Luca’s whole body going rigid.
I felt his wolf Lynx surge forward in panic, recognizing the threat to their bond. Luca’s alpha power slammed into me like a wall.
“I don’t accept your rejection,” he growled, his voice layered with command. “You’re still mine.”
But the pull felt weaker somehow, like our bond was already fraying.
He avoided my eyes.
“Seraphina, you still haven’t learned your place.”
“I called a healer for you. What’s with crawling around all bloody? Trying to guilt trip someone?”
Ash shook her head, pointing at me with wounded eyes.
“Oh no, Lynx, she’s totally aware of what she’s doing, She’s just she’s just looking for an excuse to get revenge on me, maybe even kill me.”
“You know how jealous and unstable Luca gets. If he finds out what happened, he might do something terrible to me.”
“Then she’d have you all to herself again.”
Hearing this, Luca visibly relaxed.
“Enough. I don’t have time for your tantrums. I’ll have a nurse drag you back.”
I knew what he was thinking–that I loved him too much to ever really leave.
But I was too drained to love anyone anymore.
That night, Luca entered my room and knelt by my bed, gently touching my wounds.
“Sera, I brought in the pack’s best healers and bone specialists. Don’t worry–they say there’s a fifty–fifty shot at saving your legs. Your legs are gonna be fine, baby.”
“I know Lynx has hurt you. I’ll break Ash’s legs myself if you want. Just don’t give up on us, okay?”
“I can’t live without you.”
Under the moonlight, Luca’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, looking every inch the devoted mate.
I gently touched the face I’d loved for ten years.
“Really?”
Luca nodded desperately.
“Trust me, sweetheart.”
But I couldn’t trust him anymore. I couldn’t tell his truth from his lies.
It didn’t matter though. Soon I’d be taking my pup and leaving forever.
When I woke up, I was on an operating table.
Ash leaned against Luca, smug satisfaction written across her face.
“I knew you’d try to turn Luca against me. Thank the Moon Goddess my Lynx kept me safe.”
Luca tapped her nose affectionately, then looked at me with disgust.
“You just never learn, do you? Do it–cut off her legs.”
Wolf Chester
He crushed my last hope of healing.
When I woke again, the doctor was fitting me with prosthetics.
“Alpha said it might hurt, but we shouldn’t delay you from serving Luna Ash. He wants you mobile again ASAP.”
At the same time, Ash sent a text..
“Five minutes. Get here now, or that sickly little runt of yours…”
The prosthetics rubbed my raw flesh painfully, but I rushed to the nursery anyway.
My pup slept peacefully inside his incubator.
Relief flooded through me before I went to see what Ash wanted.
I kept my voice cold.
“Ash, what the hell do you want? I’m warning you–if you touch my pup, I’ll kill you.”
Ash’s laugh was sickeningly sweet.
“Oh my, are you threatening me? Lynx treasures the strong pup I’m carrying. Yours is just a pathetic little weakling who’ll die anyway. My Lynx will always choose me over you.”
I couldn’t help myself–I slapped her across the face.
No mother could stand hearing someone curse their child like that.
“Say that again!”
Ash smiled instead of getting angry, then tilted her head with fake innocence.
“Seraphina, honey, I know you and Lynx didn’t break the bond. He just told me that so I wouldn’t get stressed and lose our pup.”
“But sweetie, you’re past thirty now. Your breeding years are almost over. Why are you still desperately clinging to a male who doesn’t want you?”
“Lynx deserves a young, fertile mate who can give him strong pups. And that’s me.”
I spoke with cold indifference.
“I don’t want him anymore. Take him if you
Ash’s eyes gleamed.
want.”
“As long as his human side exists, I’ll never truly have Lynx.”
“I need to use you to push him over the edge, make him destroy Luca completely.”
I was about to tell her Luca was faking everything when she suddenly pressed a knife into my hands and drove it deep i
“Your pup…”
As I stared in shock, Ash leaned close to whisper in my ear.
“What’s one measly pup compared to having Lynx forever? Lynx means everything to me.”
