The Alpha’s Substitute Mate

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” He doesn’t deserve you.” I should have asked what he meant but I was too busy gawking at the wall of muscles in front of me. He held my gaze, his bright amber-brown eyes were looking deep into my soul.

He sighed and let go of my hand and gently helped me to my feet and moved back a bit from me

” You should go now, Luna.” His words were gentle and his amber eyes were fixated on mine as he studied my face and his finger trailed a lock of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

I felt a churn in my chest and my heart shattered into a million pieces. How could he share a kiss with me, and now wants me to leave?

He opened the door for me and stood aside, I held myself, I won’t cry whatever happens I would hang onto my remaining dignity

” Thank you for your help Malcolm, I appreciate it,” I muttered

” Oh, you are always welcome, take this please,” he added the massage serum and joint treatment into a bag and handed them to me. I took the bag and understood the message he was trying to convey. He didn’t want to do it again.

I mumbled another thank you and left. I heard his bedroom door close quietly behind me.

” But why had he actually done that? Was kissing me that bad?” I could still feel his hands on me, and I ached for that touch.

I was almost to the end of the hallway when I collided with Arden. Immediately I saw him, fear began to snake its ugly way into my body and I stood there, shivering in fear and anxiety and I saw him look at me intently. I hate being afraid of anything, and my own fear made me angry. Angry at him and most especially angry at myself for cowering in fear.

I gulped nervously and watched him like a curious bird as he growled and said in a clipped tone

” Who!? Who was it? Who touched you?”

I wasn’t going to cower before him this time, I lifted my chin and stared defiantly

” What are you talking about?” you get to fuck your whores, act like you please and I don’t even have the right to question you as your wife. Here you’re screaming down the castle because someone touched me. Are you for real?

He rubbed his stomach like he was still in pain and it dawned on me what was happening. I had shared a kiss with Malcolm, and Arden had felt the pain of breaking our mate bond.

I felt a bit guilty and somehow satisfied. At least he felt pain even though his was nothing compared to what I had been through.

I wanted to rub it in his face and throw his exact words at him but I would be setting Malcolm up if I’m to admit what had happened.

Blood Moon Pack was known for its cruelty and enormity and I wondered what would be the verdict for kissing the Alpha’s mate. Maybe the person would be burnt at the stake or have his head chopped off in public. Arden was ruthless and cruel; he would prefer to claw out the person’s heart with his bare hands.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and sniffed me.

“That bloody bastard, Malcolm, Malcolm? He growled ferociously. His words were so fierce and furious that I felt the ground tremble around us. His anger rolled off in waves and the chandelier and the doors rattled.

I tried not to show that I was afraid of him as I stayed my ground, held my head high, and said calmly to him ” Yes, I have your brother’s scent on me because he helped to massage my broken ankle,” I moved out of his grip and stuck out my swollen ankle so he could see.

He looked down at my feet and seemed to comprehend for the first time that I aid my walking with arm clutches. At the same time, Malcolm came out of his chambers; he must have heard him yelling. He walked slowly and gracefully. His walk reminded me of a beast going out to hunt its prey, laid back but watchful.

I recalled what he had said in the hospital about always being there to protect me. Was it what he intended to do now?

” You really have no idea of what you did to me, do you?” I said to Arden using the opportunity to push the blame on him. He stared at me, I felt his eyes move over to my bruised face, my swollen and discolored neck, my bruised body, and finally my swollen and bandaged ankle.

” Do you hate me so much that you derive joy in hurting me?” I said coldly, absorbing his void look.

I walked out of him and moved down the hallway toward my chamber. I was glad to have distracted him from the fact that he’d felt the beginning of my infidelity and wouldn’t take out his rage with his brother.

I got into my chamber and gave the door a hard and intense slam that I knew would echo down the hallway. And locked the door.

I was exhausted and confused, more like I was between the devil and the red sea. My situation was complicated. I’m pregnant with Arden’s child and I have feelings for his brother.

I didn’t even know it was possible to have two bonds at the same time.

This whole stuff was driving me insane and I wished I could speak to someone without revealing my secret.

Even if I decided not to tell them about the pregnancy, I knew that very soon they could all smell the changes in my hormones. Deep down in my heart, I knew the best decision was to simply walk away, that way I would be able to protect the growing pup in my womb.

I had to run away and go rogue. The very thing that I’d been afraid of from the first day now seemed like my only option.