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881,638	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881386}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	742687534636305	Breakthrough Rapid Back Pain Relief Program in Wayne, NJ	Hey Wayne and surrounding areas! For anyone dealing with back pain when walking, sitting, or standing… WE CAN HELP! For a limited time, we are giving away 20 vouchers for a 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺, 𝗫-𝗥𝗮𝘆 (𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱), 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗶𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲) ALL for just $49, to see if we can help you. (Limit 1 per person. New patients only) If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to click "SIGN UP" and our team will answer any and all questions you have before you make any payment! After reading our testimonials, we have no doubt you'll want to experience us for yourself! We have 5 🌟 Reviews that you can check out. Here is our patients’ top reported benefits: ✅ Pain Relief ✅ Improved Flexibility and Mobility ✅ Walk up and down stairs without pain or fear of falling ✅ Standup without aid ✅ Go to the supermarket without using "the scooter" ✅ Play with grandchildren without pain ✅ Improved Sleep ✅ Increased Energy Levels ✅ Happier Family Life This is PERFECT for anyone desiring to have their best health! 🚨 Our schedule is limited and availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis. 👉 Claim your $49 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 + 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺, 𝗫-𝗥𝗮𝘆 (𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱), 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗶𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲) voucher today by clicking the "SIGN UP" button below or by calling "(973) 559-2919". Serving Wayne and all surrounding areas. Madalian Wellness 573 Valley Rd, Suite 3 Wayne, NJ 07470 (973) 559-2919	SIGN_UP	http://fb.me/	253111254558085	Madalian Wellness	https://facebook.com/61557885955686	0	2	368,403,942,848,003	2024-03-29 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Sign Up	Madalian Wellness	120208489918070684	fb.me	NONE	dco	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.9 (71+)	http://fb.me/	2024-03-29 14:51	https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434642231_1136320580883735_764204304421939204_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=p48LHxu4YWIAX9z3-0o&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBgBzF9ekm_YmSATfHRjPn8ohknafgq1dsLz2L0T-yeXw&oe=660FBA98	person_profile	Madalian Wellness	https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434652941_736160382000128_3761953592196260465_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_aid=0&_nc_ohc=nBG3N3SUwhEAX8EdZnT&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBTm1DLugiQ0HDQ4yif4WM3y2jKC2HKUrMrw7ZlI_XzIw&oe=660F9F04	3	Madalian Wellness	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,635	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	785813549694548		Who’s listening? When @99makaveli sends DISCO links, she has full transparency around who’s hitting “play” on her tracks.	SIGN_UP	https://www.disco.ac/signup?signup_key=artist&d_ag	106766528584643	DISCO	https://facebook.com/100077718310315	4	1	385,872,727,720,026	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Sign up	DISCO	120209691470040294	www.disco.ac	NONE	video		https://www.disco.ac/signup?signup_key=artist&d_agency=linden	2024-03-29 14:53	https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/432211939_1508792893183273_3633237984107102857_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=wYQfWA7_tkkAX9YqyYK&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=00_AfCSs2Vwd1Khv4cSrDnku1vLL4iJ6XLx1ilu2CX8c4r92Q&oe=660FB9A7	person_profile	DISCO	https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/432231528_1208214803484159_2915581142866402537_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=05evNOBlh1cAX9twxrE&_nc_oc=AdgWtXOo0Agr7TX3Gx_OYRmtpZpsZbdUFUL4IJahdTws4AqZmj_Wm3Aru63T8NF5N3wfx2wtLmQa0V2MfuWThSNB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDnuqe4P7dAl1lZHvlYd2qbLRlpGXCMlTTBMzrme3CgRQ&oe=660FB1F2	3	DISCO	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,735	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	398135029601625	Say Good Bye To Back Pain 👋	Achy Backs of ✨St. PETERSBURG✨<br /> Finally Get Lasting Relief from Back Pain<br /> <br /> Back pain and sciatica remedies never worked for me. Acupuncture, massage, chiropractors-nothing. Until I learned why...<br /> <br /> Back pain itself is not the core issue, but actually a symptom created by “muscle imbalances". In order to remove the pain, we must restore balance to the BODY…<br /> <br /> We’re looking for active adults that want a chance to finally experience RELIEF from chronic back pain by utilizing our Breakthrough Low Back & Sciatica Treatment.<br /> <br /> But vouchers are limited, only 7 vouchers are currently available.<br /> <br /> No surgeries, no medications, no injections. Just relief🙌. <br /> <br /> Here’s what you get as part of our New client Offer...<br /> <br /> ✔ Detailed Health History<br /> ✔ Posture Assessment <br /> ✔ Functional ROM Screening<br /> ✔ Hands on Pain Relief Treatment<br /> ✔ Report of Findings and Plan of Care<br /> <br /> Relying on pain meds or undergoing risky surgery? Sounds like a bad idea to me…🙅<br /> <br /> How about instead we opt for a non-invasive treatment option that has our patients finally getting real pain relief and back to an active, healthy lifestyle...<br /> <br /> Hear from some of our clients that are happy with their results.<br /> <br /> ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐<br /> "I have suffered with chronic pain in my back and sciatic nerve shooting down my leg for years. Within a few sessions my pain was greatly diminished and has continued to lessen with each visit" - Denise S.<br /> ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐<br /> "BetterBody helped me reverse chronic right shoulder pain that I had for over 20 years. I’m still shocked that they were able to help me fix what a dozen experts have not." - Dr. Joshua Helman MD<br /> <br /> Click below to find out more on how to receive your voucher 🎊	LEARN_MORE	https://connect.betterbodymassage.clinic/landing-p	2054923701433912	Better Body Medical Massage & Rehab Fitness LLC	https://facebook.com/BetterBodyMedicalMassage	144	1	970,089,001,301,646	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn more	Better Body Medical Massage & Rehab Fitness LLC	6594510270641	connect.betterbodymassage.clinic	NONE	image	Unlock Lasting Relief from Chronic Your Chronic Pain -- Even if you've tried everything else	https://connect.betterbodymassage.clinic/landing-page	2024-03-29 12:54	https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433079657_1642577789857606_2229406803301914050_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=yRpJuy5o8NkAX8aULO_&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=00_AfCAOoVfvLpdhp9f-ONRz4au0l8pMNoMxbkMZnP2FgDN2A&oe=660F96D1	person_profile	BetterBody Medical Massage	https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434296042_3804274583139786_2769877278260848051_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=F-vW-QWA98oAX8vljlA&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAVwqMH3ucasvRRhUNyvLZUShM7xKmdtSftjOCwNBW1Cw&oe=660FB46C	3	Better Body Medical Massage & Rehab Fitness LLC	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,804	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881809}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	743406587916556	Read with Your Ears➤➤	"I might as well tell you I’m interested in your wife. Someone like you can't stop me because of your inability." Most left with a burst of laughter while Fraser dug his fingernails angrily into the flesh of his palms.<br /> Frazier worked in his wife's company, and during the three months in his new position, he had seen Mo harass his wife countless times. Everyone laughed at his incompetence and always ostracized him.<br /> "I can still endure it no matter how they treat me," he muttered to himself. "But if anyone hurts Natalia, I'll personally send them to inferno."<br /> He took out his phone, found a number he hadn't used in years and clicked on the call icon.<br /> "Is it you, my dear friend, you finally called me?" <br /> Fraser interrupted the person on the other end of the line.<br /> "I'm in some trouble right now. I need your help."<br /> "Are you willing to come back and inherit the McLemore family's business?" <br /> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br /> Wanna listen more? download our App and check more! Novel ID: 120041!	INSTALL_MOBILE_APP	https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.	281724568351187	AudioAdventure	https://facebook.com/61557514568940	0	0	303,576,512,750,023	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Install now	AudioAdventure	120208236963500502	play.google.com	NONE	video		https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kstudio.khitkun	2024-03-29 04:35	https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433016565_1464124437565798_7943833165122088662_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=fannWx-rMxkAX8Iy9Dn&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfB6tdAyz5xaZeUkfDayZmfBSOyRNMYkj6UoRDLpRvAl8g&oe=660FA026	person_profile	AudioAdventure	https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433266520_1332361201487842_2879903054129915457_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Y21ahsuMJKMAX9G7Sib&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfCpZcNI69DI7mfc5UptAJ_QbIq--31Rj3pQh0ITD18N-A&oe=660FB938	3	AudioAdventure	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,808	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881793}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	773686881086633	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	I am a true pureblood Gamma. I come from ten generations of Gammas. To most people, that means nothing. To me, it means everything. I am a warrior. I was born to be a warrior like my father and mother, their fathers and mothers, and so on, as far back as 10 generations. My bloodline is pure. Our warrior gene is one of the strongest in the werewolf kingdom. My family has been the Gamma couple and lead warriors since the pack was founded over 1000 years ago. At seventeen, I am one of the strongest wolves in our pack. I can already win against fully grown wolves, both male and female. So far, my parents and the Alpha are the only ones who have won against me. The Beta and I are pretty even. Though I lose against him more than I win. Most members of the pack are proud of my strength and know that I will always use my strength to protect and train my pack.<br /> The future alpha does not like that I am more skilled and possibly stronger than him, especially since I am a female, better known as a “she-wolf”. My wolf and I think he should get over himself. I am who I am, and I am proud of it. My name is Seleste, future Gamma of the Blue Moon pack, the youngest lead warrior in the history of our pack, and assistant warrior trainer. I am a part of our pack’s elite forces known as the Elite 12. I am one of the first and youngest females to become part of the elite forces. My grandmother was the first female member of the Elite 12 and my mother was the second.<br /> I was born with the symbol of the protector on my shoulder. It’s a crescent moon with a star in the center. What most people don’t know is that my family are direct descendants of Fenroe, the original Gamma. He was the first protector and one of the original werewolves created by the moon goddess. My grandmother told me the history of our family on my twelfth birthday when she passed down the Crescent Moon pendant, which is usually passed down to the firstborn of every generation. For our generation, that’s me. I was born one day before my cousin Mona.<br /> According to the history passed down by my grandmother, the moon goddess initially created six werewolves: three mate pairs. They were her representatives in the supernatural community. All six wolves were alpha wolves with unmatched skills and strength. Each couple had a specific task to perform. The moon goddess tasked one pair with planning and overseeing her agenda on the earth; one couple were master negotiators, hunters, and trackers; and my ancestors Fenroe and Tomyris were the warriors and protectors of all were kind. Fenroe bore the original protector symbol. The supernatural council called him whenever there was trouble or a threat to the supernatural community. As the werewolf community grew, the original pack was formed. Although the original six were all dominant wolves and were not subject to each other, they shared the management of the pack by assigning different duties based on their skill set. The couple that was the overseers; Rommel and Zenobia became the alpha couple and the negotiator and hunter; Takeko and Nakando became the beta couple. Over time, the moon goddess created more packs, sending the ancestors of the original wolves to different areas and packs to keep the werewolf kingdom strong and diverse. The ancestors of the originals have the same strength and skills as their ancestors. Their wolves could also be considered alpha wolves, though the beta and gamma families choose to stay true to their heritage. My great, great (well, I don’t remember how many greats) grandfather connected with the alpha of the Blue moon pack over a millennium ago and helped him form this pack. Since the beginning, my family, the alpha family, and the beta family have remained close to one another. We are the foundation of this pack and remained committed to serving and strengthening the pack. To date, neither family has broken that commitment. We have always chosen to stay loyal and submit to the alpha family, although we are alphas in our own right.<br /> The role of the protector has remained with my family. Traditionally, the firstborn child of every other generation becomes the protector at the death of the previous one. The current protector trains the future one when they turn 12 years old or have their first shift. All protectors have a birthmark on their left shoulder to show their status. My grandmother was the previously chosen protector. The role now falls to me. So far, the council has not called me, but I am well prepared. The protectors have several roles in the werewolf community, as well as in the pack. We serve as Gamma, Lead Warrior, and trainer.<br /> I am now the assistant trainer for the Blue Moon pack. The alpha chose me because I study different combat forms. Over the last five summers, I have traveled to different packs and trained with their elite warriors. I have also trained with many human combat masters. I take my role as Gamma and protector seriously. You can say it’s my destiny. For now, I train self-defense to the pups who have not shifted yet and advance combat to the high-ranking warriors. I love what I do. I want to make sure that my pack is the best trained one in the country. The alpha recently spoke with my parents and me about my training some of the smaller packs in our state. This will be a great opportunity to meet more people and possibly my mate if he is not a part of my pack. I hope my mate will be another Gamma or an elite warrior.<br /> We are a warrior pack. We train hard and are always learning and developing our fighting skills. I have been sparring with Beta Vereen since I was 12 years old. I have not had a clear win against him since he taught me how to do hand-to-hand combat. Today, we are introducing some new moves I picked up while training with a pack in Asia. Beta Vereen volunteered to be my partner for today. It turns out to be a full challenge between the two of us. Beta Vereen is the best fighter after my parents, so everyone loves to see us training together. This is the first time we’ve challenged each other in a couple of years. Beta Vereen has been pushing me to accept challenges again. I have focused more on the teaching side of training over the last year. Since my match with Trevor, I have avoided sparring with anyone other than one of the Elite 12. With the Elite 12, I am free to be myself and not worry about being judged for showing my skill. I know the alpha and Beta Vereen worry about me and try to push me every chance they get.<br /> “Come on Seleste, focus!” Beta Vereen yells at me.<br /> “Sorry Beta. I’m ready.” I answer, shaking off his last hit.<br /> “Seleste. I’m not Trevor. I can take a loss if you can give me one.” Beta Vereen links with an understanding nod.<br /> Beta Vereen and I talked about how I have been hesitant to fight other ranked wolves outside of the Elite 12 after what happened with the future alpha. I don’t want to make any more enemies because I’m blessed with superb fighting skills.<br /> “ok Beta, remember it, you asked for it.”<br /> We get back in our fighting stances and, yep you guessed it. I won. I put the Beta on his shoulder this morning.<br /> “Good job Seleste. Just like I taught you, wait, watch, and execute. Wait for the opening. Watch for a tell or weakness, then execute your advantage. Now you can say you have finally beat me in a challenge. I’m so proud of you. Remember, you don’t have to dial down your skill for anyone. Just be who the goddess made you. Now go get ready for school.”<br /> “Thanks, Beta Vereen,” I say as I grab my water bottle and head to our home.<br /> The members of the Elite 12 and my circle of friends; well at least eight of them were there cheering me on.<br /> “Congratulations Seleste. You were awesome. I loved the way you put my dad on his shoulder. Where did you learn that tricky move from where you slid under him and jumped over his back to trip him?” Ben asked.<br /> “That was a little something I picked up during one of my summer trips,” I answered.<br /> “I hope that particular move will be added to the advanced combat training.” Timothy, one of the Elite 12, stated.<br /> “I guess I can add that move and a couple of others that I have not pulled out for you all yet.”<br /> I love that my fellow warriors are excited about learning new techniques. Tamaska is so proud of the attention and praise that we get from the warriors. She is literally running through my mind doing her little happy dance. This was the first time we had a decisive win against the Beta Vereen.<br /> My mom and dad greet me as I come in to get ready for school.<br /> “We heard about your win today.” My dad says. “We are so proud of you. Your grandmother would be over the moon that her grandbaby beat the unbeatable Beta.”<br /> “Thanks, dad. I really miss my grandmother. I wish she could see how much progress I have made.’<br /> “Oh honey, she is up there with the moon goddess and our ancestors watching over her baby girl smiling and bragging.” My mom says while hugging me.<br /> “Now go shower. You smell,” my mom says.<br /> I grab an apple and run upstairs to my room.<br /> “Seleste, are you ready yet? We’re going to be late for school. You know how Mr. Simms gets when we are late for first period.” Talia yells up the stairs.<br /> “Coming, Talia,” I yell while running downstairs. “Seriously Seleste, I don’t know why you take so long to get ready for school? You don’t even wear makeup,” Talia says, rolling her eyes.<br /> “Really Talia, I have to shower after training, then get ready. I know you don’t want to ride in the car with me all sweaty. Come on, let’s go. Don’t want to be late.” I say, smirking at Talia.<br /> “Bye, mom and dad. See you all later.”<br /> “Bye girls,” my parents yell.<br /> Talia and I leave the house. Talia and I have been riding to school since Talia got a new car on her 16th birthday. Most of us got cars that year, but I hate driving. I’m usually too hyped from training to focus on something so small as driving.<br /> We made it to school in record time. Talia may or may not have been speeding. First period is not my favorite. Mr. Simms is always tough and does not let us get away with anything. Mr. Simms is more than a teacher, he is a member of the Elite 12, so he is tough on me. As one of the crew, he has high expectations for me. I think sometimes they forget that I am also a teenager.<br /> Talia and I make it to class just as the bell is ringing. “So glad you ladies can join us”. Mr. Simms says, looking at us and his watch. Being right on time is late for Mr. Simms. Talia looks at me as we take our seats.<br /> “It’s my fault, Mr. Simms. Training went a little late this morning”. I explained, trying to look sincere. Well, it was my fault anyway.<br /> “Well, Ms. True, you know what they say about excuses and incompetence? Since I know you are not incompetent, I’ll pretend you did not give me an excuse.”<br /> ”Don’t forget, I was at training with you this morning, so I know what time you and the Beta ended your match.” Mr. Simms linked me and had the nerve to smirk at me.<br /> The students sit there trying to cover their laughter. Mr. Simms looks around the class.<br /> “Now class, let’s begin. Please pass your homework assignment to the right.”<br /> We all passed in our homework and started working on our assignments.<br /> The rest of the class was pretty quiet. Mr. Simms runs a tight ship.<br /> “Girl, Mr. Simms got you good,” Talia says as we walked out of class.”<br /> “Yes, he did, but I knew better than to give him an answer.”<br /> “I don’t know why you used training as a reason. I mean HELLO Seleste, Mr. Simms is a member of the Elite 12! Of course, he knows when you got out of training.”<br /> “I know Talia. It was the only thing I could come up with on short notice. Where are Mona and Rose today? They usually meet us after first period.”<br /> “You are right. They should have been here by now. Let me text them.” Talia said.<br /> We continued walking down the hall to our next class. Another typical day of senior high school.<br /> We met up with Rose and Mona before going into our 2nd-period class. We all have several classes together. I and Talia have all but one of our classes together. Most of the boys are on a mirror schedule to ours. When we are in English, they are in math. We all have Science together right before lunch. Science used to be a time we all enjoyed because it was the one class all 10 of us had together. We used to do our projects together, but not so much nowadays.<br /> As Talia and I are walking alone, I take the opportunity to ask her about something that has been bothering me lately. I don’t know why, but my wolf has been acting a little differently lately. She goes from excited to being irritable. I’m not sure what is going on with her. It is like she is expecting something to happen. I hope it is not anything bad. Our pack has had decades of peace. We are one of the strongest packs in the whole werewolf world. “Talia, have you noticed anything weird over the last couple of days?”<br /> “Not really. Weird, like how?’<br /> “I don’t know. Tamaska has been on edge for the past couple of days and I don’t know why.”<br /> “Well, Seleste, your 18th birthday is in a couple of days. Could it be that she is sensing your mate? This is so exciting. I can’t wait to see who will be the lucky male to get to have the strongest she-wolf as his mate.”<br /> “I don’t know if I’m ready for that. What if my mate can’t handle me being a warrior?”<br /> “Seleste, anyone would be more than happy to have you as their mate. You are beautiful, honest, and sweet, as well as strong. So, who do you think it will be?”<br /> “Honestly, Talia, I do not know. I used to think that I and Trevor had a connection, but that changed when I got the best of him in training last year. Since that time, he has made it known that he does not like me.”<br /> “Girl, for an alpha to be, Trevor is a big baby. I can’t believe he is such a sore loser. He is still holding a grudge against you for being who you are. He’s not the only ranked wolf you have won against. Trevor needs to get over it. It’s been a whole year. I hope he grows up before Alpha Connor gives him the title or this pack is in trouble.”<br /> “Honestly, Talia, I don’t care who my mate is as long as he loves and accepts me and Tamaska. Not everyone can handle us.” I stated.<br /> I spent the rest of the day thinking about the possibility of finding my mate. I wonder if Trevor and I are really fated. I know he will reject me. I have already prepared myself for that possibility, although I hope it never comes to that.<br /> “Stop worrying, we are awesome! Our mate will love us and if not, we will give him a lesson.” my wolf growled. The scary thing is that I know Tamaska is 100% serious. She does not take any nonsense from anyone.<br /> “T, we can’t go around punishing people up because they don’t like us”<br /> “Why not,”<br /> “Because it is against the laws of the pack. Violence is not the answer to everything.” I say, making a duh face.<br /> “Hump. We’ll see.”<br /> My wolf is right about one thing. There is no use in worrying. Our fate is already sealed. I have to believe that the moon goddess does not make any mistakes. What will be will be no matter what, I will survive.<br /> “That’s what I have been trying to tell you, we are awesome.”<br /> My wolf always wants the last word. I believe the moon goddess has a plan, and she never makes a mistake, so I have to believe that the person she made for me will be perfect, even if it is Trevor Munroe.<br /> Trevor and I used to be friends. Our parents used to tease us about being mates when we grew up. We used to laugh about it, but all of that changed last year during sparring practice. I have beaten almost everyone that I sparred with, except the alpha and my parents and sometimes the beta. Trevor challenged me once last year since he was an alpha wolf. Trevor thought since I was a gamma wolf and female, he could take me down easily. He prides himself on being the strongest wolf. Initially, I was going to let him win. My mother had told me a while ago about the fragile egos of the males in our pack. Secretly, my mother is stronger than my dad and probably the alpha, but she always gives them a narrow win to keep the peace and balance in the pack. I was going to do the same, I swear I was. I was also going to take this opportunity to help him improve some of his fighting skills. Trevor has a tell when he is fighting. He tends to lead off with his left leg every time he is going to throw a power punch with his right hand. He favors his right side as his power side. To be a well-rounded warrior, you have to be powerful on both sides. If the one side is weaker, then you work on strengthening it. I had a training plan in mind for Trevor that would have made his moves unpredictable and made him almost unbeatable. You know what they say about the best-laid plans? Trevor never gave me the chance to go over the fight and point out areas he could work on.<br /> As we began to spar, Trevor started attacking right away. I can tell he was trying to overpower me. One of the first lessons Beta Vereen taught us was to watch your opponent and find an opening to hit them where they are weakest. I noticed Trevor kept shifting to the left before he tried to give me a lesson in my midsection. I kept sidestepping him. I can tell he was getting a little frustrated when he could not get a hit on me. So I waited for his left shift, then I moved, but not enough to completely avoid the kick. His food made contact with my right thigh. Yes, I took an indirect hit and let Trevor get me down. I tried to make it look real like I’ve seen my mom do when she spars with my dad. Trevor then tried to pin me and put me in a submissive hold. I would have submitted, but as we were on the ground, he whispered he knew that I let him hit me and wanted a fair win, so I got back up and fought a little harder, but still was not using full strength and let him get a few good hits in, but I fought hard. I was able to beat Trevor with ease, but I am a natural-born warrior, after all. At first, he seemed ok. Then, all of a sudden, he got pissed about losing to me. I don’t understand why. I mean, almost everyone loses to me, so I don’t see a problem. Most of the pack members measure their success and progress on how long they can stand against me before I take them down, not on winning or losing. You see, most warriors understand that I have an advantage when it comes to fighting. I have been training since I was a pup. Most wolves don’t train until they shift at 12 or 13, but my parents started training me when I was five. That’s a tradition in our family. I have been receiving specialized training since age twelve and have been learning from other packs and species for the past three years. Everyone in the pack knows this and appreciates the insight I can give them. I mean “Hello,” that is my job as Gamma and trainer.<br /> After the match, I went to help Trevor up and he pushed my hand away from him. I was so surprised, all I could do was stand there. Trevor told me I was playing with him and trying to make him look bad. He accused me of not being a genuine friend to him. He said that I treated him like I thought he was weak and couldn’t handle me in a fight. I mean, obviously, he can’t. I wasn’t even trying to win. But that is not the point. I did not do anything to him and I fought him hard. It is almost like he is mad that I didn’t fight him like he is an enemy. I mean, why would I go overboard? This was a sparring match. I honestly don’t know what his issue is. It was a good fight. He started out overconfident and relied on strength alone. He did not focus on technique. I was planning to tell him how to improve the next time. That’s what I usually do with the Elite 12 when we spar. That is how we get better. Trevor just stormed away, telling me to stay away from him and that I was no longer his friend.<br /> Trevor has been mad at me since that day. We stopped hanging out together. Even when the Circle of 10 gets together, it ends up being a Circle of 9. Trevor will not take part in the activity if he knows I’m going to be there and if we are both there at the same time; he ignores me and acts like I’m invisible. That was very painful in the beginning. I mean, we once were best friends. We told each other everything. I knew all his hopes and dreams and he knew mine. I knew how much keeping the pack strong means to him. He told me about how he wants to prove to his father that he will be a powerful alpha and lead by example. I thought we wanted the same thing for the pack. He wanted to be the strongest alpha, and I wanted to be the strongest Gamma. Together, we would make our pack unbeatable. I don’t understand how one incident could change that. We were friends for life. I thought our friend bond was unbreakable, but I guess not if he can turn against me over something so small and petty.<br /> I thought he would get over it in time. That I would let him calm down and then we would talk it over, but when I tried to talk to him a couple of weeks after “the incident,” that didn’t go so well. I saw Trevor leaving the training ground alone and tried to approach him to work things out. Our conversation went a little like this.<br /> “Hi Trev, you have a second,” I asked, walking up to him.<br /> He cringed and looked at me clearly, getting angry for some unknown reason.<br /> “First, my name is Trevor. You don’t have permission to call me Trev.”<br /> To say that the venom in his voice shocked me was an understatement.<br /> “Wow,” I exclaimed.<br /> “Second,” he continued, “I made it clear that I had nothing else to say to you. We are no longer friends. You stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours, ok?”<br /> “But Trevor, we have been friends for over 16 years, why won’t you talk to me. Can’t we work this out and remain friends. I’m going to be your third in command. We will need to work together.”<br /> “Look Seleste, you should have talked to me before you decided to fight me like a girl and make me look weak in front of all the warriors. Did you get a good laugh at me with them?” Trevor yelled in my face.<br /> He really needed to take it down a notch.<br /> “I never tried to make you look bad. What do you mean I fought you like a girl? Um, Trevor, I am a girl. So, I’m a little confused. I thought it was a good fight. If you had waited, I could have told you the areas you need to work on to do better the next time. I mean, that’s what I usually do with the other warriors. You have a couple of tells when you get ready to throw a punch that could make a difference in a fight.”<br /> I started trying to explain the things I noticed, but I could tell that Trevor was getting madder. I honestly don’t know what I did wrong this time, but Trevor had smoke coming out of his ears. He was so mad. A vein was popping out on his forehead. Everything in me wanted to check him right now. For some reason, it feels like our checking would calm him down, but there is no way I would get that close to him right now.<br /> “Seleste, are you hearing yourself right now? You want to tell me, the future alpha, what I need to do to improve? Well, listen and listen well, I will only say this once. I don’t care what you do with other warriors. I am NOT THEM! I will be your alpha and you will respect me. I can’t believe you think you have the right to correct me! Like I said earlier, stay away from me and I will stay away from you. As for you being the future Gamma, we can work together without having to interact personally. You just do your job!” Trevor yelled and walked off in a huff.<br /> I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. How could such an innocent conversation turn into something like that? I don’t know what to say to him. It seems like he is determined to be mad at me no matter what, so I will honor his request and stay away from him as much as possible.<br /> I told my mom and the girls about the conversation I had with Trevor. They were just as confused as I was. Everyone agreed that I should stay away from him and just give him space. No one thought he would stay mad this long. This was not like him. I had never known Trevor to be so unreasonable. None of our friends can believe he is acting like this. He has always been one to put the pack first. That’s how we were all raised. The pack is more important than the individual. Collectively, we are stronger. What Trevor is doing is dividing the pack. It’s almost like he wants our friends to choose between him and me, but I refuse to put them in that position. I let them know I understand they will do things with Trevor, and I will stay away so that they can have a good time without the tension between the two of us messing up the fun. I respect his desire to not be around me. Honestly, with his attitude, I don’t want to be around him anymore, either.<br /> Over time, I got used to not having him around and after a year, I barely missed his presence in my life. It’s sad that one event that was not that serious could ruin a 16-year friendship.<br /> I am the future alpha of my pack and I can’t wait to take over from my father. I have been preparing for this my whole life. I had the dream of not only leading my pack by being the strongest wolf in the pack. The alpha is always the strongest wolf, like my father and his father before him. How can I lead if I am not the strongest? I am a pure alpha. Both of my parents have alpha blood. That makes me special. I train hard and have proven myself against most of the warriors in the pack. My father has drilled it in my head that to be alpha, you have to be the best. Our Pack is one of the largest packs in America. We are also high-ranking amongst all the other packs. I want to lead our pact to the number one spot. In short, I want our pack to be the best, so I have to be the best. In my father’s words, “to lead the best, you have to be the best.’ For me, being the best means being the strongest.<br /> I am an enormous wolf, even for an alpha. I am well built; with 6.5 feet of solid muscle. I take after my father. My mother is strong for a female, but she is also soft and loving. She can defend herself, but as a good Luna, she is not a warrior. My mom takes care of the pack and provides the love we need. She is the mother that we all need. The heart of the pack. She leaves the fighting to us men. When there is an attack, my father does not have to worry about my mother. She takes the children and the elderly and stays in the safe house with them where she is protected. It’s an alpha’s job to protect his Luna and his pack. I want my Luna to be just like my mother, soft and loving. Not like a certain she-wolf, I know.<br /> I continue to work on improving my fighting skills. I have challenged many of the warriors of the pack, including the Elite 12. I am almost undefeated. My future Beta Ben thinks the warriors let me win because I’m the alpha’s son; as if. I’m proud of my combat skills. I won those matches fair and square. To prove myself and show my Beta he was wrong, last year I challenged my ex-friend and future Gamma to a sparring match. Everyone knows she is one of the strongest wolves. My father, her parents, and sometimes the Beta couple are the only ones who won against her in combat fighting. I know if I could best her, the pack would see me as the strongest in our circle.<br /> The sparring started great. I quickly got Seleste to the ground. I was feeling proud of myself until Ben mind linked me and told me she was going easy on me. He pointed out how she was pulling her punches and her reaction time was slow. She let me give her a lesson. I should have known something was up. She had avoided every other attack I tried. I thought she was just getting tired. The more I thought about it, the madder I got. How could she make me look weak like that? What is she trying to prove? I want to win, but I want to win a fair fight where she is giving me her all. I lean over and whisper to her to stop going easy on me. I told her that I want to win a fair fight.