Page 21 of Rival Love

Morelli opened his mouth, no doubt to argue, but dark clouds suddenly filled the sky above us and a wild breeze whipped through the trees. Lunai’s dress flapped around her, the slapping sounding much like a cracking whip. The noise made me flinch as I remembered the silver whip’s sting against my flesh.

Selena circled her arms around my neck though, and that anxiety sifted right out of me.

“You will do as I command, wolf!” Lunai’s voice was low and, honestly, scary as shit. “Or I will command the Sinclaire pack to obliterate yours, and your blood will become a permanent stain on this land!”

Morelli threw his hands up. “I’m sorry, Goddess. I will do as you say. Forgive me for my insolence.”

I was surprised Morelli knew a fancy word like insolence, but his submission appeased Lunai. The sun reappeared, and the wind calmed.

“Now go,” she ordered.

Morelli slung his arm around Vera and walked off in the direction his wolves had gone.

Vera, however, stooped and picked up the diamond earrings, pocketing them. She looked over her shoulder at Selena, a smug tilt to her lips, before wrapping her arm around Morelli’s waist and leaving with him. She honestly thought she was winning here. Morelli certainly didn’t seem like a great prize to me.

Or to Selena.

Lunai turned to us. “Your willingness to allow Vincent Morelli to live in the face of multiple attacks from him is a testament to your leadership, Archer Sinclaire. You represent werewolves in the best light, and I know you will continue to do so.” She floated over and put her hand to Selena’s cheek. “Especially with a mate such as Selena at your side.”

I shifted to human, but it pulled a groan from me when pain from my back and wrist injuries flared up again. My wrists looked improved though, as I was sure my back did as well. I’d most likely be fine by nightfall.

“Thank you, Lunai.” I drew Selena to my side, loving the feel of her bare flesh against mine. “I’m not sure I deserve such a gift as this wolf right here, but I will enjoy every moment of having her as my mate.”

“And I’ll enjoy every moment of being your mate.” Selena pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

Lunai floated back toward the woods. “Enjoy being the top dogs of Moon Valley.” She disappeared in a mist that hung in the treetops for a moment before dissipating completely.

I motioned to my wolves to come in close. After checking that they were all unharmed by the fire and fighting, we made a plan to assemble at my house to say a proper goodbye to my father. Thankfully, he had been taken to my house already, escaping the wrath of the fire at the packhouse.

As the group meandered to the path that led to my place, I nudged Selena into a walk behind them.

And I knew how I wanted to spend the hours after saying farewell to my father for good.

Chapter Eleven

Selena

Watching Archer and his packmates say goodbye to Pearce Sinclaire was just about the saddest thing I’d ever witnessed. Every person who approached the former Alpha where he rested on a bed of branches and leaves in Archer’s backyard had tears in their eyes and many kind words to say about their heroic Alpha. I wished I’d had the chance to know the man and the wolf.

When it was Archer’s turn at his father’s side, he stood for several quiet moments, his hand tightly wrapped around mine. I didn’t complain about the grip though. He needed someone to anchor him, and I was honored to be the person he’d chosen for the job.

“It’s been just my father and me for the last twenty-five years,” Archer said in a low, solemn voice. “As you know, my mother was called from this life when I was a pup. She went out protecting me from an angry bear, not hesitating to go up against something much bigger than her. She had the bravery that is characteristic of a Sinclaire pack member.”

My free hand came to rest over our joined hands, and Archer looked down at me, his hazel eyes glistening in the light from the candles his pack held.

“My father had that same bravery,” Archer said, “and though I know he would have preferred to meet his end in a more epic way and definitely not until he was at least over a hundred years old, his final moments were marked by the calm, level-headedness we’ve all come to expect from our Alpha.” He took several steps closer to his father, tugging me along beside him. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to his father’s forehead, a single tear dropping from his eye and landing in the leaves. “I will do my very best to lead in a way that makes you proud, Dad.”

On Archer’s howl, everyone gathered around Pearce and threw their candles onto the branches and leaves. It didn’t take long for the pyre to go up in a blaze, surrounding Pearce and officially ending his time here on Earth.

In the next moment, all of Archer’s packmates shifted and released howls into the fading daylight. The song was haunting, and though I’d been to a werewolf funeral before, I’d never felt the anguish of the attendees quite like I did right now. They’d lost their beloved Alpha, and though Archer was ready to lead and would be an amazing Alpha, Pearce was such a part of the Sinclaire pack that his presence would be missed forever.

Archer and I shifted as well, adding our howls to the pack’s. When the funeral song was done, wolves took to the woods, returning to their own homes for the night. Archer and I sat by Pearce until the flames died out to nothing but glowing embers and ash. Then we shifted back to human and sat a little longer, huddled together for warmth in the crisp October night.

Soon the sun had gone completely, and the moon kissed the tops of the trees. Darkness surrounded us save for the one floodlight at the back of Archer’s house behind us.

“Is it just me or was today the longest day in history?” Archer asked.

I puffed out a breath. “It certainly felt that way. A lot has happened in less than twenty-four hours.”