After they left, Ariana sat alone in her room, staring at her perfectly healed hand in amazement."What just happened?" she whispered to herself.She looked at the spot on her palm where the cut had been. The skin was smooth and perfect, like nothing had ever happened.Then she touched her throat. The fake mate mark was completely gone. She couldn't feel any pain or burning sensation at all.Ariana stood up and walked to her mirror. She looked healthy and strong again. The dark circles under her eyes were gone, and her skin was glowing."Tommy," she said to her reflection. "That little boy healed me."Ariana's mind raced as she realized what this meant. Rosemary's son had some kind of healing power. Not just any healing power - something that could cure anything, even magical curses."His power can heal any poison," Ariana said, remembering how the fake mate mark had been removed from her body. "Any curse. Any injury."A slow, dangerous smile spread across Ariana's face.This changed
Three hours later, David quietly carried Ariana's unconscious body back to the pack house. He had convinced Luna and the mysterious man to let him return Ariana to her room, claiming that if she died in the cave, it would raise too many questions."She's barely breathing," David whispered to himself as he placed Ariana on her bed. "Maybe it's better this way. If she dies, at least my child dies with her, and Austin will never know the truth."But David was wrong about what Ariana was thinking. As he left her room and closed the door behind him, Ariana's eyes opened. She was weak and in terrible pain, but she was conscious.And she was still planning to tell Austin everything.The fake mate mark felt like acid in her throat. Every breath was torture, and she could taste blood in her mouth. But Ariana forced herself to stay awake. She had to survive long enough to confess her crimes and warn Austin about what was coming.Hours passed slowly. Ariana drifted in and out of consciousness, f
Luna rushed over to David and grabbed his arm. "He's nobody. He's just a crazy old man who should have stayed dead."But David pulled away from his mother. "Wait. You said he was supposed to be dead. And he called you sister. Who is he, mother?"The man smiled coldly. "She never told you, did she? About where you really came from?""Shut up!" Luna screamed at the man. "Get out of here! Now!""What is he talking about?" David demanded.The man walked closer to David. "Your mother has been lying to you your whole life, boy. About everything."Luna's hands began glowing with dark magic. "I'm warning you...""You want to know who your real father is?" the man continued, ignoring Luna's threats. "It's not Austin's father. It never was."David felt like the ground was spinning beneath his feet. "What?""Your real father," the man said, "is standing right in front of you."The cave fell completely silent. David stared at the man, then at Luna, then back at the man."That's impossible," David
"But mother, if we take Austin..." David started to say, but Luna cut him off."Just do what I tell you," Luna snapped. "We don't have time to argue. The moon is getting darker by the minute."David hung up the phone and stared at the pack house. Through the window, he could see Austin and Rosemary sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. They looked so happy and safe. It made his stomach turn with jealousy."Fine," David whispered to himself. "If I can't separate them, I'll take them both."David crept closer to the house, staying low in the shadows. He made his way around to the back where there was a door that led directly to the hallway near Rosemary's room. He had used this entrance many times before when he was still living in the pack house.But when David tried the door handle, it wouldn't turn. Someone had locked it from the inside."Damn," he muttered under his breath.David tried the windows next, but they were all locked too. The pack had increased their security after al
CHAPTER: THE RITUAL BEGINSLuna stood in the center of her cave, surrounded by ancient symbols drawn in blood and ash. The silver dagger gleamed in the flickering candlelight as she prepared for the most powerful ritual she had ever attempted."Everything is ready," she said to David and Ariana. "When the moon reaches its darkest point, we will have enough power to bind Austin to you forever, Ariana."Ariana touched her throat where the fake mate mark burned like fire. She was getting weaker every hour, and her coughing fits were producing more blood each time."How much longer?" she whispered."Soon," Luna said coldly. "But first, we need Rosemary's blood. A lot of it."David checked his watch. "The pack should be settling down for the night soon. That's when we make our move."Back at the pack house, Austin was in his bathroom, running hot water for a bath. The day had been long and stressful. First Ariana had gone missing, then the search parties had found David's scent, and now Au
Austin was quiet for a long moment. "I don't know," he said honestly. "This is all very complicated.""Do you love me at all?" Ariana asked, her eyes filling with tears.Austin looked at her - really looked at her. Ariana was beautiful. She was a member of his pack. She was carrying what he believed was his child. But when he searched his heart, he couldn't find the kind of love he had for Rosemary."I care about you," Austin said finally. "And I will take care of you and the baby. But Ariana... Rosemary is my wife. She's the mother of my son."Ariana felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart. Even after everything - the fake pregnancy, the manipulation, the schemes - Austin still chose Rosemary."I see," she said quietly."But that doesn't mean I'll abandon you," Austin said quickly. "You and the baby will always have a place in this pack. You'll always be safe here."Safe, but not loved. Not the way Ariana wanted to be loved."Thank you," she said, but inside she was planning h