Chapter 1 He Chose Her
Blackwood and White Ridge were neighboring werewolf packs in the North, and for ten years, they had fought over six border outposts between their territories.
Adrian Black was Blackwood's Alpha, while I commanded the border forces.
I had led the campaign to retake every outpost and personally trained the soldiers stationed there. Adrian ruled Blackwood, but when it came to the border, I was the one holding the line.
He had promised me that once the Blackwood flag flew over the sixth and final outpost, he would claim me publicly as his mate and make me his Luna.
The flag went up the night before.
The next evening, however, beneath the full moon, Adrian stood before 800 members of the pack and announced that Ivy would be Blackwood's new Luna.
I stood in the front row beneath the oath platform, still wearing bandages under my black uniform from the battle the night before.
Ivy had only recently graduated from the state university. She was seven years younger than me and had been back in Blackwood Valley for less than three months.
"Ivy is physically weak, and her wolf has always been unstable," Adrian said, taking her hand. His voice carried across the square through the speakers. "She once saved my life. At the blood-moon ceremony seven days from now, I will take her as my mate and make her Luna of Blackwood. From that day forward, she will be under my protection."
Adrian and I had never formed an official mate bond.
The obsidian wolf fang around my neck was only a private token he'd given me ten years ago. Back then, he'd promised that once the war was over, he would mark me before the entire pack.
The war had ended last night.
Today, he gave my place to someone else.
"Mara, the western border has been restless lately. You'll remain in command there during the wedding."
Ivy leaned against his arm, her white gown almost glowing in the moonlight. She smiled at me sweetly.
"Mara is the strongest warrior in Blackwood. With her guarding the border, Adrian and I won't have anything to worry about during the ceremony."
Kyle's expression darkened.
"Alpha, Commander Mara only returned from the sixth outpost last night. Her wound hasn't even healed."
"She can handle it," Adrian cut in. "Mara is Blackwood's sharpest blade. She doesn't need to be coddled."
Then he looked directly at me.
"Mara belongs on the battlefield. A Luna is supposed to bring warmth and stability to the pack. How is a woman covered in scars and smelling of blood supposed to do that?"
The obsidian fang pressed against the fresh wound beneath my collarbone.
Before I'd ridden out for the final battle, Adrian had kissed my fingertips and told me he'd be waiting when I came home.
Now I understood what he'd really been waiting for.
He needed me to win the war first.
I reached up, removed the obsidian fang, and placed it on the oath platform.
Adrian's brows drew together immediately.
"Mara, what are you doing?"
"Giving back something that was never really mine." I met his eyes. "I'll guard the border on your wedding day. I hope Ivy is everything you want in a Luna."
At the end of the ceremony, Adrian shifted into a massive black wolf and threw back his head, formally presenting Ivy as his future Luna.
One by one, the rest of the pack shifted and lowered themselves in submission.
Within moments, wolves filled the square around the oath platform.
I was the only one who remained human.
For the first time in ten years, I felt as though I no longer belonged among them.
I left by way of the side hall, but before I could round the corner, I heard Kyle arguing with Adrian inside.
"Mara retook all six border outposts for Blackwood. You trusted her with your life for ten years. What changed?"
Adrian had shifted back into human form. Through the narrow gap in the doorway, I saw him turning the moonstone ring on his finger, the matching half of the one Ivy wore.
"Trusting a weapon doesn't mean I want to take it to bed," he said coldly. "Mara is covered in scars. She always smells like blood. Every time I think about touching her, all I can picture is a battlefield full of bodies."
His mouth twisted slightly.
"Ivy actually makes me feel like I'm with a woman."
Kyle's jaw tightened.
"But Mara trained every soldier stationed at those outposts herself. For ten years, she was always the last one to retreat and the one who made sure every wounded soldier came home. If she ever turns against you..."
"She won't."
Adrian sounded almost amused.
"She's loved me for ten years. She doesn't know how to leave."
He scoffed.
"And those soldiers serve Blackwood, not Mara. So what if she leaves? It's not like those outposts would follow her."
I looked down at the medicine I'd just picked up for his old injury.
Then I dropped it into the nearest trash can.
As I descended the stone steps, I spotted Rowan White standing at the edge of the crowd.
As Alpha of White Ridge, he'd attended the ceremony as their representative under the ceasefire agreement.
He was also the one man Adrian had never managed to defeat.
Rowan's gaze moved from the obsidian fang I'd left on the oath platform to the blood beginning to seep through my bandages.
There was no pity in his eyes.
Only recognition.
As I passed him, he said quietly, "Blackwood just threw away the most valuable thing it had."
I stopped.
For the first time, I really looked at him.
"If the six border garrisons stopped answering to Adrian," I asked, "would White Ridge be interested in ending this war for good?"
