71- The Alpha’s Promise
POV Lunara Grimwald:
"That’s not true!" he snapped, frustrated. "I threatened Thalira that night and forbade her from coming to my house after she ruined your cakes."
"And you think that’s enough?" My voice rose. "Since the moment I stepped into this damn forest and got bound to you, I’ve done everything I can to build a home here, to adapt to your pack. But every time I try to do the right thing, Thalira is there to sabotage me. They don’t respect me because you don’t respect me! How could they act differently if their own Alpha—my bonded partner—doesn’t? I’ve been trying to make Eldoria my home and accept this reality, but you don’t even seem to notice."
He blinked, stunned, and took a hesitant step back.
"I... I’m sorry," he panted. I shook my head dismissively.
"Your apologies aren’t enough, Edric. I’ve said it once, and now, more than ever, I’ll say it again." I drew a deep breath to calm myself. "Don’t ever try to demand loyalty from me again or judge me for wanting the ritual, for wanting to be free. From the second I stepped onto this land, all you’ve done is make my life as miserable as possible. Not just you, but your lover too."
I rubbed my face, feeling exhausted.
"I didn’t think you cared. I thought you hated me as much as I thought I hated you. You’re bound to me, but you’ve always shown interest in being free."
"And I don’t care—but my wolf does!" I threw my arms up, frustrated. "I’ve never been free, Edric. I thought I was, but I wasn’t. First, there was my father and all his orders, always a collar around my neck. Then came Alessio and the weight of his vengeance." I raised my eyes to meet his. "And then you came, and this damned mark on our necks. But I’ve found I’m resilient. I liked Eldoria, and how the pack is so different from Twilight and Eclipse. I thought I could actually make this my home and spend the rest of my days safe, in a good place. But then you and that disgusting bitch decided to make my life here unbearable. Having to run, dealing with Alessio chasing me on one side and you on the other, sounds like a better life than living in a place where all I get is humiliation."
She widened her eyes, as if something was finally making sense in her mind.
He approached me with deliberate steps.
“Thalira will no longer be a problem.”
“And how can I trust that you’re telling me the truth?” I raised my chin.
“Because this time, I’m giving you my word as an Alpha.”
“But… what about your history with her?”
“My history with her doesn’t cloud my judgment. If you wish to be part of Eldoria and make it your home, you have my approval. I can’t promise you freedom, Lunara. And I never will. That’s a reality that no longer belongs to your life. As my bonded mate, my enemies have become yours, just as yours have become mine. And they would use you to get to me without a second thought.”
“Enemies?”
He nodded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. I stared at his large hand, still covered in Bogdan’s dried blood.
“I’m part of the business world. I’ve killed many humans for disrespecting me, for trying to steal from me, or for owing me. Their families may want revenge, and they’ll come for you the first chance they get if they ever learn the truth. And there’s still Alessio—we don’t know what his true intentions are, whether it’s to kill you or not.” He curled his lips, disgusted just by mentioning Alessio. “I’m a leader, Lunara. An entire pack depends on me; death can’t and shouldn’t be a risk I take.”
I exhaled and nodded in agreement.
“I know.”
“I promise I won’t make your life difficult within the pack, as long as you promise not to run.”
“If things aren’t bad for me, I have no reason to run. Out there, Alessio could get me, and I’d rather die than fall into his hands.”
“Neither of those things will happen. Not death, and certainly not Alessio.”
He uncrossed his arms and extended his palm toward me, offering a deal. I hesitated for only a moment before resting my hand on his. With a swift movement, he pulled me closer, tangled his fingers in the hair at the back of my neck, and kissed me.
I froze, unable to react.
He forced his way between my lips, his tongue sliding in. His eyes were closed, as if savoring the touch—the moment itself.
The kiss was different from all the others before it; it wasn’t urgent or possessive—it was slow, exploratory.
I placed my hands on his arms, tracing the sculpted muscles with my fingertips. Our tongues met—hot and wet—intertwining in a perfect dance.
The world around us seemed to go silent; not even the rustle of small animals or the cry of owls could be heard.
Edric pressed me harder against the rough trunk of a tree, deepening the kiss. Heat gathered between my thighs, and a soft moan escaped my lips.
I gripped the soft strands of his brown hair, holding them tight. I liked how the curls molded between my fingers.
His breath smelled of whiskey and mint—an intoxicating combination. And the scent of fresh pine and damp earth was all I could sense.
For a fraction of a second, it felt so right. We felt so right. But I quickly pushed that thought away, forcing it from my mind.
It was just my hormones screaming.
Edric had a dead mate. He was broken and could never be fixed. He’d known true love and lost it. It was obvious—Thalira had spent half a century trying to mend him, and she never succeeded. She let life slip through her fingers, devoting herself entirely to the male she loved, living for him, existing for him.
I wouldn’t be just another female in his life. I wouldn’t live mine revolving around his, trying to make him fall in love, or at least return the feelings I barely understood myself.
Emotional imprisonment was a thousand times worse than physical captivity.
I knew Alessio wasn’t my fated mate, but I was willing to love him as if he were. And it was possible. Most marriages in Twilight and Eclipse worked that way. I still didn’t understand why it was different for the five packs of Tharnak.
I didn’t have any hope of finding my fated mate either. I was already bonded, and nothing could change that. If I did find him, it would only bring pain—to both him and me. Maybe, someday, after death, I could meet him—but not in this life.
He pulled away from my lips and rested his forehead against mine, breathing deeply.