The Most Wanted Mate

p open as my name ec

in the pa

r's lifeless eyes stare at nothing, his body motionless where it fell. My mother's scream rips throu

ve. I can'

nmatched-but it's not enough. Luther intercepts him

th

ddy. There you are. I've bee

d the voice

ra

rk mars her throat where blood won't stop rushing from. She smil

back, my sto

C'mon," she urges

from my eye

u don't want to pl

spills down her neck, seeping into

with you," I whisp

into something solid. No

en

d beneath me, his glassy e

embling as she pulls me from the blood-soake

. Don't mak

r slams

ater, it swin

ping from his hands. His brown

s, his voice smooth, almost gentl

suddenly, I

burn behind me, smoke

oaks m

ore me, his face

oon Pack, reject you, Madeline Dext

verance a searing pain through my very soul. My wolf howls in agony. My knees buckle.

ic flares, my limbs tangled in thick, warm furs. My pul

bedding, grounding myself as reality starts to see

ot in

ewhere

across the walls. The air smells of damp earth, mingled with someth

ce shift

y to fight. My gaze snaps to the figure seate

I've ever seen. And in my twenty-two years of

r is tousled, sticking out in different directions. His sharp jawline is defined, marred only by the faint croo

s thi

uar

y power

s muscular arms-gods, his arms. It's unfair t

isoners or something? And of course, he just had to be wearing

e just in time to catch the g

atchin

. "You're done

Thank the Moon Goddes

rds are hoarse, my throat dry and aching. He doesn't answer i

should bring relief, but it doesn't. Beca

t to p

storeroom. I wasn't. Mom thought s

n their territory. They weren't.

s toward me, his expression shifting to concern. He re

t want his hands on me. I don't

ety killed

killed

omised me

Luther ki

ay b

es my lips befor

air crackles with someth

rks on lower-class wolves. I'd tried using it on a few pack w

, something i

with mine, and I feel it-the shift, the pulse o

lling, takes

e falls to

wi

hat was-has taken its toll. Lucian stiffens. Realization flickers in his eyes, and he rises swiftly to his feet, his

mine, shock eviden

ck did you ju

ything go

ks into the room, stopping beside Lucian. His forest-green eye

appened,

dent. His voice, though steady, betrays his

retches be

se the Alpha Command, and even if, by some miracle, she is one, it shouldn't wor

now what's going on, Elisha, but we need to move her. She shoul

I'm rig

speak, I glare

n's chest lightly. "You sure you're okay with that? Aren't you two

." His gaze flickers toward me, unreadable. "She doesn't look at me the way a mate should

t's some deep shit. Too many impossibl

ength to speak. "I'm ri

we know. Now let's g

e to my feet. My legs are weak, but I force them

onfused. "Where exactly a

risoner? What gave

ll, for one, I woke up

kes him

an, then bursts out laughing. "Lu

ses his arm

is eye. "Lucian isn't a guard, sweeth

"The...

our second question-we

lourish, he swing

als the breath

around, but most of the shelters are tents-some patched together with cloth and wood, others looking mor

ife. I take a slow step forw

now, right? We lea

ther, a sharp voice c

he the

hair whipping behind her. Her amber eyes are

epping in front of me. "Livia,

e stand in my w

ertips have already elongated into claws,

by while some wretched wo

eyeing her warily. "Steal Luci

es. "You cast a spell on him! You made him think y

a

ck is she ta

g an explanation. "What the

hesitate

errupts with a sneer, "is that we don't want you h

ing my head. "I don't

that's gathered to watch. Her fingers curl ar

isses. "I just want you gone. Even i

rld st

ounding in my ears

ward, burning through my veins like wildfire.

us confirm what

are gl

id you j

low, unrec

dity or pure malice,

e from. Even if it means joining y

the once-blue horizon. A low rumble of

sily, their amusement

own. "Oh, wait. You wouldn't even find them," she mocks, her laugh

inside m

sending debris spiraling into the air. Energy crackles in my

light surges fro

the sky beneath Livia's feet. The impact shatters th

arlier bravado shattered by the sheer fo

k in time, her face fr

ear before everyth

ed cries of