Edeline
Percival. My mate. He was supposed to be my entire world, the other half of my soul. Now, he was building a life with someone else before ours had even begun.
The sharp snap of fingers in front of my face jolted me back to the present. "Edeline! Talk to me. Are you okay?"
I tried to swallow the bile rising in my throat, my stomach twisting into a painful knot. "I’m... I’m fine. Really," I lied, my voice sounding thin and hollow even to my own ears. "I was just playing back what he said. He kept saying how sorry he was, but that he had to do what was right. That’s it." The last word faded into a broken whisper.
Inside, I felt like I was being shredded from the soul outward. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep the walls from crumbling.
Darius turned his gaze toward the water, his jaw set in a hard line. A low, dangerous growl vibrated in his chest. "That complete bastard. I'm going to tear him apart," he muttered.
I wanted to hate Percival, I really did. But a male's instincts when a female is in heat... it’s a force of nature. He told me Tatiana had been relentless, tempting him until his wolf just broke. I found my fated match and lost him to a moment of weakness all in the same breath.
Darius looked back at me, his blue eyes intense and demanding. "You have to go to him, Edeline. Alone. Demand to know what his plan is. You’re his mate—it has to be you."
The ache in my chest flared, and I felt my face crumple. I shook my head, a small, wounded sound escaping my throat. "I can't. I-I can't even look at him, Darius," I choked out, my voice trembling.
He reached out, his fingers squeezing mine with a firm, steady heat. "Then I'm coming with you. We'll face him as a team. I’m not leaving your side."
I looked at him, seeing the fierce loyalty written in his expression. He would burn the world down for me, and I’d do the same for him. But this wasn't a burden he could help me carry. I didn't want him to loathe his own brother for a mistake of the blood, and I didn't want to hear whatever "plan" Percival had devised. Knowing would only twist the knife deeper. My wolf was still so new, so raw; just trying to breathe felt like a chore.
Darius held my hand tight as I fought back the tears. Suddenly, a roar of laughter and loud voices drifted across the lake. We both turned, and my heart stopped.
The canoe had drifted far too close to the shore. Hundreds of eyes—the entire pack gathered for a barbecue—were fixed right on us. We were a spectacle, out in the open, sitting hand-in-hand. But among all those gazes, there was only one that felt like a brand.
I saw him.
Percival was sitting there with her. His jaw was white with tension, his eyes narrowed into slits as they locked onto me. I immediately yanked my hand out of Darius’s grip. I knew what the pack was seeing. I knew the whispers were already starting.
"We need to get out of here. Now," Darius said, his voice urgent.
"Please, Darius, just go," I begged, ducking my head to hide my face behind my hair. I didn't need to look back to know Percival was seething. He looked furious, but he didn't have a single damn right to be.
...
The next morning, the room felt too heavy to leave. I stared at the ceiling, tracing the patterns in the plaster as my stomach churned with nausea. I couldn't face the pack. I couldn't face the pity or the rumors of being caught with the Alpha's younger son while the heir sat with his pregnant mistress.
A sharp knock at the door made me jump, my heart leaping into my throat.
"Edeline? It's me. Open up, please."
Darius.
I groaned, throwing the covers off and forcing my shaky legs to carry me to the door. I hadn't eaten a bite, and the world felt a little tilted. I turned the lock, and he practically fell inside.
My breath hitched as I looked at him. His knuckles were split and dripping, and blood was smeared across his arms and shirt.
"What did you do?" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. He looked like he'd been through a meat grinder. The blood was fresh, bright red and flowing freely.
He kicked the door shut behind him and leaned against it, a bruised, triumphant smirk spreading across his face.
"I finally gave my brother a piece of my mind," he said, his voice thick with satisfaction. "I told him exactly where he could go."
I stood there in silence, my mouth hanging open as I stared at him. A part of me didn't even want to know the details of the carnage, but the sheer pride radiating off Darius was hard to ignore. He looked so incredibly pleased with himself that I felt I had to acknowledge it. I gave him a weak thumbs-up.
