Page 19 of Rival Love

I’d forgotten that Lunai could tap into werewolf brains any time she felt like it.

“But,” she continued, “perhaps you can take the high ground here, Archer Sinclaire.”

Selena sat back on her haunches, indicating she was willing to listen to what Lunai was suggesting.

Every fiber in my being wanted to pummel Morelli’s body to get back at him for what he’d done to mine, but honestly, those wounds were healing pretty quickly now that I’d shifted. I credited bonding with Selena for that, and I’d be feeling back up to full power in no time.

I was, however, willing to listen to Lunai so I sat as well. I made a big show of nuzzling up to Selena’s side, however, loving the fury that flared in Morelli’s eyes. Especially when Selena nuzzled me back.

Now that I wasn’t poised to kill him, Morelli stood and took a few stumbling steps toward us, but Lunai held up her hand, halting him.

“You can try,” she said, “but even in your wolf form with your pack at your side, you are no match for the two of them joined together.” She motioned to Selena and me. “They are both Alphas now.”

Cradling his midsection where I’d kicked him, Morelli’s dark eyebrows lowered. “How can that be? Selena comes from a pack of almost all Omegas. She’s been an Omega her entire life.”

“True,” Lunai said, “but lesser wolves all have the potential to be Alphas. They merely need someone to draw it out of them.” She gave Morelli a disapproving glance. “I’d hoped you would be that catalyst for Selena, but you were no better than her original pack. You never saw her as an equal or someone who could even surpass you and your strength. You oppressed her then you disrespected her by bedding her sister.”

“Being with Vera was wrong,” Morelli said. “I see that.” He looked around Lunai at Selena. “I’m sorry, baby. I can do better. I promise. Just come home with me.”

Selena let out a disinterested huff and sunk to her belly beside me. Her indifference to his apology pleased me. A moment later, she shifted back to human, her naked form absolutely stunning. She looked over her shoulder at the still-burning packhouse then back at Lunai.

“Is there something you can do about that fire?” She arrowed a thumb over her shoulder. Making a request of the Moon Goddess was further proof that Selena was an Alpha now.

“Certainly.” Lunai waved a hand, and the flames dissipated into the ground, nothing but wisps of gray smoke rising up from the charred remains.

“Thank you.” Selena nodded at Lunai then looked at Morelli. “First of all, tell me how you found the Sinclaire packhouse.”

Morelli looked to the ground, a tortured expression on his face.

“Vince,” Selena said. “Tell me.”

“Those earrings.” He pointed to her. “They have trackers in them.”

Selena fingered the small diamond studs in her earlobes, her mouth slightly ajar as if she couldn’t believe what Morelli had said.

I believed it. The guy was a dick. Of course he’d monitor his mate’s whereabouts.

A disgusted growl sifted from Selena’s throat as she removed the earrings, fisting the fingers of her left hand over them.

“Selena, I’m so sorry,” Morelli said. “I just—”

Selena held up her right hand to silence him. “I do believe you are actually sorry for cheating on me, Vince.”

The tension in his face relaxed, but now my body was tensed. Was she actually going to forgive him? Go back to him? Cast me aside? Had Lunai given me the chance at having a mate only to have her leave me? It would have been better to never have known what it could be like between two wolves than to have that heaven taken away.

My chest hurt. I couldn’t take a deep breath. The urge to howl mournfully nearly overwhelmed me.

No doubt sensing the change in my emotional state, Selena ran her right hand along the top of my head. She leaned her naked body against me then tugged on my ear before dropping a kiss to my furry cheek.

“I’m with you, Archer,” she whispered. “Always.”

Suddenly, I could draw oxygen into my lungs again.

“You and Vera deserve each other, Vince.” Selena casually rested against my side.

“I’m glad you think so.”

A blond woman emerged from the Morelli pack standing behind their Alpha. She was beautiful in her own way, but nowhere near as lovely as Selena.