All Chapters of MATES: REMNANTS OF A BETRAYED BOND : Chapter 401 - Chapter 410

RAINA’S POVEventually, I pulled over at a lakeside promenade and killed the engine. I dropped my hands from the steering wheel into my lap, taking a deep breath in and out to steady myself. The ache in my chest eased just a little, and I actually felt somewhat calmer.Staring beyond my windshield, I noticed a wide wooden boardwalk stretched along the water's edge. Its weathered brown planks traveled toward a distant line of trees and rolling blue-gray mountains. Suddenly, I felt like going for a walk.I raked my hair over and leaned back in my seat and then stared out the window, overlooking the calm, glassy body of water.I've never been here before, but the scenery was quite beautiful.Since I was done screaming...was done crying and wasn’t going to wallow in my own self-pity, I lifted my chin, plastered a faint smile, and I opened my car door.Just when I landed one foot outside on the peach-colored pavement, in a flash, Valen was before me, looking quite frantic. He held out the

RAINA’S POVAzara’s auburn eyes widened in panic. “Um, no. Bad combination.” She shifted her eyes to our witch friend. “Tell her Penn.”“I wouldn’t want her near that medallion,” Penn replied promptly, looking at me. “We’ll keep trying.”Azara blew out a relieved breath. “I think you just saved the whole world with that one statement.”“Point made,” I conceded, sheathing the sword on my hip.I appreciated that we wouldn’t have to involve Jiya, knowing the distrust we harbored towards her. Deep down, I feared that if we had to consult her, she might lean toward thinking the medallion could be more useful to her than to be destroyed.As we sipped our cool drink, we diverted our attention to the guys who were going head-to-head with matching grins.Although Valen’s wide back was turned to me, his large and dominant energy oozed formidability. My eyes soaked in every flicker of his tendons, every contraction of his muscles, catching his tattoos and fast reflexes as he moved about.I bit m

-VALEN’S POVAcrid fear bled from the crowd. I could smell the thick apprehension stuck on them like a leech. I knew they sensed the shift in my aura and were intimidated.“Weaklings and cowards,” Zeus thought, picking up every stuttering heartbeat and shallow breath echoing through the stadium.Wentz flinched but quickly disguised his fear, though his blue eyes were on the ground when he spoke with the right amount of respect. "As Alphas, we will carry out our duty by the Order of the Moon Goddess’ Will to ensure the one who shone can fulfill her role.”“All of your duties fall under the Alpha King and his heir. It might work out badly for you to stand up there and be part of this fiasco,” I gritted viciously, eyeing him with scorching intensity. “You’ve got guts standing there like I can’t throw you all in the damn galdron.”Carson gulped but stood defiantly, hardening his black eyes and keeping his voice leveled. "We are not defying you, Alpha Valen. But we should be allowed to vo

RAINA’S POV“If all things should be fair, I don't really have to dig into a clay pot, do I? I just need to get the osmanthus moonstone, right?” I queried, my heart beating at galloping speed.Elder Mitchell's mustache twitched as he opened his mouth, but it was Elder Victor who agreed, “That is correct.”Just like I wanted.I sucked in my bottom lip between my teeth as I swung my gaze to the galdron and then to Jiya. Elder Sybil stood next to her to support her stance, hugging her sideways.She was already healing, and she held up the osmanthus moonstone with a smug expression. “You don't have to do this, but then again, that will make me queen.”She laughed and coughed, choking on her insufferableness.I clenched my hands at my sides until my nails bit into my palms to ground myself.When Jiya was doing her test, I was thinking about the sacred Coyolxāuhqui stone. I remembered when Valen and I swore on it to never kill each other. At the time, we stood in the divine ritual circle an

RAINA’S POVI couldn’t ignore the pain of watching the man, who normally put me above everyone else, become enthralled by another woman…leaving me to be nothing but background noise.“Is that all you’re going to say?” My voice came out low and broken.He did not look back or bother to give me a response.My heart clenched from the bitter humiliation, and the pain in my chest intensified.Has it really come to this?Still, part of me wanted to go after him, not to give up, although his determination was clear. My stomach churned and began to cramp as I watched him slowly climb the first step.This wasn’t going to end well for us, not if he successfully mated her.Theo wasn’t letting him off so easily, though. “You’re not setting another foot toward her.”Valen reached the last steps, only to be pushed back by the determined Gamma.My Alpha mate roared deafeningly, and it shook the ground.That didn’t deter Theo. He pummeled punches into Valen’s face, driving him backwards. With every h