<br /> We got up and started again. This time, she didn’t go easy on me. I tried to overtake her with my brute strength and my height advantage. I tower over her by at least one foot, maybe more. She had a counter for every attack I threw at her. It’s like she knew what move I was going to make before I made them. I just kept attacking and throwing everything at her. In the end, though it was close, she beat me. I have to admit; that her fighting skill is unmatched. She can hang with the best warriors. I would have been ok with the loss, but my Beta told me she was not attacking me at full strength. She never went on the offense, she mostly just defended. How embarrassing for the future alpha to lose like that. Why would she do that? Why would she play with me? Did she think I was a joke? She came over after the fight and I just looked at her and walked off. All the warriors were watching us. I bet they think I’m a weakling now. Thanks a lot, Seleste.<br /> “Trev, what’s wrong?” Seleste asked me.<br /> “Nothing,” I said.” I just don’t have time for so-called friends that try to make me look bad in front of everyone.” I answered as I walked away.<br /> She just stood there, looking confused. I can’t believe she would do something like that. She used to be one of my best friends. When we were younger, our parents used to tease us about being fated mates. I hope not. She is not at all like my mother. My mother would have never done that to my father. Why couldn’t she just fight me for real? At least then, if I lost, I could have held my head up proudly, like every other warrior.<br /> Ben and Nathan caught up with me just as I was getting to the packhouse.<br /> “Man, why did you just walk away from Seleste like that? That was not nice at all. Now you’re just being a sore loser.” Ben said.<br /> “Sore loser?” I yelled. “I don’t think so. That wasn’t even a real fight. Seleste just played with me. She treated me like I’m a joke. Does she think I’m weak? Like I can’t handle a genuine match with her? Some friend she proved to be.” I stormed into the packhouse.<br /> “Are you serious Trev?” Nathan asked. “That was an awesome match. You both did amazing. Seleste would never do something that means to you. You know she has always been partial to you.”<br /> “Whatever ask Ben. He will tell you she was not attacking me at full strength. I am so mad at her right now. I don’t think I ever want to speak to her again.” I answered.<br /> “Ben, what is Trev talking about? Everyone knows Seleste doesn’t play when sparring.” Nathan said, looking at Ben.<br /> “Well, you know, I study all of Seleste’s moves and try to learn them. She was not in her regular beast mode. She gave him a good fight, but I am probably the only person who knew she was holding back and ImayhavesaidsomethingtoTrevor.” Ben said, running the last part together.<br /> “Ok, But Trev, you have to know that even if Seleste was not in beast mode, she still fought you hard. Everyone was talking about how you stood your ground with her. Seleste would never try to embarrass you. Have you considered that she did not want to hurt you, besides, why would she be in beast mode for a training match? That makes no sense at all.” Nathan said.<br /> “Look, guys, I know that you all like Seleste. She used to be one of my best friends, but this was unforgivable. She knows that I have been working on being the best and the strongest, so she should have given me the chance to prove myself, even against her beast mode, as you all call it.”<br /> “Seriously Trevor. You are acting like a spoiled brat right now. If she had fought you in beast mode, you would not have even gotten a hit in. Then you would have looked weak. You need to grow up.” Ben said.<br /> “Whatever, if anyone knew how important this was to me, she did. That’s why I don’t want a warrior for my future Luna right there. When I need understanding, I get something else!” I huffed and went to get ready for school.<br /> I know Ben and Nathan wanted to say more, but I didn’t let them. I was done with that conversation and with Seleste.<br /> It has been a year since that fateful day and so many things have changed between our circle of 10. We used to do everything together. It was me, Ben, Nathan, Eli, Sam, Drew (Sam’s twin) Seleste, Mona, Rose, and Talia. Since I stopped speaking to Seleste, we don’t do things as a full group anymore. Either everyone hangs with me and Seleste stays away, or they hang out with Seleste and I stay away. Rarely do we all do things together and when we do, I ignore Seleste like she isn’t in the room. I used to feel a little bad when I saw the hurt in her eyes, but she hurt me first, so I got over it. Secretly, I will admit that I miss hanging with Seleste. No one understands me the way I thought she did. No one understands my desire to be the strongest and best fighter the way Seleste does. I always thought she would be my general, but I just don’t think I can trust her anymore.<br /> Seleste tried to talk to me in the beginning, but since I was not open to rebuilding our friendship, she stopped trying. The others in our circle of 10 think I’m being ridiculous, but I feel what I feel and they all can get over it. On another note, I have also been hanging out with some of the other pack members occasionally. Nothing as close as what we all used to be, but I am building new connections.	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881,839	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881793}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	1475847466334837	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	I am a true pureblood Gamma. I come from ten generations of Gammas. To most people, that means nothing. To me, it means everything. I am a warrior. I was born to be a warrior like my father and mother, their fathers and mothers, and so on, as far back as 10 generations. My bloodline is pure. Our warrior gene is one of the strongest in the werewolf kingdom. My family has been the Gamma couple and lead warriors since the pack was founded over 1000 years ago. At seventeen, I am one of the strongest wolves in our pack. I can already win against fully grown wolves, both male and female. So far, my parents and the Alpha are the only ones who have won against me. The Beta and I are pretty even. Though I lose against him more than I win. Most members of the pack are proud of my strength and know that I will always use my strength to protect and train my pack.<br /> The future alpha does not like that I am more skilled and possibly stronger than him, especially since I am a female, better known as a “she-wolf”. My wolf and I think he should get over himself. I am who I am, and I am proud of it. My name is Seleste, future Gamma of the Blue Moon pack, the youngest lead warrior in the history of our pack, and assistant warrior trainer. I am a part of our pack’s elite forces known as the Elite 12. I am one of the first and youngest females to become part of the elite forces. My grandmother was the first female member of the Elite 12 and my mother was the second.<br /> I was born with the symbol of the protector on my shoulder. It’s a crescent moon with a star in the center. What most people don’t know is that my family are direct descendants of Fenroe, the original Gamma. He was the first protector and one of the original werewolves created by the moon goddess. My grandmother told me the history of our family on my twelfth birthday when she passed down the Crescent Moon pendant, which is usually passed down to the firstborn of every generation. For our generation, that’s me. I was born one day before my cousin Mona.<br /> According to the history passed down by my grandmother, the moon goddess initially created six werewolves: three mate pairs. They were her representatives in the supernatural community. All six wolves were alpha wolves with unmatched skills and strength. Each couple had a specific task to perform. The moon goddess tasked one pair with planning and overseeing her agenda on the earth; one couple were master negotiators, hunters, and trackers; and my ancestors Fenroe and Tomyris were the warriors and protectors of all were kind. Fenroe bore the original protector symbol. The supernatural council called him whenever there was trouble or a threat to the supernatural community. As the werewolf community grew, the original pack was formed. Although the original six were all dominant wolves and were not subject to each other, they shared the management of the pack by assigning different duties based on their skill set. The couple that was the overseers; Rommel and Zenobia became the alpha couple and the negotiator and hunter; Takeko and Nakando became the beta couple. Over time, the moon goddess created more packs, sending the ancestors of the original wolves to different areas and packs to keep the werewolf kingdom strong and diverse. The ancestors of the originals have the same strength and skills as their ancestors. Their wolves could also be considered alpha wolves, though the beta and gamma families choose to stay true to their heritage. My great, great (well, I don’t remember how many greats) grandfather connected with the alpha of the Blue moon pack over a millennium ago and helped him form this pack. Since the beginning, my family, the alpha family, and the beta family have remained close to one another. We are the foundation of this pack and remained committed to serving and strengthening the pack. To date, neither family has broken that commitment. We have always chosen to stay loyal and submit to the alpha family, although we are alphas in our own right.<br /> The role of the protector has remained with my family. Traditionally, the firstborn child of every other generation becomes the protector at the death of the previous one. The current protector trains the future one when they turn 12 years old or have their first shift. All protectors have a birthmark on their left shoulder to show their status. My grandmother was the previously chosen protector. The role now falls to me. So far, the council has not called me, but I am well prepared. The protectors have several roles in the werewolf community, as well as in the pack. We serve as Gamma, Lead Warrior, and trainer.<br /> I am now the assistant trainer for the Blue Moon pack. The alpha chose me because I study different combat forms. Over the last five summers, I have traveled to different packs and trained with their elite warriors. I have also trained with many human combat masters. I take my role as Gamma and protector seriously. You can say it’s my destiny. For now, I train self-defense to the pups who have not shifted yet and advance combat to the high-ranking warriors. I love what I do. I want to make sure that my pack is the best trained one in the country. The alpha recently spoke with my parents and me about my training some of the smaller packs in our state. This will be a great opportunity to meet more people and possibly my mate if he is not a part of my pack. I hope my mate will be another Gamma or an elite warrior.<br /> We are a warrior pack. We train hard and are always learning and developing our fighting skills. I have been sparring with Beta Vereen since I was 12 years old. I have not had a clear win against him since he taught me how to do hand-to-hand combat. Today, we are introducing some new moves I picked up while training with a pack in Asia. Beta Vereen volunteered to be my partner for today. It turns out to be a full challenge between the two of us. Beta Vereen is the best fighter after my parents, so everyone loves to see us training together. This is the first time we’ve challenged each other in a couple of years. Beta Vereen has been pushing me to accept challenges again. I have focused more on the teaching side of training over the last year. Since my match with Trevor, I have avoided sparring with anyone other than one of the Elite 12. With the Elite 12, I am free to be myself and not worry about being judged for showing my skill. I know the alpha and Beta Vereen worry about me and try to push me every chance they get.<br /> “Come on Seleste, focus!” Beta Vereen yells at me.<br /> “Sorry Beta. I’m ready.” I answer, shaking off his last hit.<br /> “Seleste. I’m not Trevor. I can take a loss if you can give me one.” Beta Vereen links with an understanding nod.<br /> Beta Vereen and I talked about how I have been hesitant to fight other ranked wolves outside of the Elite 12 after what happened with the future alpha. I don’t want to make any more enemies because I’m blessed with superb fighting skills.<br /> “ok Beta, remember it, you asked for it.”<br /> We get back in our fighting stances and, yep you guessed it. I won. I put the Beta on his shoulder this morning.<br /> “Good job Seleste. Just like I taught you, wait, watch, and execute. Wait for the opening. Watch for a tell or weakness, then execute your advantage. Now you can say you have finally beat me in a challenge. I’m so proud of you. Remember, you don’t have to dial down your skill for anyone. Just be who the goddess made you. Now go get ready for school.”<br /> “Thanks, Beta Vereen,” I say as I grab my water bottle and head to our home.<br /> The members of the Elite 12 and my circle of friends; well at least eight of them were there cheering me on.<br /> “Congratulations Seleste. You were awesome. I loved the way you put my dad on his shoulder. Where did you learn that tricky move from where you slid under him and jumped over his back to trip him?” Ben asked.<br /> “That was a little something I picked up during one of my summer trips,” I answered.<br /> “I hope that particular move will be added to the advanced combat training.” Timothy, one of the Elite 12, stated.<br /> “I guess I can add that move and a couple of others that I have not pulled out for you all yet.”<br /> I love that my fellow warriors are excited about learning new techniques. Tamaska is so proud of the attention and praise that we get from the warriors. She is literally running through my mind doing her little happy dance. This was the first time we had a decisive win against the Beta Vereen.<br /> My mom and dad greet me as I come in to get ready for school.<br /> “We heard about your win today.” My dad says. “We are so proud of you. Your grandmother would be over the moon that her grandbaby beat the unbeatable Beta.”<br /> “Thanks, dad. I really miss my grandmother. I wish she could see how much progress I have made.’<br /> “Oh honey, she is up there with the moon goddess and our ancestors watching over her baby girl smiling and bragging.” My mom says while hugging me.<br /> “Now go shower. You smell,” my mom says.<br /> I grab an apple and run upstairs to my room.<br /> “Seleste, are you ready yet? We’re going to be late for school. You know how Mr. Simms gets when we are late for first period.” Talia yells up the stairs.<br /> “Coming, Talia,” I yell while running downstairs. “Seriously Seleste, I don’t know why you take so long to get ready for school? You don’t even wear makeup,” Talia says, rolling her eyes.<br /> “Really Talia, I have to shower after training, then get ready. I know you don’t want to ride in the car with me all sweaty. Come on, let’s go. Don’t want to be late.” I say, smirking at Talia.<br /> “Bye, mom and dad. See you all later.”<br /> “Bye girls,” my parents yell.<br /> Talia and I leave the house. Talia and I have been riding to school since Talia got a new car on her 16th birthday. Most of us got cars that year, but I hate driving. I’m usually too hyped from training to focus on something so small as driving.<br /> We made it to school in record time. Talia may or may not have been speeding. First period is not my favorite. Mr. Simms is always tough and does not let us get away with anything. Mr. Simms is more than a teacher, he is a member of the Elite 12, so he is tough on me. As one of the crew, he has high expectations for me. I think sometimes they forget that I am also a teenager.<br /> Talia and I make it to class just as the bell is ringing. “So glad you ladies can join us”. Mr. Simms says, looking at us and his watch. Being right on time is late for Mr. Simms. Talia looks at me as we take our seats.<br /> “It’s my fault, Mr. Simms. Training went a little late this morning”. I explained, trying to look sincere. Well, it was my fault anyway.<br /> “Well, Ms. True, you know what they say about excuses and incompetence? Since I know you are not incompetent, I’ll pretend you did not give me an excuse.”<br /> ”Don’t forget, I was at training with you this morning, so I know what time you and the Beta ended your match.” Mr. Simms linked me and had the nerve to smirk at me.<br /> The students sit there trying to cover their laughter. Mr. Simms looks around the class.<br /> “Now class, let’s begin. Please pass your homework assignment to the right.”<br /> We all passed in our homework and started working on our assignments.<br /> The rest of the class was pretty quiet. Mr. Simms runs a tight ship.<br /> “Girl, Mr. Simms got you good,” Talia says as we walked out of class.”<br /> “Yes, he did, but I knew better than to give him an answer.”<br /> “I don’t know why you used training as a reason. I mean HELLO Seleste, Mr. Simms is a member of the Elite 12! Of course, he knows when you got out of training.”<br /> “I know Talia. It was the only thing I could come up with on short notice. Where are Mona and Rose today? They usually meet us after first period.”<br /> “You are right. They should have been here by now. Let me text them.” Talia said.<br /> We continued walking down the hall to our next class. Another typical day of senior high school.<br /> We met up with Rose and Mona before going into our 2nd-period class. We all have several classes together. I and Talia have all but one of our classes together. Most of the boys are on a mirror schedule to ours. When we are in English, they are in math. We all have Science together right before lunch. Science used to be a time we all enjoyed because it was the one class all 10 of us had together. We used to do our projects together, but not so much nowadays.<br /> As Talia and I are walking alone, I take the opportunity to ask her about something that has been bothering me lately. I don’t know why, but my wolf has been acting a little differently lately. She goes from excited to being irritable. I’m not sure what is going on with her. It is like she is expecting something to happen. I hope it is not anything bad. Our pack has had decades of peace. We are one of the strongest packs in the whole werewolf world. “Talia, have you noticed anything weird over the last couple of days?”<br /> “Not really. Weird, like how?’<br /> “I don’t know. Tamaska has been on edge for the past couple of days and I don’t know why.”<br /> “Well, Seleste, your 18th birthday is in a couple of days. Could it be that she is sensing your mate? This is so exciting. I can’t wait to see who will be the lucky male to get to have the strongest she-wolf as his mate.”<br /> “I don’t know if I’m ready for that. What if my mate can’t handle me being a warrior?”<br /> “Seleste, anyone would be more than happy to have you as their mate. You are beautiful, honest, and sweet, as well as strong. So, who do you think it will be?”<br /> “Honestly, Talia, I do not know. I used to think that I and Trevor had a connection, but that changed when I got the best of him in training last year. Since that time, he has made it known that he does not like me.”<br /> “Girl, for an alpha to be, Trevor is a big baby. I can’t believe he is such a sore loser. He is still holding a grudge against you for being who you are. He’s not the only ranked wolf you have won against. Trevor needs to get over it. It’s been a whole year. I hope he grows up before Alpha Connor gives him the title or this pack is in trouble.”<br /> “Honestly, Talia, I don’t care who my mate is as long as he loves and accepts me and Tamaska. Not everyone can handle us.” I stated.<br /> I spent the rest of the day thinking about the possibility of finding my mate. I wonder if Trevor and I are really fated. I know he will reject me. I have already prepared myself for that possibility, although I hope it never comes to that.<br /> “Stop worrying, we are awesome! Our mate will love us and if not, we will give him a lesson.” my wolf growled. The scary thing is that I know Tamaska is 100% serious. She does not take any nonsense from anyone.<br /> “T, we can’t go around punishing people up because they don’t like us”<br /> “Why not,”<br /> “Because it is against the laws of the pack. Violence is not the answer to everything.” I say, making a duh face.<br /> “Hump. We’ll see.”<br /> My wolf is right about one thing. There is no use in worrying. Our fate is already sealed. I have to believe that the moon goddess does not make any mistakes. What will be will be no matter what, I will survive.<br /> “That’s what I have been trying to tell you, we are awesome.”<br /> My wolf always wants the last word. I believe the moon goddess has a plan, and she never makes a mistake, so I have to believe that the person she made for me will be perfect, even if it is Trevor Munroe.<br /> Trevor and I used to be friends. Our parents used to tease us about being mates when we grew up. We used to laugh about it, but all of that changed last year during sparring practice. I have beaten almost everyone that I sparred with, except the alpha and my parents and sometimes the beta. Trevor challenged me once last year since he was an alpha wolf. Trevor thought since I was a gamma wolf and female, he could take me down easily. He prides himself on being the strongest wolf. Initially, I was going to let him win. My mother had told me a while ago about the fragile egos of the males in our pack. Secretly, my mother is stronger than my dad and probably the alpha, but she always gives them a narrow win to keep the peace and balance in the pack. I was going to do the same, I swear I was. I was also going to take this opportunity to help him improve some of his fighting skills. Trevor has a tell when he is fighting. He tends to lead off with his left leg every time he is going to throw a power punch with his right hand. He favors his right side as his power side. To be a well-rounded warrior, you have to be powerful on both sides. If the one side is weaker, then you work on strengthening it. I had a training plan in mind for Trevor that would have made his moves unpredictable and made him almost unbeatable. You know what they say about the best-laid plans? Trevor never gave me the chance to go over the fight and point out areas he could work on.<br /> As we began to spar, Trevor started attacking right away. I can tell he was trying to overpower me. One of the first lessons Beta Vereen taught us was to watch your opponent and find an opening to hit them where they are weakest. I noticed Trevor kept shifting to the left before he tried to give me a lesson in my midsection. I kept sidestepping him. I can tell he was getting a little frustrated when he could not get a hit on me. So I waited for his left shift, then I moved, but not enough to completely avoid the kick. His food made contact with my right thigh. Yes, I took an indirect hit and let Trevor get me down. I tried to make it look real like I’ve seen my mom do when she spars with my dad. Trevor then tried to pin me and put me in a submissive hold. I would have submitted, but as we were on the ground, he whispered he knew that I let him hit me and wanted a fair win, so I got back up and fought a little harder, but still was not using full strength and let him get a few good hits in, but I fought hard. I was able to beat Trevor with ease, but I am a natural-born warrior, after all. At first, he seemed ok. Then, all of a sudden, he got pissed about losing to me. I don’t understand why. I mean, almost everyone loses to me, so I don’t see a problem. Most of the pack members measure their success and progress on how long they can stand against me before I take them down, not on winning or losing. You see, most warriors understand that I have an advantage when it comes to fighting. I have been training since I was a pup. Most wolves don’t train until they shift at 12 or 13, but my parents started training me when I was five. That’s a tradition in our family. I have been receiving specialized training since age twelve and have been learning from other packs and species for the past three years. Everyone in the pack knows this and appreciates the insight I can give them. I mean “Hello,” that is my job as Gamma and trainer.<br /> After the match, I went to help Trevor up and he pushed my hand away from him. I was so surprised, all I could do was stand there. Trevor told me I was playing with him and trying to make him look bad. He accused me of not being a genuine friend to him. He said that I treated him like I thought he was weak and couldn’t handle me in a fight. I mean, obviously, he can’t. I wasn’t even trying to win. But that is not the point. I did not do anything to him and I fought him hard. It is almost like he is mad that I didn’t fight him like he is an enemy. I mean, why would I go overboard? This was a sparring match. I honestly don’t know what his issue is. It was a good fight. He started out overconfident and relied on strength alone. He did not focus on technique. I was planning to tell him how to improve the next time. That’s what I usually do with the Elite 12 when we spar. That is how we get better. Trevor just stormed away, telling me to stay away from him and that I was no longer his friend.<br /> Trevor has been mad at me since that day. We stopped hanging out together. Even when the Circle of 10 gets together, it ends up being a Circle of 9. Trevor will not take part in the activity if he knows I’m going to be there and if we are both there at the same time; he ignores me and acts like I’m invisible. That was very painful in the beginning. I mean, we once were best friends. We told each other everything. I knew all his hopes and dreams and he knew mine. I knew how much keeping the pack strong means to him. He told me about how he wants to prove to his father that he will be a powerful alpha and lead by example. I thought we wanted the same thing for the pack. He wanted to be the strongest alpha, and I wanted to be the strongest Gamma. Together, we would make our pack unbeatable. I don’t understand how one incident could change that. We were friends for life. I thought our friend bond was unbreakable, but I guess not if he can turn against me over something so small and petty.<br /> I thought he would get over it in time. That I would let him calm down and then we would talk it over, but when I tried to talk to him a couple of weeks after “the incident,” that didn’t go so well. I saw Trevor leaving the training ground alone and tried to approach him to work things out. Our conversation went a little like this.<br /> “Hi Trev, you have a second,” I asked, walking up to him.<br /> He cringed and looked at me clearly, getting angry for some unknown reason.<br /> “First, my name is Trevor. You don’t have permission to call me Trev.”<br /> To say that the venom in his voice shocked me was an understatement.<br /> “Wow,” I exclaimed.<br /> “Second,” he continued, “I made it clear that I had nothing else to say to you. We are no longer friends. You stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours, ok?”<br /> “But Trevor, we have been friends for over 16 years, why won’t you talk to me. Can’t we work this out and remain friends. I’m going to be your third in command. We will need to work together.”<br /> “Look Seleste, you should have talked to me before you decided to fight me like a girl and make me look weak in front of all the warriors. Did you get a good laugh at me with them?” Trevor yelled in my face.<br /> He really needed to take it down a notch.<br /> “I never tried to make you look bad. What do you mean I fought you like a girl? Um, Trevor, I am a girl. So, I’m a little confused. I thought it was a good fight. If you had waited, I could have told you the areas you need to work on to do better the next time. I mean, that’s what I usually do with the other warriors. You have a couple of tells when you get ready to throw a punch that could make a difference in a fight.”<br /> I started trying to explain the things I noticed, but I could tell that Trevor was getting madder. I honestly don’t know what I did wrong this time, but Trevor had smoke coming out of his ears. He was so mad. A vein was popping out on his forehead. Everything in me wanted to check him right now. For some reason, it feels like our checking would calm him down, but there is no way I would get that close to him right now.<br /> “Seleste, are you hearing yourself right now? You want to tell me, the future alpha, what I need to do to improve? Well, listen and listen well, I will only say this once. I don’t care what you do with other warriors. I am NOT THEM! I will be your alpha and you will respect me. I can’t believe you think you have the right to correct me! Like I said earlier, stay away from me and I will stay away from you. As for you being the future Gamma, we can work together without having to interact personally. You just do your job!” Trevor yelled and walked off in a huff.<br /> I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. How could such an innocent conversation turn into something like that? I don’t know what to say to him. It seems like he is determined to be mad at me no matter what, so I will honor his request and stay away from him as much as possible.<br /> I told my mom and the girls about the conversation I had with Trevor. They were just as confused as I was. Everyone agreed that I should stay away from him and just give him space. No one thought he would stay mad this long. This was not like him. I had never known Trevor to be so unreasonable. None of our friends can believe he is acting like this. He has always been one to put the pack first. That’s how we were all raised. The pack is more important than the individual. Collectively, we are stronger. What Trevor is doing is dividing the pack. It’s almost like he wants our friends to choose between him and me, but I refuse to put them in that position. I let them know I understand they will do things with Trevor, and I will stay away so that they can have a good time without the tension between the two of us messing up the fun. I respect his desire to not be around me. Honestly, with his attitude, I don’t want to be around him anymore, either.<br /> Over time, I got used to not having him around and after a year, I barely missed his presence in my life. It’s sad that one event that was not that serious could ruin a 16-year friendship.<br /> I am the future alpha of my pack and I can’t wait to take over from my father. I have been preparing for this my whole life. I had the dream of not only leading my pack by being the strongest wolf in the pack. The alpha is always the strongest wolf, like my father and his father before him. How can I lead if I am not the strongest? I am a pure alpha. Both of my parents have alpha blood. That makes me special. I train hard and have proven myself against most of the warriors in the pack. My father has drilled it in my head that to be alpha, you have to be the best. Our Pack is one of the largest packs in America. We are also high-ranking amongst all the other packs. I want to lead our pact to the number one spot. In short, I want our pack to be the best, so I have to be the best. In my father’s words, “to lead the best, you have to be the best.’ For me, being the best means being the strongest.<br /> I am an enormous wolf, even for an alpha. I am well built; with 6.5 feet of solid muscle. I take after my father. My mother is strong for a female, but she is also soft and loving. She can defend herself, but as a good Luna, she is not a warrior. My mom takes care of the pack and provides the love we need. She is the mother that we all need. The heart of the pack. She leaves the fighting to us men. When there is an attack, my father does not have to worry about my mother. She takes the children and the elderly and stays in the safe house with them where she is protected. It’s an alpha’s job to protect his Luna and his pack. I want my Luna to be just like my mother, soft and loving. Not like a certain she-wolf, I know.<br /> I continue to work on improving my fighting skills. I have challenged many of the warriors of the pack, including the Elite 12. I am almost undefeated. My future Beta Ben thinks the warriors let me win because I’m the alpha’s son; as if. I’m proud of my combat skills. I won those matches fair and square. To prove myself and show my Beta he was wrong, last year I challenged my ex-friend and future Gamma to a sparring match. Everyone knows she is one of the strongest wolves. My father, her parents, and sometimes the Beta couple are the only ones who won against her in combat fighting. I know if I could best her, the pack would see me as the strongest in our circle.<br /> The sparring started great. I quickly got Seleste to the ground. I was feeling proud of myself until Ben mind linked me and told me she was going easy on me. He pointed out how she was pulling her punches and her reaction time was slow. She let me give her a lesson. I should have known something was up. She had avoided every other attack I tried. I thought she was just getting tired. The more I thought about it, the madder I got. How could she make me look weak like that? What is she trying to prove? I want to win, but I want to win a fair fight where she is giving me her all. I lean over and whisper to her to stop going easy on me. I told her that I want to win a fair fight.<br /> We got up and started again. This time, she didn’t go easy on me. I tried to overtake her with my brute strength and my height advantage. I tower over her by at least one foot, maybe more. She had a counter for every attack I threw at her. It’s like she knew what move I was going to make before I made them. I just kept attacking and throwing everything at her. In the end, though it was close, she beat me. I have to admit; that her fighting skill is unmatched. She can hang with the best warriors. I would have been ok with the loss, but my Beta told me she was not attacking me at full strength. She never went on the offense, she mostly just defended. How embarrassing for the future alpha to lose like that. Why would she do that? Why would she play with me? Did she think I was a joke? She came over after the fight and I just looked at her and walked off. All the warriors were watching us. I bet they think I’m a weakling now. Thanks a lot, Seleste.<br /> “Trev, what’s wrong?” Seleste asked me.<br /> “Nothing,” I said.” I just don’t have time for so-called friends that try to make me look bad in front of everyone.” I answered as I walked away.<br /> She just stood there, looking confused. I can’t believe she would do something like that. She used to be one of my best friends. When we were younger, our parents used to tease us about being fated mates. I hope not. She is not at all like my mother. My mother would have never done that to my father. Why couldn’t she just fight me for real? At least then, if I lost, I could have held my head up proudly, like every other warrior.<br /> Ben and Nathan caught up with me just as I was getting to the packhouse.<br /> “Man, why did you just walk away from Seleste like that? That was not nice at all. Now you’re just being a sore loser.” Ben said.<br /> “Sore loser?” I yelled. “I don’t think so. That wasn’t even a real fight. Seleste just played with me. She treated me like I’m a joke. Does she think I’m weak? Like I can’t handle a genuine match with her? Some friend she proved to be.” I stormed into the packhouse.<br /> “Are you serious Trev?” Nathan asked. “That was an awesome match. You both did amazing. Seleste would never do something that means to you. You know she has always been partial to you.”<br /> “Whatever ask Ben. He will tell you she was not attacking me at full strength. I am so mad at her right now. I don’t think I ever want to speak to her again.” I answered.<br /> “Ben, what is Trev talking about? Everyone knows Seleste doesn’t play when sparring.” Nathan said, looking at Ben.<br /> “Well, you know, I study all of Seleste’s moves and try to learn them. She was not in her regular beast mode. She gave him a good fight, but I am probably the only person who knew she was holding back and ImayhavesaidsomethingtoTrevor.” Ben said, running the last part together.<br /> “Ok, But Trev, you have to know that even if Seleste was not in beast mode, she still fought you hard. Everyone was talking about how you stood your ground with her. Seleste would never try to embarrass you. Have you considered that she did not want to hurt you, besides, why would she be in beast mode for a training match? That makes no sense at all.” Nathan said.<br /> “Look, guys, I know that you all like Seleste. She used to be one of my best friends, but this was unforgivable. She knows that I have been working on being the best and the strongest, so she should have given me the chance to prove myself, even against her beast mode, as you all call it.”<br /> “Seriously Trevor. You are acting like a spoiled brat right now. If she had fought you in beast mode, you would not have even gotten a hit in. Then you would have looked weak. You need to grow up.” Ben said.<br /> “Whatever, if anyone knew how important this was to me, she did. That’s why I don’t want a warrior for my future Luna right there. When I need understanding, I get something else!” I huffed and went to get ready for school.<br /> I know Ben and Nathan wanted to say more, but I didn’t let them. I was done with that conversation and with Seleste.<br /> It has been a year since that fateful day and so many things have changed between our circle of 10. We used to do everything together. It was me, Ben, Nathan, Eli, Sam, Drew (Sam’s twin) Seleste, Mona, Rose, and Talia. Since I stopped speaking to Seleste, we don’t do things as a full group anymore. Either everyone hangs with me and Seleste stays away, or they hang out with Seleste and I stay away. Rarely do we all do things together and when we do, I ignore Seleste like she isn’t in the room. I used to feel a little bad when I saw the hurt in her eyes, but she hurt me first, so I got over it. Secretly, I will admit that I miss hanging with Seleste. No one understands me the way I thought she did. No one understands my desire to be the strongest and best fighter the way Seleste does. I always thought she would be my general, but I just don’t think I can trust her anymore.