MasukRue's POVAs I stared at Percy, Cole's words had followed me all the way back."Percy?" I called again, trying to wake him up.“No, don't leave” was his response.His body remained rigid as if he were fighting something invisible."Percy? I’m right here."I gently touched his forehead and it was boiling hot."Rue…" His voice was broken. "Please…Don't go…"“I’m right…” I started before suddenly, his eyes snapped open."Rue!"Before I could react, his arms wrapped around me almost desperately. His entire body shook."Rue!"I gasped softly as he buried his face into my neck. His breathing was chaotic and his heartbeat was racing. His arms held me so tightly that it almost hurt.I could feel how terribly afraid he was."Percy…"His voice trembled."I thought…""I thought…"His chest rose violently."I thought you left again…"His words were uneven. And then he began apologizing over and over again."I'm sorry.""I'm sorry I was acting stupid and childish."He held me tighter."I shouldn't
Rue's POVI only intended to return to Blood Claw Pack for half a day. After all, I had practically moved into the hotel where Percy was recovering, and though neither of us had formally announced our reconciliation yet, everyone close to us already knew that I had resumed my old role.I had left after breakfast. Percy had reluctantly let go of my hand only after I promised three times that I'd return as soon as I could.When I arrived at Blood Claw, the first thing I saw was my brother and how exhausted he looked.Cole had become thinner. He had circles around his eyes. The smile he gave me was gentle, but there was unmistakable fatigue behind it."Cole." I frowned. "When was the last time you slept?"He coughed. "Last night.""How many hours?""...Enough?"I stared. "Cole.""I'm fine.""No, you're not."He laughed. "Look who's talking. You inherited dad's tendency to worry too much."I sighed. After the alpha king's death, everything had practically fallen on Cole's shoulders. Organ
Percy's POVRue tried desperately to hide her embarrassment.I was more than enjoying it. Because every time her ears turned red, every time she avoided my eyes, every time she buried her face in her hands and mumbled something unintelligible…my heart would completely lose its mind.At that moment, she sat on the couch hugging a pillow, still refusing to look at me after the incident involving Amelia's so-called "educational materials."I bit back another smile.She immediately narrowed her eyes. "Don't laugh.""I'm not."Her face became even redder. “ I don't watch such things…”“Okay” I shrugged.“You don't believe me.” she said.“ I do, really.” I chuckled as I walked over and sat beside her.She instinctively leaned into me. It was a small movement yet my wolf was already starting to go insane.I loved this woman.And right now…with her cheeks still red and her eyes refusing to meet mine…I wanted to kiss her again.I gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her fo
Rue's POVLove alone wasn't enough. That was something I had learned through pain. No matter how deeply two people loved each other, if trust broke apart and fear remained hidden, love itself could be lost..And neither Percy nor I wanted to repeat the mistakes of the past.Which was why, after our conversation in the study that night, I proposed a solution."A month?" Percy looked at me in surprise.I nodded. "A month."He sat quietly on the couch, his eyes studying me.I smiled nervously. "Just a period of blood bond stabilization."His eyebrows lifted slightly.I took his hand. "We don't need to rush or decide everything immediately. Let's just spend a month proving to ourselves that we can do this."His eyes softened. Then his lips curved into a faint smile."Like a trial period?"I laughed. "It sounds terrible when you say it like that."He chuckled softly."Miss Rue Blood Claw, are you proposing cohabitation?"Heat immediately rose to my face. "Don't phrase it like that!"His
Percy's POV“ Don't say that.” Rue said.I feared destroying her."Rue, there are things I never told you."Rue sat quietly beside me.I smiled bitterly. "The old pack system wasn't like it is now….It was built on obedience."I could still remember those years. The endless lessons and the blood rituals. I recalled the former Alpha, my late dad, a man everyone had feared."And my dad didn't just want an heir…he wanted a weapon."Rue's fingers tightened around mine. And somehow, that small movement gave me the strength to continue."The mate blood bond wasn't sacred to him, it was a method of control. He believed emotions made wolves weak."I laughed quietly. "So he tried to remove it."Rue frowned. "What do you mean?""He had people develop ancient blood techniques."Her eyes widened.I nodded. "But the blood bond resisted because it isn't meant to exist without emotions.""And when it resisted…"I smiled bitterly."I became their experiment."Silence filled the study and Rue's face h
Percy's POVRue's arms were still around my neck. Her forehead rested against mine and I could smell the scent of her, feel her warmth and the soft tremble in her breathing.Everything I had denied myself, everything I had convinced myself I no longer deserved, was right there within reach.And this time…She wasn't staying because of guilt or because she pitied me, she had chosen me.My wolf howled with overwhelming joy. For years, he had loved only one person. And now, his mate was lying beside us willingly.I kissed her again and she answered with love. Her body pressed against mine, skin against skin, and I hoped I would stay there forever.My hands trembled slightly as I held her because I still couldn't believe this was real."Rue…" I whispered against her lips.She smiled softly."Yes."“We were to stop…” I said.“Can you?” she whispered.My wolf nearly collapsed from happiness.Everything after that became tender and desperate and full of emotions neither of us had been able to
Aiden’s POVMy mind kept replaying the sound of the door closing behind Rue and Iris. Their words both irritating and painful, in a way that infuriated me.I paced, restless, my wolf full of fury that refused to calm. His growl thundered in my chest, a reminder of the rejection we had just tasted.
Aiden’s POVThe night dragged on for long, every minute feeling like an hour. Every second ticked louder, sharper, mocking me. Rue hadn’t called me back.I sat in my office, whiskey untouched, staring at the phone on the table as though it might suddenly ring with her name on the screen. My wolf st
Rue’s POVBy the time I found Bella and Iris waiting near the exit, the blaring alarms had died off. Bella was nervously tapping her feet, hands akimbo, while Iris had her eyes trained on the main exit.“Finally!” Bella exclaimed, walking forward towards me. “What on earth took you so long? Do you
Aiden’s POVThe restaurant’s dim lights shone gold in a fancy way. The candlelights on our table flickering at the slightest gust of wind. Haven smiled as she delicately sipped from her wine glass. Clearly, she was enjoying the evening dinner. Myself on the other hand, I was already tired. I very







