when the phone rang. She hesitated before swiping her finger to start the conversation but did it anyway. ¡°Hello?¡± she hated how her voice trembled. ¡°What are you wearing?¡± the lycan king¡¯s voice was huskier than she remembered. What kind of question was that? She started to get worried that he was interested in her for the wrong reasons. ¡°I am not answering that,¡± she said. ¡°Why not?¡± he asked as if this was not the first time they were doing it. ¡°Because it¡¯s inappropriate!¡± she scolded him, ¡°Who even asks a married woman that?! What are you wearing, Gideon?!¡± She couldn¡¯t control her rage and used his first name, biting her lip at once. ¡°Easy,¡± he chuckled, clearly enjoying the conversation, ¡°I am wearing nothing, Ria.¡± tried to control herself. ¡°That was¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± She tried to exin herself, blushing. This was not goingwell. an ¡°No offence taken,¡± he assured her, sounding amused, ¡°And I bet you wear somethingcy and¡­ cream. You look like the cream kind of girl.¡± She looked down at herself, almost cursing under her breath. He was right. She was wearing a cream slip withce. Most of her nightgowns looked like that. ¡°I am not going to deny or confirm that,¡± she tried to sound professional, ¡°And if that¡¯s the only reason for your call, then I have to hang up now¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason,¡± he said without any kind of worry in his voice. ¡°So?¡± she felt like he was ying with her and she did not like it. Yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to end this either. ¡°I will be visiting your pack tomorrow,¡± he said and she sat up on her bed. ¡°You will?¡± her throat suddenly went dry. ¡°I will,¡± he snorted, ¡°But unofficially. Out of all your pack, I only want to see and speak to you. We need to discuss a lot of things.¡± ¡°That we need,¡± she agreed with ease, feeling how her mood went up instantly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be seeing you tomorrow, Riannon,¡± he said and she just knew that he was smiling. ¡°See you then, Gideon,¡± she grew bolder. But before he managed to say anything else, she switched off the phone and fell back to her pillow. What was she doing? And most importantly, what was he doing?! *** In the morning, Riannon had her breakfast in her room, trying to figure out what she could and couldn¡¯t say to the Lycan king when he would arrive. Brayden was out since early morning with Ash. They both trained the pack warriors at that time. That¡¯s why Ria was surprised when she heard amotion in one of the drawing rooms of the packhouse. She opened the doors and dozens of eyes met hers. The room was filled with omegas having some kind of a tea party. A party that she wasn¡¯t even aware of. friends here! This¡­ we¡­¡± Fake tears started forming in her eyes again and Ria had enough¡­ Chapter 15: The Tea Party Chapter 15: The Tea Party Here she went again. It was extremely hard for Riannon not to roll her eyes. That girl was beyond annoying. And absolutely shameless. It was pretty clear what she was trying to do here with all those omegas. She did it in the past too. Since she didn¡¯t have a chance with higher-ranking wolves before, so she tried to get all the lower ranking ones on her side. This was one of Riannon¡¯s first serious defeats. Back in her past life she used to be respected by everyone and believed that their loyalties would stay with her until the end. Their pack was always good to omegas, after all. And she personally saw to it. There was one thing that bothered her a lot. As far as Rhiannon remembered,st time or Roxanne started acting muchter. Those parties with omegas took ce months after she appeared at the pack. And now she was already at it. It was another change and Rhiannon didn¡¯t like it. However, luckily, in the past, she was thinking a lot about her mistakes. This one always seemed like the hardest one to fix, but she had to at least try. ¡°Luna,¡± Roxy was almost crying, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I invited all the omegas over. But I felt so bad for them since it never happened chance to enjoy things like that. And especially at the *ckhouse. Please, don¡¯t be angry at us. I assure you, we all know our ces in the hierarchy.¡± This was going to be funny. Ria looked around, scanning the room. Roxy was serving them biscuits and sandwiches. So, she gave her guests a wide smile and entered the room, taking the central seat. ¡°Roxy,¡± she said with a grin, ¡°you are still very new here. As I always tell you during your panic attacks, this pack is very different from the one you came from. Omegas can enter this house anytime they like as any other member of this pack. Everyone is wee here, although it would be better if you let us know beforehand about big gatherings like this. Our omegas don¡¯tck biscuits or sandwiches. If you really wanted to treat them, we could have prepared something a bit better. Like what we do at our seasonal parties. You enjoy those girls, right?¡± ¡°Of course, Luna,¡± a few of them squeaked, feeling slightly awkward. ¡°Oh,¡± Roxy took another seat, ¡°I didn¡¯t know...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear, no one expects you to learn everything so fast,¡± Riannon chuckled as someone handed her a cup of tea, ¡°That¡¯s why we are going to take care of your education from now on. Did you decide what you would like to do already? Remember, we already talked about it? You have absolutely no limits on what you can do.¡± liked to exploit her background and get all the pity from the people around her by ying the poor and abused omega. The Luna wanted to take that from her. She wanted the other omegas to know very well that they weren¡¯t the same. Roxanne stopped being a in omega the moment she entered the pack as the Alpha¡¯s mate. That wouldn¡¯t work with everyone, of course, but at least as far as they didn¡¯t have that unity¡­ ¡°I am not sure,¡± Roxy mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s all so sudden¡­ I don¡¯t know if I would ever get used to something like that.¡± ¡°Of course you will!¡± Ria tried to sound really sincere, ¡°You looked like a natural at the Alpha Ball yesterday! I would have never thought that it was your first. The designer dress and diamonds fit you well.¡± The silence in the room became awkward and Riannon got worried that she overdid it. ¡°Th-thank you,¡± Roxy tried to force a smile, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your kindness, Luna.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± Riannon put the teacup down, ¡°It¡¯s not like I have much of a choice here. Not every day your husband brings home his mate and makes us live together.¡± Now the silence was deadly. ¡°And how are you, Luna?¡± One of the girls asked, ying with the hem of her dress and dar ng her eyes to the floor, ¡°I mean¡­ considering¡­¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Considering everything,¡± Ria leaned to the back of her chair and sighed, ¡°I am trying to cope. It¡¯s not easy when it happens to your family. You have married a chosen mate too, right Alice?¡± The girl looked at her, shocked that the Luna of the pack knew her name and even such details about her family. ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± she nodded, ¡°Mark and I are chosen mates.¡± ¡°Then you can probably imagine how I feel right now,¡± Ria smiled sadly and brushed away a non- existent tear off hershes, ¡°It doesn¡¯t help that Roxy here is such a sweet and caring child. I couldn¡¯t hate her even if I wanted to.¡± ¡°You are very kind,¡± someone else said and others started agreeing with this. Soon Roxy¡¯s party turned into the support event for Riannon and she made sure that she let them all know that she was aware of their names, position, problems and so on. When they were leaving, they were thanking her for everything and Ria was now able to smile genuinely. She noticed that a few people were still hanging around Roxy. But this was inevitable. Those no chance to attach themselves to Riannon, so the alpha¡¯s new mate was their best bet. But at least now Ria knew what to expect. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± One of the omegas gave the Luna an awkward hug, hearing that she just approved the increase in the school budget to make sure that omegas could be trained physically along with everyone else. This was something that Brayden opposed for a while and thanks to that, omegas rarely couldpete for a warrior ce. Although some of them weren¡¯t born to fight, some were just as strong as deltas and it was a shame that they never had a chance to prove themselves. However, Riannon was one of those who wanted to change that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she smiled, ¡°The n is to give everyone an equal chance. I am sure that sooner orter everyone will get on board.¡± They were walking out of the mansion, saying their goodbyes and Roxy kept quiet. A few c her newfound friends kept close to her, realising that today¡¯s battle was mostly lost. ¡°I am sure you will be able to do all that and more,¡± Roxy said, grinning widely, ¡°Our Luna is now friends with the Lycan king, after all. There is hardly any problem that she can¡¯t solve now!¡± That was the definition of false advertising. And it was dangerous. ¡°We talked once, Roxy,¡± Riannon almost gritted through her teeth, ¡°That hardly makes us BFFs.¡± ¡°But the lycan king¡­¡± The redhead wanted to say something else but they all heard a burst of resoundingughter. ¡°And who the hell are you to speak for me?!¡± Gideon Stormhold, the Lycan King himself, took off his sunsses as they all turned to the sound of his voice and saw him leaning over a huge ck car at a distance. Chapter 16: How Dare You? Chapter 16: How Dare You? ¡°I am asking you again, omega,¡± the Lycan king growled, ¡°Who do you think you are to say such things?!¡± All other omegas bowed their heads and only Roxy stood there, trembling. Riannon¡¯s lips parted in shock as she took him in. Today he was wearing ripped jeans and a grey T- shirt that was slightly too tight around his muscr body. He had sunsses on which he took off right before their eyes met. He was a fine specimen of a Lycan. Tall and broad-shouldered as if he spent most of his time training and fighting. Yet his green eyes gave away his sharp mind and experience. Someone like him wouldn¡¯t buy the pathetic lies of the scheming omega in front of him. And for some reason, it made Riannon very happy inside. ¡°I am so sorry, Alpha,¡± Roxy started stuttering and Ria thought to herself that for the first i e ever this might have been genuine. The aura around the Lycan King was deadly and even she could feel it. ¡°I am afraid a simple sorry is not going to cut it, little girl. You are not that little thought to not know any rules. Or now that you found out that you are the Alpha¡¯s mate you decided that you are above everyone and anyone?¡± Gideon chuckled darkly, ¡°I hate to break it to you, but even Alphas are not above ourws. And you are still a no one as of now. I don¡¯t see a mark on your neck, do r?¡± No one dared to speak and Roxanne¡¯s head was getting lower and lower. ¡°Not to mention that even if you did have a mark,¡± the Lycan king stepped closer, ¡°I could still demand your life as a tribute to me for your insolence. And, trust me, your Alpha would kill your himself in an instant just to appease me. If he is not aplete i***t, of course. Which I am starting to doubt¡­¡± ¡°What is going on here?¡± Brayden showed up from the side leading to the training field with Ash and his best warriors, all sweaty after yet another exercise round. He looked worried when he saw the scene unfolding before him and Ria decided to take a step back simply watching what would happen. ¡°What happened, Alpha¡­¡±, Gideon paused, not even trying to hide that he did not remember Brayden¡¯s name. ¡°Thorn,¡± the wolf tried to suppress a growl but it did not work very well. ¡°Alpha Thorn,¡± Gideon practically spat the words and Riannon enjoyed that way more than she should have, ¡°Your mate here disrespected me. And your Luna too. She is too brazen ¡°My apologies, King Stormhold,¡± Bray was forcing the words out of his throat. He was a strong Alpha and submitting came hard to him, ¡°It is my fault. I have to teach her better. She didn¡¯t have the opportunity to learn since in her previous pack¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want excuses,¡± the lycan did not even try to hold back his growl, ¡°There are things that even mice in the house know. And if she is that not ready to meet people, maybe you should look into that and stop parading her at parties for the time being. After all, you don¡¯t want the whole pack to pay the price for the stupid words that leave her mouth, right?¡± ¡°Of course, not,¡± Brayden got pale. No one wanted to mess with the lycans. This was a war lost before it even started and everyone knew that. There were less lycans than werewolves in the world but they were bigger and stronger, and way more powerful. And there was a reason why everyone obeyed them. There had been wars where werewolves tried to end lycan¡¯s dominance and they all ended badly for the wolves. So, no one tried that before. It did help that lycans, however cruel if crossed, seemed to be reasonable rulers. They implemented ? s that more or less took care of everyone under their wing. However, there was one thing that they did not tolerate and it was disrespect. ¡°I am so sorry!¡± Roxy rushed to fall into Brayden¡¯s arms with eyes full of tears again. The girl was shaking uncontrobly as her mate wrapped his hands around her protectively. Gideon turned to look at Riannon and she sighed, rolling her eyes, which only made him smirk and clench his fists. He looked like he was ready to tear the omega apart any moment now. That got Ria worried. For the first time, she realised that now she really needed Roxanne alive for her n toe true. A small part of her still cared for Brayden and it made her mark ache to see him so protective of his mate. But in the end, more than anything now she wanted her freedom. And her pack. If Gideon killed Roxy now, Bray would be devastated, yes. But he would survive. And never ever give her a divorce. And she wouldn¡¯t have grounds for that and for taking her pack back as well. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. No, this was not good for her. ¡°How about we forgive her just this once,¡± the Luna stepped in between the lycan king and her husband who held his clinging mate in his arms, ¡°We will all teach Roxanne and next time we will be sure she is not even around when you visit if that¡¯s what you like.¡± ¡°As you wish, Riannon,¡± Gideon raised his chin but his facial expression warmed up as he looked at her. Everyone around them was stunned at how easily he listened to her and how he Anyway, I came here to discuss a few things and to have a look at your pack. How about you show me around?¡± ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± she gave him a soft smile and this time he worked really hard to suppress an internal and possessive growl. ¡°I will go with you,¡± Brayden said all of a sudden as Roxy still had her fingers dug in his skin. ¡°I think you have your hands full, Thorn,¡± Gideon chuckled not even bothering to add the title Alpha, which probably meant that he wasn¡¯t considering his opponent one. For the first time ever Bray looked at his mate as a nuisance as his wife came closer to the king. But he couldn¡¯t do anything about it in front of so many people. ¡°Then at least my Beta..¡± he wanted to suggest Ash go with the two of them. ¡°There is no need,¡± Ria smiled innocently, ¡°This is an informal visit, Bray. And I am not in any danger from King Gideon. Go deal with your important matters and let Ash do his work. While I¡¯ll do mine.¡± With that, she turned on her heels and gestured for Gideon to follow her which he did after giving her husband a look of disdain. Making others feel inferior to him was a gift sent to him by the Moon Goddess. They walked in silence for a while and Ria contemted how to start a conversation with him. She was telling him this and that about the pack but he did not seem interested at all. And from time to time she caught him watching her with a gaze that made her lose her breath and feel the heat inside. She tried to control her emotions just the way she was taught but couldn¡¯t do anything about the blush that appeared on her cheeks. Just why was she reacting to him like that? ¡°And here we n to build a few new rows of living houses. Our poption increases rapidly in the past few years and we want to create more separate houses for new families,¡± she went on and on, even though she knew that he was not interested. But he kept listening to her and watching her every move without interrupting her. Until they came to the main gardens of the pack and walked up to a littleke with ducks swimming in it. She did not know what else to say and was about to ask him bluntly what the real reason for his visit was when he turned to face her with a very serious face. swallowed. Just what was it that he wanted to know? ¡°Of course,¡± she mumbled, feeling worried. ¡°What happened to your wolf?¡± the words cut through her mind. Chapter 17: Stinging Chapter17: Stinging Riannon did not know how to react to this question. How did he guess? Maya told her that she still smelled like a werewolf and an Alpha at that. So, it couldn¡¯t be her scent. Yet somehow the Lycan king already knew that her wolf was missing. This was not the first time he was asking about Onyx. And Ria wasn¡¯t stupid to consider it simple politeness. He wanted answers. But so did she. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Even though everyone around them was ready to faint as soon as they were close to Gideon, she did not feel this way at all. She was sure that he wasn¡¯t going to hurt her. Not at all. He did not give her that vibe. He felt like¡­ She wasn¡¯t sure like what. Not a friend. Definitely not a friend. Anyway, this was not important as he was staring at her expectantly with his arms crossed on his chest. His deep green eyes were on her and she felt pressured to give him an answer. ¡°My wolf is not talking to me,¡± she said, choosing her words deliberately. She did not want to lie to him. For some reason, she knew that it was very important to never lie to him. And it was the truth at the end of the day. Some part of Onyx had to be there since she still had her werewolf senses and physical strength. But no matter how much Riannon tried to call for her wolf, Onyx did not reply to her. Thus ¨C they were not talking. ¡°Hmm,¡± the Lycan king was watching her with a hint of doubt in his eyes, ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°A few days,¡± Ria coughed. What was it? An interrogation? ¡°What happened prior?¡± he asked and it made her flinch, letting him know that there was something there. She paused and he got tense. Just what was it that made her wolf go away? Did someone hurt her? Sometimes, in very rare cases, wolves were retreating to the back of their host¡¯s mind to recuperate if something terrible happened to them. Gideon¡¯s fists clenched on an instinct as he imagined that someone may had hurt his precious mate. ¡°It¡¯s personal,¡± she said, turning away. But he couldn¡¯t let it like that. ¡°Riannon,¡± he stepped right behind her, itching to close her in his arms, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can tell me. If you want, it will forever stay just between us. But I need to know.¡± For a second there she contemted telling him the truth. Would he believe her? Maya did. But Maya was different. They knew each other for so long that they were practically While Gideon was new in her life. For goddesses¡¯ sake, he wasn¡¯t even her kind. He was a lycan and a royalty. And she needed his help to get her divorce and pack back before anything. What if she told him everything now and he considered her crazy? There would be no way he would let a crazy Alpha take reigns of her pack. No, telling him that she died and was brought back in time wasn¡¯t an option at all. She needed something else. But not a lie. ¡°Well,¡± she turned to face him, finding him way too close. But she gathered all her strength and looked him in the eye. ¡°What do you think happened?¡± she furrowed her brows,¡° My husband of 6 years brought home his true mate, breaking our sacred promise to each other and destroying everything I believed in within one day in spite of me being the one wearing his mark.¡± She noticed his Adam¡¯s apple twitching slightly as if it was suddenly hard for him to breathe. ¡°Is that why she is gone?¡± he asked menacingly and for the first time, Riannon felt a shiver go down her spine when she was with him. ¡°She did not tell me for sure,¡± Riannon chouse her words carefully again, ¡°So, I am just assuming.¡± His face suddenly looked relieved. And also slightly¡­ hurt. Why did he take those matters so close to heart? Then again, this was probably why he was considered to be such a good king. He was concerning himself with the matters of his subjects. Unknowingly, Ria rubbed the mark on her neck as it started stinging slightly. This was happening a lot to hertely. ¡°This omega,¡± Gideon continued, ¡°Is she always like that?¡± ¡°Usually she is worse,¡± the Luna muttered under her breath, but it did not escape the lycan. ¡°Then your husband is an i***t,¡± the man snorted and it made Riannon smile, which she tried to get back under control immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t hide that smile,¡± he told her at once, shocking her slightly, ¡°It looks good on you and I prefer my¡­ allies to be honest with me about their feelings.¡± She swallowed. So, herinner hunch was correct. He did not like being lied to. Not that politician to know that. So, she just nodded to him and curled the corners of her lips a bit again to his satisfaction. His eyes lingered on her lips for far too long and she turned away from him, feeling how unnecessary heat was rising inside of her by the minute. Just why did this lycan had been influencing her so much? ¡°So,¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°You are seriously considering helping me?¡± ¡°I already promised you, didn¡¯t 1,¡± he stood right next to her and his hand identally brushed over hers, making her feel¡­ tiny tingles. Tingles! Her eyes darted to his at once but he only looked at her expectantly. No, this couldn¡¯t be. This was probably in her head. At least that was what she tried to convince herself in. And also it was nothing like the mate tingles. She experienced those after Brayden marked her and this was definitely more intense. Her mark started stinging again and she rubbed it more furiously while trying to gather her thoughts. ¡°What is it?¡± Gideon looked at her with sincere concern on his face and she opened her mouth to try and exin it, but he already took her hand into his, opening the view of her mark and lowered himself to have a better look at it. She felt slightly embarrassed at that. The marks of chosen mates were just red ugly scars. Everybody knew what they were of course, but it wasn¡¯t the same as what true mates had. No matter how they wanted to pretend that it was. True mate marks looked like two crescent tattoos looking at each other. And deep inside this was what Riannon was dreaming of every time she looked in the mirror. But Gideon¡¯s hot breath on her neck distracted her from her thoughts. He was close. Almost too close and he brushed his thumb over her old scar gently, making her feel things. ¡°It looks a bit inmed,¡± he said with worry in her voice and she gasped. Inmed? Why the hell was her mark inmed?! A loud growl distracted them from each other and Riannon turned her head to see one very pissed werewolf ring at the two of them¡­ Chapter 18: Not Greedy Chapter 18: Not Greedy Riannon froze with the lycan¡¯s hand still on her neck when she saw her Beta baring his canines at the two of them. What was he thinking? This was offensive to any lycan and the one next to her was their king for Goddess¡¯ sake! ¡°Do you have a problem?¡± Gideon angled his head to look at the intruder, still not taking his hand off Ria¡¯s neck. He looked absolutely unbothered on the surface, but the Luna did not let herself be fooled. She could feel fury radiating from his body. Fury and something else. She couldn¡¯t get what it was though. But she knew one thing ¨C Ash was in big trouble now. ¡°Yes, I have a problem,¡± he said, clenching his fists, ¡°You have your hands on my Luna and I demand¡­¡± It was just one second and Riannon felt cold as the king¡¯s arms left her. One second and he already stood next to Ash with his fingers locked around the Beta¡¯s neck, lifting him in the air as if he weight nothing and making her gasp. She knew very well that lycans were faster and stronger. But she couldn¡¯t even imagine that the difference was so vast. If they ever had to fight for any reason then werewolves would have zero chances at winning. Ash was now making gurgling sounds and Ria hurried to the two men. ¡°Please, no!¡± she begged the king and he looked at her unexpectedly softly. ¡°He was insolent,¡± Gideon tried to exin to her but seeing a spark of fear in her eyes brought him back to his sense. He was doing it again. Making the wrong impression on her. All he wanted was to find out why she did not feel him and make her used to his presence in his life, but he was showing her this feral side of him. Instead of the one, she could potentially be attracted to. So, he ced the Beta back to his feet, even though in reality he wanted to snap that neck of his. He never let anyone doubt him in his life except for his sister and Reid. And if anyone did¡­ ¡°Please, forgive him, Your Majesty,¡± her formal voice was cutting his ears. No, no, no. This was wrong. ¡°Gideon,¡± it slipped off his tongue faster than he realised, and he met her widened eyes.¡± Don¡¯t forget that we are not using formalities anymore,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°Of¡­ course,¡± she mumbled, not knowing how to behave now. ¡°Luna!¡± Ash tried to gather himself, still panting. But before he managed to say anything, she gave him the look. The one that meant, shut up now or I will not be able to help you next ¡°Did anything happen?¡± she tried to change the subject, ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he practically gritted through his teeth, adjusting his shirt that now looked all crumpled and stuck out of his jeans, ¡°The mail came.¡± ¡°And?¡± Riannon raised her brow not grasping what it had to do with her. ¡°I think you need to see this,¡± the Beta turned around and she looked at the king, shaking her shoulders. ¡°Well, if you have to,¡± he chuckled friendly as if he did not just try to murder a member of her pack. But yet again, Riannon did not feel any dangerous vibes from him that was why she waved at him to follow her. Living him alone wasn¡¯t an option anyway. At the entrance of the packhouse a few cars were packs and people were getting boxes out of it, big and small, as well as huge extravagant bouquets of flowers that filled the air with their overly sweet scent. For a second there, Riannon frowned. Back in her past life, something like this happened. Brayden decided to give his mate ¡°what she deserved¡± since she had nothing and showered her with gifts. In this life Roxy already had a budget allocated for her needs. And it was annoying that he still did it without any kind of excuse. However, next, her eyes were dawned on her gloomy husband standing on the stairs and Roxanne, sheepishly hiding behind his back. She wasn¡¯t jumping with joy like thest time. And he did not have the smug smile stered all over his face¡­ Something was off. ¡°You seriously thought that I would want to see this?¡± Riannon tried to hold back her annoyance as she darted her eyes at Ash. ¡°Why not?¡± the Beta seemed puzzled there for a second, ¡°The alphas of so many packs sent their regards to you. I thought¡­¡± ¡°I am sorry, what?¡± she opened her mouth in shock and the beta grazed his eyes over her lips. ¡°Those are gifts sent by alphas for you, Luna,¡± he said calmly as he took his eyes off her, ¡°They are¡­¡± ¡°¡­not wasting their time!¡± Gideon said in a very deep and cold voice while cing his hands in his pockets. Just why did he think to bring her anything? It was so obvious! You court a woman ¨C you give her gifts. He wanted to swear at himself but this was not the time. ¡°Oh,¡± Ria looked back at the people who seemed to be taking the boxes to her rooms. But nheless good. She could use this in so many ways. It was giving her options for her n and she immediately started to think of what to do next. ¡°Riannon!¡± her husband growled,ing closer. He did not look happy. Of course, he didn¡¯t. Back in the day no one would dare send gifts like that without a special asion to his wife. But now they all thought that she would be back on the market soon. He gave them this impression when he did not reject his mate and even brought her to an important event for everyone to see. And now he was reaping what he sowed. ¡°Yes, Brayden?¡± she pped her eyshes a few times. Even though he was furious and she had no wolf, the Lycan king was still standing by her side. And for some absolutely ridiculous reason, this was giving her even more confidence than she usually had. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he demanded as if he still had the right to do so. She was annoyed by his behaviour and looking at him now she wondered what the hellhappened to him? Had he always been like this? Or did she not see his true self before because she was in love? ¡°I don¡¯t know, Brayden,¡± she said in the most innocent tone, ¡°I am as surprised as you are. So, if you want to know what is the meaning behind all those gifts from other alphas for your wife, you would probably better call them and ask them.¡± They all knew that it would not be possible. If it was just one Alpha, Brayden could call him out and challenge him. They could have a fight and Bray would probably even win. He was one of the strongest after all. But there was one little problem¡­ There were far too many gifts there. From far too many alphas. He couldn¡¯t challenge them all ¨C they would dly kill him and share hisnds. He couldn¡¯t challenge one or two of them ¨C they would ridicule him for the rest of his life for not being brave and strong enough to do it to all of them. Even in turns. It was a game where he couldn¡¯t win. And everybody knew that now. So, for the first time in his life, Brayden would have to swallow the insult. Hard. And it brought a newfound feeling of inner satisfaction to Riannon. That may have been his first time, but she sure as hell would make sure that it wasn¡¯t hisst one. ¡°Anyway,¡± she chirped, turning to the kind and wrapping her arm around his in a friendly manner, ¡°We still have so many things to discuss. How about we do it in my office?¡± to the entrance, they almost bumped into Roxanne with trembling lips and gleaming eyes. She was about to give another show as soon as they left, so Ria stopped right next to her and ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°No need to cry, Roxy,¡± she said loudly, ¡°Just pick what you want and take it. Don¡¯t insult your Alpha and Luna. I think I already proved that I am not greedy and I can share those insignificant things with you.¡± She kept on walking without waiting for a response. She knew that she already achieved the desired effect. Gideon next to her had an inner fight this whole time. His wolf Mars was roaming inside trying to get out and im what was his. He wanted Riannon so badly, that it was getting dangerous for everyone around them. The Lycan king was used to their inner fights. All royalties had powerful beasts inside them because only they could contain them. But this was getting out of hand. Having their mate so close and not being able to do things to her was maddening. But at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the woman who was now calmly walking next to him after dealing with the ones who oppressed her without even needing his help. A true queen. A treasure. He was always wondering if the Moon Goddess would be sending him an equal. And now he knew that she did not fail him. For Riannon may have been a werewolf and not a lycan, but she did notck anything. ¡°Here,¡± she pointed to the door that led to her own spacious office and he opened it for her, letting her in first. But as soon as he closed it, he scooped her in his arms, making her squeal from the shock and took her to the desk, gently cing her on top of it. All that he wanted now was to remove her clothes and take her roughly right there, the way Mars insisted. But of course, he couldn¡¯t¡­ Her big wide eyes told him that. She still did not feel the bond. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± she practically stuttered looking around and he tried really hard to show her his most harmless facial expression. But it probably did not go that well because it made her flinch. ¡°Your neck,¡± he coughed, pointing at her so-called mark, ¡°It¡¯s still inmed Not Greedy should probably call the pack doctor,¡± Riannon prepared to mind link her trusted friend, but Gideon took her face in his hands. ¡°I can help,¡± he said, looking straight into her eyes and for some reason, she trusted him instantly, ¡°Would you let me try?¡± ¡°Erm,¡± she trembled, ¡°Okay.¡± She had no idea what she was agreeing to and when he buried his face in the crook of her neck, she forgot how to breathe. His hot breath was on her skin, making her feel all kinds of things. The man had this strange effect on her which she could not name. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, starting to pant at their closeness. ¡°You know,¡± Gideon almost chuckled into her hair, ¡°Lycans have this¡­ healing gift.¡± ¡°They do?¡± she asked. She never heard of it before. ¡°Kind of,¡± he avoided a straight answer and she wanted to question him more but then she felt a slow and torturous stroke of his tongue onto his sensitive skin. She couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. The Lycan king was licking her now! Chapter 19: Unexpected Passion Chapter 19: Unexpected Passion Her first instinct was to push him away. But his tongue on her flesh felt so good that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to actually do it. And it did feel better. So¡­ it could only be wise to consider it as a treatment. Like when you go to a doctor. Yes, this was the best way to look at it. Gideon was her doctor. A tall, insanely handsome, ridiculously hot doctor who was now sucking on her most sensitive spot, while the fingers of one of his hands dug into her waist and the ones on the other were tugging her hair to give him better ess. She tried to push him away. But not really. Riannon¡¯s mind was elsewhere because of all the sensations that the Lycan king was bringing her with his¡­ treatment. It was hard to breathe, and she bit her lip almost to the point of bleeding when a moan escaped her. This, in turn, made Gideon lose the tiny bit of control he had left. Touching her like that was all he wanted just a minute ago. But now that he was intoxicated with her scent and closeness, it was suddenly not enough. He wanted more. To take her, to im her, to take her away and bring her where she really belonged. Not here. His house. Mars was howling and growling in his head. The damn wolf was even crazier than he initially thought. And when her hand went up to his chest and touched the bare skin on his own neck, he almost lost it, not even realising anymore what he was doing to her. Riannon could swear that between all the sucking and licking she felt his sharp canines grazing over her skin. A wave of shock went through her body yet she still did not push him away, not even knowing why. However, in just a few seconds his tongue returned to work, and she forgot about all that. Healing came first.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Just then the door swung open, and Maya froze at the entrance with several huge present boxes in her hands, making Riannon finally return to her senses and push Gideon away to his displeasure. The lycan king grunted and for a second there his eyes shone golden light indicating that his wolf was almost in control. But he furrowed his eyebrows and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose, and Ria just knew that she had nothing to worry about. Except for her best friend grinning at her and her brother poking out from behind her back. ¡°My, my!¡± the Beta girl snickered as she barged in, jabbing her sibling; ¡°Close the door, The guy followed his sister¡¯s orders and Riannon sighed. He was one of those who were hard to see in her new life. Back in the past, after Maya was killed, he changed a lot. The nice 20-year-old boy with freckles was gone. Reced by a person she wasn¡¯t sure she even knew before. The worst of all, he was one of those whom Riannon lost too. No, he was not killed. He turned away from her, ming her for Maya¡¯s death. In the end, he couldn¡¯t even spare her a word¡­ But now he was here, blushing as he always used to in their childhood. He was younger than both Ria and Maya, but he was dear to both of them. When Riannon¡¯s siblings died, Maya and Dean became her family. Along with Brayden. ¡°Is it normal for just anyone to barge in like this in the Luna¡¯s office?¡± Gideon raised his brow, looking at the two intruders. ¡°Ah,¡± Maya shrugged, ¡°He is just the way you described him!¡± Riannon covered her face with her hands as she jumped off the desk. The lycan looked at her questioningly and she gave him an apologetic smile. No, she was not going to tell him that she described him as the biggest prick who ever lived¡­ ¡°Gideon, this is Maya,¡± she decided to just introduce them to change the subject, ¡°She is my best friend and my future Beta.¡± ¡°Really?¡± now he looked at the girl with interest. He wanted to get to know everyone who was important to his mate. He knew that Betas were not chosen on a whim, there had to be a connection. And that made this Maya girl extremely important to him at once too. ¡°And before you say anything,¡± the she-wolf ced the boxes on top of the table and narrowed her eyes, ¡°I will earn my ce. I am already earning it.¡± ¡°I was not going to say anything,¡± Gideon chuckled, ¡°And I have no doubt.¡± The girl looked at him in amazement but hid it very quickly under a crooked smile. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± she snorted, ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that lycans do not see a trouble in high-ranking women.¡± ¡°Why would we?¡± the king replied politely, ¡°If the person is capable, then it shouldn¡¯t matter what their gender is.¡± ¡°I cannot agree more,¡± Maya darting a mischievous nce at her friend, ¡°And now he is so not the way you described him!¡± I am just dying to know, how DID you describe me to your future Beta?¡± ¡°I told her that you are a mighty and respectable king!¡± Ria cleared her throat, shooting Maya a death stare, ¡°How else?¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± her friend grabbed her brother¡¯s arm and pulled him back to the exit, ¡°We¡¯ll be going, and you can continue to make out! But I suggest locking the doors next time. You are so lucky that it was us. You do realise that it could have been anyone else, right? At least, Dean and I can keep a secret. But that cannot be said for anyone else in the house.¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t making out!¡± Riannon tried to exin. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Maya waved her goodbye, clearly not buying it. The doors closed and they stayed alone again. ¡°Your mark,¡± Gideon turned to her with a clear impression to continue where they left off. ¡°Is fine now!¡± Riannon touched it automatically and it indeed felt normal, so he distance herself from the man, walking all the way behind her desk, ¡°Those lycan healing abilities are indeed amazing!¡± The king tried to hide his disappointment, trying not to think of the many things that they could be doing on top of that desk if she felt he was her mate. However, today could be considered progress anyway, since she clearly was reacting to him. It couldn¡¯t be confused with anything else. He just needed more time. And more effort. ¡°Lycans will surprise you many times in the future,¡± he chuckled as she handed him some folder with papers, while her cheeks were deliciously pink. ¡°I have no doubts in that,¡± she smiled politely and he frowned, realising that she was in her business mode now. He did not like it. But he couldn¡¯t do anything about it now. She was clearly putting up her.guard now after what happened. It hurt him a great deal to know that the wolf was gone because she was heartbroken for another man. He would take any other reason, but this one was torture to think about. Nevertheless, at least she wasn¡¯t dead. He and Mars would do anything to bring her back and make Riannon theirs. ¡°So, as you can see,¡± she pointed out with her delicate finger as she stood right next to him again, coating him in her scent, ¡°I have made the proposals for thew changes. And here you can find the suggested statements we can use.¡± ¡°Where?¡± he furrowed his brows, knowing really well where everything was. But he closeness. This was not nearly enough for him, but he knew that this was all that he was getting. He didn¡¯t even try anything, just enjoyed those crumbs¡­ ¡°Here and here,¡± she was patient with him. And he liked that about her because he was often hot- headed. He always thought that he needed his Luna to be on the rational side of things. And it made him smile that the Moon Goddess heard his silent prayers. ¡°So,¡± she bit her lip impatiently. She did that a lot. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked, worry on her face. ¡°I think it¡¯s a way bigger problem than Iinitially thought,¡± Gideon closed the folder, ¡°We will need to brainstorm it for a few days at least. And we need to run it by the lycanws as well.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she agreed, ¡°We can arrange a call any time that is convenient for you.¡± ¡°No,¡± he tried his best not to smirk when he said it, ¡°I think we need to meet. You will have toe to the lycan territory for a day. Or two. Or three¡­ Clear a whole week.¡± ¡°But,¡± she gasped. This was not what she expected at all. At this moment in time, they heard a knock on the door, knowing at once that it was Brayden. Alphas had the strongest scents. ¡°hope I am not interrupting,¡± he walked in without permission and quickly scanned the situation in the room. His whole body rxed when he saw the folder in the king¡¯s hands. ¡°Of course, not,¡± Riannon answered dryly. She did not want him to get suspicious before the time came but she wasn¡¯t in the mood to be nice to him after everything either. ¡°What is it that you discuss here?¡± he asked expectantly, and she almost rolled her eyes. ¡°There are a fewws that require adjustments,¡± Ria said, ¡°Mainly to give women¡¯more rights. You know how it is. Some are good warriors but can never be considered for the position unless they have a high-ranking blood type. There are many other little things too.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he pretended that he was aware the whole time and she wanted tough. However, it was what happened next that she did not anticipate at all. Brayden came all the way to her and wrapped his hands around her waist possessively, brushing his cheek over hers. ¡°I am so proud of my beautiful Luna. You truly are the best, Ri,¡± he murmured almost intimately, ¡°That¡¯s why I love you so much.¡± Gideon¡¯s friendly expression dropped at once and his fists clenched¡­ signed and the book will stay on Dreame forever! This wouldn¡¯t have happened without you and I am very grateful for all your support. Chapter 20: Don’t Go. Chapter 20: Don¡¯t Go. Riannon shifted slightly in her husband¡¯s hands, trying to get out of his grasp but he held her in ce. Just like he did in their youth when someone looked at her and he suddenly got in his possessive alpha mode. And she always was the popr girl. Before Ria was sure that he was like that because he loved her. Well, that assumption was long dead now. It turned out to be as simple as him not wanting to share his toys with anyone. And that realisation hurt her even now. Besides, the look in Gideon¡¯s eyes worried her. He looked as if he was ready to kill now. And she did not get why would it have such an impression on him. Apart from that ¡°healing¡± episode, there was nothing between them. Was it possible that he liked her? However, in just under a second, everything became clear on that end too. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are a bit too disrespectful to behave like that during a business meeting, Alpha¡­¡±, even though he knew his name very well, Gideon still raised a brow implying that he had forgotten it again. ¡°Thorn. Just like my wife here. Brayden Thorn,¡± the werewolf tried not to show how that insulted him. He had a bigger problem at hand. No one wanted to piss off a lycan, even if they did not like them. But the Lycan King went without saying. Even he, the strongest werewolf alpha, couldn¡¯t afford to offend him. At least not now. So, no matter how much he did not like his wife next to that man, he had to act politely at all times. ¡°My apologies¡­¡±He waited for the king to let him know how to call him. ¡°King Gideon,¡± the lycan smirked darkly and Brayden clenched Ria tighter in his hands. Almost to the point of hurting her. ¡°My apologies, King Gideon,¡± he tried really hard not to grit his teeth, ¡°It¡¯s just that I missed my wife so much that I couldn¡¯t handle myself properly.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Gideon sneered this time, ¡°And here I thought you were an Alpha. Shouldn¡¯t you be able to be more in control of your emotions? Besides, you were just fine without your wife the other day as far as I remember.¡± This jab Brayden had to swallow too. There was nothing to tell to that. And Riannon used that moment to get out of his hands and step away, which made Gideon rx at once. He felt as if a heavy boulder was lifted off his chest when she appeared to be closer to him than to her own husband. ¡°Anyway,¡± she tried to sound businesslike, ¡°The king and I were discussing the newws ¡°Of course,¡± he interrupted her as usual, not caring for her Luna duties as always. This was a habit of his since he knew she would be handling everything impably, so there was no point to take part in any of it. He had a lot of things on his own mind and did not need to add to that. However, when they were deciding on how to handle general pack matters, that was when he wanted her opinion always. Because in most cases it was very helpful. To him. ¡°Take as much time as you need, my dear,¡± he wanted to touch her but she crossed her hands on her chest demonstrating to him that he was better not to. ¡°That¡¯s good that your husband is so helpful and agreeable,¡± Gideon suddenly looked much happier than before, ¡°We were just talking about how some of the lycanws may be helpful in our case. And that there is no way to discuss this properly during a short meeting or over the phone. We need to actually work together. So, it was decided that the Luna wille to my kingdom for a week.¡± Riannon almost choked on that but yed her part, concealing all the emotions. They hadn¡¯t agreed on anything yet. ¡°A week?¡± Brayden¡¯s mouth opened as he was processing what he just heard, ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Not enough?¡± Gideon chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s make it two then.¡± ¡°No,¡± the Alpha growled and the king¡¯s eyes glowed gold. Even Riannon got tense watching the two of them. ¡°So, you do believe that your wife would be able to deal with everything in one week?¡± the lycan was forcing him to give him an answer that he wanted to hear. And the werewolf knew very well that in fact, he had no choice in the matter. ¡°She can even deal with all that faster,¡± he tried to y the game. ¡°Let¡¯s not be cruel to the Luna,¡± Gideon smirked again, ¡°We don¡¯t want to overwork her, do we?¡± Riannon was perplexed about all that. They were discussing it as if she was not there and she did not like it one bit. But if she was honest, this was ying out nicely. Roxy was quiet in her first weeks in the pack and did not do much except for the crying. And it could be good to let Brayden concentrate his attention on her without the feeling of guilt that he had at first. Not to mention that the help from the lycan king was priceless. But¡­ herself¡­ Could it be that his motives weren¡¯t that great? And if she was right about that, could she still use his help? But then she remembered her people. And realised that for them she would have to at least try. Gideon did not look like a man who would force her into anything. Not to mention that there was a great risk that he wouldn¡¯t even have to. The thought alone of their closeness brought colour to her cheeks and she touched them to cool down, which did not escape the lycan king¡¯s attention. He had a very hard time controlling his wolf inside as it was. Mars wanted to get out, kill Brayden and everyone else who would dare to object to him iming his mate. And then he wanted to ce a big fat mark on her right on top of her old one. The worst thing was that it was thisst part that bothered him the most. He did not want Mars to go on a rampage and hurt his beautiful mate. So, he had to restraint him extra harder this time, which caused him physical pain. And Riannon¡¯s blushing cheeks were not helping him with all that. He knew he had to get out of there as fast as he could, even though he hated the idea of leaving her alone in this ce. He had to constantly remind himself that Ria wanted to go through with her divorce. And Goddess would sure help him to make it a speedy one. Then the minute she would be free, he would state his im and go from there. But for now, his main task was not to scare her off. And this had to do. He had to believe in her. ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t want that,¡± Brayden seemed displeased. ¡°So, it¡¯s a done deal then,¡± Gideon prepared to leave, itching to touch her again, ¡°I will send a car tomorrow.¡± ¡°That fast?¡± the alpha next to him frowned. ¡°I have no time to lose,¡± Lycan king was not even looking at him. He looked at Riannon and he was talking to her, ¡°The faster we start, the sooner we will be done.¡± She gave him a faint smile, getting his hint and his lips curled at that a bit too. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving,¡± he announced dryly since the alpha ruined their potential goodbyes. He was sure that if he asked Riannon to see him off, the husband would tag along. And he couldn¡¯t see him anymore without shing his ws over his neck¡­ He had to leave this ce.Ria sighed as she watched Gideon through the windows going to his car. He looked as if he was in a rush. But right before he got in, he turned and looked right where she was standing. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He couldn¡¯t see her through the white curtains but it still felt as if he knew she was there. at the realisation that it was Onyx. Onyx was alive! ¡°Onyx!¡± she called her, ¡°Are you there? Are you okay?¡± Riannon wanted to ask her so many questions but her wolf was not responding anymore. And she still couldn¡¯t feel her. However, this was good. This was hope. ¡°I really don¡¯t like him!¡± only now the Luna noticed that her husband was standing with her the whole time with his hands crossed. He watched the lycan leave and only then did he let out a deep sigh. ¡°Ri, you need to be careful with him. I don¡¯t trust this guy!¡± She looked at him in amusement. Was he serious? Did he think that now they would go have a drink like they used to and discuss everything? ¡°It¡¯s just business, Brayden, rx,¡± she tried to sound casual and stepped away from the window, ¡°Besides, a link with the lycans is a good thing for our pack.¡± ¡°I think that he is the kind of man who would give you empty promises and nothing in the end,¡± the Alpha stated with a frown. Ria looked at him. The audacity. Wasn¡¯t he the one with empty promises in her life? ¡°Still,¡± she tried to gather herself, ¡°Other packs wouldn¡¯t know. All they would know is that our Luna is working with the lycans. Imagine the fear that would feel before us.¡± ¡°They are already afraid of me enough,¡± Bray grunted and she almost snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t deny that,¡± she decided that she would get rid of him faster if she simply agreed with everything, ¡°By the way, do you need my help with something? It¡¯s unusual to see you here at this hour.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± He did not know how to phrase her. He knew this woman for so long and she was an important part of his life. With her he shared everything. And yet now it seemed harder than ever. ¡°Throw away the gifts,¡± he coughed, clearing his throat, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you whatever you need or want. Better than what they sent you.¡± ¡°I have no doubt,¡± she tilted her head watching him in amusement, ¡°But it¡¯s not the point, is it? We can¡¯t be rude. And we already talked about this. However, I was serious that Roxy can take whatever she likes. I think in her case everyone would understand.¡± The silence between them quickly became awkward. Not for her. For him. ¡°You take it better than I thought,¡± he said finally, and she wanted tough, getting back ¡°It¡¯s not like you left me any choice, is it?¡± she looked at him through hershes and he sighed,ing closer to her. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about all that, okay?¡± he sat on the verge of her desk, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel threatened by Roxy.¡± ¡°How kind of you,¡± she scoffed, ¡°Bray, let¡¯s not do this now. I am not ready to discuss this.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he smirked and scooped her in his arms in less than a second, cing her on top of the desk to her horror, ¡°Then let¡¯s not talk. Let me prove my feelings to you!¡± Chapter 21: The First Time Chapter 21: The First Time Riannon couldn¡¯t believe what he was doing. Didn¡¯t he get that they weren¡¯t in the right ce right now? How did he see them having s*x now? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Surely, he had to be aware that he hurt her with his actions. He did not know that she already lived a whole other life and fell out of love with him. But he had to have some idea about human feelings. And he brought his future mistress home just one week ago. ¡°Ri¡­ You look so beautiful today, babe,¡± He lowered himself to try and capture her lips, but she dodged it. She couldn¡¯t risk it too much because she did not need him suspicious at this moment in time. However, sleeping with him was absolutely out of the question. ¡°I am not exactly in the mood, Brayden,¡± she averted his lustful gaze and heard him sigh excessively. ¡°I know,¡± he said with a bit of regret in his voice, ¡°and I know that it¡¯s all my fault. But I meant what I said, I will find a way to make it up to you. Just tell me what you want, even if it is apletely new packhouse. Or the biggest diamond in the world. Or¡­¡± He was contemting what things he could buy her while she wanted tough. Could he buy her some dignity that she lost because of him? Or some magical painkillers that could ease the pain in her heart which was caused but his actions. But even if he could, it was toote for that now. She did not need any of those anymore. She was fine on her own. His hands started travelling up her thighs, giving them a light squeeze as he tried to part them while digging his head in the crook of her neck, peppering it with kisses. She found it¡­ repulsive. Back in the day, she would be melting in his arms, happy at their sudden closeness. When Roxy was still new in the pack, she believed that it was just temporary and they would be able to ovee this. So, when he was sleeping with her, just the way they both enjoyed, she was on cloud nine. This was not the case anymore. All that she was thinking of now was how to get out of this situation. ¡°I miss you, Ri,¡± he whispered, trying to seduce her into giving in. And then he froze. Something was not right there. She pushed him away, realising quickly what was the problem. Gideon was¡­ healing her right there before. A werewolf couldn¡¯t miss that. ¡°You reek of that lycan!¡± Brayden said angrily. ¡°And you reek of your mate,¡± she said the first thing that came to her mind and it came out wrong your business is all about?¡± he threw usations at her one by one. ¡°Of course, not!¡± she tried to look appalled even though he was absolutely right. ¡°Then why do you smell like him?!¡± the Alpha demanded. ¡°Because my mark was inmed, and he checked it!¡± she decided to go with partial truth. After all, Gideon could confirm it for her, ¡°Lycans have the strongest scents. And I bet their king is even worse than that. So, that¡¯s why it stayed on me.¡± Seconds seemed like years as she waited for her husband to respond, to make his decision. ¡°I am sorry, Ri,¡± he said after a while and moved closer to her again, ¡°Let¡¯s pick up where we left off.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not!¡± she quickly jumped off the table, ¡°The mood is gone anyway, and I still have a lot of work to do. And I bet so do you.¡± ¡°The most important thing that I have to do is my wife,¡± he growled. He was not used to refusals. Riannon always wanted him. Their passion was never dying down and this was literally the first time when she felt fine yet said no. He did not like that one bit. That was when a door knock disturned them and they both turned to see Roxanne standing in the doorway. ¡°Luna, Alpha, I am so sorry for disturbing you,¡± she mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Roxy!¡± Ria was happy to see her nemesis for the first time in her life, ¡°We are done here. What did you want?¡± ¡°¡­¡± she was ying with the hem of her new dress, ¡°If I could talk to the Alpha¡­¡± ¡°I am busy!¡± Brayden snapped and tears glistened in Roxanne¡¯s eyes. Usually, Riannon would roll hers seeing that. But right now Roxy was her saviour and she decided to use her arrival to the fullest. ¡°Don¡¯t be cruel, Bray! Look at the girl! She is crying!¡± she tried to speak as expressively as she only could, ¡°The poor child had a hard enough life! Don¡¯t make her cry!¡± Now even Roxy was looking at the Luna with an opened mouth. That woman was surprising her time after time and she did not know what to expect from her. And Roxy liked her prey predictable. This ruined a few of her ns already. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to¡­¡± the alpha tried to exin himself but he got interrupted again. ¡°The two of you need to speak,¡± Ria stated dryly, ¡°Go to your office. Or some other private She met her husband¡¯s puzzled gaze and just shrugged her shoulders, getting a few big folders from a bookshelf and demonstrating that she was busy. ¡°Fine, sorry,¡± Brayden said and stormed out of the room, motioning for Roxanne to follow him. However, as soon as they were out, he told her toe and see himter. He contemted for the rest of the day on what to do with his wife. He loved Riannon but everything was complicated now. Sitting at a chair in his office, he was smoking a cigar and trying to rx at least a little bit. And failing. Something was bothering him. Riannon changed so much since the day Roxy arrived. It was as if two different people were living inside of her. ¡°Alpha,¡± this time Roxanne walked in without any knocking. He wanted to send her away first but her innocent expression made him stop. It was already dark behind the window and he wondered how many hours he had spent thinking about Ria. ¡°You wanted something?¡± he asked the girl, noticing that she was wearing an unusually tight and short dress for her, which hugged her petite body in all the right ces." I wanted to make sure that you are feeling fine,¡± she said in a sweet voice while her fingersbrushed over his shoulder as if by ident, creating waves of tingles over his skin. She was afraid to do more and he liked how obedient she was. Riannon was a lot of things. But obedient was never one of them. ¡°What makes you think that I am not?¡± he looked at her with a dare, eyes on her impressive cleavage. He hadn¡¯t slept with her. Yet. And now he was asking himself a question, what was holding him back. Slowly, she knelt right before him, making him swallow as her delicate handsnded on his knees. ¡°I am not blind, Alpha,¡± she looked him straight in the eye, licking her lips, ¡°I can see when you are not happy. I am your mate, so I feel what you feel. And I want to make you feel better. If you let me, of course.¡± Her hand travelled all the way to the zip of his pants and paused as she waited for his approval. Brayden nodded without even thinking twice. They were mates and it was inevitable. He gave her time to adjust to his pack but it was time for him to take what was rightfully his. She crawled in between his thighs, fitting there just nicely and dipped her head all the his eyes. Brayden rxed more into his chair andced his fingers into her hair, helping her find the rhythm that was the best for him as she bobbed her head diligently, moaning softly on his hardness. It felt good. She felt good. And he wanted more since he wasn¡¯t an i***t and knew that Riannon wouldn¡¯t let him touch her for at least a few days now. He knew his wife too well. He understood. She was punishing him and it was the only thing that she could do in her situation. But sooner orter, she would get used to it too. And everything would be back to normal. Just better. ¡°Alpha,¡± Roxy moaned desperately as if she felt that his attention shifted elsewhere. Her eyes were teary again from all the effort and he made his decision very quickly. ¡°Dress off,¡± hemanded her with anticipation in his voice, ¡°On the carpet on your fours and as.s in the air.¡± She let his flesh out of her mouth with a pop and stood up obediently, letting her dress slide down to the ground. And then her tiny panties followed after which she turned her back to him, giving him a good view of everything and at the same time doing exactly what he told her. Brayden already knew that she was a virgin. She made it clear to him several times, so he decided to be gentle with her. They had an awkward rtionship since he did not wait for her and marked another. But the attraction between them was undeniable. And he loved how she depended on him as if he was her air. Although it was important for him to have a strong Luna by his side, he could definitely see the appeal of a damsel in distress. Riannon was always strong and collected and it was what the pack needed and what he admired about her. But Roxy was so simple to deal with. She craved his attention and was happy to receive even a few crumbs of ot. He pushed two fingers inside of her, trying to work her out and grunting satisfactory at the fact that she was already wet for him. ¡°Please,¡± the girl whined, ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore, Alpha. I want you so badly!¡± He brushed his hands all over her body, cupping her breasts and grasping her bottom delicately, all while cing his tip at her entrance. He started to push in slowly but firmly, letting her adjust to him and happy that he decided to take her after all. Being with her felt amazing. mate, and I was made for you. I can take whatever you want to do to me, Alpha. Trust me.¡± This was all the permission that he needed to start moving inside of her. Roughly and possessively, staking his im over her body so that everybody would know who she belonged to. He was pumping into her vigorously, stilling in just a few minutes and filling her with his seed as she moaned under him from all the pleasure that she was getting. ¡°Good girl,¡± he praised her, pping one of her ass cheeks gently and realising that he probably should have hold back and not c*m inside of her. Riannon was supposed to give birth to his first alpha heir. And then a spare. Now that he was thinking about it, he did not need potential omega children at all. So, he had to start using condoms next time. ¡°Dress up and follow me,¡± he said dryly, zipping his pants. ¡°Where, Alpha?¡± Roxy pped her longshes, covered only with her luscious red hair. ¡°You don¡¯t seriously think that we are done, do you?¡± he chuckled, brushing his hand over her cheek, ¡°I am just starting with you.¡± Riannon was in her room when she felt her mark stinging again. She came to the mirror to check it and saw how red it got again, remembering the lycan king and how he helped her thest time. A smile touched the corners of her lips when she heard loud and distinct moans. And then more of them followed, mixing with growls and grunts. Brayden¡¯s bedroom that he used from time to time when they did not sleep together was separated from this room by a thin wall and there was no denying what was happening there this very moment. It was annoying, He was disrespecting her right there and then. But other than that, surprisingly, it did not bother her. Before, she used to sob in her bed each time she heard the two of them having fun. But today was different. Today she did not care anymore. Maybe it was because Onyx was not there still. She called her many times after what happened today but to no avail. So, after her nighttime routine, she went to bed, ignoring the loud banging behind the wall. Closing her eyes, she thought of king Gideon for some reason. The sooner she went to thoughts, she drifted off to sleep peacefully. In the morning, she watched the omegas gather her things for the travel, after which she went downstairs to have some breakfast. She woke up early today, feeling refreshed and did not want to waste any time. But when she was close to the kitchen, she heard two voices she was sure she would never hear together¡­ Chapter 22: Surprise Chapter 22: Surprise Riannon walked into the kitchen to check if her assumption was correct. And it was. Roxy was giggling and eating her cereal in thepany of Dean, Maya¡¯s brother. The young man was blushing and his freckles were bing more obvious on his face. This was bad. He was still young and one of the guys who were easy to impress. And manipte. ¡°You are not serious!¡± He chuckled, not even sensing his Luna¡¯s arrival. He was too engrossed in the conversation he had with the cure redhead omega. ¡°But I am!¡± Roxanne ced her hand on his, ¡°I was working at the stables in my previous pack for many years! There isn¡¯t a single thing that I don¡¯t know about horses. I loved taking care of them.¡± ¡°And I thought that you were only treated as a ve in your old pack,¡± Riannon scoffed,¡° Werewolves don¡¯t let omegas take care of the horses. They are afraid of us and if we keep one, we need to take care of it ourselves to create a bond. For omega to take care of a horse would be a luxury.¡± For the first time, Roxy did not burst into tears in her presence while being confronted. Neither did she shake or tremble. Ria wondered if having s*x with her husband gave her newfound confidence and she wanted tough at that. ¡°Our pack was different,¡± Roxanne smiled sweetly and took her hand off Dean¡¯s, making the guy even more flustered. ¡°Not every pack has an Alpha as amazing as Alpha Brayden. My previous Alpha thought that it was beneath him to take care of a horse. He kept them just for show and omegas had to do the dirty work. But you are right, it was amazing and felt like a gift, ¡°I see,¡± Riannon went to the coffee station and started preparing herself a cup. ¡°Luna,¡± Roxy¡¯s voice was overly sweet, ¡°I can make you a cup. After all, I am the omega and you are the Luna.¡± Riannon rolled her eyes while she was facing the wall. She would take a cup of coffee from Roxanne¡¯s hands only if she was suicidal and wanted an easy way out. ¡°As you just said,¡± she remained calm as she loaded the coffee machine, ¡°This pack is very different from yours. I can make my own coffee, thanks.¡± ¡°Ria,¡± Dean stuttered slightly, ¡°I will go. I have battle practice soon. It was nice to see you. And nice to finally meet you, Roxy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you around, Dean,¡± Riannon turned just in time to see the omega brush her palm over her friend¡¯s arm and tilting her head, making him leave even faster.. As soon as Maya¡¯s brother was gone, the two women left in the room locked their eyes. The smile on Roxy¡¯s face faded. Did she decide to stop pretending? ¡°What,¡± Ria couldn¡¯t help herself, sipping her coffee and taking a seat at the head of the table, ¡°No tears today?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like them, do you? I don¡¯t want to offend you with them,¡± a smile spread over the omega¡¯s face. This was new. She didn¡¯t behave like that before she had Brayden¡¯s affections secured in the past life. And right now they just had their first night together and she was already so brazen. What was that about? Riannon tensed inside but did her best not to show that, continuing with her drink. ¡°You are only having coffee?¡± Roxy almost sang the words with a smirk on her face, ¡°A sleepless night, perhaps?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Ria mimicked her, ¡°Actually, I slept like a baby. And I always start my day with a cup of coffee. So do millions of people. Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡± ¡°I have to give it to you,¡± Roxanne scoffed, ¡°You are holding up just great.¡± Yes. This was definitely new. They never talked like that in the past. It was refreshing but at the same time, it worried Riannon. What was that woman up to? . ¡°Can¡¯t say the same about you,¡± Ria said calmly, tempted to go on, ¡°All that crying¡­ It gets repetitive, you know. And Brayden gets tired of repetitive things very fast.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great advice actually,¡± Roxy grinned, ¡°I guess it¡¯sing from your experience? Anyway, you underestimate the power of mate¡¯s tears. Probably because you don¡¯t have one.¡± That was a low blow. And if Onyx was there, she would tear her apart for that. That was when it hit her. What if this was exactly the purpose of all that? Roxy was provoking her to be able to y the victim again after the Luna lost her patience. There wouldn¡¯t be a more perfect opportunity than that. Right now Riannon was supposed to be in deepest pain and depression. Back in her past life, the first time she felt Brayden being intimate with his mate, her mark was hurting her like hell and Onyx was going crazy inside of their shared mine from all the pain. It was incredibly hard to deal with it and the first day, she simply stayed in her bed, stating that she was sick. She only left her bedroom when she was feeling better and could control Onyx again. Hence¡­they never met like that. understandable, considering the circumstances. Ria was hardly the only witness to the audible love-making of her husband. But it would look bad. For her. And it sure as hell would earn some points for the omega. ¡°Nice try,¡± Ria chuckled softly and took another sip, making Roxanne frown. She was not going to give her enemy the satisfaction of humiliating herself like that.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°I think you misread what I was trying to say,¡± Roxanne looked at her again with some kind of new determination, ¡°What I really meant to let you know is that you can go to the lycans and work as long as you want there. I will take care of Brayden. Just like I did thest night.¡± ¡°I am sure of that,¡± Ria snorted but just then her opponent¡¯s face changes to the grimace of horror. ¡°I am sorry, Luna! This was so insolent of me! I should choose my words properly, you are absolutely right, I am just a piece of lowly trash!¡± the omega had tears in her eyes again and had her head lowered in submission, showing off her neck. Ria stared at her in shock. What was she doing now? There were no witnesses¡­ But it was right then that she sensed the pack¡¯s chef walking in. The woman looked at the two of them, taking the whole scene in, and then mumbled an apology and left abruptly. Did Roxy sense her before she did? Was that even possible? Did her not having Onyx presence make her weaker now? She concealed her worries again. This wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°Seriously?¡± Riannon put her cup of coffee away. This was getting annoying. ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal,¡± Roxanne stood up, ¡°A girl has to do what a girl has to do.¡± She looked at her rival and then with all the force that she could master, she hit her head over the table, making Luna gasp. ¡°What are you¡­¡± Ria almost choked on her own breath when she saw Roxy smiling at her with a face covered in blood. She broke one of the tes and there were a few pieces of ss poking out. What was that woman? The devil?! ¡°You are crazy!¡± Riannon hissed. ¡°On the contrary,¡± Roxy smirked, ¡°I am the sanest person you would meet.¡± And with that, she threw herself through the French windows, breaking them, and into the garden running in the distance with a worried face and a few other people with him. A loud growl emerged not too far from them and Ria recognised her husband. He was the first to reach Roxanne, who was now properly injured and bleeding in several ces. ¡°It was my fault,¡± she whispered loudly so that every werewolf around could hear her, ¡°All me. My fault. I was too¡­ too¡­ disrespectful. The Luna did not want to¡­¡± Brayden¡¯s head snapped in Riannon¡¯s direction at once and she knew that the omega managed to set her up again¡­ Chapter 23 Explain Yourself Chapter 23 Exin Yourself TRIGGER WARNING. There may be some triggering events mentioned in this chapter (self-harm, abuse, mental illness etc). Please, read at your own discretion. She kept sitting in her ce. This was the only thing that she could do now. They all were looking at her, expecting some kind of reaction. She gave them none, keepingposure at all times and thinking hectically in her mind of what to do next. ¡°Alpha, she is bleeding so badly!¡± Dean knelt right next to the couple, ¡°She needs to be taken to hospital! She is an omega and can¡¯t heal quickly.¡± ¡°I will be¡­ fine,¡± Roxy sighed so heavily as if breathing was actually hard for her. Brayden tried to drill a hole in his wife¡¯s skull with his eyes. ¡°How could you do this?!¡± he gritted his teeth, his eyes shining red meaning that his wolf was trying to get through. Did his wolf want to hurt her? Or were they fighting for control because Bray was unreasonable now? Ria thought that she always had a good rtionship with his wolf. But she wasn¡¯t so sure about it anymore now that mates were in the game. ¡°What makes you assume that I did anything?¡± she raised her brow calmly, holding her cup with fingers that were almost trembling. Almost. She still could keep her cool even in a situation like that. She had to. Especially now that she was about to be used of snapping and harming her husband¡¯s mistress. ¡°My mate covered in her own blood says that it¡¯s you!¡± he hissed. ¡°And?¡± Ria shot her brow up, ¡°Since when is she more credible than your wife and Luna of six years. Besides, she did not say that I harmed her. She said that I did not want to. And you know what, I did not want to harm her and I didn¡¯t. I was sitting here, drinking my morning coffee as I always do and minding my own business when your sweet little mate started harming herself.¡± ¡°You are not serious right now!¡± Brayden looked at her in shock. ¡°Oh, but I am,¡± Riannon took a sip even though there was practically nothing left in her cup. But she needed this little break to gather her strength. ¡°You know her for what, a few days? Weeks if you had been lying to me. That¡¯s not that long to get to know someone properly. She may be your mate but that doesn¡¯t make her a good person. Or a sare one. To be honest, I am as shocked as you are that she did something like that. There was absolutely no reason for that. We were just having a more or less friendly conversation. Dean was here just a few minutes before. He can confirm.¡± being infatuated by Roxy. ¡°B-but the cook,¡± the omega pointed her trembling finger at the woman who was also already here, ¡°She heard how you treated me and I was apologising for¡­¡± ¡°She is not a cook,¡± Riannon rolled her eyes, ¡°She is a chef. And what exactly did you hear, Maggie?¡± ¡°I¡­¡±, the olderdy was bothered with the situation, ¡°Roxanne was apologising and calling herself worthless trash¡­¡± Brayden growled. ¡°Did you hear me telling her anything?¡± Ria asked. ¡°No, Luna,¡± Maggie replied honestly. ¡°And that¡¯s only because I didn¡¯t say anything of the sort,¡± she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I am telling you. She was fine one minute and then went absolutely nuts the other. I believe there are a few mental conditions that could cause that.¡± Everyone was silent and she was not sure if it was working or not. ¡°For Goddesses¡¯ sake!¡± Maya appeared from the back door followed by worried Ash,¡± You know our Luna for many years! It¡¯s ridiculous that anyone even thinks of using her! She is the most rational person ever! She is even calm during rogue attacks!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± someone muttered at the back, ¡°Our Luna is better than this.¡± ¡°Agreed, even though she is in her right to beat the crap out of this omega, she wouldn¡¯t stoop this low!¡± It suddenly became slightly easier for her to breathe, and she rxed into the back of her chair. ¡°And while we are at it,¡± she continued, ¡°I am an Alpha by blood. If I threw her through these windows, she would fly way further than she did. Not to mention there is no way there is my scent on her. And I have none of hers on me. Do I even need to continue?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Exactly!¡± Maya ced her hands on her hips and stood behind her friend, ¡°And look how her wounds healing way too fast. Is she even an omega herself? We know way too little about this woman! An omega would be healing for days after something like that!¡± It was an incredibly good point and now Riannon found herself standing up and walking to her husband and Roxanne. Feeling cornered, the girl started to cry again. ¡°They are right,¡± she mumbled, ¡°I hit my face myself over the table. And then broke the swear.¡± Riannon clenched her fists. She was at it again. Implying that it was her after all even though all the evidence was against her. The audacity of this redhead devil had no boundaries! She kept on crying in Brayden¡¯s arms but he motioned for Dean to take her and the guy readily obliged. Ria knew that her husband still did not believe her. But at least he doubted Roxy. She could tell by the perplexed look on his face. ¡°Alpha,¡± Ash stepped in, ¡°I think we can solve this matter easily. There is a secret camera installed here. I did it a month ago. I believe everything will be on tape.¡± Riannon tensed, turning to look at the Beta. If there were cameras here, she would have known and used this first-hand. But there were none. What was he doing? Did he try to help her or bury her? Given their history in the past life, she just couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s check the footage in my office,¡± Brayden said, his voice changed instantly,¡± Ash, ce some guards at Roxy¡¯s door in the hospital. I don¡¯t want anyone to get in¡­ or out.¡± This was interesting and Riannon did not know how to read this. Was he protecting his mate or was this the first sign of his distrust? ¡°Riannon, dear,¡± he stretched his hand to his wife, ¡°Follow me. I am sure all this is just a big misunderstanding.¡± People behind their backs were puzzled. But at least, she won that battle to some extent. Ria decided against epting her husband¡¯s hand and turned away, walking out of the kitchen first. Thest thing that she noticed was how worried Maya looked, seeing her brother holding Roxy gently in his arms while she clung to him, sobbing. They would definitely have to speak of thister. . The two of them were silent all the way to the Alpha¡¯s office. And only when Brayden closed the doors behind him, a loud growl escaped him. ¡°What the hell was that Riannon?¡± he looked at her as if he was using her again and she knitted her brows. ¡°rify that one, please,¡± she sat in one of the chairs, ¡°I am starting to have a headache here.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take my hand in front of everyone when I chose to protect you?¡± he asked spitefully, ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to do it before but luckily Ash gave me a good idea with ¡°But logic does exist, Brayden,¡± she threw her head back and closed her eyes. It was morning and she was already tired, ¡°If you wanted to protect me, you could start with not using me in the first ce. I did not touch your mate. She is crazy. It is what it is.¡± He exhaled through his nostrils. ¡°I am sorry, it just did not look credible at first!¡± he confessed, ¡°But I would have never punished you even if I¡­ I mean¡­ I understand where your aggression coulde from.¡± ¡°Only that there is no aggression,¡± she looked him straight in the eyes, ¡°You and your little mental miss can do whatever you want. I am not going to dirty my hands by touching you.That¡¯s your prerogative. But do me a favour, handle her properly so that she doesn¡¯t pull stunts like this anymore! I demand at least this little respect!¡± ¡°Ri,¡± he knelt on one knee before her, ¡°I am sorry about yesterday. My wolf¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my Goddess,¡± she snorted, ¡°Please, not this again! I just can¡¯t listen to this anymore. Sleep with her as much as you want. Whatever. Just don¡¯t feed me those wolf stories.¡± Brayden clenched his lips and stood up. ¡°You changed so much, Ri,¡± he said, distancing himself from her and not looking at her anymore. ¡°That makes two of us,¡± she scoffed. ¡°You know, given recent events, I think you and I will need to spend some time alone. We need to work on our marriage.¡± He went to the window with his hands sped behind his back. ¡°We can even go for a vacation if you like.¡± ¡°There is no need,¡± she said, ¡°You and I have too much work to take vacations.¡± She hated the idea of staying alone with him now. And there was no marriage there anymore to work on. Only that she couldn¡¯t afford to say it out loud for now. ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Too much work. I believe I need to unload you. Maybe Maya could help you with the papers more.¡± ¡°She will,¡± Riannon decided to agree with him at least on something. Alphas needed that. ¡°And speaking about work, I don¡¯t think that you going away for a week to the Lycan kingdom is such a good idea now.¡± Now, this was bad for her. She needed to go there. She needed to see Gideon! For work¡­ purposes. Not because she couldn¡¯t stop thinking of it. ¡°And how do you imagine refusing the Lycan king considering that we already agreed on that phone call!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Bray snapped, ¡°I will make it! I will tell him that there is no way in hell I am letting my beloved wife go to his kingdom alone for a whole week!¡± ¡°And why the hell not?¡± a metallic voice sounded right behind her back, creating goosebumps. She couldn¡¯t believe that he was here! He only said that he would send a car for her. But when she turned, her eyes met with the Lycan King¡¯s. Chapter 24: Car Trip Chapter 24: Car Trip He wanted to keep his cool and give her space. He really did. Only that he couldn¡¯t wait anymore. He needed to see her. He needed to breathe in her wonderful scent. So, he took a big pile of folders into the car with him to¡­ He did not know why he took them. Was it to pretend that he was busy and not crazy about her at all?Because it was perfectly normal to work in your car at 7 am in the morning on the way to another pack. Even his driver gave him an odd look. Not to mention the look that Reid gave him. ¡°Documents?¡± he scoffed, ¡°Are you trying to impress her or bore her to death?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Gideon pushed through him, throwing the papers at the back seat, ¡°Like you have a better idea.¡± ¡°I do!¡± his friend chuckled, ¡°Much better! Take condoms and tell her that you are her mate! Or wait, then you wouldn¡¯t need condoms¡­¡± ¡°Ha-ha, you are so funny and smart. I am starting to question my decision to make you my Beta,¡± the Lycan king was annoyed beyond belief. Some reassurance would be nice. But he and Reid weren¡¯t doing that. ¡°I know you don¡¯t mean that,¡± Reid jabbed him with his elbow, ¡°Anyway, go and bring our future queen here fast. Your sister can¡¯t wait to meet her.¡± A chill went down Gideon¡¯s spine. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you already bbed everything out to her!¡± Gideon growled. ¡°How could I not? Savannah can get information out of anyone!¡± his Beta tried to defend himself. ¡°Puppy eyes are not an attack of the supreme lord, you know that, right?¡± the king run rolled his eyes, ¡°Man up!¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t refuse her anything ever since your parents died,¡± his friend reminded him and Gideon knew very well what he meant. After the previous king and queen were killed during a massive rogue attack, he had the hard task of leading the Lycans when he was just neen. It took all of his time to keep the kingdom in one piece. At it had a price. His sister Savannah was only thirteen and Reid was responsible for her protection. So, they spent a lot of time together and the princess grew on him. She called him her brother too and every time she did ¨C he melted. Thus, she could do, say or ask whatever the hell she wanted, knowing that he would be there to make her every wishe true. ¡°Nevermind,¡± Gideon grunted, ¡°Just make sure she doesn¡¯t spill the secret when Ria arrives. If anyone tells her that we are mates, I want it to be me.¡± ¡°A party? What freaking party?!¡± the king growled from inside of the car. ¡°Got it!¡± his Beta chuckled, ¡°Cancel the party. Have a safe trip!¡± Gideon rxed into the leather seat, taking a deep breath. He hoped that no one would screw it up for him. The ride was short this time as he made the driver overspeed most of the time. And they ended up being at the pack way too early. However, he still chose not to wait any longer. It felt that if he didn¡¯t see her now, he would die. The atmosphere in the pack seemed strange as he walked through the main entrance of the huge mansion without asking for permission. ¡°Of course, our Luna did not do that!¡± someone said at his right and he darted his gaze where two omegas were cleaning the room with brooms in their hands. They both closed their mouths shut and stopped their work when they saw him, bowing their heads in respect. They could feel the power that his whole body was emitting on a physical level. It was too much for most omegas as they were much weaker even than an Alpha. A lycan Alpha was crumpling their wolves by mere presence. ¡°What happened to your Luna?¡± he asked them and they trembled, not being able to respond. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t get any information out of them unless he was willing to consider torture. ¡°You are here!¡± Maya walked out of the adjacent room and lit up when she saw him,¡± Come quick. I will tell you everything!¡± She filled him in briefly on what happened before his arrival and now he wanted to kill someone. Preferably Brayden Thorn. Some Alpha he was if he was falling for such tricks! ¡°And now they are talking in his office,¡± she said with a worried face, ¡°Riannon really did not do it.¡± She looked at him with eyes begging to believe her story and Gideon realised that this girl really cared about his mate. ¡°Of course, she didn¡¯t,¡± he curved the corners of his lips a bit, ¡°I believe you. Now, lead me to that office.¡± They were already at the door and he hadn¡¯t heard a thing, realizing that the room was soundproof. So, he did not hesitate to turn the handle and simply walk inside as if the whole ce belonged to him there is no way in hell I am letting my beloved wife go to his kingdom alone for a whole week!¡± Riannon did not seem impressed by the threat. Yet everything inside of him was filled with fury and the desire to kill Brayden Thorn here and now. ¡°And why the hell not?¡± Gideon growled, making both of them flinch and look at him. Ria had her soft pink lips parted in disbelief as she saw him standing in the doorway. For a second there he thought that she would run up to him, hug him and call him his mate. That was the look she had on her face. But no such thing happened, and he tried to calm himself down desperately. ¡°King Gideon?¡± the Alpha seemed shocked, ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you were going to send a car for Riannon?¡± ¡°That is not an answer to my question,¡± he changed the subject bluntly, ¡°Why the hell don¡¯t you want to send your wife to my territory? Are you perhaps implying that lycans would harm her in any way?¡± He walked inside, strolling past the many shelves and looking at the expensive and ridiculous things stored on them. His gaze stopped at a photo frame and he took it without asking permission, letting Brayden know that whether he was an Alpha or not, the lycan king still could do as he pleased. He never used his power and title like that but there was a first time for everything. He needed that prick of an Alpha to know his ce. Especially after today. He had his beautiful mate as his wife but treated her badly. If thews weren¡¯t tying his hands, Gideon would already be tearing his head off and taking Ria away. But unfortunately, with a werewolf uprising on his doorstep and Riannon¡¯s own aspirations, he couldn¡¯t afford that. He had to suppress his urges and do everything quietly. Legally. With her own approval. ¡°Of course not,¡± Brayden cleared his throat, ¡°It has nothing to do with lycans. It¡¯s¡­ personal. My wife and I are going through something right now and¡­¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± he couldn¡¯t help himself, ¡°You found your mate and did not reject her. I remember.¡± He regretted saying it the moment the words left his mouth as he noticed Riannon balling her fists tight. She did not like being reminded of that and he hated that she cared. It was a vicious circle. ¡°Yet I don¡¯t see how this personal drama of yours is more important than the work that Luna and I are doing together,¡± Gideon looked at the photo in his hands. Brayden had his hands wrapped around Riannon and they both seemed very happy as the wind blew her beautiful He hated this photo and made sure to put it face down when he was cing it back. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ not the best time,¡± the Alpha tried to exin himself, still not realizing that this battle was already lost. ¡°There is never a great time,¡± the lycan chuckled, ¡°This project is important and unless you have a real reason to decline, I have to insist. And as for you, you can use that time to think about everything, get to know your mate and so on. In the meantime, your Luna will be doing something important and earning credit for your pack.¡± The silence in the room was heavy. But this time it was Riannon who broke it. ¡°It¡¯s just one week,¡± she snorted, ¡°And a very good cause. I am sorry, Brayden, but whether you want it or not, I am¡­¡± ¡°You can go,¡± her husband said quietly. Riannon never doubted that it would end like this. He was at the stage where he wanted his time with Roxy. Back in her past life once he imed his mate, he became addicted to spending time with her. She was surprised that he was making such a big deal about her leaving now. That seemed very out of his character. ¡°Great,¡± Gideon grinned and offered her his hand, ¡°Shall we?¡± She decided not to waste any time and followed him. They were already at the car when she heard her friend¡¯s voice. ¡°Wait!¡± Maya shouted as she ran with a rose golden luggage bag behind them, ¡°Your things!¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± Ria couldn¡¯t believe she was just about to leave her pack without anything. Why on Earth did she forget? This was so unlike her. She stretched her hand to take it, but Gideon grabbed the handle first and got it into the car while her eyes met Maya¡¯s and her friend winked at her. ¡°Have fun!¡± she practically sang and Riannon pulled her into a tight hug. ¡°Watch Dean and watch out for Roxy,¡± the Luna mind-linked her future Beta, feeling how tense she became at her words. ¡°Do you want me to make her disappear?¡± Maya offered with her brow shot up. ¡°No way,¡± Ria smirked, ¡°Keep her safe and sound. We need her to get out of here.¡± They said quick goodbyes and Riannon joined the king. The car drove off quickly as if someone was rushing the driver to leave the Silver River Pack. Once again, he felt how stupid his idea was but he had to go with it. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like to lose time so work wherever I can,¡± he said instantly regretting the words. ¡°I see,¡± she smiled politely, ¡°Well, don¡¯t mind me. I will be as quiet as a mouse.¡± And then she looked at him expectantly with one of her legs on top of the other and her hands resting on top. He had no choice but to grab one of the folders and start reading. ¡°So stupid!¡± Mars growled. Riannon tried to think of practically anything but what happened thest time they were alone. The driver was behind a soundproof wall and it made her think about things she shouldn¡¯t have. She watched how handsome the king of lycans was with his straight facial features and dark hair falling carelessly down his face. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top and she imagined that underneath it he probably had the most perfect body too. She blushed and turned away to pretend to look outside of the window. What was she even thinking? And why? In the meantime, Gideon couldn¡¯t do this anymore. Her sweet scent ofvender and honey filled the space around them, and it felt intoxicating. He needed to touch her at least somehow. ¡°Make a sharp turn!¡± he found himself ordering to the driver, who was already shocked with the orders he received today. ¡°But¡­ my king,¡± the unlucky man mumbled. ¡°Make a super sharp turn. Now.¡± He repeated darkly, ¡°Don¡¯t make me say that again.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The next moment the car shook and all the folders flew into the air. And at the same time, Riannon found herself thrown straight into the hands of the Lycan king¡­ Chapter 25: Serious Intentions Chapter 25: Serious Intentions It felt so good to have her in his arms, looking at him with those beautiful clear blue eyes that widened at the shock of being in this kind of situation. ¡°I am¡­ sorry,¡± she mumbled under her breath as he kept holding her. Tight. ¡°Another turn! Now!¡± hemanded his driver mentally and the car shook again, Gideon using this moment to properly ce her on hisp. Even if it was just for a few moments, it was so worth it. ¡°Oh, Goddess!¡± her cheeks became delicately pink again and he wanted nothing more than to brush his palm over one to feel how silky her skin was. Her sweet scent was all over him,making his head dizzy. Yet he was still sober enough to control the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he smiled, not intending to let her go at all, ¡°It¡¯s a very bumpy road to the Lycan Kingdom.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she did not look like she was buying it and he was afraid to overdo it. But Mars was purring inside of him at her closeness, and he wished to prolong it as much as he could. Even if it were just mere seconds. ¡°Something to work on,¡± he smirked, feeling her fingers digging into his flesh and realizing that she was not pushing him away. Or even trying to distance herself. Just right back when he was covering her neck with hot and wet kisses. Which reminded him of¡­ ¡°How is your mark?¡± he gently removed her golden locks off her shoulder, exposing her neck to him. The desire to touch her again like that was too overwhelming. He thought of their ¡®healing¡¯ session way too many times after it happened. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡±Ria muttered and he could feel her heart beating faster. She was feeling something too and he knew it. Even if she couldn¡¯t understand it yet. So, he felt bold and ced his fingers on the top button of her blouse, asking permission with his eyes to unbutton it. ¡°May I?¡± his voice sounded lower and huskier than usual, and he could see the hesitation in her eyes. ¡°We¡¯d better not,¡± she turned away quickly and he had to unclench his fingers, letting here back to the seat opposite of him. At least, it was something. It didn¡¯t matter that it didn¡¯tst long. They would have their whole life together once he found out how to get her wolf toe out and y. And luckily now they had a whole week to figure it out. His eyes grazed over her beautiful face and he sensed at once that something was off. wanted her to get used to the idea of sharing everything with him. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said as she stared in the window with her hands crossed on her knees, which now were perfectly pressed together in the most royal pose ever. He could just tell that it wasn¡®t nothing ¡°Riannon,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°Talk to me. Is there something you don¡¯t like?¡± She took a deep breath and bit her lip, which almost drove him crazy. ¡°I am starting to think that you have a very wrong impression about me,¡± her eyes met his with a challenge. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± he had to handle it carefully but the blush on her cheeks was tempting him to tease her, ¡°Did I¡­ do something wrong?¡± She turned away, letting him know at once that he did. And a little smirk crept on his lips. She wasn¡¯t a teenager anymore and judging by the Alpha Ball she knew very well how to handle men and make them crazy about her. Yet he managed to make her blush like that several times. It was giving him the hope he needed. And now even the tips of her ears were red. Riannon did not know how to proceed with this. On one hand, she was ready to do anything to get a divorce and her pack back. But on the other, she knew that if the lycan king was helping her only to get her in the bed, she would be crushed inside. For some reason, it was important to her that he saw her as more than just a bed toy that he wanted. Not to mention that if that was all he wanted, she may end up with nothing in the end. She was conflicted on so many levels here. It was stupid to deny that she did like him to some extent. She definitely did. But this wasn¡¯t the way she wanted to carve her path to freedom. And would that even be freedom? ¡°I would like to keep our rtionship professional,¡± she said firmly and looked him in the eye again, noticing a grin on his perfectly handsome face. ¡°And may I ask why?¡± he rxed into his seat with a content expression on his face. Okay. She did not expect that kind of a reply. ¡°What do you mean why?¡± she knitted her brows, ¡°Because this is¡­ appropriate.¡± ¡°Appropriate?¡± he chuckled, clearly having fun which made Riannon slightly furious, ¡± That¡¯s one way to put it.¡± ¡°There is nothing funny,¡± she shot him an annoyed nce, ¡°When I asked for your help,will be paying with¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he interrupted her at once, getting serious, ¡°Riannon, I don¡¯t think that about you. And I don¡¯t want you to think that I am the kind of man who would expect something like that from a woman.¡± Ria felt slightly puzzled. Did she misread his signals then? ¡°You licked my mark,¡± the words left her mouth before she realized it and she wanted to bite her tongue. ¡°For healing purposes,¡± Gideon coughed, trying to hold backughter and enjoying her flustered face. He wanted to bring out more of that. But he also wanted her to know something. ¡°Having said that, I do like you, Riannon. And I intend to court you and make you mine.¡± He tried not to stress out thatst word but it practically sounded like a growl in spite of all the effort. The one that he was suppressing ever since he saw her for the first time. Her lips parted as she met his intense gaze and realised that this wasn¡¯t a joke. The Lycan King was serious about wanting her. ¡°But¡­ I am married,¡± she said the first thing that came to her mind. ¡°I am literally helping you to get your divorce,¡± he snorted at her weak objection. He hoped that she wouldn¡¯t have any others, so he added quickly, ¡°Before you say anything, my intentions are serious. I am not looking for a fling.¡± ¡°But¡­ You are a lycan and I am a werewolf!¡± she still tried to find an excuse, ¡°Lycans only¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s rare,¡± he admitted, ¡°But there are exceptions. And you are going to be one of them.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she let out augh. He couldn¡¯t be serious! ¡°There are reasons,¡± for a second there he contemted telling her that she was his mate. But judging by how shocked she was at his sudden confession; it was too early. She could simply not believe him. He wanted to y it safe. Because she was already hurt by one man she trusted. And their trust was just forming. He had to prove himself to her first. ¡°So, is that why you are helping me?¡± Ria tilted her head slightly. ¡°That¡¯s one of the many reasons. And before you assume anything, not all of them are personal. But I would be after you even if I decided that it was best not to help you get your ¡°That would be incredibly hard!¡± she teased him with the corners of her mouth curled. ¡°I have a few cards up my sleeve,¡± he radiated confidence and she had to admit it. But wasn¡¯t all that too much? He was a powerful Lycan King and she was¡­ At the moment she was a Luna in name only. She had nothing to offer him and him wanting her so much didn¡¯t make sense. And also, the sad truth was that Brayden broke her heart. She had no idea anymore if she even wanted a man in her life. However, just looking at Gideon¡­ the idea was tempting. But there were other things to consider. If he wanted her then what would stop him from simply iming her? Some Alphas were like that and she hated the kind. For the first time, she got worried that she decided to go to the Lycan Kingdom. ¡°Look,¡± he cleared his throat, sensing the sudden mood change. He guessed where her mind went at once. ¡°I will not force you into anything. You will have a choice at all times if that¡¯s what you are worried about. But how about we get to know each other better while you are here? I guess what I am asking from you is to give me a chance?¡± She was afraid to respond. How could she trust a man after everything that happened to her? Was it even possible or that part of her died back then in her past life? She did not know anymore... There were too many thoughts in her head now. It was a mess. And this was when a painfully familiar voice went through her mind. ¡°Trust him,¡± Onyx said firmly, making her gasp in disbelief. Chapter 26: Greetings Chapter 26: Greetings ¡°What is wrong?¡± Gideon could feel that something happened to her, ¡°Riannon?¡± ¡°My wolf!¡± She practically gasped for air, ¡°It just spoke to me! Just for a second¡­ but she was there!¡± ¡°What?¡± He was kneeling before her in seconds, trying to contain his own excitement,¡°Are you sure?¡± This was all he wanted. This was all he needed. If Onyx was back, she would recognise him and it would solve all problems. They would be able to just be together! ¡°Yes,¡± she mumbled, ¡°It is just a faint whisper, but it was her. Plus, it wasn¡¯t the first time. She did the same the other day.