Luna Ariel's POV'Where are you, my Luna? You know I can't go on without you, I need you here, always. Remember your promise to love me forever.I jolt awake from this dream I've been having for several nights. Gorgio is calling me, begging me to open the mind link and talk to him. His voice is losing strength, my absence makes him physically vulnerable.And I miss him too. These last days have been hell, I don't know how long I can keep going without him. His arms around me, his scent and his lips. That's all I need. But how do I face him? Will he forgive my betrayal?Tears roll down my cheeks like a waterfall. I can't stop them. Era, my wolf, is exhausted, she longs for her mate as much as I do.Gorgio!Only when Clarita rushes towards me do I realize that I have screamed his name from the depths of my soul. I can't hold out any longer, I have to go to him. If necessary, I will get down on my knees and ask him to forgive me. I will affirm that he is my only love, my heart beats only
Luna Ariel's POV We drive our rental car to the park, which is not too far from the hotel. In our backpack we have a packed breakfast and a blanket to sit on in the forest. According to the online information we should be there in ten minutes. Clarita has certainly managed to pull me out of my misery, even Era is much calmer now. I can feel her moving more actively now as if she is looking forward to a wild run in the wilderness. It has been a long time since I have set her free. It is still early in the morning and as we drive toward our destination the cool wind blows in my face. My mood improves as the fresh air enters my system. We pass an area of businesses before entering a dense forest. "Now tell me exactly what is going on, Ariel. I am so dying to know all about it. I've finally met a real werewolf, I can't believe my luck. But first I want to hear your story." And then I tell her how overjoyed I was when I first met Gorgio. He had run up to
Alpha Gorgio's POV Alexis is sticking to her plan. I hate that she's doing all this. It makes me feel like a coward who can't provide his mate with the protection she requires. I should have ripped that Alpha's head off, the disrespect towards me was outrageous. From afar, I watch as Alexis convinces her father that she is capable of getting Ariel and bringing her to Alpha Zane so that they can patch things up. She would see to it that they came to terms and then mediate between them and me. My father-in-law knows how close the bond is between his daughters and he is desperate for this matter to be resolved as soon as possible. Meanwhile, this triangular mating has reached the whole werewolf community and is the talk of the day. Everyone is watching, wanting to know how this will end. No one expects Zane to come out of this alive. Together with my sister-in-law, I go to the witch Xanna to make the necessary preparations. Xanna is a witch in her own right, modern, funny and
Alpha Gorgio's POV stillA few hours later I woke up well rested.I put on some sportswear and make my way down to the main floor. After a hearty dinner, I make a beeline for my office. As I walk in, I see Jace and Alvin having a heated discussion."What's up, man?" I ask them as I slump down on the sofa. Jace slides the laptop in my direction so I can see the screen. It's a video of Alexis being picked up by Alpha Zane at his pack airstrip and taken to the packhouse. With satisfaction I conclude that the witch has done a good job, the Alpha seems to be smitten with his 'mate'.Most disturbing of all, he later insists that she share his bed. This is so not done for me. I cannot sacrifice Alexis' virtue for the good of Ariel and myself, it is so wrong. As if she knew I was going to be pretty upset about this deal with the man, she also shows footage of them lying on the bed with their backs to each other. From the looks of it, the Alpha would rather have her close without touching than
Alpha Gorgio's POV still Damn it!Who saddled me with this slow aircraft? We've been flying for ten minutes now and Arkansas isn't that far away. As if sensing my impatience, the pilot tosses me a pair of binoculars, which I gratefully use to scan all the forests we fly over. Never before had my heart beaten so fast with anticipation. My chest hurts from all the vibrations. My mate, in a few moments I will hold her in my arms again. Goddess, it has been a long, long week, I almost went mad from missing her. I knew she would come back to me, but I didn't want to wait. With the new twist in Midnight Moon, she needs my protection more than ever. And then I saw her. By a lake, under a tree.She takes off her trainers and begins to pull the dress over her head. "Eyes off!" I growl at Jace and the pilot, who immediately turn away. "And land this damn thing quickly." I can feel Xander getting agitated, banging against our wall to take over. I don'
Alpha Zane's POV NowMy gut tells me to keep an eye on Eric.Something is definitely going on with him and I think it has everything to do with Ariel. The way they interact is not normal. Ariel is hungry for his attention, always seeking his opinion, and she is too close to him for my liking. And the way he looks at her when he thinks no one is watching looks like a man in love. But his analysis of Ariel's behavior is what interests me now. Eric is right, there are some things about her that no one would expect in a mate. The fact that she is not attracted to me may have something to do with her bond with Gorgio. But she doesn't seem to tolerate me around her, often looks at me disapprovingly and never has intimate contact with me of her own accord. And then her ridiculous conditions. I almost feel like a clown, my pack is starting to get anxious about my inability to control my Luna. Of course, Midnight Moon senses through the pack bond that Ariel and I
Alpha Zane's POV stillNever before have I felt so nervous about a date.Usually, I'm the one in control, completely in control of the situation when I'm having dinner with a woman. But tonight I feel like an insecure teenager on his first date.Ariel has agreed to spend the evening with me. I have reservations at an exquisite restaurant in the pack and have planned a walk in the woods afterward to further loosen the mood. An hour ago I received a report from Kensley that Ariel had managed to find a great dress for tonight. Even he can confirm that it is a creation that looks fabulous on her. The only downside is that she paid for it with her father's credit card. When I sent her to Human Town with Kensley this afternoon to go shopping, I gave her a platinum card with instructions that she could buy anything her heart desired. The price didn't matter, as long as she wanted the items. According to Kensley, she did make some purchases, but they were all on
Alpha Zane's POV stillA menacing roar emanates from deep in my throat.I can't believe what's unfolding right before my eyes. My mate glares angrily at my best friend and Beta, who turns to her with guilt written all over his face. Eric shoves the woman away, his eyes fixed on Ariel. It is as if he has been caught in the act by his girlfriend."What's going on here?" I demand to know, Claw shifting his glowing eyes from Ariel to Eric."Zane," Eric exhales, tearing his eyes away from Ariel. "I didn't know you were here with Ariel. Sybille and I were just talking, nothing more. I swear. Did I disturb you?" Why do I get the feeling he's apologizing to my friend instead of to me? "That's not what I meant. Why are you and my mate looking at each other like lovers? This is not the first time I have noticed it. Is there something I should know, Beta?" Eric runs a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated by the situation."I don't know what you are talking abou