All Chapters of Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Gabriel’s lips collided with mine, hot and relentless, a war all on its own — war I hadn’t consented to, war I should have pushed away in a heartbeat.But for one moment, I didn’t.For the briefest moment, the way my body melted into the heat of him, the primal claim of his fingers digging into my waist, the smell of him — smoke and pine and something that was his alone — engulfing me like a looped belt.Then reality slammed into me.I pulled back hard, pushing him so violently he took a step back."What the hell was that?" I spat, my voice like a razor, trembling with rage — and something else.Gabriel’s golden eyes burned. "You know what it was."I wiped my mouth, furious. "You don’t get to do that!"His breath was slow and controlled, hands clenching into fists at his side. “I had to clarify something.”I scoffed. "To who? Lucian? The pack? Yourself?"Gabriel’s jaw ticked. "To you."My stomach turned, but I pushed the feeling aside.I laughed—sharp, humorless. "That’s rich. You tre

Gabriel walked away.And this time?It felt final.I was stunned, staring into the empty void he’d left behind, my heart racing, a whirlwind of thoughts I could not settle.I wanted him to be able to walk away.Hadn’t I?I told myself that I needed space, that I needed time, that I wasn’t ready to let him in again — but now, standing there, feeling his absence fill my chest like a cold weight —I wasn’t sure anymore.I blew out air sharply and pushed the thoughts aside.I had more important things to worry about.”The Games. The pack. The fact that Lucian was still out there, circling, watching, waiting for a crack.I had no time for Gabriel and his tortured feelings.And yet—A spine-chilling wail pierced the eerie stillness of the night.I froze.It wasn’t just any howl.It was a cry of pain. Of warning.My body moved before my brain had the chance to react: instinct kicked in immediately. I ran toward the sound, toward the source, my wolf wanton under my skin since it had to be the

The hush that followed Gabriel’s outburst was deafening. The whole room froze. Warriors and Alphas staring at the broken table, the scattered drinks, the tension that hung so heavy in the air. It was suffocating. Gabriel stood frozen, fists sunk at his sides, golden eyes ablaze with rage, the burn of hot breath inflating and collapsing his heaving chest.Perched in front of him, Lucian remained, that infuriating smile on his face, the iceberg unaffected, as if he had just won a game he’d prayed was not what it was. He raised his drink — the only one still miraculously intact — and took a languorous sip, his arctic-blue eyes twinkling with mischief.“Well,” said Lucian, placing the glass carefully down, “that was dramatic.”Gabriel growled, stepping forward, but before he lunged, Michael stepped in, catching his arm and jerking him back. “That’s enough,” Michael said, his voice low and firm, although he himself looked uncomfortable. “You’ve made your point.”Gabriel’s nostrils flared.

I felt it the moment Lucian’s claws dug deeper into my throat. The shift in the air. The day everything changed.Gabriel wasn’t moving.He wasn’t fighting.He was thinking.And that’s when I knew — he was going to run.The weight of it smashed into me, heavier than Lucian’s grip, heavier than the flames licking behind us, heavier than the betrayal crystallizing behind my ribs like a poison.Gabriel stepped back slowly, one step.Lucian laughed draped over my ear, low and teasing. "There it is," he murmured. “The moment she sees what sort of man you truly are.Gabriel’s golden eyes glimmered, yet he didn’t deny it.Michael went stiff, his face going from fury to disbelief. "Gabriel. Don’t."Gabriel didn’t look at him.He didn’t look at me either.Because he knew.“But if I did, there was no way I’d be able to do it.”Lucian sighed dramatically. “Honestly, I expected some more fight from you. But I guess this just proves what I’ve always known — you’re a coward.”Gabriel flinched.But h

The weight of Lucian's words hung in the air, loathsome and rancid.“I am going to ruin everything Gabriel loves. I’ll take his land, his pack, his power. And when I do, you will stand beside me or not at all.”I wanted to laugh. To inform him that he was delusional, that I’d rather destroy his kingdom than stand beside him. But the certainty in his voice, the calm assurance with which he spoke, sent a chill down my spine.Because he believed it.He had planned for this.And that meant he was a threat.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, and stood my ground. “You really expect me to betray my own pack? My own people?”Lucian shook his head and sighed. “Angel, you’re still thinking a little too small. This isn’t about betrayal. This is about survival.”I scoffed. “Survival? You’re threatening to destroy everything I love, and you want me to be grateful for that?”Lucian’s lips twisted a little. “You’re assuming I’m giving you a choice.”I took a slow, calming breath, s