a's

othly but I felt

sible between myself and Alpha Jacob, even though there was not much room. Eve

t to think about everything that had just happened. Only a short while ago, I had been kneeling beneat

g made

me I was s

a

real. How could I be safe with a stranger? How could I

inside me. He

red silently. B

ot mean tha

saved did not always mean being rescued. Sometimes i

. My throat was still dry. My body still felt weak

forced myse

me?" My voice soun

ost surprised by the question. "O

is was obvious. Everything about t

is mouth curved into a faint smile. It was not mocki

said. "I need to protect you. Can yo

I thought I had

m

looked at him in disbelief. My mind could not even form a

o

as imp

cted me. The pain of that bond breaking still lived inside my chest like a wound that had not c

ddess give someone li

. The maid. The girl who had been dragge

ed. "I do not feel the mate bond betwee

not change. If anything

y take some time for you to feel the bond. Not every pair recognizes each ot

im. That did n

said the same thing. The bond struck qui

Leon: the shock, th

with Jacob w

ds. No one had ever taught me much about t

truth. But if he was, why

ut this was n

ssly inside me. I

her

toward me. Before I understood what he was doing, he reached

terrible second we simply stared at each other. My breathing turned shallow. I h

my surprise, his voice softened. "You sh

d not

amused, then withdrew his hand and lean

id not

ecause he smiled again, this time a little w

oking,"

sure tha

the window but all I saw was the road stretching a

h me in my pack. My pack members will be happy

twisted. Fu

too heavy even

ant. I had been rejected in front of everyone. I had nearly been executed.

ot know

a title. He did not know that I was not Luna

then

t me too, just

d it be

I did not know how I was supposed to survive thi

inally sl

and large metal gates opening before us.

eath

e with wide steps and tall windows. It was grand but not soft. It felt lik

were already

ickly," he said. "My mom will reprimand me if she sees you in th

es were torn and stained with dir

and wrapped it around myself.

a gentleman. That alone made me pause. I did not know what to do with such a gest

ith blonde hair touched with silver. She carried herself with quiet authority. Beside he

alking. Wha

and looked at Jacob first.

, she is the one. Your

is so pretty. You are very lucky that the moo

y. No one had ever spoken

gently, "What

nd answered s

such a cute name for you

ed up one of the glasses from

nk the sac

ghtly and loo

ers drink water from the sacred well inside our territory. It is b

"Drink it. It w

hing me. I felt like I had no cho

but it was not. There was a slight sour taste to it. It

the garland and jewelry. She is your future Luna. She should

came toward m

g jewelry onto me. I stared at them in disbelief. The piec

it. But Jacob was watching me closely and I had a st

iet and kept m

een waiting since long to pass these on to my daughter in law. Now, tha

her. "What

bit too fast. We need to give Anya some time to ada

ur room, then. Give her a tour of the pack house later. I have some

, Mother,"

iddle of my back and guided me to

dy had gone

aped death only to fall into the hands of something I did not u

ld make the perfect

did not

ower my eyes and keep quiet. They did not know how badly I would fail whatever test th

ey do when th

he dark entrance ahead. Cool air drifted out from inside, carrying th

inside me. Some

s Jacob led me o

was very,

s, I knew this was