For the Good of the Pack

I stood numbly and stared at the thin stream of light coming through the door crack. My heart had just broken into pieces. Had I been wise enough to listen to my survival instincts, I should have run the hell out of that castle or out of this pack's territory. Yet I stayed still, refusing to acknowledge that what I heard was true.

“I'll gladly watch that bitch squirm in pain and die.” Sloan clasped his hands together and laughed.

“Actually, if that's Asena, I'm hoping for a bigger audience,” Kylar said coldly. “I'm planning to do that in the ballroom, in front of everyone.”

Something within me snapped. The pain of betrayal faded, and rage surfaced. My hands fisted into balls as I slowly dragged myself out of my stupor. A wave of heat washed over my senses, and I knew that I was running out of time. As much as I wanted to barge into that room, I was still wise enough to know I couldn't fight them. Grinding my teeth, I turned around and started running, the further from Kylar, the better.

I passed the large window on one side of the corridor and saw the Blood Moon at its peak. Shit. A shudder coursed through my body, and my head began to spin. Sandalwood… I could sense it everywhere. I had never been peculiarly fond of that scent, but now... I craved it.

The lower muscles in my belly clenched, and the heat rose between my thighs. My heart began to pound at a wild rate. My knees weakened, turning every step into a struggle.

“Goddess,” I groaned. “Don't do this to me…”

I had to run. I had to fight this, but it felt as if my body had a mind of its own, and it wanted me to turn around. A hoarse whimper broke free as more heat filled every inch of me.

“Fucking mate bond!” I snarled, dropping to my knees and trying to crawl out of there.

More sandalwood. I could feel the waves of scent coming from the place I had run from. I knew that this scent belonged to Kylar, but I refused to acknowledge it. Why would the Fates have given me someone who didn't care whether I lived or died?!

I tried to dig my nails into the marble floor, dragging my feet forward despite the overwhelming need to look behind me.

“Mate.” Kylar's icy voice spread through the hall. I could hear his footsteps as he approached me. A mocking chuckle escaped him. “You can't escape destiny, Asena.”

I bit my lip, forcing my hands and feet to move, but it was useless. His voice worked like a spell, binding me in place until he walked over and crouched beside me. Then he grabbed my hands and pulled me up to my feet. A trained smile curved his lips as he stroked my cheek.

“Why did you try to run away from your mate?” he asked, his voice almost warm and coaxing.

“You want to kill me,” I strained through my teeth, glaring at him.

He huffed out a laugh and pushed me against the wall, pressing his body against mine. “Believe me, I don't want to kill you. Mates cannot kill each other. The Fates made it this way. I just need to get rid of you.” He stepped back and shrugged while the blood in my veins turned cold.

“How can you even say that?” I gritted out, struggling to move away from him and failing. “I trusted you... I loved—”

“It hurts me too,” he said, his tone drained of emotion. “Plus, I have to admit, you look stunning in that dress.” His eyes dropped to my cleavage, and his lips curved into a lustful smirk. “It makes me want to tear it off of you and fuck you in that hall.”

“You make me sick,” I hissed, ignoring the arousal his words triggered. I hated wanting him right now. I hated being controlled by some ancient power.

“I would have done it too,” he purred as his hand slid down, tracing the curve of my breast through the thin fabric.

“Take your hands off of me,” I snarled.

“Make me.” A dark grin rose. That bastard knew I couldn't push him away. The bond wouldn't let me. Finally, he took his hand away and sighed. “But I will not risk fucking you right now because I'm sure that this damn bond will force me to mark you, and we cannot let that happen, can we now?”

“For fuck's sake,” Sloan growled as he walked over to us, and my whole body tensed. “How long are you going to play with her? Let's just get it over with. I've already sent someone to fetch Silas.”

My eyes widened. “Silas?” I breathed out as panic rose within me. “Why would you need the pack's healer?”

“Well, I am a future Alpha. I need a believable and righteous reason to reject you,” he announced with sickening arrogance.

A cold shudder rushed through me as I watched Sloan approach me, holding some kind of vial in his hand. “What is that?” I whispered hoarsely, stepping away from him and falling straight into Kylar's grasp.

“Something that will weaken you,” my mate said, tightening his grip around me and holding me in place.

