His Regret, Her Azure Coast
In the grand ceremonial hall, the "Moon's Kiss" dagger—cold, heavy, and a symbol of a future Luna's honor—was placed in my hands.
His Alpha aura crashed over me, making my heart hammer and my skin tingle. I held my breath, waiting for him to touch the dagger's tip to my brow and, in the presence of the Moon Goddess, declare me his eternal mate.
The Crimson Rock Pack’s howls echoed through the hall, a thunderous chorus urging their Alpha—my fated mate, Corbin Shaw—to complete the sacred ritual.
But instead, he took the cold, sacred object from my trembling hands, turned, and with the very tip that should have blessed me, gently drew a rune of blessing—a rune meant for me—on the forehead of his beautiful Beta apprentice, Tamsin.
My inner wolf recoiled with a howl of anguish. Ice flooded my veins, and the world seemed to gray out. And then he was there, his deep voice a familiar, devastating rumble in my ear. "Just a reward for her hard work, my dear. Our moment has to be perfect. Next time, I promise." Always, next time.
What he didn't know was that there would be no next time. Because my bonding ceremony was next week, and the one waiting for me at the altar was not him.