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“And I’ll do what’s best for the pack.”
* * *
Bishop didn’t tellWest about Rafael. He told me he didn’t, and I trust him implicitly.
But my chosen mate knows. I’m one hundred percent convinced that he does. Why else is he standing outside of my cabin when I approach it, pacing nervously, his hands empty.
The pacing is unexpected, but not as much as the fact that he didn’t bring a flower for me.
He always does.
It started when he became the Beta of the pack at twenty-one. Until then, we were inseparable. Friends since we were pups, our relationship turned serious when we were nineteen, the two of us always together. He had his own cabin, but since I was given the Omega cabin when I took the position in the pack, he spent all of his time at mine.
But then our last Beta retired, becoming a gamma, and Bishop offered the post to West. I was so proud of him, even if that meant pack duties and responsibilities kept us apart more than I liked.
That’s when West started bringing me flowers. Whenever we were away from each other for more than a few hours at a time, he would pluck one of the wildflowers that grew on the outskirts of pack land and bring it back for me.
A reminder that he loved me, he would say, and that I was on his mind even when we were apart.
Not today, though. As if he was in such a frantic rush to reach me, he didn’t stop for a flower.
As if this needs to be any harder than it is.
When he sees me, he jogs right for me. Throwing open his arms, he’s about to hug me when I dance out of his reach.
I’ve never done that before, but I have to. Touching West right now… I can’t.
I justcan’t.
And he knows.
“Tell me it’s not true, baby. Tucker said… he said that…Gravetail.He’s trying to claim you as his fated mate. But that can’t be. You’re not his. You’remine.”
Next time I see Tucker, I’m going to encourage his wolf to lose his libido for a few days. When he can’t get it up, maybe then he’ll stop interfering in other packmates’ matings.
A lump lodges in my throat. I almost invite him inside my cabin to break his heart in private, but I chicken out at the last moment. Having him near, surrounded by his sandalwood scent… this is already going to be Luna damn hard.
Why make it even harder?
“I thought I was, West. But Tucker’s right. I’ve promises m
“What? No! You can’t do that. Didn’t you just hear me say that you’re mine? You always have been. You always will be.”
Only I’m not. He might not see that now, but he will. One day, he will.
“We’re both meant for others,” I whisper, holding back my sob. “It’s better if we leave it at that.”
“Better? Better for fuckingwho?”
West’s eyes are wild. Normally a steely, dark grey so unusual for shifters, they’re the vivid gold of his wolf peeking through.
“For you. For me.” For your future mate. “For the pack.”
He hears something in my voice. I thought I did a good job holding back my ache, but he narrows his gaze on me.
West is looking right in my eyes, and though his type of wolf can’t sense emotions like mine can, he knows me. He can tell how much it’s killing me to do this, how much I’m already regretting this… and that only firms his resolve to push back against me on this.
“You don’t have to do this. Screw the pack. This is about us. You and me, baby.”
