Chapter 4

The next evening, I dissolved a sleeping herb in Aiken's water flask.

Once he'd drunk it and passed out, I took him to the altar.

It was almost dark, and the silver moon hadn't risen yet. The empty altar felt eerie.

Faye had already drawn a crimson circle on the ground for the mark-stripping ritual.

She reached out and touched my face.

"You must be in a great deal of pain to want this. The Moon Goddess will forgive you."

My eyes stung, and I forced myself to swallow.

I laid Aiken flat in the center of the altar and unbuttoned his collar.

Beneath his collarbone was a mate mark exactly like mine. It had once been our closest connection.

I lay down beside him, took the hand I knew better than my own, and stared blankly at the sky.

One by one, the threads of the bond began to pull free from beneath my skin.

It felt as if a claw had pierced the skin around the mark, numbing half my body.

I clenched my teeth as cold sweat beaded on my forehead.

That was when Jessa came running onto the altar.

"What are you doing? Forcing a mating? That's pathetic." She crouched down and wrapped a hand around my throat. "Too bad. Aiken held me last night and told me he really wants me as his Luna."

I kept my teeth clenched, and a vein bulged at my temple.

Faye's voice sounded close to my ear. "Mira! Don't listen to a word of it! Hold on!"

When Jessa saw that she couldn't shake me, she turned to Aiken instead, still unconscious on the stone.

She bent down to kiss the mate mark beneath his collarbone.

"If you won't give him up, then I'll cover your mark with my scent!"

"Don't you dare!"

Jessa gave me a challenging smile, then lunged at my side with her claws.

I started to move, but Faye shouted, "Don't move!"

I stayed where I was and took it. The skin over my stomach split open, and blood welled up.

I rolled over, forced myself up with the last of my strength, and grabbed Jessa by the throat!

The pain from the interrupted stripping ritual made my vision go black. I brought up a mouthful of blood, sweet and metallic. But I didn't let go.

Keeping my grip on her throat, I slammed her onto the stone altar.

Jessa's eyes widened, and her face turned dark red.

Faye was still shouting. "Whatever you do, don't let go! If you do, you'll die here!"

I took Aiken's hand and interlaced my fingers with his, holding on tighter than ever before.

This is the last time, Aiken.

Nothing about you is ever going to hurt me again.

After a long while, my vision cleared.

Faye was shouting my name. When she saw my eyes open, she finally let out a breath.

I raised a shaking hand to the spot on my chest where I'd carried the mark for years. It was gone. All that remained was a web-like scar.

Jessa lay on the ground and stared at me like I was an idiot.

"You actually stripped away the mate mark you shared with the Alpha? Has any woman ever been this stupid?"

I pushed myself upright with the last of my strength, pulled the star pendant from my collar, and threw it down in front of her.

"Only trash like you would cling to a useless man like him."

"It's yours now. So is he."

Getting the mark off had nearly killed me, but I didn't regret it.

Alice fed me my medicine, her eyes red as she cursed Jessa and Aiken.

I wiped away her tears, and the weight in my chest began to ease. A sense of quiet settled in its place.

That evening the door opened.

Aiken came in carrying a clay bowl of freshly roasted meat.

He didn't know I'd already washed the mark off. He smiled as if he wanted to make peace.

"Mira, I took down a deer for you. The kind you like."

I rolled over and turned my back to him.

He set the bowl down by my bed and softened his voice. "Stop being angry. I should have talked to you about the bear claws first. But I have to give Jessa something. Without some kind of symbol, there's no way to stop the gossip."

I still didn't say anything.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" His tone finally turned impatient. "I've tried to make peace with you more than once. You're the future Luna. Show some grace."

I clenched my fist and fought the urge to punch him in the face.

He reached for me, and his hand landed directly on the wound Jessa's claws had torn open.

My whole body flinched.

"What's wrong?" He stopped, then lifted the blanket to look. "You're hurt? When did this happen? What's going on? You've been avoiding me for days, and now this..."

"Mira!"

My cousin Oliver was in the doorway with a brand-new brace in his hand.

He took one look at Aiken beside the bed and made no effort to hide his disapproval. "Mira is healing. What are you doing in here?"

Aiken stood, his face tight. "Oliver, I'm here to see my fated mate. Is that really any of your business?"

Oliver snorted and put the brace on the table.

"Mira, stay off the training ground for a couple of days. Let that heal first."

When the door shut, Aiken stood there for a moment, then turned to me. "You're not well. Why are you going back to training?"

I didn't answer him. I shut my eyes.

Then Aiken noticed the pendant was missing and grabbed my collar. "Mira! Where's my pendant?"

Watching him panic struck me as a little funny. "Jessa wanted it, so I gave it to her. Is there a problem?"

"You!" He stared at me in confusion. "What are you trying to do? That's the only thing I have from my past. How could you give it to someone else?"

I pulled my collar from his grip. "Aiken, you're the one who said Jessa isn't just anyone."

He froze. His earlier arrogance vanished, replaced by panic.

He was about to say more when Jacob shouted through the door, "Alpha! Alpha! Jessa collapsed by the river!"

Aiken was already heading for the door.

He reached the door and looked back at me. I met his gaze without expression.

He sighed. "On the night of the full moon, Mira, I swear I'll give you a perfect mating ceremony."

The moment he said it, he shifted and was gone.

I raised an eyebrow and ran my fingers over the brace.

Aiken, I have a gift for you that night, too.