<br /> Seleste tried to talk to me in the beginning, but since I was not open to rebuilding our friendship, she stopped trying. The others in our circle of 10 think I’m being ridiculous, but I feel what I feel and they all can get over it. On another note, I have also been hanging out with some of the other pack members occasionally. Nothing as close as what we all used to be, but I am building new connections.	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881,869	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881868}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	434247505670973	🔥🔥🔥Download and search book ID: 9792	My sister's boyfriend turned out to be my mate! As he rejected me, I retaliated by cutting off all contact with the pack…<br /> Chapter 1: Ayla<br /> “Ayla, is dinner ready? No more delay. Kylee and Theo will be soon here!”<br /> “Yes, mom.” I sighed hearing my mother's impatient urging.<br /> Kylee is my little sister, and Theo is her mate as well as our future Alpha. It is said that they had been together for over a year, and today is the first Kylee has brought her mate home. I was so happy for her.<br /> Our current Alpha, Alpha Torin, was a good leader, a fair leader, and a good man. I knew he had a son, but I had never met him before.<br /> But I had heard that his son, Theo, was promising to be just as good an Alpha as his father. So I really couldn’t have been more relieved that he was my sister’s mate. She would be properly looked after and taken care of, and she would be happy.<br /> I was pulling the chicken out of the oven when I saw my mother rushing past me, excitedly shouting towards the door, “They're here.”<br /> After my father passed away, my mother had become an alcoholic. But she always managed to look presentable in front of Kylee. For example, today, she was not only dressed neatly, but even used mouthwash.<br /> <br /> I was still transferring the food when I heard the front door open and the squeals of my mother and sister as they embraced. I finished my task and moved the dishes to the dining room table that was already set neatly. I smiled at my presentation and excitedly hurried to the living room. <br /> <br /> I froze at the threshold. A scent overwhelmed my senses, causing my stomach to knot and my heart to race. <br /> <br /> The tall, broad man standing next to my sister turned toward me and we locked eyes. <br /> <br /> Mate.<br /> <br /> I practically gagged trying to stifle the word from slipping from my mouth. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> This was my sister’s mate. <br /> <br /> Not mine. <br /> <br /> This man was fated to Kylee. <br /> <br /> So why was I having this reaction?<br /> <br /> Better question…<br /> <br /> Why did HE seem to be having the same reaction?<br /> <br /> His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, and they held my gaze with a vice-like grip as he, too, seemed frozen to where he stood. <br /> <br /> Dasha, my wolf, bounced excitedly in my head, recognizing him and his wolf just as I was. It took a minute for her to understand the situation, but once she did, she started whimpering in the back of my mind.<br /> <br /> This couldn’t be happening. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> I forced myself to address the situation as a whole. Fine, this was happening. Now, what is the best way to handle the situation? I wasn’t going to break my sister’s heart. Absolutely not. I wouldn’t let him either. Not right now. We’ll just get through dinner, and I’ll find a way to speak with him in private later. <br /> <br /> I cleared my throat and plastered a smile on my face.<br /> <br /> “Kylee, I’m so excited you’re home,” I said, opening my arms so she could jump into them like she had since she was little.<br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, sis,” she said. <br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, too,” I said quietly. <br /> <br /> We separated, and she turned to the male behind her. “Theo, this is my sister, Ayla. Ayla, this is my mate, Theo.”<br /> <br /> Theo’s hands were clenched into fists, and he forced a tight-jawed smile toward me. At least I was better at faking it them him. Geesh. <br /> <br /> I nodded to him with a broad smile. I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, but at least Ma and Kylee wouldn’t notice. <br /> <br /> “It’s lovely to meet you, Theo,” I said. “Dinner is ready in the dining room. Why don’t you guys go take a seat, and I’ll be right there. I need to tend to dessert first.”<br /> <br /> “Don’t take too long,” Kylee said brightly. “We have some big news, and I don’t think I can wait much longer.”<br /> <br /> “I promise I’ll be right there,” I assured her as I rubbed her shoulder. <br /> <br /> Kylee grabbed Ma by the arm and led her to the dining room. Theo followed a few steps behind. He had to pass me to get through. Right as he approached, I turned my body to ensure we didn’t touch. He paused in front of me for a moment. I looked up to meet his eyes.<br /> <br /> There was anger, confusion, desire, and possibly even hurt reflecting in his eyes that I couldn’t help but notice were the color of honey. He had questions. I subtly shook my head at him. Hoping and silently begging that he knew we couldn’t do this here. <br /> <br /> The sound of Kylee’s laugh from the other room made me jump and then quickly retreat to the kitchen. I grabbed the homemade cheesecake from the fridge and set it on the counter for later. <br /> <br /> I listened to the others conversing in the next room and took several deep breaths. I felt a lump start to form in my throat and quickly pushed it down. This wasn’t the time to cry. <br /> <br /> I was almost to the dining room when I heard the last part of what Kylee was saying, and again, I was left frozen at the threshold.<br /> <br /> “… our mating ceremony is in three months.” Kylee looked up at me. “Oh, Ayla, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t hold back any longer. Aren’t you happy for us?”<br /> <br /> I put the same fake smile back on. “Of course I’m happy for you,” I said. “You deserve the best.”<br /> <br /> I took my seat at the table, ignoring the fact that I was left sitting directly across from Theo. His eyes were boring into me, and my face felt like it was on fire. I started dishing out food and passing plates. I didn’t say much over dinner. Instead, I just listened to Kylee and Ma talk about all the ideas they had for the mating ceremony. Theo didn’t say much either but slowly started to do a better job hiding his discomfort with the situation. <br /> <br /> It took everything to ignore the touches they shared, pushing down the jealousy that kept surging through me. <br /> After dinner, while they were still talking, I made an excuse to slip out through the back door.<br /> <br /> I stood on the porch and took several deep breaths. I released a string of curses.<br /> “What is happening? Why is this happening? This ISN’T happening,” I whispered with the force of a yell. <br /> <br /> ‘Our mate.’ Dasha insisted.<br /> <br /> “No, he’s not,” I said back to her. “He’s Kylee’s. There must be some kind of mistake.”<br /> <br /> All of a sudden, I stiffened as a mouthwatering scent hit my nose. I knew who was standing behind me. <br /> <br /> Chapter 2: Theo<br /> I fought against the urges her scent was influencing as I stalked up to her. But more importantly, the urge to grab her and take her against the nearest tree. My wolf was going crazy about the idea, but he would learn fast that that was never going to happen. <br /> <br /> I wouldn’t accept her. <br /> <br /> Knowing what I knew about her, that would never happen. <br /> <br /> She turned to face me. <br /> <br /> “This won’t happen,” I spat out before she had a chance to speak. <br /> Her jaw clenched, and her silvery-gray eyes stared into mine for a few short moments. But I couldn’t read a thing behind them. <br /> <br /> “I absolutely agree,” she stated evenly. <br /> <br /> My wolf growled and snarled inside me, demanding to know what I was doing. I pushed down the hurt that hit me when she didn’t fight me. Her reaction just proved why this needed to be done. I could never be with someone so cold and self-absorbed as her. There was no way someone like her could ever be my Luna. <br /> <br /> ‘Don’t know her.’ Kieran yelled in my head. <br /> <br /> I knew enough. <br /> <br /> “Kylee is my mate. Not you. I, Theo Arden, future Alpha of the Greytooth Pack, reject you, Ayla Garner, as my mate and Luna.” Kieran was snapping his teeth, pushing to take control to stop this.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, accept your rejection and relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> My wolf howled in pain. A pain that was mirrored within me as it felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was the bond breaking. Releasing me from the tie that bound us together.<br /> She stood there like nothing happened. <br /> <br /> How could she stand there like nothing had happened?<br /> <br /> She really didn’t feel anything, did she? It was so easy for her to let us go.<br /> <br /> ‘Mate wants me.’<br /> <br /> I grimaced. He meant her wolf. Her wolf wanted mine. He could sense her. She was even denying her wolf. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed to get away from her. <br /> <br /> I stormed back into the house, returning to the woman the goddess should have made my mate. I returned to the dining room to find her mother and her still deep in conversation. I was grateful she hadn’t seemed to notice my absence or the change in my mood. It wasn’t surprising. She was excited about seeing her family and sharing the news with them. <br /> <br /> I had been, too, until her sister walked into the room. The scent had engulfed me, driving me to seek out the source like a lifeline. When I saw her, her beauty took my breath away. She was petit but strong, with long legs and perfect curves. She had a mass of caramel-blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face with plump lips and intense gray eyes that shined green in the light. I couldn’t help but want her. I recognized who she was to me immediately. <br /> <br /> But then I noticed her narrow nose and soft jawline were familiar. Her fair skin had a sun-kissed glow that I had always found attractive. Once I realized she had similar features to Kylee, I knew this was her sister, Ayla. <br /> <br /> Kylee had told me on many occasions how her sister had changed after the death of their father. She was there for Kylee at first, but in less than a year, she started spending all her time away from home. She ended up dropping out of the private school her parents had worked so hard to send her to. Eventually, Kylee lost track of what she was doing with her life. <br /> <br /> Kylee was there for her when she was around, trying to be supportive. But she wasn’t the sister she used to love. What bothered her most was Ayla’s treatment of their mother. Ayla still lived in the house with her, but Kylee always got the impression that helping their mother was just a burden. She worried their mother would be left with no one to take care of her, and she wasn’t in the best of health anymore. <br /> <br /> “I have an idea,” I interrupted. They both looked up at me expectantly. “Why doesn’t your mother come to stay with us for a while? At least until the ceremony? We have the room in the packhouse, and I’m sure you and my mother would appreciate the extra input.”<br /> <br /> Both their faces lit up.<br /> <br /> “Really? We can do that?” Kylee said happily. <br /> <br /> “Of course,” I said with a smile. <br /> <br /> “Thank you.”<br /> <br /> Kylee jumped up from the table and threw her arms around me, kissing me sweetly. I ignored the growls coming from Kieran. Seeing their reaction told me I had made the exact right decision. Despite what the burning in my chest told me. <br /> <br /> This was who I was supposed to be with. Not Ayla.<br /> <br /> ‘Keep saying. Maybe believe.’<br /> <br /> I told him to shut up, and he retreated into the back of my mind, cutting himself off from me. <br /> <br /> He would get over it. Once the bond was completely severed, he would understand this was the right thing for us and the pack.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3: Ayla<br /> I had managed to get myself together enough to rejoin my family. The pain that seared through me from Theo’s rejection and my subsequent acceptance almost brought me to my knees. It took all of my strength to keep my body from shaking, praying he didn’t notice the blood coming from my palms. I had clenched my fists so hard trying to stay on my feet that I broke the skin.<br /> <br /> When he finally left, I released the sob that was the only thing capable of coming out of my mouth. But I didn’t let the tears fall. Not yet. They couldn’t know. <br /> <br /> So, I steadied my breathing and went back into my house. I was surprised to find that Kylee and Ma weren’t in the dining room anymore. They weren’t in the living room either. But Theo was. <br /> <br /> “They’re in your mother’s room packing,” he said coldly.<br /> <br /> “Packing?” What was he talking about?<br /> <br /> He stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. “I think it’s best that you keep your distance from Kylee for a while. We don’t want her finding out about this. But I know she’ll want her mother to be a part of the ceremony planning. So she’s coming back with us.”<br /> <br /> I felt like he just slapped me in the face. As if I would ever tell her. That’s why I was doing this. So that I wouldn’t break my baby sister’s heart. I gave him what he wanted, and now he was going to keep me from my family?<br /> <br /> Dasha was confused and in pain, whimpering in my head because she didn’t understand how he could be so cruel to us. <br /> <br /> “If that’s what you think is best,” I said to Theo through gritted teeth. <br /> <br /> “Kylee,” he called out, not breaking eye contact. “Let’s get going.”<br /> <br /> My sister came prancing into the room. “Already?”<br /> <br /> “It’s getting late. Let’s head to the hotel for the night. We’ll swing by in the morning to pick up your mother.”<br /> <br /> “Okay,” she said brightly before turning to me. “What about you, Ayla? You’re coming with, too, right?”<br /> <br /> I opened my mouth to speak, but Theo decided to answer for me. <br /> <br /> “We were just talking about that. Ayla has some things going on with work and can’t get away.”<br /> <br /> I gave her a tight smile. “Yes, I’m sorry. But I will try to come out there as soon as I can.”<br /> <br /> “Oh, okay, I understand. But I’ll make sure we have a room ready for you whenever you can come.”<br /> <br /> “Of course. I can’t wait,” I said, my heart breaking again, knowing Theo wouldn’t allow me to be there with her. <br /> <br /> We all said our goodbyes, and they left. Ma was still standing at the window watching them drive off when I went to clean up the dishes in the kitchen. She finally came in behind me and started opening another bottle of wine. We had gone through four during dinner already. And I barely touched my glass. <br /> <br /> “Ma, you’ve had enough for the night,” I said calmly.<br /> <br /> “Oh, come on. It’s a celebration,” Ma said. “It’s not every day you find out your baby is going to be a Luna.”<br /> <br /> “Ma, you can celebrate more tomorrow. You need to finish packing,” I said, gently taking the bottle from her hand. “I’m sure Kylee and Theo will be here first thing in the morning.”<br /> <br /> “We can celebrate together while you help me pack,” she said, grabbing the bottle back from me. “Then I’ll help you pack.”<br /> <br /> I winced. This wasn’t going to end well. “I’m not coming, Ma.”<br /> <br /> She stopped with the glass halfway to her lips. “What do you mean you’re not coming?” she asked with a pout. “You have to be there. Kylee is going to be mated. I told her we would help pay for the ceremony.”<br /> <br /> I winced again. She meant me. I would be helping pay for the ceremony. Ma didn’t have a penny to her name.<br /> <br /> “This is a big deal. Don’t be so selfish, Ayla.”<br /> <br /> Her words stung, but they weren’t unexpected. This was kind of the norm when she got like this. I know she didn’t really mean it. At least, she wouldn’t mean it when she was sober. I got her into her bedroom and set her on the bed. I changed her into her nightgown and tucked her in. <br /> <br /> She was asleep in seconds. I hurried through the rest of her packing. Stuffing two large suitcases as full as I could before carrying them out to the living room. Then I locked the front door, finished the last of the dishes, and slipped out into the backyard.<br /> <br /> I stripped off my clothes as I headed for the forest, desperate to get under its protective shadows. As soon as I passed the treeline, I shifted, taking off at full speed. I let Dasha feel all the pain. I didn’t try to hold her back anymore. <br /> <br /> We would mourn the loss of our fated mate. The loss of the one person who was supposed to see us for who we were. The one person who was supposed to always put us first, without demands or expectations. We would mourn the loss of never getting to experience that.<br /> But we wouldn’t mourn him.<br /> <br /> We ran until we could barely breathe. Until Dasha stopped at the edge of our pond — our place of solace — and let out a heartwrenching howl into the night air. Shifting at the end as she retreated back into my mind, out of reach to heal her broken heart, while I let the torrent of tears finally fall.<br /> <br /> I walked into the water, curling into myself as the sobs wracked my body, intensifying the burn that was still there from our bond being ripped from my heart.<br /> <br /> I submerged myself completely, washing my body clean of Theo, the mate bond, and every dream of finding my soulmate. <br /> <br /> In the midst of this pain I drifted off to sleep.<br /> The next morning.<br /> When I made it back to the house, there was no one there. My mother had been taken away by them.<br /> I was standing in an empty room in an empty house. The silence was deafening. And it all came crashing down. I sank to my knees, begging the goddess to just let it all go away, just for a little while. I just wanted to feel numb.<br /> <br /> I lost track of how long I sat in that spot, staring without seeing. I didn’t even know Zeff was there until I felt him grip my arms.<br /> <br /> “Ayls, what happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, brushing hair out of my face, forcing me to look at him. “Ayla, what is going on?”<br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I said, the corner of my mouth tipping up mockingly. “He’s scheduled to be mated to my sister.”<br /> <br /> “What?” Zeff exclaimed, anger and concern twisting his handsome features. <br /> <br /> Zeff was a good man. He had been there for me when no one else was. He was the only person who knew everything I went through. And here he was, listening to me tell him about meeting Theo, the mating ceremony, and my rejection. Why couldn’t he have been my mate? He should have been. <br /> <br /> “Come on,” he said, lifting me up. “You’re coming to stay with me.”<br /> <br /> I didn’t protest. The goddess had given me this one little blessing. I was numb. Zeff held me up by my waist and led me out to his car. He tucked me into the passenger seat and disappeared into the house again, only to emerge a few minutes later with a duffel bag in hand. <br /> <br /> He pulled out and drove us the twenty minutes to his house. Just like before, he helped me inside, this time sitting me on the big, comfy leather couch in his living room.<br /> <br /> He came and sat next to me, putting an arm over my shoulder and pulling me into him. I let myself relax some. This was the first thing since Theo walked into my life that felt normal, felt comfortable. He leaned his head on mine, rubbing his fingers along my arm. <br /> <br /> “Ayla. You’re going to deal with this — we’re going to deal with this together. Screw him, okay. He’s a dirtbag. You deserve so much better than some fool who doesn’t see how incredible you are.”<br /> <br /> I wanted to roll my eyes, but it wasn’t just about him. <br /> <br /> “He took my family, Zeff. I would have gotten over him just rejecting me because of Kylee. At least she would be safe and happy.”<br /> <br /> “No. They either treat you like a servant or a bank. They don’t care what their actions do to you as long as they keep getting what they want."<br /> <br /> “Zeff...But they were my family” I wanted to contradict him, but I knew he was right.<br /> <br /> “Get over him.” He took a step toward me, reaching up to hold my chin. “He’s not the only one who can take care of you, Ayla. He may be foolish enough not to want you, but I’m not.”<br /> <br /> My breath caught in my throat. He had told me about his feelings before, but we both avoided going down that road with each other. We knew we could find our fated mates at any time, and we didn’t want to deny each other that. <br /> <br /> “Move in here with me, Ayls,” Zeff said. “There’s nothing stopping us now.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, you still have a mate out there somewhere.”<br /> <br /> “Ayla, stop. I’m thirty-four and well-traveled. If I was going to find her, I would have long before now. We both know that.” <br /> <br /> Suddenly his lips were on mine. I was shocked, but mostly because it felt good. I felt wanted. I kissed him back, not wanting to give that feeling up. I leaned into him — until Dasha came charging to the forefront, growling and snarling that someone who wasn’t our mate was touching us. <br /> <br /> I ripped myself from Zeff’s embrace. Breathing heavily, the pain of the severed bond renewed. I clutched my chest. <br /> <br /> “Ayla.” <br /> <br /> “I can’t. The bond. It’s still there. It hasn’t faded yet.”<br /> <br /> Zeff pulled me into his arms. “Okay. It’s okay. We can wait. We’ll take it slow.”<br /> <br /> I rested my head on his chest. “Okay.”<br /> <br /> He squeezed me tighter. I still didn’t know if we could make this work, but I wanted to try. <br /> <br /> I stayed with the Zeff, and it was quiet. Until a week later, when Theo burst in.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4: Theo<br /> It had been a week since I had gone home with Kylee. Seven days and a hundred miles away, and the bond was still there. The burning in my chest wouldn’t go away. I didn’t understand and it was annoying. <br /> <br /> More important is Kieran. He had spent the whole week giving me the silent treatment, except when Kylee was around. Then all he did was growl and snarl. It was getting exhausting. <br /> <br /> I had taken to holing up in my office most of the time. I didn’t want to snap at Kylee, or her mother, which had become hard to avoid by the third day. I was glad I had a good reason for me being so busy all of a sudden. <br /> <br /> Alpha was sick. He was diagnosed with a progressive disease almost a year ago. So, he decided it was time to hand the title down to me. It wasn’t official yet. We were planning on making the change at the same time as Kylee’s and my mating ceremony. Actually, that’s why I decided to make Kylee my official mate. Alpha’s were always stronger with a strong Luna by their side. With the circumstances of my father’s abdication, our pack needed to be as strong as possible. <br /> <br /> But there was still a lot to take care of and a lot I had to learn about being an Alpha before that time. So it wasn’t hard to convince her that it was the stress that was causing me to be distant. <br /> <br /> But this morning, I'm driving myself to Kylee's house. I promised to help her retrieve her mother's necklace, which she wanted to wear during our mating ceremony.<br /> <br /> In addition, if I couldn’t completely sever the bond between me and Ayla, Kieran could end up taking control and stop me from marking Kylee.<br /> So, once I got the necklace, I’d reject Ayla again, making sure it stuck this time, and I’d go back home.<br /> <br /> When I pulled up to the house, something twisted in my gut. When I step into the house, her invigorating scent of oranges and cloves invaded my nostrils, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as it should have been.<br /> I realize Ayla wasn't home.<br /> Instead, there was another smell in Ayla's room.<br /> The scent was male. It was faint, he wasn’t here long, but mixed in with the distinctive scent of my mate, I could pick it out anywhere. From the trail, it seemed as if he was the one who packed up her things.<br /> <br /> I stormed out of the house. Tossing the jewelry box in the passenger seat, I took my phone out and searched for the number for the publishing house Kylee said Ayla worked for.<br /> I got another address that Ayla had added to her personal profile from the receptionist.<br /> <br /> I followed the GPS to the address, pulling into the drive of a large, two-story house in a nice neighborhood. Parking half on the lawn, I didn’t even close the car door before taking the front steps two at a time. <br /> <br /> I banged on the door until I heard movement inside. A man opened it. It was the male I smelled in Ayla’s room. Before he could say anything, I lunged at him, my hands grabbing the front of his shirt and practically lifting him off the ground.<br /> <br /> “What have you done with her? I smell her all over you. Where is she?”<br /> <br /> He pushed me off him, his eyes glaring at me with recognition and disdain.<br /> <br /> “You must be Theo.”<br /> <br /> “What is going on?” Ayla’s voice floated down to me as she ran down the stairs. She froze halfway down the moment she laid eyes on me. “What are you doing here?”<br /> <br /> A silk robe hung open, revealing the shorts and cut-off tank top she wore underneath, her caramel-colored hair flowing loosely around her shoulders. She was gorgeous. And clearly not in distress. I took a step toward her as my rage grew.<br /> <br /> “What are you doing here?” I spat back. <br /> <br /> “That’s none of your concern,” the male interjected.<br /> <br /> I turned on him again, a rumbling growl emanating from my chest, my claws extending. I was ready to rip his throat out. <br /> <br /> “Stop,” Ayla yelled, coming the rest of the way down the stairs and stepping between the two of us. “Zeff, go to work.”<br /> <br /> “Absolutely not. I’m not leaving you here with him. Not in the state he’s in.”<br /> <br /> “I would never hurt her.” Kieran was ready to burst from my skin. How dare this dirtbag think we would ever lay a hand on her.<br /> <br /> “We both know that’s crap.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, I said go.” Her expression softened a little. “I’ll call you later.”<br /> <br /> She would. <br /> <br /> The Zeff guy shot me another hate-filled look before exiting out the open front door. We stood in silence until the sound of his engine faded. <br /> <br /> “Are you dating him?” <br /> <br /> Her eyes went wide, then narrowed as she took a step forward. “What I do with a male — or anyone for that matter — is none of your business.”<br /> <br /> “It isn’t.” Electricity passed through the air between us. “He has no right to put his hands on you.”<br /> <br /> “He does if I want him to,” she yelled, not only holding her ground against the alpha energy I was exuding but taking another step toward me. “I don’t belong to anyone, remember? I have no mate.”<br /> <br /> I lost it. My hand was around her neck and my mouth was on hers before I even knew what I had done. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Sparks of intense electricity shot through me, invigorating all my senses. I pushed her to open for me, my tongue seeking hers. Goddess, she tasted so good. She returned the kiss, her arousal mingling in the air. <br /> <br /> “MINE.” <br /> <br /> She pushed me off her with force.<br /> <br /> I took a step toward her again but she backed away. <br /> <br /> “Don’t you hurt Kylee like this.”<br /> <br /> “Like you care about your sister getting hurt,” I spat, but for some reason, I instantly regretted it. But I couldn’t take it back. I wouldn’t take it back.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” Pure rage radiated off of her, her eyes turning an icy blue. <br /> <br /> “You abandoned Kylee a long time ago. You disappeared all the time, leaving her alone with a mother who was struggling to keep everything together.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s face paled. Every ounce of anger seemed to drain from her instantly, that blue fire fading from her eyes. <br /> <br /> She almost went completely limp in front of me, stumbling until her back hit the wall. Her façade cracked. <br /> <br /> “That’s what she told you? She said that?” her voice was almost a whisper. <br /> <br /> Kieran was going insane in my head, telling me to shut up, to just stop talking. Urging me to stop hurting her. Because I was hurting her. I had struck a nerve, a very deep one, and I wouldn’t stop. She had to break the bond. Once and for all. If it meant I had to break her to do it, I would.<br /> <br /> “She told me everything. She told me how you would keep things from her and your mother. That you would be out at all hours of the night when you were a teenager. How you dropped out of high school, waisting the tuition your parents worked so hard for.”<br /> <br /> “What?” <br /> <br /> “I could never be with someone as cold and heartless as you.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s head snapped up. Her eyes a steely gray as she resolved herself to something I couldn’t figure out but would soon find out. <br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, reject you, Theo Arden, as my mate. I relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> I gritted my teeth as Kieran howled in my head, screaming for me not to accept it. <br /> <br /> “I, Theo Arden, accept your rejection.” The pain in my chest amplified, but I could still feel the bond. “We’ve done this before. It’s not working.”<br /> <br /> “Tell your wolf to accept it,” Ayla said with a crack in her voice. <br /> <br /> The muscles in my jaw tightened to a point I thought my teeth would shatter. The noise in my head from Kieran becoming almost unbearable.<br /> <br /> “He won’t.”<br /> <br /> “Make him,” she forced out.<br /> <br /> “I can’t.”<br /> <br /> “He doesn’t have a choice. I’ll never be with him, and neither will she,” Ayla said, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. <br /> <br /> I could feel the pain he felt. It was excruciating. I told him it would end if he just accepted, but he wouldn’t give in. He was an Alpha. He was as strong as me. I’d never overpower him on this. Ayla must have sensed my stalemate. Or her wolf did and told her because she pulled herself from against the wall, standing up straight again.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, cut my ties to Alpha Torin…”<br /> <br /> “What are you doing?” There was desperation in my voice. She couldn’t do this. I moved to stop her. <br /> <br /> “And the Greytooth Pack.”<br /> <br /> “No.” I fell to a knee, feeling the invisible tether that united pack members with their Alpha splinter. Kieran was pounding against the barriers of my control, putting all his might into taking over the shift. I knew I was on the verge.<br /> <br /> “From this day forth, I am a rogue.” She took an unsteady step toward me, silent tears rolling freely down her face. “Now get out.”<br /> <br /> She had used my father’s name. Either of our names would have worked in the limbo state we were currently in. But she used my father’s. There was nothing I could do to stop her. Nothing I could do to fight the separation. She knew exactly what she was doing. <br /> <br /> If my wolf wouldn’t sever the mate bond, she would remove herself from any control I had over her. <br /> <br /> With one final, agonizing look, she walked away, disappearing upstairs. <br /> <br /> I took in a ragged breath of air. Ayla now had until midnight to be out of our territory. If I caught her on our land after that, I would have to murder her. Mate bond or not. She was a rogue now. It was our laws. <br /> <br /> Kieran had finally gone still in my mind. <br /> <br /> ‘Mate’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Did he mean Ayla or her wolf?<br /> <br /> ‘Dasha. Mate’s name is Dasha. Dasha’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Realization hit me and panic set in. Her wolf was gone. The pain was too much. She had retreated deep into the recesses of Ayla’s subconscious. Ayla wouldn’t be able to call on her. She wouldn’t be able to shift. She wouldn’t be able to heal.<br /> <br /> She was a rogue without a wolf. She couldn’t protect herself. <br /> <br /> I had to get as far away from her as possible. <br /> <br /> I dragged myself back to my feet, forcing them to walk out the door. <br /> <br /> Chapter 5: Ayla<br /> The moment the door was closed, I sank to the floor. It was no longer sobs that escaped my body but soul-shattering screams. <br /> <br /> She said I abandoned her. <br /> <br /> Theo made it sound like I spent my teen years partying and getting into trouble. She said I dropped out of high school. <br /> <br /> She said I wasn’t a sister to her. <br /> <br /> The betrayal was soul-crushing. <br /> <br /> I had given up everything for them. <br /> <br /> I screamed and let the tears flow freely until my body ached. As soon as it felt like I could breathe without being stabbed by a red-hot dagger, I pulled myself up and started moving. I only had a few hours to get my things and get out of Greytooth territory. <br /> <br /> I had made myself a rogue. I didn’t have a pack anymore. And I had no idea where I was going to go. All the borders on this side of the territory sat right against other pack lands. To get out of one, I’d have to enter another. But it was my only option. Trying to get to unclaimed territory was too risky. I would have better luck on foreign pack land than on the land I just severed ties to. <br /> <br /> After leaving a note for Zeff, I packed up and drove away.<br /> <br /> The Greytooth Pack may not be the largest in population, but they had one of the biggest territories. The closest border crossing was nearly two hours away. And I needed to be far away before Zeff got home. I couldn’t have him tracking me down.<br /> <br /> Especially since I didn’t give him much of an explanation. <br /> <br /> But it was better this way. I wasn’t going to risk him cutting ties and going rogue as well. Because he would. He would hold Theo responsible, and he would never stay in a pack with an alpha he didn’t respect, let alone hate. This way, the note I left would have just made it seem like I got cold feet about us being together. <br /> <br /> I drove to the outskirts of town and got on the highway. From there, it was practically a straight shot to the border. I was grateful at first, but after about an hour, I realized the monotonous ride only left my mind wondering and worrying and thinking about things I didn’t need to think about. <br /> <br /> When Theo found me in the yard that first day, I had no idea what he would say. His initial reaction to our meeting had me thinking he would pursue the pairing. But then his increasingly icy demeanor throughout the evening made it seem like he was thinking along the same lines I was. He wasn’t going to hurt Kylee for someone he didn’t know. <br /> <br /> He loved her. She loved him. I had no idea who he was, nor he I. We could reject each other and just go on our way. Neither one of us would have to break Kylee’s heart. I thought he was keeping me from my family to be cruel. Or maybe to make things easier for both of us. <br /> <br /> But today, his words revealed a different motive. He didn’t reject me for Kylee. He rejected me because of her. Because he believed what she said and painted me as some coldhearted delinquent. But why? I just couldn’t figure that out. <br /> <br /> Dad died in a gas explosion along with my aunt and uncle ten years ago. I was fourteen, and Kylee was nine. Our thirteen-year-old cousin, Mina, came to live with us for a while after their deaths. Ma was hit pretty hard by the loss, so the three of us quickly started taking care of each other. We spent every spare minute with each other. Then our financial situation changed. Kylee was entirely too young, and Mina had been through enough losing both her parents for me to put that on her. So, it was up to me to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. <br /> <br /> But I was still fourteen. Finding jobs that paid enough to support a family of four at the age of fourteen was non-existent. I would need to work multiple jobs, and there just wasn’t enough time in the day. So, I approached the headmaster at my private high school and confided my situation with him. I was desperate not to drop out or risk my grades dropping and losing my scholarship. My parents didn’t pay a dime of my tuition. <br /> <br /> Headmaster Fordham was a miracle worker. He helped me test out of over eighty percent of my academic requirements by the end of my freshman year. I only had to take four summer classes to graduate a week after my fifteenth birthday. I was even able to broker a deal with him that would set the remaining three years of my scholarship fund aside for Kylee when it came time for her to attend high school. <br /> <br /> I still ended up working multiple jobs for several years. But no matter what, I always tried to be there for Kylee as much as possible. <br /> <br /> Everything I did was for her. <br /> <br /> I completely lost touch with all of my school friends. I never partied. I barely socialized. The jobs I held were really the only place that happened. But I was home to take her to school every morning, and I ensured I had at least an hour to help her with her homework almost every day. <br /> <br /> I didn’t discuss the lengths I went to with Kylee. I didn’t want her to feel bad or that it was her fault. And I didn’t want her to see what Ma was going through. She was struggling to keep any job. She was drinking daily. There were even a couple of times she racked up gambling debts that put us in some scary situations. <br /> <br /> But I never let Kylee see any of that. It was my job to protect them. <br /> <br /> There was so much more that didn’t add up with what Theo had said. But I didn’t get to think about it further. <br /> <br /> A searing pain shot through my chest, making my vision go white at the edges, blinding me to a point I almost missed the figure standing in the road before me. <br /> <br /> My heart jumped into my chest. I turned the wheel as sharp as I could, slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting them head-on. The moment I did it, I felt foolish. Within seconds, I was spinning through the air and sliding down an embankment.