His Mate’s Love Vanished with the Roses

Kyle

The full moon illuminated, casting long shadows as I circled the Stonefang Pack’s territory. Their Alpha, Darian, was notorious for his cleverness, but my choices were limited. To win Bree back, I needed allies, even if they were as treacherous as I was.

“Always rushing, aren’t you?” Darian’s voice echoed from the darkness.

I turned to see him emerging from the trees, his piercing eyes assessing me, a slow, mocking smile creeping across his lips.

“Desperation doesn’t suit you, Kyle,” he commented.

“Or perhaps it does.”

“I didn’t come here for your opinions,” I countered.

“No? That’s too bad. I was hoping for some entertainment.”

Darian moved forward and his expression shifted to serious.

“What do you want?”

“An alliance,” I replied.

Darian raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

“Interesting. And what makes you think I’d consider teaming up with you?”

“Because we both know that Finn’s growing power is a threat to us both. If he manages to unite the nearby packs, he’ll be unstoppable. That’s a risk neither of us can afford.”

“Does your newfound concern for Finn have anything to do with that she-wolf you’ve been pursuing like a lovesick fool?”

"Bree has nothing to do with this," I lied, though I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

Darian let out a low, dark laugh.

“Of course it is. But I’ll play along. Suppose I agree. What’s in it for me?”

I paused, fully aware of his demands but hesitant to reveal everything. Darian was not one to negotiate lightly.

"State your terms."

“Loyalty. And proof of it. I need to know you’re serious about taking down Finn.”

“I’ll show my loyalty,” I said, the words tasting bitter as they left my mouth.

Darian smiled, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Perfect. Then we have a deal... for now.”

Back at my packhouse, an uneasy feeling settled in my gut. I had struck a bargain, with the devil himself. Odin growled, restless.

“Why are you holding back?” he urged.

“She’s, our mate.”

“She rejected us,” I reminded him.

"The bond is not easily broken. Deep down, she still feels it, even if she won’t acknowledge it."

I let out a heavy sigh, running my fingers through my hair. My wolf was right. No matter what had happened, Bree’s presence still lingered within me. This bond was both a comfort and a burden.

As the night went on, I buried myself in reports about the Bloodmoon Pack. Finn had strengthened his defenses, and his warriors were fiercely loyal. Bree was now surrounded by those willing to sacrifice everything for her. The thought twisted my insides, jealousy, and guilt gnawing at me.

“You pushed her to this,” Odin growled.

“If you hadn’t betrayed her, Finn wouldn’t even be in the picture.”

“I know,” I conceded.

Bree’s image flashed in my mind; her gaze once filled with adoration as if I were her entire world. That warmth had faded, replaced by a chilling distance I couldn’t seem to cross. But I refused to surrender.

“She’s safer with us,” I argued, trying to reassure my wolf and myself.

“Is she really?” Odin countered.

I chose to ignore him, concentrating on the map before me. If I wanted to see Bree without Finn’s interference, I needed a strategy. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I called, suppressing my irritation.

One of Darian’s men entered with a stoic expression.

“Alpha Darian has a task for you. A loyalty test.”

I tensed.

“What kind of test?”

The man smirked.

“Sabotage. Disrupt Bloodmoon’s trade route. Weaken their supply lines and make them vulnerable.”

I clenched my fists, knowing that the implication could cause war.

“Let Darian know I’ll take care of it,” I stated, my tone steady despite my stomach churning.

Once the man departed, I was left in silence, grappling with my decision. Undermining Finn’s pack would weaken him, but it would also jeopardize Bree’s safety. Was I truly willing to risk her safety to win her back?

Odin’s angry voice cut through the doubt.

“This isn’t about love anymore. It’s about power. Do you want her, or do you want to lose her forever?”