"Darius, you really shouldn't have done that," I said, shaking my head. His confident expression faltered for a split second, so I let a small, genuine smile reach my lips. "But... thank you. For standing up for me. You’re amazing, truly. I don’t know what I’d do without my best friend."
His grin returned, brighter than ever. He dashed over to my closet and started rummaging through my things, throwing clothes over his shoulder. A dress hit me square in the face before I could react.
"Ugh! Seriously? Stop doing that!" I complained, pulling the fabric off my head.
"Put it on. We’re going down for breakfast," he said, poking his head out from the wardrobe with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Even with the bruises and the blood, he looked good. I figured he must have won that fight if he was in such high spirits.
My heart did a nervous flutter against my ribs. I wasn't ready to walk into a room full of people. "Go on," he urged, stepping in front of me to block my escape. I looked up at him, my fear likely written all over my face. "And after my training, we’re going for a run. You need to get out there. Your wolf needs it."
He was right. I hadn't shifted since that first traumatic time, and I was terrified of what was happening inside me. My wolf felt stronger than me, a wild force of grief and fury that I could barely contain. Sometimes her emotions bled into mine so heavily I couldn't tell where I ended and she began. I had trained so hard to keep her under my thumb, but there was always that nagging fear that she might just snap.
"I don't know if this is a good idea, Darius..." I murmured, looking down.
He softened, placing his heavy, warm hands on my shoulders. "You'll be fine, Edeline. You're a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for."
I shook my head, not quite believing him.
Darius’s expression shifted, turning stern as he straightened his back. "Get changed. No more talking. You have to face the pack eventually, and it's better to do it now. Just fake it. If you hide, the gossip will only get meaner. Stay close to me—I’ll be your shield against the stares. Now, move."
Tears stung my eyes, but I gave him a small nod. I grabbed the first dress I could reach and ducked into the bathroom. As I pulled it on, I realized the hem barely reached mid-thigh. It was far too short. My first thought—my traitorous, instinctive thought—was that Percival would hate seeing me in this.
'Wait. Why do I care what he thinks?' I hissed to my reflection. 'Let him look. Let him see exactly what he threw away.'
I marched out of the bathroom. "Ready?" Darius asked, reaching for my hand. I nodded, and he led me down the hallway toward the dining hall. My stomach felt like it was tied in iron knots. I squeezed his hand so hard my knuckles turned white, and he squeezed back, offering a silent, worried glance.
"I’ve got you," he whispered as we approached the heavy doors. "Just breathe. If he’s near, take a deep breath and hold it."
We stepped into the hall. The air was thick with the scent of bacon, coffee, and the dull roar of a hundred conversations. Then, Percival’s scent hit me—cedar and rain. It was a wave of comfort that turned into a sharp ache of nostalgia.
The closer we got to the tables, the more intense the smell became. I could feel the heat of his presence. My skin began to tingle, every nerve ending screaming at me to look at him, but I kept my eyes locked on the back of Darius’s head.
My throat felt tight as we reached the buffet line. I didn't let go of Darius until we were standing right in front of the food.
Darius picked up a plate, his eyes searching mine. "What are you eating?" he asked.
I felt the weight of the room shifting. For a high-ranking male to fix a plate for a female—especially the Beta’s daughter—it sent a loud, clear message to the pack. It was fuel for the fire, and I knew Percival would be watching.
"Just the usual," I whispered, trying to make myself as small as possible.
Suddenly, a low, vibrating growl rumbled from somewhere right behind me. My blood turned to ice. I didn't need to turn around to know it was him. My mate didn't like his brother playing protector. I couldn't even bring myself to think his name, let alone speak it.
I felt his gaze crawling over me, scanning every inch of exposed skin in this too-short dress. Anxiety coiled in my gut, and I instinctively hugged my arms across my chest. My body was betraying me, aching for a touch I knew I couldn't have, while my wolf stirred in the back of my mind, trying to pull me toward him.
