Chapter 1

Zane’s POV

“Weak,” I snorted at my son as he sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up after the harder-than-necessary blow I’d just delivered.

“I-I’m sorry, father,” Cain whined, tears in his eyes. My wolf let out a snarl, and clawed my insides, making pain coil inside of me. Because a part of me did feel bad for doing this. A part of me wanted to reach out and comfort him. To tell him that he did well. That I could see the improvements and the efforts of his hard work---

But then I remembered the price of those emotions. How they had made me weak. And who, in the end, paid the ultimate price…

My Luna Queen…

My mate!

Her blood was on my hands because of that weakness…

So I took those useless emotions and stuck them someplace where the sun didn’t shine. I didn’t show any weakness. I wouldn’t. Not in front of my pack and not in front of my children. I refused to let them suffer because of my weakness.

Not anymore…

“Don’t be sorry,” I snarled, spinning on my heels and heading back towards the castle. “Be better!”

I heard someone approach and helping my son off the ground. I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Noah, my brother and Beta of the pack. This past year he’d been more of a father to the boy than I could ever be. And that was a good thing. Once I was gone, Cain would still have that bond and it would help him.

Make him a better king…

Usually, I would yell something at Noah, telling him to stop cuddling my son. But today I let them have their moment. My son was a great fighter, even for someone his age. But he needed to be better. It wasn’t enough to be good or great. When it all came down to it, the only thing that mattered was being the last one standing. And more importantly, be the one standing between your enemy and the people you loved. If you couldn’t do that…

You were useless!

I still remembered it as if it happened yesterday…

The enemy had infiltrated our castle and taken Eva, our baby girl. Helena, my mate and the love of my life, wanted to come along, but I pleated with her. Hell, I ordered her to stay behind, but she wouldn’t budge. She wanted to come along. To help get our daughter back.

And like a fool, I didn’t deny her…

My weakness…

I could never deny her anything…

We caught up with them – but they were waiting for us. It was an ambush and we fell right into it. There were twice as many of them as there were of us. I called for reinforcements, but we needed time. So I ripped apart any wolf or man that crossed my path.

I kept fighting!

I fought until all I could see was red. Until my vision swam with blood and gore. Until my body bled and my muscles were all ripped open. Until I could barely feel the pain they inflicted---

And then push on some more…

I linked my mate – my wife and queen – to take Eva and run. To protect our daughter. And instead of making sure she did what I told her, I trusted her. Trusted that she’d do as I told her. That they were safe…

Another weakness…

Never trust anyone!

The enemy was on me again, and I needed to get a better purchase. Blood was draining from my body as if someone had turned on a bloody faucet. I was slipping in a pool of my own blood but managed to push the wolf down and just as I was about to deliver the killing blow, I heard it!

I heard her scream…

Jerking my head up I saw---

My heart ran cold…

The Black Wolf had his teeth locked around my mate’s throat. His eyes locked with mine and in them, I saw pools of darkness.

Of hatred and malice…

Soulless!

I opened my mouth. Ready to beg for my mate’s life. Ready to die myself if I had to. Ready to give up my fucking kingdom for her. Just---

But there was no mercy from the Black Wolf…

He bit down on her white, slender neck.

Hard!

I watched as her eyes widened with pain and horror. As her mouth opened in a silent scream. As blood covered her front. It sprayed around mercilessly as the wolf shook her from side to side. Her body became limp and lifeless as he continued his assault.

And I was helpless to do anything about it…

Too weak…

I let out a roar of anguish and anger. My wolf howled, his fury giving me the strength I needed to fight the rest of them off. But they continued to attack me, slowing me down. They just kept coming, biting and clawing at me. Trying to force me down, but I couldn’t stop. I had to get to her!

I needed to get to my mate!

But everything hurt…

My body…

My heart…

My soul…

I didn’t care what was in front of me. If it got in the way, it died. I needed to get to my mate. I needed to be with her. I needed---

But the closer I got to her, the more I could feel her slipping away. Our bond – the mate bond we created in love and ecstasy – was fading. What once was a solid formation was now slipping between my fingers like sand…

Blood soaked my fur as I watched him. The wolf who killed her! His eyes met mine and a sinister smile crept across his wolfish features. Her blood was still on his lips.

My mate’s blood…!

I killed the wolf standing between us. But as I looked up, I realized that he was gone. The enemy was retreating.

We won…

But at what cost?

I dragged my battered and beaten body to where my mate lay. My legs weren’t working, and I barely had the energy to shift. She’d already changed back – what wolves naturally did if they died in---

The thought shook me as nothing else had before.

My mate was---!

“NO!” I roared, putting my hand to her throat, praying it would stop the bleeding. Praying that the missing part of her neck wouldn’t be the wound that took her away from me.

Praying for a miracle…

But there was none for me that day…

“No! No! No!” I panted, as salty tears mixed with the blood. “Love? Please? Talk to me?”

Her cold fingers clung to me, as her eyes filled with fear. Her lips trembled as if she was trying to speak. But all that came out of her was a goddess-awful gurgling sound, that still haunted me to this day. She fought to get closer, to be close one last time, but---

We both knew what was coming.

And she was scared…

Yet I could do nothing for her!

The King of the Werewolves. The most powerful wolf in existence. And I couldn't save my mate. I couldn’t even take away her fears as she lay dying in my arms…

I held her hand, trying to push my strength toward her. Fighting to keep her. Fighting to hold her here! But soon there was no more to give. The blood loss was too much…

I was too weak…

“Please…?”

It was one last plea. One last prayer to the goddess. One last desperate cry for a miracle.

Please!

I’ll give up anything to be with her!

Please!

Please…

But nobody was listening to the prayers from a blood-soaked earth…

The mate-bond snapped!

Like an elastic band, it snapped, leaving behind nothing but the stinging pain. It felt like a grenade went off in my chest. As if some tore through my chest and ripped my heart out. And then---

Then there was only pain!

After that day, I vowed that I’d never be weak again. That my children wouldn’t suffer the same fate I had. That they’d always be strong, no matter what. That they would never need anyone…

They would never need a mate!

And for that reason, I kept on walking. I didn’t turn back, and I didn’t help my son back to his feet.

He wasn’t going to be weak!

He wasn’t going to fail the people he loved!

I was going to weed any such weakness out of him. He was never going to go through what I had. He would never experience such a loss.

Because he wouldn’t be weak!

He wouldn’t be like me…