C5

GORGO LYKAOON POV

I jerk awake, heartbeat wild. “What the… what’s going on? Where am I?”

Weird angle, weird cushion. I squint around, empty. Totally alone.

I glance down. My ceremony gown is shredded to bits. Ripped cloth everywhere. My stomach turns over.

What did I know? Did I do this? Did I really tear my own dress apart? When did I get so strong?

I try sitting up, and pain fires through my whole body. I grit my teeth. Memories start to crawl back in. Piece by uncomfortable piece.

Oh, gods. No. Please, no.

I was on top of Leonidas. I yanked off his shirt. Undid his belt. Tugged his pants. Moon Goddess, what did I do?

I started it. I pushed myself on the most wanted male in all of Sparta Moonhaven, the Supreme Alpha King of the Argyros Silverclaw Pack.

Something feels off. Why am I so embarrassed? More like I’m the one who got swept up in all that, not him.

“It hurts,” I mutter. I yank my jacket tight around me and peek out the car window.

There he is. Not far off, tall and broad against the night. Dilios is talking to him can’t hear them from here.

This is only my second run-in with Leonidas Argyros in this life. And still, his back alone makes my heart pound. I press my hand to my chest and bite my lip until it stings.

“No,” I grit out, just for myself. “I’m not falling for him again. That man doesn't even have a heart.”

In my last life, I chased him, I gave him everything, passion, gifts, you name it, he stayed cold as frozen stone. No one made it into his heart. Not ever.

I am not repeating that disaster. I can’t.

My fingers shake as I button up. All I want is to get out right now.

Outside, Dilios finishes a call and speaks up, polite as always. “The pack’s still waiting at the Eclipse Moon Lodge, Alpha. Should we return and finish the ceremony?”

With Leonidas, nobody moves unless he says so. If he says sit, they sit till dawn, and no one argues. He’s the Supreme Alpha here. The highest in Sparta Moonhaven.

Leonidas just stands there, staring off at nothing, those golden eyes impossible to read.

He doesn’t answer. Dilios doesn’t push. They both wait.

At last, Leonidas glances my way. “The mating continues,” he says, voice low and deep.

He probably figures I’m fine by now. Or he just doesn’t care. This whole thing was his grandmother’s idea. No one talks back to her either.

Dilios trails after him, but he looks nervous. Bet he’s not sure if I’m okay. Or if he should get any closer.

But the view in front of them must short-circuit Dilios’s brain.

Because I ram the key in, the engine roars, wheels spin, and I tear out of there like lightning.

Both men just freeze. Eyes wide, jaws dropped.

I spot Dilios in the mirror, still gaping.

“Thank the Moon Goddess I have a strong heart,” he mutters. “Or this night would’ve finished me off.”

I almost laugh. Poor guy probably had no clue what hit him. First, I threaten their Alpha with silver. Then I climb on him and kiss like a crazy person. Take his shirt off, start dragging at his pants… Then he takes control. Of course, he’s not the type to be pushed around.

And now I stole his car. I just left them both standing in the dust.

Dilios is still frozen, trying to figure out if I really just abandoned their precious Alpha.

I didn’t mean to. Who could actually abandon Leonidas Argyros, anyway? But I don’t want anything else to do with him. Last night was an accident, a huge mess. And that’s where it ends.

Rain starts hammering down, just to make things worse. Is fate out to ruin me? The thought of Leonidas hating me makes my hands shake so bad that I nearly lose control and skid off the road.

“I don’t want a bond with him. But I don’t want his hate, either.”

Nobody crosses Leonidas Argyros. If you do, it ends in tears and blood, sometimes both.

The rest of the drive just gets rougher. Finally, I steer into the Lykaon Moonkeep garage and slam the brakes so hard the whole car lurches.

I leap out into the storm, rain drenching me, washing away all my painted markings and dignity. I can’t see—the world is nothing but water and shadows, so, boom, I smash straight into a chest. Feels like hitting a wall.

I hit the ground. The other guy stumbles back and drops his umbrella.

“You…” Stelios Thornfang blinks at me, eyes dark. He’s about to yell at whoever just barreled into him, but when he really looks at my face, he goes silent. Total shock.

I scramble to my feet. Gone before he can ask a thing.

A tiny garden trail is winding through drenched flowers between the garage and the keep. I duck behind a bush and hold my breath. Then, curiosity wins, and I peek through the dripping leaves.

Stelios still stands there, staring after me like he’s seen a ghost.

“When did the Lykaon pack hire such a beautiful omega?” he whispers. “She’s… incredible. Her face is too perfect.”

I almost snort. Typical.

“Rain-soaked, delicate… She looks so helpless, I just want to wrap her up and protect her.”

If I weren’t shivering, I’d laugh out loud. This is too much.

“Even Artemisia Lykaon doesn’t hold a candle to her,” he says, shaking his head.

Wait for me? More beautiful than Artemisia? That’s insane.

He reaches toward the air, as if I’m still standing there. “Who is she?” he asks the night.

Somewhere close, a car door slams. Artemisia Lykaon arrives with a pink umbrella, all elegance.

“Stelios, what are you doing here?”

I shift for a better view—they might spill something good.

Dilios told Artemisia the ceremony was cancelled half an hour ago. She’s probably thrilled. Her face is nothing but sunshine right now.

Stelios glances at her, but something has changed her smile, which usually lights him up, doesn’t do much for him tonight. He looks distracted.

“I thought you’d gone back,” he says. “I wanted to see you. Maybe talk to your father, too.”

He had time tonight. The ceremony was over, so he came hoping for a quiet moment with her.

Artemisia sees right through him. She’s sharp, he’s been running after her for days, borderline obsessed. Artemisia likes the attention, but she’s got bigger ambitions (like Leonidas), and besides, with everything blowing up in the pack, Stelios is just a complication now.

“My father will be here soon,” she smiles sweetly. “Things are about to explode in the pack. Maybe you should go.”

She’s got a million things to juggle, and yet another obsessed male is last on her list.

“See you tomorrow, Stelios.”

She probably expects him to protest, but he just nods. “Alright, I’ll go,” he says. Not even a fight.

He throws one last glance toward the keep. Disappointment flashes in his eyes, as if he can’t get that rain-soaked omega (me) out of his mind.

He looks back at Artemisia, a little lost. Then he turns and leaves, just like that.

Artemisia frowns, caught off guard. There’s no spark in his eyes for her anymore. Weird.

She drops it fast, though. There’s no time. Father has just arrived; the real storm is about to hit.

I slip out from behind the bush and dart to the back entrance.

Time to face the music, rain, ruined ceremony, and all.