<br /> <br /> When the vehicle came to a stop, I was upside down. I registered the smell of blood, but everything was blurry. I didn’t feel significant pain, so I didn’t think the blood was coming from me. <br /> <br /> The person on the road!<br /> <br /> I scrambled out of the car and up the incline. Without Dasha, I couldn’t see well in the dark, but I could see a blurry figure moving toward me.<br /> <br /> “Are you okay?” I called. <br /> <br /> I didn’t catch what they were saying because I suddenly felt the world falling out from beneath my feet, and everything went dark. <br /> <br /> Chapter 6: Theo<br /> I said I would break her if that was what it took.<br /> <br /> And I certainly followed through with that.<br /> <br /> Ayla’s hard exterior had cracked and shattered before me. <br /> <br /> I had driven over an hour, and my stomach was still in knots. So much so that I had to stop to throw up at one point. Guilt tore at me. <br /> <br /> I really had been cruel to her. <br /> <br /> Especially since it turned out it wasn’t even her fault the bond hadn’t broken. She and Dasha had accepted my rejection. They had done what I needed them to do. Ayla had stayed away from Kylee and me. She hadn’t tried to be around them. From what I could tell, she hadn’t even called Kylee like she used to. And how did I repay her? By ripping her apart with every intention of doing as much damage as possible. <br /> <br /> It was my wolf that was still hanging on. It was Kieran who kept us in a constant state of heartache. Kept Ayla in a constant state of pain. <br /> <br /> And then she had to go and do something foolish and cut herself out of the pack. She was completely lost to us now. The only thing I could do was tell myself it was what I wanted. It was the only way to get rid of the temptation and put enough distance between us until Kylee and I were marked and mated and leading our pack. <br /> <br /> Every time I said it, Kieran was there to argue. <br /> <br /> By the time I pulled up to the packhouse, I was so pissed that anyone around instantly took a wide birth. My aura was probably so intense that I was making everyone physically uncomfortable, but I really didn’t care.<br /> <br /> I was going to head to my office but decided against it. Too many people had access to me there, and I really didn’t need anyone coming around. <br /> <br /> What I needed was to work off some of this rage and pent-up energy. <br /> <br /> I made a beeline for the private training room in the wing of the packhouse reserved for ranking members of the pack. I was relieved to find it empty, tugging my shirt over my head and immediately heading to the punching bag in the corner. <br /> <br /> I had worked up a sweat when Briggs entered the room. Walking over to me with his usual swagger, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall close by. He knew something was up. He had been hounding me about it since we got back from Kylee’s house. So had my mother, but I sure wasn’t going down that road.<br /> <br /> Briggs was my Beta. We had been friends since we were eight and had been through everything together since then. I didn’t think there was anything we could hide from each other. But I surely wanted to hide this from him. So I just ignored his presence.<br /> <br /> “You ready to tell me what is going on with you? Or at least, where you were today?” he said loud enough to be heard over the sound of my fists hitting the bag. <br /> <br /> “No.”<br /> <br /> “If you don’t, we’ll sedate you. Your aura is out of control right now, bro. This isn’t about you just being in a pissy mood anymore,” Briggs said with an edge to his voice that meant he was serious.<br /> I yelled as I hit the bag hard one more time. I winced as I forced my fingers through my hair. I hadn’t realized I had been breaking the skin on my knuckles. I fell back against the wall, sliding down to the floor. <br /> <br /> “You know I’m here for you, bro,” my Beta said calmly. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”<br /> I nodded. <br /> <br /> ‘Tell him.’<br /> <br /> I winced at Keiran’s demand. But I couldn’t really disagree anymore. <br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I admitted. I could feel Briggs’ eyes go wide in his head. <br /> <br /> “What do you mean you found your mate?” he took a step closer. “Please tell me you’re talking about Kylee.”<br /> <br /> I shook my head. “No. I found my fated mate.”<br /> <br /> “What. The. Fu-” He had warned me about this when I first got involved with Kylee and again when we announced our mating ceremony. “Where is she? Who is she?”<br /> <br /> “I rejected her. She’s gone.”<br /> <br /> “Theo, man, you’re really scaring me now. Why would you do that? What were you thinking?” Briggs demanded.<br /> <br /> “She’s Kylee’s sister,” I snapped. Briggs tensed up.<br /> <br /> “Ayla? As in the sister that allegedly abandoned Kylee?” <br /> <br /> His use of the word “allegedly” pissed me off and confused me a little. He really liked Kylee. They’ve always gotten along. Even when he was cautioning me about finding my mate, he told me he was happy for me. <br /> <br /> “Are you trying to say Kylee is lying?” I snapped.<br /> <br /> He made a face. “No, but I do think it’s foolish to reject your mate without all the information.”<br /> <br /> “I have all the information I need.”<br /> <br /> “No, you have Kylee’s side of the story,” Briggs said with a worried look.<br /> <br /> “And their mother’s,” I added.<br /> <br /> Briggs scoffed. “Look, Marie Garner is a nice enough lady, but I wouldn’t exactly trust her judgment.”<br /> <br /> “What are you talking about?” I asked, my own concern growing.<br /> <br /> “Bro, she’s a lush,” Briggs said with a shrug. “Not that you’ve been around enough to notice since she’s been here. I can’t tell how bad, and she seems pretty harmless. But these things often have a dark side that no one sees.”<br /> <br /> I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. The last thing I needed was any kind of doubt in my decision. <br /> <br /> “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. And Ayla’s reactions to all of this told me all I needed to know from her.” I pushed myself to my feet. <br /> <br /> “What were her reactions?” Briggs asked cautiously, and I realized my choice of words may have given away more than I intended. I knew he wouldn’t let it go unless he was sure I told him everything. <br /> <br /> “Which time?” I said quietly.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” He heard exactly what I said. “What happened, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “She never argued or fought the rejection. She agreed and accepted it the first day we met like it was nothing. She had no response, no rebuttal, no explanation,” I told him. “You have to be coldhearted to feel nothing after breaking a mate bond.”<br /> <br /> “Or extremely strong,” Briggs stated. “You said she didn’t argue or fight. Did you even give her a chance to speak or even get to know anything about her before you threw her to the curb? Or did you just walk up to her and say tough words?”<br /> <br /> I grimaced. That’s exactly what happened. “There wasn’t exactly an opportunity for that. Neither one of us wanted Kylee to find out.”<br /> <br /> The muscles in his neck flexed as he tensed. “You said ‘which time.’ When did you see her again?”<br /> <br /> “This morning.” <br /> <br /> “Why?” <br /> <br /> I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. <br /> <br /> “Kylee wanted a necklace of her mother’s that was left at their house for some appointment this week. I went back to get it.”<br /> <br /> “Okay, someone else could have done that. Why did you go?” Briggs pushed, but the words stuck in my throat. “Theo, you’re hurting. There’s no way this is as cut and dry as you’re trying to say it is.”<br /> <br /> “The bond didn’t break. Not completely.”<br /> <br /> “Goddess, Theo. So you both have been walking around with your hearts ripped open for the past week?” Briggs said. “So, what happened today? Why are you still on the edge of ripping half the pack’s throats out?”<br /> <br /> Images of that morning flashed through my head. The fear that something had happened to her when she hadn’t been home. The jealousy and rage at finding her at another male’s house. The way it felt when I kissed her. And sheer pain and anguish of everything that followed. <br /> <br /> “Theo?” Briggs pressed.<br /> <br /> “She cut her ties to the pack,” I said solemnly. “She turned herself rogue.”<br /> <br /> “Theo,” Briggs bellowed, “how could you let that happen? Why didn’t you stop her?”<br /> <br /> “She cut herself from Dad. She used his name. There was nothing I could do. I had no way of fighting it.” I was done with this conversation. “So none of this matters. It’s done. She’s gone. She’s never coming back. Doing so would be a death sentence, and she knew that.”<br /> <br /> “What have you done, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “It doesn’t matter,” I yelled. “Whatever I did or didn’t do, she never wanted me anyway. She’s not my problem anymore. So right now, I’m going to worry about cleaning up the mess she made and figure out how to tell Kylee and Marie that they’ll never see her again. And don’t you dare breathe a word about any of this to them, do you understand me?”<br /> <br /> “Okay. Okay,” Briggs said, raising his hands in the air, trying to calm me down. “You’re right. There’s nothing we can do about her now. If it’s done and over with, then it’s done and over with. We’ll move on.”<br /> <br /> I wasn’t sure he believed it, but I didn’t care. Like I said, she wasn’t my problem anymore. <br /> <br /> I went back to my room. There was a knock on my room door, and Kylee poked her head in before I had a chance to answer.<br /> “There you are, mate,” she cooed, sitting in my lap.<br /> She ran a hand up my chest, leaning in to kiss me. Kieran’s growl started immediately.<br /> I still needed to let off some steam. Anything to get some relief.<br /> I was about to respond to her when blinding pain erupted through my body.	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881,874	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881868}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	946155580125725	🔥🔥🔥Download and search book ID: 9792	My sister's boyfriend turned out to be my mate! As he rejected me, I retaliated by cutting off all contact with the pack…<br /> Chapter 1: Ayla<br /> “Ayla, is dinner ready? No more delay. Kylee and Theo will be soon here!”<br /> “Yes, mom.” I sighed hearing my mother's impatient urging.<br /> Kylee is my little sister, and Theo is her mate as well as our future Alpha. It is said that they had been together for over a year, and today is the first Kylee has brought her mate home. I was so happy for her.<br /> Our current Alpha, Alpha Torin, was a good leader, a fair leader, and a good man. I knew he had a son, but I had never met him before.<br /> But I had heard that his son, Theo, was promising to be just as good an Alpha as his father. So I really couldn’t have been more relieved that he was my sister’s mate. She would be properly looked after and taken care of, and she would be happy.<br /> I was pulling the chicken out of the oven when I saw my mother rushing past me, excitedly shouting towards the door, “They're here.”<br /> After my father passed away, my mother had become an alcoholic. But she always managed to look presentable in front of Kylee. For example, today, she was not only dressed neatly, but even used mouthwash.<br /> <br /> I was still transferring the food when I heard the front door open and the squeals of my mother and sister as they embraced. I finished my task and moved the dishes to the dining room table that was already set neatly. I smiled at my presentation and excitedly hurried to the living room. <br /> <br /> I froze at the threshold. A scent overwhelmed my senses, causing my stomach to knot and my heart to race. <br /> <br /> The tall, broad man standing next to my sister turned toward me and we locked eyes. <br /> <br /> Mate.<br /> <br /> I practically gagged trying to stifle the word from slipping from my mouth. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> This was my sister’s mate. <br /> <br /> Not mine. <br /> <br /> This man was fated to Kylee. <br /> <br /> So why was I having this reaction?<br /> <br /> Better question…<br /> <br /> Why did HE seem to be having the same reaction?<br /> <br /> His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, and they held my gaze with a vice-like grip as he, too, seemed frozen to where he stood. <br /> <br /> Dasha, my wolf, bounced excitedly in my head, recognizing him and his wolf just as I was. It took a minute for her to understand the situation, but once she did, she started whimpering in the back of my mind.<br /> <br /> This couldn’t be happening. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> I forced myself to address the situation as a whole. Fine, this was happening. Now, what is the best way to handle the situation? I wasn’t going to break my sister’s heart. Absolutely not. I wouldn’t let him either. Not right now. We’ll just get through dinner, and I’ll find a way to speak with him in private later. <br /> <br /> I cleared my throat and plastered a smile on my face.<br /> <br /> “Kylee, I’m so excited you’re home,” I said, opening my arms so she could jump into them like she had since she was little.<br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, sis,” she said. <br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, too,” I said quietly. <br /> <br /> We separated, and she turned to the male behind her. “Theo, this is my sister, Ayla. Ayla, this is my mate, Theo.”<br /> <br /> Theo’s hands were clenched into fists, and he forced a tight-jawed smile toward me. At least I was better at faking it them him. Geesh. <br /> <br /> I nodded to him with a broad smile. I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, but at least Ma and Kylee wouldn’t notice. <br /> <br /> “It’s lovely to meet you, Theo,” I said. “Dinner is ready in the dining room. Why don’t you guys go take a seat, and I’ll be right there. I need to tend to dessert first.”<br /> <br /> “Don’t take too long,” Kylee said brightly. “We have some big news, and I don’t think I can wait much longer.”<br /> <br /> “I promise I’ll be right there,” I assured her as I rubbed her shoulder. <br /> <br /> Kylee grabbed Ma by the arm and led her to the dining room. Theo followed a few steps behind. He had to pass me to get through. Right as he approached, I turned my body to ensure we didn’t touch. He paused in front of me for a moment. I looked up to meet his eyes.<br /> <br /> There was anger, confusion, desire, and possibly even hurt reflecting in his eyes that I couldn’t help but notice were the color of honey. He had questions. I subtly shook my head at him. Hoping and silently begging that he knew we couldn’t do this here. <br /> <br /> The sound of Kylee’s laugh from the other room made me jump and then quickly retreat to the kitchen. I grabbed the homemade cheesecake from the fridge and set it on the counter for later. <br /> <br /> I listened to the others conversing in the next room and took several deep breaths. I felt a lump start to form in my throat and quickly pushed it down. This wasn’t the time to cry. <br /> <br /> I was almost to the dining room when I heard the last part of what Kylee was saying, and again, I was left frozen at the threshold.<br /> <br /> “… our mating ceremony is in three months.” Kylee looked up at me. “Oh, Ayla, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t hold back any longer. Aren’t you happy for us?”<br /> <br /> I put the same fake smile back on. “Of course I’m happy for you,” I said. “You deserve the best.”<br /> <br /> I took my seat at the table, ignoring the fact that I was left sitting directly across from Theo. His eyes were boring into me, and my face felt like it was on fire. I started dishing out food and passing plates. I didn’t say much over dinner. Instead, I just listened to Kylee and Ma talk about all the ideas they had for the mating ceremony. Theo didn’t say much either but slowly started to do a better job hiding his discomfort with the situation. <br /> <br /> It took everything to ignore the touches they shared, pushing down the jealousy that kept surging through me. <br /> After dinner, while they were still talking, I made an excuse to slip out through the back door.<br /> <br /> I stood on the porch and took several deep breaths. I released a string of curses.<br /> “What is happening? Why is this happening? This ISN’T happening,” I whispered with the force of a yell. <br /> <br /> ‘Our mate.’ Dasha insisted.<br /> <br /> “No, he’s not,” I said back to her. “He’s Kylee’s. There must be some kind of mistake.”<br /> <br /> All of a sudden, I stiffened as a mouthwatering scent hit my nose. I knew who was standing behind me. <br /> <br /> Chapter 2: Theo<br /> I fought against the urges her scent was influencing as I stalked up to her. But more importantly, the urge to grab her and take her against the nearest tree. My wolf was going crazy about the idea, but he would learn fast that that was never going to happen. <br /> <br /> I wouldn’t accept her. <br /> <br /> Knowing what I knew about her, that would never happen. <br /> <br /> She turned to face me. <br /> <br /> “This won’t happen,” I spat out before she had a chance to speak. <br /> Her jaw clenched, and her silvery-gray eyes stared into mine for a few short moments. But I couldn’t read a thing behind them. <br /> <br /> “I absolutely agree,” she stated evenly. <br /> <br /> My wolf growled and snarled inside me, demanding to know what I was doing. I pushed down the hurt that hit me when she didn’t fight me. Her reaction just proved why this needed to be done. I could never be with someone so cold and self-absorbed as her. There was no way someone like her could ever be my Luna. <br /> <br /> ‘Don’t know her.’ Kieran yelled in my head. <br /> <br /> I knew enough. <br /> <br /> “Kylee is my mate. Not you. I, Theo Arden, future Alpha of the Greytooth Pack, reject you, Ayla Garner, as my mate and Luna.” Kieran was snapping his teeth, pushing to take control to stop this.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, accept your rejection and relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> My wolf howled in pain. A pain that was mirrored within me as it felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was the bond breaking. Releasing me from the tie that bound us together.<br /> She stood there like nothing happened. <br /> <br /> How could she stand there like nothing had happened?<br /> <br /> She really didn’t feel anything, did she? It was so easy for her to let us go.<br /> <br /> ‘Mate wants me.’<br /> <br /> I grimaced. He meant her wolf. Her wolf wanted mine. He could sense her. She was even denying her wolf. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed to get away from her. <br /> <br /> I stormed back into the house, returning to the woman the goddess should have made my mate. I returned to the dining room to find her mother and her still deep in conversation. I was grateful she hadn’t seemed to notice my absence or the change in my mood. It wasn’t surprising. She was excited about seeing her family and sharing the news with them. <br /> <br /> I had been, too, until her sister walked into the room. The scent had engulfed me, driving me to seek out the source like a lifeline. When I saw her, her beauty took my breath away. She was petit but strong, with long legs and perfect curves. She had a mass of caramel-blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face with plump lips and intense gray eyes that shined green in the light. I couldn’t help but want her. I recognized who she was to me immediately. <br /> <br /> But then I noticed her narrow nose and soft jawline were familiar. Her fair skin had a sun-kissed glow that I had always found attractive. Once I realized she had similar features to Kylee, I knew this was her sister, Ayla. <br /> <br /> Kylee had told me on many occasions how her sister had changed after the death of their father. She was there for Kylee at first, but in less than a year, she started spending all her time away from home. She ended up dropping out of the private school her parents had worked so hard to send her to. Eventually, Kylee lost track of what she was doing with her life. <br /> <br /> Kylee was there for her when she was around, trying to be supportive. But she wasn’t the sister she used to love. What bothered her most was Ayla’s treatment of their mother. Ayla still lived in the house with her, but Kylee always got the impression that helping their mother was just a burden. She worried their mother would be left with no one to take care of her, and she wasn’t in the best of health anymore. <br /> <br /> “I have an idea,” I interrupted. They both looked up at me expectantly. “Why doesn’t your mother come to stay with us for a while? At least until the ceremony? We have the room in the packhouse, and I’m sure you and my mother would appreciate the extra input.”<br /> <br /> Both their faces lit up.<br /> <br /> “Really? We can do that?” Kylee said happily. <br /> <br /> “Of course,” I said with a smile. <br /> <br /> “Thank you.”<br /> <br /> Kylee jumped up from the table and threw her arms around me, kissing me sweetly. I ignored the growls coming from Kieran. Seeing their reaction told me I had made the exact right decision. Despite what the burning in my chest told me. <br /> <br /> This was who I was supposed to be with. Not Ayla.<br /> <br /> ‘Keep saying. Maybe believe.’<br /> <br /> I told him to shut up, and he retreated into the back of my mind, cutting himself off from me. <br /> <br /> He would get over it. Once the bond was completely severed, he would understand this was the right thing for us and the pack.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3: Ayla<br /> I had managed to get myself together enough to rejoin my family. The pain that seared through me from Theo’s rejection and my subsequent acceptance almost brought me to my knees. It took all of my strength to keep my body from shaking, praying he didn’t notice the blood coming from my palms. I had clenched my fists so hard trying to stay on my feet that I broke the skin.<br /> <br /> When he finally left, I released the sob that was the only thing capable of coming out of my mouth. But I didn’t let the tears fall. Not yet. They couldn’t know. <br /> <br /> So, I steadied my breathing and went back into my house. I was surprised to find that Kylee and Ma weren’t in the dining room anymore. They weren’t in the living room either. But Theo was. <br /> <br /> “They’re in your mother’s room packing,” he said coldly.<br /> <br /> “Packing?” What was he talking about?<br /> <br /> He stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. “I think it’s best that you keep your distance from Kylee for a while. We don’t want her finding out about this. But I know she’ll want her mother to be a part of the ceremony planning. So she’s coming back with us.”<br /> <br /> I felt like he just slapped me in the face. As if I would ever tell her. That’s why I was doing this. So that I wouldn’t break my baby sister’s heart. I gave him what he wanted, and now he was going to keep me from my family?<br /> <br /> Dasha was confused and in pain, whimpering in my head because she didn’t understand how he could be so cruel to us. <br /> <br /> “If that’s what you think is best,” I said to Theo through gritted teeth. <br /> <br /> “Kylee,” he called out, not breaking eye contact. “Let’s get going.”<br /> <br /> My sister came prancing into the room. “Already?”<br /> <br /> “It’s getting late. Let’s head to the hotel for the night. We’ll swing by in the morning to pick up your mother.”<br /> <br /> “Okay,” she said brightly before turning to me. “What about you, Ayla? You’re coming with, too, right?”<br /> <br /> I opened my mouth to speak, but Theo decided to answer for me. <br /> <br /> “We were just talking about that. Ayla has some things going on with work and can’t get away.”<br /> <br /> I gave her a tight smile. “Yes, I’m sorry. But I will try to come out there as soon as I can.”<br /> <br /> “Oh, okay, I understand. But I’ll make sure we have a room ready for you whenever you can come.”<br /> <br /> “Of course. I can’t wait,” I said, my heart breaking again, knowing Theo wouldn’t allow me to be there with her. <br /> <br /> We all said our goodbyes, and they left. Ma was still standing at the window watching them drive off when I went to clean up the dishes in the kitchen. She finally came in behind me and started opening another bottle of wine. We had gone through four during dinner already. And I barely touched my glass. <br /> <br /> “Ma, you’ve had enough for the night,” I said calmly.<br /> <br /> “Oh, come on. It’s a celebration,” Ma said. “It’s not every day you find out your baby is going to be a Luna.”<br /> <br /> “Ma, you can celebrate more tomorrow. You need to finish packing,” I said, gently taking the bottle from her hand. “I’m sure Kylee and Theo will be here first thing in the morning.”<br /> <br /> “We can celebrate together while you help me pack,” she said, grabbing the bottle back from me. “Then I’ll help you pack.”<br /> <br /> I winced. This wasn’t going to end well. “I’m not coming, Ma.”<br /> <br /> She stopped with the glass halfway to her lips. “What do you mean you’re not coming?” she asked with a pout. “You have to be there. Kylee is going to be mated. I told her we would help pay for the ceremony.”<br /> <br /> I winced again. She meant me. I would be helping pay for the ceremony. Ma didn’t have a penny to her name.<br /> <br /> “This is a big deal. Don’t be so selfish, Ayla.”<br /> <br /> Her words stung, but they weren’t unexpected. This was kind of the norm when she got like this. I know she didn’t really mean it. At least, she wouldn’t mean it when she was sober. I got her into her bedroom and set her on the bed. I changed her into her nightgown and tucked her in. <br /> <br /> She was asleep in seconds. I hurried through the rest of her packing. Stuffing two large suitcases as full as I could before carrying them out to the living room. Then I locked the front door, finished the last of the dishes, and slipped out into the backyard.<br /> <br /> I stripped off my clothes as I headed for the forest, desperate to get under its protective shadows. As soon as I passed the treeline, I shifted, taking off at full speed. I let Dasha feel all the pain. I didn’t try to hold her back anymore. <br /> <br /> We would mourn the loss of our fated mate. The loss of the one person who was supposed to see us for who we were. The one person who was supposed to always put us first, without demands or expectations. We would mourn the loss of never getting to experience that.<br /> But we wouldn’t mourn him.<br /> <br /> We ran until we could barely breathe. Until Dasha stopped at the edge of our pond — our place of solace — and let out a heartwrenching howl into the night air. Shifting at the end as she retreated back into my mind, out of reach to heal her broken heart, while I let the torrent of tears finally fall.<br /> <br /> I walked into the water, curling into myself as the sobs wracked my body, intensifying the burn that was still there from our bond being ripped from my heart.<br /> <br /> I submerged myself completely, washing my body clean of Theo, the mate bond, and every dream of finding my soulmate. <br /> <br /> In the midst of this pain I drifted off to sleep.<br /> The next morning.<br /> When I made it back to the house, there was no one there. My mother had been taken away by them.<br /> I was standing in an empty room in an empty house. The silence was deafening. And it all came crashing down. I sank to my knees, begging the goddess to just let it all go away, just for a little while. I just wanted to feel numb.<br /> <br /> I lost track of how long I sat in that spot, staring without seeing. I didn’t even know Zeff was there until I felt him grip my arms.<br /> <br /> “Ayls, what happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, brushing hair out of my face, forcing me to look at him. “Ayla, what is going on?”<br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I said, the corner of my mouth tipping up mockingly. “He’s scheduled to be mated to my sister.”<br /> <br /> “What?” Zeff exclaimed, anger and concern twisting his handsome features. <br /> <br /> Zeff was a good man. He had been there for me when no one else was. He was the only person who knew everything I went through. And here he was, listening to me tell him about meeting Theo, the mating ceremony, and my rejection. Why couldn’t he have been my mate? He should have been. <br /> <br /> “Come on,” he said, lifting me up. “You’re coming to stay with me.”<br /> <br /> I didn’t protest. The goddess had given me this one little blessing. I was numb. Zeff held me up by my waist and led me out to his car. He tucked me into the passenger seat and disappeared into the house again, only to emerge a few minutes later with a duffel bag in hand. <br /> <br /> He pulled out and drove us the twenty minutes to his house. Just like before, he helped me inside, this time sitting me on the big, comfy leather couch in his living room.<br /> <br /> He came and sat next to me, putting an arm over my shoulder and pulling me into him. I let myself relax some. This was the first thing since Theo walked into my life that felt normal, felt comfortable. He leaned his head on mine, rubbing his fingers along my arm. <br /> <br /> “Ayla. You’re going to deal with this — we’re going to deal with this together. Screw him, okay. He’s a dirtbag. You deserve so much better than some fool who doesn’t see how incredible you are.”<br /> <br /> I wanted to roll my eyes, but it wasn’t just about him. <br /> <br /> “He took my family, Zeff. I would have gotten over him just rejecting me because of Kylee. At least she would be safe and happy.”<br /> <br /> “No. They either treat you like a servant or a bank. They don’t care what their actions do to you as long as they keep getting what they want."<br /> <br /> “Zeff...But they were my family” I wanted to contradict him, but I knew he was right.<br /> <br /> “Get over him.” He took a step toward me, reaching up to hold my chin. “He’s not the only one who can take care of you, Ayla. He may be foolish enough not to want you, but I’m not.”<br /> <br /> My breath caught in my throat. He had told me about his feelings before, but we both avoided going down that road with each other. We knew we could find our fated mates at any time, and we didn’t want to deny each other that. <br /> <br /> “Move in here with me, Ayls,” Zeff said. “There’s nothing stopping us now.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, you still have a mate out there somewhere.”<br /> <br /> “Ayla, stop. I’m thirty-four and well-traveled. If I was going to find her, I would have long before now. We both know that.” <br /> <br /> Suddenly his lips were on mine. I was shocked, but mostly because it felt good. I felt wanted. I kissed him back, not wanting to give that feeling up. I leaned into him — until Dasha came charging to the forefront, growling and snarling that someone who wasn’t our mate was touching us. <br /> <br /> I ripped myself from Zeff’s embrace. Breathing heavily, the pain of the severed bond renewed. I clutched my chest. <br /> <br /> “Ayla.” <br /> <br /> “I can’t. The bond. It’s still there. It hasn’t faded yet.”<br /> <br /> Zeff pulled me into his arms. “Okay. It’s okay. We can wait. We’ll take it slow.”<br /> <br /> I rested my head on his chest. “Okay.”<br /> <br /> He squeezed me tighter. I still didn’t know if we could make this work, but I wanted to try. <br /> <br /> I stayed with the Zeff, and it was quiet. Until a week later, when Theo burst in.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4: Theo<br /> It had been a week since I had gone home with Kylee. Seven days and a hundred miles away, and the bond was still there. The burning in my chest wouldn’t go away. I didn’t understand and it was annoying. <br /> <br /> More important is Kieran. He had spent the whole week giving me the silent treatment, except when Kylee was around. Then all he did was growl and snarl. It was getting exhausting. <br /> <br /> I had taken to holing up in my office most of the time. I didn’t want to snap at Kylee, or her mother, which had become hard to avoid by the third day. I was glad I had a good reason for me being so busy all of a sudden. <br /> <br /> Alpha was sick. He was diagnosed with a progressive disease almost a year ago. So, he decided it was time to hand the title down to me. It wasn’t official yet. We were planning on making the change at the same time as Kylee’s and my mating ceremony. Actually, that’s why I decided to make Kylee my official mate. Alpha’s were always stronger with a strong Luna by their side. With the circumstances of my father’s abdication, our pack needed to be as strong as possible. <br /> <br /> But there was still a lot to take care of and a lot I had to learn about being an Alpha before that time. So it wasn’t hard to convince her that it was the stress that was causing me to be distant. <br /> <br /> But this morning, I'm driving myself to Kylee's house. I promised to help her retrieve her mother's necklace, which she wanted to wear during our mating ceremony.<br /> <br /> In addition, if I couldn’t completely sever the bond between me and Ayla, Kieran could end up taking control and stop me from marking Kylee.<br /> So, once I got the necklace, I’d reject Ayla again, making sure it stuck this time, and I’d go back home.<br /> <br /> When I pulled up to the house, something twisted in my gut. When I step into the house, her invigorating scent of oranges and cloves invaded my nostrils, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as it should have been.<br /> I realize Ayla wasn't home.<br /> Instead, there was another smell in Ayla's room.<br /> The scent was male. It was faint, he wasn’t here long, but mixed in with the distinctive scent of my mate, I could pick it out anywhere. From the trail, it seemed as if he was the one who packed up her things.<br /> <br /> I stormed out of the house. Tossing the jewelry box in the passenger seat, I took my phone out and searched for the number for the publishing house Kylee said Ayla worked for.<br /> I got another address that Ayla had added to her personal profile from the receptionist.<br /> <br /> I followed the GPS to the address, pulling into the drive of a large, two-story house in a nice neighborhood. Parking half on the lawn, I didn’t even close the car door before taking the front steps two at a time. <br /> <br /> I banged on the door until I heard movement inside. A man opened it. It was the male I smelled in Ayla’s room. Before he could say anything, I lunged at him, my hands grabbing the front of his shirt and practically lifting him off the ground.<br /> <br /> “What have you done with her? I smell her all over you. Where is she?”<br /> <br /> He pushed me off him, his eyes glaring at me with recognition and disdain.<br /> <br /> “You must be Theo.”<br /> <br /> “What is going on?” Ayla’s voice floated down to me as she ran down the stairs. She froze halfway down the moment she laid eyes on me. “What are you doing here?”<br /> <br /> A silk robe hung open, revealing the shorts and cut-off tank top she wore underneath, her caramel-colored hair flowing loosely around her shoulders. She was gorgeous. And clearly not in distress. I took a step toward her as my rage grew.<br /> <br /> “What are you doing here?” I spat back. <br /> <br /> “That’s none of your concern,” the male interjected.<br /> <br /> I turned on him again, a rumbling growl emanating from my chest, my claws extending. I was ready to rip his throat out. <br /> <br /> “Stop,” Ayla yelled, coming the rest of the way down the stairs and stepping between the two of us. “Zeff, go to work.”<br /> <br /> “Absolutely not. I’m not leaving you here with him. Not in the state he’s in.”<br /> <br /> “I would never hurt her.” Kieran was ready to burst from my skin. How dare this dirtbag think we would ever lay a hand on her.<br /> <br /> “We both know that’s crap.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, I said go.” Her expression softened a little. “I’ll call you later.”<br /> <br /> She would. <br /> <br /> The Zeff guy shot me another hate-filled look before exiting out the open front door. We stood in silence until the sound of his engine faded. <br /> <br /> “Are you dating him?” <br /> <br /> Her eyes went wide, then narrowed as she took a step forward. “What I do with a male — or anyone for that matter — is none of your business.”<br /> <br /> “It isn’t.” Electricity passed through the air between us. “He has no right to put his hands on you.”<br /> <br /> “He does if I want him to,” she yelled, not only holding her ground against the alpha energy I was exuding but taking another step toward me. “I don’t belong to anyone, remember? I have no mate.”<br /> <br /> I lost it. My hand was around her neck and my mouth was on hers before I even knew what I had done. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Sparks of intense electricity shot through me, invigorating all my senses. I pushed her to open for me, my tongue seeking hers. Goddess, she tasted so good. She returned the kiss, her arousal mingling in the air. <br /> <br /> “MINE.” <br /> <br /> She pushed me off her with force.<br /> <br /> I took a step toward her again but she backed away. <br /> <br /> “Don’t you hurt Kylee like this.”