Escaping Fate Book 3
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C. Sweets
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30
A New Start
ADIRA
A DECADE LATER
A decade has passed since Roman left us, and itâs been eleven years since I assumed leadership of the Lunar Sun Pack and Coven.
After we said our goodbyes, I sought solace with Dominic while Romanâs room was cleared out, leaving behind only his favorite toy and a few shirts, which were carefully packed into a box in my closet.
Ever since my return, itâs been all work and no play. I havenât sought out a loverâonly indulging in occasional flingsâand Iâm not particularly interested in finding one.
Travis discovered his mate a few years ago, but he rejected her because she was Adrianâs ex. Heâs a father now, to a boy who is as sweet as he is hilarious.
My brother has been pushing his limits lately, but Dominic is handling it.
Aiden found his second mate a few months backâMandy, a kind and loving woman who was once a slave and whom I had the privilege of rescuing. I arranged for them to move into a house just outside the pack house.
Alyana and Carson are keeping their distance from me at the moment. Our last conversation ended in a heated argument after Alyana was caught sneaking boys into the house, and she blamed me for my sonâs death.
Despite this, Travis and I remain incredibly close, even though weâre no longer intimate. Heâs one of the few people I trust, but Iâm painfully aware that their time is limited.
Iâm immortal, which means everyone I care about will eventually pass away.
I rise from my bed and gaze at my reflection in the mirror, taking a deep breath. I pull my dark blue hair into a high ponytail, leaving two strands to frame my face, then apply a thin line of eyeliner and some matte red lipstick.
I head to my closet and select a leather pleated skirt adorned with crosses, a silver chain belt with a black moon charm, and a tight, black long-sleeve turtleneck.
After dressing, I accessorize with a silver choker and an assortment of rings, then add fishnets and black heeled boots.
I make my way to my office and begin sorting through a pile of papers. When one catches my eye, I pull it out and settle back to read.
To the Lunar Sun Coven/Pack,
I am Second Eric Manuels of Midnight Sun. We have recently unearthed an old treaty with your coven, one that predates the packâs inclusion.
We would like to revisit this treaty and hopefully forge an alliance. Therefore, I extend an invitation to you and your second to visit our land.
I hope you understand, but we do not permit wolves on our land due to recent attacks. Please let us know if you wish to visit, and we will gladly make arrangements. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely, Eric Manuels
I find myself reading the letter again, deep in thought, when Travis walks in with a cup of coffee and settles at his desk. He begins to sift through his own paperwork.
âWhen did this arrive?â I hand him the letter, and he scans it quickly.
âI believe it came in a few days ago,â he replies, leaning back in his chair. âAre you considering going?â
âWhat do we know about the Midnight Sun Coven?â
He drums his fingers on the armrest. âNot a lot. Theyâre a sizable coven, generally neutral. Their king is a mystery, only his second is known. They have a low opinion of wolves, considering us inferior. Thatâs about it.â
âWhen do we have some free time?â I ask, folding my arms.
He grins at me, clearly amused, then flips through his calendar. âYou have a gap of about three weeks in a few weeksâ time. Who are you planning to take with you?â
âWho would you say is the best fighter in the coven right now?â I return his grin.
âHmm. That would likely be Mason Draco. Since we took him in, heâs shown himself to be quite formidable. He does have a bit of a temper, though.â
âMason Draco, could you please come to my office?â I send the message through the pack and coven links.
Travis straightens up and takes a sip of his coffee, while I stand and adjust my clothes before moving to the front of my desk. I hop up and sit on the edge, crossing my legs.
After about twenty minutes, thereâs a knock on the door.
âCome in,â Travis calls, pulling out a stack of papers.
A man steps in, and upon seeing me, he kneels in respect.
âMason, how long have you been with us?â I ask, keeping my tone friendly.
He rises, his height dwarfing mine.
Heâs a towering six foot six, with straight, shoulder-length hair the color of rich chocolate, mostly swept to one side. His sharp cheekbones and thin lips frame golden eyes with red centers, a clear sign of his hybrid nature.
A silver earring dangles from one ear, a cross at its end reaching his neck, while a black stud adorns the other.
âBeen here about a year,â he answers.
His voice is as smooth as velvet, and he doesnât seem to fear me, which brings a smile to my face.
âAnd how are you finding it?â I ask, leaning back on my hands, arms fully extended.
I take in his appearance as he turns his attention to Travis, who is trying to subtly link with him. Masonâs body is lean, but his muscles are evident. Heâs dressed in a black tank topâits armholes stretched wide to reveal his ribcageâand leaf-green skinny jeans paired with black boots. Tattoos adorn his hands and part of his ribs.
When he catches me looking, he grins confidently.
