Chapter 004
Chapter 0024
Violet
Ben, as Theodore called him, was still growling panting, heaving, and glaring at me like he was seconds away from attacking me.
“This is Violet,” he said calmly. “She’s going to be my wife soon. Why don’t you tell me what happened.”
He growled again but he seemed to be calming down. Theodore’s presence seemed to be doing more than his words, but I didn’t let my guard down. The gnawing, uneasy, feeling in my gut remained.
Ben clenched his fists, frustration still simmering in his eyes.
“She looked at me like I was some kind of threat, like I’d attack the children,” he said, his voice rough. “I’m not a rogue anymore–I’m part of Midnight.”
Before I could speak, Theodore shook his head.
“Violet didn’t mean any harm,” he said, his voice steady, almost soothing. “She simply misunderstood the situation because she doesn’t know you yet. Her mother was killed by rogues, so she’s a bit anxious given what I’ve told her about the settlement.”
Ben glanced at me, but he still seemed suspicious. I watched him carefully.
Theodore drew an arm around me, drawing me closer.
“Maybe we could sit down. I’m trying to get her up to speed about what being my luna will entail. Do you think you’d be okay with sharing your story with her? It might help clear things up.”
Ben shifted uncomfortably, but after a moment, he sighed and nodded. He dropped down onto the tree stump without hesitation, clasping his hands and hanging his head.
The anger seemed to bleed out of him and he looked so… small and defeated now. I relaxed, stunned at the transformation.
“My wife… she was raped and murdered by my former alpha,” he whispered, his voice catching and hitching. “My Helen… My mate… She… He just left her there… Just dumped her in a s–shallow grave, like she was garbage.” He sniffed and shook his head. “I lost it… I could smell him on her. I could see what he’d done to her. There had been rumors about the things he did to women in town, but nothing confirmed. No one spoke up about it. The few that had ended up dead or exiled.” He clenched his fists. “The alpha king either didn’t care or wasn’t being told, and the pack was so small that he wouldn’t have cared even if he had known.”
He glanced at me. “I killed him, ripped him apart with my bare hands in broad daylight,
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and I fled.”
His lips twitched. “I’m certain that If I was brought in on charges, he’d ignore my right as mate and husband and have me executed, but wouldn’t care… It was justice.”
My chest grew tight. I thought of my father, holding my mother’s body to his chest, surrounded by dead rogues and shaking with rage and grief.
sitate to I walked around Theodore and kneeled beside him. He flinched, but I didn’t wrap my arms around him the way I had wrapped my arms around my father that day.
He shuddered and practically melted into my embrace. I stroked his hair, feeling how greasy and matted it was.
“You had no children.”
“S–She was pregnant,” he sobbed into my shoulder. “I…”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “For what happened, and for my suspicion… I should not have jumped to conclusions.”
He sniffled. “… no alpha’s ever apologized to me.”
I glanced at Theodore who rolled his eyes. “I believe in admitting when I’m wrong.”
“I–I’m sorry I overreacted,” he sniffled. “And… for getting your nice dress dirty.”
I chuckled and pulled back slowly. “The dress can be washed.”
I wiped the dirt from his face. Theodore came over.
“I apologize, Alpha Theodore. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s just a misunderstanding. No need to be so formal,” he said, waving his head. “Why don’t you take a minute, then head back to work?”
He nodded and stood before bowing. “A pleasure to meet you, Luna Violet.”
I smiled at him. “A pleasure to meet you, too, Ben.”
Ben walked off, headed deeper into the settlement. I watched him go and let my gaze drift over the rest of the camp. Theodore turned to me.
“Ben’s
“Falling,” I whispered. “He’s… stronger than many to not have lost it yet. How long has it been?”
“A few months.” I winced at that and bit my lip. “His grief is driving him mad.”
It wasn’t just his grief. It was the destruction of pack bonds, too,
“Why Shelter?” I asked. “Why not petition to change the pack transfer laws or the law
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Chapter 0004
about rogues in particular?”
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Chapter