<br /> <br /> “Like you care about your sister getting hurt,” I spat, but for some reason, I instantly regretted it. But I couldn’t take it back. I wouldn’t take it back.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” Pure rage radiated off of her, her eyes turning an icy blue. <br /> <br /> “You abandoned Kylee a long time ago. You disappeared all the time, leaving her alone with a mother who was struggling to keep everything together.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s face paled. Every ounce of anger seemed to drain from her instantly, that blue fire fading from her eyes. <br /> <br /> She almost went completely limp in front of me, stumbling until her back hit the wall. Her façade cracked. <br /> <br /> “That’s what she told you? She said that?” her voice was almost a whisper. <br /> <br /> Kieran was going insane in my head, telling me to shut up, to just stop talking. Urging me to stop hurting her. Because I was hurting her. I had struck a nerve, a very deep one, and I wouldn’t stop. She had to break the bond. Once and for all. If it meant I had to break her to do it, I would.<br /> <br /> “She told me everything. She told me how you would keep things from her and your mother. That you would be out at all hours of the night when you were a teenager. How you dropped out of high school, waisting the tuition your parents worked so hard for.”<br /> <br /> “What?” <br /> <br /> “I could never be with someone as cold and heartless as you.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s head snapped up. Her eyes a steely gray as she resolved herself to something I couldn’t figure out but would soon find out. <br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, reject you, Theo Arden, as my mate. I relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> I gritted my teeth as Kieran howled in my head, screaming for me not to accept it. <br /> <br /> “I, Theo Arden, accept your rejection.” The pain in my chest amplified, but I could still feel the bond. “We’ve done this before. It’s not working.”<br /> <br /> “Tell your wolf to accept it,” Ayla said with a crack in her voice. <br /> <br /> The muscles in my jaw tightened to a point I thought my teeth would shatter. The noise in my head from Kieran becoming almost unbearable.<br /> <br /> “He won’t.”<br /> <br /> “Make him,” she forced out.<br /> <br /> “I can’t.”<br /> <br /> “He doesn’t have a choice. I’ll never be with him, and neither will she,” Ayla said, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. <br /> <br /> I could feel the pain he felt. It was excruciating. I told him it would end if he just accepted, but he wouldn’t give in. He was an Alpha. He was as strong as me. I’d never overpower him on this. Ayla must have sensed my stalemate. Or her wolf did and told her because she pulled herself from against the wall, standing up straight again.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, cut my ties to Alpha Torin…”<br /> <br /> “What are you doing?” There was desperation in my voice. She couldn’t do this. I moved to stop her. <br /> <br /> “And the Greytooth Pack.”<br /> <br /> “No.” I fell to a knee, feeling the invisible tether that united pack members with their Alpha splinter. Kieran was pounding against the barriers of my control, putting all his might into taking over the shift. I knew I was on the verge.<br /> <br /> “From this day forth, I am a rogue.” She took an unsteady step toward me, silent tears rolling freely down her face. “Now get out.”<br /> <br /> She had used my father’s name. Either of our names would have worked in the limbo state we were currently in. But she used my father’s. There was nothing I could do to stop her. Nothing I could do to fight the separation. She knew exactly what she was doing. <br /> <br /> If my wolf wouldn’t sever the mate bond, she would remove herself from any control I had over her. <br /> <br /> With one final, agonizing look, she walked away, disappearing upstairs. <br /> <br /> I took in a ragged breath of air. Ayla now had until midnight to be out of our territory. If I caught her on our land after that, I would have to murder her. Mate bond or not. She was a rogue now. It was our laws. <br /> <br /> Kieran had finally gone still in my mind. <br /> <br /> ‘Mate’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Did he mean Ayla or her wolf?<br /> <br /> ‘Dasha. Mate’s name is Dasha. Dasha’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Realization hit me and panic set in. Her wolf was gone. The pain was too much. She had retreated deep into the recesses of Ayla’s subconscious. Ayla wouldn’t be able to call on her. She wouldn’t be able to shift. She wouldn’t be able to heal.<br /> <br /> She was a rogue without a wolf. She couldn’t protect herself. <br /> <br /> I had to get as far away from her as possible. <br /> <br /> I dragged myself back to my feet, forcing them to walk out the door. <br /> <br /> Chapter 5: Ayla<br /> The moment the door was closed, I sank to the floor. It was no longer sobs that escaped my body but soul-shattering screams. <br /> <br /> She said I abandoned her. <br /> <br /> Theo made it sound like I spent my teen years partying and getting into trouble. She said I dropped out of high school. <br /> <br /> She said I wasn’t a sister to her. <br /> <br /> The betrayal was soul-crushing. <br /> <br /> I had given up everything for them. <br /> <br /> I screamed and let the tears flow freely until my body ached. As soon as it felt like I could breathe without being stabbed by a red-hot dagger, I pulled myself up and started moving. I only had a few hours to get my things and get out of Greytooth territory. <br /> <br /> I had made myself a rogue. I didn’t have a pack anymore. And I had no idea where I was going to go. All the borders on this side of the territory sat right against other pack lands. To get out of one, I’d have to enter another. But it was my only option. Trying to get to unclaimed territory was too risky. I would have better luck on foreign pack land than on the land I just severed ties to. <br /> <br /> After leaving a note for Zeff, I packed up and drove away.<br /> <br /> The Greytooth Pack may not be the largest in population, but they had one of the biggest territories. The closest border crossing was nearly two hours away. And I needed to be far away before Zeff got home. I couldn’t have him tracking me down.<br /> <br /> Especially since I didn’t give him much of an explanation. <br /> <br /> But it was better this way. I wasn’t going to risk him cutting ties and going rogue as well. Because he would. He would hold Theo responsible, and he would never stay in a pack with an alpha he didn’t respect, let alone hate. This way, the note I left would have just made it seem like I got cold feet about us being together. <br /> <br /> I drove to the outskirts of town and got on the highway. From there, it was practically a straight shot to the border. I was grateful at first, but after about an hour, I realized the monotonous ride only left my mind wondering and worrying and thinking about things I didn’t need to think about. <br /> <br /> When Theo found me in the yard that first day, I had no idea what he would say. His initial reaction to our meeting had me thinking he would pursue the pairing. But then his increasingly icy demeanor throughout the evening made it seem like he was thinking along the same lines I was. He wasn’t going to hurt Kylee for someone he didn’t know. <br /> <br /> He loved her. She loved him. I had no idea who he was, nor he I. We could reject each other and just go on our way. Neither one of us would have to break Kylee’s heart. I thought he was keeping me from my family to be cruel. Or maybe to make things easier for both of us. <br /> <br /> But today, his words revealed a different motive. He didn’t reject me for Kylee. He rejected me because of her. Because he believed what she said and painted me as some coldhearted delinquent. But why? I just couldn’t figure that out. <br /> <br /> Dad died in a gas explosion along with my aunt and uncle ten years ago. I was fourteen, and Kylee was nine. Our thirteen-year-old cousin, Mina, came to live with us for a while after their deaths. Ma was hit pretty hard by the loss, so the three of us quickly started taking care of each other. We spent every spare minute with each other. Then our financial situation changed. Kylee was entirely too young, and Mina had been through enough losing both her parents for me to put that on her. So, it was up to me to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. <br /> <br /> But I was still fourteen. Finding jobs that paid enough to support a family of four at the age of fourteen was non-existent. I would need to work multiple jobs, and there just wasn’t enough time in the day. So, I approached the headmaster at my private high school and confided my situation with him. I was desperate not to drop out or risk my grades dropping and losing my scholarship. My parents didn’t pay a dime of my tuition. <br /> <br /> Headmaster Fordham was a miracle worker. He helped me test out of over eighty percent of my academic requirements by the end of my freshman year. I only had to take four summer classes to graduate a week after my fifteenth birthday. I was even able to broker a deal with him that would set the remaining three years of my scholarship fund aside for Kylee when it came time for her to attend high school. <br /> <br /> I still ended up working multiple jobs for several years. But no matter what, I always tried to be there for Kylee as much as possible. <br /> <br /> Everything I did was for her. <br /> <br /> I completely lost touch with all of my school friends. I never partied. I barely socialized. The jobs I held were really the only place that happened. But I was home to take her to school every morning, and I ensured I had at least an hour to help her with her homework almost every day. <br /> <br /> I didn’t discuss the lengths I went to with Kylee. I didn’t want her to feel bad or that it was her fault. And I didn’t want her to see what Ma was going through. She was struggling to keep any job. She was drinking daily. There were even a couple of times she racked up gambling debts that put us in some scary situations. <br /> <br /> But I never let Kylee see any of that. It was my job to protect them. <br /> <br /> There was so much more that didn’t add up with what Theo had said. But I didn’t get to think about it further. <br /> <br /> A searing pain shot through my chest, making my vision go white at the edges, blinding me to a point I almost missed the figure standing in the road before me. <br /> <br /> My heart jumped into my chest. I turned the wheel as sharp as I could, slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting them head-on. The moment I did it, I felt foolish. Within seconds, I was spinning through the air and sliding down an embankment.<br /> <br /> When the vehicle came to a stop, I was upside down. I registered the smell of blood, but everything was blurry. I didn’t feel significant pain, so I didn’t think the blood was coming from me. <br /> <br /> The person on the road!<br /> <br /> I scrambled out of the car and up the incline. Without Dasha, I couldn’t see well in the dark, but I could see a blurry figure moving toward me.<br /> <br /> “Are you okay?” I called. <br /> <br /> I didn’t catch what they were saying because I suddenly felt the world falling out from beneath my feet, and everything went dark. <br /> <br /> Chapter 6: Theo<br /> I said I would break her if that was what it took.<br /> <br /> And I certainly followed through with that.<br /> <br /> Ayla’s hard exterior had cracked and shattered before me. <br /> <br /> I had driven over an hour, and my stomach was still in knots. So much so that I had to stop to throw up at one point. Guilt tore at me. <br /> <br /> I really had been cruel to her. <br /> <br /> Especially since it turned out it wasn’t even her fault the bond hadn’t broken. She and Dasha had accepted my rejection. They had done what I needed them to do. Ayla had stayed away from Kylee and me. She hadn’t tried to be around them. From what I could tell, she hadn’t even called Kylee like she used to. And how did I repay her? By ripping her apart with every intention of doing as much damage as possible. <br /> <br /> It was my wolf that was still hanging on. It was Kieran who kept us in a constant state of heartache. Kept Ayla in a constant state of pain. <br /> <br /> And then she had to go and do something foolish and cut herself out of the pack. She was completely lost to us now. The only thing I could do was tell myself it was what I wanted. It was the only way to get rid of the temptation and put enough distance between us until Kylee and I were marked and mated and leading our pack. <br /> <br /> Every time I said it, Kieran was there to argue. <br /> <br /> By the time I pulled up to the packhouse, I was so pissed that anyone around instantly took a wide birth. My aura was probably so intense that I was making everyone physically uncomfortable, but I really didn’t care.<br /> <br /> I was going to head to my office but decided against it. Too many people had access to me there, and I really didn’t need anyone coming around. <br /> <br /> What I needed was to work off some of this rage and pent-up energy. <br /> <br /> I made a beeline for the private training room in the wing of the packhouse reserved for ranking members of the pack. I was relieved to find it empty, tugging my shirt over my head and immediately heading to the punching bag in the corner. <br /> <br /> I had worked up a sweat when Briggs entered the room. Walking over to me with his usual swagger, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall close by. He knew something was up. He had been hounding me about it since we got back from Kylee’s house. So had my mother, but I sure wasn’t going down that road.<br /> <br /> Briggs was my Beta. We had been friends since we were eight and had been through everything together since then. I didn’t think there was anything we could hide from each other. But I surely wanted to hide this from him. So I just ignored his presence.<br /> <br /> “You ready to tell me what is going on with you? Or at least, where you were today?” he said loud enough to be heard over the sound of my fists hitting the bag. <br /> <br /> “No.”<br /> <br /> “If you don’t, we’ll sedate you. Your aura is out of control right now, bro. This isn’t about you just being in a pissy mood anymore,” Briggs said with an edge to his voice that meant he was serious.<br /> I yelled as I hit the bag hard one more time. I winced as I forced my fingers through my hair. I hadn’t realized I had been breaking the skin on my knuckles. I fell back against the wall, sliding down to the floor. <br /> <br /> “You know I’m here for you, bro,” my Beta said calmly. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”<br /> I nodded. <br /> <br /> ‘Tell him.’<br /> <br /> I winced at Keiran’s demand. But I couldn’t really disagree anymore. <br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I admitted. I could feel Briggs’ eyes go wide in his head. <br /> <br /> “What do you mean you found your mate?” he took a step closer. “Please tell me you’re talking about Kylee.”<br /> <br /> I shook my head. “No. I found my fated mate.”<br /> <br /> “What. The. Fu-” He had warned me about this when I first got involved with Kylee and again when we announced our mating ceremony. “Where is she? Who is she?”<br /> <br /> “I rejected her. She’s gone.”<br /> <br /> “Theo, man, you’re really scaring me now. Why would you do that? What were you thinking?” Briggs demanded.<br /> <br /> “She’s Kylee’s sister,” I snapped. Briggs tensed up.<br /> <br /> “Ayla? As in the sister that allegedly abandoned Kylee?” <br /> <br /> His use of the word “allegedly” pissed me off and confused me a little. He really liked Kylee. They’ve always gotten along. Even when he was cautioning me about finding my mate, he told me he was happy for me. <br /> <br /> “Are you trying to say Kylee is lying?” I snapped.<br /> <br /> He made a face. “No, but I do think it’s foolish to reject your mate without all the information.”<br /> <br /> “I have all the information I need.”<br /> <br /> “No, you have Kylee’s side of the story,” Briggs said with a worried look.<br /> <br /> “And their mother’s,” I added.<br /> <br /> Briggs scoffed. “Look, Marie Garner is a nice enough lady, but I wouldn’t exactly trust her judgment.”<br /> <br /> “What are you talking about?” I asked, my own concern growing.<br /> <br /> “Bro, she’s a lush,” Briggs said with a shrug. “Not that you’ve been around enough to notice since she’s been here. I can’t tell how bad, and she seems pretty harmless. But these things often have a dark side that no one sees.”<br /> <br /> I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. The last thing I needed was any kind of doubt in my decision. <br /> <br /> “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. And Ayla’s reactions to all of this told me all I needed to know from her.” I pushed myself to my feet. <br /> <br /> “What were her reactions?” Briggs asked cautiously, and I realized my choice of words may have given away more than I intended. I knew he wouldn’t let it go unless he was sure I told him everything. <br /> <br /> “Which time?” I said quietly.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” He heard exactly what I said. “What happened, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “She never argued or fought the rejection. She agreed and accepted it the first day we met like it was nothing. She had no response, no rebuttal, no explanation,” I told him. “You have to be coldhearted to feel nothing after breaking a mate bond.”<br /> <br /> “Or extremely strong,” Briggs stated. “You said she didn’t argue or fight. Did you even give her a chance to speak or even get to know anything about her before you threw her to the curb? Or did you just walk up to her and say tough words?”<br /> <br /> I grimaced. That’s exactly what happened. “There wasn’t exactly an opportunity for that. Neither one of us wanted Kylee to find out.”<br /> <br /> The muscles in his neck flexed as he tensed. “You said ‘which time.’ When did you see her again?”<br /> <br /> “This morning.” <br /> <br /> “Why?” <br /> <br /> I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. <br /> <br /> “Kylee wanted a necklace of her mother’s that was left at their house for some appointment this week. I went back to get it.”<br /> <br /> “Okay, someone else could have done that. Why did you go?” Briggs pushed, but the words stuck in my throat. “Theo, you’re hurting. There’s no way this is as cut and dry as you’re trying to say it is.”<br /> <br /> “The bond didn’t break. Not completely.”<br /> <br /> “Goddess, Theo. So you both have been walking around with your hearts ripped open for the past week?” Briggs said. “So, what happened today? Why are you still on the edge of ripping half the pack’s throats out?”<br /> <br /> Images of that morning flashed through my head. The fear that something had happened to her when she hadn’t been home. The jealousy and rage at finding her at another male’s house. The way it felt when I kissed her. And sheer pain and anguish of everything that followed. <br /> <br /> “Theo?” Briggs pressed.<br /> <br /> “She cut her ties to the pack,” I said solemnly. “She turned herself rogue.”<br /> <br /> “Theo,” Briggs bellowed, “how could you let that happen? Why didn’t you stop her?”<br /> <br /> “She cut herself from Dad. She used his name. There was nothing I could do. I had no way of fighting it.” I was done with this conversation. “So none of this matters. It’s done. She’s gone. She’s never coming back. Doing so would be a death sentence, and she knew that.”<br /> <br /> “What have you done, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “It doesn’t matter,” I yelled. “Whatever I did or didn’t do, she never wanted me anyway. She’s not my problem anymore. So right now, I’m going to worry about cleaning up the mess she made and figure out how to tell Kylee and Marie that they’ll never see her again. And don’t you dare breathe a word about any of this to them, do you understand me?”<br /> <br /> “Okay. Okay,” Briggs said, raising his hands in the air, trying to calm me down. “You’re right. There’s nothing we can do about her now. If it’s done and over with, then it’s done and over with. We’ll move on.”<br /> <br /> I wasn’t sure he believed it, but I didn’t care. Like I said, she wasn’t my problem anymore. <br /> <br /> I went back to my room. There was a knock on my room door, and Kylee poked her head in before I had a chance to answer.<br /> “There you are, mate,” she cooed, sitting in my lap.<br /> She ran a hand up my chest, leaning in to kiss me. Kieran’s growl started immediately.<br /> I still needed to let off some steam. Anything to get some relief.<br /> I was about to respond to her when blinding pain erupted through my body.	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881,875	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881868}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	975348630266329	🔥🔥🔥Download and search book ID: 9792	My sister's boyfriend turned out to be my mate! As he rejected me, I retaliated by cutting off all contact with the pack…<br /> Chapter 1: Ayla<br /> “Ayla, is dinner ready? No more delay. Kylee and Theo will be soon here!”<br /> “Yes, mom.” I sighed hearing my mother's impatient urging.<br /> Kylee is my little sister, and Theo is her mate as well as our future Alpha. It is said that they had been together for over a year, and today is the first Kylee has brought her mate home. I was so happy for her.<br /> Our current Alpha, Alpha Torin, was a good leader, a fair leader, and a good man. I knew he had a son, but I had never met him before.<br /> But I had heard that his son, Theo, was promising to be just as good an Alpha as his father. So I really couldn’t have been more relieved that he was my sister’s mate. She would be properly looked after and taken care of, and she would be happy.<br /> I was pulling the chicken out of the oven when I saw my mother rushing past me, excitedly shouting towards the door, “They're here.”<br /> After my father passed away, my mother had become an alcoholic. But she always managed to look presentable in front of Kylee. For example, today, she was not only dressed neatly, but even used mouthwash.<br /> <br /> I was still transferring the food when I heard the front door open and the squeals of my mother and sister as they embraced. I finished my task and moved the dishes to the dining room table that was already set neatly. I smiled at my presentation and excitedly hurried to the living room. <br /> <br /> I froze at the threshold. A scent overwhelmed my senses, causing my stomach to knot and my heart to race. <br /> <br /> The tall, broad man standing next to my sister turned toward me and we locked eyes. <br /> <br /> Mate.<br /> <br /> I practically gagged trying to stifle the word from slipping from my mouth. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> This was my sister’s mate. <br /> <br /> Not mine. <br /> <br /> This man was fated to Kylee. <br /> <br /> So why was I having this reaction?<br /> <br /> Better question…<br /> <br /> Why did HE seem to be having the same reaction?<br /> <br /> His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, and they held my gaze with a vice-like grip as he, too, seemed frozen to where he stood. <br /> <br /> Dasha, my wolf, bounced excitedly in my head, recognizing him and his wolf just as I was. It took a minute for her to understand the situation, but once she did, she started whimpering in the back of my mind.<br /> <br /> This couldn’t be happening. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> I forced myself to address the situation as a whole. Fine, this was happening. Now, what is the best way to handle the situation? I wasn’t going to break my sister’s heart. Absolutely not. I wouldn’t let him either. Not right now. We’ll just get through dinner, and I’ll find a way to speak with him in private later. <br /> <br /> I cleared my throat and plastered a smile on my face.<br /> <br /> “Kylee, I’m so excited you’re home,” I said, opening my arms so she could jump into them like she had since she was little.<br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, sis,” she said. <br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, too,” I said quietly. <br /> <br /> We separated, and she turned to the male behind her. “Theo, this is my sister, Ayla. Ayla, this is my mate, Theo.”<br /> <br /> Theo’s hands were clenched into fists, and he forced a tight-jawed smile toward me. At least I was better at faking it them him. Geesh. <br /> <br /> I nodded to him with a broad smile. I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, but at least Ma and Kylee wouldn’t notice. <br /> <br /> “It’s lovely to meet you, Theo,” I said. “Dinner is ready in the dining room. Why don’t you guys go take a seat, and I’ll be right there. I need to tend to dessert first.”<br /> <br /> “Don’t take too long,” Kylee said brightly. “We have some big news, and I don’t think I can wait much longer.”<br /> <br /> “I promise I’ll be right there,” I assured her as I rubbed her shoulder. <br /> <br /> Kylee grabbed Ma by the arm and led her to the dining room. Theo followed a few steps behind. He had to pass me to get through. Right as he approached, I turned my body to ensure we didn’t touch. He paused in front of me for a moment. I looked up to meet his eyes.<br /> <br /> There was anger, confusion, desire, and possibly even hurt reflecting in his eyes that I couldn’t help but notice were the color of honey. He had questions. I subtly shook my head at him. Hoping and silently begging that he knew we couldn’t do this here. <br /> <br /> The sound of Kylee’s laugh from the other room made me jump and then quickly retreat to the kitchen. I grabbed the homemade cheesecake from the fridge and set it on the counter for later. <br /> <br /> I listened to the others conversing in the next room and took several deep breaths. I felt a lump start to form in my throat and quickly pushed it down. This wasn’t the time to cry. <br /> <br /> I was almost to the dining room when I heard the last part of what Kylee was saying, and again, I was left frozen at the threshold.<br /> <br /> “… our mating ceremony is in three months.” Kylee looked up at me. “Oh, Ayla, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t hold back any longer. Aren’t you happy for us?”<br /> <br /> I put the same fake smile back on. “Of course I’m happy for you,” I said. “You deserve the best.”<br /> <br /> I took my seat at the table, ignoring the fact that I was left sitting directly across from Theo. His eyes were boring into me, and my face felt like it was on fire. I started dishing out food and passing plates. I didn’t say much over dinner. Instead, I just listened to Kylee and Ma talk about all the ideas they had for the mating ceremony. Theo didn’t say much either but slowly started to do a better job hiding his discomfort with the situation. <br /> <br /> It took everything to ignore the touches they shared, pushing down the jealousy that kept surging through me. <br /> After dinner, while they were still talking, I made an excuse to slip out through the back door.<br /> <br /> I stood on the porch and took several deep breaths. I released a string of curses.<br /> “What is happening? Why is this happening? This ISN’T happening,” I whispered with the force of a yell. <br /> <br /> ‘Our mate.’ Dasha insisted.<br /> <br /> “No, he’s not,” I said back to her. “He’s Kylee’s. There must be some kind of mistake.”<br /> <br /> All of a sudden, I stiffened as a mouthwatering scent hit my nose. I knew who was standing behind me. <br /> <br /> Chapter 2: Theo<br /> I fought against the urges her scent was influencing as I stalked up to her. But more importantly, the urge to grab her and take her against the nearest tree. My wolf was going crazy about the idea, but he would learn fast that that was never going to happen. <br /> <br /> I wouldn’t accept her. <br /> <br /> Knowing what I knew about her, that would never happen. <br /> <br /> She turned to face me. <br /> <br /> “This won’t happen,” I spat out before she had a chance to speak. <br /> Her jaw clenched, and her silvery-gray eyes stared into mine for a few short moments. But I couldn’t read a thing behind them. <br /> <br /> “I absolutely agree,” she stated evenly. <br /> <br /> My wolf growled and snarled inside me, demanding to know what I was doing. I pushed down the hurt that hit me when she didn’t fight me. Her reaction just proved why this needed to be done. I could never be with someone so cold and self-absorbed as her. There was no way someone like her could ever be my Luna. <br /> <br /> ‘Don’t know her.’ Kieran yelled in my head. <br /> <br /> I knew enough. <br /> <br /> “Kylee is my mate. Not you. I, Theo Arden, future Alpha of the Greytooth Pack, reject you, Ayla Garner, as my mate and Luna.” Kieran was snapping his teeth, pushing to take control to stop this.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, accept your rejection and relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> My wolf howled in pain. A pain that was mirrored within me as it felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was the bond breaking. Releasing me from the tie that bound us together.<br /> She stood there like nothing happened. <br /> <br /> How could she stand there like nothing had happened?<br /> <br /> She really didn’t feel anything, did she? It was so easy for her to let us go.<br /> <br /> ‘Mate wants me.’<br /> <br /> I grimaced. He meant her wolf. Her wolf wanted mine. He could sense her. She was even denying her wolf. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed to get away from her. <br /> <br /> I stormed back into the house, returning to the woman the goddess should have made my mate. I returned to the dining room to find her mother and her still deep in conversation. I was grateful she hadn’t seemed to notice my absence or the change in my mood. It wasn’t surprising. She was excited about seeing her family and sharing the news with them. <br /> <br /> I had been, too, until her sister walked into the room. The scent had engulfed me, driving me to seek out the source like a lifeline. When I saw her, her beauty took my breath away. She was petit but strong, with long legs and perfect curves. She had a mass of caramel-blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face with plump lips and intense gray eyes that shined green in the light. I couldn’t help but want her. I recognized who she was to me immediately. <br /> <br /> But then I noticed her narrow nose and soft jawline were familiar. Her fair skin had a sun-kissed glow that I had always found attractive. Once I realized she had similar features to Kylee, I knew this was her sister, Ayla. <br /> <br /> Kylee had told me on many occasions how her sister had changed after the death of their father. She was there for Kylee at first, but in less than a year, she started spending all her time away from home. She ended up dropping out of the private school her parents had worked so hard to send her to. Eventually, Kylee lost track of what she was doing with her life. <br /> <br /> Kylee was there for her when she was around, trying to be supportive. But she wasn’t the sister she used to love. What bothered her most was Ayla’s treatment of their mother. Ayla still lived in the house with her, but Kylee always got the impression that helping their mother was just a burden. She worried their mother would be left with no one to take care of her, and she wasn’t in the best of health anymore. <br /> <br /> “I have an idea,” I interrupted. They both looked up at me expectantly. “Why doesn’t your mother come to stay with us for a while? At least until the ceremony? We have the room in the packhouse, and I’m sure you and my mother would appreciate the extra input.”<br /> <br /> Both their faces lit up.<br /> <br /> “Really? We can do that?” Kylee said happily. <br /> <br /> “Of course,” I said with a smile. <br /> <br /> “Thank you.”<br /> <br /> Kylee jumped up from the table and threw her arms around me, kissing me sweetly. I ignored the growls coming from Kieran. Seeing their reaction told me I had made the exact right decision. Despite what the burning in my chest told me. <br /> <br /> This was who I was supposed to be with. Not Ayla.<br /> <br /> ‘Keep saying. Maybe believe.’<br /> <br /> I told him to shut up, and he retreated into the back of my mind, cutting himself off from me. <br /> <br /> He would get over it. Once the bond was completely severed, he would understand this was the right thing for us and the pack.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3: Ayla<br /> I had managed to get myself together enough to rejoin my family. The pain that seared through me from Theo’s rejection and my subsequent acceptance almost brought me to my knees. It took all of my strength to keep my body from shaking, praying he didn’t notice the blood coming from my palms. I had clenched my fists so hard trying to stay on my feet that I broke the skin.<br /> <br /> When he finally left, I released the sob that was the only thing capable of coming out of my mouth. But I didn’t let the tears fall. Not yet. They couldn’t know. <br /> <br /> So, I steadied my breathing and went back into my house. I was surprised to find that Kylee and Ma weren’t in the dining room anymore. They weren’t in the living room either. But Theo was. <br /> <br /> “They’re in your mother’s room packing,” he said coldly.<br /> <br /> “Packing?” What was he talking about?<br /> <br /> He stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. “I think it’s best that you keep your distance from Kylee for a while. We don’t want her finding out about this. But I know she’ll want her mother to be a part of the ceremony planning. So she’s coming back with us.”<br /> <br /> I felt like he just slapped me in the face. As if I would ever tell her. That’s why I was doing this. So that I wouldn’t break my baby sister’s heart. I gave him what he wanted, and now he was going to keep me from my family?<br /> <br /> Dasha was confused and in pain, whimpering in my head because she didn’t understand how he could be so cruel to us. <br /> <br /> “If that’s what you think is best,” I said to Theo through gritted teeth. <br /> <br /> “Kylee,” he called out, not breaking eye contact. “Let’s get going.”<br /> <br /> My sister came prancing into the room. “Already?”<br /> <br /> “It’s getting late. Let’s head to the hotel for the night. We’ll swing by in the morning to pick up your mother.”<br /> <br /> “Okay,” she said brightly before turning to me. “What about you, Ayla? You’re coming with, too, right?”<br /> <br /> I opened my mouth to speak, but Theo decided to answer for me. <br /> <br /> “We were just talking about that. Ayla has some things going on with work and can’t get away.”<br /> <br /> I gave her a tight smile. “Yes, I’m sorry. But I will try to come out there as soon as I can.”<br /> <br /> “Oh, okay, I understand. But I’ll make sure we have a room ready for you whenever you can come.”<br /> <br /> “Of course. I can’t wait,” I said, my heart breaking again, knowing Theo wouldn’t allow me to be there with her. <br /> <br /> We all said our goodbyes, and they left. Ma was still standing at the window watching them drive off when I went to clean up the dishes in the kitchen. She finally came in behind me and started opening another bottle of wine. We had gone through four during dinner already. And I barely touched my glass. <br /> <br /> “Ma, you’ve had enough for the night,” I said calmly.<br /> <br /> “Oh, come on. It’s a celebration,” Ma said. “It’s not every day you find out your baby is going to be a Luna.”<br /> <br /> “Ma, you can celebrate more tomorrow. You need to finish packing,” I said, gently taking the bottle from her hand. “I’m sure Kylee and Theo will be here first thing in the morning.”<br /> <br /> “We can celebrate together while you help me pack,” she said, grabbing the bottle back from me. “Then I’ll help you pack.”<br /> <br /> I winced. This wasn’t going to end well. “I’m not coming, Ma.”<br /> <br /> She stopped with the glass halfway to her lips. “What do you mean you’re not coming?” she asked with a pout. “You have to be there. Kylee is going to be mated. I told her we would help pay for the ceremony.”<br /> <br /> I winced again. She meant me. I would be helping pay for the ceremony. Ma didn’t have a penny to her name.<br /> <br /> “This is a big deal. Don’t be so selfish, Ayla.”<br /> <br /> Her words stung, but they weren’t unexpected. This was kind of the norm when she got like this. I know she didn’t really mean it. At least, she wouldn’t mean it when she was sober. I got her into her bedroom and set her on the bed. I changed her into her nightgown and tucked her in. <br /> <br /> She was asleep in seconds. I hurried through the rest of her packing. Stuffing two large suitcases as full as I could before carrying them out to the living room. Then I locked the front door, finished the last of the dishes, and slipped out into the backyard.<br /> <br /> I stripped off my clothes as I headed for the forest, desperate to get under its protective shadows. As soon as I passed the treeline, I shifted, taking off at full speed. I let Dasha feel all the pain. I didn’t try to hold her back anymore. <br /> <br /> We would mourn the loss of our fated mate. The loss of the one person who was supposed to see us for who we were. The one person who was supposed to always put us first, without demands or expectations. We would mourn the loss of never getting to experience that.<br /> But we wouldn’t mourn him.<br /> <br /> We ran until we could barely breathe. Until Dasha stopped at the edge of our pond — our place of solace — and let out a heartwrenching howl into the night air. Shifting at the end as she retreated back into my mind, out of reach to heal her broken heart, while I let the torrent of tears finally fall.<br /> <br /> I walked into the water, curling into myself as the sobs wracked my body, intensifying the burn that was still there from our bond being ripped from my heart.