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± He took her hands in his and for the first time, the driver had to make a sharp turn for real, almost making him fall to her feet. Not that he minded that. Riannon stumbled. Wouldn¡¯t it be too much sharing? Especially considering everything that he had just told her? She didn¡¯t want to give him false hope or¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± it was as if he read her mind again, ¡°I am sorry I asked. It¡¯s none of my business.¡± It was his business, of course, but he did not want to push her. He let go of her hands and returned to his seat. Yet a happy grin was stered all over his face. It was impossible to contain it this time. They arrived at their destination quite soon and just by looking out of the window Ria knew that she was in a whole new world. Their pack, The Silver River, was considered one of the richest. But what she saw at the Lycan¡¯s realm was far beyond her even most bold expectations. The houses were way bigger and more luxurious.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. There were fountains and borate sculptures everywhere and beautifully trimmed gardens seemed never-ending. What surrounded her now seemed affluent and screamed that lycans were the elite of shifter¡¯s world. She saw warriors training; she saw children ying, couples strolling around and holding hands. It was a happy ce. Not at all how she imagined it. Before she met Gideon, he thought of Lycans as super- strong and majestic creatures¡­ But cold and arrogant. It was strange to see them do all the things that people in her pack were doing. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked her as he opened the door and for a second there, she thought that he was afraid to see her reaction. He got out first and offered her his hand which she epted. As soon as she was out, around them seemed to stop what they were doing to look at her. This was way more attention than she anticipated but she knew how to handle it well. ¡°Your pack is beautiful,¡± she praised the ce and Gideon¡¯s smile grew even wider. ¡°I am happy that you like it,¡± he said, wishing to add that this was going to be her home soon. But yet again, he had to suppress the urge not to overwhelm her. He noticed people watching them too and let out a growl to let them know that they were better to mind their own business. And they all snapped out of it, getting back to what they were doing. ¡°You are finally here!¡± Reid walked out and stretched his arms as if to give Riannon a hug, but yet another growl from his king made him put those hands back. ¡°Beta Reid,¡± Ria greeted him, ¡°Nice to see you again.¡± ¡°Likewise, Luna,¡± he said, winking at his friend. He was supposed to say Luna Thorn. Because she wasn¡¯t actually his Luna. But even though Ria gave him a questioning nce, he did not add hisst name. ¡°I¡¯ll take your luggage, Luna,¡± the Beta took her bag from the driver¡¯s hands. ¡°Thank you,¡± she gave him a soft smile. ¡°No problem,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Hmm. And it smells nice too.¡± Gideon couldn¡¯t control Mars anymore and another growl left his chest. It was probably another joke of Reid¡¯s but even the thought of him looking at Ria that way made his blood boil. ¡°Easy there, my king,¡± his Beta winked at him, ¡°I am just being polite.¡± They walked just a few feet towards a mansion¡­ No, a mansion wasn¡¯t the correct word here. It was a pce. A modern and extremely beautiful pce. As always, Gideon opened the door for her and give her way. And she tried her best not to gasp as the white marble of the interior almost blinded her. The design was minimalistic, but you could feel ss in it and Riannon loved it instantly. ¡°Is that her?¡± She heard a cheerful voice and saw a young girl running down the stairs, followed by a guy who seemed just a few years older than her. The girl was a very cute brte with wavy hair reaching her shoulders and resembled Gideon a lot. And the guy¡­ she recognised those red curls at once. Their eyes met and she could tell that he knew who she was too. It was the same boy she saved seven years ago. But bigger. Almost a grown man. ¡°Riannon!¡± The girl threw herself in her arms, breaking Ria¡¯s train of thought, ¡°Atst we ¡°Manners, Savannah,¡± Gideon grunted, running his hand over his face, and shooting a death stare at Reid who bbered the truth about who she was. His sister couldn¡¯t keep secrets even if her life depended on it. ¡°Sorry,¡± the girl giggled innocently but there was no regret in her eyes whatsoever, ¡°I got overwhelmed. It¡¯s not every day that my brother finds his¡­¡± Reid coughed loudly all of a sudden, ¡°Savvy!¡± ¡°His¡­ allies,¡± luckily she followed his lead on time, stretching the words unnaturally as she came up with them, ¡°¡­to our house! And, we owe you so much!I am Savannah, Gideon¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± Riannon smiled gracefully, ¡°And it¡¯s incredibly nice to meet you, princess.¡± ¡°Just call me Savvy,¡± the girl pushed the guy next to her forward, hissing at him, ¡°Come on! Say hi too! It¡¯s her!¡± He smiled at the Luna awkwardly, stretching his hand. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± He reminded her of Reid a lot. The same good looks and red hair. But he still had a look of innocence about him. This one did not turn out a yer, unlike his uncle. ¡°How can I forget,¡± Ria smiled, ¡°You grew up so much since thest time I saw you, Kyle.¡± ¡°Luna,¡± he bowed and ced a small kiss on her fingers. Just like a gentleman would. ¡°All right!¡± His uncle interjected, ¡°She saved your life but now you are walking on a thin line, nephew. Trust me. The Luna needs some rest anyway.¡± ¡°Just call me Ria,¡± she found herself saying all of a sudden, ¡°All of you.¡± They smiled and nodded at her, clearly wanting to speak more. But Gideon stood in their way, separating them from his guest. However, his sister ignored that and he found her taking Riannon¡¯s hand and pulling her up the stairs. ¡°Come on,¡± she giggled, ¡°I prepared the best room for you! You¡¯ll see!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ria looked at him as if she was seeking permission to follow the princess. Or maybe she wanted his help because Savannah was practically dragging her at this point. ¡°I was bold and prepared a few dresses for you too,¡± she went on, not caring for anyone in the world. ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you, Savvy, but I brought my own,¡± Riannon tried to exin to her. ¡°N-no,¡± the Luna shook her head as she looked back again and was pleased to see Reid and Gideon follow them too. ¡°Then it¡¯s good that I took care of it!¡± the princess snorted, ¡°Otherwise, what would you wear for the White party?!¡± ¡°The WHAT PARTY?¡± the lycan king growled, shooting a furious gaze at his Beta. ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± the man cleared his throat, ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s a done deal already and impossible to cancel.¡± ¡°The hell the two of you are thinking about!¡± Gideon growled via the mind link. ¡°Oh, G,¡± Reid¡¯s face suddenly got serious, ¡°It¡¯s not our biggest problem. Trust me.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, starting to walk slowly. ¡°I have to report something to you,¡± the Beta stopped in the middle of the hallway and they let the girls walk away first¡­ Chapter 27: Evening Wear Chapter 27: Evening Wear ¡°So, what is it?¡± Gideon looked at his Beta with his brows furrowed. He knew that Reid would never distract him at a moment like this. Not when he just brought his mate to his house to spend time with her morning after you were gone as I received the news about local packs training together with foxes and werebears right next to our territory. ¡°Foxes and werebears, you say?¡± Gideon rubbed his chin, which he had shaven clean just this morning before meeting Riannon. Now his usual stubble wasn¡¯t there and it felt weird¡­ Foxes, werebears and werewolves hated each other. They were all subjects to Lycan¡¯s and it was usually hard to make them stay civil with each other. And now they were training happily together. Only that both Reid and the king knew that there was nothing to be happy about there. They all were not one hundred percent satisfied with the lycans¡¯s rule. All of them thought that they could do better. Not even realizing that it was the lycans who kept them from killing each other and going to war. There was a big difference between lycans and other kinds of shifters. And it wasn¡¯t just the fact that they were physically stronger and more powerful. It was the fact that in spite of their power, they could control their feral beasts inside of them better than anyone else and were capable of making reasonable decisions at all times. They could have submitted everyone using raw force. Just like their ancestors did back in the day. But now lycans preferred to avoid wars where it was necessary. And sometimes Gideon was questioning that decision. Because ever since the lycans went onto this peaceful path, everybody wanted a piece of them. Unfortunately, they were not ready for the new ways. Now the rumors were spreading all over the kingdom that an uprising was in the works. But it was still hard to tell which packs were involved in it and when would they start acting. Or if they already started¡­ ¡°The warriors will deal with it, you know that,¡± Reid ced his hands in his pockets, leaning over the wall, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the tip of the iceberg and we still don¡¯t know who is causing all that,¡± Gideon said out loud what they both were thinking and then looked at his Beta, ¡°And you still think it¡¯s a good time for a White Party?¡± ¡°Actually, I do,¡± Reid smirked and Gideon remembered that he made him his second inmand for a reason. ¡°There is not much to tell,¡± the Beta shrugged his shoulders, ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. Let them believe that we have no idea what is going on. I am sure sooner orter they will show themselves. All we need to do is watch them carefully. Luckily, our spies are in ce.¡± It was not a bad idea and Gideon knew that. At least it was definitely better to make them believe that they didn¡¯t have a clue about what was going on. If they stayed visibly alerted then their enemies would lay low. That wasn¡¯t what he wanted. He wanted to act. Fast. He wanted to be done with it and concentrate on his mate. ¡°Fine,¡± the king grunted, ¡°White party it is then. Why the hell it is white by the way?¡± ¡°You are asking the wrong person,¡± Reid chuckled, ¡°All that is on Savannah.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± the lycan king prepared to leave but stopped to give a quick nce to his friend,¡° And, Reid, I will have another small task for you¡­¡± Savvanah open the doors to a spacious light room with a loud bang and stormed in, pulling Riannon after her. ¡°And this is where you are going to be staying!¡± the girl giggled cheerfully, ¡°It¡¯s the Luna¡¯s bedroom!¡± Ria almost choked trying to say the next word, ¡°What? Is it even okay for me to stay here? ¡°Of course!¡± the lycan princess waved it off, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have prepared it for you if it wasn¡¯t! My mum used to live here.¡± ¡°Your mum?¡± Ria suddenly felt that the room was too hot, ¡°As in the former queen?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Savvy shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Do you like it? Should I change anything? We can change everything! Oh, I feel that it¡¯s going to be so fun!¡± ¡°Erm, no!¡± Riannon tried to calm the girl down, ¡°It¡¯s amazing! I love it! No need to make any changes. And I am¡­ humbled by the honor of being able to live in this room.¡± ¡°Aww,¡± a cute smile curved the princess¡¯ lips, ¡°You are so sweet! Reid told me that you are sweet! And Kyle told me that you are sweet. But you are even sweeter!¡± ¡°Th-thanks,¡± Riannon did not know how to deal with all the excitement around her. It was a bit too much, ¡°How about the dresses?¡± Savvanah changed the subject abruptly, ¡°I told you I prepared you some! Didn¡¯t I?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°You did,¡± Ria obeyed when the girl grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into what looked white dresses of every shape, fabric and size. ¡°Look at this,¡± Savvy grabbed the first dress she saw and ced the hanger onto Ria¡¯s chest, ¡°It¡¯s as if it was made for you!¡± The Luna looked at herself in the mirror, not even knowing anymore what was the right way to proceed here. The dress in her hands was from one of the most popr now bridal designers. ¡°Uhm,¡± she mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Savvy. Isn¡¯t it a bit too much¡­of a bridal dress?¡± ¡°Of course, not!¡± the girl snorted, ¡°Why would you even assume that?¡± she pped her longshes innocently and now Ria was wondering if she was overthinking it all¡­ ¡°Well, it¡¯s Vera Wang,¡± she pointed out, showing the girl thebel. ¡°Tsk,¡± Savannah rolled her eyes, ¡°Vera Wang does evening wear too!¡± Riannon forced a smile. Yes, Vera did have evening gowns in her collections. It was just ¡­ this dress definitely wasn¡¯t from one of those. ¡°Busy?¡± Gideon knocked on the doorway of the room, his eyes lingering over Riannon holding the white dress and widening slightly. As for her, never had she ever been so happy to see the king before. Maybe he would be able to save her from trying out all those bridal gowns? He saw the desperation in her eyes. He knew far too well that his sister should have been taken in small dosages and it was silly of him to leave the two of them alone on the first day. ¡°Riannon,¡± he came closer to her with a little smirk on his face, ¡°How about I give you a little tour of my pack? It may be useful for you in the future.¡± ¡°What a great idea!¡± Savvy chimed in, ¡°I will go too!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a party to n?¡± Gideon shot his brow up, demonstrating to his sibling that this conversation was over and she was better to find something else to do. Luckily, Savvanah knew how to take a hint. And this time she chose to do what her brother wanted. ¡°Oh, right!¡± she pretended to remember all that suddenly and rubbed her eyes,¡°Ipletely forgot. And yes, you are right. There is so much to be done still. So, I¡¯ll be seeing you twoter, I guess. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ria.¡± ¡°Likewise,¡± Riannon smiled, realizing what kind of game they were ying and meeting the lycan king¡¯s gaze. ¡°Shall we?¡± he stretched his hand and she epted it without thinking twicements, I was not feeling well over Christmas at all. I still don¡¯t. I understand that some of you would want to stop reading the book because of the inconsistency in daily updates. But I am afraid sometimes things are out of my control and what I do now is the best I can do at this moment of time. If you still feel that it¡¯s not worth going on with the book, it is up to you only. I still wish you all the best and happy holidays ahead. For the ones who stay with me on Ria and Gideon¡¯s journey, I will be updating daily until the 31st of December. 31 of December and 1st of January will be my day-offs as well. And I hope to get back to normal daily updates from the 2nd of January. Chapter 28: The Nightmares Chapter 28: The Nightmares He took his time as they walked out of the Queen bedroom. It was unbelievable that this was where his sister ced Riannon. But it made him happy still since his room was right next to it and he was sure that he would be able to smell her delicate scent at night. ¡°So, the top floor is designated for the royal family and our Beta,¡± he was exining as she listened politely, ¡°High ranked unmated wolves take the rooms on the next floor. Most of my warriors live there. You will meet them all in due time.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Ria said, feeling awkward. If she was just a guest, there was no reason for her to meet all his warriors. And she tried not to think of what he told her in the car. She was not ready to think about it. When her mind went there, it was turning all soft and mushy. They went all the way to the ground floor, where he showed her a few of their reception halls and drawing rooms, each of which was magnificent and done in its own style and colors. But it was the library that she loved the best. ¡°Oh. My. Goddess.¡± Riannon gasped as they walked in and she saw the long room walls of which were covered in bookshelves. There were a fewfortable chairs here and there and a little sofa at the very end of the room. She immediately went to check what they had on the shelves and squeaked in excitement every time she found something rare. So, she liked books. It made the lycan king smile too because she wasn¡¯t impressed by expensive vases the house had on disy or overpriced pieces of modern art that Savvy was buying as if her life depended on it. But her eyes lit as soon as she entered this room. Surprisingly, it was one of his most favorite ces in the house. ¡°Ah, I could live here!¡± Riannon said and for a second there he let himself believe that she was serious about it. ¡°You can,¡± he gave her a soft smile. ¡°I am seriously considering this!¡± she grinned at him, ¡°I would sleep on that sofa!¡± She pointed her finger at the tiny couch and Gideon started thinking about recing it with one that could fit two people. ¡°You can take any books you like from here,¡± he chuckled while watching her. ¡°Really?¡± Ria was impressed by what she saw. She always wanted a library like this. She had one back in her pack, but much smaller and way less impressive. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course,¡± he leaned over the doorway, realizing that he could look at her like this forever. He took her to see other rooms, creating a wholemotion at the kitchen as they out. And as soon as they saw her, they all stood up. Savvy and Reid must have told them already. Which annoyed Gideon a lot. Couldn¡¯t they keep a secret? ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet you, Luna,¡± one of the guys stepped forward, stretching his hand. ¡°Likewise,¡± Ria shook his hand. ¡°This is Cyrus, my Gamma,¡± Gideon introduced us, ¡°He is the best warrior of the pack and is responsible for battle training of the pack. Speaking of which, Cy,what are you doing here? What are you all doing here? Isn¡¯t it time for you to exercise?¡± ¡°It is,¡± his Gamma rubbed the back of his neck, ¡°We just had a break and cake here for¡­¡± He clearly did not know what to say. ¡°Protein shakes!¡± someone at the back suggested and they all started nodding vigorously. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right!¡± Cyrus chimed in, ¡°Protein shakes! To grow muscles.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± they all were happy that they came up with something. At the same time, there were no shakes in in sight and Gideon wanted to growl at them to get out when his sister walked in. ¡°Oh, there you all are!¡± she giggled, ¡°I sent those shakes to the training field, guys! So, off you go!¡± She presented her brother with a dazzling smile as the warriors got their easy escape ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± he connected her via their mind link, ¡°I am a good brother. I spoil you. I never failed you. Just why, Savvy?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she smirked, ¡°I am helping you here! I am helping you to woo her! She needs to feel at home here.¡± ¡°I think I got it covered, thanks,¡± Gideon grunted, ¡°I can woo my own mate.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± the girl rolled her eyes, ¡°Some ten-twenty years and she will be all yours!¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, Sav,¡± he tried to remind her, ¡°I am trying to earn her trust.¡± ¡°And I am trying to make her feel safe!¡± his sister retorted, ¡°And also to create someromantic opportunities for the two of you. Any normal brother would be grateful!¡± ¡°Oh, I am grateful,¡± he looked at her menacingly, ¡°I am so grateful that I now can¡¯t wait for you to find your mate so that I got to know him better.¡± Riannon stood there between the two siblings, realizing that they were having a private ¡°Excuse us,¡± the lycan king turned to her and took her hand without even asking her,cing their fingers together, ¡°Let¡¯s get going out of the house. We don¡¯t want to disturb Savvy with all her scheming¡­ I mean, nning.¡± He pulled her out of the mansion, walking fast to be as far away from it as it was only possible. The tour then continued with him showing her all the significant ces that he like so much. Luckily, there were plenty. Ria did not know what to think. All this was not what she expected at all. This ce was ¡­warm. And the people were nice. It did not feel like the business trip she was intending it to It felt like a vacation she needed so much. And this was bad. This was distracting her from her main goal. ¡°Can we speak about our business?¡± she asked him all of a sudden when he brought her to the local river right before sunset. It was so beautiful there as the air was filled with golden light. The water surface reflected the colors of the afterglow. ¡°Of course,¡± Gideon felt slightly disappointed that this was what she was thinking about at a moment like this, ¡°You can ask me anything.¡± ¡°My divorce with Brayden¡­¡± ¡°Consider it a done deal,¡± he said at once, ¡°As soon as you raise this at the Alpha summit, I will approve.¡± ¡°And my pack?¡± she looked at him with hope and he did not want to give her false hope. ¡°That one will be harder,¡± he admitted, ¡°For you to get it we need to work more on that neww. And make sure everyone supports it. But when it¡¯s done, there will be nothing in your way.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Riannon gave him the sincerest smile and he wanted to kiss her more than anything now. He leaned lower but at thest moment, she pulled away to his disappointment, which he hid deep inside, cursing himself for rushing things. It was Savvy¡¯s fault to put those ideas in his head. ¡°You told me that you would want something in return for your help,¡± she looked at him with her clear blue eyes, ¡°Now that I am here, could you tell me what this is?¡± He contemted it for a bit. There was nothing he wanted from her other than to reciprocate his feelings. But he couldn¡¯t tell her that. But then an idea struck him on his face. ¡°What is it?¡± the blonde girl in front of him looked very interested but she did not seem worried at all. ¡°I want to help you get your wolf back,¡± he said, startling her. ¡°Wh-why?¡± was all she asked, but after thinking some more, she added, ¡°And how?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how,¡± he shrugged his shoulders and a devilish grin appeared on his face,¡° I am afraid we will have to experiment there. As for the why¡­ sometimes people lose their wolves. And I want to know if it is possible to get them back. And if yes, how do we proceed with this. In other words, it may be good research.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± for some reason Riannon felt sad, realizing that it was not what she wanted to hear. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte,¡± she said, ¡°And I am a bit tired. Maybe it is enough for today?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he took her hand in his again without asking for permission. Which was starting to bother her. Why was he doing that all the time? It wasn¡¯t like they were a couple. He just said it himself that he simply needed her for research. And maybe it was what made him a great king, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. ¡°The dinner will be at¡­¡± Gideon started to exin her. ¡°Actually, if that¡¯s okay, I would prefer to eat alone and, in my room,¡± Ria heard herself saying. It was rude to say something like that when you were a guest at a king¡¯s house. But it was toote now. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± the man in front of her looked sad and she felt guilty at once, ¡°I will take you there and order to bring you whatever you like.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she mumbled, averting his gaze now. Back in her room, she cursed herself for her stupidity. Just why would she let her emotions get in her way. He told her he liked her. Why did she get offended by him mentioning the research? He gave her more attention than she deserved already. Just why did she crave Was it because he was the first man that she actually liked since Brayden or was there something else? Her train of thought was broken when her phone rang and she saw Maya¡¯s name on the disy. This was just what she needed since Onyx wasn¡¯t there to talk to. ¡°How are you?¡± her friend¡¯s voice sounded fine, and she felt relieved. Deep inside she was worried for Maya¡¯s safety. ¡°I am fine,¡± she said and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Everything seems so strange here.¡± ¡°Good strange or bad strange?¡± the girl on the other end of the line asked. ¡°A bit of both,¡± Riannon confessed and then briefly told her everything that happened. ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± Maya stretched thest word. ¡°Good interesting or bad interesting?¡± Ria chuckled, covering her face with her free hand. ¡°Good, of course,¡± her future Beta snorted, ¡°After I saw you two making out shamelessly in your office¡­¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t making out!¡± the Luna protested. * * ¡°Yeah¡­ right,¡± Maya did not sound convinced, ¡°Anyway, I currently like the lycan way more than your husband. This Roxy b***h got out of everything without even as much as a simple punishment! They said she had a panic attack! Can you believe this?!¡± ¡°I can,¡± Riannon sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve been through this before, remember? But, M, while you are there alone, please,y low and do nothing. I need you to stay safe.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she heard a very unbothered voice. They talked some more about what a douche Brayden had be. And then said their goodbyes for the day. Ria went to sleep early since she had a lot to do the next day. Starting with fixing her attitude. It was also the day when the princess was throwing her White party. She drifted off to sleep easily. But unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t a peaceful night. Maybe it was the stress finally catching up with her, but she saw the worst dream. It was the night of her death¡­ Roxy stood above her, while she was trying to fight for her life¡­ crawling in the dirt and having a hard time moving her arms and legs due to aconite poisoning. The redhead¡¯sugh was echoing through her ears. And then the brown wolf jumped her as she desperately tried to at least recognise him. All while she couldn¡¯t even scream. But in reality, she could. ¡°Riannon!¡± Gideon shook her in his arms, trying to wake her up. She looked at him in disbelief, trembling and not understanding where they were. The unfamiliar surroundings yed a trick on her. ¡°You were screaming,¡± he said, not letting her go. And this was when she realized that he was pressing her against his chest. All while wearing nothing but ck silk pajama pants¡­ Chapter 29: That’s Not The Rea… Chapter 29: That¡¯s Not The Rea¡­ Riannon needed time to process what was happening. Why was he holding her in his arms in the middle of the night and why did he barely have any clothes on? And now that her mind went there, there was no going back. Werewolves were a gorgeous race, but having her arms on a Lycan¡¯s chest, the heat was spreading fast all over her bloodstream. Gideon looked as if his body was carved out of stone by a true master. With love and not sparing any effort to sculpture perfection. His chest was so hard and all his body lines were so perfect that she couldn¡¯t form a proper word for a while. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He asked her as his fingers were pressing harder into her flesh. She realised that she herself was wearing next to nothing. Just a flimsy silk slip was all that separated their two very hot bodies. ¡°My king,¡± she said and immediately heard a growl, not being able to decipher where it was one of pleasure of anger. However, her heart started beating faster and her chest started going up and down¡­ Gideon couldn¡¯t ignore that as it was creating some friction between them and he was barely managing it as it was. ¡°Riannon,¡± he said in a much lower voice than usual, ¡°Call me by my name. Please.¡± She sucked in a breath because he still did not let her go. And also she still did not push him away. ¡°Gideon,¡± was all she said, again catching herself on the thought that she did not ask him to leave. She should have done it and yet she hadn¡¯t. He was looking at her as if he was expecting this but at the same time, the look in his eyes was strange and feral. As if he was about to devour her any second. And she doubted if she would even mind that. Just what was going on between them? ¡°You were screaming,¡± he told her, trying to clear his throat, ¡°I was afraid that something happened. And that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°How did you hear me?¡± she asked and bit her lip, which made him let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Our rooms are adjacent,¡± he rified the situation, ¡°Goddess, Ria, I thought someone attacked you.¡± ¡°No, no, sorry,¡± she shook her head, ¡°I am fine. It was just a bad dream.¡± Suddenly, he ced his palm on her chin and made her look at him, caressing her gently with his thumb. ¡°What kind of dream make a person scream like that?¡± he looked her in the eye in hope that she would open up to him. consequences, he pulled her into a hug. Strong and warm. And just what she needed for a while. She rxed into his arms and he wrapped them tighter around her, inhaling her wonderful scent deeply as long as he had the opportunity. ¡°You can tell me,¡± he whispered and she flinched at his words, knowing very well that she couldn¡¯t. Gideon was a good man, she could tell. Even though he made the worst first expression, he was earning points back very quickly. He seemed reliable. And most importantly, he was generally interested in her and her wellbeing. She did not have it with Brayden for a while. But it was one thing to ask him for help with her divorce. It was perfectly normal and understandable in her case. However, it waspletely another thing to tell him that she already lived her life, died and came back to fix her mistakes.. Who would believe in something like that? What if he thought that she was crazy and refused to help her after all? No, she couldn¡¯t risk that much. He didn¡¯t have to know. It didn¡¯t make any difference in the long run. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, distancing himself from her slightly to give her space, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me. It¡¯s fine.¡± She found herself nodding. And also feeling guilty for some reason. As if she owed him the exnation. However, all that was gone as soon as she saw him lying downfortably on one side of her bed. She stared at him for a while, startled and confused. In the meantime, the lycan king folded his hands under his head and closed his eyes. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± he asked without any hint of embarrassment, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Riannon¡¯s lips parted in shock. Just what did he think he was doing here? ¡°Excuse me,¡± she tapped his firm stomach. And yes, she could have gone for his arm, yet somehow ended up feeling his washboard abs instead. Which he, in turn, was flexing while pretending to sleep. He did not respond and she coughed loudly. ¡°Excuse me!¡± she repeated herself, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°The meaning of what?¡± he now looked at her curiously. ¡°Why are you lying on my bed?¡± It took all her inner strength to raise her chin and look smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± he said calmly. ¡°Not really,¡± the Luna in front of him folded her arms on her chest to his disappointment. Only that he didn¡¯t move a single muscle. ¡°I am staying here to keep youpany,¡± he informed her. ¡°In bed?!¡± Riannon practically yelled at him but he remained reserved. ¡°Why not?¡± he asked her bluntly, ¡°Since I am already here and you are having nightmares that sound as if someone was killing you.¡± Blood drained from her face as she heard his words. He had no idea how right he was about everything. And yet she couldn¡¯t let him stay. ¡°You need to leave,¡± she sighed, exhausted. ¡°Give me one good reason why,¡± their eyes locked and Riannon realized that she didn¡¯t have any. So, she came up with the usual. ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate,¡± she stated inly, and he chuckled softly. He liked that she was like that. She- wolves that weren¡¯t even his mates were always happy to share his bed. He didn¡¯t even have to say anything. Just one look was enough, and any woman was his. But not Ria. She respected herself. Or maybe there was another reason? ¡°Do you love your soon to be ex-husband?¡± he hated even saying that out loud. ¡°No,¡± the Luna replied and covered her mouth, realising that she answered way too quickly. ¡°Then again, what is the problem? I will just guard you at night and that¡¯s it,¡± he smirked, ¡°I will not touch you¡­ If you don¡¯t ask me to.¡± ¡°As I have already said,¡± Riannin exhaled through her nostrils loudly, ¡°This is improper forus to stay like this. I mean¡­ I wearing next to nothing.¡± ¡°No worries, it does not offend me,¡± he grinned at her and she let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°But you could practically see..¡± she started saying when he interrupted her. ¡°I have already seen more,¡± the lycan king confessed and now her cheeks were flushing not from embarrassment but from anger ¡°I have no doubts that you have seen women of all shapes and sizes, but that doesn¡¯tSo, please, go and find one of those¡­¡± She almost cursed, which she never did. ¡°Oh, no,¡± he rolled to his side and rested his head on his hand, watching her blush again,¡° That wasn¡¯t what I meant. I mean I saw you¡­ as in all of you.¡± She swallowed hard, meeting his stubborn and challenging gaze. ¡°What do you mean? I never¡­¡± ¡°¡­swim naked in theke close to the border?¡± he smiled softly, watching her realizing where he saw her the first time. ¡°Thatrge wolfst time!¡± she gasped, ¡°It was you!¡± She remembered the majestic creature that couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her and swallowed hard. ¡°Yes, Riannon, it was,¡± he nodded, ¡°I saw you enjoying yourself in the water under the moonlight and let me tell you that it was impossible to forget you ever since.¡± ¡°Oh, my Goddess!¡± she closed her face with her hands, feeling the heat of her cheeks, but then looked at him quickly again, ¡°Is that why you want me?¡± Now everything suddenly started to make sense to her. Wolves were predators.He saw a prey that he wanted and was ready to do whatever it took to get her. But it wouldn¡¯tst if that was the case. ¡°No, Riannon,¡± he cupped her face and leaned lower, so that their lips almost touched,¡° That¡¯s not the reason. But it¡¯s a part of it too. I am not going to hide the fact that I want youmore than anyone and anything in this world!¡± They were looking at each other, a million thoughts circling through their heads. Riannon hesitated. This was so wrong. They barely knew each other. And she was still married. Not that she owed anything to Brayden at this point. She didn¡¯t. And Gideon was¡­ He was too tempting It felt as if he was able to fill the void in her heart that formed after everything that she experienced. Somehow with him, she felt¡­ safe. That was why she couldn¡¯t help but part her lips and this was all the invitation that he needed. He didn¡¯t m his lips into hers like she expected him to. He lowered and nibbled them gently first, making her give him better ess. And when their two hot breaths mixed, he covered her mouth with his, deepening the kiss. Slowly. At first. But the more he tasted her, the more he realized that the control he was so famous for was slipping away. Bit by bit. Irrevocably. Until a wave of feral desire overwhelmed him and he couldn¡¯t tear himself off her anymore, towering over her and kissing her madly, hectically. He waited for her for so many years without even knowing. She was his, even if she didn¡¯t know it yet. But the best part was that she was responding to him. Her soft hands were now sliding up his back, creating so many tingles that he thought he would explode. He growled into her soft lips and she moaned, their breathing ragged. He was only breaking away from her for a mere second here and there to gulp some air greedily and then he was returning to her, devouring her and making her almost whimper in his arms. Riannon forgot about everything. What was clearly so wrong, felt so right.But her whole body shuddered when she heard Onyx howling loudly in her mind. ¡°What happened?¡± Gideon reacted at once, worried to death that he did something wrong. ¡°My wolf¡± Ria looked at him, shocked, ¡°She was just here¡­ I felt her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± he smiled, ¡°Happy to help.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He leaned lower to kiss her again but this time she ced her palm onto his chest. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Riannon quirked her brow up. ¡°She surfaces when you are close to me,¡± he smirked, ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed?¡± She hadn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t even have time to think of it because she was dealing with too much. But now that he said that out loud, he was right. The three times she felt her wolf alive all happened to be when they were together. What could be the reason for that? Was Onyx reacting to the lycan king¡¯s power? Or was there something else? Her phone rang and she tried to ignore it. But it kept and kept ringing. Until it was clear Chapter 30: The Night Chapter 30: The Night Bedside table for her cell and had to close his eyes as the thoughts of what he wanted to do with her crowded his mind, driving out the rest of his rationality. ¡°Brayden?¡± he heard her surprised voice and his heart sunk as he sat on the bed, watching her. Jealousy was not new to him anymore. Every time he thought of her husband, all he wanted was to rip his head off and be done with it. Only that he had no right to. The Alpha hadn¡¯t offended him in any way, he yed by the rules. If he killed him now, the uprising would have their martyr to put on posters. Especially if he took his wife afterwards. No, he had to do this right. Too many people depended on him. And Riannon¡­ He wasn¡¯t sure that she would appreciate him doing things by force. Some she-wolves were into this. But she didn¡¯t look like the kind. He had to repeat to himself again and again that her wolf would be back soon.And then she would know. And even if the wolf wouldn¡¯t return, he would do whatever it took to get her out of her marriage and make her fall in love with him. Riannon was annoyed. It was 2 am at night and he had the audacity to call her. If he cared, he could do that during the day. But he didn¡¯t. He just threw a tantrum prior and that was it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, sounding impatient. ¡°I am sleeping,¡± she muttered, ¡°What else could I be doing at this hour?!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± He was not saying anything and then it suddenly urred to her. Could he sense what she was actually doing with Gideon right now? She bit her lip instinctively. That was it. ¡°I missed you, Ri,¡± he said all of a sudden and she noticed how the lycan king¡¯s eyes shed gold.Yet he hadn¡¯t made a sound. He just sat there, clenching his fists and watching her every move. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you,¡± she replied calmly, ¡°But I am tired, and I want to go back to sleep. Can we talk tomorrow?¡± ¡°How are the lycans?¡± he ignored her wordspletely, ¡°Do they treat you well?¡± ¡°Well enough. You have nothing to worry about.¡± Her response was dry and she could sense her husband not being happy about it. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll tell you everything when I get back. Right now all I want is sleep.¡± ¡°Not yet, Ri,¡± he growled at her, ¡°I want to talk to my wife more.¡± hurt herself again and me it on someone else without any consequences?¡± There was silence at the other end of the line, and she hoped that he would end the conversation first. But, of course, he didn¡¯t. ¡°Ri, I understand that the situation is not easy. I promise I will handle it. Roxy will behave.¡° Brayden assured her. ¡°Oh, Goddess,¡± she covered her eyes with her free hand, ¡°How lucky!¡± ¡°RI,¡± he tried to appease her, ¡°When youe back, we are going to take a few days off just for us.It¡¯s going to be great, and we will talk about everything.¡± ¡°Sounds amazing,¡± she lied, ¡°I am exhausted. I need to go now.¡± ¡°Ri,¡± he stopped her yet again,¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t do anything stupid there. And if anyone tries to force you into anything, call me. I will alwayse to your rescue. No one will hurt my girl.¡± Her lips parted in shock. What was in that man¡¯s brain? It was like she never knew him in the first ce. Just this morning his precious mate tried to hurt her and he hadn¡¯t been there for her. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± she sighed, ready to finally hang up. ¡°Ri, I really miss you,¡± he said in that husky voice of his he always used when he wanted to seduce her. She used to go crazy about it. But now it had no effect on her. She was cured. ¡°Sweet dreams, Brayden!¡± she said firmly and swiped her finger to end the call, sighing. Only now she remembered that the lycan king was watching her the whole time and she stayed like that for a while, trying to gain back herposure. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Just when she was about to turn, a sound of a text message beeped, and she looked at her phone again. Ri, just remember that you are mine forever. She stared at this message for a while before slowly putting the phone back. What was that right now? In her past life he wasn¡¯t that possessive of her since the moment he met Roxanne. And the text didn¡¯t have any sweet vibes to it. She did not like it. She did not like it at all. A bad feeling stirred up in her chest. She was careless. He probably felt what she was doing and it could go wrong in so many ways from here. Husbands had more power in this world. Her best card was him not suspecting a thing. If she lost that surprise element¡­ It could end badly for so many people. Herself included abruptly, almost hitting his chest with her face when he caught her in his arms. And she flinched¡­ It hurt him on a physical level to see this reaction after she just talked to her husband. Did she still have feelings towards him? Or was it something else? The atmosphere in the room changed. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said caressing her cheek, ¡°You can tell me. I¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do anything,¡± she bit her lips as she said it and it made him growl menacingly. He hated her husband enough already before that moment. Now he absolutely despised him. ¡°Do you still love him?¡± he asked and she shook her head. ¡°No,¡± Riannon replied bluntly, ¡°I don¡¯t. But I need him to be unaware of that until I am free. Right now¡­¡± ¡°He felt how good you felt with me?¡± he chuckled, slightly relieved.And when she nodded with a soft blush on her cheeks, he lifted her up and ced her back to the bed. She was about to protest when he hopped over her to the other half of the bed andy down there. ¡°What¡­¡± she was about to ask him what he was doing when she saw a smile on his face. ¡°If we can¡¯t do anything, then we are going to sleep,¡± he said simply, ¡°I am not leaving you alone, though. He may feel me kissing you but he cannot sense me in the same room as you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she mumbled under her breath, secretly happy that he did not leave. She wanted him close. ¡°And just so that you know, as soon as that divorce is finalized, I am taking you straight here,¡± the lycan added, making blood rush to her cheeks.Theyy like this for a while. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± Gideon found himself asking and the pause that followed seemed like a torture. ¡°Not physically,¡± she let out a heavy sigh, ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin.¡± ¡°You said that you don¡¯t love him anymore, but from what I know, he only brought his mate to your week a few days ago. Is it that bad?¡± He did not know why he couldn¡¯t shut up. The possibility of him not liking her answer was huge. ¡°It¡¯splicated,¡± Riad admitted, ¡°He turned out to be not what I thought he was. And as I already tried to exin you before, it¡¯s not only about me. There are other people that I need to Something wasn¡¯t adding up to him there. Why was she so sure that something would happen to those people? ording to his research about her, that Alpha and her were always a good team and he was more or less fair to his subordinates. ¡°Why are you worried about your pack like that?¡± he decided to find that out. ¡°Because of the woman who would be the next Luna,¡± Riannon turned to look him in the eye, ¡°She is not a good person. And I am not saying that because I am offended by her. Just this morning¡­¡± She suddenly stopped talking, but he ced hisrge palm onto her tiny hand and squeezed it. ¡°Just tell me what she did. What they did.¡± He hoped that she would be able to open up to him a little bit. And when she sighed, he almost thought that she would ask him to leave. But instead she told him what happened. And he was so angry that he wanted to burn that pack to the ground the same night. He started asking her question and she told him everything that happened since the day her husband brought that mate of his to their house. His blood was boiling, his wolf demanded blood. And in his fury he was amazed how calm Riannon was talking about all that. As is¡­ as if it wasn¡¯t the worst thing that happened to her. He decided to find out everything there was to find out about that omega Roxanne. A part of him was happy for her being Brayden¡¯s mate, but no one could touch his and walk out unscathed. He was going to deal with all this one way or another. She fell asleep in the middle of their conversation and he allowed himself to brush her cheek briefly. He scent coated him and just seeing her so close to him, sleeping peacefully, made him happy. Riannon woke up in the morning feeling refreshed and full of strength. A smile curled on her lips as she turned to find Gideon next to her¡­ only that the Lycan king was already gone. She pushed the feeling of disappointment to the far corner of her mind and went to take a shower and clean up herself properly. She wanted to look good since she knew that she would be meeting him soon again. A maid brought her breakfast to her room and in about an hour after, Ria prepared all the papers that she needed to discuss with the king. She went straight to his office and found him there with Reid. ¡°Morning,¡± the both greeted her warmly and the Beta went for the exit, winking as he passed her. making it sound as if she was the Luna of his pack. But Riannon ignored that as her eyes met with Gideons. ¡°Have a seat,¡± he politely motioned for her to take a chair in front of his desk and she did just that. ¡°Thank you,¡± she smiled but he averted her gaze and it startled her. After what happened at night, this wasn¡¯t what she expected. ¡°Are those the files you prepared?¡± he stretched his hand and she handed him the folders. He was looking through them thoroughly, asking questions and making some little amendments. And absolutely avoiding looking at her. She knew that she told him herself that they couldn¡¯t¡­ do anything. But was that it? He wasn¡¯t interested anymore? She tried to call Onyx in the minutes that he was busy with reading to distract herself from gloomy thoughts. But it again felt as if she wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°So, all this looks good now,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°Well done. Now just work on the changes and we can present this to other Alphas.¡± Their eyes finally locked and she felt the urgent need to break the ice somehow. However, his Gamma walked in with some important matters and Gideon looked at her apologetically. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter at the party,¡± he gave her a weak smile and she stood up with her head held high. ¡°As you wish, your majesty,¡± she said unemotionally and slowly walked out of the room. Behind the door she stood for a moment, trying to understand what was happening and why she felt so angry. So, they kissed yesterday. It wasn¡¯t like they were betrothed now. And yet she was fuming inside. She did not meet anyone on her way upstairs as everyone seemed too busy with the party preparations. She saw Savannah in the window of her room, but the princess seemed in the middle of a heated argument with one of her helpers. Riannon tried pacing around the room but it did not calm her nerves. See you at the party, he said¡­ She went into the walk-in closet, where all the white dresses were still waiting for their hour Chapter 31. The White Party Chapter 31. The White Party Ria was looking at herself in the mirror wondering if she went slightly overboard here? She chose a white satin dress with a deep v-cut neckline and plunging free-fall back. The garment also had a draped and knotted train, which was fastening in the middle and splitting off into two. It was very elegant and reminded her of ancient Greece. However, she usually preferred more¡­ modest designs. Yet today she craved something else. She couldn¡¯t forget the cold shower that Gideon gave her in the morning after they practically spent the night together. What was up with that? Okay, they didn¡¯t actually spend the night together. But they kissed. And the kiss was mind-blowing. Even Onyx reacted to that. Speaking of which, she tried calling her wolf again and again. But Onyx was not responding to that. As if she wasn¡¯t there. Only that now Ria was sure that she was. ¡°Listen,¡± she sighed, ¡°I really need you. I don¡¯t know why you are hiding and not talking to me. But we were always a team. And for me, nothing changed. I know that Brayden hurt us and that dying wasn¡¯t easy. I understand that you might need more time. Just know¡­ Onyx, just know that I am still waiting for you and I¡¯ll wait as long as it takes. Juste back¡­¡± She sat a bit more, but nothing changed. Her thoughts drifted to Gideon again and she clenched her lips, lifting her hair up and fixing it with a few pins, letting a few curly strands fall on her shoulders. She stood up, ready to leave for the event but at thest moment returned to the dressing table and got red lipstick, applying it to her lips before she changed her mind. He did not want to see her? He would see her now! But then she noticed something else¡­ Her diamond ring was still shining in her finger. The one Brayden gave her at their engagement. She kept on wearing it for safety reasons now. But today it seemed too heavy for her. She took it off, enjoying the moment of her freedom. The house was already full of guests. All of whom were also wearing white. Riannon hoped to stay invisible for as long as she could. Her main aim was to find Gideon and to ask him bluntly what happened. Because she sure as hell had no idea. But if there was something, she wanted to know. However, her brilliant n ofying low was not working. Wherever she went, all eyes was were at her at all times. Most of those were friendly. She recognised some of the warrior guys who were looking for protein shakes at the kitchen the other day. But some were less than friendly. Not only does she dare to attend our party on a false pretence, but I heard she is also after both Beta Reid AND king Gideon!¡± ¡°Like she has a chance!¡± another one joined her, ¡°How many of those werewolf sl.uts throw themselves at our men? They are never good enough!¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± the third one chuckled, ¡°Maybe they will give her a ride or two. But it will never be anything serious!¡± Riannon knew the she-wolves were aware that she was listening to them. Moreover, everyone was. And now they all expected her reaction. In the years spent as a Luna of her pack, Ria learnt one thing. You could only make the first impression once. And she had no idea why it was so important for her to show these people her true worth, but she knew that it was. So, she gracefully turned on her heels and walked towards the three lycan girls who still had smirks on their faces. ¡°Ladies,¡± she gave them one of her most dazzling smiles, ¡°It maye as a shock to you, but some women have more value than simply trying tond a male. I understand that it¡¯s hard toprehend for some and while I am your king¡¯s personal guest, I came here to work on women rights. Something we all can benefit from. That is if you have any kind of aspirations in life, of course.¡± The three women froze in front of her, not knowing how to proceed. This wasn¡¯t what they expected at all. ¡°You say that and yet you are dressed like that,¡± one of them finally regained her voice. ¡°Like what?¡± Riannon decided to set a little trap. ¡°Yes, like what?¡± princess Savanah appeared right next to them in a beautiful gown with a ss of champagne in her hand, ¡°I should probably mention before you say anything, that I personally picked Ria¡¯s dress for tonight. So, please, enlighten me, what does she look like in it?¡± Now the gossip girls looked pale. ¡°It¡¯s a very beautiful dress,¡± one of them stuttered while the other two nodded vigorously. ¡°Amazing!¡± ¡°Such a great taste!¡± Riannon rolled her eyes, slightly disappointed with the princess arriving too early. She women, and they escaped within seconds. ¡°My, my!¡± Savvy giggled as she put her ss down and took Ria¡¯s hand, ¡°You are quite bloodthirsty, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about,¡± a little smile curled the Luna¡¯s lips,¡°I just like to tackle the problems at once. And finish them off while I can.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the girl gave her a warm smile, ¡°Those three bark but they don¡¯t bite. I am happy with your dress choice, by the way. It was one of my favourites too. When my brother sees you in this¡­¡± The princess bit her lip and stopped talking as if she had told too much. Someone called her name and she turned to look at the person nervously. ¡°Riannon, I have to leave you for now,¡± she said apologetically, ¡°But I will find youter. Go this way, okay?¡± She motioned towards the stone starecase that led down to the main garden where there were white tents, and more guests were scattered around the grounds. Beautiful music was ying and overall, the reception looked very elegant. Just to Ria¡¯s taste. She stood at the top of the staircase, looking around. She noticed Beta Reid talking to two girls both of whom were sending some very clear signals to him, while touching his chest and biceps. He didn¡¯t seem to mind that at all. She kept on looking when her eyes finally locked with Gideon¡¯s.He stood with a group of men who were discussing something loudly and looked at her. And there was so much in his gaze, hungry and filled with desire, that she was sure he woulde up to her any minute now. But instead, the lycan king turned on his feet and walked in the opposite direction. The familiar hurt pierced her heart. Just how stupid she was to think that his words about her were serious? He obviously changed his mind already and she had to deal with it. There rtionship was strictly professional from now on. She wouldn¡¯t let anyone think anything other than that. Not even herself. Riannon straightened her back and picked up her dress, descending the stairs with grace. She couldn¡¯t go back to her room and admit her defeat. She couldn¡¯t stalk the king in hope to talk to him and clear things out. She had to keep her face at all times. And right now there was only one thing that she could do ¨C mingle. Luckily, after the scene with the princess just a few minutes ago, a lot of people were speaking to, she was catching Gideon¡¯s gazes on her. Just what was his problem,? Why couldn¡¯t he simplye up and talk to her? Soon Riannon found herself in thepany of the pack warriors. A.K.A. the protein shakes guys. She found them the warmest crowd. And the funniest. They were all standing under one of the tents that was ced around a huge oak tree. The sheer white fabric was flowing peacefully around them, blown by the yful wind. She only mentioned the protein drinks as they all started talking about them as if their lives depended on this. ¡°Look, Luna,¡± one of the guys rolled the sleeve of his shirt and flexed his muscles, ¡°Do you see the kind of effect it gives us? Try it!¡± He was offering for her to touch the huge bulge on his arm, and she had no idea how to get out of this. ¡°Jay, stop this!¡± the gamma of the pack, Cyrus, run his hand over his face while his mate Liam tried to hold backughter. ¡°What?¡± the guy in question rolled his eyes, ¡°The Luna doesn¡¯t mind, right¡± Now she was cornered. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t,¡± she smiled politely and stretched her hand to feel his muscle. But before her fingers were able to reach his skin, a loud growl interrupted them all. They turned to the sound and saw their king storming their way with his eyes darkened. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. However, if other guests started to walk away as soon as possible, the warriors did not even flinch. Riannon already understood prior that this group was tight with their leader. ¡°Hey, Gideon, we are exining Luna Thorn here¡­¡± ¡°Everybody out!¡± The lycan royalty growled and his men bowed politely, leaving the two of them absolutely alone in the tent. ¡°And may I ask,¡± Ria walked past him to the huge oak trunk, ¡°Why did you just do it?¡± ¡°To make sure you don¡¯t do any silly mistakes,¡± he replied, still clearly trying to get his emotions under control. ¡°And what mistake would it be?¡± she looked at him with interest, watching his chest go up and down. He was wearing just pants and a shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. ¡°You know very well,¡± he stepped closer but she did not budge.¡°No, I really don¡¯t,¡± she shook her head, ¡°What kind of a mistake would that be to check ¡°Ria, l¡­ I wasn¡¯t ignoring you¡­¡± Gideon didn¡¯t know what words to choose to exin to her what was going on with him. Back in her room at night, when she was sleeping peacefully, he realised that if he stayed in her presence, his wolf would go crazy and take over the control sooner or later. He couldn¡¯t afford that. So, he decided to take the easy way out and to try and see less of her. At least until the evening, since his sister invited this many people to their house. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Riannon said with a heavy sigh, ¡°You don¡¯t owe me an exnation. We owe each other nothing and I understand thatst night probably meant nothing to you.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± he growled and grasped her arm, pulling her behind him all the way to the oak tree, where he mmed her against the trunk. ¡°What are you¡­¡± Riannon started asking him when his hot lips crumpled hers in one beautiful and absolutely magical kiss. This time he did not even try to be gentle with her. And she loved it. This kiss was mad, raging, all-consuming. It seemed like the two of them had gone crazy as he pressed her against the tree, panting. ¡°Just what is going on?¡± she demanded an exnation, ¡°Why are you hot one minute and cold another?¡± He opened his mouth to tell her everything. Gideon wanted to let her know how precious she was to him. He did not think he could hold this secret to himself any longer¡­ But right when the words were ready to slip off his tongue, they both heard loud screams and snapped their head in their direction¡­ Chapter 32. The Attack Chapter 32. The Attack When Gideon woke up, he found himself holding Riannon in his hands. And although it was the best feeling in the world, having his mate so close, so tight¡­ There were parts of him that were in pain. Literally. He wanted her. Badly. And there was no denying that. His hardness was poking at her back and all he wanted was to roll her and relieve her of her flimsy nightgown that left little to the imagination anyway. But he knew that this was not the way. Not in their situation. His wolf, Hawk, was going crazy inside of him, begging to im their mate. ¡°She is ours,¡± he chanted, ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know it yet,¡± Gideon had to brush him off, ¡°We can¡¯t just take her. It doesn¡¯t work like that with humans. If her wolf was around, it would be easier.¡± ¡°Her wolf is there,¡± Hawk snarled, ¡°She doesn¡¯t respond to me. But I can feel her.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s it then. Until she doesn¡¯t respond, there is nothing we can do,¡± the king wanted to close the subject but he could feel his beast trying to push him away to gain control. He knew very well how lycans were. His primal instincts would take over and he would do something stupid. Something that he would never be able to take back. No, Gideon couldn¡¯t afford that. He was ready to do anything to protect Riannon. So, he ced one little soft kiss on her shoulder, savouring the moment and then tore himself off her and left the bedroom as soon as he could, locking the door between the adjacent rooms. He calmed down a bit after a very cold shower, still listening to his wolf¡¯s bickering. But when she came to see him in the morning, he had a hard time concentrating on anything. He knew that if he allowed himself to look at her more, he would simply throw her on his desk and do all the things he wanted to do since the moment he saw her in thatke. Hawk was howling inside, begging him to submit to their desires. The wolf couldn¡¯t understand that Ria was simply not ready for all that. That without her wolf it will be looked at as aggression and not love. He tried to reason with him. But one couldn¡¯t really reason with a beast. He knew they had to talk and he knew that he couldn¡¯t hide the fact that she was his mate from her much longer. But thanks to his proactive sister today wasn¡¯t the day. Too many people were around thanks to the White party. And as their king, he had obligations to talk to most of them. So, the best course of action was to avoid Riannon at all times until they could do However, that proved harder than he thought. Because since he saw her walking out of the mansion in that dress¡­ his whole mind exploded. The beauty of his mate was captivating and everyone around them saw that. Men turned their heads in her direction and so did women. The dress that she had on hugged every curve of her perfectly but when she turned her back to him¡­ This was when he went absolutely nuts, because the two pieces of fabric that were flowing elegantly down to the ground, left too much of her skin open. He wanted to touch her. Badly. But he knew that if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop and that party would be over. She moved gracefully as if she was born to be a queen. Which she probably was. And he traced her with his eyes wherever she went. The conversations he had with people did not seem to be working. He couldn¡¯t concentrate on them and had to just stay silent most of the time and y it cool. Luckily, no one dared to call him out on that. No one wanted to anger their king. But it was when she started hanging out with his best warriors that he couldn¡¯t tolerate it anymore. They were his most loyal men and clearly knew who she was already thanks to Savvy always being the object of theirmon affection. Yet now they were around Riannon, and that yboy Jayden was shing his biceps at her. This was too much. He growled so loudly and menacingly that people around them hurried to get as far away as possible, pretending not to see how he grasped the Luna that wasn¡¯t even his yet and dragged her all the way to the oak tree. He mmed his lips into hers because he couldn¡¯t do this anymore, he couldn¡¯t pretend that he did not want her. And he did not want her to misunderstand him. She was his everything. He wanted her, needed her, he desired her and craved her. She was all he thought about even though he had a war on his doorstep. And she tasted so good¡­ He tore off her to take a breath, wishing nothing more than to go back to what they were doing. And then more¡­ But she pressed both her hands into his chest to stop him while she furrowed her brows. ¡°Just what is going on?¡± she demanded, ¡°Why are you hot one minute and cold another?¡± He wanted to exin her. He couldn¡¯t stay silent anymore and he did not care about anything now that her warm little body was in his arms pressed to that huge tree. They both snapped their heads in the direction of the sounds and saw people running. Mostly women and children. ¡°What the fu.ck!¡± Gideon growled when he saw a few brown wolves jumping out of the thick bushes surrounding his garden. Rogues. Those were clearly werewolf rogues. But what were they doing here? ¡°Riannon, get back into the mansion, please,¡± he squeezed her hand into his as he nced at her. He should have already been there, protecting his pack and kingdom from intruders. But right now her safety was his priority. ¡°But¡­¡± She wanted to say something but he had to cut her off. ¡°Riannon, please,¡± he tried to sound calm, ¡°We have enough warriors here to deal with this. I don¡¯t want any of my guests to take any risks. Let alone you. I¡­ don¡¯t want anything to happen to you. So, please, get back there and find Sawy. She may need some help in there.¡± Ria never ran away from a fight. Ever. But now she remembered that she couldn¡¯t shift into Onyx and had to swallow her pride. How pathetic. She did not want Gideon to see her as one of those females who always needed help and protection. That wasn¡¯t in her nature. She was an Alpha. However, he was still here, looking at her with pleading eyes. And he needed to be there, leading his warriors. She couldn¡¯t stall him anymore. So, she simply nodded and gathered up her dress. He let go of her hand and watched her walking fast in the direction of the house. While everyone else was running. She saw a woman struggling to get her children inside. Ria rushed to her and picked up one of the two toddlers. Now that she had aim, she started to move faster and Gideon was able to turn away and shift in the air, letting a loud growl to leave his beast¡¯s lungs. Whoever ruined his day with Riannon and dared to enter his pce in such a way, was going to pay for it. His warriors were already tackling the situation when he sprung into action. Those werewolf rogues were daring to attempt this attack. ¡°Leave one of them alone,¡± hemanded via the mind link as he snapped someone¡¯s neck. It would take way more of them to appease his anger. But that wasn¡¯t a problem. Dozens and dozens of rogues were appearing out of the woods. Rogues wanted to get something and be gone. They were usually fighting for their life and survival. But not these. These had an aim. But at the moment it was hard to figure out what that was. He needed to clear the ce of them as soon as possible. And get back to her. ¡°Reid,¡± he said all of a sudden, ¡°Get back and¡­¡± ¡°Protect the Luna?¡± he Beta chuckled, ¡°And I thought you¡¯d never ask. I¡¯d be honoured. Although trust me, she knew how to defend herself and others even when she was a teen.¡± He ran away in the direction of the house. Even though Reid never left a fight early before. Gideon tore off someone¡¯s throat, thinking of how Ria didn¡¯t have her wolf at her disposal now. And he did not like that thought at all. Meanwhile, Riannon reached the main hall with the woman she was helping and hekids. The toddler in her arms seemed unsettled and she started rocking him gently before his mother found a seat and gestured for her to give the child back. She had twins and a giround 5 with her. ¡°Thank you, Luna Thorn,¡± she smiled at Ria, ¡°You are very kind. I am sorry for the inconvenience.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t an inconvenience,¡± Riannon smiled at them and patted the kid on his head, ¡°It was a pleasure and the bestpany I could ask for.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°There you are!¡± she heard Savannah¡¯s voice and turned to see the lycan princess. All the yfulness was gone from her face. The carefree girl looked more like a general in a pretty dress now. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Ria shrugged her shoulders, ¡°I was with Gideon when that happened and then I was helping someone.¡± A faint smile of approval appeared on Savvy¡¯s lips but she suppressed it. ¡°Listen,¡± she said, guiding her in the middle of the room, ¡°I may need your help here. Believe it or not, but not every lycan is a great warrior. And we need to¡­¡± She did not get to finish as a huge grey wolf jumped into the hall through the window, shattering the ss into hundreds of pieces that flew around. ¡°Take care of the people!¡± Savannah said and shifted into a beautiful white wolf with ck ears. She growled menacingly and charged at the intruder, grabbing his throat by her sharp canines and throwing him back where he came from. And then she jumped right after ¡°Onyx!¡± Riannon called for her wolf in her mind, ¡°Now would be the great time toe back!¡± Silence. And right then another window broke and a huge chocte brown wolf snarled at everyone inside. This one was too close to the woman that Riannon was helping earlier. She clenched her little kids closer to her chest and pushed her girl behind her back protectively as the beast growled, baring his yellow teeth. ¡°Onyx!¡± Ria called for her wolf again. If she could shift, she would be able to deal with this easily. But it wasn¡¯t the case. Something was stirring inside her but she didn¡¯t have a response. However, she couldn¡¯t waste any time either and, pushing some fear-stricken girl off her chair, she grabbed it and charged at the rogue, hitting it over his head. The chair splintered into several parts as the enemy whimpered from pain. His yellow eyes darted at her and there was no doubt that she was his new goal. Not backing away, Riannon slowly lowered herself to the floor and wrapped her fingers around one of the legs of the destroyed chair. It wouldn¡¯t help her, of course. It was nothing against the beast. Then again, she still had her strength and speed. So, when the wolf charged at her, she did the same, startling him as she thrust the sharp piece of wood right into his eye. The rogue growled in agony but managed to get the thing out quickly. He looked at Riannon and jumped her, making her fall all the way to the ground and pinning her to the floor. His sharp ws dug into her belly and arm, making her cry out from the pain. She hated this weak position. And she hated how the wolf was looking at her. As if he had already won. His canines were too close to her and she grabbed his face with her free hand, trying to push him away. This was the moment when something snapped in her. She could feel power circling through her bloodstream as she slowly managed to move the head away from her. It was a miracle and couldn¡¯t be called anything else. Now the rogue on top of her did not look so sure anymore. And she wanted to break his skull for attempting to kill her and the kids before that glowing. Just the way she felt it when she had Onyx with her all the time. She could sense that her wolf was very near¡­ Chapter 33. Fake Scent Chapter 33. Fake Scent Something was happening. Something new. Something amazing. Ria was an Alpha. Power and strength were not new to her. But what was happening right now was beyond anything she had experienced before. She now saw fear in the wolf¡¯s eyes. She inhaled his scent and smelled fear as well. She knew that she could crack that skull of his with ease with her bare hands. And he knew this too. He could tell that his end was near and tried to distance himself from her but now she was holding him with her fingers dug too deep into his flesh. However, at the next moment, a beautiful grey wolf jumped at her enemy, startling her and knocking her prey off her. Riannon tried to steady her breathing. Everything around her seemed to be happening in slow motion. ¡°Onyx,¡± she called her wolf, feeling how the two of them were together again. But at the next moment, that feeling was gone. Ria could barely breathe and felt warm blood trickling over her hand and belly. The werewolf managed to cut her in a few ces. She saw the grey wolf dealing with him, while mothers were covering young children¡¯s faces. And in just a few seconds Reid was next to her. Kneeling next to her face while having no clothes on and making here back to reality fast. ¡°Luna,¡± he took her arm and started looking at the wounds, ¡°Sh.it. He managed to hurt you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she hissed from the pain as he helped her up, ¡°Just a scratch.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like a scratch,¡± the lycan Beta looked worried, ¡°Gideon will kill me for this. ¡°Why?¡± Ria¡¯s eyebrows shot up as the feeling of power washed away from herpletely. ¡°Why?¡± the voice of the mighty Beta was unusually high pitched, ¡°Because he entrusted me to protect you and this is what happens!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how it is your fault!¡± she gave him a reassuring smile, looking around. At least there were no other rogues in in sight. Savannah walked in through one of the doors, getting leaves out of her hair. And one of the women threw her a shawl which she immediately something. ¡°Oh, my!¡± she looked at the two of them, ¡°Reid, you are so dead!¡± ¡°I know,¡± the man chuckled nervously. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal,¡± Ria shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Just lick it and we¡¯ll be done.¡± The silence in the room suddenly got heavy. ¡°Lick it? As in lick you?¡± Savvy snorted, ¡°Now you just want him to die, do you? Is it like an old grudge or something?¡± ¡°No, I mean the lycan healing,¡± Riannon said, slowly realising what was going on. There was no lycan healing. ¡°Oh, that!¡± Savannah couldn¡¯t help a sly grin spreading over her face, ¡°Lycan healing. Duh! Why didn¡¯t we think of that, Reid?¡± The Beta turned away, trying to hold back augh and Ria felt like an i***t. She was going to do what the rogues couldn¡¯t. She was going to kill the lycan king. Just then Gideon appeared through a wide passage and everyone started gasping at the sight of their kind covered in blood. They could smell that it wasn¡¯t his own and a wave of sighs of relief rippled through the room. In the meantime, Riannon forgot how to breathe, let alone what she wanted to say. Her eyes were glued to his perfect body. She saw it just the previous night. But back then only the moonlight was letting them see each other. That and the werewolf sight. But right now¡­ In broad daylight, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off his stone-hard muscles. Sculptures of ancient gods had nothing on that man. For his body was immacte. Each line was perfect from top to bottom. And even the line of dark hair leading from his belly button all the way down to a piece of fabric he had wrapped around his lower part. ¡°Brother!¡± Savvy snorted, ¡°Riannon here is in need of some urgent lycan healing. She asked Reid to lick her, but¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± the Beta practically shouted as the princess giggled next to him. But the next second the two of them were pushed away by their king, who grabbed Riannon and lifted her in his arms effortlessly. ¡°I thought I told you to protect her!¡± he growled angrily at his second-inmand as he clenched the woman he treasured to his chest. ¡°And he did,¡± Ria said finally, startled by everything that was going on, ¡°He saved my life.¡± ¡°I will take you to your room,¡± he said, ignoring everything else around him. ¡°There is no need,¡± she tried to protest, ¡°I can walk myself and also¡­ Don¡¯t you have more things to do here?¡± ¡°It all can wait,¡± he muttered walking away, ¡°All the rogues are dead anyway. Reid and Sawy will deal with everything else.¡± ¡°They were not rogues,¡± she said and he stopped, darting his piercing blue eyes at her. ¡°What?¡± Gideon furrowed his brows. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the office?!¡± Reid appeared right next to them again, pushing them slightly in the correct direction. Gideon grunted but even he had to admit that this conversation had to take ce in private. As soon as the door behind them closed, the Beta went to one of the drawers and got a pair of jeans out of there, pulling them on quickly. ¡°Riannon, what did you mean just now?¡± he asked her while Gideon held her pressed against his chest. Unknowingly, she leaned over him, rxing in his firm grasp. It did not even ur to her to ask him to put her back to her feet. He seemedfortable. And so was she. The Beta had to cough a few times to bring their attention back to him. ¡°So, about our matter,¡± Reid tried to insist, ¡°You said that they weren¡¯t rogues?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded, ¡°I am positive they are not rogues.¡± ¡°Why?¡± this made Reid agitated, ¡°Their scent is pretty obvious.¡± ¡°I thought that they were rogues at first,¡± she said, ¡°But then¡­ When this wolf was on top of me¡­¡± Gideon growled. He hated the thought alone that she was this close to death. She was his and they didn¡¯t even get to be together properly. And yet he almost lost her today. He cursed inside. This was outrageous! ¡°You know how rogues smell, right,¡± Ria was choosing her words carefully, ¡°They have that burnt scent. When they are exiled from their packs, the link on their aura that connects them is burning out together with their true scent. They only smell like fire or smoke. They cannot have any other scent unless they are epted into another pack and a new link is formed, restoring their aura.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gideon confirmed everything she said. but it was there. His true scent.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± Reid rubbed his neck. ¡°Impossible,¡± Riannon agreed, ¡°For a rogue. But if he isn¡¯t a rogue. If he only pretends to be one and this burned scent is fake while his own is suppressed¡­¡± ¡°Then it would exin a lot,¡± the lycan king and his Beta were now staring at each other. That indeed exined a lot. Because no rogue would be so stupid as to attack the royal lycan pce. ¡°This was a very useful observation, Ria,¡± Gideon looked at her with gentleness in his eyes, and she flinched as it was the first time he used her short name. It sounded so nice on his tongue that she wanted him to repeat it. Their eyes met and his got darker at once. At the same time, his grasp on her tightened. ¡°Check this out, Reid, and report to me,¡± the king said walking in the direction of the door, ¡°I will wait for your full report in a few hours. But right now I am going to take care of the Luna.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Beta held the door for them, trying to mask his smirk with a serious facial expression. But it wasn¡¯t working that well. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Gideon took her all the way upstairs to the bedroom where they slept together the previous night. Just the memories alone made his breathing speed up. He carefully ced her back to her feet as she kept holding his shoulders. ¡°You are hurt,¡± he stated in a very low and husky voice, ¡°I am afraid I have to check your... wounds.¡± ¡°If you must¡­¡± was all she said. Chapter 34. Shower Chapter 34. Shower She looked at him and he did not take his eyes off her. Gideon cursed himself inside. She was clearly hurt but all he was thinking about now was how much he wanted her. The realisation that someone tried to kill his mate just a few minutes ago was angering him. And also bringing him pain. He couldn¡¯t lose her. Not like that. Not in any other way. He couldn¡¯t lose her at all. ¡°Are you going to use that magical lycan healing of yours?¡± she taunted him with one of her brows up and a slight smile on her lips. The lips that he wanted to kiss so desperately that it was all he could think of now. ¡°If you will allow,¡± he leaned lower and touched her shoulder that was already healing slowly. It pained him that this happened on his watch. The wounds on her stomach seemed worse but blood stopped dripping already. Gideon took the piece of fabric that was holding the dress in ce and slowly moved it off her shoulder. His eyes were asking for her permission too. ¡°Well, it hurts,¡± she co.cked her head up to meet his gaze and held it until the end. ¡°We need to clean you up first,¡± he said with his hands still on her shoulders, his thumb making tiny circles on her skin. ¡°You are the expert in healing,¡± she tilted her head slightly, ¡°I will trust you with this one.¡± The lycan king lifted the girl in his arms once again and took her to the huge marble shower room. She threw her shoes away before he ced her on the cold floor as if she would break if he made the wrong move. The water switched on, the automatic tropical shower took care of them both before he even managed to warn her. And now they all were all wet. But it didn¡¯t seem to bother them. Standing behind her and feeling the heat that her slender body radiated, Gideon was afraid to make a wrong move. Hisrge palms slid up her bare back, hooking the two pieces of fabric that held the whole thing together and sliding them all the way down to her waist. He could see the blood tainting water at their feet but he knew that the more he touched her, the sooner she would heal. And he wanted to touch her badly. Riannon was conflicted. What the hell was she doing? She did not need this. She knew very well already that no magical healing existed. So, why didn¡¯t she tell him to leave? Why was she standing topless with her back to his chest and¡­ wanted him to do something about it. And yet¡­ She did not stop him. She felt his gentle touch on her shoulder first, as his fingers traced her wounds carefully. The wounds were healing way too fast. It was supposed to be slower. Not that she wanted toin about it. This is from N?velDrama.Org. There were other sensations too. New. Pleasant. Alluring. His palm moved lower, cupping her breast gently. Riannon threw her head back, resting it on the mighty chest of the lycan. His other hand took the pins out of her hair, making her blonde locks fall down her back. At the same time, his lips ced a gentle peck on her shoulder. Her chest was going up and down as he still held her breast in one hand, tugging the n**ple between his fingers and making it firm. ¡°Riannon,¡± he muttered in her neck as he traced the line of it with his tongue. She tasted so sweet, the woman he desired more than anything. She didn¡¯t struggle against him, she didn¡¯t try to stop him. And he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do that himself. His hands went down her back, he tried to find the zip of her dress unsessfully. So, when he gave up on that, he tore the wet fabric to relieve her of the clothes. The woman in his hands started to breathe heavily, driving him crazy. He knew that if he made one wrong move, this magical moment between the two of them would be gone. He tore off the piece of clothing that he had wrapped around himself, it couldn¡¯t hide his hardness anymore anyway. Not after he had been so close to her. Not after she allowed him to touch herself that way. He took her delicate neck in hisrge palm and made her turn to look at him, tracing her lower lip with his thumb. ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± he couldn¡¯t believe that he was asking this question now, risking her coming to her senses. ¡°Yes,¡± was all Riannon said and the next moment she felt his other hand brushing lightly all the way down her abdomen and in between her thighs, parting them slightly. He caught the hem of herce panties and moved it slightly to give himself ess to her core. Gideon teased her folds gently, probing and studying what was his from the very beginning. He watched her gaze as he slightly moved her creases apart and thrust one finger inside of her, moving it back and forth slowly. wasting his chance. Mars was howling inside of his mind, because never before the two of them were able to be so close to their mate. Riannon closed her eyes because it felt so good. It wasn¡¯t like he did something she never experienced before, but it was the way he did it¡­ As if she was the most precious thing to him. As if he was afraid to scare her off. She loved it. She loved how he made her feel about herself. And she loved how every contact of their skin was bringing her tiny bursts of pleasure.He added another finger to her, deepening the kiss at the same time. Ria moaned into his mouth as drops of water were falling all over their bodies. A soft growl left the lycan king¡¯s chest and something stirred deep inside of her soul as well. ¡°More,¡± she whispered, and he picked up the tempo in teasing her. Warmth and pleasure were building up inside of her slowly, a sweet feeling of being on the edge. She felt Gideon showering her shoulders with kisses, paying special attention to her neck. ¡°I want you to be mine, Riannon,¡± he muttered into her ear, tightening his grasp on her, ¡° Only mine. No one else¡¯s.¡± The words pulsed through her mind at the same time as the cli.max rippled through her body, as she clenched again and again on his fingers. Ria threw her head back and rxed into his chest as he held her tight, not letting her fall down since her legs were weak now. She felt his hot breath right on her neck, where her mark was. Even in spite of water pouring over their heads. His canines grazed over her skin, pressing into it softly and she¡­ froze. So did he. He was afraid to move because he lost himself just for a second there and she noticed. Did she get scared? Or maybe she was excited? He had no idea but he didn¡¯t want to risk it, so he turned her to face him and then knelt before her, throwing her thigh over his shoulder before she managed to even say anything. He was the mighty and fierce lycan king and he never knelt in his life. Until today. His mate was the only one who would ever receive the honour of looking down at him. He pushed her slightly so that she leaned her back over the marble wall and only then when he made sure she was secure at all times had he dipped his head in between her legs.already started building up another. He took his time pleasing her and Riannonced her fingers into his hair, tugging on it to make sure he wouldn¡¯t stop. But Gideon had no desire to stop. He loved listening to her moans and whimpers. He loved that he was the one to make her produce those sounds. He loved every moment of what they were doing. Ria screamed as she climaxed again and this time she was sure to fall down and properly hit herself over the hard floor. But he caught her before that, pulling her closer in his arms. He walked out of the shower cabin and went straight to the bed, throwing her on top of it. ¡°Mark. Her,¡± Mars growled possessively, ¡°MARK: MATE.¡± The fight for control was too much. Especially when shey in front of him wearing nothing. He looked at her innocent face and swallowed. She had no idea what kind of fight was going on in his head. Only now Gideon noticed that her phone was ringing all the time. Something that she also chose to ignore. They both knew who it was and he never hated anyone as much as he hated her husband. The man who had what was his and hadn¡¯t even appreciated it. He saw his faint mark on her neck. That weakling even couldn¡¯t do that properly! And all he wanted now was to put his own lycan mark on that neck. To make the whole world see that this woman was his. ¡°Do it!¡± Mars growled possessively and he knew that if he stayed there for at least one moment, he would obey his wolf and mark her without permission. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he grunted and walked out into his own adjacent room, leaving Riannon alone. She was disappointed. And she had questions. Just what was that right now? Did he seriously leave her at a moment like this? When she practically offered herself to him on a tter? This was far from over! Ria jumped off the bed and found a silk robe to wrap around herself hanging over a huge mirror. However, this was when she truly felt shocked. All the wounds that she received today were gone. But it was impossible! It was too early. She knew very well that something like that had to Her eyes darted in the direction of where the lycan king disappeared just moments ago. ¡°Go to him,¡± she heard Onyx¡¯s voice inside her mind. And this time she had no doubts what to do next. Chapter 35. Mine Chapter 35. Mine She decided not to waste any time and pulled the silk robe on, storming after the Lycan king. Her hair was still wet, and water was trickling down her skin but she did not care. She had to see him, she had to speak to him. She was dying to find out what was going on. Luckily, he did not lock the door and she entered his own bedroom with ease. It was dark as the curtains in the room were shut and they seemed to be with aplete ckout effect. This was a manly room in dark shades. Very tasteful and minimalistic. Very very him. She saw Gideon at once as he stood by a desk breathing heavily with one of his hands covering his eyes. This posture startled her and she paused. But it was toote since he sensed her presence and snapped his head in her direction. ¡°Not now, Riannon,¡± he said, and it sounded like both warning and begging. ¡°Just what is going on?¡± she stepped forward and his eyesnded on the wet silk of her robe that wasn¡¯t hiding anything from his gaze. ¡°Oh, Goddess!¡± he muttered, turning away and feeling how desire was overwhelming him again. ¡°Gideon, speak to me!¡± the Luna was not giving up, ¡°You are giving me some seriously mixed signals here!¡± Mars was howling in his head, and he couldn¡¯t stay close to her anymore. He had the best self-control for a lycan. But this was too much. He had nerves of steel. He wasn¡¯t made of So, the king did the only thing that he could and opened the heavy curtains, letting the light in and stormed out to the balcony to take a deep gulp of air. He needed to cool himself. But the shower wasn¡¯t going to help him anymore. The thought alone of any kind of water procedures now was bringing him back to his problem. ¡°Gideon!¡± she was already behind him, and he closed his eyes as he inhaled that sweet scent of hers, knowing that it would be best not to turn back and look at her. ¡°Ria,¡± he would have chuckled at how they suddenly dropped all the formalities now if he wasn¡¯t in physical pain, fighting his body and Mars seemed hard. Too hard. ¡°What is it that you really want?¡± ¡°Answers!¡± she replied without even so much as a shade of hesitation, ¡°Tell me what just happened! You clearly¡­¡± Her voice broke as did her bravely. Wasn¡¯t she too bold with him? With the Lycan king of But she clenched her fists and pronounced the next words firmly. ¡°You clearly want me,¡± she said and he couldn¡¯t hold back a snort, turning to face her. ¡°You think?¡± he raised her brow at her. ¡°Then what was the problem right now?¡± she did not budge. ¡°The problem, Riannon?¡± he made a step in her direction and for the first time since they met she managed to see something menacing in his eyes. It was the same handsome face, the same person that he knew, but somehow the air between them got different suddenly. ¡°The problem is that I more than just want you. I want you all. For myself. Without sharing you with anyone else in this world. I wanted you like that from the moment I saw you and it gets worse every day. The things I want to do to you¡­ You can¡¯t imagine! But if I take you now, I am going to mark that pretty little neck of yours.¡± She gulped, trying to process the information. He told her before that he wanted her as his woman. She even believed him. But marking her¡­ He couldn¡¯t be serious about that. ¡°But I am already marked,¡± the words left her lips without her realising as her hand went instinctively to the ce where her husband made his im once. She couldn¡¯t feel it. She couldn¡¯t feel the scar that was there for years. ¡°Really?¡± Gideon chuckled darkly, ¡°Where is it then? All I see is two little red stains on your skin.¡± What? When did that happen? This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°B-but,¡± she stuttered, ¡°A mark would seal us together for life.¡± ¡°How terrible!¡± he rolled his eyes,ing closer. And now she was backing away. ¡°And what if I don¡¯t mind?¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say to that. At the same time, he was studying her scared face,ing to the sad conclusion that she still wasn¡¯t ready. ¡°Go back to your room, Riannon,¡± he said, turning away again and hoping that she would just simply obey him for once, ¡°Go back and close your door. Make sure that¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± she interrupted him and he flinched, ¡°Why do you want me so much? I am not even a lycan! It doesn¡¯t make any sense! Why does mostly everyone here react as if it waspletely normal? Why does my wolf react to you? Why did my wounds heal so quickly today He did not let her finish as he was right next to her in less than a second, piercing her with his eyes that were glowing golden. ¡°Why do you think?!¡± he growled as he grasped her waist and her pink lips parted slightly. Riannon was startled, to say the least. She did not know why she came here in the first ce. From the very beginning, all this was wrong! So, why couldn¡¯t she push him away? Why did she crave him so much? ¡°Mate¡­¡±. Onyx whispered, turning the Luna¡¯s world upside down. ¡°Mate,¡± Ria repeated her wolf¡¯s words and at the very next moment, Gideon¡¯s lips crashed into hers possessively. ¡°Mate,¡± he growled into her mouth, lifting her up with ease. Riannon wrapped her thighs around his waist and her hands around his shoulders as their tongues were intertwining wildly. It was surreal. How could she miss this? How could she miss that he was hers this whole time? He mmed her back over the cold stone wall, pressing himself tightly against her. ¡°You said the word,¡± he muttered still conquering her mouth, ¡°Now I don¡¯t know if I would be able to stop¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ stop,¡± she responded and he snarled into her neck, peppering it with kisses. ¡°Very well,¡± the lycan king said as he pulled the tie of her robe, making her bre.asts bounce freely. He tore off her for a second, to take a breath and looked at them, taking on in his hand and kneading it gently. Ria sucked in a breath and he lowered his head to inhale the firm ni.pple, finally being able to enjoy her to the fullest. Her fingersced into his hair, tugging it gently, and when he released her flesh, their eyes met. Without any words, there was an understanding between them now. He grasped her bottom and moved them to the bed, throwing her on top of it as if she weighed nothing. She watched his every move as he unzipped his jeans and got rid of them. And she forgot how to breathe when he got onto the edge of the bed and took one of her ankles into his hands, cing a soft kiss onto it. And then one more a little higher, and one more¡­ Slowly, he was moving up as she bit her lip, starting feeling the tingles. They definitely weren¡¯t there before. But they were here now and Riannon had a very hard no time and she felt his tongue flickering over and over her most sensitive bundle of nerves. Arching her back in delight, she clenched the sheets and arched her back as she got yet another mind- splitting release from him. He let here down from it, watching her and trying to remember every single detail. Their eyes met again, and he felt her hand running all over his length. Her fingers wrapped around it as she stroked him slowly several times without breaking their eye contact. Ria liked what she felt. She was going to enjoy it for sure. Understanding her silentmand, he positioned herself at her entrance, nudging it with his head. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, and it was obvious that it was hard for him to even say the words, ¡°Your¡­ n¡­¡± ¡°I think I am going to need a new n,¡± she admitted honestly, holding his gaze, ¡°Gideon Stormhold, if you don¡¯t take me right this very¡­¡± He entered her in one swift move. Not gently at all. He couldn¡¯t be gentle anymore. He waited enough. She was his everything and he craved her from the moment he saw her. And now she was finally his. Just watching her face as he pulled almost out and then roughly thrust back, making her moan, did things to him. He hooked one of her thighs to give himself better ess and repositioned himself. ¡°Gideon!¡± she muttered his name as he started pounding into her, each thrust cementing their bond. Mars was howling inside because they both were getting exactly what they wanted. Their Luna. Riannon waspletely overwhelmed with all the sensations. The only man she had prior to the king was her husband but it never felt like this. It was so good that she wanted tough and cry, and scream, and beg him for more. All at the same time. He was hitting just the right spot over and over while she could feel pleasure building at the lower part of her. He took up the tempo and she didn¡¯t even notice how her fingernails dug into his back and arms. They were both mad. And hungry for each other. Whatever they did it wasn¡¯t enough. It would never be enough. He lowered himself as his canines grazed the skin on her neck and for a second there . she thought that he was going to mark her. The thought alone brought her over the edge and her mind shattered into millions of pieces as her body trembled in his hands. made him speed up, even more, making a few deep thrusts and stilling inside of her. He spilt every drop of his seed into her, not wishing for it to stop. ¡°MINE!¡± he growled as he fell on top of her, panting but still searching her lips. ¡°You are mine, Riannon,¡± he repeated. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, locking her arms around his neck and feeling happy and content to be with this man. He traced the ce where he had to mark her with his fingers and looked at her. It was a question and they both knew it. So, she shook her head, telling him that it wasn¡¯t the time yet. And he had to ept this. At least now he knew she was his. Whatever happened next, it was only a matter of time. His mark would be decorating her neck. She would be his Luna. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she whispered, knowing what he was thinking about. She hated that this was how everything was starting for them. He cupped her chin and made her look at him, iming her lips for another sweet moment. ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± he said, brushing his thumb over her lower lip, ¡°We¡¯ll deal with everything together and I will mark you. And trust me, I will do anything for it to happen faster. And in the meantime¡­¡± A devilish smirk appeared on his face. ¡°You don¡¯t want to rest?¡± Riannon shot her brow up. ¡°My Luna, we are only starting¡­¡± Back at the Silver River Pack, Brayden was enjoying his own little mate. Roxy was obedient and learned what he liked very fast. He could allow himself to do things to her that he wouldn¡¯t want to do with his wife. His wife was perfect. Too perfect for things like that. ¡°Yes, Alpha, yes!¡± the omega whined as he took her from the back, pping her when he felt like it. He was already so close to his own release when something changed. It felt as if someone was chocking him and the mark on his neck was stinging. He tried to control it at first but it wasn¡¯t letting him go. By the end of it, it got so bad that even his hands were shaking. ¡°Alpha,¡± Roxy, looked at him over her shoulder. She was already doing all the job herself. ¡°Is everything ok?¡± He pulled out of her, having difficulties breathing. ¡°Leave,¡± hemanded curtly, and she knew better than to argue. When the door behind her closed, he took a deep breath and made himself stand up from the bed. On wobbly legs Brayden walked to his desk and got out a sk from one of the drawers, gulping greedily the burning liquid. His gaze fell onto his reflection on the standing full-length mirror in front of him and he did not like what he saw in there. Hid mark¡­ was inmed. ¡°Riannon!¡± Bryaden gritted through his teeth¡­ Chapter 36. Tell Me What Happ… Chapter 36. Tell Me What Happ¡­ Riannon couldn¡¯t believe her own happiness when she opened her eyes and saw him lying in front of her and watching her. Amate. She had a mate. A real one. Not a chosen one. A smile curled onto his lips and she reciprocated it. There were no regrets. Whatsoever. This was very different from what she had with Brayden back in the day. Now that she thought about it, if this was what Brayden felt when he met his own mate, she could understand why he couldn¡¯t reject Roxanne. She would never reject Gideon if she knew. This did not cancel all the horrible things that Roxy did to her and to others in their power struggle. But she could understand now. Partially. This was not changing her n. But it gave her some understanding. ¡°Onyx,¡± she called her wolf, ¡°Are you there?¡± At first, all she heard was silence. But then the familiar voice sounded in her head. ¡°I will be soon¡­¡± She tried calling her again, asking what was going on. But Onyx spoke no more. However, this was better than nothing. This was a promise. And just knowing that her wolf didn¡¯t abandon her made Riannon smile wider. The motion did not go unnoticed. Gideon pulled her closer. So that her head was now tucked into his chest, and he was able to dig his face into her hair and breathe in her scent that he loved so much was able to enjoy for the first time. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is real,¡± he muttered, ¡°From the moment I saw you¡­ I dreamt of this. of holding you like this, of having you as mine.¡± She looked up at his handsome face and slid her hand to brush his cheek with a short stubble that prickled her fingers slightly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She asked. ¡°Would you believe me if I simply told you?¡± He arched his brow at her. ¡°I guess not,¡± she admitted honestly. She had too much on her te to simply believe some lycan who approached her out of the blue insisting that she was his mate: Even if he was a king. Not to mention that Onyx, the little hyena, never told her that they were mates on the rare moments she spoke to her. She couldn¡¯t believe her wolf would waste her strength to tell everything On the other hand, Onyx was smarter than regr wolves. Ria always knew that. She proved it to her many times. And to be honest, maybe it was for the best that she did not throw them into a situation where Riannon knew that he was her mate from the very beginning yet did not feel the connection. In that way, Gideon had to work for it and earn her trust. Yes, that wolf of hers wasn¡¯t simple at all. She took a bet and look at where it got them¡­ ¡°Yesterday,¡± he traced his fingers over her bare hand, ¡°You said the word. You called me Mate. How did you know?