ABIGAIL

“Logan, protect her,” she heard Alpha Luko growl. “No mercy.”

“Abby, get to the farthest corner,” her mother barked as she maneuvered Abby out of her chair. “Shift if Carson comes through the door. No matter what, protect yourself first.”

Screams—Luna Hazel’s?—came from the hallway, and the smell of blood hung thickly in the air. The snarling and snapping was just outside the door now, and she could hear the thuds of bodies being tossed around.

The stink of testosterone washed over everything.

Her father took up position in front of her mother and Alpha Luko, his claws extended and his jaw elongated; it wouldn’t be long before he shifted completely.

Carson howled, and Abby shuddered as the sound tore at her soul. His rejection of her meant they were nothing to each other now, but they had been mates, and the desperation in him called to her.

She’d loved him once, but now she didn’t know what she felt for him.

Alpha Luko let out a roar so ferocious that even her parents hunched their shoulders, then he launched himself over them and threw open the door.

CARSON

Carson heard a roar, then a huge alpha grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragged him downstairs, and threw him outside. He shifted before Carson’s wolf even hit the ground.

The other alpha’s beast was enormous, covered in thick, coal-black fur with a golden undercoat. His massive chest heaved as he growled, and his eyes glowed gold.

Carson wasn’t small by any means, but he knew his wolf was in no shape to take on the massive alpha in front of him.

Still, he couldn’t be challenged on his own land and back down, especially now. No matter how big the wolf in front of him was.

He rose to his feet and let out an answering growl.

“Carson, shift back now!” he heard his father yell through the link. ~“You’ll lose your life!”~

“I can’t, Dad! I feel her still.”

“SHIFT. NOW!”

Carson howled as his father projected his alpha power at him, but had no choice but obey. As he shifted, his father emerged from the pack house door.

“Alpha Luko! Stop!” his dad boomed, using his alpha power, but Carson could tell it was no match for the other alpha. “He will be punished, I promise you!”

ROMAN

Roman’s wolf crouched and growled at the young alpha, then snarled and snapped while slowly advancing on him.

The memory of Abigail’s glittering emerald eyes was fueling his wolf, and Roman had to fight him to get control.

When his wolf was finally calm and still, he heard Logan through their link.

“She’s secure and with our pack warriors.”

Roman immediately shifted back to his human form, his naked body heaving with anger. One of his warriors ran up with a pair of shorts while Oru warriors began dragging a struggling Carson away.

“You need to get that pup under control,” he snapped as he slipped on the shorts. “Or next time, I’ll finish the lesson.”

“He can still feel her,” Edward replied stiffly.

“Then he has a fucking problem, because he rejected her.” Roman advanced toward the idiotic alpha in front of him. “You don’t reject a graced luna. What the fuck is wrong with you people?”

Edward’s eyes flashed. “There hasn’t been a graced luna documented in a hundred twelve-moon cycles!”

“That doesn’t mean they don’t exist! You’ve had the proof in your own fucking pack, right under your nose!”

“Alpha Luko…” Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. “This has been an upsetting situation for everyone. I understand you’re protective of your new pack member, but I can’t allow you to go after my son.”

“She is no longer his,” Roman growled. “If he comes for her again, I will show no mercy. And you and your pack will find out exactly why I have earned my reputation for being ruthless. I protect my pack at all costs.”

“I don’t want this between our packs, Alpha. I owe you much gratitude for helping me.”

“I did it for her, not you. You have no idea what you’ve done—~or~ what it’s like to lose a mate. I suggest you get educated. I’ll have an update for you and her parents in one moon cycle, as agreed. We’re leaving immediately.”

He turned and walked away. He had to, or else he was going to kill that disgrace of an alpha.

Abigail’s parents were pacing in front of his SUV.

“Warriors Michael and Fiona!”

Their eyes snapped toward him, and they bowed their heads.

“My apologies,” he said, taking a shirt from one of his warriors.

“Nothing to apologize for, Alpha Luko,” Michael said. “Thank you for protecting our pup.”

“Call me Alpha Roman.” He slipped on the shirt. “We have much to discuss. I told Alpha Edward I would update him in one moon, but I’ll call you when we get to my territory. Carson still feels her. This is going to be rough.”

