I'm in shock.How can this be happening?The Alpha is truly standing in front of me. He's in wolf form, but I can see the compassion in his eyes. I see love. And I realize that I was wrong to doubt him. I was foolish to think that he would turn his back and let me die like this.I'm free, but I'm so stunned that I'm not sure what to do about it. I feel the blood pouring out of my shoulder. I feel the pain in my leg. I'm injured, but I don't want to run away. I want to be alone with the Alpha. I want to be alone with him forever.I love him, and he loves me. I know this for sure as soon as I look in his eyes. I see it in his face, in the set of his shoulders, and in the way he steps forward and puts himself between me and the wolves.I turn away from the pack and the guards, and I turn toward the Alpha.He runs toward me, and then he shifts. I watch him as he shifts from a wolf to a man, and then I am in his arms. I am with the man I love. I feel safe in his arms, and I never want
As soon as I hear the news, my blood runs cold. Nicholas-- my Nicholas-- engaged to some rogue outsider?It is a level of rage I've never experienced."Rachel. Rachel, are you alright?" my friend Jessica asks me. I nod, but it's a lie.If Nicholas really marries this Marla girl, I'm not sure I'll ever be alright again. "I need to go," I mutter, standing up."Rachel-- are you sure you're alright?" Jessica asks me.I ignore her questions. The only thing I can think about is getting to the Alpha."I need to see Nicholas," I say, storming out the door."Are you sure you don't want me to give him a message?" she asks. I know she means well, but I just can't think of anything but him. I'm not ready to talk about what's going on with him yet. I'm too raw. I feel like I'm in pieces-- like I'm a jigsaw puzzle that's been destroyed, and I'm working on putting myself back together."Thanks, Jessica," I say, "but I'll be alright.""Are you sure?" she asks. I nod, not trusting my wo
I never thought I would be so lucky as to marry my true mate. After everything that happened with Lucas, I wasn't even sure I believed in true mates anymore.But now I'm here. With Nicholas. And suddenly, everything in the world is right.All of the things I have suffered-- the heartbreak, the betrayal, the banishment, my kidnapping. All of it was worth it because it led me to him.Nicholas has set me up in a small cabin on the edge of the camp. It is to be my home until our wedding day. And even though it is a simple home, it is ten times more beautiful to me than the most luxurious of mansions could ever be because it is a gift from him.I look out through the back door. The forest makes everything seem idyllic. The leaves are crimson and orange, and the sunlight glitters off of them. There's a small stream to my left, and I can see the water moving as the fish swims by. It is beautiful.I wonder about the rest of the camp. Aside from Nicholas's house and the cave they held me
I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say to that. As the words sink in, the color drains from my face."Okay," I say to her. "Let's say this is true. Let's say I believe you. There's got to be something we can do, right? Some way to change it?""No," she says. "I'm sorry. This is how you were meant to be. There is no changing your future."I have to let that sink in for a second. I don't even know what to say. I look out at the water, and it seems to be mocking me now. I can feel it, and it's not nice. It's trying to tell me that I'm about to be consumed in pain, and that it's all going to be my fault."So, you're saying then that I should tell him to forget about me. I shouldn't marry him.""I'm not saying that," she says. I'm not saying anything. But it would be the only way to save his life."And with that, she is gone.I am left sitting on that bench, staring out into the water. I can hear a single bird chirping in the distance. And I can hear my heart pounding in m
Nicholas is silent for a moment. I can tell he's trying to process what I'm saying, but he can't."I don't understand," he says. "It's not you," I say. "It's me. This is all my fault.""Can you be more specific?" he asks. I don't know what to make of his tone."I'm cursed," I say. "I'm bad luck.""Cursed..." he repeats. "I don't understand. You're not making any sense.""I'm sorry," I say. "I don't either. Not really. There's just some stuff I need you to know. And once I tell you, I'm pretty sure you'll hate me and never want to talk to me again, and I'm not sure I can handle that.""You're scaring me, Marla," Nicholas says. "But whatever you have to say, I'm listening.""I can't marry you," I say. "I wish I could, but I can't. It's not fair to you, and I just can’t do it.""What are you saying?" Nicholas asks. "This isn't making any sense. Why can't you marry me?""I'm cursed," I say. "There's a black star hanging over me, and if you marry me, you'll die!""What are you t
NICHOLAS’S POVI don't understand why she's doing this. I don't understand why she's breaking up with me. I don't understand how she can just let me go so easily.I sit in the living room, alone, with my head in my hands, thinking about the words I said to her and the ones she said to meI know she said she was doing it for me. That it was to keep me safe. But I am the alpha. I don't need her to keep me safe. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. But when she said she loved me, it sounded so real. I could feel it. It was coming from her soul. It was coming from her heart.So why did she have to break up with me? Why did she have to make it so final? If she really loved me, she would have fought for me. She would have agreed to work together to find a plan.I can't just let her go like this. I can't just let her walk away without so much as a fight.I feel dead inside. More dead than I ever have before. And I'm mad. I'm mad at her for breaking up with me. I'm mad at
I can't stop crying as I leave Nicholas's house. I know I had to do it. I had to break things off. I couldn't risk him dying because of me.But still, my heart is broken, and I'm not sure anything will ever be able to put it back together again.I keep thinking about that night on the moon. I keep thinking about the way his eyes looked into mine. I keep thinking about the way he held me and kept me safe. I keep thinking about the way he made me feel.I try to remind myself that I'm doing the right thing. I've been trying to analyze this from all angles, and this is what I've decided is the safest decision for everyone.But it doesn't make it any easier.I decide to take a walk through the woods, the narrow path illuminated by the bright moon overhead. I pass by some of the cabins, and I see a few people sitting out on the porches, probably enjoying the night air and the comforting warmth of a roaring fire.I feel so alone. I should feel myself surrounded by my pack, but I don't f
"Can we sit down?" Jessica asks. "Sure."Uncertain what to make of all of this, I open the door and let Jessica come inside. We take a seat on the couch."Did Nicholas ever mention a girl named Rachel?"I shake my head. I can't fathom what this girl is doing here, but I need her to get to the point. And fast."They've been friends since they were kids. Rachel's always been a little bit in love with him.""Can't blame her for that," I say."Well, she's not just in love with him. She's obsessed with him. So when she found out about you, she was pretty upset.""Look, I hope you don't mind, but it's been a long day, and--""Right, I'll get to the point," Jessica says. "Rachel and I have been friends for a long time, and I care about her, but she can't always think straight when it comes to Nicholas. When she found out about you, she was so distraught I was afraid she might do something drastic."Suddenly, I feel a chill run up my spine. I'm not sure where this is going, but some