Chapter 41
MOON’S POY
The Ascension festival was fast approaching. My parents asked me to come over, they said we needed to talk about something important.
1 parked outside the mansion and went in. It had been a long time since I was last home. Dad usually came to see me, and f inet Mum for lunch in different restaurants. I never saw the need to return here.
As I stood inside, something tugged at me. Without thinking too much about it, I found myself heading toward the basement where Charlotte used to stay. I pushed the old crappy wooden door open. Cobwebs and dust greeted me. Everything was still the same from when Charlotte left. Her small bed, the thin mattress. The room was tiny, barely any air coming in. I looked around and wondered how that wench managed to survive down here for so long.
I remembered the day Dad brought her home. Mum said she wouldn’t have another woman’s child living inside the mansion, and Dad didn’t argue, I still wonder how Mum even found that space in the basement. No one knew it existed. Even our servants had better rooms.
Charlotte took everything without complaining, and that only made me hate her more. She always looked innocent, quiet, like she didn’t notice anything. But I knew better. I was sure that if she had been allowed into the mansion, if she had tasted that kind of comfort, she would one day want what belonged to me. And I was right. It didn’t take long before she started looking at Ace.
I left the basement and went back upstairs. When I didn’t see Dad in the living room, I headed to his study. He was there with Mum, both of them already seated, waiting for me.
“You went to the basement,” Mum said softly. “Do you miss her?
I shrugged. “Honestly, I do miss her sometimes. I look around every day and she isn’t here anymore. There’s no one left for me to bully.”
Mum burst out laughing. “So basically, you miss having your punching bag?” She waved it off. “That’s easy. Pick any omega and do whatever you want with them. You’re their Luna. I’m glad she’s out of our lives. She caused us too much damage.
You lost your pup, our grandchild, because of her actions and almost killed you. Exile was just enough for her, she should have been executed on the spot.” She wiped at her eyes like she was brushing away tears, even though there were none.
“Ace doesn’t tolerate bullying, he might not spare me,” I muttered. The thought sent a small wave of fear through my chest.
No one in the pack knows the truth about Ace and me. When we started dating years ago, we were inseparable. People believed we were mates. I believed it too. My parents still believe we are mates, that Ace simply fell out of love with me, and with a little push from me, he would fall back in love again.
There was so much they didn’t know. Including the truth about that pregnancy six years ago.
Roman knew. He had kept my secret all this time. It scared me, but at the same time, I was relieved. If Ace ever found out, I didn’t know what would happen. Roman and Ace were best friends long before they became Beta and Alpha.
My father cleared his throat, speaking for the first time since I walked in. “The festival is fast approaching,” he said calmly. “And it is the only chance we have to get Ace to mark and mate you. I’ve thought of countless reasons why your mate has refused to mark you, and none of them make sense.”
My mum stood up slowly. “What your father is trying to say is that we need to know if there’s something you’re not telling us.” She walked closer, sitting close to me on the couch. “Are you hiding something from us, baby?” Her voice softened. “What happened after you got married?”
I swallowed hard. I couldn’t tell them the truth. If I did. I would have to talk about the curse, and why Ace was cursed in the first place. Knowing my parents, they would try to use it against him, maybe even blackmail him. But Ace wasn’t that kind of
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Chapter 41
man. You don’t flaesten someone like him and walk away untouched. The always came bark And when he did, he destroyed everything 4 haid my own plans. I couldn’t let anything in the before the right time.
I forced my eyes to sting, puished the tears out. “Mum, I sobber only. “Ace cheated on me. I paused, like the words hurt no much to say. “It was six years ago. With a girl from the neudbouring pack” My solce brok. “It didn’t happen just tance, He kept going back to her. He he fell in love with her.”
The lie tasted bitter, but the tears came easily. Mom rushed to and pulled me into her arms, holding me fight as I cried hander against her chest
“It’s okay, dear,” Mum murmured, rubbing slow circles on my back “The good news is that he has finally allowed you to move into his penthouse with him. That alone is a huge improvement.” I sniffed, nodding against her shoulder.
Dad opened one of his drawers and brought out a small bottle, pacing it carefully on the table. “This is what you’ll drink on that day. Once Ace sets his eyes on you, he won’t be able to resis As the days draw closer, his heat will start.”
He leaned back in his chair. “For Alphas, it lasts a full week. It becomes worse on the night of the Ascension ritual. He won’t be able to control himself and when you’re alone with him, make sure he marks you”
Mum picked up from where he stopped. “If he tries to resist, and I pray for his sake he doesn’t, something worse will happen to him. Her eyes hardened slightly. “You’ll also have to drug him that night,”
My heart skipped with fear. I pulled back from her arms at once. “Oh no, Mum, I can’t, I can’t drug him. Do you remember what happened the last time I tried? He went crazy, he almost tore my head off.” My voice was shaking.
The memory of that night flashed through my mind, making my fingers curl into my palms as fear settled in my chest.
“This will be different, we’ve planned everything carefully. That night, you’ll lure him out and let him claim you in public. with all the Alphas and their Lunas watching,” she explained in detail.
After the discussion with my parents, I left the mansion and drove back to the pack house. I only needed to grab a few personal things before heading straight to the penthouse.
A bad feeling crept in. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. It felt like someone was watching me, following me from the woods. My grip tightened on the steering wheel. My gut twisted, telling me it might be him. I pulled over abruptly.
Stepping out of the car, I walked deeper into the woods. I scanned the area until I saw him, he looked barely alive.
His clothes were drenched in blood. He swayed on his feet like he was fighting to stay upright, his face pale, eyes dull. It shocked me that he had followed me in that condition.
“I found her,” he murmured.
That was all he managed to say before his body gave up. He collapsed to the ground with a thud. I struggled to carry him by myself as he was quite heavy.
What happened to him? The last time I saw him, I told him to stay alive, to feed on as many wolves as he could just to get his strength back.
I took him to the only person who had been helping us. He made a call and his private doctor came to treat Ravok. The wounds were bad, worse than I thought, but at least he was breathing.
“You know he needs to feed on a wolf to regain his strength when he wakes up.”
The voice came from behind me, very close, making my skin crawl.
“Why are you telling me?” I hissed without turning.
“You need to find him someone, an unlucky lone wolf.”
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I finally faced him, giving how a hard stare
“I could give him one of my people,” he added after a pause. “B that means you owe me more. And one day, I’ll come back. for what’s mine.
Ravok slept through the night. He woke up in the middle of the ext day. He fed on the unlucky wolf until he was satisfied. until some life returned to his eyes.
“Mind explaining what happened to you?” I probed when he was lone
“I got into a fight with the good doctor.”
I frowned, irritation rising fast. “Don’t play games with me. Which doctor, and why would you attack a doctor?”
He leaned back, a slow smirk on his face, “Don’t tell me you don know Doctor Charlotte Graves.”
“Everyone knows the name,” I scoffed. “I just haven’t seen her face. It’s not important.”
“It is,” he said calmly. “The woman with Ace that day, the one you asked me to look into. I found her.”
My brows pulled together, anger creeping in. “Doctor Graves and Ace? Together?”
“You missed something,” he said, eyes locked on mine. “The first name, Charlotte. Before the Graves.”
My mind stalled. “Should that name mean anything to me? There are lots of people with the name, it’s a very common name. Charlotte is…” My words died in my throat. I sucked in a sharp breath.
“You mean… Charlotte,” I whispered. “My sister?”
“Your husband’s real mate is back. But you also don’t have to worry. I’m sure she’s dead as we speak. There’s no way in the world she would survive that poison.”
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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.
