The Luna He Lost

Damn this mate bond!

Tori’s POV

My eyes filled with fresh tears at his cruel words. But despite the fear clawing at my chest, I held firm.

"Yes, Alpha Carlisle," I choked out, my voice shaking. "Your father saved my life from the vampires three years ago. He suffered a fatal injury because of it. And I promised him. I swore to help you stabilize this pack as your chosen mate until you could stand on your own." I lifted my tear-streaked face, locking eyes with him. "But if you kill me now, wouldn't that make his sacrifice meaningless?"

For a moment, silence stretched between us. His breathing was ragged, his grip still firm. But something flickered in his eyes. Something dark.

Then, before I could react, his lips crashed against mine.

The force of the kiss stole my breath, my body frozen in shock. Never. Not once had I imagined this would happen.

His hand traced along my cheek, gliding down to my neck until it reached my collar. His fingers brushed over the mark he had left, his touch lingering as his gaze darkened with intent. Slowly, he pulled away, his glowing eyes never leaving me.

Ripped!

"Ugh!" I thrashed against him, struggling to break free, but my strength was nothing compared to his like an ant trying to move a boulder. My resistance didn't even make him flinch as he continued tearing through my dress.

He pulled his cold, thin lips away from mine, leaving only a breath of space between us. His golden eyes burned with intensity as he spoke, his voice rough with unrestrained desire.

"Tell me you're not leaving." His jaw tightened, muscles twitching as his grip remained firm. "I won't allow it."

Conflicted emotions stormed inside him. I could see it in his eyes. He was supposed to hate me, hate me for causing his father's death three years ago, for leaving their pack vulnerable, for shattering his mother's heart so deeply it nearly killed her.

He was supposed to despise me.

And yet, from the very beginning, all he had ever felt was an undeniable pull toward me.

Yearning.

Hunger.

A primal need that clawed at him to claim me, to make me his mate, the mother of his pups. But the past had carved a deep wound inside him, leaving behind a mental block that caged his instincts until now.

He had once suspected that I was his fated mate, only for me to react differently. That was the reason he left his pack and joined the war as soon as the marking ceremony was over. He had been afraid—afraid that mating with me would make him forget his hatred, that he would lose himself in me.

He, a born Alpha, a warrior bred for battle, had been terrified. Not of his enemies, not of death, but of his own feelings.

So he ran.

He ran from me.

How laughable was that?

Desire and hatred tangled together inside him, blurring the lines between what he felt and what he refused to acknowledge.

And now, hearing me say I was leaving him dissolving the mate bond that bound us together. He lost it.

His wolf, Roque, lost it.

Roque rebelled, thrashing against his control, and for the first time, Alpha Carlisle couldn't even control himself.

No he wasn't even trying to stop Roque anymore.

He let their desire consume them.

"Tori, say you won't leave me."

His voice, unexpectedly soft, almost pleading, sent a shiver through me. I froze. For a moment, I thought I had misheard him. I stopped thrashing, staring at him in shock. My lips parted, but no words came out.

Before I could even process what was happening, his lips crashed onto mine once more.

He kissed me deeply, hungrily, as if he were trying to consume every breath I took. His left hand found its way to my breast, squeezing it possessively. I gasped, my body tensing at the unexpected touch, but he only smiled. A slow, satisfied smirk.

Carlisle’s POV

This is what my mate feels like... her soft body, her intoxicating scent.

Tori’s POV

His glowing eyes darkened with desire as he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with my fragrance. Without hesitation, he plunged his tongue into my mouth, silencing my startled protest.

I clumsily pushed against his chest, trying to break free, but my strength was nothing compared to his. I needed air. Needed to think. But he wasn't giving me a chance.

And yet... my body betrayed me.

Damn this mate bond!