74 - Ben


    She imed me? After all her endless back-and-forth, all her stubborn refusals about not wanting a mate, she went ahead and marked me to save my life. I''ve heard every excuse she''s ever given for rejecting the idea of a mate, all her reasons about needing to prove herself on her own terms, but I never quite grasped the full depth of it. If she was so determined to defy her elders, why didn''t she choose a mate herself? That way, she could have shown them two things: first, that they had zero control over how she led her pack, and second, how a true mate partnership works-side by side, ruling together.


    Her wolf is restless, vibrating beneath her skin, desperate to shift. She knows the significance of the mate bond, but she''s been holding back, all for ra''s sake.


    Outside, the wind howls like a wild beast, relentless and unforgiving. We won''t be moving anywhere for a while; I''m still too weak to travel. But this—this I can handle.


    “ra, please,” I beg, voice steady but urgent. “Let me finish the bond. There''s no turning back now. We have toplete it, unleash our wolves'' full strength. Especially if what''s out there is what we have to face." I gesture toward the cave''s mouth, where the storm rages and rogue wolves lurk.


    Her wolf whimpers again, clearly resisting whatever ra is telling her. I both love and hate my mate''s stubbornness. Now is the worst possible moment for her to dig in her heels.


    "Those two wolves out there they were possessed or enhanced or something," I say, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. "We have to act. What we''ve been doing barely keeps anyone alive. I can''t hear my wolf right now, which means I can''t shift—and that puts us both in grave danger. This isn''t over. Please." I''m practically pleading now, drawn irresistibly toward the bond.


    But she just sits there, staring nkly. And then I feel it—the final snap, my heart shattering all over again. She won''t mate with me, not even to protect her pack. I must have done something unforgivable in another life, because no woman seems willing to be with me willingly.


    Defeated, I let her go and move toward the cave entrance. I need to see if the storm outside is truly as fierce as it sounds. I need my wolf—and if ra won''t help me, I have to find a healer without freezing or getting attacked again. We didn''t bring extra clothes since we didn''t meet up with anyone. I hope our allies were far enough away to be safe but close enough toe quickly if needed. Yelling would be pointless- no one would hear us over the storm, and it would only reveal our vulnerable position to any hostile rogues still lurking.


    I need my wolf to contact Jason, but that''s impossible right now. So I sit at the cave''s mouth, running through every option I can think of. I wish I could shift, just to feel a little morefortable. My body heat will keep me warm for a while, but it won''tst forever.


    The blizzard outside is relentless. Thick snowkes drift down slowly, almost peacefully, but the wind''s roar tells a different story. I take a deep breath and focus on our surroundings, trying to piece together how long we''ve been trapped here. “How long have we been here?” I ask, my eyes still scanning the storm''s fury. This doesn''t feel natural. "ra, how long...?"


    I turn to find her in human form, curled up in the farthest corner of the cave she can get to, still within sight of the entrance. She''s trembling, her body shaking with cold or fear—or maybe both. “ra!” I move toward her so fast that all my anger melts away. I guess the partial bond has its benefits after all. She tries to press herself further into the stone wall, and I catch the faint scent of blood where her skin has been scraped.


    Without hesitation, I scoop her into my arms. She protests softly but doesn''t resist. Sitting down, I pull her across myp, tucking her face beneath my chin and wrapping my arms tightly around her. I hold her in silence, feeling her body gradually calm against mine. When her breathing slows and steadies, I stroke her back gently and whisper, “You have to talk to me. This isn''t just about proving something to the elders—there''s more, and I need to understand. Now you''re really stuck with me, so you might as well tell me everything." I try to lighten the mood, but she remains silent for a long time.


    When I think she''s finally fallen asleep, I shift us so we can lie down. My legs went numb hours ago, but I didn''t want to startle her. She curls closer against me, her breath warm on my chest. The heat radiating where our bodies touch sends tingles through me, and I have to remind myself to keep my arousal in check. My body is eager toplete the mate bond, but it''s not time yet.


    "I don''t want to be a pawn in their game anymore," she whispers into my chest, and the soft brush of her lips sends goosebumps across my skin.


    "What game?" I murmur into her hair, pulling her impossibly closer.


    "The pass-the-Luna game," she replies, burying her head further into my chest. I''m d she can''t see my face-I know I must have gone rigid, but I''m trying to control


    it.


    "You''re going to have to exin that very slowly,” I growl through clenched teeth. If I''m right, it means all our elders are doomed.


    "The Luna belongs to the Alpha and the pack elders. Once she''s marked, any of them can im her. It doesn''t matter if she''s mated with the Alpha or not." She lets out a small sob. "I overheard some of them talking when I was younger about who would be the first to break me in..." My arms tighten around her. "Then they said it might be impossible if my father doesn''t have a male heir and I be Alpha."


    "Did your dad know?"


    "About themunal Luna? Yes. He had to share Mom with them whenever they wanted her. Neither of them ever talked about it. I think that''s why Dad pushed so hard for me to be Alpha."