<br /> <br /> I submerged myself completely, washing my body clean of Theo, the mate bond, and every dream of finding my soulmate. <br /> <br /> In the midst of this pain I drifted off to sleep.<br /> The next morning.<br /> When I made it back to the house, there was no one there. My mother had been taken away by them.<br /> I was standing in an empty room in an empty house. The silence was deafening. And it all came crashing down. I sank to my knees, begging the goddess to just let it all go away, just for a little while. I just wanted to feel numb.<br /> <br /> I lost track of how long I sat in that spot, staring without seeing. I didn’t even know Zeff was there until I felt him grip my arms.<br /> <br /> “Ayls, what happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, brushing hair out of my face, forcing me to look at him. “Ayla, what is going on?”<br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I said, the corner of my mouth tipping up mockingly. “He’s scheduled to be mated to my sister.”<br /> <br /> “What?” Zeff exclaimed, anger and concern twisting his handsome features. <br /> <br /> Zeff was a good man. He had been there for me when no one else was. He was the only person who knew everything I went through. And here he was, listening to me tell him about meeting Theo, the mating ceremony, and my rejection. Why couldn’t he have been my mate? He should have been. <br /> <br /> “Come on,” he said, lifting me up. “You’re coming to stay with me.”<br /> <br /> I didn’t protest. The goddess had given me this one little blessing. I was numb. Zeff held me up by my waist and led me out to his car. He tucked me into the passenger seat and disappeared into the house again, only to emerge a few minutes later with a duffel bag in hand. <br /> <br /> He pulled out and drove us the twenty minutes to his house. Just like before, he helped me inside, this time sitting me on the big, comfy leather couch in his living room.<br /> <br /> He came and sat next to me, putting an arm over my shoulder and pulling me into him. I let myself relax some. This was the first thing since Theo walked into my life that felt normal, felt comfortable. He leaned his head on mine, rubbing his fingers along my arm. <br /> <br /> “Ayla. You’re going to deal with this — we’re going to deal with this together. Screw him, okay. He’s a dirtbag. You deserve so much better than some fool who doesn’t see how incredible you are.”<br /> <br /> I wanted to roll my eyes, but it wasn’t just about him. <br /> <br /> “He took my family, Zeff. I would have gotten over him just rejecting me because of Kylee. At least she would be safe and happy.”<br /> <br /> “No. They either treat you like a servant or a bank. They don’t care what their actions do to you as long as they keep getting what they want."<br /> <br /> “Zeff...But they were my family” I wanted to contradict him, but I knew he was right.<br /> <br /> “Get over him.” He took a step toward me, reaching up to hold my chin. “He’s not the only one who can take care of you, Ayla. He may be foolish enough not to want you, but I’m not.”<br /> <br /> My breath caught in my throat. He had told me about his feelings before, but we both avoided going down that road with each other. We knew we could find our fated mates at any time, and we didn’t want to deny each other that. <br /> <br /> “Move in here with me, Ayls,” Zeff said. “There’s nothing stopping us now.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, you still have a mate out there somewhere.”<br /> <br /> “Ayla, stop. I’m thirty-four and well-traveled. If I was going to find her, I would have long before now. We both know that.” <br /> <br /> Suddenly his lips were on mine. I was shocked, but mostly because it felt good. I felt wanted. I kissed him back, not wanting to give that feeling up. I leaned into him — until Dasha came charging to the forefront, growling and snarling that someone who wasn’t our mate was touching us. <br /> <br /> I ripped myself from Zeff’s embrace. Breathing heavily, the pain of the severed bond renewed. I clutched my chest. <br /> <br /> “Ayla.” <br /> <br /> “I can’t. The bond. It’s still there. It hasn’t faded yet.”<br /> <br /> Zeff pulled me into his arms. “Okay. It’s okay. We can wait. We’ll take it slow.”<br /> <br /> I rested my head on his chest. “Okay.”<br /> <br /> He squeezed me tighter. I still didn’t know if we could make this work, but I wanted to try. <br /> <br /> I stayed with the Zeff, and it was quiet. Until a week later, when Theo burst in.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4: Theo<br /> It had been a week since I had gone home with Kylee. Seven days and a hundred miles away, and the bond was still there. The burning in my chest wouldn’t go away. I didn’t understand and it was annoying. <br /> <br /> More important is Kieran. He had spent the whole week giving me the silent treatment, except when Kylee was around. Then all he did was growl and snarl. It was getting exhausting. <br /> <br /> I had taken to holing up in my office most of the time. I didn’t want to snap at Kylee, or her mother, which had become hard to avoid by the third day. I was glad I had a good reason for me being so busy all of a sudden. <br /> <br /> Alpha was sick. He was diagnosed with a progressive disease almost a year ago. So, he decided it was time to hand the title down to me. It wasn’t official yet. We were planning on making the change at the same time as Kylee’s and my mating ceremony. Actually, that’s why I decided to make Kylee my official mate. Alpha’s were always stronger with a strong Luna by their side. With the circumstances of my father’s abdication, our pack needed to be as strong as possible. <br /> <br /> But there was still a lot to take care of and a lot I had to learn about being an Alpha before that time. So it wasn’t hard to convince her that it was the stress that was causing me to be distant. <br /> <br /> But this morning, I'm driving myself to Kylee's house. I promised to help her retrieve her mother's necklace, which she wanted to wear during our mating ceremony.<br /> <br /> In addition, if I couldn’t completely sever the bond between me and Ayla, Kieran could end up taking control and stop me from marking Kylee.<br /> So, once I got the necklace, I’d reject Ayla again, making sure it stuck this time, and I’d go back home.<br /> <br /> When I pulled up to the house, something twisted in my gut. When I step into the house, her invigorating scent of oranges and cloves invaded my nostrils, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as it should have been.<br /> I realize Ayla wasn't home.<br /> Instead, there was another smell in Ayla's room.<br /> The scent was male. It was faint, he wasn’t here long, but mixed in with the distinctive scent of my mate, I could pick it out anywhere. From the trail, it seemed as if he was the one who packed up her things.<br /> <br /> I stormed out of the house. Tossing the jewelry box in the passenger seat, I took my phone out and searched for the number for the publishing house Kylee said Ayla worked for.<br /> I got another address that Ayla had added to her personal profile from the receptionist.<br /> <br /> I followed the GPS to the address, pulling into the drive of a large, two-story house in a nice neighborhood. Parking half on the lawn, I didn’t even close the car door before taking the front steps two at a time. <br /> <br /> I banged on the door until I heard movement inside. A man opened it. It was the male I smelled in Ayla’s room. Before he could say anything, I lunged at him, my hands grabbing the front of his shirt and practically lifting him off the ground.<br /> <br /> “What have you done with her? I smell her all over you. Where is she?”<br /> <br /> He pushed me off him, his eyes glaring at me with recognition and disdain.<br /> <br /> “You must be Theo.”<br /> <br /> “What is going on?” Ayla’s voice floated down to me as she ran down the stairs. She froze halfway down the moment she laid eyes on me. “What are you doing here?”<br /> <br /> A silk robe hung open, revealing the shorts and cut-off tank top she wore underneath, her caramel-colored hair flowing loosely around her shoulders. She was gorgeous. And clearly not in distress. I took a step toward her as my rage grew.<br /> <br /> “What are you doing here?” I spat back. <br /> <br /> “That’s none of your concern,” the male interjected.<br /> <br /> I turned on him again, a rumbling growl emanating from my chest, my claws extending. I was ready to rip his throat out. <br /> <br /> “Stop,” Ayla yelled, coming the rest of the way down the stairs and stepping between the two of us. “Zeff, go to work.”<br /> <br /> “Absolutely not. I’m not leaving you here with him. Not in the state he’s in.”<br /> <br /> “I would never hurt her.” Kieran was ready to burst from my skin. How dare this dirtbag think we would ever lay a hand on her.<br /> <br /> “We both know that’s crap.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, I said go.” Her expression softened a little. “I’ll call you later.”<br /> <br /> She would. <br /> <br /> The Zeff guy shot me another hate-filled look before exiting out the open front door. We stood in silence until the sound of his engine faded. <br /> <br /> “Are you dating him?” <br /> <br /> Her eyes went wide, then narrowed as she took a step forward. “What I do with a male — or anyone for that matter — is none of your business.”<br /> <br /> “It isn’t.” Electricity passed through the air between us. “He has no right to put his hands on you.”<br /> <br /> “He does if I want him to,” she yelled, not only holding her ground against the alpha energy I was exuding but taking another step toward me. “I don’t belong to anyone, remember? I have no mate.”<br /> <br /> I lost it. My hand was around her neck and my mouth was on hers before I even knew what I had done. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Sparks of intense electricity shot through me, invigorating all my senses. I pushed her to open for me, my tongue seeking hers. Goddess, she tasted so good. She returned the kiss, her arousal mingling in the air. <br /> <br /> “MINE.” <br /> <br /> She pushed me off her with force.<br /> <br /> I took a step toward her again but she backed away. <br /> <br /> “Don’t you hurt Kylee like this.”<br /> <br /> “Like you care about your sister getting hurt,” I spat, but for some reason, I instantly regretted it. But I couldn’t take it back. I wouldn’t take it back.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” Pure rage radiated off of her, her eyes turning an icy blue. <br /> <br /> “You abandoned Kylee a long time ago. You disappeared all the time, leaving her alone with a mother who was struggling to keep everything together.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s face paled. Every ounce of anger seemed to drain from her instantly, that blue fire fading from her eyes. <br /> <br /> She almost went completely limp in front of me, stumbling until her back hit the wall. Her façade cracked. <br /> <br /> “That’s what she told you? She said that?” her voice was almost a whisper. <br /> <br /> Kieran was going insane in my head, telling me to shut up, to just stop talking. Urging me to stop hurting her. Because I was hurting her. I had struck a nerve, a very deep one, and I wouldn’t stop. She had to break the bond. Once and for all. If it meant I had to break her to do it, I would.<br /> <br /> “She told me everything. She told me how you would keep things from her and your mother. That you would be out at all hours of the night when you were a teenager. How you dropped out of high school, waisting the tuition your parents worked so hard for.”<br /> <br /> “What?” <br /> <br /> “I could never be with someone as cold and heartless as you.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s head snapped up. Her eyes a steely gray as she resolved herself to something I couldn’t figure out but would soon find out. <br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, reject you, Theo Arden, as my mate. I relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> I gritted my teeth as Kieran howled in my head, screaming for me not to accept it. <br /> <br /> “I, Theo Arden, accept your rejection.” The pain in my chest amplified, but I could still feel the bond. “We’ve done this before. It’s not working.”<br /> <br /> “Tell your wolf to accept it,” Ayla said with a crack in her voice. <br /> <br /> The muscles in my jaw tightened to a point I thought my teeth would shatter. The noise in my head from Kieran becoming almost unbearable.<br /> <br /> “He won’t.”<br /> <br /> “Make him,” she forced out.<br /> <br /> “I can’t.”<br /> <br /> “He doesn’t have a choice. I’ll never be with him, and neither will she,” Ayla said, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. <br /> <br /> I could feel the pain he felt. It was excruciating. I told him it would end if he just accepted, but he wouldn’t give in. He was an Alpha. He was as strong as me. I’d never overpower him on this. Ayla must have sensed my stalemate. Or her wolf did and told her because she pulled herself from against the wall, standing up straight again.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, cut my ties to Alpha Torin…”<br /> <br /> “What are you doing?” There was desperation in my voice. She couldn’t do this. I moved to stop her. <br /> <br /> “And the Greytooth Pack.”<br /> <br /> “No.” I fell to a knee, feeling the invisible tether that united pack members with their Alpha splinter. Kieran was pounding against the barriers of my control, putting all his might into taking over the shift. I knew I was on the verge.<br /> <br /> “From this day forth, I am a rogue.” She took an unsteady step toward me, silent tears rolling freely down her face. “Now get out.”<br /> <br /> She had used my father’s name. Either of our names would have worked in the limbo state we were currently in. But she used my father’s. There was nothing I could do to stop her. Nothing I could do to fight the separation. She knew exactly what she was doing. <br /> <br /> If my wolf wouldn’t sever the mate bond, she would remove herself from any control I had over her. <br /> <br /> With one final, agonizing look, she walked away, disappearing upstairs. <br /> <br /> I took in a ragged breath of air. Ayla now had until midnight to be out of our territory. If I caught her on our land after that, I would have to murder her. Mate bond or not. She was a rogue now. It was our laws. <br /> <br /> Kieran had finally gone still in my mind. <br /> <br /> ‘Mate’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Did he mean Ayla or her wolf?<br /> <br /> ‘Dasha. Mate’s name is Dasha. Dasha’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Realization hit me and panic set in. Her wolf was gone. The pain was too much. She had retreated deep into the recesses of Ayla’s subconscious. Ayla wouldn’t be able to call on her. She wouldn’t be able to shift. She wouldn’t be able to heal.<br /> <br /> She was a rogue without a wolf. She couldn’t protect herself. <br /> <br /> I had to get as far away from her as possible. <br /> <br /> I dragged myself back to my feet, forcing them to walk out the door. <br /> <br /> Chapter 5: Ayla<br /> The moment the door was closed, I sank to the floor. It was no longer sobs that escaped my body but soul-shattering screams. <br /> <br /> She said I abandoned her. <br /> <br /> Theo made it sound like I spent my teen years partying and getting into trouble. She said I dropped out of high school. <br /> <br /> She said I wasn’t a sister to her. <br /> <br /> The betrayal was soul-crushing. <br /> <br /> I had given up everything for them. <br /> <br /> I screamed and let the tears flow freely until my body ached. As soon as it felt like I could breathe without being stabbed by a red-hot dagger, I pulled myself up and started moving. I only had a few hours to get my things and get out of Greytooth territory. <br /> <br /> I had made myself a rogue. I didn’t have a pack anymore. And I had no idea where I was going to go. All the borders on this side of the territory sat right against other pack lands. To get out of one, I’d have to enter another. But it was my only option. Trying to get to unclaimed territory was too risky. I would have better luck on foreign pack land than on the land I just severed ties to. <br /> <br /> After leaving a note for Zeff, I packed up and drove away.<br /> <br /> The Greytooth Pack may not be the largest in population, but they had one of the biggest territories. The closest border crossing was nearly two hours away. And I needed to be far away before Zeff got home. I couldn’t have him tracking me down.<br /> <br /> Especially since I didn’t give him much of an explanation. <br /> <br /> But it was better this way. I wasn’t going to risk him cutting ties and going rogue as well. Because he would. He would hold Theo responsible, and he would never stay in a pack with an alpha he didn’t respect, let alone hate. This way, the note I left would have just made it seem like I got cold feet about us being together. <br /> <br /> I drove to the outskirts of town and got on the highway. From there, it was practically a straight shot to the border. I was grateful at first, but after about an hour, I realized the monotonous ride only left my mind wondering and worrying and thinking about things I didn’t need to think about. <br /> <br /> When Theo found me in the yard that first day, I had no idea what he would say. His initial reaction to our meeting had me thinking he would pursue the pairing. But then his increasingly icy demeanor throughout the evening made it seem like he was thinking along the same lines I was. He wasn’t going to hurt Kylee for someone he didn’t know. <br /> <br /> He loved her. She loved him. I had no idea who he was, nor he I. We could reject each other and just go on our way. Neither one of us would have to break Kylee’s heart. I thought he was keeping me from my family to be cruel. Or maybe to make things easier for both of us. <br /> <br /> But today, his words revealed a different motive. He didn’t reject me for Kylee. He rejected me because of her. Because he believed what she said and painted me as some coldhearted delinquent. But why? I just couldn’t figure that out. <br /> <br /> Dad died in a gas explosion along with my aunt and uncle ten years ago. I was fourteen, and Kylee was nine. Our thirteen-year-old cousin, Mina, came to live with us for a while after their deaths. Ma was hit pretty hard by the loss, so the three of us quickly started taking care of each other. We spent every spare minute with each other. Then our financial situation changed. Kylee was entirely too young, and Mina had been through enough losing both her parents for me to put that on her. So, it was up to me to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. <br /> <br /> But I was still fourteen. Finding jobs that paid enough to support a family of four at the age of fourteen was non-existent. I would need to work multiple jobs, and there just wasn’t enough time in the day. So, I approached the headmaster at my private high school and confided my situation with him. I was desperate not to drop out or risk my grades dropping and losing my scholarship. My parents didn’t pay a dime of my tuition. <br /> <br /> Headmaster Fordham was a miracle worker. He helped me test out of over eighty percent of my academic requirements by the end of my freshman year. I only had to take four summer classes to graduate a week after my fifteenth birthday. I was even able to broker a deal with him that would set the remaining three years of my scholarship fund aside for Kylee when it came time for her to attend high school. <br /> <br /> I still ended up working multiple jobs for several years. But no matter what, I always tried to be there for Kylee as much as possible. <br /> <br /> Everything I did was for her. <br /> <br /> I completely lost touch with all of my school friends. I never partied. I barely socialized. The jobs I held were really the only place that happened. But I was home to take her to school every morning, and I ensured I had at least an hour to help her with her homework almost every day. <br /> <br /> I didn’t discuss the lengths I went to with Kylee. I didn’t want her to feel bad or that it was her fault. And I didn’t want her to see what Ma was going through. She was struggling to keep any job. She was drinking daily. There were even a couple of times she racked up gambling debts that put us in some scary situations. <br /> <br /> But I never let Kylee see any of that. It was my job to protect them. <br /> <br /> There was so much more that didn’t add up with what Theo had said. But I didn’t get to think about it further. <br /> <br /> A searing pain shot through my chest, making my vision go white at the edges, blinding me to a point I almost missed the figure standing in the road before me. <br /> <br /> My heart jumped into my chest. I turned the wheel as sharp as I could, slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting them head-on. The moment I did it, I felt foolish. Within seconds, I was spinning through the air and sliding down an embankment.<br /> <br /> When the vehicle came to a stop, I was upside down. I registered the smell of blood, but everything was blurry. I didn’t feel significant pain, so I didn’t think the blood was coming from me. <br /> <br /> The person on the road!<br /> <br /> I scrambled out of the car and up the incline. Without Dasha, I couldn’t see well in the dark, but I could see a blurry figure moving toward me.<br /> <br /> “Are you okay?” I called. <br /> <br /> I didn’t catch what they were saying because I suddenly felt the world falling out from beneath my feet, and everything went dark. <br /> <br /> Chapter 6: Theo<br /> I said I would break her if that was what it took.<br /> <br /> And I certainly followed through with that.<br /> <br /> Ayla’s hard exterior had cracked and shattered before me. <br /> <br /> I had driven over an hour, and my stomach was still in knots. So much so that I had to stop to throw up at one point. Guilt tore at me. <br /> <br /> I really had been cruel to her. <br /> <br /> Especially since it turned out it wasn’t even her fault the bond hadn’t broken. She and Dasha had accepted my rejection. They had done what I needed them to do. Ayla had stayed away from Kylee and me. She hadn’t tried to be around them. From what I could tell, she hadn’t even called Kylee like she used to. And how did I repay her? By ripping her apart with every intention of doing as much damage as possible. <br /> <br /> It was my wolf that was still hanging on. It was Kieran who kept us in a constant state of heartache. Kept Ayla in a constant state of pain. <br /> <br /> And then she had to go and do something foolish and cut herself out of the pack. She was completely lost to us now. The only thing I could do was tell myself it was what I wanted. It was the only way to get rid of the temptation and put enough distance between us until Kylee and I were marked and mated and leading our pack. <br /> <br /> Every time I said it, Kieran was there to argue. <br /> <br /> By the time I pulled up to the packhouse, I was so pissed that anyone around instantly took a wide birth. My aura was probably so intense that I was making everyone physically uncomfortable, but I really didn’t care.<br /> <br /> I was going to head to my office but decided against it. Too many people had access to me there, and I really didn’t need anyone coming around. <br /> <br /> What I needed was to work off some of this rage and pent-up energy. <br /> <br /> I made a beeline for the private training room in the wing of the packhouse reserved for ranking members of the pack. I was relieved to find it empty, tugging my shirt over my head and immediately heading to the punching bag in the corner. <br /> <br /> I had worked up a sweat when Briggs entered the room. Walking over to me with his usual swagger, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall close by. He knew something was up. He had been hounding me about it since we got back from Kylee’s house. So had my mother, but I sure wasn’t going down that road.<br /> <br /> Briggs was my Beta. We had been friends since we were eight and had been through everything together since then. I didn’t think there was anything we could hide from each other. But I surely wanted to hide this from him. So I just ignored his presence.<br /> <br /> “You ready to tell me what is going on with you? Or at least, where you were today?” he said loud enough to be heard over the sound of my fists hitting the bag. <br /> <br /> “No.”<br /> <br /> “If you don’t, we’ll sedate you. Your aura is out of control right now, bro. This isn’t about you just being in a pissy mood anymore,” Briggs said with an edge to his voice that meant he was serious.<br /> I yelled as I hit the bag hard one more time. I winced as I forced my fingers through my hair. I hadn’t realized I had been breaking the skin on my knuckles. I fell back against the wall, sliding down to the floor. <br /> <br /> “You know I’m here for you, bro,” my Beta said calmly. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”<br /> I nodded. <br /> <br /> ‘Tell him.’<br /> <br /> I winced at Keiran’s demand. But I couldn’t really disagree anymore. <br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I admitted. I could feel Briggs’ eyes go wide in his head. <br /> <br /> “What do you mean you found your mate?” he took a step closer. “Please tell me you’re talking about Kylee.”<br /> <br /> I shook my head. “No. I found my fated mate.”<br /> <br /> “What. The. Fu-” He had warned me about this when I first got involved with Kylee and again when we announced our mating ceremony. “Where is she? Who is she?”<br /> <br /> “I rejected her. She’s gone.”<br /> <br /> “Theo, man, you’re really scaring me now. Why would you do that? What were you thinking?” Briggs demanded.<br /> <br /> “She’s Kylee’s sister,” I snapped. Briggs tensed up.<br /> <br /> “Ayla? As in the sister that allegedly abandoned Kylee?” <br /> <br /> His use of the word “allegedly” pissed me off and confused me a little. He really liked Kylee. They’ve always gotten along. Even when he was cautioning me about finding my mate, he told me he was happy for me. <br /> <br /> “Are you trying to say Kylee is lying?” I snapped.<br /> <br /> He made a face. “No, but I do think it’s foolish to reject your mate without all the information.”<br /> <br /> “I have all the information I need.”<br /> <br /> “No, you have Kylee’s side of the story,” Briggs said with a worried look.<br /> <br /> “And their mother’s,” I added.<br /> <br /> Briggs scoffed. “Look, Marie Garner is a nice enough lady, but I wouldn’t exactly trust her judgment.”<br /> <br /> “What are you talking about?” I asked, my own concern growing.<br /> <br /> “Bro, she’s a lush,” Briggs said with a shrug. “Not that you’ve been around enough to notice since she’s been here. I can’t tell how bad, and she seems pretty harmless. But these things often have a dark side that no one sees.”<br /> <br /> I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. The last thing I needed was any kind of doubt in my decision. <br /> <br /> “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. And Ayla’s reactions to all of this told me all I needed to know from her.” I pushed myself to my feet. <br /> <br /> “What were her reactions?” Briggs asked cautiously, and I realized my choice of words may have given away more than I intended. I knew he wouldn’t let it go unless he was sure I told him everything. <br /> <br /> “Which time?” I said quietly.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” He heard exactly what I said. “What happened, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “She never argued or fought the rejection. She agreed and accepted it the first day we met like it was nothing. She had no response, no rebuttal, no explanation,” I told him. “You have to be coldhearted to feel nothing after breaking a mate bond.”<br /> <br /> “Or extremely strong,” Briggs stated. “You said she didn’t argue or fight. Did you even give her a chance to speak or even get to know anything about her before you threw her to the curb? Or did you just walk up to her and say tough words?”<br /> <br /> I grimaced. That’s exactly what happened. “There wasn’t exactly an opportunity for that. Neither one of us wanted Kylee to find out.”<br /> <br /> The muscles in his neck flexed as he tensed. “You said ‘which time.’ When did you see her again?”<br /> <br /> “This morning.” <br /> <br /> “Why?” <br /> <br /> I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. <br /> <br /> “Kylee wanted a necklace of her mother’s that was left at their house for some appointment this week. I went back to get it.”<br /> <br /> “Okay, someone else could have done that. Why did you go?” Briggs pushed, but the words stuck in my throat. “Theo, you’re hurting. There’s no way this is as cut and dry as you’re trying to say it is.”<br /> <br /> “The bond didn’t break. Not completely.”<br /> <br /> “Goddess, Theo. So you both have been walking around with your hearts ripped open for the past week?” Briggs said. “So, what happened today? Why are you still on the edge of ripping half the pack’s throats out?”<br /> <br /> Images of that morning flashed through my head. The fear that something had happened to her when she hadn’t been home. The jealousy and rage at finding her at another male’s house. The way it felt when I kissed her. And sheer pain and anguish of everything that followed. <br /> <br /> “Theo?” Briggs pressed.<br /> <br /> “She cut her ties to the pack,” I said solemnly. “She turned herself rogue.”<br /> <br /> “Theo,” Briggs bellowed, “how could you let that happen? Why didn’t you stop her?”<br /> <br /> “She cut herself from Dad. She used his name. There was nothing I could do. I had no way of fighting it.” I was done with this conversation. “So none of this matters. It’s done. She’s gone. She’s never coming back. Doing so would be a death sentence, and she knew that.”<br /> <br /> “What have you done, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “It doesn’t matter,” I yelled. “Whatever I did or didn’t do, she never wanted me anyway. She’s not my problem anymore. So right now, I’m going to worry about cleaning up the mess she made and figure out how to tell Kylee and Marie that they’ll never see her again. And don’t you dare breathe a word about any of this to them, do you understand me?”<br /> <br /> “Okay. Okay,” Briggs said, raising his hands in the air, trying to calm me down. “You’re right. There’s nothing we can do about her now. If it’s done and over with, then it’s done and over with. We’ll move on.”<br /> <br /> I wasn’t sure he believed it, but I didn’t care. Like I said, she wasn’t my problem anymore. <br /> <br /> I went back to my room. There was a knock on my room door, and Kylee poked her head in before I had a chance to answer.<br /> “There you are, mate,” she cooed, sitting in my lap.<br /> She ran a hand up my chest, leaning in to kiss me. Kieran’s growl started immediately.<br /> I still needed to let off some steam. Anything to get some relief.<br /> I was about to respond to her when blinding pain erupted through my body.	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881,882	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881868}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	7540776935944999	🔥🔥🔥Download and search book ID: 9792	My sister's boyfriend turned out to be my mate! As he rejected me, I retaliated by cutting off all contact with the pack…<br /> Chapter 1: Ayla<br /> “Ayla, is dinner ready? No more delay. Kylee and Theo will be soon here!”<br /> “Yes, mom.” I sighed hearing my mother's impatient urging.<br /> Kylee is my little sister, and Theo is her mate as well as our future Alpha. It is said that they had been together for over a year, and today is the first Kylee has brought her mate home. I was so happy for her.<br /> Our current Alpha, Alpha Torin, was a good leader, a fair leader, and a good man. I knew he had a son, but I had never met him before.<br /> But I had heard that his son, Theo, was promising to be just as good an Alpha as his father. So I really couldn’t have been more relieved that he was my sister’s mate. She would be properly looked after and taken care of, and she would be happy.<br /> I was pulling the chicken out of the oven when I saw my mother rushing past me, excitedly shouting towards the door, “They're here.”<br /> After my father passed away, my mother had become an alcoholic. But she always managed to look presentable in front of Kylee. For example, today, she was not only dressed neatly, but even used mouthwash.<br /> <br /> I was still transferring the food when I heard the front door open and the squeals of my mother and sister as they embraced. I finished my task and moved the dishes to the dining room table that was already set neatly. I smiled at my presentation and excitedly hurried to the living room. <br /> <br /> I froze at the threshold. A scent overwhelmed my senses, causing my stomach to knot and my heart to race. <br /> <br /> The tall, broad man standing next to my sister turned toward me and we locked eyes. <br /> <br /> Mate.<br /> <br /> I practically gagged trying to stifle the word from slipping from my mouth. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> This was my sister’s mate. <br /> <br /> Not mine. <br /> <br /> This man was fated to Kylee. <br /> <br /> So why was I having this reaction?<br /> <br /> Better question…<br /> <br /> Why did HE seem to be having the same reaction?<br /> <br /> His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, and they held my gaze with a vice-like grip as he, too, seemed frozen to where he stood. <br /> <br /> Dasha, my wolf, bounced excitedly in my head, recognizing him and his wolf just as I was. It took a minute for her to understand the situation, but once she did, she started whimpering in the back of my mind.<br /> <br /> This couldn’t be happening. <br /> <br /> What was happening?<br /> <br /> I forced myself to address the situation as a whole. Fine, this was happening. Now, what is the best way to handle the situation? I wasn’t going to break my sister’s heart. Absolutely not. I wouldn’t let him either. Not right now. We’ll just get through dinner, and I’ll find a way to speak with him in private later. <br /> <br /> I cleared my throat and plastered a smile on my face.<br /> <br /> “Kylee, I’m so excited you’re home,” I said, opening my arms so she could jump into them like she had since she was little.<br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, sis,” she said. <br /> <br /> “I’ve missed you, too,” I said quietly. <br /> <br /> We separated, and she turned to the male behind her. “Theo, this is my sister, Ayla. Ayla, this is my mate, Theo.”<br /> <br /> Theo’s hands were clenched into fists, and he forced a tight-jawed smile toward me. At least I was better at faking it them him. Geesh. <br /> <br /> I nodded to him with a broad smile. I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, but at least Ma and Kylee wouldn’t notice. <br /> <br /> “It’s lovely to meet you, Theo,” I said. “Dinner is ready in the dining room. Why don’t you guys go take a seat, and I’ll be right there. I need to tend to dessert first.”<br /> <br /> “Don’t take too long,” Kylee said brightly. “We have some big news, and I don’t think I can wait much longer.”<br /> <br /> “I promise I’ll be right there,” I assured her as I rubbed her shoulder. <br /> <br /> Kylee grabbed Ma by the arm and led her to the dining room. Theo followed a few steps behind. He had to pass me to get through. Right as he approached, I turned my body to ensure we didn’t touch. He paused in front of me for a moment. I looked up to meet his eyes.<br /> <br /> There was anger, confusion, desire, and possibly even hurt reflecting in his eyes that I couldn’t help but notice were the color of honey. He had questions. I subtly shook my head at him. Hoping and silently begging that he knew we couldn’t do this here. <br /> <br /> The sound of Kylee’s laugh from the other room made me jump and then quickly retreat to the kitchen. I grabbed the homemade cheesecake from the fridge and set it on the counter for later. <br /> <br /> I listened to the others conversing in the next room and took several deep breaths. I felt a lump start to form in my throat and quickly pushed it down. This wasn’t the time to cry. <br /> <br /> I was almost to the dining room when I heard the last part of what Kylee was saying, and again, I was left frozen at the threshold.<br /> <br /> “… our mating ceremony is in three months.” Kylee looked up at me. “Oh, Ayla, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t hold back any longer. Aren’t you happy for us?”<br /> <br /> I put the same fake smile back on. “Of course I’m happy for you,” I said. “You deserve the best.”<br /> <br /> I took my seat at the table, ignoring the fact that I was left sitting directly across from Theo. His eyes were boring into me, and my face felt like it was on fire. I started dishing out food and passing plates. I didn’t say much over dinner. Instead, I just listened to Kylee and Ma talk about all the ideas they had for the mating ceremony. Theo didn’t say much either but slowly started to do a better job hiding his discomfort with the situation. <br /> <br /> It took everything to ignore the touches they shared, pushing down the jealousy that kept surging through me. <br /> After dinner, while they were still talking, I made an excuse to slip out through the back door.<br /> <br /> I stood on the porch and took several deep breaths. I released a string of curses.<br /> “What is happening? Why is this happening? This ISN’T happening,” I whispered with the force of a yell. <br /> <br /> ‘Our mate.’ Dasha insisted.<br /> <br /> “No, he’s not,” I said back to her. “He’s Kylee’s. There must be some kind of mistake.”