¡± ¡°Onyx called you that,¡± Ria decided to confess. Now that they were together, she did not want secrets from him. It was hard starting to trust the new man in her life but what they had was so much different from what she experienced before. It was bigger. And better. And so special. Everything one could wish for. ¡°Is Onyx back?¡± Gideon asked with hope in his voice. They were already together but he would still feel much better if he knew that the wolf was there. ¡°Partially,¡± Ria gave him a vague smile, ¡°I feel her presence somewhere there inside of my soul but she is not at full strength yet. I think she is trying to restore after.¡± She stopped talking and he suddenly got serious. This was not a joke to him at all. He knew about a few people who had lost their wolves. He started reading about them when he found out about Onyx¡¯s absence. This was rare. But it did happen several times in shifter¡¯smon history. When the beast was lost, the host was bing just an empty shell as half of their soul was gone. That did not happen to Ria yet. But a mostly missing wolf was a bad sign. This wasn¡¯t a destiny that he wanted for his mate. But there was another thing that bothered him. Those people he read about were all warriors who fought in battles. Sometimes against forces much stronger than them. In the very few cases known in history, it was always the same. When on the brink of death, the wolves, foxes, bears or other creatures sacrificed themselves to protect their hosts. The hosts survived but at the same time were deadly wounded and hardly ever lived longer afterwards. And when the beast died, the owner was slowly bing just a mere human. A fate worse than death. of yourself. To stop seeing through your beast¡¯s eyes, to stop sensing what he or she could sense¡­ It was the same as losing hearing, sight, and ability to move properly at once for humans. Probably even worse because something inside was missing as well. Everything was lessened, everything was different¡­ Less vibrant. It was the same as sucking the joy out of life. That most vital part of a person was gone forever. And not everyone could cope with that.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. He could tell that Riannon was one of those who would be able to cope, though. She was strong. In some sense maybe even stronger than him. But he did not wish for her to have that kind of fate. For her, he was ready to do everything Then again, there was another thing. He didn¡¯t know of any recent battles she took a part in. As far as his research on her showed, and his spies were among the best, her life was a typical Luna life. She had her hardships but nothing too major happened. Just what was done to her in that pack behind the closed curtains that made her almost lose her wolf? ¡°Ria,¡± he said, ¡°I am going to ask you this again. Regardless of me asking you this earlier. But this time I want you to be absolutely honest. You can trust me. All that I do from the day I met you is for your protection. You are my Luna even in spite of being another man¡¯s wife. You are mine.¡± Riannon smiled at the words even though she knew that she wasn¡¯t going to like the question that was about to follow. ¡°Did he hurt you? That husband of yours?¡± Gideon tried not to show it, but she felt his inner rage by the way his grasp on her tightened. ¡°Yes and no,¡± she sighed. How could she tell him everything that happened to her and expect him to be okay about it? ¡°Did he hurt you physically?¡± the Lycan king asked through clenched teeth. ¡°No,¡± she said at once to calm him down. Luckily, it was the truth. ¡°But something happened to you,¡± he took her chin into hisrge palm and made her look at him, ¡°Something that made you want not only divorce but fight for your pack. Something that broke you so much that your wolf almost died.¡± did sound weak every time she spoke. She tried to convince herself that it was just a temporary weakness due to their rebirth and their chosen mate bond breaking. But what if it was everything? And more¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to say it,¡± she sat up, wrapping the Egyptian cotton sheets around herself, Gideon following her motion not to miss any trace of emotion on her beautiful face.¡± You will probably think I was crazy,¡± she muttered, covering her face with her both hands. He took them away so that she could see him. He hoped that she would understand that no matter what was happening, he was going to be by her side. Whatever she was going to tell himi.. ¡°I am hard to scare off, Riannon,¡± he gave her a soft smile. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± she gave him a nervous one. And then, taking a very deep breath, she pronounced everything in one go as she was letting it out, ¡°I already lived this part of my life. With Brayden and his mate Roxy in my pack. He never rejected her as he promised, and she took everything away from me. She killed the people I cared about, made Brayden reject and humiliate me, taking my title. And even then, after I already lost everything, she still killed me with the help of one of the wolves from my own pack. It was horrible. But then I somehow came back to the very moment it all started. Gideon, I literally opened my eyes when the door opened and the two of them walked in into our packhouse. This was when I lost Onyx. And since that day I had to live again during the most horrible days of my life. Only that I didn¡¯t want for everything to repeat. I wanted to change what happened. And I started tweaking things one by one. Big and little. I changed them and they were changing the reality. Yet main events are still the same. For example, when I tried to fight Roxy joining the pack, I still lost. But when I called you earlier this life than I did before it resulted in this¡­ And then the Alpha Ball¡­¡± She stopped when she noticed the frozen expression on his face. Did she overdo it? Was it too much for him? Should she have stopped after the rebirth part? Gideon tried to process it. He thought that she was joking at first, but she was too serious and nervous about that. And now that he was thinking, it all made sense to him. All right, not all. But some of the things did. Their very first conversation. She was already sure that bad things would happen. And then her appearance at the ball. Her husband brought out his mate and mistress for everyone to see. Anyone would be crushed by that. But not Riannon. She held her head so high exactly the opposite. Not to mention the way she spoke to him. No one was that bold. Unless¡­ they were on the brink of death and had nothing to lose. ¡°Gideon?¡± she called his name, biting her lip. He could see how worried she was about everything and wanted to tell him to forget about all that. But in the next moment, he grabbed her and pulled her into the tightest of hugs. He didn¡¯t say anything, but she knew that he believed her. And it did not change anything for him. ¡°I am so sorry you had to go through this,¡± he said, kissing her hair as he couldn¡¯t reach anything else from this position but didn¡¯t want to let her go yet. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him too, embracing his warmth and his wonderful scent. Embracing the feeling of safety that he gave her. And for the first time ever she cried¡­ She rarely did. Almost never. But right now at this moment, she could finally afford to let it all out. The pain, the loneliness, the fight, all her raw emotions were out finally. And it felt so much better. Gideon was holding her in his arms as long as she needed, hurting together with her. Even Mars was howling inside feeling their mate¡¯s pain. She was done way faster than he expected. But his beautiful Luna never ceased to amaze him. She was perfect. His perfect Luna¡­ Riannon looked at him with puffy eyes, embarrassed by her little outburst. ¡°Now,¡± he said as he wiped thest tear away with his thumb, ¡°Tell me everything from the very beginning.¡± They spent the whole next day in his room. Only ordering food in and talking about everything. They talked so much but still, none of them felt like they were done. It seemed that there was always more. It started with the rebirth and then went on to their previous life. Then they were discussing their possible theories of what everything that had happened to her could mean. Butter they started to simply n what they would do next. Ria knew well how to work in a team. She was doing it with Brayden for years. But it was so different with Gideon. And not at all what she expected. They weren¡¯t finishing each other¡¯s sentences. He wasn¡¯t agreeing with everything that she told him the way Brayden did. The Lycan king had his own ideas. Often much bolder than hers. And much more violent. the brown wolves in her pack. Something that she couldn¡¯t agree with. So, the n was changing and evolving, and they were both tired by the next night. Yet it felt so satisfying to do this with¡­ an equal. Because this was what they were. Equals. Partners. They were finishing their dinner, still wearing nothing but sheets when someone knocked on the door. ¡°It¡¯s Reid,¡± Gideon tolled her with an eye roll, ¡°Give me a sec. I¡¯ll get rid of him and then maybe¡­ we could take a bath?¡± ¡°We already took a shower together, remember?¡± she teased him. ¡°I do,¡± a smirk stretched on his face as he winked at her. He opened the door but stood there, obstructing the Beta¡¯s vision. ¡°So, this is how it is now?¡± Reid said in a fake spiteful tone, ¡°You have secrets from me? After everything we¡¯ve been through?¡± ¡°Ha-ha,¡± Gideon said emotionlessly, ¡°You are wee toe in, of course. But if you see something that you are not supposed to see, then I just have to kill you. Your choice.¡± ¡°Here is fine!¡± the Beta chuckled, but then added in a serious tone, ¡°The report is ready. And you are not going to like it.¡± ¡°That bad, huh?¡± the king asked, taking the papers. He spent a few minutes reading and then Riannon heard a grunt. ¡°Shall I?¡± Reid asked bluntly. ¡°No, I think this is something I have to do personally,¡± Gideon cut him off, ¡°You will look after Riannon. She is¡­¡± ¡°No need to exin it,¡± the Beta replied, ¡°I get it. I will protect her with my life.¡± She cleared her throat and came up closer to them. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said calmly, ¡°But while we are at it I want you both to remember that I still have my own obligations¡­ to my old pack. I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°Ria,¡± her mate looked at her with a mixture of begging and warning. ¡°I will act on my own if I have to,¡± she insisted folding her arms on her chest. ¡°But you will use lycan protection at all times and let Reid know everything,¡± he said. ¡°Fine!¡± she had to agree. Not that lycan protection was a bad thing. ¡°Okey-dokey,¡± the Beta said awkwardly, ¡°So¡­ I think I am going to go for now...¡± the door. ¡°You have to go,¡± she said. ¡°I have to,¡± he admitted. ¡°For how long?¡± she asked as he removed the sheet that was covering her and lifted her up, entering her in one swift move. It already felt so natural to the two of them¡­ Yet the crazy attraction wasn¡¯t fading away. ¡°A day or two,¡± he grunted into her neck, showering her with kisses. ¡°Do we really have time for this,¡± she panted, digging her nails into his back and shoulder. ¡°No,¡± he chuckled, speeding up his thrusts, ¡°But I don¡¯t care. If I am not going to see you for this long, I am going to make it a goodbye to remember¡­¡± She came back into her room after he was gone. She even watched him leave through the window. Like some pathetic wife-wannabe¡­ She chose this room as the Alpha suit smelled of him too much. And she needed a clear head to think of everything. Only after a quick shower, she go to check her phone, discovering that the battery was off. She put it on the charger and soon it was on again, showcasing to her all the missing calls from her husband¡­ There were so many of them. She knew very well why. And she didn¡¯t want to deal with any of it. There were messages too. She did not open them so that he wouldn¡¯t get the notification. But then she saw one from Ash. And she couldn¡¯t ignore that one. ¡°Maya is in big trouble,¡± was all that he texted her. Chapter 37. The Dark Side Chapter 37. The Dark Side Brayden couldn¡¯t sit still ever since he felt it. He felt it way too many times in the past 24 hours for it to be nothing. The soul-shattering sharp pain that started in his march and then was echoing through his whole body. Unfortunately, he knew exactly what he was experiencing, and he hated the thought alone of his wife being taken by someone else. ¡°Alpha,¡± Roxanne wrapped her arms around his neck leading from the back of his chair and brushed her fingers softly over the part of his chest that was exposed through his unbuttoned shirt, ¡°You don¡¯t look too well. If anything, you look like you are in pain. Maybe I can help you to get rid of it? A mate¡¯s touch is healing for another mate. Let me help you. Let me ease your pain.¡± He never thought that he would say it out loud but he had enough of bl.ow jobs and her suggestion wasn¡¯t as appealing as she probably hoped. It was amazing to have a mate and he loved every minute of it. Someone ready for him any time, someone happy to receive just a speck of his attention,someone who was ready to drop to her knees at him simply implying it, someone who was ready to do everything to please him. She was HIS. He did not have to conquer her, he did not have to keep up with her. With his mate everything was easy. She felt his mood swings very well and knew when to back off. She was working around him, eager to please, ready for everything. Just the way it should be. Yet his mind kepting back to his wife since his mark was hurting him. Riannon was with someone else and there was no denying it. Moreover, he was pretty sure that it was that as.shole, the Lycan king. The way he fought for her toe to his kingdom was way too obvious. And the worse thing was that there was nothing he could do about it now. It wasn¡¯t like he could march into the lycans¡¯ir and demand his wife back. They were more powerful. He couldn¡¯t start a war with them. His pack would be wiped out quickly and no other alphas would support him in such an affair. They would probably even be happy to see his fall and try to im his territories afterwards. This wasn¡¯t the way. ¡°Damn, Ri, what are you doing?!¡± he groaned as he texted her for one thousand¡¯s time, not even expecting to receive a reply anymore. It did not help that he knew that she was angry with him. For not rejecting Roxy. Was she with the lycan king willingly now? Was it her little revenge on him? If it was, he knew he deserved it. He handled it all wrong, hoping that she would just do be a Luna, was trained to be one, this was all she was. She knew how to make the necessary sacrifices and he really hoped that she would take one for the team this time too. The joke was on him as he overdid it. He should have taken his mate to some remote forest cottage and kept her there with some guards, visiting her when the need was arising. But he wanted it all. Knowing how his wife was loyal to their pack and how they loved each other, he was sure that she would get used to the idea. After all, Roxy was never threatening her position as an omega. No one would want her as their Luna. And Brayden never saw that as an option. He just wanted her close to enjoy their mate bond and all the extra sensations that came with it. Sometimes he was getting bold and imagined the three of them living together¡­ But this was where it all went wrong. For Riannon was an Alpha too and did not want to share what was hers. An Alpha female¡­ He loved it about her and hated it about her at the same time. She was always a challenge, always on top of things. Whenever he had an idea, she had a better one. Whenever they had a problem, she was the oneing with the best solution. He was a better warrior and there was that¡­ But sometimes he wished that his wife was more submissive to him. This was when Roxy fitted just perfectly. For she was giving him what Riannon couldn¡¯t. With her, he was superior in everything. And he loved that. However, it wasn¡¯t enough. Shecked in many areas. Starting from her low rank to her education. Could someone like her even bepared to Riannon? So, now he was facing a really big problem. What was he to do now with all that mess? He wanted Riannon back. She was his. This was undeniable. If he had to choose between his mate and his wife, he would pick the wife. She was something that everyone wanted, and Brayden wasn¡¯t going to lose that. Besides that, he loved her. Yes, they were not mates but she was his chosen mate. They spent years together and never ever had he doubted his choice. She was beautiful and smart. A full package. And she knew him better than anyone else. Their union proved to be sessful in many ways. The only thing they werecking was an heir. And this was something they agreed to try for next year. But considering all the changes, maybe he had to push the date closer. It would probably be a good idea to do that now. An heir would give Riannon security and peace of mind in her Yes, it was a good decision. There was only one problem ¨C how was he to get her back into The Silver River Pack? What if the king decided to leave her there permanently? ¡°My love,¡± Roxanne, who was massaging his shoulders this whole time called him, ¡°I can see that you are worried.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t concern your pretty head with things like this,¡± Brayden told her, sighing heavily and closing his eyes. ¡°How can lignore this when you are not happy?¡± she purred into his ear, almost annoying him,)¡°I can see you texting her for the past few hours. Is this about your wife again?¡± He grabbed her hand forcefully and yanked her to her knees before him. ¡°Don¡¯t speak about my wife and your Luna!¡± he growled but then saw tears forming in her eyes and his wolf snarled at him in his mind for making their mate sad again, ¡°She is off-limits for you. Got it?¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± she said, sulking slightly, ¡°I understand the vast difference between the two of us. I just want to help.¡± ¡°How can an omega help an Alpha?¡± a cruelugh escaped him. ¡°I may be just an omega,¡± she ced her palms back on his knees, ¡°But I am still a woman and understand some things from a female¡¯s perspective.¡± Now she got him interested and he tilted his head slightly, watching her and giving her a reassuring nod to speak. ¡°Your wife is hurt because of me and it probably made her do some wrong choices,¡± the girl on the floor said, averting his gaze, ¡°It¡¯s very sad that she betrayed you when you had your first difficulties. But¡­ never mind. You want her back here, right? But she wouldn¡¯te on her own if I assume everything correctly.¡± ¡°And?¡± he was growing impatient. ¡°Then you need to make her want toe,¡± she nced at him and there was something dangerous in that nce. However, it was gone quickly, reced by her usual eagerness to please. ¡°I am afraid this time a diamond ne isn¡¯t going to cut it,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Nothing nice will,¡± Roxy nodded her head, ¡°But I woulde anywhere if something was to happen to you.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she agreed with him again, ¡°But I bet there is someone else in that pack who she cares about.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. He watched her for a few seconds before what she meant registered. It wasn¡¯t what he liked to do. But desperate times¡­ ¡°There is that best friend of hers,¡± Roxanne continued, ¡°They are practically like sisters to each other¡­¡± Their eyes met and she held his gaze with her lips curled slightly. ¡°If I touch Maya¡­¡± He started saying when she interrupted him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything,¡± she smirked for the first time, ¡°I can take care of that. Just support me when the timees.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Brayden sneered and watched his mate jump back to her feet and leave the room. : Maybe, just maybe, that omega mate of his was worth more than he thought¡­ Chapter 38. Maya Chapter 38. Maya Riannon gathered her hair at the back of her head and dressed up quickly into a pair of blue jeans, comfortable leather boots and an oversized blouse, part of which she tucked under her belt. All while she was calling Ash and Maya in turns. But to her disappointment and horror, none of them was replying. She tried to steady her breathing as panic almost overwhelmed her. She couldn¡¯t lose Maya. Not again. She already lost her once and it almost broke her. It did break her. This was the point from which everything went downhill. She remembered every detail even now. Roxy wasunching attack after attack on her. But Maya was helping to protect her best friend and helped Riannon to avoid traps more than once. She was very snarky towards Roxy always and quickly got under her radar. So, one day she was used of treason. There was no evidence against her. Just a confession of a warrior from one of the enemy packs from the East, who insisted that she was trading secrets with them in the hope to be the next Beta after Ash was identally killed. Even Ash wasn¡¯t convinced but her loyalty waspromised. And that was when Brayden came up with a good solution as he called it. To send Maya to the border to serve as one of the guards there. Just several dayster her post out of all others was under attack. Moreover, she was one of the very few dead. Closing her eyes, Riannon felt a tear roll down her cheek as she remembered driving all the way to the border with Ash as soon as she received the news. Brayden couldn¡¯t look her in the eye and she did not want to see him anyway. The Beta brought her to one of the small cottages of the border vige and there on a tabley her best friend, covered with a white sheet. They already cleaned her body after they heard that the Luna was coming. But they still couldn¡¯t do anything about the w marks which didn¡¯t grow well together after she shifted back to her human form after her death. Those ugly uneven scars were going through her face and neck, some were on her chest. And just by looking at them, Riannon could tell that several beasts were attacking Maya. She was so cold. So lifeless. A shell of the person that she knew. It was hard to recognise in that vacant face the person that Maya was. The strong girl, who was a fighter in heart and could barely spend a minute without cracking a joke wasn¡¯t there anymore. Riannon remembered how she wept over her friend¡¯s body. How painful it was.How Ash tore her off and how she cried into his chest for hours in that cottage¡­ But all that happened muchter in time in her previous life. What was happening now? If She took her bag and went downstairs, hoping not to meet anyone and find a car easily. If anything, she was sure she could ask for some assistance from Savvy. The princess seemed like someone who could understand the situation. However, the first person Riannon met was Reid. He was reading something in his Ipad in the living room when she passed it. But he jumped to his feet as soon as he noticed her and followed her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked, slightly shocked seeing her ready to leave. ¡°I need to get back to my pack,¡± the Luna stated inly as she kept walking to the exit. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Reid blocked her way. ¡°I don¡¯t think that I asked your permission,¡± Ria arched her brow, ¡°I simply informed you that I am going.¡± ¡°Luna,¡± the Beta tried to reason with her, ¡°I am sorry. But I just can¡¯t allow it. Gideon will kill me when he comes back.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s drop the formalities, Reid,¡± she looked at him with a challenge, ¡°If I don¡¯t go back to my pack now, my best friend in the whole world may die! I just cannot let that happen.¡± ¡°But I¡­¡± ¡°I will hate Gideon forever if you stop me now because of him,¡± she lied. She would never hate the lycan king. It was simply impossible. However, she knew that this was the right button to push on the Beta. Nevertheless she decided to sweeten it a bit, ¡°Reid, I can¡¯t lose her. I almost lost her once and it was the worst thing ever. For me, she is my Beta¡­¡± Something changed in his eyes at her words. Something clicked. Because after that, he opened the door for her himself, saying, ¡°I will drive.¡± She decided not to argue with that. A lycan by her side could prove useful. The drive to the Silver River pack seemed terribly long and they barely spoke to each other the whole time. ¡°This friend of yours,¡± Reid decided to break the silence, ¡°Is she at least hot?¡± ¡°Hotter than fire,¡± Riannon scoffed, ¡°But way out of your league.¡± ¡°Excuse me?!¡± the Beta pretended to be offended although his eyes gleamed as if he has epted the challenge, ¡°Any girl will be happy tond a lycan Beta like me!¡± ¡°Not Maya though,¡± Ria chuckled, ¡°She is different. She doesn¡¯t care about title and she is not your typical she-wolf.¡± story about Maya, relieving years of their friendship. The guards let them into the pack territory with ease, greeting their Luna. ¡°Wait for me here,¡± Ria told the lycan when he parked in front of her house and she jumped out of the car. The door of the mansion opened at once and a very troubled Ash walked out of it. He looked her up and down as if he was checking for something and then took her hand, pulling her behind him. ¡°Where is she?¡± Riannon asked him, not even trying to struggle. ¡°In the barn,¡± he replied dryly, ¡°Everyone is there! I have to tell you that it doesn¡¯t look good, Riannon.¡± ¡°Ash, stop for a second! Exin to me what is going on! What happened to Maya?¡± she begged him. He stopped, inhaling deeply and then turned to face her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Goddess knows what is happening, Riannon,¡± he said, ¡°It started yesterday but it escted rather quickly into somethingpletely else!¡± ¡°Details, Ash, I need details!¡± she urged him. ¡°Yesterday, out of the blue Roxanne announced at the pack dinner that she saw Maya stealing from your jewellery box while you were missing,¡± he started exining. ¡°What nonsense!¡± Ria rolled her eyes, ¡°Maya would never! And anyway, she can take whatever she likes from my jewellery box if she needs it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we all thought,¡± the Beta nodded, ¡°Only that it did not end there. All of a sudden Brayden got very angry and ordered to search Maya¡¯s room.¡± ¡°Of course, he did,¡± the woman gritted her teeth. ¡°But that was when they found Maya hiding a secret phone in her room,¡± Ash went on,¡° The Alpha ordered her to unlock it and this was when the shit hit the fan. Because on that phone she was texting with foxes and werebears. And even lycans from the Eastern kingdom. And I mean texting about uing attacks on our pack. She was giving them information on when would be the best days to attack us¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Riannon sshed her hands, ¡°Maya would never¡­¡± ¡°Again,¡± he interrupted her, ¡°Everyone said so. But right now, this escted even more¡­ That¡¯s why you need to go to the barn with me. You need to see this.¡± repeating itself! Yet when the doors of the barn were opened before her, she met Brayden¡¯s gaze. And Roxanne¡¯s too. Maya was right next to them. But Riannon was already staring in the pair of smoky grey eyes. She would never forget them¡­ Chapter 39. Interrogation Chapter 39. Interrogation Riannon knew that she would never forget that face and she recognised him at once. The man who used Maya of being a traitor. The man she interrogated personally for many hours. The man even Ash interrogated and he was by far one of the cruelest interrogators she knew. And yet that man never cracked. She remembered his perfect face being broken in many ces and yet he kept saying the same story over and over again. He was the one to me for what happened to Maya back in the past. Because he helped to set her up. Riannon always knew that this man was connected to Roxy somehow. She knew it. She just had this gut feeling inside telling her that she was right about that. He watched her walking inside of the barn with Ash by her side and she could swear that she saw a vague smile in the corner of his lips. His hands were chained and lifted up and he was shirtless, revealing his perfect muscles. A warrior. This was what he imed to be. His long brown hair was reaching his shoulders and was not bloody yet, meaning that no one tried to beat the truth out of him. Yet. ¡°Ri,¡± Brayden stormed her way but stopped when she gave him a death stare. ¡°What is going on here?¡± she walked past him and stood in front of the man. Maya was in the room too and they exchanged knowing nces. No words were needed. But Riannon tried her best to signal her friend that everything would be fine. Whatever it took now, she would make sure that nothing happened to her in this lifetime. She wasn¡¯t going to lose her again. She noticed a few warriors and their Gamma in the room as well. All of them looked concerned. Maya was everyone¡¯s favourite and some of the men were even after her in hopes to get her as their chosen mate. At least, she could hope for their support if it came to this. ¡°Nice to see you, Ri,¡± Brayden stood next to her right in front of the man with the grey eyes who was watching her with some kind of amusement in him, ¡°I missed...¡± ¡°I asked what is going on here!¡± she demanded not even bothering to look at him. ¡°Unfortunately, our Maya ispromised,¡± her husband sighed as if he was sad. He wasn¡¯t. She knew that he wasn¡¯t. He did not care. She wasn¡¯t his friend. If anything, they were NOT each other¡¯s biggest fans although there was never an open confrontation. ¡°Nonsense,¡± she interrupted him. ¡°Luna,¡± Roxy dared to speak, ¡°We found out that Maya¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Riannon said calmly but loud enough for everyone to hear, ¡°You may be my higher-ranked wolves should deal with and as far as I remember you are still an omega. Unless something changed in the few days that I¡¯ve been absent.¡± Everyone looked at her. And she only lifted her chin up higher. ¡°I understand that you are upset, Riannon,¡± Brayden said, finally not using her nickname anymore, ¡°But Roxy¡­ Roxanne here was vital for the investigation.¡± ¡°I have no doubt!¡± she let out augh that was stone cold. ¡°Helpful little omega, isn¡¯t she? How did all this start again?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Roxy started to form tears in her eyes the way she always did, trembling. ¡°There, there,¡± Ria came to her and patted her shoulder, ¡°You were so brave and full of yourself just three seconds ago. I am sure you can handle an adult conversation without bursting into tears for once if you try really hard.¡± Again, no one spoke a word. They all just looked at her, stunned. ¡°Maybe you need emotional support?¡± Riannon went on, ¡°We can do that too! Luckily your mate is right here! Come on, Bray, give her a hug. The girl needs some strength! For the sake of her wolf and all.¡± Her husband clenched his lips tight. But before he was to reply something, Roxy spoke. ¡°All I did was notice she had your bracelet under her shirt when you left. I didn¡¯t think much of it, butter I followed her and saw her walking into your room. She went straight to your jewellery box and took something else from it.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Riannon nodded a few times, ¡°And to that, I have a very important question.¡± She made a pause and walked back to the chained man because she needed to see his reaction as well as everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Which bracelet?¡± she asked and noticed how the man¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. Just a second of movement. Nothing more. Not enough for anyone else to notice. But she knew that he was surprised. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Roxy seemed startled as well. But that did note as a shock. ¡°Which bracelet did you see on Maya?¡± she repeated the question slowly as if she was talking to a stupid child. ¡°Erm¡­ A diamond one,¡± Roxy stuttered. ¡°There are many diamond bracelets in the world,¡± Ria scoffed, ¡°Yet you were sure that Maya had mine on. You must remember the details well then. It must be one of my memorable ¡°It was the one with an emerald in it,¡± the omega said quietly, hugging herself and lowering her head as if the pressure was too much for her. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Riannon sneered, ¡°And how would you recognise it if I never wore it in the few days that you stayed here?!¡± This time she got a few gasps from the people around them. ¡°I¡­¡± Roxy was lost for words. But just for a second. Then she looked straight into the Luna¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°I looked at your pictures in the magazines and saw that one.¡± ¡°Did you see others?¡± Ria did not want to lose the momentum and kept going, ¡°Can you describe them? You seem to have quite an eye for jewellery if you remembered it that well from just one pic.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± the omega looked at her mate and Brayden stepped in at once. ¡°Riannon, enough! That¡¯s not about the bracelet anymore!¡± he practically growled at her. ¡°On the contrary,¡± she turned to look at him, ¡°The bracelet is the most important part here! It was enough for you to suddenly search my best friend¡¯s room! Like I couldn¡¯t have given her the damn thing! And you know that I would let Maya have anything she wants from my jewellery box! Not that she would want anything! So, why did you order that search?!¡± ¡°Because I wanted to get to the bottom of this!¡± he snapped, ¡°And I am happy that I did! Because that phone is the main issue now, Ri! Not the bracelet!¡± ¡°How convenient!¡± she narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°The phone unlocked with her fingerprint!¡± he snarled. ¡°Big deal!¡± she scoffed, ¡°Like those are hard to get nowadays! All you need is a ss that the person used!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen what¡¯s inside!¡± Brayden was breathing heavily now. He did not like to be contradicted. ¡°Were there her pictures with our enemies?¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°Videos maybe? Texts are no proof, Bray!¡± ¡°They are if they lead us into capturing the intruder!¡± her husband spat the words, ¡°It¡¯s too much of a coincidence!¡± ¡°This part I agree with!¡± she folded her hands on her chest and came up closer to the man with grey eyes, ¡°It is a bit too much of a coincidence that everything got solved so easily. And Maya, who is not an i***t, by the way, was stealing my jewellery and wearing it in front of messages that describe all her betrayals and future ns inly.I mean,e on! I know Maya since we were children. She is not that dumb! She would at least use a code!¡± ¡°And yet she didn¡¯t!¡± now Brayden was properly angry, ¡°You should listen to what this man says before you continue to embarrass yourself protecting a traitor.¡± ¡°She is not guilty unless proven otherwise,¡± Riannon snapped, ¡°And I am not convinced at all. But you are right. Let¡¯s listen to that very important witness who you got at the most convenient time.¡± She already did this in the past. She interrogated that man and knew what did not work. Because she didn¡¯t break him and neither did anyone else. He was good. Very good. Which meant that he was dangerous. So, she had to try something else. Something that he wouldn¡¯t expect. She came much closer to him, regretting that he was much taller than her. It did not give her the desired effect. But she had to work with what she had. Slowly, she traced her fingers over his face and all the way to his chin, cupping it gently as he did not tear his eyes off her. ¡°You are very beautiful,¡± she said, and his lips parted slightly. ¡°Th-thank you, Luna,¡± he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± she took her hand off him, happy to throw him off his course even a little bit, ¡°It¡¯s just a fact. Not apliment.¡± ¡°Riannon, what is the point of this?¡± Brayden was losing his patience. ¡°No point, really,¡± she shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Just stating the obvious. He is very handsome. That¡¯s all.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She could hear the sound of her husband¡¯s teeth-gritting. ¡°All right, handsome, tell us everything. Who are you? Why are you here? And what is your connection to Maya?¡± she looked straight into his eyes, not even flinching. He impressed her in her past life but right now he was even more impressive. His game was on point. ¡°What pack are you from?¡± she asked and immediately answered in unison with him. ¡°Crimson Moon.¡± He looked at her with a newfound surprise. ¡°They caught you on the border. What were you doing there?¡± she gave him a soft smile ¡°I was¡­¡± ¡°Waiting for Maya,¡± she said together with him again. She remembered every line of his. She never forgot a single one since he didn¡¯t give anything new no matter how many times she asked. And just a few dayster he escaped to never be seen again. ¡°Continue,¡± she waved for him to go on. ¡°She was supposed to meet me under the willow tree and give me the information¡­ stopped talking when again she pronounced all the words at the same time as him. ¡°Couldn¡¯t she just text it to you?¡± Riannon scoffed, ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to have any problemmunicating through texts, right? Why meet up?¡± he ¡°She said that it wasn¡¯t a phone conversation,¡± they said in unison again and now Maya snorted loudly. ¡°Riannon, what is going on?¡± Brayden stepped closer to her, mixed emotions evident on his face. ¡°Just an interrogation,¡± she angled her head to look at him, ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you think that his replies are so natural and flow nicely?¡± ¡°How do you know what he is going to say?¡± her husband asked. ¡°Because I have my sources, Brayden,¡± she chose to lie this time because she couldn¡¯t possibly exin to him how she knew all that. But she knew that he would buy that. ¡°And they told me that this would happen.¡± She turned to the man with grey eyes and asked, ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Axel,¡± he said, and she was d that she didn¡¯t try to answer together with him this time. The name that he introduced himself with in her past life was Everett. He caught up with her game very quickly. She knew that she would hardly get anything out of him anymore. Not even through torture. But she couldn¡¯t help and did one thing. Riannon leaned lower and whispered into his ear. ¡°Nice try, Everett.¡± His face was void of emotions, just his lips twitched a bit as if he had a momentarily need to smirk. ¡°Anyway,¡± she now was facing her husband, ¡°I don¡¯t see any good evidence here to use Maya. Just a bunch of badly thrown together clues and two very unreliable witnesses. I have more questions for them, to be honest.¡± victim again. ¡°Fine, you are right,¡± the Alpha agreed, ¡°Maya is almost family. I wouldn¡¯t punish her severely anyway. We will send her to the border since her loyalty has beenpromised. It will be just for a year or two.¡± ¡°No,¡± Riannon said firmly. She knew that she couldn¡¯t lose that argument. ¡°Ri,¡± he took her arm above her elbow and pulled her closer, ¡°Be reasonable now. This is the best decision. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I said no!¡± the Luna furrowed her brows, ¡°Maya will stay by my side at all times! She is the only one I trust and this will never change!¡± ¡°Ri!¡± this time he shook her roughly and she almost fell down from the impact, but Maya and Ash were next to her side to catch her just in time. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± Maya growled angrily. She was surprisingly calm prior to this but now even her nerves gave in. She pushed her Alpha and in less than a second he was back grabbing her throat tightly. ¡°Brayden!¡± Riannon screamed, ¡°Let her go!¡± ¡°I will f*****g snap her neck for this!¡± he snarled and Ria was ready to attack him herself. No matter what it cost her. But this was when a loud menacing growl interrupted them all. ¡°Take your hands off my MATE!¡± NOTE: Hi, Circle! Thank you for all the messages of support that I received today. I am still going through them but will try to reply to everyone. This will probably be myst long author¡¯s note as the one they have is limited to 200characters. So, it will be a bit harder for us tomunicate. I will edit out my previous notes as well. I may be leaving some extra important info inments and in Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle group in the future. So, stay tuned. Chapter 40. Leave Chapter 40. Leave They all froze, watching Reid breathing heavily as he stood at the entrance of the barn. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. And he did not look his usual self with messy hair and crazy eyes that were glowing blue now. Eyes that were looking at Maya only. ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± Brayden growled, his head snapping in his wife¡¯s direction. However, he quickly realised, to his own relief, that the intruder wasn¡¯t looking at her. So he ced Maya back to her feet. Riannon cuddled her friend at once. Nevertheless, Maya wasn¡¯t her usual self either. ¡°Mate,¡± she whispered and, for the first time ever, Riannon saw a tear running down her cheek. Maya never cried before. At least, she hadn¡¯t had any memories of her doing that. Maya was tough. And yet her mate managed to bring the emotions out of her within just a mere second. ¡°Mate,¡± Reid smiled at her, stepping inside. ¡°I am going to ask just one more time,¡± Brayden clicked his fingers to make his warriors spread out evenly through the room, ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°Brayden,¡± Ria snapped at him, ¡°This is Beta Reid Frazer, he is king Gideon¡¯s second inmand. A lycan! Didn¡¯t you see him at the Alpha Ball?¡± The warriors were visibly perplexed but none of them budged. They all stood ready to defend their Alpha and Luna if it was necessary and Riannon felt proud of them at that moment in time. Even though they were personally trained by her husband and not her. While she handled inner matters and politics, Brayden was the one who took care of their army and their training. This was something he was very good at. But she did not want their people to fight a lycan. And Reid of all the people in the world. ¡°There is no need for this,¡± she stepped in between them hoping to negotiate. ¡°Of course, there isn¡¯t,¡± her husband said through his teeth, ¡°Just leave our territory and ¡°Not without my mate,¡± the lycan balled his fists, muscles flexing on his arms and chest. ¡°You mean Maya?¡± the Alpha looked at the girl who stood next to his wife and an idea struck him at once, ¡°Well, you need to know that from this day in our pack she is considered a traitor.¡± ¡°Brayden!¡± now Riannon wanted to p him even more than when he was sleeping with Roxy in the next room to hers. She nced at her friend and noticed how she clenched her lips. ¡°Maya is a beautiful name,¡± was all that Reid said to them as he took another step. ¡°And Maya will have to leave now to the border for her punishment,¡± Brayden said coldly, ¡°You can make a formal request and¡­¡± ¡°She will be leaving,¡± Reid quirked his brow up at the Alpha, acknowledging him for the first time,¡°To the border with the Lycan Kingdom. And then she will cross it to go and leave with me. Today.¡± ¡°This is not how these things work!¡± Brayden said with a smirk, ¡°There are procedures that have to be done and¡­¡± ¡°F***k the procedures!¡± Reid snarled and the warriors got tense, ¡°I am not leaving her! She is mine! And unless you want to offend a Beta of the lycan kingdom¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Maya said and they all looked at her. The pain was evident on her mate¡¯s face, but he stayed strong. ¡°I cannot leave Riannon here alone.¡± Ria bit her lip. She didn¡¯t tell Maya that she had found her mate yet. She did not want to do that over the phone. She couldn¡¯t do that now. However, she was sure that it was an extremely good idea to get her out of this pack. She would be safe with the lycans. And they would reunite after the inevitable divorce. ¡°As I have said,¡± Brayden interrupted them, ¡°Right now you will go to the border. And we will go from there.¡± ¡°No,¡± Riannon said loudly, ¡°She will not go to the border. She will go with Reid, her mate!¡± ¡°Ria!¡± Maya looked at her pleadingly. She knew for a fact that her friend would be in danger here now. She tasted it just a few minutes ago when she got framed so easily and no one could do anything about it. ¡°Maya, it¡¯s okay,¡± the Luna tried to reassure her friend, ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the lycan kingdom now and I will exin to you everything on the way, but¡­¡± ¡°About that,¡± Brayden interjected them and they all looked at him warily, ¡°Considering everything that is happeningtely, I think that it would be best if you stayed here, Ri.¡± She froze, not knowing how to react to that. She knew that she had toe back at the end of the week, but she sure as hell did not want to stay here today. Gideon would be back soon and she counted on spending the little time they had left together until the big game had to start. ¡°But I am not done with the work in the lycan kingdom,¡± she said calmly, concealing all of ¡°I am sure your work was very productive.¡± Brayden looked at her with veiled anger in his eyes, ¡°I felt it even when you were far away from me.¡± She knew what he meant. And she knew that she had been defeated in that argument already. He wouldn¡¯t let her go and she had to suck it up. ¡°Very well,¡± Riannon nodded curtly, ¡°But Maya goes with Reid.¡± ¡°She is a part of our pack for now,¡± Brayden sneered, even though he actually wanted the Beta girl gone. But he knew that he had to make Riannon struggle with this one to make her think less of herself. ¡°Well, I am the Luna!¡± she snapped, ¡°I let her go and live her life with her mate!¡± ¡°Ria,¡± Maya sighed with regret in her eyes. Reid was next to her the next second, pulling her in his arms and taking a deep breath, inhaling her scent so that it would feel his lungs for the first time. ¡°No, worries, little one,¡± he said to her, ¡°Everything is going to be okay.¡± ¡°He is right,¡± Riannon smiled at the two of them, ¡°Go, M. I will pack your things and Dean will bring them to you.¡± ¡°But,¡± Maya was still not sure what to do. For her, Ria was not just her best friend and Luna, she was her Alpha. ¡°It is better for me if you go now,¡± Riannon mind-linked her, ¡° Just trust me on this one, okay? Maya nodded and Reid pushed her towards the door. He knew that he would be in huge trouble with his king. Because right now, to get his own mate out, he lost the one who belonged to Gideon. At the door, he turned to look at Ria and she gave him a reassuring nod, letting him know Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. that she would be fine. ¡°Go,¡± she mouthed to him and he took it as an order. Maya looked at her with worry written all over her face. The girl was panicking but her mate hugged her tighter as he led her out. The doors behind them closed and Ria felt sad and happy at once. ¡°So, this is done,¡± Brayden exhaled as if he was relieved and she hated him at that moment. He was very happy with himself, even though everything in the pack was a mess.¡° Roxy,¡± he turned to his mate, ¡°Leave now. I will see you tomorrow.¡± Riannon wanted to follow her example but at thest moment, she turned and immediately met the gaze of their prisoner. ¡°Ash,¡± she said to their Beta, ¡°Take him to the underground prison. Use chains and whatever else we¡¯ve got there to keep him locked. Use only the guards that you personally trained. No one else.¡± ¡°You pay him way too much attention,¡± Brayden chuckled as heced his hand around her waist. ¡°He just framed my best friend,¡± she tried to shake his hand off but he held her in ce almost forcefully, ¡°He did not speak a word of truth and I am sure he knows a lot of useful information. I want him imprisoned until I am done with him.¡± ¡°I love it when you are feisty,¡± her husband growled andmanded their warriors, ¡°You all heard your Luna. Ash, do as she said.¡± She looked at their prisoner again and for a mere moment there she could swear that she ¨C saw a smirk. She did not like it one bit but at the moment a much bigger problem was pulling her out of the barn. They walked towards the mansion slowly and met quite a few people as it wasn¡¯t thatte yet. The pack members were smiling at them and greeting them, probably thinking that the happy couple had finally reunited as Brayden had his hands wrapped around his wife. Ria was thinking hectically of what she could do or say in the situation she was in. She wasn¡¯t surprised when he led her straight to her bedroom. But she really did not like it when he locked the door behind them. ¡°Was all that really necessary?¡± she asked, walking deeper into the room and going behind her desk, so that there were more obstructions between the two of them, ¡°Did you believe even for a second that Maya was a traitor? Or was this all just to get back at me?¡± ¡°It was both,¡± he admitted without any kind of hesitation, ¡°My main aim was to get my wife back home.¡± ¡°What for?¡± she looked at him, unimpressed, ¡°Did you get bored with your sweet little mate?¡± ¡°I missed you,¡± he got closer and then sighed, ¡°Look, I know that I hurt you. And it was wrong of me. But I had to obey my wolf¡¯s needs! And what you did with the lycan¡­¡± ¡°Was obeying my wolf¡¯s needs,¡± she chuckled, ¡°You are not the only one with a wolf, you The Alpha mmed his fist on the desk between them so hard that a crack formed in the wood¡­ Chapter 41: Tell Me What To Do Chapter 41: Tell Me What To Do He kept looking at her and breathing hard. Panting almost. And she saw his eyes glowing just for a moment there, knowing what it meant. ¡°There is a big difference, Riannon!¡± the Alpha looked at her with menace in her eyes,¡° Roxanne is my mate! I can¡¯t help it!¡± ¡°And he was a lycan king. I can¡¯t help it either,¡± she said, ¡°No one says no to him, Brayden. Not even you. Not to mention that MY wolf was in pain, and he helped to distract her and took care of both of us better than¡­¡± He groaned painfully and then grabbed the whole massive desk and threw it at the wall, clearing the space between them. ¡°You are my wife!¡± he growled, ¡°You were supposed toe to me if you neededfort!¡± ¡°Really, Brayden? After everything?¡± she cocked her brow up at him, ¡°It¡¯s like you don¡¯t know me at all!¡± He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing. Deep inside he knew that she was right and that he needed to fix that, not make it worse. Threatening and force would never work with someone like Riannon as she was an Alpha herself. He knew that far too well. This would only push her further away from him. And now, knowing that she had been with another and¡­ enjoyed that.., that another man had been her constion while he was too entranced into his omega mate, was making him crazy mad. His chest tightened. He couldn¡¯t be losing Riannon. His perfect wife. His perfect Luna. She was his. He wanted her back. He wanted to fix all that and make her forget about his mistakes and about that other man who was making moves while he was distracted. They had been together for years and he knew everything that she liked. They had many quarrels in the past and he always found a way to appease her. He would find such a way now too. Starting with the obvious¡­ He had made just a few steps in her direction, but she stood up from her chair and walked to the window, trying to avoid the pieces of her broken desk scattered all over the floor. She knew that he wanted to caress her, to try and seduce her and make her forget about everything. As if he forgot about one of their anniversaries and not betrayed the bond that they both chose. Brayden slowly shifted in her direction, standing behind her and wrapping his arms instead of her rxing into his arms, he felt her trying to struggle and get out. ¡°Ri, let¡¯s finish all this,¡± he murmured in her ear, ¡°You know I love you. You wear my mark. You are my wife, my Luna¡­ I am sorry. For everything.¡± She did not know how to get rid of him. Just the thought of him touching her repulsed her. Even being this close she felt like she was betraying Gideon. She knew she would have to endure living with her husband a few more days, but sleeping with him was out of the question. ¡°Brayden,¡± she tried to remove his hands but he attempted to keep her in ce instead,¡° Let me go.¡± ¡°I missed you so much,¡± he ignored herpletely as he lifted her in his arms and went in the direction of the bed, ¡°We need to reconcile. And I am not taking no for an answer.¡± ¡°You will have to!¡± she gasped and kicked him in the abdomen right as he threw her to the bed. ¡°Ri!¡± he growled at her and grasped her hands tightly, yanking her whole body back up. ¡°I am serious, Brayden! I am not in the mood!¡± she yelled at him and prepared to hit him again if she had to. The bad news was that he was stronger than her. But at least she never considered him capable of taking a woman by force. She hoped that she was right about this now more than ever. ¡°Ri,¡± he pulled her into a hug and tucked his head into her neck again, ¡°What do we do now? How do we fix this?¡± She sighed, knowing very well that right now he was inhaling her scent that was still mixed with Gideon¡¯s. And it probably only made him angrier. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± she pushed him away and distanced herself from him. ¡°Tell me what I can do to mend this. I will do anything! Whatever you want, babe,¡± Brayden looked desperate at this point but she did not buy it. Unfortunately for him, they already had a simr conversation in the past when she spoke of their divorce for the first time after she couldn¡¯t tolerate Roxy anymore. But he was against it. He promised her things. Things that he did not fulfillter. And then he dumped her off the cliff¡­ Metaphorically, of course. But it still hurt the same. This was why she did not have any moral problem going on with their n with Gideon. Brayden had a part to y in it as well. ¡°I don¡¯t know what could be done here,¡± she sighed, ¡°I guess I need time to forget. But¡­¡± ¡°No, tell me, Ri,¡± he ced his palms onto her shoulders. ¡°I want to be heard, Brayden! I want to be supported!¡± she said and noticed the relief in his eyes. Of course, the reasonable thing would be to demand him get rid of his mate. Yet she did not go there. ¡°Okay,¡± the Alpha nodded simply, ¡°I am ready to give you that.¡± ¡°Then let me finish my work on that women rightsw I¡®ve been working with king Gid¡­¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No!¡± he snapped in less than a second, ¡°Don¡¯t even say his name!¡± ¡°Very well,¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°But you do realize that He Who Shall Not Be Named wouldn¡¯t abandon that project. He likes it and he needs it as he is trying to change the image of lycans. From ruthless to at least civilized. He would want to finish it and propose it at the next Alpha summit. And for that he needs me. As I do the heavy lifting here.¡± He did not say anything this time and it got her worried, so she continued. ¡°You don¡¯t even care¡­¡±, she tried to walk away, but the Alpha caught her and held her close to him. ¡°How sure are you in this project of yours?¡± Brayden asked. In his mind, he was calcting ways to use all that to his advantage. ¡°Don¡¯t insult me at least!¡± she snorted, ¡°It is my project from top to bottom! I have no doubts about it!¡± ¡°Then I will make sure it gets approved, Ri. I swear to you, you wouldn¡¯t have to go to that lycan ever again!¡± the werewolf in front of her now looked very excited. He loved to be the star of the summits. He sure as hell would be one soon. ¡°Very well,¡± his wife shrugged her shoulders, ¡°At least that¡¯s some kind of a start for us.¡± ¡°See?¡± he smiled at her, ¡°We are still a team. Still, a force to be reckoned with.¡± ¡°That we are,¡± she agreed and his grasp on her became tighter, his breathing ragged. She distanced herself at once to avoid any kind of confusion. ¡°I will need to speak to quite a few alphas to exin to them thew.¡± ¡°We will take a few each,¡± Brayden suggested, ¡°To save time.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± she praised him. This was turning out better than she hoped. ¡°So,¡± he smiled at her, ¡°Am I forgiven?¡± ¡°Of course, not!¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°This is just step one, Bray. After this is done ¨C then we talk about what¡¯s next.¡± support as I can.¡± He was still slightly unsatisfied that he didn¡¯t get her to fall into his hands, but at least there wasn¡¯t a rift between them anymore. He addressed the issue and dealt with Just a little bit more time and effort, and he would get her back in his bed too. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, Ri,¡± he smirked, ¡°I have a condition.¡± Every muscle in her body got tense. ¡°What is it?¡± she quirked her brow up. ¡°A kiss,¡± now he simply looked smug and she wanted to facepalm, but she knew that too much was at stake. ¡°A kiss?¡± she repeated. ¡°Yes,¡± the Alpha brushed his thumb over her lower lip, ¡°A kiss. Just one kiss¡­ Unless you wouldn¡¯t want to stop afterwards.¡± Brayden was sure that as soon as she gave in, he would find his way back into her heart. And bed. ¡°Fine! Deal!¡± she decided to go with it, ¡°Bun until then keep your distance! I am serious, Bray. I want to see how serious are you about it.¡± ¡°I am very serious,¡± this time he caught her hand and brought it to his lips without breaking their eye contact, ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°I sure hope so,¡± she sighed and took her hand away, ¡°And now give me some space. There are a lot of things I need to think about. Too many¡­¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he had to agree with her. Even though he did not want to leave so soon. But Brayden knew that she needed time. He needed some too. There was no hurry. He prepared to leave when he turned to face her again. ¡°Ri, I need to read thatw of yours,¡± he said firmly and this was something she was ready for. ¡°Of course,¡± she agreed with ease, ¡°I will send you the file. As soon as I get all of this sorted.¡± She gestured at the mess he made and he felt guilty. But not too much. However, this was when Ash mind linked him about something important and he had to leave. Riannon sighed as the door closed behind him. Phase one was done. broken desk. It was gettingte and she was surprised that when she walked out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a flimsy silk robe, her bedroom was dark. She looked for a switch but when she pressed it, it did not work. ¡°What the hell?!¡± she muttered under her breath and wanted to go and get her phone to use the build-in torch, when she noticed an unfamiliar figure standing at the entrance to her balcony with curtains blown by the wind, covering his face from her.But she knew exactly who that was¡­ Chapter 42: The Mystery Guest Chapter 42: The Mystery Guest It took a few good seconds for Riannon to realize who that person was. And it took her a few more to gather herself and not give in to panic. She tried to think calmly. She knew very well that it was best not to scream. No one would be here fast enough to save her. And she wouldn¡¯t have a chance in a fight with a professional warrior now. Not without her wolf at full force. To her disappointment, Onyx still wasn¡¯t showing up. So, she had to think in apletely different direction. Axel/Everett or whoever this guy¡¯s name was never showed up in her previous life. He escaped without a trace. It would be easier for him to kill her quietly and do just that while she was washing in the bathroom. But it looked like he was waiting for her, meaning that her life wasn¡¯t what he was after. At least not now. It was surprisingly convenient how his story helped out Roxy. And Riannon did not believe in the coincidences like that. ¡°Impressive, Everett¡± she smirked and praised him as she stepped closer, folding her hands on her chest to cover herself at least a bit. She used that name on purpose to let him know that he didn¡¯t mishear her the first time. ¡°Right back at you, Luna,¡± the man-made a step forward as well. He had a few cuts and bruises here and there and was topless, wearing just a pair of jeans. Not his, because they were sitting too tight on him. ¡°Did you lose your shirt on the way here?¡± she co.cked her brow up at him. ¡°Do I really need one?¡± he flexed his muscles yfully while his lips curled into a sly smile, ¡°I find clothes restricting when I kill people.¡± Riannon¡¯s chest tightened at his words. Those were her people. Moreover, she asked Ash to make sure only the best ones guarded him. And his best warriors were the strongest among the werewolves¡­ If he took them down, then¡­ She prohibited herself to think about that now. Now wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°So, I guess, I have to thank you for fetching some trousers on then,¡± Ria slowly walked to one of her armchairs and gestured for him to sit on the opposite one. ¡°I have to admit,¡± ¡®Everett said, ¡°You surprised me. And that doesn¡¯t happen often.¡± ¡°My pleasure,¡± she shrugged her shoulders, ¡°So, what brings you here¡­ Excuse me, I still don¡¯t know your real name, Everett. Or Axel. What is it again?¡± his lips. He was incredibly good looking. But she did not like the vibes that he was giving her. He was dangerous. She always knew it. In this life and in her previous one. However, now it was different. Something about him definitely changed right now evenpared to a few hours ago when she saw himst. Her lips parted as he let her feel it more. ¡°You are an Alpha,¡± she whispered, not being able to hide her surprise. She suspected him to be a Beta or a Gamma at least. But not an Alpha. Alphas were rare. They weren¡¯t disposable like that. No pack would send an Alpha to a dangerous mission alone because they were valuable even if they weren¡¯t the actual alphas of their packs. And Everett was risking a lot. She could have ordered to kill him earlier and the warriors would obey after some persuasion. Yet he still did it. Even now, he was risking a lot. This kind of confidence was frightening. ¡°And you are a Luna,¡± the man in front of her smiled and his left eye gleamed in the darkness with the red color, making Riannon swallow. Although she made sure to keep herself in control even now. ¡°And a very unusual one at that,¡± he added, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you a lot. But I thought that all the praises were baseless rumors. Just a woman who is not bad at what she is supposed to do anyway. That was what I thought about you, Riannon.¡± ¡°Again, it¡¯s not polite to call me by my name without introducing yourself properly first,¡± she tried to trap him but he did not buy it. His grin, however, grew wider. ¡°But you surprised me,¡± he continued, ignoring her words. ¡°I can¡¯t say that a lot of things surprises me lately. I usually hate surprises.¡± She clenched the armrest of her chair a bit tighter, and this did not escape his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± ¡®Everett¡¯ added quickly, ¡°This one was a pleasant one. I thought this mission would be boring and painful. But I needed to see with my own eyes what I am dealing with. But youpletely changed the game for me.¡± ¡°How so?¡± she now rested her head on her fistzily. ¡°This also something I will reveal to you at different circumstances,¡± he avoided answering her question. ¡°Why bothering here in the first ce if you aren¡¯t even nning to speak?¡± she sighed, pretending to be annoyed. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you would remember me,¡± he chuckled and the sound echoed through her empty room, ¡°Selfish, I know. But also, I wanted to make sure that I wasn¡¯t wrong about you. And it looks like I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°That means that the most precious thing in your pack is not the power thates with it,¡± he averted what he was asked again. She knew that he wouldn¡¯t crack, so decided that it was pointless to ask him directly. ¡°So, you confirmed what you came here to confirm. Seems like it¡¯s about the time to leave for you,¡± she gestured at the balcony door he came from. ¡°What, you aren¡¯t even going to try and scream?¡± he looked properly amused, ¡°What if the warriors manage to catch me while saving their Luna.¡± ¡°Considering the kind of guards that you just escaped, I highly doubt it!¡± she snorted and he stood up. He was right next to her in less than a second, cupping her chin and making her look at him. ¡°This was entertaining,¡± he admitted simply and then let go of her. He went in the direction of the balcony as if he wasn¡¯t in a hurry at all. ¡°All right,¡± she stood up quickly, ¡°How about you ask me one question and I ask you one in return. And we both tell each other the truth.¡± He turned to look at her slowly with his lips curled. ¡°Since you offer it yourself,¡± he leaned over the door frame. ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°Why did you reallye here?¡± Riannon asked the question that bothered her the most. ¡°To make sure that you remember me, to make you think about me until we meet again next time.¡± He sneered, ¡°I already told you that. But you just wasted your question. Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± She really thought that there was something else. Maybe he was not honest with her. Or maybe he was this crazy and she got his attention. ¡°How did you know that I was supposed to call myself Everett here?¡± his face suddenly got very serious. He really did not expect anyone to know a thing about him here. Riannon contemted for a second whether to lie to him or not. But then decided that there was no point. She could use the same trick she just used. ¡°You told me yourself,¡± she tilted her head, smiling viciously with her hands crossed at her front. At this exact moment, someone started banging at the door. ¡°Luna,¡± Ash screamed from the other side, ¡°Please, open the door! I need to ensure your safety ording to the protocol. If you don¡¯t open I would have to knock this door out in thirtyRia turned to look at her guest again, but he was already gone.Sighing, she went to open the door. It was clear that Ash wouldn¡¯t be joking. And she had enough of her furniture destroyed for one day. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he looked at her and grasped her arms without seeking any kind of permission, ¡°The scent in your room¡­¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± she pulled him inside and closed the door behind him. Although her husband wasn¡¯t probably even there. They had to alert him about the intruder first. And he was probably checking on his mate¡¯s safety now. How pathetic was that? Not that she cared anymore. ¡°He¡­¡± Ash looked at her with a desire to kill in his eyes, ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied calmly, ¡°But if you consider yourself my friend or at least my Beta, you would stay quiet about it.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He looked at her with a perplexed expression on his face, clearly not knowing what to do. ¡°I have to tell him ording to protocol,¡± he said finally and she decided not to hide her disappointment. She noticed that he hesitated and when he went back to the door, she decided to stop him. ¡°Ash,¡± Riannon called his name and made his turn, ¡°I want to speak to you. Stay.¡± She never did this in her past life and she always regretted it. The way he chose Brayden time, after time, after time¡­ It was painful because she was sure that they had a good rtionship prior. However, this time, in this lifetime he seemed different. Just a bit. But she wanted to check. If he chose Brayden again, it wouldn¡¯t change anything for her. But she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. So that at least she knew that she tried everything. ¡°Ash,¡± she stepped closer to him and at that time the lights started working again so that they were able to have a good look at each other. His eyes lingered around her body in the thin gown quickly returning to her face. ¡°I am not sure how long my marriage to Brayden wouldst,¡± she said calmly and he didn¡¯t even flinch as if he was expecting it. ¡°When it happens, you can only be with him or with me. Not with the two of us. And after we split it will be toote to make that decision. I always thought that we were friends¡­¡± ¡°And we are,¡± he interrupted her speech, ¡°We are more than friends.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me about Roxy?¡± she looked him in the eye and he licked Chapter 43: Guilt Chapter 43: Guilt Maya was crying quietly all the way down until the Lycan kingdom and Reid didn¡¯t know what to do. She did not show it to him and neither did she sob or weep, but her eyes were red and puffy and she was wiping them with her palms every few seconds as she turned away to stare at the window. He never wanted a mate in the first ce, never looked for one. And when he saw how finding a mate changed his best friend Gideon, he decided to stay away from wolf mingling events and stick to the she-wolves he already knew, considering them safe options. Luckily, there were quite a few who were always ready to keep himpany. This is from N?velDrama.Org. It was supposed to be for the best. He wasn¡¯t a family man anyway. Maybe a funny uncle material. But this was it. He was a Beta and needed his focus on his work at all times. Yet when he first sensed this amazing scent of almonds and something floral that evoked everything feral and primal inside of him within seconds, all his rules and self-taught mantras went to hell. He struggled for a few minutes in his car, trying to talk himself out of going there and finding his mate. But gave in rather quickly under the pressure from his wolf, Nox, who was eager to meet their mate. He had to see her too; had to know who she was. And when he saw her with another man who tried to hurt her, all his instincts red up. It was a done deal. That woman was his and he wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch her, let alone hurt her. He disobeyed his king¡¯s orders for the first time ever and left Riannon behind without any support. Before that, they nned for him to stick around with her as a representative of the Lycans on the pretense of helping her with their neww project. That would allow him to be there to protect her if needed as it was required from their positions. She was already his Luna regardless of being marked and married to some annoying werewolf Alpha. And now his Luna was on her own. It was her silent order, of course, to take her best friend out of this ce. For some reason, she considered that more important than their initial n and he decided to trust her instincts as Maya¡¯s safety suddenly became of prime importance to him too. But he knew that he would pay for this. Because Gideon trusted him what he treasured the most and he failed his Alpha and his king. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± he decided to try and break the ice but his mate snapped her head in his direction and red at him with the intention to kill. As if he was at fault before her. Which he wasn¡¯t. She wanted to hurt him on purpose and he let it slide. He could sense that his mate was using her snarky attitude to hide how worried she had been inside. And he could understand that. He liked Riannon a lot, but she was new in his life. If he had to leave Gideon in the sea full of sharks, he wouldn¡¯t be happy too. He couldn¡¯t be happy now either. The guilt was washing over him in waves. But it had already been done and he had to trust Riannon with this one. Hopefully, she knew what she was doing. ¡°Reid,¡± he stated calmly. ¡°Reid, let me tell you a little story,¡± she spoke in a voice one would speak to a child that wasn¡¯t bright. ¡°Once there lived three girls and they were the best of friends. A lot of sh*t happened, some dead parents, dead siblings, boyfriends being as*holes, terrible life choices, but the three of them stuck together. Then one of them died too, living the other two. And they swore to stay by each other¡¯s side no matter what! Guess who these girls are, Reid?¡± ¡°You and Ria,¡± he answered inly, allowing her to let out the steam on him. ¡°Correct! What a clever boy you are!¡± she praised him,¡±I¡­ I left her there! You have no idea what is going on there and what it means to me! She¡­¡± ¡°She is sticking up for you, Maya,¡± he interrupted her speech and she looked at him with wide eyes, ¡°Just like you promised. It was her choice, not yours or mine. You were in a far worse situation there ording to her. And I had to take her lead. Knowing Riannon, she can take care of herself. And she will not stay there for a long time, trust me.¡± Maya bit her lip almost to the point of bleeding and turned away to the window to hide the tears forming in her eyes again. She had to do something about this stupid liquid secretion. She knew that he was right. Riannon did what she would have done if she could. It did not make her feel better though. They parked the car in front of what looked like a modern pce. However, Maya wasn¡¯t in the mood to admire it. And all Reid wanted was to get her inside of his room as soon as possible. Before he met¡­ ¡°Reid!¡± his king¡¯s voice sounded behind him and he turned to face his Alpha. Gideon stared at him in disbelief and then slowly shifted his eyes to Maya. He balled his fists, trying to hold back his rage. He was already angry when he found out from Savvy that Riannon left the pack and the kingdom. But he got calmer knowing that his Beta was with her. And now there he was. With some girl and not his Luna! ¡°Where is Riannon?¡± Gideon growled. ¡°At her old pack,¡± his Beta replied honestly, not trying to hide the truth, ¡°There has been a situation and she had to stay as a result. And this is¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what new wh*re you picked up and where,¡± the lycan king was on the edge with his rage. ¡°She is my MATE!¡± Reid snarled at him, his protective instincts taking over, ¡°I had to get her out of there!¡± It didn¡¯t help Gideon calm down at all. ¡°I am sorry,¡± his friend continued, stepping closer, ¡°It was her decision and in the heat of the moment it seemed like the right one.¡± The punch was so hard that it broke Reid¡¯s nose and knocked him off his feet. He stayed on the ground, covering his face with one hand, trying to stop the blood until regeneration kicked in and knowing that he deserved that. He stayed down out of respect to his king whose trust he broke today. ¡°How is leaving my woman behind was the right decision?!¡± Gideon tried to hold back his fury. If he didn¡¯t, he didn¡¯t know how this would end for Reid. ¡°You are her mate!¡± Maya whispered and for the first time since she got here he looked at her properly, ¡°You are Ria¡¯s mate! But¡­ how?¡± ¡°The Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways,¡± he grunted, slowly realizing that this girl wasn¡¯t just somebody. They already met. He noticed her red cried out eyes and her messy hair. She did not look like herself but he recognised her now. She also did not look like Reid¡¯s usual type. Which was funny since she was his mate. ¡°I am Maya,¡± she tried to exin and his whole body tightened at her words, ¡°I am¡­¡± ¡°Her sister,¡± Gideon nodded, letting her know that Riannon told him everything, ¡°You¡­ You are very dear to my mate.¡± ¡°I know,¡± her lips trembled, ¡°She just¡­ I am the one to me, not Reid. She came there because of me and she had to stay there. He wouldn¡¯t let her go. And Roxy...¡± She filled him in quickly on everything that happened. Gideon clenched his fists. It was unbearable. But in the short time that they knew each other, the very first thing that he learned about her was that if she made a decision, she would stick to it no matter what. And also he ¡°What do we do now?¡± the girl in front of him asked as she gave a hand to her mate, who was still on the ground. Reid took it with some kind of hope in his eyes and Gideon realized that he already got a hard time with her. Not that it excused him. However, he did not want to lie to himself either. He would have made the same choice in his ce. ¡°We continue with the n,¡± the kind said. ¡°The n?¡± Maya gasped, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard a thing about a n!¡± ¡°Let your mate fill you in then,¡± Gideon spared one nce at Reid and realized that it was too soon. Anger was still boiling in his heart and Mars demanded blood. But it wouldn¡¯t be the blood of their Beta that he would offer to his wolf. ¡°I expect you in my office first thing in the morning,¡± the kind muttered and left the Beta couple alone. He went straight to their room, which still had her scent inside even though the omegas already changed the sheets like they always did. They were discussing the possibility of her going back to her pack and what she would be doing what she had to. So, he had to stick to those thoughts. Riannon knew what she was doing when she stayed, and he had to trust her with that. However, he had to listen to her voice. He needed it on a physical level. So, he picked up his phone and called her, waiting to be connected with his eyes closed by his palm. Being separated from her again felt even worse than before now. ¡°Ria!¡± he started speaking the moment the call was answered. ¡°Excuse me, who is this?¡± the male voice on the other end of the line seemed confused. He recognised her husband at once. ¡°This is King Gideon Stormhold,¡± he held himself back from growling, ¡°I need to speak to Riannon. Now.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the Alpha sounded apologetic, ¡°I am sorry. This is a bit inconvenient right now. It¡¯s too late and she is sleeping. We just reunited after the days of not seeing one another and were too hungry for each other if you know what I mean. She was too exhausted by the time we were done with each other. It would be cruel to wake her up now. She needs her rest. We are trying for a pup, you see..¡± Chapter 44: Ash Chapter 44: Ash Ash let out a heavy sigh and went all the way into the center of the room, sitting in the exact chair where the mystery guest was sitting just a few seconds ago. He sniffed the air around him and his head snapped in Riannon¡¯s direction. She simply nodded confirming his suspicions and then sat back into the opposite armchair. ¡°So?¡± she looked at him hopefully. It had to be something important if he decided to put away catching the intruder personally and stayed to talk to her instead. ¡°Do you remember how my mate died?¡± he asked, and she clenched her lips, giving him a nod again. ¡°How can I forget?¡± Ria lifted her knees all the way to her chest and hugged them, ¡°Chloe was one of my best friends at school.¡± ¡°I remember,¡± he smiled, ¡°She used to call you and Maya her sisters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she was for me,¡± Riannon admitted, ¡°Family.¡± ¡°After she died,¡± he gulped and looked at her, but meeting her gaze chose to look away and out of the open balcony door, ¡°I was shattered. Broken¡­¡± ¡°I remember that too,¡± his Luna said quietly. ¡°She was my light,¡± he rested his head on the back of the chair, ¡°My everything. And after her death, nothing mattered anymore. I was in the darkness. The darkness that nobody could understand. Nobody but you.¡± He looked at her again and she nodded silently. Ash lost his mate a few years after she lost her siblings. She did know very well what he was going through. Although they said that losing a mate was worse than anything. But still, the experience was simr. She remembered that after giving him some space to grieve, she saw that he was slipping away. And she remembered how she fought to make him stay and live the life he was supposed to live. As the new Beta of their pack. Brayden was angry at times because he couldn¡¯t personally get any of this and had tomence his Alpha training alone, without his Beta. At some point, he even wanted to choose a different Beta, but Riannon talked him out of this. Luckily, back then her opinion mattered to him. He gave them time to ¡°fix¡± his friend while he covered for him. Slowly, day by day, Ash was getting stronger. He was never the cheerful guy they used to know back at school again, but he remained reliable and loyal, which was way more important. But when a tragedy happened and her and Brayden¡¯s parents were killed, Ash suddenly stepped in for the sake of them both. They could trust him in their hard time and he performed Ria always thought that he found a new purpose in life when Brayden finally became the Alpha and named him his Beta. This was Ash¡¯s turning point ording to her. ¡°You brought me back to life, Riannon,¡± Ash told her and this time he pierced her with his hazel eyes, ¡°If not you¡­¡± ¡°Chloe would have wanted that,¡± she shrugged her shoulders, ¡°I know we never were close friends before that, but¡­¡± ¡°I never wanted to be your friend in the first ce,¡± he stopped her before she could finish that sentence,¡°This is not how I see you, Riannon. You are not my friend.¡± That hurt her to some extent, but she chose not to show it. However, when he kneels before her and took her hands, locking his eyes with hers, she opened her mouth in shock. ¡°You are mean more to me. Even before Chloe, I saw you more than a friend,¡± he said, ¡° When Brayden introduced you to me, I was only sorry that I didn¡¯t get to meet you first. No offense, but Bray never saw you for who you were. He cared for your looks, your strength and your skills. But not for the person that you were.¡± ¡°And when you met Chloe?¡± she tried to walk away from the ufortable subject. ¡°She was my mate,¡± he sighed, ¡°She filled my heart and soul, made me believe that what I felt for you was just a childhood crush. But she was gone, Riannon. And I knew that she would nevere back. I fell into despair after her death, thinking that everything was over and there would be nothing good in my life ever again. This was when you entered my life again. Do you remember how I tried to push you away at first?¡± She nodded, not even trying to say anything anymore. This was a new side of Ash she had no idea even existed. ¡°This was because I felt that by liking you I betray my Chloe,¡± he smiled with sadness in his eyes, ¡°She was gone and although I remembered our bond, you were the one helping me heal. Even my wolf wanted to be close to you for some reason. As if he epted you.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She furrowed her brows. ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± he chuckled dryly, ¡°I know. But this is exactly what happened to me. The more time I spent with you, the more my old feelings wereing back. Chloe was letting go of me and¡­ To be honest, sometimes I think that she blessed us. As if she knew that you were ¡°Oh, Ash,¡± she didn¡¯t know how to get out of this. His confession was a bit too much. ¡°Ria,¡± he squeezed her palms in his, ¡°Just think about it, okay? I know that you didn¡¯t see thating. I tried to keep my distance when I could, you were happy with Brayden. But¡­¡± She stared at him with her lips parted when the realization struck her. But they weren¡¯t happy anymore. Everything changed and Ash saw a possibility for them to be together. What if that was why he always took Brayden¡¯s side in the past? Each time he did this, it was only breaking her marriage further apart. ¡°He is exploring new things now,¡± Ash went on, ¡°Why can¡¯t you? I would never push you into something that you don¡¯t like. You became my peace once, now let me be yours. I am ready to do whatever it takes. If you want to keep this fa?ade of marriage and = stay the Luna, will be your lover in the shadows. If you want to leave Brayden and start a new life, I will dly be your husband. A wife of a Beta is not that bad, right?¡± She licked her lips as they became too dry and his eyes lingered on them. Yet he wasn¡¯t done. ¡°And even if you decide to have a new political marriage and marry some Alpha, I would follow you too. As your guard or whatever. Just let me be with you.¡± She stared at him and he did not blink or budge. His hands were still holding hers and she knew that she had to be honest with him. Not fully, of course. But in regards to him and his feelings. ¡°Ash,¡± Riannon carefully slip her hands out of his grasp, making him sigh from disappointment, ¡°I can¡¯t. I just¡­¡± ¡°Brayden doesn¡¯t even respect you anymore!¡± he snapped momentarily and then rubbed his eyes, trying to focus, ¡°He is shagging his mate all over the ce! It¡¯s over between the two of you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she confirmed and saw hope in his eyes which she had to destroy, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change anything. Ash, you¡­ remind me of my dead brother. You don¡¯t see me as a friend, but this is what I see you as. And for me, you are Chloe¡¯s mate. I couldn¡¯t do that even after her death. It¡¯s never going to work.¡± ¡°We could try,¡± he stood up and turned away, ¡°Slowly and¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± she said firmly and stood up again, ¡°I respect you enough, to be honest with you. This would never happen. I need you in my life but as a friend, Ash.¡± ¡°Are you sure that this is all that I am to you?¡± he asked, his voice dull and lifeless. ¡°Yes,¡± Riannon did not hesitate, ¡°So, this is the decision that you would have to make. Will you take my side as my friend and support me until the end? Or will you stay with Brayden? Whatever you choose, I will ept. But this is it.¡± ¡°I am his Beta,¡± he reminded her. ¡°I know,¡± was all she said. And then, without adding anything else, he left the room abruptly. Riannon felt so tired as the door closed behind him. But it wasn¡¯t the rest that she needed. She wanted at least to hear her mate¡¯s voice. So, she went back to her bedside table where she left her phone prior. Only find out that it was missing She started searching all over it hectically. But it was nowhere, and she had a very bad feeling about this. Unfortunately, she did not memorize Gideon¡¯s number yet, so couldn¡¯t call him from the line number. She needed her cell back! She, however, remembered her own number well. And when she dialed it and heard the phone ringing right behind the wall, she knew who was to me. There was no point to waste time as now even Brayden knew she was aware that he was in possession of her phone. So, when she knocked on his door just a few secondster, he opened the door wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. ¡°Riannon?¡± he gave her his most seductive smile, ¡°What a pleasant surprise!¡± ¡°Cut the crap, Brayden!¡± she hissed at him and pushed him, walking inside, ¡°Why do you have my phone?!¡± ¡°One of the maids brought it to me after cleaning the mess in your room,¡± he was clearly lying, ¡°But I d that you are here. Why don¡¯t we talk? I feel like¡­¡± ¡°The mess you made!¡± she decided to remind him, ¡°And why would a maid bring My phone to you?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a question for her and not me,¡± he shrugged his shoulders, ¡°You can ask her tomorrow. And what makes you so worked up about it? It¡¯s just a phone and it¡¯s nighttime already.¡± ¡°Just give it back!¡± she rolled her eyes, folding her hands on her chest. going to call? Your lover?!¡± ¡°Should I call your lover ?¡± she snorted and hit him with her knee where it hurt the most, making him groan from the pain. He released her hands and she started looking around. Nevertheless, he recuperated fast and moved to his desk, opening one of the drawers and showing her the phone. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to speak to him!¡± he growled, ¡°Ever!¡± And with those words, he crashed the device in his palm Chapter 45: Use Logic Chapter 45: Use Logic Riannon had to calm down. This battle was lost and the phone was gone. But there were other ways to reach out to Gideon and she would find one as soon as possible. Right now, however, she had a bigger problem. Her possessive Alpha husband was getting out of hand. And this wasn¡¯t the state she needed him in for her n. ¡°Well, congrattions, Brayden,¡± she folded her hands on her chest after she took a deep breath, ¡°Now I can¡¯t call Maya!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not her you were going to talk to and we both know it,¡± he growled, not a hint of remorse on his face. ¡°I was going to talk to many people. Tomorrow.¡± She replied calmly. ¡°But thanks to your little tantrum that¡¯s impossible now! But today I wanted to talk to my best friend whom my husband banished from our pack. I think I deserve at least that after everything!¡± He clenched his lips and then let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Ri, I¡­¡± he took a step in her direction but she motioned for him to stop, ¡°I didn¡¯t actually banish her.¡± ¡°No, I think I had enough,¡± she said, ¡°You know, I never thought that I would see you so scared in my life!¡± His facial expression changed rapidly and he was next to her in less than a second. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he snarled at her. ¡°Just the mention of the lycan king drives you to a point of madness,¡± she pointed out, ¡° But like it or not, we are going to see him again. And very soon. As I have already told you before, he needs that project and he is inclined to see it through even if it doesn¡¯t get approved on its first try. So, potentially, we are looking at months of me working side by side with him and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You¡¯d better face those facts now.¡± She could see his nostril re up and his chest going up and down. ¡°I am going to see to this project being epted on the next Alpha summit,¡± he gritted through his teeth, ¡°Even if it¡¯s thest things I do!¡± She held back a smirk that was trying to desperately form on her lips. She couldn¡¯t let him see that this was exactly what she wanted and needed. ¡°Do what you want,¡± she shrugged her shoulders and prepared to leave but he stopped her when she almost reached the door. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Ri, you are breaking my heart,¡± Braiden whispered, ¡°We are supposed to be a team, remember? The way we always were.¡± could potentially ruin everything that she tried to build. ¡°I just need time,¡± Riannon said without turning to see him, carefully selecting her words. She did not want to lie even though she was deceiving him. ¡°I am too tired from all of this today.¡± Brayden unclenched his fingers and let go of her. She used this to leave him as soon as she could. She didn¡¯t want to spend even a minute longer in his room than she had to. There must have been a few new extra phones downstairs in her office and in Brayden¡¯s too. And all she wanted was to get one. Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t been this lucky and when she was in the middle of the stairs, she saw Roxy coming up. Their eyes met and this time the omega decided not to pretend to be the ignorant crying fool. When they got to each other, both of them stopped. ¡°Careful there,¡± Riannon raised her brow as she decided to attack first this time, ¡°We don¡¯t want your self-harming habits to hit you in the middle of the stairs.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me, Luna?¡± Roxy covered her mouth with her hand but then took it away to reveal a smirk on her face. ¡°Threatening?¡± Ria beamed at her, ¡°What are you talking about, Roxanne? I am genuinely concerned by your mental state. I just discussed it with my husband.¡± ¡°You were done quickly,¡± the omega sneered, ¡°When we¡­ talk, it takes longer.¡± ¡°No doubt,¡± Riannon snorted, ¡°You are very talented at¡­ talking. For a virgin omega who spent her whole life as a ve that it.¡± ¡°Some talents are just natural!¡± Roxy retorted, flipping her red hair back, ¡°Not to mention that the mate bond makes us want each other all the time. It¡¯s hard for mates to tear off each other, you know.¡± ¡°And yet here you are. Not with him,¡± Ria pointed out, ¡°Speaking of which, as far as I remember, you were told to stay in your room.¡± ¡°Oh, that,¡± Roxanne rolled her eyes and touched the ne on her neck yfully, ¡°I was so worried after I heard about that prisoner escaping that I came out to check if I could help.¡± ¡°Because an omega without any kind of training would be of so much help in a situation like that,¡± Ria smirked, ¡°What¡¯s more interesting, how did you find out that he escaped?¡± ¡°I heard themotion outside,¡± Roxy said and then I met Deanter and he told me he needed someone to talk to.¡± ¡°How sweet of you to take care of him after you pushed his sister under the bus,¡± the Luna started to lose patience. Roxy was too much even for her. ¡°He doesn¡¯t see it that way,¡± the girl giggled and that sound echoed painfully through the Luna¡¯s brain. It was practically identical to that time when she struggled for her life. She remembered how Roxanne grabbed her hair andughed in her face. The desire to push her off the stairs and be done with it was immense. She could do it. Bray would probably even cover for her since he now wanted to keep her at all cost. She could get away with it¡­ But she had to stop herself. It wasn¡¯t this easy. Especially after tonight since ¡®Everett paid her a visit. She knew that nothing was simple and all her suspicions were now back in her head. It could have been that Roxy wasn¡¯t even the problem here. So, she decided to test that theory instead of lowering herself to violence. Roxy was almost at the top when she turned to look at her not to miss her reaction. ¡°Oh, by the way, tell your friend to use the door next time,¡± she said calmly, ¡°And not my balcony. It¡¯s creepy and not romantic at all.¡± The omega froze and Ria saw for a second how her ws elongated at once. For the first time ever she had problems hiding her emotions. And this just confirmed everything that Riannion was suspecting. Roxy wasn¡¯t just Brayden¡¯s mate. Or was she even his mate at all? Was she an omega? There were just too many things about her that did not add up. However, the girl quickly gathered herself and threw one menacing look at Ria. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± she said through clenched teeth. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t?¡± the Luna smirked, ¡°Too bad. I thought of asking you if I should him Axel or Everett. But never mind, he said that he¡¯ll visit me again soon. I¡¯ll ask him then.¡± Roxanne¡¯s eyes shone red. Red! None omegas had this color of their wolf energy. They usually had something simpler, like green or white. The girl in front of her suppressed it quickly, though. ¡°Oh, Goddess, Luna! Have you seen this prisoner? Are you confessing?¡± she gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t worry your pretty little head with it,¡± Riannon chuckled and went downstairs, not All she wanted was to find a new phone and try calling the lycans. She was sure that Gideon was already trying to reach her too and could just hope that Brayden didn¡¯t pull any tricks while in possession of her phone. She found Dean when she was passing the kitchen on the way to her office and stopped, sighing heavily. One more stop before calling her mate was necessary. She realized it when his lips curled into a tiny smile as he kept staring in his cup while sitting alone at the table. His sister was just exiled, and he was smiling. Was it toote to get him back to the Light? ¡°You do know that she is guilty of what happened to your sister today,¡± Riannon leaned over the doorframe. The look of surprise was evident on his face. ¡°Ria,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°What¡­ Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°Roxy,¡± she decided not to kick around the bush and when his mouth parted slightly, she knew that she was right. ¡°No, Ria,¡± he shook his head, ¡°You are wrong about this. I just talked about it with her and she apologized. She just mentioned to Brayden that Maya had your bracelet and he got mad. But she thinks that he was just angry at you and wanted you toe back. You never separated like this before.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± she smiled, ¡°So, you are telling me that she says that it¡¯s my fault? Open your eyes, Dean, you haven¡¯t been there. She stood and used Maya again and again. Without any kind of mercy! And that phone in her room. Do you really think that Maya is a traitor?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± he had his brows knitted now. ¡°Then think what a fine coincidence it was that right after Roxy used her of stealing of all things, they found an evidence of her betraying our pack right in her room! She was set up, Dean. And if she hadn¡¯t met her mate today, it could have ended badly.¡± ¡°She said Brayden only wanted to get her to the border,¡± the guy in front of her gazed at her hopefully. He was still a child even in spite of being twenty. ¡°Things happen at the border, Dean,¡± Riannon was too exhausted to exin, ¡°Not to mention how they tried to humiliate her.¡± ¡°But if it hadn¡¯t happened, then she wouldn¡¯t have met her mate,¡± he tried to find at least ¡°It was her destiny to meet Reid,¡± she said, ¡°And today he was here thanks to me. It could have been very different¡­¡± The boy did not look convinced and she felt disappointed. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s toote,¡± she turned away since she couldn¡¯t be doing any of this anymore, ¡°Just think of something. Use logic when you do. Maya always locks her door. It¡¯s her thing. Just how did this phone get inside when only you and I have the keys for emergencies and I was not here. Because I am sure that you did not unlock her door for anyone. Knowingly.¡± She decided not to stay anymore and just went to her office. It was on Dean now. She couldn¡¯t help him see things if he did not want to see them. It was his choice. Gideon was sitting in his bedroom alone with lights off. It was too painful to even think of what Brayden Thorn told him. ¡°Those are lies,¡± Mars grunted, ¡°You know far too well that if someone was touching Riannon, we would have felt it.¡± ¡°Are you sure? She isn¡¯t marked by us yet,¡± it hurt him to even say those words. He should have done it when he had her here. He really wanted to help her with her pack and revenge but this was more important. He shouldn¡¯t have been a gentleman, he should have let his Alpha side control this. Then she would be here now. Then she would be safe. ¡°I am sure,¡± Mars said with confidence, ¡°Our souls are connected. Mark or no mark.¡± He ignored the knock on the door and when it opened anyway, his head snapped in the direction of the intruder. Reid gave him an apologetic gaze. ¡°Now you are just asking for me to beat the crap out of you,¡± Gideon growled. ¡°Actually, I have Maya¡¯s phone here,¡± he stretched the device to his king, ¡°Someone special here wants to talk to you¡­¡± Chapter 46: The Small Print Chapter 46: The Small Print The lycan king grabbed the phone not even bothering to say thank you to his Beta. ¡°Gideon,¡± just hearing the voice of his beloved calmed him down. ¡°Ria,¡± he breathed out her name, so happy to hear her that he probably sounded desperate at that moment. But he did not care. ¡°Are you all right? Did he do anything to you? I am going to kill him! I swear, if one hair from your head¡­¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± she assured him, ¡°Really. No one touched me, everything is going smoothly here. With the exception of Brayden stealing my phone.¡± ¡°Goddess Riannon,¡± he exhaled loudly rubbing his forehead, ¡°For a second there I was afraid that he forced you¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± she stopped him, ¡°Braden is a lot of things, but I don¡¯t think that he is capable of that. I am fine. Trust me on this.¡± ¡°I still want to kill him,¡± he grunted, sitting back in his chair. Just the thought that a man who called his mate his wife existed was unbearable for him. ¡°You still can¡¯t,¡± Ria smiled. It felt nice that he wanted to protect her so much. Or maybe he was just possessive of her? It felt nice either way. As long as it was him. ¡°I still might,¡± Gideon said. ¡°I need to tell you something.¡± Riannon was afraid that someone would interrupt them and she wanted to give him the important piece of information. Apart from Maya, he was the only one willing to help her. ¡°I am all ears,¡± the lycan king straightened his back, knowing that as long as she was ready to spare their precious minutes, it was important. ¡°Remember my husband¡¯s omega mate?¡± Riannon yed with the hem of her robe nervously. ¡°How could I forget?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is, I don¡¯t think she is an omega anymore,¡± the Luna was eager to discuss this with her partner in crime, ¡°Gideon, I just talked to her and was able to get emotions out of her. Her true emotions! For the first time! And you know what happened? She let out her ws and her eyes shone red. Red, Gideon!¡± ¡°Did she attack you?¡± he growled menacingly. ¡°No, but she lost it. Just for a few seconds, but I know what I saw!¡± Ria grinned, ¡°She is definitely not an omega! Besides that, it¡¯s what got her to show her true colors that matters. So, there was this captive prisoner who tried to frame Maya right before Reid took her back. I some kind of reaction. He escaped again, even though I made sure that the best guards were guarding him. And then he came to see me¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± now Gideon snarled. The desire to shift and get to that damned pack to get his mate the old fashioned way was taking over him. ¡°Let me finish first,¡± she brushed him off, ¡°So, he came to see me and was waiting on the balcony. We talked and he is also not so simple. And yes, his eyes also shine red. I didn¡¯t learn much about him. He introduced himself as Everett in the past and as Axel tonight. Anyway, I simply mentioned him to Roxanne, and she snapped. Just a bit, but I never was able to do this before. She knows that man.¡± ¡°Goddess, Riannon,¡± Gideon frowned, ¡°My list of men to kill is growing by the hour thanks to you.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± she chuckled to that. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± the lycan , ¡°You are worth every effort.¡± She blushed, happy that he did not see her now. With him, it was hard to conceal her emotions the way she used to. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I think I am really onto something here,¡± the Luna said excitedly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I agree. But I don¡¯t want you to do anything about it until you are here with me. Safe.¡± he told her honestly. ¡°Your safetyes first before anything.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed, ¡°I know how to wait.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he praised her. ¡°Now, tell me everything about this guy that you can remember. How he looks, how he talks, where did they catch him. Any little piece of information could help. And don¡¯t worry, I already have people looking into that Roxanne girl. Omega or no omega, there would be some kind of information on her.