Chapter 1
When we took our vows, he swore to always stand by my side, to always protect our pack, and to trust me above all others.
My mate, my alpha. Maxwell Prince.
His betrayal stabs my gut like a blade of ice. He’s with her again, I can feel it. Each kiss, each caress, burns my skin like a brand through our bond.
During these times, I usually avoid linking with him.
But this time I can t. Goddess help us all.
“Max! Please, I need your help!” I beg through our mind link as another rogue charges. I’m alone, the rest of the patrol called off at the last minute.
“Not now, Val,‘ my mate‘ s irritated growl vibrates through our bond. “I’m busy preparing for the Alpha Ball. Find someone else to solve your little problem.
I feel him thrusting inside of her as he replies, each movement like a sharp knife to my core.. I know exactly how he‘ s ‘preparing” for the ball.
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“It’s a pack of rogues, Maxwell. I’ve never seen anything like it! I need you!” I continue to plead, hoping he’ll hear reason.
I’m so scared. Why won‘, t he listen?
I scan the treeline. I’ve already taken down three, but I can smell them on the breeze ruffling the branches of our forest. They are coming. At least twenty wolves with the unmistakable rogue scent of wet fur and rotting garbage.
I try to tell him this, but Max isn’t listening. I can almost hear her sweet voice in his ear telling him to ignore me, that I’m just trying to steal him away.
Bullshit!” he shouts, snapping. “Rogues don’t move in packs! If they had packs they wouldn’t be
rogues.
“That’s why you need to be here,” I insist. “This isn’t natural, this is…
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“Grow up, Valerie,” he interrupts me, disgusted., “You know tonight is important for our pack. Stop being dramatic, you can manage a few rogues. You‘ re a Luna, for Goddess sake. Act like one!” He cuts the connection, shutting his mind behind a hard, black wall of silence. I try one more time to reach him as one wolf, and another, enter the clearing, but it is useless. He won’t listen.
A distant howl shivers through me. The night patrol has finally made it. I won’t be alone! My reinforcements are coming.
But why do they sound so far away?
A sharp pain radiates from my ankle up my leg as a tearing sound wakes my senses.
Turning, I find a large she–wolf with glowing red eyes, her teeth sunk deep into my flesh. While I was busy trying to get through to Max, she took her opportunity to strike. With a harsh yank she pulls me off balance, slowly dragging my much larger bulk backward.
“STOP!” I try to connect to her and the other rogues., “I’m Valerie Prince, Luna of the Golden Eclipse Pack. My men are coming! If you stop now, we’ll spare your lives!”
Cruel laughter fills my mind as she ignores my warning.
Swinging around, my teeth snapping, I clamp down hard on her stomach, her warm blood filling my mouth as I bite down savagely, my need to survive, to protect my pack overriding my pain.
As Luna, I am strengthened by my bond to Max, and using our shared power, I make short work of the
rogue.
When I’m done with her, I look up to see five more rogues pacing forward. Their upturned lips smile playfully at me as they approach.
I stand my ground, my hackles raised.
“Please get here soon, I pray, hoping I can hold them off long enough for the patrol to arrive. I will defend my land and my pack to my very last breath, but I’d rather not die today.
A bold rogue lunges forward. I easily fight him off, dodging his advance before snapping at his
retreating legs. As he falls back into the group, he mocks my struggles with a fearless, laughing bark. Growls surround me from all sides. His attack had been a distraction and it worked. Soon I am facing a circle of angry, hungry rogues.
I’ve never seen so many rogues in one place before.
“Max, please!” my thoughts weep against the walls of his mind one more time, “I’m being overrun! I need you!‘
But our mindlink remains blocked. I push against it and feel a slap back, a reprimand and warning from my Alpha.
I try to keep my eyes on all of them, but it is impossible. There are too many of them. Far too many. How did this many rogues make it into our land without anyone noticing?
A mangy beast jumps forward and I take a step back, falling into the waiting maw of another rogue whose sharp teeth tear at my neck from behind. Two more rogues jump forward as I am restrained. My blood soon stains the grass shining silver in the moonlight as my wolf falls limp to the ground. Shifting back to my human form, my wolf retreats as I grow too weak to fight back. Kicking and screaming, clawing with useless fingernails, I watch helplessly as my life pours out into the soil, pooling beneath me.
You poor, pathetic bitch,” The rogue leader, shifted into his human form, licks his lips clean of my blood before spitting it on the ground beneath me. “I bet you‘ re still calling for your mate. Too bad he doesn‘ t love you anymore.
He crushes my hand under his foot. Yelping in pain, I beg him to stop.
“See you in hell, Luna,” he slices my neck with a single claw. “She told me to tell you it was her.
