Chapter 3

A few minutes later, a message came from Beta Ormond Shaw.

"Wendy, Alpha Rex asked me to tell you he only said those things at the ceremony because he was angry.

"Lilia is still emotionally unstable. He had to sound firm to calm her down.

"Once things settle, Alpha Rex will petition the Council of Elders to recognize you as mates again and hold a new mating ceremony."

My answer was two words.

"Don't bother."

From the moment of the rejection, a severed bond could never be restored.

Rex was no longer my fated mate.

The communication crystal hadn't even finished dimming when hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.

"A new mating ceremony?"

Lilia's shrill voice came through the wooden door.

She had clearly overheard Beta Ormond's last words.

The next moment, the cabin door was shoved open.

Rex walked in with Lilia leaning on his arm.

Lilia's face was twisted into an ugly grimace.

But the moment Rex glanced at her, she dropped her gaze and feigned weakness.

"Lilia had a scare. She insists on sleeping at our place tonight."

Rex paused, seeming to realize that "our place" was no longer the right word.

But he went on anyway.

"Wendy, try to be understanding."

Those words cut into an old wound.

Six months ago, when the cabin had just been finished, my gravely ill mother wanted to see my future home before she died.

Rex had turned her away at the door.

"Pack rules say no outsiders are allowed in a mate's quarters before the marking is complete."

I still remembered the look of disappointment on her face.

Now, the same rule meant nothing when it came to Lilia.

I shouldered my packed bag and headed for the door.

Rex stiffened.

"Where are you going?"

I didn't answer.

Just as my hand touched the door latch, I heard the sound of claws slicing through the air behind me.

Lilia partially shifted and raked one claw across my cheek.

Blood welled up at once, then the wound began to close as my healing took over.

"My brother asked you a question!

"Are you deaf?"

Her breathing was ragged, but there was no trace of the glazed look that came with losing control of one's wolf.

Beta Ormond's mention of a new mating ceremony had clearly pushed her over the edge.

She wasn't afraid.

She simply couldn't stand that Rex still wanted me back.

My silver wolf, already severely weakened from the rejection, opened her eyes in my mindscape with fury and bared her fangs on instinct.

There was no confusion in Lilia's slit pupils. Only undisguised malice.

When I didn't fight back, she lunged again.

This time, her claws raked hard across my temple.

"Get out!

"You're just as much of an eyesore as that dead mother of yours!"

The last thread of restraint in my mind snapped.

My right hand shifted in an instant. I sidestepped her fangs and slashed my claws across her face.

Blood sprayed.

Lilia screamed and crashed to the floor.

The scratches on her face were already healing, but she still covered her face and wailed.

"Rex, it hurts!"

Rex rushed over to help her up.

"Lilia!"

But the black wolf erupted with rage inside his mindscape.

Black fur spread across the back of Rex's hand, and short, sharp claws grew from his fingertips.

His body instinctively turned toward me.

The black wolf was forcing him to protect me.

"She attacked Wendy first!

"Go to our mate!

"Throw the attacker out!"

But Rex forced his black wolf back down.

He couldn't bring himself to look at the blood on my temple. All he could do was shield Lilia behind him.

His breathing grew ragged with guilt.

In the end, it was as though blaming me was the only way he could prove to himself that he'd made the right choice.

"Wendy, have you lost your mind?

"You know her wolf is unstable. How could you hurt her that badly?"

The wound on my temple was healing, but the soul wound from the rejection flared without warning.

My silver wolf curled up in agony.

The world spun.

Before I blacked out, I saw Rex take a step toward me.

The black wolf was forcing him to reach out and catch me.

But Lilia grabbed his sleeve.

And once again, he stopped.