Those words should have comforted me. Instead, they struck like a blade. How could he say that while standing so close to another woman?
“But I love you more, Luvena,” he continued softly. “You are the one who makes my blood burn. She is only my responsibility. My family chose her.”
“Then leave her.”
“It is not that simple,” Jareth said quietly. “Especially now. She just lost our pup. She is weak with grief. If I reject her now, the other packs will tear my reputation apart. And my family wants a true heir of the Alpha bloodline.”
His voice hardened.
“If you became pregnant now, before I ended my bond with her, they would never accept it. My grandfather would strip me of my future. And what about your brother? If he learns I am sleeping with his sister while my mate is still mourning her lost pup, he will challenge me. It would destroy the alliance between our families.”
“So I must live like this forever?” Luvena’s voice trembled. “Hidden in the shadows? Just your secret?”
“Of course not,” Jareth murmured gently.
I could picture him reaching out, holding her face.
“Just be patient. My grandfather is dying. Soon he will name the next Alpha King. Once the title is mine, once I hold the power of the pack, no one will control me. I will reject her, give her compensation, and bring you beside me as my true Luna.”
“Fine,” Luvena said after a moment, her voice softer. “But you owe me.”
“I will make it worth your wait.”
“Kiss me.”
And he did.
Through the narrow crack of the door, I saw my mate lower his head and press his lips against hers. It was not hesitant. It was hungry. Possessive.
It was the kiss of a man who had done this many times before.
I did not burst inside or even scream. Shock pressed down on me like a heavy stone.
Slowly, silently, I stepped backward until my legs touched the edge of the bed in our chamber.
I crawled beneath the blankets, pulled them over my head, and let the silent tears fall.
My pup was gone. My bond was a lie. And the two people I trusted most were downstairs planning how to discard me.
The next morning. the sun rose brightly above the Alpha estate, cruelly mocking the darkness in my heart. I had not slept at all. I spent the whole night staring at the wall while my grief slowly turned into something cold and sharp.
I needed to see them again. I needed to know if the monster from last night was truly the man I had once loved.