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2026-05-07 02:29:20
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HIS SUBSTITUTE MATE’S REVENGE 36
“Absolutely, Alpha,” Selene responded, her voice a purring melody as she extended a crystal flute filled with what appeared to be vintage reserve. “Drink this. It will settle the tremors in your blood.”Without a second of suspicion, Ryder Clifford took the glass, draining the liquid in a single, desperate swallow.The betrayal was instantaneous. The untraceable silver-nitrate toxin Kyla had siphoned from the Crowne vaults hit his system like a physical blow. Ryder’s claws began to unsheathe involuntarily, his eyes flashing a panicked, sickly yellow before he collapsed, his body racking with the agony of a forced, partial shift that would never complete.“Dispose of this filth,” Selene commanded, her face as cold as the ice at the Spire.Her shadow-enforcers moved in, dragging the cooling corpse of the mercenary into the darkness, scrubbed of every scent and trace. Selene took a moment to adjust her black lace collar, then glided toward the command center of the Crowne Dominion Tower.
HIS SUBSTITUTE MATE’S REVENGE 35
"Is that all you have to say to me, Alpha?" Selene’s voice was a frail wisp of silk, echoing through the sterile white of the medical wing in the Crowne Dominion Tower.I stood by the window of the recovery ward, my back to her. The scent of antiseptic was drowning out the lingering musk of the pack. Behind me, I heard the soft click of the door. Tristan didn’t even acknowledge me; his eyes were fixed on Selene."You’re finally here, Tristan," she whimpered. Her eyes were red-rimmed, brimming with tears as she looked up from the pillows. "I thought... I thought you had forgotten our bond after the chaos at the Ice Spire."Tristan didn’t move. He stood at the foot of her bed, his silhouette a jagged mountain of shadow against the harsh fluorescent lights. His aura was cold—not the burning heat of an Alpha’s passion, but the frozen stillness of a winter grave."I’m in so much pain," Selene whispered, her fingers trembling as she reached for his hand. "Did you really have a shift-episode
HIS SUBSTITUTE MATE’S REVENGE 34
A flicker of resentment burned in Selene’s eyes, her gaze tracing the line of my throat where the Ashford crest should have been.Inwardly, I scoffed. I could feel the cameras and the prying eyes of the Council Alphas, their whispers like a swarm of insects."Alpha Crowne and his Luna, what a formidable pair they make!" one Elder remarked, his voice booming through the Ice Spire."Luna Lyra, you look marvelous today. That deep red is a perfect match for the Crowne bloodline," a High Alpha’s mate added, her smile as sharp as a claw."The devotion between them is truly something to behold," another whispered, watching how Tristan refused to let go of my arm.While I heard the flattery, it left my heart untouched. I was desperate for any reason to escape this overwhelming atmosphere of lies and sulfur."I need to use the restroom," I said coldly, avoiding the heat in Tristan’s amber eyes.Tristan caught my wrist, a dark, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. "Let me accompany you. The neu
HIS SUBSTITUTE MATE’S REVENGE 33
"If you’re so eager to play the martyr, Jim, don’t let me stop you," I remarked, leaning against the doorframe of the Cheshire estate. My voice felt like jagged glass, but I refused to let the tremor show. I watched Jim brush past Tristan—who stood like a silent, brooding statue in the center of the foyer—and head straight for the master suite.Jim didn’t wait for a formal invitation. He rapped his knuckles against the heavy oak of my bedroom door, the sound sharp in the oppressive quiet of the hallway."Enter," I croaked. My throat was raw from the dry air of the manor, or perhaps from the words I’d been forced to swallow for months.As Jim pushed the door open, he found me perched on the edge of the velvet duvet. I knew I looked like a ghost—pale skin, dark circles, a hollowed-out version of the Ashford heir I used to be."What went wrong at the North Gate?" Jim’s voice was hushed, thick with a physician’s concern and a wolf’s intuition. "Damien was in position. Why did you pull the
HIS SUBSTITUTE MATE’S REVENGE 32
"I am done speaking to you, Alpha," I spat, the words tasting like copper. I turned my back on Tristan’s smoldering gaze, the heavy mahogany doors of the dining hall vibrating as I slammed them shut. My pulse was a frantic drum against my ribs as I retreated to my chambers, the heavy iron lock clicking into place like a final heartbeat.I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the window, staring out at the rolling hills of the Cheshire Territory. It was a sprawling graveyard for my family’s legacy. Every inch of this estate belonged to the Crowne Dominion, and I was just another piece of stolen property. Kyla’s—no, Selene’s—whispers from the hallway still rang in my ears, mocking my desperate hope for a way out."This entire pack is a cage, and I’m the prize canary," I whispered, my breath fogging the pane. I felt the weight of the Ashford name dragging me down into the dirt. If I stayed, Tristan would break me; if I ran, his Enforcers would hunt me like a rogue.I pulled the g
HIS SUBSTITUTE MATE’S REVENGE 31
"I'm just watching over your health, Lyra. You skipped the midday ration, and I thought I’d check your vitals," Selene said, her voice a sickly sweet mask. She adjusted her silk sleeve, revealing more of those jagged marks on her skin. "Regina suggested that when the bond-strain makes the stomach turn, those feeling unwell might prefer spicier, more acidic game meats to stimulate the predator’s appetite, given how bland the house staff has been lately."Tristan’s amber eyes flared, a low vibration of Alpha command rippling through the air. He turned his gaze to me, his voice a gavel hitting stone. "Go to the hall and eat. Now."He reached out, his large hand closing around my upper arm to guide me toward the stairs.I ripped my arm back, the movement sharp enough to startle a guard. "I’m not going anywhere with you."Tristan’s temper snapped. The air in the hallway grew heavy, the pressure of his aura making it hard to breathe. Without a word, he stepped into my space, hooked an arm b
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