HIS FATHER, MY MATE.

Her heart stopped as soon as Matthias made his declaration. It was one thing for the alpha to threaten his son for attempting to hurt her. But forcing him to take her back. Raine didn’t know how she was supposed to feel about that.

Oh but she missed Ronan so much.

If this was the only way they could be together, then that was what she’d take. Ronan had been in love with her once, with time, maybe he could learn to love her again. She bit her lip, hope unfurling in her chest as she shoved away from where she’d cowed by the wall, and approached both men gingerly.

“I will take everything from you,” Matthias said, leaning closer until he was almost nose to nose with his son. “Your inheritance. Your claim to leadership, your place in this pack. You will leave here with nothing.”

Ronan’s nostrils flared. “You can’t be serious.”

Matthias pulled back just enough to meet his son’s gaze. “Try me.”

Ronan’s eyes bulged as he realized his father was actually being serious. He began to struggle as Matthias’s grip got tighter. Raine surged forward, scared for her mate. She reached out and caught Matthias’s arm. The flesh beneath her hand was hard and firm, a bolt of lust went straight through her, but she shoved it down.

“Alpha, please stop.” She pleaded, her voice soft and frantic, “You’re hurting him.”

The older alpha stepped back, letting go of his son. He didn’t look at Raine, so she had no idea what was going on in his head. Ronan sputtered, struggling to catch his breath. He glanced up at his father, and for the first time since he walked in on them, there was fear in his eyes, and hot, molten hate.

“Listen to me, Ronan.” Matthias spoke, “You will take Raine Whitmore back as your mate, and you will join with her under the Waning Crescent moon, under the blessings of the pack elders, and the goddess. I don’t want to hear anything else about it, or I will take everything you hold dear. I will throw you out of this pack, and strip you of my name.”

“Why are you making me do this?” Ronan rasped, his voice hoarse with anger, and almost whiny. “Why do I have to take her back as my mate?”

“Because she is your responsibility.” Matthias hissed, even as his gaze darted to her briefly. “You cannot give her years of promises and sweet nothings, only to leave her rejected and homeless on the night of your joining. That’s irresponsible and callous.”

“So you’re forcing her on me as punishment?!”

“No. I’m returning her to you because you’re her fated, and you need to learn responsibility.”

“Fuck this!” Ronan spat. He turned to look at Raine, his eyes flashing yellow with anger. “This is what you want, isn’t it? It’s why you came back, so you can cry all over Daddy’s shoulders and force him to give you what you want?”

“No, Ronan.” She shook her head, stepping forward in an attempt to hold him. “You have to know, deep down. You have to know that I love you, your wolf and mine, they’ve been promised to each other. Long before any of us were born. We’re fated, can’t you see?

Ronan scoffed, “You’re so delusional, it’s honestly saddening.”

Raine gaped at him, unsure what she was supposed to say to that. Matthias spoke up before she could. “We’ll announce your reengagement and Raine’s return to the pack first thing tomorrow morning.”

Ronan stared hard at his father, his body simmering with anger, and then without another word, he turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving Raine and Matthias alone in the resulting silence. All at once, Raine found herself immediately aware of the other man’s presence, like her wolf was physically straining to be close to him, aching to close the space between them and finish what they’d started before Ronan interrupted.

It didn’t make sense. Raine loved Ronan. She did. There wasn’t even a shadow of doubt about it. Ronan was her mate. Her heart had never known any other man, and she wasn’t sure it ever would. But this thing with Matthias was magnetic. Like a force she couldn’t stop even as her heart told her it was a bad idea.

He met her gaze from across the room, and the heat in those steely grey orbs shot straight through her body, pooling low in her belly until her legs shook with the force of her lust. She was still wearing his shirt. Had Ronan noticed.

Did he care?

Matthias seemed like he cared. With the way his gaze was running over her, alight with an hunger that made her wet for him. His scent was thick in the room, Raine felt heady with the rush of it, and had to bite her lips to stifle a whimper.

Her breath came fast. She looked at Matthias, he didn’t seem like he was bothered much. Raine was acting the thirstiest of slags. Moaning after another man’s cock after just one taste, despite being promised to another. And not just any other man, he was her soon to be father in law. A man old enough to be her father. Raine was ashamed of herself, but it did nothing to kill her arousal.

Matthias’s nostril flared, it was like he could smell the musk of her arousal. Her face flamed with embarrassment, and she bowed her head, trying to hide her shame from him.

“Thank you, alpha.” She rushed out breathlessly. “Ronan would have never agreed to take me back if you hadn’t intervened. I’m so grateful.”

“Raine,” he said on a sigh, closing the space between them to tip her head up and cup the side of her face. “Is this truly what you want?

She stared up at him with parted lips, and blinked. “Yes, alpha. Ronan is the only one I want. I’ll have him however he will take me.” She blushed, and lowered her eyes. “Perhaps now we can forget about that night and put it behind us, a mistake.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped, and something in his eyes flashed, but he stepped back, and Raine suddenly felt cold. “Of course,” he said. “Nothing but a mistake. In that case, I wish both you and Ronan, the best of married life. I hope you both find happiness with each other.”

And then with one final nod, Matthias turned and left. Raine’s wolf howled, a long and mournful note as he disappeared out of sight.