¡± She told him everything from her both lives and when she was done, they both remained silent. ¡°I miss you,¡± Gideon gave up first. He wanted to see her, he wanted to be with her, to hold her in his arms and to take her as many times as he could. He wanted to tell her more than those words. But he did not want to do it like that. She deserved more than being told that she was the love of his life over the phone. That it was hard for him to breathe when she wasn¡¯t close. And that all that he was thinkingtely was sinking his canines into her neck to leave his mark. So that every man around knew she was his. So that he had the right to kill anyone who would dare to think otherwise. faster and that she couldn¡¯t stop thinking of how good she felt in his arm, how safe¡­ That he was the only man she wanted to wake up next to in the mornings and that she still couldn¡¯t believe how lucky she had been to be gifted such an amazing mate. ¡°I can push the summit a day closer,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she regretted it the moment she said it. But they had a n¡­ ¡°I still have to convince a few people,¡± the Luna confessed, ¡°Even with your support, I want to y it safe. Lives depend on this.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he groaned painfully, ¡°But the next time we meet is final, Ria. I will never let you go again no matter how it goes.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t mind that,¡± she smiled. But the smile dropped when she heard footsteps behind the door. ¡°I need to go now,¡± she whispered, ¡°I will call tomorrow. Tell Maya to text me your number and I will learn it by heart.¡± She switched off the phone and hid it in a secretpartment that no one but her knew about. Not even Brayden. Not even Maya. The next day, Brayden ordered her to stay inside of their house while he left to talk to his Alpha buddies about her neww. He also ordered Ash to make sure that she doesn¡¯t leave on pretence of caring for her safety and it felt as if she was a prisoner. However, it was good. Because as long as her husband felt that he was in control, she had the opportunity to work from her end. She was calling all her father¡¯s friends and old allies, telling them about her project and dropping Gideon¡¯s and Brayden¡¯s names asionally. Then she was sending files to them with what they prepared, knowing that some Alphas would oppose that after seeing some of the uses. However, this was thew. She had to give them full information prior to the Summit. Brayden came homete at night and she pretended to be asleep. It surprised her when he sat on the edge of her bed and she felt him brushing her hair with his fingers softly. The way he did when they just got married. It used to make her toes curl but now had hardly any effect at all. Lies. She was repulsed slightly. For her, he lost the right to touch her, and she counted seconds until he left her room. Probably to go and check on Roxy. Both her and Brayden were on their phones in their offices, trying to persuade people to support thew changes. Ria just ended a call with one arrogant Alpha who believed that women had way too many rights already and that once they got married, it should be their final decision. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, she just started to look for ways to end this. He was one of those she¡¯d never get on her side. So, there was no point to waist time. The door knock interrupted her thoughts and to her surprise, Brayden walked in with a very unexpected guest. ¡°Ri,¡± he beamed at her, ¡°Alpha Zack Morgan wanted to personally talk about our project. I hope you have a minute.¡± When did it be their project? Riannon did notment on the audacity of her husband and just gave the two alphas her most beautiful smile, suppressing the wave of protest in her. ¡°Of course,¡± she pointed at the two seats, ¡°I am happy that you spared us your precious time, Alpha Morgan.¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± their guest chuckled. She recognised him as one of the men who were after her attention at the Alpha Ball. He had a folder in his hands which she personally had sent to him the day prior. His opinion was important since Zack was gaining influence rapidly among the newest and youngest alphas. ¡°How can we help you?¡± Brayden went all the way to her and stood behind her chair, cing his hand possessively on her shoulder. ¡°It was a very interesting read,¡± Alpha Morgan smirked and ced the folder on Riannon¡¯s desk. She stretched her smile a bit, not knowing what to expect. She was about to say something when her husband interjected. ¡°I am happy that you think so,¡± he said with pride, ¡°We¡¯ve been working on all that for some time.¡± ¡°So, you read this?¡± Zack looked at him, quite bemused. ¡°Read it?¡± Bray snorted, ¡°I helped writing the most of it.¡± Riannon realized that he was taking credit for it. Probably just out of spite for Gideon since she mentioned that the king needed that project. This was her husband¡¯s little revenge, the only one he thought he would be able to get on the mighty lycan was respected as the strongest werewolf Alpha and a warrior. And if he said that he was behind all that would they even be reading all that? All the sixty pages of boring text filled with borate phrasing and terms. Ria and her mate made sure to bury everything important deep in those papers. And not in the small print, because they knew that Alphas would pay special attention to that. ¡°Is that so?¡± Zack Morgan in front of them sounded impressed but his eyesnded on the Luna as he nodded slightly, ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Brayden sounded so natural as if he really had a hand in all of this, ¡°We really want for thisw to pass on the first Summit. As you know, for that we need the majority of votes. May I ask where you stand on this?¡± Their guest gazed at Riannon again and his lips curled into a soft smile. ¡°You have my vote. That¡¯s for sure. I just wanted to make sure that I understand everything correctly, but now seeing you two together, I think I can rx. This matter is in good hands.¡± ¡°Brilliant,¡± Brayden walked all the way to him to shake his hand, ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. I n a big dinner right after the summit for our allies. I hope you could join us.¡± ¡°I will have to check my schedule and confirm itter,¡± Alpha Morgan smiled politely and stood up, ¡°I see that you are both busy, so I will not take any more of your time. I learned everything that I needed to learn.¡± Riannon stood up to see him out as well. To her, it was clear that Zack Morgan definitely read the papers thoroughly. ¡°Thank you for your support. I personally would never forget it.¡± She stretched her hand to him but instead of shaking, the man bowed and kissed her fingers. ¡°I have nothing against women in power,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I am very impressed with all your work, Riannon.¡± He exchanged a few words with her husband and left, leaving them alone. ¡°Women in power?¡± Bray looked at her questioningly when the coast was clear, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°That women like Maya would be able to be Betas if they prove themselves,¡± she decided to give him a partial truth but at the same time distract him with the feeling of guilt which he was hopefully experiencing. His phone rang and he had to pick up, signaling for her that he was going back to work. She tried avoiding him for the rest of the day and seeded at that. The next day was going to be the show. *** The next morning, she came down the stairs, wearing a white business suit with a belt tied in a rxed bow around her waist with red trousers. Brayden waited for her downstairs and watched her with pride in his eyes as she descended slowly, holding a leather folder in her arms. ¡°You look beautiful, Ri,¡± he said and wanted to kiss her but she dodged to his surprise. ¡°Makeup,¡± she exined, realizing that this could have been a mistake. But, luckily, Bray ignored that. ¡°Later then,¡± he smirked at her, ¡°Do not worry about today. Everything is going to be great. And about me saying that I worked with you¡­ Ri, I hope you understood why I did that.¡± ¡°To help me, of course,¡± she lied with a smile, ¡°And I am grateful. Let¡¯s go.¡± The drive to the hotel where the Alpha Summit was held this time seemed never-ending and Riannon counted minutes until their arrival. Finally, the car stopped and in a few seconds, the driver opened the door for them. The red carpet was in ce as if it was some kind of awards ceremony and hotel employees were greeting them at the doors. They walked in into the ssy luxurious foyer and Riannon felt the scent of her mate at once. Chapter 47: The Summit Parti Chapter 47: The Summit Parti She scanned the room desperately looking for that one person only and when their eyes met, it was the hardest thing for her ever to not give away her true emotions. Because Brayden was right next to her and watching her every move. He wrapped his hand possessively around her waist and pulled his wife closer. Gideon wanted to kill him. The man didn¡¯t even realise how thin the ice he was walking on was. If he gave him the smallest of reasons, he would snap his neck in less than a second. And would never regret it. But looking into Riannon¡¯s blue eyes he knew that it was neither the ce nor the time. What he really wanted was to have his hands on her, to have her close to him. And all he had to do now was wait. Just a little longer. Without even so much as a nod or wave, he turned away and left the foyer, going straight to the room where the summit was supposed to be held. Reid and a few guards followed him closely behind. Brayden released his grip on her as soon as the Lycan king was gone. Riannon would have scoffed if she could, but she also knew that it could cost her. Everything in due time. ¡°Bray!¡± she heard a familiar sweet voice and couldn¡¯t believe it. She didn¡¯t even manage to turn her head when Roxy had already jumped into her husband¡¯s arms, making him let her go. The foyer was full of Alphas, their Betas and Gammas, and Lunas who came with their spouses. Not to mention that practically each of them had guards around. And all of them watched the show. Riannon tried not to give them any reaction. She had to remember that soon this humiliation would be over. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Brayden seemed as startled as she was, ¡°You are not supposed¡­¡± ¡°I came here to support you, of course,¡± the redhead smiled innocently, ¡°Your sister Harper drove me here. She said that all matese here to support their Alphas.¡± ¡°How sweet of her,¡± Ria let out a littleugh. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Roxy looked at him with big eyes that were already filling up with tears. That girl probably drank more than two liters of water per day. Her tear flow was limitless. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Brayden did not know what to say. It was already inconvenient and awkward. He learned his lesson at the Alpha Ball, which did not go the way he nned. But if Roxanne made a embarrassing. He couldn¡¯t afford that. ¡°Of course, not,¡± he took his mate¡¯s shoulders, rubbing them gently, but still distanced her from himself a bit, ¡°You just surprised me. That¡¯s all. And where is Harper?¡± He wanted to make his sister babysit since she was the one to cause that mess. ¡°She drove away,¡± Roxy ttered her eyshes innocently. ¡°She said she was going shopping and that you can take me home when you are done.¡± ¡°My dear,¡± he coughed, ncing at his wife, ¡°I can¡¯t. I am busy.¡± ¡°We still have a few hours before the start,¡± Riannon said, ¡°Go show her around. I am sure it¡¯s her first time at a ce like that.¡± ¡°It is!¡± Roxanne took his hands in hers, ¡°Can you really go with me now?¡± ¡°What are you going to be doing?¡± Brayden looked at his wife suspiciously, but she pointed at the entrance to the restaurant on her right ¨C the opposite direction to where Gideon went. ¡°I am going to say hi to the other Lunas. We usually gather there. Some of them helped me to persuade their husbands and I need to thank them too,¡± Riannon said indifferently and then gave Brayden a look, mind-linking him for the first time in a while, ¡°Make sure she behaves and do not let her run around the ce embarrassing our pack. She represents usnow.¡± He wanted to reply but she already cut him off and turned on her heels, walking to the restaurant. It was actually good for her that Roxy would keep him busy until the start. If she had a task from whoever worked with her, it would probably be to split her and Brayden to weaken their pack. For once, they had the same goal. ¡°Riannon,¡± her friend Mariyah stood up as soon as she saw her and waved for her to join their group. And it was a big one. At least a dozen women were sitting at a big round table and about the same number were standing around them. They all stopped talking when they saw her and she felt that somehow it was different tonight. ¡°Ladies,¡± Ria shed her pearly whites at them, not knowing what to expect. It could go either way. Some of them were friends. Some were frenemies. And some simply enemies. For one reason or another.. ¡°You¡®ve been busy!¡± Mariyah chuckled. ¡°And you look gorgeous too,¡± Ada, one of her frenemies added. Surprisingly, this time she ¡°Thanks,¡± Riannon smiled modestly. ¡°We heard about your project,¡± said Luna Helena. She was one of the oldest women here and was once her mother¡¯s friend. ¡°It¡¯s very impressive. And we want you to know that we all stand with you on this one.¡± ¡°It was about time for such changes,¡± someone chimed in at the back. ¡°The times have changed and so must ourws,¡± Ada took a sip from her ss, ¡°I told my husband that if he doesn¡¯t support this project with his vote, he won¡¯t get any of this anymore.¡± She pointed at her perfect body in a tight yet elegant red dress. This was probably the friendliest conversation they ever had. Lunas started talking, telling her the stories of how they learned about her project and how much it meant for them. Most of them were mated to their husbands and did not have problems with them. However, they had daughters, sisters and nieces to worry about. Riannon felt a bit guilty. They praised her too much. And she did all this for the most selfish reasons. In her past life, she had been thinking about it too. But also, after she got to experience first-hand what it was like to be dumped by a powerful man who owned everything they shared prior. However, she decided not to think about that. This wasn¡¯t important now. She was adding many uses to thisw with the thought of anything that could happen to a woman in a man¡¯s world. So, she was helping them all. And she chose to concentrate on that part. They spent the next half an hour talking but soon she heard a loud announcement, recognising Reid¡¯s voice. ¡°The Alpha Summit is about to start. Please,e and take your ce if you are taking part,¡± he was repeating the words over and over. So, Ria said goodbye to her friends and left, surprised that they were starting early. ¡°Wait,¡± one girl caught up with her and Riannon looked at her questioningly. They didn¡¯t know each other that well, as the girl just recently got her title. However, she heard some stories about her and her mate, who wasn¡¯t the best of Alphas. It did not escape Ria¡¯s eyes that she was wearing a turtleneck dress and too much make-up too, probably covering her many bruisers. and whispered. ¡°Thank you. If it works, I will be free,¡± she said, and then stepped away. And without adding anything else, returned to the Lunas¡¯table. Riannon met Brayden back in the foyer and he was happy to see that she was where she promised him to be. Roxy was not around, meaning that Ash was probably the one taking care of her now. They walked into the Summit conference room together and, for the first time ever, Ria saw what everything really looked like. A long ssy table that was now filled with dozens of Alphas. Gideon was sitting at the head of the table and Bray grunted when he noticed this. Just for a second, Riannon allowed herself to look at her mate. She needed to see the support in his eyes, she needed to feel it. He nodded at her just like he did with everybody else, but his eyes were telling a different story and she knew it. Everyone was taking their seats and only Brayden and she stood in the same ce. ¡°What is wrong?¡± she asked him. ¡°The king took my seat,¡± her husband replied and she shot her brows up. ¡°That¡¯s actually my seat,¡± Gideon said in a very rxed tone, leaning over his chair that was bigger than everybody else¡¯s. ¡°Thanks for warming it up for me.¡± ¡°Here are a few empty seats,¡± one of Brayden¡¯s friends said, gesturing for them to join their group. He looked nervous and Riannon did not like his facial expression. Something was off. ¡°Why are there so many empty seats?¡± she tried to distract her husband. ¡°Sorry, Bray, I need to tell you something urgent,¡± his Alpha friend interrupted, bending to whisper something in Brayden¡¯s ear. Now, this was a problem. A real one. He then started showing him something in the folder with herw project. ¡°That¡¯s because foxes and werebears did note again. The empty seats belong to them,¡± a woman with sleek ck hair next to her purred and Ria looked at her with interest. She was the only other woman in the room today and that made her the Alpha of one of the werecat packs. ¡°I am Ramina Knight, by the way, the¡­¡± the woman started introducing herself. They had never met before because werecats were the recent addition to their union. ¡°I know very well who you are,¡± Ria smiled and wanted to tell the woman how she and squeezed it almost painfully. ¡°Bray, not now!¡± Riannon said yfully and loudly to draw the attention of everyone in the room to them, ¡°The Summit is about to start.¡± He took his hands off her and immediately she felt how he tried to mind link her. But she did not let him. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Gideon growled, hardly being able to hold himself back from tearing the werewolf to pieces for the scene, ¡°Let¡¯s start. We have a few important matters to decide today.¡± ¡°But, my king,¡± someone said, ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be at least one hour before we start. Why are we in such a rush?¡± ¡°have ces to be,¡± Gideon cut him off, ¡°Or can you work only at designated hours of the day? No? Then I don¡¯t see the problem since everyone is present. Let¡¯s start.¡± He gestured at Reid, who was sitting next to him, and the Beta stood up. ¡°As you are all probably already aware, our main problem at the moment is the uprising of foxes and werebears in the East.¡± He switched on the big screen behind Gideon¡¯s back with a map where the locations of every pack of their union were shown. ¡°You mean your main problem,¡± one of the Alphas said with a smirk, ¡°They are attacking your borders, not ours.¡± ¡°And what do you think will happen after they are done with us?¡± Reid asked him. ¡°Isn¡¯t the whole point of being mighty lycans that no one can destroy you?¡± someone chuckled and a few others joined in. ¡°The point is that they would not be able to destroy us,¡± Gideon sighed as if he was already tired of all this, ¡°And when they give up on that idea, they would start looking at your packs and yournds. At least six of you have borders with them if I remember correctly. The question is if we wille to your rescue if you don¡¯t fulfil your obligations to the lycans now.¡± To that, no one had what to say. Shifter wars were always brutal. Strong men and women were dying and the poption was decreasing. Behind their Union were othernds. More werewolves, another lycan kingdom and many other creatures. None of them were friendly. If they got weaker, everyone would suffer. So, to some extent, they were all trapped in working together. ¡°Besides that,¡± Ramina started speaking, ¡°I think the foxes and the werebears mostly ¡°How would you know that?¡± Zack Morgan asked. ¡°Because they approached me to join them,¡± the woman sneered, ¡°But werecats have no interest in ruining ourfort life with lycans as our allies just to stroke our ego. We do not care about that. It was peaceful since the lycans took us under their wing. We are not ready to lose that.¡± They were all processing her words. ¡°We would of course fulfil all our obligations ording to our treaty, king Gideon,¡± one of the Alphas said. He was one of Riannon¡¯s father¡¯s old friends. The room started buzzing as they were discussing to what extent werewolves would be involved. It took them some time and Ria knew that this meeting today wasn¡¯t the end of it. Her mate would have much more work with all of them. ¡°Anyway,¡± he cleared his throat when they were done with that topic, ¡°The next matter that we need to look at today is the new Women¡¯s Rightsw project by Luna Riannon Thorn. I guess you have all read it and have your opinion ready for the voting.¡± ¡°I have a few adjustments to make,¡± Brayden raised his hand, throwing a folder in Gideon¡¯s direction. He knew everything and Riannon tapped her shoe nervously under the table. ¡°There are procedures for that,¡± Gideon pushed the folder back to him, ¡°You can propose adjustments at the next Summit. This time we are voting for this version of the neww since everybody is familiar with that.¡± The tension in the room was palpable. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we at least discuss it first?¡± Brayden gritted through his teeth. ¡°Why?¡± Alpha Zack Morgan interrupted him, ¡°We were talking about it just yesterday. And you were fully behind it. You assured me and others that everything was fine in that folder since you were the one who did most of the work. I personally believed in your project since you were involved. And I did not find anything wrong inside. So, what is the problem there now? Are you going back on your word?¡± It was a masterful trap and Riannon knew that she would be thanking the Alpha for thister. Now Brayden had no choice. ¡°Of course, not,¡± her husband sounded nervous for the first time in his life, ¡°It¡¯s just that it could be even better¡­¡± innocently, ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job there, Alpha Thorn.¡± ¡°Good job indeed,¡± Gideon smirked, ¡°So, how about we vote to save ourselves some time? I am sure real men want their wives, sisters and daughters to be treated fairly. Reid, make sure that the count is visible on the board.¡± The Beta nodded and they saw two squares on the screen. One was for thew and the other one was against it. ¡°I will start,¡± the Lycan king announced, ¡°I vote for the approval of thew.¡± Immediately, the count on the screen changed to 1-0. The next one was alpha Dixon, Luna Ada¡¯s husband. He voted in their favor and seemed very eager to do so. He probably wanted ess to that gorgeous body of his wife after all. Riannon swallowed as one by one alphas started voicing their votes. The numbers were changing and it looked like the difference in numbers would be minimal. Most of Brayden¡¯s pals voted against it. But some, surprisingly, supported thew. Finally, it was done and Ria was afraid to even look at the board. ¡°So, we have 39 to 35 votes. Thew is epted by the Alpha Summit and is effective immediately,¡± Gideon announced, and only now did she open her eyes to look at him. He was smiling. It was done¡­ Chapter 48: The Summit Part II Chapter 48: The Summit Part II Brayden desperately tried to get into her mind and this time she let him. ¡°Riannon,¡± he growled, grasping her hand again, ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°A lot of things. For example, I helped to create a very goodw,¡± she tried to call Onyx as well. Right now her sharp ws would have been of great use in helping her free herself. ¡°Ri, what is going on?!¡± He sounded as if he was on the verge of breaking mentally. ¡°You will find this out right now,¡± she said coldly, ¡°And now let me go. People are watching.You already made a spectacle of yourself when you voted against thew you personally wrote ording to your own words. That was stupid.¡± ¡°Ri,¡± he wanted to say something else but Gideon started speaking again and she shut him off, finally getting her wrist back as he unclenched his fingers. ¡°The next issue to deal with for today is a divorce between a Luna and an Alpha,¡± the Lycan king announced, and a wave of whispers went through the room. Some were not surprised, of course, some were shocked and some were openly displeased. Zack Morgan gave Riannon a reassuring smile and the werecat next to her looked at her with amusement on her face. ¡°For real?¡± she snorted quietly, ¡°You are something, Riannon Thorn!¡± ¡°What is the reason for the divorce?¡± an Alpha she did not know too well asked. ¡°Breach of their marital contract,¡± Gideonzily tilted his head to look at the one who spoke, ¡°The Alpha in question and his Luna were chosen mates. They marked each other. Yet the Alpha met his true mate and did not reject her. He brought her to their house and made them leave together.¡± ¡°This is not how it happened!¡± Brayden gritted through his teeth as now everybody in the conference room was concentrating their attention on him. The rumors of their story spread fast and thew project only umted them. ¡°Right,¡± the lycan chuckled, ¡°Since Alpha Thorn spoke first, why wouldn¡¯t he exin to us what all that was about and how it really happened, since I don¡¯t have the right information at my disposal. We are listening to you.¡± ¡°Roxanne was abused in her old pack. She would have died if I had left her there.¡± Bray said, carefully choosing his words. He already realized what kind of trouble he was at and crystals of sweat were trickling down his spine. ¡°And that¡¯s an honorable thing to do,¡± one of his buddies tried to support him. ¡°Indeed,¡± Brayden agreed, ¡° you could still have rejected her, though. And not bring her to for her to stay. But you chose this ce to be your house. The one that you share with your Luna. What did you expect to happen?¡± ¡°This was necessary at that moment in time,¡± Brayden grunted, and Riannon wisely chose not to participate in their exchange of words. Her mate was handling it well. ¡°How so?¡± Gideon yed with the pen in his hands. ¡°Does it matter?¡± the werewolf in question almost growled at the Lycan king and the room suddenly became quiet. ¡°Of course, not,¡± thetter agreed, nodding sympathetically, ¡°If you agree to the divorce, then it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I do not agree!¡± Brayden protested, mming his fist over the table. ¡°Then I am afraid you will have to borate what was that need to keep your true mate in the same house with your Luna and not reject her in the first ce. It went beyond simply helping a poor omega,¡± Gideon gave him a cold stare that was almost menacing. ¡°It was required for the sake of my wolf,¡± Riannon got embarrassed for her soon-to-be-ex-husband the second he sounded his pathetic excuse. What was he counting on? If they were still together, this would have been the moment where she would have to take the word and smooth the situation over. But they weren¡¯t together. Not anymore. He lost her back in her previous life. This time she was fighting only for herself. ¡°Your wolf agreed to ept the chosen mate and you two ced a mark on her neck,¡± the Lycan king said the words through clenched teeth, as it was physically hard for him not to tear that pathetic excuse of a man to pieces. ¡°This was a union of two souls. But you chose tobreak it. You are not the only one in the world with a chosen mate. You are also not the only one who met his true mate after marking another woman. Moreover, you are not the only one who has faced something like that in this room today.¡± Ria looked at Gideon in shock, as this was the first time she had heard about this. ¡°Alpha Dominic,¡± the lycan nodded at one of the oldest Alphas in the room, ¡°Twenty-five years ago you were in the same kind of situation. What did you do?¡± ¡°My king, I apologized to my true mate but I still had to reject her. I made sure that she was well taken care ofter. But I had made my choice years before I met her and her appearing in my life did not change anything. I loved my wife and Luna until the day she was taken from me in a battle.¡± The man told his story and Riannon¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw how sad his eyes were just remembering histe wife. This was how it was supposed ¡°And what about you wolf?¡± Gideon sneered, looking at Brayden. Alpha Dominic looked at him apologetically too but replied honestly. ¡°My wolf was the one to recognize her. There was a pull. But the marks me and my wife already ced on each other¡¯s necks were stronger. She was the love of my life, without a doubt. She gave me wonderful kids and heirs. She was my perfect Luna and even after her death I wasn¡¯t tempted to go and look for my true mate again.¡± ¡°Well, I hope it answers all the questions,¡± Gideon summed up, ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have kids yet!¡± Brayden said all of a sudden, ¡°Pups make the connection stronger. Everybody knows that.¡± ¡°True,¡± the Lycan king nodded, ¡°That¡¯s why the divorce will be easier for you two.¡± ¡°I will not agree to this,¡± the werewolf said firmly, crumpling the documents before him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to agree to this,¡± for the first time Riannon spoke, ¡°I have a right to divorce you. I don¡¯t need any form of permission from you. This is over. Just ept it already and stop embarrassing us both.¡± ¡°Kids,¡± he said suddenly and she sighed because she was tired from all of this already,¡° You may be with my pup this very moment. ording to ourws, you cannot be divorced before it is confirmed that you are not pregnant. And if you are¡­¡± ¡°I am not,¡± she opened her leather folder and handed him a piece of paper, ¡°I visited the pack doctor yesterday for the required check-up. There are no babies in my womb if that¡¯s what you are worried about.¡± He took it from her, not even being able to read it. He knew that she thought this through. She always did. She was always one step ahead. And he f**cked everything up. Big time. He had to notice earlier how displeased she was. He had to do something about it. He was sure that he had been tackling this matter for the past two days when he was helping her to get what he though she wanted to please her. But he was mistaken. She yed him and she yed him well. Brayden sat back in his seat, still holding the doctor¡¯s note. He couldn¡¯t lose her. Not like that. Riannon was always his. He was not giving her up, not without a fight. He saw how everyone stared at him. He had never been humiliated this way before in his life of thought, ¡°Effective immediately. I already have the papers signed by Riannon Thorn. The signature of Brayden Thorn is not required anywhere except for the delivery of the decision slip.¡± ¡°Riannon Michaels now,¡± the woman who stole everyone¡¯s attention today corrected the king, ¡°I will use my maiden name from now on.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Gideon allowed himself to smile at her for the first time, ¡°Riannon Michaels, you are a free woman now. Congrattions.¡± She smiled at him too. It probably wasn¡¯t the end of their troubles. But it was a victory nheless. ¡°And since we just approved the neww which was effective immediately as well,¡± her lycan smirked, ¡°Riannon has the right to all the property,nds and funds that belonged to her and her family members prior to the marriage and to which Brayden Thorn received ess through their union.¡± ¡°Iobject,¡± the Alpha almost shouted, ¡°We merged our packs. We cannot separate them now after six years. People wouldn¡¯t want that!¡± ¡°Then we will ask them which pack they want to live in,¡± Ria said calmly, ¡°After you move out of my land. I will dly give people a choice.¡± ¡°They have homes on thatnd!¡± Bray breathed out sharply through his nostrils. His handsome face did not look that handsome anymore. ¡°And that is exactly why they would have a choice,¡± his now ex-Luna responded politely. ¡°And who would be the Alpha of your new pack?¡± he looked at her with a bitter smirk. ¡°The Pearl Moon is not a new pack. We existed decades prior to the Silver crescent,¡± even Riannon was slowly getting annoyed by his outburst. ¡°And as for your question, I would be the Alpha.¡± Another wave ofmotion rippled through the room. ¡°You must be kidding!¡± Brayden shook his head in disbelief. The werecat next to her snorted and mumbled something that was hard to decipher. ¡°Oh, no, I am dead serious,¡± Riannon responded to him onest time and turned away. ¡°All right,¡± Reid coughed a few times since the room was silent for too long, ¡°We have a few smaller matters to discuss. The budget for¡­¡± ¡°Excuse us!¡± Brayden stood up in one abrupt movement and yanked Riannon by one of A loud menacing growl that shattered the walls stopped them all from what they were doing. And even Brayden stood still, turning his head to re at the Lycan king who looked as if he was ready to transform and tear his head off. ¡°Take your hands off MY MATE!¡± Gideon snarled, standing up¡­ Chapter 49: Live Our Lives Chapter 49: Live Our Lives Brayden did not let her go. If anything, now he clenched her towards himself tighter in a useless hope that he had misheard the Lycan king right now. But when Gideon stood up and moved in their direction, he knew that he had lost. He had just lost everything. ¡°I don¡¯t like to repeat myself,¡± the lycan looked at him with a challenge in his eyes, ¡°You need to step away from my mate. Now.¡± The silence in the room was long and awkward but after a while Brayden unclenched his fingers and Riannon stepped away. Gideon did not waste any time and pulled her towards him. Rubbing her arm where her ex-husband was just holding her. ¡°Ria, did he hurt you?¡± he asked in a fake-sweet tone, and Riannon knew that if they did not want the bloodshed, she¡¯d better shake her head and deny everything. He waited for them to be together for too long and his patience had its limits too. ¡°No, I am fine,¡± she said and her mate brushed his palm over her beautiful face, enjoying the tingles that the touch created. He could stay this way forever, but a sound ofughter distracted him. It was cold and unnaturalughter on the verge of madness. ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Brayden rubbed his eyes and threw his head back, trying to calm down. Too many eyes were on him now and he needed to get the situation back in control. It was bad. He was losing his wife and at least half of his pack. No one would ever look at him in the same way again. No one would let him ever forget what happened here today. So, he had to act and he had to act fast. ¡°So, was this the n all along?¡± he scoffed, ¡°This is how the lycans now try to get ournds? You don¡¯t want war, so you are just going to marry daughters of Alphas and grab their packs in the process?¡± Neither Ria nor Gideon liked what he was implying now. And some of the alphas in the room became visibly more anxious. In the end, the territory was one thing they were all ready to fight for. Always. ¡°Can¡¯t you see what he¡¯s doing right now?¡± Brayden continued, ¡°He is using my wife to weaken me and to expand his Kingdom! I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s not even your mate, Riannon! Are you sure that this is not some kind of witchery? You two met before and neither of you seemed to be shouting that you were mates.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better shut up about it now,¡± Gideon growled, ¡°before you say something that Ria knew exactly what kind of game her now ex-husband was ying, so she ced her palm on the king¡¯s chest. The gesture immediately calmed him down. Their eyes met just for a ¡°It maye as a surprise to you,¡± she started speaking softly, but it was only pretence, ¡°but some people know how to control their wolves and their urges. It requires tremendous willpower that you clearly do not possess considering the situation we are in now, but it can still be done. We simply controlled ourselves and behaved like people and not animals. Out of respect for you and our marriage in the first ce. You should try that sometimes. And as for mynds, they will always remain mine. Gideon has enough of his own. He doesn¡¯t need to take anything from his woman other than love.¡± That was a low blow and she knew it. After all, their packs were merged through marriage. This was how Bray got to his current position that was now slipping away. But she was cutting the cord today. It had to be done. ¡°And as for proof of us being mates, not that we owe you anything,¡± she continued, ¡°I think the fact that the mark you gave me started disappearing when we met should be proof enough.¡± She moved the part of the white zer that she was wearing and demonstrated to him the now pale stains on her skin, where she used to have scars left by his canines. It was there before, only that he did not notice. He did not check. He did not pay attention. Brayden¡¯s face lost colour as his mouth parted slightly. His eyes were filled with pain now and for the first time, she felt sorry for doing this to him. But then she remembered how he sunk his canines into Roxy¡¯s neck right in front of her. Mere minutes after he denounced her as his Luna in front of the pack. It was unnecessary cruelness that she did not deserve after After months and months of struggle, she was finally free from that feeling that was eating her up from the inside. This was when she was going to leave quietly, knowing that there were ces where she would be epted. But it wasn¡¯t destined to be this way and she never managed to leave her pack. Maybe because it was her destiny to get it back after all. And fix everything that happened. Brayden¡¯s hand went to his neck instinctively where he tried to find the mark that she left on him. Two small scars were still there, palpable. He couldn¡¯tprehend what was going on. ¡°Yet here we are,¡± Riannon sighed, ¡°I did not want to do it like this. But it seems that you will cause trouble if I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Ri,¡± he tried to stop her, stretching his hand in her direction but Gideon growled as a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I, Riannon Michaels, reject you, Brayden Thorn as my chosen mate, my husband and my Alpha. Starting from today, there is no bond between the two of us.¡± The words left her mouth and she was afraid to feel the pain. But nothing happened. The lycan king looked at her with concern on his face but rxed when she gave him a little calm smile. Brayden, however, did not look too good. He was already pale prior to all that, but now he looked as if he was about to copse. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He kept standing, but it was obvious that he could feel their bond being broken.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How could you?¡± he stared at her now with pain in his eyes, ¡°We¡­ after so many years ¡°Go to your mate, Brayden,¡± was all that Riannon said to him, ¡°And leave me and my mate alone.¡± This wasn¡¯t how she nned to do it. But it was toote now since it was done. There was nothing between the two of them anymore. The room became silent. ¡°You know what,¡± Alpha Zack Morgan stood up, ¡°how about we take a little break and cool ourselves down a bit?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the werecat leader smirked at him, ying with her hair, ¡°I haven¡¯t been to a Summit this entertaining for a while!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll meet you back here in half an hour,¡± Gideon said, taking Riannon¡¯s hand and bumping Brayden¡¯s shoulder with his as they walked out. He pulled her behind him, not caring where they went and as soon as they made a turn, he immediately mmed her back over the wall and ced his hands on both sides of her. The lycan crashed his lips into hers, tasting them as if he had never done this before. His fingers dug into her hair, and she moaned softly when he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She missed him. Even more than she realised. ¡°If I don¡¯t take and mark you now, I will die,¡± he muttered as he peppered her neck with kisses, his canines grazing over her sensitive skin ce. And¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± he growled, pulling the belt of her zer, and sliding his hands underneath it to feel her exposed skin. She was wearing ace cropped top underneath and he couldn¡¯t appreciate it more. ¡°Gideon,¡± she let out a little nervousugh, ¡°The ce is packed with Alphas who can hear everything. My ex included. Don¡¯t prove him right and don¡¯t give him control over the narrative of our story. Don¡¯t make him a victim here.¡± He stopped, still breathing heavily into the column of her neck. ¡°We just imed that we can control ourselves,¡± she reminded him, ¡°We can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I get it,¡± he groaned and pulled away from her. However, a happy grin was stered all over his face. Her lips curled into a smile too. ¡°I am free,¡± she whispered, still afraid to say it out loud. ¡°No, you are not,¡± he grunted, ¡°You are mine.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Riannon nodded to that, ¡°I won¡¯t argue with that. I¡­¡± A confession almost left her lips but she stopped herself because this wasn¡¯t how she wanted to do it. ¡°Come on,¡± he told her, ¡°Maya is waiting outside. I bet you would love to break the news to her personally.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she gasped, ¡°You brought her here too?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Not that it was a choice. Your friend is¡­ let¡¯s call it stubborn.¡± ¡°That she is,¡± Ria agreed as he led her back to the foyer, while holding hands. They passed a few Lunas who were waiting for their husbands and she saw the looks of shock on their faces. A lot of people expected her divorce but no one expected this. When they were outside, Gideon called his driver and asked to bring Maya to the main entrance. But the car took too long to arrive and he decided to go check what was going on. ¡°Stay here,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back quick.¡± Riannon smiled to herself as she stood there, waiting for him. But soon she heard a familiar voice. ¡°How could you do this to me, Ri?¡± She turned to face her ex-husband and sighed. had its limits, ¡°You have your mate and I have mine. Let¡¯s live our lives.¡± ¡°You just destroyed my pack!¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°No,¡± she shook her head, ¡°I saved what I could.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± he furrowed his brows. She opened her mouth to respond to him when they both felt it. The change in the air as it got heated. And the deafening sound of an explosion. The ss walls of the hotel shattered to myriads of pieces that were flying their way. This was when the st wave reached them too. At thest moment, Brayden jumped in her direction and they both fell to the ground as he covered her with his body. It took just a second or two, but it felt like forever. The whole world fell into silence¡­ Chapter 50: The Aftermath. Chapter 50: The Aftermath. The silence was deadly and Gideon stood up, leaning over the car next to him. He looked around, trying toprehend what was going on, and realised that he was the only person standing. Right next to him, Reid and Maya were still confused, lying on the floor and trying to get up. Gradually, he started to hear the sounds of the car rms which had all been triggered by the explosion. Explosion! He missed a breath, looking at the shattered hotel in front of him and seeing pieces of ss that used to be its exterior everywhere. Gideon ran as fast as he could to where he had left her. His mate, his Riannon. The woman who was his whole life now. The woman he had just announced as his and then so carelessly left alone. He was back at the entrance in no time, but he couldn¡¯t see her in the clouds of dust and smoke. The fear seized him for the first time in his life. Primitive animalistic fear. He couldn¡¯t lose her like that. Not when all the obstacles were finally gone. Just then, he saw something white on the ground next to the entrance and recognised her tinum blonde hair as well. The relief washed over him. Riannon had her head pounding from the fall and the noise made her temporarily deaf. The first thing that she recognised was Brayden¡¯s scent. He was lying on top of her and breathing heavily. The hearing wasing back slowly as he rolled off her and then tried to help her get up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she heard her ex-husband through muffled noises. But she could only nod. ¡°Ria!¡± Gideon appeared out of nowhere and lifted her into his arms in less than a second, ¡°Oh, goddess! Thank goddess that you¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± she wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing herself a few moments of weakness. A few moments of being cuddled against his chest and breathing in his scent to calm down. A few moments of feeling safe. ¡°You are wee, you know,¡± Brayden said through clenched teeth, and Gideon red at him for daring to speak to them now. But then he noticed that the Alpha was bleeding heavily and realised that he had actually covered his mate during the explosion with his body. ¡°Put me down,¡± Riannon tapped his shoulder and turned to face her unexpected saviour, ¡° Thank you.¡± but he smiled painfully. ¡°Whatever happens, I will always protect you, Ri,¡± he stepped towards her, making Gideon growl, and then let out a little groan, turning his backs to them slowly and demonstrating several big pieces of ss stuck in his flesh. His suit jacket was soaking from the blood. The lycan king had to take himself under control. He hated that man, but he would hate it more if one of those ss shards was now in Riannon¡¯s face instead. He had responsibilities before his people. He had to go inside and check on them, see who was injured and who survived. Reid and Maya were running their way, the girl throwing herself in his mate¡¯s arms. His Beta and the king exchanged nces. They both knew what they had to do. ¡°GO,¡± Riannon told him, and he was relieved that she understood everything as well, ¡°I will help Brayden to get the ss out and join you.¡± ¡°No,¡± the king protested, ¡°Stay here.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure!¡± Maya snorted, rolling her eyes. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯ll be there helping the survivors as soon as we are done here,¡± his mate said calmly, ¡°There are people who need our help there and we are not sitting this one out.¡± ¡°Ria,¡± Gideon wanted to say something, but seeing the determination in her eyes, he gave up. The Moon Goddess sent him a Luna who wouldn¡¯t be hiding in a situation like that and would want to help their people. He had to learn to ept it, even if his instinct was to hide her from the cruel world around them. ¡°See you there,¡± he said and rushed inside. They couldn¡¯t waste any more time. Riannon traced him with her gaze and then returned to the back of her ex-husband, who was waiting patiently. She took off her belt and started using it for soaking blood as she removed piece after piece. Luckily, he was an Alpha and she could see that he was healing fast. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know you the way I do,¡± Brayden hissed as she got a big shard out of him,¡±No one does.¡± ¡°That¡¯s questionable,¡± she stated inly, keeping up her work, ¡°Sometimes I wonder if you knew me at all.¡± ¡°Of course, I did,¡± he sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ The mate bond, Ri. It¡¯s stronger than anything.¡± ¡°I can agree with that,¡± his ex-wife seemed preupied with what she was doing, ¡°I can¡± His whole body shuddered at the mention of the lycan king. ¡°But I would still choose to handle the matter differently,¡± Ria confessed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you two to live together, share me and be happy about it.¡± ¡°I was only thinking about you,¡± Brayden tried to turn his head to look at his now ex-Luna but Maya stepped in closer with a menacing expression on her face. ¡°Oh, look! I see one!¡± she dered and grabbed one of the bigger shards, twisting it in his flesh and only then getting it out, ¡°There. We are wasting a lot of time here!¡± The Alpha winced from pain but said nothing. ¡°There is only one thing that bothers me, Bray,¡± Riannon said when she was done with him, ¡°You talk so much about your mate and this bond of yours. But right now there was an explosion in the hotel we were all in and you are here, talking to me and not out there ¨C looking for her. How does that work?¡± His mouth parted slightly. As if he had remembered something important. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter,¡± he muttered, and ran inside of the hotel. Maya and Ria looked at each other and followed him. Inside of the foyer that was sparkling and shining just seconds ago was messy and dark, because now all of the lights were down. They could still see properly thanks to the werewolf vision though. And Riannon did not like what she was seeing. Disoriented people walking here and there, a familiar Alpha clenching his Luna in his arms while the woman did not seem to respond. And a few dead bodies¡­ It was a disaster. And someone nned it. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a woman dragging another woman from where the restaurant was located. She recognised the Alpha of the werecats, Ramina and went to help her. ¡°How are you?¡± she asked. ¡°What will happen to me? I am a cat,¡± the woman snorted, ¡°I have nine lives. Well, eight now. Six if I am honest. But I was lucky that your ex caused a scene and I went to check on my Luna. I didn¡¯t get there in time for the second explosion.¡± ¡°The second explosion?¡± Ria looked at the werecat in shock. ¡°Yes,¡± Ramina gritted through her teeth, ¡°Whoever did this, arranged one attack for the that couldn¡¯t be said about the Lunas.¡±. Riannon and Maya looked at each other and went inside the restaurant where, less than an hour ago, she was meeting with her friends. And they both gasped at the sight before their eyes¡­ Chapter 51: First Help Chapter 51: First Help The dust was settling down and they saw bodies scattered around the room. It was a terrible sight to see and Riannon gulped as she recognised her friends. It smelled of burnt bodies and blood. An internal scream was desperately trying to leave her body but she knew that this wasn¡¯t the time to sob or panic, so she turned to Maya, who was equally petrified. ¡°We check their pulses and get them out of here if they are alive. Assess injuries and decide if they need extra help before regeneration kicks in. Especially if their rank is below Gamma,¡± she instructed and her Beta nodded, ¡°We need to keep them alive until the medics arrive or until they can heal themselves.¡± It was easier for her now that she voiced her n. It was a task that she herself could concentrate on. They got to work. One by one they were checking the Lunas who were unconscious. Luckily, most of them had pulses still beating their rhythm. Yet some of them did not. Riannon closed the eyes of Luna Selena as a tear trickled down her cheek. Her mother¡¯s friend did not make it. She remembered how many times she visited The Pearl Moon pack back when she was still a child and her siblings were alive. It was a true loss¡­ she heard a noise right next to her and saw some movement under a pile of wood that was once a table. She recognised the red dress at once and rushed to help Luna Ada to get out. ¡°Hold on,¡± she mumbled as she was getting the pieces out of her way, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in just a sec.¡± Ada was covered in cuts and breathing heavily. However, Ria was positive that she was going to make it. Her frenemy was of Alpha blood and was supposed to heal quickly. She got her out and dragged her out of the room in hope that the healers were already there. They always had a few teams ready for each Summit. ¡°People are already looking for them,¡± Riannon told her as she ced her on a bench outside, ¡°I am sure he is fine.¡± ¡°Yourw¡­did you manage¡­¡± the woman had trouble finishing her sentences. ¡°Yes, we did it,¡± Ria tried to calm her down, smiling gently as she brushed the hair out of her face, ¡°It worked. Alphas went on a break, so most of them left the building. I am sure your husband is one of them.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the Luna in front of her nodded and waved her off, ¡°Go, help the rest.¡± alphas who were unharmed, who joined them, worked through the restaurant, getting out the injured. Now the foyer¡¯s floor was covered with bodies of the ones who died. The rest were taken outside. Luckily, some of the werewolves were regenerating fast and some were even able to join the search party. ¡°I think we are done in that part of the building,¡± her Beta told her, ¡°The upstairs was not damaged too badly but it would be best to evacuate people in case the building copses.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Riannon agreed, ¡°Can you arrange that?¡± ¡°On it,¡± Maya said and disappeared at once. This was why she would be the best second-inmand ever. She was a woman of action. Ria broke one of the vending machines that survived miraculously and got out all the She took a deep breath of air, throwing her head back. Too many thoughts were circling in her head. Ambnces started to arrive and she knew that they would take it from there. But just then she noticed a dark figure behind the cars. He was standing at a distance and it seemed as if he was looking at her and her only. A ck long coat, brown hair that touched his shoulders and stormy grey eyes. She clenched her fists and wanted to get to him and kill him. However, he was gone in less than a second and she did not know where he went. ¡®Everett definitely had something to do with it and now she was sure of it more than ever. But that also meant that Roxy had something to do with it as well. Her lips parted at the realisation. Of course! There was no point for Roxy to be here. Something told Riannon that Roxanne had read the documents she had prepared for sure and was supposed to know what she was nning. She was supposed to benefit from the divorce. So, whye when everything was going smoothly for her anyway? Unless she had apletely different purpose. Ria got her phone out and dialled Harmony¡¯s number. ¡°Yes,¡± her ex-sister-inw was not happy to hear her. As always. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Riannon decided to y nice for a start since she needed information,¡° ¡°Oh, Goddess! How are Bray and Roxy?¡± Harmony¡¯s intonation changed. She didn¡¯t inquire about her health, though. ¡°Bray is fine,¡± she frowned, ¡°We are still looking for Roxy. Tell me, what time did you bring her here?¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Why?¡± Harmony was as careless as ever. ¡°We are trying to build a timeline of events here. This is important,¡± Riannon lied. Partially. ¡°I think I dropped her off at about eleven,¡± the girl hesitated with her answer, ¡°Do you want me toe over?¡± ¡°No need,¡± the ex-Luna replied, ¡°Go back to the pack. It¡¯s safer that way.¡± She hung up, not waiting for a response. She already knew what she wanted to know. Roxy was here even before they arrived. Everyone knew that she was an Alpha¡¯s mate. After all, Brayden paraded her at the Alpha Ball. So that meant that she could wander freely in the hotel without being suspected of anything. Could she be the one to do it? Or was it just a coincidence? A moan not far from her stopped her train of thought and Riannon went to that person to see how she could help. However, the medics got there first and she decided to go inside and check what else she could do. Inside, the atmosphere was grim. People were crying over their dead beloved ones. She noticed a line of bodies at the other end of the foyer that wasn¡¯t there before and counted at least eight people. Just then, Gideon appeared with another man in his arms. Their eyes met and he carefully ced the Alpha, who was dead on the ground next to the others. A few seconds and they ran into each other¡¯s arms. The lycan king pressed his Luna hard into his chest, burying his face in her hair. ¡°I love you,¡± he said, and she flinched. Deep inside, she always knew it. He was not hiding his feelings from her from the very beginning. But it was the first time he said it out loud like that. ¡°Gideon,¡± she looked at him and he took her face into his hands. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he smiled sadly, ¡°This wasn¡¯t how I wanted to do it. You deserve so much better than this. But seeing how many people lost their mates today¡­ They will never be able die without letting you know how much you really mean to me. I decided that I need to tell you this now. And not waste any more of our time together. I love you, Riannon. More than anyone. More than anything. For me, there will never be another. Only you. You are my life. And I need you to know this.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± she wrapped her arms around his neck. She wanted to tell him so much more than that, but he couldn¡¯t wait any longer and his lips crashed into hers. The kiss was ragged and mad, with the two of them only taking breaks to take a sip of air. She felt so guilty to feel this happy during such a disaster, so when they heard another scream, they both forced themselves to stop. There was still too much work to be done here to be lost in each other now. ¡°Help!¡± they recognised Brayden¡¯s voice and saw him running with Roxy in his hands,¡° My mate is wounded!¡± ¡°I need to check on that,¡± Ria told Gideon. The redhead was her prime suspect now and needed to know as much as it was possible. She needed proof because she knew that simply pointing at the girl wouldn¡¯t be enough. Especially if it was her. She went to Brayden and pointed him to another empty bench while the medics were busy. ¡°Calm down,¡± she told him, checking the girl¡¯s pulse, ¡°She doesn¡¯t look too badpared to others. Where did you find her?¡± ¡°In one of the shops at the back,¡± her ex informed her, seemingly annoyed. ¡°Then it¡¯s good,¡± she muttered, ¡°It¡¯s far from the restaurant and the conference hall. You could even say that she is lucky.¡± ¡°Lucky is not the right word here, Ri,¡± Brayden snapped at her, ¡°She is an omega and for her it¡¯s not as easy as for the top-ranked wolves!¡± ¡°And yet she barely has a few scratches,¡± Ria pointed out, but he ignored her. His attention concentrated on his mate now. It was interesting how he went from forgetting about her to only caring about her so quickly. ¡°Anyway,¡± Riannon stood up, ¡°Good luck to the two of you. But I am sure she¡¯ll be fine.¡± She went back inside. After all, she already knew everything that she needed to know. It went on and on. And even after everyone who was alive got the help they needed; it did not end. As the Alphas stayed to discuss the next course of action. ¡°Hardly,¡± one of the Alphas shook his head, ¡°We have zero proof to me anyone at this point.¡± ¡°Because the foxes and the werebears not appearing at the Summit is not proof enough? ¡± Ramina snorted, folding her hands on her chest, ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°There are a few other alphas who did not arrive,¡± someone said, ¡°We can¡¯t cross them out this easily from the list of suspects.¡± ¡°We will check everyone,¡± Gideon said, not happy at all with how this was going. ¡°We need to return to our packs for now,¡± Alpha Caleb of the Jade Moon pack said, ¡°In case there will be any attacks. Whoever did this, wanted to weaken us before something major. ¡°True,¡± Riannon said, ¡°But their n didn¡¯t work that well.¡± ¡°Is that what you think?¡± one of the alphas growled at her, ¡°My mate just died! And so many of our colleagues!¡± Lycan King didn¡¯t start the Summit earlier than it was supposed to start. We would all be in that room. And no one who stayed there is alive now.¡± ¡°Or maybe this is exactly what the n was all along!¡± Brayden gritted through his teeth, ¡°Everything is going so smoothly for the mighty Lycan king! He wanted us to take part in his war and we were reluctant. But look at us now! Everything is pointing at the foxes and the werebears and, of course, any alpha would want to avenge Luna or their dead friends. And just how lucky is this that the king announced the break right before the bomb went off so that he and his precious new Luna could get out just in time?!¡± Chapter 52: Back To The Palace Chapter 52: Back To The Pce Riannon wanted to smack him. She knew very well what kind of game her ex was ying right now. And she knew that he was very good at it. He knew just what to tell the other alphas to make them concerned and to make them doubt. After all, he was one of them. And Gideon wasn¡¯t. This was his chance to get back into the game and he wanted to use it. However, what they were in now was bigger than him and his need to bounce back. So, she couldn¡¯t let him have his way this time. ¡°To throw usations like that, Alpha Brayden, you need hard proof¡± she said firmly, ¡°I suppose you have something to confirm your words. Otherwise, it¡¯s just nder and you will lose thest bits of respect for you that still remain.¡± Their eyes met and Bray knew better than to continue. It was different now that she wasn¡¯t on his side anymore. He used to count on her support in matters like this, knowing that she would find the right words. But not anymore. Now she was defending another. And it hurt. ¡°Let¡¯s not drag this. I think we just got lucky today,¡± Ramina, the Alpha of the werecats sighed, ¡°And let¡¯s be thankful for that. Right now, we need to gather our strength and mourn the ones that we lost.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that it was probably just one part of the n,¡± Gideon said calmly. Surprisingly, he seemed absolutely unaffected by the usations of his mate¡¯s ex,¡° My guess would be that phase one was to decapitate packs by killing the alphas and, in case that did not work, make alphas weaker by killing their Lunas. And that means that phase two is about to start and we need to be ready.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Zack Morgan nodded, ¡°We need to make sure our warriors are always ready to answer the call of our neighbours if there is such a need in the future. We united for a reason and right now it is time to prove that our alliance is worth something.¡± ¡°I will dispatch lycans to each pack that borders the foxes and the werebears just in case,¡± Gideon announced, ¡°They will help you train and also help you defend your territories in case of an attack.¡± ¡°That would be greatly appreciated,¡± an Alpha of one of the packs in question nodded and others agreed with him as well. ¡°As for the deceased Alphas,¡± the king went on, ¡°Right now their Betas will have to step in as leaders unless they have heirs of an appropriate age. New alphas should be appointed within this week. I am afraid it can¡¯t take any longer.¡± ¡°Then this is it for today,¡±Gideon announced. Everyone was too tired by now after everything they went through. ¡°We¡¯ll be in contact,¡± he said, and the leaders started to say their goodbyes. Brayden was among the first ones to leave and Riannon was able to breathe easily when he was gone from her sight. She knew that his pride would always stand in his way of epting the new order of things. And she didn¡¯t have the emotional strength to fight him today anymore. She was too exhausted. Her mate was still talking to a few alphas and she decided to go and get some air while she waited for him to be done. No one was asking for her opinion on things for now, since her pack was still in the making. Not that she wanted to share her thoughts before she discussed everything that was on her mind with Gideon. Outside, she saw her ex leading Roxy out of one of the ambnces. The omega stumbled on the way and dropped right into her mate¡¯s arms helplessly. Riannon rolled her eyes as she turned away from the sight and almost bumped into Ash¡¯s chest. For a few seconds, she and the Beta were just staring at each other. ¡°Is this true?¡± he asked, cing his palms into the pockets of his trousers. ¡°Depends on what you mean,¡± she couldn¡¯t read his facial expression and thus did not know what to expect from him. ¡°You have a mate,¡± Ash said in a broken voice, ¡°A real one this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± she nodded. There was no point in denying anything. Neither did she want ¡°The Lycan king, huh?¡± the Beta snorted. ¡°Trust me, I was as surprised as everybody else,¡± she gave him a weak smile. ¡°And you are noting back¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Ash,¡± she smirked, ¡°I am definitelying back for what is mine. Just not today.¡± She noticed a faint smile on his lips as he gave her a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± he said, and for a second there was silence between them. ¡°Ash, can I ask you something?¡± she decided to try her luck one more day today. ¡°Of course,¡± the man seemed to be relieved for some reason. As if he didn¡¯t know how to talk to her anymore and was happy for her to initiate the conversation. ¡°Were you with Roxy during the explosions?¡± she asked and he furrowed his eyebrows, getting at once why she was asking that. literally everywhere.¡± ¡°And what was she doing right before the explosion?¡± Riannon did not give up. ¡°Shopping,¡± he replied honestly, ¡°She¡­ liked that lingerie shop they had there. Then, when everything happened, she was right next to the ss window and it was broken from the impact. Roxy was thrown over the wall. I spent most of the time trying to bring her back to her consciousness right until Brayden came looking for her.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Riannon nodded. This wasn¡¯t much and didn¡¯t help her in her suspicions at all. Then again, it was more important what Roxanne was doing prior to the Summit. When no one even knew that she was there. ¡°Come on, Ash!¡± Brayden growled through the open window of his car, ¡°We need to get back to our pack.¡± For a second there their eyes met and she knew that he was about to say something to her. Probably something hurtful this time since he was obviously angry with how today went for him. So, she turned away before he had a chance to do so. She did not owe him anything anymore. ¡°See you around, Ash,¡± she said and walked away. Gideon, Ria, Maya and Reid drove home together. The lycan king had his hands wrapped around his mate while she rested her head on his chest. They were supposed to have their triumphant return home but the recent events did not let them indulge in their happiness. Too many people died and they both felt guilty for the happiness that they felt. It also did not escape Ria¡¯s gaze that her best friend and her mate were not even touching each other. Maya sat with one of her legs on top of another and her hands folded on her chest, looking everywhere but at Reid. At the same time, the lycan Beta was throwing nces at her from time to time, obviously eager for more contact. But he did not push her, giving her the space she needed. Riannon told them everything that happened today with Roxy, starting from the very beginning and they all listened carefully to her. ¡°I know it¡¯s not much,¡± she said when she was done, ¡°But I do feel that she is not that simple. Considering everything that she did in my previous life¡­¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Reid suddenly straightened his back, ¡°Previous life? Did I miss something?¡± ¡°Apparently a lot,¡± Maya snorted and again her friend wondered what was going on between her and her mate, taking a mental note that she would have to address thister. her. ¡°It¡¯s worth checking, my love,¡± he kissed her temple, ¡°Luckily, the video footage was saved in the cloud. So, we will be able to check everything that happened before the Summit.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ria looked at her mate, ¡°Then we will be able to find that Everett guy as well!¡± Every muscle in Gideon¡¯s body tensed. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± he growled. ¡°I saw him again today,¡± she confessed, ¡°Just a glimpse, but I saw him. Right after the explosions when we were getting people out. I am sure that the two are connected. Now more than ever.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s good that he appeared,¡± the Lycan king¡®s grip on her became tighter, ¡°It¡¯s best to know our enemies in the face.¡± When they arrived back at the lycan kingdom, it was already dark. Gideon and Reid had a few matters to deal with, so the girls went to their rooms first. Riannon decided not to bother Maya tonight since her friend already looked exhausted enough after the long day they had. She was also tired, but after a long and rxing shower her strength replenished and she was disappointed not to find Gideon in her bedroom. She was even more disappointed not to find him in his bedroom since it was the middle of the night. However, she had a pretty good idea of where she could find him. She threw a ck silk robe on top of the matching slip and went downstairs. All the way to the lycan king¡¯s office, where she found him staring at hisptop. Luckily, Reid was nowhere in sight. ¡°Is this how it is going to be, Your Majesty?¡± she mocked him with a soft smile on her lips as she closed the door behind herself. He lifted his eyes to look at her and his mouth parted slightly. He could look at her forever and still be stricken with her beauty every time. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he tilted his head to have a better look at her and liking what he saw, ¡°I just wanted to make sure that the footage was checked as soon as possible.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°And?¡± she got closer to his desk and his eyes lingered on her slender frame. ¡°Unfortunately, there is nothing to incriminate that omega,¡± he sighed, ¡°And as for that Everett guy, the cameras were not filming the side of the car park. This is probably why he was so bold and let you see him. It¡¯s another dead end.¡± ¡°Disappointing,¡± she sighed and circled the desk, cing one hand on his shoulder and another on the laptop, closing it, ¡°But this also means that you may be done for tonight. And His eyes shed golden as he took theptop and threw it into one of the drawers, immediately bringing her closer by her waist. ¡°The things you do to me,¡± he smirked and pulled the belt of her silky robe. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time for you to do things to me?¡± Riannon shrugged her shoulders and the robe fell all the way down to her feet, making her mate growl. She bent down to him,cing her fingers in his hair and kissed him greedily. Gideon¡¯s hands were roaming her thighs and as his fingers reached her most sensitive part, a snarl of approval rumbled through his chest as he found out that she didn¡¯t have any underwear on. With both his palms, he grasped her bottom and ced her on the desk before him, spreading her legs for him. Riannon was watching his every movement as he stood up, towering over her and started covering her body with kisses, making her slip fall down to her waist. ¡°I am definitely the Moon Goddess¡¯ favourite,¡± Gideon chuckled, kneading her breasts in his hands, ¡°How else can one exin me having you as my mate. The perfect woman.¡± ¡°Gideon!¡± she arched her back, needing more action from him now than what he was giving her and he happily obliged, sucking in one of her n***les and at the same time inserting two digits into her A moan tore off her lips as the pleasure started to build inside of her. In the meantime, the lycan¡¯s lips were travelling lower and lower her body, until she felt his hot breath on her bundle of nerves and then his canines grazing over it softly. And as soon as he started working on her with his tongue, she lost it, digging her nails in his shoulders and moaning his name. He curled his fingers inside masterfully, bringing her over the edge quickly. She panted as he stood up again to watch her as if she was a work of art. But Riannon was not nearly done, so she tugged on his belt, unbuckling it clumsily, since she was stilling back to her senses after her rel**se. His hardness sprung out of his pants and she stroked him a few times, teasing and making his eyes go darker. He grasped her thighs and yanked her closer towards him, pressing his head at her entrance and at the same time lifting her legs higher. ¡°You are ying dangerous games, little mate,¡± he taunted, and a nervousugh escaped her lips. ¡°I am feeling brave tonight,¡± Riannon smirked at him and Gideon lowered himself to capture her lips, at the same time entering her in one rough move which she enjoyed to the ¡°I love you so much,¡± he breathed into her mouth as he thrust into her and she scratched his back, tearing off his shirt in the process. ¡°I love you¡­ too,¡± she managed to confess in between his powerful thrusts, ¡°So¡­ much! ¡°Mine,¡± he growled out loud and lifted her up in the air, to which she immediately hugged his waist with her thighs tight. He pumped into her again and again, making her bounce on him while giving her back the support which she needed. Riannon screamed in pleasure as he was filling her perfectly, the tingles of their mate bond spreading over her body more than ever before. She felt Onyx howling inside as she cl**max at the same time as him and bit his shoulder from the intensity of the sensations. Gideon was holding her tight, his most important treasure. Slowly catching his breath, he sat back in his chair, cing her on top of him and pressing her to his chest. She leaned into him as if she belonged there and it was the most natural thing for them ever. His fingers were brushing her hair softly and, for the first time on this very hard and uneasy day, they both felt happy and at peace. Only to get none. ¡°Ria?¡± he caressed her cheek and realised that his mate had dozed off already. ¡°Should have done it while she was moaning,¡± Mars grunted, not happy at all with how the night turned out. ¡°She is ours now,¡± Gideon smiled as he covered her naked frame and lifted her up in his hands to take her to the bedroom, ¡°Day earlier, dayter ¨C it makes no difference anymore.¡± Riannon woke up alone in their bed, but there was no disappointment whatsoever, as she knew very well that her workaholic mate was probably already performing his royal duties. A white rose on his pillow and a sweet note only confirmed her thoughts. She did not want to waste any time either and after a quick clean up, dressed to impress and went downstairs. However, she paused at the doors of the dining room when she saw Maya standing there alone. She was clearly eavesdropping and this was so not like her friend. Her Beta noticed her at once and motioned for her to stay quiet, signalling for her to start listening too¡­ Chapter 53: Preparations Chapter 53: Preparations Riannon quietly got closer to her friend and concentrated on her hearing. Whatever it was, it seemed important to Maya and she never ignored her friend¡¯s requests. ¡°I am telling you, he will be over this mate business in less than a month!¡± some she-wolf snorted, ¡°It¡¯s Reid of all people! He will never be able to stay with just one woman!¡± Ria turned to look at Maya but the girl averted her gaze, clenching her lips tight. ¡°Unless she will be willing to take part in his orgies,¡± another girl chuckled, and a group of them burst outughing. ¡°And even then,¡± someone added, ¡°Reid likes to switch it up! If that girl thinks that she has any kind of future with him, she is delusional!¡± Riannon had enough and she really wanted to walk into the room and exin to those women to keep their mouths shut about matters that were none of their business. But her Beta grabbed her hand, shaking her head and motioning for her not to do that. The Luna sighed and pulled her friend into the next avable room, which looked like an empty study with a desk, a few chairs and a long bookshelf. She looked around, taking a mental note that this was the perfect ce for a queen¡¯s office. ¡°M, you can¡¯t let it bother you like this!¡± Riannon said as soon as she locked the door behind them, ¡°Those girls can talk but it doesn¡¯t mean anything!¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Maya shuddered slightly and went to sit in one of the chairs, ¡°I don¡¯t hear anyone saying things like that about Gideon. They are all very happy that he found you and no one has any doubts about his feelings towards you.¡± ¡°So?¡± Ria sat on the armrest and leaned over the back of the chair, ¡°The only opinion that should matter here is Reid¡¯s. What is going on between the two of you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±. The confession did note easy for the Beta female. ¡°It all started so hectic with what was happening to you. And then the king was angry with him. He had to work and I sat there alone, waiting and not being able to do anything. When we try to speak, it¡¯s awkward. And he hasn¡¯t made a single move on me. I don¡¯t know what to think, Ria. He doesn¡¯t seem to like me at all.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about all this too much,¡± the Luna chuckled, ¡°And from the wrong angle.¡± ¡°borate on that, please.¡± Maya shot her brow up and Riannon saw how hopeful her eyes were. She really needed this to work. ¡°Well,¡± she made a dramatic pause, ¡°Reid is a known yboy but he hasn¡¯t made a move like any other girl in his life because he respects you and wants more from you than just s*x. You were in a very difficult situation when you met each other and the way I see it, he is giving you space.¡± ¡°Or it is just your wishful thinking,¡± the Beta girl snorted bitterly, turning away, ¡°Tell me something,¡± Riannon continued, ¡°What happened yesterday during the explosion? What did Reid do?¡± ¡°He covered me with his body,¡± Maya smiled and bit her lower lip, ¡°But in all honesty, 1 think he would do this for anybody.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ria smirked, ¡°And what do you think of him as the Beta of this kingdom?¡± ¡°He is great,¡± the girl said at once, lifting up her knees to hug them, ¡°One of the best I have seen. Even better than Ash.¡± ¡°Then think of the fact that for you this amazing lycan Beta disobeyed his own king,¡± Riannon stood up, ¡°He had a task to stay by my side at all times. But the moment he saw you, he chose you over his king and future Luna. If that¡¯s not a huge signal of what you meant to him, then I don¡¯t know.¡± Maya stayed silent. She hadn¡¯t thought of that before. ¡°You see,¡± Ria brushed her hand softly over her friend¡¯s hair, ¡°From day one he saw you as the most important person to him. Maybe he doesn¡¯t know how to express it yet. But neither do you. In that sense, you are charmingly the same.¡± It was the truth. Maya wasn¡¯t big on dating either. She had flings but never anything serious. It was as new for her as it was for Reid. ¡°And what would you suggest for me to do?¡± she looked at her Alpha questioningly. ¡°I would suggest for you to im your man,¡± Riannon chuckled, ¡°So that no she-wolf here would have any ideas on his ount anymore. And so that he knew where you stand. After all, you are a Beta. And not some unconfident omega. Act like it, M.¡± She wanted to say something else but the door opened and they both saw Reid¡¯s head poking in. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting,¡± the lycan smiled awkwardly, ¡°Luna, Gideon is looking for you everywhere. He¡¯s in his office now.¡± ¡°Great,¡± she beamed, ¡°then I will leave the two of you alone. Maya wanted to talk to you about something.¡± Preparations him and hoping that the two would be able to figure everything out over time. However, all she wanted now was to see her own mate. She found him sitting by that same desk that they deflowered yesterday and she felt her cheeks flush from the sweet memories. ¡°Morning,¡± she smiled, and Gideon growled approvingly at the sight of his Luna. ¡°Come here,¡± he stood up and met her in the middle of the way, pressing her against himself and crashing his lips into hers. He left her warm body in his bed just a few hours ago but was already missing her as if he hadn¡¯t seen her for ages. ¡°Slept well?¡± he asked her with a smirk. ¡°Like a baby,¡± she replied, not getting his little hint. ¡°You know, Riannon, you are the first woman to fall asleep so fast after having s*x with me and I don¡¯t know where to take that as apliment or if I should be worried,¡± the lycan taunted her. ¡°You should be worried if you want topare notes to what was happening to all those other women in your bed,¡± she quirked her brow up at him and he cleared his throat nervously, realising his mistake. ¡°Anyway,¡± he lifted her into his arms effortlessly and went back to his chair, sitting in it and cing her in hisp, ¡°I have something for you.¡± ¨C ¡°Oh?¡± sheced her arms around his neck and watched him producing a folder from the depth of his desk, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just what you asked for, my love,¡± he said, ¡°I did the research on that omega.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Riannon grabbed the folder and opened it, greedily reading the few pages inside while her mate was caressing her bare arms and ying with her long blonde hair which she left loose today. ¡°It¡¯s not much as you can see,¡± Gideonmented when she was done, ¡°But everything inside is confirmed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than I ever had before,¡± she turned to kiss him, ¡°Thank you for that!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± he slowly brushed his palm over her cheek, ¡°I will do anything for you.¡± ¡°I will be going to my pack today,¡± she told him, ¡°I need to im mynd and make sure that the separation of the packs will go smoothly. It cannot be postponed.¡± ¡°No, Gideon, you have your own matters to attend to. The war is not going anywhere.¡± she reminded him, ¡°And I have to deal with it myself. Otherwise, they will never respect me as an Alpha.¡± ¡°I am just worried about your safety. That woman has killed you before and your ex¡­ How do I put it mildly¡­¡± ¡°¡­is an a**hole?¡± Ria giggled, finishing the sentence for him. ¡°Yes,¡± he pulled her closer and breathed in her scent, ¡°I don¡¯t trust any of them. And you still have no wolf. I guess I am just worried about your safety.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she assured him, ¡°The pack is full of my people. I am sure that they will follow me. And Maya will go with me too. And as for Onyx¡­ I felt her again yesterday. She is there.¡± ¡°I would be calmer if you could shift,¡± he said, and she felt a prick of pain deep inside. It was hard still not knowing what was happening to her wolf. He sensed that through their bond and ced a soft kiss on her shoulder.¡°I am sure she will get back,¡± he added, ¡°As soon as we are done with our current affairs, we will give all our attention to smoking her out of her sleep.¡± ¡°I take your word for it,¡± Riannon smiled, rxing in his arms, ¡°She only reacts to you anyway.¡± ¡°I am honoured,¡± the king chuckled, but then got serious again, ¡°However, I insist on you taking Reid with you as well as a few of my best warriors. Safety first, Riannon.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Gideon!¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°Ria,¡± he ced his finger on her lips to stop her from protesting more, ¡°Just do it for me. Otherwise, I would not be able to concentrate on my work today and will end uping with you anyway. You are a queen now and a few guards around you is a must.¡± ¡°I am not a queen yet technically,¡± she reminded him. ¡°You are my queen since the day Iid my eyes on you, my love,¡± he did not buy it and she decided that it was easier to let him win this battle. ¡°Fine!¡± she groaned and kissed him on the cheek, ¡°I will take them.¡± She stood up and took the folder with her, preparing to leave. ¡°Ria,¡± Gideon looked at her thoughtfully, ¡°When youe back we will also have to decide what to do next. How are we going to arrange our life with you being a queen and an Alpha.¡± last time, ¡°I am not going to refuse any of the titles. I want it all.¡± ¡°And all you shall have, my beautiful mate,¡± he made her a promise that he intended to keep. Riannon left his office in the best of moods and bumped into Reid and Maya in the hallway. The girl had swollen lips and the guy had a smug smile on his face, which told her that they finally were able to take that first step towards being true mates. It was something! She informed them briefly about what they agreed on with Gideon and Reid went to get the warriors to take with them. But to Ria¡¯s surprise, Savvy was the first to join them in the car as they were waiting, followed by Kyle. ¡°What?¡± the princess snorted, ¡°I am one of the best warriors in our pack and so is Kyle. And I am not missing the opportunity to see what all the fuss with your pack is about.¡± ¡°Actually, I am d that you¡¯ll be joining,¡± Riannon confessed, ¡°My brand is all about girl power and you will fit just fine.¡± ¡°See,¡± Savannah sneered, ¡°This is why I like you! I always wanted to have a sister just like you. And now I have two!¡± Soon the preparations werepleted and they drove all the way to The Silver River pack, discussing their course of action when they would arrive. However, when they reached the main territory, they were stopped at the main gates. ¨C ¡°What is going on?¡± Ria looked out of the window and the three guards looked at her apologetically. ¡°I am sorry, Luna,¡± one of the men practically stuttered, ¡°We have an order not to let you through¡­. Chapter 54: Regrets Chapter 54: Regrets Riannon frowned. She was expecting things not to go smoothly today, but for Brayden to obstruct her even entering the pack was too much. ¡°I don¡¯t think Alpha Brayden has a right to prohibit me from entering my own pack,¡± she looked the guards up and down. They were Brayden¡¯s warriors, so were supposed to be loyal to him. He actually thought something through for once. ¡°And also,¡± she continued, ¡°It¡¯s not the Luna, it¡¯s the Alpha now. Alpha Riannon Michaels.¡± The men nced at each other but did not move. She sighed heavily and opened the car door, stepping outside. Maya and Reid followed her, and so did the warriors who drove in another car. The whole group looked menacing. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± one of the guards said firmly, ¡°We just follow our Alpha¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Riannon smiled softly at them and produced the papers out of her folder,¡± Then you should know that your Alpha is currently trespassing mynds. His territory starts miles from here. And I have all the required paperwork to prove it. So, at the moment you are obstructing me from entering my own pack. And this could be taken as an act of war. Since you are clearly in the wrong here, I have the right to call other packs and the lycans to support me. And what will happen after that will be out of my control.¡± They stood there, gaping at her. And when one of the lycan warriors yed with the knuckles on his fists, making them click, they retreated. ¡°Apologies, Alpha Michaels,¡± one of them said, ¡°We were not aware.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she gave them a gracious smile as they opened the gates for her, ¡°Can¡¯t me you for a simple misunderstanding.¡± She asked the driver to drive slowly this time as she wanted everyone to be a witness to her arrival. So, when they parked in front of the main mansion and got out of the car gracefully, there was a crowd already. ¡°Ria!¡± her friends Tatiana and Aria got to her first, ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°You have no idea what is going on here!¡± they were both speaking at once. ¡°Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea,¡± she chuckled, happy that she could still count on the two she- wolves. She knew very well that loyal friends were priceless. ¡°Is that true?¡± Aria lowered her voice, ¡°Did you really divorce Brayden?¡± ¡°Can you me her?¡± Maya joined the group and Tatiana gave her a hug. They were all shattered by everything that was going on in the packtely and were happy to see her doing ¡°I guess not,¡± the bubbly blonde giggled, ¡°But is it true that you both are mated to lycans? ¡°Yes,¡± Riannon couldn¡¯t help but smile and pointed at Reid, ¡°Meet Maya¡¯s mate Reid Frazer, the Lycan King¡¯s Beta.¡± ¡°My, oh, my!¡± Tatianna jabbed her friend with her elbow, ¡°Lucky you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the time for all this,¡± Maya interrupted them, blushing probably for the first time in her life, ¡°Right now we have more pressing matters. Help us to gather the pack members. As many as possible.¡± ¡°Just give us a sec!¡± both girls nodded and disappeared in two different directions. In the meantime, Riannon took a deep breath and pushed the door into the house that had been her home for many years. Brayden was sitting in his office with a ss of whiskey in his hand. Everything felt wrong and he knew exactly when and how it started. ¡°My love,¡± his omega mate wrapped her arms around his shoulders, trying to massage them gently, ¡°You are doing everything right. You can¡¯t let her win after what she did to you. You are a good man and it¡¯s her mistake for not seeing you for who you are. She started it.¡± And yet he hesitated as his hand froze above hisptop¡¯s keyboard. One push of a button and Riannon would never have ess to their pack¡¯s money. ¡°Just do it,¡± Roxanne pushed him, ¡°And within a month the whole pack will be yours again. People wouldn¡¯t tolerate an ipetent Alpha. They will choose you over her. She will be left with just her land and no pack members.¡± But at least half of this money came from the merger of their packs and businesses. He knew very well that if he did this, it would be wrong on very many levels. And his ex-wife would be able to go to court and even win the case. But by then, her pack would be done. He frowned. They were his people once too. He knew that most of The Pearl Moon pack would follow Riannon. It was a given. Not to mention that they had their homes on hernd. And he did not want to harm them. They also helped to bring him to his former glory. His ex-wife was the only one he wanted to punish. For betraying him and for making a fool out of him in front of everyone. He wanted this even though he knew that she was in her right. He humiliated her first. And now he saw it. His omega mate was whispering something in great ended up being such a disappointment. He never wanted to make Roxanne a Luna. She wasn¡¯t fit for the role. She was sexy as hell but there was noparison between her and Riannon. Despite helping him back with Maya once, she couldn¡¯t offer him much. She couldn¡¯t lead their people in battle, considering how weak she was. She couldn¡¯t take care of pack matters since she didn¡¯t have the proper education. So far, she was just a pretty face.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. And this wasn¡¯t good enough. It was definitely a downgrade from what he used to have, and everyone would see it that way. He regretted bringing her into his pack. Now he was even thinking that he should have rejected her as everybody had been telling him to do. Then everything would have been different¡­ He still couldn¡¯t believe that Riannon was lost to him. Even if he managed to destroy her pack, she wouldn¡¯t be back. She would be the lycan queen. And his enemy forever. It hurt. Having her as his enemy was painful since she had been his best friend for many years. He shared everything with her and was sure that she would understand the need for his mate. But this was what broke them. He saw that now and he regretted it. If he had known¡­ If he had a chance to change the past, he would have. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn¡¯t in love with his mate the way he was with his ex-wife. However strange that sounded. He wanted Roxy 24/7, the pull was there and his wolf wanted her too. But she didn¡¯t feel like the other piece of his soul, she didn¡¯t feel his mind the way Riannon used to. He now knew that mates were overrated. Then again, he did not mark her. That could be it. They didn¡¯t have that connection yet. His hand instinctively went to the mark on his neck, the scars still protruding from his skin. When the lycan king mentioned the mark disappearing on Riannon¡¯s neck, he was in shock. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be possible. And yet here they were. He needed more time to figure out what was going on and how to bounce back from all this. But time was one thing that he did not have. ¡°You are hesitating,¡± Roxanne sighed and circled his chair, moving theptop away from him and sitting on the edge of his desk, ¡°I really did not want to do it this way, Brayden. I just wanted you to choose your own future and understand that your ex-wife is not worthy of you. But you are losing this battle to her, and I can¡¯t stay behind like this anymore. There is ¡°What is it?¡± he was slightly annoyed as he needed to think about everything. Preferably alone. But when she took his hand and ced it on her belly, his lips parted in shock. ¡°I am with child, Brayden,¡± the redhead smiled, ¡°With your child. Your heir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± he muttered, ¡°I only forgot myself once and¡­¡± ¡°Once is enough for true mates,¡± the girl bent down and ced a kiss on his lips, igniting his inner desire for her, ¡°This is what happens when you are with the right partner. I will give you a son, Alpha Brayden Thorn. He will be an Alpha among all alphas.¡± He caressed her belly, lost in his thoughts. There was a reason why he did not want to risk it with her. Since she was an omega, she could give him low-ranked pups. Which would be unforgivable. It would make him theughingstock amongst other alphas. Not to mention that it would jeopardize his pack¡¯s future. And he couldn¡¯t afford that. This was one of the reasons why Riannon was a perfect partner for him. With her alpha bloodline, she could guarantee alpha pups to her husband. He regretted once again that he didn¡¯t have children with her yet. That would have solved all their problems. The pups would be his and she would never leave him as a result. They would build their alpha empire together just as they dreamt when they were younger. But instead, they were both caught up in their work all the time and kept postponing it. This was one of his biggest mistakes. Now it would be next to impossible to get her back. She was with the Lycan king of all people. She was his mate... And even if she wasn¡¯t, it would be too hard topete with him. He had power and money. Money¡­ Brayden stared at the screen of hisptop. He needed it more now than Riannon did. This was the only way for him to remain powerful enough. ¡°Will you say something?¡± the omega pouted her lips, ¡°I know it¡¯s too early to tell, but I can feel that our baby is an Alpha! It¡¯s like the power has been circling through my bloodstream since I got pregnant.¡± This gave him hope. Maybe his mate could act as a Luna after all? She had already proved to him her scheming skills once. That mighte in handy in the future again. But if she managed to be a mother of an Alpha, then others would respect his choice too. This could be the way out that he needed. at the Summit and he owed her nothing anymore. He pressed the button and looked at the screen, rxing only when he saw a transaction confirmation message. It was done. ¡°I am so proud of you, Brayden,¡± Roxanne jumped onto hisp and this time he let her,¡± There is something else I need to tell you. Something about your ex-wife that I learnt recently. I think you are going to like this information.¡± He looked at her with a newfound interest. ¡°Do tell,¡± he encouraged her and she leaned all the way down to his ear, whispering what she knew and making his eyes go wide. But at the next moment they heard Riannon¡¯s voice in the nearby hallway, ¡°Honey! I am home!¡± Chapter 55: The Accusations Chapter 55: The usations She waited for him in the middle of the spacious hall and wasn¡¯t surprised at all when the redhead devil appeared right behind him, pping her longshes innocently. Brayden had a mixture of emotions on his face, and she knew at once that he wouldn¡¯t make it easy for her. Not that she was counting on it. ¡°Was it really necessary?¡± She arched her brow at him, but not a muscle flinched on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t me me after what you did at the Summit.¡± He told her and she tilted her head to look at him. Ash walked out of his office and a few other people were gathering around them as well. ¡°I had the right to do what I did, and I don¡¯t think anyone in their right mind can me me, ¡°Riannon shrugged. She knew that she had to choose her words carefully now, but she also wanted to be honest with herself. ¡°You tricked me,¡± he said finally. ¡°Let¡¯s agree to disagree,¡± she sighed, ¡°You had the project in your hands the whole time and it¡¯s not my fault that you didn¡¯t read it carefully. Or worse ¨C you read it but didn¡¯t understand the meaning.¡± ¡°Forgive me for trusting my wife,¡± he gritted through his teeth, ¡°You could have told me that you found your mate as well. Like I did. I was honest about it.¡± ¡°Should I have brought him to live with us as well?¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°Because my wolf needs it?¡± ¡°Does she now?¡± Brayden sneered and for the first time Riannon had a bad feeling about this. Especially when she saw ¡®Roxy smirking behind his back too. Something was up with the two of them and she did not like it. ¡°Anyway,¡± Ria decided to change the topic, ¡°There is no point in postponing the inevitable. You will need to leave mynd today. The papers have been processed.¡± ¡°And what about my people?¡± Brayden growled. ¡°Your people live on yournd,¡± she exined to him calmly, ¡°And whoever decides to stay here today, will be my people.¡± ¡°How do you see them leaving their houses?¡± the Alpha in front of her clenched his fists. ¡°This is exactly why they would have a choice. They can either stay with me or go with you. I am not going to force anyone. The same goes for people in your territories. If they want to join The Pearl Moon, we will find a ce for them.¡± then?¡± ¡°We meet in the garden, where we always discuss pack matters with the members. And we let them choose. Today.¡± She held his gaze, and he finally gave up. ¡°Okay,¡± he pointed at the door, ¡°Let¡¯s go then. After you. Ash, call pack members to the garden. We will let them vote for who they stay with today.¡± ¡°Most are already there,¡± Riannon informed him and he couldn¡¯t hide his annoyance at her taking the lead in this. ¡°Are you really sure you want to do this?¡± he asked her, ¡°We could still go back now. It¡¯s not toote. But it will bete after the vote.¡± ¡°I am sure, Brayden,¡± she nodded, ¡°I haven¡¯t been sure of anything so much in my life.¡± He frowned at her words, but she ignored it, turning on her heels. A crowd was already waiting for them outside, forming a circle around the white garden house. Riannon saw how worried people were and a little guilt washed over her for disturbing their lives and turning them upside down. But she had to think of a bigger picture here. Leaving those people to Roxanne would be worse. Every day Ria was sure more and more that the omega wasn¡¯t that simple. And that what happened to her in her previous life was just the tip of the iceberg. There was something menacing about the omega, who was now clinging to her ex-husband and whispering something in his ear. Besides, there was this undeniable connection to Everett. And possibly the explosions too. No, she was right about this. She had to do this. She had to protect as many of her people as she could. With her and Gideon, they would be safe. Brayden went straight for the centre of the circle, and she followed him to his dismay. However, there wasn¡¯t anything he could do about it. ¡°I guess you all are already aware why we gathered you here today!¡± the man started talking, ¡°Riannon and I got divorced yesterday. And as a result of that and the neww that was epted back at the Summit, we will be separating the two packs.¡± A wave of whispers rippled through the crowd. In spite of everything, not everyone knew what was going on and some were clearly shocked by the new developments. ¡°But why, Alpha?¡± someone shouted in the back and Brayden sighed heavily. ¡°Your Luna made that decision for the two of us,¡± he said, and Riannon had a hard time ¡°Too many things happened,¡± she decided to take the word to control the narrative from him, ¡°Both Brayden and I found our true mates and it became impossible to stay together. Not to mention that we see the future of our pack differently. ording to the neww, I can im back what was mine before our marriage. And that is exactly what I am going to do. All thends and assets that belonged to the Pearl Moon pack are now mine again. And today you will need to make a choice for yourselves ¨C whether you will stay with alpha Brayden or with me. We understand that it may cause some inconvenience for you, and we apologise. Whatever pack you choose, you will be well taken care of.¡± ¡°Just as me and my warriors took care of you for the past six years, nothing will change in the Silver River,¡± Brayden smirked, ¡°I will still be protecting you and we will keep the same course as always.¡± ¡°And as for me,¡± Riannon knew how to y that game very well, ¡°I actually see plenty of ces for improvement. Twant us to grow and not be stuck in the past. Other packs around us are changing for the better and evolving. And I think that so should we.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t evolve if you are not protected properly. We live in a cruel world.¡± Brayden snorted, trying to diminish her promises. ¡°The lycans will ensure the protection of The Pearl Moon if there will be such a need,¡± Reid interjected loudly and everyone looked at him, impressed that a lycan was present there,¡± We are sworn to protect our Luna and future queen. And we will defend her people as our own. ¡°And what will be the price for that?¡± the Alpha gritted his teeth, ¡°What will the mighty lycans want in return?¡± Riannon clenched her lips. It wasn¡¯t her ce to make any promises on behalf of lycans. At least, not yet. ¡°We don¡¯t charge for protecting our family,¡± Savanah stepped forward, ¡°And any family of Ria¡¯s is our family now. We will assist our Queen¡¯s own pack as if it¡¯s our own.¡± ¡°Now that we are done with that,¡± Riannon smiled at her future sister-inw, thankful for her help, ¡°How about we get to business? We will both be able to ensure our packs¡¯ safety one way or another. So, let¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± she heard the voice that she hated more than anything and saw Roxy stepping forward. ¡°This is not a Q&A,¡± Ria folded her hands on her chest, ¡°And this is not the time for ¡°Forgive me,¡± the omega said in a shaky but loud voice, making sure that everyone heard her, ¡°But this is important and I think that people have the right to know.¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Brayden raised his brow at his mate although it was obvious that the two of them were together on this, ¡°Speak, Roxanne.¡± ¡°Uhm,¡± the girl bit her lip as if she was perplexed about what to do, ¡°But can an Alpha really lead a pack if she doesn¡¯t have a wolf?