Chapter 5

Elara

But he never even made it close.

My guards intercepted him. They grabbed him by the collar and belt, halting his momentum, and hurled him straight into the freezing pool next to Chloe.

"Keep them in there until sunset," I ordered, turning my back on the splashing and cursing.

For the next four hours, Zane and Chloe stayed trapped in the icy water. Shivering, exhausted, and desperate for body heat, they clung to each other tightly, stripping off their heavy, waterlogged layers just to stay afloat.

By the time the guards finally dragged them out at dusk, they were half-conscious, wrapped around each other with their clothes in total disarray.

A passing enforcer snapped a photo. Within an hour, it was circulating across every rank in the pack's internal network.

The rumor spread like wildfire: Zane and the caretaker's "innocent" daughter were caught secretly mating in the pool and couldn't stop until they passed out.

Chloe's pure, delicate reputation was instantly destroyed.

Worse, the prolonged exposure to the freezing temperatures permanently damaged her weak Omega wolf. The pack healer confirmed she would never be able to bear pups.

Her father, the pack caretaker, was humiliated. He cornered Zane the next morning, demanding he formally claim Chloe to save his family's face.

Zane, blind idiot that he was, eagerly agreed. He immediately went to the pack Elders, trying to authorize a massive wire transfer from Blood Moon's main accounts as a mating settlement for her family.

My mother strode into the foyer just as he was demanding the authorization. Her face was a thundercloud.

"Those funds belong to Blood Moon," my mother snapped, tossing a manila folder onto the marble floor at Zane's feet. "You are an adopted candidate. Your contract states you remain loyal to my daughter, or you remain unmated. Period."

Zane went pale. He'd spent years living like elite royalty, completely forgetting that every asset he touched belonged to our bloodline.

Desperate, he dropped to his knees. "Alpha, please. Release the funds. Chloe's reputation is ruined. I have to do this."

"You want to use my money to claim a woman who tried to melt my face off?" I looked at him with pure disgust. "You're getting nothing, Zane. You violated pack law. Take your Omega and leave."

Zane's eyes went wide. Panic morphed into cornered anger. "You set us up! I'll go to the Lycan Council! I'll tell them the Alpha is framing her candidates!"

My mother's aura flared, instantly cracking the marble under her boots.

"Go to the Council," she warned dangerously. "But before you do, my Enforcers will seize the three million dollars in pack resources you siphoned to buy Chloe designer bags, jewelry, and cars. We will strip you bare."

Zane froze. He realized he was dead to rights. He backed down, swallowing his threat instantly.

But my mother wasn't feeling merciful. She signaled the guards anyway.

By noon, the Enforcers had raided Chloe's room, seizing every piece of jewelry, clothing, and the keys to the SUV Zane had bought her.

Zane's pack mark was officially severed. He was banished as a Rogue.

When Chloe realized Zane was penniless, she tried to back out of the mating. But her father, furious at the shame she brought them, locked her in Zane's new, rundown motel room out in the neutral zone anyway.

The next morning, Kael cornered me in the hallway.

His eyes were bloodshot, furious over his brother's banishment. He shoved me hard against the wall, his large hand wrapping dangerously close around my throat.

"Is this your master plan, Elara?!" he snarled, his breath hot against my face. "You get rid of my brother to isolate me? You think doing all this is going to make me want to bond with you?"

The air turned to ice.

Before I could pull away, Kael was suddenly hurled across the hall, hitting the wall with a bone-rattling thud.

Intoxicating pine and rain rushed my senses.

Mate.

I froze. Standing in the shadows was Lucian Blackwood. Alive. Awake. His golden eyes locked onto Kael.

"Touch my mate," his voice dropped to a lethal rumble, "and you die."