Taren's POV
She tastes and feels like heaven, like
the moon goddess has decided to smile at me after so many years of searching
for my mate. But the cosmos seems to be playing a cruel game of fate with me.
Because how on earth, after waiting so
long, is my mate not only mated to another, but also an Obsidian, and
apparently, half-witch?
To the rational mind, it makes no
sense. But no part of me is rational right now. Not even an inch.
When she sighs underneath me, I feel
the need to consume every part of her, to mark her repeatedly until no inch of
her belongs to Alpha Draven. I inch closer to her neck, and she angles it
delicately, opening her throbbing pulse to me.
Just when my teeth graze the delicate
spot, the door pushes open beside us, and in that split second, the air
suddenly shifts.
"Lyssa!" Ardena whispers, pulling away
from me briskly. I roll over to the other side of the bed, bringing myself to
my feet, just as Ardena races to the door, stopping the girl from leaving.
I grab my pants from the floor and
shrug them on, aware of the strange silence that has settled between them.
And then, it tears without warning.
"This is the reason Alpha Draven keeps
you locked up like a slave." There is amusement and pain in Lyssa's tone as she
throws her head back, a cruel laughter roaming the air. "You really…"
"Lyssa, it isn't what you think,"
Ardena whispers, shaking her head. "I can explain it to you if you just…"
"No," Lyssa snaps. "I am not like the
others whom you have managed to fool with your helpless act. I am not Dad, who
gladly gave you to the Alpha King when I was a much better option."
"Lyssa…"
"You know what?" A cold smile touches
her lips. "Why don't I just turn around right now and head to Alpha Draven? I
am sure he will be delighted to hear all about his Luna messing around with…"
Her eyes meet me, and even in the
darkness, I can see the cruelty and jealousy that live in them.
"Wait a minute," she whispers, giving
me a second look. "Aren't you an Auren?"
Ardena breathes. "I need you to listen
to me, Lyssa."
But she still has her gaze fixated on
me. "I know you," she continues. "You are the Beta of the Blue Moon Pack.
Taren, right?"
"Lyssa," I call cautiously, stepping
towards her. I really do not care if she runs straight to Alpha Draven because
the Alpha King doesn't deserve Ardena in the first place. But the look in my
mate's eyes makes me want to rip my claws into everyone who is responsible for
it.
And I know that talking to her sister
is much better than the consequence that is bound to follow.
"You shouldn't be doing this, you
know," she says, angling her head. "Imagine what your brother will do to you if
he finds out about this." seems to be enjoying this. She turns back to her
sister. "You know, don't you?"
Ardena's eyes narrowed. "Know what?"
"His brother is Alpha Rian, the Alpha
King of the Auren Faction. And they hate each other."
"Lyssa!"
The air cracks suddenly, power
brimming through it. It falls with such pressure into the room, pulling the
earth into submission. But the only person who does not remain standing is
Lyssa.
She falls to her knees at once, her
eyes on the plush rug, a quiver running through her. "What are you doing to
me?" she cries.
"Lyssa!" Ardena rushed over to her,
wrapping her arms around her sister's shoulders. But nothing changes. Lyssa
seems to be dragged under something, and I have no clue what it is.
"Make it stop!" Ardena wails, looking
up at me. "You are hurting her!"
"I am not doing anything!"
"It started when you yelled at her! I
felt it."
It makes no sense. Only an Alpha
possesses this power. Still, the minute I take my eyes off her, it all ends.
The buzz in the room, the power in the air.
Me.
"You have to leave," Ardena whispers.
"Use the window."
"What?"
"We have been yelling. It is only a
matter of time before Draven gets here."
"Ardena…"
"He is going to harm you! Go!"
I don't want to leave her side, but I
am only going to make things worse here. So, I turn around and head towards the
window, pulling it open and jumping out into the damp earth. My feet crush the
grass as I pull away from the building into the woods.
I cannot go back to the halls because
everyone will be searching for me right now. It doesn't even matter that I
wasn't there when the attacks started. Alpha Draven is pushing a narrative, and
no one has a choice but to go ahead with it.
And my bet is that he saw me talking
to Ardena in the middle of the ballroom.
Of course. What was I thinking?
By the time I cross through the
borders into the Auren faction, daylight is already approaching. I go to the
Blue Moon Pack house first, needing to talk to Terry about what happened last
night.
I meet him out on the patio, pacing
the place with a glass of ginger ale in his hands.
"Terry."
He turns around at once and rushes to
me, worry evident in his gaze. "Seven heavens, where have you been, Taren? I
searched for you last night when the attack started. Why are they saying you
did it?"
I shook my head and dropped into the
reclining chair by the side of the pool. "I don't know, Terry. I wasn't even in
the room. I was with…"
"Ardena," he complains. "I saw you.
You need to stay away from her. She is the Luna of the Obsidians."
"Well, it's too late," I sigh. "She is
my mate."
My best friend freezes. "Taren…"
"I was as surprised as you, Terry."
"No! No! No! No! Shit no!"
"What is it?"
"The Blue Moon Pack received a memo
today from the Alpha King."
I get on my feet. "What does it say?"
"Alpha Draven is proposing a peace
offering and another ball in four weeks' time. And we are going to host it in
the Aurens."
"Four weeks?" I blink in disbelief.
"The ball only holds every quarter moon."
"Exactly," Terry snaps his fingers.
"Alpha Draven is up to something. You cannot attend that ball, Taren."