¡± Riannon froze. This was her secret. And just a few people knew about it. She trusted each of them with her life. So, how on Earth did Roxy find out? Her eyes met with Maya¡¯s, who looked as shocked as she was. And when her gaze shifted to her brother, who stood on the opposite side of the circle, Riannon knew exactly what had happened. Dean lowered his head, also realising what he had done. But unfortunately, it was toote for regrets. ¡°That¡¯s unprecedented,¡± Brayden replied calmly, ¡°An alpha is a leader of the pack. He or she is supposed to be the strongest to lead the people. If an alpha doesn¡¯t have a wolf, it¡¯s impossible to lead the pack. Why do you ask that, Roxanne?¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± the girl mumbled, ¡°This is not my ce to speak about it. But I think this is an important information, considering that the pack is about to vote on who to stay with.¡± ¡°If you know something important, share it with us,¡± Bray encouraged her. ¡°Luna¡­ I mean Alpha Riannon does not have a wolf,¡± Roxy stuttered. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Aria snorted loudly, ¡°We have known Ria since childhood! She always had her wolf!¡± ¡°What is this usation? Ria was fighting along all of us many times!¡± Tatiana chimed in and the rest of the pack started buzzing as well. ¡°I saw her,¡± Roxanne spoke louder and more firmly, ¡°In the woods. She wasn¡¯t able to shift! She tried but it did not work!¡± ¡°Brayden,¡± Riannon turned to her ex-husband, ¡°I think you should exin to your mate that lying is bad. She couldn¡¯t have seen me in the woods and as for my wolf, Onyx proved herself to the pack many times.¡± ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t have any trouble shifting before us!¡± Roxy yelled, clenching her fists,¡° If your wolf is in ce, then it¡¯s not a problem for you. Right?¡± ¡°It is not a problem for me to shift,¡± Riannon lied, knowing that a lot depended on that ¡°You want to lead a pack,¡± Roxanne insisted. ¡°And you want to be a pack¡¯s Luna,¡± Ria interrupted her, ¡°So, how about you and your wolf? Will you care to demonstrate to us how you shift?¡± She actually liked this turn of events. Because she was sure as hell that Roxy wasn¡¯t an omega. Onyx would be back one day, she was still inside of her. But an opportunity like this to out the redhead demon could not present itself anymore. ¡°What?¡± Riannon smirked, ¡°Not so brave anymore? Shift for us now and I will do the same.¡± The fake omega didn¡¯t look so sure anymore. This clearly wasn¡¯t what she was counting ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she suddenly said with a newfound confidence, and ced her hands on her belly, ¡°I am expecting the Alpha¡¯s child.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ria felt a prickle of pain. Dull and not strong, but it was still there. She did not love Brayden. Not anymore. But it still was painful to know that he had already had a baby with his new Luna. However, she did not let it show. ¡°Congrattions,¡± she forced herself to smile naturally, ¡°However, I don¡¯t see how it may obstruct you from shifting.¡± ¡°I am an omega,¡± Roxy started forming tears in her eyes, ¡°Unfortunately, my body is very weak. And I don¡¯t want to hurt the child.¡± ¡°Bull!¡± Maya scoffed, ¡°You are not the only omega in the world, you know. All of them shift all the time without any repercussions. Pregnant or not.¡± People around them started to nod and Roxanne did not look so sure of herself anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy!¡± Maya added, ¡°You asked others to shift to prove something. Do us the honours!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Brayden growled and everyone became quiet. He went all the way to Roxy and took her under his arm as if protecting her, ¡°My mate will not be proving anything to anyone.¡± ¡°Then I will reserve the same right for myself,¡± Riannon said calmly, ¡°Especially considering that I have nothing to prove.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± he grunted, ¡°Let¡¯s just get it over with! knowing that she had just dodged a bullet but it wasn¡¯t the end of it. ¡°Members of the pack, plead your allegiance to your chosen Alpha. Please, choose wisely. ¡± She said loudly and breathed out. The moment that she had been fighting for was finally here¡­ Chapter 56: The Voting Chapter 56: The Voting Maya was the first one to leave the circle and join her Alpha¡¯s side. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°I plead allegiance to The Pearl Moon pack and Alpha Riannon Michaels!¡± she dered loudly. Tatiana and Aria were next, followed by many others. ¡°I plead allegiance to The Silver River pack and Alpha Brayden Thorn,¡± the elite warriors announced one by one. Almost all of them, yet not all. One by one, people were choosing their side and soon two groups were standing in front of each other. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) It was more or less the way she expected it. At the moment, her crowd was much bigger than her ex¡¯s, but that was a given, since they were on the land of her old pack. Not everyone was present here and she knew that it was only the beginning. However, Brayden was getting gloomier and gloomier with each person who did not choose him. It probably yed very differently in his head. He never lost anything in his life before and now it was starting to look like a pattern for him. ¡°Thank you for making your choice,¡± Riannon smiled when everything was over, looking at the people in front of her, ¡°I know this is not an easy situation. And I am still grateful for the years I spent as your Luna. Our ways part now, but you will always remain in my heart. And I want you to know that I will not hold this against you.¡± Brayden wanted to say something as well but changed his mind at thest moment. ¡°I think we are done here,¡± he announced dryly and then turned to his people, ¡°Pack your bags. We¡¯ll be leaving this ce today for the old Silver River packhouse.¡± The pack was bustling with people saying their goodbyes to each other. No matter what was happening, they spent years as one pack and the breakup was hard for all of them. Quite a few people were ring at Roxy, feeling like she was the one to me for everything that happened. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The fake omega was ying her usual part, looking at everyone with doe eyes and holding her belly that wasn¡¯t even protruding yet to evoke sympathy. Men and women wereing up to Riannon to say their goodbyes and words of respect even if they were leaving with Brayden. And she made sure to thank each of them, at the same time letting them know that her doors would always be open for them. It was a victory. And everyone knew it. Her new pack members were congratting her, happy to stay under her wing. Soon, however, the crowd dissipated, leaving just two small groups present. Brayden¡¯s and hers. ¡°I hope you are happy,¡± her ex said spitefully, ¡°We are no longer the strongest pack out ¡°Strength is not only about the size, Bray,¡± Riannon parried, ¡°I have to look at a bigger picture here. And the safety of my peoplees first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± he asked through clenched teeth. ¡°It means that you brought a wolf in sheepskin to our pack,¡± she turned to Maya and motioned for her to give her the folder that Gideon gave her, ¡°However funny that sounds.¡± ¡°How threatened are you by a simple omega?¡± he scoffed and she let out a sigh as she did not expect any better of him. ¡°I am not threatened at all,¡± Riannon rolled her eyes, ¡°I took precautions to protect my people. That¡¯s what a good Alpha should do. One thinks you should know that¡­ But speaking of her being a simple omega, what really do you know about her? Did you even bother checking her past before you brought her here?¡± ¡°Of course, I did,¡± he said, ¡°I talked to her previous Alpha.¡± ¡°The one who abused her?¡± she chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s some source of information!¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t lie to me,¡± Brayden got annoyed by her insinuations, ¡°He knows that I would kill him.¡± ¡°Funny you should say that,¡± she pushed the folder into his hands, ¡°But he is already dead. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Didn¡¯t you notice that he wasn¡¯t present at the Summit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very sad and all, but I don¡¯t see the connection,¡± Bray took the folder and opened it, running his eyes over the papers inside. ¡°A mighty Alpha was killed on a simple patrol of his own pack just two days after you happened to find your poor mate in his pack. Sure, that¡¯s not suspicious at all.¡± Riannon shook her head, ¡°Neither is the fact that most pack members say that she appeared in their pack just three months prior to that lifechanging event of yours. And no one except for the deceased Alpha knew where she came from.¡± She could see how dumbfounded he became while reading the information she gave him. But she also knew that he was a stubborn man, so she wasn¡¯t surprised when he closed the folder angrily. ¡°This doesn¡¯t prove anything!¡± He said and Roxy smirked behind his back, ¡°You are just angry at my mate for everything that happened.¡± ¡°am just stating the facts.¡± Riannon replied calmly, ¡°What you do with this information is up to you. She is your problem now. Not mine. But if I were you, I would at least ask her to ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her!¡± Harper appeared out of nowhere and gave Roxy a protective hug,¡° She is just jealous that the two of you are happy together and are about to have a child! She couldn¡¯t give you one for so many years!¡± ¡°And thank Goddess for that!¡± Ria couldn¡¯t hold back a snort. ¡°You see, this is your mistake here,¡± her ex-sister-inw went on, ¡°You think you are so much better than everyone else! Always the perfect Luna! Always loved by everyone! Now the joke is on you! This is the first time when something doesn¡¯t go the way you want it, and you just can¡¯t handle it!¡± ¡°What are you even talking about, Harper?¡± Riannon rubbed her forehead, already tired of the scene, ¡°You sure never gave me any love. Almost from the very beginning and I still don¡¯t know how and why I earned all the hatred from you. And as for the rest, nothing came to me easily. I worked for everything that I have. But this is something you always choose to ignore. You notice when someone praises me or when I win something, but you never notice the work that was done before that. And this is your problem. Recognition is not given for nothing, Harper. You have to work for it. Not that you would know what work is. You haven¡¯t worked a day in your life, have you? So, what do you expect?! Instead of obsessing over me and trying to bring me down at every opportunity you have, try improving yourself and your life. And maybe then you will finally be happy and stop being so bitter.¡± Harper stared at her, gaping. But then she furrowed her brows and raised her hand, clearly intending to p Riannon. She knew that Brayden wouldn¡¯t stop her now. However, her hand never reached Ria¡¯s face as someone else caught it when it was inches away. ¡°Ash?!¡± Harper looked at the Beta in shock, ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± ¡°Saving you the embarrassment,¡± the man replied, still not letting go of her as she tried to get her wrist back angrily. ¡°She deserves it!¡± the girl hissed, her pretty face distorted by the ugly emotions. ¡°Let her go, Ash,¡± Brayden ordered, ¡°Riannon is not your Luna anymore. You don¡¯t have to protect her.¡± ¡°She is not my Luna, that¡¯s true,¡± Ash sighed heavily and looked at his best friend since childhood, ¡°She is my Alpha, Bray. I plead allegiance to Alpha Riannon Michaels of the Pearl Moon pack.¡± Ria¡¯s lips parted in surprise. She didn¡¯t see Ash making his choice and she just assumed happy that her friend decided to join her side after all. ¡°You are not serious!¡± Brayden growled in annoyance. Everything was crumbling under him today and coping with it was getting harder and harder. ¡°I am,¡± the Beta replied, letting go of the girl¡¯s hand, ¡°I am sorry, man. But you lost your way. I cannot support you anymore.¡± ¡°Ash, no!¡± Harper looked at him pleadingly, cing both her palms on his chest, ¡°You can¡¯t leave us! You can¡¯t leave¡­ me.¡± Ria covered her mouth with her hand, realising that there was more to the story. Looking at the two of them now it was clear that Harper had feelings for the Beta. ¡°I am sorry,¡± the man replied emotionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s for the best.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± the girl now had tears in her eyes and Riannon even felt sorry for her, ¡°You and I ¡°There is no you and I, Harper,¡± Ash took her hands off him, ¡°I told you that many times. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)I cannot give you what you want.¡± ¡°But she can?!¡± the girl didn¡¯t even care anymore that people were listening to their conversation. She pointed her finger at Riannon and thetter run her hand through her hair in frustration. How did she even get in the middle of all this drama? ¡°Bray, did you know that your own Beta was eyeing your Luna this whole time?!I bet they even slept together behind your back¡­¡± The sound of a p made everyone gasp. And Ria scratched her hand, while Harper was gaping at her with a red cheek. ¡°Would you calm down?¡± the Alpha female quirked her brow up, ¡°Stop your hysteria and stop using me of things you have no idea about! Ash is my friend! And he will always be my friend.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister!¡± Brayden finally woke up from his shock, growling, ¡°You have no right¡­ ¡°No, Brayden,¡± she stopped him, ¡°I have a right to defend my honour. And as for you three, I think you overstayed your wee. You¡¯d better leave. None of you is handling it well and it¡¯s getting embarrassing for all of us.¡± ¡°Apologies, Riannon,¡± Bray gritted through his teeth, ¡°Betrayal hurts.¡± ¡°I know it does, Brayden,¡± she looked him up and down, ¡°You made me familiar with the ¡°Let¡¯s go, Harper,¡± the Alpha tore his sister, who was now crying silently from his ex-Beta, giving him a re full of hate, ¡°We have nothing to do here anymore.¡± They started walking away and only Roxanne hesitated slightly, staying for a few seconds longer. A sly smile spread over her face as she bent towards Ria and whispered into her ear, ¡°This is far from over.¡± ¡°Oh, I know,¡± Riannon sneered at her enemy, ¡°I am just starting with you. And, by the way, tell your friend Everett that if he wants to tell me something, he should just do it. Staring at me from the other side of the street is just creepy.¡± Her words hit the goal again as the eyes of the fake omega shone red momentarily. However, she supressed it quickly this time and fluttered hershes innocently again, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t,¡± Ria chuckled and waved her off with her hand, turning away to face Ash. ¡°You and Harper, huh?¡± she raised her brow at the man when the omega caught up with her mate. ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be anything serious. I got drunk twice and this is the result.¡± The man confessed, ¡°It¡¯s just that she saw it all wrong and¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin to me anything,¡± she interrupted him, ¡°Your personal life is just yours. But if I were you, I would speak to her againter.¡± ¡°I will,¡± he promised, ¡°Not that Brayden will ever let me go near her again. But I will call her and rify everything when the dust settles.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ria smiled at her friend and squeezed his arm in a sign of support, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡±I am happy that you stayed with me, Ash.¡± ¡°I will always be by your side,¡± he smiled back and she could tell that he was sincere this time. ¡°Just don¡¯t count on being the Beta anymore,¡± Maya and Reid joined them, ¡°That position is taken.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Ash groaned, ¡°But will you at least have me as your Gamma?¡± ¡°dly,¡± Riannon agreed, ¡°Wee to the team.¡± ¡°Now that we are done with that,¡± Maya smirked, ¡°Excuse me, I need to go and find my moron of a younger brother. He disappeared right before I could kick his a.ss for being friends There were too many matters to deal with at the pack. The members of The Silver River left the territory when it was already getting dark and a lot of new arrangements had to be put in ce to maintain safety for everyone. Riannon sat in her office, exhausted and knowing that she was far from done there. The lycans were helping Maya on patrol and to search for Dean, who was still nowhere to be found. She knew that he was aware of what he had done and probably felt guilty about the whole thing. Dean was like a little brother to her and she hoped that they would find him soon. After all, he dered his loyalty to her and The Pearl Moon. The phone rang and she smiled, seeing Gideon¡¯s face on the disy. She took that one photo of him when he was sleeping and just the memory of it made her heart skip a beat. ¡°How is it going?¡± he asked in that husky voice of his. ¡°Just as I expected,¡± she admitted, ¡°But I don¡¯t think that I will be able to get back to your kingdom today.¡± ¡°Not a problem,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I wille to you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she almost jumped in her seat with excitement. ¡°Yes, Ria, really,¡± he teased her, ¡°I am not spending a single night in my life without you anymore. I am done for today and I want to see my Luna.¡± ¡°I love you so much,¡± she confessed and heard him chuckling at the other end of the line. ¡°I know you do,¡± Gideon said, sounding smug, ¡°I love you too. And I can¡¯t wait to hear everything about today.¡± ¡°Oh, I have a lot to tell!¡± she giggled, ¡°Come faster.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there as fast as I can. See you soon, Riannon.¡± The Lycan king said and hung up. Riannon rxed her back into the chair and closed her eyes just for a few second, when her phone rang again. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)She answered without looking, thinking that it was Gideon again, ready to tell her something sweet the way he always did. ¡°Did you forget something?¡± she smiled, but that smile faded when she heard Roxy¡¯s voice. ¡°If you want to see Dean alive, you wille to meet me in one hour at the forest tree house where you guys used to y as children. Alone.¡± The fake omega didn¡¯t sound her usual sweet self, ¡°Bring someone with you and the boy is dead. It¡¯s time for us to talk, Riannon.¡± Chapter 57: The Trap Chapter 57: The Trap Riannon stared at her phone, feeling that she was getting sick. What was she to do? Dean was like a little brother to her and even in spite of him failing her numerous times, she did not want him dead. Knowing that Dean¡¯s wolf was chocte brown in colour, she sometimes wondered if it was possible that he was the wolf that Roxy manipted to kill her in her past life. She did not like to think about it, but from time to time her mind still went there. And considering all this, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this now was a trap. Well, it was definitely a trap. But what if Dean was in it and didn¡¯t need any saving in the first ce? However, she put this idea aside fast. Everything was different now. Even if it was Dean in the past, it was only because he used to be broken by his sister¡¯s death and ming her for it thanks to Roxy. This time, none of this happened and he had no reason to do something like that. He didn¡¯t hate her enough to kill her. And that meant that right now he was probably a victim. That brought her to that next part. If she went there alone, she wouldn¡¯t be able to help him much. Not without her wolf. She knew Roxy too well to think that she would let a witness like Dean go. Her aim was probably to kill them both today. After all, they were the only two people who knew that she was full of crap. She tried calling out to Onyx but her wolf remained silent, angering her for the first time. It would all be so much easier if she was at her full strength now. Then again, it was one of the reasons why Roxy got so bold with her. She knew for a fact that Riannon was wolfless and wanted to use that while itsted. That meant that she needed a different n. She still didn¡¯t know the extent to which Roxanne was informed about events in her pack. Some of the people who pleaded their loyalty to her today could have been spies for all she knew. There were a few surprises there. The people who were supposed to stay with Brayden ording to her calctions, chose her for some reason. So, whatever she had to do now, she had to do it quietly. ¡°Ash, Maya,¡± she mind-linked her Beta and Gamma, ¡°Act natural right now. We have a situation. Roxanne just contacted me. She has Dean.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Ash asked her, sounding a bit startled. ¡°She is threatening to kill him,¡± Riannon exined quickly, ¡°And it¡¯s not a false rm.¡± ¡°That b*tch!¡± Maya growled, ¡°I am going to rip her throat out personally for this!¡± us and everything depends on it now.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Ash went into a professional mode very quickly. ¡°She wants me toe alone to the forest tree house where we yed as children,¡± Ria told them, ¡°I guess Dean showed her that ce. Maybe this is where they used to see each other.¡± ¡°They what?!¡± Maya coughed. ¡°Not now, M,¡± she begged her friend, ¡°All this is not important now. As I have already said, she wants me toe alone. And I think that I am her main aim. But I believe that she doesn¡¯t need Dean alive either. So, we need to work carefully here. What I want you to do, is to pretend to keep looking for him. But at the appointed time, you should be not far from me and wait for my signal. Ash, I want you to pick a few best warriors that we have. But not Brayden¡¯s people. We can¡¯t trust those for now. And Maya, tell Reid everything and make him lead the lycans. They will be our best bet right now.¡± ¡°It will be done,¡± her Beta gritted through her teeth. ¡°I will arrange everything,¡± Ash said, ¡°But you should be careful. I know that you are strong but you don¡¯t know if she will have any help.¡± ¡°She will for sure,¡± Riannon admitted, ¡°And it is probably a good moment to tell you that I am not that strong at the moment. Her usation of me being wolfless was true, Ash. Onyx does not respond to me. I can¡¯t shift.¡± ¡°What?!¡± now he sounded like he was losing it, ¡°Then you absolutely cannot go there! This is suicide!¡± ¡°I can and I will,¡± Ria stopped him, not wishing to waste any more time, ¡°I am still an Alpha and this is my decision. I will y for time and try to rescue Dean. And you will help me.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Ash wanted to retort. ¡°Not buts,¡± she put an end to this authoritatively, ¡°Right now I need my Gamma and my Beta doing exactly as I say. You both know what to do. Don¡¯t fail me.¡± She switched off the mind-link and sighed, closing her eyes just for a moment. What she was about to do was risky. And reckless. Gideon would probably be so angry with her if he knew. But he was still far from here and she needed to act fast. Something shifted inside of her and she opened her eyes with determination. She wasn¡¯t going to be a coward. And she was going to try and save her friend. Not to mention, that it Slowly, she walked out of the packhouse, trying to act natural. She was wearing a tight-fitting pair of jeans and a ck chiffon blouse, paired withfortable ck chelsea boots. Most people were too busy with the new arrangements right now to pay her proper attention, so no one asked why their Alpha went into the forest alone. She started running, to be able to reach the tree house on time. After all, Roxanne only gave her one hour. But as she got close, she slowed down, trying to scan the area around her. Everything looked so quiet. Too quiet. So when she stepped on a twig on purpose, it seemed like the loudest sound ever. ¡°Onyx,¡± she called out to her wolf, ¡°You said that you woulde back to me soon. No pressure, but now would be a great time to do this!¡± Another broken twig and she turned to the sound to see a tall and bulky man sneering at her. She sensed another one on her right and then one more right behind her. The fourth one walked out of the tree house and smirked, looking down at her from its height. ¡°The famous Luna Riannon Thorn!¡± he grinned at her and she instantly knew that he was the leader of this little group, ¡°Nice to finally meet you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Alpha now,¡± she tried ying for time and not looking intimidated, ¡°Alpha Riannon Michaels.¡± ¡°You will probably be the shortest ruling Alpha of all time,¡± one of the men snorted,ing closer to her, ¡°Not evensted a day in your position.¡± ¡°Well, the day is not over yet, is it?¡± she tilted her head while looking at him and folding her hands on her chest, ¡°And also, I already made it longer than the shortest ruling Alpha in history as of now. Alpha Jeremy Vines ruled for twelve minutes before he was killed by his own brother. So¡­¡± ¡°Such a brave and clever little birdie,¡± the leader said with some kind of regret in his voice, ¡°It would be a shame to kill you.¡± ¡°Oh, is that what this is about?¡± she shot her brow up at him as her lips curled slightly,¡± And I thought this Everett/Axel guy who was caught by us recently promised not to kill me. If anything, he said that we would talk very soon. Is that all cancelled now?¡± The four men started looking at each other questioningly, clearly knowing who she was talking about but not knowing what to do with this information. And she knew that she yed her cards well, winning the precious time. ,¡± she informed her people via the mindlink, ¡°I still do not see Dean. And there might be more of them nearby.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± her Gamma and Beta responded almost in unison, but she couldn¡¯t help but notice that Maya sounded agitated. ¡°What would he want with you?¡± the leader asked her impatiently. Whoever Everett was, he was important enough to make them all nervous. ¡°How would I know,¡± she shrugged her shoulders, ¡°He promised to tell me more when we meet next. I am as blissfully unaware as you are. But one thing for sure, it did seem important because he has been seeking me out twice already.¡± ¡°What do we do with her now?¡± one of the men asked the leader, and thetter remained silent. ¡°Killing her might not be the best idea if this is the case,¡± another one added and she smirked at them. Her n was working. ¡°What are you idiots doing?!¡± she heard a familiar voice that she hated so much and saw Roxanne walking out of one of the bushes, ¡°She is just ying with you! Castiel doesn¡¯t care about her! Just kill her already!¡± Chapter 58: The Awakening Chapter 58: TheAwakening The men hesitated even despite the order that they had received. And now Ria knew that even though Roxanne was important and probably held a high rank, she wasn¡¯t their leader. But Castiel was. And he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Do I have to repeat myself,¡± Roxy was getting visibly furious, ¡°Castiel doesn¡¯t care about her. Just kill her and let¡¯s be done with it!¡± ¡°Is this what this is about?¡± Riannon decided to taunt the redhead more, ¡°I mentioned him to you today and you couldn¡¯t handle it?¡± The men exchanged nces at her words, and she knew that she hit the goal and made them doubt why they were there in the first ce. This, whatever it was, was not nned. ¡°Shut up!¡± Roxy growled and her eyes glowed red for a few seconds, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much of yourself! He would never be interested in someone as dull as you.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have anything to worry about,¡± Riannon smirked, ¡°Either way, there is an easy way to check whether he cares or not. You can simply call him and ask. Right?¡± It was a gamble, of course. For all she knew, she could have misread Castiel¡¯s intentions thest two times they met, and he wanted her as dead as Roxy did. But on the other hand, all she needed now was time for the lycans toe closer discreetly. The expressions of the four men were tense and when one of them got out his phone, she knew that it was a little victory of hers. Her eyes locked with Roxanne¡¯s, and she could see her snarling. ¡°Hey, Cass,¡± the leader of the group managed to connect very quickly, ¡°Sorry to bother you. We have a situation here. We have that Luna¡­ Well, she is actually the Alpha now. Yes, that¡¯s the one. Roxy said¡­ Oh. Okay. Understood. She is already here¡­ Got it.¡± He switched off the phone and red at the redhead who was standing not far from him and clearly not happy with how everything was turning out. ¡°Looks like we have a change of ns,¡± he announced to his aplices, ¡°And Alpha Riannon will have to make a little trip with us.¡± Now this was better. This she could work with. Everything was so much easier now that they obviously had an order not to kill her. It gave her more freedom of action. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she chuckled, ¡°I am afraid I am busy tonight.¡± ¡°Rick,¡± Roxanne turned to the leader of the group, ¡°You owe me one. I want to collect now, and I want this woman dead!¡± want any trouble with Castiel, and his orders were clear on her ount. He wants us to bring her to him. So, finish off the boy and let¡¯s get going.¡± The man looked in the direction of the tree house and Riannon just knew that this was where they kept Dean. ¡°Guys! Now!¡± shemanded Ash and Maya via the mindlink and charged for the house in the hope of reaching Dean first. He was of Beta blood and could fight with her until help arrived. One of the men tried to stop her, but she twisted a bit and forced herself to escape his grasp. However, she lost her speed due to that manoeuvre and the next guy managed to capture her by her waist, laughing along the way as if it was some kind of sick game. ¡°Nice try!¡± he said, ¡°But even if you managed that, you wouldn¡¯t go far. You didn¡¯t seriously think that we would wander into the enemy¡¯s territory with just the four of us.¡± He didn¡¯t even finish speaking when she saw glowing eyes in the darkness of the woods. One pair, two, three¡­ and then dozens. She was wrong in her calctions. How didn¡¯t she sense any of them?! ¡°Ash, Maya, abort!¡± she tried to stop her Beta and Gamma, ¡°There are too many of them! Don¡¯te here without¡­¡± Now it wasn¡¯t only about saving Dean. It was also about not killing the rest of her friends. Even with the lycans they had, it wouldn¡¯t be a fair fight. ¡°We are not leaving you and Dean!¡± Maya growled, speeding up as she spoke. In the meantime, the glowing eyes were getting closer and Riannon was finally able to make out the creatures they belonged to. Red and brown fur. Foxes¡­ and bears. They were slowly getting closer, taking their time because they were sure that they already had their prey. She swallowed, thinking hectically. Roxanne was working with them. She was one of them. Why didn¡¯t she ever think about this before? They knew for a while who their enemy was. This made so much sense now. ¡°Riannon!¡± she heard Roxy¡¯s voice, which broke her train of thought. Their eyes met and Ria gasped, when she saw the fake omega already standing on the little tform of the tree escape her how beaten the boy looked. He was barely standing. ¡°Release the pup at least,¡± she tried to sound as if it didn¡¯t matter much to her. Because she knew that Roxy would only kill him faster if she knew she cared. ¡°What for?¡± the girl giggled menacingly and tilted her head, ¡°He is a witness that I no longer need. He served his purpose. And now I am done with him!¡± With that, she shed her ws across his neck, making Riannon scream in horror. She tried to get out of the man¡¯s grasp, but he only increased the pressure on her. He was stronger now that she was without her wolf. Riannon¡¯s eyes met with Dean¡¯s as blood was gushing out of his throat and there was so much regret in them. It was as if he was asking for forgiveness for his past mistakes. Tears were burning in her eyes. Angry tears. Riannon was angry at being powerless. She had enough of this. She turned back in time to fix things, to save people who were dear to her. And yet she was losing family again. Because that¡¯s what Dean was to her ¨C family. ¡°You are probably wondering why he isn¡¯t healing?¡± Roxy snorted loudly, ¡°And the answer to this is aconite.¡± This was like a cold shower for her. Aconite. They drugged Dean with aconite so that he couldn¡¯t heal. Just like Roxanne did to her in her past life. She remembered the feeling of helplessness, of how her hands and legs couldn¡¯t move properly and how scared she was. This wasn¡¯t the death that she wished for Dean. She didn¡¯t wish for him to die at all. At that moment, wolves jumped out from behind her, and she recognised Maya¡¯s loud howl. Bears and foxes charged at them, and a battle began. Growls and snarls filled the air, and red blood sttered over the grass as each of them was fighting for their life now.. However, she could clearly see that the powers were uneven. They were not ready for an attack today, since Brayden took almost all of the warriors away. The lycans were very helpful since their wolves were much bigger, but their small group struggled with the quantity of their opponents, which seemed to only increase every minute. The man who was holding her, started to drag her away. Riannon was struggling as much as she could in her position, but it was all useless. at him, knocking them both to the ground. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Riannon recognised Ash and before she managed to say or do anything, he was already ripping her captor to pieces. She stood up and ran in the direction of the tree house, where Roxanne was still holding Dean and watching the battle. As soon as she noticed her, a smirk spread over her face, and she threw the young man at her from height. Ria tried to catch him and fell together with him to the ground. ¡°Dean!¡± she tried to cover his neck and stop the blood flowing in a silly and useless attempt to save his life. ¡°Dean!¡± Maya shifted next to them into her human form and her shivering hands touched the guy, ¡°Dean! Brother!¡± Her screams filled the air around them as she clenched the dying sibling to her chest with tears rolling down her cheek. From the corner of her eye, Riannon noticed Roxy jumping off her hideout and shifting rapidly into a fiery red creature. A fox. The fake omega was actually a fox, after all! And she tried to run away. Clenching her fists, Ria stood up and ran after her. She wasn¡¯t letting her go this easily. But Roxanne was faster now than she was and soon she lost her out of sight. However, another fox, dirty brown in colour, crossed her path. It was big and with huge canines bared at her. Another one joined it shortly after. And then one more. But it was when a huge brown bear arrived that she knew she was in deep trouble. There was no way she could take them down. Those three did not look like they were going to capture her and take her somewhere. They looked like they were going to kill her and be done with it. And she was too far from anyone else. She was ready to die when a huge ck wolf appeared out of nowhere and attacked the bear, who was clearly the biggest and most dangerous target. ¡°Gideon!¡± she whispered in relief and he growled to her in response. This wasn¡¯t how he expected to find her and seeing her surrounded made him beyond furious. He killed the bear with ease, turning to the foxes, both of which charged at him at the same time. But what was worse, another three werebears appeared, running in his direction in He was now outnumbered five to one and she couldn¡¯t watch it. She hoped that he was strong enough. He was the lycan king, after all. But what if it was too much even for him?! She couldn¡¯t know... It was as if the world around her stopped. She saw her friends fighting enemies. And she saw Maya rocking Dean¡¯s lifeless body as another fox was getting closer to them. It became hard to breathe. So much was going on and she was useless¡­ Just like back then¡­ Riannon fell to her knees. Pain filled her chest. Unbearable and all-consuming. She couldn¡¯t let it happen again. She couldn¡¯t lose any more people that she loved. Not Maya. Not Gideon¡­ She couldn¡¯t let that happen. She couldn¡¯t. She wouldn¡¯t. She would fight whatever it took. Something shifted deep inside of her. Something familiar. As if a piece of a puzzle has finally found its ce. ¡°Onyx!¡± she whispered, ¡°I need you now!¡± ¡°I am here,¡± her wolf replied with a growl that shattered the mountains¡­ Chapter 60: OUTfoxed. Chapter 60: OUTfoxed. She stared at him in astonishment. Was he even serious right now? ¡°I am going to repeat my question, Riannon,¡± Brayden growled, ¡°What have you done to my mate?!¡± ¡°What have I done to your mate?¡± She shot her brow up at her ex, ¡°Your so-called mate has just killed Dean.¡± She felt tears burning her eyes again, but she was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her crying in front of him. Not even for Dean. Brayden did not deserve to see her cry. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± her ex-husband gritted through her teeth,(This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) ¡°How on earth would Roxy do something like that?! She is just a weak omega! She can¡¯t hurt a fly!¡± ¡°We have about a dozen witnesses, Bray!¡± she stopped him, and his mouth opened in shock, ¡°She is hardly an omega! Moreover, she isn¡¯t even a wolf! She is a god damn fox!¡± He stared at her bluntly, lost in his thoughts and not knowing what to say. But then he clenched his fists and looked the crowd that came with her up and down. His own warriors were by his side already. ¡°And I guess those wonderful and very reliable witnesses of yours are the lycans next to you? How convenient! Maybe also Maya the traitor?¡± She pped him. Hard. She knew that this was thest thing that was needed right now to get what she wanted, but it felt so good. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± she warned him, ¡°The only traitor in our pack was always your fake mate!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not our pack anymore,¡± he smirked, ¡°Remember, you ruined that earlier today?¡± ¡°I saved what I could from you and your fox!¡± she snapped at her ex again. For the first time ever she felt like she really hated him. Onyx, who was growling inside of her, wasn¡¯t helping to calm down either. In their past life, he hurt her the most and she still couldn¡¯t forgive him. ¡°How fortunate for you!¡± Brayden chuckled, ¡°Riannon the saviour! When I do something, it¡¯s because I am selfish. But when you do something, it¡¯s for themon good!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens when people think of others, Brayden. You should try that one day, ¡± she scoffed, folding her hands on her chest, ¡°I demand you to give me Roxanne. I need just a minute with her and I will be able to prove to you who she is! Now that I know the truth. And then I will kill her with my own hands for everything that she has done!¡± ¡°I am tired of repeating myself,¡± Bray rubbed the bridge of his nose, letting out an ¡°Useless!¡± Ria mumbled to herself, rolling her eyes. The fox won¡¯te back here. Not when her identity was discovered. Now that she thought about it, she understood what a silly idea that was. But in the heat of the moment, she wasn¡¯t thinking clearly, and this fiasco was the result. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± shemanded to her people, turning away. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Brayden grabbed her hand but in the next moment, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Gideon was already pinning him to the wall of the mansion. It all happened so fast that the guards from both sides didn¡¯t even have time to react. ¡°You touch her like that again and I will rip your head off,¡± the lycan king growled, squeezing his fingers around his opponent¡¯s neck, ¡°Not only is she and Alpha of her own pack now, but she is also my queen. Do something like this again and it will be your death sentence! And you will be lucky if it¡¯s you alone. Because if you piss me off properly one more time, might as well wipe out what is left of your pack! Not that there is a lot.¡± ¡°Gideon,¡± Riannon brushed her hand over her mate¡¯s back, soothing him, ¡°Please, don¡¯t.¡± He sighed heavily and let go of Brayden with a huff. The alpha almost fell to his feet but managed to lean over the wall for support. ¡°You came to my territory! You did something to my mate!¡± he started listing the things he thought actually happened. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Your mate?¡± Gideon chuckled loudly, ¡°Are you even serious?! Haven¡¯t you lost her? AGAIN. Do you even know that it is physically impossible to lose a mate or to forget about her? I hate to be the one who breaks it to you, Alpha Brayden, but you don¡¯t have a mate. I mean, maybe you do, somewhere in the world and one day you will meet her. But that fox isn¡¯t the one.¡± ¡°She is not¡­¡± Bray tried to protest. ¡°She is a fox!¡± Riannon cut him off, ¡°And she also works with the werebears. I don¡¯t know how she convinced you that she is your mate, but I also really doubt that it¡¯s the truth. Just think about it, Brayden.¡± Her ex-husband looked at her with clenched lips and fists and she had no idea if he believed them. But neither did she care anymore. It was his problem and not hers. She knew that the next time she would meet Roxy, she would be the one to kill her. Because her patience was wearing thin. She only regretted that she hadn¡¯t done it sooner. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Riannon,¡± Gideon wrapped his hands around her and looked her in the eye, ¡°I don¡¯t think she wille back here. She is not that stupid.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± his queen nodded and followed his lead back to the car. Brayden¡¯s warriors got closer now that the lycans were gone but he pushed them away and went inside of the mansion. He watched his ex-wife being cared for by the lycan king in front of his eyes and the sight still made him shudder inside. But on top of it, the news of his mate was breaking him. He didn¡¯t even notice how she disappeared. And, of course, there was a simple and reasonable exnation for that. He was busy. With his pack being broken in half and with the move. So much had to be arranged in such a short period of time that he forgot about herpletely¡­ Was it normal? Could it even be happening? (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The lycan had a point¡­ How could one forget about his mate? Riannon used to be his chosen mate but he never forgot about her. Even now, after everything, he was still thinking about her more than she deserved it. His thoughts today were busy with her when he had to pay attention to his true mate¡­ He called his top warrior, Jacob, first and promoted him to a Beta dryly, then ordered to find out what happened to his mate. ¡°Find video footage from the grounds, a trace, her scent¡­ whatever. I want to find out if she walked out of here herself or was kidnapped,¡± he told the guy and looked him in the eye,¡° Be discreet about it. Until I know what happened here exactly, I don¡¯t want anyone to know a thing.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Jacob bowed politely and walked out. Brayden did not count on him finding out much about it. He wasn¡¯t Ash. His previous Beta had an eye for details that everyone else missed. He paid attention and knew how to stay in the shadows, unnoticed. Jacob¡­ wasn¡¯t it. He was one of his best warriors, but not a match to his old friend. The same way as Roxy wasn¡¯t a match to Riannon. No matter how much he tried to imagine that she was. Was it possible that she was a fox? He never asked her to shift. Mostly because he thought that she was an omega and was embarrassed about others seeing that the Moon mate? That thought scared him. Because then he lost Riannon for nothing. Everybody knew that foxes could change their scents, so theoretically speaking, if Roxy was a fox, she could fake the scent of his mate. But for that, she would need to know that scent ¡­ Moreover, the scent alone wasn¡¯t the problem. The bond was. No fox could fake that. So, why did he want the redhead all the time? He wasn¡¯t a manwh*re. Lust wasn¡¯t what he lived for and he knew very well how to control himself. So, what would happen there if Roxanne wasn¡¯t his mate? Could there be a different exnation for everything? That did not seem likely. Unless witches were involved. But that was also a far cry. Love spells did not exist. And werewolves were resistant to any kind of spell-infused mind maniption. He couldn¡¯t find an answer no matter how hard he tried. After he dealt with all the urgent matters, he closed himself alone in his office with a bottle of brandy. Usually, Ash would join him for this with a conversation that would help everything to get into the right ces. Until Riannon came to end it with an even better solution. And then she would take him to bed¡­ But now all of this was over¡­ He took a deep gulp of the fiery liquid, feeling it burn his throat. However, it did not make anything better. His fingers ended up rubbing the mark on his neck again, which was bothering him. It did not disappear. Even though he didn¡¯t feel pain through it anymore. His bond with Riannon was broken now. And it was even more painful than when she was in the lycan¡¯s bed. The knock on the door broke his train of thought and his new Beta walked in with theptop. ¡°Alpha,¡± he said, ¡°I think you need to see this¡­¡± Roxanne was driving fast. She couldn¡¯t let anyone catch up with her. Today she f*cked up big time and she knew it. Castiel would never forgive her for destroying his perfect n this early and for losing that many people. The bear king wouldn¡¯t be happy either her group. Always. She wouldn¡¯te to her king empty-handed. She would bring him the peace offering. She parked right next to the packhouse in the Fox kingdom and walked out of the car. She knew she couldn¡¯t go inside. And she wasn¡¯t wrong about it, because when Castiel walked out of the mansion, he looked furious. He didn¡¯t even let her say a word before he grabbed her neck and jerked her up in the air. Her legs trembled, not finding any kind of support and she felt his grip getting tighter and restricting her airways. ¡°You are either super brave toe here after what you have done, or you are super stupid!¡± her king growled. In other circumstances, she would enjoy that sound. But not now. Now, he wasn¡¯t ying with her. He was ready to kill her any moment now for her mistakes. ¡°You failed your mission, couldn¡¯t fix it and then only made it worse from there! You blew our cover and had my men killed!¡± Castiel continued, ¡°You almost cost me this war! Tell me, Roxanne, why shouldn¡¯t I snap your neck this very moment? I don¡¯t think I need to keep such a disappointment as you!¡± One of his eyes glowed red and her toes curled. That man was always her main weakness. ¡°I brought you something!¡± she croaked, hoping to appease him, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡°It will help¡­¡± He watched her for a few seconds and after that swore loudly, dropping her to the floor. ¡°This better be good!¡± he spat and she crawled in the direction of the car trunk. Roxy stood up on shaky legs, trying to make her breathing steady, but failing. She hated to be so weak in front of him. He hated weakness¡­ She found the key in the pocket of her jeans and opened the trunk, demonstrating to him her little present and praying that this was enough¡­ Chapter 61. The Fox Trap Chapter 61. The Fox Trap ¡°And what do you think I should do with her?¡± Castiel threw an angry gaze at Roxy. ¡°She is a princess,¡± the redhead tried to exin to him her brilliant idea, ¡°Well, of sorts. But she is important in Thorn¡¯s pack! We can use her.¡± ¡°Thorn¡¯s pack is now done. And not thanks to you,¡± the leader of the foxes frowned, ¡°So far you have been one big disappointment, Roxanne. For someone whom I personally trained. Yet all your work was done by Luna Riannon Michaels instead.¡± ¡°It was just a coincidence,¡± Roxy furrowed her brows, ¡°She¡­¡± ¡°She yed you to her advantage,¡± Castiel smirked, ¡°You were supposed to destroy her but instead she wiped her feet over you.¡± Roxy had nothing to say to that and she hated that. She hated that the man whom she loved so much was praising another. It wasn¡¯t just a coincidence that she was the best in her group. She worked hard for it, trained hard¡­ in the hope that one day he would notice her. And she was sure that he did. He took her to his bed where her education continued. He personally showed her how to please a man and she was sure that it meant something. He never let anyone touch her and he singled her out every time. He paid her way more attention than to other she-foxes. But then he sent her on a mission into another man¡¯s bed. She was upset about it. Heartbroken even. But she never admitted it out loud. It was not great to be used as a tool, but she had no choice. This was her job. And this was what he had been preparing her for. She was ready to prove herself to him anyway. After all, Castiel always seemed like a man of broad views. He only respected two things in his life ¨C power and intellect. And if she managed to have those, nothing else would matter. Foxes weren¡¯t like everyone else. Although they were excellent warriors when needed and could easily rival werewolves, what they actually preferred was a game of wits. Why fight anyone if you could just trick them into doing what you needed in the first ce? Or even better, if you could make your enemies fight each other while you watched? Everything was a challenge and foxes loved their victories. But this was also why they were never on good terms with the wolves. Thetter always strived for dominance and this was where the problem between the two speciesy. Foxes did not like to be dominated. And wolves really did not like to be yed. They took it as an insult if they caught someone trying to deceive them. It was much easier with the werebears, where they were all muscle but could be certain bargain in the end. Whereas wolves would want blood and nothing else. This was why they couldn¡¯t live together. So, when the foxes¡¯ poption increased and thend they had in their possession became not enough, wolves did not want to share. Hence, they became a problem. A problem that the foxes needed to solve. Or better say get rid of. Whatever it cost them. But whatever they tried was failing. And then the Union was formed to unite shifter packs under the wing of lycans from the Western kingdom. This was the worst news for the foxes. Back then, Castiel¡¯s father was the king and he was not happy with the new situation. Because since the Union was formed, if he dared to attack one pack, the rest woulde for him and destroy him. So, the former fox king started thinking of ways to destroy the Union. And this was how the most brilliant n was born. And it was now on Castiel¡¯s shoulders. He had to finish what his father had started. Roxy wished she could lift at least some of the weight off him. This was all she was thinking of. Him. And how could she not? The fox king was amazing. Tall, handsome, clever, strong and cunning. A perfect man. But now he wasn¡¯t happy with her anymore. He was disappointed and there was only one person to me for it. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Riannon Michaels. From the very beginning, sheplicated things for her. It was supposed to be a much easier mission than it turned out. When she was studying the Luna prior to her dispatch, she didn¡¯t seem like a threat at all. A chosen mate, stuck up, so perfect that it was boring. It should have been easy to get rid of her and Castiel¡¯s order was clear on her ount. Get her ce and kill her discreetly. Yet the Luna turned out to be full of surprises. She put up a real fight and Roxanne found herself outmatched. Who knew that she would want to divorce this fast and manage to get through with it, taking half of a pack with her? That ruined a lot of their ns. But what was worse was Castiel¡¯s growing interest in Riannon Michaels. This was probably the most painful part. At first, he was entertained by her not behaving the way they pack as a prisoner, she could sense his growing interest with the Luna. She told herself many times that it was just her imagination under the pressure of work that was getting to her. Yet she was still in for a surprise. She helped him to get out as soon as she could, killing good warriors for him and risking her own life. All that only to find out that as soon as he got out, he went to see that other woman. That one hurt her. But it was what followed next that absolutely destroyed her from the inside. When the time came for their n to go into its active phase and ughter the werewolves, she received another order that she did not expect in the least. Castiel ordered her to make sure that Riannon wouldn¡¯t be there. This was thest straw. She disobeyed her king¡¯s order for the first time when she didn¡¯t do anything to stop Riannon from attending the Summit. In fact, she pushed Brayden to make sure that they went there together. And personally checked that the blonde nuisance was present, hoping that the bomb she installed in the morning would get rid of her little problem. Yet that time, everything also went wrong and what was supposed to be the fatal blow to the heads of the alphas, turned into a p that only made them angry. And yet again, Riannon Michaels was in the middle. Moreover, when Castiel found out that she was there and not back in her pack as he wanted, he got furious. The man, who always remained calm, got furious over a little and insignificant matter like that. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. And when Riannon mentioned himing to her again after the pack split, Roxanne absolutely lost it. What she did wasn¡¯t a well-thought through n and she knew it. But she had to try to get rid of that woman once and for all. Even if it would make Castiel angry. She could survive his wrath. What she couldn¡¯t survive was him being interested in another. For whatever reason. So, she contacted warriors that she knew from her training and talked them into helping her to attack the wolves. She lied to them, saying that it was the order of their Alpha. And then she attacked. Roxanne did what she could. But her team still lost. And now their secret was out. Now the wolves knew that all the talks about foxes and the bears weren¡¯t just empty words. She knew that it was a grave mistake and she could only pray for her king to forgive her. This was why she brought him a gift. sounds away. Her legs and wrists were chained in silver-ted chains and she did not look her usual polished self. Roxy figured her out first with her unrequited love for Ash. She liked the girl because she could rte to her. This was also the reason why it was so easy to make Harper do what she wanted her to do. Roxanne felt guilty for doing this to the girl. If she had a choice, she wouldn¡¯t stoop so low. But these were desperate times¡­ And she couldn¡¯te up with anything better in such a short amount of time. ¡°And what would I do with her?¡± Castiel rubbed the bridge of his nose as if he was already annoyed and tired with the whole conversation. Which he probably was. ¡°Use her as a hostage,¡± Roxy suggested, ¡°Brayden doesn¡¯t have anyone but her now. He would do anything to get his little sister back.¡± ¡°Shame I do not need anything from him anymore,¡± the fox king chuckled. ¡°Riannon Michaels would try to save her too if she found out about this,¡± she heard herself saying, not quite believing in bringing this name up. ¡°You told me that they hate each other,¡± Castiel ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Hate is a strong word,¡± Roxanne tried to smile but her leader remained unimpressed,¡° They are not the biggest fans of each other. But I am sure that she woulde to her sister-inw¡¯s rescue.¡± ¡°Why did you do it?¡± the king before her aske finally, ¡°Why did you risk everything we have built like an j***t?¡± ¡°The situation required it,¡± she lied ufortably. She hated lying to him, but today her life depended on it. ¡°Anything else you want to tell me?¡± Castiel shot his brow up and looked at her intensely. There was something important that he needed to know. That Riannon could shift and that her wolf glowed when she did. But telling him that wouldn¡¯t change anything for her. She would still be punished for her mistakes. And drawing even more of his attention to the werewolf Luna was beyond her. ¡°No,¡± Roxanne said meekly and immediately received a backp, which made her fall to the ground. She touched her cheek which already started to swell and looked up at her king. ¡°Liar!¡± he spat and her heart clenched painfully, ¡°Still thinking that you are more clever than anyone?!¡± recognised him at once as one of the warriors she took with her to try and kill Riannon. Now she knew that she was in trouble. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking,¡± Castiel sneered, ¡°But lying to me would cost you!¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± she fell to her knees, mumbling, ¡°I¡­¡± She didn¡¯t have a good exnation. ¡°As I thought,¡± the fox king smirked and motioned to his people, ¡°Take them both to the dungeon. I think Roxanne needs some time alone there to understand that lying to her superiors is bad. And while you are at it, remind her why discipline is so important. Show her hell.¡± Two men grabbed her and started pulling her away. At the same time, a third one threw Harper over his shoulder, to which she made a few pitiful sounds. ¡°Castiel, please!¡± she begged him, but he already turned his back to her. She knew that if she didn¡¯t do something now, she would probably be dead in the next few hours. ¡°There is something else I know!¡± Roxy screamed, ¡°Something important! It can help you! I swear it¡¯s important.¡± The men next to her stopped and she realized only now that she was panting profusely. Castiel walked towards her and grabbed her chin, making her look at him. ¡°Then tell me,¡± he sneered, ¡°And remember that it¡¯s better to be good. Your life depends on it, after all.¡± Chapter 62. Give Me Strength Chapter 62. Give Me Strength ¡°I hope you are not meaning to tell me that you are with a child,¡± Castiel sighed, as if he was already bored and Roxanne was hesitating to start talking. However, he stopped the men who wanted to take her back, and Roxy knew that this was her chance. ¡°I am already aware. You don¡¯t seriously think that you are the only spy I sent there,¡± the fox king added. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This may be your child,¡± she still said out loud in the hope that it could change anything in his eyes. But they still remained the same stormy grey colour she fell in love with. And not a muscle on his face flinched. ¡°Highly unlikely,¡± he said, and her face fell. ¡°But it¡¯s good that you are pregnant.¡± Hisst words suddenly gave her hope and she looked at him again through hershes. ¡°You think so?¡± Roxy forced a little smile and saw him smirk. ¡°Of course,¡± he let out augh, ¡°If it¡¯s a wolf, then we can use him in a when it¡¯s born to im Thorn¡¯s pack and territory if we can¡¯t do that now. But if we are particrly lucky, it will be a hybrid like you are. And this opens a window of possibilities for us. Especially if the baby inherits your siren genes. Those are the most useful for us, don¡¯t you think? Every fox can imitate a scent given to them, but only a siren can seduce a person in a way that they never even suspect a thing. Your work with Brayden Thorn was not bad in the first phase. He never even doubted that you were his mate.¡± She swallowed. The future that he pictured for her child wasn¡¯t the one she wanted. But his cold gaze made her forget about all that quickly. Right now, her own survival was more important. Castiel wasn¡¯t the most forgiving leader. And she made a big mistake today. ¡°So?¡± he raised his brow to demonstrate to her that he was losing his patience. ¡°I have ess to all the money of the Silver River pack,¡± Roxy reported, ¡°Moreover, Brayden made sure that his ex didn¡¯t even get a penny for her pack. She would be done very fast.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Castiel chuckled, ¡°I think you are underestimating Riannon Michaels again. But never mind. Let¡¯s go.¡± He motioned for her to follow him into his office, and she tried to match his pace. There, he opened the laptop on his desk, and she knew at once that he didn¡¯t want her to waste any more of his precious time. With shaky fingers, Roxanne logged in to Brayden¡¯s inte banking ount and stepped away. ¡°Is that it?¡± Castiel took theptop back and circled the table to sit in his chair. He ¡°That¡¯s all there was after their divorce,¡± she told him, and he looked at her curiously, but a few seconds later he burst outughing. Heughed and heughed, wiping his tears with his hands. All the while she stood in front of him, trembling. She never saw him like that. And it was scary. ¡°After the divorce?¡± he repeated as he ran his hand over his hair, ¡°You must be kidding me!¡± She instantly knew what he was thinking. And she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore about anything. ¡°I bet she took care of it prior to the Summit,¡± Castiel said nonchntly as he was typing something on hisputer. ¡°You give her too much credit,¡± the words slipped off her tongue before she could stop herself. ¡°I see her for what she is,¡± the fox king retorted, ¡°That amount is hardly enough to run a pack of their size. There is no way their budget was this bad¡­¡± Roxy gritted her teeth. This could only mean one thing potentially. That Riannon already took care of that. And that she and her pack weren¡¯t in trouble at all. ¡°Anyway,¡± Castiel closed hisptop, ¡°that was something. But it doesn¡¯t change much for you. You disappointed me, Roxanne. Your reckless behaviour cost me my n. And for what? Did hormones make you stupid all of a sudden?¡± ¡°apologise, my king,¡± She dropped to her knees. But this time she didn¡¯t cry. Castiel wasn¡¯t Brayden. He would never buy that. And letting out her siren pheromones on him could be deadly, since he wasn¡¯t a fool and would know what was happening. She tried that with him once and it almost cost her her life. So, she was aware that her best chance was to offer him her loyalty and submission. He could still use her and this was her best bet. The fox king stood up and walked towards her, lifting her chin in his warm hand. She leaned into his palm with her cheek, closing her eyes just for a second and then looking back at him. ¡°Why did you really do it?¡± he asked, and she knew better than she couldn¡¯t tell him the truth about how Riannon made her feel jealous. So, she went for a lie that sounded appropriate given the situation. wanted to bring her to you. The trap was perfect. But it went to hell when the lycans appeared. ¡°Is that so?¡± he traced her lip with his thumb, and she was tempted to suck it in and try to seduce him. But it was still too risky, considering his mood. ¡°Of course,¡± she nodded and in just a second he was already grabbing her neck and squeezing it so tight that she had no air to breathe. ¡°Then why did you forget to mention such a small detail that her wolf is back and that it¡¯s f***ing glowing!¡± he snarled at her and a single tear trickled down her chin. She didn¡¯t tell him that, because as long as Riannon had no wolf, Castiel wouldn¡¯t consider her for anything serious. She didn¡¯t tell him that because she knew that wolf was a special one. And Castiel would want to have her now. Everyone would want her if they knew. But she couldn¡¯t say that. ¡°I thought you knew,¡± she let out a weak squeak and he let go of her, throwing her to the ground. ¡°And as you can see, I do know,¡± he chuckled. He seemed to be in a good mood just from talking about the Luna and Roxanne hated it. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± she muttered, looking at the floor and hearing him sigh. ¡°You are lucky that you still have some use for me,¡± he told her and she did her best o hold back her tears, ¡°You are still going to help me to get what I want¡­¡± *** Maya was curling up in her chair, hiding her head somewhere in her knees. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to go down and look at her brother¡¯s body. She couldn¡¯t believe that he was simply lying there, no life left in him. ¡°You need to eat something,¡± Reid kneeled before her and she refused to look at him. Everything was wrong. His every touch was bringing tingles to her body, tingles that were tempting her to close her eyes and give in to her desires. But how could she be happy now when her baby brother was dead? Dean was the only real family she had left and she didn¡¯t protect him. Riannon warned her about Roxy, but she still didn¡¯t pay everything enough attention. And she even fell for a trap, which left Dean alone in the clutches of the evil omega. . It was all her fault¡­ hard, yet he stayed by her side, trying to help her the best he could. He wasn¡¯t giving up on her and she did not feel like she deserved it. ¡°You need to eat for your strength,¡± Reid told her and brushed his hand over her leg softly. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± she said quietly, hiding her puffy face from him. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t,¡± he sighed, trying to find her eyes to look at, ¡°But I can imagine. Just like you only had Dean, my only family that is left is my nephew Kyle. The one that your friend Riannon saved.¡± She sniffed, trying to control her tears. Although that didn¡¯t seem possible anymore. ¡°That day, I wasn¡¯t there,¡± he continued, making soothing circles over her bare skin with his thumbs, ¡°When I heard about the attack, I was ming myself for leaving him in that school. For not being there when I had to be. But you know what Riannon told me back then?¡± Maya looked up at him so that she could see his face. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°She said that we cannot me ourselves for what others did. It wasn¡¯t my fault that the rogues decided to attack the school that day,¡± Reid stretched his hand to caress her cheek and was pleased when she did not flinch away from him, ¡°And, Maya, it wasn¡¯t your fault that this fox tricked and killed your brother. You cannot hold yourself responsible for that.¡± ¡°She warned me about her,¡± the girl muttered, ¡°But I¡­¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t know what she would do and when,¡± her mate stopped her, ¡°You did your best. And I am sure that if your brother was here now, he would tell you the same.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do next,¡± she confessed weakly and bent towards him. Reid did not let that opportunity slide and caught her in his arms, pressing her tight against his body and lifting her up. ¡°Of course, you know what to do next,¡± her mate assured her, ¡°You are a Beta. And you are strong.¡± She locked her eyes with him for the first time and the determination in him made her believe in what he was saying. He was right. ¡°First, you will get your strength back,¡± he murmured as he moved her to the bed, ¡°And then you will help your Alpha to avenge your brother and stop that b*tch once and for all. So that no one suffers the same destiny as him from her filthy hands.¡± and she couldn¡¯t afford to be a mess now. She couldn¡¯t afford to fall apart and she sure as hell couldn¡¯t let Roxanne keep hurting the people that she loved. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you something to eat.¡± Reid smiled at her, caressing her cheek and neck, ¡°You need your strength.¡± He stood up and was about to leave when she caught his arm. He turned to look at her, doubt evident in his eyes. But she pulled him closer and he obeyed her at once. ¡°Then give me strength, Reid,¡± she stood up before him and tore the fingers off the shirt that she was wearing, not bothering unbuttoning it properly, ¡°The way only a mate can.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± he swallowed the lump that formed in his throat at the sight of her. All they shared before that was a passionate kiss. And now she was offering herself to him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to use your moment of weakness to my advantage. You are vulnerable now¡­¡± ¡°And you are my mate,¡± she took a step closer, cing her palm on his chest right where the heart was. ¡°If anyone can make me strong now if anyone can heal me¡­ if anyone can make me forget¡­ It would be you, Reid. Give me the strength. Be with me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask me twice, kitten,¡± he picked her up gently and ced her back to the bed, climbing on top of her, ¡°I was born to cherish you¡­ And this is what I¡¯ll be doing my whole life.¡± *** Riannon was lying in Gideon¡¯s arms, exhausted from what seemed to be a never-ending day. They did not talk but the way he pressed her against his body and was stroking her hair and arms was telling her more than any words could. She felt Onyx shift inside of her every time his fingers were touching her skin. It was the true mate bond, and it was so new for her. Despite being madly in love with him, only now she realised that she couldn¡¯t experience all the intensity of their connection before her wolf was back. Yet before she could explore that more, Ria knew she had to do one thing. ¡°Onyx,¡± she called for her wolf mentally and this time she responded at once, ¡°I want you to tell me who killed me and everything else that the Moon Goddess told you.¡± NOTE: Hi, sorry for thete update today. I think I mentioned already that I am back to my studies after covid and because of that updates will probably be at random times now. But will try to keep them daily until the end (hopefully this month). Would you help me to name this chapter as well? Chapter 63. Tea Time Chapter 63. Tea Time ¡°I can show you instead,¡± Onyx said, and Riannon felt herself drifting off to sleep. ¡°This is what the Goddess told me to do¡­¡±her wolf whispered. She trusted Onyx with her life and knew that her better half would take good care of her. But she did not expect what happened to her next as she found herself in the one ce she never wanted to see ever again. It was the day she died. But not the right time. It was hours before the tragedy happened. She remembered that well and a dull throbbing pain seized in her chest. This was funny ¡­ She thought she was already done with all that. Yet now, seeing how her pack was gathering once again for what Brayden told them was a blessing ceremony for his future heir, was painful for her. ¡°Onyx, can we fast forward to¡­¡± her voice broke. Did she really want to see herself being killed? Was it really that important? She had her suspicions and at least she knew that it wasn¡¯t Dean. It was good enough. ¡°No,¡± her wolf replied, ¡°You need to see the whole picture.¡± ¡°I am not sure I want to,¡± Riannon confessed, slightly embarrassed of her momentarily Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. weakness. ¡°Toote now,¡± Onyx chuckled in her mind, ¡°But know that if you look carefully, you will find out more than you asked. And not only about yourself.¡± This gave her strength. It wasn¡¯t only about her. She wasn¡¯t the only victim. If she could get an important piece of information from being here then she owed it to all the people she loved to try and endure. She quickly realised that she wasn¡¯t actually there. She could walk among the people and see what they were doing, but none of them saw her. Riannon was just a spirit observing them all and they could even walk through her, not affecting her at all. This also helped her to calm down. She wasn¡¯t actually reliving the day. She was just watching. A guest who was only there in spirit. She noticed herself sitting in the summer house in the garden, right where they had the voting the other day. Riannon from the past did not look that well, with hollow cheeks and a paleplexion. She was also thinner than usual and it did not look good at all. The year of stress and pain took its toll on her. She wanted to tell herself that it wasn¡¯t worth it, that something bigger and better was waiting for her but noticed a friendship bracelet in her hands. Maya made it for her when they seeking the warmth and support that her friend used to give her and this little trinket was her anchor. ¡°Luna,¡± an omega appeared next to her with a tray in her hands, ¡°I¡¯ve brought some tea for you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for it,¡± Riannon from the past replied, but the girl still ced the tray on the bench next to her. ¡°The Alpha sent it to you. It¡¯s cold and you¡¯ve been sitting here for hours,¡± the omega smiled at her, ¡°It¡¯s herbal tea, one of your favourites.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she stared at the cup and Riannon from the present remembered how she felt a little glimpse of hope that maybe he was at least sorry for what he had been doing. She took the cup in her hands and slowly drank the tea, looking around at the busy pack. She was so broken inside by this point that she didn¡¯t even feel the taste of her drink. ¡°Ria,¡± Ash appeared next to her, holding a huge pile of folders in his hands, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I am great,¡± she took another sip without looking at him, ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± The present Riannon noticed that he wanted to say something else but changed his mind at thest moment and walked away. ¡°Everything is for the best,¡± he muttered, ¡°You will see.¡± She knew his motivation now and knew why he made those wrong choices. But it didn¡¯t make her feel any better. The past Riannon finished the tea and ced the cup back on the tray. Immediately, the same omega appeared and took it, rushing away. Abad feeling rose in her chest. She remembered very well that she did not ask for tea. She didn¡¯t eat or drink much thesest few days. And since she knew that nothing important would happen to her before the ceremony, she decided to follow that omega instead. The girl was clearly in a hurry even though she tried to pretend that she wasn¡¯t. And that made Riannon even more suspicious. But it was when she turned in the opposite direction from the kitchen and went all the way behind the mansion that she knew her hunch was correct. She sped up and caught up with the girl right when she made a turn and almost bumped into Roxy. It was a perfect hiding spot because it was close to practically everything but no one was Roxanne was wearing an expensive ck silk maternity dress and caressed her belly every three seconds. But when she saw the maid she got a little stic bag out of her pocket and opened it, gesturing for her to drop the cup inside. ¡°Did she drink all of it?¡± Roxy asked with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± the girl nodded and Riannon cringed. Roxanne wasn¡¯t a Luna yet. Not that it was the most important thing right now. This little omega girl, someone who lived in her pack and was using her protection, without which no omega could survive in their cruel world, was the one who poisoned her with aconite. Now she had no doubts. ¡°Good,¡± Roxanne stretched her hand and squeezed her shoulder, ¡°Do not worry. All is for the best. I just don¡¯t want her to make a scene tonight. This will weaken her a bit and we will have a calm and fun night. And tomorrow you will be the personal helper of the new Luna.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± the girl beamed, not bothering too much about the details of her promotion. ¡°Alice,¡± Roxy gave her a smile that looked so sincere that Ria would probably buy it too,¡° We are almost at the finishing line. Just remember that she will need one more doze in an hour or so for it to go smoothly.¡± ¡°Everything will be done, Luna,¡± the omega bowed and Roxanne waved her off. ¡°Go now,¡± she said calmly, ¡°People shouldn¡¯t see us together yet. But in the evening, we will celebrate. Come to my room for a ss of champagne.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t wait, Luna!¡± Alice giggled and ran away quickly. Riannon decided not to follow her. She knew what the girl would be doing for the rest of the day. And she chose to stay face to face with her mortal enemy who was still a mystery to her. Roxanne caressed her bump. She wondered if it was even her ex¡¯s child¡­ A dark figure appeared from the nearby bushes and Roxy didn¡¯t even flinch when one of Brayden¡¯s warriors, Marcus, leaned over the wall next to herzily. She handed him the stic bag and he took it, clearly knowing what was inside. ¡°Get rid of it,¡± the fox said coldly and nodded even though she stood with his back to him. The woman sighed and then added, ¡°And after Alice is done, make sure to get rid of her too. I don¡¯t want any traces. It¡¯s not the time yet.¡± ¡°Will be done,¡± the man assured her, while Ria tried to remember what colour his wolf was. Was he the one who killed her? Or did Roxanne have more aplices on their territory? ¡°Will you need me to apany you in the evening?¡± Marcus asked before leaving. no one disturbs us and everyone stays at the party.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he grunted and walked away back to where he came from. The fox stood, looking in the same direction and soon Riannon realised that she was watching the past her. Her lips curled into a smirk and eyes glowed red just for a second, but she took it under control fast. Riannon followed her as the day unfolded, however, nothing was happening for a while other than Roxy being Roxy. By this time she already stopped pretending that she was a weak omega and positioned herself as the Luna of the people. She was throwing herself to help everyone she met but, of course, her huge belly prevented her from doing anything and won her the sympathy vote from everyone. It was painful for Riannon to watch this. Yet she forced herself to. Since if she was to get useful information from anyone, it had to be Roxy. Finally, the fox went to her room to change for the event but once she was inside, she just sat in a huge armchair with her phone in her hands. After a while, the phone rang and she immediately picked up so that Ria had no chance to check the caller ID. ¡°Cass,¡± her voice became sweet and Riannon sat closer to be able to listen to the phone call on both ends. ¡°Is everything ready for tonight?¡± the familiar voice sounded, making her cringe. Of course, he was the mastermind. Not Roxy. ¡°Yes,¡± his subordinate replied, ¡°Brayden is ready. And his Luna will go tonight.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Castiel sounded indifferent. Like it wasn¡¯t a big deal for him at all. And this made her furious. He was deciding their lives and didn¡¯t even seem to care. A smile formed on Roxanne¡¯s face at the little piece of praise she got. ¡°Make sure there are no dys,¡± the man added, ¡°I need this pack by the end of the week. A lot depends on it. It¡¯s crucial for killing the western lycan king. He is ourst obstacle on the way to victory. And he is this close to making a deal with the northern king. If that happens¡­¡± Riannon¡¯s world froze at the mention of her mate. Those bast.ards didn¡¯t just want her pack. Gideon was their aim. While the pack was just a tool. And now that she thought about it, of course, he was. If they wanted to destroy the wolves, then the leader of the lycans would be their target number one. ¡°I know,¡± the pregnant girl sighed, stroking her round belly, ¡°It will be done. Just tell me ¡°End of the week,¡± Castiel said calmly, ¡°And make sure there is no one to lead the pack. Luna, Beta and anyone else who may take Alpha¡¯s ce in case of an emergency. They all have to go.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Roxy agreed easily as if they were discussing a grocery list. Riannon noticed that she was fidgeting with her hair and stood right in front of her trying to read her facial expression. ¡°Castiel,¡± the woman changed her tone to a more seductive one, ¡°I miss you¡­¡± ¡°Gross,¡± Ria muttered to herself. To her, it was already clear that the two foxes had something going on between them. Yet the man¡¯s reply startled her. ¡°Just concentrate on the mission,¡± the fox king cut her off, ¡°And don¡¯t you dare to use your siren powers on me. Even over the phone.¡± Roxanne¡¯s facial expression dropped at once, while Riannon covered her lips with her palm as if she had to stay quiet. A siren! Of course¡­ That exined so much and yet it was hard toprehend since she hadn¡¯t heard about anyone seeing them for the past few decades. Not to mention that she knew for a fact that Roxy was a fox too. All this made her a hybrid. And very dangerous. ¡°I am sorry,¡± the glint in Roxanne¡¯s eyes disappeared as if someone sucked the life out of her, ¡°It¡¯s hard to control myself now due to hormones.¡± She wanted to say something else but then took the phone away from her ear and Ria realised that he had hung up on her. The girl¡¯s eyes filled with tears. A usual sight for her. Yet this time it seemed sincere. ¡°You really like him, don¡¯t you?¡± Riannon chuckled to herself when the door opened and Brayden walked in. He was wearing grey trousers with a grey waistcoat and a white shirt, looking good. ¡°I thought you were going to change,¡± he looked his ¡®mate¡¯ up and down. ¡°I wanted to, but your heir is so strong. He keeps kicking me,¡± Roxy used that sweet tone again and stretched her hands to Alpha, ¡°Here, help me to stand up.¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± the man did as he was asked and she gave him a soft smile. ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± she giggled, making Riannon want to throw up a bit. The two of them walked out of the room and she followed them closely with a smirk. Unknowingly, they gave her an idea of how to win that war. And the evening was only starting¡­ Chapter 64. Betrayal Hurts Chapter 64. Betrayal Hurts ¡°As you know, we live in a world where only the strongest and the fittest survive,¡± Brayden started his speech, ¡°This is why it is so important for us to continue our bloodlines and create heirs. So that when we get weaker, they can step up and take our ce! For us wolves this is crucial. Otherwise, our pack will be done!¡± Riannon stood and listened to his speech next to her former self, remembering almost every word. One could never forget when they were humiliated like that. But looking at her old self now, she was proud of her for not breaking down in front of everyone. By that time, she didn¡¯t have anyone close for support. ¡°My legal wife Riannon and I have tried to have pups for some time now,¡± he continued his grand speech. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)It was a lie. They didn¡¯t try to have children and actually nned to have themter. But he was now using their absence to justify what he was doing. And it was working because he was receiving sympathetic nces from the crowd. ¡°But we were unsessful,¡± he even let out a heavy sigh. She wanted to p him. Ria also realised that if she was made of flesh right now, she would have said something, would have fought for her honour and defended herself against all odds. She changed a lot even though not much time passed. But she was just a bodiless spirit now and couldn¡¯t change anything in what was happening. She was here to learn. ¡°You also know that the Moon Goddess blessed me and helped me to find my true mate, Roxanne! I didn¡¯t understand the will of the Goddess from the beginning. But Selene is wise and she knows what she is doing. So, my beautiful mate with the kindest heart in the world became pregnant with my pup and ensured our pack¡¯s future! And after very careful consideration, I realised my mistakes. I was worried that Roxy here was just an omega, but she taught me a valuable lesson and proved the importance of mates.¡± She remembered how every word of his was punctuated with the beating of her heart in her ears and she touched the hand of the past her as she stood there. Even knowing that it wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°This is why I had to take a very hard and drastic, but very important decision for the sake of our pack. Today I received approval of my divorce and our ways with my wife Riannon Tho¡­ Michaels part. Riannon Michaels, I reject you as my chosen mate. And with a heavy heart, I denounce you as the Luna of this pack, but as my dear friend, you are always wee to stay here as a regr member of the pack and I promise to take care of you as I do of ¡°No thanks,¡± the present Ria snorted to herself. People around them were whispering and gasping, but a lot of them were nodding in approval. Ria tried to remember the faces this time. Anything could be crucial. ¡°Moving on from the sad news,¡± Brayden raised his voice, ¡°Let me introduce the new Luna of the Silver River pack! Roxanne Belgrave! He stretched her head and Roxanne walked out in a golden maternity dress. Just as tacky as she remembered. ¡°She will be Roxanne Thorn in the nearest future,¡± Bray went on, looking at the fox with gleaming eyes, ¡°But she starts her Luna duties today. Roxanne, do you swear to serve as Luna of this pack and always have the best interest of our people in your heart?¡± ¡°I do, Alpha,¡± the vixen said proudly. Lies. ¡°Do you promise to devote your life to the pack¡¯s safety?¡± ¡°I do.¡± More lies. ¡°Do you swear that you will work hard every day for the pack¡¯s prosperity?¡± ¡°I do, Alpha.¡± Lies again. ¡°Roxanne Belgrave, by the will of the Moon Goddess Selene,(This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) I announce you the new Luna of the Silver River pack!¡± Brayden growled and wolves around them started howling in celebration. This was the moment when the past her wanted to leave, but then she heard something else. ¡°And I want to seal this joyful day with a promise of my eternal love for my beautiful mate, Luna and future wife!¡± Brayden announced, walking behind Roxy. He carefully took all of her hair to one side and ced a soft kiss on her exposed neck. She moaned lightly and Riannon remembered how it made her stomach turn. The Alpha extended his canines and grazed them over the girl¡¯s skin. She let out another moan and that seemed to do the trick as he sunk his teeth into her flesh, marking her for life. And this was where the past Riannon finally run away, pushing through people who did not care about her anymore. It was funny how fast they were changing their sides and switching their loyalties. Ria noticed from the corner of her eye, Alice offering her old self a drink. Something with alcohol this time, which the former Luna drank in one gulp and walked away. The omega who served her looked guilty but in just a few seconds she was approached Ria got closer to the two of them, observing them carefully. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for a while now, Alice,¡± Marcus smiled charmingly at the young maid, whose cheeks flush at his words. She was clearly inexperienced, and he was a yer. And an elite warrior at that. Dating someone like him was probably beyond her dreams. ¡°You know my name?¡± she raised her eyes at him and for a second there Riannon felt sorry for the girl, who was falling into the big bad wolf¡¯s trap. But then she noticed the ss that probably still contained the traces of aconite with which the omega poisoned her. It made the pity fade away as she watched the man taking the girl away from the party that started. She followed them into the woods where they started making out passionately. Marcus roughly turned the girl to face the huge oak tree and lifted the skirt of her summer dress up. He didn¡¯t even bother taking her underwear, just moved it slightly to get ess. He took her not in the nicest of manners but she seemed to enjoy it. Even when heced his fingers around her neck while pumping into her from behind. Riannon turned away as this was thest thing she wanted to see. But very soon she heard him grunt which probably meant that he was done. Alice moaned. Not very believable. After all, the whole thing lasted just a minute or two. But then Riannon heard a sound of a snap and turned back to see the girl already lying on the ground with her head in an unnatural angle as he tucked his member back into his jeans. He lifted the girl¡¯s feet and started dragging her away while no emotions were evident on his face. This was the moment when she promised herself to kill him as soon as she was back. People like that didn¡¯t deserve a second chance. But she did not follow him as he dragged Alice¡¯s body. She knew that she had to be in a different ce to learn what she really came here to learn. She came back to the party and found Roxy celebrating as the new queen B of the pack. She had a lot of people around her but soon she started sighing a lot andining about how tired she was. ¡°It¡¯s hard to carry an Alpha baby,¡± she giggled, ¡°He is so strong and healthy. He kicks me every day and so hard. It¡¯s exhausting.¡± ¡°You need rest, my dear,¡± Harper gave her a hug and caressed her stomach, ¡°The future of our pack is literally inside you. Maybe it¡¯s enough celebrations for tonight? I think it¡¯s time to take your vitamins.¡± ¡°You are right,¡± Roxy nodded to the disappointment of the others around them, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡°I¡¯d better listen to my sister-inw. You are the best, Harp.¡± Until you.¡± That was a jab at her, but Riannon didn¡¯t care anymore. She followed them as they went back into the house and all the way back to Brayden¡¯s bedroom, which Roxy was sharing with him tonight. Harper helped her to sit in afortable chair, which was new. Just a week prior, Roxanne ordered aplete makeover of their house and threw away everything that Ria ever touched. Or loved. ¡°Thank you,¡± the fox epted the pills and the ss of water handed to her, ¡°You are so sweet. Did you manage to talk to Ash already?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl sat in the next armchair, frowning, ¡°It feels like he is avoiding me.¡± They sat in silence for a while until Roxanne spoke. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I already told you what the problem there is,¡± the fox started ying with her hair innocently. ¡°She will be leaving the pack soon,¡± Harper folded her hands on her chest and her nostrils red visibly, ¡°And then we will finally have a chance. Ash wouldn¡¯t leave his Beta position for her.¡± ¡°Oh, Harp,¡± Roxy sighed and it didn¡¯t look natural at all, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to tell you¡­ But I heard rumours between the omegas that he is going to propose to her tonight.¡± ¡°What?¡± Brayden¡¯s sister shifted ufortably in her seat and looked at her so-called friend in shock, ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± Roxanne put her ss of water onto the coffee table, ¡°People saw him buying a ring and bragging to his friends about it. She will have his mark on her neck tomorrow. And I just¡­ I don¡¯t want you to suffer. You know I would do anything for you. You are really like a real sister to me!¡± ¡°What shall I do?¡± Harper was tearing up now, her lips trembling, ¡°I love him so much. I¡­ I waited for him to notice me for years.¡± ¡°And I think he likes you¡­ a lot,¡± Roxy ced her palm on top of hers, ¡°When I see you two together, you look like a perfect couple. But Riannon¡­ She has her way with men. Sometimes I think that she is a witch or something. There couldn¡¯t be any other exnation.¡± ¡°Right,¡± her sister-inw nodded, ¡°Ash is not his usual self when he is with her¡­¡± ¡°I hate it, Harp,¡± Roxanne squeezed her arm tighter, ¡°I think this was happening to your brother as well. And only the power of true mate bond helped to get rid of that¡­ unhealthy < ¡°It¡¯s of no help to me though,¡± Harper threw her head back, ¡°we aren¡¯t true mates.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still true love,¡± the fox was weaving her web, ¡°And you have to fight for love. Just imagine how your life would change if Riannon Michaels is not in it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me,¡± Harper let out augh and then she got quiet. ¡°Oh, no,¡± slipped off Ria¡¯s lips, ¡°It can¡¯t be you!¡± She knew that Harper did not like her, hater her even. But this was too much. She couldn¡¯t¡­ She didn¡¯t have it in her. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about her,¡± her ex-sister-inw muttered, ¡°She is way stronger than me.¡± Roxanne stood up from her chair and went to Brayden¡¯s bar.(This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) There she found a bottle of Irish cream and poured some into a ss, throwing there a few ice cubes from the mini-fridge as well. And while she was bending, she got out a little vile from out of a pocket of her dress. Ria watched as she added the whole little bottle into the drink and mixed it quickly, offering it to Harper afterwards. ¡°Drink it,¡± she smiled, ¡°You will feel better.¡± She watched the girl as she slowly made gulp after gulp. ¡°You know, if you were to consider doing this after all,¡± Roxy sat on the armrest of the chair to be closer to her victim, ¡°then today would be the best day.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Harper looked at her with eyes that had a problem focusing. ¡°Because she is vulnerable and weak after the rejection today,¡± the fox smirked, leaning to the she-wolf¡¯s ear, ¡°And because she was given sedatives today to make her weaker and slower. There wouldn¡¯t be a second chance like that to get rid of her¡­¡± ¡°Then you do it!¡± Harper snorted. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Roxy shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Shifting may harm the baby. But I can provide you with an alibi. And I can be with you when you do it¡­¡± ¡°Brayden will find out¡­ and Ash¡­¡± ¡°I will take care of Brayden,¡± Roxanne assured her, ¡°And as for Ash¡­ you could be the one to make him forget about everything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Harper mumbled and she didn¡¯t look her usual self. She tried to focus her vision but struggled with it. ¡°Fine,¡± Roxy stood up, sighing in disappointment, ¡°Forget about it. Maybe this is why he chooses her¡­ She has the guts. If it was the other way around, she would have killed you without hesitation. I guess Ash loves stronger women. I¡¯ll probably need to start looking for a cottage for the two of them tomorrow. He would want to start a family as soon as possible¡­¡± Riannon stood in front of Harper, still not believing in what was going on. Harper¡¯s wolf wasn¡¯t even brown! It was red! But¡­ in the light of the moon and dying from poisoning, could she really tell the correct shade? Red wolf fur could have been easily mistaken for brown in dimmed lighting. ¡°Do you think the house that Petersons were upying will do for a Beta and his wife? Or would they want something bigger?¡± Roxy kept torturing the girl next to her. ¡°No, stop,¡± Harper said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I will do it. Just¡­ help me.¡± ¡°No,¡± Ria whispered helplessly. ¡°Of course,¡± Roxanne giggled, ¡°Let¡¯s go. She must be ready by now.(This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) All you need to do is shift and finish her off. I already did half of the job.¡± They went out of the room, leaving Riannon alone. She did not know whether to follow them next. She already knew what she came here to find out. And the pain in her chest was enough¡­ However, after careful consideration, she ran after the two¡­ she didn¡¯t even have a word for them. She had to see it to know for sure¡­ Chapter 65. The End Chapter 65. The End She paused when they walked out of the house and searched for her. She remembered that part well. It was as if she wanted to help them herself because, since she had no desire to see anyone, she went alone into the woods. Everything was too much for her ¨C the people who sneered at her, the people who were giving her their sympathy and pity. It was a horrible night on so many levels. She went deep into the forest and was considering going to her favourite ce ¨C The Silver Lake, when she was attacked. Riannon saw Harper shifting into her wolf form after being encouraged by Roxy once again. She didn¡¯t even bother trying to listen to what the fox was saying. Did it really matter? What mattered was that in the light provided by the full moon Harper¡¯s wolf indeed looked brown. And it was breaking her heart bit by bit. So, it was her sister-inw after all... Daily new chapters in .noveljar Ria always knew that Harper did not like her. In the light of recent discoveries, it was understandable. But was the possibility of her being with Ash ¨C and this one wasn¡¯t a huge possibility ¨C worth her bing a murderer? They found Riannon from the past in just a few minutes and Roxanne motioned for the wolf to attack, staying behind in the shadows. Harper hesitated just for a second, but then charged at the Luna who was already leaning over a tree. The poison in her blood system reached the concentration that started to affect her and she was getting weaker by the second. Right now her legs could barely move, so she was defenceless when the huge wolf knocked her off her feet. But Riannon was no weakling. Even in the past. She had a will to live, so she grabbed the nearest fallen brunch and fought the werewolf off as long as she could. It was the best she could do, since she couldn¡®t shift. Unfortunately, that did notst long as Harper grabbed the stick with her canines and snapped it in two, discarding it. Daily new chapters in .noveljar This was when she started crawling away, desperately trying to win some time in the silly hope that someone woulde to save her. But just like when she actually lived in that moment, no one came¡­ She already had many scratches and cuts from the fight but when the wolf dug its teeth into her thigh and tore off a piece of it, Ria screamed. The feral primal sound was not heard by anyone as the party was still in full swing, having the best night. The present Riannon felt a tear roll down her cheek. This was horrible. And disgusting. watching this hurt. ¡°They will find everything outl¡± she heard herself saying in a desperate effort to talk herself out of this situation, ¡°You will not get away with it.¡± That uglyughter that she couldn¡¯t forget sounded in her ears as Roxanne kneeled and grabbed a fistful of her hair, ¡°Dear, Riannon, don¡¯t you get it? I already did!¡± She then forcefully threw Ria towards the ground with force and ordered the wolf, ¡°Finish her off. Make sure nothing is left.¡± Harper hesitated again but then went straight for her belly, piercing it with her sharp teeth. Daily new chapters in .noveljar This was when her memories were ending, probably meaning that this was the moment she died¡­ The wolf¡¯s muzzle was all covered in her blood and her own body was convulsing. She wasn¡¯t gone just yet. Roxy was already walking away when she felt that something was wrong and turned. ¡°Finish her off,¡± she repeated her order, but Harper didn¡®t move, ¡°I said finish her off!¡± The girl shifted back into her human form and fell to her knees, trembling. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Harper panted, trying to stand up. On wobbly knees, she got behind the nearest tree and emptied her stomach there until there was nothing left in her. Roxy swore loudly and picked up her evening dress, walking back to her almost dead rival. Riannon from the past was lying there, bleeding out and barely breathing. She was unconscious and that was probably why she didn¡®t remember that part. ¡°You need to finish what you started!¡± the fox sounded as if she was annoyed. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°... can¡¯t,¡± Harper barely had the strength to talk, ¡°Rox, I don¡®t... I don¡®t think I can...¡± ¡°Toote to back down now,¡± Roxanne smirked, ¡°Look at what you already did. There is no going back after something like this.¡± ¡°We can still take her to the pack doctor,¡± the girl pleaded, but her aplice onlyughed at that. ¡°And say what? That you identally almost ate her?¡± the fox smirked, ¡°Don¡®t be ridiculous.¡± It was then that Riannon noticed some movement at the back and in less than a second Marcus appeared and pinned Harper to the tree on which she was leaning, lifting her up in the ¡°What are¡­ you¡­ doing?¡± the pack¡¯s princess was desperately fighting for air as he squeezed her neck in hisrge palm. ¡°Cleaning up,¡± the man replied without any kind of sentiment in his eyes. ¡°You are early!¡± Roxanneined, ¡°I am not done here!¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± the warrior rolled his eyes, ¡°It seems that you have forgotten that we are on the clock here. They are both already supposed to be dead!¡± ¡°What?¡± Harper started scratching him and fighting for her life just like Riannon from the past did a few minutes prior. It wasn¡¯t working, though. He was much bigger and stronger. He was trained and Harper¡­ skipped most of her battle sses. As a wolf with Alpha blood, she could protect herself from a rogue if there was a need. But she couldn¡¯t do much about one of her brother¡¯s men, who were exercising and training hard every day. The irony... Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What can I say, she is even weaker than I thought,¡± Roxy groaned, but then looked at the naked girl trying to survive with some kind of pity, ¡°For what it¡®s worth, Harp, I am sorry that it came to this...¡± ¡°Screw. You.¡± Harper spat, giving her a re full of hatred. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Marcus chuckled, snapping her neck, ¡°Very sad.¡± He then dropped her to his feet and sneered to himself, ¡°Just where a woman¡¯s ce is.¡± Even Roxy cringed at that and immediately folded her hands on her chest. ¡°Okay,¡± she sighed, ¡°Now we need to make it look as if Riannon tried to kill Harper and thetter killed her but was mortally wounded in the process and didn¡®t make it. It¡¯s a shame you killed her by breaking her neck. I don¡®t see how a practically dead woman could do that.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Marcus snorted, ¡°A woman with the right motivation can do anything. And this Luna is known for being the best at everything. If you didn¡¯t poison her, we would have a much more interesting fight between the two.¡± Just at that moment, Riannon from the past made a loud hoarse noise which alerted her murderers. Marcus pushed off the tree under which dead Harpery and got closer to his Luna. ¡°Allow me,¡± he offered, but Roxy stopped him at the veryst moment. ¡°Wait!¡± she got closer and kneeled next to Ria, ¡°I wanted to do this from day one. And I want to make sure that it¡¯s done myself.¡± gushing out, soaking the grass underneath her and painting it in crimson colour. But this only brought relief to the Luna, whose suffering finally ended. The present Riannon watched the whole scene with her fists clenched, but at thest moment marched to the two spies. Marcus was helping Roxanne up when she reached them and tried to p the fox, only for her hand to go through her as if there was nothing there. She tried to hit her again and again, knowing that it wasn¡¯t possible. But she couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°This was satisfying,¡± the pregnant woman let out a littleugh, ¡°Can you imagine that she looked down at me the whole time? Even when she was clearly losing. The audacity!