<br /> <br /> All of a sudden, I stiffened as a mouthwatering scent hit my nose. I knew who was standing behind me. <br /> <br /> Chapter 2: Theo<br /> I fought against the urges her scent was influencing as I stalked up to her. But more importantly, the urge to grab her and take her against the nearest tree. My wolf was going crazy about the idea, but he would learn fast that that was never going to happen. <br /> <br /> I wouldn’t accept her. <br /> <br /> Knowing what I knew about her, that would never happen. <br /> <br /> She turned to face me. <br /> <br /> “This won’t happen,” I spat out before she had a chance to speak. <br /> Her jaw clenched, and her silvery-gray eyes stared into mine for a few short moments. But I couldn’t read a thing behind them. <br /> <br /> “I absolutely agree,” she stated evenly. <br /> <br /> My wolf growled and snarled inside me, demanding to know what I was doing. I pushed down the hurt that hit me when she didn’t fight me. Her reaction just proved why this needed to be done. I could never be with someone so cold and self-absorbed as her. There was no way someone like her could ever be my Luna. <br /> <br /> ‘Don’t know her.’ Kieran yelled in my head. <br /> <br /> I knew enough. <br /> <br /> “Kylee is my mate. Not you. I, Theo Arden, future Alpha of the Greytooth Pack, reject you, Ayla Garner, as my mate and Luna.” Kieran was snapping his teeth, pushing to take control to stop this.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, accept your rejection and relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> My wolf howled in pain. A pain that was mirrored within me as it felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was the bond breaking. Releasing me from the tie that bound us together.<br /> She stood there like nothing happened. <br /> <br /> How could she stand there like nothing had happened?<br /> <br /> She really didn’t feel anything, did she? It was so easy for her to let us go.<br /> <br /> ‘Mate wants me.’<br /> <br /> I grimaced. He meant her wolf. Her wolf wanted mine. He could sense her. She was even denying her wolf. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed to get away from her. <br /> <br /> I stormed back into the house, returning to the woman the goddess should have made my mate. I returned to the dining room to find her mother and her still deep in conversation. I was grateful she hadn’t seemed to notice my absence or the change in my mood. It wasn’t surprising. She was excited about seeing her family and sharing the news with them. <br /> <br /> I had been, too, until her sister walked into the room. The scent had engulfed me, driving me to seek out the source like a lifeline. When I saw her, her beauty took my breath away. She was petit but strong, with long legs and perfect curves. She had a mass of caramel-blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face with plump lips and intense gray eyes that shined green in the light. I couldn’t help but want her. I recognized who she was to me immediately. <br /> <br /> But then I noticed her narrow nose and soft jawline were familiar. Her fair skin had a sun-kissed glow that I had always found attractive. Once I realized she had similar features to Kylee, I knew this was her sister, Ayla. <br /> <br /> Kylee had told me on many occasions how her sister had changed after the death of their father. She was there for Kylee at first, but in less than a year, she started spending all her time away from home. She ended up dropping out of the private school her parents had worked so hard to send her to. Eventually, Kylee lost track of what she was doing with her life. <br /> <br /> Kylee was there for her when she was around, trying to be supportive. But she wasn’t the sister she used to love. What bothered her most was Ayla’s treatment of their mother. Ayla still lived in the house with her, but Kylee always got the impression that helping their mother was just a burden. She worried their mother would be left with no one to take care of her, and she wasn’t in the best of health anymore. <br /> <br /> “I have an idea,” I interrupted. They both looked up at me expectantly. “Why doesn’t your mother come to stay with us for a while? At least until the ceremony? We have the room in the packhouse, and I’m sure you and my mother would appreciate the extra input.”<br /> <br /> Both their faces lit up.<br /> <br /> “Really? We can do that?” Kylee said happily. <br /> <br /> “Of course,” I said with a smile. <br /> <br /> “Thank you.”<br /> <br /> Kylee jumped up from the table and threw her arms around me, kissing me sweetly. I ignored the growls coming from Kieran. Seeing their reaction told me I had made the exact right decision. Despite what the burning in my chest told me. <br /> <br /> This was who I was supposed to be with. Not Ayla.<br /> <br /> ‘Keep saying. Maybe believe.’<br /> <br /> I told him to shut up, and he retreated into the back of my mind, cutting himself off from me. <br /> <br /> He would get over it. Once the bond was completely severed, he would understand this was the right thing for us and the pack.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3: Ayla<br /> I had managed to get myself together enough to rejoin my family. The pain that seared through me from Theo’s rejection and my subsequent acceptance almost brought me to my knees. It took all of my strength to keep my body from shaking, praying he didn’t notice the blood coming from my palms. I had clenched my fists so hard trying to stay on my feet that I broke the skin.<br /> <br /> When he finally left, I released the sob that was the only thing capable of coming out of my mouth. But I didn’t let the tears fall. Not yet. They couldn’t know. <br /> <br /> So, I steadied my breathing and went back into my house. I was surprised to find that Kylee and Ma weren’t in the dining room anymore. They weren’t in the living room either. But Theo was. <br /> <br /> “They’re in your mother’s room packing,” he said coldly.<br /> <br /> “Packing?” What was he talking about?<br /> <br /> He stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. “I think it’s best that you keep your distance from Kylee for a while. We don’t want her finding out about this. But I know she’ll want her mother to be a part of the ceremony planning. So she’s coming back with us.”<br /> <br /> I felt like he just slapped me in the face. As if I would ever tell her. That’s why I was doing this. So that I wouldn’t break my baby sister’s heart. I gave him what he wanted, and now he was going to keep me from my family?<br /> <br /> Dasha was confused and in pain, whimpering in my head because she didn’t understand how he could be so cruel to us. <br /> <br /> “If that’s what you think is best,” I said to Theo through gritted teeth. <br /> <br /> “Kylee,” he called out, not breaking eye contact. “Let’s get going.”<br /> <br /> My sister came prancing into the room. “Already?”<br /> <br /> “It’s getting late. Let’s head to the hotel for the night. We’ll swing by in the morning to pick up your mother.”<br /> <br /> “Okay,” she said brightly before turning to me. “What about you, Ayla? You’re coming with, too, right?”<br /> <br /> I opened my mouth to speak, but Theo decided to answer for me. <br /> <br /> “We were just talking about that. Ayla has some things going on with work and can’t get away.”<br /> <br /> I gave her a tight smile. “Yes, I’m sorry. But I will try to come out there as soon as I can.”<br /> <br /> “Oh, okay, I understand. But I’ll make sure we have a room ready for you whenever you can come.”<br /> <br /> “Of course. I can’t wait,” I said, my heart breaking again, knowing Theo wouldn’t allow me to be there with her. <br /> <br /> We all said our goodbyes, and they left. Ma was still standing at the window watching them drive off when I went to clean up the dishes in the kitchen. She finally came in behind me and started opening another bottle of wine. We had gone through four during dinner already. And I barely touched my glass. <br /> <br /> “Ma, you’ve had enough for the night,” I said calmly.<br /> <br /> “Oh, come on. It’s a celebration,” Ma said. “It’s not every day you find out your baby is going to be a Luna.”<br /> <br /> “Ma, you can celebrate more tomorrow. You need to finish packing,” I said, gently taking the bottle from her hand. “I’m sure Kylee and Theo will be here first thing in the morning.”<br /> <br /> “We can celebrate together while you help me pack,” she said, grabbing the bottle back from me. “Then I’ll help you pack.”<br /> <br /> I winced. This wasn’t going to end well. “I’m not coming, Ma.”<br /> <br /> She stopped with the glass halfway to her lips. “What do you mean you’re not coming?” she asked with a pout. “You have to be there. Kylee is going to be mated. I told her we would help pay for the ceremony.”<br /> <br /> I winced again. She meant me. I would be helping pay for the ceremony. Ma didn’t have a penny to her name.<br /> <br /> “This is a big deal. Don’t be so selfish, Ayla.”<br /> <br /> Her words stung, but they weren’t unexpected. This was kind of the norm when she got like this. I know she didn’t really mean it. At least, she wouldn’t mean it when she was sober. I got her into her bedroom and set her on the bed. I changed her into her nightgown and tucked her in. <br /> <br /> She was asleep in seconds. I hurried through the rest of her packing. Stuffing two large suitcases as full as I could before carrying them out to the living room. Then I locked the front door, finished the last of the dishes, and slipped out into the backyard.<br /> <br /> I stripped off my clothes as I headed for the forest, desperate to get under its protective shadows. As soon as I passed the treeline, I shifted, taking off at full speed. I let Dasha feel all the pain. I didn’t try to hold her back anymore. <br /> <br /> We would mourn the loss of our fated mate. The loss of the one person who was supposed to see us for who we were. The one person who was supposed to always put us first, without demands or expectations. We would mourn the loss of never getting to experience that.<br /> But we wouldn’t mourn him.<br /> <br /> We ran until we could barely breathe. Until Dasha stopped at the edge of our pond — our place of solace — and let out a heartwrenching howl into the night air. Shifting at the end as she retreated back into my mind, out of reach to heal her broken heart, while I let the torrent of tears finally fall.<br /> <br /> I walked into the water, curling into myself as the sobs wracked my body, intensifying the burn that was still there from our bond being ripped from my heart.<br /> <br /> I submerged myself completely, washing my body clean of Theo, the mate bond, and every dream of finding my soulmate. <br /> <br /> In the midst of this pain I drifted off to sleep.<br /> The next morning.<br /> When I made it back to the house, there was no one there. My mother had been taken away by them.<br /> I was standing in an empty room in an empty house. The silence was deafening. And it all came crashing down. I sank to my knees, begging the goddess to just let it all go away, just for a little while. I just wanted to feel numb.<br /> <br /> I lost track of how long I sat in that spot, staring without seeing. I didn’t even know Zeff was there until I felt him grip my arms.<br /> <br /> “Ayls, what happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, brushing hair out of my face, forcing me to look at him. “Ayla, what is going on?”<br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I said, the corner of my mouth tipping up mockingly. “He’s scheduled to be mated to my sister.”<br /> <br /> “What?” Zeff exclaimed, anger and concern twisting his handsome features. <br /> <br /> Zeff was a good man. He had been there for me when no one else was. He was the only person who knew everything I went through. And here he was, listening to me tell him about meeting Theo, the mating ceremony, and my rejection. Why couldn’t he have been my mate? He should have been. <br /> <br /> “Come on,” he said, lifting me up. “You’re coming to stay with me.”<br /> <br /> I didn’t protest. The goddess had given me this one little blessing. I was numb. Zeff held me up by my waist and led me out to his car. He tucked me into the passenger seat and disappeared into the house again, only to emerge a few minutes later with a duffel bag in hand. <br /> <br /> He pulled out and drove us the twenty minutes to his house. Just like before, he helped me inside, this time sitting me on the big, comfy leather couch in his living room.<br /> <br /> He came and sat next to me, putting an arm over my shoulder and pulling me into him. I let myself relax some. This was the first thing since Theo walked into my life that felt normal, felt comfortable. He leaned his head on mine, rubbing his fingers along my arm. <br /> <br /> “Ayla. You’re going to deal with this — we’re going to deal with this together. Screw him, okay. He’s a dirtbag. You deserve so much better than some fool who doesn’t see how incredible you are.”<br /> <br /> I wanted to roll my eyes, but it wasn’t just about him. <br /> <br /> “He took my family, Zeff. I would have gotten over him just rejecting me because of Kylee. At least she would be safe and happy.”<br /> <br /> “No. They either treat you like a servant or a bank. They don’t care what their actions do to you as long as they keep getting what they want."<br /> <br /> “Zeff...But they were my family” I wanted to contradict him, but I knew he was right.<br /> <br /> “Get over him.” He took a step toward me, reaching up to hold my chin. “He’s not the only one who can take care of you, Ayla. He may be foolish enough not to want you, but I’m not.”<br /> <br /> My breath caught in my throat. He had told me about his feelings before, but we both avoided going down that road with each other. We knew we could find our fated mates at any time, and we didn’t want to deny each other that. <br /> <br /> “Move in here with me, Ayls,” Zeff said. “There’s nothing stopping us now.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, you still have a mate out there somewhere.”<br /> <br /> “Ayla, stop. I’m thirty-four and well-traveled. If I was going to find her, I would have long before now. We both know that.” <br /> <br /> Suddenly his lips were on mine. I was shocked, but mostly because it felt good. I felt wanted. I kissed him back, not wanting to give that feeling up. I leaned into him — until Dasha came charging to the forefront, growling and snarling that someone who wasn’t our mate was touching us. <br /> <br /> I ripped myself from Zeff’s embrace. Breathing heavily, the pain of the severed bond renewed. I clutched my chest. <br /> <br /> “Ayla.” <br /> <br /> “I can’t. The bond. It’s still there. It hasn’t faded yet.”<br /> <br /> Zeff pulled me into his arms. “Okay. It’s okay. We can wait. We’ll take it slow.”<br /> <br /> I rested my head on his chest. “Okay.”<br /> <br /> He squeezed me tighter. I still didn’t know if we could make this work, but I wanted to try. <br /> <br /> I stayed with the Zeff, and it was quiet. Until a week later, when Theo burst in.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4: Theo<br /> It had been a week since I had gone home with Kylee. Seven days and a hundred miles away, and the bond was still there. The burning in my chest wouldn’t go away. I didn’t understand and it was annoying. <br /> <br /> More important is Kieran. He had spent the whole week giving me the silent treatment, except when Kylee was around. Then all he did was growl and snarl. It was getting exhausting. <br /> <br /> I had taken to holing up in my office most of the time. I didn’t want to snap at Kylee, or her mother, which had become hard to avoid by the third day. I was glad I had a good reason for me being so busy all of a sudden. <br /> <br /> Alpha was sick. He was diagnosed with a progressive disease almost a year ago. So, he decided it was time to hand the title down to me. It wasn’t official yet. We were planning on making the change at the same time as Kylee’s and my mating ceremony. Actually, that’s why I decided to make Kylee my official mate. Alpha’s were always stronger with a strong Luna by their side. With the circumstances of my father’s abdication, our pack needed to be as strong as possible. <br /> <br /> But there was still a lot to take care of and a lot I had to learn about being an Alpha before that time. So it wasn’t hard to convince her that it was the stress that was causing me to be distant. <br /> <br /> But this morning, I'm driving myself to Kylee's house. I promised to help her retrieve her mother's necklace, which she wanted to wear during our mating ceremony.<br /> <br /> In addition, if I couldn’t completely sever the bond between me and Ayla, Kieran could end up taking control and stop me from marking Kylee.<br /> So, once I got the necklace, I’d reject Ayla again, making sure it stuck this time, and I’d go back home.<br /> <br /> When I pulled up to the house, something twisted in my gut. When I step into the house, her invigorating scent of oranges and cloves invaded my nostrils, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as it should have been.<br /> I realize Ayla wasn't home.<br /> Instead, there was another smell in Ayla's room.<br /> The scent was male. It was faint, he wasn’t here long, but mixed in with the distinctive scent of my mate, I could pick it out anywhere. From the trail, it seemed as if he was the one who packed up her things.<br /> <br /> I stormed out of the house. Tossing the jewelry box in the passenger seat, I took my phone out and searched for the number for the publishing house Kylee said Ayla worked for.<br /> I got another address that Ayla had added to her personal profile from the receptionist.<br /> <br /> I followed the GPS to the address, pulling into the drive of a large, two-story house in a nice neighborhood. Parking half on the lawn, I didn’t even close the car door before taking the front steps two at a time. <br /> <br /> I banged on the door until I heard movement inside. A man opened it. It was the male I smelled in Ayla’s room. Before he could say anything, I lunged at him, my hands grabbing the front of his shirt and practically lifting him off the ground.<br /> <br /> “What have you done with her? I smell her all over you. Where is she?”<br /> <br /> He pushed me off him, his eyes glaring at me with recognition and disdain.<br /> <br /> “You must be Theo.”<br /> <br /> “What is going on?” Ayla’s voice floated down to me as she ran down the stairs. She froze halfway down the moment she laid eyes on me. “What are you doing here?”<br /> <br /> A silk robe hung open, revealing the shorts and cut-off tank top she wore underneath, her caramel-colored hair flowing loosely around her shoulders. She was gorgeous. And clearly not in distress. I took a step toward her as my rage grew.<br /> <br /> “What are you doing here?” I spat back. <br /> <br /> “That’s none of your concern,” the male interjected.<br /> <br /> I turned on him again, a rumbling growl emanating from my chest, my claws extending. I was ready to rip his throat out. <br /> <br /> “Stop,” Ayla yelled, coming the rest of the way down the stairs and stepping between the two of us. “Zeff, go to work.”<br /> <br /> “Absolutely not. I’m not leaving you here with him. Not in the state he’s in.”<br /> <br /> “I would never hurt her.” Kieran was ready to burst from my skin. How dare this dirtbag think we would ever lay a hand on her.<br /> <br /> “We both know that’s crap.”<br /> <br /> “Zeff, I said go.” Her expression softened a little. “I’ll call you later.”<br /> <br /> She would. <br /> <br /> The Zeff guy shot me another hate-filled look before exiting out the open front door. We stood in silence until the sound of his engine faded. <br /> <br /> “Are you dating him?” <br /> <br /> Her eyes went wide, then narrowed as she took a step forward. “What I do with a male — or anyone for that matter — is none of your business.”<br /> <br /> “It isn’t.” Electricity passed through the air between us. “He has no right to put his hands on you.”<br /> <br /> “He does if I want him to,” she yelled, not only holding her ground against the alpha energy I was exuding but taking another step toward me. “I don’t belong to anyone, remember? I have no mate.”<br /> <br /> I lost it. My hand was around her neck and my mouth was on hers before I even knew what I had done. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Sparks of intense electricity shot through me, invigorating all my senses. I pushed her to open for me, my tongue seeking hers. Goddess, she tasted so good. She returned the kiss, her arousal mingling in the air. <br /> <br /> “MINE.” <br /> <br /> She pushed me off her with force.<br /> <br /> I took a step toward her again but she backed away. <br /> <br /> “Don’t you hurt Kylee like this.”<br /> <br /> “Like you care about your sister getting hurt,” I spat, but for some reason, I instantly regretted it. But I couldn’t take it back. I wouldn’t take it back.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” Pure rage radiated off of her, her eyes turning an icy blue. <br /> <br /> “You abandoned Kylee a long time ago. You disappeared all the time, leaving her alone with a mother who was struggling to keep everything together.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s face paled. Every ounce of anger seemed to drain from her instantly, that blue fire fading from her eyes. <br /> <br /> She almost went completely limp in front of me, stumbling until her back hit the wall. Her façade cracked. <br /> <br /> “That’s what she told you? She said that?” her voice was almost a whisper. <br /> <br /> Kieran was going insane in my head, telling me to shut up, to just stop talking. Urging me to stop hurting her. Because I was hurting her. I had struck a nerve, a very deep one, and I wouldn’t stop. She had to break the bond. Once and for all. If it meant I had to break her to do it, I would.<br /> <br /> “She told me everything. She told me how you would keep things from her and your mother. That you would be out at all hours of the night when you were a teenager. How you dropped out of high school, waisting the tuition your parents worked so hard for.”<br /> <br /> “What?” <br /> <br /> “I could never be with someone as cold and heartless as you.”<br /> <br /> Ayla’s head snapped up. Her eyes a steely gray as she resolved herself to something I couldn’t figure out but would soon find out. <br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, reject you, Theo Arden, as my mate. I relinquish my claim as your mate and Luna.”<br /> <br /> I gritted my teeth as Kieran howled in my head, screaming for me not to accept it. <br /> <br /> “I, Theo Arden, accept your rejection.” The pain in my chest amplified, but I could still feel the bond. “We’ve done this before. It’s not working.”<br /> <br /> “Tell your wolf to accept it,” Ayla said with a crack in her voice. <br /> <br /> The muscles in my jaw tightened to a point I thought my teeth would shatter. The noise in my head from Kieran becoming almost unbearable.<br /> <br /> “He won’t.”<br /> <br /> “Make him,” she forced out.<br /> <br /> “I can’t.”<br /> <br /> “He doesn’t have a choice. I’ll never be with him, and neither will she,” Ayla said, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. <br /> <br /> I could feel the pain he felt. It was excruciating. I told him it would end if he just accepted, but he wouldn’t give in. He was an Alpha. He was as strong as me. I’d never overpower him on this. Ayla must have sensed my stalemate. Or her wolf did and told her because she pulled herself from against the wall, standing up straight again.<br /> <br /> “I, Ayla Garner, cut my ties to Alpha Torin…”<br /> <br /> “What are you doing?” There was desperation in my voice. She couldn’t do this. I moved to stop her. <br /> <br /> “And the Greytooth Pack.”<br /> <br /> “No.” I fell to a knee, feeling the invisible tether that united pack members with their Alpha splinter. Kieran was pounding against the barriers of my control, putting all his might into taking over the shift. I knew I was on the verge.<br /> <br /> “From this day forth, I am a rogue.” She took an unsteady step toward me, silent tears rolling freely down her face. “Now get out.”<br /> <br /> She had used my father’s name. Either of our names would have worked in the limbo state we were currently in. But she used my father’s. There was nothing I could do to stop her. Nothing I could do to fight the separation. She knew exactly what she was doing. <br /> <br /> If my wolf wouldn’t sever the mate bond, she would remove herself from any control I had over her. <br /> <br /> With one final, agonizing look, she walked away, disappearing upstairs. <br /> <br /> I took in a ragged breath of air. Ayla now had until midnight to be out of our territory. If I caught her on our land after that, I would have to murder her. Mate bond or not. She was a rogue now. It was our laws. <br /> <br /> Kieran had finally gone still in my mind. <br /> <br /> ‘Mate’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Did he mean Ayla or her wolf?<br /> <br /> ‘Dasha. Mate’s name is Dasha. Dasha’s gone.’<br /> <br /> Realization hit me and panic set in. Her wolf was gone. The pain was too much. She had retreated deep into the recesses of Ayla’s subconscious. Ayla wouldn’t be able to call on her. She wouldn’t be able to shift. She wouldn’t be able to heal.<br /> <br /> She was a rogue without a wolf. She couldn’t protect herself. <br /> <br /> I had to get as far away from her as possible. <br /> <br /> I dragged myself back to my feet, forcing them to walk out the door. <br /> <br /> Chapter 5: Ayla<br /> The moment the door was closed, I sank to the floor. It was no longer sobs that escaped my body but soul-shattering screams. <br /> <br /> She said I abandoned her. <br /> <br /> Theo made it sound like I spent my teen years partying and getting into trouble. She said I dropped out of high school. <br /> <br /> She said I wasn’t a sister to her. <br /> <br /> The betrayal was soul-crushing. <br /> <br /> I had given up everything for them. <br /> <br /> I screamed and let the tears flow freely until my body ached. As soon as it felt like I could breathe without being stabbed by a red-hot dagger, I pulled myself up and started moving. I only had a few hours to get my things and get out of Greytooth territory. <br /> <br /> I had made myself a rogue. I didn’t have a pack anymore. And I had no idea where I was going to go. All the borders on this side of the territory sat right against other pack lands. To get out of one, I’d have to enter another. But it was my only option. Trying to get to unclaimed territory was too risky. I would have better luck on foreign pack land than on the land I just severed ties to. <br /> <br /> After leaving a note for Zeff, I packed up and drove away.<br /> <br /> The Greytooth Pack may not be the largest in population, but they had one of the biggest territories. The closest border crossing was nearly two hours away. And I needed to be far away before Zeff got home. I couldn’t have him tracking me down.<br /> <br /> Especially since I didn’t give him much of an explanation. <br /> <br /> But it was better this way. I wasn’t going to risk him cutting ties and going rogue as well. Because he would. He would hold Theo responsible, and he would never stay in a pack with an alpha he didn’t respect, let alone hate. This way, the note I left would have just made it seem like I got cold feet about us being together. <br /> <br /> I drove to the outskirts of town and got on the highway. From there, it was practically a straight shot to the border. I was grateful at first, but after about an hour, I realized the monotonous ride only left my mind wondering and worrying and thinking about things I didn’t need to think about. <br /> <br /> When Theo found me in the yard that first day, I had no idea what he would say. His initial reaction to our meeting had me thinking he would pursue the pairing. But then his increasingly icy demeanor throughout the evening made it seem like he was thinking along the same lines I was. He wasn’t going to hurt Kylee for someone he didn’t know. <br /> <br /> He loved her. She loved him. I had no idea who he was, nor he I. We could reject each other and just go on our way. Neither one of us would have to break Kylee’s heart. I thought he was keeping me from my family to be cruel. Or maybe to make things easier for both of us. <br /> <br /> But today, his words revealed a different motive. He didn’t reject me for Kylee. He rejected me because of her. Because he believed what she said and painted me as some coldhearted delinquent. But why? I just couldn’t figure that out. <br /> <br /> Dad died in a gas explosion along with my aunt and uncle ten years ago. I was fourteen, and Kylee was nine. Our thirteen-year-old cousin, Mina, came to live with us for a while after their deaths. Ma was hit pretty hard by the loss, so the three of us quickly started taking care of each other. We spent every spare minute with each other. Then our financial situation changed. Kylee was entirely too young, and Mina had been through enough losing both her parents for me to put that on her. So, it was up to me to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. <br /> <br /> But I was still fourteen. Finding jobs that paid enough to support a family of four at the age of fourteen was non-existent. I would need to work multiple jobs, and there just wasn’t enough time in the day. So, I approached the headmaster at my private high school and confided my situation with him. I was desperate not to drop out or risk my grades dropping and losing my scholarship. My parents didn’t pay a dime of my tuition. <br /> <br /> Headmaster Fordham was a miracle worker. He helped me test out of over eighty percent of my academic requirements by the end of my freshman year. I only had to take four summer classes to graduate a week after my fifteenth birthday. I was even able to broker a deal with him that would set the remaining three years of my scholarship fund aside for Kylee when it came time for her to attend high school. <br /> <br /> I still ended up working multiple jobs for several years. But no matter what, I always tried to be there for Kylee as much as possible. <br /> <br /> Everything I did was for her. <br /> <br /> I completely lost touch with all of my school friends. I never partied. I barely socialized. The jobs I held were really the only place that happened. But I was home to take her to school every morning, and I ensured I had at least an hour to help her with her homework almost every day. <br /> <br /> I didn’t discuss the lengths I went to with Kylee. I didn’t want her to feel bad or that it was her fault. And I didn’t want her to see what Ma was going through. She was struggling to keep any job. She was drinking daily. There were even a couple of times she racked up gambling debts that put us in some scary situations. <br /> <br /> But I never let Kylee see any of that. It was my job to protect them. <br /> <br /> There was so much more that didn’t add up with what Theo had said. But I didn’t get to think about it further. <br /> <br /> A searing pain shot through my chest, making my vision go white at the edges, blinding me to a point I almost missed the figure standing in the road before me. <br /> <br /> My heart jumped into my chest. I turned the wheel as sharp as I could, slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting them head-on. The moment I did it, I felt foolish. Within seconds, I was spinning through the air and sliding down an embankment.<br /> <br /> When the vehicle came to a stop, I was upside down. I registered the smell of blood, but everything was blurry. I didn’t feel significant pain, so I didn’t think the blood was coming from me. <br /> <br /> The person on the road!<br /> <br /> I scrambled out of the car and up the incline. Without Dasha, I couldn’t see well in the dark, but I could see a blurry figure moving toward me.<br /> <br /> “Are you okay?” I called. <br /> <br /> I didn’t catch what they were saying because I suddenly felt the world falling out from beneath my feet, and everything went dark. <br /> <br /> Chapter 6: Theo<br /> I said I would break her if that was what it took.<br /> <br /> And I certainly followed through with that.<br /> <br /> Ayla’s hard exterior had cracked and shattered before me. <br /> <br /> I had driven over an hour, and my stomach was still in knots. So much so that I had to stop to throw up at one point. Guilt tore at me. <br /> <br /> I really had been cruel to her. <br /> <br /> Especially since it turned out it wasn’t even her fault the bond hadn’t broken. She and Dasha had accepted my rejection. They had done what I needed them to do. Ayla had stayed away from Kylee and me. She hadn’t tried to be around them. From what I could tell, she hadn’t even called Kylee like she used to. And how did I repay her? By ripping her apart with every intention of doing as much damage as possible. <br /> <br /> It was my wolf that was still hanging on. It was Kieran who kept us in a constant state of heartache. Kept Ayla in a constant state of pain. <br /> <br /> And then she had to go and do something foolish and cut herself out of the pack. She was completely lost to us now. The only thing I could do was tell myself it was what I wanted. It was the only way to get rid of the temptation and put enough distance between us until Kylee and I were marked and mated and leading our pack. <br /> <br /> Every time I said it, Kieran was there to argue. <br /> <br /> By the time I pulled up to the packhouse, I was so pissed that anyone around instantly took a wide birth. My aura was probably so intense that I was making everyone physically uncomfortable, but I really didn’t care.<br /> <br /> I was going to head to my office but decided against it. Too many people had access to me there, and I really didn’t need anyone coming around. <br /> <br /> What I needed was to work off some of this rage and pent-up energy. <br /> <br /> I made a beeline for the private training room in the wing of the packhouse reserved for ranking members of the pack. I was relieved to find it empty, tugging my shirt over my head and immediately heading to the punching bag in the corner. <br /> <br /> I had worked up a sweat when Briggs entered the room. Walking over to me with his usual swagger, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall close by. He knew something was up. He had been hounding me about it since we got back from Kylee’s house. So had my mother, but I sure wasn’t going down that road.<br /> <br /> Briggs was my Beta. We had been friends since we were eight and had been through everything together since then. I didn’t think there was anything we could hide from each other. But I surely wanted to hide this from him. So I just ignored his presence.<br /> <br /> “You ready to tell me what is going on with you? Or at least, where you were today?” he said loud enough to be heard over the sound of my fists hitting the bag. <br /> <br /> “No.”<br /> <br /> “If you don’t, we’ll sedate you. Your aura is out of control right now, bro. This isn’t about you just being in a pissy mood anymore,” Briggs said with an edge to his voice that meant he was serious.<br /> I yelled as I hit the bag hard one more time. I winced as I forced my fingers through my hair. I hadn’t realized I had been breaking the skin on my knuckles. I fell back against the wall, sliding down to the floor. <br /> <br /> “You know I’m here for you, bro,” my Beta said calmly. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”<br /> I nodded. <br /> <br /> ‘Tell him.’<br /> <br /> I winced at Keiran’s demand. But I couldn’t really disagree anymore. <br /> <br /> “I found my mate,” I admitted. I could feel Briggs’ eyes go wide in his head. <br /> <br /> “What do you mean you found your mate?” he took a step closer. “Please tell me you’re talking about Kylee.”<br /> <br /> I shook my head. “No. I found my fated mate.”<br /> <br /> “What. The. Fu-” He had warned me about this when I first got involved with Kylee and again when we announced our mating ceremony. “Where is she? Who is she?”<br /> <br /> “I rejected her. She’s gone.”<br /> <br /> “Theo, man, you’re really scaring me now. Why would you do that? What were you thinking?” Briggs demanded.<br /> <br /> “She’s Kylee’s sister,” I snapped. Briggs tensed up.<br /> <br /> “Ayla? As in the sister that allegedly abandoned Kylee?” <br /> <br /> His use of the word “allegedly” pissed me off and confused me a little. He really liked Kylee. They’ve always gotten along. Even when he was cautioning me about finding my mate, he told me he was happy for me. <br /> <br /> “Are you trying to say Kylee is lying?” I snapped.<br /> <br /> He made a face. “No, but I do think it’s foolish to reject your mate without all the information.”<br /> <br /> “I have all the information I need.”<br /> <br /> “No, you have Kylee’s side of the story,” Briggs said with a worried look.<br /> <br /> “And their mother’s,” I added.<br /> <br /> Briggs scoffed. “Look, Marie Garner is a nice enough lady, but I wouldn’t exactly trust her judgment.”<br /> <br /> “What are you talking about?” I asked, my own concern growing.<br /> <br /> “Bro, she’s a lush,” Briggs said with a shrug. “Not that you’ve been around enough to notice since she’s been here. I can’t tell how bad, and she seems pretty harmless. But these things often have a dark side that no one sees.”<br /> <br /> I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. The last thing I needed was any kind of doubt in my decision. <br /> <br /> “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. And Ayla’s reactions to all of this told me all I needed to know from her.” I pushed myself to my feet. <br /> <br /> “What were her reactions?” Briggs asked cautiously, and I realized my choice of words may have given away more than I intended. I knew he wouldn’t let it go unless he was sure I told him everything. <br /> <br /> “Which time?” I said quietly.<br /> <br /> “Excuse me?” He heard exactly what I said. “What happened, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “She never argued or fought the rejection. She agreed and accepted it the first day we met like it was nothing. She had no response, no rebuttal, no explanation,” I told him. “You have to be coldhearted to feel nothing after breaking a mate bond.”<br /> <br /> “Or extremely strong,” Briggs stated. “You said she didn’t argue or fight. Did you even give her a chance to speak or even get to know anything about her before you threw her to the curb? Or did you just walk up to her and say tough words?”