All Chapters of Love is not for the Wolfless : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Pete's POVI watch Roselyn sleep from the doorway, her face is peaceful.I close her door quietly, walk to my own room, and sit at my desk.On the surface is a journal. Inside are detailed notes. Every interaction with Roselyn, every gift, every word, and every tear.I'm not leaving anything to chance."Day fifteen," I write. "Subject continues to show vulnerability nightmares persist emotional attachment to vampire remains strong but shows signs of weakening, mate bond influence increasing. The current strategy is working."The strategy is simple. Be everything Stark couldn't be. Present, attentive, safe.Give her small things that show I'm thinking of her. Nothing too expensive or she'll get suspicious, just thoughtful tokens that make her feel valued.Take her to beautiful places. Create positive memories associated with me. Replace her memories of Stark with new ones of us.Comfort her when she cries. Be there every time she needs someone. Make myself indispensable.It's working.

Stark's POVThe tavern reeks of stale beer and unwashed bodies. Perfect. Nobody here cares who I am or what I've lost."Another," I say, slamming my empty glass on the bar.The bartender, a grizzled old vampire, looks at me with pity. "Your Highness, maybe you should slow down.""Don't call me that," I snarl. "I'm not a prince anymore. My father disowned me, remember? Now give me another drink."He pours and I drink. The alcohol burns going down but it's nothing compared to the fire in my chest.Three weeks. It's been three weeks since I heard about Roselyn kissing Pete. Three weeks of trying to forget. And three weeks of failing."You look like hell," a voice says beside me. I turn. It's a rogue vampire, scars covering his face. "Woman troubles?""Something like that," I mutter."Let me guess," he continues. "She left you for someone better?"My hand clenches around the glass. "Shut up.""Touchy," he laughs. "Must have really loved her.""I said SHUT UP!" I throw my drink in his face

The silver necklace catches the morning light as Pete holds it up, and I stare at the delicate chain, watching the small crescent moon pendant spin slowly. The metal gleams, catching every ray of sun that filters through my window, and something in my chest tightens."I saw this and thought of you," Pete says. His voice is soft, hopeful, like he's offering me something precious and fragile.My throat tightens. "Pete, you don't need to keep giving me things.""I know." He steps closer, and I can smell him now, pine and earth and something uniquely him. "But I want to. May I?"I nod because refusing would hurt him, and I've seen enough hurt in my life. I don't want to be the cause of more. Pete moves behind me, and I feel his presence like heat against my back. He lifts my hair gently, his fingers barely grazing my skin, and I shiver.The clasp clicks into place. His fingers brush my neck as he fastens it, and the mate bond flares, warm and insistent, like a living thing between us. It

Stark's POVThe rogue camp is quiet when the vampire elders arrive. I'm sitting by the fire, sharpening a blade , when I smell them. Old blood and Ancient power."Prince Stark," Elder Cassius says. Even here, in the wild lands, he uses my title. "We need to speak with you.""I'm not a prince anymore," I reply without looking up. "My father made that clear.""Nevertheless." Cassius sits across from me. Two other elders flank him. "We've come with a message from the council.""Not interested.""The girl," Cassius continues as if I hadn't spoken. "Roselyn. She's accepted Pete. The mate bond is complete. They're planning the marking ceremony."The blade slips. Cuts my palm. Blood wells up, black in the firelight. I don't feel it."We know you love her," another elder says. Elena, ancient and cold. "But you need to let her go. For everyone's sake.""Is that what you came all this way to tell me?" I ask. "That I should give up?""We came to tell you that holding on is selfish," Cassius say

The dream starts the same way it always does.I'm running through a forest. Trees blur past. Something's chasing me. I can hear it breathing, getting closer, closer, closer.Then the scene shifts. I'm at the river. Stark is there. But something's wrong.He's bleeding badly, and he is collapsing."Stark!" I run to him. "What happened?""You," he gasps. "You chose him, you killed me.""No!" I reach for him but my hands pass through him like smoke. "I didn't mean to! I was trying to save everyone!""You saved everyone but me," Stark says. His eyes are fading. "Was I not worth saving?""You were worth everything!" I'm sobbing now. "Stark, please! Don't leave me!"But he's already gone. Dissolved into nothing. And I'm alone. Again.Always alone. The darkness closes in around me, suffocating and cold.I try to scream but no sound comes out. I try to run but my feet won't move. Stark's blood stains my hands. No matter how hard I scrub, it won't come off."This is your fault," voices whisper