“Fiona and I have already discussed it, and you can expect us to transfer in twelve moons. We want to be with our daughter.”

The men gripped forearms tightly, and a silent understanding flowed between them.

Roman gave them both a grim nod. “I was hoping you’d say that. The young alpha is a problem. He hasn’t done his training and has no understanding of his power. His wolf is taking over.”

“They have tasked me with getting his wolf under control.” Michael spat on the ground.

Roman would have agreed to take in the rejected luna of Pack Oru no matter what her family was like, but he was glad to see her parents were fine warriors. Strong, with a sense of justice.

He would be proud to have them join his pack when they were ready.

“It will help her, even if you don’t want to do it. Use that as your motivation. The more control he’s able to keep, the more likely it is he’ll maintain some sense and won’t be compelled to come after her.”

Roman paused to look Michael in the eye. “Now that they know she’s graced, they might have changed their minds about sending her away.”

“You think they’ll try to keep her here?” Michael cried. “But they rejected each other! Carved out their marks!”

“Power corrupts,” he said in a low voice, then noticed his beta telling everyone to load up.

“The pup is wild,” Logan linked. ~“They’re having trouble containing him.”~

“We need to go,” Roman said to Michael and Fiona. “Carson might get loose again, so be prepared. Please say your goodbyes quickly.”

Michael growled. “We won’t let him anywhere near our daughter.”

ABIGAIL

When everyone else left the meeting room, Abby stayed behind, half-hoping Alpha Luko would destroy Carson, but also not wanting to watch if he did.

So when her parents came back through the door and told her it was time to go, she was more than ready.

She followed them out to the lead SUV. It was already running, and Alpha Luko was standing by the door.

“We love you, Abby,” her dad said, his eyes glistening. “You’ll be safe at Pack Luko. And we’ve already told Alpha Roman that we’ll be joining you in twelve moons.”

She grabbed and hugged him as her tears fell. “I love you too, Dad.”

Her mom put her arms around both of them and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, my fierce girl, and I am so proud of you. Take this time to heal.”

An angry howl ripped across the land.

Abby shuddered, and Alpha Luko pulled her away from her parents and into the back seat of the SUV. She watched through the window as they crouched into a fighting stance.

Carson’s wolf appeared in the distance, racing toward them across the pack grounds. A group of warriors intercepted him, but he fought them wildly.

His single strength should have been no match against that many warriors, and yet they couldn’t take him down.

“Let’s go. And step on it,” Alpha Luko ordered, and the SUV lurched forward.

Her heart pounded as she pressed her face against the window glass, watching the man she’d once loved fight to reach her. Their mutual rejection should have severed their bond, but something clearly went wrong.

Carson managed to break through the flanking warriors, but the pack doctor stepped forward and shot him with a tranquilizer.

She watched as Carson’s wolf staggered, then fell to the ground, then turned her eyes forward.

They’d take him to the hospital and make sure he was taken care of.

He was no longer her concern.

ROMAN

Roman kept his eyes trained on the edge of the forest, looking for any signs of an out-of-control pup coming to get the mate he’d rejected.

Both he and his wolf were on edge, but they eventually achieved enough distance from Pack Luko that he was able to relax his guard and glance over at Abigail.

She was staring out the window.

He continued to monitor her as they drove, until at last she closed her eyes and rested her head on her curled arm.

She trusted him enough to sleep around him. That was a good sign. Boded well for her being able to integrate with the pack. He’d been a little worried she might resist joining.

He knew how hard it was to lose everything you’d spent your entire life expecting to have.

“She’s asleep,” he linked Logan, not wanting to wake her.

“Do you want to stop, Alpha? Or drive through?”

“We’ll need to stop for food.”

“The neutral territory is coming up. We can stop there.”

“Thank you, Logan.”

“My pleasure, Alpha.”

Roman turned to study the young woman next to him. She was stunning, which meant she was going to get a lot of attention from the pack males, but it was her strength that had impressed him the most.

She stirred as he watched her, her eyes fluttering open to give him a brief glimpse of brilliant emerald green before they closed again. No more glittering glow.

Her tears, for now at least, were gone. And he’d do whatever it took to make sure they didn’t return. She belonged to Pack Luko now.

She belonged to him.