Then Sloan lurched forward, violently pushing my head back and shoving something down my throat. I tried to cough it out, but he clamped his hand over my mouth. I struggled, fighting with every ounce of my strength, but I was no match for either of them.

“Stop fighting! You cannot win!” Kylar growled, and something inside me surrendered.

My throat loosened, and I swallowed. As soon as I did, they released me. A few heartbeats passed, and I felt as if someone had set my insides on fire. Crying, I fell to my knees. “What did you do to me?!”

“It's wolfsbane,” Kylar said calmly. “Silas has to announce you're weak. I cannot risk him claiming otherwise.”

My stomach twisted painfully as the poison spread through my veins. I already felt like I was dying, but still, I lifted my head, glaring at my mate and pealing my lips back in a snarl. “You son of a bitch!”

Kylar burst out into icy laughter while Sloan crouched beside me. “Don't worry though,” he said. “The burning effect will stop in a moment.” Then he leaned over my ear and whispered, “Wait for the rejection. That's when your real pain will come.”

***

Twenty minutes later, I was standing in the ballroom on the side of the dais with Sloan behind me, grabbing me whenever I was a heartbeat from collapsing. Wolfsbane messed with my senses, all but paralyzing every inch of me. I couldn't scream. I couldn't speak. All I could do was watch the main actor on the grand stage—Kylar.

The poison in my veins had one positive effect: it lessened the overwhelming power that drew me toward Kylar. The fondness shattered, and what replaced it was raw and bitter hatred. My head began to spin, and I closed my eyes. Suddenly, a picture of the dark-haired man from the lake appeared. I remembered the power that surrounded him. Would he also treat his mate so cruelly if she turned out to be a shadow wolf or wolfless? Wait… Why did I even think about him right now? Snapping out of the daze, I sucked in a breath and opened my eyes, shifting my gaze back to Kylar.

My mate informed everyone that he had found his destined one, but he was afraid that the bond with her—with me—would significantly weaken him, so now he was ready to sacrifice his mate for the good of the pack. Such bullshit. I didn't think I had ever heard a more pathetic excuse to reject a mate. Couldn't anyone see what Kylar was doing?!

I hoped that Alpha Cadoc would realize the truth, but he only sat on his throne, nodding and scratching his long, gray beard. I didn't even know what I was hoping for… a fair judgment? I could see now more than clearly that there was no fairness, not to me. I lived in a place where being weak was a crime, and being a weak woman was worthy of death.

Most of the pack and the guests gathered in front of the podium, expecting entertainment. I kept looking at the crowd, hoping to spot my sister, but I couldn't find her anywhere. I desperately wanted to see her, as if she were all the hope I had, and without her...

“Silas!” Alpha Cadoc called out as the pack's healer approached the dais. “I need you to evaluate whether my son's mate bond is going to weaken him or not.” He jerked his chin at Sloan, and the future Beta dragged me up on the dais.

Alpha glanced at me and then at Silas. “Come up here and tell us if she's too weak to be my son's mate.”

Silas looked at me with his hazel eyes, his wrinkled face twisting in distaste as he looked at Sloan, who had to hold me just so I could stand. “Why is she so pale?” he asked.

“I gave my mate a glass of liquor,” Kylar answered. “I didn't know that the shadow wolves can't tolerate alcohol that well.”

A wave of laughs and snorts spread through the ballroom while I wanted to scream. Didn't anyone see that I was poisoned?!

Silas stepped closer and placed his hand on my forehead. “There… There's something wrong with her,” he said, and Alpha Cadoc growled.

“Just answer the fucking question, healer! Is she or is she not too weak to be my son's mate?!”

Silas swallowed, his brows knitting. “She is weak now, but—”

“You heard him!” Kylar called out to the crowd, pushing Silas away. “Asena will only weaken me as an Alpha!”

A commotion rose within the crowd. “Reject her!” someone called out. “She cannot be our Luna!” someone else shouted.

A cold smirk tugged at Kylar's lips as he gestured at his future Beta to step away. I lost my balance in an instant, collapsing to my knees before my cruel mate. My heart began to hammer, and tears streamed down my cheeks. I knew I was about to die. I looked between me and Kylar and almost saw the golden thread that joined our hearts.

“Asena Jordart, I, Kylar Venelo, reject you as my mate!” Kylar's words echoed through the ballroom.

The golden thread snapped.