LOGINREID"Let’s go hunting," I said, my voice sounding rough against the wind.Connor, who was walking side by side with me along the perimeter wall, slowed his pace. He looked at the forest and then back at me, his expression hesitant. "What about our men, Alpha?" "What about them?" "Luna Rayne asked me to tighten border security. She was worried about an opening near the ravine, asked me to give orders to our men—"The name hit me like a punch to the gut. "Rayne?"I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to him. "Rayne asked you? Why would my sex slave give orders to my Head Warrior?" Connor's brows furrowed, a flicker of defiance crossing his face. "Your mate, Rayne," he corrected me, keeping his voice steady. "With all due respect, Alpha, she’s the one who held us together while you were down."Rage filled my chest, choking the air right out of my lungs. I stepped into his space, my Alpha aura flaring. "I don’t have a mate," I seethed, my voice dropping to a predatory growl. "And
RAYNE"Rayne! Thank Goddess, you're okay!" Carla sobbed as she rushed toward me. Before I could say a word, her warm hands cupped my face. "I thought I’d never see you again. I thought the fire had taken you both.""Me? You're worried about me?" I breathed, my own hands shaking as I gripped her wrists. "Carla, we thought something had happened to you. We looked everywhere. Where have you been?""I went into hiding, down by the old fishing cabin," she explained, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "I thought surely the rogues would find me there. I could hear them howling in the night, but they never found me. It can only be the Goddess."I pulled her into a tight hug, the scent of lavender clinging to her clothes, a grounding reminder of the life we used to have. "And Elder Vance?" I asked, pulling back slightly. "Were you guys together this whole time?""No. We found him unconscious in a cave near the mountains," Carla said, her voice dropping to a whisper of disbel
RAYNEI stood in the center of the master suite. The silence of the room pressed against my chest like a physical weight. I didn’t even realize I was crying until the violent sound of the door slamming shut behind Reid echoed through the suite. I didn't even realize I was crying until he was gone. I reached up, my fingers trembling as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. I wouldn't stay on the floor. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of breaking me twice in one day.I walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and stared out at the territory of the Crescent Blood Pack. From this height, the people looked like ants, going about their daily lives. The living arrangements needed to be finalized. I led those people to the bunker. I didn't bring them here just to suffer while their Alpha played power games in our bedroom. Reid had fought Harlyn to give them a home. He almost lost his life to make them feel safe again. Somewhere inside that hollow shell of a man, his good intentions stil
RAYNEI was standing in the center of the town square, the sun warming the back of my neck. Damon stood behind me. Ahead of us, the Crescent Blood pack members were gathered. Their faces were contorted with suppressed rage and confusion.I had just opened my mouth to announce the evacuation of the townhouses, to solidify my place as the luna who would lead this pack into a new era, when an omega broke through the crowd.He was pale, his eyes darting between me and Damon. He didn't bow. He didn't even offer a "Luna." He simply leaned in close, his breath fanning my cheek. "The Alpha is awake," he whispered. My heart did a painful skip. Then, relief crashed over me so hard I almost thought I felt Mia again, but the silence was still loud. "Is he okay? Did he look okay?"The omega swallowed hard, glancing at the warriors nearby. "He’s... he’s himself, but he’s not." "What does that mean?" I questioned in confusion. "He told me to inform the council that he has no mate."Suddenly,
RAYNEThe water was scalding, turning my skin red, but I couldn't feel the heat. I could only feel the emptiness. I stood in the shower of the guest suite, my forehead pressed against the cold tiles, crying my eyes out. I got so used to feeling Mia’s presence, a soft nuzzle in the back of my mind. The phantom wag of her tail. A surge of wolfish pride telling me to stand up for myself. Now, there was nothing. She left me alone in my own body.A heavy knock sounded on the bedroom door."Rayne? Are you alive in there? We’ve got a situation."Aaron. I reached out and shut the tap. I dried off with trembling hands and pulled on the only clean clothes I could find.The black tactical leggings and matching crop top perfectly hugged my body. I zipped the top all the way to my chin. I needed to hide the purple bruises Reid’s fingers had left on my throat. I brushed through my damp hair, leaving it down, and opened the door.Aaron was leaning against the dresser, looking like he hadn't sle
RAYNE"What is that horrible smell?" I asked Aaron, scrunching up my nose at the scent of musk, and old blood burning my nostrils. The air here was definitely different."Harlyn," Aaron blankly answered. "He probably pissed everywhere, hugged all the trees, to mark his territory," he smirked. The survivors of the Blood Moon Pack were silent behind us. As we reached the gigantic Alpha mansion, the warriors came to a halt. "Wait here," Aaron commanded, his voice tight. "No one enters until the perimeter is secure."I shared a nervous look with Aaron as we stepped over the threshold together.Inside, maids in stiff uniforms stood pressed against the walls, their eyes glued to the floor, their hands trembling with fear. Above us, the floorboards were rattling with an uncontrolled Alpha power that radiated from the master suite."His wolf must have gone feral by now," Aaron told me, his hand hovering over the hilt of his blade. "The poison isn't just killing him; it’s stripping away hi







