Page 86 of Moonlight & Mayhem

Tempest's eyes narrowed. “That doesn't sound terrible.”

“It is,” Morrigan insisted.

“How?” Tempest asked.

“It would mean that no wolf can leave here,” Morrigan said.

Moon understood. If the Silver healer’s blood bound every wolf in the pack, they’d have no choice about staying or leaving. Her mother would have had no choice either. “No choice.”

Morrigan nodded. “No choice, no rejection, no challenge to the Alpha. No separation from a mate. No breaking from the pack.” Mayhem's wolf snarled, and Moon felt sick. They wanted to create a perfect pack, built through slavery.

“That's what my mother discovered,” Moon said.

“Yes,” Morrigan said.

“She was supposed to do it, and she refused,” Moon continued.

“She tried to destroy the Hollow,” the older woman explained. Pride moved through Moon because that sounded like Selene.

“What happened?” she asked.

“She failed,” Morrigan said.

Moon swallowed. “And then she ran with me. Why didn't you go with her?”

Morrigan looked down. She could see the guilt in the older woman’s eyes, and Moon already knew she wasn't going to like the answer. “Because I betrayed her.” The words settled between them.

Moon stared at Morrigan. “How did you betray her?”

“I told the elders she was leaving.”

Mayhem stepped forward, and Moon stopped him. “No.”

“Moonlight,” he growled.

“I need to hear this,” she insisted.

Morrigan's eyes filled. “I thought I was saving her.”

“By turning her in?” Moon yelled.

“I believed what we'd been taught. Pack before everything.” Moon thought of her mother's mate. He was the man who had chosen his pack and handed Selene over because her healing abilities were valuable.

“You knew what her mate did to her,” Moon accused.

Morrigan closed her eyes. “Yes, I did.”

“And you still betrayed her?” Moon's wolf snarled, and Mayhem's hand moved around her waist. She leaned into him, not because she was weak, but because she wanted him there with her. There was a difference.

Morrigan opened her eyes. “Your mother escaped anyway.”

“And never forgave you,” Moon spat.

“No,” Morrigan confirmed. “She didn’t.”

Moon swallowed. “Good.” Morrigan flinched again. Mayhem didn't tell Moon to stop because he understood. Some wounds deserved to hurt. “How did my mother die?”

Morrigan frowned. “You know how she died.”