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Rygan’s POV

I should have stayed away.

The first time I tasted Elise’s body, I felt her alluring skin against mine, scented because of my rut. I took it as just my wolf reacting to any female, repeating it like a mantra in my head.

Kyren had forced many females onto me before, so it had to have meant nothing. But it was no mistake the second I took her to bed in that abandoned cabin. Something changed.

Elise felt perfect in my arms; my wolf was hungry and yearned for more of her; and a sinister yet feral part of me was satisfied that I was the one who took her virginity and that I was the only one who tasted her skin and virgin hole first.

But it was all a mistake, it had to be, especially when I woke and remembered the promise that my family made to Alvira’s parents, who helped my father, with a promise to join our house, a betrothal to have Alvira as my future mate.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth, knowing that I had to avoid her. I couldn’t bear the crestfallen look on her face the moment Kaide made it known that Alvira was betrothed to me.

Maybe it was for the best; us having nothing to do with each other would make it easier to drift apart and make it less painful when I reject the bond.

Yet the moment Elise left my study, I had to hold the arm of my chair till the wooden arms groaned, fighting all the will that was in me not to stand up and follow her.

She was my enemy’s daughter, and even though she wasn’t Dexton’s blood, she was still a daughter of the Sivernight pack, and that should give me enough reason to hate her.

“Rygan,” Alvira’s voice echoed through my thoughts as I stared at the burning flame of the fireplace before my gaze whirled to her.

She walked up to me, taking a seat on my lap; her hand combed into my scalp; her hands felt like silk but not as soft as Elise’s; not as alluring as Elise; she wasn’t Elise.

Alvira pulled away from me, frowning as she searched my face. “You are thinking about something; you aren’t paying attention to me she snarled. As she caressed my face.

“What happened back at the Darknight Pack’s dungeon with that girl? There is

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something you aren’t telling me, Alpha,” Alvira says, but I pull her from my lap.

“There is nothing to say; she needed my help, and now she is here,” I counter.

“Does she need to live in the moon house? Even though I am not allowed to live here before our mating, why does a stranger get to be close to you? You are mine.” Alvira declares this as she reaches up to kiss me.

I let her soft lips touch mine, taking in her jasmine scent, but it was as soft and sweet as a certain lavender scent that set me on fire-not Elise. My wolf snarls.

I pull away. “I need to rest; I’m still wounded, and it’s still healing. Tell Taz to at least make it to tonight’s dinner and not to the pack’s pub; you can leave.” I tell Alvira, who scowls before she walks out.

Now that I knew I was going crazy, I walked out of the study, pacing to my room, when I passed the chambers that Kaide told me were given to Elise. I forced myself to turn the other way and go back to my room.

My first stop was the large mirror stowed on the wall. I took off my shirt, unwrapping the bandages that were put on my wounds, which needed at least two more days to heal.

That was the problem. I lied to Alvira that I needed to heal, but I felt no pain then, and even now, as I peeled the last layer of the bandage, I was met with no gaping hole at my side, no wound at all; it was healed completely.

“What is now sealed skin. I try to think of what has gone on in that private room to heal me. I recall the moment I woke up and Elise’s hand was wrapped in mine.

the moon’s name?” I mutter, touching the s of the stab wound that was

I sat, spending minutes of my time staring as the sun illuminated her beautiful face. She was nothing like I had ever seen.

Her beautiful freckles dusted her face like sunset, her red wavy locks with silver strands, a strange yet beautiful feature to her body, how anything her icy blue eyes stared at me, it felt like my wolf was on fire.

Moons, I was going crazy. I felt so enamored to see her petite frame sleeping as her delicate, small hands were wrapped around mine. Wait.

“It couldn’t be,” I mutter. Elise was the only one with me throughout the night. What if she was the one who healed me? I could be wrong, but Elise might be ‘gifted’ just like me, but she was a healer type and not telepathic like me.

Or am I just being paranoid? How could I explain what happened back in the forest- how I met those men dead with the most horrid attacks on their skin? It could all be hers.

“Stop thinking about these things, Rygan; stop being so curious about her when you’re trying to create distance; you need rest,” I tell myself.

I told myself that I’d ask her at the dinner instead. I wanted to know what exactly happened at her mating ritual that night.

A few hours later, I walked downstairs for dinner. The smell of savory dishes prepared by the s**s was heavenly, I could hardly get past them, as they all greeted me and were happy to see that I was back.

The news had already spread that I was back in the pack, and I had to be prepared to expect a crowd tomorrow, especially the elders of my pack, who were never happy that I was alpha first and foremost, and I’m sure some of them weren’t happy that I was alive and back.

Alvira takes a seat on my left, and Kaide is on my right. “Sorry, I’m late!” T***’s voice echoed as he pulled his seat out.

“So are we supposed to wait for that little Miss Perfect then?” Alvira says with a wicked venom in her tone that I could sense the tense animosity from her anytime Elise was mentioned.

“She told me carlier that she wasn’t coming, so I sent maids with food for her earlier,” Kaide announced.

“Well, aren’t you a darling?” Alvira says it sarcastically with an eye roll as she digs into her meal. I could feel Ta**’s eyes on me, like he was watching for my reaction, but I showed my usual bored expression.

It was better this way; better we drift off and I’d feel nothing at all for; better that we were nothing with each other, so she feels nothing when I reject the bond with her.

It was better to be apart; that’s what I tell myself throughout dinner, so why the hell am I knocking at Elise’s door right now?