ACE’S POV
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Charlotte had promised to give me a chance to make things right, and I was ready to do everything possible to make her see how much I truly loved her, beyond our complicated mate bond. I wanted a shot at redemption, and she gave it to me. I wasn’t taking her for granted. Every promise I made to her that night at the gym, and after I dropped her off, I meant every single one of them. I never imagined she would disappear on me like that.
If I hadn’t confronted her secretary, I wouldn’t have known Moon paid her a visit. The woman didn’t tell me exactly what was said between them, but Charlotte left almost immediately after. That alone told me everything I needed to know. Whatever Moon said must have been horrible.
I found Moon in the kitchen, chatting happily with Nana like nothing had happened, which was unusual, the two women never see eye to eye. I grabbed her arm and dragged her upstairs.
“What is wrong with you?” she yelped. “Why are you dragging me like a child?” I didn’t stop until we were inside my study. I shoved the door shut and yanked her in roughly. She stumbled forward, barely keeping her balance.
“What in the world were you thinking, going to Charlotte’s hospital?” I snapped. “I talked to you about it, and you swore you didn’t visit her.” She backed away slowly, fear flickering in her eyes as she rubbed the spot on her arm where I had been holding.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t pay anyone a visit,” she lied. I hate lies. I hate it even more when someone does something and stands in front of me denying it to my face.
“I hate it when people lie to me,” I said coldly. “If the next words that come out of your mouth aren’t the truth, I’ll have you chained to the confession tree. You won’t leave there until I know everything.”
Fear flashed hard in her eyes. She knew I meant every word. The confession tree wasn’t a threat people took lightly. That was where we chained those who committed serious offences and refused to speak. Treason, betrayal, deep secrets. Once chained there, my old doctor would do what he did best, and the truth always came out in the end.
“You won’t do that to me,” she said, her voice breaking. “I’m your Luna.” Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. “Why do you keep treating me this way?” she continued, hurt bleeding into her tone. “Even if you don’t feel any passion for me anymore, this isn’t right. You can’t keep doing me like this.”
I took a step closer, my patience thinning out. “The truth,” I demanded.
“Yes, I went to her hospital,” she said. “I did it because I had to. I won’t allow a girl who is supposed to be dead come back and ruin our lives.”
My head clamped in pain at her words. Supposed to be dead. Kathryn’s voice echoed in my head, as she told me how she overheard those people that night bragging about hitting Charlotte with their car and pushing her off that cliff, the night she lost her memories. That was the reason for her amnesia. I knew Moon hated Charlotte, but there was no way she could have done something like that to her half sister. She wasn’t that evil.
She kept talking. “I went there and told her the truth about the Moon Ascension festival coming up. I told her
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you’re going to mate me, mark me, and get me pregnant.” My jaw tightened. “And that is the truth. You’re going to do it or you’ll lose your position as Alpha of the Brown League pack. You’ll lose your chance of becoming the next Alpha King after. You won’t throw all of that away because of one woman, will you?”
She stepped closer, invading my space. I raised my hand, stopping her in her tracks.
“It seems you haven’t been listening to a single thing I’ve been saying,” I said coldly. “I planned to wait until after the festival before handing you the divorce papers, but I don’t think I can wait anymore. The divorce agreement will be on your desk by tomorrow morning. You will sign it. I’ll give you whatever amount of money you ask for, even though you’ve already taken more than you ever deserved during our marriage.”
“You can’t do that to me!” she snapped. “I’m not signing those papers. I must bear your mark at the festival and that is the only thing that will happen.”
She stepped closer, her eyes glowing. “I know you, Ace. You won’t give up your Alpha title because of that woman. Not to your cousin of all people. Have you forgotten?” Her lips curled into a sly smile. “You told Charlotte that night in the cage that you wanted nothing to do with the daughter of a prostitute. A home breaker. She was always beneath your status. She may have money and fame now, but she’s still nowhere close to you.” Her voice dropped, biting. “So why are you suddenly so in love with a woman you once hated so much?”
“Shut up!” I barked.
She didn’t. “You’re doing all this because you need her to break your curse,” she continued, not backing down. “You act like you love her, but you’re only bold because she doesn’t remember the things you did. The things you said to her when she lived here with us.” She tilted her head. “Do you really think she’ll forgive you when her memories come back?”
She placed her hands on her waist, confidence rolling off her. “The world doesn’t know the truth about your curse yet. The elders will lose their minds when they find out you rejected your true mate for her half sister.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Everyone still believes we’re mates, and it’s in your best interest to keep it that way. Gavin challenging you openly will be the least of your problems when the truth comes out.” She took a slow step back, studying me. “You’ll be the first cursed Alpha in the history of the Brown League pack. That won’t end well once it becomes public.”
She crossed her arms, waiting. “So,” she said softly, smug. “I won’t be seeing any divorce papers on my desk by morning… will I?”
A small laugh slipped out of me. I couldn’t believe she was standing there, threatening me. Yes, I didn’t know what would happen if the truth ever came out about my curse and rejecting my mate, but I have never been a man who bows to threats. I wasn’t scared of the future. The only thing that truly terrified me was what Charlotte would do once her memories returned.
“Wow,” I said quietly. “My dear Luna, you’ve really done your homework.” She discovered the things I didn’t want her to, things relating to Charlotte. I didn’t want her to know about Charlotte but she was fast in discovering it all which led me to wonder if someone was feeding her information about my life.
“Yes, I had to,” she replied quickly. “I’m not letting you divorce me. Whether you like it or not, you’re going to mark me and I’ll carry your pup again. You’ve always wanted a son by me. Let’s do it again, my love.”
I stared at her, and I couldn’t recognize the woman I once thought I loved. I had wanted her to be the mother
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of my pups. This was the woman I chose over my true mate. The woman I hurt Charlotte for. Right now, I feel like a fool.
“Don’t get it twisted,” I said coldly. “I meant it when I said I will never mark you. The moon goddess doesn’t want you bearing my mark. It would kill you if I did. That mark isn’t yours to carry, and you will never carry my pup again.”
I took a slow step toward her. She stepped back without thinking, her confidence cracking. I took another step and she stumbled, fear flashing across her face.
“You have no idea how far I’m willing to go to get back the woman I love,” I said. “The woman I stupidly abandoned because I thought I was in love with you. I don’t care what I have to give up. I don’t care what I lose.” My gaze locked her in place. Her hands started shaking, her breathing uneven, her eyes wide as if she was seeing me for the first time. “I don’t care who I have to kill to get her back,” I finished calmly. “You should know me well enough to know I don’t bluff.“”
Her knees gave out. She dropped to the floor, staring up at me in pure terror.
I walked out of my study and called Leslie again. It took a long time of asking, swearing, and promising her that I would never hurt Charlotte before she finally gave me the address. She wasn’t at her pack house. She was staying at a hotel. I didn’t waste a second. I got into my jet and flew straight to London.
Out of everything I imagined, this was never one of them. I walked into the pool area and saw my mate in Ethan’s arms, his mouth on her face, kissing her. My wolf snapped. A furious growl tore out of my chest as my wolf pushed forward, desperate to come out and rip apart the man touching what was ours.
I thought that was the worst part. Watching the woman I love choose another man over me hurt more than any wound I had ever taken. She didn’t take my hand when I reached for her. She pulled away from me and let Ethan hold her instead. Then she walked off with him, right in front of me, leaving me standing there like I meant nothing. She chose Ethan over me.
“SHIT!”
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
