All Chapters of Mated Twice: A Wolf’s Dilemma: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

RachealThe clearing was a mess of blood, broken branches, and shallow pools of moonlight. The rogues lay where they’d fallen, twisted bodies leaking a dark, tar-like ichor that stank of rot and magic.She sat against a tree, clutching her shoulder. Her heartbeat was still wild, her breath shallow. She should have felt safe now, but the air was thicker than before — charged, electric.Because Damon and Lucas were staring at each other.Like two predators who hadn’t decided if they were allies or enemies.DamonHe stood over the dead rogue, chest heaving. His wolf still snarled inside, not ready to stand down. His gaze locked on Lucas — and the sight of him standing protectively near Racheal’s side made something primal snap inside him.“You shouldn’t be here,” Damon growled, his voice rough from the shift.Lucas’s smirk was more of a challenge than an expression. “And leave her to die? You weren’t fast enough, Damon. If I hadn’t—”“You think I needed your help?” Damon took a step forw

RachealThe forest felt different. Every sound was sharper, each whisper of wind like a thousand tiny voices speaking at once. I clutched my head, breathing hard.“What’s happening to me?” My voice shook.Damon’s hand tightened on my shoulder. “It’s the witch’s poison. We need to get it out before—”“It’s not poison,” Lucas interrupted, his tone flat. “She told you what it was. This is your power waking up. And if we’re not careful…” His gaze darkened. “…it will consume you.”Consume me. The words lodged in my chest like a splinter.---DamonHer scent was changing. Not in the way a wolf’s scent shifted with mood — this was something deeper, older. It sent his wolf into a restless pacing inside him.He hated that Lucas seemed to know more than he did. “If you know what’s happening, then fix it,” Damon snapped.Lucas crouched in front of Racheal, his voice low. “You can’t fight it. If you try to suppress it, it’ll burst out and hurt everyone around you. You have to learn to control it

RachealI waited until the cabin was silent. Damon and Lucas had taken turns watching me all day, but sometime after midnight, exhaustion claimed them both. The faint sound of their steady breathing drifted in from the other room.The cuffs around my wrists felt heavier than they had earlier, the leather rough against my skin. I flexed my fingers and tugged at the chain. The bolt holding it to the headboard rattled, but didn’t loosen.I took a deep breath and let the power inside me stir. Warmth spread from my chest to my arms, a slow, deliberate pulse. The lantern’s light flickered in rhythm with my heartbeat.“Come on…” I whispered.The cuffs grew hot. Not from my power — from something else. A sharp sting raced up my arms, and I gasped. The warmth inside me sputtered, shrinking back like a flame doused with water.I tried again, forcing my energy forward. The sting became searing pain, and I bit back a cry. The more I pushed, the more the cuffs pushed back.---DamonA sound woke h

RachealI waited until the muffled thud of an axe told me Damon and Lucas were deep into their morning chores. The sound carried in a steady rhythm, masking the faint scrape of metal as I worked the loose window latch with the chain between my wrists.The cabin wood groaned softly when I shifted my weight, but the glass gave way with a reluctant creak. Cold air rushed in, smelling of pine and something sharp underneath — like iron.My pulse pounded. This was my chance.I swung one leg over the sill, careful to keep the cuffs from catching. The forest outside was silent, the kind of silence that pressed on your ears. The trees stood tall, their branches heavy with shadow even though it was morning.When both feet touched the earth, I froze and listened. Nothing but the distant chop of wood.I moved quickly, crouching low, weaving between trunks. The chain rattled faintly with every step, but I kept going, my eyes darting to every flicker of movement.The deeper I went, the thicker the

RachealThe second Damon and Lucas stepped outside, I grabbed my jacket. The air through the cracked window smelled sharp, electric — the way it does before lightning splits the sky.I waited five long seconds, listening to their muffled voices fade toward the trees. Then I slipped out the back, careful not to let the screen door creak.The snow crunched under my boots, each sound too loud in the quiet. The moonlight spilled silver across the clearing, catching on the frost in the pines. I followed their shapes, keeping to the shadows, close enough to see their breath puff in the cold air but far enough that I could duck behind a trunk if they turned.Damon’s voice cut through the stillness. “You nearly told her.”Lucas’s reply was tight. “She has a right to know.”“A right?” Damon’s laugh was low and dangerous. “You think the truth will protect her? It will put her in the ground.”They stopped at a break in the trees — a narrow path I’d never noticed before. Damon pulled something fr