She walked away from fate. Now fate refuses to let her go. “I’m not doing the ceremony, Tristan. I’m not accepting this bond.” He went still. Voice cold, almost hollow. “You’re the only person I’d burn the fucking world for—and you’re still running.” — Eleanor never believed in fated mates. How could she? Not after her father left her mother and abandoned them—even though they were bound by the mate bond. Not after her first love, Tristan, shattered her heart and married someone else. Not even when her own mate left her and their daughter to chase his “true bond.” Now a single mother hardened by betrayal, Eleanor returns to the Nightshade Pack to rebuild her life—but finds that Tristan is now Alpha… and her fated mate. Tristan has his own scars. The guilt of losing his wife. The pain of pushing Eleanor away. The weight of duty that never stops pressing on his shoulders. He doesn’t trust the bond either. But the pull between them is fierce, primal, impossible to ignore. Eleanor wants a choice. Tristan wants redemption. Fate wants blood, sweat, and surrender. And when old wounds reopen and past secrets rise, they’ll have to decide: accept the bond—or let it consume them.
View MoreELEANOR
Eight Years Ago… The music pulsed through the clearing, matching the beat of my heart. Laughter and clinking glasses echoed as pack members swayed and danced beneath the moonlit sky. The Moonrise Festival buzzed with excitement, marking the coming of age for young wolves—especially the Alpha’s son. The scent of roasting meat lingered in the cool air. For most, it was a night of possibility. For me, I was losing my shit. I stood at the edge of the clearing, gripping my untouched cup of punch, my eyes searching the crowd until they landed on Tristan. He stood by the bonfire, his broad shoulders bathed in flickering light. Tristan. My brother’s best friend. My first love. And the Alpha's son. Out of my league? I suppose, but I always aim for the best. His smirk made my pulse race. Effortlessly magnetic, he was the most attractive male in nearly every pack in the region, leaving she-wolves swooning. Oh, unnecessary competition. Great. “You’re staring again,” came a teasing voice beside me. I turned to find Maurice, my older brother, smirking at me. I did not need this right now. “I’m not,” I said quickly, though the heat on my neck betrayed me. “You’ve been crushing on him for years, Elle. When are you going to do something about it?” Maurice grinned. “It’s getting embarrassing.” I glared at him. “Stop it.” My fingers fidgeted with the cup in my hands. “It’s not that simple.” “It is. Tell him how you feel. Worst case, he’s an idiot. Best case? He feels the same.” I shook my head. “You don’t get it. I think... I think he’s my fated mate.” Maurice raised an eyebrow. “Aiming for Luna? Pretty bold, but you don’t know that for sure.” “No, I'm not, and I won’t know until I turn 18, dumbass,” I muttered. “But I feel it. It’s like my soul already knows.” He sighed. “Look Elle, don't hope for something that hasn’t happened yet. Just talk to him. You won't know otherwise.” He clapped my shoulder and left me with my thoughts. Maybe Maurice is right. What if he isn't my mate after all? So much for Big Brother's advice. Fuck! I took a deep breath, pushing past my fears—especially Maurice’s doubts. Smoothing my dress, I stepped toward Tristan. “Hey, Elle!” he greeted, his smile like a secret just for us. My stomach flipped. He was everything I wanted, and the thought of him being my fated mate was a hope I’d held onto despite my doubts. As I almost reached him, the air felt charged, heavy with the scent of pine and the faint hum of moonlight magic that always marked these types of gatherings. “Hey,” I managed,the word catching in my throat. Before I could speak, a girl appeared beside Tristan, all giggles and coy smiles. She slipped her arms around his waist, leaning into him in a way that made my stomach twist. What the hell? “Tristan,” she said softly, tilting her head to look up at him. I froze, the words I’d rehearsed vanishing as I watched him turn to her, his expression softening. Then it happened. He murmured something I couldn’t hear, and she laughed, taking his hand and leading him into the shadows. My heart shattered as they disappeared, but I couldn’t stop myself from following. The shadows only partially obscured them, and what I saw made my blood boil. Tristan had his hands all over her, his fingers tracing patterns on her body. They were lost in their own little world, oblivious to the chaos they created in me. I couldn't