Chapter 4

Maeve’s POV

My chest tightened with fear as Draven’s words cut through the air like they meant nothing at all. He was rejecting me. I felt something die inside me. Even as stinging tears brimmed in my eyes, I tried to tell myself it was for the best.

Then he froze, as though the words lodged in his throat. Through my blurred vision, I saw confusion and shock flicker across his face.

“Why did you stop?” I demanded, my lips moving faster than I intended, my heart pounding in my ears. His fingers dug into my arms, pressing me harder against the cold stone wall. “Finish it—reject me—let’s just get this over with.” Tears splashed down my cheeks.

“No. This isn’t possible,” he muttered under his breath, but I heard him perfectly well. My own expression must have mirrored my bewilderment.

Draven’s eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip, forcing me further into the wall. “What the hell are you doing?” He stared at me with an intensity that made my spine quiver, as if trying to read some hidden truth in my eyes.

Truth or no, I had more immediate concerns than deciphering his tortured expression. I could feel my lungs fighting for air. I wrapped my hands around his wrists, ignoring the electric sting, the overwhelming urge to lean into his broad chest. My nails dug into his skin.

“Let go of me.”

He released me with a brusque shove, sending me sprawling across the bed as though I were weightless. His gaze never wavered, fixed on me with a tumult of anger and indecision. Then the indecision faded, replaced by a cold, singular stare.

“In two days, on the full moon, the Council will hold the Luna ceremony for you,” he announced without warning. “Don’t make any stupid mistakes.” He turned away, revealing the sculpted plane of his back, the taut muscles beneath his shirt. I bit my lip, torn between fury and the undeniable pull he still held over me.

I forced myself to look up at him, shame and anger warping my features into a crooked smile. My sobs stuttered into sharp, uneven laughter. He studied me with a look so piercing it felt like fire on my skin. Dare rising to the surface, I held his stare until the heat drove me to look away.

“A ceremony for me? Just so everyone can see you have a mate—while you keep your lover around?” I shook my head, my voice trembling with scorn. “I’ve already been humiliated in front of the pack. I won’t disgrace myself before the Council. Let her be your Luna instead—I don’t care.”

He turned back, dark eyes fixed on me. “Don’t be mistaken. If I had my way, Thea would stand beside me as Luna.” His words landed like blows to my gut, but I squeezed back the tears determined to emerge.

“Fine,” I snapped, striving for calm in my voice. “I won’t attend, so you can crown her in my place.”

His expression remained unreadable—until he finally spoke, low and deadly. “You will attend.”

I met his gaze, a spark of defiance flashing between us. “I’d like to see you make me.” Where that courage came from, I didn’t know—I only knew I wanted to sting him with my refusal. I was furious, wounded by his betrayal, and I wanted him to feel that frustration too.

Draven’s eyes narrowed. He strode toward me, each step deliberate. My first impulse was to flee; the second, more stubborn side of me, urged me to stand my ground.

He seized my hair, yanking me upright so our bodies hovered inches apart. “Don’t test my patience, Maeve.” His voice was a growl low enough to vibrate through my bones.

I smelled the faint spice of his skin and a small whimper escaped me before I could stop it. His eyes darkened further, and he drew me even closer. Ignoring the sparks dancing along my nerves, I tried to maintain a steady gaze.

Finally, he let go. “If you value your life, don’t play games with me.” Then he stormed from the chamber, the door slamming behind him.

***

Two days had passed since our confrontation, and I hadn’t left my room—nor had I been allowed to. Elysia and Aria brought my meals. Aria, surprisingly, had become my friend: she was only twenty and still unmated, while Elysia was paired with Galen, Draven’s Beta.

I sat curled on the bed, knees against my chest, staring at the crimson silk dress hanging on the rack. That night was the ceremony held in my honor—though I was still debating whether to go. Elysia had begged me not to anger the Alpha any further.

Dusk seeped through my window, and distant chatter drifted down the hall as guests arrived. My heart tightened at the thought of facing them.

A soft click announced the door opening. The air shifted, thickening around me—Draven’s presence. I pried my eyes open, swallowing every ounce of surprise at the sight of him. Clad in a crisp white shirt embroidered with black accents and dark tunic pants, he filled the doorway like a living monument. His broad shoulders and defined muscles gleamed in the fading light, and my breath caught.

“Maeve!” he growled, and the sound of his voice sent a shiver down my spine. “What are you doing, still undressed?”

I tore my gaze away, refusing to answer.

“The guests have begun gathering in the hall. Enough of your stubbornness!”

“I told you,” I said, head lifted defiantly, though my heart raced. “I’m not attending.”

He advanced slowly until he stood before me, and for a moment, he simply stared. Then the corner of his mouth twisted into a dark, almost feral smile. My breath hitched when his warm palm brushed my cheek, sending an involuntary gasp escaping my lips. Sparks crackled across my skin, and I found myself meeting his gaze.

“I know how you feel about me,” he murmured, his hand trailing to the hollow of my throat. I clamped my mouth shut, fighting the moan that threatened to escape.

His look made my pulse stutter, my breathing uneven. My lips parted by themselves, inviting danger. His eyes darkened at that silent invitation, and he jerked his hand away, as though burned. Then he grasped my wrist in a grip that made me wince.

“Get dressed, Maeve, and come downstairs at once—or by the goddess, you will regret it. Do you understand?” His fingers tightened, choking me.

My whole body trembled. I wanted to tell him he couldn’t threaten me, but my heart had already answered for me. I nodded sharply.

He released me and stalked from the room, the door crashing behind him.

Fury flared in my chest. I pushed off the bed, snatched the red dress from the rack, and slipped into it. Moments later, Elysia arrived to tame my wild curls, twisting them into a tight bun and letting a few tendrils frame my face.

By the time I’d glanced at myself in the mirror, I hardly recognized this poised, elegant woman staring back. Aria knocked and breezed in, her bright smile announcing that everyone was assembled in the hall.

I steadied my breath and, with Elysia by my side, made my way downstairs.

I lifted my chin, recalling the etiquette drilled into me as a child: carry yourself with grace, never shame yourself—or Draven—in public.

All eyes turned to me as I entered the great hall, filled with Council members and Alphas from every pack. I searched desperately for Draven, for my father—no sign of either. Rage and disappointment flared again, and hot tears threatened to spill.

Elysia squeezed my hand. When I asked quietly after Draven’s whereabouts, she shook her head. “I don’t know.”

A fresh wave of pain cut through me—I was certain he was off with his lover. I blinked fiercely, turning to slip out another door, desperate to escape before I broke down.

I collided with something—or someone. Strong arms caught me before I fell, steadying me by the waist. My eyes fluttered open. I was looking up into a pair of familiar yet alien hazel eyes that made my heart pound in confusion.

Before I could speak, a deep growl rumbled through the hall, silencing every whisper. I stiffened and turned, my blood roaring in my ears. There, framed in the doorway, stood Draven—anger and something unreadable flickering in his eyes.