Five Years for a Final Score
Late that night, I saw a post on PackNet, the internal werewolf forum.
[I was with an Alpha for seven months. Without any warning, he broke our temporary mark and informed me I’d been eliminated from his “Luna Trials.” Only then did I learn that in his circle of Alphas, it was normal to be with a dozen she-wolves at once. They would grade us, eliminate the lowest-scoring she-wolf, and ultimately choose the “best” one as their mate.]
This was outrageous. My inner wolf roared. I tore into him in the comments, furiously condemning his betrayal of the Moon Goddess.
Then I saw a reply from Cora Thorne, a member of my mate Jax Deveraux's pack.
[Considering his bloodline status, it's quite fair. For a powerful Alpha like him, holding trials is reasonable.]
I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly got stuck, and I shredded her in the replies.
I had been with Jax Deveraux for five years. He had always been affectionate and gentle; his devotion seemed unwavering. I’d already decided that on the next full moon, I would reveal the sigil of my Sterling clan to him.
I never imagined that, as he held me, the fragile mate bond between us trembled, and a stray thought bled through from his mind.
It was a mind-link from his Beta.
[You scent-marked Cora again today? Her power rating is soaring. If this keeps up, Aria is going to lose the final trial!]