take my eyes off of them. There was something about the way he touched her, with a hunger and intensity that I had never seen before. I could feel the heat radiating off of their bodies, even from where I was standing. Tristan's touch seemed to ignite a fire within her. Her eyes fluttered closed as he slipped his fingers inside her. She cried out in pleasure, her moans raw and needy. I watched as Tristan's lips found hers. Their kiss was deep and possessive, their bodies moving together in a primal dance I couldn't ignore. No. Every part of me ached, and I stumbled, snapping a twig. It caught their attention, but I turned and ran, driven by my inner wolf. The wind stung, and tears threatened, but I held them back. Tristan—the guy I’d loved forever—was in someone else’s arms. Deeper in the forest, the party's noise faded, leaving only the storm inside me. He wasn't mine. He never had been. I sank to the ground, the tears finally falling as my fists clenched into the soft earth. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting a mocking silver glow on the world. Fuck. This. For years, I let the Mate Bond control my heart and dreams. Not anymore. I'd choose my own path and love on my own terms, free from anything that held me back—Tristan, the Bond, all of it. This was my life, and I was done letting anyone or anything take that away from me. Just as the pain began to dull, someone called out to me. "Eleanor?" I turned to see Cedric standing a few feet away, a concerned look on his face. His sandy blond hair ruffled in the soft breeze, and his green eyes held an intensity that I hadn’t seen before. "Are you alright?" he asked, stepping closer. I wiped the tears from my cheeks quickly, forcing a smile. The hurt was still there, but I couldn't bear to face it any longer. I couldn’t stand the thought of being trapped in this world that held nothing for me but disappointment. "I’m fine," I said, my voice trembling slightly. But Cedric could see through my mask. He always had. As he stepped closer, his expression softened. "Eleanor, I know I’ve asked you before, and I know you’ve turned me down every time, but… I’m not giving up on you." I swallowed hard, the image of Tristan with another woman still fresh in my mind. I wasn’t the one he wanted. And right now, I couldn’t live with that truth. Without thinking, I whispered, "Yes. I’ll marry you, Cedric." His eyes widened in surprise and relief. He squeezed my hand. "You won’t regret it, Eleanor. I promise." A numbness washed over me. Maybe this wasn’t the solution, but it felt like my only escape. Running away with Cedric, away from Tristan, my family, and the Mate Bond. Maybe this was how I could break free. I looked at Cedric, my mind already racing. "I need to write a note," I said. "Just a quick one." Cedric nodded. "Take your time. I'll wait here." I rushed home, grabbed a few things, and scribbled a note to my Mother and Maurice, telling them not to worry. I left it on the table, a final goodbye. Taking a deep breath, I returned to Cedric, who was still waiting for me. As we walked out of the forest that night, I felt, for the first time in a long while, in control.TRISTANI didn’t go to combat training.Didn’t even leave the damn office.Instead, I sat in the dark, the only light coming from the fire in the corner and the bottle of whiskey I’d stolen from my father’s stash.She left. She fucking left.My fingers clutched the neck of the bottle tighter as the memory slammed into me again. The way her voice broke. The way her eyes couldn’t even look at me when she said it.I’m freeing myself.She used those words like they meant something noble. Like I was some prison and she was setting herself free. But I wasn't the cage. I was the one trying to keep her from burning the damn world down around her.I drank again, the burn biting down my throat like punishment.The door creaked open. I didn’t look.“You planning on drinking yourself to death or are you just getting a head start on tomorrow's regrets?”Maurice.I exhaled and leaned back in the chair, letting the fire warm one half of my face while the rest stayed cold.He shut the door and walked