¡± ¡°Just forget about it,¡± the warrior said, getting back to Harper¡¯s body and picking her up in his arms, ¡°Look at her now. Thest person toughughs best. And that¡¯s you.¡± Ria smirked at his words. Oh, no. It wouldn¡®t be Roxy. Thest person tough or to stand would be her. Right when both of them would be dead. ¡°It¡¯s bad that your sister¨Cinw isn¡®t in her wolf form,¡± Marcus stated inly when he threw Harper on top of Riannon, ¡°How are we going to exin her being naked and not turning? ¡°Don¡®t bother yourself with this,¡± the fox prepared to leave, ¡°I can talk my future husband into anything. Just make it look as if Riannon attacked Harper and that¡®s it. I¡®ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Onyx,¡± Ria called for her wolf, ¡°That¡®s enough. I know everything now. Take me back.¡± ¡°There are other things you need to see,¡± Onyx replied and everything went dark. She blinked and found herself in her ex-husband¡¯s office. He was sitting at his desk and looking gloomy in the darkness of the room. He had stubble on his face, which was unusual for him, and this was how she realized that it wasn¡¯t the same day. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault, my love,¡± Roxy appeared with a ss of whiskey in her hand, ¡°You know it wasn¡¯t your fault, right?¡± She ced the drink in front of him and he took it without hesitation, making a big gulp. And then one more. At the same time, Roxanne smirked and Ria made a mental note to never eat or drink anything she touched. ¡°I pushed her too hard and she went mad because of me,¡± he said with some bitterness in his voice, ¡°And even killed my sister because of that... And that other girl...¡± ¡°You useless narcissist!¡± Riannon growled at him, realizing that he meant her. massaging his shoulders and he moaned, closing his eyes and trying to rx, ¡°Your ex-wife was killed by your hero sister, and the ones who helped Riannon set the trap were punished too. Those girls, Tatiana and Aria, knew what they were doing. You handled it then.¡± ¡°I just¡­ can¡¯t forget their faces when I ripped their hearts out,¡± Brayden said and Riannon stopped breathing. What was he talking about? Did he kill her friends too? Did he even investigate at all? ¡°You are an Alpha. You have to move on from this.¡± Roxanne insisted, ¡°For your people, for your mate and for your heir.¡± ¡°You are right,¡± he sighed heavily, ¡°Let¡¯s change the topic. It¡®s a big day for you and I don¡¯t want to ruin it. We are going to meet your brother.¡± ¡°Yes,¡¯ the fox¡®s lips curled into a sly smile, but Brayden didn¡®t see this as she stood behind him. ¡°And on top of everything, he is an Alpha!¡± the werewolf continued, ¡°That¡¯s very good news considering what we have been dealing with heretely. This probably means that you aren¡¯t an Omega after all. I knew that the Moon Goddess wouldn¡¯t give me an omega mate.¡± Ria wanted to p him or at least throw something at him. But it didn¡®t seem possible. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl was barely holding backughter behind his back, ¡°He also says that I am a special wolf, remember? I still can¡¯t believe that my family gave me up for my protection.¡± Riannon ran her palm over her face. How could he believe in something so stupid?! There literally couldn¡®t be any proof! This stuff could only happen in books! But when he took another sip, she knew that nothing was simple. He was broken and devasted. And drunk. And probably poisoned too. None of that made her less angry at him though. ¡°How could I forget?¡± Brayden curled his lips weakly, ¡°This is the main reason we are going to your brother¡®s pack.¡± Darkness surrounded Riannon even before she could think about what it meant. The next scene that unfolded before her eyes shocked her when she thought she was ready for everything now. Brayden was standing on his knees, beaten to a pulp¡­ Both his eyes were swollen and his clothes were torn. Four men were holding him so that he couldn¡¯t move or get out, and Castiel was standing in front of him with a bored face. Roxy was right next to him and looked ¡°Why?¡± Brayden spit blood on the ground and looked at his tormentors. Riannon wondered if at least now he realised what had happened, how he had been tricked by the foxes. ¡°Nothing personal,¡± Castiel smirked, grasping his hair with one hand and growing ws on the other, ¡°You are just in my way!¡± Brayden watched as his so-called mateced her arms around the torso of the man who was about to kill him. His face contorted painfully and Riannon couldn¡®t help but feel sorry for him. ¡°All this time,¡± he gritted through his teeth, looking at Roxy, ¡°You...¡± ¡°You guessed correctly,¡± the girl praised him with a sneer, ¡°All this time. Me.¡± ¡°And the baby?¡± he looked at her belly with teary eyes. ¡°Not yours, thank Goddess,¡± she smirked, ¡°But do not worry. Soon it wouldn¡¯t even matter. When I take the pack into my hands, no one is going to remember their naive previous Alpha. And it¡®s not like they have much time left to live either.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Castiel got tired of this exchange. One of his eyes gleamed red and then, in one swift move, he tore Brayden¡¯s head off. Ria felt sick, watching him. He looked at the bleeding head in his hands and then threw it away, wiping his hands Darkness surrounded her again and in all honesty, Riannon was ready to wake up from this nightmare. She was exhausted. But when she blinked again and found herself in the middle of a battlefield, shehe forgot about everything at once as her eyes focused on a figure of a man in a distance. He was on top of a small hill, clenching a dead grey wolf to his chest. A scream was desperately trying to escape her throat as she recognised Gideon, covered in blood. She ran towards him, her body going through all the foxes and bears who were surrounding him and snarling aggressively. ¡°Gideon,¡± she wanted to scream, but barely any sound was leaving her mouth. She was next to him in no time, recognising Reid¡¯s wolf Nox, who was already dead too. Everyone was dying... ¡°Sleep, my loyal Beta and friend,¡± Gideon ced him carefully on the ground, standing up. Around him, werewolves and lycans were losing the battle. Which was unbelievable. ¡°I will Riannon looked around them, realising that he had no chance. There were too many of them and no one to help him at a close distance. Every lycaon and werewolf was fighting. And only then she noticed that some wolves¡­ were fighting other wolves. Her heart was beating so fast that she felt it somewhere in her throat. Tears were suffocating her as she saw her mate fight a battle that he couldn¡¯t win. Foxes and bears were throwing themselves at him and he was killing them one by one. Until a moment came when there were too many of them attacking him together in arge group and he couldn¡¯t defend himself anymore, buried under their bodies¡­ Yet he did not give up and kept on snapping his sharp teeth and digging his ws into his enemies until his very last breath. A true king¡­ A true Alpha¡­ Ria couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The pain from the scene she witnessed was unbearable and she fell to her knees, unable to stand anymore. Even if she was an incorporeal spirit¡­ She clenched her fists, trying to steady her breathing. Finally, the foxes and the bears left the ce where Gideon was fighting just a few seconds prior and she saw him lying on the ground in his wolf form. Still majestic and beautiful. But not a drop of life left in him... ¡°Gideon!¡± she screamed at the top of her lungs, closing her eyes, as tears were streaming down her face. And when she opened them, she heard a loud growl and two strong hands were pinning her down¡­ NOTE: This was such a hard chapter to write and I still don¡®t think I did it justice. Can I ask help with the name again? I feel like I am drained after writing this. Chapter 66. Golden Crescents Chapter 66. Golden Crescents ¡°Riannon!¡± Gideon brought her closer to him as she was kicking and screaming. He was confused at first but soon realised that something was happening to her and when she started crying, calling his name, he simply pressed her against him, holding her hands in ce so that she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself. ¡°Mars,¡± he called his wolf, ¡°Try reaching Onyx.¡± His wolf growled in agreement and he lost him for a few moments. But then Riannon opened her eyes full of tears and looked at him in disbelief. It was as if she tried to recognise him and for a second there he was worried that she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Gideon,¡± her lips trembled as she tried to catch her ragged breathing and focus her gaze on him. She was shivering and when he let go of her hands, she reached his face with shaky fingers. She traced carefully almost every strong line of his. ¡°It¡®s me, Riannon,¡± his voice was practically a whisper because he was afraid to scare her again, ¡°It¡¯s me. It was just a dream.¡± ¡°Gideon!¡± she threw herself in his arms,cing her own around him so that there wasn¡¯t any air left between the two of them. She felt his warmth and breathed in his scent, tears burning her eyes. It was him. He was alive. What she saw¡­ it didn¡¯t happen yet. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°Ria,¡± he murmured somewhere in her hair, ¡°It¡®s all right. You are here and so am I. We are fine. It was just a dream.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dream,¡± she finally managed to distance herself from him, ¡°Gideon, Onyx showed me the past. And it was so horrible.¡± ¡°We already knew that it was horrible,¡± his voice was calm as he took away a strand of hair that stuck to her face. His tranquillity helped her find some inner peace too. ¡°It¡¯s different to know and to see,¡± she looked him in the eyes with a newfound determination, ¡°We can¡¯t let any of this happen. It was so bad¡­ Gideon, me and Maya weren¡¯t the only ones to die¡­ I saw you holding Reid¡­dead¡­ And then you...¡± She stopped talking as tears were suffocating her. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything like this to ever happen to you,¡± she sniffed. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry as much as she needed, ¡°This... future¡­ It cannot¡­ happen.¡± Her words were punctuated with sobs as she indulged herself in his warmness. ¡°Ria,¡± he sounded tense and his whole body was rigid, ¡°Did you¡­ by any chance see Savvy there?¡± ¡°No,¡± she took a deep breath and sat up, ¡°I didn¡¯t see her. But¡­ what I saw couldn¡¯t fighting wolves.¡± ¡°Tell me everything you saw,¡± he ced his palms on her shoulders, ¡°Every single detail.¡± And she did, starting with her own murder and finishing with thest moment she saw him alive. ¡°I am so sorry you had to go through this,¡± he kissed her temple as he held her in his arms. She was leaning over his chest, and he was brushing circles with his fingers on her bare skin. ¡°I am fine now,¡± she said. And it was the truth. The past faded and being close to her mate was definitely helping, their bond giving her the confidence and strength that she needed. Besides, her brain started ticking. Yes, it was terrible to see her own death again, it was disgusting to see her enemies win and it was heart-breaking to see her mate die. But between all those events she found crucial pieces of information. ¡°The Northern king,¡± she looked at Gideon, ¡°They were so afraid that you would form an alliance with him. This is exactly what we need to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± the lycan rubbed his forehead, ¡°They were worried for nothing. There is no way that ask hole and I would ever form an alliance.¡± ¡°I am sensing that there is a story there,¡± Riannon quirked her brow up. Whatever that story was, she was sure she could persuade them both. This was what she was born for. ¡°There is,¡± he admitted, ¡°But it¡¯s not for today. You¡¯ve been through too much and you need rest. Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°No,¡± she shook her head and brushed her palm over his cheek with short stubble, ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep. I want to be with you. I want you...¡± ¡°Riannon, you have no idea what those words do to me,¡± he let out a soft snarl, ¡°what you do to me...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste any time,¡± she whispered, straddling him and leaning forward to touch his hot lips with hers. ¡°If today proved anything, it is that every moment is precious. We never met each other in our past lives. They were wasted because of that. I don¡¯t want to ever be separated from you. I don¡¯t want to live even a minute of my life without you want to have your mark on my neck and I want it now.¡± ¡°Ria,¡± now an internal growl escaped his chest that was going up and down, ¡°You know that I want this more than anything. But¡­ You deserve a beautiful ceremony. I want to give only the best to my queen¡­¡± ceremony that I want. Trust me, they are overrated. I had a beautiful marking ceremony once and look how that ended. It means nothing to me. But you, Gideon, you mean everything. Give me your mark. Please.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask me twice,¡± he growled and in one sharp move ced her back on the bed, towering over her, ¡°When my Queen wants something, she doesn¡¯t have to repeat herself.¡± She was wearing only a thin white silk slip and he caressed her body through it, teasing her and making her arch her back. Their breathing was getting faster together and when he pulled the fabric down to expose her breasts, a sound of approval emerged from the depth of his body at the sight of her firm ni*ples. He lowered himself and inhaled one while tugging the other in between his fingers as he took a handful of her. Amoan escaped her, and then another. Riannon¡¯s delicate fingers intwined in his dark hair as she encouraged him to go on. He tore off her and went all the way up to her face only to crash his lips into hers, to taste her. Their tongues tangled as they shared one breath, the kiss overwhelming all their senses. But at the same time, his hand was rolling the silk up to expose more of her to him. Sheced her thighs around his torso and that made him pant in an instant. His hardness was already evident against her stomach. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°Mark me,¡± she said when he finally was able to break from her and now was taking in her beautiful body. ¡°Not yet,¡± a menacing chuckle escaped him as his fingers found the fabric of hercy underwear. He pulled it all the way down, relieving her of it. And then he yanked her to the edge of the bed, kneeling in front and spreading her wider for him. She felt his hot breathing on her sensitive core and moaned when his tongue finally reached it. He made just one sensual stroke and watched her reaction as her body shuddered in his hands. Gideon liked what he saw, he liked that control over her. Especially since he knew that he would lose his own in a matter of mere minutes thanks to that woman. He loved her too much, he wanted her too much. ¡°Gideon, please!¡± she almost whined, desperate for him to do more. And he was happy to oblige, tasting her essence on his lips as his tongue probed her. Mars wanted to take over him but it wasn¡¯t the time yet. Grasping the bare flesh of her bottom, the lycan king ced her things onto his shoulders, going deeper and faster. ¡°Look at me,¡± he growled and she obeyed him, their eyes locking as her breasts bounced sensitive bundle of nerves, while at the same time inserting two fingers into her. A loud moan left her this time as he pumped the fingers in and out, curling them inside in search of her most responsive spot. He already knew where it was, so he found it with ease, taking up the speed. Riannon shuddered from all the pleasure that was overtaking her way too fast, but he held her in ce with his free hand as he went on, and on, and on... The rel*ase exploded through her, making her forget even her own name. But not his. His was on her lips all the time as he kept caressing her and bringing her to her next climax. ¡°Gideon!¡± the sounds were bing desperate in her need for him. But right when she wasing to her peak once again, he stopped doing everything and got his fingers out of her. She tried to catch her breath as she watched him questioningly. There was no way she was ready to stop now. But when he unbuckled his pants and discarded them, her lips curved into a little smile. She found strength to stand right next to him and traced her palm all the way from his chest to his hardness. At the same time, the lycan hooked the straps of her slip and made it fall to their feet. She lowered herself slowly, still looking into his eyes, and then stroked him gently a few times before bringing his hard flesh to her lips. Slowly, she wrapped them around him and took him in. As much as she could because there was no way to take all of his length. A growl left him as he entwined his fingers into her hair as if she was his anchor. She was driving him crazy in the best sense of the word and he threw his head back, closing his eyes. ¡°What do you do with me?¡± he muttered, ¡°I... Ria...¡± He stopped her before she knew it and scooped her into his arms, cing her back onto the bed and getting on top of her. ¡°I love you so much, do you know it?¡± he grunted as he rubbed his tip at her entrance. ¡°I know,¡± she smiled, because she loved seeing him like that ¨C bedazzled with passion, consumed by his emotions¡­ He was like that only with her and she loved that power. ¡°Good,¡± he nodded and pinned both her hands above her head, lifting one of her thighs and entering her roughly. She let out a loud moan as she curved her back for him, ¡°I love you too. So much...¡± ¡°Very good,¡± he snarled and started pounding into her as if there was no tomorrow. She screamed every time he brought her to a release, digging her nails into his flesh. It was the first time they were together since she got her wolf back and everything was heightened. For her and for him as well. With each thrust, with each mad kiss their bond was getting stronger, and he didn¡®t think he could stop anymore. Daily new chapters in .noveljar Chanting her name, he took her again and again. Then, when he felt that they both were ready, he lifted her up and ced her on hisp, letting her straddle him. Her silky skin was covered with beads of sweat and her wonderful scent was filling his nostrils, making Mars go feral inside of him. ¡°From this day forward,¡± he took her hair from her neck to make sure that nothing would get into their way, ¡°You will only belong to me, Riannon.¡± He looked into her eyes, searching for approval. ¡°have already been yours for a while,¡± she smiled through tears that were forming in her eyes. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± he thrust into her again, her body bouncing on his as he held her while plunging into her again and again. She was now leaning over his firm chest and felt his canines grazing over her skin, right where her ex-husband¡¯s mark once was. Now the ce was clean and ready for him. It was always his. Gideon¡®s. ¡°Forever,¡± a growl that shook the walls around them emerged from his chest as his sharp teeth sunk into her. She expected pain just like the first time, but instead, Riannon experienced the most intense outburst of pleasure in her entire life. She didn¡¯t even know if she was moaning or screaming, she waspletely lost in the sensation. She knew only one thing. He needed to feel that too. So, she gathered the remnants of her strength and found his neck, kissing it first to make sure that this was the right spot. And when she felt him pulsating under her and groaning louder, she pierced him with her canines. ¡°Ria¡± his voice did not sound human anymore as he let his wolf take the control together with him. Pressing her tighter, the rel*ase reached them at the same time as his seed spilt inside of her. Riannon screamed and then she hung limply in his arms, exhausted and panting. His back fell to the bed, but he refused to let her go, still holding her in his arms. They both could feel their marks healing already, the tingling sensation was pleasant and soft. ¡°Finally,¡± he looked into her eyes, caressing her cheek. She couldn¡®t hold her lips from tugging into a smile. She was so happy with him already, but this was so much bigger¡­ It was ¡°Finally,¡± she repeated, fighting with her own eyes that wanted to close now. ¡°Sleep my love,¡± he whispered and kissed her nose gently, ¡°You need this. And I will guard you. Nothing bad will ever happen to you again. That¡¯s a promise.¡± And the one she knew he would do his best to keep. Slowly, the world around her went dark as she allowed herself to drift off to sleep. It was probably the middle of the next day when she woke up and found him still there, next to her. He was sleeping but his hands were still holding her and this made her grin from ear to ear. She did not want to wake him up, so she ced a little kiss where she could reach and wriggled out of his grasp in the hope to take a shower and brush her teeth before he woke up. A lot had to be done but all that she was thinking about was making him take her again. The night they shared was too good to just get back to business. But Ria also knew that they both had responsibilities and already wasted more time than they were allowed to. She had to think about what could be done when she was passing a mirror. In her reflection she saw something incredibly beautiful, something that she did not expect to see at all. Her mark was different from what she saw others have. It usually formed into an intricate tattoo-like pattern. But she was staring now at two golden crescents looking at each other. Golden! No one had golden marks before! ¡°I told you the Moon Goddess blessed you,¡± Onyx chuckled in her mind. Riannon turned to look at how Gideon¡¯s mark would look like, something she forgot to check and found him sitting on the edge of the bed and watching her. He had two golden crescents too. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡®t it?¡± she bit her lip, trying to contain the excitement. ¡°Very,¡± he smirked, but his eyes were all over her naked body. He was about to say something but her phone rang, disrupting their moment. Ria went to check, knowing that an Alpha couldn¡¯t ignore any phone calls and was surprised to see her ex-husband¡¯s name on the caller ID... Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. NOTE: I noticed that there are a lot of new people here now. Don¡¯t forget to join Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle group on FB. We are having a lot of fun there as well and in the next few days, I am going to be doing a poll about a sequel to this book. Also, don¡¯t forget to say hi ¡°Riannon!¡± Gideon brought her closer to him as she was kicking and screaming. He was confused at first but soon realised that something was happening to her and when she started crying, calling his name, he simply pressed her against him, holding her hands in ce so that she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself. ¡°Mars,¡± he called his wolf, ¡°Try reaching Onyx.¡± Daily new chapters in .noveljar His wolf growled in agreement and he lost him for a few moments. But then Riannon opened her eyes full of tears and looked at him in disbelief. It was as if she tried to recognise him and for a second there he was worried that she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Gideon,¡± her lips trembled as she tried to catch her ragged breathing and focus her gaze on him. She was shivering and when he let go of her hands, she reached his face with shaky fingers. She traced carefully almost every strong line of his. ¡°It¡¯s me, Riannon,¡± his voice was practically a whisper because he was afraid to scare her again, ¡°It¡¯s me. It was just a dream.¡± ¡°Gideon!¡± she threw herself in his arms,cing her own around him so that there wasn¡¯t any air left between the two of them. She felt his warmth and breathed in his scent, tears burning her eyes. It was him. He was alive. What she saw... it didn¡®t happen yet. ¡°Ria,¡± he murmured somewhere in her hair, ¡°It¡®s all right. You are here and so am I. We are fine. It was just a dream.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dream,¡± she finally managed to distance herself from him, ¡°Gideon, Onyx showed me the past. And it was so horrible.¡± ¡°We already knew that it was horrible,¡± his voice was calm as he took away a strand of hair that stuck to her face. His tranquillity helped her find some inner peace too. ¡°It¡¯s different to know and to see,¡± she looked him in the eyes with a newfound determination, ¡°We can¡¯t let any of this happen. It was so bad¡­ Gideon, me and Maya weren¡¯t the only ones to die¡­ I saw you holding Reid¡­dead... And then you...¡± She stopped talking as tears were suffocating her. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything like this to ever happen to you,¡± she sniffed. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry as much as she needed, ¡°This¡­ future¡­ It cannot¡­ happen.¡± Her words were punctuated with sobs as she indulged herself in his warmness. ¡°Ria,¡± he sounded tense and his whole body was rigid, ¡°Did you... by any chance see Savvy there?¡± ¡°No,¡± she took a deep breath and sat up, ¡°I didn¡¯t see her. But¡­ what I saw couldn¡¯t fighting wolves.¡± ¡°Tell me everything you saw,¡± he ced his palms on her shoulders, ¡°Every single detail.¡± And she did, starting with her own murder and finishing with thest moment she saw him alive. ¡°I am so sorry you had to go through this,¡± he kissed her temple as he held her in his arms. She was leaning over his chest, and he was brushing circles with his fingers on her bare skin. ¡°I am fine now,¡± she said. And it was the truth. The past faded and being close to her mate was definitely helping, their bond giving her the confidence and strength that she needed. Besides, her brain started ticking. Yes, it was terrible to see her own death again, it was disgusting to see her enemies win and it was heart-breaking to see her mate die. But between all those events she found crucial pieces of information. ¡°The Northern king,¡± she looked at Gideon, ¡°They were so afraid that you would form an alliance with him. This is exactly what we need to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± the lycan rubbed his forehead, ¡°They were worried for nothing. There is no way that as*hole and I would ever form an alliance.¡± ¡°I am sensing that there is a story there,¡± Riannon quirked her brow up. Whatever that story was, she was sure she could persuade them both. This was what she was born for. ¡°There is,¡± he admitted, ¡°But it¡®s not for today. You¡®ve been through too much and you need rest. Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± ¡°No,¡± she shook her head and brushed her palm over his cheek with short stubble, ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep. I want to be with you. I want you...¡± ¡°Riannon, you have no idea what those words do to me,¡± he let out a soft snarl, ¡°what you do to me...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste any time,¡± she whispered, straddling him and leaning forward to touch his hot lips with hers. ¡°If today proved anything, it is that every moment is precious. We never met each other in our past lives. They were wasted because of that. I don¡¯t want to ever be separated from you. I don¡¯t want to live even a minute of my life without you want to have your mark on my neck and I want it now.¡± ¡°Ria,¡± now an internal growl escaped his chest that was going up and down, ¡°You know that I want this more than anything. But... You deserve a beautiful ceremony. I want to give only the best to my queen...¡± ceremony that I want. Trust me, they are overrated. I had a beautiful marking ceremony once and look how that ended. It means nothing to me. But you, Gideon, you mean everything. Give me your mark. Please.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask me twice,¡± he growled and in one sharp move ced her back on the bed, towering over her, ¡°When my Queen wants something, she doesn¡¯t have to repeat herself.¡± She was wearing only a thin white silk slip and he caressed her body through it, teasing her and making her arch her back. Their breathing was getting faster together and when he pulled the fabric down to expose her breasts, a sound of approval emerged from the depth of his body at the sight of her firm ni*ples. He lowered himself and inhaled one while tugging the other in between his fingers as he took a handful of her. Amoan escaped her, and then another. Riannon¡¯s delicate fingers intwined in his dark hair as she encouraged him to go on. He tore off her and went all the way up to her face only to crash his lips into hers, to taste her. Their tongues tangled as they shared one breath, the kiss overwhelming all their senses. But at the same time, his hand was rolling the silk up to expose more of her to him. Sheced her thighs around his torso and that made him pant in an instant. His hardness was already evident against her stomach. ¡°Mark me,¡± she said when he finally was able to break from her and now was taking in her beautiful body. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°Not yet,¡± a menacing chuckle escaped him as his fingers found the fabric of hercy underwear. He pulled it all the way down, relieving her of it. And then he yanked her to the edge of the bed, kneeling in front and spreading her wider for him. She felt his hot breathing on her sensitive core and moaned when his tongue finally reached it. He made just one sensual stroke and watched her reaction as her body shuddered in his hands. Gideon liked what he saw, he liked that control over her. Especially since he knew that he would lose his own in a matter of mere minutes thanks to that woman. He loved her too much, he wanted her too much. ¡°Gideon, please!¡± she almost whined, desperate for him to do more. And he was happy to oblige, tasting her essence on his lips as his tongue probed her. Mars wanted to take over him but it wasn¡¯t the time yet. Grasping the bare flesh of her bottom, the lycan king ced her things onto his shoulders, going deeper and faster. ¡°Look at me,¡± he growled and she obeyed him, their eyes locking as her breasts bounced sensitive bundle of nerves, while at the same time inserting two fingers into her. Aloud moan left her this time as he pumped the fingers in and out, curling them inside in search of her most responsive spot. He already knew where it was, so he found it with ease, taking up the speed. Riannon shuddered from all the pleasure that was overtaking her way too fast, but he held her in ce with his free hand as he went on, and on, and on¡­ The rel*ase exploded through her, making her forget even her own name. But not his. His was on her lips all the time as he kept caressing her and bringing her to her next climax. ¡°Gideon!¡± the sounds were bing desperate in her need for him. But right when she wasing to her peak once again, he stopped doing everything and got his fingers out of her. She tried to catch her breath as she watched him questioningly. There was no way she was ready to stop now. But when he unbuckled his pants and discarded them, her lips curved into a little smile. She found strength to stand right next to him and traced her palm all the way from his chest to his hardness. At the same time, the lycan hooked the straps of her slip and made it fall to their feet. She lowered herself slowly, still looking into his eyes, and then stroked him gently a few times before bringing his hard flesh to her lips. Slowly, she wrapped them around him and took him in. As much as she could because there was no way to take all of his length. Agrowl left him as he entwined his fingers into her hair as if she was his anchor. She was driving him crazy in the best sense of the word and he threw his head back, closing his eyes. ¡°What do you do with me?¡± he muttered, ¡°I... Ria...¡± He stopped her before she knew it and scooped her into his arms, cing her back onto the bed and getting on top of her. ¡°I love you so much, do you know it?¡± he grunted as he rubbed his tip at her entrance. ¡°I know,¡± she smiled, because she loved seeing him like that ¨C bedazzled with passion, consumed by his emotions¡­ He was like that only with her and she loved that power. ¡°Good,¡± he nodded and pinned both her hands above her head, lifting one of her thighs and entering her roughly. She let out a loud moan as she curved her back for him, ¡°I love you too. So much...¡± ¡°Very good,¡± he snarled and started pounding into her as if there was no tomorrow. She She screamed every time he brought her to a release, digging her nails into his flesh. It was the first time they were together since she got her wolf back and everything was heightened. For her and for him as well. With each thrust, with each mad kiss their bond was getting stronger, and he didn¡®t think he could stop anymore. Chanting her name, he took her again and again. Daily new chapters in .noveljar Then, when he felt that they both were ready, he lifted her up and ced her on hisp, letting her straddle him. Her silky skin was covered with beads of sweat and her wonderful scent was filling his nostrils, making Mars go feral inside of him. ¡°From this day forward,¡± he took her hair from her neck to make sure that nothing would get into their way, ¡°You will only belong to me, Riannon.¡± He looked into her eyes, searching for approval. ¡°I have already been yours for a while,¡± she smiled through tears that were forming in her eyes. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± he thrust into her again, her body bouncing on his as he held her while plunging into her again and again. She was now leaning over his firm chest and felt his canines grazing over her skin, right where her ex-husband¡¯s mark once was. Now the ce was clean and ready for him. It was always his. Gideon¡¯s. ¡°Forever,¡± a growl that shook the walls around them emerged from his chest as his sharp teeth sunk into her. She expected pain just like the first time, but instead, Riannon experienced the most intense outburst of pleasure in her entire life. She didn¡¯t even know if she was moaning or screaming, she waspletely lost in the sensation. She knew only one thing. He needed to feel that too. So, she gathered the remnants of her strength and found his neck, kissing it first to make sure that this was the right spot. And when she felt him pulsating under her and groaning louder, she pierced him with her canines. ¡°Ria,¡± his voice did not sound human anymore as he let his wolf take the control together with him. Pressing her tighter, the rel*ase reached them at the same time as his seed spilt inside of her. Riannon screamed and then she hung limply in his arms, exhausted and panting. His back fell to the bed, but he refused to let her go, still holding her in his arms. Daily new chapters in .noveljar They both could feel their marks healing already, the tingling sensation was pleasant and soft. ¡°Finally,¡± he looked into her eyes, caressing her cheek. She couldn¡®t hold her lips from tugging into a smile. She was so happy with him already, but this was so much bigger¡­ It was ¡°Finally,¡± she repeated, fighting with her own eyes that wanted to close now. ¡°Sleep my love,¡± he whispered and kissed her nose gently, ¡°You need this. And I will guard you. Nothing bad will ever happen to you again. That¡¯s a promise.¡± And the one she knew he would do his best to keep. Slowly, the world around her went dark as she allowed herself to drift off to sleep. It was probably the middle of the next day when she woke up and found him still there, next to her. He was sleeping but his hands were still holding her and this made her grin from ear to ear. She did not want to wake him up, so she ced a little kiss where she could reach and wriggled out of his grasp in the hope to take a shower and brush her teeth before he woke up. A lot had to be done but all that she was thinking about was making him take her again. The night they shared was too good to just get back to business. But Ria also knew that they both had responsibilities and already wasted more time than they were allowed to. She had to think about what could be done when she was passing a mirror. In her reflection she saw something incredibly beautiful, something that she did not expect to see at all. Her mark was different from what she saw others have. It usually formed into an intricate tattoo-like pattern. But she was staring now at two golden crescents looking at each other. Golden! No one had golden marks before! ¡°I told you the Moon Goddess blessed you,¡± Onyx chuckled in her mind. Riannon turned to look at how Gideon¡¯s mark would look like, something she forgot to check and found him sitting on the edge of the bed and watching her. He had two golden crescents too. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡®t it?¡± she bit her lip, trying to contain the excitement. ¡°Very,¡± he smirked, but his eyes were all over her naked body. He was about to say something but her phone rang, disrupting their moment. Ria went to check, knowing that an Alpha couldn¡®t ignore any phone calls and was surprised to see her ex-husband¡¯s name on the caller ID... NOTE: I noticed that there are a lot of new people here now. Don¡¯t forget to join Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle group on FB. We are having a lot of fun there as well and in the next few days, I am going to be doing a poll about a sequel to this book. Also, don¡¯t forget to say hi Chapter 67. In Charge Chapter 67. In Charge She came back to Gideon and he spread his arms to take her into hisp as she showed him the caller ID. She could feel his whole body going rigid under hers. ¡°What does he want?¡± the lycan king grunted, wrapping his arms possessively around his still naked mate. ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± she giggled, leaning into him and answering the call. ¡°Ri,¡± she heard her ex-husband¡¯s voice and couldn¡¯t believe that he still had the audacity to call her that. What was he thinking? ¡°Thank you for picking up,¡± he sounded slightly lost. They were not together anymore, but she still knew everything there was to know about him. Something was wrong. ¡°How can I help you, Alpha Thorn?¡± she asked in a business-like manner, dry, cold but respectful. ¡°Help is the right word,¡± he sighed, as if it was hard for him to speak, ¡°Help is exactly what I need from you, Riannon.¡± ¡°Wow, that was fast,¡± her lips curved into a smirk, ¡°You had your own pack for one day and you already need my help?¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated,¡± Brayden was getting more agitated. ¡°Just cut straight to the chase,¡± she suggested, giving her mate a disapproving look as he was slowly starting to caress her body again and making her feel things that she didn¡¯t want to feel when on the phone with her ex. ¡°Something happened right before you came to my pack,¡± The Alpha on the other side of the line continued, ¡°I checked the footage from mynd and saw Roxy and Harper taking a walk when they were attacked and kidnapped by two masked guys.¡± She was happy that he couldn¡¯t see her rolling her eyes. Just what did she see in him in the past? Ria looked at her mate and realised by assessing his facial expression that he was thinking the same thing. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°Seriously?¡± she did her best not tough, ¡°You seriously believe that?¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Brayden sounded confident. ¡°Very well,¡± Riannon snorted, ¡°what is your so-called mate and the other is your sister. What does it possibly have to do with me?¡± ¡°I was getting to that,¡± it seemed like this conversation was hard for him, ¡°The kidnappers contacted me and they want to meet.¡± ¡°Go meet them then,¡± she tracked her shoulders, ¡°Again, why do you call me?¡± the Luna of the pack. I tried to exin to them that we are divorced, but they are not convinced and still insist on using there together. They said that they would start cutting their fingers off if we don¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°You do realise it¡¯s a trap, right?¡± She tried to keep the serious tone but Gideon¡¯s hand went all the way down between her thighs and made her bite her lip. He knew how to y her like an instrument now and the mate bond was on his side. ¡°Of course, I do,¡± her ex gritted his teeth, ¡°It¡¯s always a trap. But I still have to try and save them.¡± ¡°She is not your mate, Bray,¡± Riannon ced her head on the lycan¡¯s shoulder, trying to control the soundsing out of her. She wanted to grab his hand and stop him, but he caught her arm and held it in ce. While her other one was busy holding her cell. She was trapped and he continued reminding her who her mate was now. Not that she objected. ¡°I still am not convinced,¡± she heard her ex saying in a dark tone, and was d that she rejected him back at the Summit and there was no way for him to know that he wasn¡¯t the focus of her attention now. ¡°Besides,¡± his voice suddenly felt slightly broken, ¡°Roxanne is pregnant.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean that you are the father,¡± she made her point, ¡°Dean went willingly with her, Bray. She had power over him. Just like she has it over you. You are hardly her only man.¡± ¡°Even so,¡± it was evident that he didn¡¯t want to agree, ¡°There is still a chance that the pup is mine. And anyway, Harper is there too. You wouldn¡¯t want to leave her in this situation, Ri, right?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she bit her lip as Gideon found that one spot again and every circr motion he made was forcing her body to react. Otherwise, she would have burst outughing. ¡°I don¡®t know, Bray. She hates me. Do I owe her anything? I don¡®t think so.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± her ex grunted. Daily new chapters in .noveljar This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes,¡± she almost screamed as she was reaching her peak and, on top of that, Gideon was now breathing into her fresh and still sensitive mark. His tongue flickered over it and this time her eyes rolled for very different reasons. ¡°Ri, are you all right?¡± Brayden sounded concerned, but this time the lycan king grazed his teeth over her skin and she shuddered on his fingers, as the new climax took over her. ¡°Yes!¡± she repeated, trying to get her breathing under control as the tingles were bursting his fingers, and she jabbed him with her elbow. But after a second thought, she leaned towards him and mmed her lips into his, thanking him for the pleasure he gave her. But as he felt him ready to go on, she motioned for him to stop and let her finish the conversation. ¡°Are you sure everything is fine?¡± her ex did not give up, ¡°I cane now if you want me to.¡± She wanted to tell him that she had alreadye. But that would be rude and she bit her tongue. ¡°Back to the matter we discussed,¡± she cleared her throat and distanced herself from her mate, who looked too tempting now. But this was important. The scenes from the past were still before her eyes and she couldn¡¯t be careless. ¡°Give me a reason to help you, Bray. I don¡¯t see why I should even bother with it. And don¡®t give me any sentimental crap. After what the three of you made me go through, I am not buying any of that. You need my help? Fine. But I need something in return. What can you offer?¡± ¡°I...¡± He really did not expect this turn of events, hoping that she would just do this little favour for him out of the kindness of her heart. But then it urred to him that she probably already knew about the money. And this was exactly what could persuade her now. ¡°I will give your pack half of the funds that I have. I am sure you already know that...¡± Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°That you stole from me,¡± she snorted, pulling on a silky robe, ¡°Yeah, I got notification from the bank, Bray.¡± Now there was a heavy silence between the two of them. ¡°I will give you a half back,¡± he managed to say after a while and she giggled. ¡°Oh, Brayden,¡± she sat on the top of the desk in the room and the sight of her on top of that made Gideon growl, ¡°I already have a half. Or did you forget that I was the one managing the money?¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Brayden was lost for words. ¡°I mean that I thought that you could do something like this after our divorce and I took precautions,¡± she smiled, knowing that even though he didn¡¯t see it, he knew she was doing it. ¡°What did you do?¡± She chuckled before answering, ¡°Oh, I did a lot of things. Invested here and there. Opened a new ount in my name. On top of that, my Luna sry¡­ I never spent a penny out of it, so it¡¯s all still there. In my name. So, I am fine. In fact, I am better than you.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t pay attention,¡± she giggled, ¡°You know, I would have given you that other half of the money if you didn¡¯t decide to steal from me, knowing what it would mean for a whole pack. You can call it a test. And you didn¡¯t pass.¡± ¡°The half of everything you just listed should be mine ording to thew,¡± Brayden tried to get out of this mess, ¡°It all could be traced and checked.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of small print that you hate so much,¡± Riannon jumped off the table and circled the desk to sit in the chair, ¡°ording to the neww which you personally helped me to push through, I get what belonged to my father¡¯s pack, considering intion and all. Plus, I get what I earned as a Luna during my time as one and everything that was gifted to me or bought in my name during the marriage. And before you say anything, I have your written permission, verified by both ourwyers years ago. Everything is legal. And thank you for your generosity.¡± She heard the sound of something breaking at the other end of the line and waited, giving her ex time for his tantrum. ¡°So, you wouldn¡¯t help me,¡± he growled angrily after a while. ¡°Oh, I will,¡± she smirked, locking her eyes with Gideon, ¡°It¡®s just that it¡¯s going to be on my terms and now yours. You will do as I say or I am out.¡± Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, admitting his defeat. ¡°For now, I want you to set a date,¡± Ria¡¯s tone changed to icy cold because all the jokes were done. Gideon noticed the shift, admiring his Queen¡¯s ability to keep her cool at all times. ¡°When?¡± he asked, ¡°I wanted to get them as soon as possible.¡± ¡°One step at a time, Bray,¡± Riannon warned him, ¡°I am not walking into a trap unprepared. Tell them that we will meet in 48 hours. Don¡®t tell anyone about our deal, not even your new Beta.¡± ¡°I think it should be my decision.¡± Brayden still wanted to be in control. ¡°Very well,¡± she pronounced the words in the sweetest tone, ¡°Suit yourself. And good luck with all that rescue thing. Bye!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± the Alpha sounded desperate. Finally. He knew that she had him. ¡°I¡®ll do as I say. Just help me.¡± ¡°This was just one of the conditions, Bray,¡± Riannon informed him calmly, ¡°You will owe me one. And we will make a written deal about it. You can make a few conditions of your own. He didn¡®t give her the answer at once. But she knew that he was considering it. ¡°Fine,¡± her ex agreed after all, ¡°You have a deal. I will not tell a single soul. I wasn¡¯t going to anyway.¡± ¡°Great,¡± now her voice was cheerful, ¡°I will call you tomorrow to give you more details of my n. Remember that what I say goes. And don¡¯t you dare y any tricks on me when we are there. It will cost you. Literally. Don¡®t forget that I was...¡± ¡°There is no need for this,¡± he interrupted her and then let out a sad sigh, ¡°Ri, I know I screwed up with you. But you are not my enemy. You will never be my enemy. Whatever you do. Even if I am angry. You are...¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s time to finish this conversation,¡± Gideon was next to her in less than a second, fuming slightly. He didn¡®t want that pathetic wolf to try coaxing his queen. ¡°Remember about the deal,¡± Riannon said dryly, not wishing to hurt her mate. Brayden was her past. But Gideon was her everything. ¡°See you soon.¡± She switched off her phone and threw it on the top of the desk. ¡°You are a scary woman, Riannon Michaels,¡± the lycan smirked, ¡°I am lucky that you are on my side.¡± ¡°You sure are,¡± she let out a snort, tapping her fingers over the hand rest of her chair. Their eyes met and smiles dropped from both their faces. It was time to work. ¡°Let¡¯s start,¡± Ria furrowed her brows. ¡°That¡¯s clearly a trap,¡± Gideon stated firmly, ¡°And they are interested in you, because that fox already told them everything.¡± ¡°But we can still use it to our advantage,¡± his mate¡¯s lips curled into a sneer, ¡°They have no idea how much we know about them now. All we need is a good n...¡± Daily new chapters in .noveljar NOTE: I need help with the name of this chapter again and I will leave this to you because you are great at this. The UK is threatened by storm Eunice atm and it may affect the inte etc tomorrow (unlikely, but possible). I will, however, try to write and schedule the next update earlier for you to make sure you get your dose of TPL. Chapter 68. The North Star Chapter 68. The North Star ¡°Will you just tell me what exactly the problem is there?¡± Riannon was losing her patience with her mate. This was the first time they didn¡¯t agree on something at once and it was very new. And confusing. And she didn¡¯t like this at all. ¡°Can you just trust me on that?¡± Gideon ran his hand over his face, ¡°That pathetic excuse of a king isn¡¯t worth talking about.¡± ¡°See, this is the problem here,¡± she was putting her diamond studs into her ears while watching him in the mirror, ¡°I can tell that there is a story, but you are not sharing this with me. ¡°There isn¡¯t too much to share,¡± he finally admitted as he was buttoning his shirt, leaving thest two buttons undone. Just the way she liked it so much. ¡°You¡¯re doing this again,¡± Ria reprimanded him with a small smile on her lips, ¡°and here ! thought that you could share anything with me. We need that alliance, you know that.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he growled, surrendering to her, and went to the window to check if Reid and Maya were already waiting for them outside, ¡°We would have already been in that alliance with the Northern Kingdom. It was in the ns and my father worked for it really hard.¡± ¡°And what happened?¡± Riannon was now interested more than ever, sensing that there would be something worth hearing. Daily new chapters update on .noveljar ¡°They wanted an alliance through marriage,¡± he gave a pointed cough, and she knew at once why he did not like that story. ¡°And who was the happy couple?¡± she already regretted asking him about the North. ¡°It was supposed to be me and Kai¡¯s sister, Elene.¡± Kai was the name of the northern king. Riannon knew that because it was her job to know these things. But the mysterious princess of the northern kingdom ¨C there was no information about her anywhere. They were hiding her as if she was their most precious treasure. She didn¡¯t notice how her fists clenched. She did not like the thoughts but we¡¯re now in her head. Did he have a betrothed? Did they have anything? Did he kiss her? Were they doing other things? He didn¡¯t get all these skills from nowhere. She knew he had experience and she did not care before. But right now, Onyx was growling angrily inside of her, sharing her thoughts. ¡°How nice.¡± She didn¡¯t know why her voice came out so high pitched. She wasn¡¯t herself. Gideon strolled towards her through the room and caught her in his arms. ¡°It never happened, Ria,¡± a smirk was dancing on his lips as he pulled her closer and took ¡°Why?¡± she looked at him, feeling her heart beating faster. She needed to know this for so many reasons. ¡°I refused,¡± he told her, lowering himself to ce his forehead on hers. ¡°Why did you?¡± she rubbed her nose over his, feeling the warmth spreading over her. was the one to say no to the princess. Not the other way around. This knowledge was important to her for some reason and Onyx was calmer inside of her now. ¡°I did it because of you,¡± Gideon said and now she wanted to let out a littleugh, but when she opened her eyes and saw him staring at her, the smile faded. ¡°Because deep inside, even though I never wanted to admit it, I always wanted to find you, my mate. My one and only. Mine...¡± She felt a jab of guilt deep inside her chest. He waited for her. He even risked a rtionship with another kingdom just because of the possibility that he could find her. Meanwhile, she gave up on him early on and married Brayden, the biggest mistake of her life. ¡°And this is why you think that you will not be able to form an alliance with him?¡± she asked, instead of telling him what she really wanted to tell, ¡°It was years ago as far as I understand. Maybe he already cooled down after that.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gideon stepped away and rubbed the back of his neck, ¡°This... Wasn¡¯t the end of the story.¡± For a few moments he wasn¡¯t saying anything and that got her scared. How bad was this? ¡°Do tell,¡± Riannon insisted, furrowing her brows and bracing herself for the worst. Daily new chapters update on .noveljar ¡°That deal was between our parents and they brushed that under the rug,¡± her mate continued, ¡°They were wise and did not want to ruin our rtionship. But after his father and my parents died, everything changed. We both became kings but we couldn¡¯t maintain a civil... partnership. He waspeting with me in everything and it never ended well. But what was worse, one day he sent us a message that he wanted to arrange another marriage between our royal families. He asked for Savvy¡¯s hand in marriage and she was just fifteen at the time!¡± Riannon bit her tongue. She was also fifteen when her parents started talking about her marrying Brayden. It was typical for alpha families and especially for the royals. ¡°Ria, I just couldn¡®t do that to my sister,¡± Gideon sighed. She knew that he felt responsible for Savannah. In many ways, he was recing a father for her. ¡°She was just a kid back then¡­ And deserved better than this. Better than a contract marriage. But of course, first ce. Because after that he could use everything as a perfect excuse to do whatever he wanted. He is such a prick, Ria. Honestly.¡± She walked to him and brushed her palm over his cheek, enjoying the prickles his stubble gave her. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°We still need to talk to him,¡± she said firmly and, judging by his knitted brows, this was not what he expected. ¡°Ria, I am telling you,¡± he grunted, but she ced a finger on his lips to make him stop and then met his gaze. ¡°No, Gideon, I am telling you. We need him.¡± She looked him in the eye in hope that he would see everything that was on her mind, ¡°We are not letting people die because of your pride. And his. We still don¡®t know which werewolf packs would betray you. And if. There are many pieces of the puzzle that we don¡¯t have. But one thing is certain, they were sure that they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle both of you. We have to use it. Otherwise, we still may lose even now. And I¡­ I don¡¯t want to witness anything like that ever again.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the Lycan king growled in annoyance. But in truth, he knew that for her he would do whatever it took. ¡°We will try to deal with Kai after all this mess.¡± She couldn¡¯t hold back her grin and stood on the tips of her toes to give him a quick kiss. ¡°That¡®s my king,¡± she praised him, ¡°And now, it¡¯s time for the show!¡± They met with Maya, Reid and Ash outside of the mansion as they still didn¡®t have the time to check the building properly and were not sure that there were no surprises from the foxes and bears inside. ¡°Ash,¡± Riannon turned to her Gamma, ¡°You will need to keep an eye on Marcus at all times. In no way make him feel special today. He is just a regr warrior for you, so only give him his usual tasks. See who he talks to and at 3 pm make sure that the warriors have a run through the eastern side of the forest.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Ash looked curious now. ¡°He is a traitor and I need him to have something to give to his masters,¡± Riannon smirked and then turned to Maya, noticing how her friend looked better than she expected.¡° Are you...¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± her best friend interrupted, ¡°Just tell me what to do.¡± ¡°Well, we are having Dean¡¯s funeral tonight. His body will be burned ording to our ¡°There is no need for this,¡± Maya stopped her and now her eyes were glistening with tears that wanted to escape her, ¡°He was one of the traitors too...¡± Daily new chapters update on .noveljar ¡°He was misled,¡± Riannon gave her a weak smile, ¡°I am not judging him for what happened. And we will never know all the details. But, Maya, he can help us now. Let him.¡± They stared at each other for some time and then the Beta simply nodded, giving her permission. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± she asked. ¡°I want you to be you and drown yourself in work,¡± Ria informed her, ¡°I need you to assign every omega you can find a task today that would keep them busy. Everyone but Alice. Make her help in the kitchen today. And leave only the chef and her. I need her there.¡± ¡°Why would you need Alice?¡± Maya was surprised to hear that name. She knew the omega but she was never anything special, to begin with, to pay her any attention. ¡°She works for the foxes,¡± Gideon told her, and the Beta¡¯s eyes glowed as she tried to control her wolf. ¡°I will kill her,¡± she growled. ¡°Not if you want real revenge,¡± Ria interjected and it helped. ¡°We need her alive now.¡± ¡°Is this why you want Marcus too?¡± Maya gritted her teeth, still fighting with herself, ¡°He is a traitor too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Riannon nodded and Ash growled. ¡°Do you even realise what you are asking?¡± the beta had her ws out, ¡°If they are the traitors, then they are the ones guilty of Dean¡¯s death too! They could have helped her catch him.¡± Daily new chapters update on .noveljar ¡°And we will deal with them when the timees,¡± Ria promised, ¡°But right now we need to take care of everyone. Time for revenge wille. I swear.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t perform Beta¡¯s job at the moment, everyone will understand,¡± Gideon said, and Riannon gave him a re. However, this was what made her calm down and she retracted her ws. ¡°No, I am fine,¡± Maya said and Reid wrapped her arm around her. ¡°I¡®ll be with you the whole time,¡± he leaned down and kissed her forehead. ¡°Okay,¡± Riannon forced a little smile, ¡°We will meet after the funeral and talk. I have a lot to tell you all. But work first.¡± searching the Luna¡¯s and the Alpha¡¯s office and found a few bugs in Brayden¡¯s old desk and bookshelves. However, her office was clean. ¡°This is a bit insulting,¡± Ria rolled her eyes, ¡°As if they didn¡¯t pay me any attention!¡± ¡°That was obviously a big mistake on their part,¡± the lycan chuckled, ¡°Look what happened thanks to that!¡± They had a map before them where Riannon had already made a few marks. Now, all they had to do was wait. And Alice didn¡¯t make them wait long¡­ Chapter 69. Goodbye. Chapter 69. Goodbye. She went into the room timidly, carrying a tray with¡­ well, tea. Riannon wanted tough out loud, taking a mental note to not drink it. It was unlikely that the omega would try to poison her now, but just the thought of consuming anything that her hands touched repulsed the Alpha. There was a possibility, of course, that in this lifetime Alice wouldn¡¯t be working for the foxes yet. She wasn¡¯t a part of the main team even back in her previous life. But now Riannon kind of hoped that she had been recruited already. It would be really helpful to them. The chances were high. Alice was pouring the tea into one of the cups when Ria took a quick nce at her. Ever since she saw the past, she had been wondering what made the omega serve Roxy? Their pack was one of the best and life inside of it wasfortable for everyone. On top of that, omegas were guaranteed protection at all times and it was truly priceless in their cruel world. Maybe she had bigger ambitions than just serving tea to the higher-ranking wolves? Or maybe she needed money for some reason. Either way, they promised her something that corrupted her loyalty to the pack. And it couldn¡®t be a coincidence that right now both her and Marcus had chosen her pack and not Brayden¡¯s. Ria also remembered that Alice had a chosen mate who was just slightly higher in ranking than an omega and wondered if he was taking part in it. But she doubted that, considering what she witnessed the girl doing with Marcus in the woods right before her death. Another proof that true mates ruled over chosen ones. They did their best to ignore her. Everybody took omegas for granted and, although Riannon hated to admit that and tried to know everyone in her pack, at times like this, she was one of them. This was what the fox king counted on. And right now she had to y along. And so did Gideon. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°Ria, you are crazy if you think that I am letting you go with just six warriors,¡± the lycan king growled dominantly, and she caught herself thinking that it sounded hot. ¡°We can¡¯t take too many. If they see them, then Harper would be dead.¡± Riannon exined calmly as Alice was cing a cup in front of her. ¡°Don¡®t worry, they are strategic ces. If we hide them there, no one will know. It¡¯s next to impossible to see them from the ground, so unless theye in a ne...¡± ¡°This is not what I am worried about, and you know it,¡± he sighed, tapping his fingers on the map. Ria was impressed by his acting skills. Gideon really did not give out any drama school kid vibes. But on the other hand, he was a politician just like her. They had to act more ¡°We already talked about it,¡± Riannon tried to sound firm and annoyed as Alice ced a cup of tea in front of her, grazing her eyes over the map. ¡°Thank you,¡± she did not look at her as she said that. ¡°There is only one problem,¡± her mate chuckled, ¡°I don¡®t give a damn about Harper. I haven¡¯t even seen her.. But you are my whole world. I am not risking my queen.¡± ¡°Of course you are not,¡± she fidgeted with the cup in her hands, ¡°That¡¯s why we are working on this n.¡± ¡°And it needs more warriors. Lycan warriors.¡± They stared at each other and it was the worst part because she wanted tough since it reminded her of a children¡¯s game. But he didn¡¯t even flinch and that gave her strength to go on as well. ¡°Fine,¡± she groaned, ¡°Bring your lycans, but I am bringing my warriors too. So, we¡®ll bring six people each. I need to think of new ces to position them.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Gideon smirked, ¡°Lycans are the fastest shifters. You can position them far away to avoid them being noticed and they will still be in ce on time at the first signal.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± she put the cup with tea away, pretending to look at the map. ¡°Then I will ce half of them here. And the other half¡­ I need to think about it some more.¡± They let Alice hear enough, not wanting it to be too unnatural. One thing was for sure, Castiel wasn¡¯t an i***t. He would realise that something was off if he received full information about their n. That would be very lucky even for the sly fox. Gideon refused the tea and Alice was stumbling with her tray. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°That would be all. Thank you.¡± Riannon smiled at the girl charmingly and thetter even blushed a bit. Who could have thought that this little creature would be able to add aconite to people¡¯s drinks? ¡°Do you think she bought it?¡± Ria almost jumped when she heard Gideon¡¯s voice in her head. But when the realisation settled, she smiled at him. It was the first time they used mind¨Clinking, which was now possible due to their mating process beingpleted. It was convenient too, since no one would hear them now. ¡°I hope so,¡± Riannon took another look at the map, ¡°If she remembered at least a few of these ces, then we¡¯ll be able to take out their warriors one by one.¡± ¡°Speaking of warriors,¡± the lycan looked at his watch and sighed, ¡°We are almostte for another show.¡± they heard the sounds of approaching steps as Ash made the team run, Riannon prepared for a fight. It was lucky that both of them had enhanced hearing now. The lycan as a royal and Ria as a blessed wolf. She didn¡¯t even have a chance yet to test what she could do, but Onyx assured her that they were capable of many things. However, this wasn¡¯t the time to show off. Gideon was holding kick pads and she was hitting them with enthusiasm. But not with her full force. ¡°I just can¡¯t do this anymore!¡± she groaned loudly, knowing that werewolf hearing would be able to pick up on that. ¡°Of course you can,¡± her mate said calmly, ying his part. ¡°You just need time. I think this glowing thing exhausted you. You need time to restore properly.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have time!¡± she almost screamed, turning away from him in fake desperation. ¡°I need to be able to shift now and I can¡¯t anymore! This is happening all over again!¡± ¡°Heard you,¡± Ash¡¯s voice sounded in Riannon¡¯s mind, ¡°And I am sure that everyone who was with me did too. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Take them away so that they think that you don¡¯t want them to keep overhearing us,¡± The Alpha¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile. ¡°Then give them some free time so that our mole can deliver the information.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Ash didn¡®t ask any questions and in less than a second they could hear his The seeds were nted and now all they had to do was wait and hope that they would grow. When it got dark, the time came to say goodbye. Maya did not cry anymore. She did not cry when her brother¡¯s body was brought to the centre of the clearing in the woods, where all the funerals of their packs were held. She did not cry when they ced him on the pedestal made of wood and stuffed with dry twigs.. It was a tradition to burn the bodies of werewolves and it was considered that only after burning the wolf¡¯s spirit is free and can start a new life in a new body, while the human goes to spend eternity next to the Moon Goddess. Dean was wrapped in white fabric soaked in inmmable liquid. It was hard for Maya that she couldn¡¯t see his face. Maybe if she saw him, she would be able to shed another tear. But she couldn¡¯t. It was as if she used the limit of her lifetime in just two days. Reid was hugging her from her back, hands locked protectively around his mate. He felt brother almost broke her. And now all that she was thinking about was her revenge. The lycan Beta was worried sick about her and he could feel her body going rigid when a few higher- ranking warriors brought out the torches. ¡°Moon Goddess, ept his soul,¡± Maya whispered and Reid together with everyone else present repeated the words right before the men touched the white fabric with the torches. The fire ignited momentarily, almost reaching the skies. Nobody was saying anything. Werewolves did not like to talk. Instead, they heard a howl from one of the guards in the woods in his wolf form that was far away from them now. And then another howl from the other side joined him. Everyone who was guarding the pack that night was howling now. And it wasn¡¯t a battle cry or a signal. It was a song of pain and loss that the pack shared tonight. Maya was watching her brother¡¯s body burning when Riannon got closer to her and took her hand, entwining their fingers. She gave them a light squeeze of support and her friend¡¯s eyes glistened again. Yet not a single tear rolled down her cheek. Daily new chapters in .noveljar Ash joined them on the other side and ced his hand on his Beta¡¯s shoulder but took it away quickly as Reid growled at him. Gideon pulled Ria closer, whispering into her ear that everything was going to be okay. And while they watched the wild fire dancing before their eyes, she decided to believe him. Finally, the mes were so high that it seemed like it was illuminating the whole forest. And then it formed into the shape of a beautiful wolf¡¯s head that let out itsst roar, joined by other members of the pack. The wolf dissipated into myriads of tiny sparks and this was when everyone knew that it was officially over. Dean¡¯s wolf was going to be reborn. And Dean was probably already enjoying thepany of the Moon Goddess, which was an honour on its own. ¡°Sometimes I think that you traded my life for his,¡± Maya confessed when only the five of them were left standing in front of the fire. ¡°No,¡± Ria looked at her team, ¡°trust me, I didn¡¯t. I don¡¯t think that anyone could survive the war that I have seen in the past.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ash knitted his brows, clearly confused. ¡°I am going to exin everything now,¡± Riannon sighed. It was the best ce as the sounds of crackling mes could cover for them. The Alpha female was very carefully choosing her words as she told her story from the very beginning, shocking Ash, who was thest person to find out about everything.. However, ¡°This actually exins a lot.¡± The Gamma tried to stay rational,. ¡°You were so chill about everything and you seemed to know things... How did you...?¡± ¡°We¡®ll talk about it another time,¡± Ria stopped him, ¡°And right now I need you to know what we are going to do tomorrow. It¡¯s of the utmost significance now and everyone should know what they have to do.¡± She told them the n and their roles in it and everyone seemed fine with it to her relief. Only Gideon wasn¡¯t saying a word, but she already knew that she had his full support. Daily new chapters in .noveljar ¡°Anyway,¡± Maya decided to be the first to leave. She did not want to see how omegas would be gathering Dean¡¯s ashes to hand them to her. She had enough of conversations, ¡°I think we all need a good night¡¯s rest before tomorrow.¡± On the next day, Riannon was preparing for her first operation as an Alpha. It was both exciting and stressful. But she knew that she was going to do this surrounded by the best team ever. She was wearing a tight-fitting ck leather jacket with notchedpels and zipped cuffs, pairing it with ck jeans and patent leather boots. ¡°How do you manage to look like a general who is about to lead an army into a battle and the most elegant woman I have ever seen?¡± Gideon¡¯s gaze travelled all over his mate. ¡°I will take that as apliment,¡± his Queen looked at him with pride in her eyes and epted the hand that he offered, ¡°Shall we?¡± Brayden was already there, when they walked out of the mansion and seeing his ex-wife, he caught his breath. Was she always like that? So dazzling, beautiful and¡­ refined? He knew that she was a perfect Luna, but right now just the sight of her made his heart clench. He had her by his side for years. And when the crazy teen love turned into an adult partnership, he started to take her for granted. He was always ttered when people wereplimenting his choice of wife. He loved listening to how everyone praised them as a perfect couple. He loved the fact that he could rely on her. And he loved her as well¡­ But he thought that she would always be there. And when Roxy appeared in his life, he thought that she would forgive him this little guilty pleasure because, in the long run, it wouldn¡¯t change anything between them. Daily new chapters in .noveljar But now he was thinking more about Roxanne was gone¡­ He spent thest day in agony trying to analyse everything that happened to him. He knew that he had ruined his marriage and he still regretted it even now. But before that he was gone and¡­ he didn¡¯t feel like the world was ending. He wanted her back for many reasons, but he wasn¡¯t dying the way a true mate should. And this made questions pop in his head one by one. Was Riannon right about her? And if she was, did he ruin his perfect marriage with his perfect Luna for nothing? They were holding hands and he hated that. He hated the lycan king¡¯s guts. And when he saw how his Ri was looking at that man, it was breaking his heart. ¡°Brayden,¡± Ria gave him a soft smile which did not mislead him. He knew her too well and was aware that this was her business smile. Not the one that came from her heart. ¡°You are early.¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± It still felt very strange to talk to her and know that she did not belong to him anymore. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to waste any time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s admirable how you want to save your fake mate,¡±Gideon chuckled, and the Alpha wolf inside Brayden wanted to get out. He used his whole strength not to reply to that. ¡°It¡¯s actually good that you are here,¡± Ria brough the attention back to herself, seeing how the two men red at each other. ¡°You do remember our deal, right? Today you do everything as I say.¡± ¡°I am ready,¡± he nodded, ¡°A deal is a deal.¡± ¡°And do you remember that you owe me one?¡± his ex-wife tilted her head a bit. ¡°Of course. I gave you my word.¡± He said and heard her snort to that. She definitely wasn¡¯t his biggest fan anymore. ¡°Great,¡± Riannon forced another polite smile, ¡°I will brief you on the n in the car. You are going with us.¡± Daily new chapters in .noveljar This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But my people,¡± he tried to protest. ¡°They are not going with us,¡± she smirked and his jaw twitched nervously, ¡°But, don¡¯t worry, Brayden, you will be safe with us. I give you my word now. Trust me, it¡¯s worth more.¡± He had to swallow the hint and follow her and her new mate, hating every moment of it. It helped a bit that during the car ride, Ria was telling him the details of her n. He knew at once that she kept some things away from her, but he couldn¡®t me her. By the time the car stopped, he had enough of watching how happy his ex was next to the lycan king. They weren¡¯t provoking him or doing anything inappropriate, but just the way they was deeply in love with that man. And he couldn¡®t like it or ept it no matter how hard he tried. They all got out of the car and went to the designated area. It was just a little clearing in the woods. Nothing special. Riannon was still holding the lycan¡¯s hand and he couldn¡¯t deal with that anymore. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go,¡± Brayden tried to remind him, but at the next moment he found a huge palm squeezing his neck and his legs not being able to touch the ground as the lycan king growled loudly. NOTE: Sorry, the chapter came out long and I couldn¡¯t break it into smaller parts. And yet again, I will ask you to name the chapter for me. I will also be posting Riannon¡¯s ck jacket to Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle group today. Don¡¯t miss it. Chapter 70. Darkness Before Th… Chapter 70. Darkness Before Th¡­ Riannon didn¡¯t even gasp when Gideon lifted Brayden up in the air, growling fiercely. She expected for it to go this way between the two of them at some point. ¡°If you think that I am leaving my mate with a piece of garbage like you, you must be crazy!¡± he snarled. The werewolf tried desperately to fight the clutch of death but was unsessful. ¡°Gideon,¡± Ria ced her hand on his chest, calming him down instantly. ¡°Please¡­ Just let him go. Not now, okay?¡± The lycan unclenched his fingers and the other man fell all the way down to the ground. However, he got up quickly, baring his teeth at the opponent. ¡°Bray!¡± his ex-wife warned him, ¡°You asked for our help, remember? Not the other way around! Be grateful we do this for you in the first ce and behave. Remember our deal.¡± He took a step back, still panting and looked at her. ¡°I asked for your help. Not his!¡± ¡°Well, too bad,¡± she folded her hands on her chest, ¡°Wee as a pack now.¡± She could swear she heard him grit his teeth. But decided to ignore all that. None of this was important now. ¡°They will kill Harper the moment they see him!¡± he said spitefully. ¡°inly speaking,¡± Gideon interjected, ¡°I don¡¯t care about Harper. If you don¡¯t like something, I am taking my queen back and we are leaving this very moment. Good like getting your sister and fake mate out on your own.¡± Another growl emerged from the Alpha¡¯s chest but this time someone else interrupted them. ¡°Why leave if we are all already here?¡± Castiel¡¯s voice echoed through the forest, and they all turned to see him in thepany of two bulky warriors and Harper with tied hands. She was typical of her. There was no sign of Roxie, though. ¡°You!¡± Bray recognised the man and his lips parted as he was stunned. But the next second he furrowed his brows as he realized that he was tricked. ¡°Me,¡± Castiel grinned wickedly, ¡°Long time no see, Alpha. And such different circumstances. Don¡¯t worry, I treated your little sister and the mother of your future child better than you did me. One might say they enjoyed staying with me.¡± The fox chuckled and the wolf snarled at him. on!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed not what we agreed on,¡± the fox king confirmed with ease as a sneer formed on his handsome face. ¡°You brought one more person and I brought one less. It¡¯s only fair.¡± Brayden turned to re at Gideon as if ming him for what was happening, but thetter didn¡¯t give a care in the world. ¡°No,¡± Ria smirked, ¡°You were supposed to bring three. We counted the baby too. So¡­. ¡°Riannon,¡± Castiel smirked, ¡° always a pleasure.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say the same,¡± she retorted, and hiszy grin only grew wider. He enjoyed this game. ¡°Cut the small talk!¡± Brayden grunted, ¡°Where is Roxanne?!¡± ¡°Oh, she is here,¡± Riannon sniffed a few times and pointed to the East, ¡°And not that far. I would recognise that scent anywhere.¡± With that, she let Ash and Maya know the location via the mind link. Bray snapped his head at her. She knew where Roxanne was, while he didn¡¯t feel anything. Surely, he was supposed to feel his mate¡¯s closeness. Or at least her scent like Ri did. Yet there was nothing. His wolf Ragnar wasn¡¯t restless, he was only thinking about the future fight now. And everything together made him wonder if Riannon was right all this time¡­ She was always right before¡­ What if Roxy wasn¡¯t his mate after all? ¡°Excellent,¡± Castiel pped as if they were in a theatre, each p louder than the other. ¡°I have to say, that you don¡¯t stop to impress me. I ced her at a distance that would be far enough for any alpha or lycan to sense her. But you did¡­ I wonder why.¡± ¡°And I have to say that you are disappointing so far,¡± Riannon coc.ked her brow, trying to change the subject. She wasn¡¯t aware of all her powers and abilities herself and had no desire to share that information with strangers. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get to the part where you tell us why we are all really here?¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± the fox touched his heart with a smirk. ¡°But you are right. Why don¡¯t we? So, want the lycan king to denounce himself from the throne and free thends of Crimson Fang, Silver Stone, Fenrir¡¯s Eye and Moon Wisdom packs.¡± ¡°And I want you to stab yourself in the heart right now to save me the trouble,¡± Gideon scoffed. ¡°Those two girls are not worth it. And considering that you¡¯ve brought only one anyway...¡± were the impossible conditions. ¡°Their Alphas aren¡¯t even here!¡± ¡°They can go to yournd,¡± Castiel sneered and tilted his head. ¡°After all, you still have a vast territory and no money to sustain it. You can charge them. It would be a win-win. You already figured out you are bankrupt, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± Riannon¡¯s head snapped in the direction of her ex-husband, but he looked just as surprised as she was. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know?¡± the fox gave them a sly smile. ¡°Your pretty mate and sister gave You are not that great at book keeping, are you?¡± Brayden got pale. His whole world was crumbling under his feet. His ex circled him angrily but whispered, ¡°You will deal with thister. Concentrate now.¡± Her words gave him strength just like they always did before. He realised that he missed this. But this wasn¡¯t the time for thinking about them now. ¡°He can¡¯t give you thosends and you know it,¡± Gideon intervened, a mask of boredom on his face. ¡°But you can,¡± Castiel looked as if he was having the time of his life. Riannon tried to figure out his n. Did he want to simply kill them all? Or was there something else? He sure personality now. ¡°Yet I won¡¯t,¡± the lycan chuckled, looking down on the fox. ¡°I just wanted to finally see your face. You¡¯ve been hiding well in your fox hole all this time.¡± ¡°Why thank you!¡± Castiel bowed mockingly. ¡°It was hard after your father killed mine. But staying incognito helped me to do so much. It was essential to uniting fox ns and creating our own kingdom.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember my father killing a fox Alpha,¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes at the enemy. ¡°Who said that my father was an Alpha?¡± Castiel chuckled and looked straight at Riannon. ¡°See? There is no imagination! Such predictable way of thinking! How do you even live with him? You must be bored to death!¡± The king growled so loudly that the ground shook underneath their feet. ¡°Bray!¡± Harper squeaked through tears, ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± was a trap. The foxughed menacingly and wrapped his hand around the tied girl, pulling her closer, ¡°Sweetie, don¡¯t you see that they already know? They¡¯ve been preparing for me! They really did want to save you. Too bad that the n wasn¡¯t too good.¡± They heard sounds of approaching footsteps and in a few seconds huge warriors arrived holding their people hostage. The ones who were hidden in the ces Ria practically pointed out to Alice. Ash was one of them. They had to make it believable after all. And Harper started crying louder when she saw him, the desperation evident on her face. She really did have feelings for him. ¡°See?¡± Castiel smirked, ¡°I got them all. And also, I am a bit insulted you didn¡¯t take many fighters. I am a far more serious threat than you imagine.¡± ¡°We did,¡± Riannon said, and he looked at her with interest. ¡°You did what?¡± he asked and this time her lips curled into a sneer instead of his. ¡°We did bring more,¡± the Alpha female informed him, and at the same time contacted her Beta to start via the mind link. Howl after howl was sounding in the distance, signalling to their groups of warriors that they had ready and waiting for that moment, that the moment had ¡°Release the girl and surrender quietly,¡± Gideon suggested firmly, stepping forward. ¡° Then we¡¯ll consider¡­¡± ¡°No, thanks!¡± Castiel only pulled Harper closer, covering himself with her body as a shield. ¡°How manly!¡± Riannon couldn¡¯t help but snort. That, somehow, made his eye glow just for a second. Her words definitely had an effect on him. ¡°Kill them!¡± he made the order to his people and gritted his teeth. But the very same second, every hostage, with the exception of Marcus, who was released on his own, because he was an aplice, started fighting back. And each of them had a little surprise carefully prepared by Riannon personally. Concentrated aconite injections. The dosage was the biggest they could fit in a small syringe. Ash was the first to pierce his captor with the short but thick needle in the leg. The warriors followed his example, but it didn¡¯t work the same for everyone. ¡°Useless!¡± Castiel shouted, ¡°I have more people in¡­¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°In a ravine nearby,¡± Gideon scoffed, taking off his jacket and throwing it to the ground.¡° We know. My Beta Reid is dealing with those right now together with my syster Savannah.¡± ¡°Now!¡± Riamanded and the three of them went into the fight well. Brayden was helping the warriors that were his just a day ago. He couldn¡¯t see them getting hurt. Riannon did the same, while her mate tried to get to the fox king. His path was blocked by the two guards, who shifted before his eyes into two huge werebears. Swearing under his breath, Gideon shifted as well, tearing one of them into two parts with ease the second he took a form of an enormous wolf. The second one turned out to be more work. His gaze was following the fox who was trying to escape with his hostage. Riannon saw that too, but the remaining warriors turned out to be bears as well. And the bears were all muscle. Very strong opponents. She was already thinking about shifting. After all, Onyx was eager to go into battle. But she did not want to give away all her cards yet. Luckily, before she had to, their second wave of warriors arrived, circling them. They submitted the enemies easily now that the numbers were on their side. ¡°Keep them alive!¡± Ria ordered and saw her mate killing one of the werebears. Their eyes met and she shook her head in disbelief. They agreed to capture as many as they could alive. ¡°This one was very stubborn and did not want to surrende,¡± he told her apologetically via the mind link and she rolled her eyes. ¡°Ria, I am going after that fox. Stay here and make sure that everything else goes smoothly.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she said, and watched him sprinting away in the direction where Castiel left with Harper. In a few seconds, Brayden followed them too. She stayed with the warriors, hoping that they would be able to get Harper. This wasn¡¯t the most important part of the n for her. But she still did not want her dead even after everything. ¡°Not a bad operation for your first days as an Alpha,¡± Ash chuckled as the two of them watched the werebears getting cuffed. The two foxes that were with them were properly drugged on aconite. It affected every shifter, but it had less effect on bears than on wolves, cats, foxes and others. such a bad feeling inside. It felt¡­ as if something was off¡­ ¡°Where is Maya?¡± she asked her Gamma and he paused, ¡°Wasn¡¯t she supposed toe with this group?¡± ¡°She was,¡± Ash confirmed and then looked at the warrior next to him, ¡°Mick, where is Maya? ¡°She sent us alone,¡± the guy replied, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°She said there was something important she had to do.¡± ¡°s**t!¡± Riannon swore and turned on her heels, running in the direction of the East. There was only one thing that her best friend could be doing other than aiding her. And that was finding and killing her brother¡¯s murderer. ¡°Ash,¡± she mind-linked her Gamma, ¡°See to the prisoners being locked properly and guarded heavily. And send a group of warriors to the East as well. Lycans, if you can find any. They are faster.¡± ¡°I cane and¡­¡± ¡°No, you have your own task now. Until me, Brayden or Gideon return, our captives are your responsibility.¡± She did not shift, running as fast as she could. Finally, she reached a clearing in the woods and heard the sounds of a fight. Before her eyes, a fiery red fox and her Beta were fighting. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t ignore the bodies of a werebear and another fox lying on the ground. Maya must have taken them down first. She noticed now that her friend was bleeding in a few ces already, but kept trying to get the fox. That Beta of hers was stubborn. Ria was ready to shift when someone grabbed her from the back, grasping her hands painfully and ced a cloth over her face. Instinctively, she tried to take in a deep breath and felt something strange happening. It was as if her whole throat was on fire. The more she tried to get air, the worse it felt. ¡°I am sorry, I have to do it like this,¡± Castiel whispered into her ear. ¡°I really imagined it differently in my head. But you are not the only one who likes to y with aconite¡­¡± The fox charged at the wolf, going for the side and digging her canines as deep as she could into the rival¡¯s flesh, making Maya howl from pain. And this was thest thing Riannon saw before the world went blurry¡­ Chapter 71. Mind Games. Chapter 71. Mind Games. Gideon was following the scent of the fox king, wishing for nothing more than tearing his head off. This would solve most of his problems, as the sly bastard was the brain behind everything and eliminating him would be crucial for the victory. He sped up, letting Mars take the control. Soon they saw the red blur ahead of them. Castiel¡¯s scent was evident. And they didn¡¯t hesitate to charge at the fox, knocking him off his feet. His beast was huge, but not a match for a lycan wolf. Gideon would have overpowered him easily if not for the two bears that joined his enemy. Those were extremely big and aggressive. So, it took him a bit longer to rip their necks off. And now two things worried him. First, he did not see the girl that Castiel took hostage anywhere close. And second, they were watching the area and these two bears came out of nowhere. It was a bad sign. Very bad. The fox started running again but he managed to catch up with him and dig his canines into his side to make him stop. The red beast whimpered and in no time the lycan king managed to submit him. A few shes of sharp ws here and there and the fox under him whimpered from pain, shifting back into his human form. And this was when Gideon snarled in anger. Before him was a young man in his twenties with red curly hair who was trembling in horror. It wasn¡¯t Castiel. It wasn¡¯t the fox king. ¡°What the hell?!¡± Gideon gritted his teeth, talking to his wolf. ¡°How did this happen?!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been tricked,¡± Mars was furious. ¡°He has the king¡¯s scent on him! It¡¯s identical! The foxes are the only ones who can do this type of thing!¡± He was angry at himself for falling for this. Of course, he shouldn¡¯t have relied on the scent when dealing with this sly kind¡­ ¡°Reid,¡± he called his Beta via the mind link, ¡°I lost the king. Anything from your side?¡± ¡°We got the whole group and I just sent them to the dungeons of your Queen¡¯s pack,¡± his friend replied. ¡°Good. Keep your eyes open. Don¡¯t trust the scents too much.¡± Gideon told him and then tried to connect to his mate, ¡°Riannon.¡± She did not reply and he got tense. It wasn¡¯t that far. He was supposed to feel her. And now, trying to sense his bond, he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Riannon!¡± he called again and again, only to get no reply. Two of his warriors ¡°Reid! Do you see Riannon?¡± he asked while taking a huge leap. ¡°No,¡± the reply echoed through his ears, and now he was really worried. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can you connect to your mate?¡± the lycan king still tried thinking rationally. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t marked her yet¡­¡± Reid sounded apologetic. ¡°But I am going there now. If I find out anything¡­¡± ¡°Good,¡± Gideon stopped him. Yet nothing was good. He couldn¡¯t feel Riannon anywhere nearby. Finally, he picked up her scent and started following it. It led him to a small ravine and from there Ria¡¯s traces were going in five different directions. A loud growl emerged from the depths of the lycan king¡¯s lungs and it made the flocks of birds fly away from the trees. They used her scent to cover their tracks. The foxes copied her scent and left it all over this part of the woods, so it would be impossible to trace them. But the worst thing was that to copy her scent, they had to have her¡­ Just how did they do it? The n worked perfectly! She was safe! They won! He was running all over the forest trying to find her and growling loudly, howling in the loss of his mate. Desperate, angry, broken¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t feel her anywhere nearby,¡± Mars told him, ¡°We are wasting our time here.¡± . It was true and Gideon knew this. He raced back to the packhouse, where everyone was already waiting for him with stern faces, shifting in one breath. ¡°What do you know?¡± he asked through gritted teeth when he saw Reid walking out of the mansion at the same time as Maya, who did not look great, bleeding in a few ces. ¡°I am taking her into the infirmary,¡± his Beta told him, covering her with his body as if to defend her. ¡°What happened?¡± he still insisted. ¡°Where is Riannon? Who saw herst?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Maya lowered her head, and he knew that he wasn¡¯t going to like what he heard next. He clenched his fists and growled loudly, making Reid step in front of his mate. But she pushed him away carefully and looked the lycan king in the eye. ¡°I was fighting Roxy when I thought I saw her,¡± she said firmly, taking the responsibility. ¡°I felt my Alpha¡¯s presence during my battle and then I saw a man taking her away. I think it was ¡°Taking her away?¡± Gideon¡¯s breathing fastened. This was the worst thing that he could ever imagine. His beautiful Ria was in his enemy¡¯s hands. ¡°How the hell did that happen?!¡± ¡°She seemed unconscious,¡± Maya admitted. ¡°He was holding her in his arms. I was in the middle of the battle and couldn¡¯t do anything. By the time I won, they were gone, and her scent was all over the ce. This was when Reid found me.¡± ¡°She was heavily bleeding but still searching for her Alpha,¡± his Beta chimed in, clearly trying to protect her, which only made him more suspicious. ¡°Why were you far away from other warriors? None of us should have been alone!¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes at the girl, who lowered her head in submission again. ¡°Who were you fighting?¡± ¡°Roxanne,¡± her voice was barely a whisper, but he heard it loud and clear. ¡°Roxanne the fake mate?¡± he snarled. ¡°You went for her alone and Ria followed you. Isn¡¯t that right?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, my king.¡± She acknowledged his title for the first time since they had known each other. ¡°You didn¡¯t follow the n! She went to help you but because of that got captured!¡± Mars was trying to get out. For a lycan wolf of his rank, he wanted to punish the Beta. But Reid covered her with himself again. ¡°Gideon! She made a mistake! It happens¡­¡± He pleaded. ¡°This mistake cost me my queen!¡± the king roared, not being able to hold his anger. ¡°Your best friend!¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± Maya muttered under her breath, shaking visibly. ¡°And we need clear heads now to get her back!¡± Reid reasoned with his Alpha. ¡°Get yourself cleaned and we¡¯ll get to work. It¡¯s not the end. It¡¯s only the beginning. They will not hurt her. Not with the current situation. But we need to find her as soon as possible. Luckily, we got many captives today. And Roxy is one of them. She sure as hell has some valuable information for us.¡± Giddeon stormed past the two of them, growling, ¡°I expect you two in the dungeons within one hour!¡± *** Riannon slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times as she tried to adjust to the Mind Games unfamiliar and for a few seconds, she thought that maybe Gideon took her back to his mansion. Maybe it was a surprise and he prepared a new room for her. However, when the door opened, she was back to reality as her eyes locked with Castiel¡¯s. He had that smug grin stered all over his face that told her that this was his house. He was toofortable here. Another thing that she realised quickly was that there were cameras installed in this room. Otherwise, how did he know that she was away? closed the doors behind them and she heard the lock click. ¡°That would be an overstatement,¡± she lifted her chin high, assessing her clothes. To her relief, she was still fully dressed. Only her beautiful leather jacket and boots were missing. At least that was good news, nobody vited her in her sleep. This was giving her hope. ¡°You drugged me, remember?¡± She moved to the edge of the bed and sat on it. ¡°I do and I am sorry,¡± he shrugged his shoulders. He wasn¡¯t sorry at all. But he was ¡°You are not.¡± Riannon stated inly, rubbing her forehead. She never had a headache this bad. ¡°True,¡± the fox smirked. ¡°I would have done it differently if there was a chance. But there was not, so, don¡¯t me me. I wanted us to talk for a while.¡± ¡°We live during sad times if men have to drug women to simply talk to them,¡± she scoffed, but he did not give her any reaction, walking deeper into the room and taking a seat in one of the armchairs next to the window. Ria decided not to waste any time and stood up, pacing slowly around the room and looking around. Any detail here could be an important piece of information to use in the future. But the more she looked, the more disappointed she became. This room had no character in it. ¡°It¡¯s all brand new,¡± she heard the fox king chuckle behind her back. ¡°I had it prepared specially for you after our first meeting in person. You will not find anything here.¡± ¡°Who said that I am looking?¡± she raised her brow at him and went to sit in the opposite chair, cing one of her legs on top of the other. ¡°Maybe I am just admiring the design.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sure,¡± he let out a littleugh, tapping the armrest with his long fingers while eyeing her. He was enjoying all this and she hated the fact that she was providing this satisfaction for him. mood and that arrogant smile dropped off his lips. ¡°The question is whether I lost them or simply sacrificed them?¡± he was back to sneering in less than a second. But this time she knew that it was an act. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get to the point and you just tell me what do you want from me?¡± Ria cut straight to the chase. Foxes hated that. They loved their mind games. ¡°Who said that I want anything?¡± Castiel winked at her as if they were good friends. ¡°Well, you did prepare a room for me,¡± she pointed to everything that was surrounding them and he nodded, giving up on that one little lie. ¡°Oh, Riannon,¡± he sighed, looking her straight into the eyes, ¡°I want so many things from you! You have no idea.¡± She cringed a bit, hearing that, but did her best not to show it. ¡°I am not sure I want to hear this,¡± she parried and heard another chuckle of his. Menacing this time. again¡­ Chapter 72. Underestimated Chapter 72. Underestimated Riannon tried not to disy her emotions in front of the fox king, as his men dragged Harper into the room. Not that she experienced a lot of emotions. For a second there, she was afraid that it could be Maya. But seeing her ex¡¯s sister actually made her feel relieved. That was the sacrifice she was willing to make if she absolutely had to. Harper looked even worse than thest time she saw her. It had probably been hours since she switched off in the woods. And Ria guessed that Castiel didn¡¯t have a luxurious room ¡°What is this?¡± she co.cked her brow and stared at the fox king, absolutely unimpressed. ¡°Riannon!¡± Harper whimpered, but she ignored that. The less attention she paid to her, the better. She couldn¡¯t show Castiel that she cared even one bit. That would seal the girl¡¯s ¡°You know exactly what this is,¡± the man in front of her sneered, brushing his head over his medium- length hair. ¡°What does Brayden¡¯s sister have to do with me?¡± she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°You came to save her, remember?¡± he reminded her and she let out a littleugh. ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s your leverage?¡± she scoffed. ¡°You know very well why I came there. Not for her.¡± ¡°You b*tch!¡± Harper screeched and Riannon rolled her eyes. ¡°I knew you were like this! You worthless¡­¡± ¡°Then if she is this insignificant and has no use for you, I don¡¯t think I have use for her as well anymore. She yed her part.¡± Castiel clicked his fingers and one of the warriors hit the back of Harper¡¯s knees, making her fall down. The other grew his ws and grabbed the girl¡¯s hair with a free hand, digging them into her flesh almost to the point of bleeding. Ria pursed her lips. She did not owe anything to Harper. Especially not after what she saw in her past. But she wasn¡¯t a murderer. And Harper hadn¡¯t done anything yet. Maybe¡­ just maybe there was still a way to save her. However, letting Castiel think that Harper meant something to her would be a mistake. He would then use the girl against her again and again. And she didn¡¯t even know yet what he wanted from her in the first ce. Everything was a game to him. The smirk on his face was the proof of that. So, she decided to try and y with him as well. indifferently. ¡°But I am surprised you think that she yed her part already.¡± Her opponent chuckled and she locked eyes with her ex-sister-inw just for a second. The girl clearly wanted to say something but clenched her lips as the ws dug a bit deeper into her neck. ¡°borate on that, please,¡± Castiel encouraged her. ¡°Just because she doesn¡¯t mean much to me, doesn¡¯t mean she has no use for you.¡± She was choosing every word carefully. ¡°She is still Brayden¡¯s sister. And Brayden is still the Alpha of The Silver River pack.¡± ¡°Which is bankrupt now. How long is it until his own people turn on him or other Alphase to im his land?¡± the fox king smirked, looking at her with amusement. ¡°My Beta or Gamma will give him the money due after our divorce,¡± Ria lied calmly. She was thinking of it but did not give such an order yet. But those were insignificant details now.¡° His pack would be thriving in no time. And no one would start a war, knowing that we have another one looming over us.¡± He watched her as she spoke and she did not like his gaze on her. She did not like his interest. She did not want it. ¡°Take her back to her cell,¡± Castielmanded, and his men obeyed, yanking Harper back to her feet. She had tears rolling down her cheeks that ruined the remnants of her mascara. But at least, she wasn¡¯t shouting any insults anymore. And thest look she exchanged with Ria was perplexed and lost. The door behind them closed and only now had Riannon released that the two of them had been alone in this strange room. ¡°Onyx, are you there?¡± she called her wolf even though she felt her inside. But she needed to hear her voice inside her mind, she needed the confirmation that what happenedst time wasn¡¯t happening again. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Present,¡± Onyx replied immediately. ¡°Do not worry, I am never leaving you again.¡± ¡°How are you feeling? Are we¡­¡± capable of taking care of ourselves.¡± It was good and she let out a sigh of relief, which Castiel took differently. ¡°S0,¡± he taunted her with a vague smile on his lips. His eyes were travelling around her However, she did no such thing and only straightened her back instead. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she narrowed her eyes at the arrogant man next to her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± a sneer formed on his handsome face. Even now she couldn¡¯t deny that he was ridiculously good looking. ¡°Nothing is obvious until you say it out loud,¡± Ria rolled her eyes and watched how the fox king stood up and started pacing around the room slowly. He wasn¡¯t nervous though. It was another game for him. So, when he turned sharply to face her and his stormy grey eyes almost pierced her, she gulped, feeling uneasy. ¡°I want you,¡± Castiel said inly, but in such a tone that there could be no misunderstanding between them. