Chapter 32
676words
"Selene," he says, my name a caress that makes my skin crawl. "You're looking well. Freedom suits you."
Kieran moves slightly in front of me, a protective gesture that doesn't go unnoticed by Marcus.
"Still hiding behind your new alpha?" Marcus taunts. "Some things never change."
"What do you want, Reed?" Kieran's voice is calm, controlled, but I feel his tension through the bond.
"Just a conversation." Marcus spreads his hands in a gesture of false innocence. "Is that so much to ask? A few minutes with my former mate?"
"Ex-mate," I correct, finding my voice. "The bond is broken."
"Is it?" His smile is cruel. "Are you sure about that?"
Suddenly, he closes his eyes in concentration. Pain lances through my head as a familiar invasive presence tries to force its way into my mind.
I gasp, staggering slightly. Kieran's arm steadies me, his concern flowing through our pack bond.
"What is it?" he asks urgently.
"He's trying to... to reach me," I manage through gritted teeth. "Through the old bond."
Marcus's smile widens. "Not so broken after all, is it? Just... dormant."
Kieran growls, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. "Whatever you're doing, stop. Now."
"Or what?" Marcus takes a step forward, his wolves moving with him. "You'll kill me? We both know you won't. Too honorable." He spits the last word like a curse.
The pressure increases as Marcus pushes at my mind, but unlike before, there's resistance—the pack bond protects me, Kieran's strength flowing through it.
Drawing on that strength, I push back against Marcus's intrusion. "Get. Out. Of. My. Head."
His eyes widen in surprise as I force him out, slamming mental doors closed between us. The pain recedes, leaving me breathless but triumphant.
"Impossible," Marcus hisses. "The bond can't be completely severed. Not without—" He stops, his gaze darting between Kieran and me, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Unless... you've formed a new bond."
The accusation hangs in the air. I feel Kieran tense beside me, his hand finding mine.
"She's pack," he says simply. "Protected by pack bonds."
"More than that," Marcus snarls. "I can smell it on both of you. You've mated her."
I blink, surprised. We haven't performed any mating ritual, yet as Marcus's words sink in, I realize there's truth to them—something has changed between Kieran and me, something deeper than physical intimacy or the pack bond.
"That's not possible," I say, though uncertainty colors my voice. "We haven't—"
"Some bonds form naturally," Kieran says quietly. "Between wolves who are... compatible. It's rare, but it happens."
Marcus's face contorts with rage. "She's MINE! I claimed her first!"
"You never had a claim," Kieran's voice hardens. "A forced bond isn't a claim. It's a violation."
"She came to me willingly," Marcus insists. "Tell him, Selene. Tell him how eager you were to join my pack, to share my bed."
"I was newly turned and alone," I say, anger replacing fear. "You manipulated me, isolated me, abused me. There was nothing willing about what happened between us."
Marcus's wolves shift uneasily, exchanging glances. This clearly isn't the story they've been told.
"You're twisting things," Marcus says, but his confidence wavers slightly. "Making me the villain to justify your betrayal."
"The only betrayal was yours," I reply, stepping forward despite Kieran's protective hand. "Against everything an alpha should be."
Something dangerous flashes in Marcus's eyes. "Enough talk. I came for what's mine, and I won't leave without it."
He signals to his wolves, who spread out in attack formation. Kieran responds instantly, a howl ripping from his throat—calling the pack, warning of danger.
"Last chance, Reed," Kieran says, his voice deadly quiet. "Leave my territory. Leave my mate alone."
The word 'mate' sends a thrill through me despite the danger. Kieran's eyes meet mine briefly, an apology and a promise in their depths.