ELEANOR “Wait—Elle, just stop for a second. Please.”Tristan’s voice echoed behind me, low and urgent, but I didn’t stop. I kept walking, fast and angry, my boots hitting the stone floor like war drums. I shoved past a guard and stormed down the corridor, heart pounding, fists clenched.“Eleanor!”I spun on him so fast he almost ran into me. My voice came out shaking. “Don’t! Don’t tell me to stop! Don’t ask me to calm down! I heard everything, Tristan!”His eyes flicked toward the council chamber behind him, a flicker of guilt crossing his face before he buried it. “You shouldn’t have been there—”“But I was. I heard every word. You’re going through with the ceremony.”He ran a hand through his hair, jaw tight. “It’s not what you think.”“Really?” I snapped. “Because it sounded a lot like you agreeing to let the Council pick your Luna like it’s a godsdamned auction.”“I didn’t agree to be paraded,” he said sharply. “I agreed to a solution. One the Council practically shoved down my
TRISTANGods, not this again.The summons came at dawn—delivered with the kind of urgency only the Council could wield like a damn blade. A slip of parchment. A wax seal. One word scrawled in dark ink.Now.I stared at it for a full minute before I crumpled it in my hand.The past few days had already bled me dry.Cedric’s public challenge. The attack on Kate. Damian’s murder—his goddamn tongue in his hand like a message written in flesh. And Eleanor? She’d been avoiding me like I was the one with blood on my hands.I wasn’t in the mood for politics. I wasn’t in the mood for anything but sleep and maybe ten minutes where the world didn’t feel like it was folding in on itself.But they were calling. And when the Council called, I had to answer. Whether I liked it or not.I shoved the door open harder than necessary and stepped into the chamber.The room was circular, high-ceilinged, and thick with the scent of old parchment and damp stone. Torches lined the walls, flickering like they
TRISTANFucking perfect.Of course they’d kill him before I got what I needed.The dungeon reeked of iron and rot—sharper today, like something curdled in the air. I moved through the corridor with boots echoing against stone, fists clenched so tight I felt my nails bite skin.He was supposed to talk. Not die.By the time I reached his cell, I already knew. From the silence. From the way Callen wouldn’t meet my eyes when he handed me the ring of keys.But seeing it still felt like a blade to the gut.Damian was slumped forward in the chains, head hanging at an unnatural angle. His throat had been slit deep and clean. His tongue—his fucking tongue—was gouged out and dropped into his open palm like a warning.The blood had dried in layers beneath him, pooling thickly around his boots.“You son of a bitch,” I muttered. Not to the killer. To him.I stepped in, jaw tight, heat thundering behind my eyes.“You couldn’t hold out just one more day?” My voice cracked. “Couldn’t die after you ga
ELEANOR“He said something strange… said I should ask you.”It’s been two days since Tristan told me that. Two days since the man in chains spat blood and riddles, like he wasn’t already standing on the edge of death.Maybe it’s been hiding in my mind all along.I hadn’t slept properly since. The words echoed through every silence, clawing at the back of my mind when I closed my eyes. What did he mean? And what was hiding in me? Now, I stood by the dungeon stairs with laces half-tied and a chest full of smoke. I couldn’t sit still anymore. Couldn’t keep circling the edge of something this dangerous. Because if the monster behind Cedric had a name, and that name had ever lived inside me, then this blood was already on my hands.And I wouldn’t let another person fall because I kept my silence.Tristan was waiting in the corridor—arms folded, jaw tense, like stone carved in fury. He didn’t say anything as I passed. Didn’t try to stop me. He knew better.The cold hit first as we descende
ELEANOR"I'm scared, Mom."The words slipped out before I could catch them. She looked up from the hearth where the fire hissed and flickered, her eyes reflecting the glow. “Scared of what, sweetheart?”“Everything.” I sank into the chair across from her, clutching the edge of the blanket around my shoulders. “After what happened to Kate, I can’t stop thinking. What if I hadn’t gotten there in time? What if next time, I’m too late?”She didn't flinch. Just reached over and held my hand.“You saved her.”“Barely.” My voice wavered. “I’m supposed to be stronger than this. More focused. But I feel like I’m unraveling. And every time I look at Tristan...”She waited, quiet and patient like always.“It’s like I forget we’re at war. He makes me feel… safe. And that scares me. Because I think it’s making me careless.”“You think this love makes you weak?”I shook my head, slowly. “No. I just think it makes me vulnerable. And that’s not the same thing, but… it feels just as dangerous.”She
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