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridi¡­¡± She started saying, but he was the one to interrupt her. ¡°You asked me and now you will listen,¡± he stepped closer, and she wanted to leave that chair to be able to walk away from him. Yet the fox king bent lower, towering over her and pinned his hands at both sides of her. ¡°I have been looking for a worthy woman for quite some time. You see, I need a Luna myself. Someone who I can admire and rely on. A partner.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s definitely not me!¡± she snorted, but instead of backing off, he grabbed her chin to make her look at him. ¡°But you could be.¡± His eyes lingered over her lips as his thumb brushed over the lower one, parting them. She yanked her head away and to her surprise, he didn¡¯t insist, returning to the armchair next to her, only a sigh of disappointment leaving him as proof that he cared. ¡°Hardly,¡± she turned away from him. ¡°I was watching you and I have to say that you surprised me more than once.¡± He said while rubbing his chin. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone so¡­ captivating.¡± ¡°Is this why you cancelled your order to get rid of me?¡± Ria taunted him but he didn¡¯t ¡°Yes,¡± he replied honestly. ¡°I saw you as an obstruction before. But after I actually met you, I changed my mind. I am rarely this interested in anyone. And the more I find out about you, the more I want you by my side.¡± ¡°Too bad that I have a mate,¡± she interrupted him. She did not need any confessions from the enemy. Although she suspected that he had been interested in her for a while already. would lose their advantage and influence. The era of wolves will be over.¡± ¡°Charming!¡± she dug her nails into the fabric of her chair, almost ripping it. ¡°But for you, I am willing to make an exception,¡± he stretched his hands towards hers, but she jerked it back. He took it well, not pushing further. ¡°Be my Luna and I will make sure that your pack survives. Your little feisty friend and even your Gamma too. They will all keep their lives if you are next to me. Just imagine what the two of us could do together!¡± ¡°How tempting!¡± she didn¡¯t even try to hide the poison in her words. ¡°I will make it more tempting when you are more ustomed to me,¡± he smirked, and that smirk sent a chill down her spine. ¡°If you so much as¡­¡± she started speaking, but Castiel interrupted her. ¡°I am not going to force you to do anything. I don¡¯t need that,¡± the fox king chuckled lightly. ¡°I will find a key to your heart now that you are here. And we¡­¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± she wanted to let Onyx out now simply to shut him up, but managed to stop in time. Attacking him could ruin everything! ¡°It¡¯s enough for now,¡± Castiel stood up again and walked to the door, cing his palm on the doorknob and ready to leave. But at thest moment, he turned to look at her again, ¡°I will give you as much time as you need to ept me. I am not in a hurry.¡± She wanted to p him, kick him¡­ rip his throat out. ¡°This will never happen!¡± she told him firmly. ¡°Never say never,¡± Castielughed openly, ¡°I take it as a challenge and only want you more. I still remember how you touched me for the first time and called me handsome. And I sure as hell remember you in that little silky thing in your bedroom. Don¡¯t get me wrong, but do not provoke me. It¡¯s already hard to stay away from you. And I detest forcing women into anything.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t!¡± Riannon stood up as well. ¡°Let me go.¡± His gaze traced her from head to her feet and azy smile danced on his lips, ¡°No.You will stay here until you are ready. I am not in a rush. I want quality.¡± ¡°Are you seriously going to keep me locked in that room?!¡± she scowled. ¡°Of course, not,¡± he gave her a sly grin, ¡°You are wee to roam freely around this house. Meet its residents. I am sure some of them will help you speed up your decision.¡± This was exactly what she needed, so she did not object this time. ¡°You are also free to weapons, of course. But other than that ¨C no limits.¡± To that Riannon nodded quietly. She definitely could use that too. ¡°In the evening I would want us to have dinner together. We have a lot to talk about,¡± Castiel informed her, ¡°Change into one of the dresses I got for you. You will look lovely¡­¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± she raised a brow but it only widened his grin. ¡°Then Harper¡¯s stay here will be way lessfortable.¡± That was a pure threat and he left the room before she managed to form a snarky reply. So much for not trying to force her¡­ Gideon was wiping out his bloody knuckles after yet another unsessful interrogation when he saw the pack¡¯s doctor. ¡°My king,¡± the doctor bowed politely, ¡°The pregnant girl is properly healed now. The baby is in no danger and she is feeling better. You can talk to her if you like¡­¡± Chapter 73. See Through Chapter 73. See Through Gideon walked into the interrogation room and understood at once why they called it a VIP room. It wasn¡¯t a dirty cer like the other cells he had been inside in the past 24 hours. This room had white matte ss walls and ceilings and even floors with a mounted desk and chairs in the middle. He knew at once that this was a ce she built. Everything around him screamed her name. And he cringed seeing the redhead fox in that space. It was as if she was insulting everything that Riannon touched with her mere presence. But the moment she looked in his direction, he felt a wave of¡­ something. Gideon took a deep breath and he could swear that her lips curled a bit. ¡°Your majesty,¡± she mumbled in the sweetest tone, tilting her head so that one of her shoulders was bare to his sight as the oversized hood she was given at the hospital fell off it. ¡°Luna Roxanne, so we meet again,¡± he said indifferently as he took a seat in front of her. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)She wrinkled her little nose, lowering her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think people should call me Luna anymore since I am in this ce,¡± she sighed and stretched her cuffed hands to touch his palm that was resting on the desk. He did not jerk that hand back and she quickly squeezed his fingers with hers. ¡°Please, tell me what is going on! No one is telling me anything.¡± He wasn¡¯t looking at her when he heard the sound of tears falling on the surface of the desk and he felt another wave of¡­ that odd something. He couldn¡¯t quite decipher it but he had an urge to look at the girl who sat opposite of him. Roxy was crying, all her face already wet. ¡°Please,¡± she squeaked helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do¡­¡± Gideon said in a hoarse voice and squeezed her hand back. ¡°Really, my king?¡± She fluttered hershes, blinking away tears and one of themnded on his skin. It was calling him to do something and he bent a bit closer to her. ¡°Of course,¡± he said, ¡°You and your baby will be safe.¡± She smiled at him, ¡°You are so kind, your majesty. How can I ever repay you?¡± She leaned forward too, her fingers running up his arm as their lips almost touched. ¡°You can start by telling me where your damn fox lover would take my mate,¡± he gritted his teeth and then pushed her away. The look of astonishment was evident on her face as she stared at him. ¡°Wh-what?¡± the girl mumbled. ¡°Why¡­¡± aware of who you are. Or maybe because I am a freaking LYCAN KING!¡± He let out a mighty growl, making the girl fall off her chair and crawl to the furthest corner away from him. She was visibly shaking and he knew that he had achieved the desired effect. ¡°Did you ever think why he never sent you to seduce a Lycan? Let alone me?¡± Gideon smirked. ¡°Why waste your time on some Alpha when you could have already been in the Lycan kingdom, ruining it from the inside?¡± He circled the desk and looked down on her from where he stood with his hands folded on his chest. ¡°That¡¯s because lycans, and especially royal lycans, have the strongest metal shields. A cross-breed siren wouldn¡¯t be able to affect us.¡± She stared at him but not a word about who she really was left her mouth. Not that he needed any confirmation. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, my king,¡± she sniffed pitifully, and he rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that,¡± he shrugged. ¡°Just tell me where would your king take my mate?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Her head snapped at him and her lips twitched slightly, but she quickly went back into her ignorant mode. ¡°You are my king,¡± she said weakly and started sobbing again, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about! Please, let me out!¡± He was right next to her in one moment, yanking her back to her feet and lifting his hand with prolonged ws to rip her neck. ¡°What the f*ck?!¡± the door opened and Brayden growled loudly, storming in. ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to even touch my Luna!¡± ¡°Is she even your Luna? Did you acknowledge her? Did you mark her?¡± Gideon snarled angrily. ¡°And even if you did, you can¡¯t stop me from snapping her neck if she doesn¡¯t start talking!¡± ¡°But The Alpha Council can!¡± Bray stepped forward with clenched fists. ¡°I just summoned a new Alpha Summit! They all know what happened and that you hold my Luna hostage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your Luna!¡± Gideon let the girl go and was head to head with the werewolf in less than a second. ¡°All need is information! Get it for me and the two of you are free to go!¡± ¡°You have one hour!¡± the lycan king grunted and left, mming the door behind his back. He took a deep breath. The room was soundproof and he couldn¡¯t hear what the couple was talking about. So, he didn¡¯t waste any time and opened the very next door, walking into the observation room. His queen was indeed wise because that wasn¡¯t just a fortified matte ss in there. One wall was a hidden window and at every angle behind that ss, cameras were installed so that it was easy to observe every move inside of the interrogation room on big screens inside the observation one. The first thing that he would do when all this was over, was build a room just like that in his pce. Then again, who was he kidding? The first thing he would do would be take his mate over and over, and over again. ¡°You did well,¡± Ash praised his acting and he frowned. This wasn¡¯t what he wanted to be doing. This wasn¡¯t how he was used to handling things. But since it was Riannon who was in danger and this little annoying redhead hybrid was the only one who could help him find her, he was willing to try and do anything. He wasn¡¯t above even humiliating himself for her sake. SO There were other ways to get information out of her, but she was pregnant. And it seemed too cruel to interrogate her properly in that state. He looked at Riannon¡¯s Beta standing in the corner and eyeing Roxanne behind the ss. She was surprisingly calm with her arms folded on her chest. As if she didn¡¯tmit a grave mistake that cost her an Alpha. But now wasn¡¯t the time to think about her and he turned to see the show. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Brayden was still standing where he left him a few seconds ago. ¡°Bray!¡± Roxanne started crying again as she threw herself in his arms, tucking her head in his neck. She was smearing her tears all over his skin and Gideon knew that it was a trick. From the quick research on sirens¡¯ abilities he did with Ria, they found out that sirens were seducing creatures not only with their sweet voices and good looks. The females were secreting pheromones that could drive almost any male crazy with lust very quickly. No wonder that i***t Brayden thought she was his mate. It was unusual to want someone that much when you were already mated. But those tears of hers were especially dangerous. They were the concentration of those pheromones and her own DNA. Every time it was touching a male, that liquid was marking them. Temporary, but it was a bond of sorts and it was easier to make them like her. The mating was sealing the deal. But all that was wearing off, so she ¡°I was so scared!¡± she whined, ¡°First, I was kidnapped together with Harper! I was so scared! Then, I was attacked by Maya for outing her earlier! She wanted to kill me, Bray! And now this! The lycan king thinks that I know something! Thanks to the Moon Goddess that you are here!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Brayden kissed the top of her head, stroking her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry anymore. You are safe now. You are with me. Just tell me everything that you know and we will walk out of here. I promise.¡± She distanced herself and looked wearily at him, ¡°But I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°You need to give us something,¡± he insisted calmly while he sat on the top of the desk and pulled her closer. ¡°They think you are a traitor. They will not let you out if you don¡¯t provide any valuable information.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be proof of me actually being a traitor if I did?¡± Roxanne pped her long ¡°Of course not,¡± he brushed his hand over her cheek. ¡°Just tell us where they kept you. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Remember, you were telling me that something is happening to your wolf and it¡¯s getting stronger. That you can memorise things easily and it will help you to be a better Luna. Now is the time to use all that. I am sure you can find the ce where they held you and Harper. If we find her, we will be able to leave and get married. And our baby will be safe.¡± He ced his hand on her t tummy that wasn¡¯t even visible yet. ¡°Bray, I don¡¯t remember a thing!¡± Roxy lied and he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s for our baby, my love,¡± he said gently. ¡°Give them something priceless. Tell us the location and we will leave today. You will live like a queen.¡± ¡°But Harper told them about your ounts,¡± the girl sniffed. ¡°Bray, did you even check them?¡± ¡°I did and I have already sorted this. Do not worry. My Luna will ask for nothing, you will have everything. And our son will be the next Alpha.¡± He coaxed her, but Gideon could tell that it wasn¡¯t working. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Roxanne lowered her head. ¡°I already told Ash everything I knew. I don¡¯t remember anything else. But I am sure that my strong Alpha will save me anyway. Right, Brayden? You will not leave me and your baby alone?¡± She looked at him pleadingly and he took her hands off her and walked a few steps away. ¡°Bray,¡± She mumbled, ¡°what is going on?¡± ¡°Shift,¡± he ordered her in a cold voice, making her lips part in shock. ¡°Bray!¡± her tone was begging for mercy as she stared at him helplessly. ¡°What are you saying? Why?¡± ¡°I want to see your super special wolf. That¡¯s all,¡± a smirk appeared on his face and Gideon watched curiously. This wasn¡¯t a part of their n. But then again ¨C their n just failed. She did not fall for it. So, they would have to try something else. Maybe that Alpha wasn¡¯t that useless after all? ¡°Shift,¡± the stone-cold voice made the little fox shiver. She knew that it would be over for her if she did. ¡°Shift. Now.¡± He wasn¡¯t reacting this time. If the person who was being seduced was aware, it lessened the effect. A lot. This was how sailors were surviving on the sea in the olden days. They knew exactly what kind of monsters sirens were. ¡°I can¡¯t shift!¡± Roxy sobbed, ¡°I am still an omega! It can hurt the baby. Your baby!¡± ¡°It seemed to be fine just a while ago,¡± he got out his phone and quickly swiped the screen. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Then he shoved it into her face and Gideon could see a video ying. ¡°You shifted into a fox to fight Maya. I hate to break it to you, my love,¡± this time every word was coated in ¡°Brayden!¡± she burst into tears loudly and ugly, throwing herself at him again. ¡°I am still your mate! I couldn¡¯t tell you that I was a fox! You would never ept me¡­ So, I lied about The Alpha was looking at her now and a storm of emotions was raging inside of him. How could he be so stupid? Why didn¡¯t he see that before? He lost everything because of the deception of that woman and all he wanted was to snap her neck. Moreover, he even knew already that the baby wasn¡¯t his. The doctor ran some tests on Roxy and the baby¡¯s blood type meant that he couldn¡¯t be his father. Because that child, however small, didn¡¯t have the Alpha marker in his or her blood. And by the next morning, he would have DNA test results to confirm his suspicions once and for all. But looking at her now, he already knew that he wasn¡¯t the father. ¡°That child and you will be dead by the end of the week if you don¡¯t start speaking,¡± he ¡°Brayden! Brayden!¡± she screamed, but he stopped hearing her as soon as the door closed behind him. He went to the bathroom and washed his hands, face and everywhere else she touched with her tears. He didn¡¯t want any of that on him anymore. ¡°How the hell do you have the footage from the woods?¡± Gideon growled behind his back as he walked in. His eyes were glowing now and Bray knew that the lycan king would rip him apart if he could installed in a few ces to spot intruders. I was lucky that Maya ended up fighting her right under one. That¡¯s all. I have already checked everything else. There¡¯s nothing useful.¡± ¡°Can you see her in the video?¡± Gideon interrupted his speech. ¡°Just a bit,¡± Bray admitted. ¡°Give it to me! Now!¡± the lycan snarled at the Alpha. Brayden handed him the phone and Gideon started watching the short extract of what surely was a long recording before. He saw a bear, a fox and Roxanne in her human form. Then he saw another wolf attacking them, who was probably Maya. She was outnumbered but fought fiercely and when she was done with the first two beasts, Roxy shifted into a huge fox right in front of her. A few momentster he saw her, his Riannon. She appeared from the depths of the forest and watched her friend fight. One breath ¨C and a dark figure appeared behind her. He ced some kind of fabric over her nose and mouth and held her tight while she¡­ did absolutely nothing to fight him. Ria did not struggle at all. Maya was done with Roxanne when she could still see the man taking his mate away. But she did not move either, watching how the fox slowly shifted back to her human form instead and only asionally ncing at her Alpha being taken. So many things were wrong with that video. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The whole finale took a few seconds but an Alpha and a Beta were supposed to have better reactions. ¡°Bring me the rest of it!¡± Gideon ordered, sending the video to himself via messenger and turned his back to the Brayden. ¡°All of it!¡± He went to the observation room, where Maya, Reid and Ash were still watching Roxy cry hysterically in the corner. : ¡°So noisy!¡± Reid rolled his eyes, pointing at the fox behind the ss who couldn¡¯t see them. or if it was some kind of a joke. However, when he growled loudly and menacingly, they all stood up and headed for the exit. ¡°Not you, Maya,¡± the lycan king motioned for the Beta to stay and his own second looked at him questioningly. ¡°We need to talk.¡± just like Ash, not defying his king¡¯smand. Maya did not seem worried of phased at all even when Gideon handed her his phone with the very same video. She watched it, unbothered. Just the way she watched Riannon taken ¡°So,¡± Gideon snarled, ¡°would you exin to me what the hell that was?!¡± Chapter 74. The Red Eden. Chapter 74. The Red Eden. He did not lie to her when he told her she could roam freely around his house. But Castiel forgot to mention that two guards would be following her wherever she went. It was annoying but she chose to tolerate them and pretend like everything was A-okay. ¡°I can kill them now if you want,¡± Onyx offered with a chuckle. ¡°One is a bear, and one is a fox. We snap the fox¡¯s neck first and then deal with Paddington.¡± ¡°Just leave them be,¡± she said to her wolf. ¡°They are doing their job and also there are cameras everywhere here. It¡¯s not the time. Not yet.¡± She cringed at the thought that Castiel could be watching her with the help of his hidden cameras. She had to take a shower and change, knowing that, but she had to act as if she wasn¡¯t aware. Riannon needed to underestimate her at least a bit, so she acted naturally at all times. But she still learned where the cameras were and where the blind spots could be. She did not n to stay here for long, so she chose one of the many dresses in the wardrobe that he provided. No pants were there and her own clothes disappeared. So, she chose a ck dress with sequins, long sleeves and a plunging V cut at the front. It wasn¡¯t what she would prefer to wear while on the enemy¡¯s territory, but other dresses seemed to be even more revealing. The mansion she was at was exquisite, filled with pieces of art and expensive decorations. Castiel definitely did not spare any money and had an expensive taste. But at the same time everything here felt a bit too much. As if he was proving something. As if he was proving that he was a real king¡­ Even the clothes he provided for her seemed like a doll¡¯s wardrobe. He probably saw her as a new pretty possession. She remembered her mate. Gideon did not have to prove anything to anyone. He never felt that need. But thinking of him now was hurting her. She wished she could just tell him how she felt and why¡­ The Red Eden. building was empty and barely anyone lived here. But soon her ears picked up a strange buzzing noise. She decided to follow that and in a few minutes she found herself in front of huge wooden doors. ¡°What is that?¡± she asked one of her guards, the taller one, and he seemed ufortable hearing this question. ¡°We¡¯d better go somewhere else,¡± the shorter one said, mirroring his colleague¡¯s expression. Now she just had to enter that forbidden ce. ¡°I thought I was allowed to walk anywhere I want in this house,¡± she quirked her brow up and the men looked at each other, both of them tense. ¡°You are,¡± the tall one agreed ufortably, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ This ce¡­¡± ¡°Open the doors!¡± shemanded, and they obeyed. At least, she had some kind of power here. To her surprise, they walked into a balcony and she saw that it was just a part of the building. This part was closed, with many doors on both sides. And at least four floors. The huge square was enclosing the ceilingless courtyard in the centre, where there was a small fountain. She saw girls in red dresses ying andughing there. More women were standing here and there at other balconies nearby and soon Riannon realised that she was standing at the central balcony. A huge chair stood next to her. Almost like a throne¡­ ¡°What the¡­¡± she mumbled. Two staircases at both sides of her were connecting all the floors and going all the way down to the courtyard.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Slowly, other women were noticing her. And she was not sure that she liked that attention they were giving her as none of them looked friendly. ¡°I will repeat my question,¡± she said to the guards, ¡°What is this ce?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a¡­recreational¡­¡± The short one was looking for excuses and she knew now that he was the fox onyx mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s the Harem,¡± the taller one sighed. The Bear. That made so much more sense now. The red dresses were hardly covering anything. Each was different but they were all branding the women as¡­ what? What were they here in this ce? ves? Concubines? She wanted to observe them for a while to make some conclusions but was quickly disturbed. Three girls appeared next to them. Two of them tackled the guards with ease, while the third one, a very tall blonde whose hair was as white as snow grabbed her throat and yanked her to the wall. ¡°So it¡¯s true!¡± she hissed, scanning Ria¡¯s face and body. ¡°He has a new pet!¡± The air was leaving her body fast and she struggled to take a new breath as she met the woman¡¯s gaze full of hate. There was only one way to get out of this and Riannon pierced the rival¡¯s foot with her sharp metallic heel, making her shout from the pain and release her grip on her. Next, she dislocated her knee with one sharp blow and twisted the free hand, freeing her own neck and making the woman scream. Both her friends were struggling with the guards and ncing their way with worry. ¡°I am not his pet!¡± Ria spat the words. ¡°And I am not his! Choose your words carefully when you speak to me and keep your hands to yourself! If you want Castiel ¨C he is all yours!¡± The blonde was staring at her now, trying to understand whether she was serious or not. But then she clicked her fingers and her two friends let the guards go, stepping away. ¡°You are one of those,¡± the blonde rolled her eyes and folded her hands on her chest. ¡°He does enjoy this act but not for long.¡± ¡°Please,dies,¡± the two guards were at her sides now, ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble. We don¡¯t want to let the king know about this.¡± They all raised their hands with smirks on their faces as if to tell that they were ¡°innocent¡±. But their eyes were telling a different story. They would kill for Castiel¡¯s attention. and it¡¯s not your king. I am not interested in him. All I want is to go back home.¡± Now they looked at her with sadness. As if they knew something that she didn¡¯t. ¡°Your mate is as good as dead then,¡± one of the triomented. ¡°When Castiel wants something, he gets it.¡± ¡°Not this time,¡± Riannon stood her ground. ¡°I am an Alpha myself. And my mate is the western Lycan King.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± the blonde scoffed. ¡°He has been nning to kill the lycan king for years! You are just lucky that he wanted you here. But as I have already told you, don¡¯t get used to this treatment. He will get bored of you fast.¡± ¡°Onyx, who is this girl? What species?¡± Ria asked her wolf, as she was curious about her opponent. ¡°She seems to be a bear,¡± Onyx replied at once, ¡°but there is something odd about her. Her scent is a bit different. I am not sure why.¡± She wanted to tell something else to the girls in red but the doors behind them shut open and a very angry Castiel walked in. They all got silent at the sight of him and lowered their heads in submission. All but her. She did not care. ¡°What the hell is she doing here?!¡± he growled angrily at the two guards and walked straight to her, grabbing her to check if she was alright. He checked her the way a seller checks his goods and she tried to distance herself from him. However, the fox king only pulled her closer, possessively. ¡°We apologise,¡± the taller guard said. ¡°She was curious and¡­¡± ¡°You said I can walk wherever I want in your house!¡± Riannon interrupted and everyone looked at her, slightly shocked at how daring she was. ¡°House was the main word in that sentence,¡± he groaned, shifting his attention to her. ¡°This is The Eden. It¡¯s not a part of my house.¡± ¡°It looks like one though,¡± she retorted, ¡°It¡¯s adjacent and¡­¡± ¡°Riannon, let¡¯s not speak about semantics,¡± Castiel did not look pleased. ¡°I don¡¯t want my Luna here!¡± thing. Apparently, it was a big deal and Ria felt sorry for all of them. ¡°Then how lucky are we that I am not your Luna!¡± she chuckled and forcefully got herself out of his grip to his displeasure. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°This is not the ce to speak of anything. Time to have that dinner of ours¡­¡± He took her hand and pulled her behind him, walking out firmly of this ce and not even bothering to look at any of the dozens of pairs of eyes following their every move. ¡°The dinner will not be served at The Eden tonight!¡± he growled right before they left. ¡°I think the girls forgot how to behave and they need to think about it!¡± She walked after him, thinking and analysing everything that she saw. She knew one thing for sure ¨C she would have to go back to the harem. Even if it was risky. He took her to a room with a small table served for two and mmed the doors behind them. The two guards stayed on the other side, and she did not like this development at all. ¡°Sit!¡± he ordered and everything inside her screamed to throw something at him. Yet, she knew that this would not be wise. Slowly and taking her time, she walked to one of the seats and he followed her, helping her with the chair. She did not thank him and became stiff when she realized that he wasn¡¯t moving away. His hands were still on the back of the chair, almost touching her. But a knock on the door disturbed them. ¡°Come in!¡± Castiel ordered, and a guy with curly red hair entered the room. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he apologised, bowing his head in respect, ¡°but I have urgent news and you told me to inform you at once.¡± ¡°Not here!¡± the fox king stopped him, clearly not wanting to discuss anything in front of Riannon. ¡°Follow me to my office. It¡¯s soundproof.¡± He gestured for the redhead to join him in the adjacent room and they closed Ria rxed into her seta, disappointed that she couldn¡¯t overhear them. But then she clearly heard both voices as they joined in a conversation. ¡°How?¡± she asked Onyx in awe. ¡°The blessing of the Moon Goddess gives us more than we are aware of now! Let¡¯s not question the gifts and use the wise,¡± she could feel her wolf smirking in their mind¡­ Chapter 75. Chapter 75. Riannon tried not to grin. She couldn¡¯t tell for sure if there were any cameras installed in this room, so she had to be extra careful just in case. To keep herself busy, she took a ss full of wine and sniffed it to check that it wasn¡¯t poisoned this time. Given the history she had with foxes, she could never be sure¡­ But the fox king probably had some use for her even now, so the drink was clean of any substances other than alcohol. She took a slow sip and listened carefully. ¡°I am not interested in what kind of problems they have,¡± Castiel sounded authoritative. There was no yfulness in his voice to which she was used to. ¡°Tell them that if they are not ready on time, they will share the destiny of those traitors werecats.¡± Riannon gulped. She remembered how Alpha Ramina had been telling them that foxes and bears were offering her to unite their ns in the war against wolves. This was confirming her words at the Summit. ¡°And what about the wolves?¡± Castiel asked hispanion, his tone displeased and arrogant even now. ¡°The Alpha told us that they are ready to act and waiting for yourmand.¡± Images shed before Ria¡¯s eyes. Back in the past, she saw wolves fighting other wolves. It brought her to the conclusion that they were talking about the traitors. But she needed more. More information. At least something. A pack or the Alpha¡¯s name, a location¡­ anything that could help her find out who the traitors were! ¡°And what about the white bear n?¡± the fox king kept the interrogation of his subordinate while she froze on her seat. ¡°Their king says that they will arrive soon. But he still has the same condition.¡± Riannon ced her ss back on the table, trying not to crush the stem in her hand from all the tension. White bears¡­ This was a crucial piece of information. That n came from the North and, if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, they lived right next to the North Lycan kingdom. him to deal with his lycan king as soon as he helps us deal with ours.¡± Now Castiel sounded content. But it was Ria who was the one truly pleased. All her effort went into pretending not to care. Not to curl her lips, not to make any muscle flinch on her face. She couldn¡¯t give herself away. That was why she did her best to look bored while she waited. The two men discussed a few other things quickly, including doubling the security around the territory. But that didn¡¯t matter anymore. When Gideon came for her, she would be ready. The doors opened again and Castiel strode in with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Forgive me, Riannon,¡± he took his seat and at the same moment servants appeared, bringing in the actual food. He probably ordered them to do it via the mind link. ¡°Oh, trust me,¡± she straightened her back, ¡°I was not offended. I think the less we see each other, the better.¡± He swallowed that almost insult, knowing that she wasn¡¯t ready for him. Not yet. Castiel loved watching that strong beautiful woman, who held herself like a queen even in captivity. Her every move was filled with grace and confidence. He had princesses in his harem, but none could even begin topare in his eyes to Riannon. He was sure that he knew what she was thinking after seeing all those girls today. He knew that he needed to do damage control if he wanted to have a rtionship with that woman. And he wanted it badly. She intrigued him at their first actual meeting, but the more he watched her, the more his need for her was growing. She was the perfect Luna. Everything that any alpha could ask for. Beautiful, smart, special¡­ That made it especially hard to resist her charm. ¡°So,¡± she raised her brow at him and he loved how daring she was. The spirit of royalty. ¡°So,¡± he found herself mimicking her tone, waving for the omegas to leave ¡°I have to say that your n was not bad,¡± she stated inly, but this littlepliment made his lips curve a bit anyway. ¡°And yet somehow you saw right through it,¡± he smirked. ¡°Tell me, Riannon, where have I made a mistake?¡± He didn¡¯t make a mistake and that was exactly the problem. In her past life, he won. And even now he was far from losing. Even despite everything that she knew. ¡°I guess you angered the Moon Goddess,¡± she took a bite of her food. Whatever it was, she had to take care of herself well. She had to have the strength for what was about toe. So, she wasn¡¯t going to starve herself out of spite and make herself weaker. He chuckled softly and followed her example. ¡°Tell me,¡± he said after a while, ¡°how did you know that I was going to use the name Everett? I was thinking about it for so long but I still can¡¯t find an answer to this question.¡± ¡°If you want any kind of information from me, you will have to answer a few questions first yourself,¡± Ria put down her knife and fork, taking a napkin to gently pat her lips. ¡°And then maybe, I¡¯ll share too.¡± ¡°And what exactly do you want to know?¡± Castiel didn¡¯t feel like hiding much from her. She was already there in his hands. What was the point? When she knew ¨C she would only be impressed by the scale of the work he had done. She had to be impressed ¡°How did you fake a scent of Brayden¡¯s mate on Roxanne?¡± she shot the first question at once, without any hesitation, ¡°I know that she is a siren and used that alluring ability of hers. But you had to work on the scent too. Because it was the first thing that attracted him to her.¡± ¡°You are still not over that?¡± he smirked, and she felt a prick of shame. Because, no, she wasn¡¯t over it. She had to know everything. She did not love her ex anymore, but she needed to learn what happened there exactly. ¡°I thought we were trying to have an open conversation here,¡± she taunted him. hardly ate anything.¡± ¡°I am full,¡± the Luna cut him off. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. I am going to show you something,¡± he grinned at her with delight. He stood up and gestured for her to do the same. Riannon had no objections to that. A part of her was worried that he would take her to the dungeons, where Brayden¡¯s real true mate was chained to the walls¡­ But they didn¡¯t walk far, as the fox king pushed one of the next doors and held it for her. She entered a spacious room that looked like some kind of aboratory. Test tubes, microscopes and equipment she couldn¡¯t even name were everywhere. It looked professional enough to her and all she could do was to give the fox a questioning look. ¡°This is where the scent was created so that Roxy could copy it,¡± Castiel smirked, looking a bit smug. ¡°How? You had to have a sample,¡± Ria tried to reason with him, trying to find an exnation. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying shifters¡¯scents for many years,¡± he started exining.¡± You see, in most cases, mates¡¯ scents are connected biologically. This is how we recognise our couple. Mates are so closely connected that over time I managed to see a pattern. By testing and probing, I managed to find out what scent would attract a person if I had his or her DNA. It¡¯s not a 100% match, of course. One would recognise their true mate. If he meets him or her. But as far as you know, your husband never did. I don¡¯t even know if he could recognise his mate prior to your rejection. You know how marking works.¡± ¡°I do,¡± she smirked and took her hair away, moving the dress slightly aside to reveal her beautiful golden crescent mark. Castiel growled at that, his eyes glued to her flesh. It would be an understatement to say that he did not like what he saw. But at the same time, he was fascinated by the gold shining on her delicate skin. ¡°An unbreakable bond,¡± she rubbed it into his face, pulling the dress back on to ¡°We¡¯ll have to test that theory out,¡± he stepped closer, ¡°when I kill Gideon.¡± ¡°You could try,¡± she chuckled, ¡°but there is a reason why you tried to break werewolves first. You can¡¯t deal with him without that. And now that part of your n is gone.¡± ¡°My n doesn¡¯t solemnly depend on that. And part of it still worked. The biggest pack was broken into two parts. And the Alpha of one of them is mine now.¡± His eye glowed again as he was dangerously close. ¡°Why is only one of your eyes glowing?¡± she decided to distract him and it worked as he turned away from her at once. ¡°That¡¯s a long story,¡± he sighed. ¡°As you have told me before, we are in no hurry,¡± Ria took that chance to distance herself further from him and pretended to look at the equipment he had there. ¡°I wandered into the wrong ce and encountered the wrong person when I was young,¡± he said at first, but after hesitating for a few moments, added in a hoarse voice. ¡°My father¡­ It was my father.¡± Riannon¡¯s lips parted but she quickly clenched them back. ¡°Why?¡± she heard herself saying. ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly the son he wanted,¡± Castiel confessed, still not looking at her. ¡°Not the pure blood that he wanted to see as his heir¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she felt that this was important too. ¡°I am a hybrid,¡± he turned to face her abruptly and in no time he was right next to her again. ¡°My father stole my mother from the bear n. She was already married, but he did not care.¡± ¡°But you were still angry at Gideon¡¯s father for killing yours,¡± Ria pointed out, crossing her hands on her chest in a defence motion. She did not like the way he stared at her. As if he was hungry. ¡°Of course I was,¡± he sneered at her, tracing his finger over one of her arms and making her shudder. ¡°First of all, it was a matter of honour. But second of all, it was ¡°How?¡± she tried not to give him any reaction, knowing that this was exactly what he was looking for. ¡°Too many questions for someone who didn¡¯t share anything yet,¡± he bent lower to her, his face way too close to her liking. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that my path to bing a king would be shorter.¡± She tried to step away, but he trapped her between one of the tables and his hands. ¡°So, how did you know about Everett?¡± a smirk spread over his face as he looked at her lips. ¡°Axel didn¡¯t suit you.¡± Riannon tried to stay calm. ¡°I thought that we agreed to share information,¡± he took it as a game, ¡°not lie to each other.¡± ¡°You have your sources and I have mine, Castiel,¡± she dived down and managed to escape him, hearing hisughter behind her back. ¡°Cass,¡± he said. ¡°I want you to call me Cass.¡± ¡°And I want you to call me Alpha Michaels,¡± she retorted, ¡°but something tells me you are not going to do that.¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± he took another step in her direction, and she liked it less and less, ¡°It has a good ring to it.¡± ¡°Do you want me to kill him?¡± Onyx asked, growling inside. ¡°Can you?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°I think we can take one hybrid,¡± now her wolf sounded offended, but ready to spring to action any time. ¡°I have no doubt,¡± Ria sighed, ¡°but it will not stop the war. And now it might onlyplicate things. I need more information before we act.¡± ¡°Who works in thisb?¡± she decided to throw the fox king off the topic. ¡°This is my little heaven,¡± he said with pride. ¡°And a little hobby of mine that brought me so many fruitful results.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. one of the tables to make sure there was something between them. ¡°You mean Eden,¡± Castiel chuckled. ¡°Yes, I suppose one might say so.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s the n there?¡± she quirked her brow up. ¡°When do I get a red dress?¡± He watched her for a few seconds while furrowing her browsbefore answering, ¡°Never. The day you be mine, I let them all go.¡± This wasn¡¯t what she counted on. She wanted to use the harem against him. And here he was dismissing its significance instantly. But she knew far too well that it was yet another tactic to manipte her. ¡°What was the point of keeping them there in the first ce if you are going to discard them now?¡± ¡°Believe it or not, Alpha Michaels ,¡± he smirked when he said that, ¡°But they were useful in many ways. Each of them is there willingly. It was their choice. And I treasure each of them in my own way.¡± ¡°And is that why you are starving them tonight?¡± she reminded him of the simple fact that he prohibited giving them dinner that day. ¡°I am punishing them for misbehaving.¡± Castiel informed her firmly and without any shade of hesitation or regret. ¡°They touched what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°I am not yours!¡± she gritted her teeth. ¡°Of course, you are. Everything in this house is mine. They knew you were mine the moment they saw you. But they still chose to attack you.¡± He scowled. ¡°Maybe they can sense that they are about to be thrown out on the street?¡± Riannon snorted. ¡°I am not going to throw them out on the street!¡± he let out a deep chestyugh. ¡°I trained them for years for a reason!¡± ¡°As you did with Roxanne?¡± it suddenly urred to her. He was going to use those women as his pawns. Send them to different packs, nt them as spies, put them in other men¡¯s beds. ¡°Too many questions,¡± he shrugged it off. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want to show you other ¡°I am too tired,¡± she did not let him finish. ¡°I want to¡­¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the fox king looked slightly disappointed, but he nodded reassuringly.¡° Not all at once. I get it. We have all the time in the world to get to know each other better.¡± She was relieved that he chose that approach. But she knew that she shouldn¡¯t count on him sticking to it for too long. He took her back to her room personally, not saying much on the way there and she hid behind the door when he tried to give her a kiss on the cheek, escaping the undesired contact. Riannon sat on the bed and listened to his receding steps. And when he was gone, she waited some more. In about half an hour, she opened the doors and looked at the short guard, ignoring the tall one. This one seemed mentally weaker to her. ¡°King Castiel said I can ask for whatever I want and I have some requests,¡± she announced with a tone that did not take prisoners, making both men swallow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she sneered at them like a cat who was about to devour a little mouse,¡° Nothing dangerous is on my list.¡± Just an hourter, the three of them entered the Eden. Girls in red were looking at her in shock, not believing that she dared toe there again. ¡°What the hell have you forgotten here?¡± the same blonde with her two friends appeared before her first. ¡°Ladies,¡± Riannon popped a bottle of champagne with ease, gesturing for the two guards to bring in the sushi and other snacks she requested, ¡°I think we started with a wrong foot. Why don¡¯t we fix that?¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°Exin this!¡± Gideon growled at the Beta as he uploaded the video on the big screen. Maya watched it calmly, her face vacant of any emotions. ¡°What exactly should I exin?¡± she askedzily, only fuelling his anger. He rewound the video back to when she was fighting Roxanne and pointed at Riannon standing not far from them. ¡°She was there! And you saw her!¡± he was ying those seconds again and again, making her watch this. ¡°You didn¡¯t even move to help her. I want to know why! ¡°I did not notice her!¡± Maya turned away and he just knew that she was lying through her teeth. ¡°I am not buying this!¡± he growled. He could feel how his own Beta, Ried, was trying to reach him via the mind link. He was worried sick about his mate, and it was one of the reasons why he couldn¡¯t kill her on the spot. Yet she was too calm. A traitor who was just caught couldn¡¯t possibly be this serene! ¡°Maya,¡± he said through clenched teeth, ¡°what do you know that I don¡¯t? You clearly saw each other. Ria didn¡¯t even fight that damn fox when he caught her!¡± She averted his gaze and he knew that he was on the right path. ¡°You have to tell me!¡± he growled and it suddenly became harder to breathe in the room. He never used his royal lycan power. It was dangerous. And not only for others, for him as well. Because unleashing that pressing darkness within him could have consequences beyond repairing. There was a reason why only the royal lycans had the second battle form now. Only they could shift into wolf-like feral beasts who could walk on their feet. Common lycians could die if they tried that. The blood of royals was the purest and they were the only ones who had enough strength to channel and control true beasts. Those beasts were giving them power beyond imaginable, but that came with a price. The longer they stayed in that form, the less they wanted toe back to being human. It was too tempting, too wolf, hence they were saving it for the worst battles. When they were bing true lycans, all emotions were gone. Only instincts stayed. And every time Gideon had to use any part of his feral powers, he knew that once he reached a certain point, he had to stop and go back to being human. That form was making him stronger and any other shifter could sense his power from afar. Right now he only let it out a bit but Maya already lowered her head in submission. This was something out of her control now. ¡°What. Happened. There?¡± Gideon demanded in a firm menacing tone and she gulped, trying to fight it. But it was useless. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she whispered desperately. ¡°I am your king,¡± Gideon insisted, letting her know that he would make her if she didn¡¯t do it herself. ¡°You might be my king but she is my Alpha,¡± Maya¡¯s voice was faint but she faced him with a determination which he couldn¡¯t not respect. He didn¡¯t even need more details. It was clear what had happened back in the woods now. And he wanted to crush things, break them, destroy¡­ ¡°Just tell me why she did it,¡± he used all his strength to get the beast to back down, so that he could return to his senses and so that the girl in front of him could stop suffocating. It was her first time experiencing something like this. Most would probably have already fainted. Maya took a deep breath as soon as the power stopped pressing down on her. She hesitated¡­ but looking at him panting as well, she gave up. There was no point hiding anything anymore. She stalled him as much as she could. Just like her friend wanted. ¡°She said that he would not hurt her. She was certain of it.¡± The Beta sighed, her voice bleak, as he snapped his head in her direction. ¡°He drugged her to make her pass out!¡± the king growled. ¡°He could do anything to her while she is helpless.¡± ¡°Riannon is blessed by the Moon Goddess.¡± The Beta said firmly. ¡°She is never ¡°When?¡± Gideon stopped her with a gesture, because he did not want to hear those exnations. He just needed facts. ¡°When did she make the decision?¡± ¡°Right before all this,¡± Maya confessed. ¡°She told me via the mind link and then she rejected my every protest. She was sure that we would be able to win the war only if we got enough intel. And the only way to get it was to get inside theirir. Ria said that there were too many secrets and no way to find out whom we can trust. She wanted to fix that problem. She was sure that Castiel would be co.cky enough to try and get her. And she told me to make sure that it happens if he tries.¡± ¡°And what about her?¡± Gideon pointed at the siren/fox behind the ss. ¡°It was my initiative,¡± Maya admitted, ¡°I thought everything was over. I saw Riannon and Castiel behind Roxanne. But when he attacked and covered her face with that cloth, I knew that it was exactly what she wanted. This was why I yed with Roxy longer and waited for him to be gone. As a Beta, I cannot disobey my Alpha.¡± ¡°You could have followed them!¡± He reproached her. ¡°I would be noticed,¡± the woman stated honestly and firmly. ¡°She ordered not to do it. And also¡­¡± She went to her little cross-body bag and got out a little note. Riannon¡¯s scent hit his nostrils and he got instantly calmer. Maya handed him the little folded piece of paper and he secretly took another breath just to feel closer to her. ¡°She left this for you,¡± the girl stepped away to give him space. He unfolded the note carefully as if it was some kind of treasure. Trust me. I trust you to find me. He was really hoping to see more. But these words¡­ these words were exactly what he needed right now. She trusted him. She needed him to trust her. And she needed him to find a way to get her back. All while she was risking her life to help him win the war. Gideon closed his eyes, pain rippling through his body, tearing him apart. But she needed him. His gaze met Maya¡¯s and there was this silent understanding between the two of them now. He knew that she would do anything to get her best friend and Alpha back. All they needed was the location. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± the Beta girl asked, and he turned to look at the ss. Behind it the tiny fox was weeping again, trying to fill the air around her with pheromones. ¡°For a start, make sure only females guard her,¡± Gideon said coldly. ¡°We need to make sure that she loses any hope of ever getting out of here. And when she does, we will break her. Part by part. Until she tells us what we want to know.¡± Roxanne sat alone in that white room for goddess knew how long. She knew that they had not forgotten about her. She knew that she was their only chance to get the information they needed. She knew a lot indeed. But weighing her options, she was not going to share anything. She had two tasks now ¨C to save her baby and to get back to Castiel. Roxy hoped that he would send someone to save her. He also knew that she was a valuable asset. So, she needed to hold on until then. She could still y on Brayden¡¯s fatherly feelings. It could still work if she tried hard enough¡­ She heard the sound of the lock and turned to see the doors opening. The ability to cry was lost to her as she had already drained all the liquid out of herself. But the pheromones were in the air, all she needed now was to add some good acting to that. But when she saw two women in ck leather looking down at her, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Women. Not men. This was bad. The worst-case scenario, no less. Her pheromones only worked on males! ¡°Seriously?¡± one of them chuckled, bringing in the tray with a paper te and some food on it, as well as a water bottle. ¡°This ginger hobbit is the big bad criminal they asked us to guard? Couldn¡¯t they do it themselves?¡± on her chest. ¡°They say she is vicious and can easily get under your skin.¡± ¡°Eat,¡± the one with bushy curly hair ordered and pointed to the chair. Roxy decided not to cause a scene and obeyed quietly. ¡°You are not wolves,¡± she stated calmly to test her theory. ¡°Neither are you,¡± the other one, with straight ck hair reaching her shoulders pointed out. ¡°Who are you?¡± Roxy asked, prying for information. ¡°Werecats,¡± the first one answered, ¡°Now, eat. We are not staying here forever. And nothing will be left for you in this room¡± She started eating slowly, listening to their every word. ¡°I hope our Alpha arrives soon. I don¡¯t want to hang here when the lycan king is this furious.¡± The two women whispered to each other, not bothered with her presence. ¡°Yeah, I mean, I get it. He lost his queen and now she is captive. Who knows what the fox king is doing to her this very moment? He did not contact the Union, he did not demand anything. It looks like he only wanted her and now he got that.¡± Roxanne mmed her fist on the table, not caring that she attracted their attention. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± one of the girls asked her with an indifferent expression. ¡°I am not hungry anymore,¡± the fox replied. Without saying anything else, they gathered everything that they had brought and left her alone, locking her again. Roxanne sat in the same ce for a while, keeping herposure. But the images of Castiel and Riannon were flooding her mind. She knew him the best and she knew far too well when he wanted a woman. He always had a harem, yes. But he had consent from every girl inside of it, herself included. They all wanted to be there, craved it. And as far as she knew, it was the first time that he had taken someone there against their will. She had no doubt that he would take Riannon to his personal house and the spend his first night with her? Did he like it? The perfect Luna would be fighting it, there was no doubt about that as well. And deep inside she was really scared that he would like her even more because of that. Roxy tried to get rid of these thoughts. There were millions of perfectly sane exnations as to why he needed Riannon. She was the lycan king¡¯s mate and it would make so much sense to use her to weaken him. She chose to believe in this one. It was easier and morefortable this way. She prohibited herself from going into the dangerous territory of imagining Riannon in his bed, of thinking about what he would do to her and how he would take her. She knew everything that he liked, so imagining this scenario was easy. But it was so painful. Too painful for her to bear. Hell, now she would dly agree to Bridgit, her oldest rival, warming up Castiel¡¯s bed while she was absent. At least she knew that he wasn¡¯t in love with her. She wasn¡¯t so sure about Riannon. Could Castiel even love? Just like that? Her whole body was aching from sitting on the firm surfaces for hours and she decided to lie down on the floor to try and stretch her sore muscles a bit. Did it hurt Riannon that much when she was with her husband? To her, Brayden was never the prize and she took their mating as a part of her job. It helped that he was good looking and could bring pleasure to a woman when he wanted to. But for Roxanne, he wasn¡¯t Castiel. All that she wished now was that she had never stepped her foot in this wretched ce. Hugging herself, she tried to rock herself to sleep. *** Gideon wasn¡¯t happy. Everything was going slowly. Too slowly for his liking. He knew he couldn¡¯t push the fake omega too early. And now, sadly, she was the only one who could give him any information. He sent Brayden in again to make it seem like this was their n ¨C interrogation after interrogation. Of course, the Alpha was returning with no news. But this was something that they expected. he invited were already there. ¡°Are you sure that they can all be trusted?¡± Alpha Ramina asked him as she joined him earlier than others. She was the first one he called from the Union. ¡°No,¡± Gideon replied honestly, ¡°I can never be sure. But these ones seem to be the most reliable.¡± They went to the conference hall and greeted each Alpha as they came in and took their ce. They would have to act as a united front from now on. After all, it was theirmon war and theirmon enemy. The Summit helped them to understand that. ¡°Looking gorgeous as always, Ramina,¡± Zack Morgan winked at the Alpha who was sitting opposite of him at the table. ¡°I know,¡± the cat flicked her long sleek hair to the back, looking clearly unimpressed with thepliment. ¡°My Luna says it all the time.¡± ¡°She has good taste,¡± Zack smirked and the woman rolled her eyes. ¡°Are we waiting for someone?¡± Alpha Caleb asked impatiently. ¡°My sister will be joining us too,¡± Gideon took his seat at the head of the table. Maya, Reid and Ash stayed behind him. ¡°What for?¡± Alpha Maddox knitted his brows. Not every pack even loved seeing females at such gatherings. ¡°She is bringing my warriors from the kingdom. And she will stay because she chose to take part in this fight,¡± the lycan king replied emotionlessly. He could already hear the cars pulling down right next to the mansion. In just a few seconds the doors opened, revealing Savannah dressed in ck head to toe, something that was unusual for her. ¡°I am sorry I amte,¡± she looked only at her brother when she felt it¡­ This warm feeling, the scent, the myriads of overwhelming sensations. She couldn¡¯t take it for anything else as she looked around the room full of alphas. ¡°Mate!¡± a loud growl echoed through the house as everyone gasped in disbelief. Chapter 77. Chapter 77. Gideon couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes as he watched his little sister stare at one of the Alphas. ¡°Mine!¡± Zack Morgan growled as he stood up and stormed in her direction. Kyle next to Savannah growled defensively but she gestured for him to stop, looking at the man who was already next to her. He was breathing heavily, his eyes glowing dark purple as he took the princess before him in. ¡°Mate,¡± Savvy whispered hesitantly. ¡°Mate,¡± Zack confirmed and took another step in her direction. He extended his hand to her, clearly wishing to at least touch her. Gideon had mixed feelings about it. It was odd to see his baby sister with a mate. But on the other hand, this was why he refused the marriage deal with the Northern King. He wanted her to have that. This euphoria of finding the one person who could make her whole.(This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar) And judging by the little tear that fell down Savvy¡¯s cheek, this was exactly what she felt now. ¡°May I?¡± Zack asked when his fingers almost touched her and she nodded. The whole room went quiet as finding a mate was considered the most important moment in one¡¯s life. Even an ongoing war could wait a few moments to let two people adjust to not being alone anymore. Savvy nodded again. Gideon never saw her this quiet. She was always the chatterbox of the family. But now she had no words. Zack very gently wiped the tears off her face, devouring her with his eyes. They couldn¡¯t speak freely now in front of everyone and it was clear that his wolf wanted to get out. But he chose to remain a gentleman and Gideon was d that he was the one mated to his little sister. And not a creep like Brayden, who was watching the whole thing not far from him with a shade of annoyance. ¡°You will never cry again,¡± Zack whispered, but of course, every lycan or werewolf in the room heard it. ¡°I am Alpha Zack Morgan of the Emerald Mountain Pack. And it¡¯s my honour to be your mate¡­¡± He paused because he didn¡¯t know her name and she smiled at him. mouth. He didn¡¯t realise who she was until now. Everything happened so fast. ¡°Savannah,¡± he tasted her name on his tongue, liking it. He liked everything about her. He loved it. Instantly. His mate was beautiful beyond belief with sensual lips and eyes the colour of peridots that his mother used to like so much. Her hair was falling in golden brown waves down her shoulders and her fingers felt so fragile when he held them in hisrge palms. He couldn¡¯t even believe that she was a lycan. She seemed more like a fair if they existed. ¡°With all due respect,¡± Brayden cleared his throat. ¡°Congrattions to you both but we have a few pressing matters to discuss.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Gideon came back to his senses as well. ¡°He is right. Sorry, Sav.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she wanted to proceed to sit next to her brother, but Zack took her arm and led her to the chair he was sitting on. And when she took it, he stayed behind her, standing and watching so that no other male even dared to look her way. It was a long meeting but in the end, they foundmon ground and were able to agree on the same course of action. After all, it was in everybody¡¯s interest. Most Alphas wanted to get their revenge on the foxes after the explosion at the Summit. But some were wary and wanted more proof. But, of course, the biggest problem of all was the fact that they still didn¡¯t know where to find Castiel and Riannon. They had a rough idea of it being somewhere in the foxes¡¯territory and Alpha Ramina was very helpful with pointing as to where it might be. She was one of the very few who had visited thosends recently and for now, was the best source of information. However, Gideon knew that it wasn¡¯t enough. To get his Queen back he needed to have the precise location. He couldn¡¯t risk it. Unfortunately, there was only one person who could give him the intel he needed. Roxanne slept on a mattress they brought for her in the same sparkling white room. She hated this ce. And she could tell who came up with the idea. No one idea what time it was. Or even what day. There was absolutely no way to tell. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The room had no windows and was illuminated at all times. It was as if the time here had stopped. She tried not to think of what the werecats told her prior. It was too much. She curled up on her so-called bed and hugged her belly. She knew far too well that it wasn¡¯t Castiel¡¯s child. But she could pretend now that it was. It helped her to stay sane. He was the only thing that always helped her survive. And she would survive this too. She went from a nobody to a harem girl. And from a harem girl to one of Castiel¡¯s best assets. For months and months, he was paying her more attention than to others. She knew that the only reason he didn¡¯t mark her was because he needed to make sure that she was strong enough to be his Luna first. So, this was her test. She would pass it and he would take her back. She would pass it and he would take her back. She would pass it and¡­ The door opened so unexpectedly that she shuddered in her ce. She couldn¡¯t understand what was going on at first when she saw the lycan king himself with his glowing eyes and bare canines. What the hell was going on? He was always the reasonable one! Why was he like that? She crawled back to the wall instinctively. He was going to kill her. It was obvious now. She wasn¡¯t going to make it. ¡°Gideon, stop!¡± his Beta appeared before him and tried to hold him back. But it was clear that he was weaker. Much weaker. ¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡± Maya was right next to them, followed by Ash. They all tried to stop the lycan from¡­ From what? Roxy gulped, feeling how her whole body started shuddering for real now. This wasn¡¯t a joke. ¡°If she has no value to him and stays silent, then she has no value to me too!¡± little space between them to see what was going on. ¡°Gideon, it¡¯s not over yet! We can still get Riannon back!¡± the Beta shouted, obstructing his Alpha from getting closer. From ripping her apart. ¡°He marked her!¡± the lycan king growled. ¡°He¡­ he¡­ he made her his and announced her his queen! The pain I felt when he did it¡­ He can¡¯t stop!¡± Each word was like a knife stabbed in her heart. It couldn¡¯t be true. It couldn¡¯t! Just couldn¡¯t! Castiel would never¡­They were all mistaken! He wouldn¡¯t take any other woman as his queen. Or would he? She remembered his interest in Riannon. She remembered how every time they spoke on the phone he asked about the Luna. He wanted to know everything ¨C what she did, what she liked. Sometimes he even forgot to ask about how she was doing. She always found an exnation for this. Riannon was the Luna. Riannon was an important piece of the puzzle. Riannon was an obstruction. There were many reasons for him to be interested in her. But deep inside, this was exactly what she was afraid of. And every hour she spent here, she was more and more sure of it. ¡°We can still use her!¡± Ash grunted; his strength couldn¡¯tpare to the Lycan¡¯s. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡±He was bluffing when he told you that he has no use for the siren anymore! This is exactly what he wants! He wants you to kill her so that she doesn¡¯t tell us anything! She served her purpose for him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make any rash decisions!¡± Reid growled, ¡°That¡¯s not what she would want. Stop! Think!¡± Roxanne froze on the floor, slowly taking her hands down. The king did not look at her anyway. In one swift move, he freed himself from the three wolves who held him, throwing them to the ground. For a second there she thought that this would be her end. It was over. She was done¡­ But the glow in his eyes died down and, with a loud snarl, he left the room. Only now was she able to breathe, leaning over the perfect white wall behind This time she survived by miracle and she knew it. The two men jumped back to their feet and ran out of her cell, leaving only her and Maya, who was already standing again. ¡°Th-thank you,¡± Roxy mumbled to her, stuttering. ¡°Shut up!¡± Maya spat the words, finally sparing the prisoner a nce. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for you. I did it for him. And also, because you will be my kill. All I need is his permission. As you can see, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to get it.¡± The Beta charged for the door and Roxy knew that it was herst chance. ¡°Wait! Please!¡± she screamed, but her voice came out weak and broken¡­ Pathetic. ¡°What?¡± Maya scoffed, ¡°Are you going to cry and seduce me? It doesn¡¯t work with females.¡± ¡°The baby!¡± Roxanne decided not to waste any time. She did not care how she looked now. ¡°The baby is Dean¡¯s!¡± That made the she-wolf stop. She didn¡¯t turn to look at the fox, but she did not move either. ¡°You are lying,¡± Maya gritted her teeth, her hand on the door handle. ¡°I am not! It could only have been him! We¡­ He was nice to me¡­¡± ¡°You used him!¡± the Beta¡¯s ws grew long in an instant. ¡°You used him and then you killed him.¡± ¡°I was wrong!¡± the fox begged on her knees, ¡°I was so wrong! I¡­ I loved Castiel and thought that he loved me too. You know what love is.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Maya chuckled, ¡°But you don¡¯t!¡± ¡°You are right! You are right¡­¡± Roxy said with desperation in her voice, ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ No one loved me. I don¡¯t know how¡­ But the baby¡­ The baby is Dean¡¯s. I swear! Maya said nothing. ¡°Please,¡± the girl kept begging, ¡°At least help me to give birth to it! Please! Very slowly, the Beta turned to face her worst enemy, ¡°How do you imagine me doing this now?¡± she shook her head. ¡°Everybody hates you. Even Brayden. You were a spy who ruined us! You gave us nothing! How do you think¡­¡± ¡°I will tell you what I know,¡± Roxanne interjected. ¡°I know where he has taken her. At least I think I know.¡± ¡°Tell me now and maybe,¡± Maya stressed the word,¡° if the information you give me is confirmed, I will make sure you live long enough to give birth.¡± Maya returned to the observation room with a grin on her face as Gideon and Reid were already checking the location on the maps. ¡°Nice acting,¡± Brayden told her as he kept watching his fake mate through the window. ¡°I know, right?¡± the girl sneered at him. ¡°Way better than yours the other day. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Tell me, Bray, how are you adjusting to the new reality of always being second? Or even third?¡± She giggled but he did not respond to her. His life sucked as it was and there was no way for him to win this argument now. His pack only existed now because the lycans gave him the money to keep it afloat. He hated to admit it, but he made a mistake, after mistake, after mistake¡­ Most of them couldn¡¯t be fixed. He would never get his perfect Luna back. Not really. His love and his best friend was gone now. His heart and soul were aching for Riannon. He knew that he had wronged her. And he missed her badly. Only she could get him out of such a mess. But now it was his time to act. Even if she would never be his. Even if she were to spend her whole life with another, he owed it to her after everything toe to her rescue. Or at least to try and help. She had another knight in shining armour now. And he was sure that she wouldn¡¯t stay in captivity for long. He chuckled at that thought. Because if he knew Riannon, she wasn¡¯t the one king who willingly brought her into his own house. ¡°So, long story short. My name is Riannon and I am a captive. I am not nning to stay here for long as I have a mate, who is a lycan king and he woulde for me very soon,¡± she said it all in one breath, looking slightly bored. ¡°And while I wait, why don¡¯t we get to know each other better and have a little party? Consider it my peace offering.¡± ¡°Did you poison all that?¡± someone asked and her fox guard coughed from the shiock. But she slowly poured a whole champagne ss and brought it to her lips. ¡°Cheers,dies,¡± Ria gulped the drink to prove that it was safe. ¡°No,¡± she shook her head, ¡°your health is in my best interest. I am just bored here. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Bridgit, what do you think?¡± another one of the girls asked the blonde, who had attacked her before. ¡°So, your name is Bridgit? Nice to meet you. When you don¡¯t try to kill me that is,¡± Ria scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t seriously think that some booze and snacks would make us besties? ¡°the blonde arched her brow, while the others were checking the gifts. None of them dared to touch them though. Not without her permission. The harem had a hierarchy and currently, she was at the top of it. ¡°We don¡¯t have to be besties to have fun together once,¡± Riannon smiled and took one of the chocte covered strawberries from the table on wheels which she made her guards bring with them. She bit it, taking her time and then took a sip of champagne again. ¡°Are those Castiel¡¯s cigars?¡± one of the harem girls pointed her index finger at a small wooden box. ¡°Yes,¡± Ria smirked at them, ¡°And you would be surprised to find out that he has joints there too. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Who could have thought, right?¡± She got a few giggles here and there. everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°His treat,¡± Riannon answered without any shade of hesitation. ¡°He said no limits. So, I took whatever I wanted. And you can have whatever you want here too.¡± They stood there, watching her and eyeing the two tables and trays on them full of everything. Exotic dishes, fruit, alcohol, sweets. It was a little feast. ¡°I¡¯ve brought cards too,¡± she added, ¡°We can y poker or whatever.¡± ¡°And I see you stole Castiel¡¯s golden chess set,¡± Bridgit stated inly. ¡°I did,¡± a sly smile stretched over Ria¡¯s lips. ¡°Do you y?¡± ¡°Are you sure you are not a fox yourself?¡± the blonde asked her, folding her hands on her chest. ¡°I am sure,¡± the woman took the chessboard and got closer slowly. ¡°So, how about a small party while we y? Just one game.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Bridgit breathed out and all the girls in red around her jumped with glee. They circled the tables, helping themselves. Someone switched on music that they could all enjoy. They led Riannon downstairs and her guards followed. But soon their attention was distracted a little since it appeared that there was a swimming pool on the bottom floor. Some of the red dresses disappeared. And no, none of thedies had a swimsuit underneath. Bridgit took the whites and made her first move. For a while, they yed without saying anything to each other. And only when Ria knew that she set all her traps on the chessboard, could she rx a bit. That party would go on as long as she wanted¡­ While the blonde was thinking, she stood up and walked around a bit. The girls were getting drunk surprisingly fast. But it was to her advantage, of course. ¡°You know he would make you pay for this, right?¡± Bridgit said, eyes on the chessboard at all times. ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± Riannon chuckled and they stayed silent a bit longer before the werebear made her move. That made the Alpha return to her seat and consider her options, while her opponent looked aroundzily. hadn¡¯t been like that here for a while. Today, no one cared what they looked like and if their Master would arrive. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Today was for them. And it curled Bridgit¡¯s lips just a bit. Which was enough for Ria to notice. ¡°How did someone like you end up in a freaking harem?!¡± she asked all of a sudden. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you think I fit in just nicely?¡± Bridgit gave her an eye roll. ¡°You don¡¯t fit in. You lead them.¡± The other woman clearly liked thepliment, because a smile became a bit more evident on her face. ¡°My father sent me here,¡± she confessed unexpectedly. ¡°I was thinking that I would be his Luna when I arrived here. You should have seen my face when he brought me to this ce and gave me a red dress.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Riannon took another gulp. As a woman, she could understand. ¡°Why did you stay?¡± ¡°My father knew what he was doing,¡± she shrugged it off, ¡°He was a werebear Alpha. Girls were always just breeding machines for him. My sisters were given to awful males as tributes. I was lucky to be chosen by Castiel. My father hoped that I would give him an heir and my position would be better. As well as their alliance. He was na?ve.¡± ¡°Why?¡± their eyes met and she knew that Bridgit was contemting just how far she could go with her, sharing her story. ¡°Because Castiel made sure none of us could ever get pregnant from him,¡± the girl chuckled bitterly, ¡°This wasn¡¯t our purpose. And because¡­ my father was killed before he could see any benefits of our alliance. Now my pack has a new Alpha. And I have nowhere to go. Even if I wanted to leave here, I would be a woman without rights. They would just give me to the first male who offers a good price.¡± ¡°Not if youe to mynds,¡± Riannon said and Bridgit¡¯s eyes lingered on her. ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Not anymore,¡± Ria smiled. ¡°You see, the Union just changed a fewws. ¡°No arranged marriages?¡± the werebear looked interested. ¡°Not if the girl is not willing,¡± she exined. ¡°But there is much more than that. You can fight for the position of a Beta or an Alpha if you like. And if you are married, everything is shared equally after the divorce. Women have a say in where their kids stay too. And there are many other things too.¡± ¡°And all the Alphas seriously agreed to that?¡± Bridgit¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Not all of them,¡± Riannon let out a littleugh, ¡°But the majority did and it was enough. Now I am an Alpha myself. It¡¯s an interesting story, actually. Maybe I will tell you about it one day.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯d listen,¡± the girl moved her rook with confidence. ¡°By the way, do you know Roxanne?¡± it was a shot in the air, but surprisingly it reached its goal as the blonde groaned in annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that the bitch is still alive!¡± she scowled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Ria shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Thest time I saw her, my best friend was kicking the living crap out of her.¡± ¡°Did you see her dead? Because if you didn¡¯t, it doesn¡¯t count!¡± Bridgit looked unimpressed, but something changed between the two of them now. ¡°No, really, why did you stay so long?¡± Ria let her have her pawn. ¡°I loved him,¡± Bridgit told her honestly and it did not escape her that she used past tense. ¡°He has this way with women that¡­ just makes you fall for him. When he pays you attention, you feel so special¡­ like the only woman in the world for him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting statement considering you all live in a harem,¡± Riannon couldn¡¯t help but snort. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°I know,¡± the werebear sighed,¡± but when you are with him, you feel like no one else exists. His scent drives you crazy and the pleasure he gives you¡­¡± ¡°Those are the details I can live without,¡± Ria stopped her. ¡°It makes me think though. You mentioned the scent¡­¡± ¡°What about it?¡± Bridgit didn¡¯t even look at her, too busy with the game. that maybe he created a scent to imitate that he is your mate?¡± ¡°My beast never acknowledged him as our mate,¡± Bridgitughed, but then paused, looking at the empty space before her. ¡°But the scent is¡­ alluring.¡± Riannon decided not to push her more. She seemed like a clever woman. She was capable of getting to the bottom of things herself. ¡°About mates,¡± she decided to change the subject a bit, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡°You do know that yours is somewhere there. He is looking for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Bridgit made another move. ¡°Sometimes I think that the gods forgot about me when they were giving out mates.¡± ¡°Everyone has one,¡± Ria moved her bishop, capturing the white queen. ¡°And trust me, when you meet yours, Castiel and his ¡°scent¡± will be just a distant memory. You wouldn¡¯t even believe that you spent so many years in this beautiful cage.¡± The blonde wanted to tell her something, but right then they heard a loud growling from the entrance at the top balcony. ¡°What the hell is all this?!¡± a snarl echoed through the Eden. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Castiel looked around furiously. He couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes. His ce of rxation, his beloved Eden was turned into¡­ he didn¡¯t even know how to name it! The girls in red weren¡¯t waiting for him. For the first time ever, they did not even notice his arrival. He was already standing in the very centre of the inner courtyard, but they were ying cards, swimming naked in front of his guards, dancing, smoking, drinking, simply being drunk ¨C anything but waiting for him. They were having fun, the most fun they had for a while. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)And the sad part was that they were doing it without him. His eyes were glued to his guards, who stood like two stone statues in front of the swimming pool, surrounded by a few of his girls who were clearly taunting them. He had to admit that they weren¡¯t touching what was his, but what was his tried to touch them at all times. He saw Laura, his first-ever werewolf gem, sliding her arm up Mason¡¯s chest. The werebear looked at her in fascination, not even bothered that this was not allowed. Castiel didn¡¯t visit Laura for months if not years. He didn¡¯t remember. Long story short, she lost his affections a while ago. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Was it because she missed his attention? Or maybe she wanted to remind him of her presence? Or she simply did not care? He did not know. Others were not better. But he did not care about them. He got there as soon as he realised that she was gone from her room and her guards were missing as well. And when he did not find them anywhere, he had a hunch where to look next. Well, Riannon did not disappoint. He could tell that this was her work. She was sending a message to him, demonstrating that it was a mistake to bring her in here. That despite her being a captive here, she was still in control. Cunning, sly woman. Just perfect for him. He had been looking for someone like that for a while. Only that he hoped that it would be his mate. He never nned to kidnap a woman in his life. It was important for him that But when Riannon came into the game, everything changed. He was never interested in anyone like that in his life. He couldn¡¯t forget the moment when her elegant fingers touched his skin and she called him handsome, looking into his eyes as if she knew everything about him. And when she called him Everett, he couldn¡¯t ovee his shock. Usually he was the one to y with people like that but with her he felt like the one being yed all the time. That was why he went to her room straight after Roxanne freed him. And that was why he was thinking about her ever since. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He watched her ying her games with her now ex-husband and others. And the more he saw, the more he was sure that she would be a perfect Luna for him. There was only one problem ¨C her true mate. But maybe it was for the best. After all, he was going to kill the lycan king anyway. Now he only had more motivation. Riannon was strong. Castiel was sure that she would survive the loss of her mate and then¡­ Then she would be his. He would be there to console her and he would be there to rece her everything she lost. Bit by bit he would heal her heart and make her trust him. He would make his kingdom hers and she would feel responsible for their people. In the end, she would stay with him and rule together. All he needed to make this happen was time. And after Gideon Stormhold was killed, they would have all the time in the world. He found her sitting with Bridgit of all the people. They were ying chess and talking like two best friends who had known each other forever. Brigit. BRIGIT! The one who was ready to kill anyone he even looked at. The one who all the girls were afraid of and whose word could move mountains in the harem. For the first time, fury overwhelmed him and he roared, ¡°What the hell is all this?¡± He expected everyone to go still and quiet, but his voice did not have that effect now. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Some of the red girls were too drunk to notice and react. And this was when he smelled weed and recognised the cigar in one of his property¡¯s hands. Riannon and Bridgit were the only ones to notice. But he let out another roar so that this time not a soul in this harem could miss it. The music went off and the girls at least tried to look presentable now. was definitely the best word to describe the crowd of half-naked giggling creatures with sparks of mischief in their eyes. Just what did she do to them? What did she tell them? And in such a short period of time. He had to be impressed with her abilities but he was angry. ¡°Castiel, y with us!¡± Laura teased him, but he ignored her, moving straight to Riannon. She watched him with interest and even some kind of amusement. He knew that she had nned all this and she tried to make a fool out of him. Sessfully. ¡°Come here!¡± he growled, yanking her by her slender arm to her feet. Brigit next to them stood up as well. ¡°Oh, hello,¡± Ria smiled at him, ¡°we did not expect you here. But you are wee to join us. What do you prefer to y? Cards, chess, hide-and-seek?¡± ¡°The game night is over!¡± he shouted, ¡°Everyone, back to your rooms!¡± The girls started gathering their things and from the corner of his eye, he noticed some of them still taking the bottles of alcohol and cigars with them. Probably to finish them off in their rooms. ¡°Don¡¯t be sour!¡± Riannon smirked, ¡°Are you jealous that your girls like me more than they like you? Why do you even care? You said you were going to let all of them go soon. Can¡¯t this be their farewell party?¡± She did that on purpose. She said that on purpose. It was a trap and he fell for it. Because now his girls were looking at him in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t deny it because then his word would mean nothing to her. And he wanted her respect. He craved it. Angry, he pulled her roughly towards himself and started dragging her out of the room. She stumbled and tripped her foot, so he had to throw her over his shoulder and continued his way to the exit. ¡°Put me down!¡± Riannon tried to protest, but she had no idea what kind of He brought her back to her room and threw her on top of the bed angrily. But the woman did not stay there, of course. She rolled off quickly and was back to her feet in no time, ready to fight if she had to. He saw it in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± he gave her a feline smile, walking around the bed and cornering her. ¡°I know you can¡¯t shift.¡± Her reaction to his words wasn¡¯t what he expected at all. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)The Luna did not look scared of him knowing the truth about her. She was prepared even for that. And his respect for her grew by the minute. And so did his desire. ¡°How did you know?¡± she said, her voice trembling just a bit as he pinned his hands on both sides of her, pressing her into the wall. ¡°Does it matter now?¡± he asked, grazing his eyes over her straight features that he loved so much. ¡°You said that you don¡¯t take women against their will,¡± she reminded him and he chuckled, knowing that she could already feel the massive bulge forming in his pants. ¡°did, didn¡¯t l?¡± Castiel traced the column of her neck with his nose, making her shiver. He knew that it wasn¡¯t in delight, but he was happy to at least get some reaction. ¡°But I did not say that I wouldn¡¯t be trying to seduce you.¡± He really did not want to do it. But she left him no choice today. He needed her to give in as fast as possible. Because staying next to her and doing nothing proved to be harder than he thought. He traced his tongue over her corbone, where he would mark her one day, regretting that he wasn¡¯t able to give her the golden crescents. Although maybe, after king Gideon was dead, it would turn out that he was her second chance mate. There had to be an exnation as to why he was so captivated by that woman. He chose to believe that this was the case. She stiffened under his touch, trying to push him away, but he bit her marking spot slightly, warning her to stay still. She understood him correctly and at once. He promised not to take her. But he could still mark her to stake his im. However, first thing first. Castiel closed his eyes, enjoying the taste of her skin in his mouth, and changed his scent. He knew exactly what scent he had to copy after their meeting in the woods. So, there could be no mistakes. She gasped when he imitated Gideon¡¯s scent and he chuckled, knowing that it worked. This was something hard to resist for mates, it was a physical reaction. ¡°Just close your eyes and rx, Riannon,¡± he whispered into her ear, brushing his lips over her earlobe. One of his hands grasped her bottom, taking a fistful of her flesh, while the other tugged her hair at the back of her head. He could devour her now and was going to do just that. The need for her was unbearable, his member aching to be inside of her. She did close her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows and when he was about to cover her lips with his in a possessive greedy kiss, she smirked and said, ¡°Is that what you say to all those girls? Close your eyes and pretend it¡¯s not me? I have to say, Castiel, this is disappointing. Even for a fox.¡± He growled in frustration and she looked at him. Her beautiful eyes were telling him that she was ready to fight if she had to. Even if she couldn¡¯t shift. Even if she knew she would lose. She would fight him. ¡°I just wanted to help you rx a bit,¡± he lied. To her and to himself. ¡°No harm in that.¡± ¡°Then you should just let me go. Trust me, I will be very rxed at my home. With my mate,¡± she scoffed. Such a spirit ¨C worthy of a Luna. Worthy of a Queen. His Queen. ¡°Otherwise,¡± Riannon went on, ¡°how does that make you different from your father?¡± Those words struck him harder than she could imagine. He hated his father. He hated everything that his father represented. Thest thing he wanted was to be like him. In any way. It was different with all those other girls. The scent was just forey in most she didn¡¯t. She gave him no reaction when he touched her. She didn¡¯t even have to say ¡®no¡¯ for him to know that he did not have her consent. All those other girls did not have mates. This woman that he wanted so much did. He crashed his fist into the wall right next to her head, creating a dent. But she did not even flinch, holding his re with dignity. And leaving him no choice. He nned to kill the western lycan king for a while already. Now he wanted to kill him. He needed it. Because it was the only way to get what he so desperately desired. ¡°You are prohibited from entering the Eden,¡± he snarled as he stepped away from her and to his displeasure, he noticed relief on her face. ¡°Who do you think you are? God?¡± she chuckled darkly. ¡°Here I am everything!¡± he snarled. She did not respond and he did not feel like telling her anything else. The night was already ruined. He was already at the door when he stopped without turning to her, (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡°You will get used to it. Time will help.¡± She was definitely going to say something. Something that he did not want to hear, so he left before he had the chance to hear it¡­ For the first time ever Savannah was happy. Truly happy. It wasn¡¯t like she was particrly unhappy before. She was lucky to have a great life and she knew it. Even despite the early death of her parents, she was well taken care of, and she always had everything she wanted or needed. She even had people that cared about her. And she cared a great deal about them. She missed her parents and what they could have given her if they were around every day and the pain of losing them always lived inside of her. She also always felt the weight of her royal responsibilities. But she could handle it, knowing that her brother and Reid were dealing with what was really hard and tricky. So, she But now she was about to start apletely new life. The Moon Goddess was kind to her and sent her a true mate. Something she always dreamt of but was too afraid to even say it out loud. Yet here he was. She took another peek at Zack, who looked incredibly handsome as he was driving the car. Without turning his attention away from the road, he found her hand and squeezed it gently. He was handsome and from what she had already heard about him, and Savannah had a very good memory, she knew that both Riannon and her brother spoke highly of him. It made sense that they were mates. She was a lycan princess and he was an Alpha of a werewolf pack. Just like Gideon and Ria they could connect their people, bind them together as one once and for all. She saw it as her mission now. Especially before the war that was about to break out. The war that was about to rob them of their first days together. But it did not matter, because they would have all their lives together after they win. And she had no doubts about that. Zack took her to his house, which turned out to be a very long bungalow in a U-shape. That was a surprising choice of building for a pack of wolves. But it looked new and modern. ¡°Our previous Alpha burned down the old packhouse after I challenged him and win,¡± Zack exined, smiling apologetically, ¡°I had to start building a new one. This used to be our stables but now we build around it¡­ It¡¯s cosy inside, trust me.¡± ¡°I love it,¡± she stopped him with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that,¡± Zack stepped closer to her and took one of her hands into his. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)¡°I know that you are used to having the best and I will do my best to provide you with¡­¡± ¡°I love it,¡± she said firmly and then grinned at him, ¡°but I appreciate the gesture. They stood like this for a while, the wind blowing her golden brown hair into his ¡°I want to kiss you so badly right now,¡± he finally said, and Savannah took a step in his direction, cing her palms onto his chest. ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± she smiled and he crashed his lips into hers, devouring her quickly and forgetting about everything. Savvy¡¯s toes curled when she felt him picking her up. She did not hesitate, as her wolf, Athena, was urging her to get closer to him. They had been waiting for that man their whole lives and now he was finally here. He brought her inside the house bridal style and ced her back on her feet in the middle of the living room in modern minimalistic style, where there were already several people inside. They all seemed shocked to see them together, but Zack wrapped his arm around her possessively. ¡°Gang, meet my mate,¡± his smile was bright and even a bit smug. ¡°This is Savannah and she is your future Luna. She is also king Gideon¡¯s younger sister and I can hope that you will all treat her with the respect she deserves.¡± ¡°Congrattions!¡± a guy with blonde hair stepped forward smiling friendly at her. ¡°I am Viktor, this lucky bastard¡¯s Beta. If you need anything, feel free toe to me any time.¡± Names started pouring, followed by handshakes and even hugs. So many that there was no chance to memorize them all at once even with her good memory. But she knew that there would be time for that too. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that a goddess gave you a princess!¡± someone snorted, jabbing Zack, ¡°Did she sin in her past life or something? Why was she punished like that?¡± Her mate growled and pulled her closer as a few awkwardughs could be heard around them, ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous,¡± he kissed the top of her head gently as his fingers were drawing circles on her arm, ¡°And now, please, excuse us. We... need to¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t find the right words and she giggled, ¡°Get to know each other better.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he pulled her closer possessively, ¡°That. We will eat in our room too. So, ¡°Just tomorrow?¡± some girl with curly ck hair said, and Savannah paid her attention for the first time. The girl had an unpleasant smirk on her face. ¡°You are losing your grip, Z. Back in the day¡­¡± ¡°My mate is my treasure,¡± he cut her off, ¡°I don¡¯t want to overwhelm her or hurt her. She is my first priority now.¡± Savvy tried not to smile. This was exactly how a mate was supposed to respond to hints like that. He protected her and set boundaries at once. And she couldn¡¯t be more proud. This was why as soon as he locked the door behind them and they stayed alone in the spacious bedroom, she grasped his shirt and pulled him closer to kiss him. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± he mumbled, snarling slightly as desire started to overwhelm him. ¡°You have nothing to apologise for,¡± the girl gasped into his mouth before she leaned closer again to deepen the kiss this time. ¡°Savvanah,¡± Zack breathed into her neck, peppering it with kisses and pulling her jacket down. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can¡¯t stop¡­ You are¡­ So.. ¡°Then take me already,¡± she ordered, and he did not need another invitation. Very quickly, they both helped each other out of their clothes, step by step, approaching the bed. ¡°I think I am in heaven,¡± Zack said as he hooked hercy underwear with his fingers and pulled it all the way down to her feet. ¡°Savvanah, you are divine!¡± She was taking in his strong muscr body, which was also perfectly tanned. And the bulge in his boxers seemed impressive too. ¡°Just call me Savvy,¡± she smiled at him, lifting one of her legs tracing her toes along his perfect abdomen. He caught her leg and bent down to kiss it, spreading her slightly before his eyes. ¡°Very well, my Princess,¡± he smirked, ¡°Savvy it is.¡± (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)Without any further warning, he knelt before her, cing her leg onto his moaning into her. ¡°Savvy,¡± he growled and kept pleasing her, his voice created vibrations in her most sensitive spots.¡±Savvy, Savvy, Savvy.¡± Zack pronounced her name, again and again, bringing her over the edge way too quickly. The mating bond was intensifying everything they felt. Savannah arched her back, screaming his name as she clim.ax for the first time. But he was far from done with her. She had to admit that her mate was very experienced because he knew exactly what he was doing. And he did it masterfully. Slowly, she felt how he started cing kisses all over her body. He didn¡¯t miss an inch of her, easing and exploring, enjoying her fast heartbeat. ¡°You are so sweet, Savannah,¡± he announced to her with a grin.¡°I couldn¡¯t have asked for a more beautiful and amazing mate.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know me yet,¡± she let out a littleugh, trying to steady her breathing, ¡°What if I am this horrible and mean person?¡± ¡°No, you are not,¡± he brushed the hair off her forehead and traced her sensual lips with his fingers. ¡°You are the sweetest thing that I¡¯ve ever seen. Don¡¯t worry, whatever happens, you are mine now and I am going to take care of you.¡± She could feel him positioning himself at her entrance, anticipating it as the lower part of her belly was aching for him. She felt so much in love that she wanted to say it out loud. Even if it was probably stupid to do it on their first day. But she felt it and she wanted to share. They were at war after all and she did not want to waste any of the time they had together. She had already opened her mouth when he entered her in one gentle but firm move. He gave her a few seconds to adjust and then his body towered over hers. He started peppering her with kisses and moving at the same time. ¡°I am the luckiest man alive,¡± he muttered in between swearings, which she took as apliment as well. He wasn¡¯t her first man. But he was the most special. Savvy wrapped her legs around him and adjusted to his rhythm. The each other. After a few hours of making love, they were finally tired enough to want some food. They talked about their lives, but mostly about hers. Zack turned out to be a great listener. Savannah was checking her phone from time to time but there was nothing from her brother or read. Although there were a few messages from K asking her if she was okay. She replied to him with a few emojis and their code word, so that her best friend could go to sleep tonight. Even if she was not going to. Because after thete dinner, they were back in each other¡¯s arms and making love. Savvy did not remember when she fell asleep, but she remembered how sweet it had been to be in his warm arms. She woke up while it was still dark and, to her disappointment, her mate wasn¡¯t around. ¡°Zack?¡± she called his name but received no reply. Her heart couldn¡¯t stay calm. If he left her in the middle of the night, he had to have a good reason. That girl with dark hair came to her mind, but Savannah brushed it away. If Zack was cheating on her, she would have felt in through the bond. And she felt no such thing. So, it could only be something connected to his pack or the war. And she felt like she had to be involved in both cases as the future Luna. She did not want him to think of her as some spoilt princess. She never was that. So, Savvy took his shirt that still smelled like him and put it on. (This novel will be daily updtaed at .noveljar)She did not bother to look for her shoes and just walked out with bare feet. She did not have to wander the dark halls for long when she saw a little line of light, left by a door that wasn¡¯t properly closed. As a lycan, she could already feel the scent of her mate and to her relief, he was there alone. She wanted to enter the room when she became able to recognise his words. Chapter 80. Chapter 80. Riannon was locked in her room and the feeling was not new to her. Now that she had time to think about it, she had been trapped before. In her first marriage with Brayden. She was a hostage to that rtionship and her own reputation. Trying to be perfect all the time was exhausting. It was funny that only death helped her to see the vicious cycle. Gideon helped her to get free from it. And just like that time, soon he would help her to her freedom once again. She knew it. But by the time he came to get her, she was sure that she would destroy this ce. And when she heard a knock on the door, a smirk formed on her lips. ¡°Onyx, help me out to scan this ce,¡± she asked her wolf, and now she could sense that there was only one person behind the door. A female. Two guards were standing at a distance that would make it hard for a regr shifter to know what they were talking about. Those two were new. The Paddington and the fox she knew were reced by Castiel and now no one was fulfilling her every request like before. The fox king learned his lesson. ¡°Riannon,¡± Bridgit whispered, ¡°Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she smiled, knowing that the presence of the werebear was the proof of her n working.¡° How did you manage to get here? I thought that everyone would be punished¡­¡± ¡°Everyone was punished,¡± Bridgit confirmed with a sigh, ¡°But I am not everyone. I have some privileges around here and Castiel either trusted me or forgot to strip me of them yesterday.¡± ¡°Good for you,¡± Ria chuckled, ¡°He didn¡¯t forget to strip me of my privileges, as you can see.¡± ¡°Oh, Riannon, you are still the most privileged woman here. Just the fact that you are locked in the room that¡¯s right opposite to his own is proof of that.¡± Ria swallowed. She did not want to think of Castiel sleeping this close to her. ¡°Anyway, he is not here now,¡± Bridgit assured her, ¡°and I want to speak to you again. Do you have any kind of a n?¡± She did have a n. A few actually. But this right now was her number one n. She wasn¡¯t sure though that sharing the details with the werebear was a good idea though. All they had was two conversations and during the first one, Bridgit tried to kill her. This wasn¡¯t a friendship built on trust just yet. She was probably silent for too long and the girl on the other side of the door got that right. ¡°Listen,¡± Bridgit sighed,¡±you probably don¡¯t get how it feels to be betrayed by a man you loved.¡± Oh, the irony of that statement was not lost on Ria, but she did not say a word. ¡°When we joined the harem one by one, we knew that he wasn¡¯t exclusive with either of us. But each of us believed that there was a possibility of that. Castiel could make you feel like you are the only one for him. While he is with you¡­ but over time, I think all of us realised that this would never be the case. However, it was toote because each of us had feelings for him.¡± ¡°Bridgit,¡± Riannon couldn¡¯t stop herself from saying, ¡°he is hot as hell, yes. But there is no way that every single woman could fall in love with him. Have you seen hisb? Have you seen what he is doing there? He learned to create scents that give you a simr response that you would have if you met your mate. I hate to be the one telling you that, but he is so good because he was experimenting a lot. And I think that he was experimenting on you. All of you.