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“Read the fucking room, moron,” Kade warned, throwing a foul look at Mateo. He wrapped his arm around Flora’s waist, securing her against him, and steered his horse toward the trail.
Flora’s stare didn't waver from his, and if she was shocked, she didn’t show it. At least not in her expression. But her eyes were the window to her soul, and right now she was drowning in Mateo’s words.
“Did I miss something—?” Mateo started, but Draven cut him off.
“Shut the fuck up, Mateo,” Draven barked, adding an extraoomfof pure Alpha command.
The idiot didn’t know he was fucking up the only good thing Draven had known in nearly a century. Not that he wouldn’t have done it on his own eventually when she found out, but at the very least, Draven wouldn’t have rubbed it in her face the day after they’d had the best sex of his life. Granted, Mateo had no way of knowing what transpired between them the night before. He’d been too busy getting his own dick wet.
“Congratulations,” Flora whispered, as they rode past him.
What he wouldn’t give to know what she was thinking. But her features were locked down better than a level-five prison.
Fuck. He wanted to deny every bit of Mateo’s claim, pull her into his arms and tell her how amazing she was. That she was what he wanted, because despite knowing her less than a week, she was the first real thing to come into his life outside of the pack. She could be his Luna. The term of endearment that should be reserved for his future bride rolled off his tongue so easily the night before, and even in the light of day, it felt right. She was meant to be his.
But he couldn’t say any of that.
It would only make him sound like more of an asshole because, at the end of the day, he’d agreed to marry Darcy. He’d chosen his pack. As he always would.
“Shall we?” Flora straightened her spine and clicked her tongue as she tugged on the reins Kade had handed over to her. “The moonstone isn’t going to find itself, and apparently, we have afiancéeto get you back to.”
Draven could taste the disdain in her words. He spurred his horse forward to keep up. “It’s not like that, Flora.”
If he could just make her see that his decision was about more than them. In any other world, he would have chosen her, but in this one, he couldn't. She of all people should understand, considering she would do anything to protect her best friend. He was doing this to protect the future generations of wolves. Of hybrids.
“It doesn’t matter what it’s like, Draven.” She didn’t turn to look at him, even though he silently pleaded she would. “In fact, I should be thanking you. You wanted me to feel everything while I’m still human, right? Heartbreak is just another emotion I can add to the list.”
Kade choked from behind her, but Flora didn’t pay him any attention as she continued to urge their horse to the entrance of the trail.
Draven halted his movement and sat frozen, watching her ride ahead. He had been so certain this was the right decision, but watching her move away from him and knowing she hated him was too much for his fragile heart. When had she gained so much power over him? And how the hell did he get it back?
You don’t.The voice of his wolf thundered in his head clearly for the first time since he’d shown up.
Mateo trotted up beside him, and Draven felt his stare toggle between him and Flora as the dumb shit finally put it together. “You and Flora?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Draven shook him off.
“I’m sorry I said anything. I thought she was just a girl you were protecting. Sure, you were a bit of an asshat about any of us getting close to her but…you never… fuck, I’ve never seen you look at a woman like that.”
Draven scrubbed his face with his hand, schooling his features. He couldn’t let himself forget why he was doing this. “She’s better off, and I will always do what’s best for the pack.”
“I admire your dedication, Draven, but at what point do you do what’s best for you? The pack is throwing you under the bus. Our pack will support you regardless of this merging, and the tribes can suck a dick. We are the motherfucking Moon Ridge Pack. If they think they can push you into this, then we’ll show them how wrong they are.”
Draven raised a brow at Mateo. “But then I wouldn’t be yourprimo.”
“Fuck being cousins, Draven. You’re my family regardless. And family lets family know when they are being idiots. You’re letting the perfect girl walk away. Tell her the fucking truth. She’ll understand.”
Draven watched Kade’s back as it grew smaller on the trail and let out an exhausted sigh. “I wish it was as simple as you’ve made it sound, Mateo. This is how it has to be. We were always a means to an end, and that’s how it needs to remain.”
She deserved so much better than him.
“You’re wrong,hermano.”
His wolf agreed, but Draven ignored them both. Choosing the pack would never be wrong, no matter how much it hurt.
