Chapter Two

POV: Sage 

Liora moaned beneath me, her nails digging into my back as I drove into her with relentless force. 

"More," she gasped, arching into me. "Sage…." She called out but I silenced her with a rough kiss, my grip tightening on her hips, bruising her soft skin. I wasn’t making love to her. This wasn’t about connection or tenderness.

It was about control, dominance, and possession.

I grabbed her hair and pulled her up—enough to give me a good balance behind her. 

Her voice rose and I loved the sounds she made. But to prevent further wailings, I took a finger to her lips and made her suck on it. 

She was so good at it too. Her breasts, full and satisfying as I grabbed them. I squeezed and pressed while harassing the nipples with a free finger. 

It was pleasurable for her with the way she kept moaning, arching her entire body to meet mine. It was like I wasn't deep enough, so I plunged deeper. 

I could feel her succulent walls tighten, producing juices as I rocked in and out. My hands traveled from her breasts down to her clit, and finding a perfect spot, the torture started. 

“Oh, don't fucking stop, Sage,” she begged, her entire body responding to every touch.

I needed this. I needed to drown out the night, drown out what had happened, drown out the name still lingering in my mind—Bella.

The mate I had rejected.

The one fate had chosen for me.

The one I refused to accept.

Liora had always been willing, always eager to be the woman in my bed. She knew what I liked, when to yield, when to challenge. She was beautiful, powerful, and strong.

She wasn’t weak.

She wasn’t Bella.

I let out a ragged breath, my muscles tensing as I reached my climax. Liora shuddered beneath him, a satisfied purr slipping past her lips as I collapsed beside her, my body slick with sweat.

************

The room was dimly lit, the golden glow of candles flickering against the walls of my chamber.

I dragged a hand down my face, exhaling deeply as my body finally relaxed.

But my mind didn’t.

My chest was tight, my wolf restless.

My instincts should have settled after claiming someone. Instead, something inside me felt wrong and incomplete.

Liora curled against me, running her fingers lazily over my chest.

"You were rough tonight," she murmured, satisfaction evident in her tone.

 "I like it when you’re like this."

I grunted in response, but I didn’t touch her back.

My mind was somewhere else.

On her. On Bella.

I clenched my jaw, frustrated with myself. Why the hell was she still in my head? I had rejected her. I made the right choice.

She was nothing to me.

"Are you still thinking about her?" Liora asked suddenly, her voice laced with amusement.

I stiffened. "Who?"

Liora smirked. "Bella."

My wolf snarled inside me.

I just rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.

 "She’s gone."

"Are you sure?" Liora propped herself up on one elbow, tracing circles on my chest. "Because she looked at you like she wanted to die."

My throat tightened.

I had seen it. The way Bella’s eyes had burned with hurt, the way her breath had trembled, the way she had fought to keep herself together.

But I forced myself not to care.

I did what was necessary.

She would have only made me weak.

Liora sighed dramatically. "You know, she actually had the nerve to reject you back. What kind of omega does that?" She laughed, shaking her head. "She’s stupid."

I remained silent.

Because it didn't feel stupid.

It felt like a challenge. Like she had slammed a door in my face before I had the chance to do the same to her.

Liora kissed my neck, her lips soft, distracting. "Forget about her. You have me."

I closed his eyes.

Yes. I had Liora to satisfy my cock.

I also have everything I need.

So why did it feel like I had just lost something I would never get back?

My exhaustion finally caught up with me, and before I could overthink it further, I let myself fall asleep. 

I jerked awake with a strangled gasp.

My body felt like it was on fire.

Pain coiled around my limbs, pulling, twisting, tearing. My muscles spasmed violently, my bones cracking as if something inside me was breaking apart.

My vision blurred as I clawed at the dirt beneath me, trying to breathe, but my lungs refused to cooperate.

What was happening to me?

A deep, otherworldly voice whispered through my mind, low and ancient, carrying a weight that pressed into my very soul.

"You will remain a beast, Alpha Sage. Until you learn the meaning of love."

A brutal surge of agony tore through me, and my scream was not human.

I tried to shift back, to force his body to return to its human form, but it was impossible. I was trapped, stuck as a wolf.

The realization slammed into me like a death blow.

This wasn’t just pain.

This was a curse.

And the Moon Goddess was the one who cast it.

my own body had betrayed me, just like I had betrayed his mate.

My vision flickered. Through the blinding haze of agony, I saw shadows approaching.

My wolves. My pack.

Relief shot through me, my warriors would help me. They would figure out what was wrong and fix it.

Then I saw the man leading them.

Malrick.

Something was wrong.

The Beta’s smirk was too controlled, too sharp. His stance wasn’t concerned—it was confident.

I tried to step forward, to command my warriors to stand by their Alpha, but instead of words, only a ragged snarl escaped my throat.

The pack didn’t kneel.

They didn’t rush to help me.

They stood still. Silent. Watching.

And then Malrick took another step forward, smug and calm.

"I had a feeling this day would come," he murmured, crossing his arms. "The mighty Alpha Sage, brought to his knees. How poetic."

I lunged, but his body was weak, sluggish.

Malrick laughed. "Look at you," he sneered. "A rabid beast. A king reduced to nothing. And an Alpha who can’t even shift back into human form?" He gave a slow shake of his head. "Pathetic."

I growled, snapping my jaws, fury searing through me.

This wasn’t right. My warriors, my pack, they should have been standing beside me. But they weren’t. They were waiting. Watching.

And then Malrick spoke the words that shattered everything.

"As of this moment, I declare Alpha Sage unfit to lead. Crescent Creek Pack needs a strong Alpha, not a crippled mutt."

my snarl turned into a full roar, my fur bristling, my instincts screaming at me to fight.

But then the first warrior lowered his head.

Then another.

And another.

Until my entire pack bowed before Malrick.

A sound escaped me, a strangled, broken growl.

This couldn’t be happening.

"No. No, no, no…."

Malrick exhaled in satisfaction. "That’s more like it."

Then his smirk darkened. He turned around and said 

"Now, let’s deal with you."

He raised a hand.

The warriors, my warriors, my own men, stepped forward. Weapons in their hands.

My pulse thundered, rage consuming me.

They weren’t here to help.

They were here to get rid of me.

My own pack was betraying me.

The ones I had bled for, fought for, protected—they were choosing Malrick.

Something inside me shattered.

I tried to fight, to kill, to rip them apart, but my body was failing.

For the first time in my life, I was powerless.

Malrick leaned in, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Run, Alpha. If you can."

The command was clear.

Run. Or die.

My chest heaved. I could take them all down. Even weakened, I could kill them.

But it wouldn’t matter. More would come.

And I wasn’t just fighting for survival now.

I was fighting against the Moon Goddess herself.

Another sharp, gut-wrenching pain shot through my body, forcing me to my knees. my limbs trembled, my breath coming out in short, ragged bursts.

But I had no choice.

With one last murderous snarl, I turned and ran.

I didn’t stop when the first arrow pierced my side.

I didn’t stop when the howls of my former pack rang behind me.

I didn’t stop even when I realized I had lost everything.