¡± The werebear girl on the other end of the door was silent but then started speaking again with ¡°We all came here willingly, and we agreed to be with him willingly too. The rest is history.¡± For a moment there Riannon was worried that she had lost her new ally. Was it toote for those girls? Was there some kind of addiction to those scents? After all, Brayden was an Alpha and he had fallen to the charm pretty fast. She always thought that it was because of Roxy¡¯s siren abilities, but what if those artificial scents were to me too? ¡°But,¡± Bridgit chose to continue her speech, giving her hope, ¡°When we entered the Eden there was an it on both ends. Each girl agreed to be with him and not to be the only one. Each of us had a different reason for that. Some had no choice, like me, some already liked Castiel, some were seeking, political gains and some were so poor that living in the harem of the fox king did not seem like a bad thing at all. The list goes on and on. But there was one condition that he himself set for all of us. He was always saying that it¡¯s important to him that each of us lived here willingly. He made it a big point and this was one of the reasons we all trusted him so much. He said that we could leave whenever we wanted.¡± ¡°And?¡± Ria leaned over the cold door. ¡°And when after the revtions of yesterday, a few girls expressed the desire to leave, he did not let them,¡± the she-bear¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Everyone is locked in the Eden now. Now we know why there is only one door and no windows except for the ceiling that we can¡¯t get to.¡± ¡°The Eden is locked yet you are here,¡± Riannon pointed out. She still wasn¡¯t convinced she could trust the woman she was talking to. ¡°I know how it looks,¡± Bridgit replied to that calmly, ¡°but I was here for years. I earned his trust. And he doesn¡¯t know yet that he lost mine. I was thinking about what you told me. As long as I stay here, I will never meet my mate. And I want to try that, to experience that. I want to be the only one for someone. I don¡¯t think I want to share anymore. I want to love and be loved in return. I want a mate who would never lock me up or lessen me. I want what you described to me. I want all of it if that makes sense.¡± ¡°It does.¡± Ria could feel that the girl was telling her the truth. ¡°So? Do you have a n?¡± she asked once again. ¡°I do,¡± Ria finally admitted, ¡°Do you think you can fight and open the door of the harem on your Own?¡± ¡°We can, but there are more guards here than usual. We wouldn¡¯t be able to tackle them on our own.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have to,¡± the Alpha smirked, ¡°All you have to do is wait for my signal to act.¡± ¡°What will the signal be?¡± Bridgit asked. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± Riannon chuckled, ¡°You will recognise it when you hear it.¡± ¡°I hope you do understand that we entrust our lives to you,¡± the werebear said, a slight hesitation in her voice. ¡°And I am not making you any promises.¡± Ria wanted to be honest with these girls, who were already lied to so many times. ¡°I am asking for your trust, yes. But I cannot promise you that when the action starts every one and each of you will survive. If you want to have your freedom, you will have to fight for it yourselves. I will be with you ¨C this is something that I can promise. Because I will be fighting for my own freedom and the freedom of my people. I have already been fighting for it for a while. I know that we deserve it and I know that this is what the Moon Goddess always wanted for her daughters. I changed thews for women, and I want to live in the kingdom that I am building with my mate to see the changes that I made with my own eyes. Every red girl would be wee in mynd if they have nowhere to go. This is also something that I can promise. But for the rest ¨C you will have to make your own decisions now and if The silence was her reply and she was atraid that this wasn¡¯t what the werebear wanted to hear. But she sensed how the girl ced her hand on the door. ¡°I will tell the others,¡± she said, ¡°I can¡¯t speak for them now. But I am willing to fight by your side, Riannon.¡± A sigh of relief escaped her and she smiled to herself. This was exactly what she wanted. ¡°I need to go now,¡± Bridgit whispered, ¡°The ones willing to fight will be waiting for your signal whatever it is.¡± ¡°As I have already told you ¨C it would be hard to miss,¡± Ria grinned. Gideon was getting closer and closer with his best warriors to the ce where, ording to the little fox, his mate was kept. They took mostly lycans and some of the very best werewolves since Maya insisted on it. A huge force was left slightly behind them in case things got really bad. He couldn¡¯t march with them into this territory and give themselves away immediately. He at least hoped to get to Riannon first. The scent of warriors guarding the perimeter hit his nostrils and he motioned for his people to stop. Through the bushy branches of trees, Gideon noticed the glimmering of the distant lights. The pce of the fox king was well hidden deep inside the woods. This kind was used to not being together all the time and hiding in small groups so that enemies couldn¡¯t find them even within their territory. They would have been searching these woods forever of not for the top of the disappointed and broken Roxanne. He ordered for her to be moved into a better cell now. Purely because she was pregnant. He made a few steps, counting the guards that he would have to kill to get closer when he felt her. His mate. She could feel that she was agitated and not happy. He could also feel that, despite all that, she wasn¡¯t broken. She was determined and stayed strong. And the feeling of pride for her filled his chest. ¡°Riannon,¡± he called her name via the mind link and immediately felt a wave of happiness and relief coming from her via their bond. ¡°Gideon!¡± There was so much in her voice. He knew that she had been waiting for him, that she missed him. He never admitted it to himself, but he had been worried. He had been worried that Castiel would do something to her, trick her, bewitch her or whatever. He had been worried that he could hurt her even though he knew that his mate was strong. Waiting and not knowing had been an agony for him and he was so happy to hear her voice. Just one word of hers healed his heart and his soul. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said and he could tell that she was smiling through tears. He could feel her sharing his emotions through their bond. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I am now! I aming for you,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Just give me a moment or two.¡± ¡°I will wait for you for the eternity if I have to,¡± Ria reassured him. ¡°You will not have to, my love,¡± he gave her a promise that he intended to keep. But then suddenly he felt her worried and distressed. ¡°Riannon, are you all right? What is happening? Speak to me!¡± he was desperate to know what was going on. ¡°He came to take me somewhere,¡± she informed him quickly. ¡°He knows that you are here. I think it¡¯s a trap, Gideon.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been anything else,¡± he tried to calm her down and give her strength, ¡°I am ready to face whatever he has got!¡± ¡°And I will help you,¡± his mate promised, switching off their connection. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± he said into the emptiness before him, hoping that she could feel his intentions. And then he shifted his men following hismand. They were as fast as lightning, cutting through the bushes before their enemies could even see them, digging their sharp teeth into the werebears, leaving the foxes to the werewolves to deal with. Gideon was ripping throats and guts out, each kill bringing him closer to his woman. He had almost reached the building ¨C a very tall mansion with a ss dome towering over its centre when he received a distress syngas from Reid. ¡°What is wrong?¡± He asked him via the link while still staying one bear after another. ¡°They attacked us. They were expecting a backup from this side I guess,¡± his Beta notified him, growling. Reid was probably fighting too now. This meant that whoever Gideon had with him was it. ¡°Can you take them down?¡± the Lycan king asked. ¡°Yes, but it will take time. Will you manage without us?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± he replied, ¡°But when you are done there,e here. Since they know already, there is no point in staying behind.¡± His Beta cut him off and it meant that he was in the very heart of a battle. And Gideon hated it. He hated that someone tried to take his mate and his friends away from him. This made him and Mars even more furious. Theirmon beast was threatening to overtake them too. Because it hated that someone tried to take what was his¡­ He was already near the entrance when he heard the loudest and most piercing howl, recognising his mate¡­ ¡°You areing with me!¡± Castiel burst into Riannon¡¯s room, grabbed her hand roughly and pulled her after him. ¡°Just leave me alone!¡± she struggled against him, not making it easy for him. Onyx inside of her was ready to act any moment. ¡°Stop it, Ria, I am just taking you to a safe ce! I don¡¯t want you to get hurt!¡± he gritted his teeth, throwing her into the arms of two werebears, whose grip was painfully tight. ¡°Hurt?¡± she scoffed. ¡°These are my people over there and they came for me! I¡¯d rather believe that you are trying to cover yourself with me! And why don¡¯t you try to take your girls to that wonderful safe ce?!¡± ¡°Because,¡± he was next to her in less than a second and grabbed the hair at the back of her head, tugging it to make her look at him, ¡°Because the only one I am worried about is you.¡± He crashed his lips into her and shepletely did not expect this. His tongue was forcing itself inside and trying to dominate her. The two guards were still holding her hands and she felt him using Gideon¡¯s scent again. As if it could have helped to make her agree to any of this. Anger boiled inside of her, likeva. It spread down her veins and filled her whole. So much for not forcing women! Riannon wanted blood and blood she got because she bit him as hard as she could, spilling the warm ruby liquid from his tongue and his lips. Shocked, Castiel stepped away, looking at her with wide eyes and covering his mouth with one hand. It took him a few seconds to process what she had done, but then a smirk appeared on his face, which annoyed her even more. ¡°Not your Queen!¡± each word was punctuated with the growls from the outside which were getting closer and closer, ¡°Gideon¡¯s!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± Castiel spat the blood onto the immacte marble floor of the passage they used, ¡°Bring her to the dungeons and lock her in the best cell until it¡¯s over. Tripple the men guarding her. I want them to never get to her until I am dealing with this!¡± ¡°Will be done, my king,¡± one of the bears said, and Riannon burst outughing. She couldn¡¯t stop for a while and now the three men looked at her, not knowing why she had such a reaction. ¡°You see,¡± Ria raised her chin and tilted her head slightly, ¡°this is exactly your problem! You recognised me as this special, perfect Luna but even now you are not taking me into consideration. And this is exactly why a man like you will never be by my side!¡± ¡°No offence, my dear,¡± Castiel smirked, ¡°but I know that you haven¡¯t been able to shift since your wolf returned.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± she snorted, rxing in her captors¡¯ hands to give them a false feeling of overpowering her finally. ¡°And who told you that? By any chance was that your spy Marcus?¡± The king¡¯s face changed but it was toote. ¡°You think I am a powerless female who can¡¯t shift?¡± Riannon snarled, her eyes glowing with pure light, ¡°The Moon Goddess herself blessed me! Now, watch me shift!¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! It took her less than one breath to let Onyx out in all her glory, their silvery-white fur glowing just like the last time. She could feel how power was streaming through her and she knew that she could destroy anyone in her way now. She had been brought back for a reason. And this fight that was ahead of her today was a significant part of it. Castiel and his two bears were looking at her in shock and she used that moment to lift her head up to the moon and let out the deepest and longest howl of her life. In that howl, the Moon Goddess herself was joining, calling to every woman in the area to fight for what was right. Deep inside the Eden, every girl in red heard that howl and Bridgit¡¯s mouth opened when she recognised the sign they all had been waiting for. They felt the ancient goddess¡¯ call and most of them chose to respond to it. ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s time!¡± Bridgitmanded and one by one they were turning into their beasts ¨C wolves, bears, lionesses, panthers, birds, reptiles¡­ Castiel sure got himself an amazing and rare collection. But now he was about to taste their fury. Bridgit¡¯s white bear, Uma, was the one to knock out the doors of Eden and to attack the guards outside of it. But the rest joined her quickly, destroying anyone who stood in their way. They all had enough and they all craved freedom now. Gideon had to blink twice when he saw a fox being thrown out of the window. He was finishing off yet another bear when he finally could have a glimpse of what was going on inside. And it seemed like there was pure chaos. ¡°After me!¡± hemanded to his warriors and jumped inside through the window on the first floor. Enemy warriors were throwing themselves at him, but he dealt with them at ease, amazed by the sight of a huge eagle pecking out one of the foxes¡¯ eyes. When the bird was done, they looked at each other and he wasn¡¯t sure if it would attack him next or if they were on the same side. But the bird flew away upstairs and he followed it, his own men bursting inside through windows at the very same moment. beautifui queen was lignting two werebears at once, siashing the inroat or one of them witn ease. Their eyes met just for a second in the chaos that was surrounding them and warmth spread over both of their hearts. Some fox dared to attack him and he snapped its neck in two, moving towards his mate. Onyx finished off the second bear and he was amazed by her strength and grace all over again. Even now, in her wolf form, she was the Queen. His Queen. They let themselves just two desperate seconds of reunion when their noses were dug in their furs. Riannon could smell blood on him but she also knew that none of it was his. He had already killed many in those minutes since theyst spoke, so many! ¡°Who are all those creatures helping us?¡± he asked her when they looked into each other¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Castiel¡¯s harem,¡± she giggled, ¡°I guess he wasn¡¯t making them as happy as he thought.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say!¡± he chuckled, ¡°Ria, you are amazing! Not only are you safe, but you also managed to stage a coup.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t exaggerate!¡± she snorted, ¡°Just doing my usual thing and multitasking!¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± Gideon knew that it was time to get back to business. ¡°I am not sure,¡± she said, knowing without any further exnation who he meant, ¡°He ran almost as fast as I shifted. So much for making me his queen!¡± He knew that she was joking but he growled anyway, ¡°In this life, you will only be my Queen, Riannon. ¡°I have no objections to that,¡± she agreed, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Onyx can recognise his scent now even if he changes it! We need to find him!¡± ¡°How does she do it?¡± Gideon followed her, without any kind of hesitation. ¡°Perks of being blessed by the Moon Goddess,¡± Riannon chuckled, ¡°And we also already tasted his blood a few minutes ago. Now we will recognise him anywhere!¡± Onyx was following the trace and they sprinted out of the house just in time to meet Reid with the rest of the warriors. ¡°Finish them off,¡± Gideonmanded, his wolf nodding his head back to the mansion. ¡°Be careful not to hurt any of the harem girls. They are on our side.¡± ¡°Maya,¡± Riannon greeted her Beta, ¡°Find Bridgit, she is a white bear. She is in charge of the harem now. Help them, they were all captives for years!¡± The two Beta¡¯s followed theirmands without any extra questions and the two Alphas continued their way. She could feel that Castiel was alone, abandoning all his people just to save himself. Some leader he was! ¡°He went this way!¡± she pointed to Gideon the path, ¡°I think he is trying to reach the border with the werebears. If he manages to do it, he might be protected and we will have to back off.¡± ¡°Not going to happen!¡± her mate sped up and she had a hard time keeping up with him even now in her upgraded wolf form. They saw his red fur soon. Castiel was running for his life, but when he heard Gideon¡¯s mighty roar, he knew that he wouldn¡¯t make it to the border and he stopped, preparing himself to fight. One of his eyes was glowing red as usual and Riannon realised that in his fox form he was blind. She also noticed that a part of his face looked burned. Just what happened to him? But she threw those thoughts away. He wasn¡¯t the one to feel sorry for. He was the one who pianned everytning andter destroyed the werewoives and the lycans on the union, leaving just a few behind as his puppets. If they didn¡¯t stop him now, everything would be for nothing. So, she was ready to attack him, but Gideon stood in her way. ¡°With all due respect, Riannon,¡± he said, ¡°But you have nothing to prove as a warrior. And I don¡¯t want my woman to fight while I stand and watch. I should be the one to kill him, not you.¡± That was debatable, but she saw the determination in his eyes and knew how important it was to him, so she stepped aside, giving him the honour of ying theirmon enemy. Without a shade of doubt, Gideon charged at the fox and thetter managed to recoil. He tried to attack the lycan in a desperate attempt to gain some advantage. Ria could tell that Castiel was a good warrior, but it wasn¡¯t enough if he was fighting against her mate. The lycan king was bigger and stronger, he was also faster, so very soon his teeth cut into the fox¡¯s flesh, making him shriek from the pain. The master of schemes did not expect to fight today and it was clear to them both. Not wishing to prolong his agony, Gideon shed his side with his sharp ws, bright red blood spilling onto the grass underneath them. Castiel was desperate, trying to make one fatal blow after another. His canines and ws were aiming at the lycan¡¯s vital organs but he barely managed to scratch him. Gideon pressed him to the ground, breaking his arms and legs one by one. The pain was so immense that Castiel turned back into his human form. The king and the queen followed his example, and Gideon sat on top of him throwing punch after punch, breaking his handsome face once and for all. ¡°This is for the explosion at the Summit! This is for kidnapping my mate and holding her against her will! This is for Dean! And this is for your schemes! And this one is for sending that siren to kill her in her past life!¡± Castiel¡¯s eyes went wide and Riannon ced her hand on her mate¡¯s shoulder. The touch immediately helped him to calm down and look at her. ¡°Past life?¡± Castiel hissed, barely being able to speak. ¡°So, this is why you knew everything¡­ That¡­ exins it.¡± ¡°What you did was awful. All those schemes and traps!,¡± Riannon decided to tell him what was on her mind after all, ¡°You destroyed so many lives! Including mine!¡± ¡°I wish I knew,¡± he chuckled, coughing up blood, ¡°I would have stolen you away sooner¡­¡± Gideon punched him again, preparing to make that one fatal blow to end this when Riannon stopped him. Something was off. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± she asked, every fibre in her tensing. ¡°This was a trap,¡± he told her, looking at her only. ¡°We already figured that out,¡± Gideon clenched his fist. ¡°No,¡± Castiel gave them a crooked dark grin, ¡°This is not the trap. The two of you still did not learn to deal with foxes even after two lives. This was just a distraction¡­.¡± Chapter 81. Chapter 81. Savannah watched Zack and his wolves fight the werecats from a safe distance when Naya got her a phone. Her heart was still in pain, seeing her mate over there. What was he trying to do? To get her back or to just kill her before she could tell Gideon what was going on? She wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to know his true motives. Someone wrapped a piece of fabric around her and something simr was given to Naya who immediately turned it into a stylish wrap dress. The werecat seemed confident and maybe even slightly arrogant. She did not have any doubts about what was going on. But Sawy did not care about anything at the moment as she dialled her brother¡¯s number. It went to voicemail and she called Reid instead. ¡°Pumpkin, it¡¯s not the best time,¡± her uncle told her, but she had to stop him. ¡°I need to speak to Gideon! It¡¯s urgent, Reid! Zack is the traitor you all were looking for!¡± she practically screamed into the phone. ¡°Are you all right?¡± was the first question that she heard, ¡°Did he hurt you? Are you safe?¡± ¡°I got to the werecats territory and asked for asylum. They are fighting Zack now,¡± Savannah exined quickly, ¡°Reid, I am serious, I need to speak to my brother. Zack is the least of our problems now! ¡°Got you,¡± the Beta said firmly, ¡°He doesn¡¯t have his phone with him. But I will forward the call to one of the warriors by his side who should have one with him at all times.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she breathed out, watching two pumas tear one of the wolves to pieces. Zack¡¯s ck wolf was fighting too, but she caught him looking at her from time to time. It pained her that he was her mate. But it was even worse that he didn¡¯t ept her rejection now. She couldn¡¯t be tied to a man like that. She had to set herself free from him. One way or another. ¡°Sav,¡± she heard a familiar voice on the phone and felt a little bit better that she got through to him on time.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Gideon, listen to me very carefully,¡± the princess said, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything until I am done. Zack is the traitor. He has been working with Castiel this whole time. There are others too¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± her brother seemed really worried, forgetting her instruction at once. ¡°Yes,¡± she didn¡¯t let him ask more questions not to lose time. ¡°It¡¯s all irrelevant now, G. So, pay attention, please! This is a trap! And not the kind that you anticipated while going to get Riannon back. Right at this very moment they are attacking our kingdom, Gideon!¡± She heard her royal sibling swearing on the other end of the line but he got over himself quickly. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Sav. Kyle is there and so is the Gamma with most of our warriors. They will defend it,¡± he said firmly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± she bit her lip nervously, ¡°They are bringing a whole army there! This is exactly what we¡¯ve been worried about this whole time.¡± ¡°But now we know that they will attack now. We knew that for a while,¡± Gideon¡¯s confidence was giving her strength. ¡°We were warned so we are ready. I will get Riannon and we will be there soon to join the fight. Now, tell me quickly everything else that you know.¡± She started giving him names she learned one by one and every other little detail she could remember ¡°Savvy,¡± Gideon said when she was done.¡±I am so proud of you. I am sorry for¡­¡± Prove to everyone inat true mates still mean something. I need to know this now more than ever. She switched off the phone, not wishing to hear anything else. He needed to act, not to console his little sister And she¡­ she had things to do too. But the silence stopped her. She did not hear the sounds of battle anymore. Savannah turned slowly on her feet and saw that the werecats were licking their minor wounds there, notorious for being able to speed up their healing but she couldn¡¯t see any wolves around. ¡°Cowards!¡± Naya snorted, folding her hands on her chest and looking at Savannah with interest. ¡°No,¡± the princess whispered. She had to find him. She needed to break their bond and she needed him to ept the rejection. He couldn¡¯t have run away without a trace! ¡°What are you going to do about your mate?¡± Naya sighed and Savvy clenched her lips, thinking of her next step. ¡°I need your help,¡± she said quickly. ¡°The kingdom will be attacked soon. I need werecats to help us.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± The girl co.cked her snowy brow. ¡°You went very quickly from begging for Asylum to demanding things¡­¡± Sawy wanted to exin to her why it was so important and necessary when she heard an authoritative, firm voice. ¡°Naya! Manners!¡± A gorgeous tall woman with sleek ck hair was walking in their direction, wearing a red dress which looked like it was made out of another long piece of fabric and just draped around her perfect athletic body. Savvy caught herself at the thought that this was actually a genius idea. One swift movement of her hand and she could shift without ruining the garment. But she immediately felt guilty about thinking of such trivial matters now. She knew instinctively that the woman was Alpha Ramina. And she was followed by her beloved Luna Aisha and their top warrior, Alexander. The names she learned because she had to. And judging by the snow-white colour of his hair, Sawy knew that the rumours about who was Naya and her sisters¡¯ father were probably true. This must have been an interesting rtionship ¡°Alpha. Luna.¡± Savannah bowed to each of them respectfully. ¡°I have to ask for your assistance. The enemy is about to attack the Western kingdom¡¯s capital and¡­¡± ¡°How is it our problem?¡± Naya snorted but one re from her mother was enough for her to be serious. ¡°It is our problem, daughter,¡± Ramina gave her child that look that made her close her mouth again.¡± We are members of the Union pack and if we want them toe to our help when we are attacked, we need to fulfil our part of the deal.¡± ¡°We can protect ourselves!¡± Naya gritted her teeth and this time her mother frowned. ¡°And this is why I would never be able to pass on my title to you, Naya,¡± the Alpha said harshly, ¡°You never see the full picture! We are the best warriors, yes. But our n is not that big and there are bigger threats out there. We need this Union. And this why we are going to help princess Savannah now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± Savvy held back a smile, ¡°We need to hurry then. Since Zack is gone, they are going to attack sooner.¡± ¡°Gather the warriors!¡± Ramina told the man behind her and then turned to kiss her Luna gently. The two women couldn¡¯t take their eyes off each other. ¡°Keep our home safe while we are gone and I will,¡± the Alpha brushed her palm over her mate¡¯s cheek and Savanah felt a prick of pain in her heart. She would never have that¡­ Not anymore. She was surprised by how quickly the warriors were gathering and she now stood in front of a little army. The best thing about them was that they were hard to notice. Some men and women were jumping from tree to tree with grace, others were walking out of the bushes and it seemed like they didn¡¯t disturb a single brunch. Yes, there was something about those cats and their abilities different from other shifters. out there. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Alpha Ramina told Sawy when they were ready. And the princess was happy to oblige. Castiel had that smug smile on his already broken face and Gideon couldn¡¯t wait to wipe it off once and for all. But he had to make sure. The foxes weren¡¯t the strongest of warriorspared to lycans but what made it really hard to deal with them were their constant schemes. This was where they were definitely and undeniably the best. So, he had to be sure that he wasn¡¯t missing a piece of crucial information. ¡°Another trap?¡± he smirked, trying to agitate the enemy more. ¡°Castiel, did you do anything else this past year other than think about me? Seems a bit obsessive, don¡¯t you agree?¡± The fox king coughed blood but the grin on his face only grew wider. ¡°You have no idea,¡± he hissed. ¡°About the attack on my kingdom that¡¯s going on this very moment?¡± Gideon chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be na?ve, Cass. Of course, I know.¡± He could feel his mate¡¯s shock through their bond and tried to send a wave of reassurance to her. He had this under control. Gideon wished he could turn and grab her in his arms, but now he had to be a leader first. He wasn¡¯t breaking eye contact with Castiel, who was scanning his face to find out if this was the truth. ¡°You f***king sister!¡± the fox spat and the lycan nodded, enjoying the moment. ¡°Finally outfoxed,¡± Riannon joined him, fixing the red shawl on her that one of the female warriors that caught up with them brought for her. It probably belonged to one of the red girls. The Luna did not hesitate to support her mate¡¯s game. ¡°And twice in one day.¡± ¡°Shame you didn¡¯t mention the bomb in your packhouse, Ria,¡± Castiel tried to give her an arrogant smile, but it came out as a scowl. ¡°You are lying,¡± she looked at him with so much hate that his heart clenched. He never had a chance with her¡­ He desperately wanted to believe that he did, but her eyes were telling a different story. And he hated that story so much. Why was he never getting what he really wanted? Why was it always like that? It was supposed to be his win, his triumph¡­ But now his brother would have to finish what he started and win this war instead. Him. Again. He could bet that his brother would even find a way to make Riannon stay with him if he wanted her. That bastard¡­ He looked at her again and this time hate filled his heart. For his brother, for the lycan king before him, for the woman who did not fall for him, for the life that was slipping away through his multiple wounds. He had seconds to make the decision¡­ And he made it. He couldn¡¯t go down like the loser king who got outsmarted by a woman and didn¡¯t take all the creait for nis work, ne would know tnat tnis achievement was nis! He opened the link with hisst spy in Riannon¡¯s pack, the one she didn¡¯t figure out. Their eyes met and for a second he felt as if she understood what he was about to do. Her lips parted slightly while he said the code worked via the link. ¡°ze.¡± His man did not respond. He knew that once that word was said, he had work to do. ¡°What did you¡­¡± Riannon looked terrified now and he enjoyed that. Maybe that was what he had to do to her from the very beginning, not y nice to her as he did with the others. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± heughed, coughing up more blood, ¡°Right now¡­ Your packhouse is gone. And you ¡­¡± Gideon did not let him finish, realising what had just happened. One firm masterful movement of his leg and the fox¡¯s neck was broken, ending the life of the controversial king. He couldn¡¯t let him give any more orders to his spies. Even the intel that he could give was not worth it. Castiel was too dangerous to for them alive. He then to look at his mate who was already calcting what to do next. Her eyebrows furrowed and Finally, she noticed him and their eyes met. Goddess, how much he missed her! He would give everything to hug her, kiss her, take her¡­ But he knew very well that he couldn¡¯t. Everything was far from over. He knew that Kyle and his Gamma would be able to fight off the ones who attacked the kingdom, but he had to be there to make sure everything went smoothly. He also knew that there was a disaster happening in Ria¡¯s pack if Castiel did not lie about the bomb. ¡°Who is missing?¡± Riannon asked all of a sudden and he did not understand at once what she meant. ¡°What are you¡­¡± ¡°Who is missing out of our people you brought with you here!¡± she was next to him in no time, her nails digging in his flesh. ¡°Gideon! He gave someone an order via the mind link! It means that this person was within the range! It¡¯s another spy in my pack! Or yours¡­ But probably mine.¡± She was muttering word after word but he knew where she was going with it. The house probably wasn¡¯t exploded yet. There was still a chance to save people and even the building. ¡°I need a phone!¡± Riannon screamed and a young lycan appeared next to her at once, handing her what she asked. Her fingers pressed the familiar order of digits one by one and soon she heard her best friend¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes?¡± Maya did not seem surprised. She was waiting for the news. ¡°Get back to the pack. Order to evacuate the packhouse! Now!¡± Ria screamed, ¡°And every nearby building too. There might be an explosion, so make sure people are at a safe distance. No one should be left inside. And ce people around the perimeter. See whoes back first from the ones you sent and catch them if you can. I¡¯ll be back soon too.¡± ¡°Sure you will,¡± her Beta said and, before hanging up added, ¡°I will do everything.¡± Ria gave the phone back to the warrior and fixed the shawl on her shoulders. They couldn¡¯t even spare a second, but when their eyes met again, Gideon grasped her hand and pulled her into his chest. He kissed her hungrily, greedily. As if she was air and he was drowning. As if his life depended on that one kiss. As if it was thest time¡­ ¡°No, Ria,e with me,¡± he muttered, not willing to let her go again. First he had to wait for her to feel their bond. Then she was taken from him. And now he couldn¡¯t face parting with her yet again. She was his. His woman, his love, his Luna, his Queen, his equal. She was his everything. ¡°I need to get back to my pack,¡± she swallowed, ncing at him through hershes. ¡°I am the Alpha. This is what Alphas do. If the explosion happens, I need to make sure I am there working with everyone. If it¡¯s prevented, I will bring my people to fight on your side as per the agreement of the Union.¡± ¡°Riannon,¡± he wanted to object, he was even considering forcing her for the first time ever. But seeing the inferno of determination in her eyes, he knew that it would be useless. He loved an Alpha, not just a Luna. He had to respect that. She had to go and save her people just the way he had to go and save her. ¡°Gide¡­¡± she started saying, but he covered her lips with his again. This time roughly and briefly, but with the same immense desire as before. ¡°This is thest time we are ever apart,¡± the lycan king told his mate and she nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. ¡°Last time,¡± they entwined their fingers together and both their breathing became ragged. ¡°Go,¡± he told her, ¡°Go before I decide to abandon both my kingdom and your pack and just run away with you. Just you and me, no crowns, no exes, no psychos, no obligations¡­¡± ¡°The dream,¡± she smiled and added right before turning into her wolf, ¡°But we would get bored fast, don¡¯t you think?¡± She sprinted away, followed by her people, and Gideon made a few orders to the people he was leaving in this house, before getting into the car and driving all the way back to the Western Kingdom for the final battle. *** Riannon was so close to her pack when she smelled the burnt scent. She howled to let her people know that she was near, she was with them. It was painful to see the house she loved so much in mes. But she knew that she still wasn¡¯t allowed to be weak even for a moment. Maya was talking to one of the warriors, giving him orders on how to put down the fire. She lowered her head at the sight of her alpha and gestured for one of the omegas to bring her clothes. ¡°I am sorry, Alpha,¡± she said, ¡°We were in the middle of the evacuation when the detonator worked. It is my failure and I will understand if¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense,¡± Riannon quickly threw on a simple pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with short sleeves that someone handed to her and started putting on shoes as well. ¡°Did you manage to get the people out?¡± ¡°Almost everyone¡­¡± the Beta responded, ¡°I suspect that there might have been a few omegas in the storage room. We couldn¡¯t find them after the explosion and were about to go and search for them. Plus the prisoners in the dungeons. I didn¡¯t get to them¡­ But I think we got the traitor you were looking for. Ash caught one of the warriors in the woods. He had a device that looked like a remote control with a radio transmitter, and we suspect that he used it to trigger the bomb that was pre-installed in the building earlier. Do you want to see him now?¡± ¡°No,¡± Riannon shook her head, standing up, ¡°There will be time for that. People¡¯s lives shoulde first. I will go inside to look for survivors too.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not the best idea,¡± Maya did not feelfortable endangering her Alpha. But looking ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Brayden appeared in dirty clothes and with smudges of cinder all over his face. It looked like he was helping to clear the ruins. And they could use all the help now, Riannon did not care about the looks that Maya was giving her ex. An extra pair of hands was what they needed now. She was walking for a few minutes inside what was her house once. The marble floors were cracked now and some of the columns were broken too. The staircase survived by some miracle but she did not go upstairs. She wanted to look for survivors. It was weird to have Bray by her side at a moment like this. And she would have given up a lot for it to be Gideon instead. ¡°Would you look at that?¡± she went up to a huge mantiepiece that was also broken now. There used to be a silver-ted spear ced about that, a replica of what the Moon Goddess used, ording to the legends. It was gone now. Like most of her belongings¡­ ¡°I wasn¡¯t such a great Alpha after all. Just a few days and the packhouse is down.¡± Brayden stopped walking over pieces of ss that were crunching under his feet and stared at her. ¡°You must be kidding me right now, Riannon,¡± he said simply, and she turned to face him. ¡°The damage would have been so much bigger without you. Ash already got the main suspect and Maya managed to evacuate people. You can always rebuild the house. But the lives are priceless.¡± ¡°Look at who is back to his senses,¡± she gave him a vague smile and went to the next room. Brayden followed her, not saying anything else. She reached the door that led to the dungeon¡¯s staircase when he ced her hand on hers. ¡°I feel like I am back to my senses,¡± he said, standing right behind her. ¡°Everything became so clear to me and, Ri, the way I treated you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s water under the bridge now,¡± she brushed him off. This was neither the time nor the ce for that conversation. However, it did not stop Brayden. ¡°Whatever you think of me, I deserve it,¡± he insisted, clenching his fists. ¡°You were not just my wife and the love of my life. You were my friend and partner before everything and i betrayed your trust¡­ I paid the price and I keep paying it every day now. You found your mate and the Moon Goddess knows ¨C you deserve it. It¡¯s hard to be happy for you¡­ really hard. But I will be trying. Because, Ri, you deserve all the best things in life. You deserve a man who will make you happy. If I could turn back time¡­¡± His voice sounded distant and broken so much that she felt sorry for him. ¡°Everything is how it is supposed to be now,¡± Ria pushed the door and slowly went down the destroyed stairs to the cers. It did not look good down there. The floors were flooded and water was sshing from several pipes. She saw sparks of electricity in the distance and was happy that she was wearing sneakers with rubber soles. ¡°What I am trying to say,¡± Brayden cleared his throat. ¡°I hope that I can at least be your friend now. Losing you to another man is one thing. But losing you forever is another. Ri¡­ I am so sorry for everything. I truly am.¡± There they were. The words she wanted to hear so much in her past life and never did. She thought that she would feel some kind of satisfaction at that moment. But right now all she felt was empty. It did not make her happy or unhappy. Bray¡¯s regrets did not impact her at all. She knew that now. She was finally ready to move on from those horrible memories. What Brayden said or did was irrelevant to her now. ¡°I know that you will probably hate me forever,¡± the man added as he knelt to check one of the many bodies in front of them to confirm his death. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you,¡± she stopped and rubbed her forehead, ¡°Brayden, I.¡± Riannon felt someone else¡¯s presence and quickly turned to see a ssh of red locks in the distance. Something shiny was thrown at her. And thest thing she managed to think was ¨C she found the spear¡­ Chapter 82 Chapter 82 The silver-ted spear cut the flesh with ease¡­ Blood appeared on the already stained clothes, soaking them rapidly. Ruby-red drops were falling onto the flooded floor, dissolving in the water within seconds as if they were nothing. As if his blood was nothing¡­ Brayden looked at Riannon with a sad smile on his lips. ¡°I told you I would always protect you,¡± he said and fell onto his knees, Ria tried to process what happened when she saw the one who threw that spear and an internal snarl left her chest. Roxanne was ring at her from the other side of the dungeon. Breathing heavily, the little hybrid gritted her teeth. She did not mind killing her fake mate. She did not care enough about him even though they did spend so much time together. She had a bigger fish to fry. That spear was for Riannon. Because she cared about her death. She wanted her dead more than anything at that moment in time. That woman was the source of all her troubles. That woman could take what she wanted from her, and she wasn¡¯t having any of it anymore. ¡°Haven¡¯t you done enough?!¡± Ria screamed at the fox while catching Brayden before he fell face t into the water. She slowly lowered him to the ground, noticing his ragged breathing. ¡°This one is on you!¡± Roxanne hissed, narrowing her eyes. ¡°All of this is on you! He blew up the house not even caring that I was inside! Was it some kind of punishment for you? After all, he loves to train his girls! But with you he is so different! This madness will be over the moment you are dead! And everything will get back to normal!¡± Ria scanned her face, realising that her enemy was talking about Castiel. Everything was even worse than she imagined. Roxy didn¡¯t just love him. She was obsessed with him. It was an unhealthy sick addiction that was driving her crazy, making her break all the imaginable and unimaginable boundaries. ¡°Do you even realise that he has been experimenting on you?¡± she decided to ask, feeling how life was slowly leaving Brayden who now tucked his head in the column or his neck for support. ¡°He used you! He used your siren abilities, used you as his Guinea pig! He was intoxicating you and all these other women with fake mate scents! And now that I think of it, I bet you were a frequent visitor to his laboratory. There¡¯s no way someone like him wouldn¡¯t try to copy the siren pheromones!¡± ¡°That was because I am special to him!¡± Roxy snarled, growing her ws. ¡°He treated me better than anyone else!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s just sad,¡± Riannon admitted, ¡°Because he was putting you under other men with ease. He never cared whether you stayed dead or alive in the process of his schemes. And he never even asked about you while he¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± the fake omega screamed hysterically, ¡°Who are you to judge me? You didn¡¯t even fight for your man when he brought me to your home!¡± ¡°I did fight you the first time,¡± Ria heard herself saying and felt Brayden twitching in her arms. But she did not regret her words. Her secret wasn¡¯t important now. The reality changed so much that there was no point to hide it because she didn¡¯t possess any essential knowledge about future events anymore. This life was going very differently from what she knew. So different that no events were the same with the exception of the over. ¡°I lived a ute wnere i was rigning for the man wno was clearly wrong for me! I lovea nim anai thought that I could fix things between us if I just try hard, be perfect, do something¡­ I was wrong. And I paid the price. Because you killed me. And the man I practically sacrificed my love for probably didn¡¯t even notice¡­¡± ¡°What kind of bull sh*t is this?!¡± Roxy stared at her in shock, her chest heaving. ¡°How do you think I knew everything you did before you even tried to act? How do you think I knew all the things I wasn¡¯t supposed to know?¡±Ria gave her a sad smile, ¡°The Moon Goddess brought me back in time. At first, I believed that it was only to change my course of life. But now I see that a lot of people needed things to be changed. Including you, Roxanne. Look at what you are doing! You are going to have a baby, for Goddess¡¯ sake!¡± ¡°Shut up about my baby!¡± Roxy looked around in search of a weapon. Anger was filling her heart and soul; fury was burning in her veins. This was why everything happened! She wanted to kill that woman once and for all! She could have won. Could have fulfilled Castiel¡¯s task and expectations. But Riannon changed everything! It wasn¡¯t fair! It seemed like some cruel joke of the gods! Roxanne found a metal stick with a sharp end and decided that this was good enough. She wanted to wipe that Alpha-female from the face of the earth! But as soon as she made a step, she felt a kick on the back of her knees. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Maya growled and knocked the stick out of her hands. Ash appeared nearby and helped her to subdue the girl. Regardless of the hatred they both felt towards her, they didn¡¯t want to hurt a pregnant woman. It wasn¡¯t who they were. Brayden sighed and Riannon was finally able to concentrate on him. She carefully turned him on his back and ced his head in herp. Their eyes met atst and there was so much understanding in his. ¡°Ri,¡± Brayden breathed, ¡°I am so sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she was assessing where the spear went through, and came to the conclusion that it probably got his heart as well. Which was a bad thing for a shifter. Hearts almost never regenerated¡­ The blood was still gushing and she tried to apply pressure, knowing that now everything depended on whether his wolf would be able to heal him or not. It did not help that the spear was silver.. It was a bad sign. She remembered how Brayden purchased it at some auction for a ridiculous amount of money even though she protested against it. And how proud he was to disy it in their house. ¡°The joke is on me,¡± he tried to chuckle, but coughed up some blood instead. He probably knew what she was thinking and her lips curled into a little smile. He was bing more and more the Brayden that she used to know and love. It did not change her feeling towards Gideon, but she was d to know that at least she had not made that man up. They weren¡¯t meant to be, but she hated to see him lose everything he worked for all his life, including his own personality. A part of her was still angry at him. She used to think that this part of her would always be angry. But everything changed when he took that spear for her, risking his own life without hesitation. Before Roxanne, she always felt safe with him¡­ At the distance, Roxy was still struggling against Maya and Ash, who tried to sustain her but not hurt her too much. Their eyes met and something crazy gleamed in Roxy¡¯s as she started cackling. this! Soon you are au going to¡­ ¡°Your Castiel is dead!¡± Maya interrupted her speech and the fox¡¯s head snapped in her direction. They all became silent and only the sounds of water dripping and sshing from broken pipes could be heard. ¡°You are¡­ lying!¡± Roxanne stuttered in disbelief, but Maya met her gaze with ease. ¡°Hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± the Beta said bitterly, watching her worst enemy suffer finally. But when Roxy fell to the ground helplessly and tears started rolling down her cheeks one by one, her chest shaking uncontrobly as if she wanted to sob but couldn¡¯t¡­ Maya realised that the sight was not making her happy. It was not making the loss of her brother any easier. It changed nothing. What a disappointment. ¡°I¡¯ll take her,¡± she said to Ash and gestured at their Alpha who was holding her ex-husband and whispering something to him. ¡°You stay and help them and I will call more people toe here and finish things up.¡± This time Roxanne did not struggle. She let her hands be cuffed in silver-ted cuffs and seemed lifeless when the Beta was leading her away. She just followed her. As if there was no point in her fighting anymore. As if there was no point in doing anything¡­ By now Riannon knew that Brayden was not healing properly. He knew that as well. ¡°If we keep the spear inside, we might win some time and get you to the hospital,¡± she said, thinking of what was the best way to transport him there, when his hand caught hers. ¡°No use,¡± he said, but she shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± she insisted. ¡°A good doctor might still help you. You are an Alpha, you can hold on for a long time. You will make it through¡­¡± ¡°Not this time, Ri,¡± he tried to smile again, but she knew that it was hard for him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t cry¡­¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t even realise that there were tears in her eyes. Riannon tried to wipe them away quickly, but the new ones were appearing in their stead. He was an important part of her life, her friend. Yes, he made many stupid mistakes but losing him was still painful. Her tears were now falling onto his face and he brushed one palm over her cheek, smearing it with blood. ¡°I¡¯ve been such an j***t, Riannon,¡± Brayden smiled, his voice getting weaker and weaker. ¡°I can say am sorry a thousand times but it would never be enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± she sniffed seeing how pale he was getting. His body was not healing and he barely had a few minutes left. Sadly, werewolves were not immortals¡­ ¡°It¡¯s all right, Bray,¡± she repeated, her tears now uncontrobly falling onto his face,¡°I forgive you. I really do.¡± ¡°Good,¡± a smile formed on his face, ¡°At least I will know that he will take good care of you. Better than I ever did. Goodbye, Riannon¡­¡± She didn¡¯t understand what he was doing at first, but Brayden grabbed the spear and pulled it out of his body in one swift and immensely painful move. Now they were sitting in a red puddle of his blood that couldn¡¯t stop gushing out of him. Ria held his hand, the two of them looking into each other¡¯s eyes. But at the veryst moment, she bent and whispered into his ear what Onyx had just told her. wiae, you ana your wou will be reborn in a new ure. Ana in that new ure, you will be given a mate. ine one that will be right for you and you alone. It will happen¡­and you will find your happiness.¡± She distanced herself, to see that he was looking at the ceiling with ssy eyes. But even now there was a vague smile reaching the corner of his lips. She closed his eyelids with trembling fingers and took a deep breath of air, trying to hold back the sobs. He was her husband once. He was her friend first¡­ He was her partner for a long time. And now that man was gone forever. But even in hisst moment, he was dreaming of his true mate that he had never got to meet. His one true desire¡­ ¡°I hope you two will be happy in your next life,¡± she kissed his forehead onest time and only now noticed Ash that stood next to her. ¡°I¡¯ll take him,¡± the Gamma lifted his best friend¡¯s body in his hands without asking anything.¡± Everyone else in the house is either dead or out. Let¡¯s go.¡± Riannon followed him, trying to gather her thoughts. This wasn¡¯t the time to be a soapy mess. Her heart was broken from the loss of Brayden, but she would be truly dead if something happened to Gideon. She already had a mate, the one who meant everything to her, the one who never failed her and the one for whom she was ready to do anything. And her mate was fighting an army now. She couldn¡¯t leave him. ¡°Maya,¡± she called her Beta, ¡°Call everyone who can fight. We are going to the lycans. Now. Leave just a few people for protection here and to help the wounded. We will deal with everything elseter.¡± They were in cars in just a few minutes and took the shortest way imaginable to the Western Kingdom overspeeding on their way. The closer they were getting, the faster Riannon¡¯s heart was beating. She couldn¡¯t sense her mate through their bond even when they were supposed to be in the range for mind- linking. She couldn¡¯t feel him even when she saw the battle before her eyes. And that brought fear to her soul because she could go through anything. But only as long as she knew that Gideon was fine. She got out of the car and took the spear with her. Ever since Ash took Brayden¡¯s body, she couldn¡¯t let go of it¡­ She knew that field. She already saw this ce in the vision that Onyx showed her after her return. And she swallowed ufortably, knowing that this was the battle that would decide the fates of many. All the scents were mixed here and it was hard to find the one that she was looking for. Riannon froze when she saw a man holding another man in his arms right on the hill where she witnessed Gideon holding Reid in her dream. Everything was repeated and it suddenly became harder for her to breathe. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she saw that the man was actually blonde and not as well built as Gideon. Now that she looked at him, he looked more like a fox. And it brought a little bit of relief to her. All she wanted now was to help her people, the Union that they formed for peace¡­ and also to find her mate. She motioned for her warriors to join the fight and didn¡¯t stay behind herself. She didn¡¯t shift, using the spear as her weapon sessfully to kill the enemies on her way. It helped her to manoeuvre better Her bond wasn¡¯t working for some reason, but she knew that there was no way that Gideon was dead. However, if something did happen to him, she wanted to find him sooner rather thanter. Riannon pierced some fox¡¯s head with the spear when she finally found the one she was looking for. But she didn¡¯t know whether it was a good thing or a bad one¡­ ttt They knew about the uing sneaky battle, so Kyle met the enemy forces earlier than they anticipated and attacked first. But the element of surprise was working only for so long¡­ The bears and the foxes brought a whole army with them. And lycans didn¡¯t have enough time to call everyone who was on their side in time for the battle. Most were still on their way Though even when they all would be here, there was still a risk that Savvy didn¡¯t get all the names right and traitors could be between them. The possibility of being stabbed in the back was huge and they all knew that. However, lycans were strong and soon Savvanah arrived with werecats, who jumped right into the epicentre of the battle, fearless, elegant, powerful. One of the best allies they had. Gideon and Reid were working efficiently, targeting the biggest bears and killing them first, so that the werewolves and cats did not have to. The lycan king tried to find who the leader was but no matter how hard he searched for, he couldn¡¯t find one. Shrill screams, growls and screeching were turning into a background noise for him. Too many warriors were dying at both ends. But each time more foxes and bears were arriving. The whole battlefield was a mess of blood, dirt and dead bodies¡­ Sometimes not even whole bodies. ¡°You know what we have to do,¡± Mars said but Gideon snarled at his constantpanion. ¡°No!¡± he refused that idea. ¡°G, you know what Riannon saw!¡± his wolf insisted. ¡°As of now, there is a 60% chance of us winning this battle. But that¡¯s a big maybe and only if a lot of our people give their lives¡­ But if we let him out¡­¡± Gideon hated to admit when his wolf was right at a moment like this. He hoped for quite some time that he wouldn¡¯t have to do it. But now it was clear that he had to. For the men and women who fought on his side, for his little sister who turned out to be way stronger than he ever imagined¡­ For his beloved mate, who deserved to be a queen and would do a good job even if he was no longer around. ¡°Reid, Sawy, Kyle,¡± he connected to his family who was close, ¡°If anything goes wrong, I want the three of you to try and put me down.¡±. ¡°No, Gideon!¡± Savvanah was the first to react. She had the same blood in her veins and probably had the same thoughts in her head right now. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kyle, however, didn¡¯t get it at once. ¡°Gideon,¡± Reid also understood what he was about to do, ¡°If you are decided on that, you have to do it as fast as possible. You know that your beast is controlling. He will never let you get the control back if he can¡­ So, don¡¯t let hime to his full strength!¡± ¡°I will try,¡± he agreed, ¡°But if it goes wrong, you know what I want you to do. I need your words on that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it!¡± his sister said. She was the only one who knew how hard it was to control the true royal lycan form. message to nis enemies. . ¡°Promise me!¡± he growled, feeling how the lycan inside him was getting to the surface. He was both him and Mars, but he was also something else. Something stronger, something bigger, something that he couldn¡¯t control well. ¡°I promise,¡± Reid said and Kyle repeated his words. Savvanah hesitated. ¡°Gideon,¡± she said, ¡°You have toe back after this! For all of us. Or at least for Riannon. She will kill us all if we don¡¯t bring you back and your sacrifice will be in vain.¡± ¡°I will do everything to return,¡± he said, and he intended to keep his word. ¡°Then I promise too,¡± his sister agreed, and he let out a long loud growl that shook the mountains. His bones started to crack again. Because his true battle form was different from his usual wolf form. It was bigger and way more powerful. His muscles were getting heavier, firmer as if they were made out of steel now, and the shape of his body was changing. The wolf was turning into a lycan and for a few seconds, it seemed that the battle stopped because of him. Everyone was staring at him now. In shock, in fear, in disbelief¡­ There were all kinds of emotions. And when the beast that he now was stood on his two feet and let out another mighty and soul-piercing growl, it was as if he took everyone out of their daze. ¨C Dozens of bears threw themselves at him. They knew that they would only have a chance if they .! attacked now, while he wasn¡¯t at his strongest yet. And only if they fought wisely. Foxes tried tounch a series of smaller assaults but that was like tickles to him now. He didn¡¯t even bother to look at the little red things when he crushed them with his feet or backpped them, sending them to the flight of their lives. Even bears weren¡¯t that much of a threat to him now. He was catching them and snapping their necks with ease. Or catching two and crushing their skulls against each other. He wanted their blood, he wanted to see their death, to feel that power over their pathetic lives. The beast wanted more. More, more, more¡­ Catch, snap, crash. Repeat. Catch, snap, crash. Again. Riannon couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. She called her mate, she knew that it was him. But Gideon wasn¡¯t responding to her. She knew that royal lycans did not like to shift into this humanoid wolf form of a monster. She remembered how her mate was telling her about his struggles with control. The stronger the beast was, the harder it was to get back after shifting into him. And Gideon¡¯s lycan was one of the stronger ones that ever existed¡­ She wanted to go after him but some fox jumped on her. The spear proved to be useful again. And Riannon had to use it a few times as she ran after her beloved. He was ughtering their enemies one by one and cleaning the field off the rival species. From the corner of her eye, she already saw that the presence of the true lycan was changing how the battle continued. Wolves and werecats were getting the upper hand. Gideon was now in the middle of arge enemy group. They were jumping on him, trying to bite him, cut him, do anything possible to turn the tables¡­.. Ria tried to get to him but it was so hard in all that mess. Someone was attacking her every second and her progress towards him was slow. Before her eyes, a huge wave of bears and foxes covered her mate from her, climbing on top of him, jumping on his back and forming some kind of a moving mountain. mountain telt. She tried reaching her bond, she tried calling for him¡­ But he wasn¡¯t responding. As if he was not there at all. Riannon did not know what was going on there but she tried to get to that part of the battlefield whatever it cost her. Another fox, a grey one this time, sliced her back and she screamed again, falling to her knees. She twisted and managed to pierce the one who attacked her. However, a huge brown bear was there before she managed to get up. He snarled loudly and was about to tear her into pieces when a resounding roar shook the ground beneath them. In one breath the bear was gone, his bloody head falling to her feet and a huge ck beast stood before her, his eyes grazing over her slender frame. ¡°Gideon,¡± she called her mate¡¯s name but he did not respond. ¡°Gideon!¡± she sounded desperate now, but she did not care. He looked at her as if¡­ as if he did not know who she was¡­ Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Riannon couldn¡¯t believe her own eyes. The beast stood over her, breathing heavily. Blood was dripping from his ws and his snout. And for the first time ever she was afraid of her mate. ¡°Gideon!¡± she repeated his name, but there was no response. A fox charged at him, but he hit it so hard in its jump that the red-furred creature flew far away and did not move anymore from the moment itnded on the ground. He probably broke his neck just like that. ¡°Gideon, it¡¯s me!¡± Ria tried to exin to him again, but he took a step toward her, growling. Two bears attacked them simultaneously and she wasn¡¯t ready for this, distracted by the whole situation. But she didn¡¯t need to do anything, because the lycan killed them both in an instant. She took a quick look around, seeing that the advantage was now on their army¡¯s side. She did not see wolves fighting wolves, meaning that the traitors did not attack them. Which did not make them any less traitorous, but it was good enough for now. It would be easier to win this battle without trying to understand who was a friend and who was a foe. She also still did not see any leader in the army that attacked them. But she knew that someone had to command all those beasts. ¡°Mine!¡± the lycan growled so loudly that the ground underneath them shook. Then he took another step towards her. A small smile formed on her lips. ¡°You do remember me!¡± she whispered in relief. If anyone could bring him back, it would be her. And she intended to do just that. In an instant, Riannon shifted into her wolf, angering the Lycan in front of her. He did not like the game that she was ying. But she sprinted away from him as fast as possible.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. She deliberately went through the biggest fighting crowd, knowing that he was following her and that he would destroy every bear and fox on his way. Even in his state, he knew who his enemies were. She was throwing herself inside of the bear clusters, usually going for their feet. The bears were slower than her and she was getting out of their grasp right before Gideon¡¯s Lycan was finding them. Smelling her scent on them, he was going feral, ripping his potential rivals apart one by one. She just hoped that it wasn¡¯t taking too long. She knew she needed him away from all that, where no one would disturb them. : From the corner of her eye, Riannon noticed Reid and Savvy¡¯s wolves running next to her and felt them knocking into her mind. They never used mind link together before, but technically she was already a member of their pack and could do it since the moment Gideon left two golden crescents on her neck. So, she let them in ¡°I hope you have a n!¡± Savvanah was the first to speak, her white wolf with ck ear tips looked fierce as he destroyed one of the foxes in her way. ¡°We need to get him out of this as fast as possible,¡± Reid informed her, ¡°The longer he uses this form, the harder it will be for him to get back.¡± ¡°I am on it!¡± she replied with confidence that brought relief to them both, ¡°Will you be able to finish up here alone?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± they replied in unison, and she knew that they meant it. ¡°Gideon has already shredded half of their army to pieces. Just get him to shift back and we are ¡°Good!¡± Ria took up speed and headed for the woods, away from the clearing. ¡°Then don¡¯t look for us! At least not for the next few hours! Reid, you lead the army. Savvy¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± the white wolf replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we were all trained for this. Do what you have to do! Riannon did not say anything else and changed her course. The hugelycan beast followed her as if his life depended on it. Her silver fur was glowing again, and it was hard to miss her on the battlefield. Savanah followed them with her gaze, knowing that her brother was in good hands. She also knew that even in his feral form, he would never hurt his mate. They loved each other too much for that. They were how mates were supposed to be. Perfect. Pure. Sincere. Consumed by each other¡¯s existence, Irrevocably in love. So not like her and Zack¡­ Sawy was fighting, targeting bears mostly. As a lycan it was her duty to remove the strongest . enemies so that their allies could fight the foxes. But she was looking for the wolves. Or better say one wolf in particr. The traitor. Her mate. However, Zack wasn¡¯t there. She was looking everywhere for him, trying to find that intoxicating scent of his. She needed to kill him. She needed to kill her mate and free herself. Free herself from all those feelings that were overwhelming her and from that damn pull that could lead her to her demise. She refused to be a mate to this man. And since he rejected her rejection¡­ she had no choice anymore. She would do it even if she would have to scratch her own heart out. Riannon was sprinting as fast as she could, knowing that the Lycan followed her. She knew that he could already get her, but the predator in him loved to y with his prey. Which at the moment was her. She stopped when they were far enough from the battle, choosing the clean grass-covered clearing. He leapt out of the shadows and knocked her off her feet, towering over her with his eyes glowing. He tucked his nose into her neck, and she heard a distinctive ¡°MINE¡± snarl. Struggling under him, Ria shifted into her human form, and he growled in approval, not taking his glowing eyes off her. ¡°Shift!¡± she told him firmly, but he only inhaled her scent again and then howled loudly into the air, ignoring her words. ¡°Shift!¡± Riannon ordered, and this time she brought his attention back to herself. He was snarling at her and baring his teeth. Which was a bad sign. But she wasn¡¯t afraid. Whether it was his third form or one hundredth, he would never deliberately hurt his mate. Gideon loved her too much. And she trusted him even now. So, she took a deep breath and punched the Lycan into his snout as hard as she could. Since the Moon Goddess blessed her and Onyx, strength wasn¡¯t an issue anymore. So, her punch did have an impact and she even heard something cracking. The lycan growled louder, pressing her harder into the ground in an attempt to submit her. But she wasn¡¯t giving in to him. ¡°Shift!¡± she roared together with her wolf, their voice deeper and scarier than ever before as it echoed through the woods. The lycan¡¯s ws dug into her skin, drawing blood. Angry, she reciprocated, leaning closer to his neck and baring her canines. Not thinking twice, she dug them into his flesh right where her mark was supposed to be on him. She closed her eyes, knowing that it was thest thing that she could . 1. All she felt was his weight on her as his blood dripped down her chin. without you! i can¡¯t lose you¡­ Ever! you promised to always stay with me, remember!¡± ¡°I do,¡± he replied, and she froze. For a moment, she was afraid to even move. His hands wrapped tighter around her and she realised that they weren¡¯t covered in thick fur anymore. ¡°I will never leave you,¡± Gideon said out loud and she retracted her canines and looked at him finally. He was lying on top of her, naked. And there was this soft knowing smile curling his lips. ¡°Even if you ask is me, I will never leave you,¡± he added, and she felt salty liquid burning her eyes. ¡°I will never ask you such a stupid thing!¡± she chuckled through tears, not believing that it was all over. arrassn ¡°Good,¡± he nodded. ¡°Because I am never going anywhere.¡± He lowered his head and licked his blood off her lips, tasting both ¨C it and her. .¡±Did you just mark me for the second time?¡± he arched his brow at her and she grinned at him without any kind of embarrassment. ¡°You looked like you needed to be reminded who you belong to!¡± ¡°And now I will never forget,¡± Gideon agreed with ease. ¡°I wonder what will happen with my crescents now. Will they turn into diamonds or something? Since gold was already done before¡­¡± She pushed him on the chest lightly. ¡°That just wouldn¡¯t be practical, would it?¡± Ria snorted and that was when they heard hundreds of howls and roars in the distance. She recognised some. They were warriors from her pack. She heard Ash and Maya too, knowing that they were all right. At the same time, Gideon recognised his people. ¡°The battle is over,¡± he looked at the love of his life. ¡°And looks like we won after all,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks to you. Your lycan really thinned the lines of bears and foxes.¡± ¡°And thanks to you,¡± he ced a little kiss onto her nose, ¡°If you didn¡¯t bring me back, our packs would now be fighting me over there.¡± Their eyes met again, and they both realised that they hadn¡¯t been this close for a while already. Those days apart seemed like an eternity. ¡°I missed you so much,¡± Gideon brushed the hair off her face, enjoying the tingling sensations that touching her gave him. ¡°I missed you too,¡± she breathed into his lips, making them part with her tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t y with me, Riannon,¡± he warned her. ¡°I am barely controlling myself. I haven¡¯t seen you for so long!¡± ¡°Well, what are you waiting for then?¡± she teased him, ¡°We just won the biggest battle. We deserve a break!¡± That was all the invitation that he needed as he kissed her as an internal growl escaped him. She was with him again. His atst! He noticed a few scratches that his Lycan ws left on her and he turned his neck to reach these areas and lick them thoroughly, most of them healing instantly now that they were properly mated. Well, maybe partially it was due to her being blessed by the Moon Goddess. But he loved to think that it was because of their connection. He remembered how at the very beginning of their rtionship he had to pretend to heal her to even touch her this way. But those days were long gone. That wonderful woman who was now moaning under noining more. ¡°Gideon!¡± She whimpered when he covered one of her n*****s with his mouth, sucking and tugging it gently. Knowing that this was just the way she liked it. Her fingers were caressing him, making every sensation heightened. ¡°Shh,¡± he teased her, ¡°I am healing you here. Where does it hurt the most?¡± Asly smile formed on her face as one of her brows quirked. ¡°Everywhere,¡± she lied without a shade of hesitation or guilt, and he let out a snarl as he started to devour every inch of her. But soon he realised that he couldn¡¯t wait anymore, and she was urging him to climb back on top of her too. So, he hooked one of her legs, spreading her thighs for him and nudged at her entrance. ¡°I love you,¡± he smiled and she slid her palm up to his chest. ¡°I love you too,¡± Riannon lifted her head to kiss him and that was when he inserted his whole length into her roughly, filling her to the brim. This time he wasn¡¯t gentle with her, but she did not want it either. Instead, she locked her thighs around his waist and let him pound into her. She wanted to feel him, his need and desire for her, his love and his passion. She wanted all of it. She gripped him through each shuddering wave as he kept thrusting, bringing her wave after wave of immense pleasure that rippled through her body and made her eyes teary. Riannon cried out her release, biting on his shoulder and hearing a snarl tearing from his lips. Gideon took her hands andced their fingers together, pinning them at both sides of her as he continued to take his woman time after time, sounds of approval rumbling through his chest every time he saw her finding her release until her body felt limp against his. :: Only then he found her lips and stilled, spilling his seed inside of her womb, iming her once again as his with an earth-shuttering growl, ¡°Mine!¡± When they walked out of the woods and back to the clearing strewn with bodies, Riannon frowned. Maya and Reid were already there with new sets of clothes for them and cars waiting. But as Riannon and Gideon walked down the field, she tried to take in and remember everything that she saw. This wasn¡¯t the happy ending that she desired so much. And their work was far from over. They had so much to talk about and to discuss. But most importantly, they had to talk to their people, comfort them and give them hope. This was only the beginning¡­ . *** ¡°I still don¡¯t think that this is necessary,¡± Gideon folded his hands on his chest as they were walking to the tent that was ced in the mutually agreed location. ¡°Of course, it is,¡±. Ria shrugged as she had heard all that before. She knew that he was joking and that in reality, even her stubborn mate had to agree that they needed the alliance with the northern kingdom. Zack¡¯s pack and others named by Savannah were now officially out of the union. Foxes and bears retreated for the time being, but they could hardly assume that the war with them was over. It would be safer for the lycans to work together to ensure the safety of both kingdoms. Whether Gideon liked it or not (and he did not), they needed King Kai to join their Union with the werewolves and the werecats. So, Riannon knew that she would have to make them put their differences aside, whatever it cost her. ¡°Gid, long time no see!¡± a handsome man in histe twenties was waiting for them inside and he stood up as they walked in. He seemed friendly and, for a second, she thought that maybe her mate was overthinking it. ¡°You have two minutes to tell me what you want. I have been waiting for you long enough. ¡°Told you so,¡± Gideon whispered to her as they took their seats in front of the king. ¡°We are grateful for you giving us some of your precious time,¡± Riannon gave the man a dazzling smile. ¡°My name is Riannon Mich¡­¡± *Stormhold,¡± Gideon interjected and she nodded even though they were not yet technically married. ¡°You already know why you are here,¡± she continued, ¡°There is a certain threat to all lycans and wolves and we want to make sure that it¡¯s tackled with minimal losses to our kingdom. The best way to do it is through an alliance¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I read your letter.¡± This time it was Kai who interrupted her. ¡°It was very well-written and exnatory. But I still don¡¯t see what I am gaining here.¡± ¡°Maybe you need some sses then,¡± Gideon tried really hard not to snarl. ¡°Maybe you need some manners,¡± his opponent snorted. ¡°If they manage to bring our kingdom down, they wille after yours next,¡± Riannon decided to ignore their childish behaviour. ¡°Theoretically speaking, yes,¡± Kai agreed.¡± Or they bring you down and then I wipe them off the face of the Earth while they are still weak after fighting you.¡± ¡°You will be busy,¡± Gideon smirked, and the northern king arched his brow. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°The white bear ns,¡± Ria said calmly. She did not mention any of it in her letters, knowing that this would be one of her main cards to y. ¡°They are in this too. They have been in all this for a while. And bet that you understand that the white bears do not need ournd or us dead. They need all of that from you.¡± Kai was silent, tapping his fingers slowly over the surface of the desk. ¡°Even so, I can deal with them on my own. I need more from this alliance,¡± he informed them firmly. ¡°And what the hell do you want this time?¡± Gideon asked him, clearly annoyed. ¡°How about thend that historically belongs to the North?¡± Kai was now deadly serious. ¡°That¡¯s a very old story,¡± the western king was grim as well. ¡°Anything else maybe?¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know,¡± the corners of Kai¡¯s lips tugged into a smile. ¡°There was one thing that I wanted for quite some time. But you and I both know that you will never agree. How about Savannah as my future bride?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you know you are getting her over my dead body!¡± Gideon snarled. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me!¡± Kai seemed satisfied with his reaction. ¡°Decide for yourself what it would be. Your sister or thend in question.¡± He threw them a folder with a contract on the desk and stood up. ¡°Your two minutes are up.¡± ¡°Go to hell,¡± Gideon couldn¡¯t help himself, wishing for nothing more than to snap that man¡¯s neck. But Riannon ced her palm on top of his and he immediately calmed down, looking at her with regret in his eyes. . ¡°We will think about it,¡± she smiled at the northerner. ¡°When do you want our answer?¡± ¡°By the end of the week,¡±Kai said and charged for the exit. But he stopped at thest minute and nodded at her. ¡°It was nice to meet you, Alpha Riannon.¡± discussed it for most of the evening. iney went througn each cause, tirea ana exnaustea by the ena. ¡°We need him,¡± Ria pleaded. ¡°What¡¯s so special in thisnd?!¡± ¡°Everything,¡± Gideon sighed. ¡°This piece ofnd is the reason no attack from the northerners was ever a sess. They cannot cross our borders there unless we want them to. It¡¯s essential for our safety from them. This is why he wants it. And don¡¯t forget that everything can change any minute. We give him a the lands and he unites with our enemies instead. This is where we will be really screwed.¡± She clenched her lips, knowing that he was right. But there had to be something else that they could do. ¡°I guess we have no choice then,¡± Savannah entered the room with a sad smile on her lips. ¡°Sawy,¡± her brother looked perplexed, knowing that she was eavesdropping. But he couldn¡¯t me her. They expected Kai to demand something like that. : ¡°I¡¯ll marry him,¡± the princess said, and now they all stared at her. Gideon with disbelief and Riannon with understanding. She would make the same choice if it was her. Because it wasn¡¯t really a choice. ¡°No!¡± the king growled loudly. ¡°I am not letting you to¡­¡± ¡°This is my decision!¡± Savannah insisted with a tone that did not take prisoners. ¡°I really appreciate you protecting me for so long. I will never forget this, big brother. But right now, it¡¯s my time to help you protect our people. This is my kingdom too. I am a princess and I have my duties. I had my shot at this mate thing, but you know how it worked out for me. So now I am done with all that. My knight in shining armour is noting. I am my own knight. And this is my quest. I choose this for myself, Gideon. I want to marriage is not going to be with my mate, then at least I will have thefort of knowing that it helped our people.¡± ¡°Sav¡­¡± the lycan king wanted to say something, but again Riannon took his hand and intertwined their fingers together, helping him to calm down. ¡°I am proud of you,¡± he smiled at his sister and pulled her into a group hug with his free hand. ¡°You grew up and became everything our parents wanted you to be.¡± ¡°So did you,¡± she mumbled, squeezed between the two of them and then got out quickly. ¡°But I have a condition!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ria looked surprised.. ¡°I want to see the two of you get married before I go,¡± Savannah smirked. *** Maya had been watching Roxanne screaming for the past twelve hours. And it wasn¡¯t making her happy at all. She just hoped that the baby would be safe and healthy. But nothing was going right. The baby was in the wrong position and Roxy turned out to have hips that were too narrow for childbirth. ¡°It¡¯s a shifter baby,¡± Reid hugged his beloved wife, ¡°She is going to make it.¡± But Maya wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. She wasn¡¯t even sure what she was doing there. The siren was swearing and calling her dead lover. Then she was switching it up a bit to sending curses to all of them and promising that one day she would kill them all. She had no idea how much everyone in the kingdom and her pack wanted her dead. And it was only Maya and Riannon who kept her alive because she was pregnant. One long piercing shriek and the fox became quiet. But at the next second, they all heard a baby¡¯s scream and a wave of relief washed over the two Betas. Maya stood up first and went to the midwife, who was holding the tiny little creature. The first thing she saw was a few red curls on the baby¡¯s head and she frowned at that. This was exactly what she was But when she looked into her eyes, her heart started to beat faster. Those were Dean¡¯s eyes, her brother¡¯s. And it wasn¡¯t just this rich chestnut colour of them, it was the sincerity with which this tiny girl looked at her. Dean even saw the best in someone like Roxanne¡­ ¡°So?¡± Reid hugged her from the back and she turned to look at him. ¡°She is just like him¡­ Maya said, but then she noticed some movement behind her mate. Luckily, Reid had an even better reaction as a lycan. So, he covered her with his body and kicked the crazy siren/fox hybrid who tried to attack them with a stolen scalpel from the midwife¡¯s table on her knees, causing her to fall down right at the small but sharp weapon she was nning to use against them. It went into her neck, right where the main artery was, and the midwife screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± Maya warned her, holding the baby tight against her chest. But Roxy was twitching on the floor, her gaze wandering around the room. ¡°Hate¡­ you all,¡± she hissed and then got the scalpel out, causing the blood to gush out. ¡°Apply pressure!¡± the midwife screamed and Reid grabbed one of the nkets to try and help the crazy woman. But Roxanne grew her ws and dug them into the hand he was applying the pressure with, causing him to take it back. She threw away the nket and stared at the ceiling with a smile of a mad person, curving her lips. ¡°Castiel¡­¡± she whispered, ¡°I aming¡­¡± Maya hid her face in Reid¡¯s chest and he kissed her forehead when she looked at him again. ¡°At least she stayed true to herself,¡± the Beta female looked at the child and thought that it was for the best that she had no idea what was going on around her. ¡°She kept hating everyone until the end and not caring for what she left behind. How could she abandon her own daughter?¡± Reid touched the baby¡¯s hand and she immediately wrapped all her tiny fingers around his index one. ¡°She chose not to be a mother,¡± he said. ¡°But you can choose today to be one. I will do whatever you decide.¡± Maya touched the red curls thoughtfully. ¡°I made my choice a while ago, Reid,¡± she smiled at her husband and then at her new child, ¡°When I didn¡¯t kill Roxy. This baby deserved to live. And since she was stupid enough to leave it, I have a right to take care of her now.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± there was more than just one word in his question. ¡°Yes,¡± there was everything in her answer. ¡°Meet our daughter, Reid. Her name is Danielle.¡± *** ¡°Are you ready?¡± Gideon asked his beautiful new wife as they stood before the doors to the main balcony ¡°No one can be ready for this,¡± she smiled at him. Once again, he muttered his thanks to the Moon ¡°Nonna Goddess for sending him such a mate. She was wearing a flowing champagne dress with lines of beads creating regal elegant patterns over her corset and a matching crown on her head. Her hair was up in an intricate hairdo as insisted by Savvy. Riannon held her hands together at the front and seemed like a perfect picture of a wless queen. In a few moments, a whole kingdom would be watching them, but right now they were the only two people in the world. He offered her his hand and she took it, trusting him as always. When they finally calmed down, Gideon announced loudly and irrevocably, ¡°People of the West, meet your Alpha Queen!¡± The crowd burst into cheering and pping, while Riannon stepped forward and waved at them. She knew that a lot still had to be done and her work was only starting. But she also saw that her werewolves were celebrating together with the lycans. It was the beginning of a new era. Different and better than before. But most importantly, she knew that she was home¡­ And together with her mate, she will defend it and make it better. Because together they were the perfect couple Chapter 84 Chapter 84 "Careful, just a few more steps and we are there,"Gideon chuckled as he attentively led Riannon to the big surprise he prepared for her.She had a blindfold on but did not seem worried at all.Her lips were curled into a soft smile, and she was walking with confidence, holding his hands and trusting him completely. The lycan king was looking at his beautiful wife and saying silent prayers to the Moon Goddess to thank her for such a gift.It still felt like a dream to him sometimes.He had the perfect woman who made his life perfect as well. Sometimes he was so happy that he felt guilty, considering that many of the people around him were still dealing with the consequences of the war they had. The war that was far from being over.Riannon tried not to grin.She was going wherever he was taking her without any kind of questioning his motives. This was what trust was supposed to be.She felt a fresh breeze kissing her cheeks and smelled the scent of a familiar forest.She liked all this already. Gideon stopped and stood behind her, pulling her into his embrace from the back and kissing her neck gently, making waves of tingles ripple over her body. He then trailed the golden crescent on her marking spot with his lips and she let out a little moan, hoping "Ready?"he asked, his lips almost touching her ear. "Yes," she replied yfully and he pulled her blindfold gently, taking it off. Riannon needed a few seconds to adjust to the light, but when she did, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Gideon...that¡¯s..." She breathed out, not able to finish the sentence as she was looking at their new home. A two-storey modern house on the top of a hill in the middle of the woods. The secret ce right on the border of their two packs, where they decided to live and raise their future children. It had stone and wood outer walls and huge ss windows with open balconies overlooking the Silver Lake, the ce where they first met. "Surprise!" he whispered and pecked her cheek. "But how?"she was still astonished and turned to look at him. "It wasn¡¯t supposed to be ready for months and months!" "I had to pull some strings," Gideon chuckled. "Anything for my queen." They made the decision to create this ce before their wedding. Since Riannon¡¯s packhouse was destroyed, they needed a new one. And they also needed to integrate their people, lycans and werewolves, into one new nation. More houses were nned to be built nearby as this was supposed to slowly be the center of the new future kingdom. This was the perfect location as Ria¡¯s pack and the western kingdom¡¯s main pce was at an equal and much shorter course, but this ce¡­ this ce belonged to them. Here, they did not have to y their usual political games and could live a much simpler life which they both craved, creating something new at the same time. A few mixed couples had already formed. Lycans were finding their werewolf mates thanks to the many meetings arranged by Riannon for the two species. They knew that it would take them decades for all the changes to settle, but they both also knew very well how to be patient. "The view here is better than I remember!" Ria sighed and leaned with her back on her mate as his hands were wrapped around her. "It could be better," the Lycan king smirked and pointed at a big rock in front of the building. "I was right there when I had the best view of my life of a beautiful woman swimming naked in that very lake.Now that was a view to remember!" "Hmm," she turned around to face him andced her fingers into his hair to make him lower his head for a kiss, "who knows, if you behave, maybe I will swim naked for you again.Maybe I will even let you join me this time." An internal growl left his chest, and she licked his lips gently, making them part to deepen the kiss.He grasped her tighter in his arms, devouring her greedily as always.He could never get enough of her.No matter how much time they spent together, no matter how "You are here!" they heard a familiar voice and Gideon growled again. This time from the frustration of being interrupted. "Pardon me for the intrusion." "Ash!" Ria smiled at her Gamma and was about to step away from her mate, but he did not let her, only pulling her closely. "This day is full of surprises indeed!" "You said that you had an important conversation with me, and your husband told me that you¡¯ ll be here today, so I decided to grab that chance," Ash smiled. They did not see much of each othertely because he was mainly working with the werewolves, while Riannon was physically mostly in the lycan kingdom, paying visits to her pack when she could. This was one of the reasons why this ce was so important. It would make it easier to be both - a queen and an Alpha. Ash¡¯s eyes grazed over her but he stretched a formal smile quickly. "That¡¯s actually not a bad idea," Riannon nodded at him, trying to struggle against Gideon, who had no intentions of letting her go. Next to Ash he was always getting overly possessive, noticing how thetter was looking at his wife. "So, Lam at your service, Alpha," Ash bowed jokingly and she rolled her eyes. "I will cut straight to the chase," Riannon became serious in an instant. "I need you to take over Brayden¡¯s pack." finally released his mate from his clutches, knowing that it was a strictly business meeting. "But...you are the Alpha of The Silver River pack," Ash mumbled, nervously cing his hands in his pockets. They discussed it a few times, but he always rejected the idea, knowing that if he became the Alpha, then they wouldn¡¯t be seeing each other at all. He knew that she already belonged to another and that he had no chance, but just being next to her was better than not being next to her at all. It was enough. He settled for this. "Most people in Brayden¡¯s pack resent me after our loud divorce and some even me me for his death," the Alpha Queen was honest. "Improving their financial situation helped, but not a lot.I could earn their trust and love if I lived there non-stop, but that¡¯s impossible at the moment." "I can be your substitute," Ash proposed with hope. "No, I need you to be my subject Alpha," Riannon shook her head. "I can¡¯t do it and it¡¯s not worth it now.If not me, the other two obvious choices are you and Harper.And trust me, Ash, no pack will survive with Harper as their leader." He knew that it was the truth and tried to think hectically of a reason to leave things the way they were. But when he felt her touch on his hand, he shivered and looked at her. "Nothing is over yet, Ash," Ria was looking him straight into the everyone is doing their part.No one is safe. Right now, Princess Savannah is nning her wedding in the North kingdom with the man she doesn¡¯t even like, sacrificing herself for a bigger cause. We have to do some adjustments too. It¡¯s not only about the pack. It¡¯s bigger than that. Zack and his allies left the Union officially and we couldn¡¯t do anything about it.We had no proof other than Savvy¡¯s words of their betrayal.They didn¡¯t turn up to the battle and now they say that it was Savvy¡¯s fault.They also say that Zack is dead and imply that we killed him.But we all know that it¡¯s not the truth and the bastard is alive somewhere and just hiding.But now, because of all that, the members of the Union are unsettled.And Ash, I need an extra vote at the next Alpha Summit.You can be that vote if you be an Alpha.We all really need you to do this.I need you." Ash was aware that being an Alpha of this pack would be challenging. Yes, they knew him all his life, but some of them were angry at him too for choosing Riannon over Brayden. And if Harper had to be an Alpha...well, it would be a disaster. She was not cut out for this.She changed a bit after she was abducted by Castiel and spent a few days in his dungeons. But the worst part for her was that they had all forgotten about her. It seemed to be a wake-up call for Harper, who always considered herself the centre of attention. She decided to try and be useful in the pack now that her brother was dead. But...she wasn¡¯t good at anything. Riannon was right as always. It had to be him game was lost before it started. "I do it,"he gave her a curt nod. "As you know it¡¯s not going to be easy," Queen went straight to business as she always did. "Beware of the current Beta, make him a Gamma and take someone trustworthy as your second in command.We suspect that the Beta made the order to blow up my packhouse.Or at least was connected to the foxes.But there is no proof.The man who was caught on the day killed himself, but before that, he confessed to who he was taking orders from.And it was Jacob." "Why don¡¯t we just kill him then?" Ash arched his brow. "One confession during torture doesn¡¯t mean anything," this time Gideon joined their conversation. "We couldn¡¯t confirm this information. But it is a possibility, and you should be aware of this." "I see," the werewolf tensed. Was he even ready for this if he had to do this alone? "Ash, we will support you at all times," Riannon said as if she read his mind. She always did that. Always guessed the exact thing he was thinking about. "Did you already choose your new Gamma?" he decided to change the subject. He didn¡¯t want the lycan king to see his desperation and longing for his wife.It wasn¡¯t appropriate. "Yes," the queen smiled, "I chose one of the red girls that decided to stay with me and proved their loyalty." by his side at Castiel¡¯s house. "No," Ria shook her head. "Bridgit decided to go back home to her family and give them another chance.She hopes to find her mate and feels that it might be a bear." "Good for her," Ash nodded curtly. "I have to go now.If we are going to do this, I need to prepare some things before the announcements." "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay for dinner?" the queen asked, and Gideon growled possessively behind her back. "Nah, I need to go.Maybe another time." "All right," she smiled and squeezed his hand in a friendly manner.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. "See you, Alpha Jones," the lycan king said, wrapping his hand around his wife¡¯s waist and leading her away from him. Ash saw Maya and Reid walking out of the house and Riannon giggled happily, running towards them. She forgot about him already, only looking at her husband to see if he was keeping up with her. And this was the moment when Ash knew that he had to move on too...He couldn¡¯t go on like that. "Maya! Reid! You are here as well!" Ria rushed to their friends and stretched her hands towards baby Danielle. "She is getting bigger and bigger! Come to your godmother, my sweet Dany!" "There you go!" Maya handed her the baby and then brushed her, always reminding her of the one who killed her brother. But when she looked into Danielle¡¯s eyes, she saw Dean and felt relief. Her belly was already big, and their second child was going to be born in just a few months. Reid was so happy when she told him. They were walking to the house and watching their friends happy with their kid. "If you are ready for this, then so am I," Gideon winked at her, taking her hand in his. "We talked about this," she sighed, "it¡¯s too risky now.First, we need to weed out all the traitors and win that war once and for all." "I know," he chuckled, "but don¡¯t me a man for trying." "AS soon as we are ready, I will give you as many pups as you like, " Riannon grinned at him. "Boys, girls, strong, beautiful and smart like them..." "Mummy," he interjected before she had a chance to say anything. "No, worries, Ria, you only motivate me to deal with our enemies faster.So that I could have you all to myself." "I want this too," she stopped, and he pulled her into a warm hug, kissing the tip of her head. "I don¡¯t like how they turned everything upside down with Zack¡¯s absence.They say that we had something to do with it.And something tells me that when we find Zack, we find the culprit as well.The one who wasmanding the rival army during thest battle." she nodded. "We''ll get them all, Ria.I swear to you." "I am worried for Bridgit as well," she confessed all of a sudden. "when she left, we were in contact.But she doesn¡¯t reply to my messages anymore.I don¡¯t know where she is and if she is okay." "That one is harder" her mate brushed circles with his hand over her back to try and reassure her. "Bridgit is a werebear and none of them is currently on our side." "I know," Riannon agreed, "but I can¡¯t help but worry." "We will figure something out," he assured her and pulled her hand so that she followed him into their new home. "One day all our friends and family will meet here, and we will have a feast." "Sounds promising," she let out a littleugh when he lifted her in his arms right before the doors. "That is a promise," the lycan king chuckled. "Everyone who is dear to us will be here.Savvy too.I will even tolerate her future husband." "Just behave at their wedding," Riannon snorted, knowing that this subject was still painful for her mate. He missed his little sister a lot, even despite her calling him almost every day. "l am sure that we will get the invitation really soon." "I am surprised it¡¯s not here already," Gideon rolled his eyes. "He wanted to marry her for so long." "You wanted to marry me too, but it still took us some time to prepare for the wedding and the coronation." Remembered very well how they were only allowed a little private ceremony with their friends and family before the big coronation and a huge reception, where they were talking and shaking hands for most of the day. But Gideon knew that he would never forget how beautiful his bride looked back then in her elegant sparkling champagne dress. How her eyes sparkled and how the wind was blowing strands of her hair. He would never forget what he told her before the priestess of the Moon Goddess on that day, when they were standing in the inner garden of his pce, holding hands and surrounded only by their beloved, who were their witnesses. *** "Riannon, I swear to love you and to protect you with my life as the most precious thing that was given to me by the higher beings.But I also swear to treat you as my equal, never less.Because The Moon Goddess knows it, you deserve this and so much more.You are my heartbeat, you are every breath I take, you are the blood in my veins and the essence of my existence.And I can¡¯t imagine my life now without you.I tried it and I am never getting back to that.Today I take you as my wife, my Luna, my Queen and my equal partner, ready to spend all my life with you.Will you ept me?" "Yes," she smiled with tears glistening in her eyes. "Gideon, I swear to love you and stay with you until the day I die.And possibly even after that." She gave him a little smile at these words, and he everything that you do.I have never loved anyone the way / love you and no one ever gave me what you give to me every day.Now I know that this is how it should be.I promise you my love, my devotion, my loyalty, my respect.I promise to hold your hand even if the whole world is against us.I love you so much...and I take you as my husband, my King, my equal partner and the love of my life.Will you ept me?" "Yes," he nodded and even before the priestess could announce it, he pulled her into his arms and covered her lips with his. *** They explored the new house together, paying special attention to the training grounds, where Gideon nned to train his wife. Her abilities were still not known to them. She was getting faster and stronger every day and could match any lycan that he knew. Even himself. But something was telling him that this wasn¡¯t the limit. Riannon knew that too. Too often Onyx was disappearing again, and she was aware that her wolf was spending time with none other than the Moon Goddess herself. When she was asking her about what was going on there, Onyx was giving her the most vague answers, saying that she would tell her everything when the time came. However, her dreams were getting more and more realistic. Disturbing even. For in her dreams she saw a battle. A battle that hadn¡¯t happened yet...loved every room that she nned personally with their architect. But she appreciated the bedroom the most. Riannon was exhausted but she never wanted it to stop. Gideon was trailing his tongue over her inner thigh again, which made his intentions about what he was about to do next very clear. He wanted more. More of her, more of their life as husband and wife, as king and queen, more of the happiness that they felt when they were together. Ria felt how her strength was replenished with every kiss he left on her body, every touch, every tease. They were two halves of the same whole and, as mates, they were giving each other strength. Sheced her fingers into his hair to give him a push in the right direction when a sudden urge to empty her stomach overwhelmed everything else that she felt. "Wait!" she muttered and pushed her confused husband away to run to the bathroom. "Ria, what¡¯s wrong?" he was worried now, and he was even more worried when he heard her throwing up. His phone ranged and he recognised Savvy¡¯s personal ringtone. "I am fine!" Riannon let out an apologetic sound and stood up to clean herself.She had no idea what had just happened.She had a stomach of steel and never... A sudden thought urred to her, and she started to try and remember when was thest time she had her period. She was so her hand instinctively rubbing her belly. "He did what to my sister?!" Gideon growled loudly and Riannon sighed. Apparently, nothing was going ording to their ns... The Novel will be updated first on this website. 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