âItâs quite different from my old coven,â he admits. âNo offense, but the men here are all muscle and the women canât resist a good gossip.â
âNone taken. Iâve tried to address the drama with the women multiple times over the years,â I reply, glancing at Travis. âBelieve it or not, it was even worse when I first moved here with my initial mate.â
âIs that why you need me?â Mason asks, a puzzled look on his face.
I giggle, and Travis smirks.
âActually, I have a task for you,â I say, my tone firm. Mason straightens up at my change in demeanor. âI donât have a second, only a beta, as no one here is my equal by blood.
âTravis tells me youâre our best fighterâis that true?â
He chuckles. âIâd like to think so. No one in the coven can best me, and the wolves lack strategy in their fights. All brawn, no brains.â
Travis rolls his eyes at Masonâs boast.
âMason, how would you feel about accompanying me to another coven for a few days, maybe more? I need a vampire by my side since wolves arenât permitted.
âAnd honestly, Iâm not sure what Iâm walking into. But I am intrigued by the potential of a new alliance.â
As he ponders my proposal, I nod at Travis who rises and heads for the door, chuckling. We both know Mason will agree.
âJust the two of us?â Mason asks as Travis exits the room to start preparing for my departure.
âExactly. Youâll be my sole ally there, and I need someone who will be honest with me. Too many here are yes-men, afraid to disagree or upset me.
âTravis mentioned you have a temper, and I must admit, thatâs why I want you with me,â I say, hopping off the desk and approaching Mason.
He grins. âThink you can keep your hands off me for that long?â he teases, biting his lip.
I smirk up at him, my head barely reaching his shoulders. Iâm only five foot six, so he towers over me by more than a foot.
âWould you want me to?â I retort, my tone flirtatious.
âWhat?â he stammers, surprised by my audacity. He runs a hand through his hair.
I notice his gaze following me as I saunter back to the desk, laughing. I hop onto it, parting my legs slightly and resting my hands between them.
âIâm sure youâve heard the rumors about my lovers,â I say nonchalantly, shrugging my shoulders.
âI mean, yeah,â he admits, rubbing his neck. âBut I thought they were just rumors. Most were about you and the beta or the head hunter. I figured people were just making assumptions.â
I beckon him to join me.
âWell, thatâs old news,â I confess. âI havenât been with either of them in years. When I first became luna, I had a few months where I was involved with both. They knew about each other and weâve remained close.
âBut when my son was murdered by the Blood Moon Alphaâs former mateâout of jealousy because her mate wanted to reject her for me, even though I didnât want himâI ended it.
âSince then, Iâve avoided being touched unless I was in heat,â I explain.
He gazes at me, taking in my words. I recline once more, easing the tension in my back.
âSo, youâre not officially seeing anyone?â he finally breaks the silence.
âNo, and Iâm not on the hunt either. Iâm only being this candid because, to be honest, you intrigue me,â I reply, my tone light and unassuming.
âDoes it bother you that I once had a mate?â
âTruthfully? I couldnât care less about your past relationships. Iâve had a mate too,â I pick up the letter from my desk and hand it to him, hoping heâll understand our next move.
He quickly skims through it before handing it back.
âOkay⊠But arenât you worried about what I am?â His voice is low yet soothing, and I flash him a smile before shifting my eyes from their usual purple to a blend of colors, then to red. He chuckles, reminded of my hybrid nature.
âI donât judge people based on what they are. I grew up with a hybrid mother and a royal father. King Dominic is the father of my siblings and wants to be my lover. My first mate was a hybrid, and so was my son.â
I cross my legs and place my hands on my lap. He observes me as I move, his gaze lingering on my thighs as my skirt hikes up. He bites his lip as he takes me in.
âDo we have anything scheduled for today?â I mentally ask Travis.
âNo⊠I knew you were eyeing him!â he teases through our mental connection. âI warned him about your unpredictable nature when I noticed he was doing the same.â
I hop off my seat and tuck a loose strand of Masonâs hair behind his ear. He watches me cautiously, as if afraid I might lash out if he makes a move.
I smile at him and trace my finger along his cheek, our faces close enough to feel each otherâs breath but not touching. Our eyes meet, and he wraps his arms around my waist.
I gently nibble on his lip and rest my forehead against his. âIs this what you want?â I ask, ensuring Iâm not pushing him.
âYes,â he responds, pulling me into a kiss that feels desperate and urgent. His kisses are intense and commanding. He digs his nails into my thigh while his other hand holds the back of my neck.
âFollow me,â I say, standing up and taking his hand, leading him out of the room.
He doesnât utter a word, simply allowing me to guide him through the house. Several coven members spot us and look surprised. I usually donât mingle with their men, but this one was too tempting to resist.