<br /> <br /> I grimaced. That’s exactly what happened. “There wasn’t exactly an opportunity for that. Neither one of us wanted Kylee to find out.”<br /> <br /> The muscles in his neck flexed as he tensed. “You said ‘which time.’ When did you see her again?”<br /> <br /> “This morning.” <br /> <br /> “Why?” <br /> <br /> I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. <br /> <br /> “Kylee wanted a necklace of her mother’s that was left at their house for some appointment this week. I went back to get it.”<br /> <br /> “Okay, someone else could have done that. Why did you go?” Briggs pushed, but the words stuck in my throat. “Theo, you’re hurting. There’s no way this is as cut and dry as you’re trying to say it is.”<br /> <br /> “The bond didn’t break. Not completely.”<br /> <br /> “Goddess, Theo. So you both have been walking around with your hearts ripped open for the past week?” Briggs said. “So, what happened today? Why are you still on the edge of ripping half the pack’s throats out?”<br /> <br /> Images of that morning flashed through my head. The fear that something had happened to her when she hadn’t been home. The jealousy and rage at finding her at another male’s house. The way it felt when I kissed her. And sheer pain and anguish of everything that followed. <br /> <br /> “Theo?” Briggs pressed.<br /> <br /> “She cut her ties to the pack,” I said solemnly. “She turned herself rogue.”<br /> <br /> “Theo,” Briggs bellowed, “how could you let that happen? Why didn’t you stop her?”<br /> <br /> “She cut herself from Dad. She used his name. There was nothing I could do. I had no way of fighting it.” I was done with this conversation. “So none of this matters. It’s done. She’s gone. She’s never coming back. Doing so would be a death sentence, and she knew that.”<br /> <br /> “What have you done, Theo?”<br /> <br /> “It doesn’t matter,” I yelled. “Whatever I did or didn’t do, she never wanted me anyway. She’s not my problem anymore. So right now, I’m going to worry about cleaning up the mess she made and figure out how to tell Kylee and Marie that they’ll never see her again. And don’t you dare breathe a word about any of this to them, do you understand me?”<br /> <br /> “Okay. Okay,” Briggs said, raising his hands in the air, trying to calm me down. “You’re right. There’s nothing we can do about her now. If it’s done and over with, then it’s done and over with. We’ll move on.”<br /> <br /> I wasn’t sure he believed it, but I didn’t care. Like I said, she wasn’t my problem anymore. <br /> <br /> I went back to my room. There was a knock on my room door, and Kylee poked her head in before I had a chance to answer.<br /> “There you are, mate,” she cooed, sitting in my lap.<br /> She ran a hand up my chest, leaning in to kiss me. Kieran’s growl started immediately.<br /> I still needed to let off some steam. Anything to get some relief.<br /> I was about to respond to her when blinding pain erupted through my body.	LEARN_MORE	https://storyaholic.readlife.mobi/5u0sht3im00.html	100972718815811	Holic of novels	https://facebook.com/100071831618482	1,881	1	1,347,470,355,963,946	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	1	Learn more	Holic of novels	120207725478620731	storyaholic.readlife.mobi	NONE	video		https://storyaholic.readlife.mobi/5u0sht3im00.html	2024-03-29 04:15	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433137032_3839452246300791_4756323436304492233_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=-Ssd5UYKENwAX8ErntQ&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfAfyPuILVOvrdjGfD6md2vaKewE0J-WH5XcFihOD8117g&oe=660FA4F7	person_profile	Holic of novels	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434292215_1809402983215701_1482726674274511567_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=4juZa2upNCoAX98xgkt&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfDVDBCMQ9D3PfWe97raF6U6-dVr4Kw_d66aGV4crmNKCQ&oe=660FA9DC	3	Holic of novels	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,924	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	651335377118828	🤯 Sciatica Sufferer Finds True Relief! 🙌	How can you tell if it's sciatica or just a tight hamstring? Check out this video.<br /> <br /> Meet Avinesh: A patient who walked in burdened with sciatica that disrupted his everyday activities. Through comprehensive full-spine digital X-rays, Dr. Jerry pinpointed the root cause—a 6th lumbar joint. By addressing this specific issue, Avinesh not only found relief from pain but also regained mobility and enjoyed improved sleep quality.<br /> <br /> Suffering from lower back pain? Let us help! Discover the true source of your discomfort and move from merely coping to completely eliminating it.<br /> <br /> Learn more about how we've helped 5,000+ patients:<br /> <br /> ⭐️ Call us at (925) 448-9418<br /> ️⭐️ Visit us at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.interoconcord.com%2F&h=AT3glGCMP4PiY4_l9eYQrvxyKE4qHHqRqmyD7wIF9jkNeJycJSxyHN0ChTCr9mHdPxNHzmu593Kv7PN4k1yN-5J8s8gblJgnrkTmnsAKTnaKKKytbCsQEZpPBYqUrZIjxHjypeQGLsinhnOTfXlHKVRPRVg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://www.interoconcord.com/</a><br /> <br /> 📍Intero Chiropractic Concord<br /> 1390 Willow Pass Road, Suite 190<br /> Concord, CA<br /> <br /> 📍Looking for Another Location?<br /> Find us in Pleasanton, Brentwood, Fremont, San Mateo, and San Jose!<br /> <br /> Disclaimer: Results may vary from patient to patient.	LEARN_MORE	https://www.interoconcord.com/	755886301140027	Intero Chiropractic	https://facebook.com/interochiropractic	4,513	1	388,380,043,994,887	2024-03-29 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn more	Intero Chiropractic	120207020128770384	www.interoconcord.com	NONE	video		https://www.interoconcord.com/	2024-03-29 10:35	https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434728414_778783373840266_2897918132866584414_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=SOUN9X5nVP4AX9kf52g&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfBQ8vXGC-gFVLqZcimhF34RBoQmdfc093rruc8R8YWUYQ&oe=660F9F78	person_profile	Intero Chiropractic \| SF Bay Area Gonstead Chiropractors	https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434731842_1781173822392004_8615424842481981674_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=u_X9-iKZwSwAX8GjeHZ&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfCLx3uYbQ3UPB4ZDPXQwdl8tqZZKx83Kz6s1wAGZ7NbAg&oe=660FA48D	3	Intero Chiropractic	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,831	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881783}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	1142838273834087	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	"He thought his lovely wife had arranged a romantic bedroom rendezvous on their anniversary. But when he took off his pants and cracked the Johnny package, he found an 8-times folded divorce agreement inside..."<br /> "I said I had a surprise for you. Here it is!"<br /> "Let's get a divorce."<br /> "Good for you, Briana. Don't you regret it!"<br /> After that, Scott slammed the door shut and left.<br /> That night, Briana packed her things with only one suitcase.<br /> She decided to be herself not the CEO's Poor betrayed wife.<br /> ————————<br /> Today marked the wedding anniversary of Briana Fabre and Scott Fisher.<br /> Briana: Come home early tonight. I've got a surprise for you, something you'll absolutely love :)<br /> After sending the text, Briana set her phone down and returned to the kitchen, intending to prepare a homemade dinner for Scott.<br /> A maid said in admiration, "Madam, you two are so much in love."<br /> Briana gave a wistful smile but said nothing.<br /> Love? Scott and her?<br /> At the beginning, Scott married Briana out of obligation. Over the three years since they tied the knot, Scott never lacked female company. He would come home twice a month at most and every intimate encounter with her was like a routine, rough and devoid of any tenderness.<br /> A week ago, as Briana was choosing a gift for their upcoming third anniversary, Scott's lover Krista Owens suddenly showed up with a pregnancy test report.<br /> With a triumphant air, Krista declared, "I'm pregnant. You should leave Scott to me."<br /> The moment she saw the report, compromise and self-deception, everything Briana had endured over the past three years overwhelmed her.<br /> At 7 PM, Scott arrived home, and the discreet servants made their exit.<br /> Briana had just set the table when Scott's warm breath enveloped her from behind. He held her chin and turned her head for a forceful peck.<br /> She paused for a moment but quickly pushed him away.<br /> Scott's arms encircled her waist, and he pinched her chin with his long fingers. Squinting his eyes, he said indifferently, "You want me back for a good fk, don't you?"<br /> Briana explained, "No. Today is our third anniversary. And I do have a gift for you."<br /> Scott released her and replied in a sarcastic tone, "A gift? Since when did we start to celebrate anniversaries?"<br /> Briana pursed her lips, remaining silent.<br /> She poured beverage for both of them.<br /> Lifting her glass, she said, "Here's to our third anniversary. Cheers."<br /> Bathed in the soft light, Scott's features stood out, his chiseled jawline and straight nose cutting a sharp contrast against the backdrop. His pursed lips hinted at his dissatisfaction with this anniversary dinner for only the two of them.<br /> Briana chuckled, not expecting him to respond. She picked up her glass and gulped it in one go.<br /> After finishing the first glass, she started the second one, then the third...<br /> Before long, Briana's face was flushed from drinking. Despite seeing a smile on her face, Scott couldn't ignore the watery glint in her eyes.<br /> He sensed something was off about Briana today.<br /> At the end, Briana had had too much and was a bit tipsy. Leaning on the table and gazing at the man across from her, whose expression remained unchanged, she drawled, "Scott Fisher, can't you c*k a little smile for me even today?"<br /> Scott stared at the groggy woman and lost his tongue.<br /> "Briana, when did you become so boring?"<br /> Briana rested her head on the table, forcing a wry smile. "Scott, you can't even give me a smile... This is our last..."<br /> Scott didn't want to waste any more time here. He lifted her up and carried her to the sofa.<br /> "Wait, my gift..."<br /> Scott withdrew his hand, turned around, and silently watched her.<br /> Briana's cheeks flushed. Her innocent and shimmering eyes gazed up at him.<br /> Scott swallowed hard. He had to admit the person before him was stunningly hot. She possessed enough allure that could make any man's heart race.<br /> Otherwise, he wouldn't have fallen into her trap in the first place.<br /> Her lips which were painted by the color of the beverage looked crimson and luscious.<br /> As her hands slipped under his shirt, he uncontrollably lifted her chin, pressing his lips onto hers for a French peck.<br /> Briana winced, letting out a gasp.<br /> She bit his lip, causing the taste of blood to spread between their lips.<br /> The peck was like a game. Whoever wins dominates the other.<br /> Just as Scott was about to fetch the protection box from the bedside table, Briana's voice interrupted him. "Scott, happy anniversary! Let's get a divorce."<br /> The man on top of her froze.<br /> "What did you just say?"<br /> ...<br /> Briana knew he had heard her perfectly, yet she repeated firmly, "Let's get a divorce."<br /> Scott cooled down in an instant. Getting up from her, he asked in an icy tone, "How much do you want this time?"<br /> She was always like this, resorting to any means and tactics for money.<br /> "None."<br /> Briana took out a divorce agreement from under the pillow and passed it to him. "Look at this. If you have no problem with it, you may sign."<br /> Scott's face turned gloomy. "Briana, you better cut it out. I'm not interested in your boring games!"<br /> "I said I had a surprise for you. Here it is!"<br /> Briana handed the divorce agreement to Scott.<br /> Scott looked at her with an expressionless face. For no reason, he found her smile oddly unsettling.<br /> Scott pursed his lips. After a few seconds, he asked, "Are you serious?"<br /> Briana nodded, "Yeah. Do you like the gift?"<br /> "Good for you, Briana. Don't you regret it!"<br /> After that, Scott slammed the door shut and left.<br /> That night, Briana packed her things with only one suitcase.<br /> She didn't take anything that Scott had bought for her.<br /> And their third anniversary would be their divorce day.<br /> When Scott looked back on it later, he would surely celebrate this glorious day.<br /> It might be the most satisfying thing she had done for him during their marriage.<br /> Sitting in the cab, Briana watched the passing views outside. She suddenly felt a sense of relief.<br /> Though she had been a CEO's wife for three years, now she was going back to her own version of the slums.<br /> "You asked for a divorce?! Jesus! Just why?" Kaylee Graham bombarded Briana with questions.<br /> After she left, Briana came to her best friend's place with her luggage.<br /> Briana calmly explained, "Krista's pregnant."<br /> "And you didn't even ask Scott for a cent?" Kaylee was furious upon hearing Briana's answer.<br /> Briana shrugged, seemingly indifferent to her question.<br /> "Nope."<br /> "Are you out of your mind? You've been married to Scott for three years, and now he's cheating on you. It's his fault! You should at least demand half of his fortune..."<br /> While Kaylee vented her frustrations on Briana's behalf, Briana was immersed in her memories.<br /> Scott was forced to marry her because she was pregnant.<br /> That was why Scott harbored so much resentment toward her.<br /> Briana thought Scott now had Krista with him, who was carrying his child, so there was no point for her to stick around.<br /> Kaylee exclaimed in fury, "It's not the same. When you married Scott, he was single. But Krista, she clearly knew Scott was married. She's completely a home-wrecker!"<br /> "It doesn't matter anymore," Briana replied.<br /> "Anyway, he was forced to marry me. After divorce, I owe him nothing."<br /> The divorce agreement was placed on Scott's desk the next afternoon, with Briana's flamboyant signature on the last page, seemingly to be a threat.<br /> Calvin Lynn noticed his boss' face grow colder. So he stepped forward and said, "Mr. Fisher, I confirmed with the staff of Starlake Mansion. Ma'am moved out last night. Apart from her personal belongings, she took nothing."<br /> Scott tightened the grip on the agreement, tossing it on the table.<br /> "She wants nothing? Is this another hard-to-get game?"<br /> Calvin stayed silent. After all, he didn't marry Briana. How could he know what games they were playing?<br /> Scott had no intention of getting any useful answers from his assistant so he said calmly, "Leave me alone."<br /> Taking a couple of steps away, Calvin turned back at Scott. "Mr. Fisher, the necklace you order in Paris has arrived. How..."<br /> It was Scott's gift for Briana for their anniversary, but now it seemed utterly useless.<br /> "Throw it away!" Scott replied indifferently.<br /> Calvin responded, "I see."<br /> After Calvin exited the office, Scott picked up the divorce agreement again. His gaze fell on Briana's signature. A cold sneer gradually emerged on his face.<br /> To Scott, Briana was someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She begged him for help at Dusk Club and then feigned pregnancy to force him into marriage.<br /> How could a woman with such malicious intentions suddenly have a change of heart?<br /> She just had a target.<br /> Scott crumpled the paper in his hand and tossed it into the trash bin.<br /> ...<br /> Briana waited at home for several days, but she didn't get Scott's call, neither were her texts to him read.<br /> She was going to find Scott in Dusk Club, a place he frequented.<br /> However, instead of running into Scott, she crossed paths with Scott's soon-to-be wife, Krista.<br /> Krista saw Briana. She walked over with a sneer and said in a mocking tone, "Haven't you given up yet? Are you looking for Scott here?"<br /> Briana shot a cold glance at Krista and said nothing.<br /> Emboldened by Briana's silence, Krista continued to shout, "Shame on you! I told you I'm pregnant, and you still refuse to let go of Scott, don't you?!"<br /> "Miss, let me remind you one thing. You're the one who interfered in my marriage. You're the third party."<br /> Briana's remarks left Krista stunned for several seconds before her face turned pale with anger. Krista raised her hand, intending to give Briana a good slap.<br /> Briana grabbed Krista's wrist and delivered a crisp slap in return.<br /> "I didn't say anything before because you are conceiving Scott's child. But that doesn't mean you can flaunt it in front of me again and again. Are you really that proud of being a mistress?"<br /> Briana's slap attracted the attention of many people around them.<br /> Krista suddenly felt ashamed. She tried to pull her hand back, but she couldn't match Briana's strength.<br /> Krista shouted, "That's nonsense! I'm not the mistress. I should have been Scott's wife! He's disgusted by you!"<br /> "I'm still Scott's legal wife. The kid you're carrying is evidence of his infidelity. If I decide to sue him, it will lead to him leaving with nothing!"<br /> Krista stared at Briana in disbelief. "I dare you..."<br /> "You can try."<br /> Despite being in the scorching heat of summer, the voice coming behind them sent chills down their spine.<br /> Briana hesitated for a moment, slowly releasing the hand she held on Krista's.<br /> Krista immediately rushed to Scott's side, covering her swollen face, tears coming out of her eyes, looking pitiful.<br /> Scott's gaze landed on Krista and then Briana. With his eyes cold, he uttered aloofly, "Do you need a lawyer?"<br /> Briana forced a smile. "Don't bother."<br /> She couldn't afford to hire a lawyer for a legal case that would not only be time-consuming and energy-draining but could also entangle her in a mess.<br /> He just wanted Krista to be scared.<br /> Scott took a step toward Briana and whispered to her, "So, 'leave with nothing' in the divorce agreement refers to me, huh?"<br /> Briana looked up and saw the mockery in his eyes. She immediately understood his implication and tried to explain, "It's not like that. I..."<br /> "Money can't satisfy your ambitions anymore. What you want is the entire Fisher Group now, right?"<br /> "Briana, don't you think you're being too cocky? If I do sign the agreement, what about your great plan?"<br /> Briana met his sarcastic gaze and smiled, "Then please sign it as soon as possible."<br /> Scott's voice turned icy. "What's your plan after that? Use the divorce agreement as evidence to sue me?"<br /> Briana maintained her smile. "Mr. Fisher, you're overthinking about it. Can't we just give each other a break? If you're still worried, I can write you a guarantee. I promise I won't ask you single cent for any reason or under any pretext. Is that okay?"<br /> Scott didn't expect Briana to be so decisive, as if she was eager to get rid of him. He furrowed his brows.<br /> Briana withdrew her gaze and quickly left without looking back.<br /> "Scott, she's so intractable. You should just divorce her..." Krista glanced at Briana's back with a scornful smile creeping to her lips.<br /> Scott looked back, scanning the person in front of him. He said, "Are you...out of your mind?"<br /> Krista was startled, unsure which part of her words offended him.<br /> Scott continued, "I didn't know you're pregnant."<br /> Krista nervously clutched her dress with both hands, stuttering for a while before saying, "I-I heard you hate her, Mr. Fisher. So, I um found an excuse and forced her to divor..."<br /> Wearing a scowl on his face, Scott interrupted, "I know what you're up to. Having Briana play such a dirty trick is enough. I don't wanna hear another rumor like that again, otherwise you know the consequences."<br /> Krista bit her lip, not daring to utter another word.<br /> After Scott left, Krista's friends finally breathed a sigh of relief. They approached and asked, "Kris, isn't Mr. Fisher your boyfriend? How can he talk to you like that?"<br /> Krista's face turned extremely pale. Scott had taken her to many social events recently, and he didn't even stop the rumors about their relationship, so she naturally assumed she became his kept woman.<br /> That was why she had the nerve to ask Briana to make room for her, even going so far as to forge a pregnancy test report.<br /> However, it seemed that Scott didn't take her that seriously...<br /> That night, Krista further inquired about the hidden stories of Scott and Briana's marriage.<br /> Three years ago, Briana's father had incurred high debts and couldn't afford to repay them. So the debtors sold Briana to Dusk Club. After she managed to escape, Briana met Scott and begged him for his help.<br /> Unexpectedly, two months later, Briana showed up at Scott's place with a pregnancy test report. The prestigious Fishers valued their reputation and didn't want any scandals. Coupled with her pregnancy, they asked Scott to marry Briana.<br /> Less than two months into the marriage, Briana suffered a sudden miscarriage.<br /> Scott was sure the whole thing was staged by Briana. First she was drugged at Dusk Club, then she met him and faked the pregnancy--all the endeavor was her elaborate designs only to marry him.<br /> ...<br /> Briana waited for a few days but still got no response from Scott.<br /> What happened at Dusk Club that day gave her every reason to suspect that Scott's reluctance to divorce was a deliberate attempt to thoroughly disgust her. He wanted to subject her to mockery and the shame of being cuckolded. It was a retaliation for her past actions.<br /> While Scott had the patience to drag things out, Briana couldn't afford to continue this stalemate. Her initial plan was to finalize the divorce proceedings before making future plans. But now, she didn't want to sit idly by and decided to move on.<br /> Hearing Briana's plan of looking for a job, Kaylee perked up. "Why not join our magazine? We're expecting excellent designers to build our own brands."<br /> Briana hesitated. "Can I? I haven't produced any work over the past three years."<br /> "Darling, you've got it. No harm giving it a shot, right?"<br /> Convinced, Briana nodded. "Alright."<br /> Kaylee, a fast executor, put it into action right away. The very next day, she came to GioJewelry Magazine with Briana's work from three years ago.<br /> Elian Berks, the editor-in-chief, fixed his gaze on the signature of the works after reviewing them. After a pause, he asked, "Is Bria your friend?"<br /> Bria was Briana's alias as a designer.<br /> "Yeah, she's really talented, and her work is imbued with a distinctive flair. I'm sure she will surprise us."<br /> Elian was well aware of Bria's prowess. She was a rising star in the industry that disappeared at the peak of her career.<br /> Some said she ran out of inspiration after winning an award and couldn't create anything anymore. Others claimed she married into wealth, leading a secretive life afterward.<br /> There were all sorts of rumors about her sudden disappearance.<br /> No one anticipated that after three years, when she had faded from everyone's memory, she would make a comeback.<br /> Elian suggested, "Is she available tonight? Let's grab a meal together."<br /> Kaylee grasped the optimistic implication and accepted the invitation on behalf of Briana.<br /> During the meal, Briana had a great chat with Elian.<br /> Elian expressed that, given Briana's design skills, they could sign her up directly.<br /> Before leaving the restaurant, Kaylee took Briana to the restroom.<br /> While washing her hands, Kaylee said, "Great! You made it!"<br /> Though surprised at how smoothly things were going, Birana still had some worries. "I'm afraid my designs might not satisfy your boss."<br /> "Darling, believe in yourself! You were once the first-place winner in a design competition! This is a rare opportunity for you, just seize it. You heard what Elian said, didn't you? Just relax and be yourself."<br /> As Kaylee concluded her words, the sound of high heels echoed from the entrance.<br /> The next moment, Krista appeared before them.<br /> Seemingly caught off guard by the unexpected encounter, both parties paused for a moment. Krista disdainfully snorted while saying, "Why on earth I can see you everywhere?"<br /> Briana grabbed a piece of tissue to dry her hands, replying without expression, "If you want a beating, I can do you a favor. No need to beat around the bush."<br /> "You..."<br /> After their previous encounter, Krista had already accepted the facet that she was no match for Briana. Now, as she found herself outnumbered two to one, she felt certain that her chances of success were slim to none.<br /> Thus, she resorted to a verbal battle. With a cynical tone, she retorted, "Briana, do you have no shame? Shall I remind you of the dirty tricks you played to marry Scott? Don't pretend to be superior to me!"<br /> Just as Kaylee was about to refute, Briana grabbed her wrist.<br /> Calmly looking at Krista, Briana asked, "Did Scott tell you that?"<br /> It was evident that Krista was a woman of no wisdom. She hadn't brought up this matter in their previous encounters, so judging from her current smug state, Briana knew Krista had only just learned about it.<br /> "Yeah, he said you make him sick. Meeting you at Dusk Club is the biggest regret of his life!"<br /> Noticing Briana's expressionless face, Krista suddenly realized she might have gone too far. Cautiously, she took a step back.<br /> To her surprise, Briana stayed put, displaying no inclination to engage in a confrontation or resort to violence. She simply calmly turned and walked away.<br /> Observing this, Kaylee followed Briana.<br /> "Honey, forget it. No point in getting mad over those two bastards..."<br /> Before Kaylee could finish her sentence, she saw Scott, the man she had labeled as a "Jerk", standing not far ahead and engaged in a casual conversation with someone.<br /> But Briana acted as if she hadn't seen him, walking toward his direction without batting an eyelid.<br /> Scott's friend, Jerry Parker, who was standing nearby, sensed a subtle but escalating tension from behind. Turning around, he exclaimed, "Isn't that your wife? What's she doing here?"	LEARN_MORE	https://a.read4funs.com/ad/ZmFuY3lOb3ZlbC8xMzY3OTk	123823310705302	ForFun-100	https://facebook.com/100094441775812	85	1	389,157,507,366,012	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn more	ForFun-100	120209149242620361	a.read4funs.com	NONE	video		https://a.read4funs.com/ad/ZmFuY3lOb3ZlbC8xMzY3OTkvMjAyNDAzMjkxNTAyNTMvcGFnZQ==?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-03-29 02:08	https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434754784_940218987772447_7371805641881483349_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=bL00nPmyw5gAX-Vw7Md&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=00_AfAFbILgit93V0POZXp0QiXFGiJVcdjXWU4Pile4US3dDg&oe=660F9924	person_profile	ForFun-100	https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434757257_7030038210457213_7876254019910959029_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=R-rUrZAuxKwAX_Z8wjN&_nc_oc=AdhukTJAhtq9nVvW9-GsonieD9f_LGlFuBtSMUs0NtCJHp3nnxGybxRUjIJsvY_5EIQ&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=00_AfAboN3wOeNwYOG0EFRy9ajvt1uEPIFP-NJ-63nBSxc9Iw&oe=660F99AE	3	ForFun-100	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
880,990	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":880991}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	332260316516671	best vitamin to alleviate sciatic nerve pain? (take 2 & watch)	"𝐈'𝐦 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤'𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐄, 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞! 😍😍"	WATCH_MORE	https://sciatiease.com/fb/bestemnhju/?ad_id={{ad.i	100422331945056	Health Report News	https://facebook.com/100076274320152	13,924	7	393,117,493,306,367	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Watch more	Health Report News	120208885045830608	sciatiease.com	NONE	video	best vitamin to alleviate sciatic nerve pain? (take 2 & watch)	https://sciatiease.com/fb/bestemnhju/?ad_id={{ad.id}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&campaign_name={{campaign.name}}&source={{site_source_name}}&placement={{placement}}&cpid=5d90f541-6540-405d-b473-3bd19ab37658&lpid=8c7a8409-6ad8-4dd1-99a0-1609116bdd3e	2024-03-28 09:37	https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433113530_260266200483610_3406841794838680939_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=oCHoL5fOsAAAX-Xo9vJ&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-2.xx&oh=00_AfAU9S_o8xtsLtDzx0g_BEGYYzwb8Xq1aYtjMGZ750WBlA&oe=660F896C	person_profile	Health Report News	https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433139113_1114571396629737_1059269982345176161_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=7E88MybGSpcAX9ewsFm&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-2.xx&oh=00_AfCmJ7oCjaa14wCTfb1RHyu0Vmvm4xeMY2udZAcln-h1Yw&oe=660F86E5	3	Health Report News	2024-03-30 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,657	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881658}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	812123174066042	End the Tingling and Burning	🛑END YOUR NEUROPATHY PAIN SYMPTOMS🛑 We are taking appointments right now for a ground-breaking treatment for NEUROPATHY. 🛑STOP WITH USELESS MEDICATIONS AND CREAMS ⏰Time to get your life back! Our Patients USED to Suffer from… 💊Numbness and tingling in their hands and feet 💊Pins and needles in their hands and feet 💊Sensitivity to touch 💊Burning and constant, “foot falling asleep” feeling 💊Trouble walking 💊Inability to stand for prolonged periods of time with periodic falling Click “Learn More” below to Schedule: ⬇️ Come learn about our treatment options! Click “Learn More” to schedule a Free life-changing Neuropathy Pain Relief Consultation!!! (Normally $250). Our Free consultation evaluates your fit for our office and the necessity of a neurological exam to qualify you for our 96% success rate protocol. We will only take on a case if we think we can help. Click “Learn More” below to Schedule: ⬇️	LEARN_MORE	https://montevideooffer.com/neuropathy	127295977136336	Dr. Brock Madsen DC	https://facebook.com/61551639902362	115	1	1,135,710,127,655,662	2024-03-29 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn More	Dr. Brock Madsen DC	120208386599680728	montevideooffer.com	NONE	dco	Step into a Neuropathy-Free 2024!	https://montevideooffer.com/neuropathy	2024-03-29 14:36	https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434380146_1833645850421296_3572786163424493734_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Xufh4sJOd50AX_xvw5F&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=00_AfCZMBVD-DW-0b4qxoMoh9tHGLE7Tv0GW0YCeVEHqi-UQA&oe=660FA132	person_profile			3	Dr. Brock Madsen DC	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,894	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881893}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	975652500788539	Demystify Your Diagnosis: Join Our Parkinson's Miracle Webinar!	Ready to uncover the truth behind your Parkinson's diagnosis? Register now to learn about the 5 myths your doctor won't disclose!	LEARN_MORE	https://e4l-centers.com/4-2024-webinar-registratio	102583569093256	Energy4Life Centers	https://facebook.com/energy4lifecenters	334	0	0	2024-03-31 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn more	Energy4Life Centers	6523296504894	e4l-centers.com	NONE	video	Delve into the truths of your Parkinson's diagnosis in our webinar. Discover the hidden realities and myths your doctor may not reveal. Register now to unveil the truth!	https://e4l-centers.com/4-2024-webinar-registration	2024-03-29 10:49	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434123436_944082731051989_8421606834865689481_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zVuhMXYQ3CoAX-kVO6Z&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBDle1u-eMmmb6OY31Mt0Qq0DFLiOgLtgAic1yUsABTLQ&oe=660FA125	person_profile	Energy4Life Centers - Park City	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434401640_425945656477555_4263773282228361769_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=xSFpsIxRaKcAX-W-c0h&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDWQRzsAi85KA_6kaXv1xYzB-nLmZMznwCVDW3B-kRFdA&oe=660FA56F	3	Energy4Life Centers	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,178	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881171}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	953795896116862	𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑏𝑦𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛 5 𝑚𝑖𝑛?	"𝐈'𝐦 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤'𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐄, 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞! 😍😍"	WATCH_MORE	https://sciatiease.com/fb/bem2/?ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad	281415728381640	Say Goodbye to Sciatic Nerve Pain?	https://facebook.com/61557461678633	5,381	23	1,596,818,111,107,175	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Watch more	Say Goodbye to Sciatic Nerve Pain?	120208892246340608	sciatiease.com	NONE	video	sold out 7 times at walmart??	https://sciatiease.com/fb/bem2/?ad_id={{ad.id}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&campaign_name={{campaign.name}}&source={{site_source_name}}&placement={{placement}}&cpid=1d5d64f1-d289-4918-97a0-d5d5e684f00a&lpid=94e273f5-0164-43c9-aa0f-23d490d56568	2024-03-28 11:02	https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434281701_996421632094313_3736370466232033370_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=pSQowQRD4O0AX-3OXXx&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=00_AfBjZ1uYx8E5bJ1WKLCtp5aDBeAlziSjlS1vtlWBYXldKA&oe=660FBAFE	person_profile	Say Goodbye to Sciatic Nerve P	https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434286053_7281345668579911_5868461861334064684_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=9R-wYBpwJkcAX_T8T5C&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AfAxq4DWz4eMYlG6qsnBT97ORCWzmGGMdiTKLu0ZRWOt8Q&oe=660FAE8B	3	Say Goodbye to Sciatic Nerve Pain?	2024-03-30 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,108	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881238}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	751745226937785	best vitamin to alleviate sciatic nerve pain? (take 2 & watch)	"𝐈'𝐦 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤'𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐄, 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞! 😍😍"	WATCH_MORE	https://sciatiease.com/fb/bestemnhsy/?ad_id={{ad.i	100422331945056	Health Report News	https://facebook.com/100076274320152	13,924	19	1,608,344,266,394,465	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Watch more	Health Report News	120208885132060608	sciatiease.com	NONE	video	best vitamin to alleviate sciatic nerve pain? (take 2 & watch)	https://sciatiease.com/fb/bestemnhsy/?ad_id={{ad.id}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&campaign_name={{campaign.name}}&source={{site_source_name}}&placement={{placement}}&cpid=486b148d-9354-4801-8282-30b5495bdf6c&lpid=0251401c-8522-47ba-beae-9a1d9d044d5e	2024-03-28 09:37	https://scontent.fmci2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434200953_3274738922832382_5566615092755354698_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=rMQHJoJvysoAX_abGLF&_nc_ht=scontent.fmci2-1.fna&oh=00_AfA3U9yjCt5fFoCYDF6IoxuXz3azcPzeoLmKsTVGM2k0ug&oe=660F9FBD	person_profile	Health Report News	https://scontent.fmci2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434195919_951015083302577_4281444470853522976_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=SNB--OR0NnoAX-6ia4J&_nc_ht=scontent.fmci2-1.fna&oh=00_AfCFBU-SMYnbcOulK5Y-coPggCLTRwKXWRYfX2ZYKBz2hg&oe=660FB5DC	3	Health Report News	2024-03-30 02:00	View Edit Delete
881,326	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":881325}'	Yes	2024-03-31 15:59	active	395	1089197268858081	Best Working Shoe 2023!	Goodbye foot pain! Hello all-day comfort.. ☁️👣<br /> <br /> Peak Footwear their shoes feel like walking on clouds! Your feet will express their gratitude right away! 😌<br /> <br /> Join 75.000+ people savoring foot paradise!<br /> <br /> Don't miss out on our Winter Sale, where you can enjoy savings of up to 70% across our entire collection..<br /> <br /> 👉 <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftry.peak-footwear.com%2Fhike-7-reasons&h=AT1Fej-t7PkOH8XorZMnb6qeGwyb6xYv-FoY3pzttcF8KTHxdztIDY_wfGg3btChgk7Lb9ZU37WiBXOp12OPNVsOjeLnSSQOccvKFEzA_72YEkLvBAOvOVWjPEwKeProSdVKPntVDG2YDR6rj5AtsdWV3jYnqShOrsx_PSwp8co" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://try.peak-footwear.com/hike-7-reasons</a>	LEARN_MORE	https://try.peak-footwear.com/hike-7-reasons	214832425046409	Peak Footwear	https://facebook.com/61555479764998	353	1	942,369,274,023,476	2024-03-30 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn more	Peak Footwear	120206955887250163	try.peak-footwear.com	NONE	video	★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 1 year warranty	https://try.peak-footwear.com/hike-7-reasons	2024-03-30 01:01	https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434330902_7285502374852056_8129343299314355794_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=xLR-EKtB0ScAX-Ccj2w&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=00_AfCFotb-G5MvjccX45LpVEZa7X6msGEav0wfOz0fn_0kOg&oe=660FA800	person_profile	Peak Footwear	https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433165463_792224959013438_5677121460315899868_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=sBjYUk633kwAX8iAezP&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBEbXJwwE4vbRI8qLcm8sRwJooIOejISyB6FBaNvZvTRA&oe=660FAC2C	3	Peak Footwear	2024-03-29 02:00	View Edit Delete

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